The Outlaws: Start date, time, cast and latest news on Stephen Merchant drama
Stephen Merchant directs and stars in the upcoming series.
Stephen Merchant's brand new series The Outlaws kicks off on BBC One tonight, following a diverse group of people carrying out community service, who find themselves united by a common threat. The drama features moments of comedy, which is to be expected from the co-creator of The Office and Extras, as well as some quite thrilling scenes as our unlikely gang finds themselves in way over their head. Merchant himself appears in a supporting role alongside rising star Rhianne Barreto, Hollywood legend Christopher Walken and a number of other familiar faces. The BBC must be very happy with The Outlaws as the brand new show secured a second series long before the first had even wrapped filming, which is a strong vote of confidence if ever there was one. Read on for everything you need to know Stephen Merchant's The Outlaws on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, including start date, cast and trailer. The Outlaws release date CONFIRMED: The Outlaws premieres tonight, Monday 25th October, at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer The series was filmed in Bristol (Merchant's hometown), and is a co-production between the BBC and Amazon Studios, which means it will be distributed on Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The shoot got underway in March 2020, but had to be halted after just 12 days of production due to the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which shut down much of the entertainment industry for several months. On the bright side, during the hiatus, Merchant was approached by the BBC to write a second series which has since been officially ordered by the broadcaster. View oEmbed on the source website The Outlaws series one and two were ultimately filmed back-to-back, with production resuming in late November 2020 and continuing for just shy of a year. As the cast and crew returned to work, Merchant said: "Like so many other productions, we’d just begun filming when COVID-19 struck and we had to shut down. I’m delighted that we’re now finally able to resume filming with this incredible cast and finish this long-standing passion project. "This is the first series I’ve made in my hometown of Bristol and I’m so excited to showcase the city and utilise the amazing local talent.” There's no word yet on when the second outing will debut, but we'll keep this page updated with the latest information as it comes in, so keep checking back for more. The Outlaws cast Rhianne Barreto (Honour) leads The Outlaws cast as gifted A-Level student Rani, who puts her promising future at risk when she is caught shoplifting from a mall in her hometown of Bristol. She is placed in a community service programme with an all-star cast of fellow offenders, each of whom is there for a different reason and has their own unique problems to deal with. Rani quickly strikes up a rapport with Christian (Hanna's Gamba Cole), a young man who is attempting to keep himself and his sister out of the city's local gangs. The Outlaws creator Stephen Merchant also appears on-screen, playing awkward lawyer Greg, who is struggling with loneliness as he goes through a painful divorce. Meanwhile, Hollywood legend Christopher Walken also has a key role, playing charismatic but untrustworthy scoundrel Frank, who is trying to reconnect with his family following his latest stint in the slammer. A number of viewers might well be wondering how someone as world-renowned as Walken ended up starring in a comedy-drama about community service in Bristol. "Chris Walken does not have a mobile phone or a computer so it’s quite hard to get in touch with him," Merchant explained to the PA. “So I think we dusted off an old fax machine at the BBC and we managed to fax him the script – I’m not even joking – and he read the script and he liked it. "And he called, would I come to Connecticut, where he lives in America? So I flew all the way to Connecticut and I sat with him and he had a lot of questions, and I was sat with him for about four hours and he made me an omelette." Merchant continued: "It was very nice and we talked about the show, and he said to me ‘what’s Bristol like?’ and I said it was a bit like San Francisco. Because it’s exactly the same, with the bridge and the hilly-ness and everything. And he said ‘yes, I’m up for it’. And so he came over.” Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) plays Gabby, a reality star and social media influencer who finds herself doing community service after a recent scandal, while Darren Boyd (Killing Eve) plays John, a businessman whose family-run company is in trouble. Clare Perkins (The Wheel of Time) completes the criminal clique as Myrna, while Jessica Gunning (Back) plays their eccentric supervising officer, Diana. The supporting cast is full of familiar faces, with Dolly Wells (The Pursuit of Love), Richard E Grant (Loki), Julia Davis (Gavin & Stacey) all set to appear, while Dracula actor Claes Bang will play "a mysterious and terrifying London gang boss". What is The Outlaws about? The series follows seven people performing community service. Initially it may seem that the group is made up of easy-to-pigeonhole archetypes, but we soon see their hidden depths. We're told: "The show is part crime thriller, character study, and a state-of-the-nation commentary – with humour and heart." The offenders, who are all from different walks of life, form unlikely friendships and we gradually see their private lives intersect. The group is then forced to unite in order to protect one of their own from Bristol's most dangerous criminal gang. The Outlaws trailer The BBC gave us our first The Outlaws trailer earlier this month, which introduces the memorable characters in this stellar ensemble. Watch below: View oEmbed on the source website While you're waiting to watch The Outlaws, take a look at more of our Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide to find out what's on telly tonight.
The Larkins release date: Cast, plot and latest news for Darling Buds of May adaptation
A new ITV adaptation of H. E. Bates's 1958 novel stars Bradley Walsh and his son Barney, as well as Joanna Scanlan and Peter Davison.
