Tag Archives: italy

Brides Embrace Grey Wedding Dresses After Kim Kardashian’s Vogue Cover

Posted on by

She is not exactly known as a high-fashion icon but it seems that notorious Vogue cover really has given Kim Kardashian some of the credibility she craves, along with some fashion kudos. eBay has seen a mammoth 260%* surge in sales of grey wedding dresses since Kim Kardashian’s recent appearance on the cover of Vogue (with fiancé Kanye West), wearing a similar design.

 

Kim Kardashian Kim Kardashianweddingdress bridesmaiddress image greyweddingdress

Despite growing rumblings about ‘Kimye’s’ upcoming ceremony in France, the chosen design for Kim’s wedding dress is still tightly under wraps. But it’s the stunning grey number she wore on the fashion bible’s April cover – with a sweetheart neckline and nipped waist – that British brides-to-be are coveting, proving that this surprising trend is one-to-watch this spring.

Credit: Vogue. (http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-cover/)

Credit: Vogue. (http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-cover/)

Muted grey tones, punchy floral designs, pastel blues and girlish greens were among the big hitters at the London Bridal Show in April, all prompting many women to reconsider the conventional white dress. Sales of these fashionable colours have similarly increased on eBay, with green wedding dresses up by 72%, blue gowns by 95%, and floral prints up by an incredible 107%*.

 

 

Where did the Lottery come from?

Posted on by

The lottery games of today are varied and incredibly numerous, offering a near-endless range of gameplay options, risk:reward ratios and odds of winning. Some people fancy their chances playing online on sites like Coral, whilst others prefer to yell and groan along to the TV. The rules and the mediums differ, but the essence of the game is just about the same everywhere.

 

Lotteries are now played in almost all countries throughout the world, from Ireland to Italy, Australia to the United States of America, but where did the game come from in the first place?

 

The British Isles?

Whilst it may be tempting to search close to home to begin with, the birthplace of lottery games is almost undoubtedly elsewhere on the world map. Perhaps the two best known lottery draws from this part of the world are the nationally televised UK National Lottery – founded in the mid-nineties – and the Irish Lotto, which began in the 1980s. Whilst lottery games undoubtedly arrived in the UK in some form much earlier, the roots of the lottery actually extend far deeper into the past…

 

The Italian Quarter?

‘Italian Lotteries’ were widespread throughout Italian-American neighbourhoods of the USA around the turn of the 20th Century. The link between Italy and lotteries seems a particularly solid one – the nation’s own national draw SuperEnalotto has existed in some form or other for over half a century – and, as our next destination proves, it goes far further back in time.

 

Ancient Rome

Whenever you’re in doubt as to where something useful in modern society comes from, there’s a fairly strong chance that the place of origin was ancient Rome. The Romans gave us everything from viaducts to vomitoriums (we still have those, right?) and are often spoken of as the progenitors of civilisation as we know it. Hard as it may be to believe it, the Romans played the lottery too, in a range of variants from dinner party games to area-wide fund-raising lotteries not altogether dissimilar from those seen today!

 

China

Everyone knows that every great genius steals their ideas from somebody else. If the Romans were those great geniuses, then maybe the ancient Chinese were that somebody else. The earliest evidence of lottery style gaming in China comes from around 200BC, in the form of kendo slips. Remarkably, it is believed that the money raised through the game was used to help fund the construction of the Great Wall of China! Could it be that we’ve been playing the lottery since the dawn of civilisation? Written evidence suggests that the Chinese were doing so hundreds upon hundreds of years before those kendo slips were made!

 

Amarone Edinburgh Restaurant Review

Posted on by

HPlogoAmarone restaurant is majestic inside and out. It is situated in Edinburgh’s financial district, St Andrews Square and is a former safe – known as the ‘Vault.’ The high domed ceiling and archways are the two centrepieces and the tall windows fill the place with light – albeit street lights, as we are booked in at 7 pm.

We are greeted by two male hosts near the entrance and pass the bar and open kitchen, on the way to our romantic candlelit booth – situated right at the back of Amarone, on an elevated dining area. The restaurant is completely full, with an eclectic mix of diners from students to sophisticated retirees.

The white walls compliment the dark walnut floor and the drop lighting, ceiling decorations and rows of gallery style photographs, give that contemporary look which Amarone promise on the website. Our Italian waitress offers to take our coats as we get settled in the booth and hands us the wine list and a la carte menu.

