Pluribus release schedule: When is episode 7 on Apple TV?
The high-concept new series comes from the mind behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
It almost doesn't feel as though three episodes is enough to wrap up the questions and confusion that continue to boggle our minds when it comes to Pluribus but thankfully, that's all fine when we're already confirmed to be getting a second series. Still, we continue to follow Rhea Seehorn's Carol trying to uncover the truth after she's tasked with saving the world's happiness. The most recent sixth episode sees Carol sharing a horrific discovery and learning new truths in the process whilst Mr Diabaté (Samba Schutte) lives life to the fullest in Sin City. The mind-bending sci-fi series comes from Vince Gilligan, who seems to return to his X Files roots after creating beloved dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Last week's episode also saw a voice cameo from Seehorn's Better Call Saul co-star Patrick Fabian, who was on the other end of the phone line when Seehorn picks up the phone. “They surprised me. I did not know about this,” she told TV Guide about Fabian’s inclusion in the episode, which the crew saved as a secret for the actress until she shot the scene. Since its premiere, the show has not only garnered five-star reviews, but it also broke Severance series 2's record for the biggest global drama series launch on Apple TV. If you've now seen episode 6, and are wondering when new episodes land, read on for everything you need to know about the release schedule for Pluribus on Apple TV. When is Pluribus episode 7 released on Apple TV? Pluribus episode 7 will be released on Apple TV on Friday 12th December 2025. Following its double-bill premiere, episodes will now be released at a rate of one-per-week, culminating with the series 1 finale on Boxing Day 2025 (26th December). How many episodes are in Pluribus series 1? Pluribus series 1 consists of nine episodes in total. However, that won't be the end of the new series! Apple TV has such faith in the project that it commissioned two series at once, with a second set of nine episodes to follow at a later date. Pluribus release schedule If you're looking forward to seeing how Vince Gilligan's latest high-concept saga unfolds, mark your calendars for these dates when new episodes of Pluribus will drop on Apple TV: Pluribus episode 1 - We Is Us – Friday 7th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 2 - Pirate Lady - Friday 7th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 3 - Grenade - Friday 14th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 4 - Please, Carol - Friday 21st November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 5 - Got Milk - Friday 28th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 6 - Title TBC - Friday 5th December 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 7 - Title TBC - Friday 12th December 2025 Pluribus episode 8 - Title TBC - Friday 19th December 2025 Pluribus episode 9 - Title TBC - Friday 26th December 2025 Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV – you can sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV now. Add Pluribus to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi 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.
Paramount Plus brings series and movies from US television channels straight to your living room.
Paramount Plus has launched two new subscription tiers in the UK and Ireland, with its basic (with ads) and premium plans joining the standard tier. The streamer said the move comes as "part of the ongoing strategy to offer customers a choice of pricing options to enjoy its vast 'Mountain of Entertainment'". It added: "The new price structure for the UK and Ireland will create a great value entry point to allow more fans to access the platform and – with the launch of the premium plan – provide enhanced video quality, such as 4K UHD and streaming, on up to four devices at once." Paramount Plus isn't the first streamer to offer an ad-supported tier, with the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus already offering options that pepper your shows with ads to help you save a few pounds. The popular streaming service, which made its debut in the US in 2021, brings together blockbuster movies, TV series and children’s programming from a number of US television channels and film studios, including Nickelodeon, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV, CBS and, of course, Paramount Pictures. Highlights include franchises such as the Star Trek universe, Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone, as well as family-friendly franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Paw Patrol and Rugrats. In addition, Paramount is following in Netflix's footsteps and investing in Paramount originals, with titles such as 1923, The First Lady, Mayor of Kingstown and Special Ops: Lioness. Recently, they've also released new originals which include series like Fatal Attraction and Rabbit Hole, as well as movies like At Midnight and A Christmas Masquerade. If Paramount's film and TV offerings sound tempting then read on for everything you need to know about the streaming service. We walk you through how to watch Paramount Plus, how much it costs, the devices it can be watched on and some of our top film and TV picks to get stuck into. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video Jump to: What is Paramount Plus? How to get Paramount Plus in the UK Paramount Plus UK price: how much does it cost? Paramount Plus UK apps: which devices can you watch Paramount Plus on? What movies and TV shows are on Paramount Plus in the UK? What is Paramount Plus? Paramount Plus is a streaming service that launched in the US on 4th March 2021, which also functions as a relaunched and rebranded version of the previous service CBS All Access. The platform had been home to the popular Star Trek television franchise in the US but was otherwise struggling to establish itself in a competitive market. After relaunching in 2021 with a new logo, name and interface, Paramount now boasts over 60 million subscribers. With an impressive slate of original television shows and movies (more on that below), Paramount Plus is attempting to solidify itself in the streaming world alongside other heavyweights like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Get Paramount Plus for no extra cost at Sky Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video How to get Paramount Plus in the UK Here are all the different ways you can watch Paramount Plus in the UK. How to get Paramount Plus on Amazon Prime Video Paramount Plus is available as an add-on to Amazon Prime Video. You have to already have an Amazon Prime Video membership and you can then pay extra each month to get access to all of Paramount Paramount Plus' content through the Prime Video interface. To add Paramount Plus to your Prime Video open the Prime Video app and search for 'Paramount+' or scroll down to the Prime Video Channels category and select Paramount+. Select the banner at the top of the screen which says 'Learn More'. Here you can sign up for a seven day free trial to Paramount Plus. Your paid membership starts when these 7 days are up. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video How to get Paramount Plus in the UK on Sky Paramount Plus is available at no extra cost to existing Sky TV customers with a Sky Cinema subscription. Simply buy a subscription to Sky Cinema and you will have access to all of Paramount's content. Get Paramount Plus for no extra cost at Sky How to get Paramount Plus on NOW Sky’s streaming service NOW also has a Sky Cinema membership (at the cost of £9.99 per month), however, the Paramount Plus app won't be available on the streaming service. But, NOW has said that NOW cinema members will be able to stream most of Paramount's latest blockbusters and on-demand movies at no extra cost. Get NOW Cinema for £9.99 a month at NOW Paramount Plus UK price: how much does it cost? Paramount Plus has launched two new subscription tiers in the UK and Ireland on 20th November 2024: its basic (with ads) and premium plans. The basic (with ads) tier is priced at £4.99 per month in the UK and €5.99 per month in Ireland. The price of the standard plan will change to £7.99 from £6.99 a month in the UK, and to €8.99 in Ireland. Finally, the premium plan will cost £10.99 in the UK and €11.99 per month in Ireland. As detailed above, you can also sign up for a seven day free trial to Paramount Plus. Your paid membership starts when these seven days are up. The service is accessible on Apple, Google, Roku, and Samsung platforms. You can also watch Paramount Plus on Amazon Prime Video for just £7.99 a month after the seven day free trial. You can't get an annual subscription with Prime, just monthly. You can also get Paramount Plus for free with a Sky Cinema. Get a seven day free trial of Paramount Plus on Amazon Prime Video Not yet an Amazon Prime Video customer? Sign-up for a 30 day free trial Get Paramount Plus for no extra cost at Sky Paramount Plus UK apps: which devices can you watch Paramount Plus on? UK customers will be able to watch Paramount Plus online, on their mobiles, and via a wide range of connected TV devices via the Paramount Plus app. These include Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Android devices, Chromecast, and Samsung Smart TVs, and Roku. Check out the full list below: Android app (phone & tablet) Desktop (web) iOS app (phone & tablet) - iOS 12.2+ Apple TV 4 (tvOS) & 5 (4K) Compatible Android TV devices Compatible FireTV devices Roku Chromecast Samsung TV (2017 or newer) Sky Q (UK & Ireland only) Sky Glass (UK only) For more information, visit <a href="https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/1236178/175360/3065?language=en_GB&cbsclick=TFvWOISTgxyIUtwwCdSGbTdCUkDzJ1WpH0bawI0&vndid=221109&clickid=221109&sharedid=trd-gb&ftag=PPM-09-10aag1f&dclid=COStsqynw_gCFUOBhQodp7cIUA&subId1=radiotimes-1091462&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.paramountplus.com%2Fs%2Farticle%2FPI-On-which-devices-can-I-watch-Paramount%3Flanguage%3Den_GB%26cbsclick%3DTFvWOISTgxyIUtwwCdSGbTdCUkDzJ1WpH0bawI0%26vndid%3D221109%26clickid%3D221109%26sharedid%3Dtrd-gb%26ftag%3DPPM-09-10aag1f%26dclid%3DCOStsqynw_gCFUOBhQodp7cIUA" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Paramount Plus UK’s help page. What movies and TV shows are on Paramount Plus in the UK? When it comes to movies and TV shows Paramount Plus is not short of content. The list of recently added movies includes new releases like Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Gladiator 2 and Paw Patrol Air Rescue. Paramount Plus also has a broad selection of classic films which include The Godfather, Titanic, and Forrest Gump. The children aren't forgotten either with a Paramount subscription giving access to Sonic the Hedgehog and Paw Patrol: The Movie. On the series front, the entirety of the Star Trek franchise is available on Paramount Plus in the UK, as is the critically acclaimed drama series Yellowstone. The company also announced a host of new TV shows and these included a revival of Frasier, a Grease prequel series, a mini-series about the making of the Godfather titled The Offer and a Halo series based on the popular video game. Other original series include 1883, The Offer, Mayor of Kingstown, Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, The First Lady, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Queen of the Universe and Jerry & Marge Go Large. There are also new children's series in the works, too, including a remaking of the cartoon series Rugrats, plus live-action reboots for Dora and The Fairly Odd Parents. Get Paramount Plus for no extra cost at Sky Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video Find out what's on tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
It: Welcome to Derry release schedule – when is episode 7 released?
The secret history of Pennywise the Clown comes to light in Sky and NOW's sci-fi horror.
It looks as though another clown is in town as It: Welcome to Derry episode 6 has revealed a closer look at the mysterious Periwinkle the clown. It was a bit of a long time coming until Pennywise arrived on our screens but it's safe to say his grand entrance was worth the wait, leaving fans on tenterhooks until the latter half of the season. The creative team behind the Stephen King adaptation made the bold decision to withhold the iconic villain for the first half of the series, while expanding the lore of the demonic entity in ways that have left fans divided. Now though, it seems that the horror is poised to kick into high gear, with Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise back on our screens and more frightening than ever. The most recent episode however also dug deeper into the story of Ingrid Kersh, with some of the revelations set to really surprise viewers. Of course, nothing quite beats the fear of seeing Pennywise on our screens, with the young cast of It: Welcome to Derry recalling their first time seeing Pennywise on the set in an interview with RadioTimes.com (see video above). "Once we got to that official scene, when we got to see him, it was so scary," said Amanda Christine, who plays Ronnie. "It was like, 'Oh my gosh! I've never been afraid of clowns, but at this moment I'm terrified." Co-star Matilda Lawler, who plays Marge, agreed that Skarsgård's Pennywise makes for an "imposing" sight, which is just "as terrifying in person – if not more – than it is on screen". But what can fans expect from the next instalment of It: Welcome to Derry, and when will it arrive? Here's everything you need to know about when episode 6 is released. When is It: Welcome to Derry episode 7 released? It: Welcome to Derry episode 7 will be released on Monday 8th December in the UK (and Sunday 7th November in the US via HBO). The next chapter, titled Neibolt Street, will first broadcast at 2am on Sky Atlantic, before a repeat later that day at the more reasonable time of 9pm. Alternatively, stream at your convenience on NOW. How many episodes are in It: Welcome to Derry? It: Welcome to Derry will consist of eight episodes initially. However, co-creator Andy Muschietti has teased that their could be multiple future seasons of the horror series, telling Deadline that "there is an intentional bigger arc that will open". "My intention with this was to create a story that is a little bit like an iceberg under the water all through seasons 1, 2 and 3. There will be an expansion in the mythology and more answers to the big questions." It's thought that each season of the show will go further back in time each season, to show the origins of Pennywise's reign of terror. It: Welcome to Derry UK release schedule Stephen King fans won't have to wait long for It: Welcome to Derry to come to the UK, with episodes scheduled to air on Sky Atlantic and NOW just a day after their premiere in the US on HBO. Here's an overview of the release schedule at the moment: It Welcome to Derry episode 1 – The Pilot – Monday 27th October 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 2 – The Thing in the Dark – Monday 3rd November (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 3 – Now You See It – Monday 10th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 4 – The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function – Monday 17th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 5 – Neibolt Street – Monday 24th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 6 – In the Name of the Father – Monday 1st December 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 7 – TBC – Monday 8th December 2025 It Welcome to Derry episode 8 – TBC – Monday 15th December 2025 It: Welcome to Derry continues on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday 7th December 2025. Add It: Welcome to Derry to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi 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.
South Park season 28 release schedule: How to watch new episodes in the UK
New season, same madness – here's when to expect the next chapter.
South Park season 28 is in full swing, and the latest instalment continued this season's political themes with an episode tackling Thanksgiving. The episode, titled Turkey Trot, took aim at Saudi Arabian sponsorship, as well as United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone recently confirmed that the show's shift towards political satire this season was not planned, but that “politics became pop culture”. Speaking to The New York Times, Parker said: "We’re just very down-the-middle guys. Any extremists of any kind, we make fun of. We did it for years with the woke thing. That was hilarious to us. And this is hilarious to us." Wondering when the next episode is set to be released? Read on to stay on top of the South Park release schedule and ensure you won’t miss a moment of the increasingly unhinged storylines. Read more: 15 best South Park episodes of all time When is South Park season 28 episode 5 released? South Park season 28 episode 5 will air on 10th December in the US and is expected to follow on Comedy Central UK on Thursday 11th December. The episode will head to Paramount+ shortly afterwards, as is now standard for the long-running series. How many episodes are in South Park season 28? At this stage, your guess is as good as ours! But barring any more unexpected changes, we'd expect South Park season 28 to consist of five episodes in total. TheWrap reports that the plan of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone is still to release 10 episodes in total this year (suggested to be the five that comprised season 27, and a further five in season 28). South Park season 28 release schedule South Park's recent release pattern has been chaotic at best, but at present, this looks to be the UK schedule for the remainder of season 28 – which is due to conclude in mid-December. South Park season 28 episode 1 – Twisted Christian – Thursday 16th October 2025 (out now) South Park season 28 episode 2 – The Woman in the Hat – Saturday 1st November 2025 (out now) South Park season 28 episode 3 – Sora not Sorry – Thursday 13th November 2025 (out now) South Park season 28 episode 4 – Turkey Trot – Thursday 27th November 2025 (out now) South Park season 28 episode 5 – title TBC – Thursday 11th December 2025 South Park is available to stream on Paramount+. Add South Park to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy 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 Death of Bunny Munro ending explained: Does Bunny go to hell?
The Death of Bunny Munro comes to a surreal end with its sixth episode.
