ITV drops Pushing Daisies episode

ITV drops Pushing Daisies episode

The second episode of Anna Friel's hit US drama Pushing Daisies will not be screened by ITV, it has emerged.

The UK broadcaster bought the rights to the entire nine-part series, but only has space in its schedule to show eight programmes before Euro 2008 begins.

Viewers will skip straight to episode three of the modern-day fairytale, about a man who brings people back from the dead - including his first love.

Episode one brought 5.7 million viewers to ITV1 on Saturday night.

"Episode two was the only show we could drop without spoiling the storyline," an ITV spokesman said.

Repeat showing

The missing instalment sees lead character Ned coming to terms with his power, interspersed with flashbacks to his childhood - including a school lesson where he was expected to dissect a frog.

As with the first episode, it was directed by Men In Black and Addams Family film-maker Barry Sonnenfeld.

However, ITV said the programme would "be shown at some point because the series will be repeated".

The broadcaster said its decision was due to the US writers' strike, which meant only nine episodes of Pushing Daisies were made.

The series has made former Brookside star Anna Friel a household name in the US.

It won her a Golden Globe nomination for best actress, although she was beaten to the prize by Tina Fey, who writes and stars in comedy series 30 Rock.

A second series is due to start filming later this year.

ITV and the BBC will split coverage of the Euro 2008 football tournament, which begins on 7 June.

More US troops for Afghan force

More US troops for Afghan force

The US intends to send a "significant" number of extra troops to aid Nato's effort in Afghanistan in 2009, Defence Secretary Robert Gates said.

The unspecified increase will come regardless of whether US troop levels in Iraq are reduced later this year.

US President George W Bush had told Nato leaders about the anticipated troop boost during their summit in Romania, Mr Gates said.

The US currently has about 17,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan.

"The president indicated that he expected in 2009 that the United States would make a significant additional contribution," said Mr Gates.

He was speaking to reporters on his plane as he flew from the Bucharest summit to the Gulf state of Oman.

'Bipartisan support'

The defence secretary added combating Taleban insurgents in Afghanistan would remain a high priority for the next US president, regardless of their political affiliation.

"I believe this is one area where there is very broad bipartisan support in the United States for being successful and I think that no matter who is elected they will want to be successful in Afghanistan," said Mr Gates.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had earlier said more French troops would be deployed to Afghanistan, easing fears of a crisis within the Western coalition there.

The US says the French move, expected to involve up to 1,000 extra soldiers, will free up some of its troops to move to southern Afghanistan, where Canada had demanded Nato reinforcements be sent.

Canada's parliament voted last month to extend its military mission in volatile southern Afghanistan to 2011 - but only if its allies sent reinforcements.

Mischa’s film runs in trouble!

Mischa Barton-starrer Malice In Wonderland has run into financial trouble.

And due to a lack of funding, the moviemaker Simon Fellows has decided to relocate his forthcoming remake of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice In Wonderland.

The film was due to be shot in the city in north east England, but a $500,000 funding shortfall has forced the picture’s bosses to Southend in Essex, south east England. In the movie, Barton will play an American student who, having been hit by a London taxi, finds herself disoriented in a strange city.