Dido has sold eighty billion albums around the world and helped clear the way for coma-pop artists to truly blossom in the Noughties (James Blunt sends his thanks, and a cat), but where has she been for the past couple of years? We haven't heard from her since her 2003 album 'Life For Rent' (or, as Popjustice once put it - I can't find a link but it's stuck with me all this time - 'Personality for rent, one woman owner, rarely used.'). That's five years! An incredibly long time in the world of pop music, and certainly enough for many to suspect a large chunk of her fans would have found their way out from under the doona by now, never to purchase her particular brand of sleepy mewling again.

Well, her time out of the spotlight is ov-ah - she's coming back with a new record she's made with acclaimed producer Jon Brion.

Pop star Dido has announced her return to the music scene with a new album following a five-year absence.

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Thanks for this, Clem!

Do you remember Ricky Muscat? From Australian Idol in 2006?

Here's what he's up to now.

Yes, he's guesting on the track 'The Return' by Melbourne ensemble 2Legit. And what a fine job he's done!

Oh, and according to the YouTube page, "2Legit is the fans".

Wait, what?!

So last night I did a very rare thing. I sat down in front of the telly with a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down notes as I watched the very first episode of Australian Idol for 2008. Paper and a goddamn pen - what is this, the Victorian era?

Well, it was certainly the Victorian auditions on Idol, judging by the many exciting shots of Melbourne landmarks. As my friend Fluffy said after the camera rushed down Degraves Street, "God, Melbourne is so cool - when you view it through the eyes of the Idol crew".

Anyway. In what I hope is chronological order, let me transfer my highly insightful notes on the show off this "paper" I'd previously only heard about from museum curators onto the interwebs.

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When it comes to radio presenters who double as comedians, more often than not you could be forgiven for thinking that the commercial radio networks' definition of "comedy" was closer to "funereal" than "funny", so let's give thanks for the Nova Network's Ed Kavalee. Wrong Way Home's Kavalee (also a regular in the supporting cast of Thank God You're Here) hopped a red-eye to interview Pink before she returns to Australia on tour, and he has plans to make her trip a memorable one:

"First I would take her to the Jam Factory to show off how good I am on the skill testers," he said.

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So, Australian Idol has begun - they couldn't even wait until after the Olympics closing ceremony, such was the enthusiasm of another year of hopefuls - and was it everything the incredible, Jacksons-aping, James Spargo-highlighting promos made it out to be? Let's hold hands and go over the jump to discuss Idol's opening salvo.

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Since Channel Seven have been portentously telling us about their post-Olympics premieres with the hilariously epic "AFTER THE OLYMPICS" promos for all their new material, it's doubtful that there's a single person in the country who doesn't realise that every network has been waiting for today (or, in Ten's case, last night) to start pummelling you with new shows and ratings-grabbing programming decisions. Got your TV guide and a highlighter ready? Good, here's the word from the network heads:

Seven will lead the launch with nine new or fresh series starting this week, with Nine and Ten staggering their news shows over several weeks.

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In the fast-paced world of television current affairs broadcasting, there's always someone younger and hungrier coming down the stairs behind you - just ask Naomi Robson, who was usurped by the younger, blonder Anna Coren. Well, now it's Coren's turn to be shown the door (on her request) from the Today Tonight desk. Who is readying their serious face and mistrust of migrants/plumbers/loan sharks/fat kids in anticipation of taking over Coren's spot? Welcome to the dollhouse, Samantha Armytage! Pay no attention to those "crickets and tumbleweeds" sound FX!

Armytage has been a seamless fill-in and is regarded inside Seven as a good reporter and a warm, natural television host - unlike the cooler Coren.

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