24 Season 7 Update: Chloe Returns, Bill Buchanan Axed, Africa Plot Vetoed, Shooting Delayed & Kiefer's Hint

24 uber-geek Chloe O'Brien (left) has been confirmed as a definite returnee for the highly anticipated season 7 of the Sky One drama.

Producers had indicated that the show was set to go in a new direction with only Jack returning as well as a few old favourites. It appears that Chloe is one of them. Interestingly Chloe found out she was pregnant at the end of season 6, so we may even see a bambino O'Brien in the up-coming season. No word on her on/off partner Morris as yet - maybe he'll be looking after the toddler while Chloe helps Bauer down the bad guys?

One 24 favourite who will not be returning, as things stand, is old safe hands himself Bill Buchanan - played by James Morrison (not the singer with the feminine haircut). The silver fox of CTU appears to be out of the picture as James said this on his personal website:

"At present, it looks as though I will not be back for season seven, since the show is moving in new directions. "

If Buchanan is out of the game then it's a safe assumption that Karen Hayes will be as well. We've already reported that Tom Lennox is unlikely to feature in anything more than a guest appearance which would indicate that D.B Woodside's President Wayne Palmer is also firmly out of the picture. A presidential story is still expected though with the smart money being a on 24's first female President.

Meanwhile, the shooting of season 7 has been put back 3 weeks thanks to a script re-write. The producers had planned on subplot based in Africa, but after failing to find a suitable fake location, the story writers have been forced to re-think this premise. Here's what Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brien, above left) had to say:

"I don't know what's going on over there, but they're going crazy,"

"We usually start [back up] at the end of July, and I don't think we're starting until a couple weeks into August now. It's kind of exciting, because I think [the postponement] means that they're really having to dig in there and come up with new stuff."

With only Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) and Chloe confirmed up to now it is looking like a whole new concept for season 7 with no CTU involement whatsoever. While filming a Citroen ad (no accounting for taste there Kiefer) in Brazil, Sutherland revealed this juicy tidbit about the forthcoming plot:

“Bauer will be his own boss, at the end of the sixth season he’s tired, disillusioned with the government and doesn’t want to have anything more to do with the presidency,”

“He’s going to be on his own.”

Sounds good, but not entirely accurate, as we know Chloe is going to pop up in some capacity, probably as early as episode one.

Chloe Returns + Africa Plot & Production Delays

Bill Buchanan Out Of The Picture

Kiefer's Season 7 Tidbit

Poo Flushed, Charley & Nikki Face Fake Friday

So the secret is out and so is actress Thaila Zucchi. 'Pauline' has been revealed as a fake and has left the asylum. Most of the housemates were sorry to see her go, well most except Charley who branded her a bitch. Amusingly Charley branded her fellow housemates 'mugs' for falling for Pauline's tricks, ironic words indeed from the girl who believed that Pauline had psychic powers and could see the future via a half eaten hamburger......

Even more pleasingly the fake eviction pencilled in for Friday pits Charely against bosom buddy Nicky. With this being a fake eviction, the exit interview will run as normal only for Davina to inform the fallen housemate that they are heading straight back into the BB ranch. The twist being the other housemates will get to watch the interview on a plasma. For sheer comedy value it has to Charley who gets the interview - she will bitch like no other and then have to return to face the music. Friday night promises fireworks indeed.

G'Day Pauline! Laura Out! Ziggy & Chanelle Go Pop!

Plenty to report in our latest BB Blog entry as Pauline enters the house, Laura is ejected and the Ziggy/Chanelle love-in comes to a premature end.

There were no surprises on Friday as the bookies backed the right horse and Laura was promptly ejected to a mixed reaction. If there was anything of interest to report from her exit interview then we would comment on it. Sadly there wasn't.

Moving away from the Shrek look-a-like we can now tell you all about the more aesthetically pleasing Pauline (left). Except she isn't actually called Pauline, no, her real name is Thaila Zucchi and her real occupation is that of a jobbing actress. 'Pauline' has been sent in on a secret mission to hoodwink the housemates, her 'tasks' include pretending to be Australian, pretending to be psychic and having to call Brian 'Ryan' - a bit like the old Only Fools gag with Trigger and Rodney.

