EDDIE MURPHY’s Eighties movie Trading Places is the inspiration for a new TV project.
The Channel 5 show has the same name and will see two people with very different lifestyles have to walk in one another’s shoes.
So you might end up watching a banker try his hand at farming, or a violinist become a lorry driver, or a ballerina ditch their tights in favour of working on an oil rig.
It is based on the story at the heart of comedy Trading Places, which sees Eddie’s down-and-out character Billy Ray Valentine trade positions with upper-class stock broker Louis Winthorpe, played by Dan Aykroyd.
Meanwhile, snobbish Louis becomes a street hustler and pals with local hooker, played by Jamie Lee Curtis.
A TV insider said: “While this has strong echoes of the 1983 movie, it has a retro feel to it for more than one reason.
“The new project definitely has a whiff of Channel 4’s Wife Swap or Faking It, which were hugely successful in the Nineties and Noughties.
“Though this does take things to higher level, as there is an implied amount of competition given that it’s two people trying to excel in the other’s field of expertise.”
But the experience goes much further than their nine-to-five job.
The participants will live in one another’s houses, take over their hobbies, and even socialise with their friends and families.
They will even have to follow the other’s sleep routines — and neither has the faintest idea what the other does for a living before they start filming the show.
DAMIAN’S GALAXY OF STARS
ACTING royalty DamiaN Lewis brought together a galaxy of stars for the launch of Lightroom’s Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs.
The attraction, in King’s Cross London, is a new immersive experience that takes visitors back to prehistoric times, 66 million years ago.
Damian, who played Henry VIII in the BBC’s Wolf Hall dramas, lends his dulcet tones to proceedings as the narrator.
But at the official launch he was also playing host to a string of famous pals including Billie Piper and GMB host Kate Garraway.
Other big names attending included Kay Burley, Anita Rani, Charlotte Ritchie and Matt Johnson.
The prehistoric world was brought vividly to life through Lightroom’s cutting-edge 360-degree projection technology – and all to the sound of a score by Hanz Zimmer.
LIAM’S GIFT TO SINGERS
NICOLE SCHERZINGER has told how co-star Liam Payne would put in extra hours behind the scenes of Building The Band to help the wannabes.
The late singer is also a judge and mentor on the Netflix talent show that launched yesterday.
It was filmed prior to his shock death last October.
Nicole, who was a guest judge on The X Factor in 2010 when Liam found fame with One Direction, said of his time on Building The Band: “He was in his happy place coming full circle, having started out in a similar situation on a talent reality show, and then having the global success that he has had, and then to be able to give back and to mentor bands.
“He put in the extra hours to work with these bands even off screen.
“He was giving back and that’s one of his gifts.”
AMY SET FOR LAST LAUGH
THE first comedian primed to join a new star-studded cast of Jimmy Carr’s Last One Laughing is Amy Gledhill
She has been snapped up by Prime Video for the second series of the hit comedy show, which drops next year.
Jimmy is back to host the show challenging ten of the UK’s funniest people enter a room for a six-hour battle of wills – where the last one to laugh is crowned the winner.
Amy will follow in the footsteps of Bob Mortimer, Daisy May Cooper and Joe Lycett who featured in the first outing.
An insider told The Sun: “Amy is not massively known as yet, but she’s a rising star who has already achieved acclaimed success at the UK National Comedy Awards and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
“Last One Laughing is the perfect opportunity to show off her talent – and help catapult her onto the worldwide stage.”
ROSE’S THRILLER GROWS
ITV has commissioned a second series of thriller Code of Silence which stars Rose Ayling-Ellie.
The first, six part series was widely acclaimed when it aired on ITV1 and ITVX in May and June and the first episode consolidated with 7.5m viewers
In particularly, people tuning in were impressed by it putting a deaf character, Alison, at the heart of the action.
Former EastEnders and Strictly winner Rose, who plays the key role, said: “I’m so proud that Code of Silence has been recommissioned.
“The response to the first series has been incredible, and it means so much to be part of a drama that not only keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, but also puts a Deaf character at the heart of the story.
“I’m really excited to see where Alison’s journey goes next and to be working again with the wonderful cast, crew and creative team behind the show.”
A NEW trailer has dropped for series two of Netflix hit Wednesday, and it suggests Jenna Ortega‘s eponymous lead is in grave danger.
During one of her psychic visions, she learns her best friend Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers) will die and it is her fault. It lands on August 6.
NETFLIX’s longest-running unscripted series Queer Eye has been canned.
The lifestyle show followed the Fab Five – experts in fashion, design, relationships, grooming and interiors – as they made over willing contributors.Since its 2018 debut more than 90 episodes have been aired.
