Door2Tour.com reports 'Dancing on Ice' outselling 'The X Factor'

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:49:56 GMT

Door2Tour.com, the website tour consolidator, has revealed that not only has the recent series of 'The X Factor' been trounced in the battle for viewers against rival 'Strictly Come Dancing', but it looks like popularity for 'The X Factor Live Tour' is also waning with more people searching for packages to this year's 'Dancing On Ice Live Tour' before the current series has even been aired.

Although the celebrity line-up for the new series of 'Dancing On Ice' has not yet been revealed, Door2Tour.com has noticed an increase in traffic to the website (between October to date) from customers looking for packages to the 'Dancing On Ice Live Tour 2012' with approximately 4495 visits compared to only 251 for The 'X Factor Live Tour' and 995 visits for the 'Strictly Come Dancing tour'.

Needless to say these figures are going to come as a blow for 'The X Factor' as it struggled throughout its current season to attract viewers with more and more people switching off and turning to its rival reality shows instead. Even a new judging panel including the likes of Gary Barlow and Kelly Rowland and other changes to the competition could not stop the live 'X Factor' final losing almost 4m viewers compared to 2010 when over 17.2 million tuned in to see Matt Cardle be crowned X Factor champ. This year's competition, won by girl group Little Mix, averaged 12.9 million viewers which worked out at a 44% share of the audience. If viewers from ITV+1 are also included then this would increase to an average of 13.1 million. Around 10.9 million viewers tuned in for the semi-final of 'Strictly Come Dancing' and on three separate occasions it edged out in front while 'The X Factor's' figures have fallen by 1.5 million year on year.

Rachel Jones, Online PR & Marketing Co-ordinator at Door2Tour.com, said: "We thought that with a new panel of judges and a few changes to the competition would have ‘The X Factor’ trouncing all other reality shows but it would appear that this is not the case. It's amazing to think that although 'Dancing on Ice' hasn't even hit our screens yet, there is an increased interest in searches for coach packages to see the live show. We can't put our finger on why exactly the show is more popular this year, maybe our customers know something we don't about who will be appearing in this year's line-up that has encouraged this interest - who knows."

To add a further blow, the winners single by Little Mix has achieved the worst first week of sales for an ‘X Factor's’ winning song since 2004. The single sold only 210,000 copies which is less than half of last year's winner Matt Cardle's first week tally of 439,000. The group also finished behind 2007's little-remembered winner Leon Jackson who managed to shift nearly 276,000 copies of 'When You Believe'.

Rachel concluded: "The tell-tale signs are there of the waning popularity of 'The X Factor' compared to the success of 'Strictly Come Dancing' this year. When you think about it, 'Strictly Come Dancing' got it spot on with the casting of three larger-than-life characters in the shape of Russell Grant, Nancy Dell'Olio and Robbie Savage, not to mention Edwina Currie. Perhaps it's the old-fashioned charm that makes 'Strictly…' and 'Dancing on Ice' so successful in comparison to their commercialised rival 'The X Factor'."

About Door2Tour.com:
Door2Tour.com is a consolidation of national and regional tour operators creating a diverse choice of UK, European and worldwide touring holidays including New Year breaks and Christmas breaks, coach holidays, day trips, mini cruises and holidays by air to many exciting destinations. All have live availability and offer the customer the opportunity to book online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Door2Tour.com features over 35 operators, including Cosmos holidays, Travelsphere and Leger Holidays.

EdTwestival to raise funds for St Columba's Hospice

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:38:45 GMT

Tickets are now on sale for the 2011 Edinburgh Twestival, the global Twitter festival celebrating the use of social media for social good.

The EdTwestival, now in its fourth year, will be returning to the newly refurbished Hawke and Hunter on 24th March enticing tweeters, music lovers and digital media enthusiasts to get together in the name of charity. The focus of the Twestival this year is on helping local charities, with all the money raised going to St Columba's Hospice.

St Columba's Hospice was established in 1977 in Edinburgh and provides specialist palliative care for patients, as well as support for families and friends. 100% of the money raised from EdTwestival will go towards the rebuilding project to create a new state of the art facility for St Columba's Hospice. As little as £175 can secure a place for someone at the hospice, so the money raised will have a real impact on the services offered to the local community.

The confirmed line up for the evening event includes Edinburgh band, Epic26, who will be returning to the EdTwestival after playing every Twestival in Scotland during the 2010 event.

Epic26 are an electro pop band from Edinburgh in the vein of Friendly Fires, White Lies & MGMT. They are winning one fan at a time, playing energetic live shows in traditional (King Tuts, Cabaret Voltaire, Barrowlands) and not so traditional (prison, boat, shop window) venues across the country.

Also set to feature are folk band Matt Norris & the Moon with a lively sound guided by tight four part harmonies and energetic acoustic guitar rhythms. Their music is accentuated with trumpet riffs and driving double bass lines, as well as fiddle, mandolin, piano and accordion.