Vino e mangiare

The wine list is the best that I have seen in a UK Italian restaurant. Not only do they offer six different versions of Amarone (a rich, Italian dry red wine that is 15-16% alc/vol), their house whites and reds are better than the norm and still reasonably priced.

We ask our waitress what is most popular by the glass and opt for the house white Sauvignon – Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto – and the house red Merlot – Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto – both £18.95 per bottle and £6.45 per large, 250 ml glass.

Browsing the starters, we see classic favourites like minestrone, crostini, homemade chicken liver pate and beef carpaccio. I like to eat locally sourced food where possible and choose the Capesante con Pancetta – seared Scottish king scallops served with grilled pancetta ham, with a sun dried tomato and chilli dressing. My partner opts for seafood too, to allow space for a carbohydrate-laden maincourse, and picks the Cozze Vapore  – mussels with white wine, flat leaf parsley, garlic and olive oil.

I can’t visit an Italian restaurant and not have a pizza or pasta dish, so we decide to share the pizza verdi – fresh spinach, rocket, ricotta cheese and shaved parmesan with garlic and chilli oil – and the Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone – pan seared duck breast, served pink, with an Amarone wine sauce, braised Savoy cabbage, sautéed potatoes, pancetta and confit of figs.

Focaccia

As our waitress walks off with the food and drinks order, another appears with a focaccia. We look at this pizza plate of Italian bread, topped with Parma ham, parmesan shavings and rocket, and wish we had not ordered a pizza for maincourse…

Our second Italian waitress sees the ‘I don’t know how I’m going to eat all of this’ look on our faces and provides some encouragement.

“Compliments of the house,” she says. “Mangia, mangia!”

 ’Mangia, mangia!’ is my most treasured Italian phrase and the first word that I could truly understand without translation when I visited my father’s family as a child – it means ‘eat.’ I have not heard it for some time now though. My nonna (grandmother) used to repeat this during every meal that we spent together in Florence and you could see the joy in her emerald eyes as we tucked into her four lovingly prepared courses with enthusiasm. I smile at the memory and look at the focaccia. It smells too good to waste, so we each take a slice.

I am not easily impressed when it comes to Italian restaurants in the UK – after being brought up on my father’s and nonna’s cooking – but this bread is exceptional. It’s lighter than traditional focaccia, but the dough is flavoursome and the consistency is just right. I try not to eat half – as I want to enjoy the rest of this meal. My partner, however, cannot restrain himself and ends up eating three quarters of it himself.

Antipasti

The scallops and mussels arrive in large white bowls, with an extra bowl set aside for the empty mussel shells.

There is a handful of spinach and rocket separating my four scallops and each one has a teaspoon of dressing on top. It’s a simple arrangement that works. I have a tendency to overcook scallops – a cooking trait that I get from my mother, who overcooks most food – so it is a real treat to eat scallops that slide down the throat just like oysters. Yum.

My partner is almost finished the mussels by the time I have eaten two scallops – my nonna would be proud of his enthusiasm – but manages to show me a novel way of eating them before they are all gone. He uses an empty shell to pick out the rest of the mussels. It’s a unique idea that’s much easier than using a fork – and one that I must remember.

Pizza e carne

I’ve been looking forward to the maincourse – as I’ve not tried duck in Amarone sauce before. But when our waitress places this plate of carne in front of me, I notice how thin the sauce is. Instead of allowing it to simmer into a heavy reduction, which I like, it looks like the chef has just splashed some Amarone straight from the bottle onto my plate.

I keep an open mind though and tuck in. The sauce does not stick to the meat, like I thought, but the duck is tender and tasty nonetheless – and the sautéed potatoes are addictive.

Happy, contented sounds come from my partner’s side of the booth – making it obvious that he is enjoying the pizza verdi. But he gives up after two slices – this selection of Italian food has defeated him. I taste a slice of pizza and immediately fall in love with the soft ricotta cheese. It’s too good to leave.

“Could you box this up for us,” I ask our waitress. “We’ll have it tomorrow for lunch.”

Dolce

Being used to large portions of carbohydrates, I have left just enough room for il dolce.

