Radio 2 is introducing a new line-up of presenters to Saturdays, bringing in Paul O'Grady, Emma Forbes and Alan Carr. They are also changing the schedules around to spice things up, with Sunday afternoons changing as well. O'Grady also makes the transition to Sundays, with Johnnie Walker appearing on Sunday afternoons. Paul hosted a popular Christmas Day show in 2008, playing a range of music, and he has also covered …

Jana Bennet - Director of BBC Worldwide - announced late last year that commissioning at the Beeb was to undergo a restructuring of sorts. The idea is to split roles into more genre-based divisions, allowing for specialists to get their knowledge across. These are the confirmations we know so far, and I will add more as they are revealed. Alan Tyler - Executive Editor, Entertainment Commissioning (from Head of Comedy …

The Wire was broadcast for five seasons in the US, produced by HBO to rave reviews from the critics. A total of 60 episodes were released between 2002 and 2008, and now UK viewers will get a chance to catch every season. BBC Two has confirmed they will screen the series, with transmission dates forthcoming very soon. The show is about crime in Baltimore, and takes the unusual step of …

The BBC and ITV have released a joint statement, announcing they've signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help save regional news. The potential partnership would secure the future of regional news on ITV, although no specific details have been released. A couple of possibilities have been discussed, including the two broadcasters sharing locations, facilities, resources and media - with most of the items coming from the BBC side, available for …

Today we've got pandas doing what they do best - eating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqAQLNiByfw Also, if you like Baby Panda Thursday, consider visiting new URL! Yes, alright, for now it just points to the category page of this very site, but this is how phenomenons start!

Director of BBC Sport, Roger Mosey, recently gave a talk at Westminster University, and has posted a portion of it on the Sports Editors blog. The talk/article confronts those who question the BBC's dedication to sporting events, especially considering the addition of high profile sports such as Formula 1, and the 2012 Olympics. However, Mosey has a couple of good arguments up his sleeve: We value our relationships with rightsholders …

Seetha Kumar, Controller of BBC Online, has published a list of 10 guidelines that should be used when creating, and maintaining, BBC sites in the future. The principles are there to encourage editors to see their project as part of a bigger picture, that engages the audience and doesn't isolate them. It sounds too good to be true, but the 10 steps are pretty all encompassing. Here is a rundown …

Raymond Blanc will be back for a third series of The Restaurant, although there is no word on when. The show gives nine couples the chance to compete with the ultimate prize being a business opportunity with Blanc. The winning couple open a restaurant with the chef, but only after proving that they have what it takes to create winning menus, great atmosphere, and generate a profit. Blanc issues the …

For the first time in their six years of broadcasting, Radio 1's sister station 1Xtra is to go on tour. The Breakfast Show will be in five different cities over the course of a week from 16th-20th March. The show goes out live each morning from 8-11am. It's presented by Trevor Nelson and Gemma Cairney, and will feature performances from special guests. From the BBC Press Release, here are the …

The British Film Institute have announced a partnership with the BBC Archive that will see a greater development of public access to their content. Utilising the massive infrastructure of broadband in the UK, plus the extent of which the BBC use it, the BFI want to allow everyone in the UK to see the archived material. Although there are no significant details released at the moment, the partnership has been …

Sweeney Todd star, Helena Bonham Carter, is making the transition from big screen to small to play children's author Enig Blyton in a one-off drama about the popular writer. The show will also star Matthew Macfadyen and Denis Lawson. Blyton remains one of the most popular author's for young children despite having been published for almost 80 years. From the adventures of the Famous Five and Secret Seven, to the …

After 20 years of profiling all the latest news from rural areas, Countryfile is moving to a new primetime slot on a Sunday evening. There will also be a shakeup of presenting, with long-time anchor John Craven moving to a more specific role. He will take a closer look at the big news stories regarding the countryside, whilst Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker will take on the lead roles. Bradbury …

