News

Possessed, the ITV Studios-backed company behind Nickelodeon gameshow Keep It Spotless, has brought in former Sky exec Adam MacDonald as chairman and scored a bumper order for ITV format 5 Gold Rings.

The label, which is run by former Deal or No Deal exec producer and “banker” Glenn Hugill, has secured two more runs of 5 Gold Rings, the primetime ITV gameshow hosted by Philip Schofield.

The show, which was previously piloted in the U.S. by NBC, is a physical game show that’s played out on a giant interactive Led floor. Players are given a quintet of rings and must answer questions over five levels. A projection on the floor forms the basis of each question. Players must put the rings on the correct answer, but the rings become smaller throughout the game making it more challenging. At-home viewers are also able to ring answers on their phone and become part of the experience.

The pitch for Coach Trip would hardly make for gripping reading.

Barbara and Shirley from Huddersfield will make chocolate, have a poke round a cathedral and take a Segway tour of Prague as they travel across Europe with fellow holidaymakers.

It's a wonder that Channel 4 commissioned the programme at all. But unbelievably, the show has outlived many of its rivals and it has now been 10 years since guide Brendan Sheerin first pinned his name tag to his white shirt and embarked on the first tour on March 7, 2005.

Since then, we've had countless poorly-sung national anthems, endless trips to A&E and more stays in Novotels than we'd dare to count.

It's hard to pinpoint the precise magic of the coach and why we book return trips time and time again to our sofa at 5.30pm. Although suffice to say, a huge pull is Brendan.

With his friendly yet authoritative demeanor,...

Having taken on traditional Croatian sports, rock climbing, pie baking, karate and a particularly slippery inflatable assault course, today's episode of Coach Trip (March 6) saw the group try their hands at paddle-boarding in Dubrovnik.

The pastime has grown in popularity over the last few years, with celebrities such as Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift taking to the water.

Unfortunately for the tourists, many of them failed at the first hurdle; managing to stay afloat.

Some of the group put up a valiant effort, staggering along the lengths of their boards in an attempt to stay upright.

Others, having witnessed a number of spectacular belly-flops around them, remained horizontal and clung to the edges for dear life.

"It's completely undignified," they remarked afterwards, slightly red-faced, but safely back on dry land.

"There's no dignity in that at all."

Coach Trip continues on Monday, March 9 at 5.30pm on Channel 4.

Bloody hell, where's Brendan Sheerin when you need him? Mind you, we're not even sure the hero of Coach Trip could have saved the dreadful tours the candidates on The Apprentice served up tonight.

Admittedly, it doesn't help that coach trips themselves seem rather outdated to us - hell, when we heard Team Summit's project manager Sanjay was planning on charging £60 per seat, we thought that was steep, and it turned out he'd actually undervalued the whole experience. You know, the experience of sitting on a coach on a motorway, being dragged around two 'attractions' and getting a weak sandwich thrown in.

But that's just us. Lord Sugar had decided there was money to be made, and so the teams piled onto two coaches in hideous outfits - poor Tenacity looked like walking bananas in their yellow livery - in an attempt to plug the British experience to unsuspecting tourists.

Coach Trip returns for a tenth series on Channel 4 daytime next week and pictures of the first seven couples heading out on tour with Brendan Sheerin have been revealed.

Sheerin will be guiding the new lucky pairings on a 20-episode tour of Europe, which starts in Sunny Scarborough.

10 years of Coach Trip: A look back at Brendan's Best Bits

Speaking to Digital Spy about the new series, Sheerin said: "We start off in Scarborough, my hometown, and I loved that because it was great weather, so everyone got to see Scarborough in a good light. Then we get a ferry over to Holland and then we go down through Europe. I won't spoil the rest.

"We go skateboarding, goat milking, dumpling making. All the usual stuff. And there are a few rows, don't you worry. There's a few hissing and spitting. That's all part of the fun. And...

