Holland is a Prime Video thriller starring Nicole Kidman as Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher, wife and mother who lives an idyllic life in the tulip-filled town of Holland, Michigan. However, she then discovers a secret that turns her world upside down. Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen also stars as Nancy’s husband, Fred while Gael García Bernal is her friendly colleague, Dave Delgado.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Prime Video movie Holland…

Holland release date 

Holland will premiere worldwide on Prime Video from Friday March 27 2025.

Is there a Holland trailer? 

Yes there is and we see Nancy insist that “every day I get to wake up in the best place on earth – Holland, Michigan. I look around myself and it feels like a dream. It’s just perfect.” The town embraces the Dutch culture of its namesake, such as Dutch dancing and wearing clogs, but beneath the happy veneer, it’s clear that dark secrets lie.

Then Nancy admits, “It might seem like we have everything together, but right under the surface, it’s like we’re being strangled.” What secret could rip apart her perfect world? Take a look below...

Holland plot 

Nancy Vandergroot is a teacher and lives with her husband Fred, a pillar of the community, and son Harry in the town of Holland in Michigan. The town takes pride in celebrating its Dutch roots and Nancy and her family embrace this joy. But then Nancy and her colleague Dave uncover a secret and learn that nothing in their lives is as it seems.

Holland cast — Nicole Kidman on playing Nancy Vandergroot 

Nicole Kidman, who plays the meticulous Nancy in Holland, says: "When we meet Nancy, nothing in particular about her life is going wrong. We see her house and family, and she’s something of a picture of what we’re told success and stability look like. But we very quickly see that, even though her life appears all well and good, she doesn't feel like it is. I think a lot of people can connect to that feeling.

"Nancy sees Fred as her rock, her source of stability, and that dependence makes her resentful of him. But Matthew brings such rich charisma, charm, and earnestness to Fred that he makes it understandably hard for Nancy to feel unhappy with him. Fred is perfect. Fred gives Nancy everything she asks for. So, why does she feel this dissatisfaction?"

"When Nancy feels invisible or stuck in a rut in her life, Dave sees and appreciates Nancy in a way no one else does. Through Dave’s eyes, Nancy is able to understand herself again.

"When filming this, it was so important to track Nancy's emotional journey on screen. We needed to make sure viewers would see past her life’s picturesque veneer and feel Nancy's underlying discomfort and desires.

 "I’d describe the story as dark, funny, suspenseful, but also thrilling, romantic and relatable and empowering. That’s the brilliance of Andrew’s writing. He wrote a story that has an initial twist that cranks up the tension and intrigue. And then those twists and turns just keep coming. Also everyone’s collective efforts are evident in all the details on screen. I really hope audiences will see the care that we all put into this film!"

* Nicole Kidman has been in numerous hit films and TV shows, including Big Little Lies, Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, Lioness and Nine Perfect Strangers. Nicole has also been in Dead Calm, Days of Thunder, Batman Forever, The Stepford Wives and The Perfect Couple.

Matthew Macfadyen on playing Fred

Matthew Macfadyen, 50, who plays Nancy’s husband Fred in Holland, says: "This is a story that you think is one thing but then it turns into something entirely different, and that’s always the most enjoyable journey for an actor Fred’s a descendent of Dutch immigrants, well liked in the town, a stalwart church member and a man who’s particularly keen on working every night on his model train set. He’s a character I could have a lot of fun with by dialling things up or down depending on the scene!"

Matthew Macfadyen is known worldwide for his role as Tom Wambsgans in the hit series Succession. He has also starred in Ripper Street, Deadpool and Wolverine, Stonehouse, Operation Mincemeat, Quiz and Spooks.

Gael García Bernal as Dave 

In Holland, Gael García Berna is Nancy’s colleague. He’s been in The Motorcycle Diaries, Mozart in the Jungle, Station Eleven, The Mother and This One Summer.

Who else is starring? 

Other cast in Holland include Jude Hill playing Nancy’s son Harry. Jeff Pope, Isaac Krasner, Rachel Sennott, Lennon Parham and Bill Russell also star.

Behind the scenes and more on Holland

Holland is directed by Mimi Cave, written by Andrew Sodroski, and produced by Kate Churchill, Peter Dealbert, Nicole Kidman and Per Saari.

The Stolen Girl is a psychological drama series starring Andor’s Denise Gough as a mother whose young daughter is kidnapped during a sleepover. The five-part series is based on the bestselling novel Playdate by Alex Dahl and also stars Strike’s Holliday Grainger, One Day’s Ambika Mod and Cloud Atlas star Jim Sturgess.

The disturbing story follows Elisa Blix (Denise Gough), a mother-of-two who allows her nine-year-old daughter Lucia to stay over at her new best friend Josie’s house. But the next day, when she goes to collect her, everyone has gone and Elisa’s world is turned upside down.

Here’s everything you need to know about the five-part Disney Plus series The Stolen Girl, which was formerly called Playdate after the novel…

The Stolen Girl release date

The five-part thriller The Stolen Girl launches in the UK on Disney Plus from Wednesday April 16 2025. In the US, Freeform will roll out episodes weekly at 10pm ET beginning 16 April 2025, and episodes will be available to stream the next day April 17 2025 on Hulu.

Is there a trailer?

Yes Disney has now released a trailer for The Stolen Girl so you can see all the heartache and intrigue to come. Take a look below...

The Stolen Girl plot and episode guide

The Stolen Girl focuses on Elisa Blix (Denise Gough), who allows her nine-year-old daughter Lucia to spend the night at the home of her new best friend, Josie. It’s Lucia’s first ever sleepover but Elisa is reassured when she meets Josie’s mum Rebecca (Holliday Grainger) and sees their beautiful home. But when she goes to collect Lucia the following morning, Elisa realizes Rebecca and Josie have vanished and Lucia is nowhere to be found.

The house turns out to be a rental property and it’s clear Lucia has been abducted. As a manhunt is launched across Europe, Elisa and her husband Fred (Jim Sturgess) find themselves in the center of a media storm and as they come under intense scrutiny, long-buried secrets come to light. It becomes clear Rebecca targeted Lucia for a reason, and it remains to be seen whether she might be better off staying hidden.

Here's a brief guide to all five episodes (with spoilers)

EPISODE 1
Late for pick-up, Elisa Blix is met at the school gates by mysterious fellow mum, Rebecca, and is persuaded to allow Lucia to go on an impromptu sleepover.

EPISODE 2
Hope arrives for Elisa in the form of a letter as the police scramble for clues. But is her husband Fred telling them everything?

EPISODE 3
Convinced that the police are looking in the wrong direction, journalist Selma is given free rein to pursue her story – leading startling revelations about Elisa to come to light.

EPISODE 4
Selma’s actions make Elisa the target of toxic online speculation, but could a secret buried in the past unlock the search for Lucia?

EPISODE 5
Long-held secrets are finally revealed as Elisa embarks on a race against time – and across borders – to save her daughter.

The Stolen Girl cast — Denise Gough on playing Elisa Blix

Denise Gough is distraught mother Elisa in The Stolen Girl. "Elisa thinks Rebecca is harmless and nice, which is why she feels able to leave Lucia with her,’ says Gough, 45. "But when Elisa discovers Lucia is missing, she’s devastated and feels unbearably guilty. As the life she created starts to unravel, she feels totally out of her depth.

"Elisa is very put together from the outside, but she has a past that she hasn’t really dealt with. She gets single-focused about getting her daughter back, though. It’s animalistic. I hope it’s a gripping ride for viewers. I don’t want you to know whose side to be on at any stage.

"I think it’s important to remember this is a TV thriller rather than a docuseries or a true story so essentially, I want the audience to be entertained. I would like of course for them to feel empathy, but I hope it is a gripping ride for them and I hope they leave each episode wanting more. I’d like their loyalties to be switching constantly. I don’t want them to know whose side to be on at any stage!|

She stars as Dedra Meero in the Star Wars spin-off series Andor and played Emily Hill in Titanic: Blood and Steel. Denise has also starred in Who Is Erin Carter?, Too Close, The Good Traitor, Under The Banner of Heaven, Paula and Guerilla.

Holliday Grainger on playing Rebecca

In The Stolen Girl, Holliday Grainger plays Rebecca, who kidnaps Elisa’s child.

"Rebecca’s actions are huge, outlandish and life-altering, but when you discover the extent of her damage and pain, you can understand them,’ says Grainger, 37. "She’s not out for revenge: she’s out for her own survival, and she has to create this construct of her own reality otherwise the truth is too difficult to cope with.

"The story is about the strength and passion of motherhood, protecting your own, and the emotional fallout when you’re unable to do that. It’s a whodunit, howdunit and whydunit thriller, and some of the big emotional scenes sometimes felt like prepping for a fight. But there’s so much trauma on all levels that no one really wins.

"You can't play a character you think is flat out crazy, you've got to find the psychological realism in there, so I did speak to a psychotherapist to make sense of every act Nina does. In my mind, it went from being quite out there and 'how am I going to find the truth in this?' to, 'oh my god, this actually could be...' I'm not going to talk in labels, but I did find a truth in that reality that really helped me make the choices I did. The series could be read as a revenge thriller but I really don't think it is. Nina is not out for revenge - she's out for her own survival. She has to create this construct of her own reality otherwise the truth is too difficult to cope with."

* Holliday Grainger is best known for her role as Robin Ellacott in the series Strike. Holliday starred in The Capture and has also been in Where the Heart Is, Cinderella, Waterloo Road, The Borgias and the 2015 film Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Jim Sturgess on playing Fred Blix

Jim Sturgess is playing Elisa’s husband, Fred, in The Stolen Girl. Jim says: "I think when you read any script, you're looking for some kind of reaction whether that be joy or laughter; something that warms your heart or breaks your heart. I had a very visceral reaction to this. I am a dad of a three-year-old, so parenthood is at the forefront of my life experience at the moment. Had I not been a dad I don't know whether I would have reacted in the same way, but it really was a deep, painful reaction to the script because it is, of course, every parent's worst nightmare. I can't think of anything worse. There have been times with my own boy where I've lost him just for a moment and you feel it in your whole stomach. Being a dad, I could bring something to this character and connect to it in a way you don't with every character. So, it was like a weird investigation into something that you wouldn't dare imagine in your own life.

"I remember really liking him. I saw a man who prioritised family and obviously worked very hard in his career and having a seemingly perfect life seems important to him. Fred and Elisa enjoy nice things and have a beautiful home and cars. They're both career driven. It's hard to juggle work and family life but it seems important to him, as well as keeping that fire going with his partner. As anyone who has had kids knows, it's hard to see each other in the same way. You're there, but you're not there."

* Jim Sturgess previously starred in last year’s Paramount Plus movie Apartment 7A and has also had roles in Home Before Dark, Close to the Enemy, The Other Boleyn Girl, Cloud Atlas and The Other Me.

Ambika Mod on playing Selma

Ambika Mod, who is playing Selma, says: "Selma is an investigative journalist for an outlet called Dash Voice. She is extremely intelligent and excels at her job. But on the flip side she can also be really persistent, relentless, brash and stubborn in the way she follows a story, approaches her work and fulfils her ambitions.

"She attends the police conference shortly after Lucia goes missing. That's when she first comes into contact with the Blix family and almost immediately suspects that all is not as it seems with Elisa. That leads her down a rabbit hole and she becomes increasingly obsessed with finding out more about Elisa and unravelling the story because she thinks she's hiding something. I think Selma has an incredibly strong intuition and sees the potential in the story. For her, this story is one that could catapult her career to the next level. So she becomes intent on finding an angle on the story that nobody else has got."

* Ambika Mod shot to fame as Emma in the hit Netflix series One Day and as Shruti in BBC1 medical drama This Is Going to Hurt. She’s also starred in I Hate Suzie, Trying and The B@it.

Who else is starring in The Stolen Girl?

The Stolen Girl features The Suspect’s Bronagh Waugh who is playing DI Shona Sinclair while My Lady Jane’s Michael Workeye is Kaleb. Layo-Christina Akinlude, Forrest Bothwell, Jordan Baker and Lisa Bowerman also star.

Behind the scenes and more on The Stolen Girl

The Stolen Girl is executive produced by Nicola Shindler (Fool Me Once, Nolly, Missing You, It’s A Sin) for Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios), along with executive producers Tanya Seghatchian and John Woodward for Brightstar (The Power of the Dog, Cold War), and Alex Dahl, Eva Husson and Catherine Moulton also serve as executive producers. Hannah Scott serves as executive producer for Disney+.

For more on Stolen Girl and other shows out this week, listen to our Bingewatch Podcast.

The Gorge is a nail-biting survival action thriller, with elements of horror and sci-fi. It stars Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller and The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy (above) plus Alien legend Sigourney Weaver.

Anya and Miles pair play highly-trained operatives appointed to man watchtowers on opposite sides of a vast and highly-classified gorge. Then, when they realise they are the only ones who can halt a cataclysmic threat to humanity, they must work together to keep the secret of the gorge. Sigourney's hard-nosed character is their boss!

Here’s everything you need to know about Apple TV Plus thriller The Gorge…

The Gorge release date 

The Gorge premieres worldwide on Apple TV plus from Friday February 14 2025.

How to watch The Gorge: stream the Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller movie at home

Is there a trailer for The Gorge? 

Yes a trailer for The Gorge has landed and you can give all the thrilling action a watch below...

The Gorge plot 

The Gorge follows two highly skilled operatives, one American and one Lithuanian, who are chosen to guard a vast and highly classified gorge in an undisclosed location. They are stationed in watchtowers on opposite sides of the gorge and bond from a distance as they remain vigilant against an unseen enemy.

But when they realize what they are up against, the pair must work together and use every bit of mental and physical strength they possess to save the world from a terrifying evil.

The Gorge cast — Anya Taylor-Joy on playing Drasa

Anya Taylor-Joy plays sniper Drasa, a Lithuanian who is also a trained assassin and is charged with guarding the opposite side of the gorge.

Anya says: "I wanted to dance with Miles. I’ve known Miles for a long time and I knew we’d have a good time making the movie. And I was in it for the dancing of course.

"Surprisingly, considering her job, Drasa is comfortable in her own skin. Because she’s so light, she’s able to bring Levi out of a dark place. I think she reminds Levi that there is light in the world. It felt really tender. I really loved the way they fell in love and what they do for each other. I found it very believable.

"When I read the scripts, my heart just broke for Levi,’ adds Miles. ‘He felt like he was just existing, somewhere in between and out of place. So, I really wanted that connection that he forms with Drasa to be some kind of light coming back into his life."

* British star Anya Taylor-Joy is best known for her role as chess champion Beth Harmon in the Netflix hit series The Queen’s Gambit. She’s also been in Peaky Blinders, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Last Night in Soho, Amsterdam, The Menu and The Northman. 

Miles Teller on playing Levi

Miles Teller plays another sniper called Levi in The Gorge. Levi is an American sniper struggling with his past. He’s considered expendable but through Drasa finds a reason to live. 

Miles says: "Because they are both snipers, they start to fall in love with each other through their sniper scope and I thought that was a really interesting premise. Their love story was everything.

"It’s a love story under tension. It takes you on a journey and right when they seem the happiest, they get thrown into hell. It’s a living, breathing hell and it’s not worth it if only one of them survives. They need to get out of that thing together and I just love that."

* Miles Teller previously played Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw in Top Gun: Maverick and has also been in Spiderhead, The Offer, War Dogs, the Divergent movies, Footloose and Fantastic Four. 

Who else is starring in The Gorge? 

The Gorge also features Alien star Sigourney Weaver as the snipers boss Bartholemew a shadowy figure who hires Levi to protect the gorge.

Other stars include William Houston as Erikas, who is Drasa’s father — he loves her unconditionally and helps her to cope with her feelings of guilt. Sope Dirisu is JD who is Levis’ predecessor who has just finished manning the tower for a year and is keen to show Levi the ropes.

Samantha Coughlan, Julianna Kurokawa. Alessandro Garcia. Adam Scott-Rowley, Greta Hansen and József Tálos round out the cast.

Behind the scenes and more on The Gorge

The Gorge is directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Zach Dean and is by Skydance Media. The Gorge is produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger for Skydance, alongside Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Sherryl Clark through Crooked Highway as well as Adam Kolbrenner, Zach Dean and Gregory Goodman. Miles Teller executive produces.

One of life’s major milestones comes when we have to start looking after our elderly parents, which can be a challenging experience on both sides, with the same old annoyances and embarrassments to contend with, plus a few new ones added!

That tension is at the heart of new sitcom Only Child, starring Rab C Nesbitt’s Gregor Fisher and Fresh Meat’s Greg McHugh as technophobic Scottish father Ken and his actor son Richard, who unexpectedly find themselves living together again.

Here's everything we know about this heart-warming comedy...

Only Child release date 

Only Child debuts on the BBC Scotland channel on Thursday, November 21 and BBC One on Friday, November 22. All six episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from Thursday 21 November.

Only Child premise

Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star as father and son, Ken and Richard Pritchard, in new comedy series, Only Child. Featuring domestic and inter-generational differences and neighbourly squabbles, Only Child is told through the lens of Richard and Ken’s comedic relationship.

In the first episode, bit-part actor Richard returns from London to his home in Forres in the Scottish Highlands for a long overdue visit to the recently-widowed Ken. However, he soon realises his dad might be in need of a bit more full-time help. Not that Ken would agree, of course, but that statement is pretty much true about anything.

An eccentric, strong-willed technophobe, Ken is set in his ways, leaving Richard worrying about his dad growing old.

Only Child cast 

As well as Fisher and McHugh, Only Child showcases a wealth of Scottish and Irish talent including Amy Lennox as Emily, Stuart Bowman as Rod, Clare Barrett as Jan, Robin Laing as Ian and Paul Rattray as Digsy.

Only Child trailer

Only Child cast interviews

We caught up with Gregor, 70, and Greg, 44, for a family meeting …

What drew you to this project?
Greg: "I thought it was a very good script that really resonated, with the comedy as well as the heart and the feeling."
Gregor: "And I haven't worked for some time, so the bank manager said it would be a good idea for me to sign up for this!"

Can you describe the domestic set-up at Ken’s house?
Gregor: "There is no domestic setup, and that's the problem! There is no system and no rhyme or reason to anything. It's totally random. The wheels are coming off, and luckily Ken has a son who’s nice enough to come and tighten the nuts every now and again. If you’ve got elderly parents, you’ll understand!"
Greg: "Yes, the wheels have come off, and Ken’s put some square ones on! But the one thing he does not want is anyone meddling in his madness!"

What’s the dynamic between father and son?
Gregor: "Ken can go off on a tangent at any time and start doing something completely different. And he’s not really up for learning anything new!
Greg: "And Richard is deluded in his own way, in that he still thinks he’s going to land a big acting job. But you never want to admit that you’re following in your father’s footsteps!"

Did the generation gap theme resonate with you?
Greg: "My dad recently broke his ankle caring for my mum, who had a stroke. So there are so many issues being brought up for me. And I’m sure the audience will relate to the way that, sometimes with your parents, you're trying to have a very clear conversation, and they have a completely different logic!"
Gregor: "And I’m completely useless with technology! But luckily I have a niece living nearby who I can call on…"

Did you enjoy working together?
Greg: "I know Gregor hates hearing this, but Mr Fisher is incredibly funny! So it was an absolute joy.
Gregor: "And besides the money, my secondary motivation for doing this was that Mr Greg McHugh was involved, whom I knew slightly and had admired from afar!"

One of Ken’s eccentricities is watching TV with his beloved ventriloquist’s dummy, Percy, and taking him out for a spin on his motorbike. What did you make of the wee man?
Gregor: "If you saw Percy in real life, you would think: ‘He’s a bit moth-eaten!’ Percy's been around the block once or twice. But apparently, Percy is a very, very rare item, and worth a couple of quid! So the production team were very sensitive about him."
Greg: "That’s right, we had to treat Percy with more respect than anyone else in the show! And him getting the biggest trailer was a bit of a shock…

The Sticky is a dark comedy on Prime Video that is executive produced by Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis, who also has a guest role in in series. It follows the story of a real-life heist in 2012 that saw more than 18m Canadian dollars’ worth of maple syrup stolen from Quebec’s national reserves. 

The Sticky features Dexter star Margo Martindale as a tough farmer who resorts to drastic action when the authorities threaten her livelihood. "I first thought this couldn't be a real thing," Margo has admitted. "It was wild to learn about it. I love knowing about this now. I learned way, way, way, way too much about maple syrup"

Here’s everything we know about the Prime Video series The Sticky...

The Sticky release date

The Sticky is a six-part series that will premiere on Prime Video on Friday December 6 2024.

Is there a trailer?

Yes there's a great trailer for The Sticky showing you all the maple syrup heist action. Take a look below.

The Sticky plot 

The Sticky follows Ruth Landry (Margo Martindale), a Canadian maple syrup farmer. She comes up against the authorities, who threaten to take away everything she loves, so she teams up with a bad-tempered mobster Mike Byrne (Chris Diamantopoulos), and a mild-mannered French-Canadian security guard Remy Bouchard (Guillaume Cyr) to carry out a multi-million dollar-heist on Quebec’s maple syrup surplus. And in a country where maple syrup is worth more than oil, the crime was sure to hit the headlines. 

The Sticky cast — Margo Martindale on playing Ruth Landry 

In The Sticky, Margo Martindale plays desperate farmer Ruth. She says: "Ruth is the smart one, the brains of the operation, and I guess Remy is the heart and Mike is the muscle. But it’s sort of a Three Stooges situation. Ruth is on her final legs of trying to survive, and that makes the stakes higher. This show was different from any that I’d read, and I first thought this couldn’t be a real thing. I liked that it was loosely inspired by a true story. I knew nothing about maple syrup farming, of course, and it was wild to learn about it. In fact, I learned way, way too much about maple syrup!’

* Margo Martindale previously played Ruth Eastman in The Good Wife and Carol Miller in The Millers. Margo has also starred in the films Million Dollar Baby, Lorenzo’s Oil, Instant Family, Cocaine Bear and Beautiful Creatures as well as the series The Watcher, Your Honor, Sneaky Pete, The Americans and Dexter. She is also lending her voice to the upcoming movie of Roald Dahl’s The Twits. 

Who else is starring in The Sticky?

Other cast for The Sticky are Chris Diamantopoulos as mobster Mike Byrne while Guillaume Cyr is security guard Remy Bouchard. Jamie Lee Curtis will guest star as Bo Shea, an associate of Mike’s, while Gita Miller, Gay Nadon, Mark O’Brien and Suzanne Clement also feature. 

Behind the scenes and more on The Sticky

The Sticky is produced by Blumhouse Television, Jamie Lee Curtis’ Comet Pictures, Jonathan Levine’s Megamix and Sphere Media. Creators, executive producers, showrunners and writers are Brian Donovan and Ed Herro; executive producers Jonathan Levine and Gillian Bohrer for Megamix; Jamie Lee Curtis for Comet Pictures; Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, and Chris Dickie for Blumhouse Television; and Michael Dowse. Lauren Grant serves as co-executive producer. Associate producers include Josée Vallée and Bruno Dubé for Sphere Media, Inc and Russell Goldman for Comet Pictures.

"There’s nothing more Canadian than maple syrup, and there’s nothing more entertaining to watch than three completely unqualified crooks attempting to steal millions of dollars of the stuff,’ says co-creator Ed Herro. ‘They’re soon in over their heads, in a desperate attempt to get their sticky fingers on what they feel they deserve.’

The series – which also features a guest appearance from Jamie Lee Curtis as Bo Shea, an associate of Mike’s – was filmed in and around Montreal last year, and Martindale relished working on the Fargo-style caper.

Berlin ER is a gritty medical drama on Apple TV Plus, starring Professor T's Hayley Louise Jones. She plays Dr Zanna Parker, who moves to Berlin to head up the emergency room in its toughest and most overcrowded hospital. There she must unify the underpaid and overworked staff and save lives in the face of adversity. 

Being compared to ER, this German medical drama was co-written by Emergency Room physician turned screenwriter Samuel Jefferson who says: "I managed to bring my experience working in the UK and very quickly found that the experiences of the doctors here are very similar to those of doctors in the UK. Of course, some of the complexity behind how the systems works is different, but the actual day-to-day pain of being a doctor and what you have to go through is very similar. So, all the human stories were very transferable." 

Here's everything you need to know about the drama-filled Apple TV Plus series Berlin ER, which was previously called KRANK Berlin…

Berlin ER release date

Berlin ER is an eight-episode hospital drama launching worlwide on Apple TV Plus from Wednesday February 26 2025.

* Berlin ER was formerly called KRANK Berlin which was its title for Germany.

is there a trailer for Berlin ER?

Yes Berlin ER now has a trailer... Take a look below for all the medical emergencies going on!

Berlin ER plot 

Berlin ER follows Dr Zanna Parker (Haley Louise Jones) who moves to Berlin looking for a fresh start after her life imploded in Munich. She faces the monumental task of heading up an emergency room that is bursting at the seams and staffed by underpaid, chronically exhausted and poorly equipped medical professionals. Many are resistant to change and want Dr Parker to leave as quickly as she arrived, in particular Dr Ben Weber (played by Slavko Popadić), who initially clashes with Zanna over their different approaches to their work. But, in the face of the merciless healthcare system, Zanna must find a way to get the battered team to work together to save lives. 

Zanna faces a baptism of fire when she realises that the department is juggling an endless multitude of harrowing cases without sufficient back-up or resources. And even though her plans for bringing about change are not well-received by her exhausted staff, as they work together though their traumatic shifts, she begins to bond with them.

Berlin ER cast — Haley Louise Jones on playing Dr Zanna Parker 

In Berlin ER Haley Louise Jones plays stressed ER doctor Zanna Parker. "This is like a hospital drama on steroids! It gets your pulse going. Zanna loves her job and puts high hopes in her new position and things don’t go as planned, but she has grit, resilience and determination. And she’s by the book, but from this team, she learns a new way of doing things,’ reveals Jones, who turns 36 on 23 February, and whose credits include the German version of crime drama Professor T. "But Zanna is also a woman on the run. Her old life in Munich imploded, and she's trying to have a fresh start, but things have a way of catching up with you…’

Zanna Parker has also been in Netflix thriller Dear Child, Paradise, Einstein and Dr Ballouz. 

Slavko Popadić on playing Dr Ben Weber 

Slavko Popadić who plays Dr Ben Weber in. Berlin ER. "Ben’s self-destructive and a rebel, but a brilliant surgeon. He's driven by his passion to help, but his passion also destroys him,’ shares Popadić, 33, who has appeared in German crime drama Crooks. ‘He does things his own way and has inner demons as he moves through moral grey zones, but I want the audience to go with him.

"The creators want viewers to really feel the pace and the chaos. So we spoke to a lot of doctors and nurses and we had a medical boot camp where we were shown the basics and also things like how you would speak to a patient. We even learnt how to put on a glove with sweaty hands and make it look natural. It was challenging, but fun,’ adds Jones, who has come away with a profound respect for the medical profession.

"I've got nurses in my family so I had appreciation for their work already but that has tripled. We still don’t fully fathom the price they pay and how, out of a pure desire to help other people, they dedicate their lives to this job. We hope that this can shed a light on that, and that they feel seen."

Who else is starring in Berlin ER? 

Other cast in Berlin ER include Colin Lainchbury-Brown as Zanna’s dad. Amer El-Erwadi, Şafak Şengül, Aram Tafreshian, Samirah Breuer, Bernhard Schütz and Peter Lohmeyer also star. 

Behind the scenes and more on Berlin ER

Berlin ER is by Violet Pictures and Real Film Berlin,  and produced for Apple TV+ and ZDFneo, with Violet Pictures’ Alexis von Wittgenstein (Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood) and Real Film’s Emmy Award-nominated Henning Kamm (Unorthodox) serving as executive producers. Berlin ER is directed by Alex Schaad (Skin Deep) and Fabian Möhrke (Eichwald, MdB). International rights are handled by Beta Film.

Berlin ER has been co-created by British writer Samuel Jefferson, who was keen to draw on his own background as a one-time A&E doctor. "Because of the trauma of the job, I used to think, I never want to write a medical show. But that was the thing I had to write, I had all these stories," he says. "The experience I’d had in the emergency room in the UK was shared by doctors we met in Germany. And I wanted to show the reality of that life. Some medical series see doctors and nurses as superheroes, but medicine for me was not like that. It’s less glamorous and shiny and about human beings struggling with themselves. But even though it's a gritty, tough drama, it still has love in it, a human element, and humour."

Brian and Maggie is a Channel 4 dramatization of the interview that led to the downfall of Britain’s former prime minister. Succession and Killing Eve star Harriet Walter is taking on the role of controversial ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher. 

The show, formerly called Brian and Margaret, dramatizes the story of her last ever TV interview, which some believe was the final nail in her prime ministerial coffin. The 45-minute interview was carried out by her old friend and fearsome political inquisitor, the former Labour MP Brian Walden (played by Steve Coogan), who struck numerous blows that were seen to damage her reputation as a leader beyond repair. Thatcher resigned the following year and the pair never spoke again after what is regarded as one of the most infamous political exchanges of all time. 

"It’s great to be telling a story from the era of the sorely missed forensic interview — two giants of their time locking horns to determine the future of Britain. To act opposite Harriet Walter with a script by James Graham (the writer behind Sherwood and Brexit: The Uncivil War) and directed by Stephen Frears (A Very English Scandal) is a challenge of the very best kind," says Steve Coogan. Harriet Walter adds: "I have to travel a great distance to reach Maggie Thatcher but with James’s brilliant script, Stephen Frears to guide me and Steve Coogan to accompany me I have the dream team to help me achieve it." 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Channel 4 drama Brian and Maggie…

Brian and Maggie release date

Brian and Maggie is a two-part drama that starts on Channel 4 on Wednesday January 29 2025 at 9pm with the second episode showing the following night on Thursday January 30 at 9pm.

Brian and Maggie plot 

Based on the book 'Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me: Searching for the Truth on Political TV' by Rob Burley, the drama Brian and Maggie depicts the infamous 1989 interview between feared political interviewer Brian Walden and his long-standing friend and British PM Margaret Thatcher. Although the pair had been close beforehand, the 45-minute interview saw Walden land some heavy blows, particularly regarding the recent resignation of her chancellor Nigel Lawson. It’s thought this final interview led to the chain of events that eventually forced Thatcher to resign a year later. The show also questions whether the death of full-length political interviews threatens the future of modern democracy.  Afterwards, the pair never spoke again despite having had cordial relations before…

Writer James Graham says, “After another election, we can wrestle with the importance and effectiveness of the ‘political interview’, it’s a chance to bring to life the intimate and complicated relationship between Brian Walden and Margaret Thatcher – interrogator, and Prime Minister. An epic one of love and betrayal, and I think an audience will be surprised by a lot of it. I know I was.” 

Is there a trailer for Brian and Maggie?

Yes a trailer for Brian and Maggie has now been released by Channel 4, so you can see Steve Coogan and Harriet Walter as the two political adversaries doing battle in 1989. Below that you can also watch the actual 1989 interview on which Brian and Maggie is based....

Brian and Maggie cast — Harriet Walter on playing Margaret Thatcher

Harriet Walter who plays Margaret Thatcher, says: "I was very surprised when I was asked. I’d always switched off my TV whenever she came on during the 1980s, and I couldn’t be objective about her. However, during filming I kept seeing things from her point of view, as a woman surrounded by men, and that coloured my way into her. The rigidity of Thatcher’s public persona was all about trying to prove to the boys that she could be as tough as them.’ 

A host of stars have previously worn the ex-Prime Minister’s famous blue power suits, from Meryl Streep in Oscar-winning movie The Iron Lady to Gillian Anderson in The Crown. But Harriet Walter was determined to put her own stamp on the role by looking at Thatcher’s body language. "Loads of people have played her over the years, but I decided I wasn’t going to try to compete with them,’ she explains. ‘Instead of impersonating her I wanted to look at why she would put her finger out like that at that particular point? What did that tell me about her? What did it tell me about what she wanted to tell the public?’"

* Harriet Walter has an acting CV that's both impressive and extensive. She played Lady Caroline Collingwood in the hit show Succession and Deborah Welton in Ted Lasso. Harriet has also been in This Is Going to Hurt, Killing Eve, Belgravia, Rocketman, My Dinner with Herve, Doctor Who, Law and Order UK, Downton Abbey and The Crown. She is the niece of horror legend Christopher Lee.

Steve Coogan on playing Brian Walden 

Steve Coogan plays political interviewer Brian Walden. "The drama was written as a two-hander about the sparring and dance that Brian and Margaret do around each other," says Coogan, 59. "The story is a fascinating one. It’s about a political love story of sorts between a disillusioned Labour politician and a radical Tory Prime Minister. The two of them were outsiders and that’s what attracted them to each other, above and beyond their political views."

Coogan started developing the project after a meeting with Rob Burley, who wrote a book about the momentous interview. "I had watched Walden’s Sunday interviews when I was young, so I knew all about him," explains. "But I went back and looked at all the interviews he did with Thatcher again, to follow the arc of their political relationship. You see her develop as a politician and him develop as an interrogator, which was very interesting."

Growing up with a keen interest in politics also meant Coogan had some strong opinions about the formidable figure dubbed The Iron Lady, although he was determined not to let his personal beliefs cloud the project. "Thatcher was a very divisive figure and I had a lot of antipathy towards her when she was Prime Minister. But the fact she was an outsider makes her a fascinating figure to me. Now I look at her through a slightly different lens, as someone who was looking to make radical change. She knew her stuff and subjected herself to forensic analysis with Walden on a regular basis, in a way that politicians don’t do anymore."

* Steve Coogan found fame as the character Alan Partridge. he played Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning and has been in 24 Hour Party People, Philomena, Stephen, The Trip, Stan & Ollie and The Lost King. 

Who else is starring in Brian & Maggie?

Other stars of Brian & Maggie include Paul Clayton as No10 press secretary Bernard Ingham, Ian Kaye as Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson, Simon Paisley Day as Ian Gow MP and Doug Berry as Michael Heseltine MP who eventually challenged Thatcher’s leadership. Also look out for Ross Armstrong as John Wakefield, Emma Sidi as Sue Richardson and Karan Gill as Vinay Ahmed, plus James Fleet (probably Denis Thatcher but to be confirmed) and Tom Mothersdale.

Who were Margaret Thatcher and Brian Walden?

Margaret Thatcher became the MP for Finchley in 1959, leader of the Conservative Party in 1975 then Prime Minister from 1979 through to 1990. Known as The Iron Lady, she was interviewed by Brian Walden a number of times from the 1970s onwards until 1989. Brian Walden had been the Labour MP for Birmingham All Saints which later became Birmingham Ladywood, from 1964 to 1977 when he resigned from Parliament to become a political interviewer for ITV's Weekend World. Mrs Thatcher died in 2013 aged 87 while Brian Walden died in 2019 aged 86.

Behind the scenes on Brian and Maggie

Written by RTS award-winner James Graham (Sherwood, Quiz, Brexit: The Uncivil War), Brian and Margaret is based on political editor and TV producer Rob Burley’s book Why is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me?:  Searching for the Truth on Political TV.

Brian and Maggie is a 2x60 minute drama from Baby Cow Productions, one of BBC Studios’ owned production labels, and has been commissioned for Channel 4 by Ollie Madden, Director of Film 4 and Head of Channel 4 Drama alongside Ben Wadey, Drama Commissioning Executive. Executive producers are Sarah Monteith (The Ballad of Wallis Island, Changing Ends, Chivalry), Delyth Scudamore (Toxic Town, A Very British Scandal), Rupert Majendie (The Ballad of Wallis Island, Brian and Charles). Dan Winch (Black Mirror, Quiz, A Very English Scandal) is the producer. BBC Studios are the international distributors of the series.

For more on the biggest new films and binge-able shows this week our TV experts have got you covered with the Bingewatch Podcast!

Amandaland on BBC1 follows on from three series of the hit BBC2 comedy Motherland which focuses on Lucy Punch's Motherland character Amanda.

BBC comedy Motherland, starring Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan and Paul Ready, was a huge success and now posh mum Amanda (played by Lucy Punch) is getting her own BCB1 spin-off. And fans of the original series can rejoice because Joanna Lumley is back as Amanda’s passive-aggressive mother Felicity and Philippa Dunne is also returning as long-suffering Anne. 

Amandaland will follow Amanda as she moves to South Harlesden after her divorce and has to navigate being a mum to teens. Felicity, who is in denial about being lonely, is constantly around while Anne is sucked back into being Amanda’s minion. Motherland was written by Catastrophe’s Sharon Horgan and she is now acting as an executive producer on Amandaland.

So here's everything you need to know about BBC1 series Amandaland...

Amandaland release date

Amandaland is a six-part series arriving on BBC1 on Wednesday 5 February 2025. at 9pm with episodes running weekly at the same time. All six episodes will be available as a box set on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 5 February too. We will update with any US or international release dates when we can.

Is there an Amandaland trailer?

Yes a trailer for Amandaland has been released by the BBC which you can watch below....

Amandland plot

After her divorce Amanda (Lucy Punch) is forced to downsize and move to South Harlesden, which is a little too close to Wormwood Scrubs prison for her liking. Her children, Manus and Georgie, are now at secondary school, meaning Amanda is faced with horrors such as teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco anxiety. Can the ever-confident Amanda cope with these issues alone? Unfortunately for her, her mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley) is always around, complete with her backhanded compliments and constant sniping. And after a brief spell of freedom, Anne (Philippa Dunne) is pulled back into Amanda’s life to help her navigate the social scene and the parents at the kids’ new school.

Amandaland cast — Lucy Punch on playing Amanda

Lucy Punch says: "I was excited, surprised and intrigued about where Amandaland could go and how it could maintain the tone of Motherland, while doing something new. It feels like the same world. But it’s about figuring out who Amanda is now. She’s starting over and has probably had a meltdown but has now galvanised herself and is bringing her full Amanda energy to whip up a storm! She’s trying to recreate what she had, which is impossible without the house, clothes or husband. But she’s doing her best!"

* As well as starring in Motherland, Lucy also played Jo in the series Bloods and Esme Squalor in A Series of Unfortunate Events. She’s also been in Doc Martin, St. Trinian’s, Vexed, Bad Teacher, Avenue 5 and How to Date Billy Walsh. 

Joanna Lumley on playing Felicity

TV legend Joanna Lumley plays Felicity in Motherland. She says: "Felicity and Amanda’s relationship is scratchy, but underneath, it’s tender. They adore and exasperate one another. You never expect a role like this to come back, so it’s a treat to see more of Felicity. There’s something about her I understood. Amandaland is funny, strangely touching, and gripping. It’s a darling show!"

Amandaland star Dame Joanna Lumley: ‘I’m always cast as horrid old mothers!’

* Joanna Lumley is best known for playing Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous and Purdey in The New Avengers. She’s also been in Coronation Street, Sapphire and Steel, Fool Me Once, Finding Alice, The Sandman, Paddington, Me Before You and Gangsta Granny, among countless other shows and movies. She also hosts travelogues, including Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure and Joanna Lumley’s Great Cities of the World, and appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox.

Philippa Dunne on playing Anne

Philippa Dunne says: "Anne’s been living her best life instead of running around after Amanda. But when they meet up again, they're back to square one with Anne fawning over her! If Amanda wants something, Anne’ll help her get it and pick up the pieces when things don't go right."

Lucy Punch and Philippa Dunne reveal exactly why everyone needs to watch Motherland spin-off, Amandaland

* Philippa Dunne played Geraldine Devlin in Derry Girls and has also starred in Inside No.9, The Woman in the Wall, Bodies, This Is Going to Hurt and The Nevers. 

Who else is starring in Amandaland?

Also among the Amandaland cast are Samuel Anderson (Gavin & Stacey) neighbour as Mal  who lives below Amanda (see pictured above), plus Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls) as Della, Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty) as Fi, Ekow Quartey (Trying) as JJ and Peter Serafinowicz (The Gentlemen) as Johannes.

Playing Amanda's kids are Alexander Shaw as Manus and  Miley Locke as Georgie (see pictured above).

Behind the scenes and more on Amandaland

Amandaland is a Merman production for BBC One and iPlayer and is written by Holly Walsh (Motherland, The Other One, Dead Boss), Helen Serafinowicz (Motherland, Nova Jones) and Barunka O'Shaughnessy (Breeders, Trying, Motherland).

The six-part comedy series was commissioned by Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC. The Executive Producers for Merman are Sharon Horgan, Clelia Mountford, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Holly Walsh. Lionsgate distributes the series worldwide.

Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC says: “Motherland continues to be one of the most loved comedies on the BBC, and we’re so pleased we are carrying on with the story, taking the characters in a new direction and to a different postcode. Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa are three of the funniest comedy actors around and we’re thrilled to have them on board.”

Sharon Horgan, Co-Founder of Merman says: “We’re delighted to be working with the BBC and with this incredible cast. Motherland took off in a way that none of us were expecting and it’s just so exciting that we get to continue to make this next chapter of parenthood and friendship. We have new parents, a new school and new problems to look forward to. We can’t wait to get going on it”.

Clelia Mountford, Co-Founder of Merman says: “We’re delighted to be bringing Amandaland to the BBC and to share the next chapter of Amanda’s story. Viewers are in for a treat! It’s been so rewarding seeing how the complexity of Amanda’s character has developed; her relationship with her mother, life as a single parent and her fledgling career. It’s a joy to be working with such incredible comedy talent such as Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa once more.”

The Feud on Channel 5 shows what can happen when a neighbourly dispute gets out of hand. It stars Jill Halfpenny and Rupert Penry-Jones as Emma and John Barnett, a couple who unwittingly find themselves in a deadly row with their neighbours.

The thriller has an impressive cast, including former Corrie stars Chris Gascoyne and Ray Fearon, ex Emmerdale star Amy Nuttall, Tessa Peake-Jones and Larry Lamb. The Feud shows how an apparently innocuous disagreement between neighbours can lead to obsession, paranoia and fear.

Here’s everything we know about The Feud on 5…

The Feud release date

The Feud is a six-part series that premieres on 5 (formerly called Channel 5) from Monday 14 April 2025 at 9pm, then at the same time Tuesday 15 April, Wednesday 16 April, with the remaining eps 4 to 6 stripped the following week Monday to Wednesday.

As soon as we hear of a release date or channel for the US or internationally, we’ll update this page. 

* All episodes will also become available on streaming service 5. Check out our best Channel 5 dramas guide for more shows to enjoy.

The Feud plot 

The Feud follows Emma (Jill Halfpenny) and John Barnett (Rupert Penry-Jones), who live with their teenage daughter in Shelbury Drive. The pair are close friends with their neighbours Sonia (Amy Nuttall) and Alan (Ray Fearon) and are also fond of older couple Derek and Barbara (James Fleet and Tessa Peake-Jones) who live on their street. But when the Barnetts decide to add a kitchen extension to their house, relations between the neighbours quickly sour. Objections are lodged and dangerous secrets begin to emerge. And as things take a deadly turn, Emma learns how one small decision can have huge repercussions for an entire neighbourhood.

The Feud cast — Jill Halfpenny on playing Emma Barnett

In The Feud, Jill Halfpenny plays aspirational wife, Emma Barnett, who is married to John. Jill Halfpenny says: “The spiral that we see Emma’s world take in The Feud, from one seemingly innocent situation to life altering revelations, is something I can’t wait to dive into! Getting to work in the Northeast with the teams at Channel 5 and Lonesome Pine, along with the rest of this brilliant cast, is a joy.”

Over the course of this new six-parter it becomes clear that the singleminded criminal defence solicitor makes enemies easily.

"Emma’s like a steamroller," says Jill. "From the outset many of their neighbours are unhappy with the renovation idea, but Emma has a vision that she wants to see through. She ignores all the red flags that pop up, and when her neighbours become aggressive, the gloves are off!

