SMALL SCREEN BIG NEWS
Production network HBO has teased fans ahead of Game Of Thrones (2011-current) season 7 in July with photos of characters with their new outfits. The most striking is Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who’s swapped her baby blue frocks for a powerful, war-like military blazer.
Fans who were hoping for Top Gear (2002- current) host Matt LeBlanc to reunite with his Friends (1994-2004) co-star David Schwimmer won’t see it anytime soon. David pulled out of all work commitments following the recent breakdown of his marriage to Zoe Buckman, his wife since 2010 and mother of his five-year- old daughter Cleo.
Zoe Perry’s keeping the family acting business alive and well. In 2016 she played Samantha in political drama show The Fixer (2012-current) alongside her dad Jeff, who’s starred as Cyrus Beene since season 1. Now Zoe’s been cast as young Mary Cooper in Young Sheldon (2017), the spin-off from The Big Bang Theory (2007-current). And who plays older Mary in the original show? Zoe’s mom Laurie Metcalfe. “It was just like any other acting job,” says 33-year-old Zoe. “I auditioned and got the part. I have been rehearsing with my mom to get Mary’s Texas twang just right.”
Oprah Winfrey, the queen of talk TV, will be making her first appearance on panel chatshow The Talk (2010- current) in the very near future. While other topics are sure to come up, fans have been teased with news that Oprah will talk exclusively to hosts Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler and Sheryl Underwood about her new film The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks and her role as a “special correspondent” on long-running news show 60 Minutes (1968- current).
Keeping with the hosts of The Talk, Julie Chen will be heading to soapie Y&R (1973-current) to guest star as herself. While the storyline’s still being kept secret, we can tell you that Hilary (Mishael Morgan) will travel to Hollywood to interview her idol – Julie – for fictional gossip paper the Genoa City Buzz.
Adolfo “A” Martinez and his character Eduardo are leaving Days Of Our Lives (1965- current). The actor, who’s been on the soap since 2015, says that “as Eduardo is taken off the canvas on Days, I want to express my gratitude to all who’ve supported him – and me.” He’s leaving due to production clashes with his schedules (he’s got two other shows in the works) but adds that “I’d always be open to returning one day, if the show and fans want me to”. SA fans will still get to see him until about 2020 as we’re three years behind the US broadcasts.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino from reality show Jersey Shore (2009-2012) is in trouble with the taxman again. After tax avoidance issues in 2011, he’s now being investigated for “tax evasion, structuring and falsifying records”, as well as indiscretions linked to his clothing line Situation Nation.
And if you’re not already tired of Kardashians on just about every channel, youngest daughter Kylie Jenner has scored her own reality spin- off show called Life Of Kylie. Entertainment channel E! greenlit the eightepisode series that “will give fans an inside look at Kylie’s personal life, projects she’s working on as well as the time spent with her friends,” says a spokesperson. Model Jordyn Woods will co-star, unless you’re skipping it entirely to rather go play outside.