ITV's brand new adaptation of The Darling Buds of May, The Larkins, looks set to be one of the most popular British television shows of the autumn season, with a star-studded cast bringing life to its beloved source material. Doctor Who and Coronation Street alum Bradley Walsh leads the cast as Pop Larkin, patriarch of a family who are at the heart of all the goings on in their quaint Kent village in the 1950s. The show will also feature a guest appearance from his real-life son Barney Walsh, whom he regularly collaborates with on the popular Breaking Dad travelogue series. Rounding out the rest of The Larkins cast are The Thick Of It star Joanna Scanlan and former Time Lord Peter Davison, while Bridgerton's Sabrina Bartlett takes the role originally held by Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones. Read on for everything you need to know about The Larkins on ITV, including start date and time on ITV. When is The Larkins on TV? CONFIRMED: The Larkins will premiere on ITV tonight, Sunday 10th October at 8pm. ITV officially confirmed the start date in September. The series is expected to air every Sunday night for six weeks. For more information see our guide to when The Larkins episodes are released. READ MORE: Meet the cast of The Larkins The Larkins review The Larkins episodes - how many are there in the first season? Bradley Walsh admits he wasn't familiar with Pop Larkin before taking the role The Larkins Christmas special - stars confirm festive return at end of 2021 The Larkins cast: Who plays who? Bradley Walsh plays Pop Larkin in The Larkins cast, taking on the role previously held by David Jason in the 1990s adaptation. When the casting was announced, Walsh said he was "thrilled" to be involved in the "much loved and iconic series of stories," adding: "The warmth and affection that H. E. Bates has generated through his books is so uplifting and I cannot wait to be part of the Larkin family. It’ll be a hoot!" His wife Ma is played by The Thick of It star Joanna Scanlan, taking up the mantle from Pam Ferris. Scanlan said: "What better comfort could there be from all we have endured this year than the rolling laughter and outsize hugs of Ma and Pop? It’s going to be an honour to help bring The Larkins to the nation’s devices!" And it's a real family affair as Bradley Walsh's son Barney Walsh will play village policeman PC Harness. Lovers Charley and Mariette will be played by Tok Stephen and Bridgerton star Sabrina Bartlett (previously Philip Franks and Catherine Zeta-Jones) – and Bartlett described the series as the "perfect dose of escapism we all need right now." Peter Davison has also joined the cast, playing the Vicar, while Robert Bathurst will play Johnny Delamere. Further stars include Kriss Dosanjh (Brigadier), Amelia Bullmore (Miss Edith Pilchester), Seeta Indrani (Miss Chand), Stephen Hagan (Tom Fisher), Francesca Waterworth (Libby Fothergill), Tony Gardner (Alec Norman) and Selina Griffiths (Norma Norman). Other members of the Larkin family are played by Lydia Page (Primrose Larkin), Liam Middleton (Montgomery Larkin), Lola Shepelev (Victoria Larkin), Davina Coleman (Zinnia Larkin) and Rosie Coleman (Petunia Larkin). For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. What is The Larkins about? The series follows the Larkin family, good-hearted folk who reside in the idyllic Kent countryside and often get into scrapes with authority. Pop Larkin, a wheeler-dealer, and his wife Ma have six children, and are determined to enjoy life to the fullest (especially when that means enjoying the odd daytime cocktail). The central focus is the love story between Pop and Ma's oldest daughter Mariette and village newcomer Cedric ‘Charley’ Charlton. Charley is in the village to investigate the family's tax affairs, but is quickly distracted by his feelings for Mariette. All is not smooth sailing, however, as Mariette has plans which don't involve men, and is also pursued by handsome and mysterious Tom Fisher. This adaptation is written by Simon Nye (of The Durrells and Finding Alice), "with the aim of capturing the warmth, optimism and escapism of The Larkin family for a modern generation". The Larkins trailer ITV has released an upbeat, sunny trailer, introducing the Larkin family and getting us in the mood for the series. Check it out below. View oEmbed on the source website While you're waiting to watch The Larkins, take a look at our other Drama coverage, or check out our TV guide to find out what's on TV tonight.
The Baby-Sitters Club season 2 release date: cast, trailer and latest news for Netflix comedy drama
The series is based on the lengthy children's book series by Ann M. Martin.
The Baby-Sitters Club returns for a second season next week, hooray! But unlike the original book series on which the programme is based, there are unlikely to be a further 129 series to follow. Ann M. Martin's original series of children's books spanned a total 131 novels (of which she wrote the first 35), plus almost 100 spin-off books. We're exhausted just thinking about it! The author acted as producer on Netflix's reboot of the stories, the first 10 episodes of which were released on the streaming platform in July 2020. The series follows five middle-schoolers, who run a baby-sitting business together in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Here's everything you need to know about season two. When is season two of The Baby-Sitters Club released? CONFIRMED: Netflix has now announced a release date for season two, and there's not long to wait. Series two of The Baby-Sitters Club will drop on Netflix on Monday 11th October. View oEmbed on the source website For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. What is The Baby-Sitters Club about? The programme follows five friends who run a baby-sitting business together, and charts their friendship dramas and anxieties about growing up (from parental punishments to crushes and first periods). The girls also encounter baby-sitting rivals in the form of teenager-run business The Baby-Sitters Agency, the members of which attempt to sabotage the BSC. Not every part of the story is derived from the original books, and one storyline sees club member Mary Anne babysitting a transgender child called Bailey. "The Baby-Sitters Club books were so inclusive for the time that they were written, and we wanted to carry that through to the present day," series creator Rachel Shukert told Vanity Fair last year. "Trans kids exist, and they need baby-sitters, and they need to be acknowledged. And to see Mary Anne recognise that and be able to advocate for this girl, and find her own strength in doing that, just felt like a really lovely way of carrying it through into the present day." Director Lucia Aniello also described the show's source material as "ahead of its time". Is there a trailer for season two of The Baby-Sitters Club? Yes! If you want to get in the mood for series two, you can watch the official trailer right here: View oEmbed on the source website When announcing season two in October 2020, Netflix released a video of the cast revealing the news and lip-syncing to the theme song for the original 1990 HBO TV adaptation. Check it out below: View oEmbed on the source website Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix – you can also visit our TV Guide or our Drama hub for all the latest news.