I have never actually watched this Sunday night show, but what started out as a short series has now gained massive popularity for it's feel good nature. The BBC today confirmed that Lark Rise to Candleford will return for a third series, remaining in its family slot. The show is written by Bill Gallagher, as an adaptation of books by Flora Thompson, and has a host of stars attached. The …

As a direct result of the Russell Brand incident, the BBC have reviewed their policy of allowing on-screen/on-air talent having a large responsibility in the production team. They have now revised the guidelines, suggesting that neither talent nor their agents can be the last word in editorial standards or compliance, and cannot be listed as the Executive Producer. If this were the case, and it would have to be a …

I am not usually a fan of Red Pandas, because let's face it, they don't really look like a panda, do they? However, I will make the exception for this little guy: According to the Brisbane Times, he was allowed out into his natural habitat at Sydney Zoo yesterday, having been born only 12 weeks ago.

The Beeb have announced the schedules for two Sporting events, both starting on the 6th March. The Davis Cup sees Britain take on the Ukraine in Scotland, with the tie shown on BBC2 at midday. On Saturday, coverage moves to BBC1 starting at 1pm, and back to BBC2 at midday on Sunday. Sue Barker is set to present, with Greg Rusedski, Andrew Castle and Jonathan Overend in the commentary box. …

From Dan Meth: I love this. I don't watch films extensively, but I have seen quite a few of the above. I think Back to the Future should be all blue, Jurassic Park should start higher, but The Matrix is dead on. What do you reckon?

An investigation into last week's University Challenge final has resulted in winner's Corpus Christi having to hand the trophy over to the University of Manchester. A joint statement from the BBC and Granada reads: The University Challenge rules on student eligibility are that students taking part must be registered at their university or college for the duration of the recording of the series. Whilst obviously not intending to, Corpus Christi …

As media, and particularly music, becomes more and more digital, it seems as though subscription services are the way of the future. There are many sites out there that offer an all-you-can-eat style buffet service, allowing a monthly fee to provide access to all tracks behind the wall. Of course, once you cancel your subscription you are left with nothing, but as long as you continue to pay, you can …

Radio 1 had to issue an immediate on-air apology, after guest Bono uttered an expletive. Describing Coldplay front man Chris Martin as a w***** during a live lounge performance on the Jo Whiley show, meant a BBC spokeswoman had to apologise for the language. It doesn't look as though any complaints have been lodged, however. The BBC have been involved with promotion for the band's most recent music, with U2 …

After months of development, the BBC have launched their new Weather website, which is designed to have a lot more customisation, and be simpler to use. The first thing that strikes me is how much brighter and more welcoming the site appears, which is an intentional change. Of course, the design has also been implemented to ensure that the pages fit in with the rest of the new BBC look. …

Whilst not strictly BBC news, anything to do with Comic Relief tends to go hand in hand with the broadcaster. In this case, we have stars from radio and pop taking to the mountain to raise money. They have been talking up the challenge for long enough, and as of yesterday, the climbing had begun. What I am impressed with is the vast amount of coverage taking place. In previous …

The complaints over this episode range right across the spectrum. Some believe that the BBC should have made more of the fact it was the first soap episode in TV history to not feature a white person. Others think that drawing attention to it at all was simply making it an issue, when all that matters is the acting. Then there are those that thinking bringing up the Notting Hill …

I saw these on (eh-hem) Blue Peter, and although I'm not usually into circus-type theatre performances, I was blown away by this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb78w7SY8JA The troop also do other fun things, including general floor work, some acrobatics in a wheel, and utilising a sofa - of all things. Perhaps it is the urban feel of it that appeals to me, rather than the sparkly nature of something like Cirque du …

I would never be able to do this sad story justice, so I will simply link to those that have done so already: BBC News - Actress Wendy Richard dies at 65 BBC Press Office - Tribute to Wendy Richards Guardian - TV world and charities pay tribute to 'the loveliest of ladies'

