We hardly need reminding at this stage of the massive impact the foot-and-mouth threat has had on all kinds of industries and activities nationwide. But spare a thought for the RTE TV schedulers, when one of the stalwarts of the channels schedule - the St Patrick's Day parade - was cancelled. It left the station with a couple of glaring holes in its schedule to fill at relatively (as these things go) short notice. On the 17th, RTE 1 had devoted an hour and a half to screening the parade from midday. Over 40 people were due to work on the broadcast, which was to be shot using a six-camera outside broadcast unit. This programme has now been replaced by afternoon lifestyle programme Open House.
In Britain, Weakest Link presenter Anne Robinson faces a summons to appear before a House of Commons committee to explain remarks she made about Welsh people on the BBC2 programme Room 101. For once, the presenter will be grilled, instead of doing the grilling, after her description of the Welsh as irritating and always so pleased with themselves was branded as racist. The civil rights group, Cefn, formally complained to the police and is seeking legal action against Robinson and the BBC under the Race Relations Act. The group has also asked the Broadcasting Standards Commission to conduct an inquiry. Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, said many people had felt rightly insulted. The programme - named after the place in George Orwell's 1984 that contained people's greatest fears - asks its guests to list their pet hates and consign them to Room 101. The BBC has since apologised for any offence caused by Robinson's comments.
ITV soap Crossroads made a comeback after 13 years this week to generally positive reviews but unspectacular viewing figures. The new version of the soap featured some of the original actors from its launch 36 years ago. But the old Crossroads Motel has been revamped into an unrecognisable upmarket four-star hotel. Some critics have bemoaned the disappearance of the infamous shaky sets of old, with the Sun headlining, "The set didn't even wobble once!".
TV3's newest recruit, Colette Fitzpatrick, had barely let the ink dry on her contract when she found herself anchoring the channel's flagship news programme. The ex-Today FM reporter began training for her position as presenter on the news on breakfast show Ireland AM just last Monday. On Tuesday she co-anchored the 5.30 and 6.30 news bulletins with Alan Cantwell, and presented the late bulletin News Tonight on her own. TV3 is well known as a place where opportunities are there to be grabbed - but to be anchoring the main news programme on your second day in a job, without any TV experience and only one day's training, must be some kind of a record.
British bookmakers this week temporarily closed the book on who shot EastEnders's Phil Mitchell, after a rush of bets on an actor who has never appeared in the soap. The rush prompted fears that a leak could ruin one of TV's biggest whodunnits since JR Ewing was gunned down in Dallas all those years ago. Bookies William Hill briefly suspended betting on who was responsible for the attack, after getting a request for odds on actor Gareth Hunt - despite the fact he is not a character in the soap. The book has since re-opened on much reduced odds after the BBC confirmed Hunt would be joining EastEnders in the future. Ratings for the soap have soared in the run-up to the heavily-hyped shooting incident - which can only come as good news for RTE - the national broadcaster takes custody of the soap from TV3 this month.
Maire Kearney can be contacted at mkearney@irish-times.com