Ted Lasso season 2: release date, cast, trailer and latest news
Jason Sudeikis stars as an optimistic American football coach who finds himself leading a Premier League team.
Ted Lasso has secured its position as the jewel in the Apple TV+ crown, with an impressive 20 Emmy nominations at this year's ceremony, including seven shared out among the principal cast. The breakout hit of Apple's streaming platform stars Jason Sudeikis as the eponymous American football coach, who jumps across the pond to the UK to try his hand at steering a Premier League 'soccer' club to trophy success. The series has amassed a large and dedicated fanbase with its positive messages about life, but the upcoming second season won't be afraid to mix things up by delving into the topical issue of mental health. “Mental health still has stigmas around it in this country [the USA], and even more so in England, and even more so in sports, so we take a little time to explore that, and where our characters are at with that,” co-star Brendan Hunt, better known as Coach Beard, told Deadline. “Now, I know that all sounds hilarious. But we’ll still get our yuks in.” Previously, it had been announced that I May Destroy You star Sarah Niles would be joining the Ted Lasso cast as sports psychologist Sharon, who could very well play a key role in this new focus. Here’s everything we know so far about Ted Lasso season two on Apple TV+. Ted Lasso season 2 release date CONFIRMED: Ted Lasso season two will be released exclusively on Apple TV+ on Friday 23rd July. There are 12 episodes in the season, but the show will premiere with two episodes, followed by one new weekly episode each Friday. Season two comes less than a year after the first episodes dropped back in August 2020 – which is particularly impressive given that the pandemic has caused many films and television shows to be substantially delayed. Co-creator Brendan Hunt revealed that filming on Ted Lasso wrapped at the start of June 2021, suggesting a quick turnaround from the editing team to get the show ready to stream in about six weeks. View oEmbed on the source website Ted Lasso has already been renewed for a third season, but co-creators Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt warn the show may end there as it marks the end of the story they have mapped out together. However, producing partner Bill Lawrence has been less firm about the prospect of an early conclusion for the show, telling Entertainment Weekly that he's "hopeful" the show will continue further – perhaps seeing Lasso return to the United States. In July 2021, he addressed the subject again in a post-Emmy nominations interview with Deadline, stating the priority is for the show to go out on a "high note". “This story [we’ve already mapped out], I know has a beginning, middle and an end, and will end the third year,” said Lawrence. “I think there’s other stories to tell about Ted Lasso and the gang, and we’ll see. I think either way, it’ll be important to Jason and all of us to try and go out on a high note.” View oEmbed on the source website Ted Lasso season 2 cast The cast of Ted Lasso is led by Jason Sudeikis in the title role, a well-known face in American comedy from his previous performances on Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock and Horrible Bosses. Co-creator Brendan Hunt also has an on-screen role, playing the philosophical and authoritative Coach Beard, a longtime friend of Lasso's who accompanies him on his journey across the pond. Hannah Waddingham (Game of Thrones) plays Richmond FC's owner and attempted saboteur Rebecca Welton, who is initially looking to derail the club's prospects to spite her scoundrel ex-husband, Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head). In season two, she has been won around to Ted's managing methods and wishes to see the club succeed once more, although her love life remains a bit of a mess. "She’s very much the head of the team, and for the first time ever, loving it," Waddingham told Deadline. "She loves her boys, and she is totally behind Ted, but the other side of that is her chewing up her phone on these dating apps and not having a f***ing clue what she’s doing. "I love the juxtaposition of that, that she is absolutely the figurehead of that team, but in every other way, when she’s just at home, she’s floundering around like a teenager." Richmond FC's promising, but dysfunctional, squad includes Phil Dunster (The Trouble with Maggie Cole) as arrogant prodigy Jamie Tartt, Brett Goldstein (Derek) as spiky veteran player Roy Kent and Toheeb Jimoh (Anthony) as Nigerian rising star Sam Obisanya. The Ted Lasso cast also includes Juno Temple (Little Birds) as feisty model Keeley, Nick Mohammed (Intelligence) as timid assistant coach Nathan, and Jeremy Swift (Downton Abbey) as Rebecca's underling Leslie Higgins. Joining the cast for season two is I May Destroy You's Sarah Niles, who according to Deadline will play Sharon, a sports psychologist who starts working with AFC Richmond. What is Ted Lasso about? The series follows the efforts of clueless American football coach Ted Lasso as he leads “unlucky” fictional English team AFC Richmond, based in West London. The small-time coach from Kansas is mocked at press conferences for his limited understanding of the game and occasionally baffles his new colleagues with his incredibly optimistic view on life. Lasso also spends much of season one unaware that he was hired in a malicious attempt by divorcee and club owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) to sabotage the team her ex-husband loves, running Richmond FC into the ground as revenge on Rupert (Anthony Head). Ultimately, Lasso was able to get