I’m a Celeb legend lands huge Netflix gameshow following deals with BBC and ITV
JOEL DOMMETT has landed a TV treble after being signed by Netflix to host a mysterious new game show.
The comedian already presents BBC1 Saturday night reality show Survivor, as well as ITV1 juggernaut The Masked Singer.
A TV insider says: “Joel is one of the most in-demand presenters right now and this just proves it.
“It’s rather unprecedented to be the star man across three networks but clearly he’s doing something right. Joel is really excited by the new show.”
The former I’m A Celeb contestant filmed the programme in an East London TV studio last week.
Details are under wraps but given his involvement, it’s likely to have a comedy edge.
Joel, who became a dad for the first time in September when wife Hannah gave birth to baby Wilde, has won plaudits for his hosting style on Survivor.
Fans lauded his “rough and ready” look, compared to his shiny-suit-wearing persona on The Masked Singer.
And Joel has also been a hit on the show because he was in top physical shape while filming it.
He told me exclusively: “This was the opportunity to get into a routine for several weeks.
“I could train every day and eat well, stay on a real structure, and it’s really fun for me to do that.
“At the end of the show I was in the best shape I’ve been in for three or four years.”
He’ll need all that muscle to pick up those pay cheques.
JOHNNY’S NOT SO FAMILIAR
EASTENDERS is bringing back Johnny Carter – with his third face.
Grantchester actor Charlie Suff has become the latest actor to play the solicitor son of Mick and Linda Carter.
Johnny was last seen in Walford in 2018 and since then he’s been living in Manchester and working as a lawyer.
But now he is set to make a shock return after the disappearance of his dad and mum Linda’s troubles.
Charlie said: “I’m so delighted to be joining such an iconic programme – EastEnders was always on at my house as I grew up.
“Johnny is a complex character who has been through so much, which I can’t wait to explore.”
Actor Charlie, who trained at the Bristol Old Vic and has worked on stage, has already started filming.
He added: “I’ve found EastEnders to be the most kind and loving space to work in, and I already feel like one of the family.”
ROMAN Kemp will take over from Rob Rinder as president of the Tric Awards next year.
The news came as the Capital radio host headed to the glitzy Tric Christmas lunch in London.
The event saw TV veteran Angela Rippon announced as the winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award.
BBC LIVE IN QUEK CHANGE
MORNING Live host Sam Quek has waved goodbye to her role on the BBC daytime show after disappearing from our screens this summer.
The ex-Team GB hockey ace joined the programme in 2021, and even hosted an episode just a day before giving birth last year.
But the popular star hasn’t been seen in the studio since July.
And despite the show being given an extended run, with extra air time, Sam will not be returning as one of the hosts.
Confirming her exit, a BBC spokesman revealed: “We thank Sam for all her brilliant work on Morning Live so far and hope to see her back on the show in the future.”
Morning Live currently airs weekdays from 9.15am to 10am on BBC One, but from January the new slot will run from 9.30am to 10.45am.
ROB & ROM IN SANTA DINGDONG
ROB Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are at elf school in Lapland for their latest adventure, and are given a special present – sleigh-friendly new names.
The comedy duo are left giggling as they meet chief elf Vanilla in the Christmas special of their Rob And Romesh Vs series on Sky.
For their new roles, Santa’s right-hand man dubs them “RomRom and DingDong” – and things start to go downhill.
Rob jokes: “I think that was by accident, but that made me panic.
“Because not only is that the whitest name of them all, by the way – DingDong – but if the first part of that had changed, we could be looking down the barrel.”
Romesh adds: “We could be RamaDama and DingDong.”
The pair take on a series of tasks at the school – in Finland, not the North Pole – where locals are trained to work alongside Santa.
They include racing reindeer, responding to children’s letters to Father Christmas and taking a dip in freezing water.
Rob and Romesh Vs Lapland is at 9pm on December 17 on Sky Max.
ART OF VIC AND BOB
CHRISTMAS is going to smell of Reeves and Mortimer.
Cult comedy duo Vic Reeves, aka Jim Moir, and Bob Mortimer are reuniting on screen for the first time in a decade for a festive special.
Bob will be the star guest on Vic’s show Painting Birds With Jim And Nancy Moir on Sky Arts.
The series debuted earlier this year and sees Vic and his wife visit beauty spots across the UK to create artworks based on birds common to particular regions.
It’s certainly very different fare from Vic and Bob’s classic 1990s sketch series The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer, as well as their hit game show Shooting Stars.
No doubt they’ll be sketching a dove from above.
DOLLY Parton will open up about her life and career in new Channel 5 docu Dolly Parton: In Her Own Words.
The 90-minute special will feature interviews with Dolly, as well as songwriter Emmylou Harris, guitarist Peter Frampton and radio host Ken Bruce.
The show airs at 9pm on December 28.
TRAITORS REVEALED
THE BBC has finally confirmed when The Traitors will be back on our screens.
The second series of the hit game show makes its return next month, after its first series aired in late 2022.
Claudia Winkleman will greet 22 new strangers at a Scottish Highlands castle as they compete to win £120,000.
And after I exclusively revealed the series was to get a new “visualised” podcast – which will delve behind the scenes of the show and interview banished and murdered players – the Beeb have unveiled its host.
Comic Ed Gamble will be joined by cast members and celebrity guests for episodes of The Traitors: Uncloaked.
The Traitors’ second series begins at 9pm on January 3 on BBC One and iPlayer.