Michelle Set For Acting Comeback

8:38am UK, Wednesday September 24, 2003

Light entertainment luvvie Ann Montini delivers the latest TV news:

:: After coming second in the flop reality TV show Reborn in the USA, I can reveal that ex-Eastenders star Michelle Gayle is all for another acting comeback.The sultry star will play a patient in the next run of the hit BBC daytime drama Doctors.

Cilla looking for new show

Michelle told me "It will be great to act again after so many years away."

:: Christopher Timothy, back soon with daytime drama Doctors, is going behind the cameras this week. He will be directing at least three of the new collection of Afternoon Plays to be shown on BBC1 in January.

:: Countdown may be facing the axe. It would appear that the self-loving Richard Whitely show, which also boasts the ever youthful Carol Voderman, has lost loads of viewers in recent months.

Fans are upset at the different time slot - but Channel 4 bosses are adamant that they will leave the show in that slot until things improve.

:: Frank Skinner is back soon with his new series of chat shows. And I can reveal that the cheeky comic has secured an interview - should he want it - with royal love rat James Hewitt.

Spies tell me that "James's popularity has increased since he appeared in the reality TV show The Games".

:: Let's hope that ratings for Simon Cowell's US TV show dating show Cupid improve.

It would appear that as yet it has become a big turn-off with viewers and UK TV bosses were hoping the show would become as big as Blind Date over here.

:: Cilla Black did her best on a recent Parkinson interview to advertise the fact she is available for TV work. But she is still without a TV deal. Now Cilla is hoping to land a stint in a West End musical.

:: Keep this a secret but I can reveal that ex-Big Breakfast star Gaby Roslin is set to make another return stint to London's West End. She will be playing Mama Morton in the hit musical Chicago again.

The blonde revealed that "I would love to make theatre my permanent career". So would I Gaby.

:: Could an Eastenders star actually end up in the next Bond film ...?

I can reveal that Bond bosses are set to attend a performance of Ross Kemp's new theatrical show in Plymouth with a view to offering him a role.

A source told me "It's all top secret." Well it was ...

:: Seems that BBC boss Greg Dyke is rather frightened of TV meanie Anne Robinson - else why would he not want to appear on a special Christmas version of the very popular BBC quiz Test The Nation?

A source told me: "He has been asked but as yet we are still waiting for a reply."

:: While he is officially the highest paid man in TV, Des O'Conner is back on TV with a series of specials focusing on comedy.

Des told bosses his ideal guest is none other than Hollywood icon Jerry Lewis.

Sadly he is left to interview the likes of Jo Brand.

:: Oh dear, it would appear that Parkinson was not the first choice for David Beckham to talk about his recent move to Real Madrid.

The 68-year-old king of chat was to have flown over to Spain for a special hour long interview for Christmas - but it was a dumped at the 11th hour with Becks pulling out.

:: Expect the sales of kilts to rise - and that's all down to actor Hamish Clark who plays loveable rogue Duncan in the hit highlands drama Monarch Of The Glen.

Hamish, who wears a kilt throughout the show, told me: "It's really taken off and now I have been asked to model a range of kilts for a fashion house."

:: Frightening news reaches me from the hot stoves of Jamie Oliver.

I hear his band, which has been defunct for some time, is emerging from the ashes again. Called Scarlet Division the band released one single called Sundial which peaked at number 42 three years ago.

But Jamie told pals that "with more time off I plan to get it going again". No, please!

Until next time, Ann