Keeping things going into the morning will be Departure Lounge resident DJ Astroboy with his trademark freestyle approach broadly rooted in the black musical heritage of Jazz-Afro-Latin-Soul-Funk-Dub.

Further artists and entertainment will be confirmed in March.

Rachael Robinson, lead organiser for EdTwestival, said: "This year's EdTwestival is set to be the biggest and best yet. With two separate stages for music, entertainment, fundraising events and not forgetting the famous cupcake stand, it really will be a night to remember. We're hoping that with everyone's support we can make this year's EdTwestival the biggest and most successful in the UK, stealing the crown from London. There is great support for Twestival amongst the Edinburgh online community and I'm confident that together we will raise a significant amount of money for the St Columba's Hospice rebuild project."

The EdTwestival is taking place on March 24th at Hawke and Hunter on Picardy Place. Further information and tickets are available from the EdTwestival site.

The event can be followed on Twitter at @edtwestival or search for the #EdTwestival hashtag.

-ENDS-

About the Twestival:
A Twestival (or Twitter-Festival) is a single day, global movement which uses the power of social media to organize offline events that mobilize communities in support of a local cause.

Since 2009, over 200 cities have participated in Twestival, raising close to $1.2 million for important causes like clean water and education.

Twestival Local events are coordinated 100% by volunteers and 100% of the funds raised through ticket sales and donations go directly to support charitable projects.

EdTwestival is sponsored by Apex Hotels, bigmouthmedia, Hawke and Hunter and Yelp.

Play.com announces sales boost for BAFTA nominees

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:13:01 GMT

Play.com, the online entertainment retailer, has announced that it is seeing a record sales boost on DVDs that feature this year's big name BAFTA nominees, such as James Franco, Natalie Portman and Colin Firth.

Play.com has revealed that James Franco was the surprise runaway winner in terms of sales increases since the BAFTA nominations were announced in January.

James Franco, the Hollywood heart-throb who was nominated for his performance in the Danny Boyle film '127 Hours' saw sales of his earlier films ('Milk', 'Pineapple Express' and 'Eat Pray Love') jump by 38%.

Natalie Portman confirmed her place as Best Actress with sales from her back catalogue (including 'Closer', where she played a dancing girl, and 'V for Vendetta', where she plays a vigilante) increasing by 26%. Natalie Portman's award-winning portrayal of vulnerable ballerina Nina Sayer alongside Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder in 'Black Swan' drew attention to her highly adaptable acting style and consumers wanted to watch her play a variety of parts from her impressive portfolio of films.

Colin Firth, the man of the moment following his monumental performance as King George VI alongside fellow nominee Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech also recorded significant sales increases of his previous work, with an overall 20% uplift since he was nominated for Best Actor.

Simon Homent, head of DVD buying at Play.com said: "Throughout the awards season we continue to see a significant boost in sales for nominees' previous films. Consumers gain interest in not only the films, but also the actors. They buy their earlier films to revisit or explore for the first time the work that helped to get these stars to where they are today. Despite Colin Firth not being the King of sales since the nominations were revealed, we anticipate that The King's Speech will be one of the biggest DVD releases of 2011 when it goes on pre-order on the 7th March."

About Play.com:
Play.com is the UK's favourite online entertainment retailer and recently celebrated its 12th anniversary.

Offering over eight million different lines of DVDs such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, CDs, video games and computing, gadgets, books, electronics such as DVD players, mobile, posters, clothing, Blu-ray and tickets, Play.com is the UK's third most visited online retailer with in excess of seven million customers.

Lottery.co.uk launches newly redesigned website

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:53:17 GMT

Lottery.co.uk has launched a redesigned version of its website in order to provide a better user experience for visitors.

The site was first launched in 1996 and has since grown to include a lot more content and functionality which could not have been foreseen last Millennium, leading to the decision for a complete overhaul. The redesign has focused on user experience, with a completely new navigation to make everything easier to find for lottery players.

Features on the site such as the lottery results, the lottery numbers generator and the news section are all now much easier to find and to drill down into the detail. The exact breakdown of prizes in multiple currencies and the number of winners in a Euromillions draw, for example, are accessible in just two clicks, as is the entire Lotto draw history. In addition to this, numerous instant games have been added to the site for users to play, including online scratch cards and slot machines.

Sam Weren, project leader for Lottery.co.uk said: "Lottery.co.uk started life in August 1996 which is a lifetime ago in terms of the internet. Since then the site has grown beyond all recognition and we decided that the look and feel that has served us well for the last 10 years no longer provided the navigational options that the modern user demands. The new 2011 design speeds up access to more areas of the site, putting tools and information right at the fingertips of lottery players."

