What I watched last night...

BBC1 8pm Polar Bear: spy on the ice

This fascinating documentary, the first to get up close and personal with polar bears, depicted the struggle of the bears as they fought to survive over the summer months. Following numerous packs of bears and their cubs, the programme delved into the personality of the individual bear and revealed how curious they really are, having managed to destroy all of the BBC's cleverly camouflaged cameras disguised as lumps of snow and ice. This was after the bears had played football with snow ball cam, turned ice berg cam upside down numerous time and even uprighted snow cam to ensure the camera caught their best side, who knew polar bears were so vain?

Guilty TV pleasures

Tabatha's Salon Takeover

An American reality series which sees top hairdresser and salon owner Tabatha Coffey help failing salons, basically Hotel Inspector meets Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Of course things don't always run smoothly, what with ignorant staff, messy and un-hygienic salons, and often owners who have no idea about the hairdressing industry. But in the end, as always, the unprofitable salon becomes a success after a week's guidance.

A highlight of season 1 is Tabatha's takeover of Candolyn's Salon in LA. Her mission to attract customers and business to a failing salon/junk shop owned by a clueless, slightly manic depressive owner, one feat of a task. Even Tabatha reaches breaking point when she finds a bag of month-old cherries in one of the salon cupboards being consumed by maggots. However once the salon is given a new lick of paint and the '99 cents' store removed, it actually becomes a profitable business with a salon owner who appears to be a bit more sane than before, who would have guessed?

Coming soon to a cinema near you....

Winter 2011                

Blue Valentine

Debuted at the Sundance festival, the film's narrative is based around a young married couple, played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, whose relationship is falling apart. This results in the story going back and forth in time to show how the couple met and ended up together.

Spring 2011

Paul

A comedy by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost about two sci-fi geeks who visit American UFO terrority. While  they are there they meet an alien, as you do (?), who takes them on an insane road trip.

Scream 4

It's ten years on, and Sydney Prescott, who has just managed to get her life back on track thanks to writing, is visited by the ghost face killer, arghhhh, and what's more the old rules (e.g can't be killed if you are a virgin) don't apply anymore.
The film features most of the original characters including Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox, along with some new ones.

Summer 2011

The Hangover 2

The sequel to one of the funniest films of 2009, Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to Thailand for Stu's wedding. After Vegas, Stu is hoping for a calm and subdued brunch, however things don't go as planned and there is a possibility that one of the guys get tattooed for life.


Summer 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

Currently being written by David Goyer, the film will star Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy. But can their performances top the late Heath Ledger's as the Joker in the preceding film?

Come Fly With Me- no thanks

I was really looking forward to Matt Lucas and David Walliams' new comedy series, that is until I started to watch the first episode on Christmas day. From start to finish the 30 minute programme was insulting and failed to raise a laugh, to me placing a baby in the over head luggage on board is just not funny! The sketches were also predictable and characters lacked warmth and memorability.

As a big fan of Little Britain I expected a lot more from the comedy duo, especially with all the hype that preceded the BBC programme. The pair have certainly lost their touch.

Spoiler alert- Coronation Street 8-14 January

• Sally finds out that Kevin is planning to sell the family home from under her and vows to make it unsellable.
• Becky is released from jail pending further enquiries into the attack on Tracy.
• Lloyd and Cheryl get close but Chris isn't happy.
• Leanne admits her holiday with Peter was a nightmare and seeks comfort from Nick. And when Nick learns how close Peter and Carla came to having an affair he quickly turns this to his advantage, tempting Peter to start drinking again.
• Claire and the boys leave the Street for good.

Top Christms Tele picks

Christmas Eve

Film 12.55 ITV- Miracle on 34^th Street (1994)

A classic Christmas movie starring Richard Attenborough who has to persuade a disbelieving family that he is the real Father Christmas or face being branded as mentally insane.

Film 3.05pm BBC1- Cars (2006) Premiere

In this animated family adventure film, racing car Lightning McQueen’s dreams of winning the Piston Cup are put on hold when he gets lost in a forgotten town on Route 66.

Film 3.10pm Fiver - Corrina, Corrina (1994)

A heart warming tale, set in the 1950s, of a young girl and her father who hire a nanny after his wife and her mother passes away.  Expect tears and laughter with this feel good film, starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Film 7.15pm Film 4-Elf (2003)

This laugh out loud fantasy comedy with Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel sees Buddy, the adopted Elf, leave Lapland to find his real father. He takes a job at a Santa’s grotto in a department store where he falls in love with Jovie. But will Buddy ever be accepted in America or welcomed by his father?

7.30pm ITV- Coronation Street

The residents gather for a memorial carol service, following the fire at the Joinery and tram crash, but they are joined by an unwelcome guest- Tracy Barlow. The trouble continues in the second episode of the night at 8.30pm.

8pm BBC 1- Eastenders

It wouldn’t be Christmas in Walford without a drama, and the episode on Christmas Eve is sure not to disappoint when Janine plays Stacey’s confession to killing Archie at the Vic-eeek.

8pm Channel 4 -One born at Christmas

After the success of One born every minute, this Christmas the series will be filmed live as women prepare to give birth, however as unpredictable as labour is will there be any babies born?

