Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2026-01-08T16:46:17.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: From EastEnders to Coronation Street: Which soap star has racked up the most appearances?
items: 46 best Christmas films to stream this holiday season
items: TV's most devastating scenes: Grey's Anatomy, One Day, Stranger Things and more heartbreaking moments
items: 10 Doctor Who Easter eggs even die-hard fans might have missed

From EastEnders to Coronation Street: Which soap star has racked up the most appearances?
type: item
date: 2026-01-09T07:00:04.000Z
creator: Ifra Khan
subject: Soaps
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: Channel 4
subject: ITV
description: Who comes up trumps as we kick off 2026, and who could move further up the top 10?
encoded: With a collective 188 years on air, and a whopping 36,181 episodes, it's no surprise that the soap stars of Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks have become household names. Let's face it, the shows air that frequently that we probably spend more time in the characters' company each week than that of our friends. It goes without saying that Corrie legend William Roache, who has played Ken Barlow since episode one on 9th December 1960 should definitely be up there with the most appearances across the board. But given the ITV soap didn't introduce a third weekly episode until 29 years later 1989, how does he compare with the EastEnders titans, who added their third episode just 9 years into the serial's run? And how do the actors compare with their co-stars? Luckily, RadioTimes.com has done some digging and has all the details. Coronation Street characters episode count With 11,771 episodes to its name, Coronation Street is the longest-running television soap opera in the world. In 2020, Roache was recognised as being the actor to have appeared the longest in one continuous role. But given his episode count has dwindled in recent years, could another character eventually pip Ken to the post? 1. William Roache as Ken Barlow, 4924 episodes since 1960 2. Helen Worth as Gail Chadwick, 4606 episodes between 1974 and 2025 3. Barbara Knox as Rita Tanner, 3983 episodes since 1964 4. Sally Dynevor as Sally Metcalfe, 3934 episodes since 1986 5. Simon Gregson as Steve McDonald, 3828 episodes since 1989 6. Michael Le Vell as Kevin Webster, 3867 episodes since 1983 7. Sue Nicholls as Audrey Roberts, 3456 episodes since 1979 8. Anne Kirkbride as Deirdre Barlow, 3346 episodes between 1972 and 2014 9. Eileen Derbyshire as Emily Bishop, 3303 episodes between 1961 and 2019 10. Thomas Ormson and Jack P Shepherd as David Platt, 3194 episodes since 1990 (Ormson - 364 episodes, Shepherd - 2820 episodes) Emmerdale characters episode count While Chris Chittell has played Po…

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46 best Christmas films to stream this holiday season
type: item
date: 2025-12-24T07:00:19.000Z
creator: Ifra Khan
subject: Movies
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Disney Plus
subject: Netflix
description: Your ultimate guide to what-to-watch this Christmas on the top three streaming giants.
encoded: The countdown to Christmas is on, and what better way to get into the spirit than with a festive film? There’s every chance you’ve already revisited a handful of feel-good favourites, but if you’re looking to expand your seasonal watchlist, the good news is that the major streamers are positively overflowing with Christmas cheer in 2025. Netflix leads the charge each year, serving up everything from delightfully cheesy romcoms like The Holiday and Love Actually to modern classics such as Klaus. Arguably, Disney+ boasts the strongest collection of Yuletide favourites, from Home Alone to The Muppet Christmas Carol and both versions of Miracle on 34th Street. Meanwhile, Prime Video mixes timeless classics like It’s a Wonderful Life with charming hidden gems such as Merry Little Batman. So, whether you’re in the mood for cosy comforts or a new discovery, RadioTimes.com has pulled together the very best Christmas films across Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video to keep you thoroughly entertained this festive season. 23 best Christmas movies to watch on Netflix 1) The Holdovers Having recently been added to the streamer, The Holdovers was released last year in the UK to sweeping critical acclaim. Starring Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham, a curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school, Paul remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school's head cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War. The film is both hilarious and extremely touching, offering a bit more of a melancholic Christmas film experience than some other festive films but is nonetheless, an excellent pick. Watch The Holdovers now on Netflix 2) That Christmas Richard Curtis made one of the most enduring Christmas films of the 21st century in Love Actually, and now his series of festive children's books have served as the basis for this new animated film on Netflix. S…

