Taskmaster’s Alex Horne hints at what’s in store for the new series – and sets two of the contestants an eggs-tra special Easter task
Add Taskmaster to your watchlist It’s almost April, and “Little” Alex Horne has turned up at the Radio Times office with a wax-sealed task, four gold envelopes and a “special” six-pack of eggs. Happy Easter! To celebrate Taskmaster’s 21st series, which begins on Channel 4 on Thursday, just a few days after the Easter weekend, Horne has agreed to create an exclusive seasonal task for RT. To make it even more authentic, we’ve invited two of this year’s contestants – satirist/director Armando Iannucci and comedian and presenter Joel Dommett – to try it out. We’ve even managed to bring in an official trophy of Taskmaster Greg Davies wearing bunny ears for the winner. An “Easter Greg”, if you will. “This is an Easter task, which I had to come up with very quickly,” Horne tells RT. “I do have to come up with tasks all the time – I get asked quite often by hen nights and stag dos and schoolteachers. I have a little list of things that might work for different occasions.” Essentially, it’s second nature at this point. On-screen, 47-year-old Horne and the Taskmaster team have created hundreds upon hundreds of tasks for more than 100 comedians across 21 series (not including specials), with challenges ranging from painting the best picture of a horse while riding a horse, to successfully running a fictional hotel, all judged by co-host Davies. “I think of it like writing jokes,” Horne explains. “You always panic that you’re going to run out, but they keep on coming to you. You’re just hoping inspiration will strike in a completely different direction. “They’re also not complete until the comedians do them,” he adds. “Often the ones that end up being the most memorable were the least good on paper.” That’s certainly true of today’s task for Iannucci and Dommett. The unlikely duo are asked to find and smash a single boiled egg from a group of three; two are raw. Each egg has descriptions written on it, and the golden envelopes contain extra clues, but may also include red herrings. It’s hard to say what cracks quicker under the pressure – the celebrities or the eggs. “Like most of the series, with this task I’ve finished it and still don’t really understand what happened,” Dommett says shortly after his attempt. Still, the eggy chaos reflects the new series, the 11th on Channel 4 (previously it aired on Dave). Alongside Iannucci and Dommett, the new cast includes comedian Amy Gledhill and actor Joanna Page, best known for one of the titular roles in Gavin & Stacey. “Most people only know her from Gavin & Stacey and haven’t seen the real Joanna, and it’s remarkable,” Horne says. But perhaps the most impressive signing is Hollywood actor Kumail Nanjiani, a former Marvel superhero with an impressive TV and film CV that includes Ghostbusters, Men in Black and Star Wars roles. A few days before our shoot, he presented an award at the Oscars and was cast in the next series of The White Lotus. “I did get a jolt when I watched the Oscars and Kumail walked on, because I know what he’s like in real life,” Horne laughs. “But it just shows that people are just people. I think Taskmaster works because it doesn’t matter who you are. It still comes unstuck when you’ve got three eggs and a task. “We started in 2015, and I don’t think it’s changed much,” he adds. “The tasks have to change a little bit. Even today, there’s a few more rules because we’ve done a lot of the most basic things. And also, contestants do come in with a little bit more knowledge about the show. “But equally we still put stuff under the table and no one looks there. Greg’s still as wayward with his judging as ever. I think that, at its core, it’s still just making funny people do stupid things.” Looking ahead, viewers can expect those “funny people” to get even starrier. According to Horne, series 22 – which has almost concluded studio filming as we go to press – has cast a real hero of his, while series 23 goes even bigger. “I could give you a sneaky bit of information for the distant future,” he says. “We have got an Oscar winner in a future series.” Robert De Niro throwing a potato into a hole? Meryl Streep eating an entire watermelon in three minutes? Take a guess… the clock’s ticking! The Task Break the boiled egg. You may only break one egg. Two of the eggs are labelled correctly. Fastest wins. Your time starts now! Armando Iannucci Time: Either 26 seconds or officially, 4 minutes 31 seconds (including a 3-minute penalty) Eggs broken: 2 Hint envelopes opened: 1 (‘Egg C has the right label’) Points: 0 (disqualified) Pride: Intact Within seconds of starting, Armando had accidentally dropped an egg, technically ending the whole task – but he decided to plough on anyway. Despite using one hint, he still failed to locate the boiled egg and broke the second raw egg. Double failure. “Thank you very much... it’s great to be back,” he laughs. This feels a bit like a post-match interview... How do you rate your task performance today? Well, I think I played really well. My fitness is good. My form is good. I just think the big point – you know, choosing the egg – I need to be better than that. I’ve fired my coach… and I’ve hired the coach I’ve fired because he’s still on contract. I still have to pay him. You’re not known for being “yourself” on TV shows, so why do Taskmaster? People have me down as a sort of political, satirical, sweary writer. And, yeah, I do a bit of that, but I also do stupid stuff and silly stuff. I mean, Alan Partridge is stupid, and I did a show on Channel 4, The Armando Iannucci Shows, which was mostly stupid. I seem to do comedy about people who look normal or even respectable acting like idiots. And I thought it was probably about time I fell into that category. Were you a fan before? Oh, it’s a favourite! My family and I watched it right from the start. I was slightly trepidatious to be asked on to it, but also within a nanosecond, I said yes, because it’s such a friendly, kind show. You can bowl things up and make a complete arse of the task and of yourself, and it doesn’t matter. You’re surrounded by Easter paraphernalia, but do you celebrate Easter? We used to do Easter egg hunts and all that sort of thing, but my kids are grown up now. I will say, when you reach a certain age – and I don’t want to plough this elderly man theme for much longer – but you can have chocolate whenever you like! You don’t need to wait until Easter. Joel Dommett Time: 4 minutes 1 second (including 1-minute penalty) Eggs broken: 2 Hint envelopes opened: 1 (mystery envelope red herring) Points: 0 (disqualified) Haircuts ruined: 1 Joel took his time trying to crack the clues – “Egg a’boiled?” he mused, before being told it read “Egg A: boiled” – and also sacrificed a minute of time for a hint. Unfortunately, that “mystery envelope” only contained a free photo of Greg Davies and Alex Horne. Checking under the egg cups revealed a secret message: Manufactured in Denmark. Giving up, Joel went on instinct and confidently smashed a raw egg on his head. Followed by the other raw egg. Good for the hair, we’re told... Without giving too much away, you have trouble with an egg-based task in the new series... You don’t seem to have a lot of luck with eggs on Taskmaster! No, I really don’t. I like to eat eggs because they are a very good protein source. But now they sort of have a sheen of PTSD. How did you find our task today? I loved it – I know there’s probably a clever way of doing it and I do always try my best to work out what that is, but it actually kind of confuses me and then I just go a bit gung-ho. And smash an egg on my head. Two eggs. Why not? If you’ve done one, you might as well do another. Were you a fan of the show before you joined? A massive fan, as I think a lot of comedians are. It’s just one of those brilliant shows in which you get to see the mind of a comedian and the different ways they figure something out. Potentially in the wrong way, very much like today! It’s very festive in here – do you celebrate Easter? I sometimes forget Easter, but I have a two-and-a-half year-old, so I should probably start embracing it! Actually, people think I’m maybe not a controversial comedian, but I’m about to say something really controversial… I don’t eat chocolate. In the shoot, I enjoyed punching an Easter egg more than I enjoyed eating it. That says it all about me. Alex Horne's verdict This was easy to score. They both failed – zero points. This is a little logic task. It’s very easy: you’ve just got to open the hint envelope that is going to cost you the most time. But I was pretty sure that they wouldn’t do that – and they didn’t do that, so that’s good. I did feel very smug, which often happens in the show. I tested this one on my kids at home and two of them found the correct egg, one of them did a Joel and just smashed the wrong one. These two did predictably badly, but they also did it predictably entertainingly. There’s always a balance in the show. You could just come in and do the task. And that’s fine if one person does that, but if all five did it in a very dry way, it wouldn’t be entertaining. So, they didn’t disappoint. This task may return in the TV show. So if you’re a future contestant watching this, you’ve got an advantage. I try to test tasks out wherever I can because life’s short.
Joel Dommett and Armando Iannucci take on exclusive Taskmaster task – here's Alex Horne's verdict
Break the boiled egg. You may only break one egg. Two of the eggs are labelled correctly. Fastest wins. Your time starts now!
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. It’s almost April, and “Little” Alex Horne has turned up at the Radio Times office with a wax-sealed task, four gold envelopes and a “special” six-pack of eggs. Happy Easter! To celebrate Taskmaster’s 21st series, which begins on Channel 4 on Thursday 9 April, just a few days after the Easter weekend, Horne has agreed to create an exclusive seasonal task for RT. To make it even more authentic, we’ve invited two of this year’s contestants – satirist/director Armando Iannucci and comedian and presenter Joel Dommett – to try it out. We’ve even managed to bring in an official trophy of Taskmaster Greg Davies wearing bunny ears for the winner. An “Easter Greg”, if you will. How did they do? Read on to find out. Armando Iannucci Within seconds of starting, Armando had accidentally dropped an egg, technically ending the whole task – but he decided to plough on anyway. Despite using one hint, he still failed to locate the boiled egg and broke the second raw egg. Double failure. “Thank you very much... it’s great to be back,” he laughs. This feels a bit like a post-match interview... How do you rate your task performance today? Well, I think I played really well. My fitness is good. My form is good. I just think the big point – you know, choosing the egg – I need to be better than that. I’ve fired my coach… and I’ve hired the coach I’ve fired because he’s still on contract. I still have to pay him. You’re not known for being “yourself” on TV shows, so why do Taskmaster? People have me down as a sort of political, satirical, sweary writer. And, yeah, I do a bit of that, but I also do stupid stuff and silly stuff. I mean, Alan Partridge is stupid, and I did a show on Channel 4, The Armando Iannucci Shows, which was mostly stupid. I seem to do comedy about people who look normal or even respectable acting like idiots. And I thought it was probably about time I fell into that category. Were you a fan before? Oh, it’s a favourite! My family and I watched it right from the start. I was slightly trepidatious to be asked on to it, but also within a nanosecond, I said yes, because it’s such a friendly, kind show. You can bowl things up and make a complete arse of the task and of yourself, and it doesn’t matter. You’re surrounded by Easter paraphernalia, but do you celebrate Easter? We used to do Easter egg hunts and all that sort of thing, but my kids are grown up now. I will say, when you reach a certain age – and I don’t want to plough this elderly man theme for much longer – but you can have chocolate whenever you like! You don’t need to wait until Easter. Joel Dommett Joel took his time trying to crack the clues – “Egg a’boiled?” he mused, before being told it read “Egg A: boiled” – and also sacrificed a minute of time for a hint. Unfortunately, that “mystery envelope” only contained a free photo of Greg Davies and Alex Horne. Checking under the egg cups revealed a secret message: Manufactured in Denmark. Giving up, Joel went on instinct and confidently smashed a raw egg on his head. Followed by the other raw egg. Good for the hair, we’re told... Without giving too much away, you have trouble with an egg-based task in the new series... You don’t seem to have a lot of luck with eggs on Taskmaster! No, I really don’t. I like to eat eggs because they are a very good protein source. But now they sort of have a sheen of PTSD. How did you find our task today? I loved it – I know there’s probably a clever way of doing it and I do always try my best to work out what that is, but it actually kind of confuses me and then I just go a bit gung-ho. And smash an egg on my head. Two eggs. Why not? If you’ve done one, you might as well do another. Were you a fan of the show before you joined? A massive fan, as I think a lot of comedians are. It’s just one of those brilliant shows in which you get to see the mind of a comedian and the different ways they figure something out. Potentially in the wrong way, very much like today! It’s very festive in here – do you celebrate Easter? I sometimes forget Easter, but I have a two-and-a-half year-old, so I should probably start embracing it! Actually, people think I’m maybe not a controversial comedian, but I’m about to say something really controversial… I don’t eat chocolate. In the shoot, I enjoyed punching an Easter egg more than I enjoyed eating it. That says it all about me. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. Alex Horne's verdict This was easy to score. They both failed – zero points. This is a little logic task. It’s very easy: you’ve just got to open the hint envelope that is going to cost you the most time. But I was pretty sure that they wouldn’t do that – and they didn’t do that, so that’s good. I did feel very smug, which often happens in the show. I tested this one on my kids at home and two of them found the correct egg, one of them did a Joel and just smashed the wrong one. These two did predictably badly, but they also did it predictably entertainingly. There’s always a balance in the show. You could just come in and do the task. And that’s fine if one person does that, but if all five did it in a very dry way, it wouldn’t be entertaining. So, they didn’t disappoint. This task may return in the TV show. So if you’re a future contestant watching this, you’ve got an advantage. I try to test tasks out wherever I can because life’s short. Photographer: Rob Parfitt <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/rob_parfitt_photography/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/rob_parfitt_photography/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@rob_parfitt_photography HMU: Bryony Blake <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/bryony_blake/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/bryony_blake/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@bryony_blake HMU: Holly Davies <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/hollylouisehmua/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/hollylouisehmua/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@hollylouisehmua Set Dressing: Propped Up <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/propped_up_ltd/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/propped_up_ltd/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@propped_up_ltd The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Taskmaster returns on Thursday 9 April at 9pm on Channel 4. Previous seasons are available to watch on catch-up on Channel 4. Add Taskmaster to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Taskmaster legend Alex Horne reveals the "jolt" he got from seeing show's A-list Hollywood signing
The show creator hints at what's in store for the new episodes – and sets two of the contestants an eggs-tra special task.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. It’s almost April, and "Little" Alex Horne has turned up at the Radio Times office with a wax-sealed task, four gold envelopes and a "special" six-pack of eggs. Happy Easter! To celebrate Taskmaster’s 21st series, which begins on Channel 4 on Thursday 9 April, just a few days after the Easter weekend, Horne has agreed to create an exclusive seasonal task for RT. To make it even more authentic, we’ve invited two of this year’s contestants – satirist/director Armando Iannucci and comedian and presenter Joel Dommett – to try it out. We’ve even managed to bring in an official trophy of Taskmaster Greg Davies wearing bunny ears for the winner. An "Easter Greg", if you will. “This is an Easter task, which I had to come up with very quickly,” Horne tells RT. “I do have to come up with tasks all the time – I get asked quite often by hen nights and stag dos and schoolteachers. I have a little list of things that might work for different occasions.” Essentially, it’s second nature at this point. On-screen, 47-year-old Horne and the Taskmaster team have created hundreds upon hundreds of tasks for more than 100 comedians across 21 series (not including specials), with challenges ranging from painting the best picture of a horse while riding a horse, to successfully running a fictional hotel, all judged by co-host Davies. “I think of it like writing jokes,” Horne explains. “You always panic that you’re going to run out, but they keep on coming to you. You’re just hoping inspiration will strike in a completely different direction. “They’re also not complete until the comedians do them,” he adds. “Often the ones that end up being the most memorable were the least good on paper.” That’s certainly true of today’s task for Iannucci and Dommett. The unlikely duo are asked to find and smash a single boiled egg from a group of three; two are raw. Each egg has descriptions written on it, and the golden envelopes contain extra clues, but may also include red herrings. It’s hard to say what cracks quicker under the pressure – the celebrities or the eggs. “Like most of the series, with this task I’ve finished it and still don’t really understand what happened,” Dommett says shortly after his attempt. Still, the eggy chaos reflects the new series, the 11th on Channel 4 (previously it aired on Dave). Alongside Iannucci and Dommett, the new cast includes comedian Amy Gledhill and actor Joanna Page, best known for one of the titular roles in Gavin & Stacey. “Most people only know her from Gavin & Stacey and haven’t seen the real Joanna, and it’s remarkable,” Horne says. But perhaps the most impressive signing is Hollywood actor Kumail Nanjiani, a former Marvel superhero with an impressive TV and film CV that includes Ghostbusters, Men in Black and Star Wars roles. A few days before our shoot, he presented an award at the Oscars and was cast in the next series of The White Lotus. “I did get a jolt when I watched the Oscars and Kumail walked on, because I know what he’s like in real life,” Horne laughs. “But it just shows that people are just people. I think Taskmaster works because it doesn’t matter who you are. It still comes unstuck when you’ve got three eggs and a task. “We started in 2015, and I don’t think it’s changed much,” he adds. “The tasks have to change a little bit. Even today, there’s a few more rules because we’ve done a lot of the most basic things. And also, contestants do come in with a little bit more knowledge about the show. “But equally we still put stuff under the table and no one looks there. Greg’s still as wayward with his judging as ever. I think that, at its core, it’s still just making funny people do stupid things.” View Green Video on the source website Looking ahead, viewers can expect those “funny people” to get even starrier. According to Horne, series 22 – which has almost concluded studio filming as we go to press – has cast a real hero of his, while series 23 goes even bigger. “I could give you a sneaky bit of information for the distant future,” he says. “We have got an Oscar winner in a future series.” Robert De Niro throwing a potato into a hole? Meryl Streep eating an entire watermelon in three minutes? Take a guess... the clock’s ticking! You can find out how the task went and read more from Alex Horne, Joel Dommett and Armando Iannucci in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, out on Tuesday – subscribe here. Photographer: Rob Parfitt <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/rob_parfitt_photography/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/rob_parfitt_photography/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@rob_parfitt_photography HMU: Bryony Blake <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/bryony_blake/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/bryony_blake/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@bryony_blake HMU: Holly Davies <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/hollylouisehmua/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/hollylouisehmua/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@hollylouisehmua Set Dressing: Propped Up <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/propped_up_ltd/#" href="https://www.instagram.com/propped_up_ltd/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">@propped_up_ltd Taskmaster returns on Thursday 9 April at 9pm on Channel 4. Previous seasons are available to watch on catch-up on Channel4.com. Add Taskmaster to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The comedian doesn’t do reality TV — but he’d make an exception for The Traitors
