Who is Selling Sunset's Heather Rae Young's husband? Meet Tarek El Moussa
Heather Rae Young's partner is set to make his Selling Sunset debut in season four but who is he?
The fourth season of Selling Sunset arrives on Netflix tomorrow (24th November), with the hit reality show returning for another round of big commissions, big houses and even bigger drama. While the Oppenheim Group business is a key focus on the show, many viewers tune in to learn all about the Selling Sunset cast's personal lives, particularly their romantic relationships – which is why fans wanted to know all about Heather Rae Young's now-husband Tarek El Moussa in the last season. The show's producer Adam DiVello dropped a major hint last year that El Moussa would be appearing in the show and judging by first-look photos of the upcoming season, he was right. Since their wedding took place in October this year, perhaps we'll even get to see them walk down the aisle in the upcoming season? Here's everything you need to know about Tarek El Moussa – Heather Rae Young's husband. *This article contains spoilers about Selling Sunset season three* Who is Tarek El Moussa? Tarek El Moussa, 40, is the now-husband of Heather Rae Young, a real estate investor and a television personality. He has starred in HGTV's property reality show Flip or Flop with his ex-wife Christina Anstead since 2013, with the show following their real estate agency The El Moussa Group. Heather announced back in July 2020, just before the third season of Selling Sunset arrived on Netflix, that she'd become engaged to her beau, writing on Instagram: "The Future Mrs. Tarek El Moussa!!!!" with a picture of the pair. Tarek had his own Instagram worthy post: "This is the exact moment I got down on one knee and asked @heatherraeyoungto be my wife! You just never know where life is going to take you. If you told me 13 months ago I would be engaged today I would have called you crazy. You just can’t predict what’s going to happen. One moment you are sitting there and the next your life is completely different." His enthusiastic message didn't stop there as he revealed the former Playboy model had "not only become my best friend but she’s also incredible to [children] Tay and Bray". The TV presenter did not appear on Selling Sunset's third season, with House Beautiful reporting that this was because he was under contract on HGTB channel presenting another Californian real estate programme Flip or Flop with his ex-wife Christina Anstead. It's the same reason that Justin Hartley hasn't appeared on Selling Sunset. His contract with NBC family drama This Is Us reportedly prevented him from appearing, although it's doubtful he would have been keen to appear in the new season of the real estate docusoap judging by the spectacular revelations. However, it now looks as though Tarek El Moussa will be appearing in the upcoming season, with season four set to cover the run-up to his wedding to Heather Rae Young. Selling Sunset seasons 1-3 are streaming now on Netflix and season 4 arrives on Wednesday 24th November. Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide.
Dexter: New Blood release date - Cast, who's returning and all the latest news
Everything you need to know as Dexter makes his comeback.
A whopping eight years after its infamous finale, hit serial killer drama Dexter has returned to our screens for a revival series entitled New Blood. Starring Michael C Hall as ruthless murderer Dexter Morgan, the new series picks up 10 years after that disappointing finale, with Dexter now living under a new identity in the fictional town of Iron Lake in New York after disappearing in the eye of Hurricane Laura. It's well established that the original ending of Dexter was not the most popular conclusion to a television series ever – and the showrunner for the upcoming revival has admitted that the series "lost its way". Ahead of the revival series’ debut, showrunner Clyde Phillips told Variety: "It was only seeing as far into the future as the headlights on a car and had broken the covenant with the audience about everything that Dexter does has to be code-worthy." But can the new series recorrect those faults? With the first episode of New Blood having already aired in the US, and the UK debut coming soon on Sky Atlantic, here’s everything you need to know about the revival series… View Riddle on the source website Dexter: New Blood release date Vigilante killer Dexter returned to US screens on Sunday 7th November 2021. The release date was announced at Comic-Con along with a sneak peek trailer and season nine's title of Dexter: New Blood. However, fans in the UK will have to wait an extra day to watch the first episode. Will Dexter: New Blood be available in the UK? Dexter will air in the UK from Monday 8th November 2021, with episodes available 10pm every Monday on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW. If you want to revisit Dexter, or even watch it for the first time, Dexter seasons 1-8 are screening on Netflix. Dexter: New Blood cast Crucially, Michael C Hall has reprised his role as Dexter Morgan, the part he played over eight seasons and 96 episodes between 2006-2013 for US network Showtime. He responded "never say never" to a question in 2018 about whether or not he'd ever play the serial killer again, but maintained he would only do it if it was fresh, interesting and "worth doing". The returning star recently explained what prompted him to come back to the role after all these years. "I didn’t want it to be some sort of nostalgia piece where we did a recontextualised version of the same sort of story arcs," he explained to The Guardian, while in another interview with ET he added that it was "a trip" to return to the character. "It was really wild," he explained. "I didn’t know really what to expect but I found that once I showed up and started shooting that he was still very, very much alive." Veteran actor Clancy Brown has been cast as a brand new villain in the series, Kurt Caldwell, who is described as the unofficial mayor of the small town of Iron Lake. Brown's previous credits include roles in The Shawshank Redemption and Billions. In addition, Julia Jones, who appeared in the fourth episode of The Mandalorian season one, portrays Angela Bishop, the first Native American Chief of Police in the upstate New York town. Her rebellious daughter Audrey is played by Believe's Johnny Sequoyah. Alano Miller has also joined the Dexter: New Blood cast as an Iron Lake Police Department sergeant who also doubles up as the assistant wrestling coach for the local high school, and Jack Alcott as the mysterious Randall – all we know about him at this stage is that he has a "meaningful encounter" with Dexter. In addition, The Morning Show star David Magidoff plays Teddy, a good-natured cop who has been working in Iron Lake for just two weeks and is a little scared of his boss. Meanwhile, Spotlight star Michael Cyril Creighton has been given a recurring role in the series, appearing in seven episodes as Fred Jr, an affable shop owner who is a well-known face around Iron Lake. Lovecraft Country's Jamie Chung and Manchester on the Sea's Oscar Wahlberg also have recurring roles in the new series. Ching has been cast as Molly, who is described as a famous true-crime podcaster from LA, while Wahlberg stars as Zach, who is the captain of the Iron Lake High School wrestling team and has a reputation as something of a bully. However, there are some returning faces from the first eight seasons - including none other than John Lithgow, who played iconic season four villain the Trinity Killer. Given that the Trinity Killer was rather brutally murdered by Dexter in the season four finale, Lithgow later confirmed that his appearance would indeed be through a flashback - and a rather brief one at that, as the actor revealed that he was only on set for "one afternoon". However, Lithgow told Variety that it was "just wonderful to rejoin that gang" and hinted that we could see more familiar faces as “there are all sorts of wonderful surprises and callbacks from the first few seasons.” He wasn't wrong, as Dexter's foster sister Debra Morgan, played by long-term cast member Jennifer Carpenter, is also back from the dead. One of Trinity Killer's most famous victims won't be reappearing, however, with actress Julie Benz ruling out a return as Dexter's wife Rita Morgan even as a ghost. “I think Dexter has moved way past Rita,” Benz told TVLine. “It doesn’t make sense for her to be on his mind as a ghost because she was only his cover. He didn’t internalize her, so there are no plans for Rita to show up. "I would obviously do it in a heartbeat if they asked. But I’ve always said Rita shouldn’t make an appearance in his head because she didn’t know the real him. She didn’t know the Dark Passenger.” And Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington) also won't be back, with his absence having been confirmed by Clyde Phillips in an interview with ScreenRant. The involvement of showrunner Clyde Phillips was clearly crucial for Hall's return. He was executive producer on the first four seasons of the show, during which