About Lottery.co.uk:
Lottery.co.uk is a truly independent lottery web site that provides lottery players with everything they need to get the most from their hobby. All lottery winning numbers, including Euro millions numbers, can be checked on Lottery.co.uk, a site that also provides latest lottery news stories, an informative articles archive and offers users the opportunity to win money online

Lottery.co.uk launches mobile version of website

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:47:06 GMT

Lottery.co.uk has announced the launch of its mobile website. The mobile version will reside on the same URL as the main site and will automatically detect when a mobile user connects to the site and display the pages specially formatted for the device.

The new mobile site has been fully optimized for mobile users with completely redesigned pages making it easier to use on a mobile phone. The launch of the mobile site marks Lottery.co.uk as the first big lottery site to launch a dedicated mobile site.

The Lottery.co.uk mobile site is more convenient for users who use mobile phones, and especially smart phones to check their lottery results, which they can now do on-the-go. The site also features a free games section, with games like mobile slot games, which give users the chance to win real cash for free.

Sam Weren, project leader at lottery.co.uk commented: "Checking your lotto numbers is a casual activity and one you are likely to think of when not otherwise being entertained, like when travelling on a bus, standing in a queue or sitting in a waiting room. We've made those results readily obtainable and specially formatted to be read on smart phone screens along with the rest of the lottery.co.uk site. So now users won't have to wait till they get home or to the office to see if they are a millionaire."

About lottery.co.uk:
Lottery.co.uk is a truly independent lottery web site that provides lottery players with everything they need to get the most from their hobby. All lottery game results can be checked on Lottery.co.uk, a site that also provides latest lottery news stories, an informative articles archive and offers users the opportunity to win money online.

Lottery.co.uk launch mobile Lottery Casino site

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:43:44 GMT

Lottery.co.uk has launched a mobile version of the Lottery Casino website.

The mobile version of the Lottery Casino is suitable for any modern smartphone, including the iPhone, and although it has only recently been launched there are already seven fantastic games to choose from.

The main lobby at the mobile Lottery Casino is designed to help players view the available games and to launch users' chosen game with as little fuss as possible. It achieves this by listing the games and providing a graphical icon for each, along with a brief description of what each title involves. Both traditionalists and fans of the very latest games will be impressed with the titles that are available, which include Blackjack and Roulette as well as some of the latest generation slots games, such as Pharaoh's Fortune, Poseidon's Kingdom and THE SLOT, which has a thrilling horror theme.

Although smartphones have a lot less 'screen real estate' than desktop or laptop computers, that doesn't mean the games at the mobile Lottery Casino are in any way inferior to the games at the regular Lottery Casino. All of the mobile casino games here have been specifically designed to make the most out of modern smartphone technology, and users will not fail to be impressed by what has been achieved.

Whichever game users choose to play at the mobile Lottery Casino, they will find that the full-colour graphics are pin-sharp, the animation is smooth and the sound effects perfectly suited to the action taking place on the screen. Actions are taken with the touch of a fingertip, and a menu button offers access to information about the game being played as well as the chance to adjust settings, view individual accounts and deposit funds, to mention just a few of the options.

New players can get £2.50 free to try the games without having to deposit, so they won't need to risk a penny of their own cash to discover the mobile Lottery Casino experience. Those with an iPhone can get started by downloading the iPhone Lottery app, which not only allows users to check all of the latest lotto results but also includes an icon that directly links to the mobile Lottery Casino.

About Lottery.co.uk:
Lottery.co.uk is a truly independent lottery web site that provides lottery players with everything they need to get the most from their hobby. All lottery game results can be checked on Lottery.co.uk, a site that also provides latest lottery news stories, an informative articles archive and offers users the opportunity to win money online.

Owlient launches new Facebook social game

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:00:17 GMT

Owlient, the French online game editor known for games such as Howrse.com and Babydow.com, has now launched its first Facebook game, called 'Howrse for Friends'.

With this new game, Owlient expects to reproduce its previous success with web games but in the social platforms environment.

The company's most popular game, Howrse.com is now present in 12 different markets and Owlient has reached more than 15 million registrations all over the world. The idea is to replicate this big success from a different platform while continuing to develop its leading role in the field of social games.

'Howrse for Friends' players will be able to build up their own equestrian centre, request the help of other users to lend a hand with its construction, breed their own horses and organize competitions amongst friends.

The goal is for users to become the best breeder or the best equestrian centre director amongst all their friends.

The company expects to benefit from Facebook's network and to continue growing its customer base of horse lovers. Currently, the game is only available in French but an English version will follow soon.

Furthermore, Owlient plans to launch a new iPhone version of Howrse.com during the first semester of 2011 and, following its the roll out of Dutch, Italian, Turkish, Polish and Swedish versions of the game, the company will continue its internationalisation process with new versions of its horse games in different countries.

With all these projects planned, Owlient expect to consolidate its five years of experience in the simulation game and virtual goods world and continue to build a strong presence in the industry.

About Owlient:
Owlient gathers game enthusiasts and allows them to extend their hobby online and share it with other players.