Ten years ago, Brendan Sheerin started filming a low-budget little reality series for Channel 4, where he guided a hotch-potch gang of British tourists around Europe on a coach. One decade and ten series later, Brendan is back and there are three more series in the pipeline.

The cult daytime reality show is just as popular as ever with its loyal legion of fans, and we caught up with the brilliant Brendan to find out his favourite moments from the first ten series.

Coach Trip is back for series 10: Meet the first 7 couples

1. Pasquale and Bob in Series One

"I can't believe we've been doing this for ten series and ten years. I do remember the people from series one. There was Pasquale and his boyfriend Bob. There was Barbara and Peter. There were quite a few characters. But on series one, it was all new and we didn't...

The cult daytime TV show Coach Trip will return for a tenth series, it has been confirmed.

Host and tour guide Brendan Sheerin will once again tour Europe with a selection of holiday-makers, who will all hope to last the full length of the trip and not be voted off.

Coach Trip returns to Channel 4: The reality show that never gives up.

Coach Trip: The most underrated reality show on TV

Channel 4 have ordered 80 new episodes after a successful return to the 5pm daytime slot for its ninth series earlier this year. The episodes will be split into four 20-episode series.

Filming will start on series ten in the summer.

Anyone hoping to take part in the reality show can apply now on producers 12 Yard's site.

Coach Trip started on Channel 4 in 2005, and has spawned three celebrity series spinoffs and a Christmas special in 2011.

Coach Trip's Brendan Sheerin has spoken about the possibility of taking the show to Russia.

The show's tour guide - who is openly gay - said that he would be happy to visit the country despite its anti-gay laws.

Asked which countries he would like to visit with Coach Trip, Sheerin explained that he would "love to nip to Saint Petersburg" to see the palaces.

"It would be a big thing to take the coach there," he told Attitude magazine.

"I think you need to visit Russia to show yourself as a gay person and say, 'I live my life like this and don't you dare touch me'. I think it's awful that Russia is so far behind when the rest of the world has moved on.

"I'm surprised by Russia, as it is an educated country with a lot of history. I can't understand where this homophobia is coming from.

Brendan Sheerin is back. The red and yellow cards are back. Coach Trip is back. Teatime TV just got entertaining again.

After a hefty hiatus from our screens and without even the faintest sniff of fanfare or promotion, the King of Daytime Reality TV returns for series nine this evening. 14 tourists are heading out on a journey around Europe, kicking off in Belgium, before heading on to the likes of Luxembourg and the Mediterranean coast with only a chubby fellow from Yorkshire to keep them out of mischief.

Channel 4 have tried to get rid of Coach Trip before. It's the little reality show that just won't die. The commissioners and schedules don't get it. The show's fans - and there are more than you think - can't get enough of it.

Between 2006 and 2009, the show disappeared from view. But after years of fans demanding its return, Brendan jumped on his tour bus once more.

Stars: Dougray Scott, Kara Tointon, Iddo Goldberg, David Schofield, Joshua Kaynama, Lindsay Duncan | Written by Omid Nooshin, Andy Love | Directed by Omid Nooshin

What’s this? I’m reviewing a new British movie? Yes indeed, if you’ve been a long time reader of my work, you may have noticed a proclivity for me to review mainly American movies be it of the mainstream or independent variety. But every so often a British flick comes along that grabs my attention – usually they’re of the horror or thriller variety of course, and Last Passenger is no different.

The film tells the story of a small group of passengers on a late night train out of London. In the sleepy and abandoned carriages stop after stop are missed and Lewis (Dougray Scott), with five other remaining passengers, end up on a ride of a lifetime as the train hurtles relentlessly down the track.

Fancy watching some poor punter getting a back, sack and crack from Rustie Lee? Want a waxing from Helen Flanagan? Is Arg from Towie delivering pedicures what you've been waiting for all these years? Well, wait no more people. Celebrity Super Spa has arrived.

I've already had the joy of watching episode one of Super Spa. I've seen the awkward and cringeworthy hosts. I've seen Helen Flanagan prancing around without any trousers on. I've seen Rustie Lee cackling. 867 times.

