Down Cemetery Road star Emma Thompson is this week's Radio Times cover star
The acting icon stars in the new Apple TV series from the writer of Slow Horses.
When Dame Emma Thompson agreed to write an exclusive piece for us about her new series Down Cemetery Road, based on the novel by Mick Herron, I was thrilled. I devoured the first few episodes of the drama and requested more. (This is rare because, as we have established, I have two kids, and a watchlist as long as my to-do list and the editor is still missing – the final clue is inside this week's issue). While you expect brilliance from Emma, there are no guarantees in TV. But when her PR emailed to say she had delivered her copy and "it's absolutely excellent" my heart sank. The piece sat in my inbox for a week unopened as the dread mounted. There was no possible way that her words could live up to my expectation... I'll say no more but let you read it for yourselves. Enjoy, my work here is done! The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: Vicky McClure reveals what she and her Line of Duty pals would like to do next. This Country stars Daisy May and Charlie Cooper are going on a ghost hunt - if they can put their fierce sibling rivalry to one side. Ben Stiller made a film about his famous parents - and discovered himself along the way. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Down Cemetery Road to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Mary Berry is this week's Radio Times cover star
Dame Mary Berry reveals her secrets to success on screen, a happy marriage – and staying fit at 90.
Growing up with Greek parents, I spent much of my childhood begging my mum to cook what my friends ate. She's a brilliant cook but youvarlakia and pastitso... boring! What really opened my eyes to Britain's culinary delights was our Hamlyn's All Colour Cook Book. "I know how much housewives will appreciate the beautiful illustrations of every recipe in full colour," Mary Berry wrote in the introduction. My mum didn't appreciate me, aged ten, attempting Mary's lasagne and chocolate brownies, but that's when my love of cooking started. Dame Mary says: "I had one aim. To get people to cook and enjoy it as much as I did." It worked! The brownie recipe is now a favourite with my kids - after they've had their keftedes. But with our editor missing the juggle is getting exhausting - the next clue is inside this week's issue, please find him before the kids discover fish fingers... The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: The Durrells and The Crown star Josh O'Connor says acting is all about conquering fear. Poldark screenwriter Debbie Horsfield presents an updated take on the 1967 Forsyte Saga. Phil Redmond created Brookside and Hollyoaks, now he's reuniting Liverpool legends Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson as Sheila and Bobby Grant. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Mary at 90: a Lifetime of Cooking to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Iris Affair and unmissable autumn dramas feature in this week's Radio Times
Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood and Tamsin Greig reveal the joy behind the hottest TV this autumn, plus Tom Hollander and Niamh Algar star in a gripping new thriller.
Sally Wainwright says inside this week's issue that she prefers creating female characters as "they are emotionally more articulate and have more to contend with because of their second-class status". The menopausal women who form a punk band in her new series certainly reflect that, as do the many other brilliant women she has brought to our screens, from Scott & Bailey to Gentleman Jack. And it seems Suranne Jones learnt a thing or two starring as Bailey and Jack. Her Frauds co-star Jodie Whittaker says: "One of the great things if you're in a position like Suranne, creating your own work, is you don't just create one female character. She and Anne-Marie O'Connor have written a world of amazing female roles of all ages." With five more dramas written by and starring women coming up this autumn the ladder is down and women are climbing even higher. The view is nice up here... our editor Shem better turn up soon before I get used to it! (Another clue to his whereabouts is inside this week's issue.) The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. View Gallery on the source website Also in this week's Radio Times: Hamza Yassin sparkled on Strictly but the presenter only feels really at home in the wild, surrounded by nature. Bake Off judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood spill the beans on great cakes and bawdy bakes. Film Club creator Aimee Lou Wood and her co-stars pick their favourite movies. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add The Iris Affair to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie and Nick Mohammed are on this week's Celebrity Traitors special
The star trio discuss truth, lies and the perfect poker face, plus Ed Gamble gives his verdict on each of the celebrities.
From Traitors, fraudsters and murder-steeped vicars to killer protein bars - this issue has it all! The Celebrity Traitors has finally arrived and with a line-up including Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie and Nick Mohammed it promises to be even better than the excellent civilian version. Does genial genius Stephen Fry have the cunning it takes to get away with murder? Meanwhile, Suranne Jones, fresh from playing a prime minister, is now a con artist; Joe Wicks has made a protein bar that might kill you, and the Rev Richard Coles has Murder before Evensong in mind... My concern for our missing editor is growing (although there's another clue to his whereabouts from Sky inside this week's issue). Luckily, as Richard Coles says, "It's darkness and it's light wherever you go." And the light in this issue is Aimee Lou Wood. Starring in her very own series, Film Club, she shines brightly enough to illuminate even the darkest turret. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: In his latest film Matthew McConaughey is joined on-screen by his real-life son and his mum. Comedian Mark Steel takes a hike with Ramblings host Clare Balding. Rob Brydon travels to the southern states on a country music quest. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add The Celebrity Traitors to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly 2025 stars are on this week's glittering Radio Times cover
Exclusive! Strictly's pros introduce their celebrity partners.
One of the best things about working on a TV magazine is getting to go behind the scenes on your favourite shows. They are always long days with a lot of waiting around, but seeing the incredible attention that goes into every detail, the stars taking off the dressing gowns concealing their costumes and then hearing "Action!" echo across the set is always thrilling. Which is why we thought you might like a peek behind the curtain, too. Laura Rutkowski has travelled across the country in the last few months visiting filming locations for a new magazine feature and YouTube series, Behind the Screens. First up, join her in Belfast on the set of the BBC's Bafta-winning Blue Lights. With exclusive access to the sets and the stars, it's a unique insight into the making of one of the best dramas on TV. Huw Fullerton also got to meet this year's Strictly couples, with the pros giving him their verdict on their celebrity partners. As you can tell, we've been busy despite the fact our editor is still MIA (next clue in this week's issue) - perhaps we need to get Blackthorn Station's finest on the case... The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. View Gallery on the source website Also in this week's Radio Times: Writer Anthony Horowitz on why he has created a thriller that's the antidote to so-called cosy crime. Imogen Poots and Brett Goldstein on their new romcom All of You. Bafta-winning writer Mawaan Rizwan reveals the inspiration for his hit comedy drama Juice. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Hit spy thriller Slow Horses is on this week's Radio Times cover
RT goes under cover to discover who is in danger of being killed off, who has a royal fan - and who would make the best James Bond.
I don't know how he does it... There's a new Steven Knight drama starting this week, an eight-part saga that follows the fortunes of Sir Benjamin Guinness's four children after his death. It's glamorously gritty, with echoes of Peaky Blinders, which is due to return as a feature film in 2026. It's the prolific showrunner's third drama this year, with A Thousand Blows and SAS Rogue Heroes both commissioned for another run. How he has time to juggle three TV series, a cinematic sequel and seven children, I have no idea. There's also the small matter of a Bond film that he's writing. And I thought editing a weekly magazine (yes, Shem is still missing, with the next clue inside this week's issue - thanks Sky!) and two kids was a lot to manage! The sensational Slow Horses also returns this week and alongside interviews with Jackson Lamb's finest, we talk to Will Smith, another showrunner with a lot on his plate. Although sadly Smith is stepping away from his hit, revealing that writing season five while editing season three and preparing to shoot season four, was too much alongside a deadline for series six. It appears some showrunners are human, after all. Somewhat less prolific but no less brilliant is showrunner Neil Cross, the man behind Luther, who returns with The Iris Affair next month - don't miss your chance to watch the first two episodes of his exciting new thriller and see him on stage alongside stars Tom Hollander and Niamh Algar at our exclusive premiere with Sky on 6 October. For free tickets go to radiotimes.com/theirisaffairscreening. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: Domhnall Gleeson on proper journalism - and working in an Office-adjacent comedy. All Creatures Great and Small's Rachel Shenton on returning to Darrowby - and winning an Oscar. Industry star Marisa Abela is breathing fresh life into Jane Austen - and would love to be Helen of Troy. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Slow Horses to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Rob Rinder & Rylan Clark and Fawlty Towers' John Cleese are this week's cover stars
Love, sex, art, culture and death... Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark embark on the adventure of a lifetime on a grand tour of India.
It took John Cleese and Connie Booth six weeks to write each episode of Fawlty Towers. Something that Cleese says, in this issue, would be impossible for scriptwriters today. "The financing of British comedy would never allow people to do what we did." And they haven't. Not really. With Fawlty Towers still topping polls for the best ever comedy 50 years on and the stage show selling out in the West End, there are very few comedies that have replicated its success. Not that its success has paid off. "If you want to make money in British TV," Cleese concludes, "get rid of the writers and real acting skill." Cue Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark, who talk about their grand tour of India. They proudly say there isn't a single scene in the series that is set up. No writers, no actors, but a comedy gem, nonetheless. Viewers love their banter and companionship, so perhaps it's no wonder the BBC would rather spend its money on their airfares to Delhi. They won a Bafta after all. But will we be rewatching the series in 50 years' time? At the time of going to press our editor, Shem Law, remains missing. The next clue to his whereabouts is inside this week's issue. We are starting to worry! The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. View Gallery on the source website Also in this week's Radio Times: The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln is back on British TV in a thriller where he's far from being a hero. Michael Palin is excited about his trip to Venezuela - and his ongoing friendship with John Cleese. Chris O'Dowd talks romcoms and regional identity - and why his dog is a Puffin. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Rob and Rylan's Passage to India to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale stars are on this week's Radio Times cover
Julian Fellowes and his stars talk class, nepo babies, happy endings and never saying never...
It appears that the editor of Radio Times has gone missing, as part of our new partnership with Sky and Netflix. Which is inconvenient when there are issues to be planned and proofs to be read. Although... In our feature on Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, we talk to Michelle Dockery, who has played Lady Mary for 15 years and has gone from overlooked eldest daughter to managing the family estate alongside her father and is now primed to take over. Meanwhile, we interview Robin Wright, who also knows a thing or two about seizing power, having gone from First Lady of the United States in House of Cards to President following Kevin Spacey's exit from the series, holding her own as the lead of a drama in crisis. Perhaps this is the perfect issue for our editor Shem Law to go missing! There are two clues about Shem's whereabouts hidden in the magazine this week, with seven more to follow in the coming weeks. Find them all and we can hopefully track him down! The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. View Gallery on the source website Also in this week's Radio Times: Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman are finally working together on screen playing a couple at war... Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas reveals the lessons that dancing has taught her. Freddie Flintoff is taking to the cricket pitch once more - with a girls' team. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Keeley Hawes on Miss Austen: 'I wanted a change from police dramas and stories of murdered women'
Hawes and Miss Austen author Gill Hornby spoke with Radio Times magazine about the new BBC period drama.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Keeley, when did you take on the role of Jane Austen's sister, Cassandra, in Miss Austen? Keeley Hawes: "I was sent the script for the first episode the summer before last – I wasn’t familiar with Gill’s book – started reading and couldn’t stop. And didn’t stop. And went straight through. Then said, 'Can I have some more?' And then ordered the book. Which was all a good sign. Then I whipped through the book at the same speed. And laughed my head off. And sobbed. And then just said, 'Yes!' "It was exactly the sort of thing that I had been hoping for. For a while, I just did quite dark police dramas – lots of women being murdered. That sort of thing has been the fashion, but I have been talking to agents saying I’d love something different. Miss Austen is a love story between sisters, not about men. And it’s just magic." Gill Hornby: "It is a love story. Thank you for noticing that. I have to say, when I heard that Keeley was on board I had a little cry. Some weird old possibilities had wandered past in the preceding four years that made me think, 'Oh my God, no, please!' But the minute they said your name, I just thought, 'It’s going to happen.' Because nothing ever happens in this business. So many books get bought, but they don’t get anywhere. It just felt like a gift. And I knew you were my Cassandra." Hawes: "Well, I had to do very little. The story had just been so meticulously researched, it was like a beautiful gift being handed over. And when that happens… there’s your character." Gill, what drove you to tell the story of Cassandra in your novel? Hornby: "I’ve always been obsessed by women in history who have had their paths obstructed and have had to re-invent themselves. And that’s what those Austen girls had to do. They were both supposed to get married – probably to a churchman, like their mother – but it didn’t happen for either of them. And so they had to live by their wits. It was Cassandra’s wits, really, that carried Jane through. "And yet all of Jane’s biographers hate Cassandra because she burnt Jane’s letters. But I read the surviving letters – there are 161 of them – and what really struck me was Jane’s utter adoration of Cassandra. Jane thought Cassandra was marvellous, couldn’t live without her and died in her arms. Keeley is absolutely right. It is a love story. It’s a love story between two sisters. "They shared a bedroom all their lives. They were so close, and the rest of the world felt quite excluded. I also wanted to make the case for the spinster life, because the other great trope about Jane is that she wrote these great romances but never had a love of her own. Poor old spinster Jane! But she wasn’t like that in the least – it was a good result for her not marrying. If she had, she wouldn’t have written more than a letter. "And it was Cassandra who enabled her to not marry. Cassandra had a small inheritance to keep them going, and then they had these other spinster friends who joined them. One of my favourite expressions, actually, is 'a spinster cluster'. In Georgian times, if a spinster had £10 it was nothing, but if four of them all had £10 and they put it in the pot, they had £40 and could have a house. And because so many men had died in the Napoleonic Wars, the spinster cluster cropped up a lot. "It’s a detrimental sort of expression. But they were really happy – happier than they’d have been marrying not for love; happier than they’d have been dying in childbirth. And we know Jane wouldn’t have survived childbirth, because she didn’t survive being 41. Jane also littered her text with spinster ladies – she demands our consideration of them, like Miss Bates in Emma or Mrs Smith in Persuasion." Why do you think Cassandra burnt Jane’s letters? Hornby: "I think one reason was Jane’s great periods of melancholy, which the family is always trying to cover up. And actually, perhaps they didn’t even know. I also think their sisters-in-law were a great plague and trial to both of them, so there would have been a lot of family bitching, and Cassandra would have worried that [the letters] would hurt people’s feelings." Hawes: "Ultimately, it has protected Jane, made her more of an enigma. She’s kind of a blank canvas." Hornby: "She’s the perfect celeb. Because we can never know too much. She’s like God – you can put anything you want to into her. You can have your own view of who Jane Austen is, because there’s no way of disproving anything. An awful lot of people think she’s Lizzie Bennet. I don’t think she was Lizzie Bennet at all, not at all, but they are confused in people’s minds." Hawes: "It’s that wonderful thing, when an actor is anonymous and they keep their private lives to themselves. Which is more and more difficult these days, because you have to do press and it’s all about social media. There’s a real hunger for it all, and it sells films, it sells books – but actually, when you are able to project onto that actor, it’s so much more powerful than sitting watching something and going, 'I know who they are married to'. And, like you say, we can project onto Jane completely." Hornby: "Legacy management was a thing. That’s something we will never, ever have, because we’ve littered ourselves all over the place. People’s phones will be full of the gibberish we were WhatsApping for decades to come." And Jane wrote anonymously because she didn't want to be famous, did she? Hornby: "That is the proof that Cassandra was doing exactly what Jane would have wanted. Jane never used her name and published under the anonymous 'by a lady'. The people in the village didn’t know that she’d written the books they were reading. Her nieces and nephews didn’t know. Fame was a totally different concept in those days. And she was an extremely respectable, modest churchman’s daughter, and the idea of being known… The younger generation today do not see a downside to fame. People want to be famous for any old stupid reason." Hawes: "The reality is, it can be uncomfortable. It’s so difficult because it all goes hand in hand. I live a fairly anonymous life, but it’s inevitable – you want to do work that people see, and then you go to Tesco and people say, 'Hello!' and feel that they know you. But generally, it’s very positive – 'Mrs Durrell!' they mostly say. "People really relate to Mrs Durrell. She’s a single mother. She did something extraordinary. She was a woman ahead of her time – like the Austen sisters, actually – and people come up and say, 'Gosh, she’s like my mother.' Or, 'I’m a single parent, I lost my husband, I brought up my children.' It makes you feel really proud." Do you hope Miss Austen will redeem Cassandra's reputation? Hornby: "I hope so, yes. Keeley and I were talking about this before. Everybody looks at the Austen family – there were eight children – with this one remarkable woman who is still entertaining us 250 years later at the heart of it. But that’s not what it felt like to them. She wasn’t the most remarkable person in the family – Cassandra was the top dog! "Jane is only the famous one retrospectively, because although she died at 41, she lived long enough to see her success dwindle almost to nothing. She didn’t really bounce back [into favour] until towards the end of the 19th century. And we really should be on our knees with gratitude that Cassandra did what she did for Jane, because she kept her going." Hawes: "What I thought was very unusual was that the Austen family encouraged Jane to write." Hornby: "Her father had a library of 5,000 books at the Steventon Rectory, so as soon as she could read, Jane was allowed to clamber into an armchair in the library and read anything. There were no strictures at all. Her father was also running a school upstairs. He wasn’t teaching the girls, but they just picked it up by osmosis. "Jane was much the cleverest in the family – and they were a brilliant family. Her dad recognised that, and he was the one who sent off her first draft of Pride and Prejudice to a publisher when she was 21 because he thought it was the funniest thing he’d ever read. Unfortunately, it came back return of post. It wasn’t published until after he died." Hawes: "Isn’t it amazing that he did that?" Hornby: "Yes, he was a very broad-minded, extraordinary man. And their home was a cradle of creativity. They would all write something during the day and then in the evening, their entertainment was sitting around the fireside and reading what they had written. Of course, people then were all in the same room after supper because you can’t heat every room. So, everyone would be gathered around, sparking off one another. It was pretty amazing in that respect. Heaven. Heaven." