Frederick Forsyth’s classic novel The Day Of The Jackal and the subsequent much-loved 1973 movie starring Edward Fox are set to be given a modern twist in a new Sky and Peacock Original series starring British Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne. 

The Theory of Everything and The Good Nurse star Eddie will play the assassin known only to authorities as 'The Jackal' in this reimagining, which gets to the heart of the infamous mercenary. Top Boy writer Ronan Bennett is behind the script, which is now set against the complex political climate of our contemporary world.

Here’s everything we know about The Day of The Jackal series so far…

The Day of the Jackal season 1 release date

The Day of the Jackal is a 10-part series and will launch on NBC on Monday December 30 2024 and run weekly on the same night through early 2025.

In the US the series first landed on NBC Universal streaming service Peacock from Thursday, November 14 2024. 

In the Uk, The Day of the Jackal launched on Thursday, November 7, 2024 on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

How to watch The Day of the Jackal: release dates, streaming options and where to watch for free

Is there a trailer?

Yes, The Day Of The Jackal official and teaser trailers give us a glimpse at all the drama we can expect from the new thriller series. Take a look at both below and compare them the 1973 film trailer for The Day Of The Jackal with Edward Fox below both...

The Day of the Jackal series plot 

The plot of The Day Of The Jackal digs into the character of the legendary assassin The Jackal. As the drama begins, the Jackal is in Munich, where his latest hit shocks the world. But he is then approached by a mysterious, anonymous source and offered an eye-watering fee to take on the assassination of another prominent figure, which could also have widespread repercussions. But he soon encounters potential set-backs…

Along the way, as the Jackal battles to track his quarry and also relentlessly chases payment for his previous hit, he is brought into contact with a host of shady characters, from Northern Irish gun maker Norman (Richard Dormer) to enigmatic businessman Timothy Winthrop (Charles Dance). 

But the Jackal is initially unaware that dogged MI6 operative and fire arms expert Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), also has him in her sights, due to the on-going fallout from the events in Germany. As Bianca begins a single-minded mission to identify the Jackal and prevent him from murdering again, can he stay one step ahead?

While this female-led manhunt is a fresh spin on the book and original film, in another intriguing change, the Jackal is no longer an isolated character without apparent ties, as we gradually learn about his rich backstory and his bond with wife Nuria (Úrsula Corberó), who has no idea about his murderous job. But, as her suspicions grow, the emotional pressures on him increase.

The Day of the Jackal series cast — Eddie Redmayne on playing assassin The Jackal

The hitman of The Day of The Jackal is played by Eddie Redmayne, who says: "The original was a film I was brought up on and I read the book a long time ago and adored them both. This felt inspired by, but free from them, it’s a different beast.

"The Jackal’s a character I was curious to play. There’s something old school about him. I wanted him to be elegant, calm and economic. But is he also sociopathic? He glides through space like a knife through butter. And he’s an artist who assumes different identities.’

‘He enjoys all the elements of his job and thinking three moves ahead. There’s delight when those dominoes are set up,’ shares Redmayne. ‘But the second that cascade gets disrupted, it’s about watching someone fumble out of control.

"‘The archetype of the empathy-less assassin whose blood runs cold couldn’t work in this version,’ teases Redmayne. ‘He and his wife love each other, but he has lied to her. He’s made a huge amount of money and thinks he can wrap things up and they can start a new life. That’s his weakness…"

For Eddie Redmayne, one of the highlights of filming was getting the chance to adopt a range of extreme disguises as the Jackal, and to prepare for the role, he worked with movement and voice coaches and also learnt surveillance techniques from a real-life ex-soldier. 

"I thought it’d be a challenge. There’s shapeshifting with the physicality and the prosthetics, so it was an actor’s dream. I start by playing a 65-year-old German cleaner!’ reveals the star, who was also thrilled to shoot the series in Hungary, Croatia, Austria and the UK, which stand in for the stunning global locations that provide the backdrop to Bianca’s hunt for the Jackal and his own pursuit of his target.

"This feels big with the scope and indulgence of seeing these beautiful parts of the world. What I loved about the original movie was that we leapt across the world with someone who seems to nip on a train as he pleases. I hope audiences enjoy going on that ride."

* British star Eddie Redmayne is used to playing chilling characters, having recently starred as killer nurse Charles Cullen in The Good Nurse. He won an Oscar for his turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and plays Newt in the Fantastic Beasts movies. Eddie has also starred in Birdsong, The Trial of the Chicago Seven, The Danish Girl, Les Miserables, My Week With Marilyn and The Good Shepherd. 

Lashana Lynch on playing Bianca

The Day of the Jackal series cast also includes Lashana Lynch who will play Bianca, a tenacious law enforcement agent determined to catch The Jackal.

She says: "I saw this as a beautiful opportunity to dive deeper into a modern Black woman’s story and balance strength and vulnerability. Bianca rubs people up the wrong way and does things in the most unorthodox manner to get what she wants and her home life suffers. But she loves the chase with the Jackal. Every episode, you’re cheering for one of them or the other."

* Lashana Lynch has previously starred in the Bond movie No Time To Die and she's part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of Maria Rambeau in the movies Captain Marvel, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. She was Miss Honey in Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical and recently finished filming on the Bob Marley biopic One Love.