The Death of Bunny Munro is a rollercoaster ride, spanning everything from outrageous comedy to disturbingly dark moments, leaving viewers to anxiously question whether the promise of the title will be fulfilled. In the sixth and final episode, Bunny (Matt Smith) and his son (played by newcomer Rafael Mathé), finally arrive at the beauty product convention they had been heading towards – but there's more than fancy moisturisers to worry about. Not only has Bunny's behaviour become increasingly reckless and unpredictable, but a mysterious devil-horned killer is stalking the area, after gradually nearing closer over the past five chapters. Can disaster be averted? Read on for our full explanation and analysis of The Death of Bunny Munro ending – or stream all episodes on Sky Atlantic and NOW if you don't want anything spoiled for you. The Death of Bunny Munro ending explained: Does Bunny go to hell? The Death of Bunny Munro lives up to its title, with the emotional series finale depicting a grisly fate for Matt Smith's character – but hope of a better future for his young son. Bunny had whisked away his nine-year-old, Bunny Jr, on a chaotic road trip around Sussex, under the flimsy premise that he would teach him the tricks of his trade as a door-to-door salesman. In reality, the impromptu odyssey was utterly self-destructive, seeing Bunny indulge in his addictions to sex, drugs and alcohol, with no regard for the cost to others. Although Bunny Jr initially saw his father through rose-tinted glasses, those eventually dropped as his behaviour became ever more reckless, clearly exposing the fact that he wasn't capable of raising him alone. Throughout the series, we had seen menacing news reports of a murderer in a devil costume, whose deadly spree was on a collision course with Bunny and his son; in the end, the older Munro dies after being mown down by the killer's truck. This is where the show takes a turn for the surreal, with Bunny being guided to an unsettling music lounge filled with faces from his past, including late wife Libby (Sarah Greene). He finally confronts his mistreatment of her with a rendition of love song You Were Always on My Mind, but the token gesture is too little too late, and cannot offer him the redemption he is now so desperately seeking. As Libby and others in the lounge make their way upstairs for "a party," Bunny is informed that he's not invited, leaving him alone in the empty venue where the devil tenderly embraces him. It's apparent that the "horned killer" is not a plot point to be taken at face value, but rather a visual representation of Bunny's worst habits, including his abuse of substances and disregard for people, including those closest to him. Perhaps he could have heeded the reports of approaching doom and meaningfully changed his ways to avert such a catastrophe, but his continued commitment to hedonism and self-interest made his rendezvous with the devil an inevitability. Speaking to GQ about how the story ends, author Nick Cave explained: "I don't think that I'm trying to say 'repent'. I believe that what goes on in Bunny Munro's character is in all men. "It is innate within us – a kind of predatory sexual-ness – just as violence is innate within us. We're born with it. I think we must learn certain other things in order to negotiate ourselves through life, and those things are the better aspects of our character – empathy and intimacy." Cave added: "I was determined not to write a book about a monster who sees the error of his ways and kind of repents, which is the normal way in which a lot of these novels go. I don't go for the facing up to our faults and the admission of our sins as necessarily a redemptive thing." In-keeping with this assessment, Bunny gains a kind of self-awareness in death – recognising his faults and the bright promise in his son – but this doesn't absolve him of his total immorality in life. Whether that means he goes to hell (in the most conventional and mainstream understanding of the term) probably depends on your own philosophical or religious outlook. Certainly, it's one valid way to interpret the disquieting image of Bunny's lonely dance with the devil. However, the following scene suggests a more purgatorial fate. We see Bunny in one last conversation with his son, presumably an imagined one, at the same holiday resort where he first absorbed the toxic traits that would follow him for the rest of his life. He learned these behaviours from watching his own father, Bunny Sr (David Threlfall), as shown by how he mimics the very same hand gestures when approaching a girl at the edge of the swimming pool – resembling the floppy ears of a bunny rabbit. After the heart-to-heart, Bunny Jr walks off to face a brighter tomorrow, while his father proceeds to sink down into the dark, murky pool, returning to where his path in life became set. This might represent Bunny's descent to "hell" or, alternatively, an afterlife spent languishing in purgatory, which would reflect his inability to grow or change on the mortal plane. As a result, the cycle of pain is broken and Bunny Jr gets another chance as he ends up in a caring foster home, which sends him back to school after a prolonged absence. The Death of Bunny Munro is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW. 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. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
James Bond icon confirmed for major role in Wednesday season 3 – debunking Lady Gaga theory
A familiar Tim Burton collaborator is joining the Netflix series.
Wednesday season 3 has found its Aunt Ophelia – and it isn't Lady Gaga, as some fans had predicted. The character was briefly glimpsed at the end of the recent second chapter, but her face was never shown, leaving fans to speculate as to who might embody the long-foreshadowed role. One leading theory was that Gaga's character – Nevermore teacher Rosaline Rotwood – might have been revealed as Ophelia in disguise all along, but this has been debunked by a major new addition to the Wednesday cast. We now know that Casino Royale star Eva Green will play Aunt Ophelia in season 3, with the French actor telling Tudum that she "can't wait to bring my own touch of cuckoo-ness to the Addams family". The casting isn't a total surprise given that Green has a long history of collaboration with Wednesday director and executive producer Tim Burton, dating back to 2012's gothic comedy Dark Shadows. They two would later reunite on Burton's adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and most recently on Disney's live-action Dumbo remake, which hit cinemas back in 2019. In a statement, Wednesday co-creators and showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar said: "Eva Green has always brought an exhilarating, singular presence to the screen – elegant, haunting, and beautifully unpredictable. "Those qualities make her the perfect choice for Aunt Ophelia. We’re excited to see how she transforms the role and expands Wednesday’s world." Ophelia is the estranged sister of Morticia Addams (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones), who we have briefly seen locked up in the spooky home of Grandmama Hester (Joanna Lumley) scrawling three menacing words: "Wednesday must die." "The re-emergence of Ophelia is going to hit this family like a bomb," Gough teased (via Tudum). "It was always the plan to give viewers a glimpse of her at the end of the season in a way that they weren't expecting, and then that's a driver into season 3." Further casting for season 3 will be announced in due course, but Ortega is confirmed to reprise the lead role, with co-stars Emma Myers (Enid) and Hunter Doohan (Tyler), plus Zeta-Jones, Lumley, Luis Guzmán (Gomez) and Fred Armisen (Fester). Wednesday season 3 is coming soon to Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Fantasy 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. Add Wednesday to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Stranger Things season 5 age rating – how old do you need to be to watch?
The heroes of Hawkins started young, but that doesn't mean the viewers should too!
Stranger Things season 5 is perhaps the most anticipated television premiere of the year, with its epic action and vibrant style likely to pique the interest of all ages. However, as determined by the UK's official age rating body, not everyone should flock to the final episodes as they drop, with season 5 likely to feature more nightmarish monsters, gruesome deaths and mature themes. The story picks up with our plucky young heroes readying themselves for a final showdown against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), who rules the deadly alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. So, at what age should someone consider taking their first trip to Hawkins? Here's the information you need on Stranger Things' age rating as season 5 premieres. Stranger Things season 5 age rating – how old do you need to be to watch? Stranger Things has a '15' age rating in the UK, as set by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), meaning that only individuals aged 15 years or older should be watching the show. According to the Netflix website, this certificate was given due to the show's depiction of "sex, sex references, violence, injury detail, discrimination, threat [and] horror". Ironically, it means that the main Stranger Things kids themselves would not have been old enough to watch their own show when seasons 1 and 2 were airing, although most would have been of an age to tune in by season 3's premiere. In the US, Stranger Things has recently been upgraded to a higher age rating, going from TV-14 (for ages 14 and up) to TV-MA (for ages 17 and up), which might be an indication of more extreme scenes to come (via ScreenRant). At the time of writing, there has not been any indication that Stranger Things' BBFC certificate will be going from a '15' to an '18', but we'll keep an eye out for updates over the coming weeks. For an insight into what Stranger Things season 5 holds in store, check out the trailer below: View Green Video on the source website Stranger Things season 5 premieres on Netflix UK on Thursday 27th November. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi 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 Channel 4 drama confirms return with beloved Doctor Who guest star joining the cast in first-look images
It's all change at York Police as Patience gets a new partner.
Channel 4 has released first-look images from the second season of its hit detective series Patience, which has enlisted a new co-star for its latest run. The show premiered at the start of the year, introducing viewers to York Police's Patience Evans (played by Ella Maisy Purvis), who went from a backroom role in the criminal records office to cracking the city's most perplexing crimes. She did so in partnership with DI Bea Metcalf (Breaking Bad's Laura Fraser), who is notably absent in season 2 as Patience gets a new boss in the form of Jessica Hynes's Detective Frankie Monroe. Hynes will be well-known to viewers from her roles in Spaced, W1A and There She Goes, as well as her guest appearances in acclaimed Doctor Who episodes Human Nature and The Family of Blood. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/78256S2-Embargoed-0001-Tuesday-25th-November-Patience-Series-2-First-Look-3ab5c9b.jpg" width="5469" height="3409" alt="DS Jake Hunter (Nathan Welsh), Calvin Baxter (Mark Benton), Detective Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes) and DC Will Akbari (Ali Ariaie) in Patience season 2" title="78256_S2_- Embargoed 0001 Tuesday 25th November - Patience Series 2 - First Look" /> Frankie's introduction poses quite the disruption to Patience's working life, with the season 2 synopsis teasing a "very different management style" that will prove "tricky for them both to navigate". Of course, viewers can also expect "more twisted and mysterious crimes in spectacular settings including a killer in York Minster, a murder in a monastery and a body in the Botanical Gardens". Patience is based on the French-Belgian series Astrid et Raphaëlle and has been praised for its mainstream representation of autism through the title character (as well as star Purvis, who plays her). The series attracted a large audience with its first season, with an average of 4.2 million tuning in to make it Channel 4's most successful launch in four years. Patience has since secured distribution in 33 other territories around the world. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/78256S2-Embargoed-0001-Tuesday-25th-November-Patience-Series-2-First-Look-3-eb455c6.jpg" width="7681" height="5095" alt="Detective Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes) and Patience Evans (Ella Maisy Purvis); they are photographed standing against a red brick wall, with York Minster in the distance behind them" title="Patience - Series 2" /> Channel 4's release concludes: "This groundbreaking series goes from strength to strength and is sure to delight its many fans around the world again." In addition to Purvis and Hynes, Patience season 2 also sees the return of Nathan Welsh (Trying) as DS Jake Hunter, Mark Benton (Smoggie Queens) as Calvin Baxter, Adrian Rawlins (Chernobyl) as Douglas Gilmore and Ali Ariaie (The Great) as DC Will Akbari. Rounding out the cast are Connor Curren (Dodger) as Billy Thompson, Liza Sadovy (The Rumour) as Dr Loretta Parsons and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack) as Patience's love interest, Elliot Scott. Watch a trailer for the first season of Patience below: View Green Video on the source website Patience season 2 is coming soon to Channel 4. 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. Add Patience to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Does Stranger Things' season 5 trailer tease an early death – and a close call for Dustin?
The brand new trailer might have some gags, but the warning signs remain right in front of us.
Netflix's second Stranger Things 5 trailer is notably more fun and optimistic than the first – but it could still be hiding a dark secret in plain sight. The initial teaser, released just prior to Halloween, heavily alluded to profound suffering and sacrifice, with various shots of characters in danger or distress set to the epic backing track of Queen's Who Wants to Live Forever. The dramatic reveal of this farewell season understandably left fans theorising about potential deaths – and we shouldn't let our guard down just because the follow-up trailer strikes a lighter tone. We open on loveably mismatched besties Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) as they wait in a car with some kind of satellite transmitter conspicuously plonked on the top. From there, we get bread crumbs about an "insane" plan cooked up by Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and their gang, which Dustin hopes will result in "Vecna's heart on a platter". Suffice to say, they aren't playing D&D any more. As the trailer ends, we return to Dustin and Steve in the car – now joined by Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) – as they speed through a portal to the Upside-Down, presumably in a daring bid to take the fight to their foe. There's an air of hope and triumph to the 90-second sizzle reel, but two troubling signs remain. Once again, Dustin spends much of the trailer with cuts and bruises all over his face. This is also the case in the preceding promo, which features a poignant moment when the bruised, crying teen embraces a worried Steve. But what could cause such injury and distress? The answer is perhaps not in what the trailer shows us, but what it doesn't. One major absence is the adult characters. OK, technically the 'kids' are all adults now too, but I'm referring to those who were grown-ups at the start of the show i.e. Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), Murray (Brett Gelman), etc. Across trailers 1 and 2, which come to a combined length of 225 seconds, we've only seen approximately 16 seconds worth of these older characters – and some of that has been the same footage repeated twice. Clearly, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer are wanting to refocus attention on the original youngsters, after the cast ballooned into a much larger ensemble during seasons 3 and 4. But will they take drastic action in order to achieve that? It seems either that the roles of the grown-ups (for lack of a better term) are so small that there simply isn't much more footage than we've seen, or there is something relating to these characters that the Duffers are actively trying to hide. Could it be that Vecna lures the adult population of Hawkins into the Upside-Down in a warped Pied Piper situation, leaving it up to the plucky local teenagers to rescue them? Or could the monstrous foe have a more lethal trick up his sleeve? While it's unlikely that the Duffers would wipe out all of their adult characters in one fell swoop, it does seem plausible that at least one of them could be on the chopping block this time around. Additionally, rather than building up to a major death – as was the case in seasons 2 (Sean Astin's Bob), 3 (Dacre Montgomery's Billy) and 4 (Joseph Quinn's Eddie) – they could instead kick off their swan song with a shocking early exit. The question is, who? Obviously, Joyce and Hopper are prime candidates. The loss of either character would have an enormous impact, both within the world of the show and among the fanbase. Notably, Hopper's trailer appearances all seem to revolve around one particular sequence with Eleven, where the adoptive father and daughter appear to be covertly infiltrating one of Hawkins' pop-up military bases. Does the mission go horribly awry? It could be that demise which prompts a tearful Eleven to tell Mike that he doesn't "get to write the ending" of this real-world battle; another intriguing shot from the first trailer finds Joyce looking profoundly troubled by something. Is she mourning? Given that Hopper was (briefly) thought to be dead at the end of season 3, there is a risk that actually killing him off could now feel repetitious, but the Duffers are capable enough to find a fresh approach to this potential loss. Don't rule it out. Of course, this isn't the only route they could take, with a safer option being to target one of the less prominent adult characters, such as Mike's parents Karen (Cara Buono) and Ted (Joe Chrest), or supportive science teacher Mr Clarke (Randy Havens). It's not yet confirmed whether Havens is returning to the show (after skipping season 4 entirely), but there have been rumours of a comeback for his character, which would be fitting given that he was first to explain the Upside-Down theory in season 1. An untimely death for Mr Clarke could explain Dustin's emotional distress, as he and the other boys looked up to him, while not disrupting the status quo too drastically. In other words, it would be convenient for the writers. We can't rule out that one of the younger characters could die too – fans have been fearing for Steve's safety since the show began, after all – but such a crushing loss seems more likely to be a closing sacrifice than an opening salvo. Think of it this way: you kill Heimdall (Idris Elba) at the start of Avengers: Endgame. You don't kill Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) in the first five minutes, unless you want to incite a riot. For the sake of my argument, as well as for legal reasons, let me state clearly that the Duffer brothers have made no indication of wanting to start a riot with the release of Stranger Things 5. Second stringers be warned. Stranger Things 5 premieres on Netflix on Wednesday 26th November. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Check out more of our Sci-fi 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. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Spartacus: House of Ashur release date, how to watch, plot and trailer
The cult favourite series is back for a bold new era.
