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As FOXTEL continues the countdown to the LONDON 2012 Olympic Games, SKY NEWS will launch its own Olympics based news program, LONDON CALLING, on Friday, February 3 at 9.15pm. 

LONDON CALLING will be dedicated entirely to everything you need to know about The 2012 Games and SKY NEWS Sports presenters James Bracey and Matt Shirvington will take us on the journey right up until the opening ceremony.

LONDON CALLING will offer viewers a full wrap of the week’s Olympic news from at home and around the world; updates on the progress of our Australian athletes; qualification events and the latest from inside the AOC on how Australia is getting ready to take on the world in London.

Bracey, who covered the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games said: “Sports fans have been crying out for a show like this. LONDON CALLING will keep you in the loop in the lead-up to The 2012 Games as well as take you behind-the-scenes.”

Shirvington, Olympian and five-time 100m Australian track champion, said: “The Journey to the Olympic games can be a tough one. LONDON CALLING will be the place to find out how some of the world’s best athletes are preparing and how they expect to go when they arrive. We’ll also relive some defining moments in Olympic history and speak to the athletes involved.”

Journalists and broadcasters Rebecca Wilson and Jim Wilson will join the boys with their entertaining take and insightful opinion on everything Olympic.

SKY NEWS’s self-proclaimed ‘sports-nut’ Luke Doherty will sit down with some of the Australian athletes and teams chasing glory at The Games.

Viewers can send in their questions to the athletes each week via twitter – @SkyLondon2012 and email – londoncalling@skynews.com.au.

You can see LONDON CALLING every Friday at 9.15pm with an encore presentation Saturdays at 2.15pm.

FOXTEL will provide viewers with the most extensive coverage of The Olympic Games ever seen in Australia. A breakthrough eight dedicated FOXTEL channels will ensure Australians can watch every sport during the LONDON 2012 Olympic Games.  These channels will be available to FOXTEL subscribers 24 hours a day for 17 days, and in stunning High Definition, broadcasting all 38 disciplines across 26 sports.  FOXTEL’s landmark broadcast will screen all telecasts in full – all sessions of major sports will be shown live, every Gold Medal event will be shown live, and no ad breaks will interrupt live sport.

*All times listed in AEDT.

Sky News, Australia’s News Channel, continues to build on its reputation as Australia’s undisputed leader in 24-hour television, adding to its already stellar line-up of journalists in 2012.

A central part of the Australian media landscape; SKY NEWS delivers news on the hour every hour and LIVE breaking news whenever it happens.

SKY NEWS announces Nina May joins Leigh Hatcher along with Susanne Latimore and Terry Willesee for FIRST EDITION, Australia’s only breakfast news bulletin on air from 5.30am every day of the year.

Nina May brings a wealth of broadcasting experience, reporting and interviewing skills to FIRST EDITION upon her return from maternity leave.

May said: “The news that happens during those morning hours sets the agenda for the rest of the day. I’m really excited about being a part of breakfast television with its fast pace and constant breaking news.”

Hatcher said: “It’s great to be working with Nina on FIRST EDITION. There’s nothing like our news program on Australian breakfast television.”

SKY NEWS’ commitment to national affairs journalism also sees the launch of NEWSDAY – on-air from 12 midday each weekday with three-and-a-half hours of live rolling news hosted by Ashleigh Gillon in Perth and Celina Edmonds at the SKY NEWS Centre.

Gillon said: “NEWS DAY sets the pace as news breaks. I am excited to make the transition from Canberra to hosting this new Australia-wide program – it’s the first time national television has been anchored from the west coast.”

SKY NEWS is committed to covering the country coast to coast, announcing the opening of its first Darwin bureau in conjunction with NITV (National Indigenous Television). SKY NEWS Northern Territory correspondent, Daniel Bourchier, is an experienced top end reporter.

Unlike others SKY NEWS has also invested in late night news 7 days a week and announces Sharon McKenzie as the new host of an expanded NEWS NIGHT.

SKY NEWS also unveils a fresh approach to Sunday night news on national television with Helen Dalley hosting NATIONAL NEWS SUNDAY.

Dalley, who brings more than two decades of experience to the news desk said: “When it comes to live breaking news there is no better place to be than SKY NEWS. Sundays are always big days for politics and I look forward to bringing together our unrivalled commitment to national affairs, to put it all in context and to look at how the week ahead will unfold.”

Dalley will continue to anchor Late Agenda on Mondays at 8.00pm.

