How far can natural talent really go and what if it could change your life?

Launching this week Hidden Talent is a new six-part Channel 4 series (Tuesdays at 9pm) which discovers people with extraordinary hidden talents they never even dreamed they had.

Hundreds of randomly selected people are put through a series of test to identify those with hidden abilities and nine participants discover if they can go from being a total novice to a top class performer in record time.

Overseen by scientists and academics, over 900 people from all around the country undergo testing, and a number are found to have special physical, mental, sensory or creative talents – of which they were totally unaware.

The Hidden Talent experts then take them on, training and developing them to face extraordinary challenges and push their newly discovered Hidden Talent to its limit, a process which could even change the rest of their lives.

Presenter Richard Bacon follows each of their progress – uncovering the amazing science which enables these individuals to achieve what others can only dream of. These talents range from latent linguistic skills that allow an individual to become fluent in a foreign language in just a few months, to the mammalian diving reflex enabling some people to hold their breath for up to four minutes and dive to a depth of 60 metres without scuba gear, or even an extraordinary sense of direction that makes someone a human Sat-Nav, capable of finding their way through an uncharted wilderness.

The tests carried out on potential contributors are designed to assess aptitude rather than skills or knowledge, so viewers can also take part through specially designed interactive tests on the Channel 4 website. Mirroring those in the series, these absorbing and fun challenges are devised in consultation with the series’ experts and give viewers the opportunity to uncover their own Hidden Talent – ranging from memory games and humming tasks to being a human metronome.

Developed and produced by Silver River, in association with American Express, this series explores how remarkable we are as human beings and reveals just what we could really capable of, using our Hidden Talent.

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR

LONDON, Wednesday 25th April 2012: 25 years after their demise, the much-loved lolly stick joke tradition is to be revived as one of Britain’s top ice cream manufacturers credits Twitter for creating a new generation of gagsmiths.

In an initiative designed to reboot the nostalgic summer experience, Cadbury Dairy Milk Ice Cream will introduce original, new lolly-stick jokes into millions of their ice creams from 2013 and is seeking the perfect new gag to kick-start the project this May.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Ice Cream launches Britain’s Biggest Joke Competition on Twitter today – a medium that is perfectly suited to the lolly joke.

Experienced comedy critic and author Bruce Dessau has been researching comedy trends in social media says: “There has never been a better time to revive the tradition of the lolly stick joke. Short form text mediums like Twitter have focused people on delivering bite size wit and shown us that a joke doesn’t have to be long to be good.”

After a public vote the winner will scoop a £5000 prize and their gag will be immortalised onto an 18 carat gold lolly stick.

Jokes must be entered via Twitter with entrants adding the hashtag #lollyjoke. With only 140 characters to work with Twitter acts as the perfect platform to create snappy jokes and puns in the same tradition as the originals.

For children of the 60s ,70s and 1980s the joke was an essential part of the lolly experience. Stick jokes were phased out from 1988. Some manufacturers stated that as lollipops were being produced for an international market that British humour wouldn’t travel.

Jenny Bostock, Consumer Marketing Manager at Fredericks Dairies, says: “We are proud to be reviving a great summer time tradition. What better way to do it than with the help of the nation. Twitter has re-energised the nations’ passion for joke telling and sharing – and we’d like to see the best one’s on millions of our sticks. We want to bring back the fun to frozen treats ice cream and put a smile on our customer faces.”

Tweeters can submit from today HERE

Terms and Conditions HERE

Bruce Dessau spoke to some top comics…

Comedian and radio presenter, Stephen Grant, says: “There is a massive similarity between a lolly stick and a Tweet. Both are formats where there’s a finite limit of space for the joke. Good joke writing asks that you are succinct and punchy, but only lolly sticks and Twitter enforce that.”

For stand-up comedian and Have I Got News For You and My Family writer, Dave Cohen, it was no laughing matter when his lolly sticks went blank and fell silent: “I can remember how much more enjoyable they made the prospect of buying lollies, and how disappointed I was when they stopped.  Now is definitely the perfect time for their return. What makes a good lolly joke? One that is short, silly, funny and enjoyable for all the family.”

Twitter joker Jacques Hattie thinks just because a joke is less long it does not have to be less funny: “Shorter formats still make use of all the conventional principles of gag-writing like wordplay etc – they’re just shorter, which means word precision is vital. One difference is that lolly jokes are timeless whereas Twitter jokes can be topical which is difficult to achieve on a lolly stick unless you’re psychic!”

Comedian Adam Bloom hones his gags on Twitter and remembers the lollipop jokes fondly:  “What worked was the innocence and cheek combined. They had to be silly enough for small children but clever enough for older kids and adults.”

Tony Cowards is a stand-up comedian who has been dubbed the “Pun-osaurus” and specialises in the kind of jokes you might well find on your lollipop stick. He thinks they may have had an influence on the style of jokes he specialises in: “I used to love the jokes on lolly sticks. They were mostly Christmas Cracker type jokes weren’t they? ‘What’s black and white and red all over? A Newspaper’ that sort of thing.”

Manchester’s Town Hall has, this week, been transformed into a giant arcade game by renowned street artist Filthy Luker and Jamaican lager beer brand Red Stripe.

Passers-by are able to play a 17m-high version of the 80′s  8-bit classic from sundown – when the huge interactive artwork is switched on.

Using plastic road barriers and road work equipment, the installation comes alive with LED lights animating the work, allowing the public to engage on a large scale.

The artist’s creation will remain in place for a month.

Filthy Luker said “I’ve been obsessed with making art from street furniture for quite some time and had noticed the similarities between these road barriers and the classic invaders -and they seem to be taking over the city! The Make With a Red Stripe project  is all about using everyday objects to transform the mundane, which was right up my street and enabled me to realize my concept.”

The art-work has already captured the attention of the City and visual arts media.

Reports are already surfacing in the likes of Shortlist, The Sun,  Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, We Heart, Large Manchester, Design You Trust and Itchy City.

and in the Manchester Evening News

As part of the Make Art On The Street initiative, Red Stripe is working with a number of artists on regional initiatives, including a four-wheeled mobile art exhibition set to tour Bristol, Leeds and London, and an Edinburgh-based stop motion animation video.

The projects, all taking place this spring, have been designed to engage with the public in surprising and intriguing ways; promoting creativity and encouraging others to ‘Make with a Red Stripe’.