time it was nominated for three Emmy nominations and four Writers Guild Award nominations for best drama series. Hall himself had five straight lead actor Emmy Award nominations and won a Golden Globe for the role in 2010. Showtime Entertainment president Gary Levine said: "We would only revisit this unique character if we could find a creative take that was truly worthy of the brilliant, original series. Well, I am happy to report that Clyde Phillips and Michael C Hall have found it, and we can’t wait to shoot it and show it to the world.” Dexter: New Blood trailer After several chilling teasers, Showtime finally released a full-length trailer at San Diego Comic-Con 2021. The sneak peek starts with Dexter in therapy of all places, seemingly attempting to resist his homicidal tendencies. But by the end of the trailer it becomes clear the serial killer is slipping back into his old ways... View oEmbed on the source website The first season nine footage from Showtime was an ominous teaser clip, in which the titular serial killer talks over an icy shot of an axe stuck in a tree stump as a fire burns in the distance. "There really is nothing like getting back to nature," he says. "My nature." View oEmbed on the source website A few days later, Showtime released a longer teaser, showing the same snowy scene before zooming out and revealing Dexter's worried-looking reflection in the window, as one of his victims writhes around in a body bag behind him. As Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood plays in the background, Dexter turns to camera and smiles. Creepy stuff! View oEmbed on the source website A third teaser highlighted the new small town setting of the series, where Dexter is on good terms with the locals who are oblivious to his serial killer past. But they might not be for much longer, as Dexter perhaps stares a bit too long at a knife in a shop window... View oEmbed on the source website Dexter season nine takes place in the fictional snowy town of Iron Lake in upstate New York, but writer Warren Hsu Leonard posted on Twitter that he "basically pictured him running around in my hometown of Penobscot, ME.” Shortly before the new series aired, a teaser image was released showing cast members old and new against a snowy backdrop. Dexter: New Blood reviews Unfortunately for fans, not all critical reactions to the series have been kind to the reboot – with Rolling Stone claiming that "neither [Hall] nor New Blood come to feel sharp enough to justify his return as anything but a nostalgia play for a property whose finale likely preempted a lot of nostalgia". But it's not all bad news – Entertainment Weekly wrote that "it’s kind of fun seeing Dexter again" and said that while the show isn't perfect it is neither "dead on arrival" while IGN added that "New Blood’s mix of old and new holds a ton of promise". Dexter: New Blood spoilers We last saw Dexter leaving Miami behind after faking his suicide, heading to the forests of Oregon to become, of all things, a lumberjack. The 2021 miniseries picks up a decade after the original show's finale, with Dexter living a quiet life in the fictional town of Iron Lake, New York, in the premiere as he tries to suppress his bloodthirsty urges. However, with the plot details for the rest of the series still under wraps, viewers will have to tune in to discover whether redemption is actually on the cards for Dexter. Returning cast member John Lithgow described the revival as a "reimagination" that is largely separate from the original eight-season show. “They don’t take it into a different era, but it’s in a different part of the world, a different part of the country, and a whole new cast of characters,” he told Variety. Unsurprisingly it seems that Dex has taken on a new name, but it is perhaps surprising to see that he now works at a local fish and game store. Meet new protagonist and definitely not an ex-serial killer Jim Lindsay - which is likely a reference to Darkly Dreaming Dexter author Jeff Lindsay: View oEmbed on the source website Many fans felt let down by the original season eight ending and Phillips, who left the show after season four, said he would have ended the series with Dexter's execution, being watched by all his previous victims (hinting at what may in fact lie ahead of Dexter at the end of this revival season?). But that would have been the final show and at least the widely derided but open-ended conclusion paved the way for Dexter's return. Speaking to The Daily Beast, Hall recently said, "Let’s be real: people found the way that show left things pretty unsatisfying. And there’s always been a hope that a story would emerge that would be worth telling. "I include myself in the group of people that wondered, ‘What the hell happened to that guy?’ so I’m excited to step back into it. I’ve never had that experience of playing a character this many years on." Phillips told The Hollywood Reporter: "We basically do get to start from scratch. … Ten years, or however many years, have passed by the time this will air, and the show will reflect that time passage. So far as the ending of the show, this will have no resemblance to how the original finale was. It’s a great opportunity to write a second finale." That didn't mean the show was going to "undo" what happened in season eight; just make it right with Dexter fans – and there is the possibility that it may restore its standing with the fans who were dismayed when he walked off into the bush in season eight. 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 is directing Dexter: New Blood? In November, the Hollywood Reporter revealed that Marcos Siega would direct six of the 10 episodes. He directed nine episodes of the original show, two of which Phillips wrote and has since collaborated with the showrunner on other projects. He has also directed episodes of True Blood, Veronica Mars, Blindspot and The Hollowing as well as the pilot for The CW series Batwoman. Siega's latest job has been directing Kaley Cuoco's thriller series The Flight Attendant. Read more: Dexter: New Blood review – A welcome return for the self-righteous, contemplative killer Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or visit our Drama hub for more news and features.
Where is Line of Duty filmed? Locations for the BBC drama
Jed Mercurio's hit police drama is back for another series.
BBC One's hit police corruption drama Line of Duty is finally returning to our screens after a gap of almost two years – with AC-12 returning to investigate yet another high-profile case. The series follows the anti-corruption unit at the fictional Central Police force, but the city in which the action takes place has never been revealed, with the BBC instead describing it as an unspecified British city and keeping the exact location deliberately vague. While we don't have any answers about where Line of Duty is actually set, however, we do know where the series was shot – read on for everything you need to know. Where is Line of Duty filmed? The first season of the show was filmed in Birmingham, with several of the city's landmarks seen during the run including New Street, the old Central Fire Station on Lancaster Circus and Heartlands Parkway. Other locations in the Midlands city which can be spotted throughout the first series include the Queen's Arms, a famous pub situated on Newhall Street, and the old Municipal Bank on Broad Street – which served as AC-12's original headquarters. After Line of Duty season one became a smash hit the production moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and this has been the case for every series since. While the BBC has never listed exactly which locations have been used on the show, several fans will have spotted some familiar landmarks in the series including Belfast Central Library on Royal Avenue which has moonlighted as Police Headquarters, and other prominent buildings including Obel Tower and St Anne’s Cathedral. 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. Meanwhile, the Invest Northern Ireland building on Bedford Street is used for the exterior shots of AC-12's offices while at various points throughout the series you can catch glimpses of Metropolitan College and streets including Tates Avenue and Ormeau Avenue. Speaking about filming in Northern Ireland back in 2018, while series five was in production, Jed Mercurio explained to Good Morning Ulster, "We have had a fantastic experience shooting in Northern Ireland. We have had amazing hospitality. It is also a very filming-friendly area. "The permissions to shoot, the support you get from the local community is second to none. And I would certainly recommend Northern Ireland as a shooting location for anybody." Line of Duty returns to BBC One on Sunday 21st March 2021 at 9pm. You can read our Line Of Duty recap to refresh your memory of all that has happened so far. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide or visit our Drama hub for all the latest news.
Meet the cast of Death in Paradise season 10
Your guide to the who's leaving, who's returning, who's joining, and who's guest-starring in the 2021 series of Death in Paradise.