KINGS CROSS ER: ST VINCENT’S HOSPITAL

AUSTRALIAN SERIES PREMIERE – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 AT 7.30PM AEDT – EXCLUSIVE TO CRIME & INVESTIGATION NETWORK

Set in the heart of one of the most famous locations in the world comes KINGS CROSS ER: St Vincent’s Hospital, a captivating real life hospital drama premiering on Crime & Investigation Network on Thursday, February 2 at 7.30pm AEDT.

The fast-paced 10-part observational documentary series is filmed in one of the busiest emergency departments in Australia, the world-class St Vincent’s Hospital, just a stone’s throw from the bustling CBD of Sydney as well as its entertainment hub, Kings Cross.

Narrated by actor Sacha Horler, each 30 minute episode of KINGS CROSS ER: St Vincent’s Hospital follows an extraordinary team of doctors, nurses and specialist consultants as they pull together to deal with the frenetic pace of Australia’s most unique emergency ward.

From performing life-saving surgery, to treating multiple stab wounds, gun shot injuries, alcohol-fuelled head traumas, drug overdoses, car crash casualties and everything in between, there’s nothing this hi-calibre team cannot handle.

The work is exhilarating and exhausting and the pace, relentless. It is often said that there is nothing that can make a St Vincent’s ER doctor blush – they have literally seen it all.

It is the ER’s proximity to the heart of the city and to its darker side that provides both the sheer volume of cases and eye-opening reality for the most diverse patient population of any emergency department in the country.

St Vincent’s is the place where James Packer landed when he was flung from his horse, where John Ibrahim was treated after he was stabbed, where Marianne Faithfull was treated after her overdose and where Kerry Packer came after his heart attack. Through its doors walk everyone from rock stars to celebrities, business moguls and the homeless – and all are in need of urgent care.

KINGS CROSS ER: St Vincent’s Hospital opens up a window into a world of medicine that is fascinating, challenging, uplifting and sometimes even humorous.

KINGS CROSS ER: St Vincent’s Hospital was created by John McAvoy for Eyeworks Australia and is exclusive to Crime & Investigation Network.

KINGS CROSS ER: St Vincent’s Hospital has 10 x 30 min series premieres Thursday, February 2 at 7.30pm AEDT and is exclusive to Crime & Investigation Network

An Audience With The Cast of Annie is an intimate evening with the cast of one of the world’s most awarded and loved musicals, ANNIE, including some of Australia’s most talented and successful performers.

Filmed at FOXTEL’s studios exclusively for the Bio channel and introduced by Deborah Hutton, ANNIE’s star-studded line-up includes highly-acclaimed musical theatre performers Anthony Warlow reprising one of his favourite roles as sophisticated New York ‘zillionaire’ Daddy Warbucks, Nancye Hayes as villain Miss Hannigan, Todd McKenney as Rooster, Chloe Dallimore as Lily, Julie Goodwin as Grace and Alan Jones as Franklin D Roosevelt.

In this exclusive special presentation, Todd McKenney hosts the night, candidly speaking with key cast members including Siena Elchaar, one of the three girls playing the role of Annie and producer John Frost as they prepare for the ANNIE season currently showing in Sydney before touring Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.

As well as performing numerous favourite hits from the show, Easy Street, Tomorrow, I Don’t Need Anything But You, Little Girls and Hard Knock Life, the cast also answers questions from the audience, consisting of personalities from the worlds of entertainment, media and arts, including Minister for the Arts The Hon. George Souris, FOXTEL and Sky News sport’s presenter Matt Shirvington, presenter Sophie Falkiner and social commentator Prue MacSween.

Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, the musical version hit Broadway in 1977 full of toe tapping hits that have become Broadway’s most memorable scores and has since played in over 22 countries. Annie is the popular tale of the red-headed orphan’s quest to find her parents, a timeless tale and one of the most loved musicals; it has been honoured with many awards including six Tony Awards and a Grammy, with many famous faces playing the role of Annie including Sarah Jessica Parker and Molly Ringwald.

Annie is the timeless tale giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope.

ANNIE returns to Australia and this is your opportunity to see the ANNIE cast as you’ve never seen them before – up close and personal.

An Audience with the cast of ANNIE is a truly unforgettable evening with some of Australia’s brightest stars, exclusive to Bio, Sunday January 22 at 6.30pm AEDT.

NEW CHANNELS

A&E is home to action-packed, non-scripted series for men delivered in detailed High Definition (HD). The new factual entertainment channel is an action and entertainment television brand, with programming that has taken its US parent channel AETN straight to number one with their record breaking series franchises. The programming has real grit, real determination and passion. Highlights include: Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, Cash Cowboys, Axe Men, Swamp People, Ice Road Truckers, Dog The Bounty Hunter, and Billy The Exterminator.