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/11/MissAustenEp13-7f9181b.jpg" width="8148" height="5432" alt="Patsy Ferran as Jane Austen, Madeleine Walker as Eliza Fowle, Synnøve Karlsen as Cassy Austen, and Liv Hill as Young Mary in Miss Austen sitting in formal attire" title="Patsy Ferran as Jane Austen, Madeleine Walker as Eliza Fowle, Synnøve Karlsen as Cassy Austen, and Liv Hill as Young Mary in Miss Austen" /> Gill, your brother Nick is also an author — was your home like the Austens'? Hornby: "No, it wasn’t that kind of environment. Our parents left school when they were 16, so we didn’t really have any books. But we went to the library every week. And back then the TV was only on half the day." Hawes: "I remember we would do little plays and my brother Jamie would be the donkey and I’d sit, because I was the youngest of four, on his back and go into the living room. We did have a TV, but if you did watch something, you did it less mindlessly. You had it on for a reason. It’s why EastEnders was bringing in 19 million viewers a week – it was something everybody sat down to watch." Keeley, how do you feel about Cassandra now you've played her? Hawes: "I love Cassandra. I just loved going to work and spending all day with her. I would happily have gone on and done another series. I missed her when we finished. She was extraordinary. She’s clever and funny and loyal. But not too good to be true. And her story is just heartbreaking." Hornby: "How did you feel wearing black and grey all the time?" Hawes: "I quite liked it. I wear a lot of black anyway. And it’s lovely wearing a corset." Hornby: "Really? I thought it would be really uncomfortable. Should we bring them back?" Hawes: "Someone told me that the actresses on Bridgerton were trying to get rid of the corsets… well, that’s half the character there, really, because whether you like it or not, you are reminded all the time of where you are. And it was such a beautiful period. I like that it’s quite austere. I’d happily do more Austen." Hornby: "Have you never been in an Austen adaptation before?" Hawes: "I’ve never been in an Austen. My husband [Matthew Macfadyen, who played Mr Darcy in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice] has done that part of things for me!" Hornby: "The appetite is bottomless for Austen adaptations, but it’s so limited because she only wrote six novels. Which makes this drama special – you get the whole feel and world of Austen, but fresh material. Was it nice not to have to be a sex-bomb romantic lead? It’s probably quite a relief…" Hawes: "I suppose, being 48, I’m less the love interest. I’ve just played a retired assassin. I played a grandmother at 38. My husband barely plays a father." Hornby: "He still gets to be a love interest!" Hawes: "It’s the thing that has been missing from our screens – romance for the middle-aged. I’ve been banging on about this to anyone who’ll listen. Everyone asks me, 'What would you like to do?' Well, the success of Normal People and all those love stories between two people shows there’s obviously an audience for them, but Nobody Wants This proved that love is just as compelling when the couple are in their 40s. I think there is a huge appetite for more, it just takes one person to do it and to be a success. So, we’ll see… "But that is part of what’s so special about this drama and Cassandra’s and Jane’s love story. It was lovely to play that, and the scenes with all those women – they were some of the funniest women…" Hornby: "Yes, it was a spinster cluster production! It seemed a very happy set whenever I visited." Hawes: "It’s written for a brilliant female cast – Rose Leslie [as family friend Isabella Fowle] and Jessica Hynes [as Jane and Cassandra’s sister-in-law Mary Austen] are hilarious – and a female producer bought the rights to it, we had a female director… It was just a joy, really – a genuinely amazing group of women. "On most sets there’s still always a male presence because the crew is very male-heavy, but to have the core group be women on this drama is quite unusual. It was one of those sets where, chemically, we all just got along and I was very upset on the last day. And I’m usually like, 'Right, I’m off!' But I was very upset to be leaving all these women. I very nearly shed a tear, which is hard to believe!" Hornby: "Do you know, while I was writing the book I was so happy in that little room, just with Jane and Cassandra, on my own. I went to see the last two episodes in the cutting room after they’d just finished, and the editor, the producer and the exec producer were all so upset because they didn’t want to leave such nice company. "And that is so special to me – that you’ve all embraced these amazing sisters and their beautiful love story." The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Miss Austen is available to stream in full now on iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Author Gill Hornby is on a mission to restore the reputation of Cassandra Austen – derided for burning the letters of her famous sibling, Jane. Now Keeley Hawes has also taken up her cause…
Add Miss Austen to your watchlist Keeley, when did you take on the role of Jane Austen’s sister, Cassandra, in Miss Austen? Keeley Hawes I was sent the script for the first episode the summer before last – I wasn’t familiar with Gill’s book – started reading and couldn’t stop. And didn’t stop. And went straight through. Then said, “Can I have some more?” And then ordered the book. Which was all a good sign. Then I whipped through the book at the same speed. And laughed my head off. And sobbed. And then just said, “Yes!” It was exactly the sort of thing that I had been hoping for. For a while, I just did quite dark police dramas – lots of women being murdered. That sort of thing has been the fashion, but I have been talking to agents saying I’d love something different. Miss Austen is a love story between sisters, not about men. And it’s just magic. View oEmbed on the source website Gill Hornby It is a love story. Thank you for noticing that. I have to say, when I heard that Keeley was on board I had a little cry. Some weird old possibilities had wandered past in the preceding four years that made me think, “Oh my God, no, please!” But the minute they said your name, I just thought, “It’s going to happen.” Because nothing ever happens in this business. So many books get bought, but they don’t get anywhere. It just felt like a gift. And I knew you were my Cassandra. KH Well, I had to do very little. The story had just been so meticulously researched, it was like a beautiful gift being handed over. And when that happens… there’s your character. Gill, what drove you to tell the story of Cassandra in your novel? GH I’ve always been obsessed by women in history who have had their paths obstructed and have had to re-invent themselves. And that’s what those Austen girls had to do. They were both supposed to get married – probably to a churchman, like their mother – but it didn’t happen for either of them. And so they had to live by their wits. It was Cassandra’s wits, really, that carried Jane through. And yet all of Jane’s biographers hate Cassandra because she burnt Jane’s letters. But I read the surviving letters – there are 161 of them – and what really struck me was Jane’s utter adoration of Cassandra. Jane thought Cassandra was marvellous, couldn’t live without her and died in her arms. Keeley is absolutely right. It is a love story. It’s a love story between two sisters. They shared a bedroom all their lives. They were so close, and the rest of the world felt quite excluded. I also wanted to make the case for the spinster life, because the other great trope about Jane is that she wrote these great romances but never had a love of her own. Poor old spinster Jane! But she wasn’t like that in the least – it was a good result for her not marrying. If she had, she wouldn’t have written more than a letter. And it was Cassandra who enabled her to not marry. Cassandra had a small inheritance to keep them going, and then they had these other spinster friends who joined them. One of my favourite expressions, actually, is “a spinster cluster”. In Georgian times, if a spinster had £10 it was nothing, but if four of them all had £10 and they put it in the pot, they had £40 and could have a house. And because so many men had died in the Napoleonic Wars, the spinster cluster cropped up a lot. It’s a detrimental sort of expression. But they were really happy – happier than they’d have been marrying not for love; happier than they’d have been dying in childbirth. And we know Jane wouldn’t have survived childbirth, because she didn’t survive being 41. Jane also littered her text with spinster ladies – she demands our consideration of them, like Miss Bates in Emma or Mrs Smith in Persuasion. Why do you think Cassandra burnt Jane’s letters? GH I think one reason was Jane’s great periods of melancholy, which the family is always trying to cover up. And actually, perhaps they didn’t even know. I also think their sisters-in-law were a great plague and trial to both of them, so there would have been a lot of family bitching, and Cassandra would have worried that [the letters] would hurt people’s feelings. KH Ultimately, it has protected Jane, made her more of an enigma. She’s kind of a blank canvas. GH She’s the perfect celeb. Because we can never know too much. She’s like God – you can put anything you want to into her. You can have your own view of who Jane Austen is, because there’s no way of disproving anything. An awful lot of people think she’s Lizzie Bennet. I don’t think she was Lizzie Bennet at all, not at all, but they are confused in people’s minds. KH It’s that wonderful thing, when an actor is anonymous and they keep their private lives to themselves. Which is more and more difficult these days, because you have to do press and it’s all about social media. There’s a real hunger for it all, and it sells films, it sells books – but actually, when you are able to project onto that actor, it’s so much more powerful than sitting watching something and going, “I know who they are married to”. And, like you say, we can project onto Jane completely. GH Legacy management was a thing. That’s something we will never, ever have, because we’ve littered ourselves all over the place. People’s phones will be full of the gibberish we were WhatsApping for decades to come. And Jane wrote anonymously because she didn’t want to be famous, did she? GH That is the proof that Cassandra was doing exactly what Jane would have wanted. Jane never used her name and published under the anonymous “by a lady”. The people in the village didn’t know that she’d written the books they were reading. Her nieces and nephews didn’t know. Fame was a totally different concept in those days. And she was an extremely respectable, modest churchman’s daughter, and the idea of being known… The younger generation today do not see a downside to fame. People want to be famous for any old stupid reason. KH The reality is, it can be uncomfortable. It’s so difficult because it all goes hand in hand. I live a fairly anonymous life, but it’s inevitable – you want to do work that people see, and then you go to Tesco and people say, “Hello!” and feel that they know you. But generally, it’s very positive – “Mrs Durrell!” they mostly say. People really relate to Mrs Durrell. She’s a single mother. She did something extraordinary. She was a woman ahead of her time – like the Austen sisters, actually – and people come up and say, “Gosh, she’s like my mother.” Or, “I’m a single parent, I lost my husband, I brought up my children.” It makes you feel really proud. Do you hope Miss Austen will redeem Cassandra’s reputation? GH I hope so, yes. Keeley and I were talking about this before. Everybody looks at the Austen family – there were eight children – with this one remarkable woman who is still entertaining us 250 years later at the heart of it. But that’s not what it felt like to them. She wasn’t the most remarkable person in the family – Cassandra was the top dog! Jane is only the famous one retrospectively, because although she died at 41, she lived long enough to see her success dwindle almost to nothing. She didn’t really bounce back [into favour] until towards the end of the 19th century. And we really should be on our knees with gratitude that Cassandra did what she did for Jane, because she kept her going. KH What I thought was very unusual was that the Austen family encouraged Jane to write. GH Her father had a library of 5,000 books at the Steventon Rectory, so as soon as she could read, Jane was allowed to clamber into an armchair in the library and read anything. There were no strictures at all. Her father was also running a school upstairs. He wasn’t teaching the girls, but they just picked it up by osmosis. Jane was much the cleverest in the family – and they were a brilliant family. Her dad recognised that, and he was the one who sent off her first draft of Pride and Prejudice to a publisher when she was 21 because he thought it was the funniest thing he’d ever read. Unfortunately, it came back return of post. It wasn’t published until after he died. KH Isn’t it amazing that he did that? GH Yes, he was a very broad-minded, extraordinary man. And their home was a cradle of creativity. They would all write something during the day and then in the evening, their entertainment was sitting around the fireside and reading what they had written. Of course, people then were all in the same room after supper because you can’t heat every room. So, everyone would be gathered around, sparking off one another. It was pretty amazing in that respect. Heaven. Heaven. Gill, your brother Nick is also an author — was your home like the Austens’? GH No, it wasn’t that kind of environment. Our parents left school when they were 16, so we didn’t really have any books. But we went to the library every week. And back then the TV was only on half the day. KH I remember we would do little plays and my brother Jamie would be the donkey and I’d sit, because I was the youngest of four, on his back and go into the living room. We did have a TV, but if you did watch something, you did it less mindlessly. You had it on for a reason. It’s why EastEnders was bringing in 19 million viewers a week – it was something everybody sat down to watch. Keeley, how do you feel about Cassandra now you’ve played her? KH I love Cassandra. I just loved going to work and spending all day with her. I would happily have gone on and done another series. I missed her when we finished. She was extraordinary. She’s clever and funny and loyal. But not too good to be true. And her story is just heartbreaking. GH How did you feel wearing black and grey all the time? KH I quite liked it. I wear a lot of black anyway. And it’s lovely wearing a corset. GH Really? I thought it would be really uncomfortable. Should we bring them back? KH Someone told me that the actresses on Bridgerton were trying to get rid of the corsets… well, that’s half the character there, really, because whether you like it or not, you are reminded all the time of where you are. And it was such a beautiful period. I like that it’s quite austere. I’d happily do more Austen. GH Have you never been in an Austen adaptation before? KH I’ve never been in an Austen. My husband [Matthew Macfadyen, who played Mr Darcy in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice] has done that part of things for me! GH The appetite is bottomless for Austen adaptations, but it’s so limited because she only wrote six novels. Which makes this drama special – you get the whole feel and world of Austen, but fresh material. Was it nice not to have to be a sex-bomb romantic lead? It’s probably quite a relief… KH I suppose, being 48, I’m less the love interest. I’ve just played a retired assassin. I played a grandmother at 38. My husband barely plays a father. GH He still gets to be a love interest! KH It’s the thing that has been missing from our screens – romance for the middle-aged. I’ve been banging on about this to anyone who’ll listen. Everyone asks me, “What would you like to do?” Well, the success of Normal People and all those love stories between two people shows there’s obviously an audience for them, but Nobody Wants This proved that love is just as compelling when the couple are in their 40s. I think there is a huge appetite for more, it just takes one person to do it and to be a success. So, we’ll see… But that is part of what’s so special about this drama and Cassandra’s and Jane’s love story. It was lovely to play that, and the scenes with all those women – they were some of the funniest women… GH Yes, it was a spinster cluster production! It seemed a very happy set whenever I visited. KH It’s written for a brilliant female cast – Rose Leslie [as family friend Isabella Fowle] and Jessica Hynes [as Jane and Cassandra’s sister-in-law Mary Austen] are hilarious – and a female producer bought the rights to it, we had a female director… It was just a joy, really – a genuinely amazing group of women. On most sets there’s still always a male presence because the crew is very male-heavy, but to have the core group be women on this drama is quite unusual. It was one of those sets where, chemically, we all just got along and I was very upset on the last day. And I’m usually like, “Right, I’m off!” But I was very upset to be leaving all these women. I very nearly shed a tear, which is hard to believe! GH Do you know, while I was writing the book I was so happy in that little room, just with Jane and Cassandra, on my own. I went to see the last two episodes in the cutting room after they’d just finished, and the editor, the producer and the exec producer were all so upset because they didn’t want to leave such nice company. And that is so special to me – that you’ve all embraced these amazing sisters and their beautiful love story.
