Ugly Betty

Sheen apologises for Kutcher rant

Charlie Sheen has apologised for his comments regarding his Two and a Half Men replacement Ashton Kutcher last week. Sheen had said that he was “tired of pretending that [Kutcher] doesn’t suck”.

Californication actress to guest in Criminal Minds

Californication actress Madeleine Martin has signed on for a guest role in Criminal Minds. Martin will play the brother of another guest star Kyle Gallner.

Prokop to guest in Modern Family

High School Musical 3 actor Matt Prokop will join Modern Family in a guest role to play the love interest for Sarah Hyland, who play Haley.

Monk returning for TV movie?

Monk may return for a special TV movie says creator Andy Breckman. The series ended after eight season in late 2009.

Ugly Betty actress joins new pilot

Former Ugly Betty actress Ana Ortiz has joined Devious Maids, the new pilot from Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry.

An Idiot Abroad unlikely to return

Stephen Merchant has admitted that it is unlikely that An Idiot Abroad will return for a third season. Merchant says Karl Pilkington has vowed “never to do anything again”.

Willams signs ABC deal

Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives actress Vanessa Williams has signed a deal with the ABC network that will see her feature in a new series next year. The deal will see Williams star in either a half-hour or hour-long series aimed to be released next US autumn.

Murphy pulls out of Oscars

Eddie Murphy has quit as host of the 2012 Academy Awards, just a day after producer Brett Ratner stood down from the production.

James Bond actor to guest on House

Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace actor Jeffrey Wright has signed on for a role on House, where he will guest star as a mentor for Foreman (Omar Epps).

Kapoor to play Jack Bauer

Slumdog Millionaire actor Anil Kapoor will play the role of Jack Bauer in a remake of 24 for Indian TV. The actor played the role of the gameshow host Prem in Slumdog Millionaire.

Nurse Jackie renewed, Tara axed

US network Showtime has renewed dark comedy series Nurse Jackie for another season but have decided to axe comedy-drama United States of Tara. The former will return for its fourth season while the latter will end after its third.

U2 to perform on Idol finale

U2 have been confirmed to perform on the season finale of American Idol this week. The Irish band just recently picked up the Top Touring Award at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

Ugly Betty actress joins Hung

Former Ugly Betty actress Ana Ortiz has signed on for a role in the third season of Hung. Ortiz, who played Hilda on Ugly Betty, has landed a multi-episode arc on the series.

Glover to guest star

Lethal weapon actor Danny Glover will feature in an episode of Psych. Glover will play the manager of a minor league baseball team.

Heder producing series

Napoleon Dynamite actor Jon Heder will play the lead role in a new Disney pilot called Gulliver Quinn. Heder will also produce the series, which is written by Malcolm in the Middle’s Dan Kopelman.

Talk of new Underbelly series

There is talk of a new Underbelly series for 2011 being set in Sydney during the 1920s, a time when crooks armed themselves with razors as opposed to handguns. The buzz is around a new season of the Channel Nine series featuring gangs of razor-wielding crooks who operated in the Darlinghurst/Kings Cross area during a time when pistol licensing laws made it easier for crims to choose blades over bullets.

Writer accuses MTV of stealing Jersey Shore concept

A television writer has accused MTV of stealing his idea for reality shore Jersey Shore from a 2006 pitch he called Guidos: The Reality Series. Christopher Gambale is claiming that MTV used his idea of portraying stereotypical Italians without credit, but MTV is hitting back by saying that his idea was not original.

Uni offers course on The Wire

A Baltimore university has begun offering a course based on critically acclaimed drama series The Wire. The John Hopkins University has launched the class which uses the show as a base to explore issues affecting US cities including drug use and crime with guest lecturers including the show’s creator David Simon.

Ugly Betty actor claims God was involved in murder

The former Ugly Betty actor who killed his mother last week with a samurai sword has insisted he was “doing the work of God”. Michael L. Brea has claimed that voices in his head ordered him to attack his mum after a “demon” took her soul.  

Production company sacked over Top Model gaffe

The production company behind Australia’s Next Top Model has been sacked following the live finale gaffe that saw the wrong winner named. The show’s host and executive producer Sarah Murdoch has reportedly instigated the move, saying it was “probably time for a change.”

Grey wins Dancing with the Stars

Former Dirty Dancing actress Jennifer Grey has been crowned the winner of the latest season of Dancing with the Stars in the US, beating out a Disney actor and the daughter of Sarah Palin in the finale. Grey, who appeared alongside the late Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing, was the favourite throughout the competition which also featured the likes of David Hasselhoff and The Hills’ Audrina Patridge.

Momsen’s absence for “creative reasons”

Gossip Girl producers have confirmed that while Taylor Momsen’s part has been cut down on the drama series, the actress “isn’t going anywhere.” They have underlined that her absence is for “creative reasons” as opposed to issues with the actress herself who has been accused of being difficult to work with on set.