It's been more than a decade since fans saw the violent world of Spartacus on screen, but finally, after a very long wait, new spin-off series House of Ashur has had its release date confirmed. The new series imagines an alternate future for Nick Tarabay's iconic character Ashur than what was depicted in the original run, with it being set in a world where he not only survived the events of season 3, but thrived! Spartacus co-creator Steven S DeKnight is back at the helm, and he recently explained why he decided to focus on Ashur when returning to this world. Speaking with Deadline, DeKnight said: "Ashur is just such a juicy character. He is definitely a villain in the original series. But when you go to Gods of the Arena, you see why he became that. He just wanted to be part of the brotherhood. He wanted to have friends and love, and he was denied that. It was pretty much, 'If I can’t serve in heaven, I’ll rule in hell.' "This deep-seated emptiness in his heart really drives him, his need to be accepted and loved. One of the challenges we face in the new show is how to take a character who was so despicable in the original and get the audience behind them. And the answer is, introduce even worse people, and they are the Roman elites who really work them over." While the show will primarily be made up of new characters surrounding Ashur, we do know that Lucy Lawless will return in a guest capacity as Lucretia. There was also at one time a contingency plan in place, that were Lawless not be able to return due to scheduling, John Hannah would come back as his character Quintus Lentulus Batiatus instead. DeKnight revealed it "didn't quite work out" for Hannah to return, but Tarabay added that even if the team could bring Hannah back only for one episode, he would "love" it. But, as we head towards the show's debut, what do we know about Spartacus: House of Ashur so far? Read on to find out. Spartacus: House of Ashur release date speculation <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/01/Spartacus-House-of-AshurLeft-to-Right-Jordi-Webber-Tarchon-and-Tenika-Davis-Achillia-a3f0c46.jpg" width="1800" height="1200" alt="Jordi Webber as Tarchon and Tenika Davis as Achillia in Spartacus: House of Ashur. He is bending down, holding up a shield, and she is jumping down towards him holding a sword." title="Spartacus: House of Ashur_Left to Right: Jordi Webber (“Tarchon”) and Tenika Davis (“Achillia”)" /> After a long wait since the show was first announced in 2023, we now know exactly when Spartacus: House of Ashur will debut. The first two episodes will be released on Starz in the US on Friday 5th December 2025, while they will arrive on MGM+ in the UK one day later, on Saturday 6th December. Subsequent episodes are set to arrive on the respective platforms weekly, with new instalments airing on Fridays in the US and Saturdays in the UK. How to watch Spartacus: House of Ashur While fans in the US can watch Spartacus: House of Ashur on Starz, fans in the UK will be able to watch the episodes on MGM+. Viewers can get MGM+ as an add-on subscription within Prime Video. Other shows to air on MGM+ include the series within the Power franchise and both Outlander and its prequel, Blood of My Blood. Spartacus: House of Ashur cast: New and returning <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/01/Spartacus-House-of-AshurLeft-to-Right-Jamaica-Vaughan-Hilara-Nick-E.-Tarabay-Ashur-and-Ivana-Baquero-Messia-1b34539.jpg" width="1800" height="1200" alt="Jamaica Vaughan as Hilara, Nick E Tarabay as Ashur and Ivana Baquero as Messia in Spartacus: House of Ashur." title="Spartacus: House of Ashur_Left to Right: Jamaica Vaughan (“Hilara”), Nick E. Tarabay (“Ashur”) and Ivana Baquero (“Messia”)" /> Nick Tarabay leads the cast of Spartacus: House of Ashur as the titular villain, who will be taking centre stage in this dark reimagining of the series lore. He will be joined by a whole host of new stars and characters, including Graham McTavish as Korris and Tenika Davis as Achillia. Meanwhile, one returning stars from the original Spartacus who we know will be reuniting with Tarabay is Lucy Lawless, who will be reprising her role as Lucretia in a guest capacity, and has been seen appearing in the underworld in an early clip. Here's a round up of the central confirmed Spartacus: House of Ashur cast. Nick Tarabay plays Ashur Graham McTavish plays Korris Tenika Davis plays Achillia Jamaica Vaughan plays Hilara Ivana Baquero plays Messia Jordi Webber plays Tarchon Claudia Black plays Cossutia India Shaw-Smith plays Viridia Leigh Gill plays Satyrus Jaime Slater as Cornelia Jackson Gallagher as Gaius Julius Caesar What is Spartacus: House of Ashur about? Spartacus: House of Ashur is set in an altered continuity to the original series, which nullifies the death of the villainous Ashur, which occurred towards the end of the third season. The synopsis for the series says that it is "a thrilling, erotic and history-bending, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything which made the original series a colossal hit." The synopsis continues: "What if Ashur had lived, and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. "But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child's play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics — a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency. "He flips tradition on its head by unleashing Achillia, a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts and offends the elite with every drop of blood." Spartacus: House of Ashur trailer You can watch the Spartacus: House of Ashur teaser trailer right now, featuring the return of actor Nick Tarabay. Check it out here: View oEmbed on the source website You can also see the full-length trailer here. View oEmbed on the source website Spartacus: House of Ashur will air on Starz in the US from Friday 5th December and on MGM+ in the UK from Saturday 6th December. 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.
The drama series presents a darker spin on the hit '90s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Bel-Air has just started airing its final episodes in the United States, with UK viewers hoping to get caught up on the reimagined Fresh Prince series before too long. The drama's rollout on our shores was regrettably interrupted by the closure of Peacock in the UK, but Jabari Banks's run as the new Will Smith has continued across the pond – with the finale looking set to be emotional. These days, with so many streamers, websites and traditional broadcasters vying for our attention, it's rarely long before shows that have been cut adrift get scooped up by some other provider. That's likely what awaits Bel-Air as it concludes its well-received run, but in the meantime, UK viewers can still revisit or discover the first two seasons of the show, which is executive produced by Fresh Prince star Smith. Here's everything you need to know about Peacock's Bel-Air, including where to watch the hit series. How to watch Bel-Air in the UK At the time of writing, Bel-Air is available on both NOW and Amazon, although neither platform holds all of the episodes of the American drama. On Amazon, seasons 1 and 2 can be purchased digitally for £11.99 each, while NOW is only streaming the second season. In other words, Bel-Air seasons 3 and 4 are yet to get a UK release. The series airs on NBC-owned streamer Peacock in the United States, but the platform's UK equivalent was shut down at the start of 2024 amid tough competition from rival services. It seems that Bel-Air has been a casualty of that demise, but the show could well be picked up by a new home in the coming months, especially now that it can be shopped around as a complete bundle. Watch this space. In the US, Bel-Air season 4 premieres on Peacock on Monday 24th November with a triple-bill launch. All episodes will be streaming from 8th December. How many episodes of Bel-Air are there? Once concluded, Bel-Air will consist of 38 episodes in total. The first three seasons are comprised of 10 episodes each, with the fourth and final entry to run for a slightly abbreviated eight chapters. Bel-Air cast: Who stars in the reboot? Newcomer Jabari Banks leads the cast of Bel-Air, playing a fictionalised version of Will Smith, who makes the long journey from West Philadelphia to Bel-Air at the orders of his concerned mother. Adrian Holmes (The Boys) and Cassandra Freeman (Luke Cage) play his uncle Phil and aunt Viv respectively, who become his guardians upon his arrival in Los Angeles. Disney Channel star Coco Jones joins Akira Akbar (Captain Marvel) and rising star Olly Sholotan as cousins Hilary, Ashley and Carlton, the last of whom became a firm fan favourite on the original series. Jimmy Akingbola (Kate & Koji) will portray housekeeper to the Banks family Geoffrey, while Jordan L Jones (All Rise) and Simone Joy Jones (The Chair) round out the rest of the season 1 cast. Later seasons have added Justin Cornwell (The Umbrella Academy), Joivan Wade (Doom Patrol) and Lenora Crichlow (Black Mirror) to the cast, among other screen talents. Tyra Banks and Janet Hubert – both of whom appeared in the original Fresh Prince of Bel Air cast – have joined season 4 in special guest roles, following in the footsteps of past returnees Daphne Maxwell Reid, Vernee Watson-Johnson and Joseph Marcell. Here's an overview of the Bel-Air cast heading into season 4: Jabari Banks as Will Smith Cassandra Freeman as Vivian Banks Jimmy Akingbola as Geoffrey Thompson Olly Sholotan as Carlton Banks Coco Jones as Hilary Banks Akira Akbar as Ashley Banks Simone Joy Jones as Lisa Wilkes Jordan L Jones as Jazz Adrian Holmes as Philip Banks April Parker Jones as Viola 'Vy' Smith SteVonté Hart as Tray Melbert Tyler Barnhardt as Connor Satterfield Joe Holt as Fred Wilkes Charlie Hall as Tyler Laramy Wendy Davis as Joan Jon Beavers as Kylo Michael Ealy as Reid Broderick Karrueche Tran as Ivy Brooklyn McLinn as Doc Hightower Jazlyn Martin as Jackie Nicholas Duvernay as Drew Justin Cornwell as Lamarcus Alton Diandra Lyle as Erika Baker Joivan Wade as Fredrick Thompson What is Bel-Air about? Bel-Air shares the same basic premise as the '90s sitcom that inspired it, following teenager Will Smith as he adapts to a new life in Los Angeles, after moving from the other side of the country in West Philadelphia. Of course, the key difference is that while The Fresh Prince used this plot to create a classic fish-out-of-water comedy, Bel-Air will be exploring a more dramatic version of the story. How is Bel-Air connected to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? 2022's Bel-Air does not share the same continuity as '90s series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, hence why the principal roles have all been recast and the tone is much more serious. However, there is a key link between the two shows in the form of Will Smith himself, who remains involved in this reboot as a developer and executive producer. Bel-Air was inspired by a fan-made faux trailer by filmmaker Morgan Cooper, which went viral in 2019 and ended up catching the attention of Smith, ultimately acting as an unofficial pitch for this darker take on the sitcom's premise. View oEmbed on the source website It remains available online – watch here. Bel-Air season 4 trailer Peacock has dropped the trailer for the fourth and final season of Bel-Air – watch here. View oEmbed on the source website Bel-Air is available to stream on NOW and Amazon. Find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV here. Add Bel-Air to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
The Death of Bunny Munro book to show changes: Nick Cave gives verdict
The author and music legend addressed changes to his book at the show's London premiere.
The Death of Bunny Munro has arrived on Sky Atlantic and NOW, throwing former Doctor Who star Matt Smith into one of his most provocative roles to date. The House of the Dragon favourite plays a reckless father in the darkly comic drama, who takes his grieving son on a road trip across East Sussex as social services threaten his custody. The six-part miniseries is based on the novel of the same name by rock legend Nick Cave, who derived some inspiration from struggles in his own life, but has been quick to clarify that Bunny isn't directly based on himself. It's clear why he'd want to make that distinction, given that The Death of Bunny Munro book and its TV adaptation both depict the lead character in a rather grotesquely unflattering light. The series retains the unsettling elements that made the original novel such a polarising read, but Cave himself has said that screenwriter Pete Jackson "developed the story hugely" during the adaptation process. The Death of Bunny Munro book to show differences: Nick Cave's verdict Nick Cave has praised The Death of Bunny Munro screenwriter Pete Jackson for adapting his book "beautifully", and expanding it from an "internal" story to one more fitting for the screen. Speaking at London Literature Festival, the musician and writer told Q&A host Edith Bowman that he initially had a "certain amount of scepticism" about the latest in a long line of attempts to adapt his novel. Those doubts evaporated upon receiving the script for the first episode, which was so good that it gave him the confidence to "step away" from the writing of the series and "let somebody else have a go". He explained: "It was just this beautifully written thing. And it was different – it was written for TV. It's different from the book, which is extremely internal. It's just about where his mind's going when he's looking around at the world. "Not a lot actually happens in the book," continued Cave. "[Bunny] just goes from one sort of tawdry event after another. But right from the beginning, Pete put in stuff that propelled the story forward." For example, the author praised the addition of two social worker characters, whose arrival at Bunny's filthy flat prompt his spontaneous escape with son in tow, creating another layer of peril for the central duo. "This is Pete, and this is stuff that's just beautifully written for TV, so that you can play around with dark ideas, but there's a sort of levity to it; a kind of fun and charm about the whole thing that keeps it rocking along," said Cave. Another key difference between The Death of Bunny Munro book and Sky series comes down to casting, with Cave arguing that the sex appeal of lead actor Smith fundamentally alters the story to an extent. "I mean, in the book, Bunny is just this kind of disgusting guy," he told the audience at London Literature Festival. "He's not attractive, he's not even good at sex. "He's a sort of failure that keeps just trying to screw everything he can, and is largely unsuccessful. And so, in a way, it wasn't as problematic, you could say, as with Matt playing him, because Matt's like a sexy guy. He's a sort of living fire emoji." Cave continued: "The story, in a way, becomes more transgressive in this version that you're seeing now because the women like him. And even though it's obviously clear to everybody what he's up to, women nevertheless are attracted to the pull of his charm." The Bad Seeds frontman wasn't at all bothered by that change, however, concluding that it "adds another layer of uneasiness to the whole thing". Anyone who's seen the show would probably agree, as any charm that Smith retains in the early episodes is stripped away as the story escalates – if you're still deciding whether to watch, check out our The Death of Bunny Munro review. The Death of Bunny Munro is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW. 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. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
The Beast in Me ending explained: Who dies in the season finale?
It's victory for one, annihilation for the other as the Netflix thriller concludes.
**Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The Beast in Me season 1.** Netflix drama The Beast in Me keeps viewers on edge across its tense first season, which sees a bitter feud emerge between two neighbours – which only one of them survives Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys lead the cast as reclusive author Aggie Wiggs and ruthless businessman Niles Jarvis, who happen to meet each other when the latter moves in to a vacant property just a few doors away. Disconcertingly, Niles has been hit with murder accusations following the unexplained disappearance of his ex-wife, Maddie, and this dangerous mystery lures Aggie closer and closer into his orbit in pursuit of answers. On their unconventional dynamic, Rhys told The Hollywood Reporter: "They've been isolated for some time because of their respective traumas and tragedies. And as a result, it brings them to a level where their 'bulls**t meter' is gone, so that any kind of falseness isn't put up with." View Green Video on the source website Interestingly, neither Danes nor Rhys knew how The Beast in Me would end when they agreed to star in the project, with showrunner Howard Gordon opting to show them only the first three (of eight) scripts. Fortunately, Danes could vouch for Gordon, owing to their long history of collaboration on an earlier hit series. "I had seen him perform one magic trick after another [as writer and executive producer] for a decade over the course of our filming Homeland, so I wasn't worried – I really wasn't," she recalled. "But I also had no idea what was going to happen." Of course, now the series is out – and so are all of the secrets! If you want the gory details on how The Beast in Me ends, including who dies in the finale, here's your spoiler-filled guide to the Netflix thriller. The Beast in Me ending explained: Who dies in the series finale? Despite fleeting moments where their relationship seemed to be softening, Niles and Aggie ended The Beast in Me as staunch rivals, each racing to destroy the other's life – with Aggie succeeding at the last moment. At the start of the series, it's unclear whether disturbing accusations that Niles murdered his ex-wife, Maddie, have any basis in reality. Still, his menacing demeanour and aggressive tactics arouse a fair amount of suspicion in Aggie. This is set alight by disconcertingly frantic FBI agent Brian Abbot (David Lyons), who drunkenly appears on her doorstep one night to warn her of the danger that her new neighbour poses. Ultimately, Abbot's hounding of Niles costs him his life, as the ruthless businessman murders him in a vicious brawl at the end of the fourth episode – but it isn't until the penultimate chapter that Maddie's fate is revealed. In a flashback, we learn that Maddie had been cooperating with Abbot in an FBI investigation into Niles's corrupt business practices, hoping to free herself from his tightening grip by landing him behind bars. Far from a loving romance, life with Niles had pushed Maddie to the brink, as his sinister psychological mind games, overt intimidation and violent history became apparent. She fully believed that he would kill her, unless she took drastic action. Sadly, Maddie's betrayal was detected by her assistant, Nina (Brittany Snow), who let slip to Niles that his own wife was the source of a catastrophic leak at the company. Little did she know, that admission would get Maddie killed. In the aftermath of her disappearance, Nina seemed to not allow herself to scrutinise Niles's flimsy story, opting instead to enter into a relationship with him, and live comfortably in a lavish and picturesque suburban home. But when Niles attempts to frame Aggie for the murder of Teddy Fenig (Bubba Weiler) – the man that she holds responsible for the death of her son – something snaps in Nina, and she can stay silent no longer. In a tense late-night conversation, Nina gets Niles to open up about his past misdeeds – including the deaths of Maddie and Teddy – and he seems to genuinely yearn for her acceptance as the mother of his soon-to-be-born first child. However, any gentle sympathy she shows Niles in that moment is utterly false as she is secretly recording the conversation on her phone, and proceeds to pass the admission onto the authorities. In New York State, where The Beast in Me is set, one-party covert recordings (i.e. where only one speaker is aware) are admissible in court proceedings, so Nina's daring gambit could well provide the smoking gun for long-brewing suspicions. Reflecting on the "ambiguous" nature of Niles and Nina's marriage, Snow told THR: "I hope it poses questions. Was she morally altruistic in her decision, or was she doing it for her own survival motives? "I think their marriage is transactional. They're both very f****d up people that meet eye to eye in a way where you can understand why they're together." Niles is, rather embarrassingly, dragged away by police after giving a celebratory speech at the site of his Jarvis Yards vanity project, and is later imprisoned for murder with no chance of parole. Aggie intends to continue interviewing him from the safety of his prison, but after only one session he is stabbed to death in the common area by fellow inmates, on the orders of his father's closest confidante, Rick (Tim Guinee). We also see Rick smother Martin Jarvis (Jonathan Banks), the man he so admired, in his hospital bed, as he was very unlikely to recover after suffering a severe stroke brought about partly by the stress of covering up Niles's crimes. In a break from the bleakness, we see that Aggie is in a far healthier state of mind than she was at the beginning of the series, as she is able to accept her culpability in the death of her son and draw a line under the intense resentment she endured for years. Danes told THR: "I'd like to think that she's a little more integrated as a person. I don't know if she will start another relationship. I don't know if she is able to do that. But I don't think she's suffering from writer's block anymore." Things end on a somewhat more troubling note for Nina, though, who takes the final scene. We see her caring for the baby that she conceived with Niles, and looking into the infant's eyes, clearly questioning whether the sins of the father will be passed down and the cycle of cruelty will continue. It's a high-stakes case of nature vs nurture; but as she tearfully kisses the baby's head, Nina seems quietly determined to do what she can to steer this Jarvis child onto the right path. The Beast in Me is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add The Beast in Me to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
The Death of Bunny Munro soundtrack: Every song in Nick Cave drama
Sky's new drama boasts original music from the Bad Seeds legend and a long list of acquired tunes.
The Death of Bunny Munro adapts the novel of the same name by legendary rock musician and author Nick Cave, which follows a father and son on an uncomfortable road trip after a devastating personal tragedy. Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith plays the title role, while Cave takes on scoring duties alongside creative partner Warren Ellis, a long-serving member of his celebrated band, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. The group are among a slew of top artists featured in The Death of Bunny Munro soundtrack, although Cave revealed at London Literature Festival that he actually had very little hand in selecting the show's licensed songs. He left that important task to producers at Clerkenwell Films – and voiced his approval of the results. Cave summarised: "They allow a whole lot of really f****d up stuff to happen, but it keeps sort of bouncing back to a kind of upbeat indie pop song or something like that, and it keeps you just sort of jollying along. "By episode 6, this is not a funny [series] at all... It just becomes darker and darker, but the music somehow buoys the whole thing up." By contrast, Cave's original compositions for The Death of Bunny Munro are far more "melancholic" and "heartfelt" than those on the acquired song list. If any of the entries in The Death of Bunny Munro's soundtrack have grabbed your attention, read on for a complete guide to all of the songs featured in the new drama series, as it makes its debut on Sky Atlantic and NOW. The Death of Bunny Munro theme music The Death of Bunny Munro theme song is an original track written and performed by Nick Cave and his frequent Bad Seeds collaborator Warren Ellis. At the time of writing, an official recording of the song is yet to be released online, although we wouldn't be surprised if this happens in the coming days or weeks – it is, after all, a banger. Watch this space. The Death of Bunny Munro episode 1 songs I'm Alive by Johnny Thunder Cherry by JJ Cale Shot Down by The Sonics Tubthumping by Chumbawumba What's a Woman by Vaya Con Dios Be My Enemy by The Waterboys The Death of Bunny Munro episode 2 songs Movin' On Up by Primal Scream Complicated by Avril Lavigne Hit The North Part 1 by The Fall Fried My Little Brains by The Kills A Forest by The Cure Babe, I'm On Fire by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds The Death of Bunny Munro episode 3 songs Can't Get You Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue I Got Friends by Warmduscher Heart of Glass by Blondie Susie Q by Creedence Clearwater Revival Black Velvet by Alannah Myles The Death of Bunny Munro episode 4 songs New Dawn Fades by Joy Division Tacko by Max Romeo The Thing I Done by CW Stoneking If You Were Still Around (Music for a New Society) by John Cale Golden Brown by The Stranglers Hey, Who Really Cares by Linda Perhacs The Death of Bunny Munro episode 5 songs Milk and Honey by Jackson C Frank The Death of Bunny Munro episode 6 songs Always on My Mind by Elvis Presley (cover) Bright Horses by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds The Death of Bunny Munro premiered on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th November 2025. 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. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
The Death of Bunny Munro review: Matt Smith disturbs in Adolescence gone analogue
Sky's adaptation of the Nick Cave novel is a pre-internet tale of youthful corruption.
Netflix's Adolescence brought much-needed attention to the hateful attitudes emanating from a growing corner of the internet and taking root in the minds of today's teenagers and young men. But the revelatory element of its story was less the misogyny itself and more so the method of transmission, with the web's now-infamous 'manosphere' serving as a powerful amplifier for harmful ideas that had once appeared to be in decline. The Death of Bunny Munro almost serves as a prequel in that respect, exploring how the objectification, disrespect and outright abuse of women was taught to boys long before social media had the world in its death grip. The story follows Brighton-based travelling salesman Bunny Munro (Matt Smith), who takes his son on a road trip across the south coast in the wake of a devastating personal tragedy. The impromptu adventure is ostensibly intended to teach Bunny Jr (Rafael Mathé) the tricks of the trade, but it's clearly also an excuse for his grief-stricken father to indulge in his most destructive vices: sex, drugs and alcohol. An impressionable Bunny Jr begins the story in awe of his charismatic yet distant father, taking every chance to mimic him while excusing or ignoring obvious neglect towards both himself and his late mother, Libby (Sarah Greene). It's a dynamic reflected in the older Bunny's relationship with his own father, Bunny Sr (David Threlfall), and which we can imagine goes back about as far as their family line does – but will the cycle of violence end here, or continue in perpetuity? The story is largely episodic in nature, unfolding as a series of encounters with customers – which are smarmy to begin with and only get worse from there – tied together by appearances from social services or a mysterious killer nearing ever closer. During these excitable house visits, Smith leans into the smooth-talking charm that made his Eleventh Doctor a heartthrob for many, but adds a sleazy, exploitative edge that later distorts into something even more monstrous. By contrast, Mathé's performance is innocent and earnest to the core. The nine-year-old actor is dealt some very adult material to work through here and tackles it with heartbreaking efficacy – in his screen debut, no less. Screenwriter Pete Jackson previously addressed damaged youth in Channel 4's equally affecting Somewhere Boy, making him two-for-two in shows that mesmerise as much in the quiet moments as in their fiery outbursts or monologues. But for all the ways he expands and arguably improves upon Nick Cave's novel, Jackson stays relatively close to its divisive ending, which is likely to polarise all over again in the television medium. As a character study first and foremost, and a fairly comprehensive one at that, The Death of Bunny Munro can get away with its abstract crescendo easier than most other British dramas. In other words, you won't be scrambling for answers over plot details left frustratingly ambiguous, but you might well have some questions about the precise meaning of the finale's eerie symbolism. Ultimately though, that's all secondary to the key messages behind this seaside rollercoaster; one that exposes the casualness with which toxic behaviours are imprinted upon us at a young age, becoming so difficult to scrub off in the years that follow. And most importantly, The Death of Bunny Munro warns that "we gotta love one another or die" (as Nick Cave sings in the haunting original theme song) – and depicts the annihilation that occurs when that fact goes ignored. The Death of Bunny Munro premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th November 2025. 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. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Is The Death of Bunny Munro based on a true story?
Nick Cave addresses certain parallels between "transgressive" character and his own experiences.
The Death of Bunny Munro bursts onto screens today, with Matt Smith giving a mesmerising turn as the deeply troubled title character of the six-part miniseries. The story picks up in the early noughties, when a personal tragedy causes travelling salesman Bunny Munro (Smith) to take his nine-year-old son, Bunny Jr (Rafael Mathé), on an impromptu road trip across the south coast of England. This proves not to be a wholesome father-son holiday, however, with Bunny's reckless and neglectful tendencies quickly rearing their head as his impressionable young boy risks picking up the very same behaviours. Clearly, there are themes in this plot relating to addiction, mental health issues and parenting that will hit close to home for some viewers, particularly with such powerful performances and a top script by Somewhere Boy's Pete Jackson. Author, screenwriter and musician Nick Cave, who penned the book on which Sky's drama is based, has recently opened up on the extent to which The Death of Bunny Munro was inspired by experiences in his own life. Is The Death of Bunny Munro based on a true story? No, The Death of Bunny Munro is not based on a true story, but adapted from the fiction novel of the same name by Nick Cave. However, the writer has described certain aspects of the plot as "autobiographical". Speaking at London Literature Festival, Cave said: "The thing about Bunny Munro, which I understand perfectly well, is being a human being that is not in particularly showroom condition." "I had my dark side," continued the Bad Seeds frontman, reflecting on his life at the time of writing the novel, "and I was navigating a whole lot of stuff that was very complex and just deeply problematic. "And having to look after a child at the same time, and learning the way a parent can try, at least, to keep that part of [themselves] away from the child – and keep the child buoyed up." Cave added: "This was the fundamental driving force in the relationship between the father and son, which I understood clearly. So I feel, in that respect, it's very autobiographical. I don't have his particular predilections, but I do understand him." One thing that Cave and his character do have in common is a history of drug use, with Bunny Munro frequently resorting to cocaine and alcohol as a dangerous method of coping with his rapidly disintegrating life. In an interview with Spanish news outlet El País, Cave expressed his disgust for both of those substances – while acknowledging that he used to take cocaine "all the time" regardless – with the strongest vice of his life being heroin. In a 1988 interview with NME (via The Guardian), he shared: "I really wish I hadn't become involved with [drugs] myself because I'm in a situation now where it will take quite a concentrated effort to live without them and it will require quite a major life's fight to stop taking them." Many years later, in October 2020, he wrote on his own Red Hand Files that attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings had been a key step in tackling his addiction, telling a fan that he "probably wouldn't have survived" without the support group. Still, despite some parallels in their life experiences and struggles, Cave has stopped well short of claiming that Bunny Munro is directly based on him; a point he has stuck to ever since the novel was first released in 2009. Around the book launch, he told website FlavorWire: "I should say that neither Bunny nor the Horned Killer in the book was based on me. Sure, there are elements of Bunny's sexual monologue running through his head that I recognise, though it's an extreme case. "The book is really an investigation. Bunny is a product of the society in which he lives — a sexually heightened consumer society of billboards, ads, MTV — and this is the stuff of his fantasies." At this year's London Literature Festival, where Sky screened the first two episodes of its adaptation, Cave explained that Bunny Munro was born primarily from his natural interest in "flawed" and "transgressive" characters. "I just think they're more interesting – certainly more interesting to write about," he told panel host Edith Bowman. "But they are the ones that we should watch. They're the ones that we should pay attention to. "On some level, they are the truth tellers. I've always felt that way about these problematic characters. They're not the ones that we should push to the side and ignore or dispose of, but rather ones we should pay attention to." Cave concluded: "There is some fundamental truth that operates, I think, in explicitly broken people." The Death of Bunny Munro arrives on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th November 2025. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
Where was The Death of Bunny Munro filmed?
The sunny seaside drama takes place in a location close to Nick Cave's heart.
The Death of Bunny Munro is finally making its live-action debut on Sky Atlantic and NOW, with the sordid saga unfolding against the backdrop of the south coast of England. The miniseries stars Matt Smith as the title character, a door-to-door salesman in the early 2000s who takes his nine-year-old son on an impromptu road trip after a personal tragedy. Alas, it's not all fun by the seaside; both Bunny and Bunny Jr (played by Rafael Mathé) are processing enormous grief, with the older of the two turning to harmful vices as an unsustainable 'quick fix' solution. Adapted from the novel by musician and writer Nick Cave, The Death of Bunny Munro is based in a city he knows all too well, from its beauty to its darker side. Read on for his insight on why he chose this distinct location for this singular tale. Where is The Death of Bunny Munro filmed? The Death of Bunny Munro was primarily filmed in Brighton and Hove, along with other locations in Sussex. Australian author and musician Nick Cave lived in the coastal city for around two decades, but moved away shortly after his son's tragic death at the age of only 15. Speaking at London Literature Festival, Cave explained his choice of Brighton as the setting of his novel: "Sadly or beautifully, there's a lot of depressing seaside towns in this lovely country. "Maybe [The Death of Bunny Munro] could be set in any of them, but I knew Brighton really well. And Brighton is this very, very beautiful place. And it's a weirdly happy place, but there is this sort of dark undertone to it as well." Speaking to Condé Nast Traveller, Cave elaborated on what he refers to as Brighton's darker side, recalling days earlier in his career when he would stay at cheap and sleazy hotels in an attempt to cleanse after drug binges in London. "I would rent some horrible flea bag hotel in Brighton that was often decorated for people to have sex in, with mirrored ceilings and these circular, heart-shaped beds and all of this sort of s**t," he shared. "And I would just lie there for a few days, trying to get myself back together again. So Brighton always had this seedy side, which is largely, I think, lost these days." Indeed, set in 2003, The Death of Bunny Munro depicts Brighton at a "particular time" in its history, with Cave going so far as to incorporate that year's fire at the beach's West Pier into the story's opening. On that plot point, Cave said: "When I was writing the story, two images kept coming into my mind. They're both iconic and metaphorically resonant in their own way. The first was the West Pier in flames. The second was Kylie Minogue's gold lamé hot pants that she wore in the Spinning Around video. These two things seemed to be interconnected. "There was an interesting correlation between the two, which had, for me, something to do with the collapse of civilisation in some way. I was there – I stood and watched that pier burn down. So, it was very much in my mind anyway." As Bunny and his son, Bunny Jr (Rafael Mathé), head out on the road, the production ventured out of Brighton to film scenes elsewhere in Sussex, including Worthing, Eastbourne and Shoreham-by-Sea (via Kent Live). Reflecting on his time in the area, Bunny Munro star Matt Smith told Condé Nast: "It's one of the few places outside London that I'd go and live. We filmed up on the Downs, which was amazing. I just loved being there. "And it's weird – we sort of became a character of Brighton, in a way. People would go, 'Oh, they're doing that Bunny show.'" The Death of Bunny Munro is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW from Thursday 20th November 2025. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
We played Squid Game: The Challenge – and learned how brutal it really is
As season 2 comes to a dramatic end, a pair of intrepid Radio Times reporters recount their gruelling experiences on the set of Squid Game: The Challenge.