There are 7 desserts on offer in Amarone and all are traditionally Italian. The prices are reasonable, with the most expensive being the Formaggi Misti at £6.95 – a selection of Italian cheeses served with oatcakes and honey. The Tortino di Formaggio – mascarpone, honey and ginger cheesecake on a crushed gingernut biscuit base – sounds unusual and delicious. But I opt for the pannacotta – as it’s light.

Pannacotta con Lamponi

Our waitress puts down the plate in front of me – but leaves two spoons, which makes my partner smile. This is a simple dessert, arranged simply on the plate. No fuss or embellishments – just the vanilla pannacotta with 5 large dabs of raspberry compote surrounding it. My partner puts his spoon in first.

“Mmmm,” he says with closed eyes.

I scoop a piece of pannacotta – and do the same.

Not everything in Amarone is as perfect as the focaccia, seafood, pizza, duck breast and pannacotta. The red wine list, however good, is pricy when you opt for something other than the three house reds. The restaurant could do with an Italian host at the door who oozes my nonna’s love of food and wine. And the Amarone sauce that drenched my duck, could have had more substance…

BUT, Amarone is all the more charming for a couple of imperfections. It is the only Italian restaurant that I’ve tried in the UK so far – bar my father’s – that is worthy of my nonna’s cooking. Most Italian restaurants have front of house charm. Fewer have food with charm.

Amarone’s food is made with love and is the perfect place to take your love. Well done to owners, Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta. As they say in Italy, a dopo (see you later)…

 

Editors note: We did eat the pizza for lunch the following day – and it was just as good cold.

 

Our meal for two:

1 x Focaccia di Parma £7.95

1 x Cozze Vapore £6.75

1 x Capesante con Pancetta £7.95

1 x Pizza Verdi  £10.25

1x Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone £16.95

1 x Pannacotta con Lamponi £5.25

1 x Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto 250ml glass £6.45

1 x Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto 250ml glass £6.45

Total: £68.00 + tip (£34.00 per head for two people having starter, maincourse and dessert + one large glass of house wine each)

 

We like…

 

THE LOCATION

 

THE BUILDING

 

THE ITALIAN WAITRESSES

 

THE WINE LIST

 

THE FOCACCIA

 

THE SEAFOOD

 

THE PIZZA

 

THE PANNACOTTA

 

THE FOOD PRICES

 

 

Contact details:

Amarone
13 St Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2AF

Telephone number: 0131 523 11 71

Email: info@amaronerestaurant.co.uk

Website: http://www.amaronerestaurant.co.uk/edinburgh_amarone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HotelTonight, the app for last-minute hotel stays, launches new destinations

Posted on by

hotelHotelTonight, the app for last-minute or spontaneous hotel stays,

launches new destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Mexico

 

HotelTonight, the first ever last-minute hotel booking app, has recently added more than fifteen new destinations to its roster of vibrant cities worldwide. This brings the total reach of the app to 12 countries and 100 destinations worldwide.

 

To tie in with the peak travel season in Europe, HotelTonight is adding popular European destinations, including Lille, Lyon, and Marseille in France; Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga/Costa del Sol in Spain and Florence, Rome and Milan in Italy. The last minute hotel booking app is also offering its over five million global users new destinations in Ireland, Mexico and for those who prefer holidaying closer to home, HotelTonight has added Brighton to its list of best UK hotel deals.

 

This recent international expansion is part of its pledge to be ubiquitous and accessible to all last minute travellers and follows last week’s global announcement of new features including “Snap Your Stay” which allows customers to photograph and share images of their hotel with friends and other HotelTonight users, and the “HT Price Guarantee,” which guarantees its rates against competitors’ offerings.

 

HotelTonight is now partnering with almost 2500 hotels across the globe in the  ‘hip’, ‘luxe’, ‘charming’ and ‘solid’ categories. Hotels include the stunning 5 Star The First Luxury Hotel in Rome, and the charming Palazzo Vecchietti in Florence, the Kempinski Hotel Bahia Estepona on the Costa del Sol and the hip Music Hotel in Marseille. These hotels and others across Europe are perfect for an impromptu weekend break. There are also many more hotels more on the mid to basic level which are perfectly suited to business travellers’ needs.

 

At the same time as adding these new destinations, the company has also expanded its European operations, relocating to a new, larger office in London’s Covent Garden and building out the team with new Country Managers for Italy and Spain.

