This is make or break for Michael..he needs to start earning money

DISGRACED comic Michael Barrymore has held secret talks with RTE and the BBC in an attempt to rescue his career.

The fallen ITV star - who recently remortgaged his home for pounds 750,000 - met two top RTE producers and Corporation chiefs a fortnight ago to discuss hosting a new music game show for the Beeb.

The Irish Sunday Mirror can reveal that Barrymore, who flies into Dublin today, wants to defect to the BBC to host a new programme being considered called The Lyrics Board.

He is desperate for cash after London Weekend Television suspended his pounds 2million-a-year contract this year pending the outcome of next week's inquest into the death of Stuart Lubbock in the star's swimming pool at his home in March 2001.

News of the talks is likely to anger LWT bosses who have yet to decide on the presenter's future.

Barrymore and BBC executives met Irish TV executives Andy Ruane and Philip Kampff who devised the music show, at a London hotel 10 days ago.

The group spent a week locked in a string of detailed meetings, running through every aspect of the show, which has been a hit on RTE for the last 11 years.

Versions of the show now run in 19 countries and it boasts 25million viewers in Russia alone. A source who was present at the talks said: "Michael admitted this is make-or-break for him. He needs to earn money.

"He sees the show as the perfect springboard to propel him back into the limelight. Michael is calling the show his big comeback.

"He sees his future on the BBC now. The BBC are really serious about this. The talks went on all week. It is fair to say the discussions are at an advanced stage."

Last night Ruane confirmed there had been a meeting in London with Barrymore.

The talks with BBC bosses suggest that Barrymore is convinced that LWT are ready to dump him anyway - despite one report that he could earn pounds 500,000 from a new LWT show called Clueless.

Under the terms of his current pounds 2million-a-year "golden handcuffs" deal Barrymore can only make shows for ITV.

When he signed it Barrymore was the brightest star on British TV and the highest-paid presenter on ITV, fronting a string of hit shows, including Strike It Lucky.

But 18 months ago his career was left in tatters when Lubbock, 31, died at the star's home after a late-night drugs party. He was said to have suffered horrific sexual injuries.

Post-mortem tests showed he had drowned and had traces of alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, in his body.

Barrymore was cautioned for the possession of cannabis. He later checked into a pounds 2,500-a-week rehabilitation clinic.

To add to his financial woes Barrymore is also being forced to pay substantial legal bills arising from Lubbock's death.

But in recent weeks Barrymore and his aides have secretly launched a charm offensive on BBC bosses.

They have asked for a meeting next month with BBC head of entertainment Jane Lush to assure her that the entertainer has completed his rehabilitation and is ready to return to TV.

Last night a BBC source said: "This is a very delicate situation. Michael was one of the biggest talents that British television has ever produced.

"He has been desperate to stress that he has turned over a new leaf and conquered his demons. But the question is should licence- payers' money be spent on a man so tortured by drink and drugs problems?"

In the wake of Lubbock's death Barrymore staked his reputation on a confessional TV interview with Martin Bashir in which he admitted taking cannabis, cocaine ecstasy and speed.

"Any time I wasn't working I would immediately start drinking and taking pills just to get me away," he said.

But the interview backfired and failed to improve Barrymore's tarnished image.

And Barrymore is yet to face an even sterner test next week when he comes face-to-face with Stuart Lubbock's family and is forced to give evidence at the inquest into the butcher's death.

Last night Andy Ruane said: "Michael and I have been friends for many years.

"He's always loved the show and many times said if he got an opportunity this is the show that he'd love to do.

"But obviously he was then committed to other programmes, but now he's free to look at other shows and pick the show he wants to do."

"Obviously he's done lots of other shows, but he's always wanted to do the Lyrics Board and this is his opportunity to do it and to make it his own."

Andy added: "Regardless of what channel it's on, this is the show Michael wants to do, that's the most important thing.

"It's a small TV world here, he's been aware of the show for a long time. There's a lot of fads have come and gone, from docu-soaps to reality TV to big money shows, that's all falling by the wayside now.

"But this is an absolute solid format, it still hasn't peaked. He loves it and he'll be great on it."

Andy struck a winning formula with the hit show which involves two teams of celebrities and a compere.

They pick numbers of what is called a "lyrics board", these numbers correspond to a word from a line in a song.

The team must then sing a song with piano backing with the word included. If they do this successfully they continue to hold the lyrics board and pick another number, getting another word.

The object is to guess the title of the song from the words they pick off the lyrics board.

Andy believes that the fun the celebrities have is secret of the show's success.

"For many of them it's a chance to be a bit different, a bit more relaxed. This makes the audience bond with them a bit more too.

"The great thing about this format is there are no prizes, it's epitomises light entertainment, really it's like good old fashioned variety. It's fun performance.

"We've always attracted interesting celebrities, this week we have Peter Sarstedt, and Brian Dowling of Big Brother fame is also coming on the Sunday recording.

"It really took off, it's the biggest show on TV in South Africa, 25million people watch it in Russia. The show is also a big favourite with audiences in Scandanavia and Europe. The show is also set to air this month in Israel."

Andy also confirmed negotiations are also underway for the Lyrics Board to be aired on US networks.

" Win a million, reality TV and even Weakest Link shows are all on the decline, particularly in the US.

"American networks all ask the same question now before they buy a show: 'How warm is it?' The Lyrics Board is all about celebs having a song and a laugh, it makes audiences fell warm and reassured. That's what they need right now.

"America doesn't want nasty TV. Right now America needs to hold hands and sing songs."

Andy said he was looking forward to seeing the likes of Britney Spears, Garth Brooks and Billy Joel play. A big name actor is lined up to present the show in the US.

Andy's fellow creator, Philip Kampff, famous for producing the Gay Byrne Show, is just as big a fan of Barrymore as his colleague.

"We've been talking to him for a long time, we've just done a new series for RTE and he had seen the latest version and we got a call to come over to London and have a chat with him.

"We've always wanted him to do the show, we think he's perfect for it."

Copyright 2002 MGN LTD
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