This week's Radio Times is a Wimbledon and General Election special
It’s bananas! There doesn’t, at first glance, appear to be much in common between an elite tennis tournament and a General Election. Men and women fighting it out on a pristine grass court, and suited politicians campaigning for votes. And yet... Both are an intense showdown that takes incredible planning, preparation, agility and stamina. Hours in the spotlight, requiring razor-sharp concentration and endurance for those participating in the battle, as well as those observing and commentating on it. Which is where the bananas come in. They’re a familiar sight on the sidelines of a tennis court, where players retreat between games to take a few bites. It’s less common knowledge that Election Night is also fuelled by the fruit. I was alerted to this fact a couple of weeks ago by Channel 4’s political editor Gary Gibbon, who told RT that all he ate while reporting on the outcome of the vote for hours on end was bananas. And he’s not alone. In our interview in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine, ITV’s Tom Bradby also says that he relies on bananas to keep him awake and alert on Election Night. Although Jeremy Vine admits that his Swingometer antics are fuelled by a less healthy snack – Haribos. Sweets are not the food of a finely-tuned athlete. Would Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have ever let one pass their lips? You can’t imagine that when the All England Club opens its gates that Tim Henman and Annabel Croft’s pick of the players will be snacking on gummy bears. But then again, I’ve always wondered what tennis players do when they throw a towel over their head before a big point. I presumed it was for a moment of silence, but perhaps we should be listening for the rustle of a sweet packet. Maybe Jeremy Vine is on to something... The Wimbledon and General Election issue of Radio Times magazine is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: We chat to the anchors and experts who will be leading the election coverage on the major broadcasters, radio stations and podcasts, including: Tom Bradby, Jeremy Vine, Emily Maitlis, Laura Kuenssberg, Clive Myrie, Rory Stewart, Alastair Campbell, Andrew Marr, George Osborne, Ed Balls, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall The party leaders share their current TV viewing choices John McEnroe on Andy Murray’s legacy, why the criticism he has faced has been unfair and why he should announce if it is his last Wimbledon In the Radio Times Podcast, Suranne Jones talks Coronation Street, Gentleman Jack and why she's obsessed with witches View oEmbed on the source website Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Glastonbury headliner Dua Lipa is this week's Radio Times cover star
The pop megastar talks to RT about ambition, passion and fulfilling her dream of headlining the Pyramid Stage. Plus, we chat to Shania Twain and Paloma Faith.
My partner recently returned from a music festival a pair of shoes lighter. Having trusted in the weather forecast he set off for the weekend with a pair of trainers and some flip-flops. The trainers didn’t survive the ankle-deep mud. I’ve always been a fair-weather festival goer and will admit to being slightly relieved when his attempts to get Glastonbury tickets inevitably result in disappointment. The one year he did get them, he went with his dad and they saw the Killers – but separately, after they lost each other in the crowd. I, meanwhile, was sitting on the sofa while my dad sent messages on the family WhatsApp group having discovered the joys of Stormzy. Since then, he’s also enjoyed performances from Billie Eilish and Lizzo – artists firmly outside his Tom Jones comfort zone. But that’s the wonder of Glastonbury. Whether you’re at Worthy Farm or at home you can enjoy the most eclectic mix of musicians. This year there are more women than men performing over the weekend for the first time ever and to celebrate we speak to Friday-night headliner Dua Lipa, who promises to turn the Pyramid Stage into a nightclub, as well as Paloma Faith and Shania Twain, who play it on Sunday afternoon. Read their interviews in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine. It almost made me sad that I won’t be there in person, but then I looked at the weather forecast... Enjoy our armchair guide to all the performances from the comfort of your sofa. The new issue of Radio Times magazine is out now – subscribe to Radio Times here. Also in this week's Radio Times: Tom Kerridge on why watching Disney+'s The Bear is a little too close to the bone Comedian Mark Steel chats about why cancer didn't stop him, dark humour and his love of towns Speaking to The Radio Times Podcast: Karen Gillan, who stars in Steven Moffat's Douglas Is Cancelled, discusses life post-Doctor Who, cancel culture, the transformative impact of the Me Too movement and media scrutiny View oEmbed on the source website Glastonbury 2024 coverage airs across the BBC from Friday 28th June. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Russell T Davies on Years and Years' diversity: "I know what it’s like to be not seen"
Alexia Skinitis talks to Russell T Davies and Ruth Madeley ahead of the BAFTAs.
This interview is part of our BAFTA 2020 special for more visit The Big Interview hub. "My acting career is a total accident!” says Ruth Madeley, who starred in Russell T Davies’s 2019 drama Years and Years, which gave us a glimpse of an all too terrifying future that seems ever more real. “I wanted to be in the industry, so I studied scriptwriting. I would have loved to have grown up seeing people with disabilities on television, but I never saw myself, so I’m passionate about changing disability representation in the media. And I thought scriptwriting was the way to do that. “But the universe had other plans. I was doing a work placement at the BBC, and a producer told me about this CBBC production that needed a wheelchair user. Then a BBC3 drama called Don’t Take My Baby by Jack Thorne [for which Madeley got a BAFTA nomination] changed everything.” “Let’s be honest,” says Davies, “it wasn’t like we discovered Ruth underneath a mulberry bush. She was becoming very well known, and while her role in Years and Years was simply written as Rosie Lyons, the daughter of the family, we met her for an audition. Casting her after that was simple. “We talked through her physical life,” adds the writer, ”and what problems present themselves, and what opportunities, just in case it brought the script to life — or was stopping bringing the script to life. But nothing changed really. Nothing at all.” Madeley confirms that. “The casting process for Years and Years felt very different to anything I’d done before. I think it was more because the script didn’t change, whether Rosie, my character, was black, white, blind, deaf, a wheelchair user… “I still feel there’s much further to go regarding disability on screen, but to showcase what I can do as an actor, in a story with such a high-class cast, where my disability wasn’t even relevant, changed a lot. I sincerely hope it did, anyway.” View oEmbed on the source website It certainly changed Davies’s outlook on casting. “People call it diversity, I just call it inclusivity,” he explains. “As a gay man watching TV in the 60s, I felt completely excluded from what was going on. So I know what it’s like to be not seen — but nowhere near to the extent of Ruth. “And having worked with her so successfully, it’s now a policy for me to cast inclusively. I know for a fact what makes people worry is the extra time, therefore extra money. Anything that might cause you five extra minutes looks like a problem because filming is all time and money. Having worked with Ruth, I know it doesn’t cost a penny.” Madeley couldn’t be more thrilled that her work with Davies has made such an impact. She’s keen, however, to see more stories addressing disability on screen. “It’s really important to remember that there are stories, specifically about disability, that also need to be told by people who have disabilities. “I will write again. And there are things bubbling away, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself because, having worked with Russell, you realise, ‘Wow, my writing is terrible!’” These interviews originally appeared in the Radio Times magazine. For the biggest interviews and the best TV listings subscribe to Radio Times now and never miss a copy. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.
Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa on the one scene that 'pushed him out of his comfort zone'
Radio Times caught up with BAFTA nominee Ncuti Gatwa ahead of the big night
This interview is part of our BAFTA 2020 special for more interviews visit The Big Interview hub. I call Claire “Sex Ed Mama”! She’s our Telly Mum. And she calls us her Telly Babies. She was instrumental in bringing the cast together and creating that family atmosphere on Sex Education,” explains Ncuti Gatwa, nominated in the male performance in a comedy category at this year’s BAFTAs for his role as Eric Effiong. “Make-up are the first people the actors go to on set every day —they see you at your most vulnerable. Then they paint the character on you, they’re integral to that transformation. It’s such an intimate art form that you develop a really close relationship with your make-up artist.” And Ncuti’s transformation in Sex Education is key to his character’s development. Eric goes from being a shy, bullied, insecure teen to a confident and proud gay man during the course of the first series — emerging at his school prom looking fabulous in an outfit brought to life with glittering green eyeshadow. “When I start on a job,” explains Claire Williams, who designed the look for Eric, “I create collage mood boards for each character. Then once they’re approved by production, you take those boards and you sit with cast members, who you don’t know, and you have to sell it to them. “Ncuti was so open to all my suggestions and really wanted to take Eric’s journey as far as we could. He didn’t seem nervous about any of it and was happy to go anywhere that he needed to go for the character.” Gatwa may not have appeared nervous, but the prospect of creating such a bold look was daunting. “I had never worn make-up other than on stage — a bit of anti-shine. I remember going to Harvey Nichols and buying the entire Fenty line — it’s the brand that I got them to start using on set because it’s Rihanna’s and I like supporting black-owned businesses. View oEmbed on the source website I then went home and watched loads of YouTube tutorials and tried to learn how to do it myself because that’s a big part of Eric’s journey. “I wasn’t nervous going into the store, but Claire definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. There was one scene in which I wore a wig, full make-up and stilettos and thought, ‘Oh my God, my family, all my friends in Tottenham! Nobody’s ever seen me like this before…’ It was definitely a challenge but it helped me become braver as an actor. I had to get over a lot of my own insecurities and concerns about how other people would judge me. And I felt amazing. I’ve never felt that brave in my own life, so it was very cool to experience that through him.” These interviews originally appeared in the Radio Times magazine. For the biggest interviews and the best TV listings subscribe to Radio Times now and never miss a copy. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.