FX is a brand new entertainment channel launching on FOXTEL in early 2012. FX features cutting-edge drama, comedy, action, thriller and sci-fi series, and with a mix of quality, character-driven and often unconventional stories, FX is set to be one of the top choices for TV fans in Australia with shows such as The Walking Dead, The Transporter and Hell On Wheels. FX is FOX International Channels’ first entertainment channel to launch in Australia.

FOX FOOTY is a dedicated AFL channel headed by Eddie McGuire showing unprecedented LIVE coverage commencing with the exclusive broadcast of the NAB Cup pre-season competition, followed by every game of every round of the home and away season LIVE including the Finals series, in High Definition and Standard Definition, uninterrupted siren to siren (FOXTEL’s live NAB Cup Grand Final coverage will be simulcast by the Seven Network. Only the AFL Grand Final will be broadcast on delay).

Get ready to ring in the New Year with a jaw-dropping lineup of international superstars at The Sydney Resolution New Year’s Eve Concert, airing exclusively on FOXTEL’s MAIN EVENT channel from 8.00pm on December 31.

The concert will be broadcast LIVE from Glebe Island overlooking the iconic Sydney Harbour and will feature an incredible lineup of international artists including Jamiroquai, Culture Club and the Pet Shops Boys, as well as Australia’s own Guy Sebastian and Pseudo Echo.

Hosted by Charlotte Dawson, Mike Hammond and Melissa Hoyer, MAIN EVENT will broadcast the Sydney Resolution New Year’s Eve Concert against a backdrop of stunning city views and Sydney’s world-famous fireworks display, in what is expected to be an absolutely unmissable evening.

Charlotte Dawson said, “This really is my dream hosting gig. I know all the words and danced myself silly to Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys and Pseudo Echo in the 80s, Jamiroquai in the 90s and Guy Sebastian in more recent times. This is such an exciting lineup of performances with a hint of nostalgia and of course, the most spectacular fireworks going around”.

Charlotte, Mike and Melissa will kick off the new year’s festivities with a 30-minute pre-show special at 7.30pm on FOX8 and MAIN EVENT, available to all subscribers.

The MAIN EVENT broadcast will then commence at 8.00pm, showcasing the beautiful Sydney Harbour fireworks display at 9.00pm and live performances by Pet Shop Boys.

Following this will be a live music set from Jamiroquai who will perform until the midnight fireworks welcome in 2012. Culture Club will then perform live from 12.20pm until the concert concludes.

Order now and secure your front row ticket to the hottest party this new year’s eve on MAIN EVENT for just $24.95.

The event will be produced by Blink TV for FOXTEL, in consultation with Universal Music. 

FOX8 is starting the New Year with a star-studded programming line-up in January 2012 including exclusive new shows from overseas, returning favourites, and local productions.

Stand-out January series on FOX8 include CRICKET SUPERSTAR, HART OF DIXIE, GRIMM, LAST MAN STANDING, AMERICAN IDOL, GOLDEN GLOBES and THE STAFFORD BROTHERS. There are so many brilliant new and returning programs on FOX8 this January, subscribers will have the pick of fantastic entertainment throughout the whole summer.

FOXTEL Group Channel Manager of FOX8, Duane Hatherly, said: “We’ve loaded the January FOX8 schedule with heaps of returning favourites and hit new shows in a perfect mix of local and international programming.

“GRIMM, LAST MAN STANDING and HART OF DIXIE all performed extremely well in America with their recent US launches, so we’re confident these shows will cut through here in Australia for FOX8. Plus, we’re thrilled to be extending our ‘Superstar’ franchise to Cricket with Allan Border at the helm. It’s going to be a cracker start to 2012.”

January 2012 highlights include:

CRICKET SUPERSTAR

Season 1

LOCAL PRODUCTION

Wednesdays from January 4, 2012 at 7.30pm

Australian Exclusive Premiere

Allan Border joins Lee Furlong in a nationwide search for Australia’s top fifteen male cricketers. The contestants will then have to live together, while competing in a range of challenges that will test skill, stamina and perseverance for the opportunity to be crowned Australia’s first Cricket Superstar.

GRIMM

Season 1

Wednesdays from January 4, 2012 at 8.30pm

Australian Exclusive Premiere

GRIMM is a new drama series inspired by the classic Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Portland homicide Detective, Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he is descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as ‘Grimms’, charged with keeping peace between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world. As he tries to hide the dangers of his new found calling from his fiancé, and his police detective partner, he becomes ever more entrenched in the ancient rivalries and alliances of the Grimm world.