The final episode in Death in Paradise season 10 begins in a somewhat unusual way, as a blood-spattered man called Emmet (played by Wil Johnson) wanders into the police station and confesses to murder. However, DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) and DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) aren't convinced he really did it. Fans will also be wondering whether JP is leaving Death in Paradise after he got offered a new job in episode seven. Is he leaving the cast of Death in Paradise? What will this mean for Trainee Officer Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles)? Here are all of the actors featured in season 10 – and the Death in Paradise characters they play. Ralf Little plays DI Neville Parker Who is DI Neville Parker? DI Neville Parker replaced DI Jack Mooney as Saint Marie’s top cop part-way through series nine. He arrived from Manchester for a routine visit, but was waylaid by an unfortunate case of deep vein thrombosis and somehow stayed for the duration of the season, despite every allergy under the sun and unusual hypersensitivity to the sun. By the end of the season nine finale DI Parker was suffering an existential crisis and was as anxious about returning to Manchester as he was about staying in Saint Marie. Despite the all-clear to travel, Neville asked if he could stay in the job. Commissioner Selwyn hesitantly said yes – on a rolling contract. What else has Ralf Little been in? He's best known for playing Antony in The Royle Family, and for playing Jonny Keogh in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps – and this year he actually launched a filmed podcast with co-star Will Mellor called "Two Pints with Will & Ralf". The actor, who comes from Manchester, also has a background as a footballer; and his recent acting roles have included Stuart in The A Word, and Steadfast in Doctor Who. Joséphine Jobert plays DS Florence Cassell Who is DS Florence Cassell? Florence worked first with Kris Marshall's DI Humphrey Goodman and then with Ardal O'Hanlon's DI Jack Mooney, before leaving Death in Paradise quite dramatically in season eight. Mid-way through the season, she was involved in a two-episode storyline in which she was shot – and in which her fiancé tragically died. Reeling from her loss, she decided to move away from Saint Marie. But now she's back on the job! What else has Joséphine Jobert been in? Her other credits include Avenue 5, Le temps est assassin, Summer Crush, and Sous le soleil de Saint-Tropez. Joséphine Jobert left season eight, citing "personal and professional reasons". Don Warrington plays Commissioner Patterson Who is Commissioner Selwyn Patterson? The urbane and charming but strict figure of Commissioner Patterson (Don Warrington) has been on Saint Marie for all 10 seasons and is the sole remaining original character in Death in Paradise. In the previous season we saw him struggle to connect with DI Neville Parker, but in as the BBC teases for season ten: “Selwyn’s frustrations with his new detective take a back seat when he finds himself in the firing line." What else has Don Warrington been in? Don Warrington OBE is an experienced stage and screen actor who first came to public attention as Philip in the seventies TV series Rising Damp. He starred as the alternative-universe President of Great Britain in 2006 Doctor Who episode Rise of Cybermen, and (briefly) competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. Other credits have included C.A.T.S. Eyes, New Street Law, To Play the King, Casualty, Hamlet, Henry IX, and The Five. Tobi Bakare plays DS JP Hooper Who is DS JP Hooper? JP joined the team on Saint Marie in season four back in 2015 and has proved himself an adept and reliable police officer, although he is missing his compadre Dwayne (Danny John-Jules). JP has gained increasing responsibilities over the years and his enthusiasm for his job is relentless. In season 10, he and his wife Rosey become parents – to twins. Now JP has been offered a tempting new job opportunity, but will he leave the island? What else has Tobi Bakare been in? Tobi Bakare has played Eggy's friend Jamal in both Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Kingsman: The Secret Service. He's also starred as Jamie in The Smoke, Chuks Akinade in The Tunnel, and Andy Dixon in The Shadow Line – and he was a voice actor for Assassin's Creed: Origins. Élizabeth Bourgine plays Mayor Catherine Bordey Who is Catherine Bordey? The mayor also happens to be the proprietor of the local beachfront bar at which the Death in Paradise team like to wind down. Mayor Bordey has been a constant presence since season two in 2011 and is always ready with something cold and refreshing to drink and some sage advice to share. What else has Élizabeth Bourgine been in? In France, the actress is best known for her French-language movies and TV shows including Private Lessons (Cours privé), A Heart in Winter (Un cœur en hiver), and My Best Friend (Mon meilleur ami). She has also been seen in the TV movies Murders in Rochefort and Written in Blood, and she loves to post Instagrams from the set of Death in Paradise. Tahj Miles plays newcomer Marlon Pryce Who is Marlon Pryce? According to the BBC, "petty criminal" Marlon Pryce, 19, "is a ball of energy and thinks he knows it all. But when he runs into JP, his life takes an unexpected turn and he finds himself looking at a very different future to the one he expected." He's set to test JP "to his limits" when he becomes Trainee Officer Marlon Pryce. What else has Tahj Miles been in? The young actor recently played Kendrick Manning in Small Axe's opening episode Mangrove, alongside John Boyega. He's also been in the TV shows Flunked and Class Dismissed. Prisca Bakare plays JP's wife Rosey Hooper Who is Rosey? JP Hooper's wife, who is now heavily pregnant with twins and about to become a mother for the first time. What else has Prisca Bakare been in? She appeared in the TV movie of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2016, playing Hermia. Prisca is also the real-life wife of Tobi Bakare, as well as his on-screen wife; they have three young children together. Why have Ruby and Madeleine left Death in Paradise? Two Death in Paradise stars, Shyko Amos (Officer Ruby Patterson) and Aude Legastelois-Bidé (DS Madeleine Dumas), unexpectedly left Death in Paradise between seasons nine and 10. In episode one of the new season, we learned that Madeleine was offered a new job in Paris – and Ruby went with her on secondment. So while it sounds like a pretty final departure for Madeleine, perhaps the door has been left open for Ruby to return one day... Death in Paradise season 10 guest stars Tim Key, Executive Producer of Death in Paradise said: “We’re delighted to announce our amazing guest cast and particularly grateful to them all for making the journey to Guadeloupe during such a difficult year to be part of the show. Every episode features some amazing performances from a host of famous guests who were all a pleasure to work with and we can’t wait for our viewers to try to work out which one of them dunnit!” Here are the guest stars: Episode 8 – Karen Bryson plays Gardenia Dujon Who is Gardenia Dujon? The founder and owner of a popular cosmetics company, Fallen Tree. What else has Karen Bryson been in? Roles have included Hazel Melrose in Jed Mercurio's TV series Bodies, Avril in Shameless, Sergeant Melanie Pyke in Cuffs, and Helen Crowthorne in Safe. Most recently, he's appeared as Kai Elgood in MotherFatherSon, and as Vanessa Daniels in Bulletproof; you may have also seen her as Sister Philippa in the BBC's adaptation of Black Narcissus. Episode 8 – Wil Johnson plays Emmet Peterson (episode 8) Who is Emmet Peterson? Gardenia's good friend, who is an expert on the plants and natural ingredients used to make Fallen Tree's cosmetics products. What else has Wil Johnson been in? He's played Joe Abernathy in Outlander, Dominic Andrews in Emmerdale (from 2012-14), DI Spencer Jordan in Waking the Dead, Skelton in Cracker, and Steve Robinson in Clocking Off. Aside from his work on British TV, Wil Johnson is also a theatre actor - with lead roles including Othello. Episode 8 – Justin Edwards plays Patrick Harborne Who is Patrick Harborne? Gardenia's husband. What else has Justin Edwards been in? The actor's many credits include There She Goes, Home, 1917, The Trip to Greece, The Man Who Invented Christmas, The Thick of It, Pixel Face, and Love & Friendship. He is a regular voice on BBC Radio 4. Episode 8 – Ayoola Smart plays Cassie Dujon Who is Cassie Dujon? Gardenia and Patrick's 21-year-old daughter. What else has Ayoola Smart been in? She starred as Audrey in the 2020 series of Killing Eve. Other appearances include Les Misérables, Vera, and Juliet, Naked. Episode 8 – Kiell Smith-Bynoe plays Tarone Vincent Who is Tarone Vincent? A "mystery man" visiting the island. What else has Kiell Smith-Bynoe been in? Fans of BBC Two comedy Ghosts will know Kiell Smith-Bynoe well. He co-stars with Charlotte Ritchie as a