"ER" execs have been tight lipped about George Clooney's return to the show, but now the cat's out of the bag with plot details and an exact air date. Executive producer John Wells tells People that George and co-star Julianna Margulies will reunite on March 12. Will the two star-crossed lovers finally have a happy ending? Wells wrote the episode and hints, "I want their story to be very fulfilling in the end." Meanwhile, a show insider tells the mag that their storyline features Susan Sarandon, who will make her "ER" debut as a grandmother grief-stricken over the sudden death of her grandson. "If you're a fan of ER, you won't want to miss this one," Wells says.

From Traveling Pants to a new white coat: Alexis Bledel is set to guest-star on the two-hour series finale of ER. Bledel, who starred in the Sisterhood of Traveling Pants movies and played daughter Rory for seven seasons on TV cult favorite Gilmore Girls, will scrub in as new intern Dr. Julia Wise. The final episode will mark the 27-year-old's only appearance on the show, which is ending its run April 2 on NBC. Bledel joins a list of stars scrubbing into ER for the farewell season, including George Clooney, whose episode will air March 12.

A producer of the hit reality series reveals whether Lauren Conrad is ready to move on to less hilly pastures. Producer Liz Gately tells the Associated Press that season five of "The Hills," premiering March 30, will be Conrad's last. Gately says the 23-year-old reality starlet is ready to pursue other ventures and reclaim some of her privacy. The show is now exploring how to carry on without Conrad, who'll receive a grand send-off, Gately says.

The Seth McFarlane created animated sitcom has worn its rainbow pride on its shoulder before but tonight it goes all the way. The Seth McFarlane created animated sitcom has worn its rainbow pride on its shoulder before but tonight it goes all the way. The episode, titled Family Gay, premieres on Fox tonight, Sunday, March 8. A Fox press release about the episode described the premise of the show: “To help pay off his incredible debt, Peter participates in medical experiments to make some extra cash. First, he is injected with the 'Seth Rogen' gene that 'gives you the appearance of being funny even though you haven't actually done anything funny'. Then he is injected with a gene that leads him to a new mate, leaving a broken-hearted Lois behind. Although the family is crushed, they quickly realize the most important thing is that Peter is happy.” McFarlane first talked about the gay-themed episode in an interview with gay monthly The Advocate last year. Special guest-voice by Seth Rogen (Zack and Miri Make a Porn) as the “Seth Rogen” gene.

The real-estate market may be sagging in real life, but it's looking up on TV: The CW has reportedly signed a deal for Ashlee Simpson-Wentz to move into “Melrose Place.” he singer-actress, 24, plans to return to TV as a small-town girl who arrives in Los Angeles with a big secret, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The character she will play — seven years after her first big role on the WB's “7th Heaven” — is said to resemble the Southern-belle-turned-actress portrayed on the original “Melrose” by Amy Locane, says the trade paper. Simpson-Wentz and her rocker husband, Pete Wentz, will also guest star on the March 18 episode of CBS's “CSI: NY” as a Bonnie-and-Clyde-like couple who get caught up in a drug deal gone bad.

"ER"'s ratings heartrate spiked Thursday night as George Clooney made his higly anticipated return to the show. Clooney's appearance as Dr. Doug Ross delivered the medical drama it's best viewership ratings in two years, says Reuters. The star departed the show in 1999 to pursue his movie career. "ER" is now in its final season.

The eighth season finale of "Smallville," which will leave two dead, is currently filming in Vancouver, and ET talked to Cassidy Freeman to find out who will bite the dust! "It is very hush-hush," the actress who plays Tess Mercer tells ET. "They only give you your scenes, but they won't tell you what is going on." "Smallville" will be returning for a ninth season. The hit series was given an early pickup when Tom Welling agreed to sign on for another season as Clark Kent. His is the one character who is safe. And, according to Freeman, the Justice League will be back. But that is all she can say, although one death is alleged to be a long-running character. "They are not even telling us," she says. "They are holding off as long as they can [letting us know] who is coming back next year. The show is going into season nine. I don't know if Tess Mercer is going into season nine." The title of the finale, airing on May 13, is "Doomsday," which could indicate a final fight between Clark and Doomsday.

Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne are back on TV, but this time they are hosting a variety show. Okay, the Osbournes don't do anything the regular way, so the new show features audience interaction, rowdy comedy and hilarious stunts that will shock and amuse. Guest stars include Pamela Anderson and Miss Piggy. Before the show premieres, Sharon chats with ET about what folks can expect. What was it like working with your family again? Sharon Osbourne: It wasn't what I expected. It is very weird, because you can never go back in time. I thought it would be a continuation of the way it used to be. Now, my kids are young adults. They have their own opinions. Certain things Ozzy and I would say "Yes," and then there would be two voices behind us saying, "No. We don't like that." It was like, "Who are you?" It wasn't what we expected. It had been so long since we worked together that it was very, very different this time. You just mentioned how the kids have grown up. How proud are you as a mom now? Sharon Osbourne: I am incredibly proud. They branched out from us. They make their own living. They do extremely well doing what they do. I look at them now as well-rounded people. They have had such great experiences and unbelievable opportunities in their life. My daughter has done everything from working in West End theatre to her own radio show. My son has kept a series going for five years. He has hosted his own show in Europe for five years and is doing great documentaries. Can you give us an idea of what we are going to see on the "Osbournes Reloaded"? There is supposed to be a lot of audience interaction. Sharon Osbourne: There is. It is the wonderful world of the electronic age. It is very easy to get people off of Facebook and do pranks on them. You send them a ticket to come to the show. They are there, and they have no idea what is going to happen to them. So we do a lot of pranks from the audience. It is fun to see people being surprised. We don't do things to hurt people. It is all in good fun. Do you think there will be backlash? Is there anything that is borderline mean? Sharon Osbourne: I don't know because everybody has a different opinion. Some people might think it was funny; some people might think it was out of order. Do you care? Sharon Osbourne: I would be lying if I said, "Oh yes, I care." I know as far as my barometer goes on being mean and not being mean, we were not being mean. It was all in good fun. How is Kelly and the rest of the family doing? Sharon Osbourne: You know we have been so open about our lives. My husband has struggled with addiction his entire life. My son has been clean and sober for six years and lives a very strict AA lifestyle. If anything, he is a beacon of hope to every young person in this country struggling with addiction, so when you talk about family, and we are a real family, we do not pretend to be something we are not. Do you know how many people in this country alone suffer from addiction? This is a terrible epidemic that covers every race. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, black or white. There is an epidemic of drugs and alcohol in this country, and my family is truthful about their condition and working through it, trying to better themselves as human beings. What is next? Sharon Osbourne: Jack leaves next week for "Adrenaline Junkie" in New Zealand. He works on that for four months. Kelly goes back to continue her radio show with the BBC. Ozzy is back in the studio. I am doing "America's Got Talent." "Osbournes: Reloaded" premieres Tuesday, March 31 on FOX at 9:20 p.m., following an expanded hour of "American Idol." Following the premiere, the show will return to the FOX schedule as a series of one-hour specials to air later in the season.

Viewers of last night's episode of the FOX doctor drama "House" know that actor Kal Penn departed the show in a shocking twist. Now find out why he is taking a break from acting to work for President Barack Obama. Penn, whose character Dr. Lawrence Kutner committed suicide in the episode, tells Entertainment Weekly that he decided himself to leave the show so he could spend time working on his other career passion. "I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the president and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison," Penn tells the magazine. He said his new position will focus on doing outreach activities to help connect the general public and the White House. "I've been thinking about [moving into politics] for a while. I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more. But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service."

Benjamin McKenzie marks his return to TV tonight in "Southland," a gritty police drama set in Los Angeles. Ben, who last played the Ryan Attwood, a down-on-his-luck kid who is taken in by Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) on "The O.C.," now plays the opposite side of the coin. His new character, Ben Sherman is a rich kid who forsakes college to join the L.A.P.D. "I've always thought of him as someone who is incredibly ambitious, who is incredibly focused and wants to leave his mark," the Texas-born actor says. "He chose to start off in law enforcement at the street level in order to go his own way. His father [a high-powered defense attorney] is doing something that is almost completely antithetical to what he is doing." "Southland," from Emmy Award-winning producers John Wells, Ann Biderman and Chris Chulack is a raw and authentic look at a police unit in Los Angeles that takes viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. To give the series its sense of reality, Chick Daniel, an ex-LAPD, ex-SWAT officer, and Sheila Daniel, also ex-LAPD, were hired as technical advisors and to train the actors. "We've hung out a lot with cops," Ben adds. "Chick and Sheila walked us through all sorts of things -- handcuffing, we went to the gun range, fired the weapons that are appropriate for our characters. We've also had the opportunity to do ride-alongs with cops all over L.A. from the valley to Hollywood to southeast and south metro L.A." "Southland" also stars Michael Cudlitz as John Cooper, a seasoned Los Angeles cop assigned to train young rookie Ben Sherman, Regina King, Tom Everett Scott and Shawn Hatosy. "Hopefully, this show will capture the zeitgeist at the moment, which is a little dark. We're in a tough time economically. L.A. is not immune from that," Ben says. "L.A. is, in my view, the quintessential American city of the 21st Century in that it's big, crazy and wild. You have extreme wealth knocking up against extreme poverty, and you have all sorts of ethnicities and cultures represented. L.A. is the perfect place to set a show like this."