HART OF DIXIE

Season 1

Saturdays from January 7, 2012 at 6.30pm

Australian Exclusive Premiere

Fast-talking New Yorker and new doctor Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) has it all figured out – after graduating top of her class from medical school, she’ll follow in her father’s footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But when her dreams fall apart, Zoe decides to accept an offer from a stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes, to work with him at his small practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Zoe arrives in this small Gulf Coast town only to find that Harley has passed away and left his half of the medical practice to her in his will. She quickly finds that Southern hospitality isn’t always so hospitable and also finds there’s more of a story behind Harley than she first thought.

69th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES RED CARPET AND AWARDS CEREMONY

LIVE via Satellite

Monday, January 16, 2012 from 11.00am

Tune in to see the glitz and glamour of the 69th Annual Golden Globes. Seen in more than 160 countries worldwide, it’s one of the few award ceremonies that include both television and motion picture achievements.

AMERICAN IDOL

Season 11

From Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 6.30pm (continues Thursdays and Fridays at 7.30pm)

On-air Day & Date with the US

Australian Exclusive Premiere

Join Ryan Seacrest, J.Lo, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson in the nation-wide search for the next American Idol. Follow the journey of America’s finest aspiring young singers, from their first audition right through to their ultimate brush with superstardom. The American nation votes for their favourites – tune in weekly to see who is eliminated and who in the end is revealed as the next American Idol, winning a massive, life-changing record deal.

STAFFORD BROTHERS

Season 2

LOCAL PRODUCTION

Fridays from January 27, 2012 at 8.30pm

Australian Exclusive Premiere

An unscripted drama reality series following the lifestyle, entourage, relationships and success of Australia’s most popular DJ’s, The Stafford Brothers. Season Two of the STAFFORD BROTHERS follows the professional journey and personal turmoil of DJ brothers Matt and Chris Stafford, fighting to stay on top of the ultra-lucrative entertainment industry. As their nightclub and music empire continues to expand, drama and chaos consumes their personal lives, leaving mayhem to ensue as the DJ’s continue to work hard and play even harder.

LAST MAN STANDING

Season 1

Sundays from January 29, 2012 at 7.30pm

Australian Exclusive Premiere

Tim Allen returns as Mike Baxter, world voyager and a daredevil marketing director who is about to face his greatest challenge yet – his family. After Mike’s wife, Vanessa (Nancy Travis), receives a promotion at work, Mike must spend more time in his female-dominated household. With years of advice and guidance from their nurturing mother, Mike’s three daughters are not prepared for their old-fashioned, hotheaded father to take over. When he isn’t reclaiming the masculinity in his home, Mike works at the sporting goods man-cave, Outdoor Man – a place where men can buy guns, jerky and a camouflage recliner in one testosterone-fuelled location.

The quest to unearth Australia’s next sporting hero is about to begin, with FOXTEL announcing the 15 finalists who will appear in CRICKET SUPERSTAR when it launches on Wednesday, January 4 at 7.30pm exclusively on FOX8.

Hosted by Lee Furlong, CRICKET SUPERSTAR is a competitive new sports-reality series following a group of promising young cricketers as they battle it out in a series of gruelling challenges for the chance of a lifetime.

After a nationwide audition tour earlier this year, followed by an intensive selection weekend at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence, 15 young players were selected to take part in the show.

They are: Justin Avendano (18), Josh Clarke (18), Richard Potter (18) and Jake Scicluna (17) from New South Wales; Sam Brandon (20) and Jackson Smith (19) from Queensland; Chris Chellew (21), Jake Fawcett (21) and David Vernon (21) from Western Australia; Mason Crozier (20) and Ian Holland (21) from Victoria; Alex Frick (19), James Moss (22) and Cameron Williams (20) from South Australia; and Ben Cooper (19) from Tasmania.

Over the course of filming, these young sportsmen live together in a state-of-the-art mansion in Brisbane while competing in a series of carefully devised cricket challenges designed to show off their skills. 

There is also a weekly non-cricket challenge that takes the boys out of their comfort zone in order to reveal their all important characteristics, from skydiving to catwalk modelling, rally driving and even Bollywood dancing.

Judging the boys at every step is cricketing great Allan Border.  As chief judge, Border has the final say on who stays and who goes.  Also on board is former Australian test cricketer Graham Manou, who is responsible for mentoring the boys on their journey from backyard cricket ace to CRICKET SUPERSTAR.  Along the way, cricket legends past and present drop in to their training sessions to give invaluable advice.

The winner of CRICKET SUPERSTAR will earn a rookie contract for the 2012-13 season, as well as a four month scholarship at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.