Ugly Betty actor arrested for murder

A former Ugly Betty actor has been charged with stabbing his mother to death with a 1-metre sword in New York. 31-year-old Michael Brea, who had a small part in Ugly Betty and film Step Up 3D, was arrested at the scene.

Panic at Rock Island, a new Australian telemovie that began production in Sydney today includes two faces familiar to kiwi viewers: Grant Bowler (Outrageous Fortune, Lost, True Blood, Ugly Betty) and Anna Hutchison (Shortland Street, Go Girls, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities).

Set on a spectacular island in Sydney Harbour, Panic At Rock Island tells the story of a hot summer’s day when a lineup of top acts play for music fans from around the world. It’s all idyllic until unimaginable disaster strikes when a deadly virus is discovered on the island. Its symptoms are shocking and it brings swift and painful death.

Panic at Rock Island will air in Australia later in the year.  No New Zealand air date is known at present.

VIBE – Saturdays from 17 July, 5.40pm

“Ferrera’s gift is the charming way she continues to tackle the title role. Viewers can’t help but root for her. She’s buoyed by a snappy script full of funny lines.”

- Boston Herald

Vibe premieres a brighter, bolder and Bettyer season of the hit dramedy series! In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the super thin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl – a slightly plump plain-Jane from Queens – possibly fit in?

In the second season, Betty (America Ferrera) finds herself increasingly stressed after a very unfortunate series of events, but despite everything that’s happened, she’s still in denial about how much Henry’s (Christopher Gorham) departure has affected her. Daniel (Eric Mabius) is hospital-bound following the car crash, and Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) remains unconscious. Meanwhile, Amanda (Becki Newton) turns to Marc (Michael Urie) for support in dealing with the revelation that Fey Sommers was her biological mother, and Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) schemes to turn the tragic Meade family events to her advantage.

The former “Mr Vanessa Williams”, Rick Fox (Dirt), guest stars as Wilhelmina Slater’s bodyguard and lover, plus in a love triangle twist, Fox’s real-life love interest, Eliza Dushku (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), also guest stars this season. Other notable guest appearances include James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek), Victoria Beckham (Spice Girls), Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls), fashion designers Vera Wang and Kenneth Cole, the legendary Naomi Campbell, Betty White (The Golden Girls), Gene Simmons (Kiss) and Larry King (Larry King Live), as well as Project Runway judge Nina Garcia and alumni Christian Siriano.

5:30pm Sunday, June 27 on TV2

Old friends and new beginnings mark the finale episode ever of beloved comedy/drama Ugly Betty.

It’s the end of an era, but the beginning, Betty (America Ferrera) hopes, of something wonderful. In the series finale, which also features appearances by familiar faces from the past, Betty finds it hard to tell Daniel (Eric Mabius) important news about her future. When she does, his reaction surprises her, but not Claire (Judith Light).

Justin (Mark Indelicato) and Bobby (Adam Rodriguez) enthusiastically consider taking advantage of a softening real estate market by apartment-hunting in Manhattan, but Hilda’s (Ana Ortiz) resisting even the most amazing places. Meanwhile, Amanda (Becki Newton) grapples with the death of her dog, Halston, and Marc (Michael Urie) wonders if he’ll ever have a successful relationship.

5:30pm Sunday, June 13 on TV2

Betty (America Ferrera) goes to London Fashion Week with Amanda (Becki Newton) and Hilda (Ana Ortiz), tonight on Ugly Betty.

Assigned to cover London Fashion Week, Betty is accompanied by Amanda, and decides to bring Hilda along as a bachelorette party treat. She reconnects with Christina (Ashley Jensen) and also runs into Gio (Freddy Rodriguez) unexpectedly.

Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) joins AA to get closer to Tyler (Neal Bledsoe) and to double-cross Claire (Judith Light) and Daniel (Eric Mabius). Meanwhile, Bobby (Adam Rodriguez) can’t figure out why Justin (Mark Indelicato) is spending all his time with Austin (Ryan McGinnis) – until it suddenly becomes clear.

Sunday 9 May, 5.30pm on TV2

Vanessa Williams’ real-life brother, Chris Williams, stars as Wilhemina’s drag queen nemesis, ‘Wilhediva Hater’, in tonight’s Ugly Betty.

Wilhemina is furious when she discovers she has a drag impersonator starring in a Manhattan cabaret. When she goes to the club to see the act for herself, the fur flies as Wilhemina comes into contact with the show’s MC (guest starring famous drag artist RuPaul Charles). Elsewhere, Betty (America Ferrera) receives an award for her blog, which causes tension between her and Daniel (Eric Mabius). When Betty vents about his reaction online, her fans in the blogosphere escalate the feud, and the press hounds Daniel.

Meanwhile, Amanda (Becki Newton) rehires Helen (Kristen Johnston, 3rd Rock From The Sun), but Willie demands she be fired – which Amanda just can’t bring herself to do. And Marc is pleased with himself when he gets to run his own photo shoot with a famous director (played by Madonna’s former lover Carlos Leon).