‘Tenors’ return to airwaves – on A&E

A&E has snatched “The Three Tenors” away from PBS – and will air their concert from Beijing’s Forbidden City on Sunday, Sept. 30 (8-10 p.m.).

The “Tenors” – Placido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti – performed in Beijing last June 23 for an audience of 40,000.

They were given unprecedented access to the Forbidden City by the Chinese Government, which allowed the construction of a huge stage in the 1,000-foot-long plaza separating the southern entrance to the Forbidden City and its main gate.

‘Judy’ gets MAAD; ‘Maury,’ ‘Ricki’ return

Judge Judy Sheindlin, who kicks off the sixth season of “Judge Judy” today (4 p.m./Ch. 4), has joined the first National Board of Advisors for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Sheindlin joins Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Dole, Naomi Judd, Frank Lautenberg, Edward James Olmos and WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes on the advisory board.

“Judge Judy,” by the way, was the third-highest-rated syndicated show for the 2000-2001 season.

Other veteran daytime shows kicking off new seasons today include “Ricki Lake” (ninth season, 5 p.m./Ch. 9) and “Maury” (10 a.m./Ch. 11) – with a new set that’s more “New Yorkish” in feel, featuring exposed brick, stainless steel accents on the staircase and pressed-tin panels for a loft-like ambience.

‘Raymond’ stars here for syndie launch

Ch. 11 hasn’t finalized its fall schedule yet, but one thing is certain: “Everybody Loves Raymond” will be airing at 7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. beginning Sept. 24.

The CBS sitcom, syndicated by King World, replaces “Frasier” at 7:30 and “Friends” at 11. The stars of the show – Ray Romano, Peter Boyle, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts and Brad Garrett – will be in town this week to promote the move into syndication, hosting a party in midtown Thursday night.

This just in . . .

Kool and The Gang performing two songs (“Ladies Night,” “Celebration”) outside the Fox News Channel studios (1211 6th between 47th and 48th) this morning at 7:30 a.m.

Ch. 41 has launched “Univision 41 y Nuestros Ninos” – New York’s first-ever Spanish-language PSA campaign to find missing children – in conjunction with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. PSAs will feature photos of missing children, vital stats and a hotline number (800-843-5678) and will air 6-7 a.m. and once between 9 and 10 p.m.

Larry King’s interview last Tuesday with Oprah Winfrey was his second-highest-rated show of the year (1.68 million HHs) – second only to King’s Aug. 27 sitdown with Chad Condit.