 

The Hotel Tonight app offers unbeatable deals on hand-picked hotels, with bookings opening at midday and closing at 2AM. Last minute travellers can book a hotel in less than ten seconds with three taps and a swipe, starting that day for one night or more.

Visit www.hoteltonight.com for more information and to download the free app.

 

For staycations, in the UK, cities include Birmingham, Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester.

Looking for some fashion inspiration? Italian Fashion: Alessandro Zuletti Shoot

Posted on by
Photographer: Alessandro Zuletti.
Location: Vicenza, Italy
Theme: Buildings from Andrea Palladio (30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) who was an Italian architect widely considered the most influential individual in the history of western architectrue.
All Photos were taken arround his buildings, or in them, in honour of the reopening of the Cathedral of Vicenza.
Models: Valora Kendra Roucek & Sara Chelucci
AlessandroZuletti-SpringSummer7 AlessandroZuletti_spring_summer12 (2) AlessandroZuletti_spring_summer10 (2) AlessandroZuletti-SpringSummer4 AlessandroZuletti-SpringSummer3 AlessandroZuletti_spring_summer08 AlessandroZuletti-SpringSummer1

Appassionata launch their second phase: Casa Leopardi

Posted on by


After selling the final share of their first phase, Casa Giacomo, Appassionata are pleased to announce the launch of their second phase, Casa Leopardi, a traditional Italian farmhouse on the 5 acre Estate Giacomo Leopardi in Le Marche, Italy. Incorporating the rugged peaks of the Apennines with 180km of coastline, beautiful sandy beaches and numerous picturesque hilltop villages, Le Marche is the perfect retreat for all seasons.

Boutique and luxurious fractional ownership business Appassionata offers you easy access to an exclusive property of considerably higher value than the capital outlay required through fractional ownership. Appassionata’s fractional ownership model allows you to purchase a share in your property of choice, giving you exclusive occupancy for a number of weeks each year. The property is professionally managed and maintained, with annual running costs shared with co-owners.

As a lifestyle investment fractional ownership makes sense. The purchase is forever, so owners can choose to sell their share, rent out the property for the duration of their weeks or pass it on to family and friends at any time. Appassionata’s Estate Giacomo Leopardi is situated in 5 acres of sweeping Italian countryside, with panoramic views of the Apennine Mountains and Adriatic Sea. Set close to the medieval hilltop village of Montrefiore dell’Aso in Le Marche, Italy, the estate consists of two lavish properties – Casa Giacomo which has now sold its final share, and the newly launched Casa Leopardi.

Appassionata’s second phase, Casa Leopardi is a spacious, 420m² traditional Italian farmhouse which has recently been restored to the same high standards as neighbouring Casa Giacomo and is now available for viewings. Boasting five uniquely designed, en-suite bedrooms, a huge hand built kitchen and a sumptuous living – dining area set across three floors, this property exudes Italian style with terracotta tiled floors, traditional brick archways, beamed ceilings and open fireplaces. Original art, antiques, modern furnishings and high quality fittings are all combined to create the perfect balance of modern and traditional design. The perfect home away from home, the property also has its own sun terrace, private outdoor pool and a small gym as well as access to the estates landscaped gardens and all-weather tennis court.

Casa Leopardi has just one share remaining at the special launch price of £155,000 for a 1/10th fractional share, five weeks per year (normal price from £175,000), so Italy lovers will need to move quickly to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

For a true taste of Italy, purchasing a share in this beautiful property includes a stake in the olive oil produced from the olive groves around the property, wine from the estate’s vineyard, Périgord black truffles from the newly planted orchard and essential oils from the lavender plantation. Escape to your Italian dream with Appassionata.

For more information on Appassionata’s fractional ownership opportunities visit www.appassionata.com.

Christmas TV on Channel 4…and some Christmas facts.

Posted on by

Photo: King of Christmas Lights

Some Christmas facts for you:

The idea that Father Christmas is red-and-white because of Coca Cola branding is an urban myth.

In Britain, the traditional Christmas meal used to be a pig’s head and mustard.

Kissing under the mistletoe is thought to spring from Frigga, the Norse goddess of love, who was associated with the plant.

Frigga is an excellent name for a goddess of love.

In Greece, Italy, Spain and Germany, workers get a Christmas bonus of one month’s salary by law. However, in the first three, there probably won’t be such a thing as money by Christmas.