couple, Alison and Mark, who move into a mansion which is populated with ghosts from throughout history. The twist is, she can see them but he can't. He also plays estate agent Dean in Channel 4's BAFTA-winning comedy Stath Lets Flats. Episode 7 – Sean Gilder plays Skip Marsden Who is Skip Marsden? A fisherman who hosts trips for tourists on his boat, The Midnight Rambler. What else has Sean Gilder been in? He plays Father Graves in His Dark Materials, and Simon in the comedy Out of Her Mind. He was also Tholly Tregirls in Poldark (pictured above), Max Lane in the TV series Our Girl, Bors in Cursed, CS George Harris in White House Farm, Wulfhere in The Last Kingdom, and Marshall Franklin Ostow in Penny Dreadful. And that's only his credits from the last few years; before that he was in Shameless (as Paddy Maguire), The Shadow Line, and King Arthur. Episode 7 – Hugh Coles plays Hugo Pickford Who is Hugo Pickford? Possibly the poshest man to ever feature in Death in Paradise. Young Viscount Pickford is due to be married next week, and he's over on Saint Marie for his stag do. What else has Hugh Coles been in? Hugh Coles recently appeared in Defending the Guilty, starring as Liam. He's also been in an episode of Doc Martin. Episode 7 – Buom Tihngang plays Ollie Gordon Who is Ollie Gordon? One of Hugo's best mates from school. What else has Buom Tihngang been in? The young actor starred in a couple of 2020 episodes of Doctor Who, playing the character Tibo. He also played Demba in World on Fire, Johnny in Endeavour, and Barclay in the TV series Life. Episode 7 – Colin Ryan plays Jamie Santisuk Who is Jamie Santisuk? Another of Hugo's best friends from school. Jamie owns a nightclub. What else has Colin Ryan been in? The actor played a young Lorenzo de' Medici in the BBC drama Leonardo, and he starred as Harry in the 2017 Doctor Who episode Knock Knock. Other credits include Shakespeare & Hathaway, Hounded, and the voice of Alphinaud in video game Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers. Episode 7 – Lewis Reeves plays Finlay McEwan Who is Finlay McEwan? Hugo's friend from university. All the other members of the stag party went to school together, but Finlay joined the group of friends later on. He is a lawyer. What else has Lewis Reeves been in? The actor has starred as DC Jake Collier in Unforgotten, and as David in I May Destroy You. He also played Jake in comedy horror drama Crazyhead, and voices Gareth Walker in FIFA 17 and 18. Other credits include Misfits, The Support Group, Born a King, and Uncle. Episode 7 – Kellie Shirley plays Pamela Bellman Who is Pamela Bellman? Pamela is probably not her real name; we know she is involved with a smuggling ring. What else has Kellie Shirley been in? She had a stint in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing Carly. Since then she's starred as Kirsty in Idris Elba's TV drama In the Long Run, and appeared in Call the Midwife, Doctors, and king of Thieves. Episodes 5 & 6 – Sara Martins plays DS Camille Bordey Who is DS Camille Bordey? Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey joined Death in Paradise in the first-ever episode of the show, staying on until part-way through series four. She worked alongside Ben Miller's DI Richard Poole; the two initially clashed, but over time they developed a close friendship. After DI Poole's murder, her new boss was DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) and they, too, had initial struggles to get along but slowly became close. Why did DS Camille Bordey leave – and why is she back? Camille was offered an undercover job in Paris in series four, and she decided to take the career opportunity and leave Saint Marie behind. But we don't yet know why she's returned to the island for a two-part storyline in series 10... What else has Sara Martins been in? The Portuguese-French actress mainly appears in French-language films and TV shows, including Réunions, Grand Hôtel, and Alexandra Ehle. Episode 6 – Ben Miller plays DI Richard Poole Who is DI Richard Poole? Or perhaps the question should be, "who was DI Richard Poole". The Detective Inspector was Death in Paradise's top cop until series three, when he was dramatically murdered with an ice pick to the chest. Here's how Ben Miller returned to Death in Paradise for his cameo as Richard Poole. What else has Ben Miller been in? He's had some excellent roles, starring as Colonel Lancaster in Paddington 2, Rupert Murdoch in Tracey Ullman's Show, James Lester in Primeval, The Sheriff of Nottingham in Doctor Who, and Bough in Johnny English. He also teamed up with Alexander Armstrong for The Armstrong and Miller Show. Upcoming shows include Bridgerton (in which he plays Lord Featherington) and Professor T (in which he plays Professor Jasper Tempest). Episodes 5 & 6 – Adrian Schiller plays Pasha Verdinikov Who is Pasha Verdinikov? A famous pianist and composer, who currently lives on Saint Marie. He is dedicated to his craft. What else has Adrian Schiller been in? Quite a lot of things! On TV, he's played Aethelhelm in The Last Kingdom, Mr Penge in Victoria, Daniel Drewe in Black Earth Rising, Uncle in Doctor Who episode The Doctor's Wife, and Otho in Raised by Wolves. On the big screen, he's been in Beauty and the Beast (as Monsieur D'arque) and Suffragette (as David Lloyd George). Episodes 5 & 6 – Lia Williams plays Grace Verdinikov Who is Grace Verdinikov? Pasha's wife. What else has Lia Williams been in? The BAFTA-nominated actress put in a memorable performance as Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor) in the first two seasons of The Crown; she's also recently been seen in The Capture (as the sinister DSU Gemma Garland), His Dark Materials (as Dr Cooper), Kiri (as Alice Warner) and Riviera (as Dr Emilie Mathieu). Other credits have included 2017 movie The Foreigner, Edith Montgomery in Doc Martin, and Nadia Herz in The Missing. Episodes 5 & 6 – Sam Retford plays Joseph Verdinikov Who is Joseph Verdinikov? Grace and Pasha's son. He is not following in his father's musical footsteps. What else has Sam Retford been in? Sam Retford is best known for starring as Cory Wilson in Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge. He played Nate in TV mini-series 'Hollyoaks: Tom's Life' back in 2014, beginning his career as a child actor. Episodes 5 & 6 – Luke Bailey plays Delford Adams Who is Delford Adams? Delford has been working as a gardener for the Verdinikovs for the last year. What else has Luke Bailey been in? He's starred as Yaro in Noughts + Crosses, and as Ash in Ordinary Lies. We've also seen him plays Sam Bateman in Casualty, and Marley Kelly in Waterloo Road. Episodes 5 & 6 – Niamh Cusack plays Maggie O'Connell Who is Maggie O'Connell? The Verdinikovs' longtime housekeeper. What else has Niamh Cusack been in? Aside from her work on the stage, Niamh Cusack has appeared in The Virtues (as Janine), Rebellion, Testament of Youth, Always and Everyone, Heartbeat (as Dr Kate Rowan), and The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (as Beatrix Potter). Episodes 5 & 6 – Delroy Atkinson plays Godrell Who is Godrell? A guy who works at the morgue in Honoré. What else has Delroy Atkinson been in? He played Derek Hayes in Luther, and was Mr Thwaites in the 2019 BBC adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Other credits include the 2017 Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Blithe Spirit, Enola Holmes, and Small Island. Episode 4 – Gbemisola Ikumelo plays Dena Johnson Who is Dena Johnson? A nurse at the hospital, who apparently takes her own life during the night shift – coincidentally while she's meant to be looking after new patient DI Neville Parker. What else has Gbemisola Ikumelo been in? Most recently she's starred as Steff Frost in Roadkill, and as Shola in the short-form comedy series Mandy, and as Huma in Sex Education. In 2019 she won a BAFTA for her short-form programme Brain in Gear, and she was also BAFTA-nominated for Famalam. Episode 4 – Idris Debrand plays Taylor Johnson Who is Taylor Johnson? Dena's brother, who works as a porter at the hospital. What else has Idris Debrand been in? Over the last few years he's made appearances in MotherFatherSon, Informer, and Kat and the Band. Episode 4 – Clarence Smith plays Dr Joshua Dreyfuss Who is Dr Joshua Dreyfuss? The doctor at the hospital. What else has Clarence Smith been in? He's starred in Royal Shakespeare Company of plays including Hamlet and King Lear, and previously played Sergeant Rob Keavey in Doctors. Episode 4 – Flo Wilson plays Lulu Deloitte Who is Lulu Deloitte? A patient at the hospital. What else has Flo Wilson been in? Aside from her stage work, credits include After Hours, Coronation Street, In the Club, and Fat Friends. Episode 4 – Steve Edge plays Freddie Archer Who is Freddie Archer? A patient at the hospital, who has the bed next to Neville's. Freddie is recovering from a burst appendix, and is desperate for conversation. What else has Steve Edge been in? Recent roles have included Bigsy in Scarborough, David Foster