Many people have watched a reality competition on the telly and thought to themselves, 'I could do that.' Radio Times writers David Craig and Laura Rutkowski are not among that group. Nevertheless, they were sent to Reading's Shinfield Studios to see the real sets of Squid Game: The Challenge and take part in two devious game demos, which were nothing if not humbling. Dragging their aching bodies home at the end of a long day, it was clear that the tournament is physically draining – and that's to say nothing of the psychological stress added by that eye-popping $4.56 million jackpot. As immersive as it was, David and Laura didn't have any cash on the line during their grand day out, but the risk of humiliation in front of one's peers did loom large – and quickly became a reality. This is their story. Welcome to Squid Game Laura Rutkowski: Nothing really could have prepared me for walking into the dorm, and my mouth falls open in shock. It’s as massive as you would imagine to accommodate 456 beds for 456 players. I quickly claim a bottom bunk, thinking it’s easier to hop out of in a hurry! I'm player 255, kitted out with my tracksuit (which was in fact made in Korea – I checked) and thermals on underneath; white slip-ons; a water bottle and a black bag (with a toothbrush and toothpaste labelled 255 inside). There's a gigantic red 'X' and blue 'O' on the ground, which was used in the drama for players to indicate whether they wanted to stop or continue the games. Very quickly, I can see cliques forming into little groups dotted around the dorm, alliances already developing from the offset. Before our games begin, I'm served curry and rice by the intimidating guards in pink. I thank them, in case politeness is rewarded. Naturally, they don't respond, and it makes me question my relationship to authority figures. My inclination is very much to obey them and stay on their good side, but it probably won't make a difference in Squid Game. Just keep a low profile, I think! It's surreal walking up and down the pastel-coloured staircases that are meant to lead to the games, but these ones lead... nowhere, but that is, of course, where the TV magic comes in. David Craig: Entering the Squid Game dorm as my all-time favourite player Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun), my initial plan is to embody the loveably deranged rapper for the duration of our visit. But after an hour of spouting egomaniacal nonsense to anyone that would listen, I realise that – for better or worse – the unpredictable 'alpha' qualities of the pill-popping performer don't exactly come naturally to me. Overwhelmed by the scale of my surroundings – not to mention, a flood of influencers and reality stars eagerly (read: loudly) putting on a show for the cameras – I realise that spray-on hair dye is not a substitute for a personality. It strikes me that, were we competing in the deadly version, these would be the true Thanos-style figures, and I would probably be one of their grovelling followers. Oh well. Game 1: Six-Legged Pentathlon Laura: If I ever thought that reality TV series were easy to compete in, I don't think that anymore after this game. For the six-legged pentathlon, taken from Squid Game season 2, five players have their legs tied together and must complete five different minigames within five minutes, competing against another team of five. These include: Ball in a Cup, Flying Stone, Gonggi, House of Cards, and Jegi, and we receive a demonstration of each one. My team are very supportive, but I choose one of the harder games, Gonggi (Korean jacks). Full disclosure – I have never played this before, nor had I practised beforehand, but I can imagine that the players in The Challenge would have smartly thought to try it out before competing in the reality series. I'm sweating and feeling the pressure – especially with my team relying on me and cameras in my face. In the end, all that matters is beating the other team, which we manage to do, crossing that rainbow finish line for VICTORY! David: "Purple hair, do care (a lot, actually)." This is my ethos going into our first game, Six Legs, where I am determined to wow my fellow players with a never-before-realised aptitude for Korean playground games. True to the drama series, I am chained by the ankles to four random participants (a lovely way to get to know someone, FYI), and we nervously prepare to march to our fate. Of the five stations, each with a different challenge assigned to a single player, I leap at the chance to play Gonggi; an intricate game of throwing and catching that looks mesmerising on screen. Very quickly, I realise I've made a huge mistake. Seven excruciating minutes later, the producer tells me to stop and move on. I am shaking and feel as if I have been playing for hours. Set visit: Mingle Laura: Mingle is a seriously impressive set that looks identical to the one in the drama. It's a joyous, warm, colourful, bow-ridden space with a giant carousel platform in the middle. It lurches into action, spinning us all around. In Squid Game season 2, when the carousel stops, a number is called out and the players must form groups of that number and enter the surrounding rooms, then close the door. As soon as the catchy Korean children's song, 'Round and Round', starts playing, it's impossible not to think of the 'Mingle dance,' made famous by the character Thanos (played by K-pop star T.O.P aka Choi Seung-hyun). David is obviously a great stand-in for him, so there's only one thing left to do, and that's link arms and twirl around, exactly as Thanos (RIP) would have wanted! David: From the pentathlon chamber, we are thrust immediately onto the Mingle set – not to play the game (a health and safety nightmare, I assume), but to observe. This is why I studied journalism. Truthfully, I feel unable to muster the same enthusiasm as the real Thanos once did, not because it doesn't look the part – it certainly does – but because I am, to use the clinical term, f**king knackered. My brave RT comrade Laura initiates the customary arm-in-arm dance – made iconic by Thanos and his (even more) disturbed accomplice Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) – but my heart isn't in it. I want to sit down, or better yet, curl up in the foetal position. May the real players of Squid Game: The Challenge be blessed with stronger stamina than I. Game 2: Slides and Ladders Laura: While Slides and Ladders is new for The Challenge, it's still an innocent game with a sinister twist – which is what makes it inherently Squid Game. Players are put in pairs and roll a die to progress on the board. If they land on a ladder, they go up, and if they land on the dual slide, one transports them further down the board, while the other eliminates them. There are also 'twist' cards to choose from that reveal either an advantage or a disadvantage, with only six teams able to progress. I'm on the purple team with my teammate Ayo and we start strong. David and his teammate pick a card where they can bring up one team to where they are, which is almost at the finish line at the top, and they choose us! We're feeling incredibly smug... for a brief moment. Ayo and I then have to choose a card and it says to move forward one space where we're faced with the double slide. Ayo takes one for the team and chooses one at random after I win a game of rock, paper, scissors (in an ode to Squid Game), but it shoots him out of the game! I go down the other giant metal slide, which is surprisingly high and fast, and let out a warbled scream as I come out much further down the board back to where I started. Oh, it's a cruel game… David: Still lamenting my failure to seize glory in Six Legs, we begin our final game of this Squid Game: The Challenge set visit – an extravagant new spin on snakes and ladders. Change is in the air. You see, it soon becomes clear that what I indisputably lack in skill, I can make up for here in random luck (the great equaliser!). Stepping onto an industrial-sized expansion of the quintessential children's board game, my partner (People's Gabrielle Rockson) and I have no choice but to leave our destinies to dice rolls and card draws. Fate smiles kindly upon us. In a slightly anticlimactic fashion, we speed to the top in a matter of minutes, finishing first and basking in… well, not much, as we aren't playing for money. But still, it's glorious to end the day on a positive note, after some considerable ego bruising at the start. (Quietly, I am disappointed to be deprived of a go on one of the slides.) Death Comes for Us All Laura: Nothing prepares me for when the 'squib', as it's called, actually goes off. There's a quick spurt and then a pooling of black ink on my chest, which has a very distinct and sickly sweet smell. I fall immediately to the floor, milking this moment as much as I can. Despite my fake death, which is all part of the experience, I manage to make it out alive, exhilarated, but utterly convinced I would not last long on The Challenge. I have actually seen a few of my fellow players since, and we're now forever bonded (trauma bonded?) as Squid Game survivors. David: I witness my teammates experience 'death' one-by-one. That is, the triggering of an inky explosion from the squibs strapped across their chests. I count my blessings that I am last in line for eruption, feeling this is my chance to launch the acting career that, deep down, I always thought of as my true calling. I anxiously brace for my moment, and when it comes, I emit a shrieking wail that seems fittingly dramatic for the moment. "Yes! Surely I will not regret this when the footage is shared with me nine months from now," I think to myself. Moments later, the rancid scent of the fake blood hits my nostrils, and brings me firmly back to reality. The Academy Award slips from my fingers. Squid Game: The Challenge is available to stream on Netflix. Add Squid Game: The Challenge to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
Line of Duty season 7: Release date speculation, cast, plot and latest news
After what truly feels like a lifetime of waiting, the BBC has confirmed that Line of Duty is returning for season 7. Now we're sucking diesel! The BBC crime series, which previously ran from 2012-2021, followed AC-12's Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) as they sought to uncover corruption within the fictional Central Police – and there really was never a dull day for the trio, to put it lightly. And now, they're back at it (we were never in any doubt) to focus on their "most sensitive" case to date. Speaking about the return of the hit series – the season 6 finale was watched by an average of 12.8 million viewers on the night – creator, writer and executive producer Jed Mercurio said: “Everyone involved in Line of Duty feels enormous gratitude to the show’s fans. We’re privileged to have had so many of you follow the ups and downs of AC-12 over six previous seasons and we couldn’t be more delighted to be returning for a seventh. "Corruption in this country is supposed to have come to an end while Line of Duty was off air so I’ve been forced to use my imagination.” Mother of God, indeed. So, what can we expect from the new episodes? Plus, who's returning and when can we tune in? Read on for everything we know so far about Line of Duty season 7. Line of Duty season 7 release date speculation: When will it air? Filming will kick off in Belfast in the spring of 2026, which means it won't arrive until the end of 2026 at least. But our money's on early 2027 – possibly New Year's Day, given that the BBC likes to begin the year with a bang. Watch this space for updates. Line of Duty season 7 cast: Who's returning? Vicky McClure (Kate Fleming), Martin Compston (Steve Arnott) and Adrian Dunbar (Ted Hastings) will all be back, obviously. It simply wouldn't be Line of Duty without them. “Line of Duty has been a job of a lifetime," said Compston of the season 7 renewal. "Not only in terms of the show's success but the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with I now call some of my closest friends. I can’t wait to pull the waistcoat on again and get the team back together.” Similarly, McClure said in a statement: “It goes without saying I’m so excited Line of Duty is back! Can’t wait to work with Jed, Martin and Adrian again. Belfast, we’ll see you soon!” But other returning characters have yet to be announced. Anna Maxwell Martin could certainly return as DCS Patricia Carmichael, while Keeley Hawes has already appeared across more than one season of Line of Duty as DI Lindsay Denton. Kelly Macdonald's Jo Davidson could also feature again, having made it out of the sixth season alive – but that seems rather unlikely, as her story ended with her in witness protection (with a girlfriend, a cottage and a golden retriever – lucky). As for new additions, a character called Detective Inspector Dominic Gough will be introduced, but we don't yet know who's playing him – or which other guest stars we can expect to see. But given the show's popularity, and who we've seen previously – the aforementioned Martin, Hawes and Macdonald as well as Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James and Jason Watkins, to name just a few – Mercurio will surely have the pick of the bunch. Season 7 plot: What will happen? Corruption, duh. In the season 7 announcement, we learned that "AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards". "Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) are assigned their most sensitive case so far," continues the synopsis. Read more: So, what should we expect from Line of Duty season 7? I have some questions Line of Duty ending explained – how season six revealed the identity of H, and all the important details from the finale "Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. "But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?" When will the Line of Duty season 7 trailer be available to watch? Trailers usually arrive in the month leading up to the premiere, but without that information, it's difficult to predict when that could be. If we were to speculate, we wouldn't expect its arrival – or at least a teaser trailer – until the end of 2026. But the wait could be far longer. Line of Duty seasons 1-6 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. 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.
Hazbin Hotel season 2 release schedule: When are episodes 7 and 8 out?
We've reached the end of another chapter in the chaotic series!
Hazbin Hotel season 2 has concluded its run on Prime Video, so it's time to get stuck into the musical comedy if you've been holding out for a binge watch. The series follows Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), the princess of Hell, after she opens a rehabilitative hotel intended to help move souls onto heaven, while fixing an overcrowding issue down below. RadioTimes.com contributor Emma Flint said that Hazbin Hotel "hits its stride" in season 2, but expressed some disappointment about the rushed nature of the later episodes – and a lack of anticipation built up for the stories to come. All eyes now turn to Hazbin Hotel season 3, which is already confirmed, as fans speculate over where creator Vivienne Medrano could take her gleefully unhinged animated universe next. When is Hazbin Hotel season 2 finale out on Prime Video? Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 8 – fittingly titled Curtain Call – is available to stream now on Prime Video. It was released, along with penultimate chapter Weapon of Mass Distraction, on Wednesday 19th November 2025. The season was released in four double bills. How many episodes are in Hazbin Hotel season 2? Hazbin Hotel season 2 is comprised of eight episodes in total, which have been released over a period of four weeks. Hazbin Hotel season 2 release schedule Hazbin Hotel season 2 was released fairly rapidly across four weeks, with two episodes dropping each Wednesday until mid-November. Here's an overview of the release schedule on Prime Video: Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 1 – New Pentious – Wednesday 29th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 2 – Storyteller – Wednesday 29th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 3 – Hazbin Hotel: Behind Closed Doors – Wednesday 5th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 4 – It's A Deal – Wednesday 5th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 5 – Silenced – Wednesday 12th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 6 – Scream Rain – Wednesday 12th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 7 – Weapon of Mass Distraction – Wednesday 19th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel season 2 episode 8 – Curtain Call – Wednesday 19th November 2025 (out now) Hazbin Hotel is available to stream on Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Add Hazbin Hotel to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Fantasy 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.
Trigger Point season 3 cast: New and returning cast in ITV drama
Vicky McClure returns as Lana Washington alongside a mix of new and familiar faces.