Poldark series 4: behind the scenes with Aidan Turner and his beloved horse Seamus
Ross Poldark’s affections may flit between Demelza and Elizabeth, but Aidan Turner only has one true love on set – his trusted steed, Seamus
Everyone stand very still and stay silent,” whispers an assistant director on the set of Poldark. “You don’t want to spook the horse while Aidan’s on it...” You certainly wouldn’t! But Aidan Turner’s trusted horse, Seamus, looks hard to spook. Thirty seconds later, he breaks into a thunderous canter along the approach to Trenwith (actually Chavenage House in Tetbury, Gloucestershire), with Aidan swinging his reins from side to side encouraging him along. Between takes for the new series, Aidan casually slumps back on the horse that has starred alongside (technically, beneath) him from the first episode in 2015. “I’m so happy to be reunited with him,” he grins, patting Seamus affectionately. “I haven’t seen him since Cornwall.” Once back in position, they’re off again down the drive, pulling to an abrupt stop at the entrance to the manor house, where, just out of sight, Seamus’s owner and trainer, Mark Atkinson, is waiting to grab the reins as Poldark disappears inside. Back in the stables Aidan and Mark talk to RT about finding the perfect horse, keeping away from those Cornwall cliff edges and which cast member is the best rider on set. RadioTimes.com newsletter: get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Aidan on Seamus When I first went up to Yorkshire to choose a horse, Seamus wasn’t my favourite. Initially, I preferred a horse called Jonny Wilkinson because he’s a lot bigger and quite a goer. The two of us together made Mark quite nervous, so he persuaded me to go with Seamus. Cleverly, he said, “You look great on Jonny, but you look better on Seamus – he’s smaller, so he makes you look bigger.” I immediately switched horse! He certainly knew what to say to convince me. I’m glad he did, because Seamus is a pro. When you’re filming with a horse and putting your life into his hands, you have to trust him and I completely trust Seamus. He is so experienced – his CV is probably better than mine! He’s a big celebrity these days. Famous Seamus! Mark says I’m soppy with him and I suppose I do pet and hug him a lot. And sleep on him. Between scenes I sometimes have a snooze. We really are close, and I guess Mark doesn’t like that because Seamus is meant to be working. I think we have a similar personality, you know? And we’re both Irish... Seamus is from Cork, and Mark says that he reacts to my accent, which would make sense. My dad’s side of the family were from Westmeath, which is north of Dublin. Proper countryside, so they were always riding. Mum’s side, not as much, because they were city folk and I grew up in the city. But I’ve always loved animals. We had a golden lab called Goldie when I was a kid and I did a bit of riding. There were also bits of riding when I was in The Hobbit, but nothing major. So when I took this job I had to get very good, really quick. But there’s nothing like the pressure of having to fake it! I didn’t have time for Seamus to call me out as a rookie. View oEmbed on the source website Two weeks before filming started we did an intensive ten days in Yorkshire, riding all day, every day, which is where I met Eleanor [Tomlinson, who plays Demelza] for the first time. She’s a brilliant rider. Her dad [Malcolm Tomlinson] is a racing commentator and she grew up around horses. She rides side-saddle on a gallop and in a race beats me every time. So yes, she’s the best rider on set... So much for Poldark saving his damsel in distress – in reality it’s more than likely the other way around! Learning to ride like Ross took a while because he’d have been on a horse before he could walk, and then in the Army he’d have been “posting” in the right way – shoulders back, very straight, heels down, using a crop. I’ve loosened him up a little. I think when he got back from the war, he’d have been like, “Oh, let’s have a bit of fun now.” I feel relaxed on Seamus, so I don’t always want to follow the rules. I’ve developed some bad riding habits, like swinging the reins from side to side to get Seamus going – that’s the old cowboy style. But I don’t do it for effect. Sometimes he does need to feel the rein to push on a bit more. I don’t like carrying the crop – it gets in the way and when I jump off the horse and walk into somewhere, it’s another prop I have to get rid of or hold for a whole scene. But maybe my technique has become a little lazy. I might also take some risks that could scare Mark... There have been times when it’s been raining and Seamus doesn’t want to slow down, he takes a bend and I can feel him slip. But you go with the glide and you just take it up again. Obviously, I can’t wear a helmet – that’s why the trust between me and Seamus is vital. My favourite scenes with him are the ones galloping down the beach. It’s so much fun, racing beside the quad bikes with the cameramen in them. It also feels a lot safer than being on the side of a cliff! In the early days that did make me nervous, but Mark was like, “Seamus doesn’t want to die, either.” You just pray you don’t have a freak accident because he’s an animal and I’m pushing him all the way... I could play it safe but where’s the fun in that? For the first series, Mark’s son Ben was my riding stunt double, but back then I was new and less experienced. Now I do it all, unless we need to double up and shoot two scenes at the same time. Seamus has two doubles – Jonny Wilkinson and Mojo, a smaller horse I’m not a huge fan of as he’s not as fast, or as big. It’s important to have them there though, if Seamus ever gets tired and needs a break – which happens when we’re doing lots of takes on the beach or uphill. But I don’t like riding other horses – I mean Seamus would literally gallop through fire for me – although when it came to it, they wouldn’t actually let us do it... But don’t show him a puddle! He’ll come to an abrupt halt and dance around it. You can shoot at him, bombs can go off beside him and it doesn’t rattle him at all. But he’ll throw you off the back of him for a little water. I do miss riding between series, but because I’m used to taking risks on Seamus, I’m worried I might push myself on a horse that I’m not familiar with, so I tend not to. Even in this series, there was a little bit less riding in Cornwall because Ross was in London, and I felt it. If you’re reading this, Debbie [Horsfield, Poldark’s writer]... next series: more riding, less House of Commons, please! Because I don’t know if anything will ever beat riding along that beach for me. The trainer's story When it came to picking a horse for Aidan in Poldark [says horse trainer Mark Atkinson], we read the books, read the script and liaised with the art department. They were keen that he looked like a utility animal that could pull a plough if needed and could cope with the rough terrain in Cornwall at that time – a Defender, not a Ferrari. We selected five horses for Aidan to try, eventually got it down to two, and then decided on Seamus. Aidan actually preferred another horse, Jonny Wilkinson, because he was bigger – Seamus is 15.3 hands to Jonny’s 17 hands – and quicker. But he looked more relaxed on Seamus and I managed to persuade him. Seamus was born in Ireland, he’s an Irish draught. That’s why, I think, he really likes Aidan. He’ll lift his head and prick his ears when he hears Aidan’s voice. And Aidan is so soppy with him, he’s always hugging him and patting him. They’re two of a kind. Aidan had ridden in The Hobbit, but not much at all, so we had to teach him to ride, then make him ride like Ross – with a little of the military cavalryman, but predominantly as a Cornish farmer who learnt to ride as a child on a pony bareback. We didn’t want him to be too polished or stiff – Ross’s character is a bit wild and manly, so we wanted the style of riding to reflect that. People often ask me how many more series Seamus can do, but he’s only 16, which isn’t old. Horses work into their mid-20s. Principal horses get better with experience. What’s most important is to have a patient, safe horse. You’re only as good as your last day’s work on set – if anything goes wrong, the whole industry hears about it right away. It needs to be a horse happy to travel long distances, go into a new stable, have his tea and go to sleep. Which Seamus can – mainly because he’s greedy! He can never have a treat on set. Nobody can eat sweets near him. But Seamus really comes alive when the cameras start rolling. He can go from standing to gallop incredibly fast, and the more special effects there are, the better; he’s done work in front of wind machines propelled by jet engines, blowing leaves into his face. We did a scene at the end of series two where a barricade was on fire, and it would have been great if Aidan could’ve come galloping through it, but it was too dangerous – you couldn’t put your lead horse and your lead actor through that. But I had a sneaky try and he did it straightaway. Jonny Wilkinson is the main stunt double for Seamus and occasionally Aidan will use him for a scene. We were filming uphill on the moors this series, and Aidan used Jonny for a couple of takes because Seamus was getting tired. But 95 per cent of this series was Seamus, and Aidan did all of the riding. Between filming, we have a group of ladies called Happy Housewives, who have the horses on loan. It’s their job to pamper and look after them. Seamus’s lady is called Helen, and she really spoils him. He does make cameos in other productions, but he is Ross Poldark’s horse. How much is Seamus worth? I don’t really want to answer that because to me he’s worth a fortune, but to anyone else he’s just a horse. I’ve heard Aidan say in interviews that his favourite days are those with Seamus, which is very gratifying. He’s made Seamus famous, and Seamus has taken me along for the ride. I’ve never owned a horse with its own Twitter and Facebook accounts! Poldark season four airs on Sundays at 9/8c, Masterpiece on PBS This article was originally published in Radio Times magazine in June 2018 Sign up for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter
"Getting to make speeches in this setting fills you with a sense of empowerment": Aidan Turner on Poldark's move to Parliament
Poldark star Aidan Turner on swapping sandy Cornwall for the cobbled streets of Westminster
BBC's Poldark has been a hit for a plethora of reasons, but it's scenic setting of Cornwall has always been a draw for audiences. In it's fourth series, it's time for a change of scenery and now Ross is off to London. Radio Times spoke to the Aidan Turner who plays the titular man about the voyage up to the capital and its impact on Poldark's marriage... Where is BBC drama Poldark filmed? Poldark commissioned for a fish - and probably final - series Sign for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter View oEmbed on the source website Why does Ross go to Parliament? He realises going to London is the only way he can make change happen. Cornwall is too far away from where the decisions are made and although Ross has a lot of influence there, change doesn’t happen fast enough. People listen to him because he is this bridge between the working class and the gentry; he is well educated but he understands the plight of the working man. What was it like speaking in the House of Commons? I loved it. I have always found the political history of this period interesting. As an actor, getting to make speeches about important matters in this setting fills you with a sense of empowerment. You get an idea of what it would have been like at the time. It is surreal to be up there talking about backing William Wilberforce in his bill to abolish slavery. It makes you realise that this all happened only a little over 200 years ago. Do you admire the way Ross stands up for what he believes in? He’s a real hero, isn’t he? I’ve done my fair share of research because when you are giving these political speeches as Ross Poldark, you want to know what’s going on. It seems odd to make those speeches and have people opposing what you’re saying. You just think, how could this not be the way forward, but that is what happened. What does this new career mean for Ross’s marriage? Ross and Demelza spend weeks apart while Ross is in London. There were huge gaps during filming where Eleanor [Tomlinson] and I didn’t see each other so it felt like it played out for real. When we did get back together – Ross invites Demelza to London and they spend a week there – it was lovely to reunite. Poldark season four airs on Sundays, 9/8c, Masterpiece on PBS Sign up for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter
From Ratburger to Grandpa's Great Escape: David Walliams reveals the secrets of his bestselling children's books
David Walliams has two Christmas specials on TV this year – but who are the real people who inspire his weird and wonderful characters?
You’ve created a world of colourful characters and disgusting titles: where do they come from? They come out of my head! I’m often inspired by something or someone in real life; for example in Ratburger, the character of Burt is based on a Britain’s Got Talent contestant who ate live cockroaches from a paper bag. He got me thinking – if he eats live cockroaches, what else might he do? Might he turn rats into burgers? Might he sell those burgers to kids outside schools? That was the first little seed. What time is Ratburger on TV this Christmas? When is Grandpa's Great Escape on TV? What inspired David Walliams to write Billionaire Boy? Is Grandpa’s Great Escape based on your own grandpa? He was actually inspired by a news story about a guy called Bernard who escaped from an old people’s home to go to Normandy for a reunion with his Army colleagues. My real grandpa died when I was quite young. Is Raj the newsagent real? He was, but he’s moved away! He didn’t look exactly like Raj, but he was called Raj and the shop was called Raj’s News. He had a messy shop, and he was quite fun. Did your dad inspire your new book, Bad Dad? No, my dad didn’t go to prison! But I’m a single dad, and this is a story about a single dad and his son. I was trying to reflect that relationship. And at the end there’s a gay wedding. It’s interesting. I got two reviews on Amazon both saying, “Don’t let your children read this because there’s a gay wedding.” What a shame… My best friend from school is gay and I was best man at his wedding – my son was the ring-bearer. There were lots of children there, and I thought what a wonderful thing that these children will grow up without any sense of prejudice against gay people. I don’t think children reading it will be the least bit bothered. View oEmbed on the source website What stories did you read as a child? I’ve got fond memories of my dad reading me Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss. I used to love Richard Scarry’s books, Busy, Busy World and the Mr Men books. When I got a bit older I wasn’t that keen a reader until I discovered Stig of the Dump and Roald Dahl... books I connected with. Did you have imaginary friends? Yes. They’re still my friends. They’re not imaginary, are they? I really liked being alone with my imagination and my toys, creating comedy sketches. I used to think that my bedroom was a spaceship and I could pilot it out into space at night. Your imagination is formed as a child and I think writers tend to be more solitary as children. Where do you write? I can write anywhere on my laptop; all I need is solitude. I like to be alone with my thoughts. I liken writing to trying to remember a film I’ve never seen. But if I’m being interrupted, I lose my concentration. I do sometimes try to get away and write staring at the sea but I haven’t got a Goldeneye in Jamaica like Ian Fleming. There are too many things keeping me in London. Do you find it daunting starting a new book? I never set out to write a masterpiece. Some writers can’t get started because they want to be the next James Joyce. I don’t worry too much about that. My books are there to entertain kids; everything else is a bonus. How long do you take to write a book? Once I’ve sat down and started, three or four months. And as soon as I finish one, I start thinking about the next one. When are the illustrations added? The book has to be 99 per cent finished before Tony Ross the illustrator comes in. Occasionally I make notes for him if the illustration has to be a certain way to tell the story, but otherwise, I just let him get on with it. Quentin Blake recommended him. Quentin illustrated my first two books, but then said, “I can’t keep up with the pace you’re doing them; I think you’ll like Tony.” I didn’t want to suddenly have a different aesthetic because it would have been disorientating for kids, but Tony’s work is in the same universe as Quentin’s. View oEmbed on the source website Have you considered writing adult books? Maybe – there’s nothing stopping me other than I’ve had success as a children’s author. But I enjoy writing for kids. The characters aren’t that far removed from those I used to come up with for Little Britain. That’s why it surprises me when people question whether I’ve actually written the books! But I can’t worry about that. What can I do? Go around and speak to them all individually and convince them? What kind of adult book would you write? Probably a comic novel. I can’t imagine being the next Kazuo Ishiguro and winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, but books take lots of different forms. Everything from To Kill a Mockingbird to Katie Price’s latest autobiography. I’m probably somewhere in the middle. What are your plans for Christmas? I’ll be with my family and will probably watch Grandpa’s Great Escape with my nephews. Last year I wrote a book for them so they’re in their own story. I had it illustrated and printed, and read it to them on Christmas Day. Hopefully I’ll do that for my son one day, too. Ratburger is on Christmas Eve at 6pm on Sky 1 and Grandpa’s Great Escape is on New Year’s Day at 6.55pm on BBC1
Addicted to glitter! Judy Murray and Jeremy Vine on returning to Strictly
The former contestants can’t wait to get back on the dancefloor – just don’t mention dad dancing…
