Ricky Gervais' second series of Extras had speculative names attached to it even before the first series had aired. Not only that but HBO agreed to co-finance it before getting any audience response to the first in the US.

So there was talk of Madonna being signed for series two and Gervais chasing after Tom Cruise but now the production cogs are truly turning so the stories creeping out are no longer quite so speculative.

Up first is the report that Daniel Radcliffe has been asked to take part in an episode. Yes, Harry Potter himself has got a role alongside Diana Rigg. Although the plot remains a secret at this time Radcliffe stated, "I'm so excited that the night after I got the call I didn't sleep a wink. I know nothing about what I'm going to do but it's a great opportunity to do something different."

But it's not enough to cite stories of everyone who is supposedly going to feature but now some people are apparently getting upset that they haven't been invited to guest. In all fairness Matt Groening has a certain amount of justification to gripe as it would only have been polite to return the compliment after Gervais has just appeared (vocally) in a Simpsons episode.

Taking it with much humility, Groening said, "He didn't ask me," but went on to say, "It would have been perfect for me because I worked as an extra when I first moved to Los Angeles in 1978."

Finally is Gervais's statement that he has been playing mind games with the press by leaking misleading A list names. Of course he didn't absolutely state that any of the names already mentioned weren't in the show. Gervais said, "Maybe I deliberately planted misleading stories in the papers."