in The Reluctant Landlord, and Billy Dawson in Benidorm. Other previous credits include Happy Valley, Starlings, and Star Stories; he also played the character Alan in both That Peter Kay Thing and Phoenix Nights. Episode 4 – Danielle Vitalis plays Aneesha Cole Who is Aneesha Cole? Taylor's ex-girlfriend. What else has Danielle Vitalis been in? She played Teen Arabella in Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You. Danielle Vitalis has also been seen in Famalam, This Way Up, Sliced, Youngers, and Attack the Block. Episode 3 – Kelvin Fletcher plays Gavin Jackson Who is Gavin Jackson? Gavin and his wife won the lottery, to the tune of £8 million – and so they packed up and moved from England to Saint Marie, where they now live in a lovely mansion. What else has Kelvin Fletcher been in? From an acting perspective, Fletcher is best known for his long-running role as Andy Sugden on Emmerdale, a character he played for 20 years between 1996 and 2016. Last year he endeared himself to a whole new audience when he was selected as a last-minute replacement for the injured Jamie Laing on Strictly Come Dancing – hip-shaking his way all the way to the Glitterball trophy with professional partner Oti Mabuse. Episode 3 – Laura Aikman plays Cherry Jackson Who is Cherry Jackson? Gavin's wife, and co-winner of the lottery. What else has Laura Aikman been in? Aikman has had a number of roles on popular TV shows over the last decade, including regular parts on Casualty, Waterloo Road and Citizen Kahn. Recent appearances have included London Kills, series two of The Split and last year's Gavin & Stacey Christmas special. Episode 3 – Faye McKeever plays Danielle Mackenzie Who is Danielle Mackenzie? An old friend of Gavin and Cherry's from the days before they were multimillionaires. She and her husband Craig have just arrived for a visit. What else has Faye McKeever been in? Recent roles have included Linda Jay in the serial killer true crime drama Des, and Jayne in The Salisbury Poisonings, and Deborah Peach in A Confession. She is also known for starring as Linda in the TV series Trollied, and for other shows such as Little Boy Blue, Broken, and The Moorside. Episode 3– Jason Manford plays Craig Mackenzie Who is Craig Mackenzie? Gavin and Cherry's friend, and Danielle's husband. What else has Jason Manford been in? Quite a wide variety of things. The comedian, singer, actor, and TV presenter was previously a team captain on comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats, and he regularly pops up on shows such as This Morning, The Graham Norton Show, Lorraine, Loose Women, and QI. He appeared in the entertainment show The Masked Singer, and has previously presented The One Show. As an actor, he's starred in several stage musicals – and also in TV shows including Ordinary Lies (as Marty) and Scarborough (as Mike). Episode 3 – Hollie Edwin plays Melea Lewis Who is Melea Lewis? A local woman working at a local café. She has a connection to Gavin. What else has Hollie Edwin been in? You may recognise her as Sydney Hurst from Dawn French's TV series The Trouble with Maggie Cole. Before that, she appeared in Holby City and Bounty Hunters. Episode 2 – Richard McCabe plays Prof Roger Harkness Who is Professor Roger Harkness? An archaeologist working on a dig on the island of Saint Marie. He is a pompous and somewhat dismissive man. What else has Richard McCabe been in? Richard McCabe is well-known for several TV roles, including Mr Trencrom in Poldark, Justice Cunliffe in Harlots, Peter Westbourne in Collateral, Nyberg in Wallander, Frank Gresham Senior in Doctor Thorne, and Winston Churchill in Peaky Blinders. On the big screen he's been in Notting Hill, 1917, The Little Stranger, The Constant Gardener, Mindhorn, and Goodbye Christopher Robin. Aside from this, he is also a prolific stage actor and an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Episode 2 – Luke Pasqualino plays Ed Lancer Who is Ed Lancer? A PhD student working on the dig, who is described as "handsome and foppish". Harkness considers him pretty useless, but he does have a growing online following as some kind of... archaeology influencer? What else has Luke Pasqualino been in? The actor is perhaps best known for starring as Elvis Harte in the TV series Our Girl, or for playing Freddie Mclair in Skins – the role which really launched his career. His other characters include Paolo in The Borgias, Grey in the 2013 movie Snowpiercer, D'Artagnan in The Musketeers, and Albert Hill in Snatch. Episode 2 – Bryony Hannah plays Rebecca Morley Who is Rebecca Morley? An assistant professor from the university who is out on the dig with Roger Harkness. She can be timid, but she is also determined. What else has Bryony Hannah been in? You'll probably know her best as Cynthia Miller (later Sister Cynthia) from Call the Midwife. Other TV credits include Cath in cold case crime drama Unforgotten, and TV mini-series Christine – and she was Olivier Award-nominated for her supporting role in 2012 theatre production The Children's Hour. Episode 2 – Golda Rosheuvel plays Alice Joyce Who is Alice Joyce? The owner of the land on which episode two's archaeological dig is taking place. She is a single mother to Julius, and she is very protective of him. What else has Golda Rosheuvel been in? Golda Rosheuvel plays Queen Charlotte in Netflix drama Bridgerton, presiding over the "ton" and keeping an eye on all the romances of high society. She's also previously appeared in Dead Boss, Torchwood, Lady Macbeth, and Luther. Episode 2 – Jim Caesar plays Julius Joyce Who is Julius Joyce? Alice's son. He is a little troubled, and he definitely doesn't want the dig taking place on his family's land. What else has Jim Caesar been in? Since joining the National Youth Theatre 2011, Jim Caesar has worked mainly in theatre – although in 2020 he played the role of Matthew Butler in Grantchester, and he's also been in The Witcher and the 2019 movie We Die Young. Episode 1 – Eleanor Fanyinka plays Melanie Who is Melanie Sharpe? A dedicated, determined young reporter for a local TV show. She is found dead in her pool one morning. What else has Eleanor Fanyinka been in? Until 2017 she starred as Morven in Holby City. Since leaving the soap, she's played Nancy in the TV mini-series Pure, Samantha in Masters of Love, and Jade-Marie Pierce in a 2019 episode of Midsomer Murders. Episode 1 – Patrick Robinson plays Garfield Tourné Who is Garfield Tourné? The hugely popular head anchor of local TV show, 'Today with Tourné'. What else has Patrick Robinson been in? For many years he played Martin "Ash" Ashford in Casualty. In recent years, he's starred as Anthony in Sitting in Limbo, Marcus Ormansby in The Trouble with Maggie Cole, Cameron in Mount Pleasant, and Victor in Him. He also had a stint in The Bill, as DC Jacob Banks. Episode 1 – Shalisha James-Davis plays Heléne Tourné Who is Heléne Tourne? Garfield's daughter, who also works as a reporter for the show. What else has Shalisha James-Davis been in? Recent roles have included Loretta in I May Destroy You, Ayisha in Alex Rider, Amy in The Split, and Faith in Silent Witness. On the stage, she's been in shows including Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare's Globe (as Benvolio) and Our Country's Good at the National Theatre (as Duckling). 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. Episode 1 – Franc Ashman plays Elmina Blondeau Who is Elmina Blondeau? A local politician up for re-election. The Commissioner doesn't trust her one bit, but Garfield is a fan. What else has Franc Ashman been in? The actress starred as Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. Her TV credits include I May Destroy You, Liar, and Doctor Who (in 2010 episode The Big Bang) – and her film credits include A Street Cat Named Bob, playing the character Danielle. Episode 1 – Ike Bennett plays Benny Morgan Who is Benny Morgan? The runner and general dogsbody for the local TV station. He is friendly and helpful, but not the sharpest crayon in the box. What else has Ike Bennett been in? He played Ray in the Amazon drama Hanna, and Roman Donahue in Curfew. We've also seen him in an episode of Vera, playing the character Owen Reynolds. Episode 1 – Serge Hazanavicius plays Henri Pigal Who is Henri Pigal? The producer of Garfield Tourné's show. Though he is technically Garfield's boss, it's clear who actually has the power. What else has Serge Hazanavicius been in? The actor is perhaps best-known for his performances in French TV shows and films, but in recent years he's also appeared in English language dramas including The Borgias (as Louis XII of France), New Tricks (as Max Clement), and Black Earth Rising (as Marc Previeau). He also starred in the Japanese drama Tokyo Trial, playing Henri Bernard. Death in Paradise is likely to return to BBC One early in the new year. While you’re waiting, visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Bryan Cranston stars in the Sky Atlantic drama as a judge forced into criminality to protect his son.