CRICKET SUPERSTAR is a collaboration between North One Television Australia, FOX8 and Cricket Australia.  The series is an offshoot of the popular Football Superstar franchise (also produced by North One TV), which ran for three successful seasons on FOX8. 

CRICKET SUPERSTAR was filmed in and around Brisbane.  The 10-part series will air exclusively on FOX8 from Wednesday, January 4 at 7.30pm.

FOXTEL is making it easier for iQHD subscribers to discover its 21 dedicated High Definition (HD) channels in the TV Guide and enjoy the finest in television, getting even more out of their FOXTEL.

From Thursday, December 1, FOXTEL iQHD subscribers who also subscribe to the HD channels package will see the 21 HD channels ‘swap’ positions in the TV Guide with their Standard Definition (SD) channel counterparts.

For example, HD subscribers will find FOX SPORTS 1 HD at channel number 501, with FOX SPORTS 1 moving to channel 203. When using the Remote Control simply key in channel 501, and FOXTEL will go straight to the HD version of FOX SPORTS 1.

This means it’s simple to watch more of FOXTEL’s premium HD channels by making them simple to find when navigating the TV Guide, providing easy access to the breathtaking picture and sound quality. FOXTEL in stunning High Definition gives viewers unparalleled colour, crispness and clarity across the fantastic selection of world-class HD programming that FOXTEL broadcasts.

FOXTEL Executive Director of Product, Jim Rudder said, “FOXTEL subscribers have access to the widest range of premium High Definition channels across all genres offering in HD over 1500 hours of LIVE sport each month, popular general entertainment series, exclusive drama, lifestyle shows, factual programming and blockbuster movies. FOXTEL is the leading HD broadcaster in Australia and these TV Guide changes reflect the increasing demand from our subscribers wanting to watch their favourite TV in HD.”

FOXTEL General Manager of Platform Development, Jeffrey Smith said, “FOXTEL’s TV Guide is the gateway to finding programs subscribers love and to discovering new shows to watch. We are constantly making upgrades to the TV Guide so it’s simpler to use and with more features for viewer discovery. The TV Guide channel updates will help make great TV in HD even easier to find and enhance the discovery of new programs for the ultimate HD experience at home.”

The SD channels are still available at the bottom of each programming genre for recording flexibility, so there’s no need to worry about taking up too much memory space on the iQHD. For example to find FOX SPORTS 1 (SD version), press the TV Guide on the Remote Control, choose the Sport genre then scroll to the end of the Sport channel list, select FOX SPORTS 1.

The TV Guide will be automatically updated via a software upgrade from December 1 meaning FOXTEL iQHD subscribers won’t have to do a thing to see the new HD channel positions on the TV Guide.

Joining ROVE on the couch from the set of ROVE LA for the last episode of the premiere season of Rove LA , on Monday November 21, are Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, American comedian and actor SETH MacFARLANE and Gilmore Girls’ LAUREN GRAHAM.

The series saw the highly anticipated return of Rove McManus to our television screens in September, exclusive to FOX8.

From the CBS Studios in Los Angeles, Rove delivered star power week to week including guests JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, PINK, HUGH JACKMAN, STEVE CARELL, LL Cool J, Ty Burrell and K.D LANG who all shared laughs, stories, exclusives and insights into their lives.

See more of Rove and expect more big names when Rove LA returns in 2012.

This week:

will.i.am has helped steer The Black Eyed Peas into one of the most popular groups in music selling 28 million albums worldwide, winning  three Grammy awards and nominated for 10 in total. On his own, will.i.am has established himself as one of music’s top producers and has collaborated on tracks with everyone from Justin Timberlake to Carlos Santana and Mariah Carey. will.i.am discusses his pet peeves, his obsession with Japanese toilets and on a more serious note why he won’t release his collaborations with friend Michael Jackson.

Seth MacFarlane isn’t just the executive producer of Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. He’s also the voice of many of these series’ most popular characters, such as Peter and Stewie Griffin, Roger the Alien and Tim the Bear. Seth discusses the success of the show and the controversy that comes with it. On a more serious note he talks about how he escaped a major 9/11 tragedy.

Lauren Graham became an international television star thanks to her seven years as fast-talking single mum Lorelai Gilmore on the hit series Gilmore Girls. She is currently starring as another unmarried mother on the series Parenthood, which is based on the 1989 movie of the same name.

The series also provides viewers with Rove’s take on the LA way of life. This week Rove visits some LA psychics, including psychic to the stars Kenny Kingston as well as having his gluteus maximus read by Sylvester Stallone’s mother Jackie who happens to be a Rumpologist.

Tune in for the last episode of Rove LA for 2011, Monday November 21 at 8.30pm AEDT exclusive to FOX8.