"Most people have experienced neighbours having work done, but The Feud is the stuff of nightmares!

"I love playing people who invite chaos into their lives, it's great TV."

Jill started her career in the BBC One children’s show Byker Grove and went on to play Rebecca Hopkins in Coronation Street. She then played Kate Mitchell in EastEnders and Izzie Redpath in Waterloo Road. Jill has also starred in Wild At Heart, Three Girls, Dark Money, The Long Shadow, Liar, The Holiday and The Cuckoo.

Rupert Penry-Jones on playing John Barnett

Rupert Penry-Jones plays Emma’s husband John Barnett (see our first look main picture).

This is Jill and Rupert's second project together, and they're thrilled to be working together again after the success of their Channel 5 miniseries The Drowning in 2021.

"Rupert and I enjoy playing characters under tension," says Jill when WTW joins the actors to talk about their latest collaboration.

"Yes, we’re good at portraying people who don’t like each other, which was great for this piece," agrees Rupert with a grin. "From the very beginning you know that everything is going to go horribly wrong!"

In The Feud, it's clear from the opening episode that things have gone very wrong for the couple...

"It opens with Emma at a house that’s covered in blood and looks like a disaster area," reveals Rupert. "Then events flash back a month to a street party where you learn how the Barnett’s kitchen conversion plans have unravelled the facade of a group of people whose lives are imploding."

As the series progresses it becomes obvious that Emma’s unemployed husband is not only unhappy in his marriage, he's also hiding things from his wife!

"John has too much time on his hands and is not as honest as he pretends," says Rupert. "He bottles everything up until he explodes."

Rupert is best known for playing Adam Carter in Spooks but has also starred in Match Point, The Four Feathers, Persuasion, The Drowning, Our House, Silk, Whitechapel, Lucky Man and The Batman. He is the son of the late To The Manor Born star Angela Thorne.

Who else is starring in The Feud? 

Other cast in The Feud includes Ex-Emmerdale and Downton Abbey star Amy Nuttall who plays the Barnetts' neighbour Sonia while Fleabag and Corrie’s Ray Fearon stars as her husband, Alan.

"There’s a lot of fake camaraderie between Emma and John and next-door couple Sonia and Alan," explains Rupert. "They're all supposedly best friends, but tensions are bubbling underneath."

"You learn early on that Sonia has a secret,’ says Amy, who plays her. "The spat over Emma’s kitchen extension escalates quickly and disturbingly."

"Alan and Sonia’s relationship has turned stale," adds Ray, who plays Alan. "When you peek behind the curtains there’s a lot more going on…"

James Fleet (Bridgerton) and Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) are Derek and Barbara, who also live on their street.

Derek is something of a controlling busybody, yet he refuses to discuss his son Marcus and is suspiciously protective of his back garden.

"Derek’s marriage is bleak," says James. "He’s a deeply horrible and unpleasant man."

"Barbara has a public and a private face," says Tessa, who plays Derek's downtrodden wife, who desperately misses Marcus and mysteriously sobs over a tree by her kitchen window. "She’s dealing with something extreme behind closed doors."

Speaking about working with the TV legends, Jill told TWT: "One of the best bits of the job for me was seeing what Tessa Peake-Jones and James Fleet were up to as Barbara and Derek. It doesn’t take long for passive aggression to become out and out aggression!"

Newcomer Megan Tower is the Barnett’s daughter Beth while Larry Lamb (EastEnders, Gavin & Stacey) is Emma’s father, Terry.

Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O’Donnell is PC Gallagher and Chris Gascoyne (Coronation Street, New Street Law, Moving On) as intimidating builder Lee.

The Thick of It and The Inbetweeners star Alex Macqueen plays nosy neighbour Nick, who is obsessed with monitoring his neighbours via security cameras.

"There’s an added pressure on them all because they’re being watched by Nick, who lives across the street and has a CCTV camera pointed at their houses!" says Rupert.

Judith Alexander, Joel Beckett, Luke Hammond and Joel Kai Ali round off the cast.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, 5 has released this tasty snippet of The Feud on their social media channels adn YouTube. Check out noth below...

Behind the scenes, locations and more on The Feud

The Feud filmed in Newcastle, UK, in 2024. The series was ordered for Channel 5 by Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Channel 5.

Speaking about filming on a real residential road, Rupert told us: "If there’s one person I know who loves filming in Newcastle, it’s Jill! I think it helped the show that we shot there, and some of the residents are even in the fête scenes. They're a great bunch of people."

"Everyone was lovely," adds Jill. "And yes it really is an extra draw for me because I got to go home every night!"

It was written and created by Aschlin Ditta (The Inheritance, The Catherine Tate Show, Doc Martin), and is directed by Andy de Emmony (Vigil, Lucky Man, The Nest) with Lesley Douglas producing for Lonesome Pine Productions.

Aschlin Ditta and Andy de Emmony are also executive producing the series, with Banijay Rights onboard for international distribution and funding by North East Screen Industries Partnership delivered by North East Screen.

Paul Testar says: “Neighbourly disputes happen every day. The Feud takes that premise and runs with it to its extreme limit. What starts as an innocuous renovation triggers an extraordinary sequence of events. We’re excited to work with the wonderful team at Lonesome Pine again to bring this great story and stellar cast to the Channel 5 audience.”

Bad Tidings is a festive comedy movie on Sky Max, starring Lee Mack and Chris McCausland as warring neighbours who become unlikely heroes. Lee plays grumpy home-security expert Neil who is constantly driven to distraction by his blind neighbour Scott (Chris McCausland) who insists on leaving his Christmas lights on all year round. Then, one Christmas Eve, their feuding causes chaos and the pair are forced to band together to save their street from notorious burglars.

“Talk about a back of an envelope idea that has got out of hand, we are now making a Christmas comedy film and it's going to be awesome,” says Chris McCausland, who co-wrote Bad Tidings. “I can't wait to get up to some hilarious mayhem with Lee and bring some festive spirit into people's living rooms this Christmas!” 

Meanwhile, Lee Mack adds: “I love Chris McCausland, I love the script and I Iove Christmas!” 

Here’s everything you need to know about Sky's festive special Bad Tidings…

Bad Tidings release date

Bad Tidings premieres in the UK on Sunday December 22 at 7.30pm on Sky Max and also be available from then on NOW for Christmas 2024.

Is there a Bad Tidings trailer?

Yes Sky has now released an official Bad Tidings trailer, so you can watch a preview of the festive fun below...

Bad Tidings plot

Bad Tidings follows Neil (Lee Mack), a moody home-security expert from Stockport, in the north of England, who can’t stand his irritating blind neighbour Scott (Chris McCausland). The problem is the rest of the neighbours think Scott is great and appoint him the head of their Neighbourhood Watch, to Neil’s fury. Their bickering culminates in Lee causing a power-cut, meaning the whole neighbourhood is evacuated on Christmas Eve with just Neil and Scott left behind to keep guard. And when the local crime family decides to rob every house on the street in a single night, the pair must defeat them. But with no power, and 50 per cent of them blind, it’s going to take a heroic effort to save their neighbourhood.

Chris McCausland and Lee Mack on their Christmas caper Bad Tidings: 'We're like adult Macauley Culkins' 

Strictly winner Chris McCausland swaps his dancing partner Dianne Buswell for his comedy partner Lee Mack in heartwarming Sky one-off Bad Tidings

Bad Tidings cast — Lee Mack on playing Neil

Comedian Lee Mack plays grumpy neighbour Neil. "I trust Chris, so I agreed to get onboard without reading the script," says Lee, 56. ‘It’s definitely got a Home Alone-style level of goodies and baddies, and I think the Brennans could have a spin-off film. But I hope people watching think that a pair of incompetent, clueless, moronic imbeciles can get the job done when push comes to shove. And I’m talking about the actors, not the characters!"

* Lee Mack stars in Not Going Out and Semi-Detached and has also had roles in Murder, They Hope, Horrible Histories: The Movie, Inside No.9 and Doctor Who. He also hosts the ITV1 quiz show The 1% Club and is a team captain on Would I Lie to You? From 2014 to 2017 he fronted the show Duck Quacks Don’t Echo. 

Chris McCausland on playing Scott in Bad Tidings

Stand-up comedian Chris McCausland plays Neil’s blind neighbour Scott.

"It’s a buddy-comedy caper, and Lee and I play two feuding neighbours who can’t stand each other,’ says Strictly Come Dancing 2024 winner McCausland, 47, who co-wrote Bad Tidings with the team behind Ghosts and Horrible Histories. ‘Neil and Scott are both really petty, but they have to work together to save the day."

"We set out to make a film that is, I think, funny and captivating, and keeps you on the edge of your seat with a lot of tension and laughs. And Sky actually had the confidence in the two of us to pull it off, although they did get me an acting coach. I think they had slightly less faith in me than they did in Lee."

* As well as his Strictly win, Chris McCausland a regular on comedy panel shows such as QI, Would I Lie To You?, House of Games and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. He appeared on the reality series Scared of the Dark and has had cameo roles in EastEnders, Moving On and Not Going Out. HIs travel series Wonders Of The World I Can't See was shown on Channel 4 and he appeared alongside Lee Mack in Not Going Out.

Who else is starring in Bad Tidings?

Other cast in Bad Tidings are Rebekah Staton, Sarah Alexander, Ben Crompton, Emily Coates, Josiah Eloi, Millie Kiss, Tupele Dorgu, Sunil Patel, Susan Kyd and Donna Preston. 

Behind the scenes and more on Bad Tidings

Bad Tidings is written by Laurence Rickard and Martha Howe-Douglas as well as Chris McCausland. The yuletide comedy is produced by Sky Studios and directed by Tim Kirkby with Adnan Ahmed from Sky Studios producing. Anil Gupta Executive Produces for Sky Studios. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution handles international sales on behalf of Sky Studios.

Spy/Master is a Romanian thriller set during the Cold War and is loosely based on the exploits of a real-life spy. It stars Alec Secăreanu (Happy Valley) as Victor Godeanu, the Romanian president’s right-hand man who is also a secret agent for the Russians. With his cover about to be blown, Victor defects to the US but must avoid the KGB and his own government’s spooks, while his family face the fall out back home. 

This top multi-lingual spy thriller also stars The Mummy’s Parker Sawyers, Deutschland 89’s Svenja Jung and The Trial of Christine Keeler star Aidan McArdle and former Hollyoaks star Nico Mirallegro. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Spy/Master on BBC4 and HBO Max….

Spy/Master release date

Spy/Master is six-part series that launches in the UK with a double bill at 9pm and 9.50pm on BBC4 from Saturday May 4 2024, while all six episodes will be available to stream as a box set on BBCiPlayer from that date. The series has already been shown in the US on HBO Max from May 2023.

Is there a trailer for Spy/Master?

Yes there's a trailer for Spy/Master that follows Soviet spy Victor as he defects to the US and see how his family back home are caught up in the fallout of the biggest defection from the Eastern bloc. Take a look below...

Spy/Master plot 

Spy/Master spans one week in the life of Victor Godeanu, the right-hand man and most trusted advisor to Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu (Claudiu Bleonț). 

With his government about to uncover that he’s a secret agent for the Soviets, Victor defects to the US during a diplomatic trip to Germany. It’s huge news for the Americans and Victor is helped by undercover Stasi agent Ingrid Von Weizendorff (Svenja Jung) and up-and-coming CIA agent Frank Jackson (Parker Sawyers). However the Stasi and Romania’s own spies are soon on Victor’s tail, and it looks as though his wife and daughter may face the consequences back home.

As a Soviet double agent, Victor’s knowledge of Russian secrets could be of great use to the Americans. But with Ceaușescu helping to facilitate peace talks between Egypt and Israel, President Jimmy Carter’s US administration is keen not to rock the diplomatic boat during the Camp David talks, leaving Victor, who is unhappily married with a teenage daughter, in limbo and fearing for his life. 

Spy/Master cast — Alec Secăreanu on playing Victor Godeanu

Alec Secăreanu plays defector Victor in Spy/Master. "The stakes are high," says Secăreanu. "Western intelligence doesn’t have a lot of information about what’s happening in the East, so Victor knows he has leverage. Victor cannot allow himself to show any vulnerability,’ he explains. ‘He knows when to push the right buttons to get something out of them. He’s constantly playing this chess game as he goes along."

Secăreanu was born in Romania just a few years after the events depicted in the series, and experienced the huge changes that came about after the overthrow of the Communist regime. "After 40 years of communism, Romania was a very scarred nation," he says. "My parents spent all of their youth and the first part of their adulthood under communism, and I was born in 1984, so I was five and a half when Ceaușescu was executed on TV on Christmas Eve 1989. That is still a very vivid image in my mind."

* Alec Secăreanu has previously played Darius Knezevic in the third series of Happy Valley and has also starred in Ammonite, Baptiste, Strike Back, God’s Own Country and The Bike Thief. 

Parker Sawyers on playing CIA agent Frank Jackson

World on Fire star Parker Sawyers plays CIA agent Frank Jackson in Spy/Master. While defection is a life-or-death matter for Victor, landing such a big fish could represent a significant career opportunity for the man trying to bring him under the protection of the United States. 

"Frank is very ambitious and chomping at the bit for something he can get his teeth into," says Sawyers, who played former US President Barack Obama in the 2016 biopic Southside with You. "Then along comes Victor, and he’s got this project that can really catapult him into the higher echelons of the CIA, and he can go back to America a hero."

Who else is starring in Spy/Master?

The Spy/Master cast also includes The Empress’ Svenja Jung as undercover Stasi agent Ingrid Weizendorff, Aidan McArdle (Tell Me Everything) plays Walter Simpson, Nico Mirallagro (Rillington Place) plays John Miller and Connor Lowson is Scott Dunlop. Ana Ularu,, Laurentiu Banescu, Conor Lowson and Alexandra Bob also star. 

Behind the scenes and more on Spy/Master

Spy/Master is produced by Proton Cinema and Mobra Films. It was created and written by Adina Sădeanu and Kirsten Peters, with all episodes directed by Christopher Smith and produced by Ioanina Pavel. The executive producers are Johnathan Young, Anke Greifeneder, and Antony Root, and co-producers include Viktória Petrányi and Tudor Reu.

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says:  “A classic spy drama set at the height of the Cold War, Spy/Master is an atmospheric, complex thriller, dripping with style and suspense.”

Big Mood on Channel 4 takes an amusing look at a friendship that is threatened as one pal struggles with being bipolar. It stars Derry Girls and Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan and Inside Man’s Lydia West as best freinds Maggie and Eddie. They’ve been pals for a decade, through thick and thin, but when Maggie’s bipolar disorder makes an unwelcome comeback, Eddie starts to question whether the relationship should come to an end. With their 20s behind them, is it time to move on, alone..? 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Channel 4 series Big Mood…

Big Mood release date

Big Mood is a six-part comedy series that goes out in weekly double bills on Channel 4 starting on Thursday March 28 2024 at 10pm and 10.30pm. All episodes are available now as a box set on Channel 4 stream. We'll let you know here which US channel Big Mood comes to plus its international air date.

How to watch Big Mood online and from anywhere

Is there a trailer for Big Mood?

Yes there's a trailer for Big Mood released by Channel which begins with Maggie riding through London on an electric scooter and visiting Eddie in her bar! Do take a look below....

Big Mood plot

Big Mood is set in East London an follows friends Maggie (Nicola Coughlan) and Eddie (Lydia West) who’ve lived in one another’s pockets for 10 years, through ‘multiple eyebrow trends’. Maggie, an aspiring playwright, is buzzing with excitement about returning to her former secondary school to give a talk to the pupils. Meanwhile, Eddie, who runs a bar called Wet Mouth that she’s inherited from her late father, has alarm bells ringing when it becomes clear that Maggie has stopped taking her bipolar medication. 

As the rest of their lives loom and their careers struggle, Maggie’s bipolar disorder returns with a vengeance. This brings them both to ponder life’s big questions, including whether sleeping with your former history teacher is a good idea, whether a rat hotel in the basement is a sound choice and whether their friendship can withstand mental illness.

Niamh Cusack (The Tower 2) plays Maggie’s mother and Joanna Page who guest stars as herself in episode two when Eddie throws a Love Actually-themed party for Maggie’s 30th birthday and Page, who starred in the 2003 movie, is the special guest.

Big Mood cast — Nicola Coughlan on playing Maggie

Nicola Coughlan plays Maggie, a young woman battling mental health issues. 

She says: "Maggie and Eddie realising that stuff that was fine in their 20s really isn’t flying any more and they can no longer get away with it. Maggie, who is bipolar, is particularly struggling to manage her mental health. Getting a diagnosis is one thing but actually learning how to manage it is a lot more complicated. Maggie has convinced herself that her old history teacher, Mr Wilson [Tim Downie], is the love of her life. She wants to go back and hook up with him.

"I think Maggie and Eddie truly love each other, but I think it can often happen in a dynamic where two people are not actually doing the best by one another, they’ve fallen into a pattern of behaving and treating one another and that's actually not benefiting either, but it's difficult because they have a real love and respect for one another. I spoke to Camilla about it a lot, everyone else in their lives is kind of incidental because you see Maggie have these moments with men but it's not really important to her. Eddie is centre of her universe, she doesn't have a mega close relationship with her mum and definitely doesn't have one with her dad but Eddie is everything to her. It shows how dangerous it is to put every pressure in your life and every hope and every dream onto one single person, it’s a dangerous thing even if you truly love someone because there's a chance that at one point or another one of you is not going to be able to give that back to that person. 

"In episode 2, the pair throw a Love Actually themed party (see picture above), which Joanna Page turns up to as herself. "Having everyone dressed as Love Actually characters was so much fun. Niamh was dressed as Martine McCutcheon’s character,’ says Nicola. "We had a great time, though I have a terrible rat phobia and unfortunately rats end up featuring quite heavily at the party. Eddie has a rodent problem in her basement and has created a 'rat hotel' rather than get an exterminator. Unfortunately, they escape in the middle of the party and Maggie ends up holding one!

"I think Maggie is so different to me in so many ways. I've never played a character like her before, someone that has so little self-doubt, I often play quite bookish characters and people that stand in the background and Maggie is front and centre. It was really liberating to play her because there were scenes in which I was like, ‘I would never do this’, she’s so bold and so front footed. I loved playing her."

* Nicola Coughlan is a familiar face on our screens thanks to her roles as Clare Devlin in Derry Girls and Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton. Nicola has also starred in the Barbie movie and Harlots. She voiced the Playroom Fairy in the Apple TV Plus movie The Velveteen Rabbit. 

Lydia West on playing Eddie in Big Mood

Lydia West plays Maggie’s best friend, Eddie, who is close by as her pal struggles with mental illness.

Lydia explains: "Eddie is in her 30’s, living in London, she’s taken over her dad's bar who recently passed away and is best friends with Maggie. Eddie is going through her own kind of things with managing her anger and bad relationships - toxic relationships with men. Maggie has bipolar disorder and is trying to deal with these mental health issues. Eddie’s issues are almost overshadowed by Maggie’s. She's trying to be there for her and support her through her stuff, but it means all of Eddie’s issues go under the radar and aren’t really discussed. She's not good at talking about what she needs until much later in the series. She's trying to make it work, living in London, not much money, not much idea of what she wants to be or do, and she has this love story with Maggie who is her best friend. They have very similar interests. They really are each other's rock. 

"They have  a complicated friendship. Eddie is like Maggie’s safety blanket, she’s the care-giver, but Eddie’s got her own issues with self-worth and self-esteem. The two of them are very co-dependent. This is like a platonic love story. What happens when you’ve gone through a traumatic time in your 20s and come out of it. What’s next?

"Eddie is very different from me, but I can understand that part of living in London in your 30s, for me, it was a bit younger, but trying to find the right friendship group, trying to find your click and find your people and realise what you want. It was a lot about going out, drinking, dating men, I think I could have related to her in the past for that. What I found challenging and exciting was playing how angry Eddie is and how grief is affecting her."

* Lydia West stole our hearts playing Jill Baxter in the smash hit series It’s A Sin. She’s also had roles in Years and Years, Dracula, Suspicion, Gray, Inside Man and the movies Love Again, Coffee Wars and People You May Know. 

Who else is starring in Big Mood? 

Big Mood also stars Sally Phillips as a medical professional (see pictured below), Niamh Cusack as Maggie’s mother, Joanna Page guest stars as herself (see more on that above) and Tim Downie is playing Maggie's former history teacher Mr Wilson who she has a big crush on. Kate Fleetwood, Ukweli Roach, Robert Gilbert and Eamon Farren also star.

Behind the scenes and more on Big Mood

Big Mood is produced by Fremantle’s Dancing Ledge Productions and written by Camilla Whitehill. It was directed by Rebecca Asher (Dead to Me, Brooklyn Nine Nine), executive produced by Lotte Beasley Mestriner (The Young Offenders) and produced by Georgie Fallon (The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies). Laurence Bowen (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Responder) and Chris Carey (Crossfire, Wedding Season) executive produce for Dancing Ledge Productions. The casting director is Lauren Evans (Sex Education). 

Fremantle will handle global distribution for the series. Big Mood was commissioned for Channel 4 by Commissioning Editor, Laura Riseam.

Dinosaur is a comedy on BBC3 and BBCIplayer starring Ashley Storrie as an autistic woman whose life is thrown into turmoil. Ashley, who is autistic herself and co-created the series with writer Matilda Curtis, plays Nina who loves living with her sister and best friend Evie, played by Kat Ronney. But then Evie has a whirlwind romance and gets engaged, making Nina her maid of honour. Nina’s life is thrown into a tailspin as she grapples with her sister’s impulsive decision and what that means for her own life, not least that she needs to find a date for the wedding.

“Playing Nina was probably the most liberating thing that’s ever happened in my entire life,” says Ashley. “A big part of my autism is ‘masking’ but Nina just kind of wears it out there. That’s what I loved about her. When you’ve got autism, you spend so much time trying to hide it, which just takes up so much energy. So, being Nina has made me realise that I should just be me and spend less time trying to make everybody feel more comfortable around my weirdness. She’s not diagnosed so she doesn’t know that it’s something she has to be hiding – it’s something about her that just ‘is’. It was a very liberating, wonderful experience.” 

Here’s everything you need to know about the BBC3 series Dinosaur…

Dinosaur release date

Dinosaur is a six-part series that launches in the UK from Sunday April 14 2024, with weekly double bills on BBC3 at 9pm and 9.25pm. All six episodes will also become available on BBCiPlayer from April 14.

The show will also launch in the US on Hulu in 2024. When the US release date is confirmed, we’ll update this page.

Dinosaur plot 

Dinosaur is set in Glasgow and follows Nina is an autistic woman in her 30s who is obsessed with dinosaurs and enjoys living with her sister. But then her sister Evie gets engaged, after a six-week romance, leaving Nina struggling to cope with this new development. Nina grapples with what this means for her future and embarks on a surprising journey of self-discovery when she realises she needs to bring a date to the wedding. 

Nina’s relationship with her sister isn’t the only change that she’s navigating, as she explores new possibilities in her palaeontology career and a potential new relationship in her own life with the introduction of kind-hearted Lee, who helps Nina to see these new challenges in a more positive light. As their relationship blossoms, we see that Nina helps Lee just as much as he helps her.

Dinosaur cast — Ashley Storrie interview on playing Nina

Comedian and actress Ashley Storrie who has ASD herself, plays autistic Nina. This is her first major role but she’s also appeared on Breaking the News, The Blame Game, The Comedy Underground and Mission: Accessible.

Ashley says: "Nina is a palaeontologist who loves her family. She loves her sister Evie; she loves her city. She’s straight forward, she’s direct and I think she’s sometimes more direct than me. I often feel a little bit envious of that because Nina lives out loud fully who she is and I sometimes still put on my mask to try and be something else, so I do find myself a little bit envious of her at times.

"Nina and Evie are best friends, sisters, bonded through some sort of magical soul bond and they’re a bit co-dependent and overly reliant upon each other and maybe they’re trying to find out who they are without the other. I think that can be true of sisters or best friends, the women you grow up with and latch on to shape you so much and when those friends move on, get married and have babies, sometimes you can often find yourself kind of freewheeling and left behind. I’m so lucky that Kat, who plays Evie, we met, we fell in love, and we get along really well, and I feel so lucky that that happened because this could have been a completely different experience if that wasn’t the case. 

"Nina’s parents are tremendous, Ade and Diane. They love her, she loves them and her brother Bo, who’s slightly more contentious. There’s a little bit of push back there from her brother but I think that’s a typical brotherly thing. I don’t know, I don’t have any but I’m basing it on reality television that I’ve watched, so I’m pretty sure that’s how it works. I’ve seen the Kardashians; I know how families operate. I call Bo ‘bawbag’ a lot and I feel like that’s an underrepresented word in British entertainment. I feel like we’ve had a hurricane bawbag, I’ve met a cat called bawbag and I feel like it needs to spread far and wide. Not just across Britain, but across the world."

Ashley Storrie on her new comedy: 'Dinosaur is about embracing difference, not being ashamed of it'

Who else is starring in Dinosaur?

Other cast in Dinosaur include Kat Ronney plays Nina’s sister Evie. Greg Hemphill (Still Game) is Ade, Sabrina Sandhu (Dodger, The Syndicate) plays Amber, Ben Rufus Green (The Cockfields) is Shane, Jim Kitson (Land of Women) is Declan, Sally Howitt (River City) is Diane, Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones, Inside Man) is Cecily and Sanjeev Kohli (Still Game) is Sachin. David Carlyle (It’s A Sin) plays Bo, Lorn Macdonald (BEATS, The Lazarus Project, Bridgerton) is playing Lee and Danny Ashok (Roadkill, Capital) plays Ranesh.

Kat Ronney says: "Dinosaur follows the story of two sisters, Evie and Nina who's played by my lovely friend Ashley Storrie. It's kind of a love story about these two sisters who have grown up as best friends, just glued to each others sides. They're pretty much chalk and cheese, they are not the same person, but they just click, and they just get each other so well. Evie then meets someone, Ranesh, and completely falls in love, and is ready to make that commitment. It's about how that change is going to affect Evie's life, but also Nina's life, and this life that they have together. I love their relationship so much and it has been genuinely just such a joy to do this with Ashley. I just think the world of her and we have had so much fun and genuinely, the thought of not seeing her every day actually breaks my heart a little bit which I think is absolutely what Evie and Nina are both feeling. It's definitely going to be a huge change for them. They live together, they have a very very set routine that they're both super comfortable in."

Is there a trailer? 

Yes! The Dinosaur trailer gives us a brief snapshot of the warm relationship between Nina and her sister. Do check it out below...

Behind the scenes, locations and more on Dinosaur

Dinosaur was filmed in Glasgow and created by Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie. It's a Two Brothers Pictures (Fleabag, The Tourist) production for Hulu (US) and BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer and BBC Three (UK) in partnership with All3Media International. Dinosaur was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy and Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland. It is based on an original idea by Matilda Curtis. The Executive Producers are Sarah Hammond, Katie Churchill, Harry Williams, Jack Williams. Catriona Renton is Co-Executive Producer. The Director is Niamh McKeown and the Producer is Brian Coffey. The BBC Commissioning Editors are Emma Lawson and Gavin Smith.

Mammoth is a new BBC Two comedy series that sees a larger-than-life 1970s bachelor transported into 2024 and excitingly the BBC has released a full trailer (see below). 

Starring comedian Mike Bubbins and Car Share's Sian Gibson, it follows man-of-his-time Tony Mammoth, who is thought to have died in an avalanche on a school trip in 1979. But when Tony is miraculously brought back to life, he must reinvent himself as a PE teacher in modern-day Cardiff. Sian plays the mother of one of Tony’s pupils.

"I'm delighted that Mammoth has become a BBC series," says Mike Bubbins, who created the show. "I was a comedy fan well before I became a comedy writer and performer, and I still am, so I was very excited to watch Tony Mammoth come to life. And not just after being miraculously frozen in time, following a freak skiing accident, in 1979. I want Mammoth to be the sort of comedy that families can sit down to enjoy together. Big laughs, from a big character. With quite a big moustache."

Here’s everything you need to know about BBC Two series Mammoth… 

Mammoth release date

Mammoth starts on BBC2 on Wednesday 17 April 2024 at 10pm. This new three-part series of Mammoth will also be shown as a box set on BBCiPlayer.

A pilot was previously shown back in 2021 on BBC1 Wales. We will update with a US release date and channel if Mammoth is released internationally or on any streaming services such as Apple TV Plus, Netflix or Prime Video.

How to watch Mammoth: stream the comedy series online or watch it on TV

Is there a trailer for Mammoth?

Yes there's a trailer for Mammoth and you can watch it below. It shows how Tony Mammoth was thought to have died in the 1970s while on a school skiing trip, but is revived and now, 42 years later, must adjust to modern life... 

Mammoth plot 

In 1979 teacher Tony Mammoth was leading a school skiing trip when disaster struck and they were caught up in an avalanche. Tony was presumed dead but when his body is found, four decades on, he’s miraculously brought back to life. But can he cope with the much-changed ways of today’s world?
His new life in 2024 takes a difficult turn, however, when he encounters Mel Jones (Sian Gibson), the protective mum of shy pupil Theo (Joel Davison). But soon a surprising connection between them is discovered…

Mammoth cast — Mike Bubbins on playing Tony Mammoth

Comedian Mike Bubbins stars as modern-day dinosaur Tony Mammoth (see main picture). 

Mike Bubbins says: "He is a man’s man and a woman’s man, all rolled into one, or at least he thinks he is. He is a 45 year old man who never grew up, and a 90 year old man that never got old. He rarely thinks things through, he acts first. He has a wonderfully egalitarian approach to people; everyone, regardless of background or station, is either alright, or a dick. He loves his friends and family, almost as much as he loves Tony Mammoth. He is loving getting a second chance at life, even though he’s pretty sure he absolutely nailed it the first time around.

"I grew up in the late 70s and 1980s. I knew quite a few people not troubled by self-doubt, very much including my dad. Also, TV seemed to be full of larger than life characters. I probably first had the idea of Mammoth around ten or twelve years ago, but I’ve always found the frozen in time thing fascinating. I also taught PE for six years. I drew quite a bit in that experience. The school we filmed the Mammoth pilot in was the school I was teaching in before moving into comedy.

"In 1979 I was living with my mum, dad and sister in in Barry, attending Mr Moore’s primary school class. Mr Moore drove a convertible MG, had big sideburns, and coached the school football team. Very much a proto Mammoth.

"Most of Mammoth’s wardrobe was from my wardrobe, and the stuff that wasn’t is now being ‘stored’ there. Mammoth also drives my car."

* Mike Bubbins previously starred in Tourist Trap and The Great Unwashed but he’s also appeared on comedy panel shows such as Would I Lie To You? and House of Games.

Sian Gibson on playing Melanie

Sian Gibson plays school mum Melanie, says: "Mel is a single parent and working mother to her teenage son, Theo. Theo is her pride and joy and she will do anything for him and completely smothers him.  She is a control freak, highly strung and is not afraid to say what she thinks, especially when it concerns Theo. She's a force of nature when she’s rattled. And Mammoth definitely knows how to get a reaction from her.

"Mammoth is a laugh out loud, nostalgic, family sitcom that will make you roar with laughter, and marvel at Mike Bubbins’ fantastic wardrobe. First and foremost this is a comedy, but its also got plenty of heart with family and friendship at its core, and at the end of the day, we need stuff that cheers us up now more than ever.

"When I first saw Mike Bubbins do his Tom Jones impression many years ago I knew that one day we would be friends. Mike is a joy to work with on set, he is so generous and kind and really pulled the cast together. Lovely Joel plays my son in the programme, and I had also recently worked with his dad in real life so we instantly had a connection.  I therefore felt like it was my duty to mother and look after him on set. Not quite sure how he felt about that but because he is so sweet he humoured me and went along with it anyway. He is a hugely talented young actor and I loved our scenes together. My scenes were mainly with Mike and Joel but the whole cast including Joseph, Mali and Will were gorgeous and we had a lovely time."

* Sian Gibson became a TV favourite after her endearing turn from 2015 in BBC comedy Car Share alongside Peter Kay. She’s since had roles in The Power of Parker, Murder, They Hope, The Reluctant Landlord, After Ever After and Murder on the Blackpool Express. 

Who else is starring in Mammoth? 

The remaining main cast of Mammoth includes Joseph Marcell as Roger, who was Tony Mammoth's pal 40 years ago! Mali Ann Rees plays Lucy, the head of PE at the school Tony Mammoth returns to. Joel Davison plays Mel's son Theo.

Joseph Marcell says of his character Roger: "He’s a bit of a curmudgeon. He was Mammoth’s friend 40 years ago, they were teachers together and very close friends. They went off on a trip and they meet again 40 years later, but Mammoth is still much younger and Roger is a senior citizen shall we say! Rogers is pleasant but I think there are moments of great envy at the fact that although Mammoth is out of time, he is still younger than Roger and that sometimes irritates him."

Mammoth episode guide

Here's a brief guide to the three episodes of Mammoth...

Episode 1
PE teacher Tony Mammoth is brought back from the dead, having beem buried in an avalanche while on a school ski trip in 1979. He then gets his old job back, approaching things the same way as the 1970s, including parents evening. Along the way, he finds out he has a lot more in common with a pupil’s mum Mel than he thought.

Episode 2
Reeling from some recent news that drops a bombshell on his life, Tony Mammoth tries to make up for lost time. Despite his best efforts though, things don’t go to plan and he and Theo end up in a fight with a stranger. Meanwhile his boss, Lucy, has to fight off the local oddballs looking to donate to help her fertility treatment.

Episode 3
Following the death of his old friend, and pub landlord , Barry, Mammoth decides it’s time to find someone special to spend the rest of his life with. He soon finds out that it’s hard to date in the modern world so he has to quickly learn the contemporary dos and don’ts. He soon hits it off with someone but manages to blow it in pure Tony Mammoth style— dead rabbit and all!

Behind the scenes and more on Mammoth

Mammoth is a BBC Studios Comedy production for BBC Wales and BBC iPlayer, created by and starring Mike Bubbins and co-written with Paul Doolan. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy and Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning, BBC Wales. The Executive Producers are Josh Cole and Steven Canny, the Producer is Luke Mason. The BBC Commissioning Editors are Seb Barwell and Paul Forde.

Paul Forde, Commissioning Editor for Comedy, BBC Wales, says: “We’re thrilled that a brand-new series of Mammoth is coming to our screens, set to entertain audiences across the UK.  It’s a great premise for a show and we know that audiences will love watching Tony Mammoth struggling to come to terms with his predicament.”

Fear is a new Prime Video thriller series starring Line of Duty’s Martin Compston and The Lazarus Project's Anjli Mohindra as a couple broken by a neighbor’s allegations. They play Martyn and Rebecca, who are thrilled to move into their swanky new house in Glasgow with their two young children. But they soon find themselves facing allegations that are every parent’s worst nightmare and, worse still, there’s nowhere to turn for help.

Based on the book Fear by Dirk Kurbjuweit, here’s everything you need to know…

Fear release date

Fear is a three-part series launching in UK and Ireland on Prime Video from Tuesday March 4 2025.  We will update on the US launch and channel when we hear.

Is there a trailer for Fear?

Yes there's a Fear trailer, which opens with dad Martyn saying "Welcome to Glasgow kids!". Something tells us there's trouble brewing, however. Take a look below...

Fear plot 

In Fear, Martyn (Martin Compston) and Rebecca (Anjli Mohindra) are excited to move out of London and into a beautiful new home in Glasgow. But while the new neighborhood seems idyllic at first, Rebecca is unnerved when their neighbour Jan (played by Tom Jones’ actor Solly McLeod) makes some unnerving comments, especially as he'd seems so kindly and nice to them at the start. This then turns into something altogether more intimidating and the couple find themselves facing horrendous accusations but the authorities refuse to step in. 

Prime Video adds superb Martin Compston thriller — and I couldn't take my eyes off it

Fear cast — Martin Compston on playing Martyn

Martin Compston who plays Martyn says of the accusations hurled about by Jan in Fear: " ‘It’s probably the worst thing any parent can be accused of and, these days, an accusation seems to stick before there’s any evidence."

With the authorities refusing to step in, Martyn and Rebecca feel helpless, so Martyn feels he must take drastic action to ensure his family aren’t living in fear… ‘"t’s an awful time for the Berwicks, but we also learn Jan has endured a horrific past,’ Martin reveals. "This drama poses two questions: ‘How far would you go to protect your children?’ and ‘How much does historic childhood trauma excuse present behaviour..?"

* Martin Compston is best known for playing Steve Arnott in Line of Duty. He has also starred in The Rig, Traces, Mayflies, Our House, Vigil, The Nest and Monarch of the Glen. 

Martin Compston on Prime Video thriller Fear: 'It explores the worst thing any parent can be accused of!'

Anjli Mohindra on playing Rebecca

Anjli Mohindra, who plays Rebecca in Fear, says: "‘Jan appears to offer friendship and a sense of community, which is what Martyn and Rebecca have perhaps been starved of in London. Jan appears to Rebecca as this wounded soul, so you feel for him. But it’s not long before the relationship turns on its head and we start to see more of Jan’s insidious tendencies…"

* Anjli Mohindra, has previously starred as Archie in the hit series The Lazarus Project. She’s also had roles in Bodyguard, Vigil, Munich: The Edge of War, Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures and The Missing.

Who else is starring?

Fear also stars Solly McLeod (Tom Jones) as the couple’s neighbor Jan. James Cosmo (Game of Thrones) plays Martyn's estranged father, while Maureen Beattie (Deadwater Fell), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), Anneika Rose (Line of Duty) and Bhav Joshi (The Diplomat) also star.

Behind the scenes and more on Fear

Fear is created by Wild Mercury (a Banijay UK company) (The Rig, The Sixth Commandment) and Capricorn Productions, and written by Mick Ford (After the Flood, The Stranger) based on the book by Dirk Kurbjuweit and directed by Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Shardlake). Executive producers are Derek Wax and Frances Flannery for Wild Mercury, Suzanne Reid for Capricorn Productions, Mick Ford and Justin Chadwick, the producer is Matt Brown. The production of Fear has been supported by Screen Scotland through its Broadcast Content Fund, Banijay Rights are handling international distribution.

The Gathering was Channel 4’s new thriller series from the producers of Line of Duty that was set on a tiny islet that became a party island. It followed the case of a student who came to harm at an illicit rave. 

Newcomer Eva Morgan starred as working-class Kelly, a talented young gymnast attacked at the party. Alongside her were Boiling Point star Vinette Robinson and Ten Pound Poms star Warren Brown. Each episode followed the drama from the point of view of a different character, all of whom had a unique reason to want to hurt Kelly. 

Here’s all you need to know about Channel 4 series The Gathering…

Where to watch The Gathering

The Gathering was a six-part series that went out in weekly double bills, starting on Channel 4 from Tuesday, May 14 at 9pm then Wednesday, May 15, also at 9pm. 

The next episodes aired on Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 at 9pm on Channel 4. The final two episodes aired at the same time on Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29.

All six episodes are now available to watch on the C4 streaming service.

How to watch The Gathering online and from anywhere

Is there a trailer for The Gathering? 

Yes Channel 4 released a trailer for The Gathering which showed what happened after the illegal get together of youngsters. Take a look below..

The Gathering plot

The Gathering focused on a group of disparate teens and their parents and followed the events after an attack at a Merseyside beach party on accomplished gymnast Kelly (Eva Morgan), who was on route to being selected for the national team.  The six-parter told the stories of the adolescents and adults in her world, many of whom came under suspicion. 

Kelly, who had her hands full helping her hard-up, widowed father Paul (Warren Brown) raise two kids, was an elite gymnast, but she was putting her bright future at risk by hanging out with a gang of free runners. Meanwhile, well-to-do fellow gymnast Jess (Sadie Soverall) was put under massive pressure to succeed by her pushy mum Natalie (Vinette Robinson), and fell for Kelly’s friend Adam (Sonny Walker), a free runner and DJ with family problems of his own. 

The incident at the beach party brought to light the intertwined sex lives, loyalties and rivalries of the teens on the island and questioned how they can negotiate their sense of identity and freedom under the close surveillance of their parents. But which one was responsible for the crime? 

The Gathering cast — Eva Morgan on playing Kelly

Eva Morgan, 22 from Liverpool, played working-class gymnast Kelly, who was committed to her strict training schedule but found freedom in free running. 

Eva told us: "Kelly is an elite gymnast who also hangs around a group of freerunners. That’s where her heart lies, and she has to balance these two different worlds and the people in them. Kelly jumps off buildings. It's a joyous thing for her, and gives her freedom and adrenaline in the best way.

"The Gathering is a lot of things! It centres around an attack on Kelly at a rave, and we then follow her storyline, as well as the storylines of the other young people and parents in the show, who are all suspects.

"Kelly’s a protector and wears her heart on her sleeve. I love that, because I’d like to say I do that to some degree as well. I find it relatable, not just because I’m from Liverpool, and I wish I had got to watch someone like Kelly when I was growing up.

"All the young people in this show are dealing with pressures and responsibilities at such a young age, which I think is reflective of young people today. Despite being only 16, at times Kelly must be a parent to her dad.

"There are a lot of worlds and themes explored in the series, including gymnastics, freerunning, and the pressures of international sport. I hope that viewers will feel like they know Kelly, and root for her!"

* Eva Morgan graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama last summer and this was her first screen role. 

Warren Brown on playing Kelly's dad Paul Morgan 

Warren Brown played Kelly’s hard-working dad Paul Morgan, who struggled with impulse control. 

Warren told us: "The Gathering It is set and filmed in Liverpool, and after the serious incident in the first episode, it goes on to explore this world, and find out who is responsible for the attack. 

"Paul is a single father who has lost his wife and the mother of his kids. He’s trying to do everything he can to make ends meet and raise two young children. He is a good and protective dad, but also a little hot-headed!

"I thought the script and characters were absolutely brilliant! You don’t have to be from Liverpool to recognise them. They are all from such different backgrounds, and all on their own journeys. They’re all flawed, and have their own struggles going on.

"The girls’ strict gymnastic regime showcases how the parents may push their agenda onto their teenagers. Questions are asked about how involved parents should be, and that treads a very fine line between being invested and wanting the best for them, and being too involved!

"The Gathering is going to appeal to a wide audience because, ultimately, wherever you are, there are kids going through similar scenarios, trying to find themselves and wanting to have fun."

* Warren Brown has previously played Raymond Mullen in the series The Responder and Sgt. Thomas McAllister in Strike Back. Warren had a long-standing role in the soap Hollyoaks, playing Andy Holt, and he’s also starred in Luther, Ten Pound Poms, Trigger Point, The Hatton Garden Job and Doctor Who.

Vinette Robinson as Natalie

Vinette Robinson played the toxic and controlling mother of Kelly’s friend and teammate Jessica (Sadie Soverall). Vinette played Janet in the sci-fi drama The Lazarus Project and Carly in Boiling Point. Vinette has also been in Six Four, A Christmas Carol, Code 404, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Waterloo Road, Doctor Who, The A Word and Sherlock. 

Who else starred in The Gathering?

In The Gathering, Saltburn star Sadie Soverall played Jessica, Kelly’s friend and fellow gymnast. The cast also included Richard Coyle (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) as solicitor Jules, Sonny Walker (The Responder) as Adam, Ryan Quarmby (The Last Kingdom) as Charlie and newcomer Luca Kamleh-Chapman as Bazi.

Behind the scenes, locations filming news and more

The Gathering was from the team behind Line of Duty and was filmed in Liverpool and around Merseyside and is written by acclaimed novelist Helen Walsh (The Lemon Grove, Once Upon A Time In England) in her first original screenplay for television.