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" and Harpo Productions are warning fans to be weary of e-mail scams that notify individuals of their nomination for the "Oprah Millionaire Contest" show. According to Oprah.com this is one of about a dozen scams being circulated through e-mail promising money, tickets, and travel from "The Oprah Show." Harpo Productions posted the following statement on their website: "Please note that 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' and Harpo Productions are not sponsors nor do we have any involvement whatsoever with this e-mail solicitation." For more details about e-mail scams visit Oprah's official website.

Lo Bosworth may not want to see her best friend Lauren Conrad leave The Hills, but she does think the series can survive without her. In fact, Lo thinks Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt could probably replace Ms. Conrad as the MTV reality show's headlining act. "They get great press on their own, so there's always the possibility that the show can do really well with them as main parts," Bosworth told us last night at the IS vodka-sponsored opening of new Hollywood nightspot Halo. Lo thinks, however, that season five may not end all L.C. appearances on The Hills... "[Lauren] hasn't filmed in weeks and she's really excited about that," Lo said. "I think she'll come back for special occasions and stuff, but we just don't know how many episodes she'll return for or if there will be another season. It's really just all up in the air." If Speidi does become the main attraction, a title change may be in order. Forget The Hills! Don't you think Divorce Court sounds so much more fun?

"Desperate Housewives" actress Nicollette Sheridan tells TV Guide Magazine that killing off her character, Edie Britt, could have "devastating ramifications" for the show. She tells the publication of her character's relationship with the show's creator Marc Cherry, "I think whoever Edie represented in Marc's life was somebody he didn't like. And he had a very difficult time distinguishing between fact and fiction." Nicollette says, for her, "Desperate Housewives" started to change. "When the show started it was such a different beast. It was exciting and dangerous and funny and edgy and bizarre. It started feeling a little complacent, and that was very frustrating." Marc says the show has been having financial troubles and according to TV Guide Magazine, cutting Nicollette will save the show $100-$200,000 an episode. "There has been tremendous pressure put on me to cut costs…the network is saying to all the shows, 'The company is really hurting financially. You must find a way to produce these shows more cheaply,'" he tells TV Guide Magazine. He continues, "Edie already slept with most of the guys on the street and has caused about as many problems as she could. … We will find a new kind of sexiness coming through Wisteria Lane. What I won't do is cast another fortysomething sexy blonde. … [Nicollette] performed the aging neighborhood tramp better than anyone has ever done before."

ET confirms that the nail-biting FOX drama "24" is heading to the Big Apple next season. The onscreen switch to New York will not change the fact that most of the series will still be shot in Los Angeles, a rep for FOX said. In addition to the location shift, the CTU anti-terror unit featured in the show will be lead by a new, yet-to-be-cast male character named Brian Hastings, according to FOX. Kiefer Sutherland portrays special agent Jack Bauer on the show, which each season takes viewers on an action-packed ride during episodes spanning a consecutive 24-hour period. The series is set to start shooting its eighth season next month.