And I'll probably watch it all over again tonight (September 13) when it airs on Channel 5. Firstly, because I'm a glutton for terrible television. Secondly, because I'm fairly convinced it may be the most desperate celebrity reality show ever concieved. Even by Channel 5's late night standards, this is awful. It makes The Bachelor look like The Sopranos.

So where does the show fit in the history of degrading and embarrassing celebrity reality shows?...

Coach Trip is returning to Channel 4 for a ninth series, it has been confirmed.

The daytime reality show has been on hiatus since early 2012, but Channel 4 have now revived the cult TV favourite.

Tour guide and Coach Trip star Brendan Sheerin described the commission as "absolutely fabulous".

"It's the answer to lots of people's prayers. I'm ready to ride the coach again," said Sheerin.

Coach Trip features Sheerin taking a selection of holiday-makers on an action-packed tour, partaking in the culture and customs of the countries ensuring thrills and spills along the journey.

Holiday-makers can get voted off the trip by their rivals, meaning that there is plenty of backstabbing, tactical voting, tears and tantrums along the way.

Producers 12 Yard are currently casting for contestants.

Coach Trip aired on 2005 to 2006 on Channel 4, before being dropped from the schedules. It returned in 2009 after a three-year break and proved...

Channel 4 has revealed that Coach Trip will air a Christmas special this year. Brendan Sheerin will continue as tourist guide for a three-week journey across Scandinavia to Lapland. Seven pairs of ordinary people will partake in a host of festive-themed activities. Contestants who escape red card eliminations will end their trip at the Arctic Circle in Coach Trip's (more)...

Michael Barrymore is among the celebrities taking part in series two of Celebrity Coach Trip. The former Strike It Rich presenter has signed up to join tour guide Brendan Sheerin on the "holiday of a lifetime". Following the huge success of the first celebrity run last year, which regularly pulled in over 2 million viewers, Channel 4 has commissioned two further series. The broadcaster has also given the green light to series seven and series eight of the non-celebrity format. Channel 4's head of daytime Helen Warner said: "I'm so proud of the success of the Coach Trip (more)...

The lineup for the first ever series of Celebrity Coach Trip has been revealed.

Legendary tour guide Brendan Sheerin will host the two-week expedition around Europe, which will start with five famous duos heading out on a new adventure. The most popular couple at the end of the trip will win a £1,000 prize for charity. Taking part in the show are slapstick comedy double act The Chuckle Brothers, party girls Bianca Gascoigne and Big Brother 7's Imogen Thomas and ex-EastEnders duo Ricky Groves and Alex Ferns. Completing the lineup are friends Carol Harrison (more)...

Details about the fifth series of Channel 4's Coach Trip have been revealed. Tour guide Brendan Sheerin will be joined by seven couples for a six-week expedition across Northern Europe next month. Starting off in Hull, the journey will take in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania before ending up in Norway. Tasks for the holiday-makers will include bungee jumping in Sweden, freefalling in Denmark and burlesque dancing in Holland. (more)...

A special hour-long episode of Coach Trip concluded the series with 1.34m (11.7%) in the 5pm hour on Friday night. Overall, the ten-week fourth series averaged an impressive 1.8m (14.1%) over its 50 episodes, regularly ranking as the most-watched programme of the day on Channel 4. The show, fronted by Brendan Sheerin, was recently recommissioned for two new series. Later on Friday, the latest episode of Ashes To Ashes pulled in 4.56m (20.6%) to BBC One in the 9pm hour, down around 300k week-on-week. It comfortably beat the second episode of Marco's Kitchen Burnout on ITV1, which was down 200k to 2.5m (11.3%). Embarrassing Bodies: Back To The Clinic had 1.96m (8.8%) for Channel 4; The Mentalist took 1.95m (8.8%) for Five; and India's Hospital Train: (more)...