In Holland, Father Christmas (Sinterklaas) is accompanied by Black Pete (Zwarte Piet) who, legend has it, takes bad children away in a sack. To Spain. Seriously.

Here are the delicious Christmas offerings on Channel 4 this Yuletide. Jesus, did I just write Yuletide?

Week 51

Saturday 17/12/2011
10pm
Catherine Tate: Laughing at the Noughties
Catherine Tate leads a two-hour romp through the very best comedy of the ‘Noughties’. Catherine meets Alan Carr, David Walliams, Noel Fielding, Rob Brydon and her Doctor Who co-star, David Tennant, all of whom reflect on the greatest comedy moments in recent history.

Sunday, 18/12/2011
8pm
Home for the Holidays 1/7
A soon-to-be-married couple bring their extended families together for the first time in Channel 4’s brand new, live entertainment event. Can they survive their own family, 24 hours a day for a week, to win up to half a million pounds? The family have to live together, put up with each other and bond under one raucous roof in an enchanting Christmas country manor house that is not quite what it seems. With tantalising twists and unexpected turns, festive surprises, treats and celebrity guests, can the young couple keep everyone together as they face a festive family experience like nothing ever seen on television before?

Sunday, 18/12/2011
10pm
Brüno
(2009) Sacha Baron Cohen follows up his outrageous PC-busting mockumentary Borat… with this outrageous PC-busting mockumentary about a disgraced gay Austrian fashion journalist seeking fame and fortune in the US of A. Network premiere.

Monday, 19/12/2011
7:30am
Perfect Couples
The US comedy series about three couples trying different ways to keep the spark in their relationships alive comes to Channel 4. In the first episode, Dave is disappointed that Julia doesn’t make an effort with him anymore so they decide to put on their best clothes and hit the town. Amy and Vance have a misunderstanding about some bed bugs and Rex and Leigh plan an Italian holiday.

Monday, 19/12/2011
4pm
Deal or No Deal: Deal Panto
The world of pantomime and fairytales descends on the Dream Factory this December, as Noel the Genie oversees proceedings in the hope of granting some Christmas wishes on Deal or No Deal: Deal Panto. In these special editions, contestants in live play at five box will have the opportunity to rub the Genie’s lamp and make a wish, which could allow them to continue one box at a time, or even walk away with a holiday. But, the wrong choice could let The Banker look inside their box or they could end up leaving with a pair of his underpants!

Monday, 19/12/2011
8pm
The Year the Earth Went Wild
A look back at a year where almost every month was affected by a natural disaster. With a record-breaking cold winter, the tsunami in Japan, the extraordinary killer American tornado season, the floods in Australia and a hurricane in New York, 2011 has seen an onslaught of epic-scale climate and geological events across the world, all caught on camera in the most spectacular fashion.

Monday, 19/12/2011
9pm
King of Christmas Lights
Cutting Edge explores the world of extreme Christmas decorating, meeting people who live for adorning their houses in festive regalia every year. Throwing a spotlight on what Christmas means in contemporary Britain, the film follows these people as they plan for months, buying the latest equipment and music-sequencing software and spending much of their disposable incomes on nothing but lights. The programme provides an insight into their true motives, relationships under strain from overindulgent merriment, households pitted against their neighbours in a bid to make their decorations outshine all others, and communities united in their desire to light up the night sky.

Monday, 19/12/2011
11:10pm
Syria’s Torture Machine
An investigation into the detention and torture of Syrian civilians featuring shocking video evidence of men, women and children being subjected to beatings, whippings and more elaborate torture. Victims, refugees and activists who have experienced or witnessed such brutality at the hands of Syrian President al-Assad’s forces speak out. Their stories, combined with the torture footage, refute President Assad’s claims that his forces are simply quelling an armed insurgency.

Tuesday 20/12/2011
9pm
Jamie’s Christmas with Bells On 2/2
In the second of two festive specials, Jamie Oliver shows how to create an original Christmas Day menu featuring festive fiesta tacos, brussels with hustle, and bloody mary seafood platter.

Wednesday 21/12/2011
8pm
Kirstie’s Home for Christmas
Having mastered the 12 crafts of Christmas, for the second of her two festive specials Kirstie shows off her skills as once again she gets into the competitive spirit at a magnificent, and very merry, annual Christmas fair.

