Tuesday bits’n’pieces

BBC confirms that the second series of Mistresses has started filming. (Remember, you heard confirmation of its return first on TV Today). The original principals all return, with cast members including Natasha Little, who will be forever known as the scheming Rachel from This Life, Oliver Milburn (Holby Blue), Steven Brand (Doctors and, for those with very long memories, Casualty) and Mark Umbers (recently on stage in Funny Girl at the Minerva, Chichester). More at the BBC press release.

Classic ITV game show The Krypton Factor is returning to the small screen, thanks to sponsors Sage, who will be paying the programme costs in the broadcaster’s largest ad-funded programming deal to date. The series’ previous host, Gordon Burns, may not return to the chair, telling journalists last year that “they’d go for a handsome young person to do it, not me”. Please God, don’t let Vernon Kay anywhere near it…

Homegrown CBBC animation Frankenstein’s Cat has been recommissioned. The show, which features the vocal talents of Joe Pasquale, is made by Altrincham-based Mackinnon & Saunders.

Olympic medal-winning gymnast Louis Smith harbours desires to be a TV singer. He told The Guardian that “I was going on X Factor this year. I had an audition date in London and everything - but it was two days before I flew out to a competition and Paul [Hall, his coach] stopped me. So I’ll have to apply next year and see if I can go all the way.”

Actress Jane Seymour wants to work in the UK again. Currently in Cannes at the Mipcom international TV conference to promote her new TV project Dear Prudence, she told MediaGuardian: “I would love to do English projects but I haven’t been offered anything.”