Yet another new face at the BBC, and this one is important for those of us obsessed with the BBC's new media and technology plans. As of the 1st April, John Linwood takes over the Chief Technology Officer role. The CTO is responsible for organising the entire technology strategy, including maintenance, relocation, infrastructure and development. Not an enviable task, I'm sure! Linwood previously worked at Yahoo!, and oversaw 1,600 staff …

Being Human began as part of a BBC Three pilot trial, and was successful enough to garner a commission. The first series of the programme comes to an end on 1st March, and it's now confirmed the sci-fi drama will return for another eight episodes. Following the lives of a vampire, werewolf and ghost co-habiting in Bristol, the RDF Media Group show has proved a hit in it's BBC Three …

Yesterday, it was announced that Barbara Slater is to take over the Director of BBC Sport role, from Roger Mosey. Slater comes from the Head of Sport Production role, and brings plenty of experience looking after Wimbledon, Golf, the Olympics and the Grand National. Mosey is moving on to be Director of London 2012. The Director of Sport has a lot of challenges ahead, primarily with the intended move from …

Elbow have been having a stellar couple of years, with the Mercury Music prize under their belts, plus the Best British Group gong at the 2009 BRITs. Now it seems their popularity translates to the Red Button Music Sessions. The Red Button service often provides coverage of music festivals and events throughout the year, and also screens performances that are usually recorded for radio. Elbow were playing for Radio 2, …

Today, the BBC announced exactly how they plan to cover the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship, after the sport returns to the channel after 12 years. The press release promises the coverage is the "most comprehensive in the history of the sport", and capitalises on red button facilities, and the online platform. The idea behind the coverage is for it to be as customisable as possible, with fans getting the …

In the latest update on Franck's official site, there appears to be a new nickname in there for our favourite guy. Instead of just FKM, we can now call him: "Franck the Tank". I'm not entirely sure I'm on board with this new name, so I chose to ignore it and move on. The rest of the entry simply tells us that Franck will be visiting AGR before training hard …

With the upcoming release of Lindsay Duncan's new drama, Thatcher, the BBC Archive are releasing a collection of programmes focused around the first female Prime Minister. The collection will be available online and follow Thatcher through her career to being a front-running female MP through to becoming the longest-serving PM of the 20th century. Some of the programmes have been broadcast on terrestrial TV, but others are unseen records dating …

First impression: How dare they??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87cLyBR1JTo Second impression: Could be worse. Thoughts? Update - Third impression: As with most covers, it seems to miss out on the emotion of the original, however, it is growing on me.

I accidentally started a new blog: The BBC Blog. Because what I need right now is more on my to-do list. However, what they say is the more you write, the better you get, and I find it helps when I write about things other than F1 sometimes. So, here is my newest blog, and it's all about the BBC. For some reason, and I can't figure out why, I …

The latest controversy at the BBC comes from a leaked email from the editor telling his staff to avoid using the phrase "as seen on screen" and instead to read out telephone numbers, email addresses and URLs. A couple of newspapers picked up on the story and claimed this was insulting and unnecessary. The Editors blog explained the situation. Commentators, and one reported "BBC insider", have said: "This is political …

I first heard of ChannelFlip.com when Wil Harris mentioned it on TwiT with Leo Laporte. It sounded like a great project and I was enthusiastic about it until they adopted the tagline: "The UK's Finest Video Channel for Switched On Men." Thanks. Anyway, I ignored the site for ages, but couldn't help noticing when they started showing up on the iTunes chart. First it was a series with Robert Llewellyn …

Paul Gambaccini is a respected writer, broadcaster, knowledge on music, and is quite a presence on Radio 2. However, he holds nothing back when it comes to opinions on his colleagues, particularly when they hit the headlines over potential wrongdoings. Back when the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross saga was ongoing, Gambaccini was quick to suggest the pair of them should be taken off air permanently. He had a case …

