New Sky TV show in hilarious bid to see if Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone booby traps actually work
IT’S September and all the autumn shows are under way this weekend – unfortunately that means the world of TV is already working on Christmas.
The good news is that there’s one gift on the way in the form of a Sky show dedicated to festive favourite Home Alone.
The classic movie, starring Macaulay Culkin as central character Kevin McCallister, will be revisited in a show designed to celebrate 30 years since it was released.
Or at least that was the idea.
A TV insider said: “This show was originally intended to air in 2020 — three decades after Home Alone became a huge hit around the world.
“Then Covid came along and scuppered plans to mark the milestone, but the creators have continued undaunted and don’t see any reason why we can’t celebrate its 32nd birthday instead.”
A particular problem for the programme, which is currently untitled, was travel.
Going overseas was one of the first things to grind to a halt when Coronvirus hit in March 2020.
Superfan Alex Brooker, star of Channel 4’s The Last Leg, wanted to journey to the states to visit some of the landmarks that feature in the 1990 film.
With restrictions now lifted, that’s just what he’s done in this one-off, 90-minute special, which is made by Naked TV and is set to air this Christmas.
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He’ll be joined by fellow comedians James Acaster and Guz Khan, who are going to put to the test the various booby traps that featured in Home Alone.
They will try to re-enact Kevin’s single-handed attempts to prevent raiders — played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern — from breaking into the house.
Fans of the show will recall that included ice-covered steps, a searing hot door knob, getting covered in glue and feathers, and being knocked over by a can of swinging paint.
James and Guz, with an engineer, will examine the science behind the traps and work out how you could overcome them.
Sounds like Christmas has come early for burglars . . .
Rylan's Strictly return
THEY are swiftly earning a place alongside telly’s most popular duos such as Ant and Dec and Holly and Phil.
So viewers rejoiced yesterday when the BBC announced Rylan Clark and Janette Manrara will be back together as hosts of Strictly: It Takes Two.
The companion show returns to delve into all the backstage gossip, training room tantrums and news every week night from September 26.
Rylan said: “I absolutely love being part of the show.
“I’m so thrilled my television wife Janette is joining me for the ride. We can’t wait to bring you all the backstage gossip.”
Former Strictly pro Janette added: “I’m very excited to bring the audience more great conversations with our couples, a lot of fun week-night television entertainment and, of course, to celebrate my favourite show on TV.”
Davina all the R-age
DESPITE nearly 25 years in the business, it still blows Davina McCall’s mind that her fan base keeps evolving.
From C4’s Streetmate through to Big Brother and now ITV’s Masked Singer, she keeps pulling in viewers.
Ahead of a new series of The Masked Dancer, Davina said: “When I stopped Big Brother, my fans were in their 20s and 30s.
“But in the last couple of years I’ve had five-year-olds nudging their mums in the supermarket and I thought, ‘Wow! This is The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer. It’s a whole new fan base.”
The boost has given Davina a new lease of life – and she’s the one trying to get the gang including fellow judges Joel Dommett and Oti Mabuse – on a night out.
She added about going to one London hotspot: “Everyone’s like, ‘No, I’ve got to work tomorrow’. I’m like, ‘Come to Fat Tony’s party’.”
ITV’s The Masked Dancer is on Saturday at 6.30pm.
THE new series of C4’s Bake Off will kick off on September 13.
It was confirmed yesterday on Twitter alongside a pic of hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, with the line: “In knead of some good news? Here’s a little something . . . ”
It's a game of two calves
FOOTBALLER Jack Grealish makes an appearance on A League Of Their Own tonight . . . or at least the bottom half of his famous legs do.
The England and Manchester City player features in a question posed by host Romesh Ranganathan on the Sky Max sports quiz.
He names three sportsmen – Jack, Sean Dyche and Novak Djokovic – and asks which of them had a snail named after them, who had a pub named after them and who had a calendar dedicated to a certain part of their body.
And, of course, it’s Jack’s sensational calves that have this unlikely last tribute, and the calendar is held aloft by Romesh for everyone to admire.
But you will have to discover for yourselves who has the pub and snail named after them by tuning in to the show at 9pm.
X appeal from ITV
IF you think ITV’s new streaming service ITVX sounds like a porn site, you don’t have a dirty mind – you’re just of a certain age.
The channel surveyed the public to find out if the service, which will replace ITV Hub this year, sounded like a blue movie provider, and only over-35s believed it did.
That’s because the term X-rated came from the film classification that was replaced with the 18 certification in the Eighties.
While many people still use the phrase, it is now defunct with Millennials – along with a sense of humour.
COMEDIAN Jack Whitehall and his family were approached to do a “Kardashians-type” reality show for the BBC.
His dad Michael said: “It would have involved all of us – my wife Hilary, me, Jack and our other children, Molly and Barney.”
Strangely, nothing ever came of the idea.
Joanna joins the queens
JOANNA LUMLEY has signed up as a guest judge on the new series of Rupaul’s Drag Race.
The Ab Fab favourite said: “The show is astounding at every level, and I loved it from the very start.
"Rupaul is the definition of what it is to be fabulous, and the show is packed with mad creativity, humour, and drop-dead glamour.”
Alison Hammond, Mel B and Olly Alexander have also sashayed on to the bill as guest judges.
Also on the BBC Three show’s fourth series later this year, Aisling Bea will give advice on stand-up, Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice teaches the queens how to sissy that walk and Cathy Dennis holds a songwriting masterclass.
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LOOSE Women host Kaye Adams has struggled since signing up to Strictly.
The journalist says she’s out of her comfort zone having to answer questions about herself.
On her podcast, How To Be 60 with Kaye Adams, she said: “I’m finding it a bit difficult because it becomes about me.”