What’s it like being back on Strictly? JEREMY It’s truly magical. I told myself not to fall in love with it all again because it’s only one dance, but however much I tried to resist the glitter and sequins, I was sucked right back in. JUDY I had such a good time three years ago that when they asked me if I would do the Christmas special, it was an immediate “Yes!” Although I hadn’t danced a step since… JEREMY I don’t believe you, Judy! I’ve seen you rehearsing your charleston and you’ve definitely been practising that swivel. Joanne Clifton’s advice to the Strictly finalists – and what she makes of those Shirley Ballas quitting rumours Alexandra Burke on Strictly viewers’ reactions to her: “Twitter seems to have given people permission to be incredibly hurtful” Judy Murray reveals which of her famous sons is more likely to do Strictly JUDY When they told me I was doing the charleston, the first thing I thought was, “Great, I can wear pumps!” Because I really hate heels. Then I thought, “Oh no, it’s all about rhythm, timing and fast footwork…” As I, and the British public, found out, rhythm and timing are not concepts I’m generally familiar with. And finally I thought, “I’d better start practising that swivel!” Because last time Craig Revel Horwood said: “Not an ounce of swivel, darling.” And when it came to the scores: “Three!” JEREMY Well, it’s paid off! My dance has been identified as a quickstep by experts, but at one point I lie on the floor and spin in a circle – Karen [Clifton] says it’s our signature move. Are you better dancers second time round? JUDY I feel more confident because I know what I’m letting myself in for. I always enjoyed the training: it’s just you, your partner and a CD player. But when I was on the dancefloor, with the band, the audience, the judges, the cameras, the lights, the costumes, my brain went to mush. This time I won’t let that happen. JEREMY I’ve found that the neural pathways from my brain to my feet have been dusted off and it can tell them what to do in a much clearer way than before. I haven’t really danced since either, but I have tried to move to music in a slightly more thoughtful way. JUDY I hope I don’t mess it up because my new partner, Neil [Jones], has been a great teacher. I’ve loved teasing Anton [Du Beke] about him. As soon as I found out, I told him, “I’ve traded you in for a younger model!” He said, “Oh, partner, how easily you forget!” Was it hard watching Anton and Karen dancing with somebody else? JUDY It just makes me smile when I watch him dance, because he loves what he’s doing. JEREMY I think that’s unusual. When Karen danced with Will Young the year after me I thought, “Who is that? What are you doing?” It was hard seeing her with someone else. But I know I’m not alone – while I was dancing with Karen she got a call from a previous partner saying, “I’m not feeling good about this!” JUDY I didn’t feel like that at all! It’s his job. And we’re still good friends – I recently visited him and his wife, Hannah, and met the twins. I even fed one of the baby Du Bekes! Did you watch this year’s series? JEREMY Of course – Susan Calman as Wonder Woman. Tremendous. JUDY I loved her. The show is at its best when we see people learning to dance from scratch. JEREMY It’s always an issue, where the people who’ve never danced a step get the shock of their lives when they realise that some of the other celebs are trained dancers. But actually, they have more of a problem with the audience. JUDY That’s why they liked watching us – stiff and wooden though we were! Your dad dancing; my mum dancing. JEREMY I’d like to make the expression “dad dancing” illegal. It puts men off getting on the dancefloor. They think it’s not a manly activity. JUDY It must make you self-conscious. There is still this old-fashioned idea that men do sports, and women do dancing. That’s why I’d love to see more sports people on the show. Who would you like to see in the next series? JEREMY Peter Crouch would be brilliant with his height, or David Beckham – but some people are out of reach. Would your boys do it? JUDY You’d have more chance of persuading Jamie than Andy. I’d love to see Jess Ennis-Hill do it. And maybe, from your world, John Bercow or Jeremy Paxman. JEREMY Good luck with that! I’d like to see Huw Edwards or Emily Maitlis. But current politicians are difficult – if they’re anywhere near Westminster, it’s tricky. JUDY But Ed Balls was brilliant last year! JEREMY He was a revelation. But it troubles me that 15 per cent of what we know about Ed is from his time in politics and the other 85 per cent is from Strictly. As a journalist I question how well we’re doing our jobs, because we’re not showing them off to their best. Is Strictly more difficult for the male or the female celebrities? JEREMY The one thing I’d say is, you’ve got amateur blokes lifting pro women. And the pro women know the moment their feet leave the floor, they’ve lost control. JUDY In the ballroom dancing, I do think when the male has to lead that must be difficult. JEREMY I was worried about that, but I remember on the very first day, doing the group dance, I took hold of Natalie Lowe and it was like suddenly being driven by a Mercedes. I don’t think my feet even touched the floor. Will you watch yourselves on Christmas Day? JUDY Definitely. We’ll have a big Christmas dinner, take the dog out for a walk, watch a movie and fall asleep in front of the fire. Then I’ll wake everyone up to watch me on Strictly. JEREMY Do you feel embarrassed watching yourself back? JUDY No, never. When I have visitors, I always show them the tango Anton and I did, where his adrenaline on the night meant that a move he called the “chuck and slide” nearly ended up with me in the audience! I cry every time. JEREMY I’ve resisted watching my dances… JUDY It makes me laugh how bad I am. I know that when we watch the Christmas special my mum will say, “Oh, you’re terrible, dear.” When I told her I was doing the show she said, “Couldn’t they find somebody better?” JEREMY Family, eh! I remember my brother [comedian Tim Vine] came to watch me in the studio and said, “I was talking to the person next to me and we were thinking they haven’t got anyone funny this year. And then you started dancing.” All the family is coming over and I’m sure we’ll build the day around it. JUDY I can’t wait! Although Craig had better give me more than a three or there will be consequences… Top photograph taken by Jonathan Ford for Radio Times Strictly Come Dancing is on Christmas Day 6.30pm BBC1
Darcey’s dream to dance with Fred Astaire
Darcey Bussell always longed to dance cheek to cheek with Fred Astaire – now her wish comes true…
Ballet wasn’t ever my first love,” smiles Darcey Bussell wistfully. “No, it wasn’t ballet at all. Tap dancing was always first.” In fact, as a little girl, Britain’s most famous ballerina never wanted to dance in Swan Lake or The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House – what she really dreamt about was starring alongside Fred Astaire in a Hollywood movie. “Every Sunday when I was at performing arts school I would sit down and watch one of his films,” recalls the former prima ballerina turned Strictly Come Dancing judge. “He had a magnetic force when he danced. I couldn’t take my eyes off him; it didn’t matter who he was dancing with or how good they were, I could only see him. I couldn’t believe they were blackand-white films because to me, they were so real. I just wanted to step into the screen and dance alongside him.” Strictly stats time: here’s the kindest – and cruellest – judge Alexandra Burke reveals what she REALLY thinks about the Strictly judges “I’ve felt like the luckiest girl in the world being able to dance in your arms” – Mollie pays emotional tribute to AJ after Strictly exit Having been told from a young age that she was too tall to be a successful ballerina, Bussell also looked to Astaire for inspiration. “He was this long, spindly man, but he just had such an ease and I gravitated to that. I suppose as a young kid when I was training, I always felt a little bit gangly myself, so I longed to achieve that ease. Above all, though, he was just terribly cool and I wanted to be that too. “So every class I went into I put the same amount of energy and passion into. It didn’t matter what style it was, because when you saw Fred perform, he was able to adapt. His strength was obviously tap, but he could dance to anything and I wanted to be able to do that. Everything I did at that age was leading to the idea that, if they did a dance film, I would be in it. Which is how I ended up as a ballet dancer.” Despite her huge global success, 48-year-old Bussell has never forgotten Astaire. Following her final ballet performance in 2007, which famously culminated in an eight-minute standing ovation, Bussell paid tribute to the man who inspired her to dance. At Christmas 2011 she re-created the Astaire and Ginger Rogers number Cheek to Cheek, from Top Hat, for BBC2’s Darcey Bussell Dances Hollywood – “I felt a lot of pressure trying to emulate anything he did. But my God, it was like a dream come true!” – and now she has made a docu - mentary in which she traces Astaire’s path to stardom from Omaha, Nebraska, to Broadway and Hollywood. Bussell also visits the location of a more recent Hollywood hit, the Oscar-winning La La Land, which captured the spirit of those old black-andwhite movies and brought the musical film bang up to date. “Fred was way ahead of his time,” she says, “and if you look closely at the routine in La La Land overlooking the city, it’s directly influ - enced by his Top Hat dance. If they could bring back more films like that I’d be in my element! We need magical films back on our screens more than ever at the moment.” And perhaps then, Bussell might fulfil her childhood dream of starring in one? “Oh no!” she protests. “I’ve got past that now. I did a couple of screen tests when I was younger but they didn’t lead to anything. Although I did actually dance a cameo role in a 1996 film called True Blue, which was about the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. But in truth it was only because it was based on my godfather’s [Patrick Robinson] book and he got me in to dance with the main character. It was very cool, though. She may have given up on her dream of dancing on film, but ask Bussell if there’s anyone she’d really love to dance with on screen today and she doesn’t hesitate. “Hugh Jackman!” she says. “He’s an all-rounder – an extraordinary actor, but also a singer and dancer. I’ve seen him in action and he can move. He’s also a large guy, so he’d be a good partner for me. You can see on screen that he can just adapt to everything, like Fred, and that you really have to admire.” So perhaps she hasn’t quite given up on that dream completely? “No, really I don’t need it any more. I’ve been very lucky and I’ve danced nearly every - where possible, so I’m very happy with every - thing I’ve achieved. I won’t perform again… “But I do remember watching Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace on Strictly doing their Argentine tango, thinking that dancing one of those would be nice. But Vincent and I wouldn’t be very well matched – I’m a bit tall for him and he’s very short for me. But that would be a little bit of a box to tick.” Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire is on Thursday 10.45pm, BBC1
Motherland's Sharon Horgan and Anna Maxwell Martin reveal the "dirty side of parenting"
Writer Sharon Horgan and actor Anna Maxwell Martin talk their new BBC comedy and realistic portrayals of motherhood
Sharon, what inspired you to write Motherland? Sharon Horgan: I’ve wanted to write something about motherhood for years but hadn’t found the right route in to explore this world, the “Motherland”, which is a certain time of the day when the only people around are mothers, students or unemployed people. But then we [Horgan has written the show with Father Ted writer Graham Linehan, Helen Linehan and Holly Walsh] thought about the character of Julia – whose mother cuts her loose and suddenly leaves her without childcare. Meet the cast of Motherland What time is Motherland on TV? Anna Maxwell Martin: Julia, who I play, is – like everyone I know – trying to juggle work and home life, and the practicalities of childcare, pick-ups, drop-offs… View oEmbed on the source website How did you get the role, Anna? Anna: I just auditioned 20 times. Sharon: We actually did something together yonks ago – do you remember Free Agents? It feels weird that you auditioned and we weren’t just like, “Anna Maxwell Martin wants to do it!” Anna: I auditioned in an absolute mega-grump. I was having a bad work day. You reach a certain age and think, “I don’t want to audition any more; I don’t want to whore myself in front of these people.” Sharon: But your audition was perfect, you found a way to play Julia that we never thought about. Because you’re mainly a dramatic actress, you don’t have any of those little comedy tricks we’ve seen a million times. Anna: I do feel a bit bad now… But it got me the part. I’m not very good or very funny – just really, really, grumpy. Sharon, did you ever want to be in it? Sharon: It’s a bit 50-50 whether I’m in what I’ve written. With this it would have felt a bit weird, perhaps because in Catastrophe I’m a parent. I did regret that a bit in the edit because it works so well. The great thing about the show is – I hope – that people really relate to it. Anna: I’ve never had a response like it! Out of all the work I’ve bust my ass on; the crying I’ve done on bleak dramas… But this, mums were flinging themselves at me going, “When’s the series? We loved the pilot so much.” Sharon: I actually thought of you the other day – I’d just dropped my daughter off at school and I was late, so I was walking like the clappers, and I was exhausted. It wasn’t even nine o’clock and I was already exhausted. Anna: Those first couple of hours in the morning are just absolutely crushing. Juggling a job and kids is really hard. Not to play a violin, but it is, you know? Are you alpha mums? Sharon: Oh God, no. To be honest, I’m surprised that I enjoy being a mum so much. I thought I was entirely non-maternal. I remember telling my sister I was pregnant and her genuine shock – I mean, I was shocked as well. So I never aimed to be a perfect mum. It’s not hard to look at what other people are doing and think they’re doing it better… Anna: I think that’s really insidious with your first kid. You think, “Oh, that kid’s in a Bumbo. Mine’s not in a Bumbo!” Sharon: Unfortunately, you make mistakes with your first kid. You f**k them up a bit, but they end up being very sensitive and wonderful people. Then with the second one you just give up and they become funny little brats. How old are your kids now? Have they seen Motherland? Anna: My girls are six [Nancy] and eight [Maggie] – they’re probably not old enough to watch it but they love it. And it’s nice for them to see what I do – one of them once said when asked what my job is: “A man in a car picks her up and he drives her to a car park and then she goes into a caravan.” Sharon: Mine are nearly 14 [Sadhbh] and nine [Amer] and they absolutely love it. My older girl asked to see Catastrophe and I found a bit that’s suitable, but I wouldn’t let her watch it as a whole – I don’t want her to see me and Rob Delaney have sex. Anna: Mine find everything about what I do embarrassing. I did Bedtime Stories for CBeebies so that the kids could enjoy it but they hated it! I think they’d just rather I was at home. How do you balance family and work? Sharon: When I’m away, it’s hard. While I was filming Divorce in New York, I was back and forth, and the kids came back and forth. But that was a horrible time. Anna: When I first had kids, I tried just filming close to home in London. I’d leave the house at half six and I’d get home at nine o’clock at night. I didn’t see them anyway. But I was still doing the packed lunch and desperately trying to get home in rush-hour traffic. I realised it’s actually easier to go away and then come home and spend proper time with them. Sharon: I consider giving up work every single time I’m on a job, if I’m honest. And then I change my mind. I was filming in Atlanta this year and it was two months back and forth. I remember thinking, “I’m never going to do this again.” It was hellish, but then my kids got to come to Atlanta and experience that. Why do we rarely see an honest depiction of parenting on TV? Sharon: Because it’s hard to show women looking like they’re doing a bad job of being a mother. And that’s why I’m amazed that the BBC let us do whatever we wanted; there’s no sugar-coating it. There’s no, “Right, in this episode can you make sure you give your daughter her five-a-day?” It’s just showing the sort of… hell of it. We actually did a really early version of it in the US for ABC but it didn’t work because we were monitored so heavily and weren’t able to show the dirty side of parenting. Anna: Because lots of mums are drinking wine, straight after the half-past three pick-up. Obviously not me… Have you seen a depiction of motherhood on TV or film before that was relatable? Anna: I saw Kramer vs. Kramer the other day… Sharon: Gosh, I don’t know… The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, anything animated family-wise is pretty spot on. I guess when you think about Ab Fab, they were bad mothers. Or Roseanne Barr was a brilliant badass female role model, but those shows were few and far between. It’s great because TV commissioners today are much less likely to say, “Oh s**t, we already have a female show.” If it’s funny and it feels relevant, they’re behind it. So in comedy, there are definitely more honest and interesting female roles because there are more women writing. It’s no longer about male writers having an idealised version of a woman. Do social media add to that pressure to have the perfect family? Sharon: I follow a woman on Instagram whose portrayal of motherhood made me feel so inadequate I had to stop looking at her posts. The trips to the seaside, the painting, the cultural activities… Anna: My friend posted something the other day about her wonderful husband blah blah… When I told her it was really sweet she was like, “He’s actually doing my head in at the moment, that’s just my Facebook personality”. It does make you feel inadequate for a bit and then I realise no one’s actually living that life. Sharon: I hope everyone knows that. I hope it’s not like glossy magazines used to make me feel, where you look at those pictures that have been airbrushed and go, “That’s what I should be aiming for.” I’m glad not to have to put a brave “Stepford” face on my life. Anna: Me too, although maybe I should – the whole of the film and TV industry is at my school gates. It’s like one long audition, which I’ve failed because I’m always looking horrendous in a tracksuit and Ugg boots. Did your mums work? Sharon: My mum didn’t. I mean, she worked with my dad on the turkey farm we lived on in Ireland. She had five kids and she was always there. A constant. Anna: My mum was a research scientist but stopped for myriad reasons and was also around. I lived in a cul-de-sac in Beverley in East Riding and I was like a dog. I’d be running around outside with the other children, go in, have a flapjack, go back out. So I don’t really remember being around my mum at all, even if she says she was a stay-at-home mum. Sharon: Where I was, there was nothing to do, it was just turkeys and lots of grass. There was only one bus a week on a Saturday, at 1pm – that was our only way out of the place. Anna: I remember sitting with my mates waiting for a Sunday bus for five hours. You’d just sit and wait. Our kids don’t know how lucky they are. They’ve all got Uber accounts now. Would you ever want to give it all up and move to the country? Anna: Yes, I would! I’d be happy quilting and gardening. I love mowing the lawn. Sharon: I think I’d walk into a lake with stones around my ankles. Motherland Tuesday 10.00pm BBC2 (11.15pm Northern Ireland)
The Great British Bake Off 2017 final: Kate reveals she only started baking two years ago
The 29-year-old health and safety officer from Liverpool admits she’s “winged it a bit”
Why did you apply to be on The Great British Bake Off? I did it on a whim – I like a challenge, so I applied online and thought no more of it. I never dreamed I’d get a call back, let alone get on the show! When did you start baking? No one in my family really bakes, so I only started about two years ago. The first thing I baked was a Christmas cake with a lot of rum in it! I was celebrating the first Christmas in my new house and wanted to impress my family. How often do you bake now? I cook or bake every day. I have to be busy all the time and I don’t sleep much, which is probably why I have so many hobbies. Whenever I get a spare moment, I bake. It never goes to waste – demand from friends and family definitely outweighs supply! What is your kitchen like? My kitchen is relatively small but modern. I didn’t actually have a kitchen to practise in for Bake Off because I’d just ripped it out when I got the phone call! I was planning on putting in a new one myself – demolition Kate – so I had to use my parents’ kitchen. My kitchen still isn’t tiled, but I’ve got a background in construction and it’s easy when you break all the jobs down into manageable tasks. So without a kitchen how much were you able to practise for each show? Not as much as I would have liked! I winged it a bit – I don’t think I ever produced the finished showstopper until I got to the tent. Please don’t tell Paul… Are you creating your dream kitchen? Its lovely and new but it’s smaller than I’d like. I’d absolutely love a larder – it’s like a walk-in wardrobe for food! Did you get a Paul handshake? I don’t think I ever did get a handshake, but being told my caramel cake was the best cake Prue had ever tried was an amazing compliment! I don’t think it gets better than that, so I can forgo the handshake. Did Sandi succeed in finding you a boyfriend or are you living alone? I live on my own – and no comment! It was really embarrassing and cringey when Sandi put out appeals for one on the show but it was all good fun. We became really close during filming because there is lots of down time to get to know each other and chat. Sandi actually gave me a little hanky – she said she’s given one to her daughters too. It’s a comforting little keepsake for luck that I kept in my pocket.
