The 9 0'Clock News – Wed 17 Sep

Posted by heatworld on Wednesday 17 Sep 2008

Filed under: Andrew Lloyd Webber, EastEnders, Eurovision, Ricky Gervais, Robbie Williams, Breaking Up

Robbie splits from his "soulmate"
It was only a few days ago that we were rejoicing at the return of Mark Ronson onto the singles market, and now an even hotter male has revealed he's on his own again. Singer Robbie Williams has split from his long-term girlfriend Ayda Field because the two want to focus on their careers. The couple, who were together for 14 months, took the difficult decision to go their separate ways after Rob threw himself into his new album, and Ayda wanted to spend more time partying in LA. A friend of the former Take That singer said, "He thought Ayda was his soulmate, so he was desperate for it to work. Unfortunately, the timing was not right for them, and they've decided to call it quits." Ayda, who is an actress, was apparently one of the only girlfriends ever totally accepted by Robbie's very close group of LA friends, but the singer was determined to put everything into his new album. "Robbie is dead serious about his music," the friend continued, "He's working on his best tracks yet." Robbie and Ayda have said they will remain close friends, and the star says he's definitely not on the lookout for a new girlfriend yet. Boo. Poor old Robster. Well, if you need any cheering up, you know where we are...

Viewers complain over EastEnders paedophile plot
It's the soap that always has the guts to cover sensitive issues, but EastEnders' latest chilling storyline is proving too much for some viewers. Audiences have been complaining that the scenes between 15-year-old Whitney and Bianca's boyfriend Tony are too much for a pre-watershed show. Creepy Tony has recently returned from prison to be with Bianca, but instead viewers have discovered that he's been grooming underage Whitney. The scenes are certainly uncomfortable to watch, but surely that's testament to the quality of the writing and acting? It seems to be Whitney's willingness to keep the relationship going which has caused the most outrage, as well as the fact that the pair have been shown kissing, and a further sexual relationship has been hinted at. The BBC and Ofcom have already received over 70 complaints, and the storyline has only just been introduced. One angry viewer posted a message on a BBC website saying, "I am totally disturbed by tonight's episode... I can barely talk. The storyline with Whitney and Tony is terrible. I am aware this type of abuse is going on in some homes but is this really the only way to get the message across?" The BBC, however, say they worked with the NSPCC on the story to make sure it was accurate. A spokesman said, "This is a difficult and challenging storyline, but one which keeps with the tradition of the show for tackling difficult social issues." What do you lot think? Is the issue of paedophile grooming something which does need to be addressed, or is it all a bit much?

Lord Webber is Britian's last hope for Eurovision
Wait for it... Another reality TV show is on it's way to a screen near you! This time, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has been called in to help pick Britain's next Eurovision entry. Lord Lloyd will be the leading judge or mentor on the new X Factor-style TV programme that is set to be hosted by Graham Norton. The new idea comes after X Factor runner-up Andy Abraham came joint last in this year;s Eurovision Song Contest, amidst claims that Eastern European countries were voting mostly for each other. Instead, now the new show will see every country getting its say. A jury will award points with the public also having a vote. A corporation insider said, "Next year we're going all out. Lord Andrew will give his important input, possibly as part of a panel or as a mentor. There is likely to be a public vote element to it as well." Who knows, we might even get a half decent performer representing us for once...

Ricky's Gervais' bizarre cure for obesity
Ricky Gervais has said that overweight people should be labelled "fatties" to stop soaring obesity rates. Ricky claimed that there is not enough stigma to prevent people piling on the pounds, saying, "I laugh about being fat, but I should be ashamed. I should walk down the street and have people shouting "Fatty!" to get me out of it." The Office star was talking on his podcast show when he made the claims, adding, "In supermarkets, the fattening stuff should be behind a really thin door. Shops should be full of salads – but if you want to get to the pies and cakes, you've got to crawl through a little tube."