Web: www.redstripe.net

Tumblr:  http://redstripelager.tumblr.com

Twitter: @RedStripeLager

Facebook:www.facebook.com/redstripelagerbeer

About Diageo

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business. With its global vision, and local marketing focus, Diageo brings to consumers an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys®, J&B, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Tanqueray, and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo trades in some 180 countries around the world and is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. The RED STRIPE words and associated logos are trademarks © Desnoes& Geddes Ltd. 2011.

Please make and drink responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR

LONDON, Wednesday 28^th March 2012 –  Moonpig.com have  launched an all singing, all dancing personalised video card.

From just £4.99 the new range of video cards are a totally new way to personalise cards with your very own video clips.

Click play to see the demo >

The process is easy, simply pick a design from the Moonpig website, upload a video clip from your PC and select the start and end of the video. The first frame prints on the front of your Moonpig card – just like a photo upload … but with a difference.

When you receive a Video card, just download the Moonpig app which is free from iTunes or the Android Market Place. Hold your Smartphone in front of the card, to scan the image and the photo will ‘come to life’ by playing the uploaded video clip on your phone!   The video cards can be sent back to you or directly to the recipient, who can save the video clips to  their phone  to watch  whenever they want.

So now you can crack a joke, sing a song or blow a kiss – whatever the message, Moonpig Video Cards are the perfect way to make your card say more.

Iain Martin, MD for Moonpig said, “Since we launched we have continued to add new features and content that enable our customers to send the very best cards. The video card is a major step forward. It looks just like a regular card but point a smart phone at it and it comes to life. The technology is very intelligent but what’s really important to us is that it is easy for people to use.

Making a card is really simple.   Explaining to Granny how you managed to send her a greeting card with a video of the grandchildren singing Happy Birthday…… might be more tricky!”

Moonpig have partnered with Zappar, the leaders in AR entertainment products to create the technology behind the cards. Caspar Thykier, Managing Director for Zappar said, “This is a world first and goes some way to prove that Augmented Reality will be used in the future to connect the digital world with physical products adding value to the consumer experience. We’re delighted to have made this leap with Moonpig as our partners.”

About Moonpig.com

For the past 12 years Moonpig have been in the business of making people smile.  They are the world’s largest online personalised greeting card retailer. Founded in 1999 they now have almost three million active customers and ships over 12 million cards per year. Although most of Moonpig’s customers are UK based, the company is expanding fast in Australia and the USA. Recently the product range has also expanded to include flowers, frames, personalised mugs, t-shirts, canvasses, soft toys and chocolates as well as bottles of wine, champagne beer and spirits.

About Zappar

Zappar was launched in 2011 and founded by Caspar Thykier, Kirk Ewing, Simon Tayor and Connell Gauld thus bringing together experience from the marketing and console industries alongside pioneering technology from the University of Cambridge under one roof. Zappar’s class-leading marker-less image recognition technology provides the broadest spectrum of AR application on mobile across devices including delivery of film, audio, 3D animation, gaming interactivity and links in the field of vision. Zappar provide a full service offering with in-house creative and technology resource to deliver bespoke platform and content solutions.

LONDON, Thursday 15th March 2012: GlobalGathering – the UK’s most diverse and progressive electronic music festival returns to Long Marston Airfield, Stratford Upon Avon on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th July featuring headline performances from Tinie Tempah, Chase & Status, Armin van Buuren, Skrillex and Friendly Fires, promising to make the 2012 festival the highlight of the summer for dance music fans.

2012 boasts the festival’s most exciting line-up to date, with numerous spectacular live acts and DJs that span the entire electronic music spectrum, as well as a series of brand new arenas from some of the world’s most exciting promoters. From stadium straddling stars to industry insiders’ tips and the latest breaking acts, the festival team promise more live shows, epic productions, and groundbreaking arenas than ever before.

Topping the bill is chart-topping superstar, Tinie Tempah, set to storm the Main Stage this summer with a typically energy-fuelled, all new live show. After a year in which he has continued to make his presence felt on both sides of the Atlantic with his crowd pleasing party anthems, the Global crowds can expect nothing short of an epic new production with plenty of surprises thrown into the mix.

GlobalGathering protégés and the pioneering kings of grime beats and heavy basslines, Chase & Status, return to Long Marston following an outstanding year of sold-out arena dates for their Main Stage debut. Hyped by a barnstorming appearance at last year’s festival, when they created an unbelievable one-in-one-out situation at the biggest arena on site, Chase & Status are bringing an all new live show with a host of special guests to the best dance stage on the planet this July.

“GlobalGathering was one of the best festivals we played last summer, and I’m sure this year will be no exception. The crowds at Global are always crazy and we can’t wait to bring our live show back this July.” (Chase & Status)

In a massive festival first, superstar trance DJ and producer Armin van Buuren will bring the most popular trance radio show in the world, A State of Trance, to host an exclusive arena at GlobalGathering 2012. AVB will be broadcasting the show LIVE from the festival to millions of devoted listeners across the world and welcoming Markus Schulz, Aly & Fila, W&W and more to the arena over the weekend.

The standout breakthrough act of last year’s festival, Skrillex, who has since garnered international respect and acclaim, also returns to GlobalGathering to headline the all-new UKF Bass Culture arena. Bringing his live concept The Skrillex Cell, fresh off the back of an international tour, the most exciting DJ in the world right now is upping the visual ante and treating GlobalGathering fans to a pioneering dance music experience, reflecting Global’s high production values. Using motion capture technology to create the backdrop to his set, the famously vigorous Sonny Moore will have giant 3D projections in the shape of monsters, skeletons and robots moving in spectacular time with him. Knife Party, Zane Lowe, Jaguar Skills and Feed Me will continue keep the basslines pumping throughout the arena, with a very special guest performance from Andy C bringing his new live show Alive.

Indie-dance trio Friendly Fires round off the headline performances on the Main Stage making their debut at GlobalGathering this summer. Importing South America to Shakespeare’s country, they’ll be delivering a taste of sunshine music with their rave-infused uplifting vibe. Modern classics such as Paris, Jump in the Pool and Live Those Days Tonight are set to capture the sun-drenched party atmosphere and provide a life-affirming, euphoric mood amongst the pleasure-seeking crowd.

As the headliners prove, GlobalGathering 2012 will be showcasing more quality and diverse live acts than any other electronic music festival in the UK this summer. In the biggest year yet for rocking guitars, banging drums, and singing strings, the BBC Sound of 2011 duo Nero, singer-songwriter of last year’s smash Earthquake Labrinth, soulful Maverick Sabre, dubstep/rock foursome Modestep, chart-topping drum and bass legend DJ Fresh and liquid funk Belgian Netsky will all stage live shows across the festival’s stages and arenas.