Who else is starring in The Day of the Jackal series?

Other cast of The Day of the Jackal include Úrsula Corberó, star of hit Netflix series La Casa De Papel (Money Heist), who play Nuria, someone at the heart of The Jackal’s personal life, but unaware of that he's a top assasin. 

Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The King’s Man) plays Timothy Winthrop, Richard Dormer (Blue Lights, Fortitude, Game of Thrones) is Norman, Chukwudi Iwuji (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Split) plays Osita Halcrow, Lia Williams (The Capture, The Crown) is Isabel Kirby. 

Khalid Abdalla (The Crown, The Kite Runner) plays Ulle Dag Charles, Eleanor Matsuura (The Walking Dead, I Used To Be Famous) is playing Zina Jansone, Jonjo O’Neill (Andor, Bad Sisters) plays Edward Carver and Sule Rimi (Classified, Andor) plays Paul Pullman.

All about The Day of the Jackal novel by Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth’s novel The Day Of The Jackal was published in 1971 and focuses on an English hitman called The Jackal who is contracted by a French dissident paramilitary organisation to kill the French president Charles de Gaulle. The assassin is a master of disguise and deception and the novel follows the deputy police commissioner Claude Lebel who is determined to catch him. Frederick Forsyth is a prolific British thriller writer whose other novels include The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol and Avenger!.

The Day of the Jackal previous film adaptations 

The original 1973 movie The Day Of The Jackal was directed by Fred Zinnemann and starred Edward Fox as the Jackal. Michael Lonsdale played the detective Lebel trying to catch him while Derek Jacobi, Michel Auclair and Tony Britton also starred. This 1973 movie is currently available on ITVX and Sky Movies.

In 1997 Bruce Willis starred in the movie The Jackal, about a ‘faceless’ assassin. The film also featured Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier and Jack Black but Frederick Forsyth refused to allow his name to be used in connection with it and director Fred Zinnemann battled with the studio to ensure the adaptation had a different title to the original film. 

Behind the scenes and more on The Day Of The Jackal

This series of The Day Of The Jackal is written and adapted by Ronan Bennett, creator and writer of the critically acclaimed Top Boy. Internationally award-winning Director Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther, Boardwalk Empire) is the lead director.  

Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant are Executive Producers for Carnival Films. Redmayne is also an Executive Producer, and Lynch a Co-Executive Producer on the project. Sam Hoyle is the Executive Producer for Sky Studios.  Sue Naegle serves as Executive Producer and Marianne Buckland as Co-Executive Producer. Christopher Hall is Producer and Emily Shapland is Co-Producer. Frederick Forsyth is Consulting Producer.

It was announced in December 2024 that there would be The Day of The Jackal season 2 which has pleased the show's many fans.

The Undeclared War is a British cyber-thriller that has already aired in the UK but is heading to the US via the NBCUniversal streaming service, Peacock.

Directed and co-written by seven-time BAFTA-winner Peter Kosminsky (Wolf Hall, The Government Inspector), The Undeclared War is a groundbreaking mini-series set in the near future that wants to shine a light on the very real threat that cybercrime poses to the world. 

Here’s everything you need to know about The Undeclared War...

The Undeclared War release date

The Undeclared War premiered on Channel 4 and All4 on Thursday, June 30 at 9 pm; all six episodes have now aired on TV but they're available to stream on-demand on All4.  

The series is heading to the US as a Peacock Original, meaning Peacock Premium customers will be able to stream the new show from August 18.

How many episodes are there in The Undeclared War?

The Undeclared War is a six-part miniseries; each of the six episodes is roughly 45-55 minutes long.

The Undeclared War cast 

The Undeclared War has a star-studded cast lined up. Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Mission: Impossible) plays GCHQ’s Head of Operations, Danny Patrick. Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) also stars as John Yeabsley, a retired Cold War veteran who’s brought back to GCHQ to help combat the new threat to Britain. 

Adrian Lester (Trigger Point, Mary Queen of Scots) plays Andrew Makinde, the UK’s first Black Conservative Prime Minister, with Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) featuring as American cyber-analyst Kathy Freeman who's on attachment at GCHQ from the NSA.

Finally, Alex Jennings (The Crown) features as Head of GCHQ David Neal, with newcomer Hannah Khalique-Brown on board as Saara Parvan, a young student doing work experience in GCHQ’s Malware Department. 

Additional cast includes Edward Holcroft (Kingsman), German Segal (The Red Ghost), Tinatin Dalakishvili (Medea), Hattie Morahan (Operation Mincemeat), Ed Stoppard (Brave New World) and Kerry Godliman (After Life).

What is The Undeclared War about? 

The Undeclared War is set in post-pandemic Britain in 2024 and follows a crack team of data analysts working at GCHQ who are trying to fight off a potential cyber-attack on the UK electrical system.

Kosminsky says: “The series is based deep within the least-known arm of the UK’s intelligence infrastructure, GCHQ. The story we’re now able to tell casts an extraordinary, revelatory light on the hot, undeclared war taking place right now in the world’s newest and most invisible domain of conflict — cyber.”

During a three-year research process, Kosminsky and his team gained access to the cybersecurity industry on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure they could create a realistic picture of the threat posed by cybercrime to the Western world.