Welton back on the team by the season one finale and she clearly wasn't the only person won over by his rose-tinted view of the world as the show has earned a large fanbase. Over the course of the series, we saw some major relationship changes between the characters, as Keeley found the petulant behaviour of up and comer Jamie Tartt increasingly difficult to deal with. She broke out on her own to great success, securing a job as a branding specialist for Richmond FC, forming a friendship with club owner Rebecca and a more mature love interest in long-serving footballer, Roy. How many seasons of Ted Lasso will there be? Despite strong praise and even a Golden Globe win for Sudeikis, the team behind Ted Lasso are seemingly sticking to their original plan of ending the series after its third season. "The story that I know is the one that I wanted to tell, and so that's the one we're telling with the help of numerous people in front of and behind the camera, so it's by no means me typing every key stroke and saying every word. It's nowhere near like that," Sudeikis explained to Entertainment Weekly. "But the story that's being told - that three-season arc - is one that I see, know, and understood. I'm glad that they are willing to pay for those three seasons. As far as what happens after that, who knows? I don't know." For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Ted Lasso's NBC Sports link explained Ted Lasso started life as an NBC Sports promo, originally created to drum up excitement when the channel secured the rights to broadcast the Premier League in the US. Ted Lasso, an American football coach who believes football is a game played in “four quarters”, somehow found himself coaching English team Tottenham Hotspur – much to the horror of British football fans. The two 'Coach Lasso' promos went viral (racking up a total of over 20 million views on YouTube) and, seven years on, they were turned into a hit 10-part series, released on Apple TV+ last year. View oEmbed on the source website Ted Lasso season 2 trailer In April 2021, Apple TV+ released a first-look trailer at Ted Lasso season two, in which the Richmond FC coach appears unperturbed by his team’s lack of success and ever-jovial in the face of press scorn. Watch below. View oEmbed on the source website In June 2021, fans got another look at Ted Lasso season two in this full-length trailer: View oEmbed on the source website Ted Lasso season two premieres on Friday 23rd July exclusively on Apple TV+. While you're waiting, take a look at our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Rebel on Disney+ release date: The new drama inspired by Erin Brockovich
Katey Sagal stars as a blue-collar legal advocate ready to take on the world.
A new drama series inspired by the life of environmental activist Erin Brockovich is coming to Disney Plus. Rebel, which comprises 10 episodes, follows Annie “Rebel” Bello, a character based on Brockovich. But - unlike the 2000 film named after the activist - this is not strictly a biographical drama. Here's what we know about the series so far. When is Rebel released? Rebel will be released on Disney Plus on 28th May 2021. In the US, it premiered on ABC on 8th April 2021. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now Has Rebel been cancelled? Rebel has unfortunately been cancelled before the first season has even finished airing on TV, and before it has even arrived on Disney Plus in the UK. According to Deadline, it underperformed in the ratings, but calling it quits was "clearly a tough decision for the network." What is Rebel about? Is it a true story? Rebel follows the work of Annie “Rebel” Bello, a passionate legal advocate who doesn't have a law degree. Disney describes Rebel's character as "funny, messy, brilliant and fearless", adding that she "cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves". One theme of the show is female empowerment, and it and features a storyline which sees Rebel act to protect a woman from her abusive boyfriend. The legal advocate's husband regularly picks up the pieces at home while Rebel champions various causes. Erin Brockovich, the legal clerk and activist who inspired the series, became involved in a lawsuit against The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in 1993 over contaminated drinking water, despite her lack of legal qualifications. Brockovich went on to write two books and receive two honorary doctorates. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Who stars in Rebel? Katey Sagal (who voiced the character of Leela in Futurama) plays Annie “Rebel” Bello, and Rebel's third husband and the father of the couple's adopted daughter is played by Sex and the City's John Corbett. Corbett's character initially shared a name with his well-known SATC character Aiden, and had to be renamed Grady as a result. "I still get called that even 20 years later, at least once a day," Corbett told ABC. "She [creator Krista Vernoff] gave me a couple of names and she said, 'Do you like Charlie, Grady, or Tommy?' And I said, 'Oh, I like Grady,' and she said, 'Me too, let's do it.'" The series also stars Lex Scott Davis (The First Purge), Andy Garcia (The Untouchables, The Godfather Part III) and his daughter Daniella Garcia. Is there a trailer for Rebel? Yes, you can check out the trailer for Rebel below. View oEmbed on the source website You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Take a look at our other Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide to find out what's on television tonight.
Panic release date: Cast, trailer and plot for Amazon's YA novel adaptation
Teen series Panic is based on the 2014 Lauren Oliver novel of the same name.