The Gathering was commissioned by Head of Drama for Channel 4, Caroline Hollick and Gwawr Lloyd, Drama Commissioning Editor, the executive producers for The Gathering were Simon Heath, Laura Cotton, Helen Walsh and Gareth Bryn. The producer was Graham Drover. Gareth Bryn directed (Episodes 1, 2, 5 and 6) with Amanda Blue also directing (Episodes 3 and 4). World Productions is part of ITV Studios who will handle international distribution.

The Listeners is a mysterious new BBC1 drama series starring Rebecca Hall which based on the bestseller by author Jordan Tannahill who's now adapted his novel for TV. 

Rebecca plays Claire, a popular English teacher who begins to hear a low humming noise that no one else around her can hear. No apparent source or medical cause can be found yet the incessant sound starts to cause a rift between her and her husband Paul and daughter Ashley. 

However, Claire soon finds herself a part of a disparate community who claim they can also hear ‘the hum’ and believe it can only be heard by a chosen few. We’re told The Listeners ‘explores the seduction of the wild and unknowable, the human search for the transcendent, the rise of conspiracy culture in the West, and the desire for community and connection in our increasingly polarised times.’ 

Here’s everything you need to know about The Listeners…

The Listeners release date 

The Listeners is a four-part drama that starts on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer from Tuesday November 19 2024 at 9pm, with the episodes running weekly at the same time on BBC1, and also as a box set on BBCiPlayer. When a US release date and channel is announced we’ll let you know on here. 

How to watch The Listeners: stream the mystery drama online or on TV

Is there a trailer? 

Yes a trailer for The Listeners has now been released by the BBC, and it looks terrifying! Take a look below...

The Listeners plot 

In The Listeners, teacher Claire Kutty (Rebecca Hall), who lives a happy life with husband Paul (Prasanna Puwanarajah) and teenage daughter Ashley (Mia Tharia), until she starts to hear a mysterious humming, which her loved ones can’t pick up. 

Claire, who’s also suffering from nosebleeds and nightmares, has no idea where the noise is coming from, and when she undergoes tests that fail to pinpoint a medical cause, she grows unsettled. It starts to have a huge impact on her life, causing tension in her family. 

Then, Claire realises that her student Kyle (Ollie West) can also hear the sound and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. 

Tensions mount when teacher Claire and her student Kyle reach out to others who appear to detect the same eerie noise as them. The pair head to a meeting led by one-time professor Omar (Amr Waked) and his partner Jo (Gayle Rankin), who have been picking up ‘The Hum’ for years and feel it’s something to be cherished.

While it helps Claire and Kyle to feel they’re not alone, some of the group’s experiences prove unsettling. Claire also knows seeing Kyle out of school is inappropriate, so when her husband Paul (Prasanna Puwanarajah) and daughter Ashley (Mia Tharia) offer to come with her to a meeting, she tells Kyle to stay away. But can she keep her secret? 

The Listeners cast — Rebecca Hall on playing Claire 

Rebecca Hall plays Claire, a teacher driven to distraction by a strange noise. 

"It throws up problems," says Rebecca. "She has a loving husband, a great relationship with her daughter, and a good job. But if a member of a family starts to experience something that everyone else doesn’t, it's alienating.

"If you think you're the only person in the world going through something, then you come across someone else, you want that connection. But it's dangerous and inappropriate, as she's his teacher…

"Having something destabilised within her sparks the seed of rebellion and maybe she wants something more from life. But when you feel isolated, you become vulnerable to different ideas and strange people…"

* Rebecca Hall previously played Ilene Andrews in the movie Godzilla vs. Kong and has also had roles in Holmes & Watson, The BFG, The Awakening, The Town, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Frost/Nixon and A Rainy Day in New York, alongside Timothee Chalamet and Elle Fanning. 

Who else is starring in The Listeners? 

Other cast in The Listeners include Hamnet star Ollie West who plays Kyle, a student who can also hear the noise. Prasanna Puwanarajah (The Crown), Amr Waked (Ramy), Gayle Rankin (The Greatest Showman), Mia Tharia (Phoenix Rise), Franc Ashman (Inside Man), Samuel Edward Cook (Peaky Blinders) Karen Henthorn (Coronation Street), Lucy Sheen (Ping Pong) and Ian Mercer (All Creatures Great And Small) also star in the series. 

"Kyle thought he was going mad, so with Claire, he has someone he can talk about 'The Hum' with. They  need each other," says Ollie West. "But it becomes dangerous…"

Behind the scenes and more on The Listeners

The Listeners is created by Element Pictures (Normal People, The Favourite, Poor Things), a Fremantle company for the BBC, and directed by Janicza Bravo (Zola, Poker Face, Mrs America). The series is written by author Jordan Tannahill and directed by Janicza Bravo. Both also serve as executive producers, alongside Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann and Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures, Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC, and Alice Birch. The series is produced by BAFTA-nominated Ed King (His House, Suspect, Howl). Global sales will be handled by Fremantle.

Dead Hot on Prime Video is a twisty thriller starring Bilal Hasna and Vivian Oparah as a pair of best friends Elliot and Jess, who are both grieving the loss of Jess’ twin brother Peter, who was Elliot’s first and only love. Then Elliot meets the mysterious Will, just as Jess is contacted by someone claiming to be Peter, and this sets the pair on a quest for the truth. 

Dead Hot has been created by Charlotte Coben, daughter of author Harlan Coben who adapted her father’s novels The Stranger, Stay Close and Shelter for Netflix and Prime Video. It's been described as ‘a compelling and twisty character-driven thriller exploring family, class, love, trauma, and identity’. Penelope Wilton and Peter Serafinowicz are also starring in the show. 

“This story is a thrilling roller-coaster ride with a lot of funny, crazy, twists and turns that's driven by something we can all identify with—family, both blood and chosen. I'm looking forward to everyone joining Jess and Elliot on the ride,” says Vivian Oparah while her co-star Bilal Hasna adds: “Dead Hot is a page-turner and I’m thrilled to be part of this story with such a wonderful team. I can’t wait for the world to see the wonderful, wacky world we’ve created, and to go on a journey full of adventure and heartfelt friendship in equal measure.” 

Here’s everything you need to know about Dead Hot on Prime VIdeo…

Dead Hot release date

Dead Hot is a six-part comedy thriller launching on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland on Friday March 1 2024. We'll check out when there's a US and worldwide air date and update here.

Is there a trailer for Dead Hot? 

Yes there's a trailer for Dead Hot which shows the main characters Elliot and Jess drawn together, plus there's a gruesome scenes with a finger! Take a look below..

Dead Hot plot 

Dead Hot is set in present-day Liverpool. Elliot and Jess are best friends in their 20s who are united over their grief at losing Peter, Jess’s twin and Elliot’s true love, who went missing under mysterious circumstances five years earlier. To cope, the hedonistic pair numb their grief by partying hard but they have never lost hope of finding out what happened to Peter. When Elliot meets Will, he hopes he can finally move on, but then he learns Will has some dark secrets of his own. Jess is also contacted by someone who claims to be her brother. Soon the friends must determine whether Elliot is romantically cursed, or being deliberately targeted.

Dead Hot cast — Bilal Hasna as Elliot 

In Dead Hot, Bilal Hasna plays Elliot, a man trying to move on from a tragedy. 

Two best friends united in grief, suspect their loved one is still alive when past demons resurface, in this riotous comedy thriller. Bilal Hasna (Extraordinary) plays Elliot whose first love, Peter, disappeared five years previously, leaving behind a severed finger. Now living with Peter’s sister Jess (Rye Lane’s Vivian Oparah) Elliot’s trying to move on as strange events start to suggest Peter isn’t dead… 

‘Against this bonkers backdrop are two friends navigating a difficult time,’ Bilal says of the show, co-starring Peter Serafinowicz (The Tick) as DCI Danny and Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey) as Elliot's quite bigoted grandmother, Francine. ‘Penelope has a playful curiosity as an actor. Elliot must hide his life from his grandma, but he’ll live a lie if it means she can pretend her grandson’s someone she wants him to be.’

‘It’s a crazy, colourful world full of mystery, intrigue, twists and turns, but I love that it’s paired with a central relationship that hopefully feels quite relatable,’ adds Hasna. Elliot has sworn he’ll never love again – until he meets the sexy, charming Will (Marcus Hodson) and is instantly smitten…

‘Elliot wants to move on but all these bizarre clues start to emerge suggesting Peter is still alive,’ explains Hasna. ‘What are Elliot and Jess going to have to sacrifice to try and find him?’

The actor is set to voice a character in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and has previously appeared in Extraordinary, Screw and Sparks. 

Vivian Oparah as Jess

Vivian Oparah is starring in Dead Hot as Jess, a woman whose twin brother has vanished.  "Peter was the sun between Elliot and Jess, and the world went black when he vanished – they are just two friends dealing with grief," Oparah says. 

Vivian plays Tanya in the drama Class and has also had roles in Then You Run, Rye Lane (see below), Enterprice and Intelligence. 

Penelope WIlton as Francine

The Dead Hot cast also includes Penelope Wilton playing Francine, who is playing Elliot’s extremely wealthy and traditional but bigoted grandmother. 

Penelope Wilton is much loved for her role as Anne in the Netflix series After Life and of course has starred in Downton Abbey, Operation Mincemeat, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Doctor Who and The BFG, in which she played the Queen. In late 2023 she'll be seen in the Agatha Christie drama Murder Is Easy. 

Who else is starring in Dead Hot?

Guardians of the Galaxy and Shaun of the Dead actor Peter Serafinowicz also plays Detective Chief Inspector Danny.

"My character sees Elliot and Jess the way the villain in Scooby Doo views the meddling kids – he thinks he’s cool and that they’re idiots but they end up running rings around him," says Serafinowicz, who enjoyed filming in his native Liverpool. 

"When I started out acting, you didn’t hear regional accents on TV that much so I softened it a bit and learned how not to talk like a scally. So it was nice to get my teeth into a Liverpudlian accent. I love that this show is crazy and heightened but still has a real authenticity."

Rosie Cavaliero meanwhile plays Aunt Bonnie while ther cast in Dead Hot includes Rebekah Murrell (The Pact), Alan Turkington  (Heartstopper), Brandon Fellows (The Stranger) and Marcus Hodson.

Behind the scenes and more on Dead Hot

Dead Shot is created and written by Charlotte Coben (The Stranger, Stay Close, Shelter), and executive produced by Nicola Shindler (It’s A Sin, Nolly, Happy Valley, Stay Close, Fool Me Once) for Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios).

Nicola Shindler, executive producer for Quay Street Productions, says: “Charlotte Coben is a clever writer and the scripts she has delivered for Dead Hot are outstanding; she's a natural talent. I’m delighted she chose Quay Street Productions for this exciting project. Dead Hot is a unique story with heartbreak, humour, and absurdity, with two magnificent rising stars leading a brilliant cast. There are plenty of surprises along the way, and we’re delighted to be bringing this to life.” 

Coming-of-age comedy drama Boarders on BBC3 and BBCiPlayer sees five underprivileged, inner-London black kids step into a world they only thought possible in Harry Potter when they move to a posh boarding school. 

As they are forced out of their comfort zone – London’s zone 3 – the students must navigate this new, alien world, forge friendships and discover who they really are. And, what’s more, they’re determined to do it their way, even if that means ruffling a few feathers. 

Boarders is written by Timewasters’ creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor who says: “As the Black Lives Matter movement continues to grow momentum, and the world is becoming more aware of black struggles in white institutions, a show like Boarders has never been more relevant or ripe for comedy. Working with Studio Lambert and the BBC has been an absolute joy, and I’ve also bagged myself some of the most exciting black British voices to help me bring this show to the screen.” Here’s everything we know about the exciting new series so far…

Boarders release date

Boarders is a six-part series that lanched on BBCiPlayer on Tuesday, February 20 2024. 

Episodes also run weekly from Tuesday, February 20 at 9pm on BBC3. 

We're expecting Boraders to be shown on BBC1 a little while after but we'll confirm this when we hear. We'll also confirm any international air dates and channels.

Is there a trailer for Boarders? 

Yes, the new trailer is here and it gives you an insight into just how brilliant this comedy is going to be... 

Boarders plot

Boarders will follow five back students from inner-city London — Jaheim, Toby, Femi, Omar and Leah — who win scholarships to an elite boarding school, St Gilbert’s. This is an attempt to rehabilitate the image of one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious schools. 

Stepping out of the urban metropolis is a huge culture shock and boarding school feels like another world to them. As they start to realise how the other half live, the kids must learn to be independent, cope with fierce rivalries and handle extreme pressure as well as making friends, relationships and a large sprinkling of enemies. However, these youngsters might be outsiders but they are determined to prove themselves, and shake things up along the way. 

Boarders cast 

Boarders will star Josh Tedeku (Supacell, A Town Called Malice) as Jaheim, Jodie Campbell (Bulletproof, No Return) as Leah, Myles Kamwendo (The School for Good and Evil) as Omar alongside Sekou Diaby and Aruna Jalloh, both making their screen debuts, who play Toby and Femi. Boarders creator and writer Daniel Lawrence Taylor will also appear on screen to play Gus, a mentor figure to St Gilbert’s five newest students. 

Derek Riddell (Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack) will play headmaster Bernard, and Niky Wardley (Queen of Oz, The Catherine Tate Show) will play Carol Watlington-Geese, Chair of the Board.

Other cast in the series include Harry Gilby (Tolkien), Tallulah Greive (Our Ladies, Cinderella), Rosie Graham (The School for Good and Evil, Sanditon), Georgina Sadler (The A List) and Assa Kanoute, making her screen debut. Additional cast include Harry Gilby (Tolkien), Tallulah Greive (Our Ladies, Cinderella), Rosie Graham (The School for Good and Evil, Sanditon), Georgina Sadler (The A List) and Assa Kanoutè and Archie Fisher, making their screen debuts.

Interview with Josh Tedeku who plays Jaheim

What can you tell us about Jaheim?

"Jaheim comes from London and he’s grown up around a rougher vibe, which you’ll see in the first scene. He’s a very prideful young man who can get violent at times because he doesn’t know any other way to deal with his pain, but he can also be a bit of a charmer when he wants to be. 

"The other four in the group (Femi, Omar, Toby and Leah) are friends of his but his real friends are back home. Throughout the series you see his growth and evolution so by the end of the final episode he’s changed quite a bit compared to when we first met him as he’s had to adapt to the situation and the environment he is in."

What attracted you to the role?

"I went to a majority white school outside of London and it was a weird experience for me. I know some people have good experiences and others have bad experiences. I saw myself in Jaheim a little bit and thought it would be a fun character to play and a fun story to tell. The first script we got was really good and I think that’s what attracted all of us to the job."

Behind the scenes and more about Boarders

Boarders was commissioned by Ben Irving, Acting Director of Drama, and Fiona Campbell, Controller of BBC Three. It's Executive Produced by Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Susan Hogg and Maddie Sinclair for Studio Lambert, and Ayela Butt and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC. The series is script edited by Missy Howard.

Joining Daniel Lawrence Taylor in the Boarders writers room are Emma Dennis-Edwards, Yemi Oyefuwa and Ryan Calais Cameron.

Creator, lead writer, actor and executive producer Daniel Lawrence Taylor says: “It's really exciting to see Boarders finally come to life. I’ve been gifted with the most incredible cast and creative team who are injecting so much joy and energy into the show. I hope the audience loves it as much as we're loving making it.”

Susan Hogg, Studio Lambert says: “Daniel is a superb writer and actor. He has the courage and insight to tackle a tough premise through the lens of comedy. Blessed with a hugely talented cast, Boarders is a bold and original comedy drama, both heartfelt and hilarious. The series hits the sweet spot between laughter and tears that the audience will love.” 

 Fiona Campbell, Controller of Youth Audience, BBC iPlayer and BBC Three says: “We’re so pleased to welcome such a talented cast of rising and established UK talent to Daniel Lawrence Taylor’s Boarders. The series takes us on a journey through the eyes of five young adults in a way that’s refreshing, informative, and hilariously funny – we can’t wait for BBC Three viewers to join in on the fun.”

Maartje Horchner, EVP Content at All3Media International says: “We are very pleased to be a partner in this wonderful, hilarious project that gives a voice to some brilliant new talent. Daniel Lawrence Taylor, with Studio Lambert and the BBC, has created a revealing and immensely engaging and entertaining world at St Gilbert’s – a contemporary comedy of manners with a lot of heart that we are delighted to represent globally.”

G'wed is Scouse/Liverpool slang for "go ahead" and is totally apt title for a new Inbetweeners-style ITVX comedy series that follows a group of youngsters in Liverpool who are coping with big issues by relying on their even bigger senses of humor. 

G'wed stars newcomer Dylan Thomas-Smith as potty-mouthed bad boy Reece, who is pushed into mentoring the new kid on the block, southerner Christopher (played by Endeavour’s Jake Kenny-Byrne). And like most teens, Reece, Christopher and their crew find themselves tackling the age-old problems of grief, sex, diversity and class differences. The show boasts a cast of upcoming young talent as well as Casualty’s Sunetra Sarker and The Responder actor Philip Shaun McGuinness. 

“This young cast had a lot of potential that was quickly fulfilled throughout filming, I can’t wait for everyone to see how well they have brought these characters to life,” says series writer Danny Kenny.

Here’s everything you need to know about the comedy series G'wed….

G'wed release date

G'wed is a six-part comedy series on ITV2 from Monday February 26 at 10pm. All six episodes became available to stream on ITVX from Monday February 5 2024. 

Is there a trailer for G'wed?

There's a clip of G'wed that shows what to expect in the comedy as two of the lads meet local girls. Take a look below. We'll post up the full trailer when available...

G’wed plot and interviews

G’Wed follows foul-mouthed anti-hero Reece (Dylan Thomas-Smith) who is on his last warning from his headmaster Mr Meacher (Louis Emerick). As a result, he is forced to mentor new kid Christopher (Jake Kenny-Byrne) who has moved to Liverpool from 'down south'. Alongside Reece’s mates Connor (Max Ainsworth), Ted (Dominic Murphy) and Mo (Zak Douglas), plus wannabe actress Aimee (Amber Harrison) and her best friend Mia-Louise (Gemma Barraclough), they tackle the highs and lows of school alongside their problems at home. 

Reece is on the verge of being expelled by headteacher Mr Meacher but has a ‘boss’ plan to redeem himself by mentoring Christopher, who’s moved up north to live with his Grandma Pat (Jemma Churchill) following the death of his mum. 

The two teens butt heads immediately, but when Reece realises just how much Christopher is missing his mum, he welcomes the ‘soft lad’ into his gang, which includes truth-bending Mo (Zak Douglas), guarded Ted (Dominic Murphy) and unfiltered Connor (Max Ainsworth). Has Christopher found his people? 

"Christopher is going through the worst thing anyone can go through, plus he’s had to move and he’s got no friends.’ says Kenny-Byrne. ‘He’s shy and socially awkward at first, then he meets Reece. They seem like complete opposites, but they actually have more in common than they think. What I love about this show is that it explores touching things like grief, then undercuts it with something completely ridiculous, a bit rude or just bonkers!’  

The cast also includes Cold Feet and Ted Lasso star Leanne Best as Reece’s loud, lovable dinner lady mum Jodie, while Casualty's Sunetra Sarker plays Mo’s practical joke-playing mum Amal, and The Responder’s Philip Shaun Guinness is harassed teacher Mr Dunn.  "It was boss having Leanne as my mum,’ says Thomas-Smith. ‘She made me feel like she was my mum as well. Every morning on set, she’d come and give me a big hug and see how I was doing. The reason I love this show, though, is that Reece reminds me of me when I was in school. He’s just a cheeky little chappy who flirts with the girls. He’s funny and likeable, and I really related to the script."

The series also follows Reece’s crush, aspiring actress Aimee (Amber Harrison), and her loyal best friend Mia-Louise (Gemma Barraclough), who’s a force to be reckoned with. "I think us Scousers are often misrepresented or stereotyped on TV, but this show breaks the mould,’ says Gemma Barraclough. "It’s about day-to-day comedy, and it’s like nothing we’ve seen before."

G'wed cast

G'wed sees newcomer Dylan Thomas-Smith star as pupil Reece while Jake Kenny-Byrne (Endeavour, Doctors) is Christopher. Max Ainsworth, Dominic Murphy and Zak Douglas play Reece’s best mates Connor, Ted and Mo. Louis Emerick (Brookside) plays the headmaster Mr Meacher. Amber Harrison is wannabe actress Aimee whose best friend is Mia-Louis (Gemma Barraclough). 

Philip Shaun McGuinness, Jemma Churchill, Leanne Best and Sunetra Sarker also star. We'll update with their characters soon.

Joy is a Netflix movie that dramatizes the real-life, 10-year battle to make IVF possible for infertile couples, culminating in the birth of the world’s first ‘test-tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown in 1978. 

This emotional one-off drama stars Jojo Rabbit’s Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist who helped unlock the puzzle of infertility and bring hope to millions of childless people in the future. James Norton also stars as scientist Robert Edwards and Bill Nighy is surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who both joined forces with Jean and overcame tremendous odds to turn the pioneering concept into reality. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the powerful movie Joy on Netflix…

Joy release date 

Joy will be shown in select UK cinemas from Friday November 15 2024, then launch worldwide on Netflix from Friday November 22 2024.

Is there a trailer for Joy?

Yes Netflix has now released an official trailer and a first look teaser trailer for Joy, which takes us back over 50 years to when the pioneering IVF research was started.. Take a look below...

What is the plot of Joy?

Joy follows maverick visionaries Jean Purdy, a nurse and embryologist, scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who teamed up to develop the process of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) which would allow infertile people to have babies. It shows their 10-year battle against huge odds and opposition and how their perseverance eventually paid off, resulting in the birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978. 

It all starts in 1968 as Robert Edwards is carrying out fertility research on rodents to create embryos outside the body, which he hopes may eventually help people who are struggling to conceive. 

After he recruits eager young nurse Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie) to join his team, the pair collaborate with acclaimed obstetrician Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy), whose skills can be used to extract eggs from women’s ovaries. The trio then set up a research facility in a disused wing of Oldham General Hospital and conduct medical trials in a bid to achieve a successful pregnancy. But initially things prove unsuccessful and they also fail to secure funding from the Medical Research Council. Meanwhile their work receives a hostile reception from the public, press, the church and fellow scientists, who feel they are ‘playing God’. Their medical breakthrough comes, however, when, in 1978, Lesley Brown (Ella Brucolleri), one of the women on their programme, becomes pregnant via IVF and gives birth to the first ever ‘test-tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown.

Joy cast — Thomasin McKenzie on playing Jean Purdy 

Thomasin McKenzie plays nurse Jean Purdy in Joy. While Robert and Patrick were both widely acclaimed for their incredible achievements, the drama brings Jean’s often overlooked contribution as the world’s first embryologist to the forefront. "Acknowledging her contribution is a significant part of why this story matters so much," explains Thomasin. "This is something that has had an impact on millions of people and I hope we’ve done it justice."

* Thomasin McKenzie started her career playing Astrid in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and went on to star as Elsa in the movie Jojo Rabbit. She’s also been in Totally Completely Fine, Life After Life, Eileen, The Power of the Dog, Last Night in Soho and Lost Girls. 

James Norton on playing Robert Edwards

James Norton plays scientist Robert Edwards.  He says: ‘It is a celebration of good people. When I read the script I burst into tears. It’s unfathomable how much joy this scientific advancement has brought."

* James  Norton previously played killer Tommy Lee Royce in the gripping BBC1 crime drama Happy Valley and Alex Godman in McMafia. James has also starred in Little Women, Mr Jones, The Nevers, The Trial of Christine Keeler, Grantchester and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. 

Bill Nighy on playing Patrick Steptoe

Bill Nighy plays surgeon Patrick Steptoe. He says: "These individuals faced a decade of relentless adversity, sticking to their principles despite widespread opposition. Their perseverance is truly commendable."

* Bill Nighy has had an incredible career, starring in hit movies such as Love Actually, Their Finest, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Constant Gardener, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pride and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. He will also star in the upcoming movies Dragonkeeper, The First Omen and The Beautiful Game.

Interview with Joy writer Jack Thorne and producer Rachel Mason

Married couple, Jack Thorne and Rachel Mason, the writer and producer behind Joy, used IVF to have their son Eliiot. At a Netflix event they explained more about their movie Joy...

Jack says:  "It's the most extraordinary story and I think when people think about scientific innovations, they have a vision of how it's done. You know, it's in a lab with lots of people in white coats and it generally, Oxford, this story is entirely different from that.

"It's set between 1968 to 1978 and it's a story of three people who worked together despite the whole world being against them to try and bring up the story of infertility. And we tell the story of the three of them. There's Robert Edwards, who's a scientist, Jean Purdy who works with him and who has never been given the credit for this that she deserves and hopefully this film resets that slightly. And Patrick Steptoe, who's the surgeon and they don't get any support from the Medical Research Council. They get abused in the press, they get abused by other people and they fight on, and it eventually results in the birth of Louise Joy Brown."

Rachel Mason adds: "We went through IVF so for us it's really personal. It's a journey that we went through and you know, one in six people are affected by infertility and people don't realise it was pioneered here. But I think it's that mix of it being very personal and people don't realise the trio that were involved, it was their perseverance. The Church was against them and back then it was really difficult. And also Jean mhas not been recognised, so it's such an important story and 12 million babies have been born through IVF, so yes, life changing.

"I very much liked Jack and I  working together, which is different for us. I love it. So I was approached to do the film and we've never worked together, but obviously having been through IVF I was like, yes, I'd love to get involved and I collaborated on the story and then Jack wrote the script. But also, I run a support group through a charity. So it's very much of my world, so I wanted to get involved."

Jack adds: "Infertility is not seen by some. The reason why this was such a fight is because infertility wasn't taken seriously by the medical community and in lots of ways it still isn't, it's still very difficult. And you know, we've got Alabama at the moment that's saying that IVF cannot be performed there. And it's something that needs telling and needs celebrating and it was just amazing to work together."

The real story behind the IVF birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978

Louise Brown was the first child born via IVF and was dubbed the ‘world’s first test-tube baby’. IVF is where fertilisation takes place outside the body. Louise was born to Lesley and John Brown on July 25 1978, who had been trying to conceive for 10 years, and was given the middle name Joy by surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who delivered her by caesarean section. Louise is now an IVF ambassador, novelist and keynote speaker who hails the process as ‘the most remarkable medical breakthrough of the 20th century’. 

Domino Day is a supernatural drama and it is now available on Netflix.

The series features Adult Material star Siena Kelly playing a witch with the power to destroy everything, particularly bad men. She stars as the titular Domino Day, a young woman with extraordinary powers, and is joined by an exciting cast, including Poppy Lee Friar, Sam Howard-Sneyd, Babirye Bukilwa and Alisha Bailey. 

The series, which is set in Manchester in the UK, has been created by Gangs of London’s Lauren Sequeira, so you can expect lots of power struggles and gritty drama. 

So here's everything you need to know about the Buffy-like six-part series Domino Day…

Domino Day release date

Domino Day is a six-part series that landed on Netflix on Tuesday, March 25. March.

Previously, the series has aired in the UK on the BBC and is available on BBC iPlayer, while in the US, it was shown on Sundance Now and AMC+.

Is there a trailer for Domino Day?

Yes there's a trailer for Domino Day. Take a look at Domino on the hunt for Manchester's single men below..

Domino Day plot

The six-part series is set in modern day Manchester, England, and follows Domino Day (Siena Kelly) who spends her time on dating apps. But she isn’t looking for love, she’s swiping to hunt. Her strategy is to target the city’s unsavoury bachelors and fiercely suck the energy out of them.

Aware of her impressive but terrifying powers, Domino is desperate to find a community that can help her understand who she truly is. But what she doesn’t know is there’s a coven of witches hot on her heels, watching her every move and determined to stop her before she destroys everyone and everything around her. 

Coven leader Kat (Alisha Bailey), aura-seeing empath Sammie (Babirye Bukilwa), telekinetic witch Geri (Poppy Lee Friar) and party-loving sorceress Jules (Molly Harris) are covertly tracking Domino, attempting to understand her powers. But just as the young witch finds solace with kind barman Leon (Percelle Ascott), her ex-boyfriend and fellow witch, Silas (Sam Howard-Sneyd), reappears, sending her spiralling. 

What does this mean for them all and will there be a final showdown?

Domino Day cast — Siena Kelly on playing Domino 

Siena Kelly plays witch Domino Day who feels compelled to feed off the energy of others. 

"Domino is an extremely powerful witch who’s new to Manchester," says BAFTA nominee Siena Kelly, 28. "She has to feed, it’s not a choice. If she doesn’t, she will be drained of all energy and will eventually die. She knows what she’s doing is bad, so she justifies it by tactically picking men whom she thinks might be dangerous. 

"She doesn’t know what her full powers are, though, nor where her witchcraft comes from. She’s deeply isolated and searching for a community, but doesn’t realise she’s also being hunted. The biggest influence on Domino is Silas, but it’s a tricky, nuanced and toxic relationship in which he encourages her worst traits to grow.

"I really empathised with Domino in being desperate to change your situation but having absolutely no resources to change it. I also found the idea of being so powerful and not having realised it or not really understanding just how powerful she is really interesting and something that I wanted to explore. 

"The biggest influence on Domino is her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Silas, which isn’t a great relationship. He’s another witch and it’s a really tricky, nuanced and toxic relationship where he encourages her worst traits to grow. He’s also the first witch that she’s ever met so he’s her sole way into the witching world. He gets to be the person who influences her on witch politics, telling her what’s allowed and what’s not, what laws to follow, etc, which is a lot of power to have over somebody. They do love each other but it’s not a good or healthy relationship. 

"The next biggest relationship is the one she develops with Sammie, who’s another witch that’s a lot kinder than Silas. Sammie recognises that Domino is far more powerful than the other witches she knows and really wants her to grow and learn to control her powers and love herself. She wants Domino to recognise that she’s not an inherently bad person, which takes a while for Domino to realise, but she only realises it because of Sammie. Sammie is a brilliant, positive influence on Domino’s life. 

"And then there's the relationships she has with a few humans in her life, which are also very difficult relationships to navigate, because the humans don't know that she's a witch, so she has a lot of secrets with them. There's Leon, who is a man that she meets in a bar that she develops a really beautiful romantic connection and friendship with. There’s also Vedita, her boss in the café. They have a lot of chemistry together and they really enjoy each other’s company. But she knows she can’t really be her true self around both of them as they’re humans and she’s a witch. So there’s always a level that she can’t quite get to with them." 

* Siena Kelly previously starred in Adult Material and Hit & Run and played Michelle in the 2019 Sky series Temple. She also starred in the ITV1 miniseries Vanity Fair.  

Who else is starring in Domino Day?

Domino Day also stars Poppy Lee Friar (Life and Death In the Warehouse, Ackley Bridge, In My Skin) as Geir who is part of the witches Coven alongside Babirye Bukilwa (We Hunt Together) as Sammie, Alisha Bailey (Call the Midwife, Strike) and Molly Harris (Industry as Kat, Monsoon). 

Percelle Ascott (I Came By, The Innocents) is Leon, Sam Howard-Sneyd (Clarity and Chaos, The Children) is Silas, while Christopher Jeffers (Rocketman, Coronation Street), Jonah Rzeskiewicz (Death on the Nile, The Dig) Maimuna Memon (Sherwood, Lazarus) Lucy Cohu and Kris Hitchen round out the cast.

Percelle Ascott says: "We meet Leon right at the start in episode one. He's not magical like the rest of the characters are but he has a good connection with Domino from the beginning. However, as their love begins to blossom there are people out there who aren’t a fan of their romance so as they’re trying to figure things out between them, and Leon gets caught up in the mess with Domino. 

"I think it was the first conversation I had with the director, Eva Sigurdardottir. As there are so many supernatural elements, she wanted to find a way to ground the show through my relationship with Domino. At the end of the day, it’s just a relationship and it was fun to explore how we can find the comedy within our relationship and take it away from all the other scenes that are so supernatural. I feel like the scenes you see with Leon are more stripped back, grounded and wholesome."

Sam Howard-Sneyd on playing Silas in Domino Day

Can you give us an overview of Domino Day? 
Sam Howard-Sneyd says: "I’d describe it as the world of witchcraft meets the 21st century in the world of dating. So it's the problems that people can relate to maybe not in a magical sense, but in a metaphorical sense, and navigating that world of magic with the tricky task of navigating the 21st century as well. 

What kind of show is Domino Day and what makes it unique? 
Sam says: "What I love about the show is that it's led by these relationships and by the drama between the different people. It definitely has magic in it but I think it’s less for the sake of magic but more to show the relationships and to provide some tension and some drama to give you a window into people's true character and the way they have to change throughout the show and the way their relationships changed."

What are the show’s key themes? 
Sam says: "I think identity is a really big part of it. Power and our relationship with power. As well as what we choose as the important things in life. Also this idea of change. Whether we should be going with change or fighting against it. I believe change is the only constant that we have and some characters choose to fight against that and try keep things as is, whereas other characters try and move with it, and I think that's very interesting.."

Behind the scenes and more on Domino Day

Filming began on Domino Day on location in Manchester in March 2023. Domino Day is executive produced by Lucy Richer and Ayela Butt for the BBC, Laurence Bowen and Chris Carey for Dancing Ledge Productions and writer/creator Lauren Sequeira. Some episodes have been written by Charlene James and Haleema Mirza. 

Writer/creator Lauren Sequeira describes the show as ‘dark, sexy and deep’, and hopes young people will love it: "I’m a fan of the supernatural genre, and the Americans have done it so well with the likes of True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, etc. But I thought we needed our own show in the UK. I wanted to bring something vampiric to a witch show, and then place that witch in a dating app setting, where it's so transient and you’re constantly swiping onto the next. But I wanted the audience to be really afraid of Domino, then flip it. The supernatural elements of the show empower her. When guys think they can do terrible things to Domino, terrible things are done to them." 
 

Sexy Beast, the British gangster movie back in 2000 starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley, was a huge hit and now a Paramount Plus series of the same name plays out as its prequel.

Filmed in Liverpool, the eight-part series Sexy Beast sees Gal Dove and Don Logan, the characters originally played by Winstone and Kingsley, as best friends and small-town thieves living their best lives in 1990s east London. But as we delve deeper into their complicated relationship we see Gal, now played by James McArdle,descend into the madness of the criminal world while struggling to maintain a friendship with Logan (Emun Elliott). And then the pair are offered the chance to work on a high profile heist by Teddy Bass (Stephen Moyer), a rising star in the criminal world. Normal People star Sarah Greene plays Deedee, an adult film star, while Tamsin Greig is Don’s formidable older sister Cecilia. 

Taking on roles originally played by Winstone and Kingsley meant that James McArdle and Emun Elliott approached this project with a degree of trepidation, but they were drawn in by the opportunity to get much deeper under the skin of two very complex characters.

"It was important for us to acknowledge those incredible performances - we both realised they were big shoes to fill!" says Elliott. "But at the same time, this is an origin story - how did those men turn out the way they did? What fractured their relationship? The gift of this prequel is that we’re given time to explore that dynamic."

"The film’s an hour and a half, and we’ve got eight hours" adds McArdle. "We’re imagining what these characters would be like in situations we’ve never seen them in before - that’s what was exciting and terrifying about it. Ray Winstone sent me a very gracious “good luck and god bless” text, which was really kind of him - that certainly helped!"

Here’s everything we know so far about the Sexy Beast series on Paramount Plus… 

Sexy Beast release date

Sexy Beast is an eight-part series that launches globally on Paramount Plus on Thursday, January 25.

* How to watch Sexy Beast: stream the crime prequel show online or on TV

* Paramount Plus price: cost, deals and content for the streaming service.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here.

Is there a trailer for Sexy Beast? 

Yes there's an official trailer for Sexy Beast the series which is set to the hit 1980s pop song Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Take a look below...

Sexy Beast plot 

Sexy Beast the prequel series follows petty thieves Gal Dove and Don Logan a decade before we see them in the original movie. This time, they are living in east London during the vibrant yet volatile 1990s and enjoying their ill-gotten gains making a living as small-time criminals. But when the chance to get involved on a big, but risky, job with powerful gangster Teddy Bass (True Blood’s Stephen Moyer) comes along, their lives are irrevocably transformed.

Gal and Don are best friends but their relationship is complex as Gal becomes seduced by the criminal underworld. He also finds himself falling in love. The series explores the beginning of Gal’s relationship with future wife DeeDee (Bad Sisters’ Sarah Greene), an adult film star with big ambitions who unexpectedly finds a kindred spirit in him. Bu she has the potential to ruin his life.

Don, a sociopath with a hair-trigger temper, has his own backstory fleshed out through the introduction of his older sister Cecilia (Friday Night Dinner star Tamsin Greig), a cruel, calculating woman with a powerful hold over him.

Sexy Beast cast — James McArdle on playing Gal Dove 

James McArdle plays Gal, a criminal with big aspirations who falls fo adult film star Deedee. He says; "I found it really fun playing the tension between how Gal sees himself and who he actually is. He has his own moral code, and absolutely believes he’s doing the right thing, but as the series progresses and these characters are pushed into the underworld, Gal’s integrity is questioned.

"Gal and DeeDee are the centre of two separate worlds where everyone uses them for their own benefit. As they start to connect, they realise that they don’t need each other, but they want to be with each other. I don’t think either of them has experienced that before - it’s a revelatory relationship, but it’s dangerous as well."

* James McArdle played Deacon Mark Burton in Mare of Easttown, alongside Kate Winslet, and is Niv Lek in Star Wars: Episode VII – the Force Awakens. He’s also been in Mary Queen of Scots, ’71, Ammonite and Private Peaceful as well as the TV series Love & Marriage, Life After Life and Appropriate Adult. 

Emun Elliott on playing Don Logan

Emun Elliott plays Gal’s friend and fellow thief, Don, who has a cruel sister Cecilia (Tamsin Greig) . 

‘They lost their parents when they were very young, and Cecilia was forced to become a sort of motherly figure for Don,’ explains Emun Elliott, 40. ‘Because she was never really loved, the only way she knew how to bring Don up was through a similar form of abuse, both physical and verbal. Their relationship is complicated, and Don’s loyalty is pulled both ways between Gal and Cecilia.’

* Emun Elliott played Dr Christian King in Paradox, Richie in Threesome, John Moray in The Paradise,and Kenny in Guilt. He's also had roles in Vera, Game of Thrones and Jonathan Creek. He played Brance in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and is about to star in Prime Video drama The Rig and BBC1 drama The Gold. 

Who else is starring in Sexy Beast 

Sexy Beast has a great cast of well-know actors including True Blood star Stephen Moyer plays gangster Teddy Bass while Normal People and Frank of Ireland star Sarah Green is Deedee, an adult film star. Friday Night Dinner star Tamsin Greig is Cecilia, Don’s stern older sister

Also look out for former EastEnders actor Nitin Ganatra, Hollyoaks star David Kennedy, Eliza Bennett (Dynasty), Clea Martin (Hanna), Nicholas Nunn (The Victim), John Dagleish (The Third Day), Robbie Gee (Motherland), Paul Kaye (The Stranger), Lex Shrapnel (Infiniti), Cally Lawrence (Who Is Alice) and Alice Bailey Johnson (This is Going to Hurt) also star. 

More about Sexy Beast, the original 2000 movie

The original movie of Sexy Beast was released in 2000 and starred Ben Kingsley as brutal gangster Don Logan. He visits his old friend Gal, a retired safecracker who now lives in Spain, to persuade him to take on one last job. But while Gal is reluctant, Don doesn’t take no for an answer. Ian McShane played gangster boss Teddy Bass while Amanda Redman was actress Deedee Dove. James Fox played Harry.

* Take a look at the movie picture and trailer below...

Echo on Disney Plus is a new Marvel series starring Alaqua Cox as deaf, Native American supervillain Maya Lopez, who first entered the Marvelverse in the series Hawkeye. 

This show focuses on Maya’s origin story and how as a child she was taken in and raised by crime lord Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) after he had her father killed. The hand-to-hand combat expert, who has a prosthetic leg, is a lethal fighter, thanks to her acute observational skills which allow her to mimic martial arts moves, and has she risen to become the boss of the New York street gang Tracksuit Mafia. 

Echo follows Maya as she returns to her hometown where she must face her past and reconnect with her Native American roots. The series is the first of Marvel’s Spotlight shows, which feature characters from within the Marvel Cinematic Universe but who are more gritty and realistic than their usual fantastical Marvel counterparts. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the exciting Disney Plus series Echo…

Echo release date

Echo is five-part series will premiere on Hulu in the US on Tuesday, January 9, and Disney Plus in the UK on Wednesday, January 10. For more information, here's how to watch Echo online.

Is there a trailer for Echo?

Yes and the Echo trailer shows how Maya is taken in by Wilson Fisk and becomes a ruthless fighter herself. “You and I are the same,” Fisk tells her, but it appears she may not agree. Take a look below...

Echo plot

When she was a child, Maya Lopez’s father Willie ‘Crazy Horse’ Lopez was killed on the orders of Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, who then raised her as his own. A skilled fighter, she rises to the top of his criminal empire as her alter ego Echo, whose trademark is a white hand on her face, symbolising the bloody handprint her father left on her as he died. Maya is consumed by a need for vengeance after her father’s death and, as she confronts her past, she vows to take her revenge on Kingpin. 

Echo cast — Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez/Echo

Echo is played by deaf Native American actress Alaqua Cox, who grew up on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin. She is also an amputee. She joined the Marvel franchise in the 2021 series Hawkeye, which was her first acting role. 

* See our interview with Alaqua below...

Interview with Alaqua Cox and Chaske Spencer on their roles in Echo

Here, Alaqua Cox and Chaske Spencer tell us what we can expect from Echo…

What can you tell us about your characters in Echo? 
Alaqua Cox says: "Maya is a deaf indigenous person who has a biological family and an adopted family and she’s trying to reconnect with her biological family after finding out that her adopted family, her uncle specifically, betrayed her. So, she went back to reconnect with her biological family to try to rediscover a more complicated and deep life that she once lived. And to rediscover family." 
Chaske Spencer says: "I always looked at Henry as a touchstone, a go-between between Maya’s past and her present. When Maya comes back into Henry’s world, he has no control over anything and he’s trying to play catch-up. I really like uncle Henry. He’s just a regular guy thrown into a unique situation."

Alaqua, are there similarities between you and Maya? 
Alaqua Cox says: "Yes, we’re similar. We both have childhood trauma that we were raised with. It was different of course but I’m an amputee so I went through many different surgeries as a child and that made me a warrior in a sense. Maya had the death of her mother and all these tragic events in her life so we both have different traumatic experiences. It makes us both similar in a way because we’re both warriors and we’re tough and we’re badass." 

How did you prepare for the action scenes in Echo? 
Alaqua Cox says: "Luckily, I grew up playing different kinds of sports plus I have an older brother and we wrestled growing up, so that toughened me up. For this role I had a stunt training team and I’d train five days a week. It was a lot. Stunt training was a whole new world for me and I was able to learn choreography, jabs, fights and specific moves. It was very challenging, but it was a fun journey for me."

Do you think this series is a positive step for Native American representation on screen? 
Alaqua Cox says: "Absolutely. I’m just so proud to represent a platform that is uplifting voices for indigenous people. I think it’s so great we have authentic people being picked for these roles and we’re able to portray them on screen with authentic representation. We’re doing it the right way." 
Chaske Spencer says: " It’s extremely important. It wasn’t that long ago when I was a struggling actor in New York City it was hard to land an indigenous role that was well written. There’s still long road to go but right now it’s a phenomenal time for indigenous film because there’s a lot of talent out there. And they’re being seen."