Wednesday 21/12/2011
9pm
Obsessive Compulsive Hoarder
In a pretty village in the Surrey stockbroker belt lives the infamous Mr Wallace, whose hoarding habits have spread across a million pounds-worth of property that used to belong to his parents. His detached bungalow, four-bedroom semi-detached house and separate double garage are all stuffed from floor to ceiling with newspapers and other household items. Cutting Edge is given unique access into his intriguing home, where no one else has ever ventured.

Thursday, 22/12/2011
9pm
London’s Burning
Set in Clapham Junction, London, London’s Burning is a dramatic interpretation of a single night of rioting and looting that took place in August 2011. Starring David Morrissey and Samantha Bond as senior police officers, London’s Burning tells how residents, shopkeepers and businesses dealt with the violence.

Friday, 23/12/2011
8pm
Come Dine with Me: Comedians Christmas Special
Four comedians do culinary battle in a bid to win £1000 for charity. Going head-to-head in this festive special are Sean Hughes, Gina Yashere, Paul Tonkinson and Duncan Norvelle.

Week 52

Saturday 24/12/2011
7:10pm
Hairspray
Adam Shankman’s adaptation of the 2005 musical stars John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and Elijah Kelley. Network Premiere.

Saturday 24/12/2011
10:50pm
Bill Bailey: Dandelion Mind
Captured in performance live, and featuring his trademark musical interludes, observations and stories of the road, Bill Bailey takes centre stage in Dandelion Mind, which is based loosely on the theme of doubt (or is it?) and features reflections on celebrity, TV, creationism, Michael Winner, and a brand-new French Disco re-working of Gary Numan’s hit, Cars.

Sunday, 25/12/2011
10am
Gordon’s Christmas Cookalong Live
This Christmas there’s no need to panic if you’ve left your festive food shop to the last minute, or the idea of cooking for the whole family fills you with dread. Help is at hand as Gordon Ramsay serves up an action-packed and irresistibly entertaining guide to cooking a fool-proof Christmas dinner – live on Christmas Day.

Sunday, 25/12/2011
2pm
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas
Special TV spin-off from the makers of the Ice Age film series. When Sid accidentally ruins one of Manny’s Christmas traditions, he’s told that he will now be on Santa’s naughty list. Sid heads to the North Pole with Crash, Eddie and Peaches in tow to plead his case directly to Santa Claus. Manny is worried when he hears that Peaches has gone with Sid and along with Ellie and Diego, treks to the North Pole to find her. Meanwhile, the gang accidentally destroy Santa’s workshop and have to pull off a miracle to save Christmas. Prod.Co: Fox Animation Studios

Sunday, 25/12/2011

4:15pm
Alternative Christmas Message
Channel 4’s traditional alternative to the Queen’s Christmas Day broadcast. First airing in 1993, the Alternative Christmas Message has previously featured an illustrious and varied selection of presenters, including the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an injured veteran from the war in Afghanistan; Quentin Crisp; the Reverend Jesse Jackson; Doreen and Neville Lawrence; a 9/11 survivor; and The Simpsons.

Sunday, 25/12/2011
9pm
Alan Carr: Chatty Man Christmas Special
Settle in for a treat of festive frolics plus the odd song or two as Alan is joined on the sofa by Ruth Jones who talks about her new drama, Stella. David Walliams drops in to talk all things Christmas. Plus infamous twosome Jedward are on hand to cause mayhem in the studio. Music comes from the newly reformed Steps, who perform a medley of their greatest hits.

Sunday, 25/12/2011
11:05pm
So This Is Christmas
So This Is Christmas is a festive comedy offering brimming with the UK’s freshest comedians as they examine the good, bad and downright ugly aspects of our favourite national holiday. Based in a domestic winter wonderland, the comedians all re-live their best and worst Christmas moments.

Monday, 26/12/2011
6:35pm
Come Dine with Me: Celebrity Christmas Special
It’s high camp at Christmas as five plucky celebrities take to the stage for a festive pantomime special for five nights across the week. Taking part are singer Linda Nolan, Bianca Gascoigne, former Doctor Who actor Colin Baker, Dancing on Ice and Coronation Street star Danny Young and pantomime villain ‘Nasty Nick’ Bateman.