A British woman took her chances auditioning for “Britain’s Got Talent;” little did she know her life was about to change. Susan Boyle’s audition for “Britain’s Got Talent” has garnered over 50 million hits on YouTube. Her shocking performance made her an instant star; she has appeared on the cover of numerous British papers and was even invited to join the legendary Oprah on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” according to BBC News. Boyle appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent” on Saturday, April 11 and sang in front of judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden. The 47-year-old was judged from the moment she stepped on stage because of her unattractive features and quirky behavior. The judges and audience members alike rolled their eyes and quickly dismissed Boyle of having any talent before she even opened her mouth to sing. However, once she started to belt out “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, the looks on everyone’s faces changed immediately. After only a couple bars of music, the crowd was on their feet applauding the brilliant singer and the judges were in awe. Boyle’s story is of defying the shallowness that some people possess. Holden recognized that the doubt she and her fellow judges had before Boyle started singing was “very cynical” and the performance was “the biggest wake-up call ever.” Morgan admitted that he and the judges thought Boyle would be a joke act that would give them all a good laugh, according to an interview with Entertainment Weekly. In an appearance with Boyle on CNN’s “Larry King Show,” he apologized to her for their negative attitude about her when she first came out on stage. “I'm sorry because we did not give you anything like the respect we should have done when you first came out,” he said. Morgan said that Cowell, notorious for his judging on “American Idol,” told him he’d never seen anything like Boyle’s performance in his entire career, according to EW. There is still plenty to see from Boyle as she still has to go through the semi-final and final competitions. According to Morgan, there are lots of other great acts for this season of “Britain’s Got Talent.” The pressure is on for Boyle who has tons of support from fans. No matter how she does in the competition, she has already made a name for herself in the entertainment world and even Morgan thinks she will be able to do anything she wants.

Thank you, Dana Delaney. The Desperate Housewives star hit the red carpet for the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards tonight in Los Angeles and was in quite a gossipy mood. Dana confirmed a few Wisteria Lane rumors that have been floating around for the past two days, and here's how it went down. [Don't read past the jump if you don't want it spoiled.] We hear your character, Katherine, might be pregnant on the show. Is that true? I heard that one today too. I think that would be really a miracle if I got pregnant. I do know that Mike [James Denton] and I have a romantic announcement. You and Mike are getting engaged? Possibly. But, aren't Susan [Teri Hatcher] and Jackson [Gale Harold] getting engaged? Yep. And, Katherine and Mike are getting engaged too? Yep. So, that's a yes to you're both getting engaged? Yes. I hope I don't get in trouble. How does your proposal go down? It's funny the way it goes down. Let's say that Katherine knows what she's doing. Wait, do you propose to him? [She gave us a coy look, raised her eyebrows and laughed.] I'll take that as a maybe. Actually, the proposal is very Mike-like. That's all I'll say. Before you get too excited, consider this: Just because there are two proposals doesn't necessarily mean there will be two answers of "yes" to those proposals or two weddings. We caught up with Teri Hatcher at the Desperate Housewives Paley Fest panel on Saturday afternoon and asked her if she says "yes" to Jackson's proposal, and she told us, "I can't tell you that." But she did dish this: "The first scene where [Gale's] back on the street is really spicy. It was really great to see him again and I think all that came across on film, so it's great to have him back." If Susan and Jackson do get hitched, show creator Marc Cherry might end up putting a wrench in their happiness down the road. On the topic of Susan and Mike getting back together, Marc told the Paley audience, "The idea is we'll get back there. I don’t know when. If ABC makes a deal with all of us, it looks like we have a few years to play this out, so I would imagine at some point in time Susan and Mike will find their way back in each other's universe. Denton hopes to be back in Hatcher's universe sometime soon too. He tells us, "I loved working with Teri for the first four seasons and hopefully will continue to. I think in the big picture, most people hope Mike and Susan will make their way back around to each other, but right now it’s Mike and Katherine. Mike and Katherine are a weird couple which is kind of fun, but it makes sense because Katherine is the anti-Susan. She's very stable, there's no drama, so it's easy to see why Mike is drawn to her." What do you think of the two potential engagements? Do you like these couples, or do you hope that Susan and Mike will find their way back to each other one day?