Chaske, this is Alaqua’s first acting role. Were you impressed by her? 
Chaske Spencer says: "Working with Alaqua is phenomenal. She was present and right there and the audience will be very impressed by her. I learned a lot from working with her."

Who else is starring in Echo? 

In Echo, Charlie Cox plays Maya’s love interest Matt Murdock/Daredevil while Vincent D’Onofrio is crime lord Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. Zahn McClarnon is Maya’s father William. Devery Jacobs is Julie, a member of Maya’s indigenous family and Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Cody Lightening and Graham Greene round out the cast. 

The Artful Dodger and Fagin from Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist are two of our best-loved fictional villains and an eight-part series on Hulu and Disney Plus is bringing them back to life, with a twist of its own. 

The Queen’s Gambit and Love Actually star Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays The Artful Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins, as an adult. He’s now a surgeon but he can’t quite get rid of his taste for crime, so he lurches from life-saving surgery to  high-stakes heists. Landscapers star David Thewlis plays Fagin in the series, which is set in 1850s Australia and features Aussie comedian, actor and writer Tim Minchin. This series has been described as ‘a rock n' roll tale with an Aussie connection’.

Here's everything you need to know about The Artful Dodger series on Hulu and Disney Plus…

The Artful Dodger release date

The Artful Dodger is an eight-part series becomes available on Disney Plus in the UK and Ireland from Wednesday January 17, 2024. The drama was previously available to stream on Hulu in the US on Wednesday November 29 2023. The

How to watch The Artful Dodger online: release date and time

Is there a trailer for The Artful Dodger? 

Yes a teaser trailer and official trailer for The Artful Dodger released now by Disney Plus and Hulu, which shows him cavorting around in High Society as Dr Dawkins, but desperate to cover up his childhood criminal past. Take a look at both below...

The Artful Dodger plot 

Set in Australia in 1850s, we catch up with The Artful Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), in the lively (fictional) colony of Port Victory. He was transported there as a young pickpocket but is now a successful surgeon who is known in high society as Dr Dawkins. 

He receives a shocking blast from the past, however, when he is reunited with his crafty former mentor Fagin (David Thewlis), who has evaded the gallows and been sent Down Under as a convict. But as Dodger’s medical career comes under threat due to a gambling debt, Fagin tries to help him out and they are both quickly drawn back into their bad old ways…

From then on Dodger can’t quite shake off his criminal roots and still has a predilection for crime. That means he juggles his day job with high-octane robberies. A greater threat – to Dodger’s heart – is Lady Belle (Maia Mitchell), the Governor’s daughter, determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon. Her dreams of becoming a surgeon are hampered due to her gender and she soon notices Dodger’s talent for medicine and criminality.

The Artful Dodger cast — Thomas Brodie-Sangster interview on playing The Artful Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins

Now playing a grown-up version of the notorious pickpocket Jack Dawkins, aka The Artful Dodger, here Thomas Brodie-Sangster reveals more about this series...

How would you describe the show The Artful Dodger?
Thomas Brodie-Sangster says: "It has everything a British period drama does, but it is set amid the blazing hot skies of Australia, which is a cool dynamic to play with. There’s a Romeo and Juliet romantic story as well, but it’s also a fun heist drama!"

Tell us about Dodger’s life as a surgeon…
Thomas says: "This is a period of medicine on the cusp of big changes like anaesthetics. But until that point, it was closer to butchery. Dodger has learnt that quick fingers have a use other than pickpocketing, and that there’s merit in doing something worthwhile for other people. He has made a name for himself, he's good at what he does, and is climbing the ladder, because no one knows of his background. He’s trying to be a good boy, until Fagin turns up…"

What is his reaction after Fagin resurfaces?
Thomas says: "The only love he's ever experienced is from Fagin, which is questionable. But Fagin is also a terrifying ghost, who harks back to a time Dodger is trying to swim away from. Fagin brings Dodger back down to reality because he knows everything about him. He has control over him and could get a noose around his neck or get him thrown back in jail, so Dodger has to take Fagin in."

Fagin’s criminal tendencies soon emerge as he tries to help Dodger pay off a gambling debt that could otherwise end his medical career. How does Dodger feel about that?
Thomas says: "It pulls Dodger back into his dark ways. But Dodger also loves the thrill of crime, it’s that life and death thing that you get in surgery too. There's something electric and exciting about that. It’s in his blood, and he struggles to say no to Fagin."

Have you enjoyed working with David Thewlis?
Thomas says: "David's lovely. I've always admired his work, he's wonderfully natural. We clicked straight away and bounced off one another nicely. Our characters butt heads, but are also from the same world, so playing all of that with David is great."

Dodger also forges a tantalising bond with spirited aspiring doctor Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell), the daughter of the local governor. What is their relationship like?
Thomas says: "They are both stubborn and proud, so they can be spiky but they have respect for one another. Dodger is dyslexic – I am too and I struggle with scripts and he struggles with doctors’ notes – so he’s just instinctive and goes with what he feels is right. Belle does the opposite. She's gifted, a studier, and has everything at her disposal, but as a woman, she's not allowed to be a surgeon. They help and hinder each other. 

Is love on the cards for them?
Thomas says: "It becomes gut-wrenchingly, beautifully romantic. Belle and Dodger are from different backgrounds, so you’re dealing with class. If you come from a place like Dodger does, where you don't have the right blood, you can't really climb up. But love is his saving grace. He's torn between what he knows he is good at [surgery] and this dark world where he likes to gamble and feel that risk. Belle pulls him back."

Finally, what has it been like filming on the hospital set?
Thomas says: "That’s one of the best sets I have been on, it’s world-class. The level of detail means it feels like it's lived in. When we walk around and we're in costume, and it's lit, it looks stunning. But it is very hot!"

* Thomas Brodie-Sangster first won our hearts as Sam in the Christmas classic Love Actually. He’s since starred in The Maze Runner movies as well as the hugely popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. He played Malcolm McLaren in Pistol, the series about The Sex Pistols, and Rafe Sadler in the BBC period drama Wolf Hall. 

David Thewlis interview on playing Fagin 

David Thewlis is playing Fagin, a London criminal who turns homeless boys into pickpockets and arrives in Australia where he catches up with Dodger and encourages him to engage in criminality once more. Here, David reveals much more his role in The Artful Dodger...

How do you see this world?
David Thewlis says: "It’s far from London and a brutal place where the existence is dire, the law is draconian and survival is exhausting. And into this, we drop these Dickensian characters and surround them with a new, wonderfully exotic collection of people that Dodger and Fagin come across."

Tell us about your version of Fagin…
David says: "In Oliver Twist, he's not alive by the end [he is hanged] – but this is a reinvention. Fagin has been transported to Australia and is carrying on his perfidy and scraping by through his usual tactics. He has plans, so he needs Dodger and there's a strange father-son relationship."

What appealed to you about playing Fagin?
David says: "It’s an iconic role. I grew up watching the film musical [1968’s Oliver!] and I used to be friends with Lionel Bart, who wrote that, so it was dear to me, and where I live in London is the heart of Dickens country, so I felt fate was involved. He’s such a memorable, fascinating character too. I’ve played lots of psychopaths in grim, realistic stuff, but I adored playing the comedy in this."

Have you enjoyed working in Australia too?
David says: "It has been a dream. I shot there years ago for a film I did not enjoy – [1996’s] The Island of Dr Moreau – I had a terrible time! I came back to correct that. Now I'm in love with Australia and Australian people!"

* David Thewlis best known for his role as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies. He also stars in Enola Holmes 2, The Sandman, Landscapers and Justice League. 

Who else is starring in The Artful Dodger?

Australian singer/song writer Maia Mitchell, who also starred in the Teen Beach movies, is playing Lady Belle Fox, who also wants to be a surgeon. 

Upright’s Tim Minchin, Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Miranda Tapsell (Top End Wedding), Susie Porter, Kym Gyngell, Damien Garvey, Jessica De Gouw, Andrea Demetriades, Luke Carroll and Huw Higginson are also starring.

Also in the cast are rising talents Nicholas Burton, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Vivienne Awosoga and Albert Latailakepa.

The Arful Dodger episode guide

Here's what to expect from the eight episodes of The Artful Dodger...

EPISODE 1 – The Yankee Dodge
With a huge gambling debt, coinciding with the return of Fagin, Dodger agrees to a final sting.

EPISODE 2 – Blessings of St. Coccyx
Trying to steal 500 sovereigns, Dodger and Fagin witness Darius in a compromising position.

EPISODE 3 – Dead Men's Secrets
With Gaines planning their demise, the pressure is on Dodger and Fagin to find the missing money.

EPISODE 4 – The Stitch Up
Fagin serves up Gaines’ wife and Darius. Sneed attacks Dodger at the Governor’s dinner.

EPISODE 5 - The Duel
Fagin plots to swap a valuable barrel with a fake. Sneed and Dodger's rivalry culminates in a duel.

EPISODE 6 - Bully in the Alley
Gaines plans to rid the colony of crime. Red is captured and must undergo emergency surgery.

EPISODE 7 - Wet Lettuce
Fagin and Dodger attempt a risky heist in pursuit of gold. Belle reveals her secret to Jack.

EPISODE 8 - Untapped Potential
Jack attempts to save Belle but is betrayed and arrested by Gaines.

Who else has played The Artful Dodger on screen?

Probably the most famous portrayal of The Artful Dodger was by the late Jack Wild in the hit 1968 movie Oliver! Chirpy cockney Jack shone while singing songs such as Consider Yourself, Be Back Soon and I'd Do Anything! The role won 16-year-old Jack an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He later arrived in Hollywood to star in the US kids' series HR Pufnstuf.

In the classic 1948 David Lean movie adaptation Oliver Twist, The Artful Dodger was played by Anthony Newley, and in the 2007 BBC1 drama (with Tom Hardy as Bill Sikes) Dodger was played by Adam Arnold.

Behind the scenes and more on The Artful Dodger

The Artful Dodger is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television’s Curio Pictures and produced by Beach Road Pictures. The series is created by James McNamara, David Maher & David Taylor.  Jo Porter represents Curio Pictures as Executive Producer and David Maher & David Taylor represent Beach Road Pictures as Executive Producers. James McNamara (Co-Creator, Co-Executive Producer and Writer), Andrew Knight (Co-Executive Producer and Writer), Jeffrey Walker (Co-Executive Producer and Director) and Ross Allsop (Producer) complete the producing team.

Manhunt on Apple TV Plus is based on the bestselling book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson. It's part conspiracy thriller and part historical fiction as this period drama follows the hunt for Abraham Lincoln’s killer John Wilkes Booth. 

Manhunt stars The Crown’s Tobias Menzies as Lincoln’s friend and war secretary Edwin Stanton, who after the president’s assassination in April 1865, led the search for his killer. Masters of The Air star Anthony Boyle will play John Wilkes Booth, the well-known stage actor who shot the president in the head as he watched the play Our American Cousin at the Ford's Theatre in Washington DC in 1865, shortly after the American Civl War.

 Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple TV+ series Manhunt…

Manhunt release date

Manhunt is a seven-part thriller that launches on Apple TV+ on Friday March 15 2024, with the first two episodes. The remaining five episodes will air weekly on Fridays until April 19 2024. 

How to watch Manhunt: stream the true American historical drama online

Is there a trailer for Manhunt?

Yes Apple TV+ has released a Manhunt trailer showing all the historical action and the attempt to track down Lincoln's killer. Take a look below... 

Manhunt plot 

Manhunt follows the aftermath of the 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the 12-day manhunt for his killer, actor John Wilkes Booth. It’s one of the best known but least understood crimes in history and the show details the determination of Lincoln’s friend and war secretary Edwin Stanton, who led the hunt to find the killer and preserve the president’s legacy. 

On the evening of 14 April 1865, John Wilkes Booth slipped into the Presidential box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC and shot Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head as he watched a play with his wife. 

in the first episode, the American Civil War has reached its end after four bloody years, when white supremacist actor Booth (Anthony Boyle) assassinates the President in the hope of inspiring the country’s Southern states to rise again. As Booth flees south towards Virginia with co-conspirator David Herold (Will Harrison), Lincoln’s close friend and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Tobias Menzies) takes charge of the manhunt to catch the killer.

Stanton and his colleagues quickly discover that Booth was part of a much wider plot that had also unsuccessfully targeted Secretary of State William H. Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson. Meanwhile, the drama also flashes back to Lincoln’s final days as he desperately tries to reunite a country torn apart by war. 

Manhunt cast — Tobias Menzies on playing Edwin Stanton

Tobias Menzies plays war secretary Edwin Stanton. He says: "This story is a huge part of America’s history and we wanted to bring it alive as intimately as we could," explains Tobias Menzies. ‘It’s a very complicated, political story we’re telling but hopefully also a very human one. President Lincoln and Stanton had a common cause in trying to change their country and Stanton runs the investigation to track Booth down. We’re really trying to bring the thriller nature of those extraordinary few days."

Manhunt is the first major TV role for Menzies since his Emmy-winning performance as Prince Philip in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown, and he prepared for the role by working on his American accent, reading about the Civil War, and even studied Gregory Peck’s performance as Atticus Finch in movie To Kill a Mockingbird. 

‘For Stanton, I was thinking of those archetypes that you see in American literature and film,’ explains Menzies, who turns 50 on 7 March. "It’s such a whirlwind story with so many different characters floating through it, so you need a moral compass."

* Tobias Menzies is best known for playing Prince Philip in seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown from 2019 to 2020. Tobias has also starred in Game of Thrones, Outlander, Casino Royale, This Way Up, The Terror, Casualty, Rome and The Night Manager. 

Anthony Boyle on playing assassin John Wilkes Booth

Anthony Boyle plays John WIlkes Booth,  the man who shot Abraham Lincoln and changed the course of history. 

"It was a 12-day manhunt – at the time the biggest in American history," says Masters of the Air and The Plot Against America star Anthony Boyle, 29. "I wasn’t good at history at school, but I’ve become obsessed with it through my work. I always want to know everything about the period the drama is set in, so I get entrenched in it. For Manhunt, I read a lot of Booth’s letters, which revealed his racist ideology and his descent into madness, and during filming I found myself riding horses and hanging out with cowboys."

* Anthony Boyle has also had roles in Ordeal by Innocence, Danny Boy, Tetris, The Plot Against America, Come Home and Derry Girls. He stars in the Apple TV Plus series Masters Of The Air in 2024.

Who else is starring in Manhunt? 

Manhunt also features Legion actor Hamish Linklater who plays the iconic US president Abraham Lincoln. Patton Oswalt plays Detective Lafayette Baker, an investigator involved in the manhunt, and Greenleaf’s Lovie Simone is playing Mary Simms, a former slave of a doctor, while Matt Walsh plays Samuel Mudd, who treats Booth’s injury and gives him safe harbour after his crime.

Will Harrison (Daisy Jones and the Six), Brandon Flynn, Damian O’Hare and Glenn Morshower also star. 

Behind the scenes and more on Manhunt

Manhunt is created by Emmy nominee Monica Beletsky (Fargo, The Leftovers, Friday Night Lights), who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. 

It was produced by Apple Studios and co-produced by Lionsgate Television, in association with POV Entertainment, Walden Media, 3 Arts Entertainment, Dovetale Productions and Monarch Pictures. Beletsky, Franklin, Layne Eskridge, and Kate Barry executive produce. 

James L Swanson, author of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer also serves as executive producer alongside Michael Rotenberg, Richard Abate, Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov.    

Fool Me Once follows previous adaptations of Harlan Coben’s gripping novels Stay Close, The Stranger and Safe, all of which have been huge hits as Netflix thrillers. 

Richard Armitage, who starred in The Stranger and Stay Close, has a role in Fool Me Once too, this time playing Joe Burkett, a husband who seemingly comes back from the dead. 

Former Coronation Street and Our Girl star Michelle Keegan heads up the cast, however, playing Joe’s wife Maya Stern, who's struggled to move on since his murder. But her life changes dramatically when it turns out that Joe might not be dead after all. Fool Me Once also stars BAFTA-winners Adeel Akhtar and Joanna Lumley.

Harlan Coben says: "Fool Me Once is a pulse-pounder — a shocking story of how secrets and deceit have the power to bring people together while simultaneously tearing them apart."

So here’s everything you need to know about Fool Me Once on Netflix…

Fool Me Once release date

Fool Me Once is an eight-part series that launched worldwide on Netflix on Monday January 1, 2024, aka New Year's Day.

Is there a trailer for Fool Me Once?

Yes a trailer for Fool Me Once has been released by Netflix which you can take a look at below. It's mega intense, just as we've come to expect from a Harlan Coben mystery...

Fool Me Once plot

In Fool Me Once, Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan) is a widow trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband, Joe (Richard Armitage). She installs a nanny-cam to keep an eye on her young daughter but is shocked when she sees a man she recognizes in her house — the husband she thought was dead. 

Detective sergeant Sami Kierce (Adeel Akhtar) is leading the investigation into Joe’s death but has secrets of his own, while Maya’s niece and nephew are trying to uncover the truth about their mother’s murder several months earlier. As we learn whether the two cases are connected, the characters embark on a thrilling hunt for the truth. 

Fool Me Once cast — Michelle Keegan interview on playing Maya Stern

Michelle Keegan plays grieving wife Maya in Fool Me Once. Michelle told us: "I was such a massive fan of Harlan Coben and to get this role is like a dream come true. I'm still not over it. I feel really lucky and very honoured.

"Maya is from Manchester like me and she's left the army for a reason. We find out the beginning of the show the reason why. She’s a helicopter pilot and she has been doing it since she left school. But  something happened on the last tour that led to her leaving the army. That’s why she has PTSD. All the military advisers I spoke to about PTSD back in my Our Girl days said that it’s very hard when you’ve been in the army to come home and get back into civilian life. I feel that’s Maya. She never felt she fitted in anywhere whether she was at home or in her marriage. The only place that she has fitted in was probably the military. 

"Her husband was brutally murdered in front of her. Then her friend Eva gives her a 'Nanny Cam' to help her look after her daughter while she's away. And one night she watches on the nanny cam and she sees her dead husband with her daughter! She sees her husband alive and well on the Nanny Cam.

"Maya is from more of a working-class background than Joe, whereas Joe and his family have this stately home. Maya first meets Joe at a charity gala where she is wearing her military fatigues, and he is in a tux. I think she was drawn to the fact that Joe was such a gentleman. 

"It was wonderful to have Joanna Lumley play Maya's mother in law. She's so funny. Honestly, she's hilarious. She had all the crew laughing all the time. But she's so professional and lovely to be around. I just gravitated towards a straightaway. She makes you feel really comfortable. She's actually a legend. She really is.

"Working with Richard Armitage was amazing, too. I was a big fan of of him in Stay Close and The Stranger so it was great. And I've loved working in my home city of Manchester. It's great being back home. I can go to my mum's for dinner.

"I hope viewers enjoy all the twists and turns. Nothing is how it seems in this story. People will come to their own conclusions, but their conclusions will probably be wrong. That’s what I loved about the show and about the book. I was always second guessing why Maya did that or what happened, and my guesses were always wrong. It was always something bigger and better than that. Never second guess anything. You are definitely going to be shocked!"

* Michelle Keegan has previously played Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street before going on to star as Sergeant Georgie Lane in Our Girl. She’s also had roles in Ordinary Lies, Plebs, Tina and Bobby and Brassic.

Richard Armitage interview on playing Joe Burkett

Richard Armitage, who plays Maya's husband Joe, says: "When you’ve read a few Harlan Coben’s you know that he plants things deep in the ground that you excavate through the story. Sometimes literally like in The Stranger where it was an actual excavation of a body. With this I recognised that I was kind of stepping into the role that Dervla Kirwan played in The Stranger, which is the presence of somebody being very strong in the story. Just not knowing where they are or what happened to them. The first time I read the big WTF moment in the book I stopped reading and had to track back. I was like, ‘Wait a second!'

"It’s interesting that the eldest brother, Joe, who has a lot of the power is the apple of the mother’s eye. The other siblings sort of move around him. We were so lucky to have our cast. Hattie Morahan and I played a husband and wife in Alice Through the Looking Glass so that was great to be reunited. I looked at Hattie, James Northcote and I and believed that we could be siblings. Then there is the dead brother that I never met while I was filming. I could also buy that I was Joanna Lumley’s son. You must believe that family in order to make this story work. I buy the intensity of blood relations between these characters. There was something slightly overstepping the line with the mother figure. We never find it in the story but there was a single moment in the wedding sequence with Joanna, a look and a smile and a slight wince from Judith that her boy is marrying this woman. It’s tiny but it said everything. Those little nuanced moments were very useful for me.

"Joe’s a master magician in a way. His method, his modus operandi of seducing somebody is charm and somehow managing to be a little bit vulnerable around Maya. There are little montage moments we have which are very much about him making her laugh a bit. Michelle and I used our relationship from the first time we met. She is very easy to like and she’s very easy to make laugh, so we used that a little bit as an ingredient. But then Joe is smiling with one side of his face and behind his back he has got a dagger in his hand really."

He loved playing opposite Joanna Lumely as Judith: "There is all that gravity that she brings. The fact that her character is a psychiatrist as well. A sort of light authoritarianism. There is this wealth of knowledge, a wealth of experience. As a person she sort of speaks on this very seductive whisper. That is so perfect. I said to the costume designer, ‘Is there a way we could have something which just suggests there is a little synchronicity between them?’ We went with shoes. At one point we are both in these loafers. There had to be something that connects the two of them. I did think of Joanna a lot with Joe’s delivery. A slight aloof elegance I tried to find in Joe’s delivery that I think he would have inherited from her."

* Richard Armitage starred in the previous Harlan Coben adaptations Stay Close and The Stranger. He played Lucas North in the BBC One series Spooks and has starred in The Hobbit movies, Strike Back, Robin Hood, Hannibal and Berlin Station. He’s also starred in Ocean’s Eight, Brain on Fire, Alice Through the Looking Glass and Captain America: The First Avenger. 

Adeel Akhtar interview on playing DS Sami Kierce

Adeel Akhatr plays a cop with secrets of his own. He says: "Initially Maya has called the police because her husband Joe has been shot in the park. It looks like a run-of-the-mill mugging, but I think he has been a detective long enough not to take anything on face value. He is quite mistrusting of Maya initially, but he is mistrusting of most people.

"I think Sami is just mistrusting of everyone. Even though Judith presents herself as this quite upper-class, well-spoken, louche character he has been a detective long enough to understand that there is always a subtext behind what is presented to him. His general understanding of most of the characters in Fool Me Once is to approach them with caution. 

"It was really nice to have some scenes with Joanna Lumley. Our paths had crossed once when we were onstage when I won a BAFTA, and she won a BAFTA. We mentioned that in passing and had a lovely chat in the makeup truck. She is such a lovely woman.

"There is a bridge scene with Sami that seemed a little bit overwhelming, but I tried not to think about it too much. When I got there, I just tried to act and react to what was going on in the reality of that situation. There were a couple of moments like that. It was just heightened emotion – somebody at the edge of their own sanity. It can be a little bit overwhelming to think how that will play out. I suppose the idea is not to think about it and just be there and see what happens."

* Adeel Akhatr won a BAFTA for the drama Murdered By My Father and has also starred in Les Miserables, Four Lions, Enola Holmes, Killing Eve and Ali and Ava. He played Mohammed in Victoria & Abdul and had roles in Unforgotten, The Nest, The Night Manager and Sherwood. 

Joanna Lumley interview on playing Judith Burkett 

Absolutely Fabulous icon Joanna Lumley is playing Judith Burkett, Joe’s overprotective and grieving mother. 

Joanna Lumley says: "I was sent Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once and read it and I realised at once that we were looking at a master storyteller. There are so many jinks and kinks and turns. It makes the Formula One circuit look like a straight road. It’s fantastic. Then they sent me his I Will Find You, which I just devoured. Utterly, utterly gripping. I’ve got such admiration for him. 

"The Fool Me Once premise of starting with a funeral makes it oh my Lord what’s happening now? And then you are caught up in a nightmare conundrum, which I can’t reveal. But you are immediately going what the hell’s happened? I think that’s brilliant. Whether people eat it all in great big mouthfuls and stuff it all down – all eight episodes in one go – or if they eke it out, I think it’s going to have huge rewards. It’s the beauty of the filming and the production but also the brilliance of Harlan Coben. My God, he sure knows how to tell a tale. 

"Judith doesn’t think Maya is good enough. That’s the trouble. She thinks she’s common. Judith is a terrific snob. Judith thinks that Maya is not good enough for her handsome, lovely son. The fact that Maya is extremely capable and is an armed service woman and extremely beautiful none of this means anything to Judith. She just thinks she’s not good enough for the family. She quite admires Maya. She quite likes her. She gets on ok with her, but she thinks she’s common."

"Judith thinks her daughter Caroline is a drip. Judith measures Caroline against herself. Caroline is a bit of a daydreamer, very gullible, a little bit fey. That’s all the things that Judith isn’t. She is sort of exasperated because Judith admires strength and leadership. Her son Joe, she adored. Andrew, long dead. We never really get to understand Andrew except that he was quite a gentle boy. I think she would have doted on him. She protected him a bit. She felt he was the one that needed protecting. Joe didn’t need protecting because he was exactly everything she adored. And then Neil, her youngest, she just thought he was useless. Again, she was harsh about him. He drank too much. He ought to have done better. He ought to have been like his eldest brother Joe. She measures everybody against Joe." 

Judith has been a psychiatrist for 40 years. "I think it’s fascinating," says Joanna. "I’ve never been to a psychiatrist, but I am so interested in all sorts of workings of the mind. I think Maya sees Judith as a bit of a threat and is quite often accusing her of trying to use her as a puppet and using tricks on her, which Judith of course denies. And she can deny it. She doesn’t try to trick her. Our show doesn’t show Judith doing any psychiatric work, so I didn’t have to follow that through much. 

* Joanna Lumley best known for her turn as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous but has numerous roles to her name, including Felicity in the series Motherland. Joanna has starred in Finding Alice, Coronation Street, The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, Jam & Jerusalem, Mistresses and The Sandman. 

Who else is starring in Fool Me Once?

Other stars of Fool Me Once include former Hollyoaks and Peaky Blinders actor Emmett J Scanlan who's playing Shane Tessier who is Maya's former platoon mate and now in the military police. He gave up combat piloting when Maya left the military as he wanted to be closer to home. After Joe’s death, Shane is Maya and Lily’s rock. So, when Maya tells him she thinks there’s more to Joe’s death than meets the eye, Shane uses his knowledge and access to help her.  

Dino Fetscher (Years and Years) is Marty McGregor, a young, bright, and ambitious detective. When Marty is partnered with DS Sami Kierce on the Burkett homicide case, he wants to do a good, thorough job. He looks up to Kierce and wants to impress him, but Kierce is frustrated by his presence and reluctant to warm to him.

Laurie Kynaston (A Small Light) plays Corey Rudzinkski, aka Corey The Whistle. He runs an online whistleblowing organisation which strives to uncover and expose wrongdoing and corruption worldwide. His mission often requires him to use underhand methods which can devastate people's lives. As a result, Corey frequently creates enemies for himself and must live a secretive, undercover life. 

Marcus Garvey is playing Maya’s brother-in-law Eddie Walker, Hattie Morahan plays Joe's sister Caroline Burkett, James Northcote plays Joe's brother Neil Burkett and Dänya Griver is playing Eddie and Claire’s smart, inquisitive, and confident daughter Abby Walker. Daniel Burt plays Daniel Walker who is Abby’s younger brother. He is smart, quick thinking and a bit of a tech whizz.

Jade Anouka plays Nicole while Adelle Leonce, Natalia Kostrzewa, and Laura Gibbons round out the cast. 

Fool Me Once episode guide (with a few spoilers)

Here's a brief episode guide to Fool Me Once. There are a few spoilers, especially iin the recaps on the links, so please do look away if you're worried...

Episode 1 
Maya’s (Michelle Keegan) life is turned upside down when she sees her dead husband Joe with their daughter on her nanny-cam. While investigating Joe’s (Richard Armitage) murder, DS Kierce (Adeel Akhtar) has an inexplicable blackout. Maya looks for answers and clashes with mother-in-law Judith (Joanna Lumley), the powerful matriarch of the Burkett family. 
Fool Me Once episode 1 recap: Is that really Joe on the nanny cam?

Episode 2 
Joe’s death is the second loss Maya has suffered in the past year, after her beloved sister Claire (Natalie Anderson) was killed in a home invasion just four months ago. Maya’s search for answers about Claire’s, death leads her to a mysterious videogame arcade. But someone is tailing her. Judith and the rest of Joe’s family are left baffled after an unexpected hitch at his will reading. Meanwhile, could Kierce’s (Adeel Akhtar) unexplained health issues ruin his career and relationship? 
Fool Me Once episode 2 recap: Why are the Burketts paying DS Sami Kierce?

Episode 3 
Maya is confronted with the man who ruined her life, but how does Joe (Richard Armitage) fit into this? Kierce finally seeks medical help for his blackouts. Meanwhile, Maya’s niece and nephew, Abby (Danya Griver) and Daniel’s (Daniel Burt) discovery leads them to a strange man from their mother’s (Natalie Anderson) past. But can he be trusted? 
Fool Me Once episode 3 recap: who is in Maya's house?

Episode 4 
A new lead sees Maya investigating Tommy Dark. Could Joe’s brother, Andrew Burkett’s (Edward Harper-Jones) suicide 26 years ago somehow be connected to Claire (Natalie Anderson) and Joe’s deaths? Coach Phil (Craig Els) seems to be covering for someone and Kierce takes matters into his own hands to find out why, but a sudden blackout puts him in a perilous situation. 
Fool Me Once episode 4 recap: why is Shane tracking Maya?

Episode 5 
There are some shocking discoveries for Abby as she finds out what her mum was doing the day before she was murdered. Maya learns of another tragic death 26 years ago and Kierce’s receives his test results. Can he finally tell his fiancé, Molly (Clara Indrani) the truth, or will this push him over the edge?
Fool Me Once episode 5 recap: what happened to Tommy Dark?

Episode 6 
Desperate for answers, Maya searches for an old classmate of Joe’s (Richard Armitage). Kierce, still grappling with his illness, tries to muster the courage to tell Molly (Clara Indrani) the truth. Things take a turn in the investigation when new evidence suggests that Maya may have lied. Can Kierce keep giving her second chances?
Fool Me Once episode 6 recap: Is Joe really a cold-blooded killer?

Episode 7 
Maya is shaken by the terrible truth about Joe’s past. A revelation from Corey has unexpected personal implications for Kierce and old grief resurfaces in a heart-wrenching conversation with Nicole. With the walls closing in on both Maya and Kierce, will the truth finally come out? 
Fool Me Once episode 7 recap: Who killed Joe Burkett?

Episode 8 
The pieces of the puzzle fall into place, and we must question everything we know. What really happened on the night of Joe’s murder? Kierce is a man on a mission, but can he count on Marty’s help? In a shattering confrontation between Maya and the Burkett’s, all cards are laid on the table. 
Fool Me Once ending explained: what happens to Maya in episode 8?

Behind the scenes, locations and more on Fool Me Once

Filming on Fool Me Once happened in Manchester and the North-West of England in 2022 and 2023. The co-writer with Harlan Coben is Danny Brocklehurst), while executive producers are Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee for Quay Street Productions. 

“I’m thrilled and honoured to once again be collaborating with my uber-talented partners Danny (writer Danny Brocklehurst), Nicola (executive producer Nicola Shindler) and Richard (executive producer Richard Fee),” says Harlan Coben, who is also an executive producer on the series. “Fool Me Once will be our fourth Netflix series together, and man, it never gets old!"

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With Lindsay Duncan as its lead, Truelove on Channel 4 asks whether you’d help a friend to end their misery. Jam-packed with other stars too, including Sue Johnston, Phil Davis and Clarke Peters, the six-part series is made by Clerkenwell Films, the team behind comedy-drama hit The End of the F***ing World. 

The drama had previously cast Julie Walters but sadly she is battling advanced bowel cancer and had to be replaced by Lindsay.

Truelove follows a group of old friends reunited at a funeral. Lindsay Duncan plays Phil, an ex-senior police chief enjoying her somewhat boring retirement, who comes face to face with old flame Ken (The Wire's Clarke Peters). And it’s not long before the pair realise they never quite got over one another. After a few drinks, the chat gets deep and they make a pact, along with the rest of the gang, to help one another have dignified deaths when the time comes. But the time comes sooner than they think.

Here's all you need to know about Truelove on Channel 4...

Truelove release date 

Truelove is a six-episode drama that started on Channel 4 on Wednesday January 3 2024 at 9pm with the next episode on Thursday January 4 at 9pm. The subsequent four episodes play out on the following Wednesdays and Thursdays at the same time.

How to watch Truelove online for free – and from anywhere 

Is there a trailer for Truelove?

Yes there's a Truelove trailer which shows just what an emotional drama this is going to be. Take a look below...

Truelove plot 

In Truelove, Lindsay Duncan plays Phil, an ex-senior police chief who is in the midst of her retirement. At a friend’s funeral she bumps into her teenage sweetheart Ken (played by The Wire's Clarke Peters) who is now an ex-special forces veteran and divorcee. The pair never really got over their feelings for one another and both feel a little at sea in their retirement. 

At the funeral, the drinks flow and soon the pair and their friends start talking about their own deaths. And they make a drunken pact that if any of them are suffering a slow and terrible decline, they will step in to help them have a dignified death. But what starts out as a fanciful idea soon becomes a shocking reality. And they are all left wondering if it’s ever right to end a life? Can these pensioners take back control of their lives during their twilight years? 

“If your friend reached a soul-destroying level of decrepitude, could you help them transition, if asked?” says Clarke Peters. “Would it be right, would it be noble, could you do it? Which of that internal triumvirate do you listen to — your head, heart or soul? You know it is illegal in law and scripture to take a life, but could you do it? These scripts explore that moral dilemma in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s funny, it’s dark and it’s full of twists and turns. And DAMN! To tell this story, with this cast, was something I would have dreaded missing out on… Roll on “action”!”

Truelove cast — Lindsay Duncan on playing Phil

Lindsay Duncan plays former police officer Phil in Truelove.  "Ken and Phil don’t expect this situation. When they made the pact in the pub everyone was drunk and filled with emotion,’" says A Discovery of Witches star Lindsay. ‘This is an unusual thriller as it spans long-standing friendships, marriage and a smouldering love affair.

"Phil was a high ranking deputy chief constable, so she’s tough," explains Lindsay. "You see her giving Ken instructions about how things should be done - but he disobeys!"

*Scottish actress Lindsay Duncan has previously starred in dramas such as Merlin, The Sinking of The Laconia, Doctor Who and Around The World in 80 Days. She played Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 2009 film Margaret.

Clarke Peters on playing Ken

In Truelove, Clarke Peters plays Phil's ex-flame Ken. "There was a wonderful sense of support on set, we had so much to talk about," says The Wire’s Clarke, 71, who was originally paired with Julie Walters for the roles of Ken and Phil. Sadly the National Treasure star stepped down from filming after being diagnosed with cancer. "I’m really sorry Julie didn’t do it, but I’m also glad that Lindsay was the one to step in. Working with both of them was wonderful, as they had different approaches to the piece."

* Clarke Peters is best known for his role as Detective Lester Freamon in the hit series The Wire. He’s also starred in Life on Mars, Marley & Me, Doctor Who, Holby City and Damages. He played Nelson Mandela in the TV movie Mandela: The Prison Years and starred as Sonny in The Tunnel. He was also in the huge movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Clarke plays Josiah in The Man Who Fell to Earth. 

Who else is starring in Truelove?

Truelove also features The Royle Family, Brookside and Time star Sue Johnston, alongside Phil Davis (Whitechapel, Poldark), Peter Egan (Unforgotten, After Life), Karl Johnson (Mum), Fiona Button (The Split) and Kiran Sonia Sawar (Murdered by My Father) as PC Asher.   

Truelove episode guide (with some spoilers)

Here's a brief episode guide to the full series of Truelove. Please look away if you don't want spoilers...

Episode 1
Phil (Philippa) had a long and distinguished career in the police, but is thirteen years retired and very, very bored. Meanwhile Ken, a solitary SAS veteran, feels similarly at sea. They reunite for the first time in years at a friend’s funeral, and – at the drunken wake – they and their friends take it in turns to imagine what a dignified death looks like, dreaming of quality of years over quantity. Naturally, Phil and Ken would make the perfect team to help any ill friends with a ‘solution’. Ken could kill them, and Phil could use her detective skills to cover up the crime and make it look like a natural departure. It’s just like police work in reverse, after all. What starts as a joke morphs into reality when their beloved friend Tom asks them to make the ultimate sacrifice…

Episode 2      
Phil and Ken are badly shaken after Tom’s death, and desperate to cover up their crime. As they readjust to normal life, a young police officer Ayesha Kareem discovers Tom’s body washed up with his boat. However, she begins to suspect foul play…

Episode 3      
Ayesha can’t let her suspicions about Tom’s death go and becomes convinced she’s found evidence of murder. Meanwhile, Marion’s health deteriorates.

Episode 4      
Phil and Ken rekindle their romance and, spurred on by Phil, Ken reconnects with his family. But Ayesha is starting to suspect that her mentor might have something to do with all of these deaths…

Episode 5      
Phil’s antennae are raised when she finds out that Marion’s doctor had no idea about her dementia. Meanwhile, Ayesha closes in on Phil.

Episode 6      
Phil and Ken are left reeling by the truth about Marion. Phil must do everything she can to save Ken from ruining the rest of his life and make amends for a love she let pass her by fifty years ago.

Behind the scenes and locations on Truelove

Truelove filmed scenes in Burnham-on-Sea, in Somerset in south west England, with scenes taking place on boats. Filming also took place on the beach next to Burnham Sailing Club and the pontoons.

Palm Royale is a super-glamourous Apple TV Plus drama set in the 1960s. Palm Beach in Florida has long been a playground for the rich and famous, and the series transports us right back there, when fitting into its glitzy high society could make or break you.

Based loosely on the novel Mr and Mrs American Pie by Juliet McDaniel, the 10-part drama stars Bridesmaids' Kirsten Wiig as Maxine Simmons, a woman who is determined to force her way into America’s most influential clique. The series also stars Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas and Amber Julia Duffy, with special guest appearances from executive producer Laura Dern, Bruce Dern and The West Wing’s Allison Janney. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Palm Royale on Apple TV Plus…

Palm Royale: how to watch & original release date

All ten episodes of Palm Royale are now available to stream on Apple TV Plus. 

The series originally premiered on March 20, with three episodes available on release. New episodes arrived on a weekly basis, with the final dropping on May 8.

Need help picking your next show? Check out our guide to the best Apple TV Plus shows we think you should be streaming right now, or flick through the full list of Apple TV Plus Originals and everything that's on the platform.

• How to watch Palm Royale: stream the high society drama online

Is there a trailer Palm Royale?

Yes there is! You can get a taste of 1960s Florida in the Palm Royale trailer, which you can find below...

Palm Royale plot 

Palm Royale is set in 1969. It follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as she tries to break into Palm Beach high society... but it isn't easy for the have-nots to join the ranks of those who want for nothing. Palm Royale sees Maxine questioning how much of herself she’s willing to sacrifice to fit in.

To be accepted by the Florida elite, Maxine must win the approval of Palm Royale’s queen bee Evelyn Rollins (Allison Janney). Unfortunately for Maxine, Evelyn doesn’t like her…

"Evelyn is perceived to be the doyenne of Palm Beach society," explains Allison Janney. "On the surface, she exudes power and competence, but we soon discover she’s vulnerable underneath. She’s desperate to hold onto her position and she’s afraid she’ll be bumped out of it. So there’s definitely a fragility and fear there."

Indeed, Maxine soon discovers that, beneath the style, glamour and opulence of Palm Royale lies a dark underbelly of secrets and sabotage, and it forces her to question how much she’s willing to sacrifice to reach the top. 

"These women don’t want to move into the future,’ shares Janney. "They are holding on to the past and holding on to the way they want the world to be."

As Maxine navigates this world of status and social snobbery, she meets political activist and feminist Linda Shaw (Jurassic Park’s Laura Dern) who relishes being an outsider. "While these women are trying hard to belong, Linda’s happy to be outside this community, particularly in 1969 in the US where there is a fever pitch of the civil rights movement, Woodstock and hippie culture," says Laura Dern.

"Linda’s searching for radical change. We soon learn why this matters for her, what her challenges are, and how she confronts the world of the Palm Royale – a place that she actually has a deep connection to."

Palm Royale cast — Kristen Wiig as Maxine Simmons

Kristen Wiig plays social climber Maxine in Palm Royale. She’s best known for her role as Annie in the 2011 film Bridesmaids. She’s a regular on Saturday Night Live and has also starred in A Boy Called Christmas, Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar, Bless the Harts, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, The Martian, and The Last Man on Earth.

Who else stars in Palm Royale?

Palm Royale includes a range of wonderful cast members. In addition to Kristen Wiig, the series also stars Ricky Martin as Robert, Allison Janney as Evelyn, and Laura Dern as Linda Shaw, with Kaia Gerber playing manicurist, Mitzi. Josh Lucas (Yellowstone), Bruce Dern, Leslie Bibb, Amber Chardae Robinson, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy and Carol Burnett also guest star.

Laura Dern and her father Bruce Dern are starring together for the first time in Palm Royale. "I’ve had the privilege of working with my mom [Diane Ladd] several times," says Dern. ‘And now working with my dad has been one of the great experiences of my life. It’s been something we’ve longed to do. There’s been nothing more fun than getting to act with a legend like Carol Burnett and my own father to help create this massive spectacle of a period piece."

Kaia Gerber is a 22-year-old rising star and happens to be the daughter of 1990s supermodel, Cindy Crawford. Bearing a striking resemblance to her mother, Gerber also started out as a model and is now making a successful transition into acting, starring in American Horror Story.

"Viewers can expect a lot of fun from Palm Royale," says Gerber, who is dating Elvis star Austin Butler. "The other actors have been heroes to me for so long and I’ve learned so much from working with them. It’s been a total pinch-me moment."

Behind the scenes and more on Palm Royale

Palm Royale is written, executive produced and showrun by Abe Sylvia for Aunt Sylvia’s Moving Picture Company, plus it's executive produced by Laura Dern and Jayme Lemons for Jaywalker Pictures, Kristen Wiig, Katie O’Connell Marsh, Tate Taylor and John Norris for Wyolah Films, Sharr White, and Sheri Holman and Boat Rocker. The series is directed by Taylor, Sylvia, Claire Scanlon, and Stephanie Laing. 

Boat Story is a dark, comedic thriller on BBC One that sees Tchéky Karyo reunited with the writers of his popular series, Baptiste, Harry and Jack Williams. 

The story is set along the windswept coastline of Yorkshire, in northern England. Breeders star Daisy Haggard and Vigil actor Paterson Joseph play  Janet and Samuel, who find a stash of illegal drugs on a shipwrecked boat. The pair agree to sell the drugs and split the cash, but find themselves pursued by Tchéky’s sharp-suited gangster, known as The Tailor. Can they get away with the crime and survive to tell the tale? 

Here’s everything you need to know about Boat Story... 

Boat Story: how to watch and release date

Boat Story has now finished airing on TV. The series premiered on Sunday, November 19, 2023, and continued airing for three weeks in double bills on Sunday and Monday nights.

All six episodes are available to stream t on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Boat Story will be shown in the US on Amazon Freevee.

• How to watch Amazon Freevee

 Is there a Boat Story trailer? 

Yes a Boat Story trailer has been released by the BBC. So give it a watch below to see what an intense but in parts humorous drama this is going to be....

What is the plot of Boat Story?

