The 9 0'Clock News – Thu 29 Jan

Posted by heatworld on Thursday 29 Jan 2009

Filed under: Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen, Graham Norton, Harry Potter, Jonathan Ross, Lee Mead, Lily Allen, Terry Wogan

Salaries slashed for Ross, Moyles and Wogan:
As the country adjusts to the affects of the credit crunch, it's a slight comfort to learn that even the rich and famous aren't escaping unscathed. Just last week we told you how Ant and Dec were expected to have their huge ITV salaries sliced, and now the BBC has followed suit, reportedly slashing some of their big stars' salaries down by millions. Jonathan Ross will be the first to feel the pinch, as it's alleged he may take a pay cut of £4.5million a year, taking his annual income down from £18million to £13.5million. Poor baby. Other stars expected to be facing a cut include Chris Moyles, who will lose £158,000 a year, Terry Wogan, who will take a dip of £200,000 and Graham Norton, who can expect at least £1.25million to be snipped off his paycheck. A TV insider revealed, "The BBC has to make radical savings. It's only right the big stars feel some pain." It is thought that some celebs may be tempted away from the BBC with bigger deals from rivals companies, but most will have to wait until their contracts expire to find out what the BBC has planned. The BBC currently spend £242million a year on its stars. Do you think it's only fair that the celebs feel the squeeze we're all experiencing, or do they deserve every penny?

Lily: “I like men old – and rich”
She could probably have her pick of the young, single and sexy guys on the showbiz circuit, but Lily Allen definitely prefers an older gent. "It's funny," says Lily in a new interview, "My boyfriends have gone up in terms of age and how much money they make." Lily's first serious boyfriend was a DJ called Lester Lloyd, who was 20 when she began dating him and broke, and her latest conquest was the super-rich art dealer Jay Jopling who, at 45, is almost twice her age. "The next one's probably going to be 60," jokes Lily, "I like them old...and rich!" As well as laughing about her slightly unusual love life, Lily also explained why she's looking so much slimmer these days. "The only reason I've lost weight is because I comfort eat when I'm not very happy," she explained. During her Alright, Still heydey, Lily says she was lonely and confused, despite the huge success her debut album had brought her. "I was caning it," she says, "Getting so drunk and sitting in hotel rooms ordering chips."

Serious accident on Harry Potter set
Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double has hurt himself badly after falling on the Harry Potter movie set. The 25-year-old was rehearsing a flying scene when the incident happened. Most worryingly is that he told crew that he couldn't feel his legs after the fall. A source said, "The stunt double was badly hurt. He was rehearsing a flying scene which involved an explosion and it seems to have gone badly wrong. The guy was rigged up to a harness for the scene and was flying through the air. It is thought he may have been caught by the explosion and hit the ground very hard. He told crew members who went to help him he couldn’t feel anything from the waist down. Everyone is just hoping he makes a good recovery. It has come as a terrible shock.” The stunt double is now at Watford General Hospital, after paramedics were called amid fears he may well have been paralysed. A spokesperson at Leavesdon studios where the accident happened, said, "We can confirm a member of the Harry Potter production was injured in an accident. We are awaiting further news. “Out of respect for the family we are unable to comment further.”

Denise and Lee engaged!
Some good news that will warm you to the very core on this cold and grey morning. Lee Mead and Denise Van Outen are engaged! Curly haired Lee popped the question at their home in Kent before whisking Denise off for a Caribbean break in St Lucia to celebrate. A friend of the duo said, "Denise had no idea, but was absolutely thrilled." Denise's agent also confirmed the wedding to be, adding, "They haven't set a date yet, but it will probably be later this year." Lee and Denise met on the BBC1 show Any Dream Will Do where she was a judge and Lee a contestant. He later went on to win the show.  Congratulations guys!