HAVING a big brother to fight your corner is no bad thing . . . in telly as well as real life. Just ask Jordan Banjo, who is replacing Gregg Wallace on BBC1’s Eat Well For Less? And it’s all thanks to Jordan’s older brother Ashley. I revealed earlier this month how the stand-in Britain’s Got Talent judge had […]
HAVING a big brother to fight your corner is no bad thing . . . in telly as well as real life.
Just ask Jordan Banjo, who is replacing Gregg Wallace on BBC1’s Eat Well For Less?
And it’s all thanks to Jordan’s older brother Ashley.
I revealed earlier this month how the stand-in Britain’s Got Talent judge had screen-tested for the role alongside Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh.
Ashley was offered the gig but his schedule didn’t match up to that set out by the show’s bosses, forcing him to pull out.
So Ashley put in a good word for his little bro.
A telly source said: “Ashley was gutted he couldn’t take on Eat Well For Less?, as it’s a massive show.
“But he told bosses about his brother Jordan and his amazing seven-stone weight loss. They got him in for a screen test and instantly loved him.
“He’ll be appearing on the show alongside co-host Chris Bavin when filming begins this spring.”
Jordan is no stranger to BBC primetime telly, although it has not all been plain sailing.
He co-hosted Saturday-night flop The Greatest Dancer alongside Alesha Dixon but impressed Beeb execs with his presenting skills.
And Jordan, who finished fourth on I’m A Celebrity in 2016, has spent the past six months honing those abilities hosting Kiss FM’s Breakfast with his Diversity pal Perri Kiely.
I met Jordan in Australia a few years ago as he went into the jungle and I thought then that he was going places.
But I expected another family member to be pulling the strings for his career: Jordan’s manager, his mum Dani.
Would-be stand-up comedian Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has run her jokes past Boris Johnson before she tells them to a telly audience of millions tonight.
The former Tory party co-chairwoman will perform on Channel 4 charity show Stand Up And Deliver, which sees celebs pair up with comedians to do a ten-minute live set.
Sayeeda, who compares Boris to Game Of Thrones baddie Joffrey Baratheon, said: “I’ve written to him explaining what I’ve done so he knows before it goes out.
“Listen, Boris has taken the mickey out of practically every group and community organisation in this country.
“He likes satire, humour and comedy. So I’m sure if he can dish it, he can take it.”
Sayeeda, who served in David Cameron’s cabinet, added: “I’ve got some stuff about Isis as well – as you do! For a few years I used to be on their hit list, so I’m just going to have a bit of a joke with that, freak people out a bit.”
The show, in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, also stars Shaun Ryder, Curtis Pritchard and Katie McGlynn.
Sayeeda said: “If there’s anything I’m prepared to make a fool of myself for, it’s for a good cause like Stand Up To Cancer.”
Gillian Anderson is set to play Eleanor Roosevelt in gritty new historical drama The First Lady, for US network Showtime.
She previously portrayed Britain’s first female PM Margaret Thatcher in Netflix hit The Crown, and will now take the role of another woman in politics, this time from the States.
Fans of dating shows are in for a treat – there could be two of them on ITV this summer.
While bosses are still deciding on whether Love Island will return, the channel has announced new reality show Ready To Mingle.
Singletons will be matched with dates on the programme to see if their mutual attraction can blossom.
A source said: “It’s set to entice those who are seriously ready, despite previous break-ups and heartache, to open their heart for a relationship and possibly find The One.”
Casting starts soon and filming is due to begin in the spring.
Last year’s Love Island was scrapped due to Covid.
GOOD Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan called himself a “b***end” live on yesterday morning’s show – breaking the Ofcom no swearing rule.
When chatting with co-host Susanna Reid about what tattoo he would get, he asked: “What would I put? ‘Legend’ across my forehead? b***end?”
Jed Mercurio wants to return to his medical past for future TV dramas.
And the Line Of Duty creator, who used to be a doctor, would make the show about the Covid pandemic.
He said: “I think that drama should address that.”
But despite the new series of Line Of Duty being filmed during the pandemic, it will be balaclavas not face masks for series six.
He told Mary Beard’s Inside Culture show: “It is shot so that the pandemic is invisible . . . what we did decide to do was we snuck in a few allegorical points in relation to the current situation, so sharp-eyed viewers should look out for those.”
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