In Boat Story, cash-strapped strangers Janet (Daisy Haggard) and Samuel (Paterson Joseph) unexpectedly discover a haul of cocaine on a shipwrecked boat. Janet was made unemployed after a gruesome accident at the factory she worked in, and Samuel (Paterson Joseph), an ex-lawyer from London with huge gambling debts

Unable to believe their luck, they agree to sell it and split the money but they soon find themselves fleeing not only the cops but also masked hitmen and a fearsome gangster known as The Tailor (Tchéky Karyo) and his henchman Guy (Craig Fairbrass). They will stop at nothing to recover the second of their cocaine shipments to go missing.

Can Janet and Samuel trust each other? How far are they each prepared to go to keep the cash that will change their lives forever? 

Boat Story cast — Daisy Haggard as Janet

Daisy Haggard plays the cash-strapped Janet. She’s known for her role as Ally in the Sky Comedy series Breeders. Daisy has also starred in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Back to Life, I Give it a Year, Episodes and Uncle. She voices Mum in the animation Hilda. 

* Read our interview with Daisy Haggard by scrolling below.

Paterson Joseph as Samuel

Paterson Joseph plays Samuel, who finds the drugs with Janet. He played Kamal in Noughts and Crosses and Mark Grace in Casualty and has also had roles in Vigil, The Sandman, That Dirty Black Bag, Green Wing, Survivors and Timeless. 

* Read our interview with Paterson Jospeh by scrolling below.

Interview: Tchéky Karyo on playing The Tailor

Tchéky Karyo is best known for his role as Julian Baptiste in the series Baptiste, which originated in the series The Missing. He’s also been in Mary Magdalene, Women at War, Nikita, The Patriot and Kiss of the Dragon. In Boat Story he stars as a notorious gangster The Tailor. Here's what he can reveal about his role...

So, how would you describe The Tailor? 
Tchéky Karyo says: "He is a mob boss and the head of a big cartel, but he has a passion for clothes. And in the back of his tailoring shop, weird things happen that are quite surprising! He has no emotion with the way he operates, but nothing’s personal, even when somebody gets erased from the Earth, it’s just business."

He’s a hard character to pin down, isn’t he?
"There are moments where you are surprised by him, and there are different levels to his personality. But as the series progresses, you start to understand why The Tailor is the way he is – and it’s not what you might expect…"

The Tailor is a romantic, but also utterly ruthless. What was it like playing those different aspects of him? 
"I was constantly wondering how I should react to some of the crazy situations that he is in! But I loved that, because, sometimes in real life, you are ridiculous, even if you are an intimidating figure like he is. It was very exciting for me, and challenging as an actor to embrace those situations and play them against some amazing and very skilled British actors." 

You previously worked with Boat Story creators Harry and Jack Williams on BBC1’s The Missing (2014-2016) and its spin-off series Baptiste (2019-2021). What’s special about their writing? 
"There is a virtuosity in the way they write, because it opens all the possibilities you can get into; it’s a rollercoaster!"

Were you surprised when the Williams brothers cast you as a character who is so far removed from The Missing’s French sleuth Julien Baptiste?
"I was really thankful, and I have a lot of admiration for them for having the courage to give me this role, because it’s completely different. And I accepted the role without reading anything first!"

What’s it like for you having so many British fans, thanks to The Missing and Baptiste?
"I feel embraced by the British audience. It’s like they take me in their arms!"

Who else is starring in Boat Story? 

Boat Story has a stellar cast that includes former EastEnders star Craig Fairbrass as gangster Guy, plus Joanna Scanlan (The Larkins, Notes on a Scandal) as Pat, and stage actor Jason Pennycooke (Hamilton). Former EastEnders and Quadrophenia star Phil Daniels is also appearing in the show. 

Interviews: Paterson Joseph and Daisy Haggard on starring in Boat Story

How would you describe the premise of Boat Story?
Paterson Joseph says: "It is about two people who are desperate in their lives, for different reasons – Samuel through his own fault, Janet through no fault of her own. They find themselves with a dilemma: do you steal a boatload of illegal drugs and step over the two dead bodies that you find, or do you call the police? They both decide to take it and run!"

What can you tell us about your characters? 

Daisy Haggard says: "At heart, Janet is a good person, but she's had a really tough time. As we start the show, she plummets to her lowest ebb, and she's placed in a situation where she makes a decision I don't think she would have made at another point in her life. She's at rock bottom!"
Paterson explains: "Everything seems fine with Samuel on the surface, but we see a lot of cracks developing right from the very early scenes. He becomes more and more broken, and he’s a great character to have been able to play!"

Why do they decide to take the drugs they find on the beach? 
Paterson says: "Samuel, who has gambling debts, wants to save his life and his family's existence, and he needs to get this money. He convinces Janet to think about the possibility of taking it and running. ‘If we take it, we could both succeed and, if we don't, we'll always regret it.’ That's the moral quandary he presents her with!"
Daisy says: "Janet makes a bad decision that is chaotic and catastrophic, but I don't think she's a bad person, and people can make mistakes, right? Fundamentally, she's a good egg, and there's no way she would have made that decision if Samuel was not there. She would have called the police immediately, cried and then walked away!"

Have you ever made such a wild, life-changing decision?
Paterson says: "I think in life you should make at least one wild decision! The wildest one I have ever made was to live in Dublin for over a year. This was in the mid-90s, and it was a wonderful, crazy thing to do, but I have never regretted it!"
Daisy says: "I haven't! I once stole a penny sweet when I was little. I put it in my mouth and then returned it. That was probably worse than if I'd eaten it! That's the wildest thing I've ever done, and I’m definitely not cut out for a life of crime. As a child, I used to confess things I’d done at home to policemen when I was walking down the street!"

This series is a highly original and unusual mix of different elements! What should our readers expect? 
Daisy says: "You should expect the unexpected from this show, and that's what excites me about it! It doesn't feel like anything else I've seen, it feels truly original. Boat Story takes you on a crazy ride, and you're never going to be able to guess where you're going!"

Interview: Joanna Scanlan on playing Pat Tooh

Like her much-loved character Ma in ITV1 drama The Larkins, Joanna Scanlan’s pasty-making paramedic Pat Tooh in Boat Story is a woman who enjoys the simpler things in life. Here, Joanna gives us her take on her character…

Does Pat bring a touch of normality to this drama?
Joanna Scanlan says: "With Pat, it’s about playing Mrs Ordinary, Mrs Fine and Mrs OK! Everything else around her is chaos, extreme and surreal – and she’s in the middle of it."

Pat seems pretty happy. What drives her?
"Nothing drives Pat. She’s not ambitious. She just wants to have a nice life, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Society, take note! She doesn’t even want to make a better pasty or have a nice time with her policeman son, Ben [After Life’s Ethan Lawrence], she just is content."

How have you brought her to life?
"I think it’s been about making it real and making something convincing, because some of the events that take place in this show are pretty out there, to say the very least! I’ve had to try and maintain a grounded, real quality to her to pass as a character but also to her reactions to the events around her."

What’s your take on the overall story?
"It is very complex and multi-layered. However, it’s not so much that it’s like a puzzle, it’s more fun than that. You go on a real ride with your characters, with lots of laughs, shocks and horrors along the way."

How did you find filming this series?
"We filmed through the winter, so the atmosphere on set was mainly about shivering and trying to keep your tootsies and fingers all nice and warm! But I also found it a real delight and pleasure, and I’ve loved working with Tchéky!"

Finally, why should people watch Boat Story?
"Because it’s massively entertaining! People sometimes forget to entertain an audience when they’re creating drama, but not Jack and Harry Williams. This is a properly entertaining show!"

Boat Story episode guide

Here's a brief episode guide for how Boat Story plays out. Things will get updated so do check back and avoid if you don't want spoilers...

Episode 1
On the windswept industrial Yorkshire coastline, a boat stands washed-up ashore. Two strangers stumble upon it: Janet, a factory worker hard up on her luck, and Samuel, a gambler hiding his habit and his colossal debt from his family. As the unlikely pair investigate the boat, buried within the stacked crates of frozen mackerel, they discover dozens of tightly wrapped parcels of cocaine alongside two dead bodies. 

Even though they’ve only just met, Samuel makes Janet a proposition. Sure, they could call the police… or they could… not? Samuel thinks he knows a guy who could help them shift it. They stand to gain an obscene amount of money. Think of how their lives could change. Janet’s hesitant but they make the choice to take the haul. Unfortunately for Janet and Samuel, the owner is a sharp suited French mobster who has no mercy for thieves. Little do they know the perilous journey they’ve begun, one that will irrevocably alter the course of their lives. 
* Boat Story episode 1 recap: rocking the boat

Episode 2
Samuel takes Janet to visit one of his old clients, a convicted drug dealer by the name of Craig who’s currently serving time in prison. Samuel hopes Craig still has enough contacts from his former life to help him and Janet find a buyer for the drugs. Selling their drug haul is far less straightforward than Janet and Samuel first envisioned. 

Meanwhile, The Tailor and his hitman are working their way through the town in search for his missing shipment, and a haphazard local policeman, Ben Tooh, finds an unlikely clue to solving the shocking recent events around his home turf. He doesn’t know how close he is to the truth when The Tailor comes knocking at Ben’s mother’s door. 
* Boat Story episode 2 recap: deaths and dealers

Episode 3
Janet and Samuel make a bold move to sell their haul to local drug lord Vinnie. Can they finally get a taste of happiness and a chance at a different life? It seems unlikely as the wolves are closing in and circling far closer than the duo realise: The Tailor is becoming fixated with this town and its inhabitants, showing no signs of leaving. The Tailor’s henchman, Guy, is hot on their trail and a shocking discovery throws our heroes into more danger than ever before. 
* Boat Story episode 3 recap: sealing the deal

Episode 4
Over the course of one day, we see Janet, Samuel, Guy, The Tailor and Vinnie as their worlds collide. We flashback to Vinnie’s backstory leading up to the moment he meets Janet and Samuel, shedding light on his violent and ruthless streak. It’s a race against the clock for Janet and Samuel trying to complete an impossible task under The Tailor’s watchful eye - they’ll need to think fast to stay alive. But has The Tailor’s eye wandered? The stories converge at an unexpected location and the opposing forces are set to clash. But a surprise twist becomes the catalyst to a deadly situation, in which no one is guaranteed to survive. 

Episode 5
Reeling from what they just witnessed, Janet and Samuel struggle to catch their breath. But this is not over, far from it. With their backs against the wall will they consider the unthinkable? PC Ben Tooh is hot on the trail and closing in on our hapless heroes – but the deeper he gets into his investigation the more dangerous it becomes. Henchman Guy considers another life but after the events in Applebury will he find it easy to simply walk away? As we race towards the conclusion of the series, finally Samuel is forced to tell the truth while Janet’s worst nightmare becomes a reality. 

Episode 6
In a climactic finale, Janet and Samuel hurtle towards their final face off with The Tailor. To everyone’s surprise, their stand-off yields unexpected results. Janet finds herself tasked with a new mission as she begins to unravel the twisted past of The Tailor and realises she must act fast as Pat Tooh’s life hangs in the balance. After parting ways with Janet, Samuel believes he has found his ending, but it isn’t everything he had hoped for as he learns there’s a price for all his dishonesty. Janet, Pat and The Tailor discover it all ends where we began – with a boat. 

Interview: Harry and John Williams on what inspred them to write Boat Story

Two of British television’s hottest writers, brothers Harry and John Williams started out in comedy, but have made a name for themselves  as the kings of British crime drama thanks to shows including The Missing, Baptiste, One of Us and The Tourist.  Here, they talk about the inspiration for and making of their latest creation, the darkly comic Boat Story…

Where did the idea for Boat Story come from?
Harry Williams says: "From reading articles about similar things involving large amounts of drugs washing up on shores somewhere! Most of the shows we come up with derive from a series of conversations we have with each other. This one was: ‘What would we do if we stumbled across a boatload of washed-up drugs?!"
Jack Williams says: "Boat Story is a contemporary morality tale, and the challenge we wanted to set ourselves was how to tell this story in a way that was going to feel fresh, original, and different."

How do you balance the violence, domestic drama and humour in the story?
Harry says: "We're trying to blend all these different genres into the same show, which is not something we do in the UK. It's more common in the US, and it's always a balancing act. Our last series, The Tourist, had a similar thing where there was humour, violence, and emotion. In Boat Story, we wanted to push it even more, and make the jokes sillier, the violence harder, the darkness darker and the light lighter!"
Jack says: "We've talked about Boat Story being a [Quentin] Tarantino [film] in the north! Quentin has tones in his work that are wildly all over the shop, and can be violent, dangerous, emotional, and then very funny. That, for us, always feels interesting." 

You’ve worked with some of your cast before, haven't you? 
Harry says: "We have worked with Daisy Haggard for a long time, and know her well. The show is humorous as well as very dark, and we wanted somebody who could pull off those things. Paterson Joseph was in another show of ours called Rellik, and we did The Missing and Baptiste with Tchéky Karo. He had been the hero in both of those, so we thought it would be great to have him as the villain in this series!"

Behind the scenes and more on Boat Story

Boat Story is a Two Brothers Pictures (an All3Media company) production for the BBC, with the series written by Harry and Jack Williams (The Missing, Baptiste, The Tourist), who alongside Christopher Aird (Baptiste, Liar, The Tourist), Sarah Hammond (Back to Life, Fleabag) and Daniel Walker (The Tourist) serve as executive producers for Two Brothers Pictures, with Tommy Bulfin and Nawfal Faizullah as executive producers for the BBC. 

Matthew Bird (Isolation Stories, Strangers) is the producer, and Harry and Jack Williams directed block one. Alice Troughton directed block two and Daniel Nettheim directed block three. International sales are handled by All3Media International.

Culprits is a darkly funny drama series on Hulu and Disney Plus that follows a good old fashioned British heist by a gang of misfits, who then get a deadly comeuppance over eight episodes. 

Culprits stars Gemma Arterton, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Eddie Izzard, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Niamh Algar. From Character 7, the thriller has acclaimed executive producer Stephen Garrett (The Undoing, The Night Manager) and film-maker J Blakeson (I Care A Lot, The Disappearance of Alice Creed) among its creative team.

So here's everything you need to know about Culprits on Disney Plus and Hulu...

Culprits release date

Culprits had its world premiere on Saturday 7 October 2023, at the 67th BFI London Film Festival. The eight-part series launches on Wednesday November 8 on the Star brand of Disney Plus in the UK and Ireland and on Hulu in the US also streaming from November 8.

How to watch Culprits online: stream the Disney Plus heist thriller from anywhere now

Is there a Culprits trailer

Yes a trailer for Culprits by Disney+ and Hulu and it looks like a fun but intense watch. Take a look below...

Culprits plot

Culprits isn't your run-of-the-mill normal crime drama...there's a twist! The eight episodes follow what happens after a big heist when the crew have gone their separate ways. 

Criminal mastermind Dianne Harewood (Gemma Arterton) brings together a hand-picked group of specialists to carry out the heist of a lifetime but the robbery is only the beginning of the story. After carrying out their plot, the group agrees to spread out across the world and live under new identities with their share of the loot, with no intention of ever seeing each other again.

"The idea of having a lot of money and the ability to become whoever you want is really interesting," writer and director J. Blakeson told us. "There are interesting moral and ethical choices that each of the characters has to make as they start a new life."

For one of the crew, Joe Petrus (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), the answer is surprisingly modest — three years later, he’s living in suburban America with his fiancé Jules (Kevin Vidal) and their two children, planning to turn a defunct hardware store into a neighbourhood bistro.

However, Joe’s plan to live the rest of his life in quiet anonymity is scuppered when he learns that a former member of the group has been assassinated in Italy, making him wonder if their getaway wasn’t quite as clean as they had assumed. Fearing that his cover is about to be blown and his family put at risk, Joe realises he has to return to the UK to track down Dianne and the rest of the gang.

They are then being targeted by an assassin one-by-one, so the question is... who's is bumping them off and why? Is there a traitor in their midst or is it an enemy from outside the heist gang? No doubt when the killings begin, the paranoia among the group is ramped up by the remaining members. 

The eight-part series jumps backwards and forwards in time, flipping between the present day and the build-up to the crime

Culprits cast — who plays who

The Culprits cast is extensive. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits) plays the lead role of Joe while Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man, Made In Dagenham) plays Dianne and Eddie Izzard (Stay Close, Victoria and Abdul, Six Minutes to Midnight), also called Suzie Izzard, is playing Vincent.

Other stars include Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Cruella) who plays Officer, Niamh Algar (Raised by Wolves) is Psycho, Kamel El Basha (The Insult) plays Youssef, newcomer Tara Abboud is Azar, Kevin Vidal (Working Moms) is Jules and Ned Dennehy (Good Omens) will play Devil.

Interview: Gemma Arterton on playing Dianne Harewood

Cuplrits star Gemma Arterton, 37 says: "I wouldn’t say Dianne is the villain of the piece, but she’s very cold, brutal and meticulous. She’s a super-smart, vengeful person, and quite different to anything I’ve played before. She’s a pretty cool customer.

"There were a few scenes where I had to explain the plan, like you see in all the heist movies,’ she smiles. ‘That was a new thing for me to do, and Dianne is very organised, which is so opposite to me. I’d just come off playing a big comedic character [in Funny Woman] so it was really nice to drop down into the cold, cold facts – Dianne just gets on with things.

"They’re all professionals, and they only address each other by code names so they don’t get too close to one another. But as the story goes on, certain things happen and people make alliances.?

"The preamble to the heist takes place all over London, so you see many facets of the city - grimy backstreet London and the polished, super-rich part! We’ve been to some very cool, secret underground places for filming.

"Culprits is not like your usual British drama: it’s almost comic book-like in certain aspects, and it’s high-spec - the visuals are very strong and everything’s elevated. It’s exciting to be on a par with the big American shows, and still be homegrown!"

Interview: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett on playing Joe Petrus

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, 37, told us: "There’s such an innocence to Joe. He wants normality and comfort, and by the nature of the world that he’s chosen to be in, he doesn’t have any of that. He yearns for the things most of us take for granted – family and security. There’s something very relatable about the simplicity of his dream."

Joe’s codename on the team is ‘Muscle’, and his character’s physical prowess meant that Stewart-Jarrett had a lot of action sequences to get stuck into. "Running around and doing loads of stunts is not something I’ve done before,’ he says. ‘I went on this physical regime because of what was required to play Joe, and that was wonderful. It’s such an action-packed show – I hope people are going to be entertained and have fun watching."

Behind the scenes and more on Culprits

Culprits is executive produced by Stephen Garrett & J Blakeson, created by J Blakeson, directed by J Blakeson and Claire Oakley (Make Up) and produced by Morenike Williams (Killing Eve). Culprits is a Character 7 production and is executive produced by Johanna Devereaux for Disney+

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The Buccaneers on Apple TV Plus follows group of fun-loving young American women who spark a culture clash when they explode onto the traditional London scene of the 1870s. 

Among the stars are Kristine Froseth, Mia Threapleton and Alisha Boe who star alongside Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks. This adaptation is inspired by the unfinished final novel of Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Edith Wharton. So this period drama is very similar to the way Sanditon has adapted an unfinished Jane Austen novel. 

Here's everything you need to know about The Buccaneers coming to Apple TV Plus in Autumn 2023...

The Buccaneers release date

The Buccaneers is an eight-part series that launched worldwide on Apple TV Plus on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 with the first three episodes. New episodes will then air weekly, running every Wednesday through to December 13 2023. 

How to watch The Buccaneers: stream the new period drama online on release date

Is there a trailer for The Buccaneers?

Apple TV+ has releases a trailer for The Buccaneers which is set to pop music, so it seems to be quite a modern period drama. Take a look below...

The Buccaneers plot

The Buccaneers takes us back to 1870s London and a group of young wealthy American women mixing with powerful men so a case of new money, old secrets. These fun-loving girls waltz into the tightly corseted London season of the 1870s and take Victorian era society by storm . It kicks off a huge Anglo-American culture clash as the land of the stiff upper lip is infiltrated by women with little regard for stuffy British tradition of the times. These womem, the so-called 'Buccaneers', including lead heroine character Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth), were sent out by their well-off families, often under the beady eyes of their mothers, to secure husbands and titles. But as their stories progress their hearts become set on much more adventure than that…

The series begins with the sumptuous New York wedding of American wild child Conchita to English Lord Richard Marable, (played by Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again star, Josh Dylan), and swiftly sees  Mrs St. George arrive in London with her vivacious girls to introduce them into aristocratic English society.

Over the course of eight hour-long episodes the story flips between New York, London and Cornwall but was filmed entirely on location in Scotland using country estates, such as Culzean Castle, Drumlanrig Castle  and key locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including Glasgow University Cloisters. 

The Buccaneers cast — who's who in the period drama

The Buccaneers has a strong lead cast of actors. He's a mini guide to the main players...

Kristine Frøseth as Nan St. George
Effervescent, intelligent and fiercely loyal to her friends, Nan forms an instant connection with handsome stranger Guy Thwaite (Guy Remmers) but also catches the eye of Theo, The Duke of Tintagel. 
* Kristine is best known for playing Kelly Aldrich in the Netflix series The Society and Alaska Young in Hulu series Looking For Alaska.

Christina Hendricks as Nan's mother Mrs St. George
The Mad Men and Drive star plays the loving mother who wants the best for her girls, she’s hiding a very big secret about Nan which is set to turn everything on its head

Imogen Waterhouse as Jinny St. George
Deemed the ‘prettiest’ of the sisters, debutante Jinny is more reserved than younger sibling Nan and is lined up to marry Lord James Seadown (Barney Fishwick)

Alisha Boe as Conchita Closson
A free-spirit wild child who marries English Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan). Her happiness is short-lived when it’s clear love can’t conquer all.

Josie Totah as Mabel Elmsworth
The younger sister of Lizzy, Mabel is exploring her sexuality and forms a connection with English Lady Honoria Marable (Mia Threapleton, who is Kate WInslet's daighter).

Aubri Ibrag as Lizzy Elmsworth
Beautiful and strong-willed, she’s pushed by her mother to find a titled husband when she attends the Debutante’s Ball where a rivalry soon forms with Jinny. 

Guy Remmers as Theo, Duke of Tintagel
Deemed to be ‘The most eligible bachelor in England’ the dashing Duke first meets Nan on a Cornish beach and is instantly smitten.

* Of the other male cast, do look out for Josh Dylan as Lord Richard Marable,  Matthew Broome as Guy Thwarte and Barney Fishwick as Lord James Seadown.

* Playing some stony-faced English matriarchs are Fenella Woolgar (Call The Midwife, The Reckoning) as Lady Brightlingsea and Happy Valley’s Amelia Bullmore as The Dowager Duchess of Tintagel.

Christina Hendricks on The Buccaneers

Christina Hendricks who plays Nan and Jinny’s devoted mother, Mrs St. George spoke about the role before the current US writers strike. "It’s about friendship, support and family,’ says Emmy-nominated Mad Men star. "My character has her daughters’ backs and they have mine. We all face the societal pressure of marriages and unions, but at what cost?"

Behind the scenes and more on The Buccaneers

The Buccaneers has an all-female creative team behind it. The period drama is written by series creator Katherine Jakeways and directed by BAFTA-Award winner Susanna White. Bot also serve as executive producers, alongside BAFTA-Award nominee Beth Willis. The series is produced for Apple TV+ by The Forge Entertainment.

* See below for more shows currently on Apple TV Plus or arriving on the streaming channel soon...

• Napoleon
• Masters Of The Air
• Hijack
• Shrinking
• The Reluctant Traveler
• Black Bird
• Foundation Season 1 and Foundation Season 2

Domina season 2 is going to be majorly exciting for the fans of the Roman peccadillos-and-poisonings epic. Domina series 1 played out in eight-episode glory a couple of years back so we most definitely are hankering for more of Kasia Smutniak and Matthew McNulty's return as Ancient Rome's power couple Livia Drusilla and Gaius. There are some major spoilers from here on so do look away if you haven’t finished Season 1, but the conclusion of that series saw Rome’s power pairing Gauis (aka Caesar Augustus) and his mega-manipulative spouse Livia Drusilla patch up their differences over the murder of his nephew (and successor) Marcellus. 

The couple seemed ready to rule Rome in any way they see fit, with Livia of course in a powerful position to pull as many strings as possible. So of course we need to see what happens next and there's plenty left in their lives in history to make a cracking good second season…

Here’s everything you need to know about Domina season 2...

Domina season 2 release date 

Domina season 2 launches in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Wednesday, September 13 with a double bill at 9 pm then 10.05 pm. 

In addition to airing on Sky across Europe during the summer of 2023, Domina season 2 launched on MGM+ in the US from Sunday July 9 2023.

How to watch Domina season 2: stream the Roman historical epic online

Is there a trailer for Domina season 2?

Yes there are trailers for Domina season 2. Take a look below to see what's next for Livia Drusilla and Gauis in Ancient Rome. Looks like things are just as dangerous as in Domina season 1.

Domina Season 2 plot

Domina season 2 follows a major power struggle for control of the Roman Empire, and of Rome’s Imperial Family, and the story is again told from the female perspective. In its first season, Livia Drusilla, the golden girl of the prominent Claudii family, returned to Rome after 10 years in exile, determined to regain everything that was stolen from her. Now, atop a fractious empire and a dysfunctional dynasty, she must fight to preserve her marriage to Gaius and find a way to seat one of her sons on the throne, as new and old rivals jockey for position in a world where it’s impossible to know who to trust.  

Interviews: Kasia Smutniak, Matthew McNulty and Claire Forlani give the lowdown on Domina season 2 from the set in Rome

Domina actor Kasia Smutniak stands in the shadow of a towering stone temple and imagines what life must have been like for Livia Drusilla, who rose to become the first empress of Rome… 

Whattowatch.com was invited to Cinecitta Studios, the iconic film lot just outside the Italian capital where Domina season 2 is being filmed, and the show’s leading lady is proving the perfect guide. 

"This is a really special place with so much history," says Smutniak. "I was delighted to come back and continue Livia’s story, because there’s so much more to tell and this year’s season is more dynamic and much darker than the first – in fact it’s as dark as hell! It feels like in the first season we were building this world and all these characters were cooking, but now they’re exploding."

In 2021’s first season we followed young noblewoman Livia Drusilla as she battled to honour the promise she made to her late father and restore the republican state in Rome. The first step on that path was marrying Gaius Augustus (Matthew McNulty) who became the first emperor of Rome. Yet in a climactic season finale, Livia murdered Gaius’ nephew, Marcellus, and installed her own son Tiberius (Benjamin Isaac) as her husband’s heir in a move that now threatens to rip Rome’s ruling family in two.

"The first season was all about gaining power, maintaining power, and Gaius’s drive to be a god," explains McNulty as he joins us on set. ‘In the second season, he is having an existential crisis. He’s got control, but there’s a bit of paranoia about the fact that his power is slipping away. The younger characters now have their own ambitions, and he’s got to worry about them." 

The opening episode of the new eight-part run begins with Livia and Gaius returning to Rome after spending three years in the Eastern provinces. They find the city in the grip of famine and the population on the brink of revolt. 

Meanwhile, Livia’s second son Drusus (Ewan Horrocks) has caused outrage by openly parading his love affair with an Austrian concubine, even though he’s engaged to be married to Antonina (Isabelle Connolly), daughter of Gaius’ sister, Octavia. 

It’s an insult too far for Octavia, who’s furious with her brother for allowing his wife to get away with the murder of her beloved son, Marcellus. 

"Octavia is emboldened this season" says Claire Forlani, who plays her. "Her son is dead and there’s nothing for her to fear anymore, because she’s lost everything. She never thought her brother would betray her, but she feels like he has."

Livia knows she must deal with Drusus to avoid further hostility, but she also has to convince her eldest son Tiberius and his wife Vipsania – daughter of Gaius’ faithful lieutenant Agrippa – of his part in her plans. 

"Livia’s sons grew up with Gaius, but they’re not his sons,’ says Smutniak. "She loves them so much and would do anything for them, but on the other side her ambition is so big that she would give up their lives to achieve it. Drusus is ambitious and loves to fight, while Tiberius is clever but has no ambition. They can’t abandon each other and they both need Livia, so it’s like a tragic triangle." 

Meanwhile, Octavia’s daughter Marcella and her new lover Domitius are desperately plotting against her, while Marcella’s husband Iullus continues a dangerous affair with Gaius’ daughter Julia. 

"Last time we saw how difficult it was for the young characters to be standing on their own two feet," explains Smutniak. "Now in the second season, we have all the little girls growing up and becoming women and dealing with what Livia is feeling. They’re fighting to survive in society." 

What more could happen in Domina Season 2?

Livia Drusilla and Gauis had reconciled at the end of Domina Season 1, after he’d vanquished his Republican enemies in the senate and they both put the matter of Marcellus’ murder (connived by Livia and friends) behind them, much to the annoyance of Livia’s sworn enemies Gauis’ ex wife Scribonia and his sister Octavia. We know that there’s plenty more to come for the power couple, from being big fans of the classic series I, Claudius, based on the famous book by Robert Graves. 

In that BBC history of their lives, Livia sets about securing the succession for her troubled son Tiberius, shown as a terrapin-obsessed sexually deviant teenager in Domina. In I, Claudius, Livia (played by the amazing Sian Phillips) lives to see Tiberius eventually make it to emperor, despite him hating his mother for all her meddling in his life. Nothing on this aspect of Livia has yet come to screen in Domina Season 1 so that’s what we’re really hoping for in Domina Season 2. 

We know too Livia also had a hand in getting Gauis' daughter Julia banished to a small island, plus she connived to see Julia's son Posthumous banished then murdered. in fact, her 'kill count' greatly increased the older Livia got!

In I, Claudius we also saw Livia having an extraordinary relationship with her grandson Caligula (played by John Hurt in the BBC drama), teaching him much about the dark arts. We know she didn’t live to see Caligula become the mad emperor, after her equally bonkers son Tiberius, but she was a profound influence on him, so we feel sure this would be explored in a Domina Season 2.

Our team at Whattowatch.com were so eager to know about Domina season 2 so we took the liberty of contacting the team behind the show to squeeze out some exclusive news. Here’s what a show insider told us:  “Everyone is delighted with the viewers’ reaction to Domina. There's something for everyone — stunning scenery, exquisite costumes, intriguing characters — all wrapped up in gripping storylines. And this is history so the narrative can go on and on!  So many people who have binged the series have been asking what happens next for Livia and Gaius!”

Domina season 2 cast

Domina Season 2 again sees Kasa Smutniak as Livia and Matthew McNulty as Gauis. Other returning cast includes Liah O’Prey (Julia), Ben Batt (Marcus Agrippa), Ewan Horrocks (Drusus), Claire Forlani (Octavia), Darrell D’Silva (Piso), Christine Bottomley (Scribonia), and Alais Lawson (Marcella).

Domina has expanded its cast for this second season with Benjamin Isaac (Holmes & Watson) joining as Tiberius, Joelle (Dune, The School for Good and Evil) as Vipsania, and David Avery (Doctor Who, The Inbetweeners Movie) as young aristocrat Domitius.

We doubt Liam Cunningham will be seen as Livia’s father Livius again. We’re not sure an actor of Liam’s calibre will sign up just for flashbacks, and there's only so many of them you can have of them. 

No news either on Antigone, the freed slave and chief poisoner in Domina Season 1. Colette Tchantcho was simply too brilliant in the role to recast it.

* Domina season 2 cast: who's who in the historical epic

How to watch Domina season 1

Domina season 1 is now available on Sky Atlantic, NOW, and Sky Box Sets in the UK, and on the US on streaming service EPIX

• Full list of Now TV shows

Wilderness on Prime Video stars The Serpent’s Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Bly Manor). The thriller series sees a British couple’s dream holiday descend into the stuff of nightmares. The pair play Liv and Will, who seem to have it all and are enjoying a glamorous new life in New York. But then Liv learns about Will’s affair and when he suggests a road trip around America’s stunning National Parks, it seems the perfect opportunity for her to exact her revenge. Taylor Swift sings the theme tune too! 

So here's everything you need to know about Wilderness on Prime Video...

Wilderness release date

Wilderness is now available in over 240 countries and territories after launching on Friday, September 15, 2023. All six episodes of the series are available as a box set. 

* How to watch Wilderness: stream the scenic revenge thriller online

•  Wilderness cast: who's who in the twisty revenge thriller

Is there a trailer for Wilderness?

Yes a trailer is for Wilderness has just been released by Amazon Prime VIdeo showing Jenna and Oliver's characters Liv and Will driving through a remote region of America's West. Below it is a teaser trailer reveals Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version), the song of the opening titles, a re-recorded track from Reputation. Wilderness looks terrific as you can see from both trailers below...

Wilderness plot

Based on the novel Wilderness by B. E. Jones, this thriller focuses on Liv and Will (Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a British couple who have left behind their life in a provincial town in the UK to enjoy a glamorous existence in New York. Their marriage seems rock solid but then Liv discovers that Will has had an affair with a younger colleague. She’s heartbroken but her sadness soon turns to fury and she's determined to get revenge... 

When Will suggests an epic trip around The Grand Canyon and America’s other national parks, she secretly vows to set him certain tests before she will accept that he is truly sorry and forgive him. Will has two weeks, 1,500 miles and three opportunities to save his own life. Because if their marriage can’t survive, then neither can he! Out in the American wilderness accidents can and will happen.

While trekking through the epic American National Parks, the couple bump into Will’s colleague Cara (Ashley Benson), a young American woman with a glittering career and an adoring boyfriend, Garth (Eric Barlow). Liv’s best-laid plans are wrecked and, as the foursome go hiking together, Cara and Garth soon find themselves enmeshed in Will and Liv’s lives in a way that will change the course of all their futures forever. 

Wilderness is a twisted love story, where a dream holiday and a supposedly “happily-ever-after” quickly turns into a living nightmare.

Wilderness cast — Jenna Coleman on playing Liv Taylor

In Wilderness, Jenna Coleman plays scorned wife Liv. In an interview done before the current US writers' strike, Jenna reveals: "It becomes a roller coaster and an unexpected journey. There’s a domino effect that’s uncontrollable. It’s heightened but grounded in an emotional, truthful experience. Liv is from Wales and uses humour as a defence mechanism because she is unsure of herself. Through her insecurities and lack of self-worth, Liv has put a lot of herself into her relationship with Will. But now she begins to plot ways in which to kill him and seek justice. There’s no hero or villain. The breakdown of a relationship should feel messy and confusing.

"It feels like a story about womanhood but within that, an exploration of being pushed to breaking point. So many female members of the crew said to me, ‘I’ve felt like that’. It’s going to be interesting to see how viewers react to things that feel extreme but familiar. From the off, it was easy, and a pleasure to film with Oliver, which you need because this series is so dark. We were giddy and playful! It was like we were on a mad, wonky road trip together. We filmed in Banff and Las Vegas and at the ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s house’ in New York. Then, at the Grand Canyon, when we were at the edge of a cliff, it was breathtaking. It was so big and cinematic.  

"I feel like there are so many themes.  For Liv it’s about accepting who you are. Of really being in your own skin, of being happy without needing anyone else. I feel like co-dependent relationships are very common. Wanting to lose yourself in someone else is common. For Liv that’s a really sobering acceptance. Also, having a voice and being able to express yourself and communicate and be in your own body. So, it feels like a feminine story about womanhood; travelling through that arc but within that, obviously a relationship exploration of being pushed to a breaking point and what can happen in a marriage. There were so many female members in the crew who came up to me and said, “I recognise that argument in the scene” or “I felt like that”. I think it’s going to be very interesting to see how the audience reacts to things that feel extreme but very familiar. The exploration of betrayal from someone that you love and what that can do to you."

*  Jenna Coleman first found fame playing Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale for four years before moving on to Waterloo Road. She then played Clara in Doctor Who and Queen Victoria in ITV series Victoria before starring in the huge hit The Serpent, about the real-life killer Charles Sobhraj (see picture below). She's also had roles in The Cry, Inside No.9, Titanic and Dancing on the Edge. 

Wilderness cast — Oliver Jackson-Cohen on playing Will Taylor

Wilderness star Oliver Jackson-Cohen plays cheating husband Will Taylor, who has no idea his life is in danger. In an interview done before the current US writers' strike, Oliver reveals: "It’s a twisted love story. Where we begin and where we end are two totally different shows. Audiences are going to love the thrill ride. It never takes you where you think it’s going to go. It’s stressful, moving, exciting, funny and devastating. Will is an English boarding school-type from a well-to-do but broken family. He and Liv have an incredible bond which is shattered. The show is about whether it’s possible to repair the damage, but Will hasn’t been honest about everything he’s done. He’s in constant survival mode to preserve his marriage. 

"We need the audience to understand why Liv stays with Will. It felt important to build a side to Will that was not a villain but a flawed person who’s loving and hurtful. Viewers will hate him but we go through such a journey that hopefully people change the way they think of both of them. Some of the biggest themes are betrayal and good versus evil. Wilderness shows love in its best and worst light and what the effect of being in love does to someone. We both come from a similar approach, and crafting Liv and Will with Jenna has been a joy. She’s phenomenal.

"The place where we filmed a white-water rafting scene was beautiful. We spent two days on a raft going down the river. Will ends up in the water and I’ve never been so cold!

"We had a day where Liz (Exec Producer), Marnie (Writer, Exec Producer), and I sat down and went through all the episodes. It was sort of about pulling and heightening things that were already there and moving other things to the background, particularly small stuff like Will’s OCD, punching up the trauma of boarding school. Because what we need from the audience is for them to understand why Liv stays with Will. So, it felt very important to build a side to Will that was not a villain but a completely flawed person. They were so collaborative in that. With the crafting, I watched hundreds of documentaries about boarding school and what that does to a kid who’s been sent there so young. I looked into sex addiction and what people are looking for and what they’re hiding. All these elements slowly migrated their way into the script, not necessarily in prominent ways. It’s been an interesting process."

* Oliver Jackson-Cohen previously starred alongside Elizabeth Moss in the 2020 movie The Invisible Man. He’s also been in Lark Rise to Candleford, Will & Kate: Before Happily Ever After (playing Prince William), Mr Selfridge, Dracula, The Great Fire, The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor (see picture below). Oliver is the son of famous British fashion designer Betty Jackson.

Who else is starring in Wilderness?

Wilderness will also star Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars) who plays Cara. Trouble brews when Will’s glamorous but vulnerable lover turns up on his and Liv’s road trip with her boyfriend Garth played by Eric Balfour (Six Feet Under). Cara’s good-natured carpenter boyfriend seems relaxed about teaming up with Will and Liv on their travels.

Ashley Benson, who spoke before the US writers' strike, explains: "Cara is your typical rich New York girl. She’s always dressed up head to toe and always wearing make-up, no matter where she goes. I feel like she’s the kind of girl that you either want to be like or hate tremendously. She’s a fun girl and one of Will’s colleagues. She has a boyfriend, Garth, but gets into a situation with Will where they end up having an affair. As you get to know her through the show you see that everything on the outside is very different from who she is on the inside, which is very fun to play."

Eric Balfour, who spoke before the US writers' strike, says: "Garth is a really interesting character. Unlike the other characters, Garth – at least for me, was a victim in all this. In some ways, Garth is the most sincere and altruistic character although he comes from the most checkered background. What Marnie did with the character was to create this man who was truly flawed in so many ways. He had come from a broken home, he’d gotten in trouble with the law, he had substance abuse issues, and he’d really turned his life around. And anybody who’s dealt with addiction or recovery knows that it’s a razor’s edge to try and stay balanced. As the events of the show unfold for Garth, they send him into a tailspin, and he is left sort of broken. And unlike the other characters, he didn’t bring this on himself. He starts out as a strong, confident, secure, and, I hope, charming guy. That was the goal, we’ll see if that comes across. But he starts out in such a strong place as a person. And by the end of it, he becomes so lost and so broken. Getting to map out that journey for him and how it looked physically, how it looked emotionally was really fun. But if this were Shakespeare, Garth is the tragedy. He really is. He is the one who suffers the most and only because of what others have done."

Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood) plays Liv's mum Caryl, Liv’s lonely mum who lives in Wales and is still resentful about the breakdown of her own relationship with Liv’s dad.

Claire says: "Caryl is Liv’s mum. She’s a very loving, loyal, strong, devoted mother to her only daughter. But she has no tools to show it, so she appears to the world as quite hard-faced and uncaring at times. But she certainly isn’t. She just hasn’t found a way to articulate her feelings. Caryl’s relationship with Liv is complicated because they love each other deeply and only have each other in terms of family. Liv’s father left the family and fell in love with another woman. Caryl’s had to navigate the pain of that. And navigate how to love and support her daughter when none of those things come naturally to her. So, the relationship is complicated and painful but with love definitely present." 

Ash, played by Morgana Van Peebles, is a spirited American who is Liv’s friend and neighbour and offers her a shoulder to cry on following Will’s affair. Talia Balsam plays Bonnie, Will’s formidable boss is the hotel’s head of PR and has words of warning for Liv about how to lead her life.

Marsha Stephanie Blake (Orange is the New Black) is Detective Rawlins, a dedicated and talented cop has to make a shrewd assessment of events when Liv crosses her path. Jonathan Keltz plays Detective Wiseman, who is Rawlins’ colleague who works well with her, but he has very different views on how they should treat Liv. Crystal Blint (The Fall of the House of Usher) plays Liana, Natalie Sharp (The Flash) is Marissa, Geoff Gustafson (A Christmas Proposal) is Zach and Jake Foy (Designated Survivor) plays Anton. 

Wilderness episode guide and recaps

Here's our brief guide to each of the six episodes of Wilderness...

Episode 1: Happily Ever After
Deliciously twisted thriller starring Jenna Coleman. Liv and Will seem to have it all. A rock-solid marriage. A glamorous new life in New York. Until Liv learns about the affair. Enter the American road trip she’s fantasised about.  For Will, it’s a chance to make amends, for Liv, it’s a very different prospect – a landscape where accidents happen all the time. The perfect place to get revenge.
* Wilderness episode 1 recap: revenge plots and road trips

Episode 2: The Other Woman
Liv and Will have made it to Yosemite, but Liv's plot is thrown off course by the shock arrival of the other woman, Cara, which brings the deceit of the past very much into the present. As Liv and Cara's rivalry intensifies, more revelations emerge, and with Liv's marriage hanging by a thread, revenge becomes the only option.

Episode 3: Repent At Leisure
Liv wakes to the crushing realisation of what she has done. The need for an alibi is crucial, but as a search mission begins, there is a nightmarish surprise waiting at her door. 

Episode 4: Home Sweet Home
In Las Vegas, a troubled marriage is locked into a toxic pact. On return to New York, can Liv escape the horrifying consequences of the trip as Detectives Rawlins and Wiseman begin to close in?

Episode 5: Like Mother, Like Daughter
Liv's mother, Caryl, arrives from Wales and brings with her some difficult questions just as the police are closing in on Liv.

Episode 6: Where White Knights Go To Die
In a chilling conclusion, Liv's toxic pact reaches boiling point with the stage set for a dark showdown nobody could have expected.

Behind the scenes, locations and more on the thriller Wilderness

Filming for Amazon Prime Video's Wilderness began in June 2022 in the UK, United States and Canada. They filmed the famous National Parks, including The GRand Canyon in Arizona, plus there were shoots in Las Vegas, New York, Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler Olympic Park and Banff Springs Hotel.

Cinematographer Kat Westergaard explains: "So and I knew from the start we wanted to capture the beauty of our natural locations - the vastness of the desert and the height of the forest and also have our characters feel small and inconsequential in these locations in order to create some uneasiness. At the same time this is an intimate character study and we knew we would be doing a lot of close-ups on Liv and would attempt to give her an increasing amount of power in the frame as she gained agency from episode to episode. With these ideas in mind, I knew right from the first location scout we should shoot with the large format Arri Alexa Mini LF. I wanted to be able to get the camera very physically close to Liv so it felt like we were almost reading her thoughts - and the full frame sensor is perfect for this. Jenna Coleman who plays Liv gives such a subtle and beautiful performance that our approach to her coverage really paid off."

