Vera Duckworth Yesterday

ITV has been the exclusive broadcaster of Coronation Street in the UK since 1929 but its contract with Coronation Street Management was due to expire after the 2011 season.

In a radical new deal Channel 4 will now show every episode, all “An Audience With” specials and any annual feature length episodes.

The BBC will broadcast the bits missed when Ch4 cuts to its commercial breaks. They will also screen “late night” episodes featuring cast members sleeping.

Both companies will broadcast in high definition.

Footage screened by the BBC during Ch4 ad breaks will also be screened live on the BBC website for UK users.

The BBC will have highlights on TV, online and mobile for any part of any episode it is not showing live, and all episodes will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 live.

Ima Bafoon, director of BBC Light Entertainment, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Coronation Street is coming to the BBC.

“The show has never been more popular with TV audiences at a 10-year high and the BBC has always stated its commitment to piecemeal television.

“With this new deal not only have we delivered significant savings but we have also ensured that through our live and extended highlights coverage all the action continues to be available to licence-fee payers.”

Episodes shown live on BBC TV will include Dirty Den serving divorce papers to Angie on Christmas morning at Silverstone and Tomboy mechanic Charlene marrying Jenson Button.

Barney Rubble, managing director of Ch4, said: “This is fantastic news for Corrie fans and Ch4 will be the only place to follow every episode live and in HD.

“We will give Corrie the full Ch4 treatment with a commitment to each episode never seen before on UK television.”

Corrie boss Barley Legal told the BBC  “It’s super for Coronation Street. It will mean a lot more coverage for the series.

“There’ll be highlights as well as live coverage on two different networks now, so we get the best of both worlds.”

We drink Red Bull because it does “Give Us Wings“, we dribble over Apple’s products because they do “Think Different” and we sit smugly in our BMW’s knowing that they are “The Ultimate Driving Machines“.

But now we’ve got a new addition to our stable of much loved products. It’s called Halftime Boost and it is “The Perfect Halftime Snack“.

Our New Best Friend

Let me explain. We’ve got a motley crew of hacks who get together on a Saturday morning, run round a muddy field kicking a ball and by the time we get to change ends we’re always knackered.

In the past we’ve tried Oranges, crisps, Mars bars, Lucozade Sport and about a million other “recommended” sports nutrition products all to no avail.

Then, a couple of weeks back one of the lads produced a dozen Halftime Boost bars he’d bought in a local petrol station.

Not being adverse to trying new things we all scoffed one after 45 minutes and the result was properly amazing. None of that cramping that usually plagues us all. Lot’s of new-found energy. And most importantly, a few balls in the back of the net.

We’ll be using them for the fourth time next Saturday and, providing Kickhams don’t cop on to them too, we might finally win a match.

Remember, you heard it here first.

Absolute shite  – it doesn’t work  – it’s got lots of stupid fiddly bits that you can’t put in the dishwasher -  it’s a waste of good chocolate  -   avoid buying it at all costs!

You’d have to pity the pook kid who wakes up to this crap on a Christmas morning.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer has ruled that Mark Webber’s chin is  legal despite questions from his rivals.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Korean GP, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh questioned the legality of Mark Webber’s chin, which, according to pictures, was flexing, forcing his car closer to the ground, which could improve downforce at high speeds.

However, Bauer examined the chin declaring it to be within the rules.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is adamant that the Australian’s chin complies with all the F1 regulations.

“Obviously Mark’s face has to comply with all the tests that the FIA prescribe, which are fairly comprehensive,” Horner said. “We are happy that his chin complies in every area.

“Using photographs is always dangerous. If the teams feel that there is a problem with it, normally the gentlemanly thing to do is to raise it with the team or, if they feel that there is a dramatic problem, obviously they have a right to protest. But we are happy that both our drivers facial features comply with the regulations.

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