Amazon's latest novel adaptation Panic was written and created by the author of its source material, Lauren Oliver. So, if die-hard fans aren't happy with how the young-adult book has been treated, they might just have to lay blame on their own imaginations this time. The 10-part Amazon series, which sees teens take part in life-or-death challenges in the pursuit of a better life, may scream "Hunger Games" to some viewers but Oliver has dismissed any comparisons. Way back in 2014, the author told MTV she wished her book was like Suzanne Collins's trilogy. "It's completely realistic, so the book takes place in modern times and it does not read, unfortunately for me, anything like the 'Hunger Games'," she said. Read on for everything we know about the series so far. Panic release date on Amazon All 10 hour-long episodes launch on Amazon Prime on 28th May 2021. Panic trailer Yes, and some of those challenges sure do look dangerous... View oEmbed on the source website Panic cast Protagonist Heather Nill is played by Olivia Welch (Unbelievable), while Oliver's least favourite character, Ray, is portrayed by Ray Nicholson (who plays a small supporting role in popular 2020 film Promising Young Woman). Also starring are Skins's Jessica Sula, Enrique Murciano (Miss Congeniality 2, Black Hawk Down), Mike Faist and Camron Jones. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. What is Panic about? Panic is set in a small, poor Texas town where, each year, graduating seniors take part in dangerous challenges as part of a game called Panic. The winner takes home a life-changing sum of money, enabling them to access a better life and leave the dead-end town. This year, the prize is bigger than ever, and the game is even more dangerous (which is saying something, considering that two teens died playing it the previous year). Heather Nill wants to win in order to go to college, but her best friend is doing everything she can to dissuade her from taking part. Meanwhile, the town's police are intent on shutting the game down. How is Panic different to the book? While having Panic's author at the helm will likely result in a fairly faithful adaptation, Oliver has admitted that she had to rethink aspects of the book when adapting it for the small screen. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the author recalled that she previously said that all her characters had three-dimensional arcs apart from Ray, who she jokingly describes as a "piece of s**t". "When we cast Ray Nicholson, the more I saw him, I just did not believe that you would be committed to or even credibly believe over time that he is that villain. And that had to re-inform the entire arc of the character," she said. "And it's not due to his acting, it's just due to the depth that he was able to bring that actually galvanised me to stop being lazy. I mean in real life, very few people are cardboard cutouts. And people who are very uninteresting to watch on TV." Read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime. Take a look at our other Drama coverage, or check out our TV guide to find out what's on telly tonight.
Halston release date: Cast, trailer and latest news for Netflix fashion drama
Ewan McGregor stars as influential fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick.
Netflix has released a trailer for its upcoming drama series Halston, which stars Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Trainspotting), Rory Culkin (brother of Macauley), Bill Pullman (Independence Day) and Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls). The five-part miniseries, executive produced by Ryan Murphy, portrays the life of 1970s American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick (known simply as Halston). In the trailer, which is set to Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence, we see the ambition, hedonism and power-lust of McGregor's character in its full glory. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter last month, McGregor defended being cast as Halston, who was gay. “If it had been a story about Halston’s sexuality more, then maybe it’s right that gay actors should play that role,” McGregor said, discussing comments made by Billy Porter in 2019 about the fact that gay men frequently lose out on straight roles, while the same is rarely true in reverse. “But in this case – and I don’t want to sound like I’m worming out of this, because it’s something I did think a lot about – I suppose ultimately I felt like it was just one part of who he was.” Read on for everything you need to know about the biopic. When is Halston released on Netflix? Hotly anticipated mini-series Halston comes to Netflix on Friday 14th May 2021. The super-stylish biopic will drop all five episodes in one go, so it could provide the perfect weekend binge watch. What is Halston about? The series follows Halston's life and rise to fame in the 1970s – and the sex, drugs and runway shows that came with it. The designer's work was favoured by the likes of Liza Minnelli (who is portrayed by Broadway star Krysta Rodriguez in the drama), Greta Garbo and Elizabeth Taylor. Halston also designed the pillbox hat that Jackie Kennedy wore to John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961. The designer was infamously controlling, self-obsessed and liable to throw a fit if he didn't get what he wanted. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 "There are people I met who do not have nice things to say about him," McGregor told the Hollywood Reporter of the designer. "And there are people who love him and are unbelievably loyal to this day. I was excited to play that. To go to the extremes of his temper. But behind it all — this drive, this creative drive. And this desire to be grand. Everything had to be the best." Is there a trailer for Halston? There sure is! You can watch the official trailer below. View oEmbed on the source website Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix – you can also visit our TV Guide or our Drama hub for all the latest news.
The Pact release date: Cast, plot and latest news for the BBC drama
A shocking unexplained death turns the lives of four friends upside down in a new BBC One drama.
If you're looking for a meaty new British crime drama, Doctor Who screenwriter Pete McTighe's latest offering, The Pact, could satisfy your cravings. The female-led crime thriller tells the story of four women, who work together at a brewery. They enter a pact of silence after their young boss is found dead. The series is the first commission for Cardiff-based independent production company Little Door Productions, which was established in 2019. Wales's Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, has praised the commission, and said the series would "further enhance Wales’ reputation as a top class destination for high end TV drama production" - which you can read more about in our The Pact filming location guide. When does The Pact air? The first episode of the series will debut on Monday 17th May on BBC One at 9pm, and the second episode airs on Tuesday 18th May at 9pm. Episodes will then air on BBC One on Mondays and Tuesdays for the remainder of the series. The entire series will drop on BBC iPlayer on 17th May, so you can binge the whole lot in one go if you'd like (if you've already done so, you can read our The Pact ending explainer). What is The Pact about? The drama follows four co-workers, Anna, Nancy, Louie and Cat. They are bound together by a dark secret, which changes their lives forever when their boss Jack (Aneurin Barnard) is found dead. The group is forced into a pact of silence, with Anna's police officer husband Max (Jason Hughes) completely unaware that his wife is linked to the case as he investigates the shocking death. Meanwhile, one of the women's colleagues, Tish (Abbie Hern), begins to suspect her co-workers. Calling the drama an "exciting commission" for BBC Cymru Wales, Head of Commissioning Nick Andrews said: "It builds on our strong portfolio of impactful drama, and like Hinterland, Keeping Faith and Hidden before it, brings together the best in the business to do their best work. It’s a brilliant story and the strong cast and crew make this a highly anticipated series." If you want more of a series overview, you can read our review of The Pact. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Who stars in The Pact? The Pact cast includes Laura Fraser (Anna), Julie Hesmondhalgh (Nancy) and Eddie Marsan (Jack's estranged father Arwel), as well as Rakie Ayola (DS Holland). The Pact also enlists many talented Welsh actors, including The Twilight Zone's Abbie Hern, Midsomer Murders' Jason Hughes and Keeping Faith's Eiry Thomas. Is there a trailer for The Pact? BBC One hasn't yet released a trailer for the programme, but we'll post it here as soon as they do. If you're looking for more to watch, take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide.