The full third season of ITV's Trigger Point has been available to stream from some time now, with fans getting to see long-suffering explosives officer Lana Washington's latest assignment. Vicky McClure is back as Lana in the new season, which delves further than ever before into her past traumas and how they continue to impact her mental health. This third season, which sees her defusing a series of bombs planted on individuals across London, and trying to expose the truth behind the attacks, also stars the likes of Eric Dhango, Nabil Elouahabi and Kerry Godliman. Thankfully for fans who have already made it to the end of the season, a fourth run has already been confirmed. But for now, who else stars in season 3 and who do they all play? Here's everything you need to know about the key players in ITV's Trigger Point season 3. Trigger Point season 3 cast: New and returning The full cast list for Trigger Point season 3 is as follows – scroll on for more on each character and the actor playing them, including where you might have seen them before. Vicky McClure as Lana Washington Eric Shango as Danny Nabil Elouahabi as Hass Rahim Mark Rowley as Rich Manning Natalie Simpson as DS Helen Morgan Maanuv Thiara as DI Amar Batra Kerry Godliman as Sonya Reeves Jason Flemyng as Steven Wyles Kevin Eldon as Jeff Tamzin Griffin as Val Vicky McClure plays Lana Washington Who is Lana Washington? Lana is a bomb disposal operative for the Metropolitan Police in Trigger Point. In season 3, she is attempting to stop an attacker with a personal vendetta from picking off his victims one-by-one. She's also battling PTSD from her past assignments, which have come at a heavy personal cost. Previously, she brought a deadly terror campaign to a close, for which her lover was found to be responsible. Then, in season 2, an anarchist group started targeting London's elites in a bid to bring down the current status quo. Along the way, she has lost close colleagues and loved ones, with the weight of that grief and her stressful work clearly taking a toll. What else has Vicky McClure been in? McClure is best known these days for playing DI Kate Fleming in BBC One thriller Line of Duty, a role she has portrayed since 2012. Prior to that, she collaborated with Shane Meadows on This Is England and its three television sequels. Most recently, she has appeared in ITV's Without Sin, Channel 4 one-off drama I Am Nicola and Prime Video's young adult series Alex Rider. Kerry Godliman plays Sonya Reeves Who is Sonya Reeves? Sonya is an employee of the Bomb Data Centre, a department of the counter-terrorism unit at New Scotland Yard, whose expertise lies in the chemicals and equipment used to manufacture explosives. Her work is centred around data and she works closely with Lana, who she considers a friend. What else has Kerry Godliman been in? Godliman is known for her collaborations with Ricky Gervais, having played supporting roles in both Derek and, more recently, After Life. Though she began her career in comedy, Godliman has taken on dramatic roles before, appearing in Lennie James crime thriller Save Me and Channel 4's Adult Material. Nabil Elouahabi as Hass Rahim Who is Hass Rahim? Hass was a member of Lana's team in season 1, who briefly replaced her as squad leader during an extended leave of absence. They remain friendly colleagues, with their light banter and roasting clearly masking a genuine respect they have for one another. What else has Nabil Elouahabi been in? Elouahabi has appeared in several films like Ali G Indahouse and The Sum of All Fears, but Eastenders viewers will recognise him as Tariq Laroussi, a role he had from 2003 to 2005. He has also more recently starred in Our Girl, Breeders, Time, The Tower and Blue Lights. Eric Shango plays Danny Who is Danny? Danny is Lana's right-hand man in the 'expo' squad. In season 1, he was relatively new recruit to the Metropolitan Police and was still becoming accustomed to the intense nature of the job. Now though, he's more confident and assured, although his recent marriage is causing him to question whether he wants to remain in such a high-risk line of work. What else has Eric Shango been in? Trigger Point was Shango's television debut, but the actor has since featured in Apple TV thriller Suspicion and Channel 4's On The Edge. Natalie Simpson as DS Helen Morgan Who is DS Helen Morgan? Helen is a detective for the Metropolitan Police, who first appeared in the second season. She was in a romantic relationship with Thom Youngblood (Mark Stanley), an ex of Lana's, and this caused friction between them – particularly after his untimely death. They are yet to fully clear the air. What else has Natalie Simpson been in? Aside from her stage roles, Simpson has starred in Outlander, the TV miniseries adaptation of Les Misérables and in North Sea Connection. Maanuv Thiara plays DCI Amar Batra Who is DCI Amar Batra? DCI Batra is Lana's new boss, who was recently promoted to the role. He is yet to prove himself and they have strong disagreements about how to approach their latest case. What else has Maanuv Thiara been in? You may have seen Thiara recently in Apple TV thriller Prime Target, Channel 4 zombie comedy Generation Z, crime drama DI Ray or Sky's Landscapers. Mark Rowley plays Rich Manning Who is Rich Manning? A new addition to Lana's explosives squad. He is quick to make a joke, but his sense of humour is hiding an inner turmoil over his past traumas. What else has Mark Rowley been in? Rowley is probably best known for his role as Finan in The Last Kingdom. His more recent work includes Netflix's One Day, BBC's SAS Rogue Heroes and ITV's Karen Pirie. Jason Flemyng plays Steven Wyles Who is Steven? Steven is a mysterious individual who appears to be responsible for a sinister explosives plot. What else has Jason Flemyng been in? His recent credits include DC series Pennyworth, Apple TV's Prime Target and ITV's The Walk-In. He's also known for big screen roles in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and X-Men: First Class. Trigger Point season 3 is available to stream on ITVX. Add Trigger Point to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
How accurate is BBC sitcom Ghosts? History experts and creatives weigh in
Does the show's faux history have anything to teach us? Radio Times investigates...
The dearly departed sitcom Ghosts has been hailed as a rare comedy series that the entire family can enjoy, but can its daft lampooning of British history and familiar archetypes help to nurture real knowledge? The story begins when young married couple Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) inherit the dilapidated Button House (played by real-life manor West Horsley Place) from a very, very distant relative. Following a near-death experience, Alison gains the ability to perceive apparitions of past inhabitants, who were unfortunate enough to perish on the estate – and for reasons unknown, remain unable to move on to the "other place". Each figure represents a different historical period, spanning from prehistoric cave man Robin (Laurence Rickard) to Edwardian lady of the manor Fanny Button (Martha Howe-Douglas) and Thatcherite MP Julian Fawcett (Simon Farnaby). Of course, the Ghosts creators were then coming off a celebrated run on CBBC's Horrible Histories and, as original producer Matthew Mulot told RadioTimes.com, were "definitely mindful of the audience that they would be bringing with them". In other words, some degree of accuracy would be crucial to upholding their trusted reputation, but co-creator Rickard told crowds at MCM London Comic-Con 2025 that they never intended for Ghosts to be another set of history lessons. "Having done Horrible Histories, where the rule was you couldn't lie, there would be times when we'd come up with a really funny punchline, and then go, 'but we can't do that because that's not what happened'," he explained. "I think that's what led initially to [2015's Shakespeare spoof] Bill, was going 'What about if we were freed from the constraints of telling the truth?' That film is set in a bit of history where there is no history... so we can say whatever we like!" The underrated feature imagines the playwright's 'lost years' and ultimately provided the "template" for Ghosts, according to Rickard, in which "meticulous" historical backdrops would set the stage for predominantly "silly" storylines. In some ways, then, Ghosts was the culmination of everything the team had done to date, encompassing the factual foundation of Horrible Histories, the creative licence of Bill and the risqué innuendo of Sky's fantastical farce Yonderland. Despite this relative freedom, Mulot spoke to the danger of being "too free and easy" with the historical elements of the show, as glaring inaccuracies would inevitably cause viewers to "snap out" of the plot and its rapid, joyous gags. It leaves us with one question: just how plausible is Ghosts' faux history? To answer, we've enlisted History Extra's Elinor Evans, delved into our sister site's archive, and sought out insider thoughts from Mulot and costume designer Lucy Williams. Here's what we learnt about each historical figure in the much-loved series. Humphrey Bone Sir Humphrey Bone (also played by Rickard) is one of the most long-term residents of Button House, having lost his head during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I – although not in the way that you might assume. The Tudors are somewhat synonymous with beheadings – in no small part due to King Henry VIII's tyrannical rule, and the grisly fate of two of his wives – but in true Ghosts fashion, Humphrey's death is far more bizarre than anyone depicted in Wolf Hall. His French wife, Sophie (Chloé Delanney), was indeed plotting against the crown, but Humphrey was blissfully unaware of this due to his inability to speak her language. Suffice to say, he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Ironically, it was the sharpest sword on the wall that caused his premature demise in a freak accident, as it unhinged from a fireplace display and cleaved him in twain. Royal guards took the credit, as you would in those days. All this was revealed to us in season 3 episode The Bone Plot, and 'plot' certainly seems to be an appropriate word as the Tudor era was rife with them, fuelled largely by a bloody power struggle between Catholics and Protestants. "Humphrey's story is drawing together a lot of those inspirations," said Evans of History Extra, who spotted one particularly noteworthy parallel in the case of Thomas and Anne Percy. This noble couple were leaders in the Northern Rebellion, which sought to free Catholic monarch Mary, Queen of Scots and overthrow Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, in one of the most notable uprisings of her reign. As Evans notes: "Specifically in this plot, it was Anne who played quite an unusually active role. She was rallying support among Catholic gentry; she was writing letters; she was doing a lot of the secret and subversive activity that we see Humphrey's wife doing. "It's quite unique because, a lot of the time, it was groups of male nobles who would do this." Evans also points out a reference that might have flown over the heads of non-history buffs, as Button House is revealed to have a priest hole; a name given to secret hiding places for Catholic sympathisers, which would provide crucial lifelines during raids. Mary Witch trial victim Mary represents arguably one of the more obvious deviations from history in the manner of her death, having been burned by the stake in a horrific execution that left her carrying a smoky odour to the afterlife. Self-proclaimed Ghosts super fan Evans is quick to clarify that any minor critiques are said with "love", but considers Mary's fate a minor "bugbear" as very few suspected witches were actually burned at the stake in England. They were more often hanged, but this would be a rather too graphic to depict in a family-friendly series. Notably, one of the rare exceptions was an accused woman named Mary Lakeland, who may well have been an inspiration for Katy Wix's character. History Extra recently hosted a course on witchcraft by Marion Gibson, the University of Exeter's Professor of Renaissance and magical literatures, who spoke at length on witch trials in a publicly available taster session on YouTube. Across the pond, in the British colony of Salem, Massachusetts – one of the most infamous locations of witch trials – Gibson references two victims who share traits with Ghosts character Mary. View oEmbed on the source website One is Sarah Good, who was "very poor" to the extent of "living rough" in the local community, and the other is Sarah Osbourne, who was widowed prior to being accused, just as Mary had been too. Mary's poverty and low social status is reflected in her illiteracy and broken speech, which contrasts starkly against more affluent characters such as Kitty (Lolly Adefope), Thomas (Mathew Baynton) and the aforementioned Lady Button. "Being from a rural, poorer background, Mary would definitely have been at the tail end of the spread of literacy," said Evans, discussing a "turning point" that began in the early 16th century, spurred on by the printing of the Gutenberg Bible. "It wasn't until the second half of the 17th Century that most men could read, and I'm saying most men here, because it would have spread to women much later," added Evans. "Mary would have been really low down the pecking order in terms of literacy." Notably, at MCM London Comic-Con, Ghosts co-creator Martha Howe-Douglas shared that the varying language of the deceased characters was actually one of her "favourite parts" of writing the series and a "great" thing to research. When it came to designing Mary's costume, Williams cites The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer as a key reference; the 17th Century painting depicts a woman working in a kitchen, wearing similar shades of blue and yellow as the Button House resident. "I loved the colours and chose natural fabrics which were true to the era and would be easy to show the burnt marks," she explained. "I burnt sections of the costume using a candle, sending photographs to [director] Tom Kingsley to achieve the right level." Kitty Georgian noblewoman Kitty is the sole person of colour among the deceased characters in Ghosts, and though such representation in upper class society was rare in 18th century Britain, there is a clear precedent which likely inspired her story. The Ghosts wiki states that Kitty had been born in Jamaica – at that time, a British colony – and adopted by a wealthy English family, with the precise circumstances leading to this arrangement never fully explained. Her experience, however, is reflected in the real life of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a mixed-race woman born to enslaved 15-year-old Maria and naval officer Sir John Lindsay, who was around nine years her senior. Clearly, there are serious implications to be acknowledged regarding her conception, brought up by their vast disparity in age and social status; Lindsay's life clearly cannot be sanitised in any reading of the history. But to focus on Belle and her shared experience with Kitty, she too was able to live freely as a British noble, moving at a young age from what was then known as Spanish Florida to Lindsay's familial estate of Kenwood House in north London. View Green Video on the source website Although Belle was never formally acknowledged as Lindsay's daughter (hence their differing surnames), she lived the comfortable life of a noble and was left a large sum in her father's will, allowing her to continue doing so after his death. In a recent article for Black History Month, Tamara Morgan summarised: "Dido Elizabeth Belle's life challenges us to rethink the boundaries of history. She was not enslaved, yet her life was shaped by slavery's shadow. She was privileged, yet subject to prejudice. She belonged to one of Britain’s most powerful families, yet her presence questioned the very system that underpinned their wealth. "To look at her portrait is to glimpse a history that is both unique and universal: the story of a woman who stood between worlds, and whose life still speaks to questions of identity, justice, and belonging today." Belle was the subject of a fictionalised feature film of the same name in 2013, where she was played by Loki and The Woman in Cabin 10 star Gugu Mbatha-Raw; it served as one of several references for Ghosts costume designer Williams. Thomas Thomas Thorne lived in the Regency era, where he strived to become a legendary Romantic poet, although the extent of his success never quite reached the giddy heights that he felt he deserved. His unfortunate demise is explored in season 2 episode The Thomas Thorne Affair, in which he is tricked into a duel by a love rival, who proceeds to give him some deceptive and deadly advice on precisely when to draw his gun. Although it seems bizarre today, Evans explains that duelling was "very prevalent" in aristocratic society during Thomas's day, noting that there was a strict "etiquette" to the process – and breaking rules could result in criminal charges. Alas, the sabotage that costs Thomas his life went undetected as far as we know. View Green Video on the source website On a meta level, The Thomas Thorne Affair plays out much like the course of real historical debate, argues Evans, who compares the conflicting narratives of the Button House ghosts to frequent disagreements in academic circles. "Each ghost having their own bias really reflects the approach to history," she explains. "I love that Alison, as the live person, is almost playing the role of the historian, trying to weed out what's fact, what's fiction, and whose bias is where." Evans adds that Thomas might, at least, take comfort in how his premature death was mirrored by prominent poets of the time, such as Lord Byron, John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, which arguably added to their "mystique" and a sense of "lost genius". Paintings of the real romantic poets helped inform Thomas's look, revealed Williams, who also used Bright Star as a guiding reference; Jane Campion's Keats biopic, which earned an Academy Award nomination for its own costume design. Lady Button Lady Button is among the most popular Ghosts characters, famed for her outlandish facial expressions and eccentric grunts of shock or disapproval. In an early episode, we learn that her husband pushed her from a top storey window after she discovered he was having a homosexual affair – the gravity of which we can address in the next section. The dark turn of events leaves her with some prejudice, which is gradually ironed out in the enlightening early seasons; but she can never unlearn her comical obsession with manners, etiquette and respect for Button House itself. It's a believable character trait for someone raised in a day when women of her social class were expected to be domestic "angels" and run their fully staffed home as a tight ship (in spite of Fanny's earlier aspirations to have a career of her own). "This is the late Victorian, early Edwardian ideal that she's expected to grow up and to fulfil," said Evans. "She's obviously got conflict in that, and I think that obviously manifests in the drama in really funny and wonderful ways." The Captain The Captain has perhaps broken more hearts than any other Button House resident (sorry, Thomas), with early hints towards the character's unrecognised homosexuality eventually moving to the forefront in season 5. The World War II-era character meets fellow serviceman Havers (Peter Sandys-Clarke) when they are briefly stationed together at the haunted estate, and their profound connection never leaves him in the many decades since elapsed. At the conclusion of the war, The Captain crashes an event for frontline soldiers (of which he was not) in a desperate bid to be reunited with Havers, but suffers a heart attack in sheer panic as his intrusion goes angrily noticed. It's difficult to overstate the risks involved in The Captain pursuing any kind of relationship with Havers, at a time when homosexuality remained illegal in Britain. View Green Video on the source website Although some openly gay men had been "unofficially tolerated" in the Armed Forces during the long and gruelling conflict, others had faced severe penalties, such as being court-martialled and imprisoned, according to Stephen Bourne (via History Extra). He writes: "At the end of the war, the British public wanted to get back to 'normal', so women were expected to return to the kitchen, Black recruits were expected to return to west Africa and the West Indies, and homosexual men found themselves subjected to the draconian law that would see them in prison, even if they had helped to win the war." The risk of being discovered and disgraced as a gay man may be compounded by guilt or embarrassment over having never seen combat himself, creating a "perfect storm" within The Captain that ultimately leads to his catastrophic heart attack. So, how accurate is Ghosts? In short, while Ghosts may not be informative enough to pass as an educational resource (sorry, kids), it's by no means a slouch in the core details of its various historical periods and character arcs. From producer Mulot's point of view, any perceived shortcuts in depicting earlier eras can be chalked up to the restrictions of making a BBC One comedy. "You've got a certain amount of time, you've got a certain amount of money, and we also have the joy – but also the limitation – of being at West Horsley Place," he said. "There's only so much you can do, logistically, because you're not knocking walls down." Overall though, he considers the location a "gift" to the show and says there's "no way" that it could have looked anywhere near as authentic on a studio set. Meanwhile, Williams described historical accuracy as "integral" to each of her designs for the ghosts, which came with "huge pressure" as they couldn't be changed in any major way beyond their debut in the very first episode. "Each character's costume was true to the period," she explained, from Humphrey's velvet doublet to Kitty's robe à l'anglaise-style dress. In a strong show of commitment, Howe-Douglas and Adefope also endured the discomfort of wearing corsets. View Green Video on the source website Of course, total accuracy isn't an absolute requirement for a sitcom as intentionally silly as Ghosts, and the broad strokes present on its canvas would still be enough to stir an interest in certain viewers, particularly younger ones. Evans doesn't necessarily see any harm in that, but notes that any films or TV shows playing fast-and-loose with real history do have a "responsibility to do that knowingly and do it with full transparency". "This is obviously parody and satire, the figures aren't real so I wouldn't hold them to any historical rigour in that sense," she continued. "If it starts a conversation, if it gets people asking about real events and real characters, and it's not posing as fact, that's really great." Evans elaborated: "I think the stickier problems come in when you have such statements as 'based on a true story' or 'this really happened', which lose all the nuance of the reality that we can never truly know. "There are always going to be different interpretations... The phrase that we often see now is 'inspired by true events' or 'inspired by a true story', which covers all manner of sins, really. "People can definitely say: 'we were inspired by this person, but we're not doing a historical recreation or a faithful retelling of their lives'," she concluded. "That's a good thing, because you probably couldn't do that anyway." Ghosts is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. 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The Beast in Me review: An embarrassing blunder for 'Peak TV' icons
Netflix's latest dud marks a low point for Emmy winners Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys.