The official Channel 4 plot summary also offered up way more detail about the story. It reads: "Set in 2024, The Undeclared War tracks a leading team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ, secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK in the run-up to a general election. When a routine stress test of internet infrastructure goes awry 21-year-old GCHQ intern Saara Parvin (played by Hannah Khalique-Brown) suddenly finds herself operating on the invisible frontier of high-stakes cyber warfare. 

In a thrilling cat and mouse game, Saara and the team at GCHQ must try to stay one step ahead and anticipate their opponents' every hidden move. The clock is ticking as a battle with high stakes and unpredictable enemies take place entirely online, with very real consequences. But how do you win a war most of the public don’t know you’re fighting?"

Is there a trailer? 

On June 10, Channel 4 released a stunt film to kick off promotion for the new series.

Filmed in the style of an emergency governmental broadcast, the 100-second film sees Daniel Patrick (Simon Pegg) and Prime Minister Andrew Makinde (Adrian Lester) broadcasting from GCHQ and warning the public of an imminent cyber attack. You can see it below: 

Peacock has since debuted a proper trailer for the show which gives you a clearer idea of what to expect from the show:

How many seasons of The Undeclared War are there?

There's on been one full season of The Undeclared War so far, and so far, we haven't had any news about the potential for a follow up, so right now, there's just this first season to enjoy.

That being said, the ending definitely left a few questions unanswered, so there's still a chance the show could return later down the line: as soon as we know more, we'll be sure to update this guide!

• Best Channel 4 dramas
• The Best Peacock Originals

How to watch The Office is as relevant a question today as when the smash-hit comedy first debuted on NBC way back in 2005. Can you believe it’s been that long since we first met Michael Scott and the rest of the Dunder Mifflin crew? 

Even after the show concluded in 2013, it’s still one of the best shows on TV and is consistently drawing huge audiences.

The Office is based upon Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s British sitcom of the same name. If you’ve somehow still not seen it, The Office is a mockumentary, fly-on-the-wall style comedy series which gives us a snapshot into the everyday life of workers at the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

The show’s crew follow the employees 24/7, taking us along for the ride at every moment in their life. The Office is particularly famous for its ridiculous cold opens and its signature talking heads moments which reveal the most ridiculous confessions from around the office. Thanks to the absence of a laugh track, The Office also perfected cringe comedy, as it allows each awkward moment to hang in the air just long enough to be funny.

Over the years, we’ve watched Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Jim’s (Jon Krasinski) prank wars and Michael (Steve Carrell) continue to embarrass himself as a ‘cool’ boss. We saw Jim and Pam (Jenna Fischer) live out their office romance, hardcore parkour and plenty of freak-outs from half The Office's employees.

Despite the first short season getting mixed reviews, The Office went on to receive significant praise. It’s considered by many to be one of the best shows ever, and received no less than 42 Primetime Emmy nominations across its run, winning five overall. The show was also named the best TV series by the American Film Institute in both 2006 and 2008, and landed lead actor Steve Carell a Golden Globe for the Best Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical category. With such a legacy behind it, more and more people consistently ask how to watch The Office. 

With nine whole seasons available to binge, here’s how to watch The Office.

How to watch The Office

The Office is only available to stream on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service. All 201 episodes are available on the platform right now, but if you want to watch from start to finish you’ll have to be a paid Peacock subscriber.

That’s because only seasons 1-5 of the show are available on Peacock’s free tier. The remaining seasons are only available to Peacock Premium subscribers. Peacock Premium only costs $4.99 a month if you don’t mind watching ads, but you can pay an extra $5 a month if you’d rather re-watch The Office uninterrupted.

If you do choose to subscribe to Peacock, you aren’t just getting the same old show, though. When NBC got the streaming rights to The Office back from Netflix, Greg Daniels (the show's creator) combed through the archives for never-before-seen The Office content. This extra footage has been used to create alternative, "superfan" versions of many episodes (starting from season three) which include previously cut material that hasn't been seen before. 

What bonus content do you get with Peacock Premium?

There’s a decent chunk of bonus The Office content available for Peacock Premium customers. Alongside every single episode, you’ll also get:

• "Superfan" episodes with never-before-seen footage and deleted scenes. 
• Spanish audio and Spanish captions (coming in February) 
• Behind-the-scenes footage. 
• Curated themed collections —like the best of the holiday parties and guest appearances. 
• Playlists with the best pranks, best office romances, and Michael Scott's words of wisdom. 
• "The Office Zen" — a 24/7 channel of ambient noise from The Office for you to play in the background at home. 
• Dedicated TikTok and GIPHY accounts dedicated to The Office. 

Can I buy The Office?

If you don't want to sign up to Peacock but still want to know how to watch The Office, you can still purchase single episodes or whole seasons on Prime Video, iTunes and the Google Play Store.

If you prefer to own physical media, you can also purchase The Office as a complete box set that contains all nine seasons of the show.

The American Song Contest 2022 is bringing the magic of Eurovision to the US with an epic, eight-week-long competition.

NBC is airing a US-centric version of the biggest live music competition on the planet to life. In a live TV event that’s not to be missed, representatives from every part of the United States will be singing their hearts out to try and win the title of Best Original Song.

To ensure the huge range of genres and musical styles from across America are represented, each competitor is tasked with performing a brand new track specifically written for the competition.

