NTV’s televised coverage of the recent wedding reception for actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (33) drew huge audience ratings. In the Kanto region it pulled in 24.7%, which would be a success for a TV drama, but in the Kansai area, where both stars are from, it got a whopping 40%, with a peak of 49.2%. That surpassed any Kimura Takuya drama or even the annual Kohaku special, at least in recent years. It is the second most popular TV broadcast of a reception after that of singer Go Hiromi and actress Nitani Yurie in 1987. Go was one of the performing guests at Wednesday event and advised the new couple not to end up like him. He and Nitani divorced in 2001.
• So-called “charisma housewife model” Kuroda Taeko (45) has divorced after 16 years of marriage. She became a popular model while a university student but retired after she married. After raising a daughter she re-started her career with a new image as a housewife and mother. Last year, she was a regular on the popular afternoon variety show “Waratte Ii Tomo” and made her actng debut in the TV drama series “Taiyou no Uta”. She retains custody of her daughter, now 16, and plans to continue her career.