Alison Klabacher

FOOTBALL fans who have been suffering withdrawal symptoms all summer will be celebrating this weekend when the new season kicks off.

And for those of you who don't have Sky TV or a season ticket, all the highlights of the big games, including Arsenal v Everton on Saturday, can be seen on The Premiership (ITV).

Football widows will more than likely be keeping up-to-date with the talent TV biggies Pop Idol and Fame Academy, though I'm more than a little dubious about the latter.

Watching the early shows where the viewers voted contestants into the Academy, I started wondering what exactly the Fame Academy judges wanted?

Alongside the truly talented contenders, some of the potential students were awful, but we are told they were chosen so that they can be 'improved', only to end up being ruthlessly slagged off to the nation by Simon Cowell wannabe Richard Parks.

Were they just there to make freak show TV? I can get that watching Eye of the Tiger man and the rest of the Pop Idol rejects.

Meanwhile BAFTA-nominated favourite Teachers continues to be a hit. You can catch the drama on Wednesday and Sunday (Channel 4, E4).