I noticed it yesterday, although I'm not sure when it first appeared, but the BBC have tweaked the News homepage slightly. Now, instead of five most read stories, you get ten. The most emailed section remains the same. The Editors blog has more information about the upgrade here, with the aim behind the feature described. The journalists writing for the site keep a close eye on the ever-changing "most popular" …

It's been on the cards for a while now, with subtle hints being left every now and then, but the long-lost son of the Masood family is about to show up in Albert Square. Syed Masood will appear in May, and looks set to be a sophisticated chap who will find it hard fitting back in with his family. From the BBC Press Office: A natural charmer, a smooth talker …

Okay, it's not exactly a catchy title, but why not? There are plenty of meme's out there, and this one is, in my opinion, the best. Mostly because I thought of it, and also because it has pandas in it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st_g1iQF7rU Pandas on a slide!!

Following the BBC's decision not to show the Gaza Appeal commercial, the matter went to the trust for review. However, the Trust have agreed with the decision, and the appeal will not be shown. From the statement: We recognise that the Director-General's decision was a matter of great controversy for many members of the public. However, having carefully examined the Director-General's reasons, the Trust believes he acted correctly throughout, and …

I'm not really a big gamer. I'm obsessed with The Sims franchise, but have no time to play. I steer clear of driving games because I am beyond useless. Occasionally, we play games over on Sidepodcast and they are fun little flash games on the web. I am even worse at those. However, I recently found a game I both love and am pretty good at. It's called Skywire. You …

I occasionally tune in to the Chris Evans podcast, although sometimes skip through the more obscure callers. There's only so many times I can stomach listening to people talking about sheds. Nevertheless, the show seems to be a nice cosy affair, with plenty of chatter and interaction with the listeners. I didn't know Evans from his television days, but am told that he has matured into a much better presenter, …

There are only four Doctor Who specials to keep us amused this year, and so we've been desperately trying to find news for the first. All we know is that Lee Evans and Michelle Ryan feature, and they'll be disappearing off to the Dubai deserts. Now, before that one has even screened, we're starting to get information about the second special. It was announced today that Lindsay Duncan will play …

There's a great new post on the Internet Blog regarding the BBC's use of Flickr. They've got a group for users to add and source pictures that show up on the all over the site, specifically on the iPlayer and the homepage. I find it fascinating that not only is amateur photography becoming a mainstay for the most professional of organisations, but also that they can be so open and …

I just realised that I didn't share the video I made of Franck at Autosport. There are other clips in there as well, as my Sidepodcast Diaries audience have a wider variety of tastes than Mr M. Silly people! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y2EU6wzmXA The whole thing tells a story, but if you only want to see FKM, visit 1:42, 2:53 and 3:12. Yum!

There has been a lot more information released about the upcoming third series of Robin Hood. The Tiger Aspect Production programme returns with 13 episodes in the Spring, and this time Robin is mean. He's out for revenge after the death of wife Marian at the hands of Guy of Gisborne. He's dumped the others after their return from the Holy Land, and his only goal is to kill Sir …

I don't know the extensive details of the Digital TV Transition in America. I don't know much about it here, either. I know there are coupons involved. I already have digital TV, and barely watch anything on the actual box as it is, so the stories have been washing over me for months. Of course, the time has been ticking ever onwards and the US switchover was supposed to happen …

My little Franck-obsessed corner of the web turns one year old this month. We started on the 5th February, in an attempt to follow the Frenchman as he navigated his way through Champ Car. Of course, that didn't happen, but I was not deterred. We've followed Franck through A1GP, ALMS and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and hopefully, there is plenty more to look forward to in 2009 and …

I know someone who finds life a little bit... surprising. For instance, a mobile phone sits on the desk. It obviously belongs to them, and they have set the ringtone/volume/vibrate options. It rings. The novelty of a phone ringing makes the person jump so violently, they knock the phone from it's holder, and the noise it makes as it hits the desk makes them jump all over again. I wonder …