Darcey Bussell to present new talent contest BBC Young Dancer
The Strictly judge will appear on the BBC's newest dance talent show
Darcey Bussell is getting ready to swap celebrity ballroom battles for a crop of young hip-hop hopefuls this year. The Strictly judge and ballet legend will be part of a team of presenters for BBC2’s Young Dancer 2015, a new talent competition searching for exceptional dancers aged 16 – 20. The show will air later this year and allows hopefuls to compete in four styles: hip-hop, ballet, contemporary and South Asian. Bussell admits that hip-hop is not her forte. “I've tried to do some hip-hop and it's so difficult and an extraordinary strength and ability,” she says. “You need so many things to be able to do hip-hop.” The talent show will consist of four BBC4 programmes featuring highlights from the finals in each category, culminating in a live final at Sadler's Wells that will air on BBC2. Despite opportunities like Young Dancer, the 45-year-old former ballet dancer thinks that being a professional dancer isn’t getting any easier. “Dance is definitely getting harder, dancers have to be more and more diverse,” she says. “They have to be open and that is harder for everybody to step out of their comfort zone.” Bussell explains that as a youngster her own performance in competitions was far from the polished primetime personality we see now. “I was awful,” she says. “I think even one was televised once actually but it was done in Le Sain so it was probably a European competition that didn't air in England, which was probably quite lucky!” BBC Young Dancer 2015 will air on BBC2 in May.
Celebrity Big Brother's most shocking moments
Jeremy Jackson is only the latest housemate to court controversy...
Ken Morley became the second Celebrity Big Brother contestant to be ejected from the series yesterday, only two days after Jeremy Jackson made CBB history as the first housemate to be kicked out early. But while this may be the only year that producers have had to banish housemates from CBB before their time, is it really the most controversial series yet? Judge for yourself with our run-down of the five most shocking incidents in the programme’s history. 5. Germaine Greer quits the house and brands Big Brother a bully Feminist writer Germaine Greer walked out of the house early in 2005, accusing the show of acting like a playground bully. Greer described the late addition of Jackie Stallone, who had a difficult relationship with contestant and former daughter-in-law Brigitte Nielsen, as a “complete irresponsibility”. The author also criticised Big Brother for taunting horse racing pundit John McCririck. Greer tried and failed to incite her fellow contestants into joining her in a naked protest against Big Brother and left on day six. View oEmbed on the source website 4. Vinnie Jones calls Davina McCall a "retard" During the 2010 series, actor Vinnie Jones sparked protests from disability charities when he said that presenter Davina McCall had been "walking like a retard". He made the comments on Big Brother’s Big Mouth in response to an audience member asking how he knew it was McCall who entered the house in a chicken costume. Ofcom initially said that the incident did not breach its guidelines but later changed its decision, finding that the remark broke a rule stating that offensive material must be justified by its context. View oEmbed on the source website 3. Pete Burns’ "gorilla fur" coat is seized by police Police removed series four housemate Pete Burns’ coat from the house after he claimed it was made from gorilla fur. The singer’s coat turned out to be made of fur from Colobus monkeys, which are also an endangered species, but no charges were brought as the fur was imported before it was made illegal in 1975. View oEmbed on the source website 2. Jeremy Jackson ejected for opening Chloe Goodman’s dressing gown Last week former Baywatch actor Jeremy Jackson became the first ever contestant to be ejected from the house, after he pulled open a fellow contestant’s dressing gown. The 34-year-old was cautioned by police for common assault after he exposed glamour model Chloe Goodman’s breast while she comforted him as he drunkenly vomited in the bathroom. Show bosses made Jackson sleep separately from the other housemates that night, before deciding to throw him out the following day. Jackson later told This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley that he may have done the same thing even if he had been sober. View oEmbed on the source website 1. Racism causes international outrage Comments directed at Indian actress Shilpa Shetty by series five housemates Jo O’Meara, Danielle Lloyd and the late Jade Goody caused international outrage and a police investigation. The three contestants were accused of bullying the Bollywood actress, and their behaviour resulted in 45,000 complaints to Ofcom. Goody referred to Shetty as “Shilpa Poppadom” and, after one clash, Lloyd said she thought the actress “should f*** off home”. Outraged protestors in India burned effigies of Big Brother producers and discussion of the row reached the House of Commons. After being crowned the winner of the series, Shetty accepted an invitation to meet the Queen. View oEmbed on the source website
Celebrity Big Brother 2015: Alexander O'Neal
The R & B singer is warning his fellow housemates to keep their bodily functions to themselves…
Name: Alexander O’Neal Age: 61 Twitter: @alexandero_neal (with fewer than 400 followers, the singer needs all the help he can get) Famous, why? For being an R & B singer. Oh, and he once took part in Celebrity Wife Swap… Alexander O’Neal is best-known for hit singles Saturday Love and Criticize. The singer’s 1987 album Hearsay went triple platinum in the UK but none of his subsequent LPs have managed to match its success - and his 2010 release Five Questions: The New Journey sank without a trace. But absence from the chart hasn't stopped O’Neal putting in a string of TV appearances. The musician has found his way onto Celebrity Wife Swap, The Weakest Link and Just The Two Of Us, a BBC talent show where professional singers were partnered with non-musical celebrities to perform duets for the public vote. We’re a little confused as to why O’Neal has chosen CBB for his next reality TV conquest. Admitting the format may prove a challenge, the singer says: “Big Brother is everything that Alexander O'Neal is not. I'm a very private person, I don't hang out with people. I'm never around people.” And we would advise O’Neal’s fellow housemates to be mindful of their personal hygiene. “I don’t like smelling people,” he says. “I don’t want to smell their breath, I don't want to smell their feet, I don't want to smell their ass. I do not want to smell their farts. When you're in the House with a bunch of people you can't behave like that.” Consider us warned. Video: Here's O'Neal's song, Criticize (watch out for some incredible eighties hairstyles) View oEmbed on the source website Meet the rest of this year's Celebrity Big Brother housemates And vote for your favourite ever Celebrity Big Brother contestant in CBB Champion