Add Mock the Week to your watchlist What’s the view from your sofa? In the room where we all sit around and watch The Traitors or whatever, there are two fairly comfy couches, but side on. It gives the illusion that they’re there for conversation, but actually we just sit like emperors and watch the television off the two sides. We’re nominally facing each other, but very much looking to the side, and going, “Shush, Claudia’s talking.” You’re clearly a fan — would you do The Celebrity Traitors? Yeah! And I don’t do shows like that, as a rule. It’s kind of known that I’m not planning on going into the jungle, or dancing. It’s just not my thing. But for The Traitors, I would probably make an exception because my family would be furious if I didn’t. Because of my persona – the science shows – there’s a perception that I would somehow be very good at it, but I’d be awful! Still, it didn’t stop Alan Carr… After four years away from Mock the Week, did you have any doubts about returning as host? No. It would have been a weird stance of “Surely it’s time for another generation” – screw that. There’s no element of me going, “Do you know what? Maybe it’s time for the baton to be passed.” No. You’ll have to take the buzzer out of my cold, dead hands. Has making the show for TLC, rather than the impartial BBC, given you more freedom? I mean, obviously that stuff was kind of overstated a bit. I sometimes made a joke at the time imagining how the BBC would bring me into a room and sit us down, and go, “OK, Dara, Fiona Bruce, and Mr Turnbull – this is our stance on things this week.” Which obviously, they never did. The people you talk about changes, because a different government is in charge – like Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves. But that isn’t because we’re not on the BBC. It’s because they’re the ones in power now. Do you think the initial cancellation of the show was premature? On TLC, it’s already been renewed for a second series… Yes. Rather than presume that there was some sort of political reason for it – and I understand the case that can be made for, “Oh, that’s weird, that it was The Mash Report, us, and Frankie Boyle’s show that got cancelled” – the truth is they just didn’t have the money to make it any more. It’s very worrying that the BBC has less money to do things, and is supplying less of a service than it did, because we’ve let it be depleted of cash. You work a lot back home in Ireland, too. How different is Irish TV to British TV? Irish TV famously has to do English TV on a much smaller budget because it’s a much smaller market. There was Irish Apprentice for a while, which was quite hilariously low-rent in places. There was an episode where the winning team’s prize was dinner in a warehouse of a stationery company, because they’d sponsored it. It was just plastic boxes and lever arch files, and they’re in the middle, going, “Bravo, we have won the task this week.” That’s amazing… I genuinely think people in the UK have no sense of how we have a total, actual culture in Ireland, which is not in any way dependent on the UK. All news is local in Ireland. There’s a sense of intimacy to Irish TV. We feel like we know every one of the people on it, even if we don’t. I’ve gone, “Oh, hiya” to Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan, even though we’ve never met. We just do that, all the time. And we have our own heroes. An Irish version of Celebrity Traitors would, to your eyes, be: “Who are these people?” But in Ireland, some of them are gods.
Mock the Week legend Dara Ó Briain: "It's very worrying that the BBC has less money to do things"
The comedian doesn’t do reality TV – but he’d make an exception for The Traitors.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. What’s the view from your sofa? In the room where we all sit around and watch The Traitors or whatever, there are two fairly comfy couches, but side on. It gives the illusion that they’re there for conversation, but actually we just sit like emperors and watch the television off the two sides. We’re nominally facing each other, but very much looking to the side, and going, “Shush, Claudia’s talking.” You’re clearly a fan – would you do The Celebrity Traitors? Yeah! And I don’t do shows like that, as a rule. It’s kind of known that I’m not planning on going into the jungle, or dancing. It’s just not my thing. But for The Traitors, I would probably make an exception because my family would be furious if I didn’t. Because of my persona – the science shows – there’s a perception that I would somehow be very good at it, but I’d be awful! Still, it didn’t stop Alan Carr… After four years away from Mock the Week, did you have any doubts about returning as host? No. It would have been a weird stance of “Surely it’s time for another generation” – screw that. There’s no element of me going, “Do you know what? Maybe it’s time for the baton to be passed.” No. You’ll have to take the buzzer out of my cold, dead hands. Has making the show for TLC, rather than the impartial BBC, given you more freedom? I mean, obviously that stuff was kind of overstated a bit. I sometimes made a joke at the time imagining how the BBC would bring me into a room and sit us down, and go, “OK, Dara, Fiona Bruce, and Mr Turnbull – this is our stance on things this week.” Which obviously, they never did. The people you talk about changes, because a different government is in charge – like Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves. But that isn’t because we’re not on the BBC. It’s because they’re the ones in power now. Do you think the initial cancellation of the show was premature? On TLC, it’s already been renewed for a second series… Yes. Rather than presume that there was some sort of political reason for it – and I understand the case that can be made for, “Oh, that’s weird, that it was The Mash Report, us, and Frankie Boyle’s show that got cancelled” – the truth is they just didn’t have the money to make it any more. It’s very worrying that the BBC has less money to do things, and is supplying less of a service than it did, because we’ve let it be depleted of cash. You work a lot back home in Ireland, too. How different is Irish TV to British TV? Irish TV famously has to do English TV on a much smaller budget because it’s a much smaller market. There was Irish Apprentice for a while, which was quite hilariously low-rent in places. There was an episode where the winning team’s prize was dinner in a warehouse of a stationery company, because they’d sponsored it. It was just plastic boxes and lever arch files, and they’re in the middle, going, “Bravo, we have won the task this week.” That’s amazing... I genuinely think people in the UK have no sense of how we have a total, actual culture in Ireland, which is not in any way dependent on the UK. All news is local in Ireland. There’s a sense of intimacy to Irish TV. We feel like we know every one of the people on it, even if we don’t. I’ve gone, “Oh, hiya” to Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan, even though we’ve never met. We just do that, all the time. And we have our own heroes. An Irish version of Celebrity Traitors would, to your eyes, be: “Who are these people?” But in Ireland, some of them are gods. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. 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.
A guide to every English-language LOL: Last One Laughing
Add LOL: Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist What made you want to take part in Last One Laughing? I spend 90 per cent of my life in the giggles. If I’m on stage, if I hear a funny sound from the audience, and everybody else has clocked it, I can be derailed for a good five minutes. So the idea of getting to do the challenge in person was far too tempting. What’s the sort of stuff that usually sets you off? An awkward silence. An awkward silence that’s then interrupted by something. A squeaky chair in a funeral. That will get me going. Any noise that isn’t meant to be there. If it’s an older lady on the bus belching, it’ll get me going 100 per cent. Who was your comedy inspiration? The holy trinity for me are Dawn French, Victoria Wood and Lee Evans. Dawn French being so giddy and young at heart; Victoria Wood being able to just hold a room with such a command as well as the quick-wittedness of her; and Lee Evans, because of how physically comical he was. He would be funny before he got to the mic. What’s the first joke that you remember telling? Oh, we used to tell this really naff one all the time: What goes “Ha, Ha, Ha, thud”? A man laughing his head off. Come on, it’s terrible, but it kind of works.
Add LOL: Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist What made you want to try Last One Laughing? My manager went bankrupt last year. I lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s not purely financial but, hey, it helps. This is a show where people try not to laugh. Why do you think that appeals to viewers? I don’t know. Maybe everyone secretly wishes they were a guard at Guantanamo, you know? They want to see people suffer, and they’ve figured out a framework for a bit of suffering to happen. As a comedian, is it nightmarish doing jokes to an audience of your peers who can’t laugh? Not so much. I don’t trust comedians. These guys have got big heads and big egos, and they’re throwing them around. They’re selfish people, and I try not to be selfish. I don’t want to be seen as having tickets on myself. Tickets? That’s a famous phrase, no? It means they think they’re all that, and more. Have you ever had a gig where no one laughed? Absolutely, I’ve had bombs. I think people often think it’s my first time, and I’ve been doing it for over a decade. I just don’t exude confidence. I’m not someone who really should have a lot of people looking at him, probably. But then hopefully people find that funny. They’re like, “I don’t even think I should be looking at this guy….” That’s my sweet spot.
Add LOL: Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist You’re not a stand-up, so was it hard facing off with comedians on this series? I suppose in a way it might have made it easier for me, because I’ve done more comedy in situations where no one laughs. You know, a show like Peep Show – no one’s laughing. And that’s no reflection on the script. Did you have any tactics? I did consider trying to contract diarrhoea, because I thought desperately trying not to s**t yourself is quite a good way of not being amused by anything. Who are your comedy heroes? I was obsessed with Monty Python. I loved Blackadder. I used to have tapes of The Goon Show. I loved Peter Cook. I also did love Reeves and Mortimer, so it’s amazing to have worked with Bob so much, when I watched him as a teenager growing up. That’s not to make him feel old – he beat me in an arm wrestle yesterday. And I’ve got to have a think about that. Is there anything you just don’t find funny? I’m very ignorant of pop music and music in general. Quite often there are bits on Would I Lie to You? when Rob [Brydon] and Lee [Mack] start doing, in some circumstances, an apposite lyric. And I never quite know when it’s over, because they might say an apparently quite normal phrase, and then the audience will inexplicably laugh, and I go, “That’s another f***ing lyric.”
Add LOL: Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist You’ve always kept a straight face as the deadpan Philomena Cunk. Did you draw on that experience? Yeah, I thought, “Look, I’ve had loads of training here.” It’s not just when you’re talking to the experts where you have to keep a straight face, it’s for the whole shoot, whatever happens. So I went in there thinking, “This is going to be easy.” But it wasn’t! What makes you laugh the most in real life? People falling over and hurting themselves. There’s nothing funnier than that. Have you ever done a gig where no one laughed? I did stand-up for nearly 10 years and you have to get used to being on stage and having people just staring at you. It really helps on this show if you’ve had a stand-up background, and you’ve been forced to stand in front of people in silence. I quite like an awkward silence now. I sort of revel in it. What’s the most you’ve ever laughed? I once wet myself on stage when I was doing a play. It was Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward – I was playing the maid, and when I brought in the breakfast someone had put a little face on the fried egg. I saw the other actor do a double take, and I had to leave the stage. I was threatened with the sack, but that made me want to laugh even more. Every night, even though the face wasn’t on the egg, I still wanted to laugh, because it’s like Pavlov’s dog…
Amid the new crop of comedians on season two of LOL: Last One Laughing UK – can returning champion Bob Mortimer still have the last laugh?
Add LOL: Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist All comedians have a war story of their worst ever gig, where their jokes fell flat, absolutely no one laughed and the biggest cheer came when they left the stage. All except Bob Mortimer. “Do you know what? I haven’t had that,” the 66-year-old muses as he gently arranges several sachets of sugar for his cup of tea (he recently revealed that he’s cut down from his high of 16; 17 was “too sweet”). “I’m almost slightly jealous of comics talking about their terrible gigs and so on. Me and Vic [Reeves] had a very unusual journey in that the first shows we did were to friends, and friends of friends through word of mouth who were very happy to be there. And then we went on the telly. And TV audiences are easy.” Or perhaps, Bob Mortimer is just that funny. The Middlesbrough native was already a legend in the comedy community for his double act with Vic Reeves (aka Jim Moir), before bagging a new generation of fans for his scene-stealing stints on the panel show Would I Lie to You? and his thoughtful, mischievous contributions to Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. And then last year there was LOL: Last One Laughing UK, which cemented Mortimer’s reputation as the funniest man on TV. In the series, returning this week with Mortimer back to defend his title, a gaggle of comedians are locked in a room and told not to laugh at each other’s jokes. Mortimer, finally, has learnt what it’s like to play to a silent audience. “It’s frightening,” he says now. “One, knowing that they’re not going to laugh, and two, because it’s your peers. It’s not any audience, it’s Romesh and David [Ranganathan and Mitchell respectively, who join this year’s line-up].” Still, the fear didn’t hold him back last year. After a fierce final duel with runner-up Richard Ayoade, Mortimer won. “I wondered about having an advantage, having done it before, but the moment I walked in, I thought, ‘No, it’s an entirely different dynamic,’” he says. “I think the first three that I clocked were Alan Carr, Romesh and David, and I thought ‘Uh-oh, I have no chance. This is tough.’” He knew some of the younger comedians less well, but says: “That’s one of the joys of doing the show. As silly as it sounds, you can get quite close to people in those intense six hours. At my age, you like seeing young people doing good, and they were really funny. It was a joy.” There is a lot of talk about comedy – and what’s considered “funny” – changing. As someone who has been in the business of making people laugh for decades, what does he think? “I think it’s perhaps gotten a little bit more serious in its references and its topics,” he muses. “I was brought up with Tommy Cooper and Spike Milligan. A comic was someone who was ridiculous; who was daft, stupid, childish. That was my reference. “Now, I think people are taking references from things that make you go, ‘Oh, that’s clever’. There are more layers to it. We were just basic 101 comics. But I’m sure it will come back, slapstick and stupidity.” Before I leave, I pose a few quickfire questions. Does he remember the most he has ever laughed? “There’s a number of times where I’ve wet myself laughing, and you kind of remember them,” Mortimer chuckles. “The last time was with Matt Berry and Jim Moir – Vic – at the Comedy Awards. Actually, I wouldn’t really like to say what we were laughing about…” On that note, what’s the most inappropriate time he has ever laughed? “I once told an inappropriate joke at a wedding, and the whole of the bride’s side of the wedding left,” he says. “It’s too rude to tell you! And too damaging to everyone involved…” Well, if not that joke, any other favourites? “I’ve always liked the joke: ‘True or false: Kerry Katona doesn’t actually own a cat’,” Mortimer says, smiling – then glances down at his heap of sweeteners. “And did you know that Alan Sugar is actually 30 per cent Canderel?” I sympathise with his competitor. In a room with Bob Mortimer, it’s almost impossible to be the last one laughing.
