series aired. 3 February – The Martin Bashir documentary Living with Michael Jackson is broadcast on ITV1. The revelations of Jackson's controversial personal life in the programme is one of the many factors that leads to his trial for child molestation. Launch of Channel U. 4 February – Channel 4 News airs an interview conducted by veteran politician Tony Benn with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. 6 February – Prime Minister Tony Blair appears on BBC Two's Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman and a live audience where he is questioned about the Iraq crisis. Blair is also taken aback when Paxman asks him about his Christian faith and whether he and US President George W. Bush have prayed together. 8 February – Phil Mitchell is to leave EastEnders later that year as Steve McFadden takes a break from the show. 9 February – After a long delay, BBC Choice is replaced by BBC Three. The opening night is simulcast on BBC Two. 9–10 February – ITV1 screens the controversial two-part drama The Second Coming, set around the return to Earth of Jesus Christ in modern-day Manchester. 10 February – During an interview on ITV's This Morning, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees brands Graham Norton as scum after the comedian made a joke about the singer's late brother, Maurice on his Channel 4 chat show, V Graham Norton the day after his death. 12 February – In the weeks leading up to the Iraq War, the BBC screens a series of programmes examining the case for and against war. The centrepiece of this is Iraq Day: The Case For and Against War, a 90-minute programme on BBC One on that day. Presented by Peter Snow, the programme analyses the possible implications of a war in the Middle East and attempts to gauge public opinion on the subject with a viewers poll. 20 February – The 2003 BRIT Awards are held at London's Earls Court. Two of the acts, Ms. Dynamite and Coldplay, use their awards acceptance speeches to criticise plans for US-led military action in Iraq. 22 February – After an absence of six years, After Dark returns to television. 24 February 19.4 million watch Coronation Street as Richard Hillman confesses to the murder of Maxine Peacock. the highest rated show of the year. Mersey Television boss Phil Redmond criticises broadcasting watchdogs for forcing television to "dumb down" after the Independent Television