The competition consists of three qualifying rounds, followed by the semifinals and the ultimate Grand Final where one state or territory will walk away as the big winner.

Here’s everything we know about the American Song Contest 2022... 

Who Won American Song Contest season 1?

American Song Contest has officially crowned a winner for season 1. Walking away as the victor in the season finale was AleXa, the K-pop performer from Oklahoma.  

American Song Contest performances: week 8

In the season 1 finale of American Song Contest, the remaining contestants compete one last time to walk away with the grand prize and be declared the winner. 

Michael Bolton (Connecticut) 

Chloe Fredericks (North Dakota) 

Grant Knoche (Texas)

Ni/Co (Alabama) 

Jordan Smith (Kentucky)

Allen Stone (Washington) 

Tenelle (American Samoa) 

AleXa (Oklahoma) 

Tyler Braden (Tennessee) 

Riker Lynch (Colorado) 

Who are the hosts of American Song Contest 2022?

NBC has revealed that the hosts of the American Song Contest 2022 are singer Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg (fresh off his Super Bowl 2022 half-time show triumph). 

Both have past experience in singing competitions — Snoop was a "mega mentor" and Kelly was a coach on The Voice (as well as being one of the American Idol winners), so they should have plenty of experience to share with performers.

Snoop Dogg said: "I am honored to host American Song Contest alongside my lil sis Kelly Clarkson, aka Miss Texas."

Clarkson added: "I have been a fan and love the concept of Eurovision and am thrilled to bring the musical phenomenon to America. I’m so excited to work with Snoop and can’t wait to see every state and territory represented by artists singing their own songs."

Where is the American Song Contest 2022 being held?

The American Song Contest is being broadcast live from the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City, California. 

Will the original songs be released?

Yes! Atlantic Records has partnered with NBC and all the artists set to appear in the competition to release each week's batch of original songs.

The songs will be made available at midnight ET/9 pm PT after each episode airs.

Who will perform at the American Song Contest 2022? 

The American Song Contest will see a DJ, band, duo or soloist from every US State, five US territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and a performer from Washington, D.C., taking part.

All 56 competitors have been revealed, and it includes some big names like Michael Bolton, Jewel and Macy Gray among plenty of other exciting acts. 

If you spot someone you're unfamiliar with, NBC has put together this interactive map to help you learn a little bit more about all the artists ahead of the competition.

The competitors are: 

• Alabama: Ni/Co
• Alaska: Jewel
• American Samoa: Tenelle
• Arizona: Las Marias
• Arkansas: Kelsey Lamb
• California: Sweet Taboo
• Colorado: Riker Lynch
• Connecticut: Michael Bolton
• Delaware: Nitro Nitra
• Florida: Ale Zabala
• Georgia: Stela Cole
• Guam: Jason J.
• Hawaii: Bronson Varde
• Idaho: Andrew Sheppard
• Illinois: Justin Jesso
• Indiana: UG skywalkin
• Iowa: Alisabeth Von Presley
• Kansas: Broderick Jones
• Kentucky: Jordan Smith
• Louisiana: Brittany Pfantz
• Maine: King Kyote
• Maryland: Sisqó
• Massachusetts: Jared Lee
• Michigan: Ada LeAnn
• Minnesota: Yam Haus
• Mississippi: Keyone Starr
• Missouri: Brett Seper
• Montana: Jonah Prill
• Nebraska: Jocelyn
• Nevada: The Crystal Method
• New Hampshire: MARi
• New Jersey: Brooke Alexx
• New Mexico: Khalisol
• New York: ENISA
• North Carolina: John Morgan
• North Dakota: Chloe Fredericks
• Northern Mariana Islands: Sabyu
• Ohio: Macy Gray
• Oklahoma: AleXa
• Oregon: courtship.
• Pennsylvania: Bri Steves
• Puerto Rico: Christian Pagán
• Rhode Island: Hueston
• South Carolina: Jesse LeProtti
• South Dakota: Judd Hoos
• Tennessee: Tyler Braden
• Texas: Grant Knoche
• US Virgin Islands: Cruz Rock
• Utah: Savannah Keyes
• Vermont: Josh Panda
• Virginia: Almira Zaky
• Washington, DC: D.C.: NËITHER
• West Virginia: Alexis Cunningham
• Wisconsin: Jake'O
• Wyoming: Ryan Charles

Before the official contestants were announced, we compiled a list of the biggest artists we thought could have been lined up to represent their respective states or territories at the American Song Contest. 

You can find our list of guesses below:

Alabama — Lionel Richie

Born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, there can’t be any musician more famous and more fitting to represent Alabama at the American Song Contest than the former Commodores frontman and the legendary singer of hits like "All Night Long".

Alaska — Portugal. The Man

Although they’re based in Portland, Ore., Portugal. The Man originally came from Wasilla, Alaska. They’re best known for their single "Feel It Still", which was certified five-times platinum back in 2019.

American Samoa — Isu Pouesi

Isu is a Polynesian vocalist, songwriter and member of American Samoan music group Banned from the Sun. She participated in the Kennedy Center's 'Arts Across America' initiative in 2020, and you can find her streamed performance here.

Arizona — Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for her work both with Fleetwood Mac and as a soloist, Stevie is notable for being the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

Arkansas — Evanescence

Formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, Evanescence has been variously classified as both a rock and metal band over the years. They're well known for singles like "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal".