Channel 4 has commissioned two more series of daytime reality show Coach Trip. Series five and six revert to the original 30-episode format - the current run is an extended 50-day tour - and will be filmed over the summer. International tour guide Brendan Sheerin will front both six-week tours around Europe, the first of which is scheduled to air in the autumn. The second is expected to transmit at the beginning of next year. Speaking of the new series, Brendan told Digital Spy: "I am over the moon with excitement and in training for the next two series as I await welcoming onboard a new bunch of tourists for Coach Trip five and six!" He continued: "The routes and activities are top secret at the moment but I promise it will be the ride of your life on Coach Trip. This time it will be filmed over the summer...

Tam & Jayson have departed Coach Trip after 20 days on the Channel 4 reality show. The two best friends from London, who led what was dubbed the "Young Alliance" on the programme, were given their second yellow card by tour guide Brendan Sheerin on Friday's programme. Russ & Caroline, Lynne & Becky and Luke & Trish all voted for the duo to be kicked off the show in the daily vote. "You've been here since day one. You've had a great time. We think maybe it's time for new people to enjoy it," said ex-popstar Russ. Away from the rest of the group, he added: "Tactically, they are going to stay in to the end unless something happens." New (more)...

Jodie and Jenna have walked out of Coach Trip after 16 days on the Channel 4 reality series. The Essex duo decided to depart the show of their own accord, admitting that they needed to get home for "work commitments". Speaking to resident tour guide Brendan Sheerin on last night's show, Jenna said: "We've been thinking about it in the last week. We're leaving. We wish we could stay. We never ever thought we would make it this far. "We thought we would be gone in a couple of days. We've realised that we have got work (more)...

Brendan Sheerin has spoken out about the fight on last night's episode of Coach Trip. Sheerin, who is the resident tour guide on the Channel 4 show, admitted that he was shocked by the angry interchange between couples Tam & Jayson and Bruce & Jon. "Bruce really started really calling Jayson an evil, fat-bottom queen and a vile person. His eyes started to get wider and I couldn't believe it," Sheerin said on his official video blog. "This is Coach Trip! I know that we have disagreements along the way. But nothing as strong or as personal as this. It was like a volcanic eruption. "Bruce got vitriolic about this, he got really, really nasty. He changed and went (more)...

Brendan Sheerin has admitted that he is "giddy" about the start of series four of Coach Trip. Sheerin, who is the resident tour guide on the Channel 4 show, confessed that he struggled to sleep on the eve of the latest journey. Speaking on his official video blog, Sheerin said: "Day one, London to Portsmouth - I'm really excited. I spent the night in London and I have been really giddy. I think you get giddy don't you, anybody going on a tour gets giddy. For me, starting another series is fantastic." (more)...

Channel 4 has recommissioned daytime reality series Coach Trip for an extended run of 50 episodes in 2010. The fourth series of the cult show will air over ten weeks, an increase on the usual 30-episode, six-week format. Tour guide Brendan Sheerin is returning as compere for the new instalment, which will take in 50 cities, including Istanbul, Greece, Sicily and Malta. The coach will also venture to Africa for the first time with a trip to Tunisia. "I'm thrilled that Coach Trip will be back for a longer run in 2010," said Helen Warner, C4's head of daytime. "The last series in particular seems to have really caught the viewers' (more)...

Thanks to a very simple format, a certain voting alliance and the one-and-only Brendan Sheerin, Coach Trip has provided some of the TV highlights of 2009 over the past two months. However, every great reality TV show needs a spinoff and Digital Spy reckons it may have the answer - no, we're not talking about Tom and Matt flashing us their flesh on Gay Spy - we're thinking about Celebrity Coach Trip! Keep reading to find out which famous faces we reckon would be best at sharing double entendres about Italian sausage with Brendan. Katie Price and Pete Andre

Yes, they may be having a few 'issues' right now, but what better way to put their differences aside than with a quick trip around Europe stuck in a coach together. We reckon Katie’s unique brand of smut and notorious straight-talking may be a bit much for even Brendan, but (more...