TV legends’ daughter welcoming cameras into her home for fly-on-the-wall show about being a mum
YOU might expect Chloe Madeley to have followed fervently in the footsteps of her parents, daytime telly legends Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
But apart from a stint on Dancing on Ice in 2011, when she took third place, she has merely dabbled with the limelight — until now.
I can reveal that Chloe has landed her own ITVBe reality show charting her life as a new mum after welcoming daughter Bodhi last August.
Filming of the four-part series is under way, with cameras following Chloe and her husband, rugby champ turned pundit James Haskell, as they get to grips with being first-time parents.
A TV insider said: “Chloe is a natural on TV and she and James together are great fun.
“As well as all the trials and tribulations of parenthood, expect Chloe to open up on her mental health and to share her postpartum journey back to fitness so she can continue her career as a personal trainer, while James juggles life on the road with his punditry work and podcasts.
“Of course everyone is hoping Richard and Judy will also feature as supportive grandparents.”
The as-yet-untitled series is one of a number of new reality commissions for ITVX as the channel explores fresh talent.
These have included Giovanna Fletcher in Made In Italy and The Wanted singer Tom Parker‘s widow Kelsey with her moving series Life After Tom.
The source added: “James is loved from his time on I’m A Celebrity in 2019 and it’s thought the couple will appeal to a slightly different audience to the Towie parenting spin-offs already on ITVBe, from the likes of Ferne McCann, Billie Faiers and Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet.
“Landing both Chloe and James is a real catch for ITV, but the intention is the focus will be on Chloe to suit ITVBe’s predominantly female audience.”
I’m sure they won’t object to the occasional appearance from hunky James.
Rowan’s bee left no buzz
ROWAN Atkinson looks to have a rare failure on his hands with his much-hyped comedy series Man Vs Bee.
Netflix says it has no plans for a second series to follow last summer’s ten-parter.
In it, Blackadder and Mr Bean star Rowan played Trevor, a housesitter who wrecks a posh home as he tries to rid it of a bumblebee.
But it drew mixed reviews from critics and even Rowan admitted he was not entirely satisfied with the show.
He said on launching the comedy: “Whatever I do, and this includes Man Vs Bee, I always think I can do it better.
“It’s a stressful thing to nearly always think there’s something better out there.”
In its first month, the series was viewed for 25.4 million hours – feeble compared to Netflix record holder Stranger Things, whose fourth series was watched for 1.35 billion hours in the same period.
All good things
KEVIN Costner‘s Western hit Yellowstone will end with its fifth season in November.
But the saga – described as a modern-day Dallas following two ranching families in Montana – will live on through a sequel.
Paramount+ said the new spin-off will air in December, straight after Yellowstone’s conclusion.
Mary is charity champ
THE Wiltshire cottage of posh Gogglebox couple Mary Killen and Giles Wood is full of charity shop nicknacks rather than pricey antiques – or so Mary lets Giles believe.
She said: “Nothing makes me happier than . . . a tour of the local charity shops.
“Yet all my exciting finds are invariably disparaged by Giles. ‘We have enough clutter already’, he grumbles.”
In their new book Country Life, she adds: “It’s a different story when I have acquired a little luxury – but only if I have stuck a sticker on to it saying, ‘Shaw Ridge Charity Shop £2’.
“I always hold on to charity shop stickers so I can reapply them to brand-new purchases when necessary.”
Money-saving guru Martin Lewis would be proud.
Things hits the duffers
FANS of Netflix sci-fi drama Stranger Things will have to wait longer for the fifth and final season because of the writers’ strikes in the US.
Showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer revealed they have postponed production.
No new start date has been set, even though it is said the scripts are complete.
In a post on Twitter, brothers Matt and Ross told fans: “Writing does not stop when filming begins.
“While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike.
“We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work.
“Until then – over and out.”
Before Bridgerton?
THE future of Bridgerton prequel Queen Charlotte is being left open. On a second series, its creator Shonda Rhimes said: “There have been questions, but I’m not having conversations about it yet.
“We told a specific, closed-ended story that I think is a complete tale. But I’m not ruling anything out.”