Wilderness is produced by Firebird Pictures, written and created by Marnie Dickens, directed and executive produced by So Yong Kim and executive produced by Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Marnie Dickens.

Marnie Dickens explains "Who doesn’t know someone who’s been cheated on? That gut punch on discovery, the trail of paranoia and suspicion it leaves behind, the difficulty of trusting again. It’s enough to tip anyone over the edge. And that’s where we meet our heroine, Liv, as she’s lied to over and over by the man she loves. Of course she wants revenge, and I, for one, hope she gets it.”

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Comedy romance The Lovers on Sky Atlantic will show us that just when you think two people are utterly wrong for one another, they might actually be the perfect match. 

Starring Genius actor Johnny Flynn and The Fall star Roisin Gallagher, the six-part series arriving in 2023 follows sweary Belfast supermarket worker Janet as she finds herself falling for suave, egotistical political broadcaster Seamus. Can you really find your soulmate in the most unlikely of places? It seems you can...

Here’s everything you need to know about Sky Atlantic series The Lovers...

The Lovers release date

The Lovers is a six-part series that will launch on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday September 7 at 9pm, so it's a big part of Sky's 2023 Autumn TV. The entire series will also be available on Sky Box Sets from that date. We'll update on any US or international air dates and which US channel The Lovers will arrive on.

Is there a trailer for The Lovers? 

Yes there's a trailer for The Lovers and the romance between the mismatched screen pair looks fun! Do take a look below...

The Lovers plot

The Lovers is a six-parter that follows Belfast shop worker Janet (Roisin Gallagher) who doesn’t care much about anything including her own life. So when a handsome political broadcaster Seamus (Johnny Flynn) climbs into her back yard she really shouldn’t give him much thought. After all he’s selfish, seems to have the perfect life in London, and has hooked up with a celebrity girlfriend Frankie (Alice Eve). The pair are poles apart yet for some reason they seem to be inexplicably drawn to one another, showing that sometimes love can show up in entirely the wrong place. 

The Lovers cast — Roisin Gallagher on playing Janet

In The Lovers, Roisin Gallagher plays the potty-mouthed and hilarious Janet. 

Roisin reveals: "Janet jumped off the script. I instantly cared about her. I think people will recognise Janet, if not her cheeky, hard edge then they’ll recognise her strength and grit.

"Janet’s had a hard paper round, as we say in Belfast. She has had some bad experiences, but she’s trying to hang in there. I find her very courageous. She has an epic sense of humour that she uses to cover up her many insecurities, because she’s very lost when we first meet her. 

"Like all good love stories, Janet and Seamus' relationship is full of tension, obstacles, desire, thrill, expectation... disappointment. It’s beautiful to see these two creatures connect with each other despite having nothing in common and very different views on the world.

"Johnny Flynn is great craic! He is so much fun to work with, and is a very kind and generous actor. I feel that playing opposite Johnny makes me better at what I do as he asks great questions that can expand the potential of a scene. I’m learning from him every day. I don’t know if he realises that, but I do!"

* Earlier this year Roisin Gallagher starred in the series The Dry playing Shiv, an alcoholic who returns from London to family life in Dublin. She’s also had roles in The Fall, Come Home, Made In Belfast and Doctors.

Johnny Flynn on playing Seamus in The Lovers

Johnny Flynn, who plays political broadcaster Seamus in The Lovers, reveals: "At the beginning of the story, Seamus and Janet are so entrenched in their exterior identities. But through waves of discovery, they get to find their true selves. David always talks about them being two aspects of his own psyche battling it out, which I really love. 

"Seamus is a semi-famous current affairs journalist who has just been given his first TV show. At first, he comes across as arrogant, but it’s actually a facility for hiding trauma – and I’ve enjoyed revealing this as the story goes on. It’s fun leaning into those slightly Alan Partridge facets of him and then taking them away and going, ‘Oh, he’s actually sweet’.

"Life is messy and Seamus isn’t perfect. He doesn’t deal with his situation in the best way. It’s good storytelling because it doesn’t let Seamus off the hook. You should feel angry with him and hurt for Frankie, but it shows that not everybody is perfect for each other. The story is told in a responsible way because it emphasises that Frankie hasn’t done anything wrong."

* Johnny Flynn has previously starred as William Dobbin in the mini series Vanity Fair and played a young Albert Einstein in Genius. He’s also had roles in Les Miserables, Lovesick, Operation Mincemeat and The Dig. He also played David Bowie in the film Stardust. Johnny will voice Bob Cratchit in the upcoming Netflix film Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. He'll also be starring as Dickie Greenleaf in the Sky Atlantic series Ripley in 2023.

Who else is starring in The Lovers?

The Lovers also stars Game of Thrones and Holding actor Conleth Hill, playing Janet’s boss at the supermarket called Philip, and Belgravia actress Alice Eve as the celebrity girlfriend of Seamus.

Conleth says: "David Ireland is a terrific writer. I’ve directed two of his plays and two short films that he wrote, but I’d never actually acted in anything that he had written. There’s a lovely neurosis about his writing. It’s probably very tortuous for him, but it’s very funny for us. 

"Philip is the manager of the supermarket where Janet works and she’s not an ideal employee. She’s very lippy, but he’s very patient and understanding with her. He’s fond of her and thinks there’s more to her than meets the eye. He reckons underneath it all she’s worth helping, whereas he’d happily show the other staff the door. 

"The facilities and experience of the TV crews in Northern Ireland is second to none – from Game of Thrones to Line of Duty and Blue Lights. Belfast is unique as well, because you can be in the city centre and within 15 minutes you’re in the middle of nowhere, in the woods or the mountains. It’s unreal."

Behind the scenes, locations and more on The Lovers

The Lovers is produced by Drama Republic, in association with Sky Studios. It's written by award winning playwright David Ireland (Cyprus Avenue, Ulster American) and directed by BAFTA winning Justin Martin (Together, Prima Facie),

Roanna Benn and Rebecca de Souza, Executive Producers for Drama Republic, say: “We're so excited that David’s beautifully crafted, romantic and subversive story is being brought to life by such a brilliant team and cast - with the hugely talented Justin Martin at the helm.”

Locations manager Scott Houston says: "I’ve lived in East Belfast for 15 years. So I knew the area quite well. We do a lot of locations here. We double for London, we double for Birmingham, we double for all these other places. So it’s great when we get something that’s written about Belfast, which sometimes gets shown in a poor light. It’s good to see a script like this that puts a bit of life and a bit of imagination back into the city."

* Guides to more great series on Sky are below...

The Lazaraus Project
Django
A Town Called Malice
Funny Woman
The Midwich Cuckoos
The Fear Index

Heart of Stone is an all-action Netflix spy movie that sees Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot play a kick-ass intelligence operative alongside Jamie Dornan and Alia Bhatt among others. Gal plays Rachel Stone, an intelligence operative who will do anything to ensure her organization holds on to its most valuable and dangerous asset. It features crazy car chases, fierce shootouts, breakneck skydiving and much more. With such jaw-dropping stunts and filming locations spanning the Italian Alps, Iceland, Portugal, the UK, US and the Sahara desert, viewers will be on the edge of their seat from the start. 

Jamie Dornan, who plays Parker in Heart Of Stone, recently revealed: “The film takes you on a globe-trotting adventure with lots of twists and thrills, featuring some spectacular fighting skills from Gal. You’ll also see stunning locations like Lisbon, Iceland, Italy, Morocco and of course, my favorite, London. I mean where else would you shoot a spy action thriller?” 

Here’s everything you need to know about Heart of Stone on Netflix… 

Heart Of Stone release date

Heart Of Stone will premiere worldwide on Netflix on Friday August 11 2023.

Is there a trailer for Heart Of Stone? 

Yes an official Heart Of Stone trailer has been released by Netflix as well as a teaser trailer, and this looks action-packed. Take a look at Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan in the thick of it in both trailers below...

Heart of Stone plot 

Heart of Stone follows intelligence operative Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot), who appears to be experienced to her fellow spies in an elite MI6 team headed up by charming secret agent Parker (Jamie Dornan).  

 What her MI6 team doesn't know is that Stone is in fact a highly skilled field agent who’s leading a double life while working for the Charter,  a shadowy organisation that uses the latest AI technology to keep the world’s peace. This covert peacekeeping organization is secret even from other spies, which uses cutting-edge technology to neutralize global threats. 

Rachel has been trained to be the consummate professional: a phenomenal field agent who sticks to the mission, follows the numbers, and trusts no one. When brilliant-yet-vengeful hacker Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt) steals the ‘heart’ of the Charter, which is the source of its technological power, Rachel’s two lives threaten to collide. As she sets off on a globe-trotting mission to retrieve the Charter’s most powerful and dangerous asset, can she stop it from falling into the wrong hands while also protecting her MI6 team, who are fast becoming like a family?

Rachel Stone is ‘he only woman who stands between her powerful, global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset. Thankfully, it seems Rachel is more than up to the job. 

Heart of Stone cast — Gal Gadot on playing Rachel Stone

Gal Gadot plays spy agent Rachel in Heart Of Stone on Netflix. “Heart of Stone is going to be extremely epic. It’s a super grounded, raw, action thriller. We really wanted to make sure we keep it realistic so people can feel the pain," says Israeli actor Gal, who was interviewed before the US writers' strike.

"It was important to me that Rachel be a character who can fight, but I also wanted her to be able to use her brain, intuition and emotions. She doesn’t just run in, guns blazing.

"Rachel is a new team member, having only been in MI6 about a year. She’s learning the ropes and downplaying her skills, so no one is aware of her hidden abilities. I grew up watching Bond, Bourne and Mission: Impossible. But I wanted to create a strong, female-driven action movie that is for everybody, not a male story that’s been done many times already.

“It’s an adventure to the UK, Portugal, Senegal, Iceland and Italy. It really is such a fun escape from the ordinary. It has an amazing script, it has action, it has emotions and of course it has a heart. It has it all in a very real way.

"You want your audiences to be visually interested. I like to think of going to the movies as an opportunity to experience interesting places. Not everyone gets to go to amazing places like Iceland, Italy, Portugal, the UK or Senegal. So beyond great action, you get to see these locations you may not otherwise experience."

* Gal Gadot is best known for her role in Wonder Woman 1984 but has also starred in Fast & Furious, Keeping Up With The Joneses, Death on the Nile and Red Notice. She will play the Evil Queen in the upcoming Snow White movie and Cleopatra in the film about the Egyptian queen.

Jamie Dornan on playing Parker

Playing MI6 unit leader Parker in Heart of Stone is Jamie Dornan ‘"One of the things that drew me to the film was the epic scale of it,’ says Belfast star Dornan, 41, who was interviewed before the US writers' strike. "I always want to test myself and I’ve dipped my toe a little bit into action, but not to this scale. I did every stunt I was allowed to do, especially the wire and harness work. I also enjoyed fighting in a cable car as it was coming down a mountain in Italy!

"It’s huge, exciting and entertaining, as well as hopefully being a fresh take on a genre that people think they know. When my daughters are older, I can’t wait to show them this female-led, action-spy thriller. It’s important for them to see someone like Gal, who is not only smart and beautiful, but can kick ass on screen in a big way. I've never done anything on such a huge scale before."

"If I had my way I’d do all of my own stunts. I’m one of those people who is a very active person. I’ve turned 40 during this job and it’s almost given me more of an incentive to want to prove to myself that my body still works pretty well and I want to be able to do all the stunts. So I did every stunt I was allowed to do — especially the wire and harness work. People have to understand that stunt work is very technical, dangerous and it takes years to learn and perfect so there were some scenes I had to leave to the team —an extraordinary team led by Jo McLaren. I’ve also enjoyed the close combat fight stuff with Gal and Enzo. With Enzo, we fought in the cable car as it was coming down the mountain in Italy. It felt like an eternity but it was fun. The battle scene with Gal and me was epic."

* Jamie Dornan’s turn as serial killer Paul Spector in The Fall chilled us to the bone. He also played Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey and has starred in The Tourist, A Private War, Belfast, My Dinner with Herve, Death and Nightingales and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. 

Alia Bhatt on playing Keya Dhawan

Alia Bhatt plays master-hacker Keya Dhawan in Heart of Stone. The character is a fiercely intelligent tech prodigy who was adopted by an Indian pharma billionaire after her parents’ untimely death, and has since become one of the most talented and dangerous hackers in the world. Single-minded and highly capable, Dhawan wants to use her abilities to reshape global power dynamics and build a new world order.

Alia reveals: "This was a super huge opportunity for me to be a part of a film like this, and to breakthrough to the global market. I’ve been working in the Indian film industry for ten years now, but this is my first English language film, and that’s always something that I wanted to tick off my box. But I was waiting for the right opportunity and I also wanted it to be true to who I am and where I come from. I found that in Heart of Stone and in the character of Keya, because she’s from India and she’s pushed against these extreme circumstances. She mhas to really prove herself and she’s fighting for something, as everyone is in the film, and she has her own motive. Also, being a part of this huge action film headlined by Gal Gadot, it’s really the action film of today, one led by this really strong woman whom we all look up to and love. I really liked the whole narrative, and having seen Tom Harper’s work as well, I was really excited to work with him. There were a lot of pluses that came together to make me feel I should take the plunge and do this."

* Alia is a huge star in her native India and has appeared in movies such as Highway, Gully Boy, Raazi and Darlings. 

Matthias Schweighöfer is Jack Of Hearts

Matthias Schweighöfer (The Swimmers) is the Charter’s geeky tech specialist (code name: Jack of Hearts). Married to the job — Stone doesn’t even know his real name — he uses the Heart, a massively powerful AI device, to keep field agents like Stone ahead of the game. He and Stone share a bantering, sibling-like relationship.

Sophie Okonedo as NOMAD

Heart of Stone also stars Sophie Okonedo (Ratched, Slow Horses) as Rachel’s boss mentor and one of the four heads within the Charter called NOMAD (code name: King of Hearts). Tenacious, passionate and razor-sharp, she was the head of a NGO and a baroness in the British House of Lords before becoming a spy chief. During the movie, her trust in the Charter — and in Stone — will be put to the test.

Who else is starring in Heart of Stone? 

In Heart of Stone, also look out for too for Motherland star Paul Ready as Bailey, Rachel’s closest confidant at MI6, plus Gangs of London’s Jing Lusi as cool, sharpshooting field agent Yang. Enzo Cilenti, Jon Kortajarena also star

What is The Charter in Heart of Stone?

The Charter is an organization so secret that even other spies don't know it exists. Former intelligence operatives and government officials from all over the world have put their previous political allegiances aside, and now use their skills and cutting-edge technology for the greater good — a cross between the UN and International Rescue...Led by the Four Kings, the Charter steps in when other agencies fail to step up.

Who are The Kings in Heart of Stone?

The leaders of the Charter, each responsible for a quarter of the organization based in different areas of the globe. The longest-serving King, Diamonds, is an ex-CIA deputy director; the others range from an ex-FSB commander (Spades) to a senior cyberintelligence analyst from the Chinese security services (Clubs), to a British baroness and former head of a NGO (Hearts). When their most valuable tech asset is threatened, the Kings — who conduct their most important business in person to avoid messages being intercepted — must come together to fight a powerful threat to their entire existence.

What is The Heart in Heart of Stone?

The Charter’s massively powerful AI, capable of accessing any person or organization's entire online presence and history, and then using that data to accurately predict future behavior, anticipate decision-making, and even advise on responses — from telling you which movie someone will watch over the weekend, to the best way to neutralize an upcoming military threat.

Behind the scenes, locations and more on Heart of Stone

Heart of Stone was filmed around the world in Lisbon, Iceland, Italy, Morocco and London. The movie is directed by Tom Harper and written by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder. Producers are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Jaron Varsano, Gal Gadot, Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn, while executive producers are Patricia Whitcher, Tom Harper and Greg Rucka.

Director Tom Harper, who was intervieed before the US writers' strike, reveals: "When I first came onboard, two things really struck me about the project: firstly, it was an original movie in a genre where there are a lot of franchises that have been around for many years, and secondly it had a female lead. I thought that was really exciting. Gal said to me, right from the very beginning, that she wanted this character to be a powerful woman in her own right, rather than a copy of the male action hero stereotype. Of course, she does do a lot of heroic things — she is a survivor, a maverick, and sometimes a rebel — but she is not alone. There is a deep care and compassion for people as the driving force of her actions. It often feels that there's one character acting in an almost God-like way, saving the world but yet disregarding the human's around them. This is a bit different, it has a bit more of a humanistic approach. That really appealed to me."

Henpocalypse! is a BBC2 comedy that shows the world hit by a deadly virus called 'crab measles'. If you had to choose a way to see out the end of time in 2023, the chances are sharing the terror with a high-maintenance hen party in an isolated cottage in Wales wouldn’t be at the top of your list. But that’s exactly where we find the characters in Henpocalypse! which stars Elizabeth Berrington, Lucie Shorthouse, Callie Cooke, Lauren O’Rouke and Kate O’Flynn. And EastEnders legend Danny Dyer has a guest starring role! 

Henpocalypse! is penned by Caroline Moran and follows bridezilla Zara (Lucie Shorthouse) and her fellow working-class hens from the West Midlands as they look forward to celebrating her forthcoming nuptials. But the hen-do celebrations are cut short when it becomes clear that the apocalypse is on the way. Writer Caroline Moran says: “This is a dream cast, the locations are epic, the apocalypse has never been so much fun”

Here’s everything you need to know about Henpocalypse! on BBC2...

Henpocalypse! release date 

Henpocalypse! is a six-part comedy series that starts on BBC2 on Tuesday August 15 at 10pm, with all six episodes landing on BBCiPlayer from then. We’ll update you on the show's US and international air dates and channels. 

Is there a trailer for Henpocalypse!?

Yes the BBC has released a trailer for Henpocalypse! whcih shows the mayhem when 'crab measles' hits the world and the Hens are trying to survive it! Take a look below...

Henpocalypse! plot 

Henpocalypse! follows five women on the ultimate hen-do – which doesn’t exactly go to plan. Demanding bride Zara (Lucie Shorthouse) sees her fun weekend in an isolated cottage in Wales ruined when the apocalypse strikes, in the form of a deadly disease called 'crab measles' — so and her four hens are forced to wait it out together. Then, as they emerge into the harsh, new, post-apocalyptic world, they discover the entire male population has been wiped out, except for their hired stripper Drew (Ben McGregor). Can the hens put aside their fractious relationships and work out how to survive together as they are forced to take on a group of radicalised Pilates instructors and use sex toys as weapons? 

Henpocalypse! cast — Lucie Shorthouse on playing Zara 

Lucie Shorthouse, who plays bridezilla Zara, says: "Henpocalypse! is very fun, effervescent, bubbly, and larger than life. I love that it's a female-centric comedy, so I got to work with a great group of women. What also attracted me was that I know these women; the voice is so hearty and homey in terms of what I know and the people I know from growing up, so it felt like a great homage to Midlands girls.

"Zara is the bridezilla of all bridezillas, it's her hen do and it's the reason why they've gone away and she's very much ‘me, me me’, she’s the centre of attention and this wedding of hers will be the greatest event in history. I don't think she's even envisaged her life after the wedding to be honest, so this apocalypse is most inconvenient because the event of the century is now being impaired.

"I definitely recognise parts of myself in Zara, a younger me for sure and it was quite fun to relive those kind of more self-absorbed less evolved days. I can definitely relate to Zara's petulance, I know that when I'm tired or when I'm around my dad in particular, I revert to little childish, petulant Lucie and it's very Zara-esque! I was channelling 18 year old me when I was in playing her."

* Lucie Shorthouse previously played Paige Pennington in Bulletproof and Momtaz in We Are Lady Parts. She’s also been in Ten Percent, Cleaning Up, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, Doctors and Line of Duty. 

Elizabeth Berrington on playing Bernadette

Elizabeth Berrington stars as Bernadette, who is Zara’s formidable mother. She says: "I was attracted to the writing of Henpocalypse! as it’s such a preposterous premise and the situations the characters find themselves in are so comical,  the jokes & punchlines are absolute comedy classics. Bernadette is a survivor, a very dominant force of nature. You absolutely want Bern on your team at all times, she’s the Mick Lynch of the post-apocalypse she’ll put up with absolutely no BS at the end of the world.  ‘All opinions expressed are my own’! I think Bern has nerves of steel and stupendous confidence and is absolutely nothing like me at all. I’m not sure I’d defend anyone or anything in her situation, I’d just crumple & weep.

"Zara is the best thing that’s ever happened to Bern. She is Bernadette’s pet project; she has lavished all her time, money, energy & looks on bringing up Zara, and Zara must BEND TO HER MOTHER’S WILL OR ELSE!"

* Elizabeth Berrington previously played Ruby Fry in Waterloo Road and starred in the comedy Moving Wallpaper. She’s also starred in The Nevers, The Pact, The Responder, Sanditon, Vanity Fair, The Syndicate and the film Yesterday.

Kate O’Flynn as Jen

In Henpocalypse! Kate O'Flynn plays one-woman disaster area, Jen. She starred as Fiona in the comedy series Everyone Else Burns and she's also had roles in Death in Paradise, Landscapers, Close To Me, No Offence and Bridget Jones’s Baby. 

Callie Cooke on playing Shelly

Callie Cooke is playing put upon chief bridesmaid, Shelly. 

Callie says: "It’s not every day you get a script about a group of women from the Midlands trying to survive the apocalypse. I thought the script was completely mad but completely hilarious. Shelly is our very hard done by but wonderfully loveable chief bridesmaid. I guess we see a lot of the show through her eyes, and she deals with platonic love versus romantic love, all whilst trying not to get eaten by zombies!! Shelly makes some questionable decisions but ultimately, she has a huge heart. I also think trying to survive an apocalypse with my best mates would be great craic.  Shelly deals with a huge guilt complex and struggles to find her feet with the other girls. Zara hasn’t been the best to her over the years and her confidence is pretty shot. 

"The cast are the new loves of my life and working with them all was an utter joy. I’m not sure you can even call it work. I’ve never been on a show where the main 5 cast are all female. I think it created a totally safe and warm space where people really enjoyed coming to work. We were all able to be ridiculously silly with one another with absolutely zero ego in the room. Every single crew member (particularly the lads) became honorary hens by the end of the shoot."

* Callie Cooke has also starred in Wedding Season, Cheaters, The Stranger, Britannia and Rules of the Game.

Ben McGregor as Drew

Ben McGregor is the one regular male cast member of Henpocalypse! playing entrepreneurial stripper Drew who is a male survivor of the deadly crab measles virus. He's previously starred in The Tuckers.

Lauren O’Rourke as Veena

Lauren is beautician and conspiracy theorist Veena. She played Nicole in The Inbetweeners Movie and has also had roles in Line of Duty, White Gold, Chemistry of Death, Drifters and Doctors. 

Guest star Danny Dyer

Former EastEnders star Danny Dyer turns up as a gust star in various episodes of Henpocalypse! playing himself as a spirit animal, who meets Jen (Kate O’Flynn), offering a spiritual redemption experience.

More about Henpocalypse! 

At a recent BBC Comedy showcase, BBC's Director of Comedy Commissioning, Jon Petrie addressed the issue of having a show such as Henpocalypse! set during a deadly pandemic. "This came to me when I started with the BBC, so kind of around 2021 during pandemic times. The team behind Henpocalypse! just felt like it was a good opportune moment to kind of see it all through a comic lens. I get sent a a lot of apocalypse stuff. Basically this is a funny The Last of Us but in the UK.

“It’s no surprise that Caz’s inventive scripts have attracted such a top cast. Her post-apocalyptic vision is both terrifying and utterly hilarious."

Henpocalypse! was commissioned for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy Commissioning at the BBC. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Tanya Qureshi. The Executive Producers are Phil Clarke (I May Destroy You), Helen Williams (Flack, Lazy Susan), Jack Bayles (Catastrophe) and Roberto Troni (I May Destroy You). VAL is part of BBC Studios portfolio of invested indie production companies with whom they hold a minority share. BBC Studios will distribute the show internationally.

Wolf is a must-watch BBC1 crime thriller that's based on the bestselling Jack Caffery series of novels by Mo Hayder. It features a gritty and twisted story plus a top cast including Blindspot and Humans star Ukweli Roach in his first lead role. Also look out for Juliet Stevenson and Owen Teale, plus Game Of Thrones star Iwan Rheon and Doctor Who baddie Sacha Dhawan.

The six-part BBC1 thriller is from Hartswood Films, the makers of Sherlock, and follows DI Jack Caffery, who’s obsessed with the neighbor he believes murdered his ten-year-old brother in the 1990s. But his story soon collides with that of a wealthy family, the Anchor-Ferrers, who find themselves becoming the victims of a pair of psychopaths and their cruel games.

Here’s everything you need to know about the disturbing drama Wolf arriving on BBC1…

Wolf release date

Wolf started on BBC1 on Monday 31 July at 9 pm, with all episodes then dropping immediately as a boxset on BBCiPlayer. For those watching live, the next episode aired at 9 pm on Tuesday, August 1. It runs two episodes per week on BBC1 on Mondays and Tuesday for three weeks. We will update on any international air date and channel such as Netflix or Prime Video.

Wolf episode guide

Here's an episode guide and recaps for Wolf which have spoilers so don't click on the links if you want to avoid spoilers.

Wolf episode 1 recap: Trouble at the Anchor-Ferrers place

Wolf episode 2 recap: Who let the dog out?

Wolf episode 3 recap: Did Matilda survive?

Wolf episode 4 recap: Honey's real identity

Wolf episode 5 recap: What's in the box?

Wolf episode 6 recap: Who was the Donkey Pitch killer?

Is there a Wolf trailer?

Yes the BBC released a Wolf trailer, which looks truly terrifying as the hostage terror unfolds and secrets are alluded to. Take a look at the full trailer below...

Wolf plot

Wolf follows young detective Jack Caffery, who’s searching for himself while trying to right the wrongs of others. He remains haunted by the disappearance of his brother when they were children in the 1990s and is convinced that a neighbour killed him. But in his quest to uncover the truth will Jack cross a line?

Meanwhile, the wealthy Anchor-Ferrers family – nervy mum Matilda (Juliet Stevenson), her businessman husband Oliver (Owen Teale) and daughter Lucia (Annes Elwy) – are returning to their Welsh home in rural Monmouthshire so Oliver can recuperate from a heart operation. 

But they remain troubled by a double murder case, known locally as 'The Donkey Pitch Murders' that previously occurred in the area and when police officers Honey (Sacha Dhawan) and Molina (Iwan Rheon) turn up with worrying news, a frightening chain of events begins when a hostage situation arises. As Jack heads to Wales to follow a potential new lead about his brother, he becomes caught up in the Anchor-Ferrers’ nightmare. What follows is a nail-biting and deeply disturbing race against time.

Wolf cast — Ukweli Roach on playing detective Jack Caffery

In Wolf, Ukweli Roach plays the young, unshockable and driven DI Jack Caffery, who finds himself working on the most terrifying crimes. 

Ukweli Roach told us: "Jack Caffery is a police detective who lives in London and previously worked in Wales - in Cardiff and Newport. He has a disturbed background with a lot of trauma that he tries to hide, which has made his character quite malformed. As clichéd as it sounds, I would describe Jack as a lone wolf. He’s someone who, because of the traumas in his past, has isolated himself and finds comfort in isolation because he can’t be hurt that way. His trauma essentially shaped his whole personality. 

"Jack goes on quite a journey over the series to get to the answers he wants. That’s really where we see the wolf in him, in the sense that he can’t let go of the metaphorical scent of blood. We see the lengths that he will go to, whether legal or not, to get his man to speak. Jack is driven solely by wanting to find out what happened to his brother and where his brother is laid to rest. There’s a drive for a certain amount of revenge, but behind that revenge is the want for closure. 

"With regards to finding the killer of the Donkey Pitch murder case, Jack wants to prove a point to DI Lincoln that she was wrong because there's also a power struggle going on there. He also wants to prove himself and his instincts right as he had a feeling from the beginning that something was wrong. Deep down there is a good core in Jack and a desire to catch whoever is responsible to prevent anything similar happening again."

Ukweli is best known for playing the role of FBI psychiatrist Dr Robert Borden in the American TV series Blindspot, which was shown in the UK on Sky Living. He’s also had roles in Humans, Grantchester, The Royals and Hard Sun.

"I’m honored to be taking on the role of Jack Caffery in Wolf," says Ukweli. "Megan Gallagher has brought Mo Hayder’s dark storylines into focus in a way that will be challenging, but also every actor’s dream. I can’t wait to bring Jack to life."

Who else is starring in Wolf?

As well as Ukweli, the cast of Wolf is packed full of familiar faces. Sacha Dhawan (The Master in Doctor Who) plays Honey alongside Iwan Rheon (Game Of Thrones, Misfits, A Christmas Number One) as Molina, a pair of mismatched detectives forced together on an unusual job. 

Meanwhile, Sian Reese-Williams (Line Of Duty, Hidden) stars DI Maia Lincoln, a woman with a case to prove, Juliet Stevenson is Mathilda Anchor-Ferrers, an intelligent yet neurotic wealthy housewife, with Owen Teale (Game Of Thrones) as her wealthy and well-connected husband Oliver. Annes Elwy plays their daughter Lucia Anchor-Ferrers.

Other cast includes Ciarán Joyce as DI Prody, Kai Owen as DI Matthews,  Anthony Webster as Ivan Penderecki, Gethin Alderman as Minnet Kable, Kezia Burrows as Veronica, Emily Adara as Sophie, Karl Johnson as Colonel Frink, Zadeiah Campbell-Davies as Emily, Gwïon Morris Jones as Hugo, Emma Cooney as Bethany  Hywel Simons as Robbie and Amanda Drew as Driscoll.

"We’re delighted to have attracted such an amazing cast into our wonderfully entertaining crime/horror world!" says executive producer Elaine Cameron. "It’s a real testament to the originality of Megan’s scripts. I’m particularly excited about young actor Ukweli Roach playing the lead role of Jack Caffery – I guarantee once the series goes out he’ll be a total household name!"

Juliet Stevenson on playing Matilda Anchor-Ferrers

Juliet Stevenson plays nervous mother Matilda Anchor-Ferrers, who gets held hostage at her home. Juliet says: "Matilda is an upper middle class woman from a wealthy family. Her and her husband, Oliver, have two children. The son, who isn't present in the story, is a bit of a big success story which probably means a lot to this family as it seems there’s likely been pressure to be successful in this family. Their daughter, Lucia, who in worldly terms has been less successful and is very troubled. From when we first meet them in the car in the first scene, there is a lot of history and delicate references to the troubles that they’re bringing with them. 

"Matilda is very devoted and quite dependent on her husband so it’s very difficult for her to find herself cut off from him, as they are quite early on in the story, because she looks to him to be steady, calm, reassuring and have that patriarchal male wisdom. Matilda is highly intelligent, but it feels to me that her intelligence hasn't anywhere to go, particularly if she hasn't been working or in a situation where it could be fed or flourish. 

"This role has been a challenge as you’re normally given a character and you explore who they are and how the story changes them. With this one, they go into such an extreme situation right at the beginning that they’re always in a nightmarish and extremist situation. So you don’t get to know Matilda as she might be on a day-to-day or casual basis."

Owen Teale on playing Oliver Anchor-Ferrers

Owen Teale reveals his thought on playing wealthy Oliver, who is held hostage along with his family: "Oliver is a self-made, successful businessman and it's come through his own talent, his own academic knowhow. He's made a great success of that and we see him immersed in that lifestyle, which ticks all those boxes. He is recovering from a heart transplant so he’s now keen to live every moment he can with his family. What is also clear, which I love about him because I don't get to play many of these parts, is that he and his wife adore each other. I get the feeling they always have. You don't often see much of that nowadays and that's lovely. It goes downhill pretty quickly and we’re taken on quite a journey. 

"This character was really about being as honest as possible and honest about fear. You have a TV idea of how you would try to protect your family and when you’re truly desperate and scared, so we’ve really had to imagine what we would do in those moments. It’s been interesting when we’re filming as I’ve often had to stop for a moment and think what these two guys have done to Oliver and his family and I think by now you have to come through and you can’t stay frightened for all that time, so as a result you become quite dangerous. You’ve got nothing to lose if you think you’re going to die." 

Sacha Dhawan on playing Honey and Molina

Sacha Dhawan who plays Honey, says: "We first meet Honey and Molina at the beginning of the series when they con their way into the Anchor-Ferrers home. It was great to play those scenes. When I was prepping for Honey, I wanted to make it clear that Molina and Honey are two different characters. Honey, unlike Molina, is very tidy, sharp and focused about making this job meticulous. That's his motivation - to complete it to the best of his ability. The stakes are so high because he's also he's got to fund his family but they’re of course kidnapping a family so there’s a lot of risks and things that could go wrong. Honey and Molina really are chalk and cheese but Molina is the only person Honey has and they’ve got to function together to get out alive. 

"One of the things that was really important to me was to make sure that dynamic between Honey and Molina works. I've always wanted to work with Iwan Rheon because he's done such fantastic work on screen, theatre and in so many different genres too. We have never worked together before but we just hit it off and it's been great considering when you see them on screen they don't really like each other. Well, Honey doesn’t really like Molina at all. It’s been a real joy to play around and just explore these scenes. We had a bit of freedom to switch things up a little bit so there's been times when it's been unpredictable and instinctive and we both kind of just go along with it."

Iwan Rheon on playing Molina

Iwan Rheon, who plays Honey's criminal sidekick Molina, says: "Molina is a bit of a hapless criminal - he’s not the brightest, but he has some great ideas. He’s part of a double act with Honey, played by the brilliant Sacha Dhawan, who take the Anchor-Ferrers family hostage, although he’s probably not the ideal person for this job. 

"Very early on he believes the family aren’t quite the sharpest tool in the box so he starts to become a little bit silly. Throughout the series, we see that Molina has a wonderful imagination but struggles at sticking to the script, often provided by Honey, which is very frustrating for him. When certain situations arise, he sometimes gets a bit carried away and reinvents a backstory. I think there’s a lot of comedy between Molina and Honey. They’re idiots at the end of the day, but it’s been really fun to play.

"It's a very intricate, thrilling storyline that keeps you guessing. That's what kept me reading when I first received the scripts. I also think there’s a very compelling detective in Jack Caffery and then there’s this absolutely bonkers storyline with the Anchor-Ferrers family going on at the same time, although in a slightly different timeline which is very cleverly done. I think the juxtaposition between the two main plots will really keep people excited. It almost feels like two shows in one but it’s interesting when they slowly start to cross into each other’s worlds. In terms of the crime element, the murder has happened and the case has already been closed but we’re slowly unpicking it from a different perspective so you quickly get a sense that everything isn’t quite what it seems.

"It's been lovely to be back working in Wales, as always. Obviously I'm Welsh and grew up in Wales so it has a very dear place in my heart. It's been really great to get to use the landscapes here; Wales has quite a wide variety of landscapes so you can really make it look like anything. It’s a really beautiful place to film. I think more and more things are being made here so the crews are fantastic - great professionals in every department which is amazing. Wales is just as good as anywhere to film."

Behind the scenes and more on Wolf

Wolf has been written and adapted by Megan Gallagher (Suspicion, Borderliner). The thriller is produced by Hartswood Films and APC Studios in association with Creative Wales for the BBC. 

Megan Gallagher says: "The project is a partnership between Laurent Boissel of APC Studios and Elaine Cameron of Hartswood Films. As a writer, you work with a lot of different producers. But the collaboration between myself, Elaine and Laurent has been extraordinarily special to me. This is a unique series with a very unique tone; as a writer, you need a lot of constructive encouragement and smart feedback to get it just right. Fortunately, that is exactly what I got with my producers every step of the way.

"It’s a proper thriller, with massively high stakes and a hugely climatic finale. But at the heart of it all is Mo Hayder’s central character, whom I truly adore: DI Jack Caffery. What sets Jack apart from so many other maverick detective characters is rather simple – he’s a millennial. At just 32 years of age, Jack isn’t dealing with a failed marriage or a strained relationship with his children. He’s also not a deeply corrupt detective. Rather, he’s trying to make all of these life decisions for the first time. Do I want a relationship or family? What kind of detective am I going to be?"

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Ludwig is a comedy series available to watch now on BBC iPlayer and is now arriving in America. It features the comic talents of Upstart Crow star David Mitchell who is known for playing quirky characters and does so again here. He stars as a solitary loner John "Ludwig" Taylor who has to step into the shoes of his identical twin, DCI James Taylor, when he disappears off the face of the earth.

David says: "I love murder mysteries and I've always wanted to do one. Miss Marple – the Joan Hickson version – was great and I loved Sir David Suchet in Poirot too and we always watched Inspector Morse as a family. So the young me would be thrilled, and so is the 'now me!’ This has a comic spin too and the scripts were page-turners."

David told the Hollywood Reporter about the show arriving in America finally.

"I hope they’ll like it. Obviously, I think, in a way, the fact that it’s so overtly British might help it. Being a detective in Cambridge is not a side of Britishness that America is unaware of. So, hopefully, people coming to it will be coming to it for that British sensibility. If it was a sitcom set in a nightclub, they might find a British spin on that a bit harder to relate to.

"My hunch with audiences is always: they just get stuff. Even if you don’t get the specifics of every reference, you basically get where things are going and if they’re engaged, they work stuff out."

John "Ludiwg" Taylor is a quiet Luddite, who designs puzzles for a living under the pseudonym Ludwig. He doesn’t own a mobile phone, TV or computer, and barely steps out of his front door, but he makes the brave decision to assume his brother’s identity in order to track him down and bring him home. But given that his brother James is a successful cop, running Cambridge’s busy inner-city major crimes team, it might just prove to be the biggest puzzle John has ever faced. 

Here's everything we know...

Ludwig release date

Ludwig is a six-part comedy series that started on Wednesday, September 25 2024 at 9 pm and it played out weekly at the same time. All six episodes are available now as a box set on BBC iPlayer.

Ludwig is released in the US on BritBox on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Ludwig plot 

The story follows John "Ludwig" Taylor, a quiet man who’s never been married, never had a family and is quite content to lead a quiet life, designing puzzles under the pen name Ludwig. He refuses to engage in the latest technology and rarely leaves his home. But then, John’s identical twin, detective James Taylor, goes missing and John decides the best way to find him is to assume his identity. The problem is James is a DCI, with a crime-solving team of cops depending on him. John might be the master of all things cryptic but this might be the one puzzle he can’t solve. 

Ludwig cast — David Mitchell interview on playing twins John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor and James

David Mitchell plays keen puzzler John and his twin James, who is missing. He told us: "John is bright and likes to tidy things up, but it’s a distraction from reality. He finds the world messy, and puzzles are like murder mysteries, they’re satisfying, as disorder is resolved. That calms his mind, because in his childhood, his and James’ father left, which traumatized him, and his coping mechanism is doing things that make him feel comfortable. He’s not lived a fulfilling existence.

"When asked to impersonate James he’s nervous and a fish out of water. But Lucy and James are all he has, and he’s also fond of Henry [James and Lucy’s teenage son, played by Maternal’s Dylan Hughes], so he tries his best. As his investigation progresses, however, there are people who are not trustworthy and there’s jeopardy…"

David is also a keen puzzler just like John: "I'Ive gone through phases of doing cryptic crosswords and I’m never as good at them as I should be! But Victoria [Coren Mitchell, David’s wife and host of BBC2 quiz show Only Connect] and I have played Cluedo recently with our eldest daughter. It’s deductive reasoning and I love the map of the house and all the weapons!"

* David Mtichell is well known for his comedy partnership with Robert Webb, which produced shows such as Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look and The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb. He played William Shakespeare in the BBC2 comedy Upstart Crow and has also been in Back, Jam & Jerusalem, Blunder and Doctors and Nurses. David is team captain on the quiz show Would I Lie to You? and hosted David Mitchell’s Soap Box. He was a presenter on 10 O’Clock Live and Outsiders and a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 

Anna Maxwell Martin on playing Lucy

Would you describe Ludwig as a series about solving murders or solving relationships?

Anna Maxwell Martin: "Both, I think the heart of the show is Lucy and John's relationship, with sleuthing as an accidental bonus."

How would you describe Lucy and John’s relationship?

"Lucy and John are light and shade. Their relationship is very sweet and nuanced, written really well by Mark Brotherhood. Lucy is completely understanding and accepting of John, their care for each other is unconditional."

What do you admire about Lucy?

"What I like about her is that she is indomitable. She is always positive, like a puppy, despite what has happened to her. John is the Eeyore of the piece."

What particularly appealed to you about working with David Mitchell?

"I suspected he was a good egg. I didn't know for sure. He might have turned out to be a bad egg, but it transpires that he is 100% good egg. David is great, we had a really nice time."

Who else is starring in Ludwig? 

The remaining cast for Ludwig includes Izuke Hoyle (Boiling Point), Dipo Ola (Landscapers), Gerran Howell (Suspicion), Dylan Hughes and Dorothy Atkinson.

Guest stars cropping up throughout the six-part series include Sir Derek Jacobi as Mr Todd, a brilliant maths teacher who is having memory problems, Felicity Kendal as Lady Bryce and Josh Bolt as a boyfriend Adam. Rose Ayling-Ellis, Karl Pilkington, Allan Mustafa, Paul Chahidi, Hammed Animashaun also have guest roles...

Here's a lowdown on Ludwig's regular characters...

Henry Betts-Taylor
(Dylan Hughes)
Lucy and James’ son is initially unaware of his dad’s disappearance but grows concerned.

DI Russell Carter
(Dipo Ola)
James’ gung-ho new partner unwittingly works alongside John and marvels at his skills.

DCS Carol Shaw
(Dorothy Atkinson)
The ruthless police boss appears intrigued by the new crime-solving methods being used by ‘James’.

Chief Constable Ronan Ziegler
(Ralph Ineson)
Could the enigmatic senior officer know anything about James’ disappearance?

DC Simon Evans
(Gerran Howell)
The young, eager detective lives with his mum and is in awe of James/John.

DS Alice Finch
(Izuka Hoyle)
Shaw’s ambitious and savvy protégée could be a thorn in John’s side.

Holly Pinder
(Sophie Willan) 
Will the no-nonsense police IT worker get suspicious about John’s strange behaviour?

Is there a trailer for Ludwig? 

Yes there's a trailer for Ludwig. Lots of murders and mystery. Take a look below...

Behind the scenes, filming news and more on Ludwig

Ludwig is a six-part series that began filming in early 2024. The comedy is a Big Talk Studios in association with That Mitchell And Webb Company production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy Commissioning at the BBC.

The series is written and created by Mark Brotherhood. The Executive Producers are Kenton Allen, Mark Brotherhood, Saurabh Kakkar, David Mitchell, Kathryn O’Connor and Chris Sussman, the Producer is Georgie Fallon. The Directors are Robert McKillop and Jill Robertson. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Tanya Qureshi. It is produced in association with ITV Studios, which will distribute the series internationally.

Ludwig season 2 is shooting in 2025

Red Eye is an edge-of-your-seat thriller series set on an overnight "red-eye" flight from London's Heathrow to Beijing in China, which sees Fool Me Once and Spooks actor Richard Armitage as a doctor drawn into a terrifying conspiracy. Please note you can watch the whole series now on ITVX!

Richard is playing Dr Matthew Nolan, a medic accused of committing a murder in Beijing and forced to return to China on an overnight flight to face charges. 

Crazy Rich Asians star Jing Lusi plays DC Hana Li, the London officer who reluctantly accompanies him, and Lesley Sharp plays the head of M15, who becomes drawn into an international conspiracy. 