Rita Ora's outfit sparks hundreds of complaints from One Show viewers
More than 400 viewers complained to the BBC about The Voice UK judge's revealing trouser suit
Rita Ora wasn't the one doing the judging when she appeared on The One Show earlier this week to promote the upcoming series of The Voice UK. The 24-year-old singer’s revealing outfit sparked hundreds of complaints after she was interviewed alongside fellow judges Tom Jones, Will.i.am and Ricky Wilson on Monday evening. The BBC received 424 complaints about the plunging neckline of Ora’s white trouser suit, and many viewers took to the Points of View message board to vent their disapproval about the new judge’s attire. In a thread entitled ‘One Show boobs…’, viewers complained that Ora’s decision to wear nothing underneath her Ermanno Scervino blazer worn wasn’t suitable for a family show. One user wrote: “Thankfully my 7 year old boy is elsewhere.. Come on BBC, make the woman put a vest on”, while another asked: “Where on earth have the BBC's standards and sense of moral responsibility gone?” A BBC spokesperson said: "The One Show allows guests to choose their own attire and pop stars often opt for something glamorous or striking. We didn’t feel that Rita’s outfit would be outside of most viewers’ expectations of that of a major pop star, but we appreciate that tastes vary.” Offcom also received 28 complaints but Twitter users have rushed to defend the Hot Right Now singer’s garb: View oEmbed on the source website View oEmbed on the source website View oEmbed on the source website Ricky Wilson has claimed that Ora is “naughtier” than previous judges Jessie J and Kylie Minogue. He said: “She’s a lot naughtier than Kylie and Jessie. Look at her!” The Voice UK returns at 7pm on Saturday (10th January) on BBC1
Ricky Gervais, Seth Rogen and the celebrities who've written for The Simpsons
Not just anyone gets to write an episode of the long-standing animated comedy - but we've tracked down some of the famous faces who were given a shot...
During its 25 years, The Simpsons has played host to a gaggle of celebrity guest stars. A succession of famous faces (well, voices) have graced the cartoon with everyone from Stephen Hawking to Lady Gaga being immortalised in yellow. But while starring in the show might seem like a given once you reach certain heights of fame, a guest writing spot on the show is far more difficult to come by. Here are the chosen few celebrities fortunate enough to have written one of The Simpsons’ 526 episodes. Judd Apatow Knocked Up director Jude Apatow wrote his episode of The Simpsons back in 1990, when he was a 22 year-old stand-up comedian with TV writing aspirations. The show wasn’t interested in his ideas at the time but Apatow’s dreams of writing for The Simpsons were finally realised after producer Al Jean heard him mention the spec script in an interview. The Superbad producer’s episode, ‘Bart’s New Friend’, focuses on Homer, who has been hypnotized into thinking he is a ten year old and ends up becoming friends with Bart. The show will air on Fox on January 11. Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais is one of just a handful of stars in the show’s history to have both written and starred in an episode. In ‘Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife’, the comedian plays Charles, a man who attempts to woo Marge when the family features on a Wife Swap-style reality show. Marge rejects The Office creator’s advances, even after he serenades her with her very own love song, entitled Lady In Blue. The episode was first shown on Fox in 2006 and was watched by an audience of 10 million. Seth Rogen In 2009, comedy actor Seth Rogen became another of the few celebrities to both write and star in an episode of the cartoon. Rogen voices the character of Lyle McCarthy, a celebrity fitness trainer tasked with getting Homer into shape for a role in a superhero blockbuster. The Superbad star and friend of Judd Apatow co-wrote ‘Homer The Whopper’ with his childhood friend Evan Goldberg, his collaborator on films including Pineapple Express and controversial release The Interview. Rogen, a Simpsons superfan, was ecstatic at having the chance to star in the cartoon. He told the New York Daily News: “It was completely surreal. I was just in shock afterward. I felt like I had gone skydiving or survived an earthquake." Conan O’Brien Talk show host Conan O’Brien was a staff writer on The Simpsons between 1991 and 1993, before going on to become to well-known talk show host. O’Brien left the show in 1993 to take over from David Letterman as host of Late Night. He now hosts his own late night talk show called Conan and though now a fully-fledged TV personality, the star was incredibly nervous about joining The Simpsons’ team. He told Vanity Fair: “They showed me into this office and told me to start writing down some ideas. They left me alone in that office, and I remember leaving after five minutes to go get a cup of coffee. “And I heard a crash, and I walked back to the office, and there was a hole in the window and a dead bird on the floor—literally in my first 10 minutes at The Simpsons, a bird had flown through the glass of my window, hit the far wall, broken its neck, and fallen dead on the floor. And I remember George Meyer came in and looked at it, and he was like, ‘Man, this is some kind of weird omen.’” The presenter’s legacy lives on in the form of popular 1993 episode ‘Marge vs. The Monorail’. He even performed the insanely catchy ‘Monorail Song’ during a Simpsons live performance at The Hollywood Bowl, LA, in September last year. Edgar Allan Poe And, finally, you may remember a certain yellow adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 gothic poem, The Raven. One hundred and forty five years after their publication, Poe’s words are immortalised by the Simpsons family, who each act out roles in the story while the poem is read by actor James Earl Jones. The scenes appeared as the final segment of the show’s first-ever Treehouse of Horror Halloween special in 1990.
