Known as Corrie’s much loved dry witted comedienne, Maggie Jones has been taken to hospital in need of a serious life-saving operation, The Mirror reports.

At 75-years-old, the sharp-tongued actress of on-screen character Blanche Hunt will battle for her life in desperate surgery in order to repair a ruptured spleen.

Friends say Maggie is “very poorly”, but the veteran wishes to retain privacy on the subject of her illness.

Meanwhile, ITV soap bosses will be rushing this morning to write the on-screen character out of the show, for the “foreseeable future” anyway, which will come as a blow to her millions of fans.

Seen as one of the crown jewels of Coronation Street, the bosses were careful in breaking the news to her friends and co-stars.

Blanche’s wry humour has become a very important element in surely one of the show’s all time favourite family, brilliantly portrayed by Jones over many years, for which the star has been commended in countless award ceremonies.

The most recent prize came from the Inside Soap ceremony for her deadpan delivery of intelligently witty dialogue.

Strictly Come Dancing is warm, traditional and professional. The series has become one of BBC1’s most watched programme’s for the last few years.

It is delectable, with quaint British touches such as doddery Bruce Forsyth crossed with the stern judge Craig Revel-Horwood. The jazzy feel is made complete by the live band, which provides the show with depth and originality.

Compared with The X Factor, the show wins hands down on quality. It might not be exhilarating, but it serves its purpose better than most programmes these days. (continue)

A snap of Cilla shedding a tear on the up-coming Piers Morgan show

Cilla Black broke down in tears in the premiere of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories

The Blind Date entertainer was brought to weep by the subject of the premature death of her baby daughter Ellen in 1975.

“It was awful. I could hear in the next room two women talking about their babies and I had none,” said Black.

“You blame yourself and think, ‘Maybe if I didn’t work, maybe if I rested’. But I worked through my other pregnancies, so why should this be different?” (continue)

Katie Price has revealed an extention of her recent reality show hit on ITV2, which performed admirably in the ratings with over a million viewers.

What Katie Did explored the former model’s life following her hugely publicised break-up with Peter Andre, continuing from 14 January 2010 for an eight part series. (continue)

Robbie Williams has revealed the height of his ‘drug hell’, including details of his addiction to heroin, to The Sun.

The 35-year-old singer described in amazing detail the last few days before he admitted himself to rehab, a decision he claims saved his life.

The former Take That star reached a point where he became coy over his existence, forming lethal cocktails of prescription drugs and becoming a user of cocaine, heroin and LSD.

Williams said: Williams told The Sun: “At the time you don’t give a fuck if you pop your clogs. I must have been very, very close. (continue)

Miley Cyrus has announced her new album Time of our Lives will be released in the UK for 9th November.

The full tracklisting is yet to be revealed, but her label has confirmed it will include ‘Before the Storm’, which features Jonas Brothers.

Released in the US in August, single ‘Party in the USA’ is currently No.2 in the charts. It will be released in Britain before the album is unveiled. (continue)

Bruce Forsyth was forced to make a U-turn yesterday on the subject of the Strictly Come Dancing race row involving professional dancer Anton Du Beke and partner Laila Ruass.

But will the uncanny resemblence between Forsyth and Du Beke in both looks and presenting style be enough to secure his future on the programme?

As BBC bosses desperately sought a cure for the bad press, the doddery host of the popular Saturday evening reality show told the British public to “get a sense of humour”.

Forsyth originally told Talk Sport radio: “We used to have a sense of humour about this. You go back 25, 30, 40 years and there has always been a bit of humour about the whole thing. (continue)

Sir Michael Gambon has reportedly revealed his refusal to read Harry Potter books.

The legendary actor, 68, has played the wise wizard Albus Dumbledore in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth film adaptation of the J.K Rowling novels.

Previously played by the deceased Richard Harris, Gambon said he fears he would put his acting into jeopardy if he picked up the novels. (continue)

Ant and Dec are one of British television’s most familiar men, hosting hit shows such as I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Britain’s Got Talent.

But what if they ever split up? It seems as unlikely as Richard and Judy divorcing, or as unlikely as Richard and Judy returning to our television screens.

Ant McPartlin revealed to the Daily Star who Dec’s replacement would be: “If I had to replace Dec it would need to be a competent TV presenter who’s done a bit of live telly.

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Fern Britton today admitted that her ten year stint on This Morning left her “insane” and “exhausted”.

The star, despite being on the programme for nearly as long as famous husband-and-wife pair Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, had shown her wayward, work shy nature before her departure.

Britton told of her almighty struggle in an interview with The Mirror, where she revealed: “I was permanently exhausted. So tired I didn’t know where to put myself and it nearly drove me insane. I was barely keeping my head above water. (continue)