Bryan Cranston has already famously played one character in a respectable profession who commits reprehensible crimes in order to look after his family – and in the upcoming drama Your Honor the Breaking Bad star is on familiar ground. In the new series, based on the award-winning Israeli series Kvodo, Cranston plays Judge Michael Desiato – who is forced into a "high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices" after his son is involved in a hit and run. The show began airing in the US towards the end of 2020, and UK viewers won't have to wait too much longer before they can enjoy the series, with a release date having now been confirmed this side of the Atlantic. Your Honor has been developed by BAFTA-winning English writer and director Peter Moffat, who has created series such as Criminal Justice, for which he won Best Drama and Best Writer at the BAFTAs, as well as The Village and Undercover. Moffat wrote some of the episodes and is show-runner on Your Honor. Showtime president of programming Gary Levine said of Your Honor when it was first pitched in 2017: “When a pitch has you on the edge of your seat for 40 straight minutes, you know you’re hearing something special. When the pitchers are as talented, experienced and acclaimed as [producers] Michelle King, Robert King and Peter Moffat, you buy it in the room and start planning for a fascinating new Showtime series.” When does Your Honor air in the UK? The 10-part series will debut on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV on Tuesday 2nd March 2021 – almost three months after its US debut. What is Your Honor about? Although it's based on Israeli series Kvodo, the US adaptation, Your Honor, is set in a New Orleans that is violent, crime-ridden and whose true law is the law of the jungle. Ostensibly, Your Honor follows the son of a respected judge who is involved in a hit and run. He hesitates then hangs up on 911 and instead turns to his father for protection. But the tragic death has a ripple effect and soon Cranston, the Baxter family and countless other antagonists are drawn into a story that threatens to start a war in New Orleans. As Baxter's mother ominously intones in voice over at the funeral: "We kill once. We kill big." 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. Your Honor trailer You can watch a teaser below – and it's a doozie. No one does morally conflicted with quite the conviction of Bryan Cranston and in the Your Honor trailer he appears utterly convincing as a man forced to betray his principles for his family. View oEmbed on the source website Your Honor cast Bryan Cranston plays Judge Michael Desiato, the respected judge forced to walk on the wrong side of the law. Cranston needs no introduction – his back catalogue is impressive and diverse, from a recurring role in Seinfeld to the iconic counter-cultural drug manufacturer Walter White in Breaking Bad (which earned him four Emmy Awards for Best Actor) to his Oscar-nominated performance in 2016 film Trumbo. Your Honor also stars LA Law actor Blair Underwood who, according to Variety, will play Roland Carter, an investigative reporter and close colleague of Robin Desiato, the judge's late wife. Crucial roles in Your Honor will be played by Hunter Doohan, who is Desiato's teenage son Adam, the catalyst of the drama. Crime boss Jimmy Baxter is played by Michael Stuhlbarg, probably best know as Sy Feltz in the 2017 season of Fargo and Arnold Rothstein in Boardwalk Empire. Love Life star Hope Davis stars as Baxter's grief-stricken – and murderous – wife, Gina. Will there be a season 2 of Your Honor? It hasn't been announced, but the Israeli series, Kvodo, on which is it is based, was renewed for a second season after its debut in 2017 was a sensation, according to Deadline. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide.
Highlights today include Two Doors Down, Billy Connolly's final TV special and the continuation of Black Narcissus.
The period between Christmas and New Year never fails to turn up television gems and today's highlights are no different – there is comedy, a satirical review of a remarkable year in history and historical drama to choose from. We've run the rule over today's best Christmas TV and found the very best programmes to keep us entertained and, on Monday 28th December, these are the shows that really stand out. Christmas House of Games Night – 7pm, BBC One Richard Osman's winning quiz show features a celebrity edition this Christmas, with Miranda star Sarah Hadland, Taskmaster's Alex Horne, Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood and newsreader Charlene White joining him in the HOG lounge. The show has been a welcome addition to the TV landscape, with its charming mix of trivia, games and guest banter and it's the perfect bridge between festive films in the afternoon and the more serious evening fare. Will the winning star opt for the much coveted House of Games Christmas suitcase, or will the festive fondue set prove irresistible? Fun, witty, and full of surprises, Richard’s cross-examination of the celebs over the course of the evening provides an entertaining watch for all the family as the level of competitiveness and camaraderie grows. Escape to the Chateau at Christmas – 7pm, Channel 4 Dick and Angel Strawbridge pull out all the stops to create a family Christmas to remember in France. The couple plus Dorothy and Arthur will be joined by Angel’s parents Jenni and Steve this time around. With an old 19th century Chateau ledger found in the attic and classic cookbooks to hand, the Strawbridges take inspiration from Christmases past, discovering what food and festivities, gifts and games would have been like in bygone times. Dick and Angel’s imagination goes into overdrive as they create a winter wonderland on the Chateau's grounds. Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad The Unseen Show – 8:30pm, ITV As coronavirus laid waste to the TV industry during 2020, Bradley and Barney Walsh were not unaffected and any plan to film a new series was put on hold. So, the next best option was to create a show out of unseen scenes, phone footage and the best bits from their previous two American adventures. The Walshes watch back everything from additional unseen footage to moments the boys captured on their phone, behind the scenes clips with the crew and fun compilations of their road trip antics. There are more sing-alongs, Brad’s jokes, snacks, plus quizzes and games they’d play to pass the time. As they drive down the memory motorway, Brad and Barney can stop, pause and rewind at any moment to comment on what they see. Letting us in on even more stories and reactions to what Brad describes as ‘…the highlight of [his] life'. Two Doors Down Christmas Special – 9pm, BBC Two COVID-19 has wrecked Cathy and Colin’s plans for a Christmas in Dubai, so the suburban Scottish couple head to a luxury lodge in the Highlands to have a festive staycation, inviting their neighbourhood "frenemies" along for "the bit between" Christmas and New Year. So while the location is changed, you can guarantee Cathy’s behaviour will stay the same. Let’s just say it isn’t a case of goodwill to all men when she starts the celebrations a little bit early and guests Beth, Eric, Christine, Ian and Gordon have to contend with her rapidly declining hospitality and withering barbs. Will the Two Doors Down neighbours make it through to the morning or will things spiral out of control? Black Narcissus – 9pm, BBC One A three-part psychological drama set in a convent in a remote part of the Himalayas, Black Narcissus continues, with Sister Clodagh (Gemma Arterton) and Sister Ruth (Aisling Franciosi) growing increasingly attracted to land agent Mr Dean (Alessandro Nivola). It's not only the altitude that is heightened as the nuns find themselves becoming increasingly unhinged by the environment and mysticism in this enjoyable and compelling adaptation of Rumer Godden's 1939 novel. Billy Connolly: It's Been a Pleasure – 9:30pm, ITV It's no secret that comedy great Sir Billy Connolly has retired from public performing. Despite his advancing years (he's 78) he also suffers Parkinson's disease, so it's wonderful that the master of storytelling signs off with a suitably humorous comedy special in which he looks back on his career and life. Filmed at his home in the Florida Keys, the special features the reminiscences of Billy and the insights of his wife, Pamela Stephenson, plus contributions from super-fans such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, Lenny Henry, Aisling Bea, Armando Iannucci and Sheridan Smith. The Big Yin is at his entertaining best in the 75-minute special. Find something else to watch with our TV Guide
When is Birds of a Feather Christmas special release date? Cast, news and when it's on TV
Everything you need to know about the BOAF Christmas special, including cast, likely air date and plot.