The Great British Bake Off 2017 final: Sophie reveals how life in the army prepared her for baking success
Plus, the finalist says she was the first actually to get a Paul Hollywood handshake this year, not Steven
Why did you apply to be on The Great British Bake Off? My boyfriend, David, started my application. He’s a chef and we love cooking together – he makes the savoury stuff and I make the desserts. When did you start baking? Only a few years ago. I started rowing at Sandhurst and then went into it full-time. But there isn’t much money in it, so I started baking my friends cakes for their birthdays. How often do you bake? I don’t have a ravenous family, so not often. What is your kitchen like? I’ve recently moved and the new kitchen is small but modern. Luckily we have a spare room so I have an enormous shelving unit full of baking tins, ingredients and equipment. How much did you practise once you found out you were going to be on the show? I was working as a ski instructor in the Alps when I found out, so not much! Did your military career prepare you for the pressure of the tent? It helped a lot. The skills required to work through a high-pressure situation are exactly the same. The only difference is no one will die if you muck up your cake… unless you muck it up really badly! Did you get a Paul handshake? I got the first Hollywood handshake on the show – on TV it was edited so it looked like Steven got the first one but it was actually me. It was a relief because I wasn’t the most experienced baker. How much were you able to practise for each showstopper? I did each showstopper one-and-a-half times. Once in part to ensure the idea worked and then once through to see if it could be done in time. Luckily I didn’t have a full-time job, I was just doing a bit of personal training during the show. Did you have to do more boot camps to burn off all the cake? I put on a lot of weight and I’m only just getting back into training to get back down to my race weight for next year’s season of track bike racing. When I injured my back rowing, I switched to cycling – l actually missed the national championship this year because of Bake Off, but the year before I was the national champion for individual pursuit for my age range. I want to win my title back next year! The Great British Bake Off 2017 final airs this Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4
New Strictly judge Shirley Ballas reveals her biggest moments on the dancefloor
The ballroom veteran has been dancing since she was three years old – perfect training for putting the strict into Strictly…
“Well, I went for a screen test and I guess they recognised my talent,” says Shirley Ballas chirpily in response to being asked why the BBC chose her to be the new head judge on Strictly Come Dancing. But having been Latin American champion ten times in the USA, three times in the “British Open to the World” championships, plus European and German Latin champion, the 57-year-old clearly has the credentials. And Ballas couldn’t be happier about stepping into Len Goodman’s shoes when Strictly returns this week. “It’s becoming more real by the minute and I can’t wait,” she says. Ballas was born Shirley Rich in Leasowe on the Wirral in 1960, and started going to ballet classes at three years old. Aged seven, having been to a meeting of the Girl Guides in the local church hall, she heard music coming from one of the adjoining rooms. “The door had a little round window, so I pulled myself up and I saw a beautiful group of people cha-cha-cha-ing. I fell in love straight away. They can’t have been that good, but I thought it was like watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly! “I knocked on the door politely and walked in, and the gentleman told me they were starting children’s ballroom classes that Saturday, and my mum agreed that I could go. I had to walk about a mile and a half to get there, but I never missed a single class, sunshine or hail. “I’m now 57, and – except for a few months when I gave birth to my son Mark – I’ve never taken a break.” Having worked in the industry all her life, Shirley has inevitably encountered a couple of the Strictly judges already. “I’ve known Bruno Tonioli for over ten years, he’s a good friend, and I’m looking forward to all his antics! I’ve met Craig Revel Horwood several times, and I sat alongside him at my screen test, so I kind of know what to expect. Darcy Bussell and I haven’t had a chance to get to know each other yet, but I can’t wait.” As the new head judge, how does she feel about having to keep Bruno and Craig in check? “Oh, keeping those boys under control will be a piece of cake! And Darcy will be the one keeping me under control, I’m sure! It will be a lot of fun – very serious in parts, because I’m going to be a strict, firm, but extremely fair judge – but I can’t wait to see what this year’s celebrities have in store for us.” On the next page: Shirley reveals her most important moments on the dancefloor The defining moment of Shirley’s life, as told by the woman herself Teenage outings – with a boy! David Fleet was my first boy partner. Until I was 13, I had only competed in all-girl competitions with my juvenile partner, Irene Hamilton. I met David when I started training at a dance studio in Liverpool, which I had to take two buses and a train to get to. His parents let me stay with them at weekends, so we could have a lesson on a Saturday, and then go to competitions on a Sunday. I loved that yellow dress — it was the first I had and I looked after it so carefully. And look at those two bent legs — great technique even at that age! Dancing at the British home of ballroom I first went to Blackpool on a coach trip when I was ten years old to see [world-famous champion dancer] Marcus Hilton and it was just amazing — I knew at that moment that ballroom dancing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Dancing there with David was so overwhelming. The Tower Ballroom has been there such a long time and it’s such a beautiful building, with such atmosphere, that you can almost feel yourself going back in time. I can’t wait to go there with Strictly — it will be like going full-circle for me. Changing partner for the first time I was dancing with David when it was suggested I try out with the British junior ballroom champion, Nigel Tiffany, which was beyond anything I could’ve dreamt of — I was reasonably good then, but certainly no superstar. When Nigel and I started dancing together I’d get the train up to Shipley, West Yorkshire, but after a few weeks it became apparent it was too far for me to go aged 15, so it was decided that I’d move in with him and his family. A short-lived affair with Nigel Aged 16, I got engaged to Nigel and we soon moved to London together. I got a secretarial job that I was in no way qualified for, and Nigel got a job at a building society. My panda, Hansafarter Rich (I have no idea how I came up with that name!), came with us. My mother had given him to me to keep me company on all my travels. It was only a year later, in 1977, that he came with me again when I left Nigel. It was heart-breaking and I look back now and see how hurt he was. We’re still in touch today, though — he’s my financial adviser. I’m still in touch with all my dance-partners… and both my ex-husbands. Grabbing my chance of stardom – and changing my partner again! When I was 17 I got a call from my then coach, Nina Hunt, who said to me, “Do you want to get married and be a secretary for the rest of your life? Or do you want the chance of a lifetime to become a world champion in Latin American dancing?” She had set me up with a try-out with Sammy Stopford, who was a champion Latin dancer at the time. I left Nigel straightaway, before I even had the try-out! A couple of days later, when I met Sammy, he took my hand, I took two steps back, and he said, “Wrap it up — I’ll take it. This is the girl I’ve been looking for.” All I remember is that he was good-looking, he was a great dancer and he drove a car — what more could a girl want! So I left London and moved back up north to Manchester, to live with him. Living to dance – with my first husband Six months after getting together, Sammy and I never missed a final. Once we’d got married, in 1980, they called us the Non-Stop Stopfords. Sammy taught me everything about Latin dancing, and competing at a high level, he was as tough as a hobnailed boot, and for that I am extremely grateful because this business takes no prisoners, and if you’re not strong-minded, you will never survive it. But our whole life was just dance, dance, dance… there never seemed to be time for any social activity; I never went to a nightclub. We opened a studio, I ran it, we travelled the world competing, we won the British championships in 1983. And then, aged 24, I met Corky Ballas… Marrying again, moving to America and training Corky to be a champion Corky was fun and from a wealthy family in the States — his father invented a strimmer called The Weed Eater and he lived a very privileged life… I fell in love with him and thought I didn’t want to dance any more, so I left Sammy, married Corky in 1984 [they parted in 2002] and moved to the States. But six months later, I realised I couldn’t turn my back on dance, so I trained him to be a professional dancer. When I left Sammy, everyone told me, “You’ll never succeed in this industry again,” but Corky used to say, “Stick with me, I’ll take you places” — when he didn’t know his left foot from his right! He had the most amazing self-belief. When everybody said we couldn’t, he proved we could, and we won the “British Open to the World” championships twice together, in 1995 and 1996. Life on tour – and giving birth to a future champ! We toured all over Japan for six weeks at a time, several times a year, and of course when our son Mark was born, he toured with us. Mark was born in May 1986 and I always say he came out doing the cha-cha-cha and the jive! I took up competing again in the August. In his school holidays my mum would send him with a little rucksack to wherever we were in the world. But in 1996, when I was 36 and Mark was ten, it was time to spend more time with him — although soon after that, he decided he wanted to be a Latin American and ballroom dancer, too, so I became the mum going to all his competitions! He, of course, won the “British Open to the World” junior championships in Blackpool and is now a pro-dancer on Dancing with the Stars in the US, giving me tips on my new job. For ever in this business — I love it! View oEmbed on the source website Strictly Come Dancing Launch Show is on Saturday 7pm BBC1
Meet the finalists of BBC Young Dancer 2017
Here are two of the fleet-footed youngsters competing in BBC4's talented dancing competition
This Friday 24 March sees the return of the BBC Young Dancer competition, showing the very best in British dance from competitors between 16 and 21. Discover more about two of the talented performers here. Rhys Antoni Yeomans, 18 When Rhys was ten years old his mum and grandma took him to London to see the musical Billy Elliot in the West End. He’d been singing and dancing at stage school in Manchester for a couple of years, but little Rhys, who had never been to London or the theatre before, was so inspired he set his sights on being on that stage himself. Two years later he was. “Weirdly, a few weeks after I went to see Billy there was an audition to play him,” he recalls, “and my teacher at stage school told me to audition for it. I had never had any ballet or tap classes before but she just told me to go along and try. From 400 boys I got down to the last three – although at one point they asked everyone to put their tap shoes on and I was the only one who didn’t have any. “But I think they saw something in me that they could nurture – some potential. So they asked me to work on my dancing and suggested I go to a dance school in Manchester called Centre Pointe, where some of the past Billys had been. I trained there for a couple of years, with them coming back and keeping an eye on me. Two years later, when I was 12, they asked me to be in the show and I was Billy for 18 months.” Despite the role involving singing as well as various forms of dance – modern, tap and classical – it was ballet that Rhys really fell in love with and pursued once his time as Billy was up. But getting into a ballet school was harder than he ever imagined. “When Billy Elliot came out as a film all those years ago ballet was just for girls in pink fluffy tutus, but the film made a huge impact. It made ballet look strong and masculine and it became completely acceptable for boys to do it, which is great. But when it came to auditioning for ballet schools at 16, I would say there were probably more girls than boys auditioning! Luckily I got in, but now that my dream is to get a job in a ballet company, that Billy effect is really working against me – it’s so hard to get a place.” Now in his final year at the English National Ballet School, Rhys may be nervous about getting a much-coveted place within a dance company, but his talent and passion have obviously already set him apart. “My director at the National Ballet School asked me if I wanted to audition for BBC Young Dancer. Archie [Sullivan], who won the ballet category a couple of years ago, was also in my school and I really looked up to him, so I went for it. And it is an amazing opportunity because being part of the ballet section of the competition has given me a platform and exposure to directors from big ballet companies, as well as the chance to perform solos and pas de deux on stage, which is just incredible.” “One day I would love to be a principle dancer, like Steven McRae at the Royal Ballet. To play Romeo on stage would be the most amazing dream come true.” Anjelli Wignakumar, 20 "I started dancing Bharatanatyam when I was five years old,” recalls Anjelli, “because my mum did the same type of dance and put me in a lesson just before hers. All I wanted at that age was to be like her and I was a little attention-seeker, so I loved it! “ Anjelli’s parents are originally from Sri Lanka but came over to London to study and settled here. Her mum still dances alongside her day job at an investment bank in the city, while her dad is a surgeon in America. And Anjelli has taken inspiration from both – as well as dancing she is in her third year of medicine at Imperial College in London. “Fitting in my medical degree and my dancing is hard, I’m not going to lie – sleep deprivation is crucial! But it’s so nice to have an aspect of both my parents in my life – the medical career from my dad and the passion for dance from my mum. “If I had to give up one? I don’t think I could give up my medical career, but the fact I have dance as such a big part of my life takes the edge off both. It gives me a release from life in a hospital and at the same time means I can enjoy dancing without the pressure of feeling like I have to make a career or living out of it. “My parents are probably relieved I’ve decided to divide my time the way I have because dancing full time is always a risk. I admire the people who do it because the amount of training it takes and getting your name out there is so hard.” Following her performance in the South Asian section of Young Dancer, getting her name out there may not be so hard but as long as there are enough hours in the day (and night), Anjelli will undoubtably continue to be a dazzling dancing doctor. BBC Young Dancer 2017 is on Friday 24 March at 8pm on BBC4