Owlient design games that offer maximum interaction between players, and its games are played by thousands of players, which enables it to build a virtual world with users participating in its evolution.

Today, Owlient offers games for people who are passionate about horse racing games, pony games, child care games and fashion games, with its games being available in six languages (French, English, German, Russian and Portuguese). Owlient's efforts are directed toward designing new games for people who are passionate about playing them.

Play.com gets ready for Mega Monday 2010

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:12:59 GMT

Play.com has revealed that Monday 6th December 2010 is set to be the busiest ever day for online shopping. The UK e-tailer predicts that sales will grow 20% year on year as consumers take advantage of competitive pricing and wider choice online, as well as looking to beat the January VAT rise.

Known as Mega Monday due to it traditionally being the busiest online shopping day of the year and falling on the first Monday of December, Play.com expects Monday 6th December to be the date when online sales reach their peak, during the busiest online shopping week of the year - 29th November to 6th December.

Play.com predicts that their customers will place 1,200 orders per minute at the height of Mega Monday with peak purchasing times falling after the school run at 9am as hurried Mums buy their stocking fillers after dropping the kids off at school. A notable shift sees the nation's office workers keeping their heads down and grafting through their lunch breaks this year. Rather than buying their gifts at lunchtime; historically a peak shopping time during the run up to Christmas; shoppers are waiting until they get home to splash out as 9.30pm becomes a peak purchase time on Play.com this year.

Commenting on Mega Monday, James Roper, Chief Executive at IMRG, said: "Nervousness about the Government's spending cuts is likely to impact high street spend this Christmas, with a third of people saying that they plan to spend less than they did last year. Despite this, it is a far rosier picture for online retailers who are look set to do well this festive period. We predict UK consumers will spend £17.4 billion online in Q4, up from £15 billion in Q4 2009. 28% of consumers say they plan to do more Christmas shopping online this year and 61% plan to do 50% or more of it online, according to the latest IMRG e-Customer Service Index. The internet has cemented its position as the place to go for value, convenience and choice, and continues to develop as a major factor in consumer culture in spite of the economic climate."

As always, Play.com is offering free delivery on every purchase and is offering savings specifically for Mega Monday as well as plenty of festive deals. This Christmas, Play.com is offering customers the largest selection of items ever with over 12 million gift ideas currently on the site.

Stuart Rowe, Chief Operating Officer of Play.com, commented: "Mega Monday is set to be our biggest sales day ever. We have seen Mega Monday grow year-on-year and we expect 2010 to continue this trend. As well as the top sellers this year, look out for new releases like Inception, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Jamie's 30 minute meals. We have more deals this year at Play.com than ever before to ensure our customers get what they are looking for at the best price."

The final date to order Christmas presents from Play.com, to arrive before Christmas Day is 19th December.

---ENDS---

About Play.com
Play.com is the UK's favourite online entertainment and leisure retailer and recently celebrated its 12th anniversary.

Offering over 12 million different lines of DVDs, Blu-ray, CDs, toys, video games and computing, gadgets, books, electronics, mobile, posters, clothing, and tickets, Play.com is the UK's third most visited online retailer with in excess of seven million customers.

2entertain revs up for the Top Gear Apocalypse

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:16:09 GMT

2entertain is revving up ready for the release on 22nd November of the latest DVD from Top Gear which will be titled Top Gear Apocalypse.

Top Gear tinkers Richard Hammond and James May have always wondered about what motoring would be like in a post apocalyptic world and now in the new 2entertain DVD they get to find out.

Top Gear: Apocalypse gives all the tips anyone could ever need to survive in the event of the ultimate calamity and as usual it will also help to answer some of those vitally important questions which only the Top Gear presenters are willing to address. So for anyone who has ever wondered what driving will be like in a post apocalyptic world which has been blown to bits by nuclear bombs or destroyed by a massive comet, then Hammond and May can give all the answers in this brand new, and incredibly cheerful, Top Gear DVD.

Filled with the usual madcap antics and motoring mayhem, where even something as mundane as the MOT can become a futuristic nightmare, Richard and James are here to show how it's done. In the aftermath of a nuclear war, when millions of tons of soot and ash are thrown up into the atmosphere creating a nuclear winter, James asks 'how on earth would you drive to work?' Another important question which the TG guys seek to answer on the DVD is - 'which would be the best car to have one of your very last drives in if you were stuck in a post apocalyptic world and there was only one barrel of petrol left?'

James and Richard also get to drive each other's car … although as this is Top Gear, James is sitting in Richard's car and Richard is sitting in James' car with both cars being raced using remote control.

About 2entertain:
2 entertain is the largest UK-owned publisher of DVD and digital content exploiting TV content globally through DVD, Blu-ray and through digital formats including downloads and apps. 2 entertain includes Demon Music Group, the UK’s largest independent record company which produces CD, Music DVDs and digital downloads. In 2009/10 2 entertain returned profits of £38.2m.