Displaying the very best in drum and bass, techno, house, dubstep, grime and trance, the arenas at this year’s GlobalGathering are a who’s who of the most cutting edge nights and promoters from both the UK and further afield. The organizers are pleased to announce new arenas from Metropolis & Digital Soundboy and Visionquest, in addition to UKF Bass Culture and A State Of Trance. 2012 will also see the return of arena hosts Hospitality, Godskitchen, Toolroom Knights and Rinse, with two further terraces yet to be announced.

In its second year as a GlobalGathering arena host, event brand Metropolis is teaming up with label Digital Soundboy (from original dnb pioneer Shy FX) to bring the hottest, most forward-thinking bass sounds of the UK underground scene to the fore. Nero (live) will deliver their club friendly hybrid of drum and bass, dubstep, house and trance to the arena after packing it out during their inaugural GlobalGathering last year. Joining Nero is a new live show from Sub Focus as well as Modestep (live) and Flux Pavillion with support from many more, who’ll ensure the drops just keep on coming.

Global are very excited to welcome Visionquest – hosting their first ever festival arena anywhere in the world, this is the only one they’ll be doing this summer. Offering up their deeper sound of house, techno and minimal techno, the arena will showcase the best underground, spectral sounds, with Visionquest: Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss topping the bill alongside Seth Troxler, and support from Art Department and Nina Kraviz.

The self-titled Global Arena will this year showcase headliner Jamie Jones, recently voted the No.1 techno act in the Resident Advisor poll, as well as a festival exclusive back to back set from Joris Voorn and Nic Fanciulli, with sets from Maya Jane Coles, Heidi and a special guest appearance from Sasha.

Returning for a second year to host an arena are Hospitality, the worldwide event promoters of top UK drum and bass imprint Hospital Records. After an incredibly successful year at GlobalGathering in 2011, they return with the best dnb line up anywhere in the UK this summer with Netsky bringing his live show, High Contrast feat Jessy Allen & Dynamite MC, Camo and Krooked (Live), Danny Byrd, Roni Size with a Full Cycle Retro set and London Elektricity all set for the Hospitality Arena.

“After the fun and frolics of last year’s festival, we are super excited to be back once again hosting a Hospitality arena at GlobalGathering. Bringing you the best in beats and bass from all the artists on the Hospital roster and beyond with special guest Roni Size playing a Full Cycle classics set, two brand new live shows from Camo & Krooked and Netsky and plenty more to boot, this year’s going to be even bigger and better than ever before!” (Hospitality)

Rinse FM fans are in for a treat as the capital’s most influential radio station returns to Global. Combining the cream of the UK dubstep, grime and funky scenes, Rinse are bringing a line-up beyond compare including Magnetic Man making their live GlobalGathering debut, Boy Better Know Feat. Skepta in another Global first, reigning queen of the MC’s Ms Dynamite, Zinc & Tippa, P Money, Emalkay, Plastician and Roska & Jamie George. Set to go off in just as explosive a style as it did in 2011, the Rinse arena will almost certainly be packed out.

Arena host stalwarts and one of the biggest dance brands on the planet Godskitchen will be bringing the world’s biggest trance superstars to the Airfield with explosive sets from Above and Beyond, Gareth Emery, Ferry Corsten, John O’Callaghan and Cosmic Gate plus many more with unforgettable production and an unrivalled atmosphere.

The Electric Arena makes a welcome return with first lady of electronic music Annie Mac with support from Steve Aoki, Fake Blood, Jack Beats (DJ set), TEED (Live) and Screendeath amongst others. Toolroom Knights also makes a return moving into a bigger arena this summer and with Mark Knight (Live) at the helm and sets from Sander van Doorn, Funkagenda, Michael Woods, Stefano Noferini and many more.

With plenty more surprises and announcements in store, the fans who descend on Long Marston Airfield over the weekend can expect GlobalGathering to continue its tradition of upping its offering and improving the experience year-on-year – developing the festival layout, bringing audiences the best in new electronic music first, offering up staggering new production concepts and comprehensive lineups with even more live acts than ever before year on year.

James Algate CEO of Angel Music Group and GlobalGathering’s organiser said: “Following the successful rebrand and redevelopment of the festival in 2011 that saw amazing feedback from artists and festival goers alike, we’ve once again looked to the future, securing some of the freshest live acts and DJs out there right now. GlobalGathering has always had strong production values and we are also working on some really exciting developments to the stages and arenas this summer – all will be revealed soon!”

Alongside the UK event, GlobalGathering will also visit countries across the world in 2012 proving their status as the international leaders in the electronic music market – with festivals taking place in Belarus (30^th June), Ukraine (14^th July), Russia (21^st July), and South Korea (6^th October).

Check out www.globalgathering.com/world for more info.

Tickets for GlobalGathering are on sale now from www.globalgathering.com/tickets

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR

16 potential business partners. 12 tough weeks. One life changing opportunity…

LONDON, Tuesday 13th March 2012: BBC One’s multi award-winning and critically acclaimed business entertainment series The Apprentice returns for an eighth series on Wednesday 21st March, as the latest line-up of budding business partners faces Lord Sugar in the battle for boardroom supremacy.

From across the UK and Ireland, this year’s selection of entrepreneurial hopefuls have come to London to face the biggest challenge of their careers – fighting it out in a business battle over 12 tough tasks to impress multi-millionaire tycoon, Lord Sugar.

(l-r – back row) Jade Nash, Duane Bryan, Maria O’Connor, Tom Gearing, Ricky Martin, Bilyana Apostolova, Stephen Brady, Adam Corbally
(l-r – front row) Azhar Siddique, Jane McEvoy, Laura Hogg, Jenna Whittingham, Gabrielle Omar, Michael Copp, Katie Wright, Nick Holzherr

The candidates’ CVs reveal everything from a professional wrestler, a show jumper and a shark diver to entrepreneurs in fields as varied as architecture, beauty, bridal, technology, fine wine and greengrocery.

Selected for their burning passion for business and naked ambition, only one can succeed in proving they have the commercial insight and business sense to be worthy of entering into a partnership with Lord Sugar as the winner of The Apprentice 2012.

In business, times are tough and investment is hard to come by. The 16 ambitious applicants are determined to win the backing they need, but to get funding they’ll face the fight of a life time. On offer, 40 years of experience and a quarter of a million pounds.

From market stall to market leader, Lord Sugar is a global success story. Willing to invest when others won’t, he’s now on the hunt for a new business partner. Once again he is putting his money on the line, offering the winner both the opportunity to be his partner and an investment to the value of £250,000 founded on the basis of their business idea.