Neil Morrissey: Men Behaving Badly would return if the public demanded it
The star of The Good Karma Hospital and The Night Manager reveals his love of Bake Off – and Australian Masterchef
You have just spent weeks in Sri Lanka filming The Good Karma Hospital – what did you miss most? I did get a bit fed up of having Sri Lankan curries every day, so I had pizza or a hot dog on the odd occasion. That’s terrible isn’t it? But it’s a hankering for home… I missed my missus, the dog, my bed, my own pillows, my chair… View oEmbed on the source website You’ve got a special chair? Oh yeah, I’ve got an old chair with a high back so I’m comfortable when I fall asleep in front of the TV, a lovely old Parker Knoll that’s suitable for a man of my years [54]. We bought them in Manchester a number of years ago because we love mid-century furniture and Em [Emma, his partner who’s a lawyer] had them upholstered. Cosy up on that. Big TV on. How big is big? Well, we’ve got a big, modern, open-plan lounge/ kitchen, with vaulted ceilings. It’s an ex-warehouse type place, so we’ve got quite a big sofa, big TV, kitchen’s behind us. I generally do most of the cooking. Perfect TV dinner? We try to buy local and we try to buy fresh – all of that sort of stuff. So I’ll go out hunting and come back bearing food and wine. We love a nice steak and a glass of wine. Or a couple. I love red wine. Em loves a drop of white wine, so there’s always one or the other on the go. So you’re in your chair, red wine in hand, what are you watching? We love a cookery programme while we’re eating. Bake Off has to be watched. We sometimes get into Australian MasterChef because it’s about 75 episodes. That’s half a year’s viewing, right there! And even though I was in it, The Night Manager. View oEmbed on the source website Last year you were in pretty much every good drama: The Night Manager, Line of Duty, Grantchester… Yes, I’ve done pretty well! I haven’t seen Grantchester, if I’m honest. My missus did. I think I was working at the time, but I saw The Night Manager. Awesome. Do you like watching yourself on screen? I don’t mind any more. When I’m in a scene, there’s an element I want to come across, so it’s helpful watching something back because either I think, “Oh my God, you’ve got nowhere near it.” Or “Yes, OK, you did it. You managed to get across what you were thinking about when you did it.” Which do you prefer – drama or comedy? You’ve just got to embrace the day, haven’t you? If something wonderful comes up, a lovely comedy, then how could I turn it down? At least I’ve been able to prove my boots in a different area. And hopefully we’ll be back in Sri Lanka next year because I’m happy behind McConnell’s beach bar. It’s familiar ground because you own your own pub don’t you? Yes, I’ve got a pub in the Midlands, but I rarely get behind the bar there. I have, of course, had a lot of experience pulling pints though – there hasn’t been an actor who hasn’t worked behind a bar! And I love a pint of English ale. Would you reprise Men Behaving Badly if you could? It can’t ever be what it was – we’re talking nearly 20 years ago – but if they came up with a good script and a good idea perhaps, because we’re old blokes now and we couldn’t be making the same mistakes. Martin Clunes is in pretty much the same boat as me. We’d have to lobby [creator/writer] Simon Nye and [producer] Beryl Vertue and say, “The public require it!” The Good Karma Hospital is on 9pm Sunday ITV
Alistair and Jonny Brownlee reflect on their Olympic highs and that eventful World Series race
Sports Personality nominee Alistair recalls the day he helped brother Jonny across the finish line
As if winning gold and silver in the triathlon at the Rio Olympics last summer wasn’t enough to secure the Brownlees a place in the nation’s heart, a month later they went on to melt it with a display of brotherly love that had the Prime Minister, Theresa May, hailing them as national icons. When Alistair dragged his ailing younger brother Jonny across the finish line at the final of the World Series in Mexico, the video went global, prompting an outpouring of praise. Now the brothers are back in Yorkshire, sitting by the fire in their festive jumpers decorating the tree with their medals as they tell RT all about Christmas round at the Brownlees’. “We stay at our parents’ house every Christmas Eve,” says Alistair, “so we can all wake up together and open our presents.” “We don’t buy each other stuff,” adds Jonny. “But we buy our little brother Ed [aged 20] something from both of us – a BMX or a GoPro. Last year it was a toaster that also poaches eggs.” “Then we have a tradition,” continues Alistair, “of going for a Christmas Day run before dinner.” “Ed has no interest in coming with us,” says Jonny. “He says triathlons are ridiculous! He doesn’t get what the attraction is, or why people watch us. He’s studying to be a vet. He’s a world expert in sheep and chickens...” “And then after dinner we play board games,” says Alistair. “We used to be really competitive when we were younger – Monopoly pieces would always end up flying into the air... But once you’ve competed in the Olympics you realise that winning a game of Monopoly isn’t that important!” Last summer that competitiveness was more than evident. In Rio, 28-year-old Alistair made history by defending his triathlon Olympic gold, with Jonny, two years his junior, upgrading his London 2012 bronze to silver. “Our goal was to win gold and silver,” says Alistair. “We did that, which was very special. So it’s a huge relief it’s over because it’s not just the end of the year for us, it’s the end of four years.” But while Alistair deservedly felt satisfied with his achievements post-Rio, Jonny wasn’t quite done for the year. “I really want to become world champion,” he explains, “that’s why I carried on training after the Olympics, while Alistair took a break.” In September the brothers were reunited for the season’s last World Series race in Mexico, which turned out to be a blessing. Just 700 metres from the finish line, Jonny was in the lead when he started stumbling and weaving. Running up behind him, Alistair saw his brother struggling and instinctively placed his arm around his shoulders, dragging him to the finish. Alistair helps brother Jonny across the World Series finish line In a final act of affection he stopped short of the line and pushed Jonny over it, so he won bronze. Jonny was then rushed to intensive care to recover. “I went to bed that night and Jonny had lost the World Champs, which kind of ruined what would have been an almost perfect season,” says Alistair. “I also didn’t know if I had done the right thing in terms of the rules. Then I woke up the next morning and was shocked!” Would Jonny do the same for his brother? “I will do now!” laughs Jonny. “Alistair actually had a similar episode in 2010 and I ran straight past, but I didn’t understand what he was going through. Although if it was the Olympics and I was going for gold then maybe not!” But the brothers racing each other on the Olympic stage is something we may never get another chance to see. In what seems like the ultimate act of brotherly love, Alistair is stepping away from the triathlon. When asked if they can imagine a time when they’ll no longer be racing together, they look at each other and smile. “Alistair might be doing a bit of long-distance racing,” says Jonny. “We’ll still be doing a lot of training together but maybe not the same races, which will definitely be a little bit strange.” “I want to try racing the Iron Man for a couple of years,” says Alistair, “and then I’ll decide what I want to do with the next Olympics.” It’s a huge decision to turn away from a sport that he’s dominated over the past few years, but one that will undoubtedly give Jonny the chance to become world champion – and perhaps even win Olympic gold. Sports Personality of the Year airs on Sunday 18 December at 6.40pm on BBC1
Has Glastonbury delivered on its promise to be “strong on women”?
This year's line-up includes Adele, Ellie Goulding, Laura Mvula, Jess Glynne and Cyndi Lauper – but has organiser Emily Eavis managed to address the gender imbalance?
When Adele takes to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury this year, she will be the second British female headliner at the festival to do so this century. The first was Florence Welch last year, but that was only by default – the singer stepped in when Foo Fighters were forced to pull out at the last minute. Out of the 91 headliners at Worthy Farm since the festival began in 1970, only 15 have included a woman. Beyond the main stage the statistics don’t get much better. Last year, some 86 per cent of the line-up was male. The gulf between the sexes was really highlighted last summer when critics reproduced copies of the festival line-up with the male musicians removed. It left enough white space to pitch a two-woman tent – and went viral. And the message certainly hit home with Emily Eavis, who organises Glastonbury alongside her father Michael. She consequently announced that this year the festival’s line-up would be “strong on women”. With Adele performing on the Saturday evening and Jess Glynne, Ellie Goulding, Laura Mvula, Wolf Alice, Róisín Murphy and Cyndi Lauper all appearing, the line-up is certainly strong, but women still only make up 29 of the 74 performers on this year’s poster (last year it was 23 out of 74). “To be fair,” says Eavis, “there’s always been a lack of balance in the music industry when it comes to opportunities for female performers, but it is slowly changing and hopefully we’re doing our bit to support the new female artists coming through. “It was brilliant to see Florence stepping up to headline last year after Dave Grohl’s accident led to Foo Fighters pulling out. It was as if she was born to that space, like she’d been ready to headline the Pyramid for ever. That was definitely one of last year’s great moments. “And Adele is the biggest artist in the world right now! I think she will make Glastonbury 2016 really special for everyone, from the tens of thousands of people in front of the stage to the millions watching and listening around the world.” Adele is a huge coup for Eavis and a particularly poignant one, as “Adele also has a very real connection to the farm and its history,” she explains. “She has been coming here since she was a small child. I think that will make it even more special.” While Eavis has consciously tried to redress the balance, it seems the other festivals have yet to get the message. V Festival is the only other weekend that can also boast a main stage line-up where women are really represented, with performers like Rihanna, Jess Glynne, Little Mix and Sia. Across the other festivals, bankable old rock bands still dominate the headliners: Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden at Download, the Stone Roses and Red Hot Chilli Peppers at T in the Park, the Cure at Bestival. The UK chart in the past year has been full of female acts with Adele, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Little Mix, Jess Glynne and Ellie Goulding all having top-selling albums. So why isn’t that reflected in our festival line-ups? Perhaps the problem lies in the people booking the acts and organising the music weekends? Emily Eavis has spoken out and is trying to make a difference, but the teams behind the rest of the festivals still seem to be dominated by men. “What’s also really important and special to me,” says Eavis, “is the number of women working in really key roles in our festival, from all the creative areas right through to the offices. We’re a proper women’s army down here!”