California — Katy Perry

There's a reason Katy Perry once sang about "California Gurls"! Born in Santa Barbara, the singer originally tried to make it in the world of gospel music, before shooting to fame off the back of songs like "I Kissed a Girl", "Hot n Cold" and "Firework".

Colorado — The Fray

Formed in Denver, Colorado, The Fray originally achieved success with their 2005 debut album How to Save a Life. They've been compared with the likes of Coldplay and mainly perform rock and power ballads.

Connecticut — John Mayer

John Mayer has won seven Grammys and been nominated for no less than 19 of them. Hailing from Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer is both an accomplished soloist and a member of Dead & Company, formed in 2015.

Delaware — Stephen Marley

Born in Wilmington and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Stephen Marley is the son of legendary reggae star Bob Marley. He started his musical career as part of his older brother's band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers but launched his solo career in 2007 with his first album, Mind Control. 

Florida — Flo Rida

Florida really couldn't pick anyone else! Born in Carol City, Florida, Flo Rida is a rapper and singer-songwriter who will be no stranger to the contest format. He'd be coming to the American Song Contest 2022 fresh off the back of representing San Marino in a duet with Senhit in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.

Georgia — OutKast

Although the hip hop duo comprised of André 3000 and Big Boi have been on hiatus since 2014, the American Song Contest would be a perfect opportunity for the Georgia-born rappers and producers to return to the stage together.

Guam — Pia Mia

Pia Mia was born in Guam and started out by posting videos of herself on YouTube. Primarily an independent artist, she has collaborated with the likes of will.i.am, Sean Paul and Chris Brown.  

Hawaii — Bruno Mars

Born in Honolulu, Bruno Mars has performed in a wide range of genres including pop, R&B, soul and funk. Accompanied by the Hooligans, he's known hits like "Uptown Funk", "24K Magic" and "Locked Out Of Heaven". 

Idaho — Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter was born in Moscow, Idaho and is known for his stellar songwriting talent. He's a folk and indie performer who performs with the Royal City Band, and has released ten major albums as of 2021.

Illinois — Earth, Wind & Fire

Supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire are still going strong! Originally formed in Chicago by Maurice White, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, the team behind anthems like "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" would be sure to get the party going if they took to the stage at the American Song Contest.

Indiana — Guns N’ Roses

Since frontman W. Axl Rose hails from Lafayette, we could well see the world-famous hard rock band behind "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" taking to the stage to represent Indiana.

Iowa — Slipknot

Beloved heavy metal band Slipknot could well represent for Iowa as they were formed in Des Moines back in 1995. Their last album was released in 2019, so there might be some time for the iconic outfit to work on a new song. 

Kansas — Katrina and the Waves

Kansas would be onto a winner with Katrina and the Waves. That's because the British-American pop-rock band won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom back in 1997 with "Love Shine A Light". 

A huge competition like the American Song Contest would be the perfect opportunity for Katrina and the Waves to reunite for a new track.

Kentucky — Chris Stapleton

Stapleton was born in Lexington and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. He began his music career in Nashville after dropping out of an engineering degree. He's a major force in country music and would be a perfect fit for Kentucky's entry to the American Song Contest.

Louisiana — Britney Spears

Louisiana is the home of the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears. Although born in Mississippi, she grew up in Kentwood, Louisiana. Since the singer has a huge range of hits to draw inspiration from, she'd be a perfect pick for Louisiana for the American Song Contest 2022. 

Maine — Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick initially found fame for her roles in the likes of Twilight and 50/50 but the Portland, Maine native is best known for her starring role in Pitch Perfect, where she really got to show off her vocal talent. She'd be a great choice for Maine's entry.

Maryland — Good Charlotte

Formed in Waldorf, Maryland in 1996, Good Charlotte has been a mainstay band in pop punk ever since. They broke out with their second album The Young and the Hopeless which included tracks such as "The Anthem" and "Girls & Boys".

Massachusetts — Aerosmith

You don't get much more American than the best-selling American hard rock band of all time! Aerosmith were formed in Boston in 1970 and have continued to tour and produce music ever since.

Michigan — Stevie Wonder

Michigan has a huge range of artists to choose from, but one of the biggest artists has got to be Stevie Wonder. He's won 22 Grammys across his career and is regarded as one of the most successful musicians of all time.

Minnesota — Bob Dylan

With a career spanning 60 years, Bob Dylan is possibly one of the most well-known singer-songwriters of all time. He grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, and has explored a range of American musical styles including blues, folk, and country.

Mississippi — Diplo

Since the American Song Contest 2022 will accept entries from DJs, Diplo could be a solid choice for Mississippi. The DJ and music producer was born in Tupelo Mississippi and has collaborated with a huge range of pop artists including Sia, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and so many more.

Missouri — Tina Turner

Although she grew up as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Missouri could equally lay claim to Tina Turner as she seized success by joining her abusive late first husband Ike Turner and his band on stage one night in a club in St. Louis, Missouri. She was recently the subject of the HBO Max doc, Tina.

Montana — Reggie Watts

Comedian and musician Reggie Watts was raised in Great Falls, Montana before he left to study music at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. Since 2015, he's been the bandleader and announcer on The Late Late Show with James Corden. 

