Good news, Pointless fans

I promise you I wasn't scaremongering, this was not there before...

All of a sudden, there are (repeat) civilian editions of Pointless on BBC2 during the Olympics, at 5.15 as usual. Hooray!

New dates open for Pointless recordings

Recordings of Pointless start again on 12th September, and applications for free tickets are now open.

Head along, see Richard eat Maltesers and hear Xander swear! It really is a fun recording to attend, and I highly recommend it.

Bad news, Pointless fans

We're just recovering from the Pointless drought over Wimbledon.

We've been faced with three weeks (and one more to come) of Pointless Celebrities repeats.

Well..

WELL...

Pointless is off the air again from 8th August, for the Rio Olympics. We better be getting new shows when it finally comes back, that's all I'm saying.

Yes, yet another week of Pointless Celebrities

Here are the details for the final week of Pointless Celebrities repeats, leading up to the Rio Olympics.

Monday 1st August's Pointless Celebrities is a repeat of the Kids' TV special, with Johnny Ball and Carol Chell, Dave Benson-Phillips and Pat Sharp, Andrew Agnew and Julie Wilson Nimmo, and Jim Howick and Ben Willbond.

On Tuesday 2nd there's a world champions' edition, with Joe Calzaghe and Phil Taylor, Phil Vickery and Ravi Bopara, Sir Geoff Hurst and Sarah Storey, and Sophie Hosking and Helen Glover.

Wednesday sees a music show, with Ali Campbell and Mike Rutherford, Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin, Ritchie Neville and Scott Robinson, and Sandie Shaw and Sheila Ferguson guesting.

Thursday's show is a repeat of the experts' edition with Rachel De Thame and Diarmuid Gavin, Jilly Goolden and Olly Smith, Simon Rimmer and Kim Woodburn, and Lee Stafford and Tommy Walsh.

And on Friday 5th August, there's a repeat of the academics' show with Clemency Burton-Hill and Graeme Garden, Dan Snow and Susie Dent, Robert Peston and Steph McGovern, and Michael Mosley and Germaine Greer.

Olympic Golds Pointless Celebrities

Pointless Celebrities on Saturday 30th July at 6.45pm is an Olympic Golds special.

The guests, a mixture of Olympic and Paralympic winners, are Aled Davies and Tessa Sanderson, David Wilkie and Dame Mary Peters, Jason Gardener MBE and Marlon Devonish MBE, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Sally Gunnell.

Should be an ultra-competitive show!

Grand Gala Auction at the Theatre, Chipping Norton

The Theatre, Chipping Norton is a theatre, cinema, gallery and music venue. The main auditorium was originally a Salvation Army citadel.

On Friday 30th September, Xander will be hosting an evening of entertainment, auction lots and chat in aid of the theatre. Tickets cost £10 and are available here.

Yet another week of Pointless Celebrities

Mutter mutter, it's not like they have no new civilian editions to show, mutter mutter...

Anyway.

On Monday 25th July at 5.10 there's a repeat of the Blue Peter Pointless Celebrities special, with Peter Purves and Yvette Fielding, Simon Groom and Janet Ellis, Anthea Turner and Tim Vincent, and Barney Harwood and Lindsey Russell.

There's a repeated teachers' show on Tuesday 26th, with Gwyneth Powell and Michelle Gayle, Philip Martin Brown and Melanie Hill, Steve Spiers and Terrence Hardiman, and Jonny Mitchell and Mike Steer.

Wednesday 27th is a medical special, with Ian Bleasdale and Sunetra Sarker, Duncan Preston and Nichola McAuliffe, Ian Kelsey and Paul Bradley, and Dr Sarah Jarvis and George Layton

On Thursday 28th there's an 80s special, with Stephanie Beacham and Emma Samms, Anne Diamond and Rustie Lee, Denise Pearson and Stedman Pearson, and Tessa Sanderson and Willie Thorne.

And finally, the Friday 29th July show is a repeat of the theatre special with David Bradley and Simon Williams, Les Dennis and Warwick Davis, Bill Kenwright and Jenny Seagrove, and Clive Mantle and Connie Fisher.

Mike the Knight: Journey to Dragon Mountain

Mike the Knight: Journey to Dragon Mountain, featuring Xander's voice talents as Mike's dad the King, is now available on Netflix.

In this story, Glendragon is in danger. When the King returns from faraway lands, he discovers that the Vikings have stolen a treasured crystal jewel from the dragon of Dragon Mountain. It is the King’s mission to return the jewel and it’s Mike’s job to help him. The King, Mike and Evie form 'Team Family Glendragon' and soon find themselves on an epic quest filled with dangerous obstacles from meddlesome gargoyles to giant dragons.

Oh...and Xander sings!

Mike the Knight is suggested as suitable for 0-4 year olds.

Health & Fitness Pointless Celebrities

The Health & Fitness special of Pointless Celebrities is being repeated on Sunday 24th July at 5.45pm.