Accents, horseriding and scything - the actor reveals what it took to be the smash-hit period drama's leading man
Dublin born Aidan Turner really does feel he’s got the luck of the Irish. As he tells it, all the other actors were busy when the Poldark casting directors came calling. “I usually audition for things but they just sent me the scripts and the books, and asked me if I wanted to play the role,” the actor recalls. “It’s the only thing I’ve got offered in my entire life! Everybody else must have been busy… “Amy and Karen, the execs, tell a very sweet story about me being the only one they ever thought of. Amy says she was talking to Debbie and asked her to write down the names of three actors she would like to play Poldark, and Amy did the same. Apparently they could only think of one, and both had my name on their piece of paper. If you want to believe that, it’s very sweet. I don’t – and I don’t really care – I’ve got the role, signed the contract and they can’t get rid of me now!” He had three months to transform himself into the brooding romantic hero, which is “a luxury for any actor. It gave me tons of time to keep reading the books and the script,” the 32 year-old explains, “and to figure out how I see the character and mentally prepare for it, get the accent down, get in shape, have horse riding lessons…” And yet come day one on set, all that preparation went somewhat out the window. “I remember the first day so well. I was horse riding in the very first scene and thinking, ‘Jesus, if I blow this, it could all be over - I could be off! “It’s quite flattering really, thinking, ‘They believe in me and trust I can do it!’ But there’s a little bit in the back of your head worrying, ‘I hope I don’t let people down…’ But in this game you have to get over that very quickly. Self-doubt can sometimes be a good thing, but you need to keep it in check – it’s all a confidence game, really. You can’t let it beat you.” How to…be Ross “It always comes back to the script. Keep reading the script, keep reading the books, and that will inform you and what you have to do. It’s a really organic process. I didn’t see the last TV adaptation because Winston Graham’s novels and Debbie’s scripts were enough for me and I wanted to find Ross Poldark myself; I didn’t want to be swayed. I’ve hung out with Robin a few times and he’s a lovely fella, I think he forgives me for it!” ...Get the look “When the offer came in and I read the book, there was a moment when I went, ‘Let’s not go to the barbers, let’s keep this long, see what they want to do with it.’ “My Poldark is based on his description in the books and how the producers saw the character. With the scar for example, Jacqui Fowler, the make-up artist the first year, just put the scar on the left side of my face – we never gave it much thought, and it’s never mentioned in the book which side the scar is on - and then we discovered Robin Ellis had it on the other side! “Physically I saw Ross in a certain way. He’s strong, does a lot of manual labour, if he’s not on the horse he’s down a mine, he’s building stuff, he’s got a farm, it just made sense for him to be fit and strong. So I went to the gym a bit more, ate a little less, all those boring things. Unfortunately there’s no little pill you can take to grow a six-pack.” ...Grasp the accent “Poldark is a Cornish character, but the family was quite wealthy and well-respected, and Ross would have gone to public school, so he probably wouldn’t have had a Cornish accent. It just made more sense not to have it. And I’m sure it made my life easier! We had a really good voice coach on set but my English accent is pretty practiced – for a lot of Irish actors it’s a second tongue, having grown up watching the BBC. “I’ve never really given the Cornish accent a proper go though, and there is something about it that is a little bit like Irish, so maybe it wouldn’t have been a million miles away from my own voice. I might have looked a bit more foolish though if it hadn’t worked. When I listen to Jud and Prudie I can’t understand a single word of it! And even Demelza at times, I look at her script, which is written phonetically, and I can’t work any of it out.” ...Ride a horse “I’d done quite a bit of riding in New Zealand for the Hobbit but I was by no means an expert! I’m an actor, dahling, I’m faking it! You have to look like you’ve been doing it all your life. I went to a brilliant horse trainer in Yorkshire for a couple of weeks and got more comfortable in the seat, basically. “My horse’s name is Seamus. He’s a cool, Irish horse, so we get on great. He’s a celebrity now and has a lot of people visiting him at his stables – apparently they all rub his saddle for some reason, I have no idea why! “I’ve just come back from LA and I was horse riding over there quite a bit - a few pals have got horses and we were out riding around, but producers seriously don’t want to hear that. It’s fine when it’s a few months before I start work again, but if I come off a horse in the middle of a job and hurt myself, it tends to aggravate the people paying my wages.” ...Go underground “I went to Cornwall a couple of times before filming started - I’d never been prior to taking the role on - to actually go down some mines and see what the whole deal was. There are still a few working mines. It’s a very honourable and noble profession, a very ancient one, and it’s respected, but it wouldn’t be my cup of tea. It’s incredibly claustrophobic and dark, and y’know, you’re talking to an actor, we’re all lazy and the thought of manual work… I’m 32, I’m not scared of the dark anymore but the idea of spending all that time underground when it’s so beautiful above! When I got back to terra firma again, I took a deep breath and thought, “Thank God I’m back up in the sunlight.” ...Scythe a field “Anyone who knows scything looked at that scene and thought, “Oh, dear God, what is he doing?” A couple of experts criticised my technique and they were dead right to! “There was actually an expert there, looking at me while I was doing it and shaking his head. I’d go back and say, ‘show me again,’ just to make him happy, and then I’d get back in front of the camera and carry on swinging it around again… “He did say to me: ‘That’s ridiculous – you couldn’t do that for 10 minutes, you’d be exhausted. You’ve got a whole field to do here!’ But I only needed to do it for 45 seconds and I was obviously never trying to be a pro – it just had to look effective, and I think I did that. The real technique isn’t quite as dramatic. I do respect where he was coming from though, and we do have experts knocking around to keep us in check, especially with a period piece that has to be true to the time.” ...Swim for the cameras “I’m a strong swimmer but to be honest with you, I don’t know if there was much swimming involved in the scenes of me in the water. It was more thrashing around Timotei-style for a couple of minutes – not much swimming going on there! “The sea was gorgeous though. It was the height of the summer, it was really warm and we had this private beach - it was glorious.” Vote for Poldark in the Radio Times Audience Award at the Bafta TV Awards 2016
The Britain's Got Talent judges reveal what they REALLY think about each other
David Walliams, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Simon Cowell open up about their fellow buzzer-pushers
Britain's got Talent returns to ITV this evening, with all four judges in good form as they banter their way through the audition process. But how much of that bonhomie is real? Do they actually disagree on acts, or is it all for the cameras? And how annoying DOES Simon Cowell find David Walliams? To find out, we quizzed each one on their true feelings for their fellow judges, and you can see the (often surprising) result below. Starting with... The other judges on...Alesha Dixon Simon Cowell: Alesha was supposed to be on X Factor but it didn’t work out. Then we decided to add a fourth judge on BGT and she said yes. She had what we were missing, real expertise with the dancers. She’s current and fun, and her relationship with Amanda is genuine — and they’re not afraid to go up against me and David! BUT She can get very headstrong and it’s difficult to change her mind — she occasionally walks out! And sometimes she comes on in these bizarre, crazy outfits. But she’s so good-looking, she gets away with it. David Walliams: She’s passionate and knowledgeable about music and dance, so she’s got a real strong sense of what she likes and won’t be swayed.Sometimes I want to put someone through because they’re a laugh, but she takes it very seriously — I admire that. BUT She touches me quite a lot and I find it inappropriate. She’ll suddenly grab my leg or my arm and I find it a bit uncomfortable. Amanda Holden: When I found out she was joining the panel I rang her and said, “Shall we have a coffee, because Simon is going to want us to hate each other, and it ain’t going to happen!” I didn’t mind going from being the Queen Bee to sharing. Having somebody to be vulnerable with and do girly stuff with is so nice! We put our slippers on under the desk and we don’t care what Simon says. BUT She’s too perfect! She’s got one of those faces that’s completely photogenic from every single angle. The other judges on...David Walliams Simon Cowell: He is honestly the most annoying person I have ever worked with in my life; I might even be allergic to him. He’s like a spoilt child who never stops performing — but that’s what makes him brilliant. He makes me laugh and I have more fun with him than anyone I’ve ever worked with. BUT There is not a single day where at some point I haven’t thought, “I might actually hate you.” And this year his golden buzzer act is so awful, he will regret it, I promise you. Amanda Holden: He’s the best thing that’s happened to the show. We’re quite similar and I often dread what he’s going to say about an act, because I always think, “I was going to say that!” What I love most is how outrageous he’s been towards Simon — about his height and sexuality and ex-girlfriends... The places nobody else would dare to go. BUT He can be quite politically correct, which I can’t stand. When you think about the sketches he’s done, when he has a problem with somebody on stage, I just think, “How can you say that’s not funny when your comedy is so offensive?!” Alesha Dixon: David and I joined at the same time, and we’ve stuck together. He’s very much a gentleman, he’s very considerate of the women on the panel and very kind-hearted to the contestants. But he’s also very witty and comes out with sharp one-liners. BUT He’s always on his phone! I want to sit there and have a gas, a little chit-chat. Maybe he just doesn’t want to talk to me! The other judges on...Amanda Holden Simon Cowell: heryl [Fernandez-Versini] was supposed to be in Amanda’s place, but with days to go she backed out. We called ITV and they suggested two people — one was Amanda and the other was a girl on Corrie. Now I couldn’t imagine doing the show without Amanda. She enjoys every minute of it, never gets fed up, is easy to work with and is the voice of the public. BUT Her toilet humour, which I hate. I just can’t bear it. And she just never stops talking. During filming breaks she talks and talks, whereas I’m quite comfortable with an uncomfortable silence. David Walliams: You don’t often survive a series in this kind of show let alone ten, and that’s because she’s a good judge; firm but fair. And she’s good at flirting with Simon — I think that’s enough to secure her place every year! I’ve tried it but it doesn’t work for me for some reason... BUT She talks a lot! If I have a headache she makes me want to lie down in a darkened room. Alesha Dixon: She’s had my back from day one. Even when I started and people wanted us to hate each other. We’ve formed an alliance and it’s always us keeping the boys in line, which is an interesting dynamic because obviously Simon is essentially the boss. And she’s got a dirty laugh and can come out with some really naughty comments. BUT She just doesn’t know how good she is. I’m always telling her that she’s brilliant and deserves so much credit, but she won’t accept a compliment. The other judges (and Simon Cowell) on Simon Cowell David Walliams: It’s exciting being in his presence because he is very famous and he has this brilliant team that basically herald his arrival as if he’s royalty. There’s a gaggle of attractive female assistants who arrive before him, one by one. The first arrives and it’s like, “Simon’s left the hotel!” The next one arrives going, “Simon’s in the car!” Then the final one will walk in before him trumpeting, “Simon’s coming!” BUT He doesn’t like to arrive first or be kept waiting because he’s the biggest star, and that’s hard on everybody — the contestants, Ant and Dec, the production crew. Especially because we never know when he’s going to be there. He’s started setting new records of lateness. We are meant to start at one o’clock and the latest start has now been five o’clock! Amanda Holden: BGT was an absolute gift, and he constantly says to me, “I made you popular!” And to be honest I’m like, “Yeah, all right! Whatever you say.” We share the same kind of sense of humour — he can be quite dark and I can be too, although most people think I’m Little Miss Sunshine! We also both work better when we’re on the back foot — we’re fighters, we’re both made of the same metal. I say to him every year, “If you want to sack me, you have to make the phone call yourself.” But he hasn’t got the balls to do it, that’s probably why I’m still here after ten years! BUT He’s a tease. When he finds your Achilles heel, he’ll keep going for it. In comedy there’s a rule of three: you can make a joke three times until it stops being funny. He’s got a rule of ten! He’ll keep on and keep on... Like when Alesha and I are critiquing other girls, he makes his hands into a claw and starts going, “Miaow!” into the microphone. Once, he even got a saucer of milk from under his desk. Alesha Dixon: Everybody loves him because he’s such a charmer — he has an aura, an air about him. Everyone around him just wants to impress him! And he is actually hysterically funny and loves a wind-up — he’s always stealing my phone and sending out tweets that make me look silly, which I find quite funny. That’s his joke of the series. BUT I hate it when he stops an act halfway through, when we’re really enjoying it. We could be really in the moment but he doesn’t care and kills the vibe. Cowell on Cowell: My job on the panel used to be to annoy everyone else and be the bad guy but ever since David joined us, the dynamic changed. Now it’s no longer about me annoying them, they set out to annoy me. Now I am actually the victim, the underdog. I’ve had to become the nice person! BUT I’ve got to admit it — I think the four of us on the panel is about as good as we’re ever going to get. We actually even considered transferring them all on to X Factor at one point, but their egos, if I ever suggested it, would be unbearable! There have been times with X Factor — now I’ve had the chance to rethink what happened last year and the years before — where we had that chemistry and lost it by trying to change too much. Britain's Got Talent returns to ITV tonight (Saturday 9th April) at 7.00pm
Kit Harington and Laura Carmichael on early TV success and their troubles with stage fright
To celebrate the Olivier Awards, Radio Times has brought together some of the biggest stars of the screen whose passion is the stage...
When you started out, what was the dream? Kit Harington The ultimate ambition was to leave drama school and get a role as a spearcarrier at the RSC. Aged 17, I saw Ben Whishaw playing Hamlet and that was it for me, I was like, “I want to be Ben Whishaw.” So I applied to Rada… and didn’t get in. I ended up going to Central and while I was there auditioned for War Horse at the National and amazingly got the part. It was like winning the Lottery. Laura Carmichael I wanted to be a ballerina! Then at 16 I did Love’s Labour’s Lost at Winchester College, a posh boys’ school down the road from my school. They needed girls for their production, so four of us rocked up – the only girls on campus – and that was it! How important are school plays in cultivating the next acting generation? Kit There’s a push in schools to get back to basics – English, maths, science – and drama is tragically overlooked. It enables young people to break out of their shell, find confidence and a direction – it doesn’t mean they’re going to go off and be actors – but it’s a great outlet, which should have funding pumped into it, and it’s not. Laura I was really lucky at Winchester College, with an amazing teacher, Simon Taylor, who’s taught quite a few actors. Hugh Dancy was one of his protégés. Since we went to drama school, fees have gone up, which is mad! We have to be wary about what’s happened to arts funding. All the conversations about diversity should remind us that the arts have to be accessible to everyone. Were you wary of committing to on-going parts in TV dramas so early in your careers? Carmichael as Lady Edith in Downton Abbey and Harington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones Laura No! I didn’t have an agent after drama school and I didn’t work for two years. I was a teaching assistant. It’s just amazing how one part changes your life! It turns out Jill Trevellick, the Downton casting director, saw me at drama school and two years later found out where I was. Kit When Games of Thrones came along, I felt really lucky. We also got into TV at an amazing time, where the scale of it was changing. Laura It’s our profiles from those shows that mean we’re offered great parts on the stage. Kit All actors crave variety and there can be a laziness you slip into when you go back to a character every year, and I definitely slipped into it in the past. So there’s a point where you go, “I’m an actor. I got into this to play lots of different roles.” I need to do everything possible in my “out” period. That gap in series needs to be as challenging as possible. Having said that, I really don’t know why I said yes to this play [Doctor Faustus at the Duke of York's theatre]! Is there extra pressure to perform because of your profiles? Kit Yes! I won’t lie, I haven’t really slept much recently! It’s terrifying trying to prove to yourself that you can take on a role, while the world – OK maybe THE WORLD is a bit dramatic – but while certain people are waiting to judge you… Laura There’s certainly an expectation. I also had that feeling leading up to The Maids (below), and a few weeks in I’m still nervous every night, but you should be – when you face something that you find terrifying, the reward is greater. View oEmbed on the source website How different is the process of stage work? Kit I’ve got so used to prepping TV work in isolation – on my own in a hotel room – then getting on set, having a 15-minute chat about it and then doing it. With a play you come in and learn your part with everyone for five weeks – you discuss it and hone it, and, for me, that sense of company is amazing to have again. Laura It was the same on Downton – you had to come to set knowing what you wanted out of a scene or you were in trouble. Kit In TV and film, time really is money and that is the most important thing, unfortunately. Do you read your reviews? Laura I did an interview yesterday where some horrible woman tried to quote me a bad review to get a rise out of me! But I really don’t read them – the good ones or the bad ones. Kit I don’t know whether I’m going to read them… they could have a hugely adverse effect on the performance running for ten weeks. It could either destroy my confidence, or it could turn me into a cocky p***k who stops thinking about what he’s doing – so if I can possibly avoid them, I will. Read the full list of Olivier Award nominations here The Olivier Awards will be broadcast on ITV today (Sunday 3rd April) at 10.15pm