New Articles on The Daily Dust today

Benitez reminds everyone that Liverpool could win too

Posted: 01 Dec 2008 08:27 AM CST

With everyone focused around whether Arsenal are written off, or if Chelsea are about to hit hard times, or whether Man United are just quietly going to sneak past everyone - Rafa Benitez has chimed in to remind people that Liverpool are actually doing quite well this year.

“After two games without playing well, people are starting to say that we are looking a little bit nervous, but we are still close to the top of the table,” said Benitez.

“We have qualified for the next round of the Champions League, we are in a fantastic position in the league and we are playing really well. If you have some experience, you know that, if you want to be a contender, you have to think only about the next game.

“So it doesn’t matter what they [Chelsea and United] say and it doesn’t matter what people may think.

“I am not worried by what they say. It depends on the players and the team. We are at the top of the table and we know that, if we beat West Ham, we will be there at the top of the table for another week.

“My message to the players is the same. We have to concentrate on our own team and on our own games. I cannot change what people think.

“I can only give my players the right message. The thing for me is that the team is doing well, but it can also improve.”

After being a non-factor at the top of the table for a rather long time, with a history of costly runs of poor league form, as well as the fact that Fernando Torres can’t seem to get healthy, most neutrals have pretty much blocked the idea that Liverpool could win the league out of their mind. But if the Reds can stay near the top through the busy Christmas fixtures then it’s definitely time to sit up and take notice.

Mallett & Esther are out - That’s Life

Posted: 01 Dec 2008 03:12 AM CST

Timmy Mallet failed to beat Brian Paddick in the eviction task

Last night saw two evictions in the Jungle and the first was decided by an eat/drink-off between Timmy Mallett and Brian Paddick. Called Last Chance Saloon, the two “celebs” had to eat and drink a selection of Jungle nasties, first to finish had to open their mouths to prove they’d swallowed. After 2 rounds it was all square, then came the money shot, round three saw them have to drink a ‘penis colada’, a combination of crocodile and camel penis with a penis wedge, Paddick said: 'If I don't win this I'll never live it down.' He won, Mallet went home.

Later in the show, with the usual telephone vote-off, Ester Rantzen became the fifth celeb to be evicted, The DailyDust’s favourite to win just didn’t argue enough to become Queen of The Jungle.

She said: “I’m feeling very sorry to leave because they are such lovely people and the whole environment is so gorgeous.” Not as gorgeous as the deep hot bubble bath she had planned though..

Davina Looking For Big Finish to Big Brother

Posted: 01 Dec 2008 12:21 AM CST

Does McCall consider the tenth anniversary a good time to kill the tarnished golden goose?

Face of Big Brother Davina McCall is worried that the show may not be on the air in three years time, and hopes that it goes out at the top of it’s game, rather than a painful slow death.

She’s hopeful of finding a new TV project to take on before the big Brother gig is finally evicted from her life. Her previous projects have included cult dating show Streetmates, the ill-fated ‘Davina!’ chat show, and being the female voice for the dubbing of the first season of Eurotrash.

Her stint at BB has gathered her many fans (and some shampoo commercials, surely the mark someone has made it big) and we at The Dust await that next project with keen interest.

But do keep Big Brother running, we love that almost as much as Dead Set.
(Hat tip to Digital Spy)

TV Review: Davina’s Coming To Get You!

Johnny Depp Lined Up To Play James Bond?

Posted: 01 Dec 2008 12:10 AM CST

Pirates of the Caribbean star set to follow Sir Roger Moore as the British Secret Agent in biopic?

Following the publication of his biography, My Word Is My Bond, ennobled British film star Sir Roger Moore has been approached about the rights to a film version of his life. He’s certainly lived a wild one, from his time as Simon Templair in The Saint, the aforementioned fictional SIS employee, an ambassador to UNICEF, and being the guest on the final Muppet Show.

Who could forget the masterpiece casting of Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris in the blockbuster “The Wild Geese”?

Two studios are looking to make a film of his life, and the former Bond has made it know that “…he’s a great admirer of Johnny Depp.” Sounds like perfect casting for us, only Depp could carry off the classic Moore/Bond lines such as “just keeping the British end up, Sir!”

(Hat tip: Digital Spy).

The Names Bland… James Bland

Review: The Now Show

Posted: 01 Dec 2008 12:01 AM CST

Radio 4’s ‘Edgy’ Topical Comedy Show Returns just in time.