You couldn’t stop giggling on The Celebrity Traitors. How did you hold it in for this show? People did different things – Mel had a massive goblet that she would take a drink out of. I often hung around the recycling bin. I started recycling just so that no one could see my face. And, in the worst moments, I thought about my dogs being put down, which is really grim! But, hey, it got me through some difficult moments. So thank you, Bev and Joyce, looking down from doggie heaven. I owe you one. What makes you laugh? People falling over. Dogs with worms. People trying to get out of beanbags. It’s just stuff like that. I did go through a phase of watching videos of people walking into patio doors, but then I saw a really horrific one, so I went, “Yeah, you need to stop doing this now.” People’s misfortune makes me laugh. How has comedy changed in your lifetime? There are a lot more comedians, and it’s strange because you’re competing with TikTokers who don’t even have to be on the telly to sell out arenas. There’s a million ways you can become a comedian now. But in terms of the thing where people say, “You can’t say anything these days” – you can say whatever you want these days. People just don’t like to be told, “Actually, what you said makes you look a bit of a d**k!”
Last One Laughing UK defending champion Bob Mortimer talks season 2 return: "It's an entirely different dynamic"
Amid a new crop of comedians all determined to tickle their rivals while keeping a straight face – can returning champion Bob Mortimer still have the last laugh?
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. All comedians have a war story of their worst ever gig, where their jokes fell flat, absolutely no one laughed and the biggest cheer came when they left the stage. All except Bob Mortimer. “Do you know what? I haven’t had that,” the 66-year-old muses as he gently arranges several sachets of sugar for his cup of tea (he recently revealed that he’s cut down from his high of 16; 17 was “too sweet”). “I’m almost slightly jealous of comics talking about their terrible gigs and so on. Me and Vic [Reeves] had a very unusual journey in that the first shows we did were to friends, and friends of friends through word of mouth who were very happy to be there. And then we went on the telly. And TV audiences are easy.” Or perhaps, Bob Mortimer is just that funny. The Middlesbrough native was already a legend in the comedy community for his double act with Vic Reeves (aka Jim Moir), before bagging a new generation of fans for his scene-stealing stints on the panel show Would I Lie to You? and his thoughtful, mischievous contributions to Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. And then last year there was LOL: Last One Laughing UK, which cemented Mortimer’s reputation as the funniest man on TV. In the series, returning next week with Mortimer back to defend his title, a gaggle of comedians are locked in a room and told not to laugh at each other’s jokes. Mortimer, finally, has learnt what it’s like to play to a silent audience. “It’s frightening,” he says now. “One, knowing that they’re not going to laugh, and two, because it’s your peers. It’s not any audience, it’s Romesh and David [Ranganathan and Mitchell respectively, who join this year’s line-up].” Still, the fear didn’t hold him back last year. After a fierce final duel with runner-up Richard Ayoade, Mortimer won. “I wondered about having an advantage, having done it before, but the moment I walked in, I thought, ‘No, it’s an entirely different dynamic,’” he says. “I think the first three that I clocked were Alan Carr, Romesh and David, and I thought, ‘Uh-oh, I have no chance. This is tough.’” He knew some of the younger comedians less well, but says: “That’s one of the joys of doing the show. As silly as it sounds, you can get quite close to people in those intense six hours. At my age, you like seeing young people doing good, and they were really funny. It was a joy.” There is a lot of talk about comedy – and what’s considered “funny” – changing. As someone who has been in the business of making people laugh for decades, what does he think? “I think it’s perhaps gotten a little bit more serious in its references and its topics,” he muses. “I was brought up with Tommy Cooper and Spike Milligan. A comic was someone who was ridiculous; who was daft, stupid, childish. That was my reference. “Now, I think people are taking references from things that make you go, ‘Oh, that’s clever’. There are more layers to it. We were just basic 101 comics. But I’m sure it will come back, slapstick and stupidity.” Before I leave, I pose a few quickfire questions. Does he remember the most he has ever laughed? “There’s a number of times where I’ve wet myself laughing, and you kind of remember them,” Mortimer chuckles. “The last time was with Matt Berry and Jim Moir – Vic – at the Comedy Awards. Actually, I wouldn’t really like to say what we were laughing about…” On that note, what’s the most inappropriate time he has ever laughed? “I once told an inappropriate joke at a wedding, and the whole of the bride’s side of the wedding left,” he says. “It’s too rude to tell you! And too damaging to everyone involved...” Well, if not that joke, any other favourites? “I’ve always liked the joke: ‘True or false: Kerry Katona doesn’t actually own a cat’,” Mortimer says, smiling – then glances down at his heap of sweeteners. “And did you know that Alan Sugar is actually 30 per cent Canderel?” I sympathise with his competitor. In a room with Bob Mortimer, it’s almost impossible to be the last one laughing. The latest issue of Radio Times is out on Tuesday, with special Last One Laughing covers – subscribe here. Last One Laughing UK returns on Amazon Prime Video from Thursday 19 March. LOL: Last One Laughing UK season 2 begins Thursday 19 March on Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. 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.
Montell Douglas on switching from the Olympic Summer to Winter Games – and hopes for Brad Hall in the four-man bob
Fancy a change of career? How about chucking yourself down an ice slide at 80mph in a rocket ship?
A career change is always a daunting prospect. No matter how strong those transferable skills may be, you still need to make leap of faith from world to another. Montell Douglas knows the feeling. Her CV is varied, to say the least. The Lewisham-born star boasts strong experience in sprinting and went the distance, representing Team GB at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but her legacy is one of adaptability. Douglas shifted from the athletics track to the bobsleigh track, adding the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, also in Beijing, to her sizzle reel, and becoming the first British woman in history to compete at a Summer and Winter Games. Download our free Winter Olympics viewing guide with a day-by-day TV planner to help you follow every winning moment If that’s not enough, Douglas re-honed her skill once more upon retirement to feature as ‘Fire’ on the hit BBC reboot of Gladiators and competed on the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing, during which she finished in sixth place. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Douglas explained her pride at transitioning from the track to ice and her hopes for Team GB at the Winter Olympics 2026. She said: "It’s really difficult to be the first at something because you don’t even know if it’s going to fly. For me, I look back with such fond memories. It was the toughest journey ever – with injury, with illness. It was a really tough time in the world – like, going through that stuff going in 2021 and 2022 – it was really tough. "Honestly, it’s the one thing that I’m super-proud of myself because it was the clearest process of: 'There’s this goal that is very far away from where I am right now. It’s something that no-one has ever achieved before. And I don’t know if I can do it.' If it doesn’t scare you, you’re probably not doing it right – as they say. Read more: Winter Olympics on today | Winter Olympics on BBC | Winter Olympics radio coverage | Full list of Winter Olympics sports | Winter Olympics presenters "So I was like, 'I don’t know if I can do this.' I probably fell 10 times over, but the journey that I went through to go from being a reserve at the prior Games to then going and being the first woman to do that – this is why I’m so proud of it. "Not even because of the title, but also because of how it’s going to lay the path down for those that come after me. Because I know that once you achieve something, people then start believing that this is achievable." But how did Douglas make the transition in the first place? "I was duped," she joked. "Basically, it’s almost a talent ID process. One of the coaches from the sport, knew me from athletics. He was like, 'We need bigger, faster, stronger girls.'" "I say that because often we struggle to sometimes find sports that feel the best towards us, like how our bodies are made up, and what feels good. "Being 5ft 10 at the time – I’m one of the tallest sprinters in the world – there aren’t many tall sprinters generally. I always felt out of place, actually, in that space. "But when bobsleigh said: 'Try and come bobsleighing' – I was like, 'Oh, this is great' because it really helps with it being a gravity sport. "I broke the testing record for bobsleigh. And then within a few months, I was on ice. I didn’t love it at the beginning. The first run down is intense, it’s wild, and then I loved it. "I got to see places that I’ve never seen before ever in life, mountains I’ve never experienced before and snow. There are temperatures I’ve never come across, like -26c, in my first Olympic Games. It was unreal." Douglas is backing Brad Hall and his four-man bob team to bring medals home and believes the crew would be disappointed with any less than gold, silver or bronze. "I definitely think the four-man is a great catch for us. Brad has worked so hard over… I mean, since I’ve been in the game – he’s been there longer than before I was there. "Brad is an excellent driver, without a doubt, and we’ve got great equipment. But now we have a team that want to deliver on those starts. It’s what you want. He’s going to be… well, I know he’s absolutely going for a medal. That’s what he wants without a doubt. He was in contention in the last Olympics cycle as well and did amazingly well there with his finishes. "But I know he’ll want a medal, because, for him, when you’re looking at what you’ve produced over the last few years – consistent medalling in the World Cup – week in, week out – they’re in a great position. "Anything else for him, he might feel like that’s not what he wants. But he’s got to be proud of where he has come to be in contention for a medal. And I think that it’s well within them. That’s what they want. "And I think they’re actually going to do it. I’d love to see that." Check out more of our Sport 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 new Game of Thrones spin-off is a “buddy comedy” – smaller in scale but bigger in heart, says showrunner Ira Parker
Add A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to your watchlist On a grassy hillside, a young hero with a sword on his hip stares out to his destiny. Fame, glory, honour – and gold. Familiar music, the award-winning Game of Thrones theme, swells majestically as young Duncan takes a step towards history… Cut to the same man, terrified, emptying his bowels behind a tree. Because A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – which began last week on Sky Atlantic – isn’t quite the grand epic we have come to expect from the world of Game of Thrones, even if it is set in the same fictional land of Westeros. “I joke sometimes that we’re just Game of Thrones without all the stuff,” laughs showrunner Ira Parker. “My goal is to make this stand on its own so that, even if none of the other shows had happened, you could still watch episode one and you could follow that journey.” Airing from 2011 to 2019, Game of Thrones – adapted from George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels – was fantasy drama on an epic scale and one of the biggest TV successes this century. When the inevitable spin-off, House of the Dragon, came in 2022, it was in the form of a prequel set centuries earlier, when an even grander conflict was brewing between the noble houses of Westeros. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a humbler prospect. It’s set about 90 years after House of the Dragon and 90 years before Game of Thrones and eschews its predecessors’ huge casts and continent-spanning action. Instead, it follows penniless knight Ser Duncan the Tall (aka Dunk, played by Peter Claffey) and his bald-headed squire Egg (played by Dexter Sol Ansell), who turn up at a tournament hoping to win money. “It’s a buddy comedy,” suggests Parker. “It’s a ‘lone wolf and cub’ story. It’s an adventure series.” Not that there aren’t still sky-high expectations. This first series is adapted from The Hedge Knight, a novella written by Martin in 1998, and over the years (and two literary sequels), dynamic duo Dunk and Egg have attracted an affectionate fanbase. “My favourite part of the books and the original TV show is the odd-couple pairings,” Parker says. For those who’ve watched Game of Thrones, he likens Dunk and Egg to the characters played by Gwendoline Christie and Daniel Portman: “It’s like Brienne and Pod: the TV show.” But it’s taken a while to bring that simple idea to screen. Parker, 41, was working as a writer on House of the Dragon when he first heard whispers that Martin’s other Westeros-set books could become a TV show. After he was given the job, it took even longer to work out how to do it. “That was a pre-pandemic writers’ room,” he says. “That feels like a lifetime ago. I had no children and a tiny little apartment in West Hollywood. Now I’m living in Belfast and my third child is due in a couple of days.” A key difficulty was finding a convincing Dunk and Egg, described in the books as a nearly seven-foot-tall man-mountain and a tiny bald boy respectively. Not quite central casting. “We scoured the world for the tallest people we could possibly find that had any sort of acting experience,” Parker says. “It’s hard – Hollywood doesn’t like tall actors. But we got really lucky because Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are the only two people on planet Earth who could have done this, and they both agreed.” In 29-year-old Claffey, he says, they struck gold. Not only is he tall – 6ft 5in – with a TV CV that includes Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters, but he’s also an ex-professional rugby player, which makes him convincing as rough-and-ready Dunk. “There are things that Peter does so easily that we would have to get a stunt guy to do,” Parker marvels. “This big, heavy sack that he just casually throws up on the ramparts, and goes over… “And Dexter is the best child actor on planet Earth. It feels unfair to call him a child actor. He’s professional. He can riff. He takes notes.” As we speak, Parker is on set with them filming season two, already commissioned for next year. Beyond that, Martin only published one further novella starring the duo, but famously, Game of Thrones skipped ahead of Martin’s unfinished book series. Could this do the same? “George has a document of everything that happens for 13, 14, 15 of these novellas,” Parker says. “He just has to write them. The nice thing is, we know what the ending is. We would never be left making anything up. We would just have a looser road map than what we have right now. The show’s a reflection of the novellas, of the underlying source on which they are based. We take it back to the books. We drop you into a new location every season. We tell you a story and we wrap it up. And we have a bit of fun. So if you’re a fan of the books, hopefully you’ll like this show.” In any case, he says, he has already satisfied the only viewer who matters: Martin himself. “In this job you don’t try to write for a wide audience, because so many people like so many different things,” he says. “You pick a person, and you write for them. Season one was definitely written for George. The Hedge Knight is very close to him. He’s told me before that book is, he thinks, the best thing that he’s ever written. “He read every first draft of all the episodes. I think they went to him first, even before they went to HBO. And me and him would have conversations. It was rarely contentious. I’ll not say ‘never’…” He's a good egg Dexter Sol Ansell on chess, auditions and a tug-of-war Dexter, what can you tell us about young squire Egg? He’s mysterious and he’s a know-it-all. He’s brave, he’s cheeky and I love playing him. How did you get cast? It was six months of auditioning. I had no idea what I was auditioning for — I had to read another script: [Nicholas Hoult’s lines] in About a Boy. Then we heard it was Game of Thrones and I didn’t know what that was, but all my family knew it was this massive thing. They were like, “You have to get it!’’ In the last audition, I almost went in with a razor and shaved off my own hair. At 11 you’re too young for Game of Thrones, but did you sneakily watch any to prepare? I haven’t watched any, but HBO showed me the new House of the Dragon trailer, which looks pretty cool. How did you get on with Peter Claffey, who plays Dunk? Peter’s absolutely amazing, I’m really inspired by him. On set we play chess. A lot of the cast taught me how to play and now I’m really good. Did you meet Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin? Yes! We were filming a tug-of-war scene and I was dangling off this rope, holding on for my life because I didn’t want to fall in the mud. I went over to him, and he said, “You look and act like you’ve really just jumped out of the books.” That was amazing to hear. How’s filming the next series going? I’ve just done two weeks. It’s an amazing story and I can’t believe it was renewed before [season 1] is out. It feels so good to be back. After roles in Emmerdale, The Hunger Games and The Midwich Cuckoos, what have you learnt from your career so far? I’ve learnt to always be humble and be kind to any single person on set and off, no matter if they’re number one cast, or the person who picks up the horse poo.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner: "Season 1 was definitely written for George RR Martin"