9pm ITV2- The only way is Essexmas

Trashy TV at its best. Join Mark, Lauren, Amy, Kurt, Sam, James (Arg) and Harry at their Xmas fancy dress party, expect tears, tantrums and kissing underneath the mistletoe.

Film 10.15pm ITV- The holiday (2006)

Rom-com starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. Lives are changed as two women, from the UK and US, swap homes and meet the men of their dreams.

Christmas Day

Film 10.50am ITV-Santa Claus: the movie

Santa Claus the movie captures the true spirit of Christmas. Elf Dudley Moore leaves Lapland for the USA where he teams up with the film’s baddie, which of course spells disaster.

Film 3.10pm ITV-The Grinch (2000)

Bah Humburg, the modern day Scrooge starring Jim Carey.

7pm BBC1- Strictly come dancing Christmas special

Making up for strictly withdrawal after the final the weekend before, five newcomers including June Brown, Fern Britton, John Barrowman and Vince Cable compete for the coveted Christmas trophy.

Film 7pm Channel 4-Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Johnny Depp stars in this film about a lonely man-made boy with scissors as hands who is befriended by residents until an accident leads to them turning against him. This is Depp and Winona Ryder at their best.

9pm Channel 4-One born at Christmas

Part 2 of the series first aired on Christmas Eve.

10pm BBC 1-Come fly with me

New comedy series with Matt Lucas and David Walliams. The airport documentary spoof sees the two characters meet passengers and airport staff in hilarious sketches, but will it compare to Little Britain?

Boxing Day

Film 9.45am BBC 1-Who framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Film starring Bob Hoskins who plays a toon hating detective who is persuaded to help Roger Rabbit claim his innocence when he is accused of murder.  Not for the faint hearted.

7.55pm Ch5-Some mothers do ave em

Comedy at its best! Frank, played by Michael Crawford, offers his services for the local nativity, but the vicar is reluctant to accept because of the chaos he creates, and who can blame him, this guy is worse than a bull in a china shop.

8pm BBC 1-Eastenders

Continuing from the previous night, Stacey’s family tries to defend her against a serious murder accusation.

8pm BBC2-Top Gear

Part two of the Christmas special, the gang must follow the path of the three Wise men in a challenge which sees them travel through the Middle East in open top sports cars, much faster than donkeys.

10pm Channel 4-Alan Carr Chatty Man

Alan chats to Expendables star Mickey Rourke, comedienne Catherine Tate and boy band The Wanted.

What I watched on TV last night....

Top Gear- 8pm BBC 2 (part 1 of Christmas special)

Last night's programme was back on track, with the guys back to their usual antics in a bid to see who could get to NYC the quickest driving the world's top sports cars. It was just like the old days, with the three of them teasing each other and pulling out all the stunts to be crowned the winner and discover the world's greatest sports car.

I predict next week's episode will not be one to miss.

The Savoy-9pm ITV (2/2)

You have to feel sorry for the staff at The Savoy hotel, who have to meet some ridiculous demands made by high society guests.

In last night's episode, the last of the mini series, of the behind the scenes docu-soap, staff prepared for the arrival of the new owner and his entourage from Saudi Arabia, spending hours deliberating over where to place a bowl of fruit in his hotel suite.

It got even more ridiculous on his arrival when staff had to meet his requests of black slippers- not white, a steady temperature of 17.5 degrees, and for all light to be shut out at night- including covering up the light on the suite's telephone.

A job at the Savoy, I would rather serve a prison sentence.

Ugly Betty to hit the silver screen?

Fans of hit US TV show Ugly Betty will be pleased to know that the series may be adapted into a movie.

Ana Ortiz, who plays Betty’s older sister, Hilda, told Latina.com that talks are currently underway for a movie version of the series, which ceased filming last year.

She said, ‘It's something that we've been talking about and it's something that America Ferrera would really love to do. That woman has so much determination that I can't imagine anything she puts her mind to not getting done.’

Leading lady America is no stranger to the silver screen, in the past she has starred in Real Women Have Curves, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and Lords of Dogtown.

The Apprentice- Stella is hired

The right person won in the end, with Stella English piping Chris Bates to the post with her well branded bourbon drink. Although it was a close call, experience triumphed over youth and rightly so.

Both finalists stepped up their game in the last task on Sunday night which saw them create a new alcoholic drink targeted at men and women over 25-years-old. Joined by former contestants, minus ‘Stuart the brand Baggs’, Stella created a bourbon based drink mixed with honey and spices, while Chris’ team came up with a rum based pomegranate and vanilla drink named Prism, it’s unique selling point a pyramid-shaped bottle. But Chris’ downfall was the colour of his drink, chosen by team mates Liz and Shibby, a feminine rose pink. Sensible Stella stuck to bourbon’s natural colour in a tall, slim bottle. Although feedback was that the drink was too pungent and the bottle looked like a vinegar bottle.

However despite some negative comments, Sir Alan Sugar chose the candidate with 10 years business experience. 2011 looks set to be a Stella year for the mum of two.