Failure is not an option and errors will not be excused as Lord Sugar wastes no time in informing his 16 possible partners of his high expectations:

“This is not about a job anymore and I’m not looking for a friend, if I wanted a friend I’d get a dog. I’m looking for a partner, the ‘Marks’ to my ‘Spencer’, the ‘Lennon’ to my ‘McCartney’. This is about me investing £250,000 into a business with one of you and I’m expecting you, as the so called entrepreneurs, to make the money for me.”

“Some of you may come here with preconceived plans of how this is going to play out. Let me give you a warning, don’t try and hide. We’re not playing ‘Where’s Wally’ here. I’m not looking for Lord Lucan, I’m looking for somebody who is going to put themselves forward and show me that they have got the aggression and business acumen to be my partner.”

To help him keep an eye on how the candidates perform over the 12 challenging tasks, Lord Sugar will be aided once again by his trusted advisors Nick Hewer and Karren Brady.

It will be the candidates’ plan and Lord Sugar’s money, but in order to get it a punishing selection process awaits.This year’s candidates face a series of demanding tasks, each designed to push their skills to the limit.

Although the candidates will live in a lavish four storey Bayswater townhouse and be given a taste of the high-flying life they dream of, the weeks ahead will be anything but glamorous as they roll up their tailored sleeves and embark upon weeks of hard graft with only one of them emerging victorious. Their rivalry and competitiveness will be unearthed as the 16 challengers vie for the chance to go into business with one of the world’s most renowned business moguls.

Episode one follows the candidates as they are split into two teams, boys versus girls, with Nick and Karren closely monitoring their every move. Appropriately, in the first task the prospective candidates must start with a blank canvas. The teams are set the challenge of starting their own print businesses. They must buy £500 worth of bare materials, from mugs to mouse mats, create designs to print on to them and then sell their unique products to the public. The decision of what products to choose and which customers to target is theirs but only one factor will be considered in the first boardroom showdown – who has made the most profit?

Series eight will see personalities clash and tempers soar as the cut-throat competition gets tougher with every task.

With each task based on new business opportunities, the candidates will design a new household gadget, produce a condiment, open a junk shop, create a fitness DVD, represent urban / street artists and promote English sparkling wine.

For these elite professionals it is make or break time in the most daunting challenge they will ever face. With gripping boardroom showdowns and opinionated candidates, this series promises to be the most intense and unpredictable yet.

16 potential business partners. 12 tough weeks. One life changing opportunity. Lord Sugar’s search for his new business partner is about to begin…

Ultimate fan show, The Apprentice: You’re Fired! will also be making a welcome return to BBC Two immediately after the main show with host Dara O Briain in the chair. Each week the fired candidate is interrogated by business experts, celebrity fans of the show and a studio audience of viewers.

The BBC Apprentice website – bbc.co.uk/apprentice – will feature clips from each episode and exclusive footage of each of the 16 candidates, filmed during the selection process. Radio 1 DJ Matt Edmondson will be giving his take on each episode with exclusive funny clips. Viewers will also be able to catch up with events surrounding the show on the official Apprentice Twitter and Facebook pages.

The Apprentice is a Boundless production for BBC One. Michele Kurland and Peter Moore are the Executive Producers, Cate Hall is Series Producer. Jo Wallace is the Executive Editor for the BBC.

The Apprentice will air on BBC One and BBC One HD and will be repeated on BBC Three.

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR

MEET THE GIRLS

Bilyana Apostolova
Age: 25
Occupation: Risk Analyst
Lives: London, UK
Bulgaria born Bilyana started off her career aged six, collecting snails from her grandparents’ farm to sell to pharmaceutical companies, and is now training to be a Wealth Manager for British entrepreneurs. The former head girl, who prefers rollerblading to and from work, feels her biggest achievement is her attitude to life and a dedication to advancing by learning and working hard. She loves dancing, baking and travelling. She describes herself as positive and adaptable but feels her greatest weakness is dealing with confrontation.
She says: “I got myself from a Communist block of flats in Bulgaria to the top of a skyscraper in the heart of the City of London.”

Gabrielle Omar
Age: 29
Occupation: Architect
Lives: London, UK

Gabrielle’s first job was helping at her parents’ fish and chip shop when she was 14. She learnt how to ride a bike last year and loves running, photography, drawing and painting watercolours. She says that she rules her life on gut feelings, and as a result never has regrets. Gabrielle first got a passport at the age of 19 and has had the travelling bug ever since, once travelling to 13 different countries in a year. Gabrielle feels her persistency is her strength but her trusting nature is her biggest weakness.

She says: “When it comes to business I can be like an animal and I will roar my way to the top.”

Jade Nash
Age: 29
Occupation: Business Development Manager
Lives: Bedfordshire, UK

Former 18-30 rep Jade grew up helping at her parents’ caravan park. She feels her strength is her resilience and says that she doesn’t have any annoying habits. She enjoys going to the gym, hosting dinner parties and her passions are money, her friends and life. Jade loves cars and often attends drag racing events. She lists her parents as her role models, as both have their own businesses, her father owns a holiday park and her mother is a funeral celebrant.

She says: “What I want is to be able to retire when I’m 45, but I’m such a workaholic that I’ll probably carry on until I’m 80”.

Jane McEvoy
Age: 28
Occupation: Co-founder of Food Manufacturing Company
Lives: Kilkenny, Ireland

Jane is a mother of one, and lives in Kilkenny, Ireland. She admits to being opinionated and a workaholic but also says that she is determined and honest. An animal lover, Jane says if she never had to worry about money she would open an animal shelter for cats and dogs. Jane used to play hockey for her province and camogie for her county. Her role model is her glamorous grandmother, who is an empowered woman with 12 children.

She says: “Anything is achievable if you have drive, determination, and a seriously good work ethic”.

Jenna Whittingham
Age: 25
Occupation: Beauty Salon Owner
Lives: Lancashire, UK

Homebody Jenna has never been away from home for longer than a week and can’t cook or clean. Jenna spends her spare time horse-riding and competing in show jumping events and competed at the Wembley 1998 Horse of the Year show. She describes herself as a ‘people person’ but also admits to being a bad loser. Jenna is dyslexic and her role model is her dad, who is also dyslexic but set up his own business building horse boxes. Her ambition is to earn a million pounds before she turns 30.

She says: “My personality and character is ‘once seen never forgotten”.

Katie Wright
Age: 26
Occupation: Editorial and Research Director
Lives: London, UK

Katie is a huge football fan and loves to attend Fulham football matches. Katie, who got married last year, admits to talking too much but feels she can get on with anyone. Her first job was as a pot washer in a French restaurant when she was 13. Katie wishes she was the brains behind Heinz Baked Beans and says that she admires Barack Obama for his charisma.