Nebraska — 311

Formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1988, this alt-rock band have been going strong ever since! They were due to celebrate 30 years of performing last year with a North American tour with Incubus, but were forced to cancel due to the pandemic. So, the American Song Contest 2022 would be a perfect opportunity to finally celebrate.

Nevada — The Killers

Formed in Las Vegas, The Killers would be a great fit for the competition! They're the band behind such hits as "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me" and "The Man". They've been performing since 2001 and are easily one of the most successful acts to come out of Nevada. 

New Hampshire — Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore is a singer and actor who you might recognize from NBC's This Is Us. She was raised in Nashua, New Hampshire has released seven studio albums so far, starting with So Real in 1999. She released her first album in 11 years, Silver Landings,  in 2020.

New Jersey — Bruce Springsteen

You can't get much more American than the man behind "Born in the U.S.A!" The leader of the E Street Band came right from the Jersey Shore and his career has spanned five decades already.

New Mexico — Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato is a solid choice for New Mexico's entry in the American Song Contest 2022. They rose to prominence on the Disney Channel before striking out on a solo career. They've been a mainstay presence in pop ever since.

New York — Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga would be a perfect fit for a show trying to translate Eurovision's bombast to the USA. She was born in New York City and has won 12 Grammy awards since she rose to prominence with hits like "Poker Face" and "Just Dance" in 2008.

North Carolina — J. Cole

J Cole was brought up by his mother in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The rapper and singer-songwriter began rapping when he was just twelve years old and finally started gaining recognition off the back of his debut mixtape, The Come Up. His background in production makes him a great candidate for producing an original song for the American Song Contest.

North Dakota — Wiz Khalifa

Although Wiz Khalifa began writing and performing his own rap lyrics in Pittsburgh, he was originally born in Minot, North Dakota. He's put out a range of mixtapes and albums over the years, the most recent being Big Pimpin in late 2020.

Northern Mariana Islands — Sabyu

Sabyu produces music that is directly inspired by the Pacific Islands and Pacific Northwest. He grew up on Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands before moving to Seattle, Washington to pursue a music career. He is a singer-songwriter and producer who plays a variety of instruments including ukulele, guitar and drums.

Ohio — John Legend

Springfield Ohio's John Legend is a huge star! He was the first Black man to become an EGOT (meaning he secured a win at all four of the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) and produces soulful, feel-good R&B and pop tracks.

Oklahoma — All-American Rejects

Formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, The All-American Rejects are an emo pop-rock group who found continued success since they started playing music back in 1999. They're probably best known for tracks like "Gives You Hell", "Dirty Little Secret" and "Move Along".

Oregon — Esperanza Spalding

Esperanza Spalding is a jazz musician from Portland, Oregon. She began performing as a violinist when she was just five years old, and has since picked up other instruments like guitar and bass. Alongside her performances, she's worked as an educator and became a professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University back in 2017.

Pennsylvania — Taylor Swift

Pennsylvania will be hard pushed to find a bigger star to represent the State over Taylor Swift. She relocated from West Reading, Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee in 2004 to pursue her career in country music, and the rest is history! Since then, she's been one of the most popular pop artists around.

Puerto Rico — Ricky Martin

The King of Latin pop music began his solo career back in 1991 and gained worldwide success after releasing "Livin' la Vida Loca". He's been a major force in pop music since then, and many Latin artists cite him as a major influence on their own careers.

Rhode Island — Jeffrey Osborne

Jeffrey Osborne grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and was initially the drummer and lead singer for L.T.D before he struck out on his own in 1982. Although his music hasn't been as popular as it was in the 80s, his R&B career has continued to this day. 

South Carolina — Hootie & the Blowfish

Hootie & the Blowfish are an American rock band that formed in Columbia, South Carolina back in 1986. They are a soft rock group that saw mainstream success off the back of their album Cracked Rear View (1994). 

South Dakota — Shawn Colvin

Shawn Colvin is a folk and country singer-songwriter. She was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, before growing up in Carbondale, Illinois and London, Ontario, Canada. She started gigging just after starting college and launched her solo career professionally with her debut album Steady On in 1989.

Tennessee — Justin Timberlake

Tennessee would struggle to find a bigger star for its entry into the American Song Contest 2022. Justin grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and rose to prominence as one of the lead singers in NSYNC before launching his solo career, where he focussed more on R&B, funk and soul music.

Texas — Beyoncé

Beyoncé is one of the world's best-selling artists, so it would make perfect sense for her to be the American Song Contest entry for Texas. After Destiny's Child went on hiatus, she released her first solo album Dangerously in Love in 2003 and swiftly became a world-renowned singer alongside sweeping up awards across the board!

U.S. Virgin Islands — Pressure 

Pressure is a reggae musician from Saint Thomas, one of the U. S. Virgin Islands.  He released his debut album The Pressure is On in 2005, but his 2016 release Red Rose is probably his widest known album after it debuted at number eight on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart.

Utah — Neon Trees

Hailing from Provo, Utah, Neon Trees are a pop rock band who you might have seen as the supporting act to The Killers on a leg of their North American tour in 2008. With a little help from Killers' drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr, Neon Trees got signed to a major label where they began to release mainstream tracks like "Everybody Talks", "Animal" and "Sleeping With A Friend".