2 entertain is a wholly owned subsidiary of BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm of the BBC. The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invests in public service programming in return for rights. 2 entertain is part of BBC Worldwide’s Home Entertainment division, one of the company’s six core businesses.

2entertain announce the release of the new Michael Parkinson DVD

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:34:09 GMT

2entertain has announced the release of The Michael Parkinson Collection. The DVD will feature Parkinson's personal choice of the best moments from over 2000 intveriews from the enrite back catalogue of Parkinson.

With a career spanning over 40 years, Michael Parkinson is the most successful and recognised interviewer in the country and one of the nation's favourite television personalities. For the first time ever BBC DVD offers The Michael Parkinson Collection DVD available from 22nd November.

The DVD allows viewers to watch Parkie's career, all hand-picked and introduced by the man himself featuring classic in-depth interviews with some of the most famous people in the world.

The DVD features conversations with John Wayne, James Stewart and Jimmy Cagney and modern greats such as Tom Hanks, Samuel L Jackson and Tom Cruise. It also features some of Parkie's most well known moments such as; Lauren Bacall, the housewife megastar Dame Edna Everage, Jane Fonda, Madonna, when Parkie met Meg and wrestled Emu.

This two disc collection also includes interviews with celebrated sportsmen from Muhammad Ali to David Beckham, the legendary John Lennon, Sir David Attenborough and Richard Burton. The great raconteurs such as Kenneth Williams and Peter Ustinov plus the best comedians of their generation from Tommy Cooper to Robin Williams, Les Dawson to Peter Kay.

Extras include a specially made documentary charting the history of the show and lifting the lid on the behind the scenes secrets plus a collection of moments the host would rather forget.

Parkie's People by Sir Michael Parkinson is published in hardback by Hodder and is also available to buy.

2entertain announces release of the new Eddie Izzard DVD

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:11:05 GMT

2entertain has announced the release of 'Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story' on DVD. The DVD features a feature length documentary which shows clips from Eddie's comedy shows, such as 'Dressed to Kill' and 'Sexie', alongside backstage moments as Izzard brainstorms his latest comedy act from scratch.

This new Eddie Izzard DVD gives the viewers insight into the much loved comedian's life, and will be available on DVD and from iTunes from 22nd November.

Director Sarah Townsend revisits Izzard's remarkable life by weaving a multi-layered tapestry around Eddie's own confessions to the camera. Insights come from charming childhood home movies, enlightening vintage street-comedy footage, and friend and celebrity interviews including Robin Williams and George Clooney.

There's also Eddie's father, whose career took the family from Yemen to Northern Ireland amid the troubles, now musing on the impact of those moves, and on his son's youthful fascination with his mother's stockings. Ultimately, there's the openness of Izzard himself. He frankly ponders past paths, and even confronts the comedy truth-in-advertising controversy that demoralised him into a three-year retreat from his free-associating stage comedy.

Eddie was born in 1962 in South Yemen and began his comedy career in 1987. Since then Eddie has appeared in his own comedy shows, TV programmes and movies. Eddie Izzard is perhaps best known for his energetic approach to comedy and he fashion sense, which often includes women's clothing and full make-up. Eddie's comedy shows can be a little bit different as he speaks French fluently and often performs large sections of his shows in French.

Eddie has 8 comedy shows which have already been released on video or DVD, and was voted the fifth greatest British national comedians by Channel 4 in 2010.

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story is a documentary giving an incredibly moving portrait of one of the most celebrated artists of modern times.

2entertain announces the release of Outnumbered series three on DVD

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:32:34 GMT

2entertain has announced the release of Outnumbered series three on DVD. Fresh from its success at the 2009 British Comedy Awards, including the top prize of Best Comedy, the semi-improvised family based sitcom Outnumbered returns for a third series.

Written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkins (creators of 'Drop the Dead Donkey') this critically acclaimed comedy puts three young children at the very centre of the story - and allows them to improvise.

Series 3 introduces conspiracy theories, sex education, psychotherapy, colonoscopies, astrology and kangaroo saliva - just a handful of the obstacles that the Brockman family must negotiate.

Outnumbered series 3 stars Hugh Dennis (Mock The Week, The Now Show, My Hero) and Claire Skinner (Sense and Sensibility, Lark Rise To Candleford, Life Begins). The show also stars David Ryall (The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse), Samantha Bond (Die Another Day) Tyger Drew-Honey (The Armstrong & Miller Show), Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez.

Outnumbered first aired in 2007 on the BBC, and has since spawned three series and three special episodes, which were aired for Comic Relief, Christmas and Sports Relief.

Capturing family life at its most chaotic, the new Outnumbered DVD will be available from 15th November 2010 in shops and on iTunes. It will also be released in a 1-3 box-set.