She says: “I would call myself ‘The Blonde Assassin’. I let people underestimate me just so I can blow them out of the water.”

Laura Hogg
Age: 28
Occupation: Bridal Shop Owner
Lives: Glasgow, UK

Scot Laura is a mother of one who loves skiing. A former ice skater, she once skated with Torvil and Dean. She says her strength is that she will go out of her way for others however she admits to sometimes being stubborn. She is inspired by Michelle Mone as a powerful working mother from Scotland who created a business empire.

She says: “I am going to be one of Scotland’s next big exports”.

Maria O’Connor
Age: 20
Occupation: Restaurateur
Lives: Kent, UK

Bubbly Maria opened her own Greek restaurant at the age of 19 and is inspired by Gordon Ramsay. She admits that she is headstrong and cunning when it comes to business, and says that her persuasive charm helps her always get what she wants. She enjoys shopping, socialising and is an adrenaline junkie. Maria wishes she was the brains behind cotton buds as they are cheap to make but are used in every household.

She says: “If you chuck me in the deep end I’ll swim, I won’t sink.”

MEET THE BOYS

Adam Corbally
Age: 32
Occupation: Market Trader
Lives: Derbyshire, UK

Father of two Adam loves swimming, playing football and cycling. Adam says that he is confident and enthusiastic but that he is not ashamed to show his emotions. Adam’s first job was stacking bread at his local Co-op. He now runs a wholesale and retail fruit and veg business and manages his own property portfolio. He wishes he was the brains behind Virgin Galactic because he feels it is innovative, a world first, and offers people the chance to have their dreams come true. Adam organises the annual turning on of the Christmas lights in his local community.

He Says: “I get too excited, but that shows my passion, it shows my drive and it shows my ability.”

Azhar Siddique
Age: 33
Occupation: Founder and Managing Director of Catering and Refrigeration Company
Lives: Manchester, UK

Thrill seeker Azhar enjoys shark diving and has two pet sharks. He feels his biggest strengths are his professionalism and integrity but also admits that he gets very restless very quickly. In his spare time Azhar enjoys strength training and Muay Thai and loves scuba diving due to his passion for marine life. Azhar is inspired by the IKEA brand and admires its founder, Invgar Kamprad, for always sticking to his high self-imposed standards.

He Says: “It’s not who shouts the loudest; it’s who has the ability to control the conversation”.

Duane Bryan
Age: 29
Occupation: Founder/Director of Drinks Distribution Company
Lives: Manchester, UK

Have a go hero Duane once chased and caught a hit and run driver trying to flee the scene of a crash. He says that his biggest strength in business is his creativity but that his attention to detail can be somewhat lacking. Duane enjoys going out to bars and nightclubs in his spare time and says he is inspired by the Jaegermeister brand. He has met Tony Blair as part of a voluntary group.

He Says: “I am a winner and I am a fighter, in order to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.”

Michael Copp
Age: 31
Occupation: MD Kitchen and Bedroom Furniture Retailer
Lives: London, UK

Michael says his biggest strength is his positivity but admits that he can be impatient. In his spare time Michael enjoys fishing, walking and boxing. Michael, who is dyslexic, wishes he had worked harder at school and regrets leaving at 15 and not finishing his education. He would have liked to have been the brains behind Apple as he admires the way they cornered the market with their products and set themselves apart from their rivals.

He Says: “I’m better than unique; I’m naturally gifted in business.”

Nick Holzherr
Age: 25
Occupation: Technology Entrepreneur
Lives: Birmingham, UK
Nick, who lived in Switzerland for seven years as a child, was named ‘emerging entrepreneur of the year’ by Insider Magazine in 2010. When Nick was nine years old he earned money by selling lost golf balls back to golfers. He enjoys playing squash, snowboarding and cooking, and loves buying kitchen gadgets. Nick feels his intelligence is one of his strengths but knows his impatient nature can sometimes make him come across as arrogant. He would like to build and sell his own businesses before becoming an investor in start-up companies, and cites Steve Jobs as an inspiration.
He Says: “I’ve got lots of ideas, I know how to whittle them down into ideas that will work and I’ve got what it takes to make them actually happen.”

Ricky Martin
Age: 26
Occupation: Recruitment Team Leader
Lives: Hampshire, UK

By day Ricky is a successful recruitment manager operating across the UK science industries, and by night and weekend a heavy hitting professional wrestler. Ricky, who has an Honours degree in Biochemistry, spends his spare time competing at wrestling events and is also an amateur body builder, training five to six times a week. Ricky recently got engaged to his girlfriend, and says his greatest strength is his people skills and that his weakness is that he is a perfectionist. Ricky wishes he was the brains behind Facebook and once played tennis against Tim Henman at Wimbledon.

He Says: “I truly am the reflection of perfection.”

Stephen Brady
Age: 33
Occupation: National Sales Manager
Lives: Vienna, Austria

Ireland born Stephen loves learning new languages, reading and writing stories. Stephen says that he is a focused and down to earth person who is inspired by Muhammad Ali. He feels it is important to make every day count and tries to live life to the absolute limit. Stephen, who once lived in New York, has a passion for sport and the outdoors and once played in the FA cup as a semi-professional footballer.

He Says: “Enthusiasm is a huge asset of mine and I believe it’s caught and not taught.”

Tom Gearing
Age: 23
Occupation: Director of a Fine Wine Investment Company
Lives: London, UK

Tom feels his biggest strength is his self-assurance but says that he can sometimes be over-confident. He also admits he isn’t great at handling early morning starts. Tom enjoys going to music events and West Ham football matches in his spare time and also plays golf, tennis and football for a Sunday League team. Tom’s passions are fine dining and wine and he also loves travelling around the world. He is inspired by Candy & Candy and wishes he was the brains behind ASOS.

He Says: “I’m confident, charismatic and some people say I’m quite good looking, so that adds to the bill”.

- NOTES TO EDITORS - 

The Apprentice

BAFTA Award-winning business series, The Apprentice, has previously had seven successful series as well as two series of the Young Apprentice.

As well as a wealth of loyal fans, The Apprentice has received critical acclaim and won numerous awards including a BAFTA in 2006 for Best Feature. It has also walked away with top TV gongs including recent accolades at the BPG TV Awards, Televisual Bulldog Awards, National Reality Television Awards and TV Choice Awards as well as nominations at the National Television Awards, BAFTA Craft Awards and BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards along with a Press Guild Award for series six and a TV Choice Award for Best Reality Show for series seven.