Vermont — Phish

Guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth, drummer Jon Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon formed the rock band Phish in Burlington at the University of Vermont in 1983. 

Phish are well known for their improvisation and lengthy jam sessions and have continued to release both studio and live albums ever throughout the years.

Virginia — Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is a very strong candidate for Virginia's American Song Contest entry. Pharrell has collaborated with a range of artists including Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Usher whilst also working on his solo career or making music with N.E.R.D. and, more recently, working on movie scores too! Hopefully, he'd find the time to fit a nationwide competition into his busy schedule!

Washington — Foo Fighters

Drummer Dave Grohl launched the Foo Fighters following the dissolution of Nirvana in 1994. Dave initially recorded the self-titled debut album himself, before forming a proper band. They've been a hugely popular rock band ever since, and released their tenth studio album, Medicine at Midnight, in October 2020. 

Washington D.C. — Ginuwine

Ginuwine was born in D.C. but began his musical career as part of the R&B and Hip Hop collective Swing Mob in Rochester, New York, where he met Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Static Major. His first solo album arrived in 1996 and included one of his most enduring tracks, "Pony". 

West Virginia — Brad Paisley

Country singer-songwriter Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He began performing in his local area whilst growing up, before officially debuting with Who Needs Pictures in 1999, landing his first no. 1 hit just seven months later. To date, he's put out 11 studio albums.

Wisconsin — Bon Iver

Indie folk band Bon Iver was formed in 2006 by Justin Vernon. Their debut album netted them Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album in 2012. Their music has flirted with a variety of genres and styles over the years, and Bon Iver has collaborated with a huge range of artists, with a recent example being their featured appearance on Taylor Swift's 2020 album, Folklore. 

Wyoming — Chancey Williams

You don't get more authentic than Chancey Williams. He's perhaps less well known than other country singers, but he and his backing group The Younger Brothers would have a great opportunity to grow their following with the American Song Contest 2022. 

Chancey grew up on a ranch near Moorcroft, Wyoming, and followed his father into the rodeo world before releasing his first album, HonkyTonk Road independently in 2008. 

UPDATE: YouTube TV and NBCUniversal officially made a new deal that will keep NBCU channels on the live TV streaming service, and at no price increase for YouTube TV subscribers.

Crisis averted for YouTube TV and NBCUniversal, at least for the moment. After warnings that NBCU channels could disappear from the live TV streaming service at midnight on Sept. 30 due to a contract dispute, an NBCUniversal spokesperson shared that a short extension had been reached to keep the channels on YouTube TV as negotiations continue.

YouTube TV and NBCU had shared warnings about their expiring agreement to carry NBCU channels to consumers early in the week, each blaming the other for the disagreement in renewing their deal. Had a deal not been reached, 14 NBCU channels would have gone black on YouTube TV as soon as midnight on Sept. 30, including local NBC stations, NBCSN, the Golf Channel, USA, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, Universal Kids, E!, Oxygen, NBC Universo, Sy-Fy and NBC-owned regional sports networks.

With this short-term extension between the two sides, YouTube TV subscribers will still be able to watch the season premiere of Saturday Night Live and the highly-anticipated return of Tom Brady to New England for Sunday Night Football, as well as other NBCU programming this weekend.

Had the stations gone dark, YouTube TV said that it would have dropped its monthly subscription fee by $10 to $54.99 as long as the NBCU channels were off the service.

Under this short-term extension, it is likely that YouTube TV and NBCU are keeping whatever framework they had for the agreement that initially would have expired at midnight on Sept. 30. No information, however, was shared on how long this short-term extension would last, so if the two sides continue to be unable to reach a deal consumers may have to go through this whole song and dance again. Though this extension could signal that the sides are closing in on an agreement and just needed more time to iron out the details.

As live TV streaming services like YouTube TV continue to grow in popularity, content distribution agreements like this that were previously the problem of traditional pay-TV providers could become more of an issue for YouTube TV and its peers.

YouTube TV’s channel selection may shrink as of Thursday, Sept. 30, as the live TV streaming service and NBCUniversal are currently in the midst of a contract renewal negotiation for YouTube TV to continue carrying 14 NBCU channels.

YouTube TV is emailing its subscribers to let them know of the situation, as has NBCUniversal, according to a report by 9to5Google. According to an NBCU information sheet, should negotiations fail, on Sept. 30 YouTube TV subscribers would lose access to their local NBC station, USA, the Golf Channel, Bravo, MSNBC, Universal Kids, Telemundo, CNBC, NBCSN, E!, Oxygen, NBC Universo, Sy-Fy and NBC-owned regional sport networks.

If this happens, YouTube subscribers would lose the ability to watch shows like Law & Order: SVU, Chicago Fire and Sunday Night Football live.

In the event that an agreement is not reached before Sept. 30, YouTube TV said that it will be lowering its monthly subscription fees to $54.99 while the NBCU content remains off the platform. It also said that subscribers can pause or cancel their YouTube TV subscription at any time and will provide updates to its subscribers on the status of NBCU channels, should they disappear.

Unsurprisingly, each side is pointing figures at the other. NBC’s info sheet says that YouTube TV is dropping the channels and calls on consumers to take action via sending tweets, chatting with YouTube TV or switching providers. Meanwhile, YouTube TV says that it is looking for equitable terms compared to other distributors of NBCU content. This is the same kind of debates that content providers and TV distributors have been getting in for a longtime, though now it’s just happening more with SVOD services like YouTube TV.