2entertain announce the release of the debut DVD from John Bishop

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:14:57 GMT

2entertain has announced that following his sell out UK tour, multi award-winning stand up comedian and star of his own BBC One series, John Bishop, will be releasing his debut DVD. Filmed at the Liverpool Empire, John Bishop Live sees the comedian performing the Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated show: Elvis has Left the Building.

John gave up his normal nine-to-five job in hope of pursuing a comic career, and found inspiration for his debut comedy shows in the form of his teenage sons.The result is his new DVD, packed with analysis of their blasé attitude to his chosen career, the changes that occur once your eldest son is big enough to size up to his Dad, as well as reflections on the peculiarities of 21st century family life.

As well as being able to re-live the live experience of John Bishop's stand-up - or experience it for the first time - John Bishop Live on DVD and Blu-ray contains with exclusive extras which include: Porthcawl Elvis Festival Documentary, John Bishop and Liverpool FC; behind-the-scenes of John's live show and 42 years of John vs. Elvis.

John was back on the road with his new show Sunshine in October and stars in Ken Loach's new feature film Route Irish. John Bishop's Britain also aired on BBC One earlier in the year.

Other recent TV appearances include: Live at the Apollo (BBC One) – which achieved 7 million viewers: the show's highest ever viewing figures, Have I Got News for You? (BBC One), A League of their Own (Sky One), Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (BBC One), Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (BBC One), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), Mock The Week (BBC Two) and Skins (E4).

The new John Bishop DVD will be available on DVD, Blu-ray and on iTunes from 15th November 2010.

2entertain announce release of Clarkson: The Italian Job on DVD

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:22:42 GMT

2entertain has announced the release of Clarkson: The Italian Job, will be released in time for Christmas.

The new Jeremy Clarkson DVD is his first double disc release. Filmed at a number of stunning locations across Italy and showcasing the world's best supercars, this spectacular release also comes with an added bonus disc of Clarkson's five most explosive destructions of the past 15 years, as voted for by the fans.

The DVD sees Clarkson heading to Kent for the race of a lifetime but he first heads to the Fiorano test track in Italy where he spends a while not getting ready at all. He tries the gym but it doesn't take him long realise that he has had enough of the treadmill and decides to continue his workout on the track, the Ferrari track that is. In an unprecedented and incredibly rare opportunity Clarkson and the Top Gear team are given complete access to the Ferrari HQ, where they test out the limited edition 599 GTO and the 458 Italia.

For an exclusive, never seen before seen look at some of the world's hottest supercars, the team head over to Imola, Italy's Formula One race track. Top Gear regular, The Stig joins Clarkson to get the most out of the Porsche GT3 and its stripped out cousin the GT3 RS. Also present are the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera and the jaw-dropping Mercedes SLS AMG with its gull-wing doors.

Clarkson's face gets a workout too, thanks to an Ariel Atom, with a V8 engine. The final Italian shake-down comes from the £1.3 million, Nurburgring lap record holder - the Zonda R with its 750 horsepower V12 and slick tyres.

So it's back to England for Clarkson's first ever Classic Touring Car Race in an Escort built from scratch by the Top Gear team. He doesn't know the car; he doesn't know the circuit and is up against 20 experienced rivals.

Complete with special packaging and a host of fantastic extras including an exclusive tell-all-video diary, Clarkson: The Italian Job is also available within a Clarkson DVD box-set including a selection of best releases over the past few years; Duel, Supercar Showdown, Heaven & Hell as well as The Italian Job. The Clarkson box-set makes a wonderful Christmas gift for fans of Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear alike.

Packed with more extras than ever before, Clarkson: The Italian Job is available from 15th November 2010. Clarkson: The Italian Job is also available in a triple play box-set that includes the standard definition, blu ray and a digital copy of the programme in one box-set.

2entertain announce release of An Idiot Abroad on DVD

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:51:13 GMT

2entertain has announced that 'An Idiot Abroad' will be released on DVD in time for customers to pick it up for Christmas.

Straight from its debut on Sky 1, An Idiot Abroad follows the star of The Ricky Gervais Show, Karl Pilkington, as he undertakes a journey of a lifetime. British comedy legends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant throw down the gauntlet to send Karl around the globe to force him out of his comfort zone. Stephen wants the experience to broaden Karl's mind and change his outlook on the world but Ricky wants Karl to hate every minute of it for his own amusement.

Dispatched on what many would term a journey of a lifetime, the 'little Englander' will be putting his misgivings to one side as Karl finds out for himself what the fuss is about. He will travel to the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Petra in Jordan, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Taj Mahal in India and the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Meanwhile Gervais and Merchant will be keeping a watchful eye from London, monitoring every step of Pilkington's journey.

The conclusion of the series will see the weary traveller returning home to report on his findings. Karl Pilkington commented: "They all laughed at Columbus when he said the world was round. Now Ricky wants people to laugh at me because my head is round. I'm Karlumbus. Thing is, I've seen places that Ricky will probably never see in his life so I suppose I get the last laugh. Mind you, if he suddenly got into the idea of travel I would tell him not to bother with China or Egypt."