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis may be names that TV viewers vaguely remember from The Jasper Carrot Show, but radio fans know just how good they are at dissecting the news with clinical precision. If BBC 1’s Have I Got News For You is a blunt instrument, then Radio 4’s The Now Show (Friday’s at 6.30pm) is the delicate scalpel of a heart transplant.

The format is pretty steady, with Punt and Dennis opening and closing the show, firing at a bucket load of targets and dropping in a number of running jokes for the dedicated listener (keep your ears open for a Donald Pleasance Great Escape “I can see perfectly”). Alongside them are comedians John Holmes and Marcus Bridgestock, the former answering readers ‘letters and emails,’ while Bridgestock has a polemic that makes him the closest the UK has to Ketih Olberman.

And then there’s Mitch Benn, the comedy collossus with a guitar, putting the week’s highlights to music. Here’s one of his gems from a show last year…

Mitch Benn, on a previous Now Show, covering Stairway to Heaven

The only bad thing about The Now Show is that it has to share the 6.30pm Friday slot on Radio 4 with The News Quiz, so last week was the final News Quiz while The Now Show has it’s run.

Turn about on running a topical news comedy show? How very British.

The Now Show, Radio 4, Fridays at 6.30pm, repeated Saturdays 12.30pm, or on Listen Again via the BBC Radio 4 site.

Picture by VicWj.

Dragons Den Star in Bid to Buy Woolworths

Posted: 30 Nov 2008 11:55 PM CST

Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis is rumoured to be considering a bid for collapsed high street chain Woolworths.

Administrator Deloitte, has said that it has received 10 serious bids and Paphitis is reported to be one of them. A Deloitte spokesman said: ‘Face-to-face talks took place yesterday with interested parties. Talks will continue on Monday with those parties.’

Yesterday Neville Kahn of Deloitte told the Financial Times: ‘We’ve got people who want to buy the business as a business and we’ve got people who want to buy stores. We’re talking both to financial players but also to people in the retail trade as well.

We have previously reported on Woolworths going into administration – will Theo be able to save the business?

Chinese Democracy Fails To Get The Vote

Posted: 30 Nov 2008 04:56 PM CST

Mis-firing chart return of Guns and Roses shot down by The Killers.

Nevada based rockers The Killers have stormed the palace of the UK Album charts, taking the number one slot in the album charts with ‘Day and Night.’ That leaves the long awaited, Dr Pepper influenced return of Axl W Rose and Guns and Roses sitting at number two. Rumored to be the most expensive album ever, Chinese Democracy is far from the towering behemoth that many were hoping for.

Last week’s top single from Beyonce lasted one week, with the resurgent Take That clocking up their eleventh number one. With their new album, The Circus, expected into the charts next week they could be on course for toppping both charts, More next week.

UK Singles Chart, Nov 30 2008
1. Take That - Greatest Day
2. Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
3. TI ft Rihanna - Live Your Life
4. The Killers - Human
5. Katy Perry - Hot ‘n’ Cold

UK Albums Chart, Nov 30 2008
1. The Killers - Day & Age
2. Guns N’ Roses - Chinese Democracy
3. Rhydian - Rhydian
4. Leona Lewis - Spirit
5. Priests - The Priests

Premier League round-up: The Tightness Continues

Posted: 30 Nov 2008 12:34 PM CST

Another weekend, another topsy-turvy set of results that keeps things tighter than a nun’s chopsticks in England’s top flight.

The result of the weekend is the supposedly in-turmoil Arsenal knocking off table-toppers Chelsea in one of the 900 London derbies. Van Persie’s quickfire double over just 3 minutes in the second half proving enough. So far Phil Scolari is still sat next to Avram Grant in the list of managers who haven’t really managed to prove better than Jose Mourinho. The Portugese simply got results every single week.

Rooney’s 100th goal was enough to KO Man City as Ronaldo was sent off for a hilarious hand ball when he decided to palm the ball away at an attacking corner instead of taking his free header at goal. He claims to have heard a stray whistle, but we prefer to chalk it up to a moment of madness ™.

Rest of the results were either boring or hardly surprising, with Bolton crushing Sunderland and Spurs looking a bit awful against Everton. Redknapp may be a more inspirational manager, but he’s still failing to make Bent and Pavyluchenko work and still ships Bentley out on the left - both massive criticisms of Juande Ramos.

Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal
Man City 0-1 Man Utd
Portsmouth 3-2 Blackburn
Tottenham 0-1 Everton
Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham
Middlesbrough 0-0 Newcastle
Stoke 1-1 Hull
Sunderland 1-4 Bolton
Wigan 2-1 West Brom