The new Game of Thrones spin-off is a “buddy comedy” – smaller in scale but bigger in heart, says showrunner Ira Parker.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. On a grassy hillside, a young hero with a sword on his hip stares out to his destiny. Fame, glory, honour – and gold. Familiar music, the award-winning Game of Thrones theme, swells majestically as young Duncan takes a step towards history… Cut to the same man, terrified, emptying his bowels behind a tree. Because A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – which begins this week on Sky Atlantic – isn’t quite the grand epic we have come to expect from the world of Game of Thrones, even if it is set in the same fictional land of Westeros. “I joke sometimes that we’re just Game of Thrones without all the stuff,” laughs showrunner Ira Parker. “My goal is to make this stand on its own so that, even if none of the other shows had happened, you could still watch episode one and you could follow that journey.” Airing from 2011 to 2019, Game of Thrones – adapted from George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels – was fantasy drama on an epic scale and one of the biggest TV successes this century. When the inevitable spin-off, House of the Dragon, came in 2022, it was in the form of a prequel set centuries earlier, when an even grander conflict was brewing between the noble houses of Westeros. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a humbler prospect. It’s set about 90 years after House of the Dragon and 90 years before Game of Thrones and eschews its predecessors’ huge casts and continent-spanning action. Instead, it follows penniless knight Ser Duncan the Tall (aka Dunk, played by Peter Claffey) and his bald-headed squire Egg (played by Dexter Sol Ansell), who turn up at a tournament hoping to win money. “It’s a buddy comedy,” suggests Parker. “It’s a ‘lone wolf and cub’ story. It’s an adventure series.” View Green Video on the source website Not that there aren’t still sky-high expectations. This first series is adapted from The Hedge Knight, a novella written by Martin in 1998, and over the years (and two literary sequels), dynamic duo Dunk and Egg have attracted an affectionate fanbase. “My favourite part of the books and the original TV show is the odd-couple pairings,” Parker says. For those who’ve watched Game of Thrones, he likens Dunk and Egg to the characters played by Gwendoline Christie and Daniel Portman: “It’s like Brienne and Pod: the TV show.” But it’s taken a while to bring that simple idea to screen. Parker, 41, was working as a writer on House of the Dragon when he first heard whispers that Martin’s other Westeros-set books could become a TV show. After he was given the job, it took even longer to work out how to do it. “That was a pre-pandemic writers’ room,” he says. “That feels like a lifetime ago. I had no children and a tiny little apartment in West Hollywood. Now I’m living in Belfast and my third child is due in a couple of days.” A key difficulty was finding a convincing Dunk and Egg, described in the books as a nearly seven-foot-tall man-mountain and a tiny bald boy respectively. Not quite central casting. “We scoured the world for the tallest people we could possibly find that had any sort of acting experience,” Parker says. “It’s hard – Hollywood doesn’t like tall actors. But we got really lucky because Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are the only two people on planet Earth who could have done this, and they both agreed.” In 29-year-old Claffey, he says, they struck gold. Not only is he tall – 6ft 5in – with a TV CV that includes Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters, but he’s also an ex-professional rugby player, which makes him convincing as rough-and-ready Dunk. “There are things that Peter does so easily that we would have to get a stunt guy to do,” Parker marvels. “This big, heavy sack that he just casually throws up on the ramparts, and goes over… “And Dexter is the best child actor on planet Earth. It feels unfair to call him a child actor. He’s professional. He can riff. He takes notes.” As we speak, Parker is on set with them filming season two, already commissioned for next year. Beyond that, Martin only published one further novella starring the duo, but famously, Game of Thrones skipped ahead of Martin’s unfinished book series. Could this do the same? “George has a document of everything that happens for 13, 14, 15 of these novellas,” Parker says. “He just has to write them. The nice thing is, we know what the ending is. We would never be left making anything up. We would just have a looser road map than what we have right now. The show’s a reflection of the novellas, of the underlying source on which they are based. We take it back to the books. We drop you into a new location every season. We tell you a story and we wrap it up. And we have a bit of fun. So if you’re a fan of the books, hopefully you’ll like this show.” In any case, he says, he has already satisfied the only viewer who matters: Martin himself. “In this job you don’t try to write for a wide audience, because so many people like so many different things,” he says. “You pick a person, and you write for them. Season one was definitely written for George. The Hedge Knight is very close to him. He’s told me before that book is, he thinks, the best thing that he’s ever written. “He read every first draft of all the episodes. I think they went to him first, even before they went to HBO. And me and him would have conversations. It was rarely contentious. I’ll not say ‘never’…” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is available on Sky and NOW, with new episodes arriving on Mondays. In the US, the show airs on HBO on Sundays. Add A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 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.
Kids ask the Gladiators all the questions grown-ups never would
We gave kids the chance to quiz the stars of Gladiators the way only they can – and the results were brilliant.
These days, kids don’t watch TV – but they do watch Gladiators. Somehow, the lycra-clad '90s throwbacks of BBC1’s shiny-floor revival have managed to compete with all videogames, TikTok and general brainrot to enchant children across the UK and beyond. “My brother lives in Dubai, and his kids, my niece and nephew and all of their friends, do watch parties at my brother’s house to watch Gladiators,” Gladiator Sabre, AKA Sheli McCoy, tells Radio Times. “Series one had 90 million global downloads.” “We are like real-life superheroes to them,” adds Zack George, AKA Steel. “When they come to see us in any sort of capacity, there’s just the joy, and the biggest smiles that you have and that you see on all the kids’ faces, is absolutely amazing.” So when quizzing six of the Gladiators on their stories, what else could we do but hand the reins over to the real experts, some of the TV show’s youngest fans who had their own… unique… queries for the musclebound stars. Starting with… Fire, AKA Montell Douglas Charlotte, aged 8, asks: What makes you so quick? What makes me so quick? Well, like we mentioned, the hair, because this is my superpower. When you go fast, it looks like flames. But I genuinely think that’s a part of it. However, I am well-versed, and ran for a very long time, and trained really, really hard for a very long time. Though part of that is because it’s my superpower to be super, super fast, which also adds to my strength. So lots and lots of training. Lots of sprinting. It’s why I’m so fast. Isaac, aged 5, has asked: Who are better, the old Gladiators or the new Gladiators? Oh, that is controversial! We have to defend our throne, Isaac. Who are better? So I have, like I said, empathy. I’ve got massive respect… You know what? Those that laid the path before us are why we’re here. And I pay homage to the original Gs – I call them the OGs – because without them, we cannot be here. And I feel like we are a thread and a legacy of what it is that they created. That, for me, literally is it. And Izzy, aged 7, has said: Do your muscles hurt all the time? Not as much as the contenders. No, I’m joking. No, but we work. Sometimes you work hard, and you’ve got to make sure that you work hard enough that you can feel that you’re working. Hard work does sometimes feel really, really, really tough. However, you just know that you’re working your best, and you know that you’re going to get the real gains, and you’re going to get really good results from that. They don’t hurt all the time, because I take very good care of my body, because our body is our temple. You have to look after it. Steel, AKA Zack George Penny, aged 5: How is Steel so steel? (This is one of my favourite questions from the whole list.) I love that. I always get that. It’s like, “How much of your body is actually steel? Are your arms steel?” OK. So how did I get so steel? How did I get so strong? So, my training regime, I train about 12 times a week. So I train twice a day, six days a week, and I’ve done that for about 10 years. I have six meals a day, and it’s just about 4,500 calories a day. I always stay well-hydrated. I always get good sleep. And I’ve done that in a professional athletic environment for 10 years. So it’s a lot of training sessions, a lot of calories. I love every single of it. I’m an all-rounded Gladiator, so I have to play pretty much every game. So my training is extremely varied. For my cardio, I do running, swimming, cycling, rowing. For my weightlifting, I’ll do things like Olympic weightlifting – so, clean, jerk, and snatches. I’ll do squats and bench-press. And then I’ll also do gymnastics. It’s an extremely varied amount of training. And I’ve done a lot of it. And I’ve been very healthy for about 10 years. What kind of meals are you having? So my breakfast is the meal that’s always the same. The breakfast is a bowl of porridge, two bagels, and six eggs. And then the other five meals are very varied. It might be a pasta dish. It could be a jacket potato. It could be a chicken salad. It’s very varied. But the morning breakfast is always the same. The breakfast of champions. The breakfast of champions. The breakfast of Gladiators. Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Can you bend a steel bar (with your bare hands)? Yes. Seb, aged 8, asks: If you woke up tomorrow and all your muscles disappeared, what job would you do? Hmmm. I would… So, here’s an interesting fact for you. I used to be a really, really good table tennis player when I was young. I played for the county. So if I lost all my muscle, I’m going to go back to my pursuit of being a table tennis player. Are you still good now? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Unless you’ve trained in table tennis, you probably won’t win. It’s quite known in my gym – I can play people with a shoe. I can use a phone. I can use whatever, really. That’s great. Is it harder to play when you’re in Gladiator shape, when you’re a bit bigger, or no? It would be. That’s why it works quite well, because now, when you’re quite bulky, you don’t move as well. But if I lost all my muscle, I’d actually be prime for table tennis. And a final question from Josie, aged 11: What piece of advice would you give your 11-year-old self? When I was younger, I didn’t have any confidence. I was embarrassed about how I looked. So I used to skip school if I knew I had swimming, because I was too ashamed to take my top off. And I just didn’t eat healthy at all. So I would say to my younger self – I had a real issue with judging myself constantly on other people. And I would say, “Why don’t I look like them? Why don’t I look like them?” I just wish I could tell myself, “Don’t judge yourself on anyone else, because everyone’s unique. Everyone’s special in their own way. And it’s just about being happy and confident with who you are, and not judging yourself on anyone else.” And I’d also say: “Run your own race.” Everyone’s on their own journey. Everyone’s on their own path. And everyone will achieve their goals in different stages. Just because it took me a year longer, it doesn’t mean my journey was wrong or that I’m doing something wrong. It’s just that, for me, that was the time length it was going to take. So I would say: “Run your own race, because everyone will achieve goals at different stages, and don’t judge yourself on other people. It’s just about being happy and confident with who you are.” Legend, AKA Matt Morsia The first question is from eight-year-old Aurelia, who says: Are you really a legend? I would say: it’s such a stupid question. Do you know what I mean? Who has cleared that question? I think Aurelia and her parents need to go back to the drawing board. I think she needs to work on her comprehension and questioning skills. Not only is that question ridiculous, it’s also highly insulting. So I’m going to refuse to answer it. Fair enough. Well, if you didn’t like that one, Charlotte, aged 8, says: Why are you a doughnut? I feel like Charlotte’s being heavily influenced by an adult in that question, in my opinion. An adult – probably a jealous, bitter adult who looks at me as some kind of unattainable god, and so had encouraged her child to refer to me as a doughnut. I am not a doughnut. I like doughnuts, but I’m not one myself. I’m actually an extremely gifted human who is good at everything. This leads to the next question she asked. She said: Why do you have “Simply the Best” as your theme tune? I think it’s sort of explanatory. That song – this is an unknown fact, but that was actually written for me. The lyrics for that were written for me. It’s just a biography in a song, basically. Noah, aged 7, asks: How did you get so much muscle? I am a genetic freak. From a… not a young age but from a relatively young age I had above-average quantities of muscle mass. But also I train extremely hard twice a day, and I’m hyper-intelligent. So I’m able to build my training programme in a way that allows me to continue building muscle, whereas the average person maybe couldn’t do that. Leila, aged 7, asks: What do you want to be when you grow up? You grow up. What’s her name? Sienna? Leila. Leila? Leila needs to grow up. Emilio, who’s 10, asks: Are you paid to be arrogant? I mean, technically yes. I am just… Also, Emilio, it’s not arrogance, is it? If a bush claims to be a bush, that’s not arrogance. It’s just literally an objective observation. So it’s not arrogance. For me to say I’m the best, that’s not arrogance. I’m just explaining. I’m just describing an objective situation. But technically yes, I am literally paid to do that. Alfie, aged 10, asks: How many marshmallows can you fit in your mouth at once? I tried it once, and we had to stop because I ate the entire pack. You know one of those big family-sized packs of marshmallows? I can get the entire pack in my mouth, and I’ve still got more capacity. We needed to reset the game just to have more bags available. But at this point, potentially infinite amounts. Because my jaw is so strong, and my cheeks – it’s like one of those… You know in the factory where they just squash metal? Yeah. The hydraulic press. That’s what my mouth does to marshmallows. They just keep going. And by the time they get to the latter ones, the earlier ones have dissolved. It’s almost a conveyer belt. And Alfie’s last question was: PS, how do I become more of a legend like you? Alfie, I would say: it’s unrealistic. In the same way if Alfie said, “How do I become a T-Rex?” – I’d say, “It’s not going to happen, mate.” That’s the first thing. A reality check, Alfie – it’s never going to happen. However, you can be a better version of yourself by being confident, and having that belief in yourself. I think a lot of people don’t believe in themselves. Believe in yourself, and if you want to do something, do it. Because I quite frequently find that you won’t regret doing something – going something and doing something, you won’t regret that. But you may well regret not doing something. Just send it, mate, and just do stuff. Seb, who’s eight, says: If you woke up tomorrow and all your muscle disappeared, what job would you do? Probably either the Prime Minister of the UK or potentially the King. It would depend on what spots are open. But I imagine one of those two roles. Nitro, AKA Harry Aikines-Aryeetey From Daniel, aged 7: Nitro, what is your favourite dinner? Ha! What you need to know about Nitro is that Nitro is a great chef. But my good-luck meal is a pizza. I will have a pizza every week before a big arena day. I make good pizzas, but I like a pepperoni pizza with mozzarella and spicy pepperoni and nduja on top – spicy nduja. Even some hot honey on there as well. And a nice, Naples-type pizza. Stone-baked. A nice, puffy crust. That will go down really well. Regan, aged 9, asks: what age did you start working out, and what inspired you to become a Gladiator? I wanted to be a Gladiator from the moment I saw Jet on Gladiators, and became a Gladiator in the sense of mind and body. What people don’t realise is – I’ve always been working out. The moment you start playing – I used to play British Bulldog; I used to play 40/40; I used to play Stuck in the Mud. That’s all forms of training, whether it be agility… Sport is training. Having fun is training. So I’ve always been training my whole life. Learning how to win and lose, playing Monopoly – it’s a form of training. So all of these moments are built for me to become a Gladiator, and it started from when I was 5, because I’m playing. I’m having fun. I’m learning. I’m being adaptable. I’m learning new skills. These are all parts of being the best person you can be. Great. So these kids better start getting ready. Exactly. Evan, aged 6, has a controversial question. He says, which of the other Gladiators are you the most afraid of? Ha! Dare I say it: I’d be afraid of Diamond, because she’s very sassy, and when she hasn’t eaten, she gets quite hangry. And she’s a lot to deal with! Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Who is your best friend on Gladiators? My best friend on Gladiators? On the boys’ side, it would be Viper. I speak Viper-nese. I understand everything that he’s going through. Me and him, we go way back. And otherwise, on the girls’ side, it would probably be Diamond or Dynamite. Those two are sort of my go-tos. I can hang out with them, and we’re good energy. Lovely. And 5-year-old Joe says quite simply: How fast can Nitro run? Nitro’s completed the 100 metres in 9.90 seconds, and I’ve reached up to 27 miles per hour. So I would get a lot of tickets in London. Sabre, AKA Sheli McCoy Charlotte, who’s aged 8, had a lot of questions for you. First: Do you like lions? I love them. I love them. I actually find that a pride of lions is something that you could watch all day. Do you have a pet lion? I have a pet dog that looks like a wolf. His name is Alpha. It’s pretty close. I think I heard somewhere that you wanted Alpha to be your Gladiator name? Yeah, and they wouldn’t give me it. That’s annoying. I guess because then you’d be top. Yeah. Hierarchy. Although we have one called Legend. True. Well, this is related: What made you choose the name Sabre? Because I am wild, fierce, and formidable, and very, very rare – as is a Sabre-toothed tiger. Finally from Charlotte: How big are your teeth? My teeth? Average sized, but my jaw is very strong. But I do have shiny, white, pearly teeth. And actually – here’s an example – on my gumshield I have actual, big sabre teeth. Tell her to look closely in the next series for when I smile, because my gumshield has actual teeth on it. Nathalie, who’s 10, and Cami who’s 6, submitted this together. They say: a question for Sabre, What has been your favourite sign in the audience? “Sabre, will you marry my dad?” That’s good. Did you get in touch? There’s honestly 50 of them. Every audience, it’s all about the dads. The dads have made their kids sit down and make those signs. I guess the BBC or whoever would probably blur out the phone numbers at the bottom. Yeah. I don’t actually know. Although I know that Apollo the other day had a sign sent into the dressing room for him with the woman’s number and Instagram handle on it. Josie, aged 11, asks: What piece of advice would you give your 11-year-old self? Deep, Josie, aged 11. I would tell her that it’s not… do you know what? I actually wrote a letter to my younger self but it’s very deep and it’s very long. But the underlying thing that I think I needed to hear at 11 was: “It’s not going to be sunshine and roses. Not everyone’s going to help you succeed. And a lot of people won’t be happy when you do succeed. But that shouldn’t slow you down. That shouldn’t stop you. And you should try your best. And it’s OK to be the best in the room. And it’s also OK to be the worst. Effort will always trump the outcome. And whether you know it or not, you’re worth way more than what anyone else thinks about you.” That’s good advice. It’s a big question. Fury, AKA Jodie Ounsley Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Why did you join Gladiators? Why did I join it? Well, I think because it runs in the family. My dad was a contender on the previous Gladiators, so it’s always kind of been something we’ve had a lot of interest in. So, yeah, I wanted to see if I could be a Gladiator myself, and see how much I could push myself with it as well. Penny, aged 5, says: Is Fury furious when she doesn’t win? Sometimes. Most of the time, I’m not, because I always think you’ve just got to take it, be humble with it, and come back stronger. But no, I’m not furious all the time. Only sometimes. Sisters Nathalie and Cami, who are 10 and 6, had a couple of questions. They said, first of all, if you could introduce a new event for Gladiators, what would it be? The Scruminator? The Scruminator – that’s a good one. I actually think… I don’t know if you’re aware – I’ve done an event called The World Coal Carrying Champions, where you basically run with a sack of coal on your shoulders. So I think coal-carrying needs to be a new event. It’s a Yorkshire event. Perfect. I could imagine all your fellow Gladiators and contenders with sacks of coal Yes! And it could be a race. It could be contender and Gladiator, and it’s a sprint race with the sack of coal. Nathalie and Cami also asked: How long could you survive sharing a house with Legend? Probably zero. No, I think maybe one day. We’ll see. Gladiators returns on Saturday 17th January at 5:45pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Gladiators to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner confirms show's fate after adapting published Dunk and Egg novellas
“George has laid out… He has a document of everything that happens, basically, for 13, 14, 15 of these novellas.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner Ira Parker has revealed that George RR Martin has outlined ideas for many more unwritten novellas that could form the basis of future seasons. The fantasy author has only published three Dunk and Egg Novellas so far, with 1998’s The Hedge Knight serving as inspiration for the upcoming first season, 2003’s The Sworn Sword set to form the basis of season 2, which is currently in production, and 2010’s The Mystery Knight expected to inspire a potential third season. Asked whether there’s a possibility of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms going beyond the three novellas, as Game of Thrones did with Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Parker told Radio Times magazine: “I would love – and I’ve pitched to HBO a couple of times to sort of well-intentioned half-smiles or eye rolls." He continued: "I want to do three or four now with Egg, the boy, and come back in like five or 10 years and do three or four more with Egg, the young man. And then come back in five or 10 years, and do three or four more with Egg, the – well, the spoiler. “I don’t think that’s necessarily how TV gets made unless you’re… Lisa Kudrow gets to do that. You know, The Comeback comes back every 10 years, and that’s OK. Or Linklater. "But this is… There’s so many interesting things that happen throughout their lives. But I don’t want to focus the whole thing right at the beginning. It’s telling that whole journey that is very exciting to me." He continued: "George has laid out… He has a document of everything that happens, basically, for 13, 14, 15 of these novellas. He just has to get to writing these. "The nice thing is, we know what the ending is. We know the journeys that they go no. We would never be left making anything up. We would just have a looser road map than what we have right now. "Look, we’ll see. There’s a really decent chance that we’ll hopefully do three of those, and that’s it, and people can enjoy it. And that’ll be the experience that they have within this world, within Dunk and Egg. "But if George writes more, you know, we’ll discuss it. I certainly would write these forever. I love these characters. I love this world." Set approximately 90 to 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows a knight called Dunk and his resourceful squire “Egg”, who is actually the young Prince Aegon Targaryen, as they journey through the Seven Kingdoms. Martin previously said in a blog post that the spin-off show is “as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for". Ira Parker's full interview will be available in the next issue of Radio Times magazine, out on 20th January. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on 19th January 2026 on Sky Atlantic and NOW and airs in the US on HBO. Game of Thrones seasons 1 to 8 and House of the Dragon seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bob Mortimer is back to defend his title but this time, he says, it’s a very different game…
Add Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist An entertainment hit on a streaming platform is something of a rarity. Stranger still when it’s a show stuffed with comedians where a mark of success is not laughing. But that’s what you get with Amazon Prime Video’s Last One Laughing UK, which sees some of the country’s best stand-ups locked in a room together, trying to “break” each other into fits of guffaws without cracking a smile themselves. Now, after the huge success of the first run in 2025, the show’s back this spring. “It’s exactly the same as series one, except for every single moment,” host Jimmy Carr tells RT. “It’s different comedians. A different level of competition. It’s basically comedy if it was a sport.” One of the new crop of contestants is former Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc. “I think there are pros and cons of doing a second series of something like this, because the first series was so brilliant and joyous and free,” she says. “Whereas when you’ve seen the first series, you go in with different levels of pressure, and expectation.” “It was more competitive this time,” agrees Carr. “They had gameplay in place. They had game faces. They knew what they were doing this time.” “Which isn’t to say that we didn’t also have a brilliant time!” Giedroyc adds. “We had an amazing gang. I mean, stellar.” Said gang features a mix of well-known and up-and-coming comics, including David Mitchell, Romesh Ranganathan, Amy Gledhill, Diane Morgan, Maisie Adam, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Sam Campbell and recent Celebrity Traitors champ Alan Carr, hoping he can keep the giggles under control this time. Plus, one more familiar face – Would I Lie to You? favourite and series one winner Bob Mortimer is back to defend his crown. “I didn’t expect to come back, but was delighted to be asked, because it’s an experience that you can never re-create,” says Mortimer. “It’s interesting – the moment I walked in, I thought, ‘No, this is just different. It’s an entirely different dynamic.’ So I didn’t feel I had any advantage.”
Dara O Briain’s resurrected satirical panel show is coming back bigger – but will it be better?
Add Mock the Week to your watchlist Just over three years after it was cancelled by the BBC, topical panel show Mock the Week is returning soon to free-to-air channel TLC — with a familiar face at the helm. “It was only a couple of months ago that I first heard rumblings,” says comedian and longtime host Dara O Briain. “God, it might have been November… I mean, I’m not going, ‘I remember the moment the big red phone in my office rang. It’s the Mock phone, finally…’ But it’s all moved pretty quickly, as befits the show. “Honestly, you can be too precious,” he adds. “I didn’t sit for a long time going, ‘Will this in any way damage the legacy of the show that we’ve left behind?’ It’s just seven people in a room telling jokes.” Alongside O Briain, rotating guests will include Ahir Shah, Angela Barnes, Ed Byrne, Ellie Taylor, Hugh Dennis, Katherine Ryan, Lou Sanders, Rhys James, Russell Howard and Sara Pascoe — though expect more new names alongside the familiar ones. The biggest change comes from the length of episodes, now extended to an hour. “There’s no musical sequence now; there’s no nudity suddenly. I don’t think there’s anything particularly jarring. I just think there’ll be slightly more of it,” O Briain says. “But there was always more of it. We did two-and-a-half hours that came down to a BBC half-hour, which was 28 minutes. There will apparently be new rounds. But I don’t think there’s anything that will scare the horses, that will be too drastic a change from us talking. ‘Us talking’ is the mission statement, to be honest.” And what will they be talking about? “The world has got more pantomimic and ludicrous as time has gone by,” he muses. “The biggest change for us is that it’s no longer a Conservative government. People used to say, ‘You always talk about the Tories.’ Yes, because they were the ones doing stuff! Now, it’ll be about Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves. Not because we’re not on the BBC any more — but because they’re the ones in power.”
The BBC’s revamped Gladiators has become a colossus of Saturday-night TV – but are its perfectly formed stars gods, monsters or something in between? With a little help from some young fans, RT poses some very important questions
Add Gladiators to your watchlist NITRO aka Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? The biggest myth about being a Gladiator is that you don’t want the contender to do well, because you actually do. Obviously, we’re the strength and the speed and the power. But ultimately they’re the soul of the show, right? What’s your Achilles’ heel? It’s probably The Edge, which is played at a very great height. I’m a very grounded person. If there was one event that I could choose not to do, it would be that one. Kids look up to all of you like gods. How do you handle that? I lean into it. When kids ask me how old I am, I often say, “I’m 1,000 years old, and I’m a demigod. The gifts and skills and talents that I have were bestowed upon me by the gods.” In Grecian times the idea was that, if you went to someone’s temple, that gave the gods strength, right? So, I often tell them, the more noise they make, the stronger I become. They’re my power cells. They fuel me. Do you feel a responsibility to your fans — ie the power cells? I was once a young star who wanted to be a Gladiator. I opted for the Olympics instead – and now I’ve become a Gladiator! I know there are many young fans out there who could now go on to become great athletes or great Gladiators themselves. When I go climbing, people say, “We can’t believe you’re here... we told our daughter or our son, ‘Try and climb the wall like Nitro’ to get them here.” I’m not a speed-climber. I won’t get an Olympic medal in that, but it’s made kids go and climb. We might have the next speed-climbing champion because of Gladiators, which is amazing. The biggest mistake I ever make is trying to take my daughter to soft play. If I try and take her to a trampoline park, I can’t look after her, because I’m in front of our target audience, doing the most gladiatorial stuff. I’m inundated! When your Gladiators legend is written, how do you hope to be remembered? Hercules was the first person I played in a play, in year three. And I was obsessed with being a demigod, being able to fly, having super-strength, having super-speed like Hermes. I’d want my legacy to be like the fables of Hercules – this person ran as fast as he could against the world’s best, championing his country. Having done both, which is more competitive, Gladiators or Strictly Come Dancing? I would say Gladiators is far more competitive, because there’s an actual gamesmanship around it. You can’t compare your rumba to someone else’s Argentine tango on the day. But what I would say is that Strictly can dress you down. You have to be strong. You have to be able to take the feedback. If you make a mistake, it can feel like the worst thing in the world. So there’s more of a mental aspect to understanding the process, and having to stay true to yourself through it. If you could see into the future, like Cassandra, what might you reveal about the new series of Gladiators? Nitro’s back, which is the most amazing thing for myself. I think maybe the last series of Gladiators was a little meaner without me around. I’m here to bring back that essence of entertainment and fun. We haven’t seen Nitro in battle since 2024. So, 2026 is the Year of the Nitro – let’s call it! Jake, 7, asks… What’s your favourite dinner? What you need to know about Nitro is that Nitro is a great chef. But my good-luck meal is a pizza. I will have one every week before a big arena day. I make good pizzas – my favourite is pepperoni with mozzarella with spicy pepperoni and nduja on top, perhaps with some hot honey on there as well. Delicious! SABRE aka Sheli McCoy, 37 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? That we’re mean. People assume that we are there to be baddies, to crush contenders. And that’s an absolute myth because, really, our job is to get the best out of every single contender. I will only push someone as far as they can go, to give me 100 per cent of what they have. I will never give them more than they can take. What is the hardest part of the job? The most Herculean task? Not the physical element. That’s easy. It’s the persona and the expectations that come with it: trying to balance being the world’s strongest, most capable humans while also trying to be relatable to everyone we want to inspire. What’s your Achilles’ heel? I don’t really have one. As Sabre, I am formidable in every aspect. There’s nothing that you could give me that I can’t do. That said, have you ever had a tainted, Pyrrhic victory? Loads of times. Do you remember Nia on The Edge [in series one]? My job was to take her down, but she was crying her eyes out. That doesn’t feel like a good win; it feels like a necessary win. Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? That is my MO. That’s what I do. I wake up and think: how could I push the limit today to potentially burn out here? So, yes, I have, multiple times, because that’s how we learn. And I don’t think you’ll ever know your true potential until you overstep that potential. I co-own a gym. It’s 6,500 square feet with a full gym, a weightlifting club, a HYROX affiliate, seven staff, a new recovery room. I’ve got my clinic still open [McCoy is also a sports rehabilitation therapist]; Gladiators is on air; I’m chatting to you. Loads of people would have thought that was impossible to do. Kids look up to you like you’re a god. That’s quite a responsibility... It’s a privilege. Yeah, it’s a responsibility, because if we’re not doing it for them, who are we doing it for? Kids have sold their souls to us. They’ve got us on repeat in their living room. And now their birthdays are Gladiators-themed, and they’re having custom costumes made… I’ve got about 130 beaded, hand-made bracelets from kids. My brother lives in Dubai, and his children, my niece and nephew and all of their friends, have Gladiators watch parties at my brother’s house. Series one had 90 million global downloads. When your legend is written, how do you hope to be remembered? Today is the anniversary of my dad’s death. He died 33 years ago. And if today was my last day, I think I would feel proud that I’ve made a difference. There have been so many mothers and fathers who have told me stories of their children overcoming body-confidence issues, sports issues, health issues, eating disorders, due to the presence of Gladiators in their life. If you could tell us the future, what can we expect from the new series? I am the most excited about this series coming out, because not only are there new games, but they’re bringing back a classic. When they told us about them, I was like, “You want us to what? Is that safe?” Nathalie, 1o, and Cami, 6, ask… What has been your favourite audience sign? “Sabre, will you marry my dad?” There’s honestly 50 of them an episode. They’ve made their kids sit down and make those signs… Although I know that the other day Apollo had a sign sent into the dressing room for him with a woman’s telephone number and Instagram handle on it! LEGEND aka Matt Morsia, 40 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? The biggest myth is that Gladiators is a collective, and it’s all about everyone doing their own bit when in reality they’re just a support crew for Legend. When your legend is written, how do you hope you’ll be remembered? I don’t “hope”. I’m wholly confident that I’ll be remembered as the greatest Gladiator of all time. Do you have an Achilles’ heel? Probably that I’m too good. It’s awkward when you’re good at all of the games, because, firstly, it’s difficult to programme that logistically. But also, you attract a lot of envy from others. I imagine there was a similar situation for Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King. When you’re at the top of your game, there are a lot of eyes on you. What’s the hardest part of being a Gladiator? I would say it is just managing the fans. For me, more so than the others. I’m having to fight my way into the arena. They’ll get me there eight hours early deliberately, and there’s still thousands of people queuing up, throwing themselves at my feet. Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? I’ve been to the sun and it was fine. I can’t really relate to that. I was fine. You know when you open the oven? I can pull things straight out with my hands. My skin’s very resilient. I’m actually able to handle ultra-high temperatures. Metaphorically and literally? Yes, literally. Have you ever had a Pyrrhic victory — a win you’ve not been satisfied by? You know, for the average person, a win is like, “Great, I won. I’m so happy.” For me, that’s the norm. When you’re at that level, it’s hard to be satisfied. My standard is extremely high. My bar is so high that the standards have to be extended to reach it. Kids look up to you guys like gods. Do you feel a responsibility there? Yes and no. Yes, because, like you said, pretty much every kid in the world wants to be me. But I say no in the sense that I just need to exist, and that’s enough really, isn’t it? Even just looking at me, that’s probably very inspirational for the average person. Do kids approach you in the street — and if so, what do they say? Yeah, on a regular basis. They normally say things like, “Wow, Legend, you’re the best Gladiator ever!” “Legend, how did you get so good?” “Legend, why are you so much better than the others?” “Legend, do you find it awkward that you’re so much better than the others?” “Legend, how can I be more like you?” That’s the general chat. And what do you say? “Don’t touch me. Leave me alone.” If, like Cassandra, you could see the future, what could we expect from the new series of Gladiators? I’m in it. I think that’s all you really need. If you’re looking for a headline: “Gladiators series three – Legend’s in it.” I think that would probably suffice. Charlotte, 8, asks… Why are you such a doughnut? I feel like Charlotte’s been heavily influenced by an adult to ask that question. Probably a jealous, bitter adult who looks at me like I am some kind of unattainable god and has then encouraged their child to refer to me as a doughnut. I am not a doughnut. I like doughnuts, but I’m not one myself. I’m actually an extremely gifted human who is good at everything. FIRE aka Montell Douglas, 39 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? For me, it’s that our strength is mostly physical. I think the biggest strength that we have is our mental strength and our heart. Being a Gladiator is about your strength of heart, not the physicality. When your legend is written, how would you like to be remembered? Honestly, I’d like to be remembered not for what I’ve done, but how I’ve made people feel. I’m fierce, fun, but fair on the show. And I think that is me in real life. What is your Achilles’ heel? Empathy! I think that holds me back, because I’m a big softie. I’ve got a big, warm heart, that can be my downfall, because I respect the contenders and their craft, so sometimes I just feel sorry for them. Have you ever suffered a Pyrrhic victory? When you’re in the Gladiator arena, we always say that it’s like David versus Goliath, but actually I want everyone to bring 100 per cent, because I’m going to bring 100 per cent. I don’t ever want to win if someone’s not feeling great. Kids look up to you like gods. Do you feel that’s a responsibility? Absolutely a responsibility, and absolutely a privilege. I think that it’s an honour to be considered a role model in anything. Weirdly, the reactions of kids was almost an afterthought, even though it’s a very nostalgic and iconic show that we watched growing up. Do you meet a lot of young fans? It’s my favourite thing, meeting and connecting with those that love the show. I call my fans my Flames. It doesn’t matter if they’re boys or girls, they come up in full costume. Recently, we had a little girl whose parent told us that she’d taken up athletics because of me. Apparently she said, “I want to be fast like Fire. Get me down to the athletics track.” Which is incredible, because it’s access to new sports that she might have never tried. Chloe, 5, asks… Why did you choose the name Fire? Oh, Chloe! I say it’s Fire because obviously it’s hot, and it burns brightly. But more importantly, fire is unpredictable. I’d say I’m a bit of an all-rounder where I’m fast, and you don’t really realise how much power I have. And being an element, it just says that you’re one of the core energy sources that we have in this world. I’m just very happy to be Fire. STEEL aka Zack George, 35 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? People assume we’ve always been extremely fit and super-motivated. But I, personally, was very different as a child. I didn’t eat healthy foods. I didn’t do any exercise. I didn’t have any confidence. And now I’m a Gladiator! Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? When I won the UK’s Fittest Man [in 2020]. I was about two weeks into the five-week competition, and I was thinking, “This has consumed my whole life.” I’d train for four or five hours a day and have no social life. You have to sacrifice so, so much. I was thinking, “Is it all going to be worth it?” But I said, “No, you’re going to win this.” And I did. What is your Achilles’ heel? I played a lot of rugby growing up, and I probably injured my ankle around 20 to 30 times. So for me, my Achilles’ heel would be my left ankle. Almost a literal Achilles’ heel! What’s the hardest part of being a Gladiator? I sometimes find it hard when they think that my Mr Nice Guy personality is going to spill into the games. When that whistle blows, I’m there to win. Kids look up to you. Does that give you pause for thought? Hugely, yeah, because we are like real-life superheroes, and the joy on the kids’ and adults’ faces when they come to watch the show… they’re in awe. I’m a father, and as a child if your parent says, “Eat some healthy food” or “Do a bit of exercise”, it’s like, “Ugh, whatever.” But when a Gladiator says it, it genuinely sinks in. You seem particularly passionate about this… That’s my main role as Steel. I want to prove to the millions of children – and adults – that anything is possible. I like to show children what I was like when I was younger. And you can see that it blows their minds. What are your predictions for the new series? The contenders have come back bigger, faster, stronger – which obviously doesn’t bother us, because we are bigger and faster and stronger. But we could tell this time they’d been watching and studying the games. There was a big difference in their strategy. Penny, 5, asks... How is Steel so steel? I love that. I always get asked that. It’s like, “How much of your body is actually steel?” I train twice a day, six days a week and I’ve done that for about 10 years. I have six meals a day, about 4,500 calories. I do running, swimming, cycling, rowing, weightlifting, squats, bench-press and gymnastics. It’s varied! FURY aka Jodie Ounsley, 25 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? I think the biggest myth is thinking we’re not human. We are human, but we are also our Gladiator. It’s nice that we can combine the two. What is the hardest part of the job? The most Herculean task? Probably seeing your friends or yourself getting injured. But you know that’s the risk of playing a tough sport, or doing a TV show. Everyone gets tweaks and niggles – contenders and Gladiators. It’s about how you adapt and crack on with it. Have you ever had a Pyrrhic victory on the show — where your win felt tainted? If it’s over really quickly after going through all that prep of psyching yourself up. For example, if it’s a game of Duel, you’re getting in the zone, you’re ready to get into a fight. And then it lasts like two seconds. And you think, “Oh, all for that?” Kids look up to the Gladiators like they’re gods. Do you feel that responsibility? If my younger self had someone to look up to that I could really relate to, and think, “I want to be like that person” – that would have been so cool. We have the privilege to be that for someone else. As a deaf person with a cochlear implant, did you think about how that might inspire children with similar disabilities? I was a bit nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect going into an environment with TV and production, and being honest with my deafness. I do struggle in certain areas, so I have to be open about that. But they were all just amazing. And I really grasped how big it could be, especially on TV, for kids being able to see that. It’s so cool that I can normalise it for kids who have no idea about deafness, but by seeing us on Gladiators they might have a bit more of an understanding of it. Evan, 6, asks… Which of the other Gladiators are you the most afraid of? I’d say Cyclone. When you see her real personality, she’s so lovely and so kind to be around and she has a great energy. But I would not cross her, that’s for sure. She is the strongest, most physical woman I’ve ever seen. Even out of my whole rugby career – she’s just another level.
Last One Laughing UK season 2 cast members tease new episodes as Bob Mortimer talks return
"The moment I walked in, I thought, 'No, this is just different.'"
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. An entertainment hit on a streaming platform is something of a rarity. Stranger still when it’s a show stuffed with comedians where a mark of success is not laughing. But that’s what you get with Amazon Prime Video’s Last One Laughing UK, which sees some of the country’s best stand-ups locked in a room together, trying to “break” each other into fits of guffaws without cracking a smile themselves. Now, after the huge success of the first run in 2025, the show’s back this spring. “It’s exactly the same as series one, except for every single moment,” host Jimmy Carr tells RT. “It’s different comedians. A different level of competition. It’s basically comedy if it was a sport.” One of the new crop of contestants is former Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc. “I think there are pros and cons of doing a second series of something like this, because the first series was so brilliant and joyous and free,” she says. “Whereas when you’ve seen the first series, you go in with different levels of pressure, and expectation.” “It was more competitive this time,” agrees Carr. “They had gameplay in place. They had game faces. They knew what they were doing this time.” “Which isn’t to say that we didn’t also have a brilliant time!” Giedroyc adds. “We had an amazing gang. I mean, stellar.” Said gang features a mix of well-known and up-and-coming comics, including David Mitchell, Romesh Ranganathan, Amy Gledhill, Diane Morgan, Maisie Adam, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Sam Campbell and recent Celebrity Traitors champ Alan Carr, hoping he can keep the giggles under control this time. Plus, one more familiar face – Would I Lie to You? favourite and series one winner Bob Mortimer is back to defend his crown. “I didn’t expect to come back, but was delighted to be asked, because it’s an experience that you can never re-create,” says Mortimer. “It’s interesting – the moment I walked in, I thought, ‘No, this is just different. It’s an entirely different dynamic.’ So I didn’t feel I had any advantage.” View Green Video on the source website The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Last One Laughing UK streams on Prime Video. 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.
10 best entertainment shows to watch in 2026 - from Gladiators to The Claudia Winkleman Show
Who says shiny-floor TV is dead? Looking at the schedules for 2026, the entertainment genre is in rude health, kicking off strong this month with Claudia et al in the Traitors’ castle, before handing off to a host of other shows throughout the year. Whether you’re interested in a Gladiatorial contest, a laughter lesson, a bit of celeb chat, nosy neighbours or ‘summit’ completely different (with thanks to Ben Shephard), there’s really something for everyone in the UK’s unscripted TV offering this year. Here are 10 of our top picks for the reality and entertainment shows heading to the small screen this year – and remember, this is just the beginning. Time to set a few reminders... 10 best entertainment shows to watch in 2026 - from Gladiators to The Claudia Winkleman Show 1. Gladiators – coming to BBC One from Saturday 17th January Do you feel the power... of the Gladiator? The BBC’s hugely successful reboot has pugil stick-battered its way to this third series, which looks set to be as popular with families as the first two. All your favourite musclebound lads and lasses are back – including the injured ‘glads’ benched last series – alongside some new games, including one revived from the original series. Bradley and Barney Walsh are back on hosting duties. 2. Michael McIntyre’s Big Show – coming to BBC One from Saturday 17th January McIntyre’s back, taking the Michael with his revolving set of formats, from Send to All and the Unexpected Star of the show to The Midnight Gameshow, which this series includes Jonathan Ross and Joe Marler – one of whom will get a Traitors-inspired twist to their nighttime quizzing. Plus, expect more pranks and surprises for the theatre audience, including a new segment simply titled ‘Big Surprise’… 3. Mock the Week – coming to TLC from 1st February Return of the Mock! Just over three years after it was canned by the BBC, digital channel TLC has risen the topical panel show from beyond the grave. While longtime host Dara O Briain is back in charge and some familiar guests from the old show are confirmed to appear across the series (including Hugh Dennis, Ed Byrne and Sara Pascoe) expect some changes too, including a longer runtime (now an hour with adverts) and some fresh rounds alongside the old favourites. 4. The Summit – coming soon to ITV1 The pressure is Mountain for the 14 strangers attempting this reality show, which has them competing to scale an 8,500ft peak in the New Zealand wilderness for a chance at a £200,000 cash prize. This Morning’s, Ben Shephard is on hosting duties as these social climbers face challenges, team up and betray each other on their way to the top. 5. Last One Laughing – coming soon to Prime Video That rare meeting of comedians where the winning move is not to laugh returns. Last year, Bob Mortimer’s poker face saw off all competitors – but with a new crop of stand-ups now taking him on, can he stifle his chuckles? Jimmy Carr and Roisin Conaty return as hosts, with while the contestants are Mortimer, David Mitchell, Mel Giedroyc, Alan Carr, Romesh Ranganathan, Amy Gledhill, Maisie Adam, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Sam Campbell, and Diane Morgan. 6. The Claudia Winkleman Show – coming to BBC One this spring With her ballroom days behind her and fresh from the Traitors' castle, Claudia’s next challenge will be channelling her ‘Clauditorium’ Strictly debrief skills into celeb sofa chats. Kicking off in spring, the series – made by Graham Norton’s So Television production company – is expected to fill the gaps while The Graham Norton Show is off-air. 7. The Neighbourhood – coming this year to ITV1 and ITVX Speaking of Norton, he’s set to front his own display of social gameplay and betrayal. In ITV’s 12-part series, coming this year, real-life families and households will move into a specially-built street and take each other on in various challenges and contests, defeating their neighbours while trying to remain popular – and then voting each other out. 8. The Box – coming this year to ITV1 and ITVX Used to being boxed in – whether by other players or BBC bosses – Gary Lineker is presumably the perfect host for this remake of a Norwegian series. Each episode, celeb contestants are packed up into yellow boxes and sent off to find themselves in different locations and unusual challenges. The first crop of contestants includes Ellie Taylor, John Bercow, Ranvir Singh and Sara Davies. 9. Saturday Night Live UK – Coming this year to Sky Max and NOW After celebrating its half-century last year, the venerable US sketch show is getting a UK transplant. While longtime SNL boss Lorne Michaels is still executive producing, the writers and cast of the new spin-off will be from the UK, alongside a celebrity host and musical guest each week. Currently, information about those involved is top secret, but expect news soon… 10. Would You Rather: Decide to Survive – Coming this year to Prime Video An entertainment format hosted by Romesh Ranganathan – surely not?? This time, the reliably safe pair of hands chairs a game show where “familiar faces” compete in challenges based on simple ‘would you rather’ decisions. Apparently, their choices will affect everything from what they eat to who is eliminated each episode. 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.