Last year, The Apprentice transmitted on BBC One over a 12 weeks period, with 10.7 million viewers tuning in to watch the final episode in which Tom Pellereau became Lord Sugar’s new business partner.

It’s the toughest interview process ever, and with more determined candidates this series, it promises to be the most intense and unpredictable.

Apprentice series 7 introduced the UK to Jedi Jim and his boardroom mind tricks, as well as being the first series featuring the new prize of a partnership with Lord Sugar rather than a job offer. Apprentice series 6 saw candidate Stuart Baggs ‘The Brand’ take metaphors to a new level revealing that he was not a one trick pony but was in fact a field of ponies. In series 5, for the first time ever, the series saw candidate Adam Freeman pull out before the first task had even started. Other highlights of previous series include Lorraine Tighe’s ‘premonitions’, the romance between Kate Walsh and Philip ‘Pantsman’ Taylor, the brash defences of Claire Young and boardroom bluffing of Jenny Celerier.

The memorable catchphrases spouted by some of the candidates have put smiles on the faces of millions of viewers, including Melody Hossaini’s “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon” and Edward Hunter’s “Roll with the punches.” The business theatrics of Michael Sophocles and his kosher meat gaffe has made him one of the standout characters of the previous seven series, while the floundering failures of school teacher Noorul Choudhury had the nation screaming at the TV as he escaped the firing line on many occasions. Sandwich seller Rocky Andrews failing in the catering task, Lee McQueen’s pterodactyl impression and not forgetting Raef Bjayou’s ability to “speak to prince or pauper” have all had the nation cowering behind their CVs for the past six years.

There have been two Comic Relief specials and one Sport Relief special of The Apprentice, featuring stellar celebrity line ups.The Apprentice has spawned a number of columns and blogs in the national press and has been spoofed by comedians including French & Saunders, Harry Hill and Dead Ringers. In 2007, the BBC Two show Kombat Opera spoofed The Apprentice with Kombat Opera Presents…The Applicants. In 2009 renowned YouTube artist Cassette Boy created Cassette Boy vs The Apprentice which has attracted over 2.8 million hits to date on YouTube alone.

Has walked away with top TV gongs including recent accolades at the BPG TV Awards, Televisual Bulldog Awards, National Reality Television Awards and TV Choice Awards as well as nominations at the National Television Awards, BAFTA Craft Awards and BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards along with a Press Guild Award for series six and a TV Choice Award for Best Reality Show for series seven.

Lord Sugar

After leaving school in Hackney aged 16, Sugar started selling car aerials and electric goods out of a van he bought for £50. In 1968, he founded Amstrad, and now, over 40 years later, he has an estimated worth of £730 million, and was ranked 85th in the 2010 Sunday Times Rich List.

A former Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur FC, Sugar sold his Amstrad empire to Sky in July 2007. Sugar’s other companies include AMSCREEN, which offers digital screen media advertising networks, AMSAIR, which offers business and executive jets to a number of high profile clients around the world, AMSPROP, a property investment firm and VIGLEN, a manufacturer specialising in computers, networks and solutions.

In 2000, Sugar was knighted for his services to business and he holds two honorary Doctorates of Science degrees, awarded by CityUniversity and BrunelUniversity respectively.

Having previously sat on the Business Council for Britain and fronted a campaign promoting the benefits of apprenticeships, in 2009 he was named as Enterprise Champion and appointed to the House of Lords as Baron Sugar of Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney.

In 2010, Lord Sugar released his autobiography, ‘What You See Is What You Get’ and in 2011 he released ‘The Way I See It’.

Lord Sugar is a philanthropist who donates to a number of charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital and Jewish Care.

Nick Hewer

Former PR impresario Nick Hewer started off in public relations in the mid 1960s. Heading up his own PR company until its sale in 1997, Nick built an impressive corporate client list which, over more than 30 years, included many British and international companies and organisations, including the Secretariat of His Highness the Aga Khan, based in Chantilly, France and the wife of the ruler of Dubai, the late H H Sheikh Maktoum.

Nick first came across Lord Sugar when his PR company was chosen to represent Amstrad in 1983. Soon taking care of his profile across all business and personal dealings, Nick became a trusted ally and firm friend to the tycoon, playing an integral part in the management structure at Amstrad.

Friends throughout both careers, Lord Sugar laid on a dinner at The Dorchester for Nick and 100 guests to celebrate his official retirement. Says Nick: “Alan is a very generous friend. The best thing about working for him was there was always something going on – he has vibrancy about him.”

Nick’s career has taken him all over the world and his lifelong passion is world travel. Not long ago he drove a 20 year-old Renault 4L solo from London to Mongolia for charity and last summer took part in the Children in Need trek from Istanbul to Almaty in Kazakhstan. As a patron of Hope and Homes for Children, Nick helps promote this British charity. He has worked for them in Romania, Rwanda and will visit Sierra Leone this summer. He has a home in France where he indulges his other passion, for old tractors.

Nick’s much loved dry wit and legendary facial expressions have taken him through seven series of The Apprentice and have also seen him appear on comedy panel shows such as ‘Would I Lie To You?’ In January 2012 he became the presenter of Channel 4’s ‘Countdown’.

Karren Brady

Karren Brady began her career at Saatchi & Saatchi when she was 18 years old and swiftly moved onto London Broadcasting Company as a sales executive. She joined Sport Newspapers Ltd in 1988 and became Director within a year.

Karren is now known as the first woman in football. She was Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club from 1993 to 2009 and during that time turned the Club’s fortunes around. She took over Birmingham City FC when it was in administration, and in her first year at the helm, the Club recorded a financial trading profit. In January 2010, Karren was appointed Vice Chairman of West Ham United FC.

Karren has attracted much media attention in her career, and was the subject of an hour long documentary ‘Inside Story’ – The Real Life Manageress’ shown on BBC One. She has hosted her own TV show, and has also presented shows on ITV. Karren has written four books and her autobiography ‘Strong Woman: Ambition, Grit and a Great Pair of Heels’ is released on 29th March 2012.

Karren is a columnist for The Sun newspaper and also writes for the popular lifestyle magazines Cosmopolitan and Woman & Home. She is a judge of the Cosmopolitan Women of Achievement Awards and is an Ambassador for the Stroke Association and WellChild. Previously on the Board of Mothercare PLC, Channel 4 Television and Sport England, Karren now holds the position of non-Executive Director of Arcadia. She is an honoree Fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing and in 2010 was awarded an honorary Doctorate from the University of Birmingham.