So far she is just about scraping by. While some of the less intellectual housemates have been taken in, you know who you are Ryan, others are already beginning to smell a rat. Wily old bi-sexual Carole is the first to clock that all may not be as it seems and has already worked out it's a set-up. Which is good news for the housemates. Because if Carole acts on her hunch then the housemates win this weeks shopping task. If they somehow fail to rumble the Ozzie (actually a Swindoner) then they lose the task. Should be interesting.

Meanwhile, over in lovers lane, Ziggy and Chanelle have decided to call time on their relationship. The Posh and Becks of BB have driven each other to breaking point and following a stream of arguments the affair is now well and truly off.

Our money is on the Zigster to make a move for Pauline/Thaila in the coming days. It would be worth it just to see Chanelle's face.

BB8 Latest - Bookie's tip Taffy for the axe

According to the bookmakers the Great British Public will opt to save Posh Spice wannabe Chanelle and decide to get rid of the not so loveable Laura for the fourth BB eviction.

Laura started out as one of the favourites, but her recent behaviour; mainly consisting of two faced jibes, whining and shouting has failed to endear her to the voters. She is also quite the sight without her make-up on.

While Chanelle isn't the most popular candidate on the outside world, there is a genuine interest in her relationship with his Ziggyness and it seems that many women have sympathy for Posh, sorry, Chanelle, who it seems is being strung along by the serial womaniser.

Meanwhile, one of the token older housemates departed of his own accord as Jonathan left the BB house. Sadly his grandmother passed on and he decided he couldn't miss the funeral. Quite right too. He seemed a decent sort and it's a testament to the chap that he didn't have any nominations this week.

The housemates also passed this weeks 7 sins task, well all except Charley, whose punishment was to be locked away in the sin-bin while her housemates partied on!

All in all not a bad week for BB.

Brian and Liam are the firm favourites to win at the moment but there is still a long way to go.

Bootiful food victory for Chef Ramsay...

So then just a few episodes after upsetting just about every horse lover in the country following on from Janet Street-Porter's horse eating meat controversy, Gordon Ramsay's F-Word show has turned from public enemy number one to championing the rights of the great meat eating British public and their rights to know the origin of supermarket food.

Janet Street-Porter was challenged with taking troubled food retailer Bernard Matthews to task over his less than clear labelling policy. Following on from what was a highly successful meeting it has been agreed that from September all Bernard Matthews labelling will be much clearer and all meat which has been bred in the UK will carry the Red Tractor logo on its packaging. Bootiful Gordon and Janet.

Louis Back On The X-Factor

The bizarre choice to replace Louis Walsh with Brian Friedman on the X-Factor has been reversed - just days into filming the new series.

Louis has rejoined the panel following his sacking which garnered loads of publicity a couple of months ago.

New judge Brian Friedman has been sent back behind the camera and will now help the talent on their chereography and dance techniques. Leaving Louis to re-stablish his on screen war with Cowell, Sharon and new judge Danni Minogue.

The original choice to sack Louis wasn't a shock to us, after all, he made many a ridiculous decision and frequently favoured Irish acts ie, the dreadful Conway sisters.

However the decision to replace him with Freidman was ridiculous - this guy is nothing more than a dancer - fine for Grease Is The Word - but someone should remind Simon Cowell and the producers that the X-Factor is a singing contest.

Good news for Louis then, but we don't envisage that Kate Thornton will be getting 'the call' anytime soon.......

Louis is BACK!

Four new stars join Prison Break

Sky One's latest acquisition Prison Break welcomes four new faces for the up coming third season as the popular prison based drama aims to go in a slightly new direction. Joining Michael Schofield (Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) in season three will be:

Robert Wisdom - who takes on the role of a Panama drug lord (you may know him from The Wire).

Chris Vance - will play a mysterious con named 'The Whistler.'

Danay Garcia - takes the role of Sofia and is Whistler's girlfriend - she looks like she could be the top totty this year.

Jodi Lyn O'Keefe - joins as unamed villain operating for 'The Company.'

The action is set to go down in Panama where Michael Schofield has been incarcerated following Season 2's shock ending.

Full Story: New cast takes shape