National Television Awards 2015 shortlist revealed
See a full list of the nominees in this year's viewer-voted awards...
Unlike the Baftas and the RTAs, the National Television Awards are voted for by you – the licence fee payer, armchair dweller, popcorn chewer and (probably) secret Gogglebox fanatic. Whether you can be found yelling joyously at lairy louts on the Jeremy Kyle show or crave some gritty crime action in the form of BBC1’s Happy Valley, the NTAs have got you covered. There are even a couple of new categories for 2015: TV Judge (Mary Berry, it’s your time to shine) and Skills Challenge Show (a category comprised entirely of cookery programmes – plus The Apprentice). The shortlist for this year’s NTAs has been revealed, and you’ve got until 21st January to vote for your favourite small screen stars. To have your say you can either vote online at www.nationaltvawards.com or call 0901 888 2015 The full nominees for the 2015 National Television Awards are as follow: Chat Show Host 1 Alan Carr 2 Michael McIntyre 3 Graham Norton 4 Paul O’Grady 5 Jonathan Ross Comedy 1 Benidorm 2 Mrs Brown’s Boys 3 Outnumbered 4 The Big Bang Theory Daytime 1 Pointless 2 The Chase 3 The Jeremy Kyle Show 4 This Morning Drama Performance 1 Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock) 2 Sarah Lancashire (Sgt Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley) 3 Dame Maggie Smith (Violet, Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey) 4 Sheridan Smith (Cilla Black in Cilla) Drama 1 Cilla 2 Doctor Who 3 Downton Abbey 4 Sherlock Entertainment Presenter 1 Ant and Dec 2 Keith Lemon 3 Dermot O’Leary 4 Bradley Walsh Entertainment Programme 1 Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 2 Celebrity Big Brother 3 I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 4 Through The Keyhole Factual 1 Gogglebox 2 Long Lost Family 3 Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs 4 Top Gear Multichannel 1 Celebrity Juice 2 Game of Thrones 3 Geordie Shore 4 The Walking Dead Newcomer 1 Maddy Hill (Nancy Carter in Eastenders) 2 Lee Mead (Ben “Lofty” Chiltern in Casualty) 3 Cameron Moore (Cameron Campbell in Hollyoaks) 4 Michael Parr (Ross Barton in Emmerdale) Talent Show 1 Britain’s Got Talent 2 Strictly Come Dancing 3 The Voice UK 4 The X Factor Skills Challenge Show 1 Come Dine With Me 2 MasterChef 3 The Apprentice 4 The Great British Bake Off Serial Drama 1 Coronation Street 2 EastEnders 3 Emmerdale 4 Hollyoaks TV Judge 1 Mary Berry 2 Simon Cowell 3 Cheryl Fernandez-Versini 4 David Walliams Serial Drama Performance 1 Kellie Bright (Linda Carter in EastEnders) 2 Danny Dyer (Mick Carter in EastEnders) 3 Verity Rushworth (Donna Windsor in Emmerdale) 4 Nikki Sanderson (Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks)
It's Simon v Cheryl and Sherlock v Doctor Who as NTA shortlist is revealed
The shortlist for the 2015 National Television Awards has thrown up a couple of tasty battles
Who doesn’t love a good showbiz scrap? The shortlist for the 2015 National Television Awards has thrown up some great battles – and we can’t wait to see who comes out on top. Starting a fight between Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Simon Cowell is hardly difficult, but we predict a grudge match for the sparring judges as they compete alongside Mary Berry and Cowell's Britain's Got Talent co-panellist David Walliams for the Best TV Judge award. Simon and Cheryl have had an entertainingly tempestuous relationship over the years, and after a tense few months back on the X Factor judging panel again, Cheryl hinted last month that she may not return for another series. Could beating Simon to the NTA for Best TV Judge be her best chance of having the last laugh? Then again, David Walliams would take just as much pleasure from lording it over Simon... Another tasty clash sees BBC1’s cult favourites Doctor Who and Sherlock both shortlisted for Best Drama along with ITV’s Cilla and Downton Abbey. Peter Capaldi has settled into the Tardis brilliantly in his first series of Doctor Who, while Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is also nominated for Best Drama Performance in the show. See a full list of the nominees here.