“I’m excited to be boarding Red Eye alongside Jing Lusi. This action-packed espionage thriller is one of the best scripts I have read in a long time,” says Richard Armitage, while his co-star Jing Lusi adds: “Red Eye marks a turning point in British Asian representation, and I am beyond thrilled and proud to be leading this series alongside the wonderful Richard Armitage.”

So here's everything you need to know about ITV1's six-part thriller Red Eye, which is getting decent reviews...

Red Eye release date 

The six-part thriller Red Eye premiered on ITV1 from Sunday April 21 2024 at 9pm with weekly episodes at the same time. If you can't wait for the weekly episodes, the six-part series is now available as a box set on ITVX.  

Red Eye will also be on STV and STV Player. It will be shown on STAN in Australia. If there's an air date and channel for the US we'll be sure to let you know. 

Is there a trailer for Red Eye? 

Yes there's a trailer now for Red Eye, which shows just how tense this flight is going to be. Take a look below...

Red Eye plot

In Red Eye, Dr Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage) attends a medical conference in Beijing and shortly before his flight home is involved in a car crash that almost kills him. 

As he lands at Heathrow, a shocked Nolan is arrested for the murder of the woman who was in the car he crashed. But, despite his exhaustion, a confused Nolan is adamant that he was driving alone. 

Nolan is sent back to China to face charges and is accompanied by DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi), who is none too impressed by the assignment or Nolan himself. But when there’s a death on board, Hana realises she’s embroiled in an escalating conspiracy. 

Back home her sister, journalist Jess (Jemma Moore) is conducting her own investigation into Nolan’s extradition while the head of M15, Madeline Delaney risks her career to keep Hana and Nolan alive and expose the conspiracy that seems to implicate both China and those in her own government. 

Here's our guide to the six episodes of Red Eye...

Episode 1
Drunk and disoriented Dr Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage) races through the streets of Beijing and crashes his car. He's injured as he catches a flight home to the London, but then to his shock he is detained at the airport and accused of murder. DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi) is assigned to escort Nolan back to Beijing on the next North China Air flight. When a group of Nolan’s colleagues land at Heathrow, they’re asked to return and give witness statements. MI5 director Madeleine Delaney (Lesley Sharp) is leading the operation, keeping close communication with Chinese Minister Tang and the British Prime Minister. She must tread carefully, as a Chinese-British nuclear deal could be at risk. CIA officer Mike Maxwell is also helping on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Nolan tries to escape police custody at the airport and videos of him publicly declaring his innocence go viral. Hana’s sister and aspiring reporter Jess Li sees the video and jumps at the opportunity of a story. On the flight, an incident onboard shakes everyone. Nolan believes he’s being framed.

Episode 2
When Dr Matthew Nolan first told DC Hana Li he was being extradited to China for a crime he didn’t commit, she didn’t believe him! Yet as suspicious things continue happening on their night flight to Beijing, she starts to wonder if he’s telling the truth. This week, one of his colleagues is found dead....

Episodes 3 to 6
We'll be updating as the series progresses so do check back.

Red Eye cast — Richard Armitage on playing Dr Matthew Nolan

Richard Armitage plays Dr Nolan, who is accused of murder. 

Richard says: "I got the script with [writer] Peter Dowling's name on it and I remembered watching this brilliant film he made with Jodie Foster called Flightplan. I was slightly obsessed with it at the time, I just loved the scale of the aeroplane and the fact that the whole movie was set on this labyrinthine beast in the air. When I read the Red Eye synopsis, I realised that he was taking inspiration from that movie and expanding it into a six-part series, and I thought the idea of setting such a claustrophobic story on a night flight was just brilliant.

"I liked the challenge of playing somebody of Nolan’s status and intellect, being thrown into a prisoner situation where he has no authority. In a way, the aeroplane is its own little democracy because he's not on any country’s soil, so he's thrown to the lions. I thought it would be really interesting to see somebody like him realising that he needs to fight for his freedom.

"After I read the first two episodes I just really hoped the show was going in the direction I thought, and actually it went much further, which was brilliant. I love the fact that the scale opens up and we find ourselves dealing with an international problem working up to a big finale. It’s always frustrating when dramas have a disappointing ending, but this is great. So much so that I want more, it was so delicious I’d love to see these characters thrown back into another political situation for a second season.

"We wanted to shoot the whole sequence in real time as far as possible, although I know in real life they would spend longer on the compressions, so our version was slightly contracted. I worked with a medic to just make sure we were using the defibrillator machine correctly. I was filming with a real person, so I couldn’t really do CPR on him because I didn’t want to break his ribs, but I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. Again we didn't overrehearse it, because we wanted to get real reactions out of the background artists, who didn’t know what was going to happen, I love working like that. You want it to feel as real as possible because the drama itself is heightened. There’s a high body count in quite a short amount of time (10 hour Red- Eye) , it reminded me of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ but set on an aeroplane. There are a lot of shocking moments as the story unfolds and you have to lean into the reality of them. It was really nice that we could shoot most of the scenes in order, which is unusual, but when you’ve got full control over an entire set like the plane you can do that. And then once we get off the plane the story takes a different course."

* Richard Armitage previously starred as Lucas North in the BBC spy drama Spooks and played Guy of Gisborne in BBC One drama Robin Hood. He’s also had roles in Strike Back, The Hobbit, Captain America: The First Avenger, Ocean’s Eight, The Stranger and Stay Close. 

Jing Lusi on playing DC Hana Li

Jing Lusi plays the detective Hana who takes Nolan on the red eye flight back to China. 

Jing Lusi says: "Hana is spirited and authentic. She’s a real human, who is flawed, but not in a really obvious way – some characters in drama can feel quite extreme. Of course, these people exist in society, but often they seem to be the only ones that are portrayed on screen. For me, Hana is more like your everyday woman, who has her own struggles and her own history, but she feels very relatable."

"I thought the scripts were brilliant. Total page turners and very clever. I loved the character, the concept, the intrigue, and I was desperate to know what happened next. I was delighted at the prospect of playing Hana. She’s a complete breath of fresh air. I have never seen an Asian character portrayed so realistically and genuinely in a British show before. Hana is a regular girl, doing her job, minding her own business when she gets pulled into this insane story. I am so happy to not only see an Asian character portrayed like this, but even more so that I got to play her.

"When we filmed Crazy Rich Asians, the whole cast felt that needle turning moment. I had exactly the same feeling when I read the scripts for Red Eye. And when we were filming, it was as simple as seeing so many Asian faces around me, doing their jobs, getting on with it. It sounds mundane and ordinary, but actually it is extraordinary, because you never get to see that. So frequently the Asian character is tokenistic, or fits certain stereotypes like the comic relief or the serious scientist. It was very moving to see this array of amazing Asian talent, all there for a reason that wasn’t box ticking. I truly feel Red Eye is a turning point.

"Red Eye is a fantastic, refreshingly original story and I certainly haven’t read scripts like this before. I hope the audience is captivated. Even though it's a thriller, it’s very character driven, so there is a lot for the audience to invest in emotionally. For me, the most exciting part is that this is going to be a real watershed moment in British Asian representation. We're seeing a wealth of successful Asian-fronted shows and films in America now, but we have yet to see this in the UK, until now. I believe this is the beginning of something really amazing and important. I hope the audience will embrace and enjoy this show as much as we loved making it, and that Red Eye will open the door for more Asians to have a voice and tell their stories."

* Jing Lusi has perviously had roles in Holby City, Crazy Rich Asians, Gangs of London, Man vs Bee, Lucky Man, The Feed and Scott and Bailey. 

Lesley Sharp as MI5 boss Madeleine Delaney 

Lesley Sharp, who plays M15 chief Madeleine Delaney, says: "Aside from the fact that I thought Delaney was a really compelling character, the script was a real page turner, I was intrigued by what was going to happen next. I thought it was really audacious — individuals in mortal terror, unable to escape because they’re 30,000 feet above ground!

"She’s a woman returning to work after a big moment in her personal life, where what she had taken for granted has been compromised. As she steps back into the work arena she immediately has to deal with this crisis around Nolan and she’s forced to handle this situation against the backdrop of work place politics — other people want her job! She's fighting fires on several fronts in a really controlled and mindful way. She's not someone who loses it easily, she’s very good at keeping it together.

"I think years of training allow people like Delaney to click into a totally focussed mindset. In heightened dramatic situations, They operate in a different way. Our director, Kieron [Hawkes] and I talked about Delaney ‘s back story. We decided she’d been an agent in the field and if necessary would have been a killer. Negotiating with someone who's got the ear of the President of China, and being authorised to give a statement on behalf of the British government is a huge responsibility. She takes it very seriously but wears it lightly. She has risen to the top because she's brilliant at her job, but she's also got a really good, moral, human core, which underpins all of that. She’s one of the good guys.

"I really just hope the series is the visual equivalent of a cracking good page turner, and at the end of every episode I would love people to say, 'Oh my God, what’s going to happen next?' And then either head straight for ITX to binge it all in one go or look forward to the next episode like we all used to…water cooler TV magic."

* Lesley Sharp has previously played Jean in the movie and Disney Plus series The Full Monty and has also starred in Before We Die, Common As Muck, Playing the Field, Clocking Off, Afterlife, The Diary of Anne Frank and Three Girls. 

Jemma Moore on playing Jess Li

Red Eye also stars Jemma Moore (Silent Witness) who is playing Hana’s sister Jess Li. Jemm says: "When I first saw the character breakdown, I remember thinking this role was written for me – she’s the youngest sibling in the family, she’s working in a career where you constantly have to be pushing yourself... and in the early drafts she was even called Gemma! I saw a lot of myself in her, and in the way she spoke. I liked that she was quite cheeky and playful, but also really headstrong and determined. When I got the scripts I couldn't put them down. I remember having a glass of wine, sitting curled up with my dog and just reading them so quickly, my heart was racing as I turned the pages. I was super excited. I’m 31 and I had honestly never seen two female British East Asian roles written like this before, nothing like this has ever come into my inbox. So besides the scripts being thrilling and the storyline having all these twists and turns, I knew this was going to be a huge moment for my community. It was so exciting to see a super complex, flawed, determined British East Asian character in a story with so many different layers. I knew it was something I had to be a part of, and I told my agents I was going to fight tooth and nail for this role. I wrote a letter to the casting director after my recall audition and told them I had been waiting for a show like this for so long. I said even if I didn’t get the job I just couldn’t wait to watch the series, because it’s going to mean so much.

"When we meet them, Hana and Jess have fallen out because Hana has previously divulged information about her work to Jess, and Jess used that as an opportunity to further her career by selling a story. Hana felt betrayed and Jess is frustrated that Hana doesn’t want to help her more. Although there is tension, Jess also really wants Hana’s approval and these two sisters love each other completely, you see that as the story unfolds. Jess has so much respect for Hana and I think she recognises the difficulties that Hana faces – Jess is the younger sibling, so she hasn’t had as much pressure or expectation on her shoulders. I am a younger child so I'm able to speak to that. Jess is able to speak her mind more, and to make more mistakes without the same judgement from her parents. Jess does forget her privileges in the world sometimes, being mixed race and having that proximity to whiteness, and I think Hana gets frustrated with her for that. It’s a very push-pull relationship between them, but Jess is also fiercely protective of her sister."

Who else is starring in Red Eye?

Also in Red Eye, Dan Li is playing Toni Zhang. Daphne Cheung is Mrs Ruan Yue, Oliver Maltman is Dr Stephen Hurst, Jonathan Aris is John Tennant, Mido Hamada is Mike Maxwell, Aidan Cheung plays Mr Hong, Rick Warden is Dr Chris Peele, Dave Wong is Tin Lok Li, Sarah Togood is Elizabeth Burk, Xiangyi Tab is Tiffany Songyun, Elaine Tan is Shen Zhao, Marvia Rivera is Cohen, Sonal Natasha Patel is Nurse Ayesha, Lucianne McEvoy is Dr Kate Ward, Euan Macnaughton is a foreign office official, Steph Lacey is Megan Campbell, Brian Law is a flight attendant, Rebert Gilbert is Simon O'Brian, Cash Holland is Ruth Banks, Jack Colgrave Hirst is Officer Doyle, Cate Hamer is Rachel Li, Ryan Cloud is Daniel Lomax, Thomas Chaanhing is Captain Chen, Chris Anderson is Jenkins and Peter Guiness is Sir George Chapman. 

Behind the scenes, locations and more on Red Eye

Some of Red Eye filmed at Stanstead Airport in Essex whioch doubled as Heathrow Airport. Richard Armitage explains: "It was quite a big ordeal! It felt like harking back to my days on Spooks, where they didn't have massive budgets, but they would set up a long lens and we'd dive into very public places. Busy London streets and places like Liverpool Street Station. There were a few background artists secretly positioned around me at Stansted, but there were also lot of real passengers who ended up in the scene too. It was like live theatre but for people that haven't consciously bought a ticket! You have to be sensitive to the public. There were signs up saying filming was in progress, but people aren't really as conscious of their surroundings these days, they're just on their phones. It’s quite delicate filming a scene with actors dressed as armed police!

"We rehearsed what we were going to do in a different corner of the airport, but we only had half an hour’s notice before we could shoot and I knew we only really had one or two chances to get it right. The first time you do it is always the best chance to get real reactions. We wanted it to feel authentic, not staged, so they set up multiple cameras to get the shots. When I watched it back weeks later my heart was still thumping because I just remembered that feeling beforehand, knowing that I couldn’t screw this up and something could go wrong. It was nail-biting."

Red Eye is produced by Sony Pictures Television-backed Bad Wolf, founded in 2015 by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner. Award-winning producer Julie Gardner (I Hate Suzie, Doctor Who) will Executive Produce the series alongside Lachlan MacKinnon (Industry, A Discovery of Witches). Fortitude and Power Book IV: Force Director, Kieron Hawkes, will direct all episodes in the series which is produced by Kristian Dench (The Capture, Strike Back). 

The project has been developed and overseen by Bad Wolf’s Director of Content, Dan McCulloch (His Dark Materials, Endeavour). Sony Pictures Television will be responsible for the international distribution of Red Eye. 

ITV's head drama commissioner, Polly Hill, says: “Red Eye is a brilliantly addictive thriller with an international story taking place on the red eye flight from Heathrow to Beijing. 

"Thanks to Peter’s scripts, the story will have the audience gripped and continually surprised throughout. It’s got a fantastic cast led by Jing Lusi and Richard Armitage, and we are delighted to be working with Bad Wolf on this exciting new show.”

No Escape on Paramount Plus will show that life on a glamorous yacht can harbor some terrifying secrets. Bringing the bestselling novel The Blue by Lucy Clarke to life, the series follows best friends Lana (Tin Star’s Abigail Lawrie) and Kitty (The Outlaws’ Rhianne Barreto) who are on the run from the UK police. They find sanctuary on a ship called The Blue, which promises a carefree life full of beautiful people, parties and endless beaches, but that paradise soon turns into a nightmare and the pair find themselves far from home and in mortal danger.

“I’ve just watched the first three episodes and wow! It is beautifully shot, sensuous, dark, transportive, and the cast are magic. I cannot wait for it to land on your screens,” says author of the book Lucy Clarke. “When I saw the opening credits with the words ‘Based on the novel by Lucy Clarke’ I got goosebumps, and just sat there staring at the screen thinking, ‘How is this even real?’”

 So here’s everything you need to know about the Paramount Plus thriller series No Escape…

No Escape release date 

No Escape is a seven-part series that launches on Paramount Plus on Thursday May 18 2023 in UK, Ireland and Canada. We will update on the thriller's US release as soon as we hear.

* Paramount Plus price: cost, deals and content for the streaming service.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here.

Is there a No Escape trailer?

Yes there's an official No Escape trailer plus an earlier teaser trailer, and the action looks intense. There's a great tropical setting too! Do check out both trailers below...

No Escape plot 

Some of the No Escape story is told in flashbacks as it follows best friends Lana (Abigail Lawrie) and Kitty (Rhianne Barreto) who have fled the UK, on the run from the law. As the story unfolds and we see flashbacks and it’s clear the two young women are caught up in a terrible event and are unable to ever return to the UK. The pair find refuge on a romantic yacht called The Blue, which is sailing through south east Asia, and excitedly throw themselves into their new life. 

Life on The Blue seemingly provides the perfect hideout and escape for the girls, however tensions on board between skipper Aaron, played by former Neighbours actor Jay Ryan, and other crew members, including his younger brother Denny (Sean Keenan), soon start to spill over as more disturbing discoveries come to light. The Blue’s crew consists of a number of enigmatic, gorgeous people who are embracing the glamorous life on board but this shiny façade belies an undercurrent of lust and greed. It eventually leads to a death in their midst, and Lana and Kitty end up in terrible danger. A distress call is made and the police in northern Australia find the yacht deserted. So how did the girls’ dream life end up going so badly wrong?

No Escape cast — Abigail Lawrie on playing Lana

In No Escape, Abigail Lawrie plays Lana, who is searching for a new life. "The action flicks between the present day and the past," explains Abigail whose character, Lana, is seen being questioned by the police in early scenes. "I was intrigued because Lana barely speaks to start with. She’s insular, she’s hard to read and a lot more reserved than Kitty. She’s also very good in a crisis. It gets increasingly dark. There is lots of suspense and secrets are unleashed."

* Abigail Lawrie played Margot in Sky's action series Strike and starred as Anna Worth in Tin Star. She also appeared in The Casual Vacancy and Good Omens.

Rhianne Barreto on playing Kitty

Rhianne Barreto plays Kitty, Lana’s best friend and partner in crime. She told us: "My character Kitty is far more extrovert. She has a lust for life and wants to experience everything so she’s constantly pulling in the opposite direction to Lana. There are secrets within secrets. What’s exciting is there’s escapism with the beautiful scenery, there’s a love story element but it’s also an action series and a thriller, too."

* Rhianne Barreto previously starred in the BBC1 comedy series The Outlaws, alongside Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken. She played Bekhal Mahmod in the drama Honour and has also appeared in the series Strike Back and Hanna. 

Who else is starring in No Escape?

No Escape also stars Jay Ryan, the New Zealand actor who played Jack Scully in Neighbours as teh yacht's skipper Aaron. Sean Keenan (The Power of the Dog) play's Aaraon's younder borther Denny. Also look out for Colette Dalal Tchantcho (Dangerous Liaisons), Elmo Anton Stratz (Westwall) and Narayan David Hecter (Riviera) as the crew on board The Blue.

Susie Porter (Wentworth Prison) and Josh McConville (Fantasy Island) are the Australian detectives investigating the mystery on board The Blue, while Jake Macapagal (Metro Manila) is Captain Reyes from the local Filipino Police force, determined to discover what really happened on the ship.

Behind the scenes and more on No Escape

The lead writer on No Escape is Kris Mrksa (White House Farm) and Hans Herbots (The Serpent, Cobra) is the lead director. Executive Producers for New Pictures are Elaine Pyke and Willow Grylls with Kris Mrksa.

No Escape author Lucy Clarke says: “It’s been the most incredible experience to see my novel reimagined for screen. I’ve loved every moment of the journey from reading early scripts to visiting the set in Thailand. The series is breathtaking: transportive, gripping, and thrilling from beginning to end. I can’t wait for viewers to fall in love with it, too!”

* Other top series on Paramount Plus to enjoy...

* Fatal Attraction
* The Gymnasts
* A Gentleman in Moscow
* Queen Of The Universe
* The Killing Kind
* The Flatshare

Eric is a new Netflix series set in 1980s New York with a cast led by British Hollywood star Benedict Cumberbatch. From playing codebreaker Alan Turing to spin doctor Dominic Cummings and mystic neurosurgeon Doctor Strange, Benedict is well versed in portraying complex characters. Now, in six-part Netflix series Eric, the star is taking on the fictional role of an American national treasure and puppeteer Vincent who begins to unravel after his nine-year-old son Edgar disappears on his way to school. As his mental health spirals out of control, Vincent becomes obsessed with Eric, a character Edgar has drawn, and is convinced that if he can get Eric on television then Edgar will come home. 

“This show is set in 1985 in New York, a city that is alive, thriving, evolving but riddled with crises whether it’s mental health crises, the AIDS pandemic, corruption and prejudice. It’s a very busy, challenging time to be in this very busy, challenging but inspiring city,” says Eric star Benedict Cumberbatch.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Netflix series Eric…

Eric release date

Eric is a six-part series that launches worldwide on Netflix on Thursday May 30 2024. 

Eric cast: who's who in the Netflix thriller

Is there a trailer for Eric?

Yes there's an official trailer released for Eric by Netflix. You can take a look at both below. It does seem to be an intense thriller. Great soundtrack too!

What is the plot of Netflix series Eric?

Eric is set in New York in 1985, against a backdrop of police corruption, crime and the AIDS pandemic. The six-part series follows Vincent (Benedict Cumberbatch), the city’s leading puppeteer and creator of the hugely popular children’s television show Good Day Sunshine. One morning Vincent’s son Edgar (van Howe) vanishes on his way to school and Vincent struggles to cope with his loss. As he becomes increasingly distressed and volatile, guilt-ridden Vincent discovers Edgar’s drawings of a blue monster puppet called Eric and becomes convinced that if he can get Eric on TV, then Edgar will come home. Soon Vincent’s behaviour alienates his family, colleagues and the police and Eric becomes his only weapon in his attempt to bring his son back home. 

Episode guide and recaps for Eric

Please click on the links below to get a closer look at each of the six episodes of Eric...

Eric episode 1 recap: where did Edgar go?

Eric episode 2 recap: Vincent's secrets start to stack up

Eric episode 3 recap: Ledroit interrogates Vincent

Eric episode 4 recap: Vincent is given an ultimatum

Eric episode 5 recap: a breakthrough in both cases

Eric episode 6 recap: does Vincent bring Edgar home?

Eric cast — Benedict Cumberbatch on playing Vincent Anderson 

In Eric, Benedict Cumberbatch plays grieving TV puppeteer Vincent Anderson. Benedict says: “My character Vincent is an inspirational, troubled, extraordinarily funny, aggressive and complex human being and this show is a six-part odyssey into his psyche as he becomes unravelled due to the disappearance of his son.” 

"He's already teetering on many a crisis: his work world, which is very much built on a kind of sacred space, which is a reimagining of a less than perfect childhood, is under threat. There's a ratings issue. They're trying to jam in new hip stuff, which is not what the show's about. So it’s turning toxic at work, and he brings that aggravation home to a marriage that's 10 years in. And there's a lot of history to that marriage, which is sort of rupturing. And in the middle of all of this is a beautiful but overlooked child who is seen as something to sort of scurry through the city with and just tick off a list of parenting and not really seen or really engaged with, not really heard or understood. And he's quite a child, quite a boy. And so everything's teetering on that kind of knife edge anyway, before the boy then goes missing. So it then kind of falls off a cliff for Vincent.

"Working alongside a 7ft-tall fluffy monster was great. In a way easier, but in a way not, I mean, you know, this is a guy who's suffering a sort of psychic split. So his creation becomes something real, it kind of becomes a necessity to him. It's the only prop he has in a world that doesn't make sense logically anymore to him. And it becomes manifest, this creature that he's trying to put on TV to deliver his son back into being. And on the day we had this fantastic operator, Olly and his team, creating this incredible, very lived in life size (for a monster) thing that was beside me in shot, out of shot. Sometimes it's just the voice, but as you see, it's very, very present in other moments. I haven't seen it all by the way, so I don't know how it plays through the whole, we featured him as much as we could on the day, and then it's all about the edit, deciding then how much he drives through, how much he's just a shadow or a presence, and sort of in the periphery, but it was fantastic. And those guys really know what they're doing and there was so much humour in what he was doing, which might not work through the whole piece, but at times it's gonna be great. And he was very inventive and I mean, I literally cried the day I realised what he was doing, which was, I can't remember when, it must have been about four months in. He showed me the headgear and I put it on. So he has this thing across his eyes, which relays four different camera points that are static camera shots, to show him the acting space that he's in. So he's seeing himself move through space. He's not seeing where he's going himself. He's seeing the image that you are seeing as a viewer, but from static points and having to deliver a performance, not fall over, not bump into things. And it’s a miraculous skill. So we formed a very close bond doing it.

"I ruined it all by doing the voice of the pupper, after Olly’s brilliant work. Which was kind of an incredible thing because it is of him, it has come out of him and his son's creation. So we felt it was right for it to be embodied with Vincent."

* Benedict Cumberbatch is best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBC1 series Sherlock and Dr Stephen Strange in the Marvel movies. In 2021 he starred in The Power of the Dog and he played codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. He took on the role of political strategist Dominic Cummings in Brexit: The Uncivil War and has also starred in The Mauritanian, 1917, Sherlock, The Current War, The Child in Time and 12 Years a Slave. He’s lent his voice to The Grinch, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Good Omens and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. He is soon to star in Netflix series The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar.

Who else is starring in Netflix series Eric? 

Eric also stars Gaby Hoffmann (Wild) as Vincent's wife Cassie and Ivan Howe plays Vincent's son Edgar Anderson, while McKinley Belcher III (Marriage Story) plays Detective Michael Ledroit and Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) is playing Lennie Wilson. Clarke Peters (The Wire) is also starring as janitor George Lovett who works in the apartment block where Vincent and his family live..

Jeff Hephner plays Richard Castillo, Phoebe Nicholls is Anne Anderson, Amy Lou Pemberton is Dana Noakes, Donald Sage Mackay is Jerry, Erika Soto is Tina McCloud, John Doman is Robert Anderson, Orlando Norman is Ricardo and William Hope is Commissioner Nelson.

McKinley Belcher III on playing Detective Ledroit

McKinley Belcher III gives the lowdown on playing Detective Ledroit... He says: "The detective I play is a Black man in New York, in the ‘80s, who is queer but who understands that he lives in a world that is not ready to receive him as such. If he were to live openly and out loud there would be serious consequences for that kind of transparency. He started in Vice and several things happened while he was there which aren't in the show, but which we get windows into through his interactions with other characters. It was not a pleasant experience for the man that he is and how people perceive him. Being in Missing Persons is a better fit, but he's constantly managing how to present himself, being the "other" and people having expectations of what the limitations on him are. There are so many characters from so many different walks of life we get to see him interact with; people that he grew up with, people who are at a higher status workwise, but as a Black officer, he's interacting with a lot of White people and there are various things at play in many of those interactions. Also entering a club or an atmosphere where he can exist in a freer way, you get to see how comfortable or uncomfortable he is with that. Walking through all those dynamics is revelatory about who this man is and how he sees himself."

Behind the scenes and more on Netflix series Eric

Eric is written by Abi Morgan, who's best known for her Margaret Thatcher movie The Iron Lady, other films such as Suffragette BBC series The Hour and Channel 4's Sex Traffic. 

Eric is directed by Lucy Forbes and created by the SISTER production company. Executive Producers are Abi Morgan, Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, Lucy Forbes and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Abi Morgan revealed at a Netflix event in March 2024: "Okay. So Eric is set in mid Eighties New York. And it's an emotional thriller that follows the journey of Vincent Anderson, a puppeteer and creator of Good Day Sunshine, which is one of America's leading puppet shows. It traces his journey as he tries to find what's happened to his son Edgar, who disappears. It's really about Vincent's journey, not only into the heart of New York and everything that it offers in the mid eighties, but also into himself. And it's about his relationship with his wife, Cassie, but it's also his journey to really find where Edgar is. And what's key to that is he finds some drawings of Eric, which is a puppet, that Edgar has created, and he convinces himself if he can get Eric on TV, then maybe his son will come back. So it's about this man who, through this creation, starts to understand more about himself and then goes onto a deeper and darker journey through New York."

Supacell is a quirky six-part British sci-fi drama coming to Netflix and starring Tosin Cole and Eddie Marsan. Blue Story creator Rapman is behind this series about a group of ordinary people who suddenly realise they are anything but. In Supacell, five normal people unexpectedly develop superpowers, and the only thing they have in common is they are Black south Londoners.

Rapman told us at a Netflix showcase event in April 2023:  “I’m a massive fan of superheroes and I love all the Marvel stuff but I’ve never seen one where I felt like they were saying, ‘I’ve got powers but I’m not going to get into spandex and save the world just yet. I’m just trying to pay some bills or fix my relationship. They are like, 'I need to sort my life out first before I can save someone’. I’ve never seen a show where the angle reflected that and I wanted to do something in the genre but grounded with regular people. Making it was emotional and I just want the world to see it."

So here’s everything you need to know about Supacell on Netflix…

Supacell release date 

Supacell is a six-part series launching worldwide on Netflix from Thursday 27 June 2024. Rapper Jay-Z has seen a few episodes and loves it! 

Is there a trailer for Supacell? 

There's an official trailer and a teaser trailer for Supacell released by Netflix, as well as a preview trailer which gives a behind-the-scenes 'inside look' at Supacell. Do take a peek at all three of them both below...

Supacell plot

Supacell follows five ordinary people who develop unexpected powers. They couldn’t be more different but the only thing that bonds them is they are Black south Londoners. Delivery driver Michael (Tosin Cole) is living his best life. He’s finally got a house, fancy car, and he’s planning to marry the woman of his dreams, Dionne. But not long after popping the question, his perfect world is rocked when he suddenly time-travels to the future! Michael is just one of five ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary powers 

The action also follows super-speedy drug dealer Rodney (Calvin Demba), telekinetic nurse Sabrina (Nadine Mills), super-strong dad Andre (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), and gang leader Tazer (Josh Tedeku), whose powers quickly accelerate local street wars. They have little in common except for one thing: they’re all Black South Londoners. But while the five strangers figure out how to manage their newfound abilities, Michael’s trip to the future reveals a terrible fate for Dionne. Can he find his fellow super-powered individuals and convince them to help him save the woman he loves? 

The six-parter also stars Siân Brooke (Blue Lights) as hospital manager Victoria and Eddie Marsan as shadowy figure Ray.

Supacell cast Tosin Cole on playing Michael Lasaki

Tosin Cole plays the Supacell lead character and hero Michael Lasaki who brings the super-powered south Londoner together for a mission.

Tosin Cole told us: "Michael is a simple, everyday guy, who works as a delivery driver and is planning to marry his long-term girlfriend, Dionne. But his life begins to unravel on the night of his engagement, when he travels to the future and receives the news that Dionne is going to die. His life literally starts unravelling and he’s desperate to save her.”

* Tosin Cole started his career in EastEnders: E20 and Hollyoaks. He’s since starred as Ryan in Doctor Who, House Party, Star Wars: Episode V11 – The Force Awakens and 61st Street. He is due to star in an upcoming Bob Marley biopic and the movie Girl From the North Country. 

Eddie Marsan as Ray

Little is known about Eddie’s part in Supacell at the moment but he’ll play a character called Ray. 

In 2022, Eddie played fraudster John Darwin in the series The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe and starred as Soly in Ridley Road. He’s also starred in The Pact, The Power, Ray Donovan, Snow White and the Huntsman, Their Finest and The Gentleman. He will also play Amy Winehouse’s dad Mitch in the upcoming movie about her life, Back to Black. 

“Eddie’s really funny, really sweet, just such a nice human,” says executive producer Rapman. “He would just hang around on set giving so much confidence to everyone. He’s got so much energy he was making me feel like I was Scorsese out there.”

Who else is starring in Supacell? 

Supacell also stars Josh Tedeku (A Town Called Malice), Calvin Demba, Eric Kofi Abrefa, Nadine Mills, Adelayo Adedayo (The Responder) and Rayxia Ojo. Ghetts (2021 MOBO Award Winner), Digga D (Noughty by Nature and Bringing it Back), Castillo, and Michael Salami (Sumotherhood, Temple, Hollyoaks) also join the cast.

"The show is so relatable because it’s about ordinary people," says The Responder star Adelayo Adedayo, who plays Dionne. ‘Imagine just time-travelling one day. You’d be like, “Well, I still have a job and a life, I can’t go save the world!” Dionne and Michael are at their happiest when he discovers his powers, and she has to deal with them just as much as he does."

Behind the scenes and more about Supacell.

Much of the filming of Rapman is where the show is set, in south London, and Rapman told us that  Peckham, Lewisham and Clapham had been among the locations used. 

Rapman wrote the series before submitting to Netflix. He serves as Executive Producer alongside Anna Ferguson and Steve Searle for Netflix. Joanna Crow is Series Producer and Sheila Nortley serves as Block 2 Producer and Associate Producer. Geraldine Hawkins serves as Co-Producer. Mouktar Mohammed and Henrietta Lee of New Wave are Executive Producer and Associate Producer respectively.

Prime Video's newest mega-show is here: Citadel is now available to stream, and the action-packed big-budget spy drama is a hit with fans, with a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 83% (at the time of writing).

Coming from Joe and Anthony Russo, the brothers behind Marvel hits such as Avengers: Endgame and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Citadel focuses on an global spy agency as it battles its evil nemesis, Manticore. 

If you're excited for the new show, we've got a guide on how to watch Citadel that you can use to stream the series, as well as a Citadel episode 1 recap for those of you who've already watched it.

Starring Bodyguard’s Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as special agents Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, plus Lesley Manville as the villain, The White Lotus star Leo Woodall and Stanley Tucci, Citadel is the Amazon streaming service's effort to make a massive new franchise, as it's been renewed for a second season and local language spin-offs have been announced for Spain, Mexico, India and Italy already.

Amazon Prime has reported: "All of the local series are meant to enhance the entire entertainment experience and will be available for the viewer to deep dive into an imagined layered world.” 

"There are multiple characters and multiple storylines that all intertwine, and I personally play a character who is an amnesiac—eight years of his life, he’s basically become a new person,” Richard explains. “There's a journey of discovering who he was before the accident happened, and he no longer remembers anything. It's a clash between the life that he's been living for eight years, and the life that he used to live. You get to delve into exploring the psyche of dealing with the consequences of things that you're not aware that you've done." 

Here’s everything you need to know about Citadel on Prime Video... 

Citadel release date 

Citadel is a six-part series that launched worldwide on Prime Video on Friday, April 28 2023. Its first two episodes were available to stream then, with the rest joining Prime Video weekly.

Is there a trailer for Citadel?

Yes there's a teaser trailer and official trailer released by Prime Video and the action looks intense. Take a look at Richard Madden and the rest in action in both trailers below...

Citadel plot

Citadel is a global spy agency but the six-part story starts by following Laszlo Milla (Roland Møller), the lead operative of Citadel’s rival intelligence agency Manticore after his release from Citadel’s detention facility. He’s seeking revenge on the man who caught him — special agent Mason Kane (Richard Madden) — and wants to bring down Citadel for good. 

The story jumps forward eight years to show that Citadel has been destroyed by an organization called Manticore. One night, when Mason is tracked down by his former Citadel colleague, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), who desperately needs his help to prevent Manticore from establishing a new world order. Mason seeks out his former partner, Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) — they'd both had their memories wiped and have been living separate lives. Now the two spies embark on a mission that takes them around the world in an effort to stop Manticore, all while contending with a relationship built on secrets, lies, and a dangerous-yet-undying love.

Citadel cast — Richard Madden on playing special agent Mason Kane

Richard Madden plays Mason Kane, a special agent who works for Citadel intelligence agency. 

"The joy of this is being able to play these two very different characters, but both in the same body," explains Richard. "And they are both the same man in lots of different ways, but in each version of them, you pull out different aspects of humanity and who we are as people. And one of them carries a lot of scars from the past and a lot of trauma. And the other one doesn’t carry any of that baggage. He just has a whole bunch of unknowns to him, so we end up having these two very different characters. And that’s kind of what was exciting to explore about them, is how much of your character traits are built into you, and how much is inherited through trauma and experience?

" Ithink oftentimes, we see shows that are 80% drama, 20% action, or vice versa. And this show aimed to be 100% of both. And I think that’s what we’ve managed to pull off, ‘cause, in the middle of these huge sequences with explosions and cars blowing up and all of that, I don’t want to spoil it for you, we have this really kind of intimate drama between these two characters and how they dance together. So, for me, that's what was so exciting about these huge action pieces was that they were infused with heart and drama, and storytelling. We get to see a lot about these characters and how they physically interact. Not just great action sequences, but there's drama at the heart of each one of them."

* After playing Robb Stark in Game of Thrones and Prince Kit in Cinderella, Richard Madden hit the big time in the BBC1 thriller Bodyguard, which also starred Keeley Hawes. He’s also appeared in Birdsong, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, The Take, Rocketman, 1917 and Eternals. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas on playing Citadel agent Nadia Sinh

Indian singer and actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas is Citadel agent Nadia Sinh. 

Priyanka says: "Citadel is a secret spy organization that has been created by the governments of the world. After multiple wars and conflicts erupted around the world, where governments decided that they were going to share intelligence and that it's for the betterment of the world to be able to share intelligence rather than keep intelligence because of all kinds of terrorism and, you know, a conflict that arose. So it's for the good of the world. It's for the good of humanity. And it needed to be kept a secret from the general public because it was to protect them and to protect the identities of thousands of Citadel spies all over the world. So it's a really unique, interesting concept. 

"Our characters have sides to them and their personalities. Nadia carries a lot of baggage. She has to navigate really thick waters, you know? She has to hold her head up high while her character’s changing, her life is changing all around her, but she has to stay centered because of the burdens that she carries. I think that that makes her very juicy as a character for me to play because every choice that is made by her is burdened and laden by so much pressure. And she thrives in it, so it was really wonderful."

* Priyanka Chopra Jonas previously played Pinky in The White Tiger. She’s also starred in Baywatch, Isn’t it Romantic?, Quantico, We Can Be Heroes and The Matrix Resurrections. 

Stanley Tucci on playing Bernard Orlick

Stanley Tucci plays Bernard Orlick  a former Citadel colleague who recruits the spies for a mission to stop Manticore.

"I liked Citadel because it was complicated. There was something very captivating and unusual. I liked the character because there was humor to him, but there was also a real depth to him, and you never knew where it was going to go. I didn’t want to do that thing where he’s just the nerdy guy, and it wasn’t written like that either. He’s slightly more deadly. He has experience in the field as well as calling the shots from the office or a remote location. So I thought that was really interesting because usually, there’s the guy that’s in the field, and then there’s the tech guy, and there’s the boss guy, and this was all kind of a jumble, and I like that."

Anthony Russo adds: "Stanley Tucci is just such a wonderful, inventive, playful, intelligent actor that he really pushes their buttons in fun ways, and he makes the most of the dramatic relationship these characters have."

* American star Stanley Tucci already has a number of hit movies and TV series under his belt, including two seasons of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, The Hunger Games, The Lovely Bones, Captain America: The First Avenger, Julie & Julia, Big Night, Spotlight, Inside Man and The Witches. He’s also starred in The Devil Wears Prada, The Terminal, The Pelican Brief and Prizzi’s Honor. 

Lesley Manville on playing Dahlia Archer

The villain of the series is Dahlia Archer, a powerful woman employed by some dark forces who stops at nothing to get what she wants. She's played by Lesley Manville who says: "I was very interested in Citadel because the project sounded very exciting. It’s a big epic thriller with so many elements to it. It’s a series I’ve not made a lot of in terms of style, so that was something new to me. And the character of Dahlia was just too good to resist. She’s the UK Ambassador to the United States, with this really dark side and facade of someone reliable and honorable. But she’s far from honorable, she’s self-serving, she’s manipulative, she’s really quite the bad person, and I thought this is going to be great to play. 

"It’s not which is easiest or which is hardest. Every part I play is different, and that’s the kind of actress I am and will continue to be. I’m not an actress who only has one type of performance in her. I like to play different ends of the social scale, and I like to play characters that are really not like me and very different from each other. But there’s no harder or easier. They’re all a challenge. It’s as complicated to create a sweet and wholesome character like Mrs. Harris as it is to create a thoroughly evil character like Dahlia."

* Lesley Manville plays Princess Margaret in The Crown season 5 and has starred in dramas such as Magpie Murders and the movie Mrs Harris Goes to Paris.

Who else is starring in Citadel?

Ashleigh Cummings plays Abby Conroy, who meets Mason Kane after the fall of Citadel at a memory therapy treatment center. Abby and Mason quickly fall in love, get married, and have a daughter named Hendrix. The show will also star Timothy Busfield, Laëtitia Eïdo, Anders Silje and Chizoba Ikwueke.

With Citadel being a multi-national drama, the co-leads of the Indian-set action are Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan. See Samantha's picture on her recent Instagram post where she says: "“The mission is on. We have started rolling for the Indian installment of Citadel.”

Citadel episode guide

Episode 1: The Human Enigma
Citadel, an independent global spy agency, is destroyed by operatives of Manticore, a powerful syndicate manipulating the world from the shadows. Elite Citadel agents Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh had their memories wiped as they narrowly escaped with their lives. Eight years later, Citadel’s sole surviving agent, Bernard Orlick, searches the globe for Mason and Nadia in the hopes that they can regain their memories and stop Manticore once and for all. 

Episode 2: Spies Appear in the Night
After being found by Citadel’s sole surviving agent, Bernard Orlick, Mason travels to New York City to retrieve a highly valuable asset from Manticore’s deadly henchmen, the Silje brothers. Later, Mason goes to Europe to track down another member of Citadel’s Tier-One operatives. 

Episode 3: Infinite Shadows
Nadia has regained her memories of being a Citadel spy and is on the run with Mason, traveling to rural Spain in an effort to hide from Manticore’s agents. Since Mason’s memory vial was destroyed during the Silje brother’s attack, Mason must rely on Nadia to fill him in on their past lives, but can he truly trust her? 

Episodes 4 to 8
We will update as the series progresses.

Locations and behind the scenes on Citadel

Citadel was shot coast to coast in the US, from Oregon to Atlanta; with international locations including London; Morocco; and Valencia, Spain. Bourne Wood, which is a woodland area near Surrey, England and was first used in Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning film, Gladiator, is used for an extensive action sequence in Citadel’s first season, standing-in for the lower mountain slopes of the Italian Alps. 

All about the Russo brothers

With Citadel being a multi-national drama, the co-leads of the Indian-set action are Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan. See Samantha's picture on her recent Instagram post where she says: "“The mission is on. We have started rolling for the Indian installment of Citadel.”

The show will also star Ashleigh Cummings, Timothy Busfield, Laëtitia Eïdo and Chizoba Ikwueke.

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Things will be getting very steamy in Obsession, Netflix's raunchy new four-part erotic thriller about a man who starts an affair with his son's girlfriend. 

A contemporary adaptation of Josephine Hart’s 1991 novella, "Damage, Obsession", the miniseries sees Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy star in a tale of lies, lust and forbidden love. 

There are sure to be plenty of on-screen bedroom antics over the course of the limited series, but it doesn't take a family counsellor to realise this is the kind of relationship that might not have a happy ending.

Adapted for the screen by Noughts and Crosses writer by Benji Walters and Morgan Lloyd-Malcolm alongside directors Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa, the series will be produced by Gina Carter, who previously worked on See How They Run and 24 Hour Party People.

Here's everything we know about a drama that's sure to leave very little to the imagination... 

Obsession release date on Netflix

The four-part miniseries will premiere on Netflix on Thursday April 13, 2023.

Is there an Obsession trailer? 

There sure is, check it out here... (NSFW)

Obsession plot

A synopsis from Netflix reads as a follows... 

"Obsession is a thrilling and seductive limited series about erotic obsession and forbidden desire. A contemporary adaptation of Josephine Hart’s novella titled 'Damage', Obsession centres around a dangerous love triangle that emerges when the enigmatic Anna Barton embarks on a passionate affair with her fiancé’s father, William. While Anna fights to sustain both relationships, William is drawn into an obsessive spiral. But how long can they keep their secret hidden before someone gets hurt?"

This isn't the first time Hart's book has been adapted for the screen with Jeremy Irons and Juliet Binoche playing the leading roles in a critically-acclaimed 1992 film Damage. Miranda Richardson was nominated for an Oscar and picked up a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for her portrayal of William's wife, Ingrid.  