In March 2007 she was chosen as the Project Manager of the girls team on BBC One’s The Apprentice, for Comic Relief, where she lead her team to a resounding victory over the boys, raising over £750k for charity.

In 2010 following appearances as one of Lord Sugar’s interrogators on The Apprentice, Karren replaced Margaret Mountford as Lord Sugar’s right-hand woman.

Karren has won various awards including, Business Woman of the Year, Cosmopolitan Woman Of The Year, the Spirit of Everywoman Award, Britain’s Most Influential Woman Award as well as a National Reality TV Award for her role in The Apprentice.

Boundless

Boundless is headed up by Patrick Holland and encompasses factual entertainment, factual features and specialist factual programming, including The Apprentice, Young Apprentice, Escape To The Country, Great British Railway Journeys, Grand Designs and Four Rooms.

Fremantle Media UK

FremantleMedia UK, formerly independent production company talkbackTHAMES, is the UK production arm of FremantleMedia, the global production and content business of the RTL Group, Europe’s largest television and radio company.

It was formed in January 2012 when the company was restructured into a portfolio of labels managed by creative leaders including Richard Holloway, Dan Baldwin, Jon Rolph and Patrick Holland.The labels are supported by a new division, FremantleMedia UK, led by CEO, Sara Geater. The structure has been designed to give the company’s market leading talent greater creative freedom and autonomy in order to deliver the best programmes for customers.

Across the group, the labels provide award winning programming for all major terrestrial, digital channels and digital outlets. With an unparalleled range of programming including: The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Celebrity Juice, Take Me Out, Over The Rainbow, The Apprentice, You’re Fired, Can’t Take It With You, Four Rooms, Grand Designs, Great British Railway Journeys, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, The IT Crowd, QI, The Rob Brydon Show,The Sinking of the Laconia, Kidnap and Ransom and Holy Flying Circus – the Group has aired over 350 hours of programming on terrestrial TV in the past 12 months alone.

London, Thursday 8th March 2012: Sightseers to the world-famous hill carving, the Uffington Horse, in Oxfordshire this morning were left gob-smacked to discover that the 3,000 year old figure had mysteriously acquired a jockey.

Reports are coming in thick and fast online already from the likes of The Sun, the Daily Mirror, the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph.

Mischievous betting firm Paddy Power have owned up to the audacious stunt as part of their “We Hear You” campaign with the objective of celebrating the imminent arrival of next week’s Cheltenham Festival in spectacular style.

The installation took place over a six hour period, under the cover of darkness, in the early hours of this morning just days ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Over 200 metres of lightweight canvas, pre-cut into five separate pieces was used to create the 110ft  x 200ft  temporary installation.

It is pinned to the ground 5ft from the original chalk markings, using over 500 tiny tent pegs to ensure that the original site remains undisturbed.

The striking new design, which is bigger than an Olympic sized swimming pool, can be clearly seen from the surrounding villages and is causing quite a stir.

Paddy Power now hopes the Uffington Rider will become a site of pilgrimage for ‘lucky’ racing fans from all over the UK in the coming days before Cheltenham.

A spokesperson from Paddy Power comments, ‘Funnily enough the idea for our Uffington Rider came from a Tweet from one of our customers. He was responding to our ‘We Hear Campaign’ asking if we had any mischief planned for Cheltenham in the wake of our giant Hollywood sign a few years ago. We simply couldn’t resist the challenge and needed something spectacular to measure up to the giant sign. I think we’ve achieved this.”

Paddy Power has made a donation to National Trust.

For further information contact: Taylor Herring PR, 0208 206 5151

About Paddy Power

Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker and a leading provider of gaming services in the UK, Australia, France, Canada and Ireland. Founded in 1988 Paddy Power is a publicly quoted company and is listed on both the Irish and London Stock Exchanges (www.paddypowerplc.com).

About the Uffington Horse

• The Uffington White Horse is a prehistoric hill figure 110 m long (374 feet), formed from trenches filled with crushed white chalk
• The figure is situated on the upper slopes of White Horse Hill in the parish of Uffington, Oxfordshire
• The ancient horse is believed to be around 3,000 years old, created in the late Bronze age.
• In the 1180s, Ralf de Deceto wrote a tract proclaiming the horse to be the 5th wonder of Britain. And in later works it was promoted to 2nd place, only being narrowly beaten by Stonehenge
• Its unusual shape has been featured on coins as long ago as the Iron age
• British artist Stella Vine chose the White Horse as her favourite artwork in a video filmed in May 2008 as part of Art Angel’sThe Big Pix project. Vine described it as ‘mysterious, atmospheric, pagan and inspiring’
• Clive Cussler refers to the Uffington Horse in his novel Trojan Odyssey
• The 1978 BBC television children’s series The Moon Stallion uses the chalk horse as one of its principal locations and a major plot element, and includes footage of it in the title sequence
• The chalk carving is featured extensively in “A Hat Full of Sky” by Terry Pratchett, and the author discusses the Uffington White Horse specifically in an afterword
• An animated version of the horse appeared in the music video for Sonnet  by The Verve in 1998

via Wikipedia

London, Tuesday 21^st February: Tonight, Red Stripe® will embark on a partnership with Boiler Room with the first in a series of unique collaborative music events set to be rolled out over the next 12 months.

Dubbed the Make Sessions, each installment will be a distinctive offering that reflects Red Stripe® and Boiler Room’s shared support and love for good music. No two sessions will ever be the same but will be curated with the aim of bringing brilliant live performances, DJ sets, and overall innovation to the Boiler Room audience, firmly in mind.

Red Stripe® has been an integral part of the Boiler Room story since its inception. Positioning itself somewhere between an intimate club night and UK pirate radio, Boiler Room’s strategy of showcasing artists in front of a small, exclusive crowd and live streaming the proceedings, has seen its monthly audience exceed 1.2 million people globally.

One of the fastest growing and original ideas to come out of London’s thriving underground music scene in recent years, its early days were “Founded on Red Stripe four packs, borrowed speakers and empty warehouses” as Boiler Room’s founder Blaise Bellville explains.

He continues: “Everyone probably thinks we’ve been partnered in an official capacity with Red Stripe since our inception, so to have them on board feels like a very natural progression and collaboration for us. We’re so excited for the coming sessions, and to be working with a brand we respect that’s as keen as us to do something different.”

Make Session 001, taking place on Tuesday 21^st February at a secret location, will take Boiler Room back to its roots. As Boiler Room has grown, so have the locations, but the first session will take it back to basics with a small crowd in a dusty old room. A line-up of Lex Records artists, including none other than DOOM, will all be taking to the decks.

