Sanjaya Malakar is a former American Idol contestant and he has wrote a book based on his experience on the talent show.
Malakar, was in the final line up to the show but finished seventh place in the shows sixth season. He is the first contestant to write a book about the whole experience and he feels that he has a story that no other past contestant could tell - i personally doubt it.
Alan Goldsher was the co-wrote the book, which contains a lot more information regarding the intense audition process and more interestingly about the trails that contestants go through before they are shown on TV.
Malakar does however show appreciation for the show:-
“The show… really helped and formed who I am as an artist,” he said. “I basically grew up in front of everyone on the show. I was about to turn 17 when I first auditioned.”
Britannia High was expected to be a massive hit for ITV1, what not with the success of High School Musical and others of a similar nature.
It came as quite a surprise that it only managed to bring in 3.31 million viewers on its opening episode which slipped to 2.4 million by the third installment, these poor ratings for a production like this warranted show bosses to discontinue the programme.
The musical TV show cost £2 million to produce was created by Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips and Take That singer Gary Barlow.
“We thought Britannia High would be an all-singing, all-dancing success - especially having the top names in dance and music on board,” a source told The Sun.
“Sadly, the stories of these youngsters vying for their dreams didn’t seem to capture viewers’ imagination.
“The credit crunch is affecting everything, not least TV. A second series of Britannia High was just not viable.”
I personally feel that although the shows original model was good, that dier story lines and poor acting were partly at fault not to mention the inability for the audiene to connect to any of the leading cast all contibuted to its down fall.
Comments are welcome…
Lost actor Matthew Fox has promised Lost fans that the final episode will have nothing short than a “global and epic ending”.
The show closed the last series on yet another cliff hanger, seeing the island being transported away from its current location. The fifth season will be its last, hopefully answering some of the many questions viewers have been dieing to know about since the shows beginning.
“All of us knew that if the show was strung out indefinitely, it was going to ruin the story,” he told Details. “It’s not like a doctor drama, where you have a new case each week.
“This show started with a plane crash on an island in the South Pacific, and it’s going to have a very global and epic ending.”
Fox, aged 42 plays Jack Shephard on the thrilling TV show. He has been very happy with his charater throughout the last few seasons and added:-
“When it’s all said and done, you’ll be able to look at the five seasons of Lost and see a pretty amazing character arc,” he said. “Jack has been evolving, and not necessarily into a good place.
“We started the show with him being this hero who had no concept of what that required, sort of trying to live up to the expectations . . . and then finding the way to redeem himself.”
after a long three year break, the guy we all love to hate ‘Cain Dingle’ returns in a spectacular fashion to Emmerdale. He left the show back in April 2006 after an explosive exit where he kidnapped Tom an Sadie king in an extortion plot and abandoned his daughter Debbie whilst he ran off with the money.
Jeff Hordley (38) who plays Cain decided to quit the show to pursue other projects but couldn’t resist a come back after it was offered to him. The story line sees him sending an expensive and high profile solicitor to the town to help get Debbie released from prison but when he arrives in Emmerdale he is instantly arrested.
Hordley said: “I am really looking forward to returning to Emmerdale. The story lines that lead to Cain’s return are in keeping with his character and a perfect way to bring him back to the heart of the Dingle clan where he belongs.”
Series producer Anita Turner added: “I’m delighted to welcome Jeff back to the show. This storyline presented the exciting opportunity in which to reintroduce Cain. Debbie will be going through hell in the next few months and it’s such a boost to have her dad fighting alongside her.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber doesn’t agree with how Simon Cowell treats his contestants on The X Factor. He has blasted Cowell for “torturing” contestants.
The world famous composer blasted Simon Cowell for not developing contestants into artists and doesn’t feel as though he looks after them, he even refers to him as “tricking” participants on the show.
“He doesn’t work with the artists like I do. I’m here to get the best out of everybody,”
“All my acts call me Andrew, and they all call my mobile when they need help. There will be no tricks on this show. Over my dead body.”
Andrew has a new show to find the next act to represent Britain in The Eurovision Song Contest called Your Country Needs You.
“The mantra of the show is that we nurture, we don’t torture.”
“We have a live band and we have performers who will deliver live to the best of their ability. We don’t have off-stage backing singers who come in and maybe trace harmonies.”
Now that the casting for the eleventh Doctor Who is out the way (Matt Smith) it has now been decided that it is time to appoint a new assistant into the mix. The hot favourite in line is non other than potty mouth Lily Allen.
“Having got the casting of The Doctor out of the way, the companion role is where we will be looking next,” said executive producer Piers Wenger.
“Someone terribly exciting like Billie Piper, who was at the beginning of her acting career but who had a profile for other reasons, would be great. We are looking for someone whose light can burn brightly.
“We would never cast anyone on the basis of their celebrity, but if Lily wanted to audition we would be delighted. It would be a lot of fun.”
Lily Allen was originally a possibility for the Doctors assistant back in 2007 but lost the chance to Catherine Tate who turned out to be a surprising success. She does have some stiff competition though with Kelly Brook and Rachel Stevens also being considered for the part.
It has been confirmed that Andrew Sachs, better known for his role as Spanish waiter Manuel in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers, will return to our TV sets on coronation street some time soon as he has accepted corrie producers offer.
The 78-year-old veteran actor will be playing Norris Cole’s brother and it is anticipated he will be received warningly by Coronation Streets fan base.
A spokesperson for the soap said: “I can confirm that Andrew Sachs has taken us up on the offer. He will be joining us later this year. At this moment I cannot go into any further details.”
Sachs was recently thrown back into the spot light after the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross’s phone prank which resulted in Ross being suspended from the BBC. However in a twist of fate, it would seem to have re sparked his acting career.
He will also be joining the Countdown team next week in the dictionary corner for there first show back on January 12th.
Mischa Barton, better know as Marissa Cooper from The O.C. has been invited to join Ugly Betty.
She has been offered a guest appearance on the American hit TV show for at least five-episode, however you will see the 22 year old working along Bruce Willis in Assassination Of A High School before her Ugly Betty role begins.
A source said “Mischa’s career is at a standstill, so this might be great for her. It’s not a done deal yet, but talks continue.”
She will join a list of familiar faces who have also featured on the fashion show such as Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell and Lindsay Lohan.
Simon Cowell has confirmed that it is unlikely the judging panel will change in 2009’s X Factor, even thought there has been much speculation as to whether Dannii Minogue would make the line up.
Cowell said: “We’re going to sit down with everybody in January and get the contracts sorted out.”
“Last year I thought Sharon Osbourne was coming back, but I would be surprised if it’s a different lineup.”
The X Factor 2008 concludes tomorrow night on ITV1. The final consists of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh represented by Eoghan Quigg, Alexandra Burke and JLS.
Dannii had two acts in the final last year but is without anyone to represent her this time round as her last Act (Ruth) was dismissed 2weeks ago.
“I really don’t want to be sitting here without one of my artists. It’s a very strange feeling,”
Barbara Windsor, who plays Peggy Mitchell on the prime time BBC soap is on a mission to try and convince her on screen son Grant Mitchell to return to Walford.
She reveals that she misses working with Ross Kemp who plays Grant Mitchell and wants him to return to the TV.
“I was talking to him the other day and I was speaking to him about EastEnders. I would love him to come back and play Grant again but he’s so busy with other projects, in Afghanistan and everything.”
She also confirmed that she was so happy when Nick Cotton agreed to come back to Eastenders as John Altman.
“He is a fantastic actor and such a sweet man.”