It's been three years since we've sat down to Christmas with the Birds of a Feather crew and they are more welcome at our place this year than they've ever been. The spectre of coronavirus has overshadowed everyone's year to a greater or lesser degree and the pandemic has been worked into the narrative of the Birds of a Feather Christmas special, in a comedic way. How could it be any other way when Dorien and Tracey get together? Sadly, Sharon will not be involved in the special – she's stuck on a cruise on the other side of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Actually, BOAF star Pauline Quirke ruled herself out of the special due to other work commitments. While Sharon will be missed the antics of Tracey and Dorien, including her new bloke Graeme, played by onetime Family Fortunes host Les Dennis, are destined to keep us entertained. When is the Birds of a Feather Christmas special on TV? The Christmas special – titled 'We Gotta Get Out of this Place' – will air at 9.15pm on Christmas Eve (Thursday, 24th December) on ITV. Birds of a Feather cast The core of the Birds of a Feather cast are the three old friends, Tracey Stubbs (Linda Robson), Dorien Green (Lesley Joseph) and Sharon (Pauline Quirke), and their various fallings out and back in. Sadly, Sharon is stuck on a cruise that's been becalmed by the pandemic on the other side of the world. The producers are hoping to fill the Sharon-shaped hole in with comedy with guest star Les Dennis as Dorien’s new flame Graeme, a cameo from comedy actor Curtis Walker, as well as Ami Metcalf playing Jordan, a young friend of Tracey’s who is in danger of having the most miserable Christmas, spending it alone in lockdown. A true to life storyline, then. Why isn't Pauline Quirke in the Birds of a Feather Christmas special? It's hard to imagine Birds of a Feather without Sharon Theodopolopodous and her dodgy enterprises. But actress Pauline Quirke ruled herself out of the Christmas special because she is so busy running her 200 performing arts academies – the PQA schools are located all across Britain. We hope the actress will return for any future editions of the ITV comedy which first aired in 1989 and became a national institution throughout the '90s. Birds of a Feather Christmas special plot As alluded to, Birds of a a Feather doesn't shy away from coronavirus and while Sharon has been sunning herself at sea Tracey and Dorien have been driving each other certifiable while holed up together at our favourite Essex address… Imagine a week isolating with Dorien, never mind months. Details are limited about the plot but we do know that Dorien has a new tomboy, Graeme, played by Les Dennis. Joseph said: "I'm so excited to be putting Dorien's high heels back on for a Christmas special of Birds. It's been three years since viewers last saw us and Dorien's only gone and got herself a new man! We all need a laugh right now and I promise this special will deliver the festive goods!” Robson added: “I'm so happy we have a new Birds adventure. Trace and Dor have been at loggerheads with each other for months, will it be a peaceful Christmas in Essex?! The script for this special is brilliant, I promise we'll have lots of laughs for fans of the show." Is there a trailer for the Birds of a Feather Christmas special? There is no trailer available for the special yet, but we'll update the article as soon as one is released. Who is behind the Birds of a Feather Christmas special? The lifelong creative team of Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have once again penned the Birds of a Feather special. The duo – who also count Goodnight Sweetheart and The New Statesman among their accomplishments – created BOAF in the late 1980s and the series about the wives of a couple of criminals scored audiences of 12 million in its first series. Hard to believe now, but Birds of a Feather caused controversy at the time because the audience was unused to watching women on television talking openly about sex. The writing duo said, in a statement: "We’re really excited to help bring Birds of a Feather back to ITV's screens to give the nation some seasonal cheer in these peculiar times." While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
See the "Queen" deliver Alternative Christmas Message on Channel 4 using deepfake technology
The parody of the Christmas Message uses a comic actress and deepfake technology.
Channel 4 has revealed its now traditional Alternative Christmas Message will be delivered by "Queen Elizabeth II" on Christmas Day; or rather, a simulacrum of the Queen will present the message using "deepfake" technology. Billed as an "alternative message for a very alternative year" Channel 4 has released a teaser clip of the five-minute message, which will actually be voiced by former Coronation Street star Debra Stephenson, who has previously imitated Her Majesty in shows such as Spitting Image. While Stephenson's delivery might not win any awards, Channel 4's stated purpose of giving a "stark warning" about the increasingly blurry lines between truth and "fake media" could be a success. In the alternative message, Stephenson as the Queen says: "If there is a theme to my message today, it is trust. Trust in what is genuine and what is not. The Queen then riffs on the importance of family at this time: "Which is why I was so saddened by the departure of Harry and Meghan. There are few things more hurtful than someone telling you they prefer the company of Canadians." View oEmbed on the source website She reportedly adds: "But at least I still have my beloved Andrew close by. It seems unlikely he’ll be heading to North America any time soon.” The Queen also appears to dance on a table for a TikTok viral video during the message, which she hopes might win her a place on Strictly Come Dancing. As well, she reveals what she has been up to during lockdown, which involved a lot of "Netflix and Phil". According to the BBC, the deepfake has been created by Oscar-winning VFX studio Framestore. The Alternative Christmas Message screens at 3.25pm on Channel 4, at the same time the Queen's official Christmas Message goes out on the BBC and ITV. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Emma Thompson targets Hollywood's "utterly unbalanced" sexual double standards
The Oscar winner says her new film might help to correct views of older women with younger men.
Emma Thompson is playing a widow who takes the opportunity to revive her life with a night with a young sex worker in upcoming film Good Luck To You, Leo Grande and has targeted Hollywood double standards in its depiction of age-mismatched couples. She told the CultureBlast podcast (via EW): "It’s completely acceptable for George Clooney – who is delightful – to have someone who is 40 years younger than him or 30 years younger than him. If I have someone playing opposite me in a romantic way, they have to exhume someone, because I’m 61 now. Do you see what I mean? It’s completely and utterly unbalanced." Dame Emma plays 55-year-old recently widowed woman Nancy Stokes, who stayed for years in a stale marriage but seizes the opportunity to explore her sexual life with a man in his early 20s in the film of a script written by UK comedian Katy Brand. The Last Christmas star added: "If Leo Grande, the film that we make, speaks to people and people aren’t averse to seeing someone who’s 61 largely naked with a very much younger person, it’s going to be very interesting. We’ve got to keep being brave about that." It will be interesting to see how the sex scenes are filmed because in the past Dame Emma has played them for laughs. She described filming a scene on 1989 film The Tall Guy, co-starring Jeff Goldblum, for the My Dad Wrote a Porno podcast in 2018: "Because it was a comedy sex scene, we were shagging on the piano, we were shagging in the breakfast things. There was shots of my arse with bits of toast stuck to it. Two f***ing days of being nude on set. "And when the campaign came out, the Campaign Against Pornography… said that if they were to show their children a sex scene, they would show that one, because it was fun, and funny, and full of humor. Because I noticed at the time that all sex scenes, everyone was so angry. They’re angry! You look at people’s faces, you look at Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone… livid! So cross!" Good Luck To You, Leo Grande director Sophie Hyde told Variety earlier: “I’m thrilled to be working with the tremendously funny and heartbreakingly honest Emma Thompson to explore intimacy and desire, and to put on screen a relationship that feels unexpected and delightful. At a time when our need for each other is so vividly present, it will be a delight to create and show this connection between two people, which is funny, sexy and moving.” Good Luck To You, Leo Grande will film in 2021. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off crowns second champion
The judges said there could be only one winner of this episode. *CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood transferred his flamboyant skills from the dance floor to the kitchen as he was named the second winner of BBC One’s Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off 2020, after Janet Street-Porter won the first edition on Monday. Revel Horwood's winning menu was themed around an alternative Christmas dinner, which began with fillet of beef served with sauté potatoes with sea salt and rosemary, pork and cranberry stuffing, roasted and candied beetroot, crispy sprout leaves with walnut and pecorino and a parmesan tuile with chicken liver pate and a port and red wine jus. To complete the challenge, he took on the infamous Invention Test, where the celebrities had to create a dish from ingredients found in a Secret Santa present box before a Christmas-themed Pairs Test on which he teamed up with Latif to create a Christmas Yule Log. Celebrity MasterChef judge John Torode described the potato dish as being “so well seasoned they are like the best pack of crisps you have ever had in your life and the beef is absolutely perfect.” For dessert he made a Black Forest rose crepe, filled with cherries in a cherry brandy liqueur served with Kirsch Cream and toasted almonds. Celebrity MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace and commented: “It tastes fantastic. That is really good.” Revel Horwood competed against entrepreneur and TV presenter Amar Latif, actress Crissy Rock and entrepreneur, businessman and TV personality Spencer Matthews. Revel Horwood said: “I have been waiting a long time for this. I’ve had a great time. I’d give everyone a great big Christmas kiss and hug if I could. I never win anything and I love it. This is the best Christmas present ever! Absolutely amazing.” Wallace said: “Craig put a lot into his main course. It was delightful. The winner had to be him when you look at the technical skill, the ambition and the flamboyancy. It was absolutely delicious; it was Christmas indulgence. Well done Craig!” Torode added: “Today was a proper display of festive fantasticness. Craig has been waiting 13 years for this! He is flamboyant, his food is indulgent and that is what Christmas is about. His food was amazing today.” Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
A Sex and the City limited series is reportedly in the works
The era-defining series about female empowerment may be brought back for a seventh season.