Dara Ó Briain teases new Mock the Week revival format – and why they'll be tackling the current Labour government
The comedian and longtime host discusses who and what to expect from the returning panel show.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Just over three years after it was cancelled by the BBC, topical panel show Mock the Week is returning soon to free-to-air channel TLC — with a familiar face at the helm. “It was only a couple of months ago that I first heard rumblings,” says comedian and longtime host Dara Ó Briain. “God, it might have been November... I mean, I’m not going, ‘I remember the moment the big red phone in my office rang. It’s the Mock phone, finally…’ But it’s all moved pretty quickly, as befits the show. “Honestly, you can be too precious,” he adds. “I didn’t sit for a long time going, ‘Will this in any way damage the legacy of the show that we’ve left behind?’ It’s just seven people in a room telling jokes.” Alongside Ó Briain, rotating guests will include Ahir Shah, Angela Barnes, Ed Byrne, Ellie Taylor, Hugh Dennis, Katherine Ryan, Lou Sanders, Rhys James, Russell Howard and Sara Pascoe — though expect more new names alongside the familiar ones. The biggest change comes from the length of episodes, now extended to an hour. “There’s no musical sequence now; there’s no nudity suddenly. I don’t think there’s anything particularly jarring. I just think there’ll be slightly more of it,” Ó Briain says. “But there was always more of it. We did two-and-a-half hours that came down to a BBC half-hour, which was 28 minutes. There will apparently be new rounds. But I don’t think there’s anything that will scare the horses, that will be too drastic a change from us talking. ‘Us talking’ is the mission statement, to be honest.” And what will they be talking about? “The world has got more pantomimic and ludicrous as time has gone by,” he muses. “The biggest change for us is that it’s no longer a Conservative government. People used to say, ‘You always talk about the Tories.’ Yes, because they were the ones doing stuff! Now, it’ll be about Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves. Not because we’re not on the BBC any more – but because they’re the ones in power.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now - subscribe here Check out more of our interviews 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.
Gladiators season 3 stars shatter the myths behind being a cast member - and answer child fan questions
Nitro, Sabre, Legend, Fire, Steel and Fury preview the brand new episodes – and answer questions from young fans.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. The BBC’s revamped Gladiators has become a colossus of Saturday-night TV – but are its perfectly formed stars gods, monsters or something in between? With a little help from some young fans, RT poses some very important questions... Nitro aka Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? The biggest myth about being a Gladiator is that you don’t want the contender to do well, because you actually do. Obviously, we’re the strength and the speed and the power. But ultimately they’re the soul of the show, right? What’s your Achilles’ heel? It’s probably The Edge, which is played at a very great height. I’m a very grounded person. If there was one event that I could choose not to do, it would be that one. Kids look up to all of you like gods. How do you handle that? I lean into it. When kids ask me how old I am, I often say, “I’m 1,000 years old, and I’m a demigod. The gifts and skills and talents that I have were bestowed upon me by the gods.” In Grecian times the idea was that, if you went to someone’s temple, that gave the gods strength, right? So, I often tell them, the more noise they make, the stronger I become. They’re my power cells. They fuel me. Do you feel a responsibility to your fans – ie the power cells? I was once a young star who wanted to be a Gladiator. I opted for the Olympics instead – and now I’ve become a Gladiator! I know there are many young fans out there who could now go on to become great athletes or great Gladiators themselves. When I go climbing, people say, “We can’t believe you’re here... we told our daughter or our son, ‘Try and climb the wall like Nitro’ to get them here.” I’m not a speed-climber. I won’t get an Olympic medal in that, but it’s made kids go and climb. We might have the next speed-climbing champion because of Gladiators, which is amazing. The biggest mistake I ever make is trying to take my daughter to soft play. If I try and take her to a trampoline park, I can’t look after her, because I’m in front of our target audience, doing the most gladiatorial stuff. I’m inundated! When your Gladiators legend is written, how do you hope to be remembered? Hercules was the first person I played in a play, in year three. And I was obsessed with being a demigod, being able to fly, having super-strength, having super-speed like Hermes. I’d want my legacy to be like the fables of Hercules – this person ran as fast as he could against the world’s best, championing his country. Having done both, which is more competitive, Gladiators or Strictly Come Dancing? I would say Gladiators is far more competitive, because there’s an actual gamesmanship around it. You can’t compare your rumba to someone else’s Argentine tango on the day.But what I would say is that Strictly can dress you down. You have to be strong. You have to be able to take the feedback. If you make a mistake, it can feel like the worst thing in the world. So there’s more of a mental aspect to understanding the process, and having to stay true to yourself through it. If you could see into the future, like Cassandra, what might you reveal about the new series of Gladiators? Nitro’s back, which is the most amazing thing for myself. I think maybe the last series of Gladiators was a little meaner without me around. I’m here to bring back that essence of entertainment and fun. We haven’t seen Nitro in battle since 2024. So, 2026 is the Year of the Nitro – let’s call it! Jake, 7, asks… What’s your favourite dinner? What you need to know about Nitro is that Nitro is a great chef. But my good-luck meal is a pizza. I will have one every week before a big arena day. I make good pizzas – my favourite is pepperoni with mozzarella with spicy pepperoni and nduja on top, perhaps with some hot honey on there as well. Delicious! Sabre aka Sheli McCoy, 37 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? That we’re mean. People assume that we are there to be baddies, to crush contenders. And that’s an absolute myth because, really, our job is to get the best out of every single contender. I will only push someone as far as they can go, to give me 100 per cent of what they have. I will never give them more than they can take. What is the hardest part of the job? The most Herculean task? Not the physical element. That’s easy. It’s the persona and the expectations that come with it: trying to balance being the world’s strongest, most capable humans while also trying to be relatable to everyone we want to inspire. What’s your Achilles’ heel? I don’t really have one. As Sabre, I am formidable in every aspect. There’s nothing that you could give me that I can’t do. That said, have you ever had a tainted, Pyrrhic victory? Loads of times. Do you remember Nia on The Edge [in series one]? My job was to take her down, but she was crying her eyes out. That doesn’t feel like a good win; it feels like a necessary win. Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? That is my MO. That’s what I do. I wake up and think: how could I push the limit today to potentially burn out here? So, yes, I have, multiple times, because that’s how we learn. And I don’t think you’ll ever know your true potential until you overstep that potential. I co-own a gym. It’s 6,500 square feet with a full gym, a weightlifting club, a HYROX affiliate, seven staff, a new recovery room. I’ve got my clinic still open [McCoy is also a sports rehabilitation therapist]; Gladiators is on air; I’m chatting to you. Loads of people would have thought that was impossible to do. Kids look up to you like you’re a god. That’s quite a responsibility... It’s a privilege. Yeah, it’s a responsibility, because if we’re not doing it for them, who are we doing it for? Kids have sold their souls to us. They’ve got us on repeat in their living room. And now their birthdays are Gladiators-themed, and they’re having custom costumes made… I’ve got about 130 beaded, hand-made bracelets from kids. My brother lives in Dubai, and his children, my niece and nephew and all of their friends, have Gladiators watch parties at my brother’s house. Series one had 90 million global downloads. When your legend is written, how do you hope to be remembered? Today is the anniversary of my dad’s death. He died 33 years ago. And if today was my last day, I think I would feel proud that I’ve made a difference. There have been so many mothers and fathers who have told me stories of their children overcoming body-confidence issues, sports issues, health issues, eating disorders, due to the presence of Gladiators in their life. If you could tell us the future, what can we expect from the new series? I am the most excited about this series coming out, because not only are there new games, but they’re bringing back a classic. When they told us about them, I was like, “You want us to what? Is that safe?” Nathalie, 10, and Cami, 6, ask… What has been your favourite audience sign? “Sabre, will you marry my dad?” There’s honestly 50 of them an episode. They’ve made their kids sit down and make those signs... Although I know that the other day Apollo had a sign sent into the dressing room for him with a woman’s telephone number and Instagram handle on it! Legend aka Matt Morsia, 40 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? The biggest myth is that Gladiators is a collective, and it’s all about everyone doing their own bit when in reality they’re just a support crew for Legend When your legend is written, how do you hope you’ll be remembered? I don’t “hope”. I’m wholly confident that I’ll be remembered as the greatest Gladiator of all time. Do you have an Achilles’ heel? Probably that I’m too good. It’s awkward when you’re good at all of the games, because, firstly, it’s difficult to programme that logistically. But also, you attract a lot of envy from others. I imagine there was a similar situation for Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King. When you’re at the top of your game, there are a lot of eyes on you. What’s the hardest part of being a Gladiator? I would say it is just managing the fans. For me, more so than the others. I’m having to fight my way into the arena. They’ll get me there eight hours early deliberately, and there’s still thousands of people queuing up, throwing themselves at my feet. Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? I’ve been to the sun and it was fine. I can’t really relate to that. I was fine. You know when you open the oven? I can pull things straight out with my hands. My skin’s very resilient. I’m actually able to handle ultra-high temperatures. Metaphorically and literally? Yes, literally. Have you ever had a Pyrrhic victory – a win you’ve not been satisfied by? You know, for the average person, a win is like, “Great, I won. I’m so happy.” For me, that’s the norm. When you’re at that level, it’s hard to be satisfied. My standard is extremely high. My bar is so high that the standards have to be extended to reach it. Kids look up to you guys like gods. Do you feel a responsibility there? Yes and no. Yes, because, like you said, pretty much every kid in the world wants to be me. But I say no in the sense that I just need to exist, and that’s enough really, isn’t it? Even just looking at me, that’s probably very inspirational for the average person. Do kids approach you in the street – and if so, what do they say? Yeah, on a regular basis. They normally say things like, “Wow, Legend, you’re the best Gladiator ever!” “Legend, how did you get so good?” “Legend, why are you so much better than the others?” “Legend, do you find it awkward that you’re so much better than the others?” “Legend, how can I be more like you?” That’s the general chat. And what do you say? “Don’t touch me. Leave me alone.” If, like Cassandra, you could see the future, what could we expect from the new series of Gladiators? I’m in it. I think that’s all you really need. If you’re looking for a headline: “Gladiators series three – Legend’s in it.” I think that would probably suffice. Charlotte, 8, asks… Why are you such a doughnut? I feel like Charlotte’s been heavily influenced by an adult to ask that question. Probably a jealous, bitter adult who looks at me like I am some kind of unattainable god and has then encouraged their child to refer to me as a doughnut. I am not a doughnut. I like doughnuts, but I’m not one myself. I’m actually an extremely gifted human who is good at everything. Fire aka Montell Douglas, 39 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? For me, it’s that our strength is mostly physical. I think the biggest strength that we have is our mental strength and our heart. Being a Gladiator is about your strength of heart, not the physicality. When your legend is written, how would you like to be remembered? Honestly, I’d like to be remembered not for what I’ve done, but how I’ve made people feel. I’m fierce, fun, but fair on the show. And I think that is me in real life. What is your Achilles’ heel? Empathy! I think that holds me back, because I’m a big softie. I’ve got a big, warm heart, that can be my downfall, because I respect the contenders and their craft, so sometimes I just feel sorry for them. Have you ever suffered a Pyrrhic victory? When you’re in the Gladiator arena, we always say that it’s like David versus Goliath, but actually I want everyone to bring 100 per cent, because I’m going to bring 100 per cent. I don’t ever want to win if someone’s not feeling great. Kids look up to you like gods. Do you feel that’s a responsibility? Absolutely a responsibility, and absolutely a privilege. I think that it’s an honour to be considered a role model in anything. Weirdly, the reactions of kids was almost an afterthought, even though it’s a very nostalgic and iconic show that we watched growing up. Do you meet a lot of young fans? It’s my favourite thing, meeting and connecting with those that love the show. I call my fans my Flames. It doesn’t matter if they’re boys or girls, they come up in full costume. Recently, we had a little girl whose parent told us that she’d taken up athletics because of me. Apparently she said, “I want to be fast like Fire. Get me down to the athletics track.” Which is incredible, because it’s access to new sports that she might have never tried. Chloe, 5, asks… Why did you choose the name Fire? Oh, Chloe! I say it’s Fire because obviously it’s hot, and it burns brightly. But more importantly, fire is unpredictable. I’d say I’m a bit of an all-rounder where I’m fast, and you don’t really realise how much power I have. And being an element, it just says that you’re one of the core energy sources that we have in this world. I’m just very happy to be Fire. Steel aka Zack George, 35 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? People assume we’ve always been extremely fit and super-motivated. But I, personally, was very different as a child. I didn’t eat healthy foods. I didn’t do any exercise. I didn’t have any confidence. And now I’m a Gladiator! Like Icarus, have you ever flown too close to the sun? When I won the UK’s Fittest Man [in 2020]. I was about two weeks into the five-week competition, and I was thinking, “This has consumed my whole life.” I’d train for four or five hours a day and have no social life. You have to sacrifice so, so much. I was thinking, “Is it all going to be worth it?” But I said, “No, you’re going to win this.” And I did. What is your Achilles’ heel? I played a lot of rugby growing up, and I probably injured my ankle around 20 to 30 times. So for me, my Achilles’ heel would be my left ankle. Almost a literal Achilles’ heel! What’s the hardest part of being a Gladiator? I sometimes find it hard when they think that my Mr Nice Guy personality is going to spill into the games. When that whistle blows, I’m there to win. Kids look up to you. Does that give you pause for thought? Hugely, yeah, because we are like real-life superheroes, and the joy on the kids’ and adults’ faces when they come to watch the show… they’re in awe. I’m a father, and as a child if your parent says, “Eat some healthy food” or “Do a bit of exercise”, it’s like, “Ugh, whatever.” But when a Gladiator says it, it genuinely sinks in. You seem particularly passionate about this… That’s my main role as Steel. I want to prove to the millions of children – and adults – that anything is possible. I like to show children what I was like when I was younger. And you can see that it blows their minds. What are your predictions for the new series? The contenders have come back bigger, faster, stronger – which obviously doesn’t bother us, because we are bigger and faster and stronger. But we could tell this time they’d been watching and studying the games. There was a big difference in their strategy. Penny, 5, asks... How is Steel so steel? I love that. I always get asked that. It’s like, “How much of your body is actually steel?” I train twice a day, six days a week and I’ve done that for about 10 years. I have six meals a day, about 4,500 calories. I do running, swimming, cycling, rowing, weightlifting, squats, bench-press and gymnastics. It’s varied! Fury aka Jodie Ounsley, 25 What’s the biggest myth about being a Gladiator? I think the biggest myth is thinking we’re not human. We are human, but we are also our Gladiator. It’s nice that we can combine the two. What is the hardest part of the job? The most Herculean task? Probably seeing your friends or yourself getting injured. But you know that’s the risk of playing a tough sport, or doing a TV show. Everyone gets tweaks and niggles – contenders and Gladiators. It’s about how you adapt and crack on with it. Have you ever had a Pyrrhic victory on the show — where your win felt tainted? If it’s over really quickly after going through all that prep of psyching yourself up. For example, if it’s a game of Duel, you’re getting in the zone, you’re ready to get into a fight. And then it lasts like two seconds. And you think, “Oh, all for that?” Kids look up to the Gladiators like they’re gods. Do you feel that responsibility? If my younger self had someone to look up to that I could really relate to, and think, “I want to be like that person” – that would have been so cool. We have the privilege to be that for someone else. As a deaf person with a cochlear implant, did you think about how that might inspire children with similar disabilities? I was a bit nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect going into an environment with TV and production, and being honest with my deafness. I do struggle in certain areas, so I have to be open about that. But they were all just amazing. And I really grasped how big it could be, especially on TV, for kids being able to see that. It’s so cool that I can normalise it for kids who have no idea about deafness, but by seeing us on Gladiators they might have a bit more of an understanding of it. Evan, 6, asks… Which of the other Gladiators are you the most afraid of? I’d say Cyclone. When you see her real personality, she’s so lovely and so kind to be around and she has a great energy. But I would not cross her, that’s for sure. She is the strongest, most physical woman I’ve ever seen. Even out of my whole rugby career – she’s just another level. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now - subscribe here. Gladiators returns on Saturday 17th January at 5:45pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Check out more of our interviews 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 actor is proud to promote the Welsh language — even in lands far, far away
Add Dal y Mellt to your watchlist What’s the view from your sofa? Well, the TV is on a table. It’s not gigantic-silly, but it’s quite a decent size. We have a large sofa, so my wife will sit there and I’ve got four sons, so if any of them are with us with their girlfriends, they will also sit on this incredibly long sofa. And I sit on the chair. Who controls the remote at home? Me – if somebody else has it, it makes me a little bit twitchy. What have you enjoyed watching recently? We watch a lot of “murder things”: Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, Mindhunter, American Nightmare. And Adolescence – the single-shot thing was extraordinary, but I kind of forgot about that, because I was so taken in by the acting. You’re one of the busiest actors around — especially in Welsh TV. How do you choose your roles? It’s what feels right in the moment. I’m not in the position of being able to pick and choose much. If it’s not a lead part, I’m happy to do a well-crafted cameo in one episode only. It’s stuff like Baby Reindeer and The Crown where you get an opportunity to make an impact. Star Wars [Jones played Captain Canady in The Last Jedi] was exactly that. You also had the first Welsh accent in Star Wars… I wasn’t told to do any other accent, so I thought, “Well, there’s no point me putting on an accent. What for?” You’re now back for the second series of Dal y Mellt, the Welsh-language crime drama. What can we expect? It’s a group of people who work out a plan to do a heist, and then over the next six hours, we get the backstory of the heist, and why they’re doing it. The response was fantastic to the first series. I do a lot of “back-to-back” series in both Welsh and English, but it feels special that this is just in Welsh. After the S4C and BBC airing it, it went onto Netflix titled Rough Cut – the first Welsh-language-speaking series on there. Was that a big deal? It’s fantastic. A lot of the big Oscar films from South Korea and all the Nordic noir stuff means that people have become comfortable with subtitles. The character I played in The Crown spoke Welsh with his wife, and it was a real move forward. It opened a lot of people’s minds. If you look at the listings of those episodes in that series, the one I’m in is called Tywysog Cymru. They don’t translate it. That means Prince of Wales. You’ve also represented Wales at the Oscars… There have been two Oscar-nominated Welsh-speaking films in the foreign language section, and I was in one of them, Solomon & Gaenor. To be there representing a Welsh-language film, and to do the foreign film circuit running up to the ceremony – it was wonderful. How do “back-to-back” series work? The same show is filmed in Welsh and English, scene by scene. You see it in Keeping Faith/Un Bore Mercher, The Light in the Hall/Y Golau, Hinterland/Y Gwyll… you’ve got to learn it twice, basically. You do it shot by shot, not scene by scene, so you have to keep changing from one to another. It sounds like a challenge! But it works. And in these times of tightened budgets, without it, we’d probably have a lot fewer Welsh series. There’s more Welsh drama than ever. Is there a Welsh renaissance? I hope so. People are much more aware now of the Welsh language because of things like Dal y Mellt. The aim is to have a million Welsh speakers by 2050. I just think doing more through the arts really helps.
Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe on their friendship, age gaps and Christmas plans
The final of Strictly Come Dancing is on Saturday 20 Dec at 7.00pm on BBC One. Add it to your watchlist At 62, actor Alex Kingston is only three years younger than the mother of her Strictly Come Dancing partner, 38-year-old professional Johannes Radebe. But in this partnership, she was the one learning from him. Over the past few months, they went from tentative first steps to earning standing ovations. And now, despite their Strictly journey ending, they vow they’ll stay on the dance floor one way or another… Alex, what was it like learning from someone younger? Alex Oh my gosh, I can’t imagine anyone else being my dance partner. The problem is, now my Strictly journey has come to an end, I will have to carry on dancing and I don’t know who will ever come close to Johannes. Johannes Oh my goodness, we’ll have to book some lessons. I’ve always said that partnerships are special because they grow, and that I always teach like a marriage – even though I have never been married. Alex And I’ve been married three times! Did you have a mentor or someone you looked up to earlier in your careers? Johannes As a boy, there was an Australian dancer I watched from a distance from my township in South Africa. His name is Jason Gilkison. I modelled my career on his, and now I am in the same room as him – he’s the creative director of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s an honour to work with him. Nowadays, I go back home to South Africa and run workshops teaching kids to dance. That’s my way of giving back. Alex My English teacher saw that I wasn’t academic in the sciences, but she made sure I had an opportunity to begin acting, devising plays where I was the lead. Her name was Margaret Kirk. She’s no longer with us, but I’m forever thankful to her. Are you looking forward to the final, where every Strictly couple returns for a reunion? Alex Oh yes, one hundred per cent. Looking at the opening credits of Strictly, seeing all the contestants, you realise how few are left. The first week does seem a long time ago now. It will be really lovely to see all those smiling faces again. Johannes Strictly plus Christmas feels like a warm hug. It’s so dark outside, it’s cold… I know that people are thankful it’s on telly. And finally, what are your post-Strictly Christmas plans? Alex We celebrate two Christmasses – the German Christmas on the 24th and the English Christmas on the 25th. I also participate in our village pub panto. This year, it’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They asked me to be the mirror on the wall, so that if I was still busy with Strictly, I could just record a voiceover! Johannes After two years of not being home for Christmas, I’m jumping on a flight. It’s summer back home. Normally there’s a big barbecue – the whole family’s in the yard, playing music and dancing. Sounds like heaven to me.
Loved Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery? 6 locked-room mysteries to enjoy next
A list of the essential locked-room mysteries every crime fan should know.
With Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery now streaming on Netflix, here's a list of some of the seminal locked-room mysteries from literature. Some of the titles may even be familiar to viewers of the new movie, with a certain reading list playing a key part in Benoit Blanc's investigations... 1. The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr A key influence on Wake Up Dead Man came from this 1935 novel by American author John Dickson Carr. Today, it’s renowned for both the ingenuity of its central locked-room mystery – whereby a murderous visitor seemingly disappears into thin air – and a fourth-wall-stretching speech by sleuth Dr Gideon Fell, who lays out the various methods often used by writers to explain such “impossible crimes”. Can I watch it? Unlike others on the list below, there are no major adaptations of this work outside of a few radio dramas – perhaps re-creating Carr’s solution is an impossible task in and of itself. 2. The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes and Watson tackle a fiendish criminal in this eerie 1892 short story, about a young woman who dies alone in her locked room a few days after hearing a low whistle. Soon, her surviving sister hears the same noise and understandably believes her time is up. But what could a house full of animals, an unconnected bell cord and a saucer of milk have to do with either murder attempt? Can I watch it? The Speckled Band features as an episode of the classic adaptation Sherlock Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes, and is available to stream on ITVX. View Green Video on the source website 3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Queen of Crime didn’t often go in for “classic” locked-room murder mysteries of the sort laid out by Dickson Carr. Still, this influential 1926 novel does provide what could be considered the Christie take on the idea, when the titular wealthy landowner apparently perishes just moments after being left alone in his study. Can I watch it? The obligatory ITV adaptation starring David Suchet’s Poirot perhaps doesn’t quite do the story justice, due to a missing key ingredient from the written version – but for a better onscreen locked-room Poirot, try Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, broadcast in 1994. Both are episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, available on ITVX. 4 Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers Dorothy L Sayers’ 1932 work stars her regular sleuths Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, the latter of whom stumbles on a body while out hiking. With the victim found dead on a sandy beach with no footsteps nearby, his blood still warm, it appears a clear suicide – but there’s more to this crime than meets the eye. Can I watch it? The 1980s TV adaptation of this mystery – a three-part episode of the A Dorothy L Sayers Mystery series starring Harriet Walter and Edward Petherbridge – is available now on YouTube. A 1981 radio adaptation starring Ian Carmichael and Maria Aitken also returned to BBC Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds) this month. 5. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe Poe’s short story was published in 1841 and has been described as the “first modern detective story”. Certainly, it’s one of the earliest locked-room mysteries, exploring a baffling double murder in a fourth-floor room that was locked from the inside. The only clues as to how a mother and daughter were brutally killed are a bloody razor, some tufts of grey hair and two bags of gold coins... Can I watch it? Several adaptations of the story have been attempted. A 1971 version by director Gordon Hessler – which takes a number of liberties with the story – is available on Amazon Prime Video, where you can also rent a 1932 adaptation starring Bela Lugosi. Most recently, a very loose version of the story was included in episode three of Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher. 6. The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux The prototypical locked-room/impossible crime story comes from French author Leroux, published in his 1908 novel (serialised a year earlier). Providing the reader with precise diagrams and floorplans, Leroux invites us to also try and solve the mystery of how a criminal disappeared from a sealed yellow room — and how he then repeated the trick twice more. Can I watch it? Despite adaptations in 1913, 1919, 1930, 1947, 1949, 1965 and 2003, it’s hard to track down a version of it. However, a BBC radio adaptation is available online for free on the Internet Archive, and the story also inspired an episode of Jonathan Creek in 2014 — The Letters of Septimus Noone (available on iPlayer). Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is available now 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 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.
Doctor Who favourite Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe spill on Strictly journey and finale return
From first steps to standing ovations: Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe reflect on dancing, friendship, and their post-Strictly Christmas plans.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. At 62, actor Alex Kingston is only three years younger than the mother of her Strictly Come Dancing partner, 38-year-old professional Johannes Radebe. But in this partnership, she was the one learning from him. Over the past few months, they went from tentative first steps to earning standing ovations. And now, despite their Strictly journey ending, they vow they’ll stay on the dance floor one way or another… Alex, what was it like learning from someone younger? ALEX: Oh my gosh, I can’t imagine anyone else being my dance partner. The problem is, now my Strictly journey has come to an end, I will have to carry on dancing and I don’t know who will ever come close to Johannes. JOHANNES: Oh my goodness, we’ll have to book some lessons. I’ve always said that partnerships are special because they grow, and that I always teach like a marriage – even though I have never been married. ALEX: And I’ve been married three times! Did you have a mentor or someone you looked up to earlier in your careers? JOHANNES: As a boy, there was an Australian dancer I watched from a distance from my township in South Africa. His name is Jason Gilkison. I modelled my career on his, and now I am in the same room as him – he’s the creative director of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s an honour to work with him. Nowadays, I go back home to South Africa and run workshops teaching kids to dance. That’s my way of giving back. ALEX: My English teacher saw that I wasn’t academic in the sciences, but she made sure I had an opportunity to begin acting, devising plays where I was the lead. Her name was Margaret Kirk. She’s no longer with us, but I’m forever thankful to her. Are you looking forward to the final, where every Strictly couple returns for a reunion? ALEX: Oh yes, one hundred per cent. Looking at the opening credits of Strictly, seeing all the contestants, you realise how few are left. The first week does seem a long time ago now. It will be really lovely to see all those smiling faces again. JOHANNES: Strictly plus Christmas feels like a warm hug. It’s so dark outside, it’s cold… I know that people are thankful it’s on telly. And finally, what are your post-Strictly Christmas plans? ALEX: We celebrate two Christmasses – the German Christmas on the 24th and the English Christmas on the 25th. I also participate in our village pub panto. This year, it’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They asked me to be the mirror on the wall, so that if I was still busy with Strictly, I could just record a voiceover! JOHANNES:After two years of not being home for Christmas, I’m jumping on a flight. It’s summer back home. Normally there’s a big barbecue – the whole family’s in the yard, playing music and dancing. Sounds like heaven to me. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw felt liberated by her transformation
Add The War Between the Land and Sea to your watchlist The Sea Devils have been around in Doctor Who since the 1970s. Were you aware of them? I have to confess, I wasn’t around in the 70s! And I didn’t do a deep-dive into the Sea Devils’ mythology. For me, it was exciting to start where we are, in the world that Russell T Davies has created with the show. For fans of Doctor Who, there are so many nuances and layers that they will pick up on. But you don’t have to know all of that background to really invest in the story, which I think is one of its strengths. You’ve been in the Doctor Who world before in 2007. You played Tish Jones, the sister of companion Martha; now you’re fish-woman Salt. What brought you back? I have such fond memories of working on Doctor Who. It was one of my first TV jobs and there was so much buzz around the show. I’ve seen Russell T Davies socially and in passing over the years. When he reached out about this project, I was really, really excited. But I was also kind of curious and a bit trepidatious, knowing that the character is an amphibian, and it’s something very, very different. Yes, as Salt you’re pretty unrecognisable… I’ve never done such a large-scale creature-character. I thought it would be a really interesting acting challenge, physically. Without spoiling too much of the magic, I spent three hours in hair and make-up every morning with Georgia Brown and Samantha Di Giuseppe. It’s quite a surreal experience as an actor, I think, to look in a mirror and almost not recognise yourself. You’re liberated from all the usual tools you have. Suddenly you don’t have curly hair and brown skin. You’re free to create something completely different. You have what you bring: your face, your physicality. Three hours! Wasn’t that exhausting? It was an arduous process, I’m not going to lie. It’s three hours just to do the face, and there’s the layers of glue and paint. Not to mention when you get into the body, the body armour, the scales and the skin. There were so many pieces, I felt a bit like Frankenstein’s monster! Once you’re all made up… who is Salt, exactly? She’s a warrior. She’s a mother. She’s an ambassador, and she has a very regal presence. She’s a fierce protector of her species, and she meets Barclay [Russell Tovey’s character] in this negotiation process to defend the rights of her people who have been under the sea for many years, dormant, until now. It’s a bit of a parable for climate change — has it made you think about your own habits? Oh my gosh, I know. Here I am, just drinking a glass of water, right? There is a whole sequence about a polluted glass of water in the show. There’s a plastic apocalypse in one episode. Now, every time I see a river or the sea, I do re-evaluate what we’ve done to it, and think about things we take for granted. Russell has done such a beautiful job — and Pete McTighe, the other writer on the show — of illustrating that in a really epic, visceral way that we can understand. Yes, we’re talking about the planet and climate change and the pollution of the oceans. But also, there’s a lot to be said about how we treat other people that we don’t necessarily relate to or think are “one of us”.