The guests are Dr Dawn Harper and Dr Pixie McKenna, Robin Cousins and Rosemary Conley, Iwan Thomas and Katharine Merry, and Dr Chris Steele and Lizzie Webb.

I was at this recording. All I can remember from it is Xander sitting on a gym ball just before it started and nearly ripping his trousers. Oops!

Pointless awarded BAFTA's highest environmental award

Pointless has been awarded the top 3-star rating in BAFTA's albert certification scheme, which recognises and champions sustainability in television production.

Measures the show has taken to reduce its carbon footprint include changing to an online contestant application process, saving 20,000 printed sheets of paper. They have also committed to the use of reusable water bottles, biodegradable catering supplies, hybrid production vehicles, and switching off computers when not in use.

Other productions newly awarded three stars in the award scheme include EastEnders, Downton Abbey, and the Graham Norton Show.

Another week of Pointless Celebrities

Yes, Pointless Celebrities is back in the teatime slot for another week! Who knows how, who knows where, who knows why?

Well, at least I can clear up when and who. When is at 5.10pm every day. Who is as follows:

The sporting guests on Monday 18th July are Dennis Taylor and Bobby George, Ugo Monye and Phil Vickery, Sharron Davies and Louise Hazel, and Dwain Chambers and Gail Emms.

Tuesday 19th's Pointless Celebrities are Vanessa Feltz and Penny Smith, Kriss Akabusi and Roger Black, Keith Chegwin and Andrew Castle, and Louie Spence and Carol McGiffin.

On Wednesday 20th we have Anton Du Beke and Kate Garraway, Bonnie Langford and Todd Carty, Yvette Fielding and Mark Watson, and Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson.

Thursday 21st's Pointless Celebrities is a writers special, with Charlie Higson and Rachel Johnson, Robert Harris and Gill Hornby, Jenny Colgan and Benjamin Zephaniah, and Danny Wallace and Stuart Maconie.

And the guests for a 'Number 1s' special on Friday 22nd July are Paul Young and Carol Decker, Sheila Ferguson and Dana, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, and Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham. 

Food & Drink Pointless Celebrities

Pointless Celebrities at 5.50 on Sunday 17th July is a repeat of the Food & Drink special.

The guests include celebrity chefs and Great British Bake Off contestants, and are Ed Baines and Paul Rankin, Richard Burr and Frances Quinn, Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala, and Jean-Christophe Novelli and Jo Pratt

Reality TV Pointless Celebrities

Reality TV Pointless Celebrities is repeated on Saturday 16th July at 6pm. The guests are Ruth Badger and Solomon Akhtar, Carl Fogarty and Jimmy Bullard, Craig Phillips and Nikki Grahame, and Jamie Laing and Alex Mytton.

That gives representation to the Apprentice, I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Big Brother, and Made In Chelsea. Which is most pointless? Let's find out...

A week of Pointless Celebrities

Pointless Celebrities on a weekday? Surely not. And yet it is so. The week after Wimbledon, as Pointless returns to our teatime screens, it's in its sparkly celebrity guise, with a week of repeats.

On Monday 11th July there's a comedy special, with guests Tim Brooke-Taylor and John Bird, Don Warrington and Ray Burdis, Dom Joly and Robert Llewellyn, and Rhona Cameron and Richard Herring.

Tuesday's show is an experts' edition, featuring Professor Alice Roberts and Dick Strawbridge, Eric Knowles and Mark Stacey, Nicky Clarke and Michael Douglas, and Martin Hughes-Games and Michaela Strachan.

The contestants on Wednesday 13th are Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson, Ronni Ancona and Phil Cornwell, Su Pollard and Ruth Madoc, and Josh Widdicombe and Sara Pascoe.

Thursday's show is 90s themed, including Ulrika Jonsson and Diane Youdale, Trevor Neal and Simon Hickson, Terry Christian and Katie Puckrik, and Richard and Fred Fairbrass of Right Said Fred.

Finally there's a soaps special on Friday 15th, with Laila Morse and Nina Wadia, Claire King and Deena Payne, Stefan Dennis and Rebekah Elmaloglou, and Ray Quinn and Louis Emerick.

There are loads of new shows still to be shown. Hopefully we'll see them soon, BBC? Please?

Cheltenham Literary Festival

Superb news - Xander and Richard will be back at the Cheltenham Literary Festival this year, presenting A Pointless History of the World as part of the festival's History strand!

The festival, running from October 7th-16th, transforms lovely Cheltenham into a book-lover's paradise, with over 600 of the world’s finest writers, actors, politicians, poets and leading opinion formers celebrating the joy of the written and spoken word. So very worth a visit.

Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra Pointless Celebrities

Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra Pointless Celebrities is being repeated on Saturday 9th July at 6pm. The guests are Clara Amfo and Trevor Nelson, Yasmin Evans and Greg James, Chris Stark and Scott Mills, and Dev Griffin and Sarah-Jane Crawford

Nice pose, Xander. And nice socks.