Monday, 26/12/2011
9pm
Bear’s Wild Weekend with Miranda
Bear Grylls takes Miranda Hart on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to the spectacular Swiss Alps for an exhilarating new programme. Adventurer, Chief Scout and best-selling author Bear challenges novice Miranda to go far beyond her comfort zone with a series of exhilarating adventures during an intense two-day expedition. Miranda traverses a glacier, crosses crevasses roped to Bear, tackles deep snow in snow shoes, completes a huge boulder scramble and abseils down a waterfall.

Monday, 26/12/2011
10pm
Chris Moyles’ Christmas Quiz Night
Chris Moyles’ Quiz Night loves Christmas like no other quiz show and tonight’s instalment is a very special seasonal edition. Chris will be competing against mighty comedy actor James Corden, X Factor singing sensation Olly Murs and Pineapple Studio’s irrepressible Louie Spence as each endeavours to win their supporters in the audience a share of a festive thousand pounds.

Wednesday 28/12/2011
8pm
Jon Snow’s 2011
Jon Snow reflects on an extraordinary 12 months of news. It’s a personal recollection of the news stories that mattered to him. Some he witnessed first-hand, like the fall of Mubarak or the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami; others he covered from the studios of Channel 4 News; all left their mark on him and millions of others. The Arab Spring, the English riots and the Eurozone economic and financial crisis have all helped define 2011 but for Jon these stories were also linked by the phenomenon of social networks and instant global communication. This was also the year of Hackgate, when his own profession came under intense public scrutiny. And it’s the year he got an honorary degree from Liverpool University, 45 years after the same university chucked him out for student activism.

Wednesday 28/12/2011
9pm
The Untold Tommy Cooper
This one-off special looks at the untold life of British national treasure, comedian and magician Tommy Cooper. Fans as diverse as Johnny Vegas, Damien Hirst, Ozzy Osbourne, Sir Roger Moore, Alfred Molina and Reece Shearsmith talk about their love of Cooper.

Wednesday 28/12/2011
11:35pm
Ben Elton: Laughing at the 80s
Ben Elton presents this two-hour romp through the very best comedy of the 1980s. Featuring .Rik Mayall, Lenny Henry, Harry Enfield, Victoria Wood, Jimmy Tarbuck, Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Ade Edmondson, Jo Brand and Nigel Planer.

Thursday, 29/12/2011
9pm
Dorian Gray
(2009) Ben Barnes, Colin Firth and Ben Chaplin star in this gothic horror adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s cautionary fable. Network Premiere.

Friday, 30/12/2011
9pm
Comedy Showcase: The Angelos Neil Epithemiou Show
The Angelos Neil Epithemiou Show is a studio-based comedy entertainment show written by and starring Dan Skinner as his comic character Angelos Epithemiou.

Friday, 30/12/2011
9:30pm
Lee Evans: Access All Arenas
Lee Evans hosts a very special night showcasing his incredible stand up shows and TV series.

Phew, a good amount of stuff to watch! Merry Christmas from Frost.

George Clooney "Not Gay".

Posted on by

George Clooney’s best friend “knew” his relationship with Elisabetta Canalis wouldn’t last.

The actor – who recently ended his two-year romance with the Italian beauty – was introduced to the TV presenter by Manuele Malenotti, who admits he never expected the pair to have a long-term future because George is so determined not to marry again or have children.

Manuele said: “I have known George for ten years. Of all the actors I know in Hollywood he is the one I see the most and we have done lots of charity work together.

“I know about their relationship because I was the one who got them together. George wanted to meet Elisabetta and he asked me to make the introductions.

“I did as he asked but inside I always knew that it wouldn’t last – to be honest I was expecting it. You will have to ask them for all the specific reasons.

“All I can say is that George, when it comes to love, has decided that he is not going to get married again and he is not going to have any children and he won’t change his mind.”

Manuele also criticised speculation that George, 50, and 32-year-old Elisabetta’s relationship was a publicity stunt designed to cover his true sexuality, insisting the pair had a very “intense” romance.

He added to Italy’s Chi magazine: “To suggest it was a publicity stunt is a lie. I introduced them, I saw them together and I can say that their love story was very intense. In two years they shared numerous moments.

“I can also tell you that I have known George for ten years, I have spent a lot of time with him and a lot of women have passed through his life. You never know in life, and men are having an identity crisis but I can tell you George is not gay.”