Cast Changes for Smash
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Jeremy Jordan the star of Broadway’s Newsies are set to join the cast of Smash in its second season. The announcements follow the news that four members of the cast will be cut from the series – on their way out is the ambitious and scheming bi-sexual assistant Ellis, Karen’s boyfriend Dev, plus Julia’s husband Frank and lover Michael Swift are both out of the show.
Mike Goldman returns to Big Brother
Channel Nine’s new version of Big Brother starts in August with Sonia Kruger as the host. The Big Brother gig was central to Kruger’s move from Channel 7 at the start of the year. Now it’s been announced that Mike Goldman who narrated the Channel 10 version of the show will be joining the production too, providing his familiar commentary on the housemates antics.
What if the President of the USA had a gay son?
Sigourney Weaver stars in a new US mini-series Political Animals as a recently divorced former first lady, who is the current Secretary of State. Also in the cast is actor Sebastian Stan playing the former first lady’s gay son. Stan is best known for playing Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl. The miniseries is created by Greg Berlanti the writer/producer of popular gay film The Broken Hearts Club.
Transgender Assassin
Indie movie favourite Chloe Sevigny is starring in a new British mini-series about a trans* woman who is also an assassin. Hit and Miss will tell the story of how an assassin learns that she had unknowingly fathered a child years ago and must now balance her parental responsibilities with her work as an assassin.
Look Out For
Compass: Nigeria’s Millionaire Preachers
In an intriguing edition of Compass the ABC takes a look into the world of prosperity preachers in Nigeria. Collecting 10% of their congregations’ earnings these religious leaders live lives filled with fast cars, beautiful houses and court the attention of film and sport stars, some of them even repetitively run for President. This documentary stands at the cross roads of religion, ambition, capitalism and celebrity. Nigeria’s Millionaire Preachers airs on ABC TV Sunday, 8 July at 6:30pm.
Another TV Chef
Join the impeccably coifed TV chef Audrey Gordon and she looks into store bought mayonnaise, table manners, dealing with vegetarians and how to make the perfect Breakfast omelette. Not ready for another TV chef on top of Nigela, Bill, Maive, Neil and Annabel – don’t worry Audrey’s a fictional chef who will be totally sending up those well known cooking shows. Audrey’s Kitchen commences Saturday, 14 July 2012 6:25pm.
Musical Madness
Foxtel’s BIO channel is playing a stack of great musicals this month. Check out Judy in The Wizard of Oz on Sunday July 8, followed by Debbie in Singing in the Rain on July 15, Bette stars in The Rose on July 22 and Shirley in Sweet Charity on July 29. In August West Side Story and The Best Little Whore House in Texas are scheduled.
Micro Comedy for ABC’s iView
So far the ABC’s iView has been great for catching up on shows you might have missed during the week, but now the online channel has a show all of it’s own. Monday Bites is a micro comedy series that will come out each Monday morning, so far 20 x 2min episodes have been created. The launch of show corresponds with iView now also being available on mobile phones
