Throng

Skins creator Bryan Elsley has been forced to defend a change to the upcoming US version of the teen series.

Unlike the British original, the character of Maxxie, played by Mitch Hewer, will not be a gay male but a lesbian character called Tea to be played by Sophia Black D’Elia.

"I understand the concerns [about the change]," Elsley said, "And I know that everyone loved Mitch. Skins is always cast from the kids that I have available. In other words, there's a big open audition and the characters always emerge from what is there in front of me."

Elsley explained that he had not found a male actor suitable enough for the US’s equivalent Maxxie character.

"I couldn't find a kid who could bring the same tenor to the performance," he claimed. "And I'd met Sofia and I started to think about things in a different way."

Ramsay to bag million in deal

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will net millions of pounds in a deal which sees his production company One Potato Two Potato, which produces the likes of The F Word and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, sold to British production giant All3Media. Under the new conglomerate, Ramsay will look to build his presence in the US and will benefit from bigger distribution and licensing operations.

Kanye welcomed back to MTV Awards

Rapper Kanye West has been invited back to the MTV Video Music Awards despite making a fool of himself at last year’s event. West announced via twitter that he has been in talks with organisers over a performance at the September 12 ceremony.

Portia de Rossi possible Carell replacement

Portia de Rossi is another name that has been added to the growing list of potential replacements for Steve Carell on The Office in the US. The Arrested Development actress is said to be in talks with producers.

Skins actor cast in new series

Former Skins actor Joe Dempsie has joined the cast of a new series called Game of Thrones which is adapted from the A Song Of Ice And Fire novels by author George R. R. Martin. Dempsie, who played Chris in the first and second seasons of Skins, joins Lord of the Rings actor Sean Bean and 300’s Lena Headey on the cast.

An all-new cast for teen series Skins has been revealed by the show’s UK network E4 for the upcoming fifth season.

The series, which has set a pattern of completely re-casting every two seasons in order to keep the characters school-age, has selected a group of 8 young actors and actresses to take the show into 2011.

There is no info yet as to the character details but the cast includes The Golden Compass actress Dakota Blue Richards, Alex Arnold, Sean Teale, Sebastian De Souza, Will Merrick, Laya Lewis, Freya Mavor and Jessica Sula.

Five of the eight primary cast members were selected from open casting calls held in the UK.

9:30pm Monday, July 5 on C4

Skins, the sex, drink and drug-fuelled drama that depicts teenage life as it often is, rather than how parents imagine it, is saying goodbye to the second generation of a group of spliff toting British teenagers when the series concludes it's fourth season on Monday, July 5th at 9:30pm on C4.

According to series creator Jamie Brittain the series four finale will be an emotional roller coaster for the series' young characters. "It's all about goodbyes," Brittain explains.

"It's about saying goodbye to your friends and the things you're going to leave behind. It's sort of a poem about the end of teenage life. It's a very pretty and beautiful episode." Unlike previous episodes the finale will not have a character focus but will instead conclude each teen's story. "The finale takes place at Naomi's house and is set over two days," Brittain continues.

9:30pm Monday, June 28 on C4

Starring the same breakthrough cast from Season Three, Season Four kicks off with the gang returning from their summer holidays. There are no limits to the risks they will take, no consequences for their actions and no need for them to worry about tomorrow, or is there? Tonight: After lots of sessions with her counsellor John Foster, Effy is ready to go back home.

9:30pm Monday, June 21 on C4

Starring the same breakthrough cast from Season Three, Season Four kicks off with the gang returning from their summer holidays. There are no limits to the risks they will take, no consequences for their actions and no need for them to worry about tomorrow, or is there? Tonight: JJ is in love. Lara Lloyd is sweet perfection and he's smitten. But JJ thinks she's way out of his league and lacks the courage to ask her out.

9:30pm Monday, June 14 on C4

Starring the same breakthrough cast from Season Three, Season Four kicks off with the gang returning from their summer holidays. There are no limits to the risks they will take, no consequences for their actions and no need for them to worry about tomorrow, or is there? Tonight: Freddie is loved up. Completely. He and Effy are enjoying their time together and carrying on their hedonistic ways with no thought of tomorrow.