If you needed any more evidence that the golden age of television is well and truly over, look only to how its mighty have fallen. The Beast in Me unites three actors whose work represents major pillars of the 'Peak TV' era – Claire Danes (Homeland), Matthew Rhys (The Americans) and Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) – but renders them all somewhat laughable. You might remember that Saturday Night Live (back when that was worth watching, too) staged a savage viral parody of Danes's Homeland performance back in 2013, enlisting Anne Hathaway to play CIA agent Carrie Mathison at her most hysterical. It's hard not to be reminded of that during The Beast in Me, which sees Danes constantly amped up to 11, while co-stars Rhys and Banks chew the scenery until there's nothing left but a damp pile of mulch. The story begins when real estate tycoon Niles Jarvis (Rhys) moves into the wealthy neighbourhood of author Aggie Wiggs (Danes), who is struggling to crack the follow-up to her celebrated best-selling debut. It isn't long before Niles becomes a subject of interest, as the super-rich, hyper-aggressive businessman is plagued by unproven accusations that he murdered his missing ex-wife. Is there more to the story than meets the eye? Aggie herself is wracked with guilt over the death of her young son in a car accident that occurred while she was driving, causing her marriage to disintegrate and her world to become much, much smaller. That profound, agonising grief (plus intimidation from this enigmatic new neighbour) is the catalyst for an extreme turn from Danes, in which almost every line of dialogue is shakily blurted out in a state of mild to moderate panic. Though you wouldn't know it from this review, I am actually quite a fan of Danes's work – from Homeland to 2022's highly underrated Fleishman is in Trouble – but even admirers will be quickly desensitised to her intense emoting here. Equally, The Americans is one of my favourite shows of all time, so I am keenly aware of how masterfully menacing Rhys can be in a quality role; alas, Niles Jarvis more closely resembles a second-rate Bond villain or Succession reject (whichever is worse). Rhys does elevate a script full of clunkers, but Niles is just as cartoonishly heightened as Aggie; whether he's a murderer or not, he won't be on your Christmas card list after you watch him devour an entire chicken in 60 seconds flat (yes, a real scene). Admittedly, the two leads are such a bizarre pairing that they do keep The Beast in Me watchable in spite of how utterly preposterous it is, so there's a compliment in there somewhere for those willing to go digging. Banks takes a supporting role as Niles's father, Martin, who has a contentious relationship with the heir to his empire, which is why he's continued to produce new Jarvis children – and makes them physically fight, to remind us he's mean. Although his career pre-dates Breaking Bad, Banks is now best known as Mike Ehrmantraut and, much like co-star Giancarlo Esposito, seems doomed to riff on his character from that show for the rest of his career. Well, at least it's a steady pay cheque. There's more strangeness from David Lyons as unravelling FBI agent Brian Abbot (perhaps his silliest role since The Cape), but Brittany Snow (The Night Agent), Natalie Morales (Grey's Anatomy) and Hettienne Park (Hannibal) escape relatively unscathed. Ultimately, The Beast in Me is a far cry from the most painful shows I've had to watch in this job; the episodes (mostly) come in under 50 minutes, the characters are larger-than-life, and the plot is so silly that you feel anything could happen. It's the kind of daft assembly line thriller that you'd normally expect to see fired out of Netflix's Harlan Coben machine, or perhaps aired across three consecutive nights on 5; but the money and star-power behind this one does give it a certain charm. So while it's tough to recommend The Beast in Me, I also can't deny that it was entertaining – just for all the wrong reasons. And that might be enough to draw a crowd on Netflix, where popularity and excellence are rarely in alignment. The Beast in Me is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. 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The Beast in Me cast: Full list of actors in star-studded Netflix drama
Netflix's latest mystery drama boasts a star-studded cast.
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys join forces for Netflix's latest mystery drama The Beast in Me, which follows a struggling author as she attempts to understand her enigmatic new neighbour. Aggie Wiggs (Danes) has been plagued by tragedy since the release of her debut book, resulting in a severe case of writers' block and a life that is rapidly falling apart before her eyes. When intimidating property developer Niles Jarvis (Rhys) moves in next door, it's unclear whether he's the final nail in her coffin or a lifeline that could get her out of a profoundly unhealthy rut. The eight-part miniseries is produced by Danes's former Homeland collaborator Howard Gordon, from a concept by The X Files alum Gabe Rotter, with stars from Breaking Bad, The Morning Show and The Penguin filling out the supporting cast. If you're intrigued, read on for an introduction to The Beast in Me cast as the series drops on Netflix. The Beast in Me cast: Full list of actors in Netflix drama Here's a quick overview of the key players in Netflix mystery drama The Beast in Me – read on for more detailed profiles on each character and the actors playing them, including where you might have seen them before. Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis Brittany Snow as Nina Jarvis Natalie Morales as Shelley David Lyons as Brian Abbot Tim Guinee as Wrecking Ball Deirdre O'Connell as Carol Jonathan Banks as Martin Jarvis Hettienne Park as Agent Erika Breton Aleyse Shannon as Olivia Benitez Will Brill as Chris Ingram Kate Burton as Mariah Ingram Bill Irwin as James Ingram Amir Arison as Frank Breton Julie Ann Emery as Lila Jarvis Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs Who is Aggie Wiggs? Aggie is an author whose debut novel was a massive critical and commercial success. However, her promising career has since stalled due to terrible events in her personal life. She lost her young son in a car accident that occurred while she was driving, and the immense grief proceeded to destroy her marriage. Faced with insurmountable writers' block, she finds an intriguing subject in new neighbour Niles Jarvis. What else has Claire Danes been in? Danes rose to fame at a young age, with early roles in teen comedy My So-Called Life and Baz Luhrmann's Shakespeare adaptation Romeo + Juliet. She spent almost a decade playing CIA agent Carrie Mathison on US drama series Homeland, and earned further praise for Apple TV's The Essex Serpent and Hulu's Fleishman is in Trouble. Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis Who is Nile Jarvis? Nile is a property tycoon who works for his father's considerable business empire. He is currently battling New York City residents protesting a major development that would push more people on lower incomes out of the neighbourhood. Nile is intent on ensuring that Jarvis Yards moves ahead, but the project is also jeopardised by unproven accusations against him regarding the fate of his missing ex-wife. What else has Matthew Rhys been in? Rhys earned critical acclaim for his performance opposite co-star, and eventual wife Keri Russell in Cold War thriller The Americans. He went on to play the title role in HBO's short-lived Perry Mason reboot. Rhys is also known for family drama Brothers & Sisters and Agatha Christie adaptation Towards Zero. Brittany Snow as Nina Jarvis Who is Nina Jarvis? Nina is Nile's current wife, who believes that murder accusations levelled at him are false. What else has Brittany Snow been in? Snow achieved international recognition in the cast of musical films Hairspray and Pitch Perfect, playing Chloe Beale in the latter comedy-drama trilogy. More recently, she's appeared in horror film X, The Night Agent season 2, and true crime drama Murdaugh: Death in the Family. Natalie Morales as Shelley Who is Shelley? Shelley is Aggie's ex-wife. In happier times, they had been raising a son together, but he died at a young age in a tragic accident. The horrific event broke their marriage and has left them largely estranged. What else has Natalie Morales been in? Morales has appeared in a number of high-profile American television shows, including Parks and Recreation (as Tom Haverford's love interest Lucy), Santa Clarita Diet (as Sheriff's deputy Anne Garcia) and Dead to Me (as Michelle Gutierrez). Most recently, she's taken supporting roles in long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy, starry Apple TV series The Morning Show, and Jennifer Lawrence comedy No Hard Feelings. David Lyons as Brian Abbot Who is Brian Abbot? Brian Abbot is an FBI agent who has a history of investigating Niles Jarvis and his associates. When we meet him at the start of the series, it's unclear whether his interest is rational or obsessive. What else has David Lyons been in? Lyons recently starred opposite Octavia Spencer in Apple TV's crime drama Truth Be Told. Previously, he'd been known as Dr Simon Brenner in the final season of ER, and General Bass Monroe in sci-fi drama Revolution. Deirdre O'Connell as Carol Who is Carol? Carol is Aggie's editor, who is eager for a substantial update on her long-gestating second book. What else has Deirdre O'Connell been in? O'Connell recently played the mother of Colin Farrell's comic book mobster in acclaimed crime drama The Penguin. Past credits include Prime Video's western Outer Range, Netflix's Daredevil season 3, and director Ari Aster's latest feature film Eddington. Jonathan Banks as Martin Jarvis Who is Martin Jarvis? Martin is Niles's father. He is a ruthless businessman, just like his son, but doesn't always approve of the decisions made by the daring heir to his property empire. What else has Jonathan Banks been in? Banks is best known for playing Mike Ehrmantraut in hit drama Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. For a change of pace, he joined the cast of cult favourite sitcom Community in its fifth season, and has taken voice roles in Pixar's Incredibles 2 and Prime Video's Invincible. Banks's early roles include Airplane!, Beverly Hills Cop and '80s crime drama Wiseguy. Hettienne Park as Agent Erika Breton Who is Agent Erika Breton? Erika is an FBI agent and associate of Brian Abbot. What else has Hettienne Park been in? Park is probably best known for playing Beverly Katz in acclaimed horror drama Hannibal. Her other roles include HBO's The Last of Us season 2, Netflix's Black Rabbit and recent indie film Sorry, Baby. Aleyse Shannon as Olivia Benitez Who is Olivia Benitez? Olivia is a fiery New York politician, who is leading an organised protest movement against the construction of Jarvis Yards. What else has Aleyse Shannon been in? Shannon is best known for action drama Leverage: Redemption, which began life on Amazon Freevee before migrating to Prime Video. She also appeared in 2018's revival of fantasy drama Charmed. Tim Guinee as Wrecking Ball Who is Wrecking Ball? Wrecking Ball is a fixer working for Martin Jarvis, who will go to great lengths to protect his boss. What else has Tim Guinee been in? Guinee previously worked with Claire Danes on her hit spy thriller Homeland, where he appeared in several episodes as CIA chief Scott Ryan. Other credits include Inventing Anna and HBO drama The Staircase. Kate Burton as Mariah Ingram Who is Mariah Ingram? Mariah is the mother of Niles's missing ex-wife. What else has Kate Burton been in? The daughter of Hollywood legend Richard Burton, Kate's own acting career includes notable roles in Shonda Rhimes dramas Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. Other credits include factual dramas Inventing Anna, The Dropout and Dumb Money. Bill Irwin as James Ingram Who is James Ingram? James is the father of Niles's missing ex-wife. What else has Bill Irwin been in? Irwin played various roles on iconic American children's series Sesame Street, while he's also known as Dr Peter Lindstrom in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cary Loudermilk in Marvel series Legion. The Beast in Me is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. 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. 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Matt Smith's sex appeal changed The Death of Bunny Munro, says Nick Cave
The sheer "charm" of the Doctor Who alum "adds another layer of uneasiness" to the hard-hitting story.
The Death of Bunny Munro author Nick Cave has addressed one major change to the novel in Sky's adaptation – and it relates to the desirability of star Matt Smith. The six-part miniseries follows door-to-door salesman Bunny Munro (Smith) as he takes his young son, Bunny Jr (Rafael Mathé), on a road trip across the south coast of England. Sparked by a devastating tragedy, their hasty trip is the most time they've spent together in a good long while, and sees the younger Bunny facing whether to follow in his father's footsteps or take his own path in life. Based on the novel by superstar musician Cave, the series examines Bunny Sr's destructive traits, which include not only his dangerous parenting style, but also apparent addictions to sex, drugs and alcohol. Speaking at a screening for attendees of London Literature Festival, Cave said that Bunny's reckless behaviours strike a different note with Smith in the role, due to the actor being more alluring than his character was envisioned. "It's changed a lot," began Cave. "I mean, in the book, Bunny is just this kind of disgusting guy. He's not attractive, he's not even good at sex. He's a sort of failure that keeps just trying to screw everything he can, and is largely unsuccessful. View Green Video on the source website "And so, in a way, it wasn't as problematic, you could say, as with Matt playing him, because Matt's like a sexy guy. He's a sort of living fire emoji." Cave continued: "The story, in a way, becomes more transgressive in this version that you're seeing now because the women like him. And even though it's obviously clear to everybody what he's up to, women nevertheless are attracted to the pull of his charm." The Bad Seeds frontman wasn't at all disgruntled by the change, however, concluding that it "adds another layer of uneasiness to the whole thing" and enthusiastically praised the work of all involved. Cave contributed to The Death of Bunny Munro's soundtrack, for which he reunited with frequent collaborator and fellow Bad Seeds band member Warren Ellis. The Death of Bunny Munro premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th November 2025. Add The Death of Bunny Munro to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
IT: Welcome to Derry character guide – their links to the Stephen King universe explained
Bill Skargård is back as Pennywise – with some new Derry residents to terrorise.
