News Round-up: Jackson, Tointon, HIV, Richard

TV nets line up to air Jackson memorial
The memorial for Michael Jackson may be a tough ticket live, but it shouldn't be hard to find it on television. ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment are among the networks that have already announced plans to offer live coverage of the Tuesday memorial, set for 10 a.m. PDT in Los Angeles' Staples Center. ABC is sending anchor Charles Gibson to Los Angeles for the story, setting aside its typical daytime programming. CBS anchor Katie Couric will also be at the Staples Center, although the network has not yet said whether it was offering live coverage of the memorial. NBC is not planning live coverage, but will wrap up highlights in a one-hour prime-time special Tuesday night.

EASTENDERS actress upset about affair
Kara Tointon is unhappy her EASTENDERS character is having an affair. The 25-year-old actress - who plays randy barmaid Dawn Swann in the BBC soap - hates having to portray a love cheat. She said: "I'm really upset that Dawn is hurting Garry again. I can't believe she didn't learn her lesson the last time things went wrong. Viewers have been telling me not to break his heart - everyone loves Garry!"

Malachy Fisher's HIV worries
HOLLYOAKS' Malachy Fisher worries his HIV condition has taken a turn for the worse. The Irish builder (Glen Wallace) is struck down by flu-like symptoms but is too scared to visit his doctor in case he is given bad news. Jennifer Metcalfe, who plays Malachy's wife Mercedes, revealed: "Malachy starts to feel really unwell - achy, shivery and feverish like he's got a bad case of flu. He pretends he's okay but he's obviously not. Mercedes knows something is wrong and demands he sees a doctor. She's worried his immune system is too weak to fight off the illness."

Sure soaps are dumb, but maybe that's the point
Vince Dunbar of the Marion Star writes about his wife's lifelong love of DAYS and how is daughter is now hooked: "Stacy spends an hour a day, five days a week watching a soap opera, specifically DAYS OF OUR LIVES. She has watched the show since she was 8 years old and, to her credit, she knows it's stupid. But she watches anyway. And now to take the stupidity a generation further, she's hooked our 13-year-old daughter, Madison. The show's in it's 44th season with more than 11,000 episodes. It's on its third generation in my family."

Gold Standard, Week Of Confrontations And Sacrifices
Tommy Garrett's top performers are the week are Katherine Kelly Lang, Sharon Case and Ashley Jones.

Wendy Richard memorial plaque unveiled at Mayfair pub
A star-studded audience turned out Sunday to remember actress Wendy Richard as a plaque was unveiled in her memory at a Mayfair pub.