Applications for Pointless are open!

You too can battle for that coveted Pointless trophy! That's right, applications to be a contestant on Pointless have re-opened.

Thousands of applications are submitted. Some will be fortunate enough to be phoned by the production team for a chat, and of these, a few will be invited for audition. And even fewer will make it onto the programme.

So no, your chances of getting onto the show aren't great. But if you don't apply,. they're nil - so give it a go! Applications close on Wednesday 28th February.

Return of the Real Full Monty

One of the biggest and boldest TV hits of last year, which saw a group of celebrity men bare all to the delight of millions of ITV viewers, is coming back for a brand new full frontal extravaganza on Wednesday and Thursday 28th and 29th March. 

In the Real Full Monty, the troupe’s commitment to raising awareness of men’s cancers - in which famous names including Alexander Armstrong, Ashley Banjo, Harry Judd, Matthew Wolfenden, Wayne Sleep and Elliot Wright performed the iconic strip tease from 1990s cinema classic The Full Monty - thrilled theatre audiences in Sheffield and at the London Palladium and produced some unforgettable TV moments.

Now it will return in 2018, as a fresh set of stars learn a new super-sized version of the sexy routine from scratch before stripping fully nude for the nation in a brand new 90 minute show.

Once again, Alexander Armstrong and Ashley Banjo and will lead this ITV special.  Dance supremo Ashley will marshal the band of famous novices through their moves, whipping them into shape to perform a frenzy-inducing striptease.  Offering inspirational support and guidance will be Xander, who famously kicked off the lead in to last year’s show by having his own testicles checked by Dr Chris Steele live on ITV’s This Morning show, to demonstrate to men the importance of overcoming inhibitions to make sure vital, regular health monitoring is done.

Taking part in 2018 are TOWIE star James 'Arg' Argent, presenter Jeff Brazier, The Wanted's Tom Parker, Eastenders actor John Partridge, ex-Arsenal footballer John Hartson and retired England Rugby International Ugo Monye. There will also be a "Ladies Night" version, with celebrities including TV presenter Coleen Nolan, broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, Emmerdale actress Sally Dexter, reality TV star Megan McKenna, former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton, actress Helen Lederer, TV legend Ruth Madoc and presenter Sarah-Jane Crawford creating a “show-stopping performance” designed to raise awareness of breast cancer.

The aim of this year’s programme will be to build on the impact of last year’s show and keep these key health messages at the forefront of the nation’s minds.  Regular checks for testicular and prostate cancer are vital. If caught early enough, prostate cancer is nearly 100 per cent curable. But, the consequences can be grave if men are not aware of the problem or ignore symptoms, with prostate cancer killing one man an hour.

The original inspiration for the show was the 20th anniversary of cinema sensation the Full Monty, which sent the nation into a spin with the story of a group of unemployed miners stripping off to beat the dole queue.  And when The Real Full Monty’s six famous men got their kit off to replicate the film’s iconic climax, the impact on men was immediate and significant with the upsurge in demand for more information about men’s cancers leading to viewers crashing the Prostate Cancer UK website.

Xander said:

Last year’s show was a major success, particularly given it was unknown territory.  But now we want to see if we can aim for an even better performance to grab people’s attention again for this cause.  Hopefully, we’re in for even more fun as we take another bunch of blokes and turn them into show stoppers capable of turning the audience into a frenzy.

The 90 minute special of the Real Full Monty will show on ITV on Wednesday 28th March 2018 at 9pm, and the Ladies Night is the next night, Thursday 29th March, also at 9pm.

Rugby interrupts play

The rugby Six Nations Championship begins on the weekend of 3rd February, meaning that our Saturday Pointless Celebrities enjoyment will be disrupted. I know!

If it all follows the same pattern as previous years, the championship will last six weekends, with coverage shared between BBC and ITV. So we should hopefully get shows on alternate Saturdays. I'll keep you updated.

Radio Pointless Celebrities, 27th January

Another selection of celebrities from the world of radio broadcasting take part in Pointless Celebrities on Saturday 27th January at 6.25pm.

Mark Steel teams up with Marcus Brigstocke, Nicky Campbell partners Rachel Burden, Liz Kershaw allies with DJ Nihal, and Shaun Keaveny joins forces with Nemone.

Hey Duggee has been nominated for a BAA. a-WOOF!

The British Animation Awards, or BAAs, cover all aspects of the UK Animation scene, from student work to commercials, children’s entertainment, short and experiential films, music videos and new technologies.

There's a very wide range of categories, from Best Music Video to Best Pre-School Animation. And this year...

...Hey Duggee (narrated by Alexander Armstrong) has been nominated in the Pre-School animation category, along with fellow CBeebies shows Twirlywoos and Sarah & Duck!

The awards night is on March 15th at the BFI Southbank. We wish Hey Duggee well.

Noughties Pointless Celebrities, 20th January

Pointless Celebrities on Saturday 20th January at 6.30pm features stars who all found fame in the first decade of the 21st Century.

Badminton player Gail Emms, who won a gold medal at the 2006 World Championships, partners former super-heavyweight boxer Audley Harrison, who claimed gold at the 2000 Olympic Games. Ex-EastEnders star David Spinx (Keith Miller) joins forces with former Footballer's Wives lead Susie Amy, and comedian Katy Brand allies with Brian Belo, who won Big Brother back in 2007. Also competing are Lisa Maffia and Marvin `Romeo Dawkins', whose So Solid Crew first topped the UK pop charts in August 2001.

Academia Pointless Celebrities, 13th January

Continuing the run of new Pointless Celebrities shows, on 13th January at 6.40pm well-known academics take part.

Today's teams are made up of punk-rock poet John Cooper Clarke, an honorary doctor of the University of Salford, and historian Suzannah Lipscomb, a Lincoln and Baliol alumnus. TV archaeologist Mark Horton, a professor at University of Bristol, teams up with documentarian Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins forces with theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili of the University of Surrey, and University of Reading's Professor Kate Williams allies with The Infinite Monkey Cage comedian Robin Ince, who shares an alma mater with Kate in the form of Royal Holloway, University of London.