Uniquely funny and often hilarious, An Idiot Abroad will be available on DVD and Blu Ray from the 15th November.

About 2 entertain
2 entertain is the largest UK-owned publisher of DVD and digital content exploiting TV content globally through DVD, Blu-ray and through digital formats including downloads and apps. 2 entertain includes Demon Music Group, the UK’s largest independent record company which produces CD, Music DVDs and digital downloads. In 2009/10 2 entertain returned profits of £38.2m.

Sky announces Sky+HD Party offer

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:31:52 GMT

Sky is giving customers the chance to share the ultimate TV experience with their friends by hosting their very own Sky+HD Party.

Each host will be given one complimentary film to watch in stunning high definition from a choice of three new movie releases from Sky Box Office HD worth £3.91, plus a £10 M&S voucher to kick off the party in style.

Sky+HD customers have a choiceof three films to choose from - Inception, Sex and the City 2 and Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - shown exclusively from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th December.

To qualify for the offer, party hosts need to set up their Sky+HD party and invite three or more friends, who must accept their online invitations by 5pm on 16 November. Friends must be over 18 and cannot be members of the same household.

The Sky+HD party host and their guests will get closer to the explosive action of a Hollywood blockbuster with the sharper detail and superb quality sound of Sky high definition.

Those wishing to host a Sky+HD party need to be an existing Sky+HD customer whose HD viewing card goes active before 14th November 2010 are eligible for this offer. All friends must accept their invitations online by 5pm on 16th November and the parties will need to take place on one day between Friday 10th and Sunday 12th of December 2010.

The Sky+HD Party offer is subject to availability and limited to the first 19,000 parties.

ENDS

About Sky
Sky operates the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service in the UK and Ireland, reaching over 9.9 million homes. Sky continues to break new ground with its own portfolio of channels: Sky 1 combines its commitment to UK production with the best of the US; Sky Arts is the UK’s only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports broadcasting; and Sky News remains a pioneer in television news. Sky also works with dozens of other broadcasters on the satellite platform, online and on mobile. Sky is now leading the UK into the age of high definition television with Sky+ HD and launched Europe’s first 3DTV channel, Sky 3D, this October. The company is also the UK’s fastest-growing broadband and home phone provider.

SES ASTRA announces RTL2 launch in high definition

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:31:37 GMT

SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), has announced that the German entertainment channel RTL2 will launch in high-definition (HD) quality on HD+ starting in early December. HD+ is SES ASTRA's technical platform for the transmission and reception of TV programmes in HD quality via satellite for the German market.

RTL2 HD is the seventh private free-TV-channel to launch on HD+. Other channels broadcasting via HD+ include RTL HD, Sat. 1 HD, ProSieben HD, VOX HD and kabel eins HD and most recently Sport1 HD, which starts 1 November 2010.

Since its market launch on 1 November 2009, HD+ has been growing at an exceptional rate. Over 1.2 million smart cards have been delivered to manufacturers and more than 300,000 HD+ set-top boxes have been sold. To date, over 30 different kinds of set-top box are available for the reception of HD+, and additional models will be in the market soon.

Wilfried Urner, Managing Director of HD PLUS, said:"The launch of RTL2 HD will further extend the programme choice of HD+ and make it even more attractive. The receiver sales demonstrate the popularity of the unique offer and prove that we have developed a successful platform for broadcasters who want to launch high-definition channels in Germany."

About SES ASTRA
SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 16 satellites. The ASTRA satellite tv system delivers services to more than 125 million DTH and cable households and transmits more than 2,600 analogue and digital television and radio channels, all easily found via the system's channel guide. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With over 160 HDTV satellite channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA represents the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters.

The prime orbital positions for ASTRA are 19.2 degrees East, 28.2 degrees East, 23.5 degrees East, 5 degrees East and 31.5 degrees East.

About SES
SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 44 satellites.

Owlient celebrates its 5th birthday

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:23:48 GMT

Owlient reached an important milestone in its history as it celebrated its 5th birthday on September 8 2010. The European internet browser game company celebrated this occasion with its 15 million registered users from all over the World. Owlient is also planning a new international roll-out to keep the numbers growing.

The company began life in the founder's student room in Paris in 2008, and 5 years later it has over 12.5 million horse lovers worldwide who play its most famous browser game, Howrse.com. Owlient also has 2.5 million users who play Babydow, the baby simulation game that was launched a year ago.

To celebrate its 5th anniversary, the company plans to launch 6 new versions of Howrse, which will be translated into different languages so users from all around the world can play the game. The horse games will soon be available in Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Turkish and Arabic.