One of the world's most adapted authors is adding another notch to his score, with Stephen King's IT serving as the launchpad for chilling prequel series Welcome to Derry. Andy Muschietti, director of 2017's box office smash IT: Chapter One and its sequel, is back to lead this successor, which also sees Bill Skarsgård return to his acclaimed performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Expanding on interludes from King's original novel, Welcome to Derry introduces us to a slew of new Derry residents as well as bringing back a couple of familiar names – including The Shining's own Dick Hallorann. Chris Chalk takes on the role originated by Scatman Crothers in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation, but this incarnation of the character is yet to grow into the wise and reassuring figure we meet there. If the horror series has piqued your attention, read on for an introduction to its key players as it continues its chilling run on Sky Atlantic and NOW. IT: Welcome to Derry cast: Full list of actors in Stephen King prequel Here's an overview of the main cast in IT: Welcome to Derry – read on for more detailed profiles on each character and the actor playing them, including where you might have seen them before. Bill Skarsgård as It aka Pennywise the Clown Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon Blake Cameron James as Will Hanlon Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann James Remar as General Shaw Stephen Rider as Hank Madeleine Stowe as TBC Rudy Mancuso as Captain Pauly Russo Clara Stack as Lilly Amanda Christine as Ronnie Mikkal Karim-Fidler as Teddy Bill Skarsgård as It aka Pennywise the Clown Who is Pennywise the Clown? Pennywise the Clown is a form often taken by the supernatural entity that terrorises the people of Derry. It is a shapeshifter, however, and has also appeared as other residents or monstrous beings, such as the giant spider seen at the end of It: Chapter Two. What else has Bill Skarsgård been in? Skarsgård has made a name for himself in the horror genre, breaking through on Netflix's Hemlock Grove, before bagging roles in the It films, Castle Rock, Barbarian and Nosferatu. His other notable works include action flicks Atomic Blonde and John Wick: Chapter 4, as well as Marvel's Eternals, where he voiced villainous deviant Kro. He is a part of the Skarsgård acting family, which also includes Andor's Stellan and Succession's Alexander. Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon Who is Charlotte Hanlon? Charlotte is a resident of Derry, Maine, with a strong moral compass. She is the grandmother of Mike Hanlon, a main character from the IT novel and previous films. What else has Taylour Paige been in? Paige is probably best known for acclaimed Netflix film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which was the final film appearance of late Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman. Other work includes comedy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, offbeat comedy The Toxic Avenger and VH1 dance drama Hit The Floor. Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon Who is Leroy Hanlon? Leroy is Charlotte's husband and a major in the US Army. He is the grandfather of Mike Hanlon, a main character from the IT novel and previous films. In 2017's It: Chapter One, an older version of the character is portrayed by Steven Williams. At that point in time, decades on from the events of this series, he is raising Mike and putting him to work at his abattoir. What else has Jovan Adepo been in? Adepo is possibly best known for his Emmy-nomninated turn as Hooded Justice in HBO's acclaimed Watchmen miniseries. He previously worked with show creator Damon Lindelof on his preceding drama The Leftovers, appearing throughout seasons 2 and 3 as Michael Murphy. Adepo is no stranger to the worlds of Stephen King, having previously appeared in The Stand; a post-apocalyptic drama based on the novelist's work. More recently, he played a key part in the ensemble cast assembled for Netflix's 3 Body Problem. Blake Cameron James as Will Hanlon Who is Will Hanlon? Will is the son of Charlotte and Leroy, who struggles to settle into life in Derry. He is a lover of science and grows up to be Mike Hanlon's father. What else has Blake Cameron James been in? A relatively new addition to the screen, James has previously appeared in 2023's acclaimed indie film We Grown Now and guest starred in an episode of NBC mystery drama Found. Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann Who is Dick Hallorann? Dick is a soldier in the US Army. To Stephen King experts, he's probably better known for his later job at the Overlook Hotel; the eerie, haunted setting of The Shining. His inclusion in It: Welcome to Derry isn't random, though, with the character getting a passing reference in It, which acknowledges his connection to the cursed Maine town. Expect his characterisation in this series to be different from Hallorann in later life. Actor Chris Chalk said: "Dick thinks all of these people [in Derry] are corny. He doesn't respect a single one of them, and that's the journey of Dick. The Dick you know is super nice... Good luck with this Dick." What else has Chris Chalk been in? Chalk has taken major roles in several US dramas, including Homeland (as Tom Walker), The Newsroom (as Gary Cooper), Gotham (as Lucius Fox) and Perry Mason (as Paul Drake). Most recently, he made a memorable guest appearance in Ryan Murphy's Feud: Capote vs The Swans, where he portrayed legendary US writer James Baldwin. Film projects include 12 Years A Slave, Detroit and Godzilla vs Kong. Rudy Mancuso as Captain Pauly Russo Who is Captain Pauly Russo? Pauly is a friend of Leroy's, who serves alongside him in the US military. What else has Rudy Mancuso been in? Mancuso is probably best known for his online presence, producing content across YouTube and social media that has earned him millions of followers. He moved into acting with Música, an acclaimed romcom which he directed and co-starred in, alongside his then-partner and now-fiancé Camila Mendes. Clara Stack as Lilly Who is Lilly? One of Derry's local schoolchildren, who has recently lost her father and is still processing her grief. What else has Clara Stack been in? Stack appeared as a young Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) in a flashback scene from Marvel's Hawkeye series on Disney Plus. She later bagged a guest role as Francesca in the final season of Prime Video's The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. Amanda Christine as Ronnie Who is Ronnie? Another local child who becomes friends with Will and Lilly. What else has Amanda Christine been in? Christine has been acting from a very young age, with recent credits including A Black Lady Sketch Show and Netflix children's animation Ada Twist, Scientist, where she voiced the title character. Mikkal Karim-Fidler as Teddy Who is Teddy? Another child of Derry. What else has Mikkal Karim-Fidler been in? A largely unknown young actor, Karim-Fidler has previous credits in 2023 film Boy in the Walls and Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It: Welcome to Derry premiered on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday 27th October 2025, with new episodes releasing weekly. Check out more of our Sci-fi 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. 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Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr's TV return in beloved comedy finally gets air date confirmed
Heartache and awkwardness awaits a young Alan Carr in Changing Ends season 3.
If you're missing Alan Carr after his astonishing run on Celebrity Traitors, don't despair: the comedian's hit ITV sitcom is returning to screens later this month for its third season. Changing Ends is a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age series, which sees Carr dramatise his childhood, growing up as the son of a football manager and not quite understanding what made him different to the other boys at his school. Child actor Oliver Savell plays a young Alan Carr, while the comedian himself features as a narrator, appearing on-screen to offer context and reflections on the show's storylines. Changing Ends has earned a generally positive reception from critics and viewers alike, becoming ITVX's most-viewed comedy in 2023, with Savell subsequently earning a BAFTA nomination for his uncanny turn as Carr. The next chapter in the sitcom is available to stream from the morning of Sunday 23rd November 2025 on ITVX, with a linear broadcast to follow at 10:05pm that night on ITV1 – just after I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. It's an enviable lead-in for the series, which ITV will be hoping receives a Celebrity Traitors bump after Carr emerged as the breakout star of the recent season, with many viewers declaring him a "national treasure" for his masterful hoodwinking. Carr himself acknowledged on Celebrity Traitors Uncloaked that the reaction to his participation has been more intense than his earlier television work, with industry pundits predicting high-profile follow-up gigs in the comic's future. For now, though, it's a return to the comfortingly familiar ground of Changing Ends. The synopsis for season 3, courtesy of ITV teases a crush for the teenaged Carr on a new character named Jake. It asks: "Does love struck Alan suppress this crush or shout about it from the rooftops?" "Whatever happens, it's going to be tough as Alan has the thankless task of navigating the adolescent minefields that are sleepovers, swimming lessons and nights out with the boys – and the girls. "But it's not all doom and gloom as some unexpected allies give Alan a much-needed glimpse of a hopeful future and they're not a million miles away from his own doorstep." Changing Ends seasons 1-2 are available on ITVX. Season 3 premieres on ITV1 at 10:05pm on Sunday 23rd November 2025. Check out more of our Comedy 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. Add Changing Ends to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
AI 'actor' Tilly Norwood's creator addresses backlash and announces 40 more AI characters in the works
Eline Van der Velden gave her first interview since Tilly Norwood's viral acting debut.
The creator of controversial AI-generated 'actor' Tilly Norwood has addressed the massive online backlash that the project received following a viral video in September. The creation of Norwood, led by Eline Van der Velden of AI studio Particle6, pre-dates the recent mainstream attention, which focused on a generated short film in which Norwood took 'her' first acting role. The American actors' union SAG-AFTRA condemned the endeavour, saying that "creativity is, and should remain, human-centred" and criticised training an AI 'actor' on "the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation". "It doesn’t solve any 'problem' — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardising performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry," the guild added. Norwood also became the subject of heated debate on social media, with many film buffs sharing the stance of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and other industry figures. Reflecting on the tumultuous period, Van der Velden told Deadline: "It's been crazy, I'm not going to lie. I could never have imagined this story would blow up as much as it did. "When I first envisioned Tilly, I did imagine global stardom for her, that's what she was built for. For that to come true has been a funny self-fulfilling prophecy." She continued: "I think it showed off our quality, and a lot of people were amazed by that, and that the quality of Tilly sparked a conversation that needed to be had around the world about how is this tech going to fit into this industry." Van der Velden proceeded to express regret that Tilly "upset people", particularly within the acting profession, and made her case for why the advent of AI-generated actors shouldn't be perceived as a threat. "It is not my creative pursuit to take [actors'] jobs away in any shape or form," said Van der Velden. "I'm sympathising and feel upset they were upset. I hope that I can make them feel better by saying that is not the intention. "That is not what Tilly was made for. And just because there's a new art form like AI, doesn't mean that the old art form becomes obsolete, right? We still paint, we still write, we still do photography." She added: "Just because you can now do those things digitally doesn't mean we don't do the old art." Suffice to say, Van der Velden and her businesses – AI studio Particle6 and AI talent company Xicoia – don't intend to slow down despite the frosty reception they have received publicly. Privately, she claims that "lots" of talent agencies have expressed interest in representing Norwood. Moving forward, Van der Velden intends to "create 40 very diverse characters to build her whole universe and to play in this AI genre with a whole new cast", but added that no others are "ready for release" just yet. The Dutch-born entrepreneur is now based in the UK and has expressed a desire for Britain to be an "absolute frontrunner" in the field of AI-generated screen talent. However, the UK's own actors' union Equity has pushed back against such development. In a statement, they said: "Equity believes that the creative process is a human prerogative, and generative AI must remain a tool that is used to empower human creators, not replace them. "We are calling for greater transparency and protections for artists' work, to ensure that new AI-generated performers like 'Tilly Norwood' do not infringe our members' likenesses, and human artistry is protected at all costs. "AI-generated performances do not appear from thin air – they are made by digitally imitating real work made by real people. These AI systems have been trained on human likeness and human voices. "Sometimes this is done with performers' permission, but often it is not. This Wild West must end, and robust protections must be implemented to ensure artists' work is not stolen." 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. Add shows to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa joins Wicked star in animated musical Bad Fairies
The news comes mere weeks away from Wicked: For Good's cinema debut.
Ncuti Gatwa's post-Doctor Who career has just added another major project, with the acclaimed actor taking a voice role in a major new animated film co-starring Wicked icon Cynthia Erivo. Bad Fairies is a fantastical adventure slated for release in summer 2027, which follows a group of "delightfully subversive" fairies as they "shake up their magical world" (via Deadline). Erivo was confirmed to star in the animated musical last month, with Gatwa being the latest addition to what looks poised to be an A-list voice cast; details about his character have not yet been disclosed. Bad Fairies is written by comedian Deborah Frances-White (The Guilty Feminist), with Megan Nicole Dong (Netflix's Centuarworld) and Oliver Staphylas (Wish Dragon) sharing directing duties. Tony Award-winning songwriters Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (best known for King Henry VIII-themed Six: The Musical) are also aboard the project, alongside composer Isabella Summers (a founding member of indie band Florence + The Machine). For Gatwa, it marks his first major screen booking since a widely publicised exit from Doctor Who, after which the actor returned to the stage for West End runs on The Importance of Being Earnest and Born with Teeth. Most recently, he was seen alongside Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch in romcom The Roses, and coming up next he has The Queen of Fashion; a biopic about stylist Isabella Blow, starring Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack) in the lead role. No doubt Bad Fairies will be hoping to draw in Wicked-sized numbers on the strength of Erivo's musical prowess. After numerous theatre gigs, including Sister Act and The Colour Purple, the British actor moved into film from 2018 with roles in Bad Times at the El Royale, Widows and Harriet, where she was Oscar-nominated for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman. However, Erivo's film career has reached new heights in the past year, following her debut as Elphaba Thropp in the blockbuster film adaptation of Wicked. The first film made more than $750 million at the global box office, with similarly high expectations for the forthcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, which is set to conclude the Wizard of Oz-inspired story later this month. Further casting and plot details for Bad Fairies will be announced in due course. Bad Fairies is coming to cinemas in May 2027. 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. Add shows to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Ex-EastEnders star confirms move to Corrie with first look at character outside Rovers
But will his latest role be another villain or someone more sympathetic?
Aidan O'Callaghan has confirmed his previously reported move to Coronation Street with a new social media post, which shows the actor hanging around outside the Rovers Return. The actor will be well known to soap fans for his brief but impactful stint on EastEnders, where he played Lewis Butler – a colleague to Ben Mitchell, who initially appeared to be a potential love interest. However, the storyline took a horrific turn when Lewis raped Ben, which led to his exile from Walford; a later reference to the character suggested that he had been arrested off-screen for a separate assault. O'Callaghan went on to land roles in Sky police drama Wolfe and Netflix fantasy series The Witcher: Blood Origin; previously, he'd appeared as Mike in two episodes of ITV's Emmerdale. That means his addition to Coronation Street is a soap hat-trick, with the actor reported to appear in flashback as an unknown figure named Alan, whose past is tied into the incoming Driscoll family. Check out a first look at O'Callaghan on the Coronation Street set below. The Irish mother-son duo Maggie (Pauline McLynn) and Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) will debut in the coming weeks, with McLynn teasing a "fierce" and "formidable" matriarch. The actor is best known for Channel 4 comedies Father Ted and Shameless, the latter of which also starred McCusker. The Driscolls will arrive alongside returning character Eva Price (played again by The Good Ship Murder's Catherine Tyldesley), who will be married to Ben when we see her next. Recalling the moment she was formally asked back, Tyldesley told RadioTimes.com: "My agent said, 'Kate [Brooks] would like to speak to you about Corrie', and I assumed it was for someone's funeral and they'd want me to rock up. "Kate said, 'Would you like to be landlady?' and I screamed," she continued. "I was really shocked. It's an absolute dream." Alas, O'Callaghan didn't give away anything about his own role in the Instagram caption, which simply reads "Who dis?", while the images themselves see him in a black and grey striped shirt, relaxed fit blue jeans and brown boots. Is this a vintage look in the present day, or are reports of a flashback correct? We'll know soon. Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX. Check out more of our Soaps 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. Add Coronation Street to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.