24 | 12-18th October 2012
@RedbrickTV
Star Programme. Take Me Out Daniel Leadbetter TV Critic
The hit dating show Take Me Out is back. Yes, the programme where Paddy McGuinness struts around a garish set, spouting inane catchphrases (‘no likey, no lighty!’ and ‘let the pinky see the perky’) while trying to pair up couples. It’s not intellectual viewing, but exactly the sort of guilty-pleasure television you’d expect on a Saturday night. The show derives much of its popularity from the cringe-worthy aspect of the would-be bachelors’ attempts to woo the ladies. On Saturday’s show, a postman, looking like one of the cast from Geordie Shore, boasts ‘I always deliver!’, and one of the girls earnestly claims ‘I think we’ve got a connection already’ - they both like Coronation Street, you see. Unlike Blind Date, where the contestants couldn’t see each other, Take Me Out seems largely based on looks. Indeed the women have the opportunity in the first round to turn their light off, ostensibly based on what the men are wearing (but I suspect there’s a more physical aspect to their choices). The awkward dinner exchanges between couples on their romantic holiday never fail to amuse; it’s true to say that the dates nearly always go wrong. It would seem that judging someone based on a self-promoting two minute video and looks alone doesn’t make for a match made in heaven. Who knew? And temporary failure doesn’t matter so much for the girls, because they’re going to be back on the show next week anyway. Paddy just about makes the whole debacle bearable, as the host with a load of so-bad-they’re-good jokes at his fingertips, and witty comments that salvage the more awkward moments. For all the vacuousness and superficialities of the show, the whole affair is just a bit of fun. With this in mind, next Saturday unplug your brain for an hour, sit back, and enjoy the spectacle.
Top TV News Of The Week Rosie Pooley TV Critic
Lucy Pargeter Interview Charlotte Goodwin TV Editor
How would you describe your time playing Chas on Emmerdale over the years? I have loved every second of it, every storyline, each day filming. We are so professional when it comes down to doing the job, but in between takes we have such a laugh, you couldn’t ask for better people to work with. It’s brilliant and I hope that they keep challenging me for many years to come! Are you nervous about the live episode? It's an experience that I am going into with the best people possible, and I’m doing the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. Hopefully the two weeks of rehearsing beforehand will settle our minds. It’s the first time anything like this has been done purely on location, so logistically and technically it’s not just a matter of us remembering our lines. I’m trying not to think about it because at the moment we are doing all the scenes for the episodes before and after the live one, so it’s really heightening what we are going to have to put ourselves through during that hour. Have you done any live TV before? No, and I’ve never really done any theatre. I’m slightly worried about my burping problem! I burp when I’m under pressure. A lot of the cast have done theatre before but nobody has done a live. Many of the crew and our director have done it before so they all know what it involves. How does it feel to be playing such a big part in the 40th celebrations? It’s a massive honour, but also a massive responsibility. I just hope I don’t disappoint anyone. Tell us about Chas’s state of mind in the lead up to the 40th birthday week? Chas is in a state of total confusion and fear. She’s not in a great place at all but she’s completely determined to marry Dan. Do you think she’s over Cameron? I don’t think she is completely over
@C_E_Goodwin
Cameron, and I think the decision to get over him was made when he went back to Debbie. Although she has accepted he’s back with her, she’s not particularly happy about it and she just has to get on with her life. Everyone is quite cynical about her relationship with Dan. Is she genuinely in love with him? I think she sees everything in Dan that she had hoped for in Carl and Cameron. He completely adores her and would do anything for her. With Dan she sees security and she loves him for the person he is. I think Chas just wants to know which direction her life is going in and to be settled and happy, and she wants to be there as quickly as possible. Do you think if Cameron left Debbie Chas would go back to him? I think she might go back to Cameron because she does still have feelings for him. He would have to completely convince her that he wasn’t going to change his mind though. Jeepers! Can you imagine trying to live in the village as a couple around Debbie and the family? Carl has been threatening to ruin everything for Chas. What’s going through her mind? She is desperate to keep him quiet. Letting this secret come out to Debbie is not an option. She’s terrified about what could happen and worried as Carl is getting very intense and scarily involved with her life. He seems to be getting quite obsessed with her again and loving the fact that he can control her like a puppet. He’s admitted he loves her and he’s adamant that all this worry can go away because he’s in control. He just wants to be back with her. What would you tell viewers to expect from the 40th episodes? Drama in buckets full. Tears, fear, surprises and a few giggles. Absolutely everything you would expect from this show all thrown into one episode. Lips are sealed about the content of the live episode, but can you give any hints? There are a couple of really big shocks in store. It’s not going to end the way everybody thinks it is going to end and fans of the show are going to be very very surprised with the outcome of the live episode. We certainly were!
@rosiethings
4.8m The record-making audience for The Great British Bake Off
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The F-bomb was accidently overheard on BBC Breakfast as a microphone was left on and picked up the expletive.