This isn’t the first time that YouTube TV has been entangled in a contract dispute, in April 2021 they had issues with Roku.

One option to continue accessing live sports and other new NBCU programming is by signing up for the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. While there is a free version of Peacock, if you want to be able to access live and new content from NBCU channels, you will need to sign up for Peacock Premium, which is available via either an $4.99 ad-supported plan or $9.99 ad-free plan.

What to Watch will keep you updated as this story develops.

Season one of Girls5eva saw the group get back together, now we’ll find out what excitement awaits them in season two, as NBCUniversal has officially given the greenlight for another season of the Peacock original.

Girls5eva follows the former members of a ‘90s one-hit-wonder girl group that decides to give the music business one more shot after a young rapper samples their hit song. But now, in addition to the music, they need to balance spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents and shoulder pain.

The comedy series stars Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps and Paula Pell. It was created by Meredith Scardino and is executive produced by Tina Fey (who also appears in the series).

“We are so excited to continue Girls5eva alongside this incredibly talented group of cast and producers,” said Lisa Katz, president, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “It was hard to miss the immediate fandom that was born after the launch of this series. This aspirational comeback story is filled with heart and friendship, perfectly blended with catchy-songs and humor, and delivered by an exceptionally versatile cast. We look forward to following this group’s journey as they continue to hit just the right notes.”

In addition to the show itself, Girls5eva was able to have some cross promotional success with a companion soundtrack album, Girls5eva: Music from the Peacock Original Series.

All eight episodes of Girls5eva season one are available to stream on Peacock. There was no word on when season two will be available. Watch the season two announcement video below.

Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service. An ad-supported version of Peacock is available for free, but does not include access to Peacock originals. There are then two versions of Peacock Premium — the $4.99 version features all Peacock content with ads, while the $9.99 Peacock Premium Plus does not have any ads.

Peacock originals that have hit the service thus far include Girls5eva, Rutherford Falls and the rebooted Saved by the Bell.

NBCUniversal has released the Punky Brewster reboot trailer. They ordered a 10-episode revival of the hit 80's show for their streaming service, Peacock, back in 2020. 

The Punky Brewster revival will reunite Soleil Moon Frye with her childhood best friend Cherie (played once more by Cherie Johnson), now all grown up. Punky has followed in the footsteps of her own adoptive father and become a professional photographer. 

She's also now a single mother of three. Punky recently divorced from her husband (played by Freddie Prinze Jr.) and seems to be struggling with the pressure of raising their family on her own. 

Just as she’s starting to focus on herself for once, a new little girl called Izzy comes into Punky’s life looking for a family home, turning everything upside down in the process.

With just as much spirit and independence as she had in the original series, Soleil Moon Frye looks set to get her Punky Power back when the Punky Brewster revival lands on Peacock on February 25.

The synopsis for the Punky Brewster reboot from Peacock reads:

In this continuation of the iconic 80s sitcom about a bright young girl raised by a foster dad, Punky is now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets Izzy, a young girl in the foster system who reminds Punky a lot of her younger self.

Peacock is the streaming service from NBCUniversal. Peacock is home to a huge range of content, including late-night talk shows, live sports, movies, classic shows like The Office and a huge range of Peacock Originals like the Saved by the Bell reboot and Code 404.

There are three tiers of Peacock subscription currently available. There’s a free tier, which is ad-supported and has 7500 hours of programming and next-day access to current seasons of shows, movies and sports.

Then there’s Peacock Premium (which you’ll need to watch the Punky Brewster reboot). Peacock Premium costs $4.99 a month, or $49.99 if you pay annually. This tier will still feature some ads, but does broaden your access to 15,000 hours of content, twice as much as the free tier.

Finally, there’s Peacock Premium Plus. This tier gets the same amount of content as Peacock Premium, but it removes almost all ads from the streaming platform entirely. This costs an additional $5 a month, or $99 a year (saving you roughly $20).

With theatrical markets across the globe being forced to shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, distributors will have to think about what their release timeline looks like amidst this ever-shifting landscape. Universal Pictures took a big step toward keeping things afloat as we see countless theaters forced to close their doors by way of drastically moving up the Video on Demand (VOD) timeline for releases like Emma , The Invisibile Man , The Hunt , and the widely anticipated Trolls World Tour .

Per Deadline , Emma , The Invisibile Man , and The Hunt will all be available as early as this Friday (March 20) for $19.99. That cost will cover a 48-hour rental period, which already has left a bit of a sour taste in potential viewer's mouths. While it's reasonable to balk at the price initially, let's not forget just how much it costs to see a movie in theaters nowadays. It also bears mentioning that this price is for both domestic and international markets.

As for Trolls World Tour , parents can expect this one to become available for in-home screening April 10 domestically, and April 20 for international markets. It's worth noting that the aforementioned domestic date is the same day as what had initially been planned as the flick's theatrical release.

Though there's no current plan for films in Universal's slate that fall past April 10, what we're seeing here is unprecedented. The current 90-day window from the big screen to digital and physical release is being crunched as a hail mary during these uncertain times. But, depending on the outcome and how many others follow suit, this could have huge implications on the film industry as a whole.