Ever since the addition of Kara DioGuardi at the American Idol judges table was announced, speculation has mounted that the fourth judge's presence implies a potential Paul Abdul departure. To hear producers tell it, though, they were just looking for ways to change up the show. But in an interview on Nightline airing Thursday, the "Forever Your Girl" singer does little to dispel the myth. Coanchor Cynthia McFadden asks the petite star if she would like to stay on the show or not, and, as is her wont, Abdul doesn't really answer the question. "I love the show, I do," she says. "I love what I do on the show, and I'm loving it more this season than ever. It's taken me a while to get comfortable in my own skin with the show." Earlier in the interview, Abdul, whose contract is up at the end of this eighth season, shares that she only found out about the fourth judge on her way to the airport for the first round of auditions, and Randy Jackson learned about it around the same time. "I was surprised because Simon [Cowell] had always been against the fourth." McFadden then asks Abdul if she thinks DioGuardi will replace her. "I don't think anyone [can]," she confides. "First of all, Kara says, 'I could never replace you.' And I said, 'Whenever there is change, it's not about replacing anybody. It's about possibly moving on.' " Hmmm… In the meantime, Abdul continues her party line that she and DioGuardi have no tension between them and that she's happy for the songwriter's success. And, of course, she blabs about her feelings on her frenemy, Cowell. "He's a bully, he's a masterful bully," she says, admitting that he has the biggest ego on the show. "The first day I went to work on season one, I quit seven times…I couldn't believe that someone was actually getting away with crushing fragile kids."

ABC announced early pickups for its 2009-2010 season, and "Ugly Betty," which many felt was in danger of cancellation, got the green light for a fourth season. Fans of "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Brothers & Sisters," "Dancing with the Stars," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Private Practice," "Supernanny," and "Wife Swap" can also breathe a sigh of relief, as these shows were also given early pickups.

"American Idol" is down to the Top Five: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen and Matt Giraud. So which two singers will go face-to-face for the finale on Tuesday, May 19? "I would put my money on Adam and Danny ... It is going to be Adam and somebody," judge Simon Cowell told ET at a press conference for his NBC series, "America's Got Talent," premiering Tuesday, June 24 at 9 p.m. "I would like to see Adam and Danny because I think they are the best two singers, and at the end of the day that is what should happen." This season saw the inception of a fourth judge -- Kara DioGuardi -- to the "American Idol" panel and Simon says, "I like Kara. The more I get to know her, the more I like her. You can't make the same show forever. You have got to make changes because people will get bored. So anything that promotes change, I will push for." Kara, who has written songs for past "American Idol" winners, including Kelly Clarkson, is in the running as the writer of the single that this season's winner will first record, but Simon says it is not a sure thing. "She is certainly in the right place, but it has got to be a good song," he points out. "We wouldn't guarantee it just because it is her, but she is a great songwriter." Simon only has one more year on his "American Idol" contract and he is seriously thinking of leaving to work on other TV projects. So ET asked, "Is it a done deal, or can FOX make him an offer that he can't refuse?" "Maybe I did speak a little too openly in the beginning. I hinted at [leaving] and then people started asking me questions. If you asked [FOX], they would say the same thing. We always said there would be a finite time," he tells ET. "I have had a good eight years. We never thought we would get beyond one season. I can honestly say it is the best eight years of my life, but you get to a point where you go, 'Maybe it is time for a change.' It has got nothing to do with the relationship with FOX, because we get along brilliantly. We haven't even sat down [to negotiate]. I may be premature. They may say, 'We don't want you.'" "American Idol" returns Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m. on FOX, when the Top Five sing songs made famous by the Rat Pack.

NBC announced today that its 2009-2010 schedule will include four new dramas and two new comedies. Read on to find out if your favorite shows are coming back! The new dramas are "Parenthood," "Trauma," "Mercy" and the limited run series "Day One." The two comedies are "Community" and "100 Questions." Return series that received a pickup are "Heroes," "Southland," "Parks and Recreation," as well as six new episodes of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday." These join the previously announced "The Office," "30 Rock," "The Biggest Loser," "The Celebrity Apprentice," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Friday Night Lights," and new alternative series "The Marriage Ref," "Breakthrough With Tony Robbins" and "Who Do You Think You Are?" Also, "The Jay Leno Show" will be broadcast Monday-Fridays, 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in the fall. Several series are still on the cusp, including "Chuck," "Law & Order," "Medium" and "My Name Is Earl." The peacock network said it will announce additional pickups and renewals on May 19, when it holds a comedy event for advertisers. "We are thrilled to be announcing such an awesome slate of new series that build on our existing quality brand and deliver emotional, human stories," said Ben Silverman, co-chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC will strive to make viewers feel and our shows represent the full range of human emotion from laughter to tears. We can't wait to share these concepts with our audience and our advertising partners."