Obsession cast

The Hobbit star Richard Armitage plays William and it won't be his first Netflix show, after playing a leading role in Stay Close and The Stranger in recent years. 

Meanwhile Irish actress Charlie Murphy, whose CV includes hit British shows such as Happy Valley and Peaky Blinders will play the enigmatic Anna Barton. 

The cast is completed by Indira Varma (Game of Thrones) who plays William's wife Ingrid, Rish Shah (Ms. Marvel) who plays William's son and Anna's boyfriend, Jay, and Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London, Roadkill) who plays Anna's pal Peggy. 

Marion Bailey — who played the Queen Mother in The Crown — also plays a crucial role as Anna's mother. 

Richard Armitage on Obsession

What first attracted you to this erotic thriller?

It’s something I would have been very stressed about approaching in my early 20s, but I was just really curious about the psychology of William. He’s got seemingly a perfect life, with a happy marriage, but then this person walks in and he gets drawn into this fatal relationship. It’s a fatal attraction that he could put a stop to, but just doesn't - and you think how can a good man tread that path?

How would you describe the pair’s relationship?

At one stage Jay and Anna travel to Paris for a romantic weekend away and he secretly pursues them there! Psychologically, it's almost a horror film for William, because there’s this destructive force that he recognises because it starts to damage his family life, but there’s also a kind of ecstasy surrounding who she is. I guess it’s similar to what a drug addict goes through! We wanted to take the audience inside the feeling of having an overwhelming physical attraction to somebody. The more intense they are with each other, the more that fuels their relationship and for William it’s almost like a spiritual rebirth! 

What was it like working so closely with Charlie Murphy during the shoot? 

We both knew it was going to be challenging and I think we understood that at the start of the shoot we needed to be apart, because if we got too comfortable we wouldn’t have been able to create that friction on screen. At that stage we were like animals in the jungle stalking each other a little bit, but we actually got to know each other far more once all of the intimacy stuff was over and we were on the home straight. We started to kind of have drinks and dinner together, which was great because Charlie is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met!

The series revolves around Willam and Anna’s physical relationship, what were those scenes like to film? 

I’ve worked with directors who film these scenes by saying “I’ll just start the cameras and you do what you do!” and some who are too afraid to show anything, which is almost worse. But we knew the journey they go on with each other physically was as important as the rest of the narrative, so we had to construct a relationship that was physically intimate and dangerous, but not voyeuristic. We rehearsed and we worked with a great intimacy coordinator, Adelaide Waldrop, so we had a map of where we were going with the scene, which allowed us both to relax. They were like fight sequences, they have to be choreographed so nobody gets hurt!

Following the success of the Fifty Shades of Grey films, do you think our attitudes towards sex on screen have changed in recent years? 

It’s funny because when I told people I was doing an erotic thriller, most people folded their arms and raised their eyebrows. But they wouldn’t do the same when I tell them about all the unbelievably violent scenes I filmed when I was in Sky drama Hannibal a few years ago. We seem to salivate over punching people and pulling triggers, but sex makes people uncomfortable and I kind of hope we’re getting past that now. It’s an area of human expression that carries danger that almost everyone can relate to, so I think we should recognise that. Having said that, this isn’t one I’d have relished watching with my mum if she was still with us!

Charlie Murphy on Obsession 

What made you want to do this project? 

It's something I've never done before and when I read the book I loved the story even more, it was so interesting and drenched in noir. 

How would you describe William and Anna’s relationship? 

It’s almost like Anna’s a seasoned drug addict who's high functioning, while he's just had his first hit and it’s not going to go well. He's a very established person outside that flat, but in there she's very much the leader, the woman control and the architect of this whole world that she’s created. He's almost this kind of childlike figure to her.

The book is told mostly from William’s perspective, but the series explores Anna’s story as well doesn’t it? 

It does and I thought that was really important, because you want people to understand her and like her as well, because she’s been through hell! There is a childhood trauma in Anna’s past and I think that’s the cause of her behaviour, because she wants the feeling of having control, but also self-destruction and catharsis. If she could continue with William and Jay forever then I think she would! She feeds in the darkness, but to be able to do that she needs to keep one foot tethered to something sustainable. 

How does working on a project like this compare to Happy Valley, where you played Ann Gallagher for three series? 

This is so different from Happy Valley and I’ve loved that. Shows like Happy Valley and Peaky Blinders are big ensemble pieces, whereas this felt so concentrated and intimate, which was a nice change of gear. It was such a big moment when Happy Valley came to an end earlier this year and it was an amazing thing to be involved with, but no one ever recognises me from the show - I don’t know why! 

Is there an Obsession trailer? 

Rain Dogs stars Daisy May Cooper, Jack Farthing, Ade Edmondson and Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and is a new comedy coming to BBC1 and HBO about a single mum fighting for a better life for her child. Daisy plays Costello Jones, a writer and single mother who's described as having a ‘rock and roll swagger’.

The series is made by Sid Gentle Film Ltd, the company behind Killing Eve, so you can expect lots of dark comedy and biting wit. Poldark star Jack Farthing has been cast as Costello’s posh friend Selby, with whom she shares a deep-rooted love/hate relationship, while Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo will star as Gloria, godmother to Costello’s daughter Iris, who is fast running out of chances. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Rain Dogs on HBO and BBC One…

Rain Dogs release date

Rain Dogs is an eight-part series that launches on BBC1 the UK on Tuesday April 4 at 10.40pm. The show previously premiered on HBO in the US on March 6 2023.

Is there a trailer for Rain Dogs? 

Yes there's are a couple of trailers out now for Rain Dogs from both the BBC and HBO which shows Daisy May Cooper in action as Costello. Do take a look at both below...

Rain Dogs plot 

In Rain Dogs, Costello Jones (Daisy May Cooper) loves the lower-class lifestyle she was born into but wants better for her young daughter Iris (played by newcomer Fleur Tashjian). However, while Iris adores her mum, she’s fast turning into a hustler in the making. But when Costello and Iris are evicted from their flat after getting into arrears, they are confronted with some challenging situations.

Among Costello’s eclectic and equally troubled group of pals are wild child undertaker and Iris’s frenzied godmother Gloria (Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo) and ailing artist Lenny (Adrian Edmondson). Meanwhile, Costello also struggles to cut ties with her loose cannon, upper-class gay best friend Selby (Poldark’s Jack Farthing), who has recently been released from prison and tries to provide her with support, but also leaves turmoil in his wake.

It's a tale of deep-rooted love, makeshift families, passionate friendships, complicated love and ‘brilliance thwarted by poverty and prejudice’. 

Rain Dogs cast — Daisy May Cooper on playing Costello Jones 

Rain Dogs lead actor Daisy May Cooper is playing single mum Costello Jones who has an intense love for her daughter Iris. 

"Costello is desperately trying to be a good mum, set a good example and pursue a career. But it's hard, she's dealing with demons and alcohol addiction. She’s a trier, but she doesn’t always make the right decisions," Daisy May Cooper told WhattoWatch.com. "At the start, she is trying to put a roof over their heads but she runs out of options. It's stressful and moving because there’s this child she’s got to protect.

"It’s a gritty, unconventional love story and you'll be taken on an emotional journey. There’s a lot in the script that resonated with me due to my background. You see how hard it is when you don’t have any money – money doesn’t bring you happiness, but it brings you options."

* Daisy May Cooper shot to fame as Kerry Mucklowe in the BBC comedy This Country which she starred in and co-wrote with her brother Charlie Cooper. She went on on to star in Am I Being Unreasonable?, The Witchfinder and Avenue 5. She is also a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and has appeared on panel shows such as Taskmaster and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown as well as Celebrity Gogglebox.

Jack Farthing on playing Selby

In Rain Dogs, Jack Farthing is playing Costello’s well-educated but deeply flawed soulmate Selby. 

"Violence is one of the ways in which Selby communicates when he can't express himself," Jack Farthing told WhattoWatch.com. 

"He's a boarding school boy who’s had money and opportunities but no love, support or emotional education, so he's completely lost. He and Costello are both smart and a match for each other and they're damaged. But Costello really means something to him and Iris is also this pure thing in his life that he is desperate to hang on to. He needs them both violently."

"It’s a love story about people who fall through the cracks in society. Cash is so articulate about her experience," says Farthing. "It felt very confrontational and new, it destroys stereotypes. It feels like it's about the breadth of experience. You think you know what living below the poverty line is, but maybe you don't."

Jack Farthing is best known for playing evil George Warleggan in Poldark, plus recent BBC One drama Chloe, Netflix movie The Lost Daughter and royal film Spencer. He also played John Lennon in ITV's mini-series Cilla. 

Who else is starring in Rain Dogs

Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, who plays Costello's undertaker friend Gloria, has been in Alex Rider, Chevalier and Soulmates. 

Newcomer Fleur Tashjian takes on the role of Iris, while Ade Edmondson, former regular in EastEnders and The Young Ones, also stars as Costello's ailing artist friend Lenny. Emily Fairn and Joshua Parris round out the remaining cast.

Behind the scenes and more on Rain Dogs

Rain Dogs is currently filming in Bristol in south west England. It is created by Sid Gentle Films who were behind the highly successful drama Killing Eve.

Sally Woodward Gentle, Executive Producer Sid Gentle Films, says: “We are so delighted to be working with the extraordinarily talented Cash on this highly original tale of friendship, love and creativity. It’s thrilling to be working with Daisy, Jack, Ronkẹ and Fleur. Our four remarkable Rain Dogs.”

Jo McClellan, Commissioning Editor, BBC Drama says: “We’re incredibly excited to be starting production on Rain Dogs, with our fabulous cast and our partners HBO, and we can’t wait for Cash’s bold and unique voice to arrive on screen.”

Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming, says: “Along with the BBC and Sid Gentle Films, we are thrilled to be collaborating with Cash Carraway, Daisy May Cooper and everyone involved in this series about intense friendship, intense circumstances, and the intense love of a mother for her daughter.”

Six Four is an ITV crime thriller that sees a police detective trying to find his missing teenage daughter in this drama based on Japanese bestselling thriller by Hideyo Yokoyama. 

Played by Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd, Chris O’Neill is a serving police officer whose own daughter’s disappearance leads him to the unresolved case of a missing local girl called Julie Mackie. As Chris delves deeper into Julie’s case he uncovers evidence of errors, corruption and unbridled ambition. Meanwhile, his wife Michelle, a former undercover officer played by Vinette Robinson, decides to look for their daughter alone, leading her deep into the criminal underworld.

“I never take for granted the privilege of being an actor and the chance to become characters like Chris O'Neill, a hard-working serving police officer, whose teenage daughter has gone missing in Six Four,” says Kevin McKidd. “I was delighted to return to my native Scotland and partner Vinette Robinson as my on-screen wife, Michelle.” 

Here here’s everything you need to know about the compelling crime thriller Six Four…

Six Four release date

Six Four is a four-part series that arrives on ITV1 on Sunday October 22 at 9pm. The crime drama previously launched on ITV’s streaming service ITVX on Thursday March 30 2023. We'll update with any US or international release dates when we hear.

Six Four plot 

In Six Four, Chris O’Neill (Kevin McKidd) is a police detective who is left reeling by the news that his own teenage daughter has disappeared. Then he is approached by a journalist who tells him to revisit the infamous unsolved case of missing local girl Julie Mackie because fatal mistakes were covered up. 

As Chris re-examines the case, he uncovers a long list of errors and firm evidence of wrongdoing. Meanwhile, his wife Michelle (Vinette Robinson), a former undercover officer, decides to take matters into her own hands and find their daughter herself. But the clues expose the close ties between the criminal underworld and those at the very top of the political establishment. 

But just as Chris and Michelle get close to the truth another girl goes missing — this time the daughter of the Justice Minister who was on the brink of an election victory. The kidnap has striking similarities to Julie Mackie’s case, so is the past repeating itself? 

Is there a trailer for Six Four? 

Yes a trailer for Six Four has been released by ITV which starts with Kevin McKidd's Chris O’Neill showing a witness an identity parade. Take a look below...

Six Four cast: who's who in the crime drama series

Six Four cast — Kevin McKidd on playing Chris O’Neill

Kevin McKidd plays police detective Chris McNeil whose teenage daughter disappears. 

Kevin told us:  "It’s one of those dramas where you’re going to have to pay attention because it’s complex and dense, but also compelling and entertaining. You’ll be on the edge of your seat!

"Chris is having a midlife crisis, and he’s not feeling connected to his wife or his work. But when the Julie Mackie case bubbles up at the same time as his daughter’s disappearance, it reignites him as a detective and a family man.

"He has been very much stuck at his desk, doing the bare minimum to get by and living in the shadow of his brother, Philip. But when the journalist starts asking questions about Julie Mackie, he puts himself in real jeopardy to seek out the truth, which always finds its way out!

"The novel is a huge hit in Japan, but the show’s writer, Gregory Burke, has taken the core elements and put his own spin on it. Glasgow is a great setting, as it’s got a messy and sustained history of corruption and violence."

* Kevin McKidd previously played Tommy in the 1996 film Trainspotting and went on to star as Count Vronsky in the ITV series Anna Karenina. He’s also appeared in After Life, Rome, Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, Star Wars: Rebels and Station 19. Kevin is well known for his role as Dr Owen Hunt in Grey’s Anatomy. 

Vinette Robinson on playing Michelle O’Neill

Vinette Robinson plays Chris' wife Michelle O’Neill whose equally frantic about her daughter going missing.

Vinette told us: "I love that Six Four has got the classic elements of a political crime thriller, so it’s twisty-turny and there’s investigation into power structures. But at the heart of it, is the relationship between Chris and Michelle, and their struggles are very relatable.

"Chris and Michelle are a couple at a crisis point, and when Michelle takes matters into her own hands and goes back into her old life, which has largely been kept secret, it adds even more pressure to their marriage. 

"As Michelle’s life as an undercover cop is reactivated and it forces her to face some truths in her relationship, and in herself."

* Vinette Robinson starred in the Netflix film and BBC series of Boiling Point with Stephen Graham. She previously played Tracy in the 2003 series Between the Sheets. She’s since been in Hope Springs, Waterloo Road, Doctors and Sherlock. She starred as Nicola Daniels in The A Word and played civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks in an episode of Doctor Who. She’s also had roles in A Christmas Carol, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. 

Who else is starring in Six Four? 

The Six Four cast also includes Brian McCardle (Time) who plays private security officer Bill Martin, Andrew Whipp as Assistant Chief Constable Philip O’Neill and James Cosmo as former lawyer Jim Mackie, while Richard Coyle (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), Lorne Macfadyen (Tina & Bobby) and Alex Ferns (EastEnders, Danny Boy) plus newcomers Iona Anderson, Andrew O’Neill and Nilani Chetty also star.

James Cosmo says: "I just thought the content was so intriguing. All these dark political things are going on, and it’s very well written. Reading the character they asked me to play, in the first episode, you think, “Oh, this poor guy, his daughter's gone missing.” But by the end, you go, “Oh, my God, what is going on here?” So I thought, “If it intrigues me, it will intrigue the audience.”

Bill Martin says: "What attracted me Six Four is a myriad of different components coming together because it is a collaboration. The script written by Gregory Burke is top-class. It's interesting and with a lot of plot twists and turns and no characters are stock characters, they all read as specific individuals. And it's unpredictable; I found it fascinating."

Six Four episode guide

Here's a brief lowdown on all four episodes of Six Four....

Episode 1
DC Chris O’Neill is approached by a journalist about a cold case involving a missing girl. His own daughter is also missing, and his wife Michelle goes to London to search for her.

Episode 2
Pauline Wallace receives a ransom call. Chris discovers a link between Annabel’s kidnapping and the supposed cover-up in the Julie Mackie case and Michelle confronts Piers.

Episode 3
An unexpected visitor confronts Chris with the consequences of Michelle’s secrets. A visit to Gary McLean’s killer brings Chris closer to the truth and Annabel faces her captor.

Episode 4
Michelle returns to Scotland and accompanies Chris in search of Annabel. Robert and Mackie face off as the truth behind Julie Mackie’s disappearance threatens to come out.

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Better is a top thriller on BBC1 that follows a corrupt policewoman fighting for a second chance. Written by Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent — the creators of Spooks and Humans — the series follows DI Lou Slack (Leila Farzad) a renowned and respected detective. But what her colleagues don’t realise is that 19 years ago Lou sold her soul to a very clever devil indeed – ruthless crime boss Col McHugh (Andrew Buchan). Now though, a family tragedy has forced Lou to rethink her life and she wants to reclaim the honour and honesty she handed over many years earlier. 

Here’s everything you need to know about BBC1's gripping drama Better…  

Better release date

The five-part thriller Better launches in the UK on BBC1 on Monday 13 February at 9pm. The drama will also be shown as a box set on BBCiPlayer from that date. We’ll let you know where and when US and international viewers can catch the series in 2023 when we hear.  

Is there a trailer for Better on BBC1?

Yes a trailer for Better has now been released by the BBC showing how the crime drama unfold on the streets of Leeds, West Yorkshire, where the show has been filmed. Take a look below...

Better plot 

Better follows DI Lou Slack (Leila Farzad) who is generally regarded as the best in the crime-solving business. But what no one knows is that Lou’s success is built on corruption. 

Nineteen years ago, when Lou was a young officer at her lowest ebb, her paths crossed with Col McHugh (Andrew Buchan), a low-ranking but ambitious and ruthless member of the Leeds underworld. The pair struck a deal that changed their lives forever, allowing Col to become the rich and powerful head of a drug trafficking gang, while masquerading as a charming businessman and property developer. In turn Lou was able to resurrect her failing career but to do so she slowly slid into corruption, helping Col here and there as a special bond forged between the pair. 

But now, a family crisis sees Lou’s conscience finally emerge and she sets out to right the wrongs she has committed. And to find redemption she must bring down the extremely dangerous man she loves like a brother.  

Better cast — Leila Farzad on playing DI Lou Slack

Leila, who plays the lead role of DI Lou Slack in Better, says: “Better is a brilliant fresh take on the morality tale. I'm excited to have the opportunity to play Lou Slack, the vehicle through which we explore the multivalent layers of good and bad. A complex, flawed yet utterly human character. I feel very lucky to be a part of such a wonderful show with an incredibly talented team attached to it.”  

* Leila Farzad is best known for playing Naomi Jones in the series I Hate Suzie. She’s also been in The Fear Index, Landscapers and the ITV drama Innocent. Leila also voiced characters on the children’s cartoon series Peppa Pig.

Andrew Buchan as Col McHugh

Andrew Buchan is playing the charismatic but deadly gang boss Col McHugh. He’s known for playing Mark Latimer in the hit series Broadchurch and Andrew Parker Bowles in The Crown. Andrew has also starred in Cobra, The ABC Murders, The Honorable Woman, and starred with Jody Latham and Tamzin Outhwaite in ITV drama The Fixer, and BBC1 period drama Garrow’s Law. He played former Health Secretary Matt Hancock is in 2022 Sky Atlantic drama This England. He's starred in big Hollywood movies too, playing John Paul Getty II in the film All The Money In The World, about the real-life kidnapping of billionaire Jean Paul Getty’s 16-year-old grandson.

 Who else is starring in BBC1 drama Better? 

The remaining cast in Better includes Peaky Blinders star Samuel Edward-Cook. He plays Lou’s husband Ceri who loves her very much but is deeply conflicted about her arrangement with Col. Zak Ford-Williams (Wolfe) is Owen, their teenage son. Cold Feet star Ceallach Spellman meanwhile plays Col's son Donal, and Carolin Stoltz (Liar) plays Col’s wife Alma. Anton Lesser (Killing Eve, The Trial of Christine Keeler) is ex-detective Vernon, and Olivia Nakintu (Vera) is DC Esther Okoye, Lou’s closest colleague on the force.

* See bottom of this feature for more on all the characters in Better.

Interview: Andrew Buchan and  Leila Farzad on starring together in Better

Col and Lou have known each other for 19 years. How did their deal start?Andrew says: "Col was sent over to Leeds to handle that branch of the crime family, and got nabbed for a minor misdemeanour by Lou Slack. He ended up wriggling out of it by giving her a tip-off, and then that soon became a bit of a tit-for-tat relationship, and they ended up climbing their own individual ladders." 
Leila says: "They started to mutually benefit over the years. She would look one way, and he would say, ‘I’ll give you somebody else, somebody bigger, a worse crime.’ This was how she was able to justify it to herself. They are incredibly intertwined, and they are now at the top of the police and crime worlds."

What’s your take on your characters? 
Leila says: "I hope that women recognise in Lou a resilient person who is seemingly keeping all her stuff together, but is also struggling with all the inside gumpf that she hasn’t quite dealt with." 
Andrew says: "There’s been a familial trauma that Col’s been sitting on, which is very much dictating his thoughts and feelings when we meet him. When he first started out, he was very careful, calm and, at times, ruthless. Now, he is a slightly more fractured, more emotional being."

How does each of them view the other? 
Andrew says: "They know too much about each other, but there’s also such a deep, rooted respect there." 
Leila says: "And there’s a really latent distrust of each other, too. The relationship would be a very different beast if they could fully trust each other!"

Is it possible for Lou to remove herself from this relationship? 
Andrew says: "Their lives, businesses and career ladders are so entwined… The question is, ‘How does either of them get out of that?" 
LEILA says: "Yes, they are very codependent and their roots have sort of grown together, like a big tree. So how do you separate them?"

What triggers a potential change in their arrangement? 
Leila says:  "A big catalyst is Lou’s son getting very sick, which forces her to face up to the bad things she’s been doing that she has been able to compartmentalise up to this point. That’s why the whole, beautifully constructed Jenga starts to fall away!"

You both had to master new regional accents for this series. How did you find that? 
LEILA says: "Actually being there [in Leeds] was so important, in terms of chatting to people and feeling the cadence of the accent, because it isn’t just a sound – it’s like a force that makes you move and feel differently."
Andrew says: "It was a huge vocal workout because, when I was doing Col’s Northern Irish accent, my mouth had to be a very different shape. But it was exciting! And, like Leila, I had a brilliant accent coach."

What did you particularly like about this script and your roles? 
LEILA says: "I liked the fact that there is a strong female lead who’s so flawed. I find great relief in seeing people like that, perhaps because I’m a flawed person myself! The writers are so clever at looking at the grey areas, rather than it being a black and white, binary story about good and bad guys. Better is a brilliant, fresh take on the morality tale." 
Andrew says: "I’d never come across a role like Col before, and I guess it was only really in the acting out of it that you look back and go, ‘That was a very complicated character to play!’, which is what we all hope for!" 

Leila, how important was your involvement in Billie Piper’s Sky Atlantic comedy-drama I Hate Suzie in terms of landing this leading role? 
LEILA says: "I Hate Suzie was a massive game-changer for me! Doors that were firmly shut suddenly opened, and people who had previously always said, ‘No!’, were suddenly saying, ‘We’ve always loved you!’ I feel very lucky, but I’m also aware that these things can be ephemeral."

Finally, Andrew, you recently played former Health Secretary Matt Hancock in Sky Atlantic’s pandemic drama This England. Would you ever follow him onto I’m a Celebrity…?! 
Andrew says: "Absolutely, definitely not!"

Who's who in Better — out guide to the main characters

Here's a brief guide to all the characters in Better...

DI Lou Slack
(Leila Farzad)
The respected Leeds cop has close ties to local crime kingpin Col. 

Col McHugh
(Andrew Buchan)
The softly spoken Northern Irish drug trafficker is a ruthless operator. 

Ceri Davies
(Samuel Edward-Cook)
Lou’s husband has benefited from his wife’s link to Col, but is uneasy about it. 

Owen 
(Zak Ford-Williams)
Lou’s teenage son develops a serious health problem that makes her reevaluate her life.

Donal
(Ceallach Spellman)
Col’s son is keen to get more involved in his father’s illegal activities. 

Vernon
(Anton Lesser)
Conflicted Lou approaches the police whistleblower for guidance on her dilemma. 

DC Esther Okoye
(Olivia Nakintu)
Lou’s closest colleague on the force is unaware of her double life. 

The Catch will likely give you nightmares! This four-part thriller follows a fisherman whose family life seems to spiral out of control when his daughter goes out with a shady new boyfriend. It also has a wonderful cast that includes Jason Watkins, Aneurin Barnard, Poppy Gilbert, Cathy Belton and Brenda Fricker.

Set against the hauntingly beautiful coastline of the south-west of England, this suspense-driven drama revolves around the themes of toxic masculinity and grief. The emotional complex story raises the pertinent moral questions; should we be judged by the actions of our distant past and at what point do we have to stop blaming other people for the life we’ve led?

Des star Jason Watkins says: "I’ve always loved thrillers on-screen and The Catch has all the ingredients to keep audiences hooked. Three-dimensional characters, a family unit under stress, with a tragedy at the heart — all brilliantly framed in the thriller genre.

"I’m always looking for parts I may not have played before and Ed is a person in extremis, trying to do what’s best. Failing and succeeding in equal measure. It’s great to play a character so buffeted by events."

Based on the novel The Catch by bestselling author T.M. Logan, here's everything you need to know about The Catch...

The Catch release date

The Catch is a four-part thriller that will run on Acorn TV from January 27 2025. It first launched on Channel 5 on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 9 pm. Subsequent episodes run every Wednesday at the same time on Channel 5. All episodes became available on demand via My5. 

Is there a trailer for The Catch?

The Catch trailer begins with a boat in open water and Aneurin Barnard talking about any dark family secrets to be avoided! Take a look below 

The Catch plot and episode guide

Here's the main plot and episode guide for The Catch. Please do look away if you want to avoid spoilers...

Episode 1
In The Catch, Ed Collier, played by Jason Watkins, is a proud husband, father and local fisherman who becomes determined to do whatever it takes to keep his family together. But when rich, handsome younger man Ryan Wilson (Aneurin Barnard) (Peaky Blinders, Time, The Goldfinch, Dunkirk), enters the life of his daughter Abbie Collier, Poppy Gilbert (Chloe, Stay Close, Leonardo, Perfect Addiction) and threatens to take her away from him, Ed finds his life spiraling out of control. A dark secret from Ed’s past returns to haunt him, he risks losing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. As his determination to solve the mystery veers dangerously into obsession, the stage is set for a chilling climax leaving both Ed and Ryan’s lives hanging in the balance...

Episode 2
The thriller continues with Ed still reeling after discovering the word ‘killer’ painted on the deck plus a photo of him and his former navy comrades. Bob tells him he saw George heading to the boat on CCTV — so could George be behind the sabotage? Meanwhile, Ed helps Abbie move in with her suspicious boyfriend Ryan. Ed’s wife Claire discovers that Ed’s still secretly investigating Ryan and snaps at Ed. Is their marriage isn trouble?

Episode 3
In the penultimate episode, and it appears that Abbie’s ex, George (Morgan Palmeria), has been stalking her. While not everything is as it seems in this psychological drama, we did think it a bit suspicious that George’s phone screen-saver was a picture of Abbie (Poppy Gilbert), even though they’d broken up months ago… But as events unfold, it’s Ed (Jason Watkins) who is under suspicion – whoever is framing him has upped their game considerably, forcing Ed to take drastic action. 

Episode 4
The net is closing in on frantic fisherman Ed Collier as the gripping thriller comes to an end. On the run from the police and rejected by his family, Ed is desperate to find out who wants to frame him for murder and why, so he finally comes clean about his past to his estranged wife Claire. Can he save his marriage while his life falls apart? He needs hard evidence to clear his name, however, and it’s only when Ed’s private investigator agrees to help that he gets answers, leading to a terrifying showdown with his nemesis…

The Catch cast — Jason Watkins plays Ed Collier

Leading the cast of The Catch is Jason Watkins as Ed Collier. BAFTA-winner Jason is probably best known for his drama roles in The Trick, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, Des, Being Human and W1A. Jason also played former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in season  4 of Netflix drama The Crown and Mr Humphries in the BBC's revival of Are You Being Served?.

Interview: Jason Watkins on playing Ed Collier

What can you tell us about Ed Collier?
Jason says: "Ed is trying to be a good parent, but he’s a man in extremis. His business is in a critical state and he’s under a lot of financial pressure. If there’s no fish, there’s no money; it’s pretty simple. He also doesn’t want his daughter to be with the wrong person. Ryan is a bit flash and he’s not a local, so Ed feels challenged by him." 

The Colliers are also grieving for their son, Josh, who died in a boating accident 15 years ago…
"Yes, they’ve lost a child, which has happened to my family, so that drew me to Ed. It does make one more protective of one’s children, and while Ed understands that he needs to let his daughter go, how can he when he’s lost one child and now he sees his daughter falling in love with someone he mistrusts?" 

That must have brought up some painful memories for you?
"I had some slight trepidation but everyone, particularly Cathy, was brilliant at understanding that I would go through things that might be close to the bone during filming. I try not to shy away from these things, though. If it’s a well-written piece, like this, then I’m happy to do it, because illuminating the extreme instances of what life can throw up and being able to share that is a bit of a privilege." 

Is Ed driven by grief, do you think?
"There’s a lot of turmoil beneath the surface of anyone who’s had this sort of trauma and he’s tested all the way. When people hit a crisis in their lives, it’s often a combination of issues. You can deal with one problem, but when you have several, that’s when people struggle."  

How does his obsession with Ryan affect his family?
"Ed’s on a journey with Claire because he has a secret which he has never shared with her, and he fears being honest will destroy her. He’s perceived as being closed off because he’s also bottling up all his feelings about Josh. No wonder Claire is frustrated, and their marriage is really in trouble."

Did you find your sea legs while playing a fisherman?
"I filmed an ITV comedy about river police called Duck Patrol about 25 years ago, so I did get to drive a boat then. But I loved going out to sea and I was allowed to pilot the boat. There are shots of us sailing in and out of the harbour, swinging around, accelerating, and that’s all me. I loved every second!"

You’ve played an extensive array of characters, from British PM Harold Wilson in The Crown to a serial killer’s biographer in ITV drama Des. What’s next?
"Well, I have been working my way through the Prime Ministers – I popped up in BBC1’s SAS: Rogue Heroes as Winston Churchill – so maybe I could do a few more of those and get to Liz Truss. That’d be interesting!"

Interview: Aneurin Barnard on playing Ryan Wilson

Aneurin Barnard, who plays wealthy Ryan Wilson, in The Catch. Here he tells us much more...

What’s your take on Ryan?
"Ryan is an outsider, who has served in the military in Afghanistan and he’s lost both his parents, so there is common ground between Ryan and the Colliers as he’s also experienced irreplaceable loss. I find there are a lot of similarities between Ryan and Ed, too – they both have flaws, but great strengths."

Is Ed right to be suspicious of him?
"I love messing with an audience’s perception of what they think they know and there’s a lot of discovering to do, good and bad. It’ll be interesting to see which route you take as a viewer, and who you trust and when. I see Ed as a man who’s in the grip of mental health turmoil. This has a ripple effect on everyone around him and the reactions are fascinating." 

What’s it like playing someone so mysterious?
"It’s a gift as a storyteller. Ryan’s journey is extremely delicate, but I love dancing on the edge of that stuff. I’m not a crazy method actor, but I played melancholic 1960s/70s music to get into character, then listened to rock bands like Rage Against the Machine for what’s going on with him underneath the surface." 

Have you met a dad like Ed when meeting a family for the first time? 
"I’ve been in the shoes of a new boyfriend meeting a dad and have witnessed a mum urging him to ‘give the boy a chance’. Dads often forget that once upon a time they were also that guy stepping through the door!

* Aneurin is a Welsh actor and singer who in 2021 played the murder victim in BBC1 drama The Pact. He's also starred as King Richard III in The White Queen, movies The Goldfinch and Dunkirk, plus top TV dramas such as Peaky Blinders and Time. He played world-famous photographer David Bailey in the BBC drama We'll Take Manhattan and was Bobby Willis, the husband of Cilla Black, in the ITV drama Cilla alongside Sheridan Smith as the famous 1960s singer. Aneurin is also a singer and had the lead role in the West End production of hit musical Spring Awakening and starred in the musical film Hunky Dory.

Poppy Gilbert as Abbie Collier

Poppy Gilbert plays Ed Collier's daughter Abbie in The Catch. Poppy has previously starred in BBC1 drama Chloe, Netflix drama Stay Close, Prime VIdeo's Leonardo.

Who else is starring in The Catch?

Among The Catch cast, look out for Casualty and My Left Foot legend Brenda Fricker is playing Ed’s mother-in-law Phyllis Doyle, while Cathy Belton (Hidden Assets, Miss Scarlet & The Duke, A Little Chaos, Philomena) is Ed’s wife Claire Collier. Ed’s best friend and business partner, Bob Chapman, will be played by Ian Pirie (Halo, Chernobyl), while Jade Jordan (Redemption) plays Abbie’s best friend Katz and newcomer Morgan Palmeria is smitten lifeguard George. 

Behind the scenes on The Catch

The Catch is filming over the summer of 2022 and the series is produced by Projector Pictures, in association with Night Train Media and All3Media International. The Catch has been adapted for the screen by Michael Crompton (The Holiday, Silent Witness, Safe House, Kidnap and Ransom) with Robert Quinn (McDonald & Dodds, The Bay, Ackley Bridge) as director. Rachel Gesua and Suzi McIntosh and Trevor Eve are executive producing for Projector Pictures, and Herbert L. Kloiber and Olivia Pahl are executive producing for Night Train Media. The series was ordered by Paul Testar, Commissioning Executive, Drama, Channel 5 and Paramount+.

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Lockwood & Co on Netflix is set in an alternate London, where spirits flow freely through the streets. At night teens do battle with the ghosts and this eight-part drama series follows heroes Lucy Carlyle, Anthony Lockwood and George Cubbins, who run a Psychic Detection Agency called Lockwood & Co. 

The series is based on the fantasy adventure series by author Jonathan Stroud and features Bridgerton star Ruby Stokes, Morven Christie (The Bay), Luke Treadaway (Ordeal By Innocence) and Game of Thrones star Ben Crompton.

So here's everything you need to know about the Netflix supernatural adventure series Lockwood & Co...

Lockwood & Co release date 

Lockwood & Co is an eight-part Netflix series which launches worldwide on Friday January 27 2033.

Is there a trailer for Lockwood & Co? 

Yes Netflix has released a couple of trailers for Lockwood & Co. and it's going to be truly terrifying. Take a look below. Beneath those you can also watch a video clip revealing more about the books...

Lockwood & Co plot

In Lockwood & Co, England is blighted by a ghost epidemic, which sees ghouls stalk the streets. These supernatural beings have the power to bring death to everyone they meet, except children. 

To fight back against the ghosts a number of agencies have formed and we follow quick-tempered heroine Lucy Carlyle (Ruby Stokes) who, after fleeing her troubled past and heading to London to find work as a ghost hunter, sees fate lead her to the door of Anthony Lockwood (newcomer Cameron Chapman), the ambitious young owner of a small independent agency trying to compete with a host of large adult-run ghost hunting firms. 

Yet after joining forces with Lockwood and his pal George Cubbins (Ali Hadji-Heshmati), the extraordinary nature of Lucy’s paranormal talent begins to emerge, leading to the discovery of a dark conspiracy that could change the course of history.

Armed with state-of-the-art tools and bucketloads of courage, the trio faces some of the deadliest hauntings in the capital, as well as fierce competition from their bigger rival agencies. 

Lockwood & Co cast — Ruby Stokes interview on playing Lucy Carlyle 

Ruby Stokes stars as the fearless ghost hunter Lucy Carlyle and is best known for her role as Francesca Bridgerton in the hit series Bridgerton season 2. Ruby appeared as Little Lucy in the series Not Going Out and was also in Una and the 2019 movie Rocks. 

Here's our interview with Ruby Stokes on starring in Lockwood & Co...

How does Lucy come to join Lockwood & Co? 
Ruby says: "She had a horrible childhood because her mum was quite abusive and she’s also experienced a lot of trauma in her life, so she comes to London to escape all that. We see her build these relationships with Anthony and George and it’s through them she learns to love and trust people again really. I love playing her because she’s such a complex character, and while she’s really headstrong, quite kickass and very independent, she’s pretty vulnerable as well."

How does Lucy handle her special talent?
Ruby says: "I don’t want to say too much, but she’s learning about her powers with the audience as the story progresses. That side of her was such an interesting aspect of her character, because she’s a young woman learning to harness her ability. It makes her feel exposed, but in time she realises those powers it makes her very special. There’s a secret room in their house that Anthony won’t let anyone into, so of course Lucy is intrigued by that!"

How much do Lockwood & Co stand out in an industry that is controlled by adults? 
Ruby says: "The fate of the world rests on these kids’ shoulders, which is frightening! But I think there are real parallels between this show and present day society and we should be listening to young people's voices more."

There’s plenty of action in the series, did you enjoy battling ghosts? 
Ruby reveals: "We had a specialist sword trainer who prepared us thoroughly for those scenes, with thrusts, parries and all the other moves. Me, Cameron and George spent hours fighting each other as practice! But there are lots of other action sequences and in the first episode Ruby jumps from a burning building. My stunt double was brilliant at encouraging me to have a go at that stuff! 

Interview: Cameron Chapman on playing Anthony Lockwood

What can you tell us about the world of Lockwood & Co?
Cameron Chapman says: "It’s a place where everything stopped developing in the 1980s because of this ghost epidemic called ‘The Problem’, which makes for a rich world with plenty of layers to explore. Young people are the only ones who can see or hear these spirits and all the youngsters with the gift work for big, commercialised ghost hunting organisations. But many of the adults running these organisations are exploiting these youngsters and putting them in danger. Lockwood & Co is the only agency not run by adults, so in some ways it’s a show about taking on the establishment!

"Like Lucy (see above), Anthony Lockwood has an interesting past and he’s a bit of a closed book when we first meet him. He’s also old beyond the years and has got a very mature soul, yet that doesn't mean he's not partial to a bit of reckless behaviour."

How much do Lockwood & Co stand out in the ghost-hunting industry that is controlled by adults? 
Cameron reveals: "The show's writer Joe Cornish was really keen for us to embody the rebellious attitude of these young teenagers, as a ragtag group of teenagers challenging these big agencies. In the real world, the story of young people’s opinions being belittled is a tale as old as time. I think in the current climate — literally — there are issues that will not affect older generations, it will only affect younger generations."

There’s plenty of action in the series, did you enjoy battling ghosts? 
Cameron explains: "When it comes to battling ghosts you get used to using your imagination. The visual effects team, who added the ghosts in later, were really helpful showing us drafts of what was going to be on screen at a particular moment. I remember early on the head of stunts told me that Lockwood was incredible at duelling ghosts, so I had to work hard!"

Who's who in Lockwood & Co — meet the characters 

Here's our guide to all the Lockwood & Co characters and cast...

ANTHONY LOCKWOOD
(Cameron Chapman)
Anthony Lockwood (18) is the founder and owner of Lockwood & Co — the only agency in London run without adult supervision. Enigmatic, passionate, and rebellious, Lockwood’s external bravura masks a deep vulnerability that comes from his traumatic past. He’s the ultimate showman and raconteur, and an exceptional agent with laser-keen psychic Sight. Lockwood gives the illusion of emotional proximity while keeping everyone at a safe distance. With George and Lucy by his side, he is utterly convinced they are destined for greatness.

LUCY CARLYLE
(Ruby Stokes)
Lucy (16) is an agent at Lockwood & Co. From the moment she’s born, Lucy is possessed with an exceptional talent for Listening. She is impulsive, principled, and stubborn. After she’s unjustly blamed for the deaths of her colleagues, Lucy flees her small town in the north of England and travels to London in search of a better life. After every other door is shut in her face, she finds herself at tiny start-up agency Lockwood & Co, where she’s instantly beguiled by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood and irked by his unconventional friend and colleague, George Karim. At times overwhelmed by the depth of her psychic Talent, Lucy must grapple with the responsibility that comes with being uniquely gifted in a world that desperately needs her abilities.

GEORGE KARIM
(Ali Hadji-Heshmati)
George (17) is Chief Researcher at Lockwood & Co. A genius and free-thinker, unburdened by the need to conform, George is happiest marching to the beat of his own drum. Fiercely intelligent, wry, eccentric, and open-minded, George acts as both a field agent with a talent for Touch, and Lockwood & Co’s unrivalled researcher, ensuring the company have the edge when tracking down and facing psychic disturbances. George doesn’t keep many close friends, but once he trusts you, he’s loyal to a fault. He’s fascinated by The Problem and obsessed with trying to understand its origins.

INSPECTOR BARNES
(Ivanno Jeremiah)
Barnes is a Senior Inspector for DEPRAC — the government organisation assigned with tackling The Problem and overseeing the country’s psychical agencies. Barnes is an outsider who has fought hard for his position. He has a tough, acerbic, no-nonsense exterior which belies how deeply he feels for the young agents that fall under his command.

QUILL KIPPS
(Jack Bandeira)
Kipps (20) is a Team Leader for Fittes — the country’s most elite psychical agency. His job is to oversee a team of teenage agents and guide them through nightly supernatural investigations. Arrogant and officious, Kipps relishes his position of authority and experience. Kipps is locked into a bitter rivalry with Anthony Lockwood and takes any opportunity to assert his superiority.

THE GOLDEN BLADE
(Luke Treadaway)
The Golden Blade is a mysterious, nameless mercenary who specialises in the dark arts of high-risk, high-reward covert operations. Handsome, erudite, and terrifyingly deft in physical combat, the Blade is a ruthless villain who operates under the radar.

PENELOPE FITTES
(Morven Christie)
Penelope is the Head of Fittes Agency — the psychical agency founded in 1972 by her mother, Marissa Fittes. Poised, benevolent and self-possessed, Penelope is a household name who commands utmost respect. In a society consumed with the fallout of The Problem, Penelope is at the apex of power, wealth, and influence. As the daughter of the person who first discovered The Problem, and who pioneered the techniques still used by agents to this day, Penelope wants to continue her mother’s legacy and ensure that Fittes remains the country’s leading agency.

FLO BONES
(Hayley Konadu)
Flo is a former agent who now ekes out a living on the mud flats of the Thames as a relic hunter. She was an exceptional agent, until she was profoundly traumatised on a job, causing her to quit and drop out of conventional society. Flo is wary and disillusioned with a ghost-fighting system that chews young people up and spits them out. Highly perceptive, eccentric, and recalcitrant, Flo is Lockwood’s oldest friend, the two of them having been there for one another in their darkest days. With her connections to Problem-stricken London’s underworld, Flo is a secret weapon and confidante for our heroes at Lockwood & Co.

KAT GODWIN
(Rhianna Dorris)
Kat is an agent for Fittes, working under Quill Kipps. Sharp-tongued, confident, and supercilious, Kat is an incredibly talented Listener able to hear the bygone echoes of a ghost’s psychic trauma. Kat becomes a de facto rival for Lucy, a fellow Listener. Pitched against one another on active investigations, Kat constantly tries to prove her technical superiority over Lucy.

BOBBY VERNON
(Paddy Holland)
Bobby is an agent and researcher for Fittes, working under Quill Kipps. Bookish, precocious, and snide, Bobby is a voracious academic who scours Fittes’ archives and databases to give his team an upper hand on investigations. As a fellow researcher, Bobby is a de facto rival for George — his counterpart at Lockwood & Co. Often going head-to-head on competitive investigations, Bobby relishes any opportunity to attempt to outsmart George in a battle of wits.

Lockwood & Co — all about the books 

The first novel in the Lockwood & Co teen fiction series, The Screaming Staircase was published by author Jonathan Stroud in 2013 and there are currently four more in the series, The Whispering Skull, The Hollow Boy, The Creeping Shadow and The Empty Grave. 

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