In the English version of Howrse alone, Owlient already has 5 million registered users. In the game, players can adopt virtual horses and raise, feed and train them for online competitions. Players can also run their own riding centres. The game has been a great success, ever since it was launched 5 years ago, and has proved popular with users of all ages.

Owlient's latest game in English is Babydow, which is all about taking care of babies and young children from when they are born until they reach 3 years old. In the game users can feed the babies, play with them, and watch them grow up.

The majority of Owlient users - around 90% - play the games on the site for free, although customers can also buy virtual bonus products if they want to, which will allow them to speed up certain procedures during game play.

About Owlient:
Owlient gathers game enthusiasts to allow them to extend their hobby online and share it with other players.

Owlient design games with a maximum interaction between players, and its games are played by thousands players, which enables it to build a virtual world, with users participating in its evolution.

Today Owlient offers games for people who are passionate about horse racing games, pony games, child care games and fashion games, with their games being available in 6 languages (French, English, German, Russian and Portuguese). Owlient's efforts are directed toward designing new games for people who are passionate about playing them.

Sky offers comparison table for sports packages

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:30:13 GMT

Sky has created a new comparison table for its sports packages, putting the price and package deals of Sky and its main competitors side by side.

The comparison tables allow consumers to check prices and features between Sky and competitors, meaning customers can now compare Sky and BT prices as well as compare Sky and Virgin Media.

Features compared include which Sky Sports channels are available, the availability of interactive coverage, high definition channels, the ability to watch Sky Sports online or on a mobile viewing platform, and whether the provider offers 3D viewing.

On the page to compare Sky Sports with BT's offerings, Sky has produced a carousel listing ten reasons it believes its offering is superior, including items such as smaller minimum contract.

The schedule for Sky Sports for the next 12 months includes the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, the Ashes, the Guinness Premiership, the Ryder cup, the US Open as well as many other world's sporting highlights, in many cases available in high definition and 3D.

About Sky
Sky operates the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service in the UK and Ireland. More than 9.8 million homes enjoy an unprecedented choice of movies, news, entertainment and sports channels. Sky continues to break new ground with its own portfolio of channels: Sky1 combines its commitment to UK production with the best of the US; Sky Arts continues to embrace new audiences as the UK's only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports broadcasting; and Sky News remains a pioneer in multiplatform television news.

Over 6 million Sky homes now enjoy the control and flexibility of Sky+ and 2.9 million homes have already joined Sky+HD, which provides access to 44 dedicated HD channels and future innovative services like broadband-enabled video-on-demand and 3D TV.

Sky has also been the UK's fastest growing broadband and fixed-telephony provider for the last two years.

SKY 1 HD makes Must Be The Music tracks available for public download

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:58:10 GMT

Sky 1 HD has announced several unique elements to its new series Must Be The Music, which will give musicians through to the semi-finals the best possible chance of achieving their dreams in succeeding in the music industry.

Every contestant that reaches the live semi-finals will have the track that they perform available to download via ITunes and Sky Songs. Viewers will be able to download the acts’ music while the shows are actually on air. The contestant’s tracks will sit alongside those from the show’s judging panel including Dizzee Rascal, Jamie Cullum and Sharleen Spiteri.

This new downloading capability means that for the first time, in any UK televised talent competition, all contestants who reach the semi final stages have the chance to get their songs into the charts irrespective of whether they win the competition or not. As well as giving them a shot at chart success, Must Be The Music will ensure that contestants receive all net profits generated from the download sales.

The series, set to launch on 8th August, is open to all musicians and singers no matter what type of music they play and for the first time since 2007 on any UK talent show, viewers from the Republic of Ireland will have the chance to vote through both their red buttons and phones, alongside those from the UK. Sky 1 HD will not receive any revenue from the voting mechanisms.

Duncan Gray, Head of Entertainment, Sky1 HD and Sky1, 2 and 3, commented: "Customer interaction with Sky 1 HD is really important to us, whether they are in the UK or Republic of Ireland. I’m really pleased that Must Be The Music is not only the first show to offer immediate song downloads for all the semi finalists’ performances, but also all our customers, including those in the Republic of Ireland, will now get a chance to vote for their favourite act, and for only 5 pence/ 7 cents per phone call. This is a great step forward in offering interactive services that make the editorial more accessible for the viewer."

In addition to each contestant’s tracks being available for immediate download, the individual contestants, judges and presenter will have their own social media profiles including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Bebo and MySpace. Each site which will host exclusive footage and behind-the-scenes clips of the artists as well as snippets of their live performances on SoundCloud.

Hosted by Fearne Cotton, the eight week series on Sky 1 HD hands back control to the artists themselves, provides creative support, promotional advice and a cash fund of £100,000 to kick start their career. The final will be held live at Wembley Arena, where the finalists will be performing on the same stage as the show’s prestigious judges in front of over 10,000 members of the public.

Alongside their tracks being available for download, the acts will also have merchandise available to purchase on their own tailored websites and on Sky.com.