Boiler Room’s host Thristian bPm comments: “Our ideal to kick off this partnership was to take things back to basics, couple that with DOOM, JJ and the whole Lex family, both us and Red Stripe are hyped to say the least.”

The first Make Session is invite only, but can be viewed at www.boilerroom.tv/live

Lex Records Artists:

DOOM is a hip-hop/rap DJ who grew up in Long Island, New York. Previous incarnations include rapper Zev Love K whilst a member of KMD and MF (Metal Face) Doom – to this day he keeps his face hidden during live performances with a metal mask. He has collaborated with Danger Mouse on two releases under the name Danger Doom and will release a record with Jneiro Jarel later this year.

JNEIRO JAREL is an experimental American producer and MC noted and respected for his abstract, artistic style which fuses Acid Jazz and Afro-Brazilian with Hip-Hop and Broken Beat. Also known as Dr. Who Dat, he’s collaborated with artists such as Damon Albarn and Massive Attack and shared the stage with Jay-Z and Radiohead.

BOOM BIP is an American producer and musician whose music is mostly instrumental, although he has collaborated with vocalists. He is also known for the remixes he’s done for many artists on several different labels including Hot Hot Heat, Mogwai and Super Furry Animals.

Web: www.redstripe.net

Tumblr:  http://redstripelager.tumblr.com

Twitter: @RedStripeLager

Facebook: www.facebook.com/redstripelagerbeer

About Diageo

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business. With its global vision, and local marketing focus, Diageo brings to consumers an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys®, J&B, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Tanqueray, and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo trades in some 180 countries around the world and is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).  For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.

Please drink responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk

The RED STRIPE words and associated logos are trademarks © Desnoes & Geddes Ltd. 2011

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR

LONDON, Thursday 16th February 2012: Private Eye Magazine saw a significant jump in sales during the second half of 2011 with an average of 228,112 copies sold per fortnight, the highest sales figure for 25 years.

 With subscriptions currently running at an all-time high,the Gotcha Issue selling 253,704, the 50^th Anniversary issue in October selling a record 267,834 copies and the Christmas issue 255,975.

Editor Ian Hislop commented: “10% growth in a year, I feel like the chancellor – in his dreams.”

Sheila Molnar MD of Private Eye, commenting on the sales figures said: “It has been an amazing year for the Eye.   The publicity that our 50^thanniversary generated, the V&A exhibition, publication of the A-Z of Private Eye – The first 50 years, has had an enormous impact on sales. The first question I am always asked is “What is the secret of the Eye’s success?Simply, the magazine is entertaining, informative, and very reasonably priced at £1.50”

Private Eye is the satirical, bestselling news and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.

Published fortnightly, the magazine is read by almost 750,000 readers.

Its investigative journalism, biting wit and satirical comment make it essential reading for politicians, journalists, and anyone who wants an informed and witty look at the political and cultural life of the country.

 www.private-eye.co.uk

Twitter – @PrivateEyeNews

 For further  information, please contact Taylor Herring PR

London, Monday 30^th January, 2012: Elisabeth Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of Shine Group, will give this year’s MacTaggart Lecture at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, it was confirmed today.

Now in its 37^th year, for the first time the Festival will take place from Thursday to Saturday, with dates confirmed as 23^rd to 25^th August 2012.

The sessions lineup will include a masterclass on one of this year’s most talked about series, BBC One drama Sherlock, with appearances from show creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis and producer Sue Vertue. Further sessions will be announced in due course.

The prestigious MacTaggart Lecture always attracts major names from both UK and international broadcasting, and is known for producing controversial and agenda-setting speeches. Past MacTaggart speakers include Eric Schmidt, Mark Thompson, James Murdoch, Dennis Potter, Michael Grade, Verity Lambert, Ted Turner, Greg Dyke, David Liddiment, Peter Fincham, Charles Allen, Jeremy Paxman, John Mortimer and Rupert Murdoch.

Elisabeth Murdoch comments: “To be invited to deliver the MacTaggart lecture is a great honour and one I am delighted to accept. At such an incredibly exciting time for our ever changing industry it is a privilege to be entrusted with its most prestigious platform to address some of the countless challenges, extraordinary opportunities and profound questions that we collectively face. I am very much looking forward to it.”   

Advisory Chair of the Festival, Kenton Allen, comments: “Elisabeth is one of the foremost creative leaders in our business and she promises to give us a fascinating insight into what the future may hold for content creators. She is the first woman to give the MacTaggart in 16 years and the third member of the Murdoch family to give the speech. Both these facts, will I’m sure, give us a highly memorable launch pad for the 2012 festival. Together with a much more user friendly Thursday – Saturday schedule and the team behind Sherlock spilling the beans behind the drama of the year it’s already shaping up to be a very special event.”

Executive Chair of the Festival, Elaine Bedell, comments: “I’m very pleased in my second year as Executive Chair to be able to announce the first female MacTaggart lecturer for 16 years – and for it to be Elisabeth Murdoch, who is indisputably a major figure and a leading creative leader in the television community.   Liz has been both a broadcaster and a producer, has a major footprint in the States and across Europe, as well as the UK, and is uniquely placed to offer a broad,  insightful, and thoroughly well-connected appraisal of the many changes facing the media industry.”

Since founding Shine in 2001, Elisabeth Murdoch has steered its growth from a single multi-genre independent to an internationally renowned content group responsible some of the most respected and prolific production companies in the worlds of scripted and non-scripted television. Shine Group companies now number 27 across Europe, the USA and Australasia, and are responsible for some of the world’s best loved and travelled television programmes as well as encompassing international distribution, film production, social gaming and online broadcasting.

Elisabeth began her career in television at the Nine Network in Australia as a researcher in 1990, later joining Fox Television in Los Angeles as Programme and Promotion Manager for seven stations. She then went to the FX Cable Network as Director of Acquisitions. In 1995, she started her own company, EP Communications, managing two dominant NBC affiliate television stations KSBW-TV and KSB-TV. The stations won one national and five Californian Emmy Awards as well as the 1995 Peabody Award for Broadcast Excellence. Prior to setting up Shine, Elisabeth joined British Sky Broadcasting as General Manager before rising to Managing Director, Sky Networks with overall responsibility for Sky’s programming business, group consumer marketing and its news, film and entertainment channels. In 2008 Elisabeth was appointed a Tate Trustee and a Director of the UK Film Council.

Visit www.mgeitf.co.uk to register now. Follow the Festival at on @edinburghtvfest