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TV's most devastating scenes: Grey's Anatomy, One Day, Stranger Things and more heartbreaking moments
type: item
date: 2025-11-14T07:00:16.000Z
creator: Ifra Khan
subject: Drama
subject: TV
description: Silent farewells, heroic sacrifices, and unforgettable grief – TV at its most emotionally shattering.
encoded: Every so often, television hits us right in the gut. A moment so powerful, so perfectly played, that it leaves us staring at the screen in disbelief, certain we’ll never be able to watch it again. These are the scenes that remind us just how deeply TV can get under our skin: the sudden deaths, the quiet goodbyes, and the losses we never saw coming. Here at Radio Times, we know the pain all too well. So we gathered our writers to relive – reluctantly – the most devastating moments they’ve ever seen on screen, from Stranger Things and Doctor Who to EastEnders and Futurama. Even the hardiest among us were reduced to emotional rubble. If you’re ready to experience the heartache, read on – but don’t say we didn’t warn you. TV's 15 saddest scenes ever 1. Sons of Anarchy: Season 5, episode 3 – Laying Pipe Opie’s Silent Sacrifice View oEmbed on the source website Some deaths are shocking. Some are heartbreaking. And then there’s Opie Winston’s in Sons of Anarchy, a moment that lingers long after the screen goes dark. After the SAMCRO club is thrown into prison, Damon Pope demands a life in retribution for the death of his daughter. When the moment comes, Opie steps forward without a word, sealing his fate. He turns to Jax and gives him a single, wordless look, a devastating exchange that speaks of brotherhood and inevitability. It's not just a glance, it's a lifetime of loyalty compressed into a silent goodbye. Moments later, Opie is forced into a cage fight and beaten to death with pipes as Jax, Tig and Chibs watch, powerless. The sound of steel meeting flesh fades beneath the grief on Jax’s face, pure, broken disbelief. Opie’s sacrifice becomes the show’s emotional core, a turning point that shatters Jax’s soul. It’s a devastating reminder that loyalty and love can’t save anyone in the violent world of SAMCRO, making this one of television’s most heartbreaking scenes. Ifra Khan 2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5, episode 16 – The Body Buffy finds her mother dead at hom…

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10 Doctor Who Easter eggs even die-hard fans might have missed
type: item
date: 2025-10-10T06:00:16.000Z
creator: Ifra Khan
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: BBC
description: How many did you spot?
encoded: Across its six-decade history, Doctor Who has brought us Easter eggs galore. There's nothing quite like spotting a hidden detail or a cheeky reference in your favourite show, and Doctor Who fans are the best for the job. Whether it's homages to the first ever episode, references to other sci-fi classics, or just the writers having a joke with fans, here are some of our favourite hidden details and Easter eggs. How many did you catch the first time round? 1. Hidden homages to An Unearthly Child – The Day of the Doctor (2013) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/05/c001-susan-dancing-doctor-who-unearthly-child-whobackwhen.v1-9fb73ac.jpg" width="4056" height="2701" alt="A black and white image from Doctor Who featuring Susan, a young woman with short hair, holding a transistor radio to her ear, her expression thoughtful. In the softly focused background, a couple, Ian and Barbara, stands close together." title="c001-susan-dancing-doctor-who-unearthly-child-whobackwhen.v1" /> The 50th anniversary special, starring David Tennant and Matt Smith, is filled with loving nods to the show’s origins, including Totter’s Lane, Ian Chesterton’s name on a school sign, and the original broadcast time and date etched into a wall. Totter’s Lane – The iconic junkyard where the Doctor’s story began reappears, quietly grounding the 50th anniversary special in the series’ original setting. Ian Chesterton on the school sign – A subtle tribute to the Doctor’s very first companion, now listed as chairman of the school board at Coal Hill. “23 November 1963, 5:15pm” scratched on a wall – The exact date and time Doctor Who first aired, immortalised as a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it piece of graffiti. Headmaster Coburn – A nod to Anthony Coburn, writer of the very first episode, whose name appears as the school’s headmaster. These little references connect the modern era of the show to its very first episode, rewarding long-time viewers but not getting in the way…

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