A Sex and the City revival, possibly as a limited series on HBO Max, is looking likely, according to US sources. The classic '90s New York comedy-drama about the sex lives and loves of a group of well-heeled, high-fashion, cosmopolitan women was an era-defining television show that spawned two hit films in 2008 and 2010 and a prequel series, The Carrie Diaries. Now deals are being negotiated to bring back the series, according to Deadline. A Sex and the City reboot would be very unlikely to include UK-born actress Kim Cattrall, who played the voracious Samantha Jones but who famously clashed with co-star Sarah Jessica Parker. When Cattrall rejected the idea of a third SATC movie, she told Piers Morgan: "This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City, specifically Sarah Jessica Parker. I think she could have been nicer.” She said of her character: “It’s a great part. I played it past the finish line and then some, and I loved it. And another actress should play it. Maybe they could make it an African-American Samantha Jones, or a Hispanic Samantha Jones.” If the series goes ahead, it's likely to have a different tone to the original. Cynthia Nixon told Radio Times this year: “There are things about Sex and the City that look very dated now; certainly how white it was. Even at the time, we were very aware of that. However, it was revolutionary in terms of the age of the characters. We were all over 30 when it started. And as it went on, we were quite a bit older than that.” TV Line reports that Parker, Kristin Davis and Nixon set to reprise their roles as Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda. The reboot will be the seventh season and will reportedly launch on the streaming platform HBO Max rather than its traditional home, HBO. Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell announced in 2019 that Paramount TV was developing a series based on her follow-up, Is There Still Sex in the City? about the "the lives of a lot of fifty- and sixty something women". It's not known if this separate reject is still in the works. While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
George Clooney says there are many rewards in The Midnight Sky "but you have to earn them"
The actor and director explains what drew him to the Netflix futuristic thriller.
George Clooney, the lead actor and director of Netflix's new dystopian thriller The Midnight Sky, warns viewers that while it's a story of "redemption" it is also a "meditation on loneliness and loss" and the rewards from viewing have to be earned. Clooney plays scientist Augustine Lofthouse, the last inhabitant of a desolate Earth in 2049, in the film of a script by The Revenant writer Mark L Smith. He has a terminal illness and while he tries to save the Jupiter expedition from a dying Earth he becomes aware of the presence of a child, Iris, played by Caoilinn Springall. Clooney suggested to Netflix Queue that The Midnight Sky is a parable for the way humanity is heading. “The inability to communicate from Earth to this spaceship feels very much like the things that we’re going through more and more,” he said. “We’re losing the sense of community. We get into our own worlds, and we stop looking out for one another.” Clooney added: “If you don’t look at these bigger issues and take them on, then climate change is going to reach our doorstep; anger and hatred are going to come home to roost. “We need to find a way to remind ourselves that we’re all in this together. There is redemption in this film. The idea that none of us alone get out of this thing alive, but maybe as a group we get out of it intact — I think that’s important.” First and foremost, The Midnight Sky was a "great script". It had to be to get Clooney out of the house after not making a movie in more than three years; instead, he's spent a lot of time at home helping raise his twin daughter and son. View oEmbed on the source website When he first read the script there was no pandemic, but there was still a lot of "hatred and anger" in society. "If you play out the impact of that plus climate change over 20 years, it’s not inconceivable that we end up in the same place that we are in this film," he said. "I loved the challenge of space and the Arctic. I thought that those were two of the more difficult things to do in one film. And it was a story of redemption. I’ve always liked stories of redemption. Also, as a character, whenever you have a kid that you’re looking out for, you can be grumpy. It’s a bit of a free pass." Clooney is no stranger to space movies: he starred in Steven Soderbergh's Solaris in 2002 and Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity in 2013. So what is different about The Midnight Sky? "This is more of a meditation on loneliness and on loss," he said. "I thought that it was an interesting thing to take out all of the sound and have it just be about emotion. There are long moments of just sitting with a child and watching her look at Polaris for the first time — things that I did with my parents that we don’t necessarily see anymore. "I like the idea of silence. We have action in the film (I don’t want people to think it’s just a long, slow drag), and there are a lot of things that are funny and sweet in it. But they’re earned. You have to earn them by fighting with all of your other demons along the way." The Midnight Sky is currently streaming on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, visit our TV Guide, or find out about upcoming new TV shows 2020.
Denise discovers huge betrayal as Lucas returns to EastEnders
Chelsea returns with Lucas as Albert Square is rocked by his unwelcome return on Christmas Day
EastEnders star Diane Parish says her character Denise Fox will feel "absolute terror" when she sees her ex-husband, serial killer Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet), back in Albert Square, but she's "shocked and betrayed" to see her daughter, Chelsea, with him. Parish said Denise is worried about Chelsea's behaviour: "She should be really thrilled and happy to see her daughter, who she hasn’t seen on Christmas Day in a while, so that is a lovely thing, but she shouldn’t have been standing next to her murdering father." Her anxiety is hardly surprising: Lucas was jailed in 2016 after he imprisoned Denise in their basement and tried to pin his murder spree on her. In the meantime, Denise has been bringing up her biological son, Raymond, after his adoptive parents died in a car crash. Chelsea, meanwhile, departed from Albert Square for Spain in 2010, but subsequent phone calls revealed the reason she'd stayed away was her deep shame at her family. Chelsea's return brings "peril" with it, according to Parish. She said: "It was one of the most interesting relationships I have ever had on EastEnders and I think it has now gone into another dimension with Zaraah [Abrahams, the new actor playing Chelsea]. It’s now two women at loggerheads, rather than a teenager or young girl, mother vs daughter so that will be interesting to play through." While Parish is delighted to have her "mate" Gilet back as Lucas, she is worried for Denise. "Don is just the most surprising and fantastic actor, he literally lets Lucas seep into his veins, and you watch it happen. I don’t know what is in his mind but you see something change in his eyes. The light in his eyes goes dead, it is quietly terrifying but really good!" EastEnders' executive producer Jon Sen explained how the return of Chelsea and Lucas would affect the family. "The fact that Chelsea has kept contact with Lucas causes a huge sense of betrayal and fractures the family because of everything that Lucas did when he was last on the Square. Denise really struggles with reconciling the daughter she knows with the ex-husband that treated her so terribly." Abrahams, who has taken over the role of Chelsea from Tiana Benjamin, hinted how things will play out: "She ends up being back on the Square with her dad because he has been released out of prison. She is wanting to forgive him for all that he’s done and she believes that he has changed. Whether he has or not – we shall see. I think Chelsea might have a few of her dad's traits. They’re not the duo you expect." EastEnders screens at 9.05pm on BBC One on Christmas Day. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Being Bridget Jones viewers find Helen Fielding documentary "laugh out loud funny"
The BBC Two documentary was a hit with Bridget Jones fans new and old.
The remarkable life and career of Bridget Jones' Diary author Helen Fielding set viewers on a journey of reminiscence, humorous and humiliating, when Being Bridget Jones screened on BBC Two. The creator of an anonymous column in the Independent in 1995 about a young woman counting calories and cigarettes became a global phenomenon, a series of novels that spiralled into three hit Hollywood movies. The documentary on BBC Two sparked a surfeit of joyful recollections from Bridget Jones fans:"Whenever I watch Bridget Jones, I want to immediately go back in time, smoking, drinking falling out of a taxi and waiting for my love interest(s) to take me on a mini break and declare they love me... just as I am....Yep!" View oEmbed on the source website From her middle-class Yorkshire background and being Four Weddings and a Funeral director Richard Curtis' girlfriend at Oxford to becoming a global icon, Fielding's journey was somehow equally relatable and hilarious, especially the way she channelled her own TV news career into Bridget Jones' career. One viewer posted: "Really bloody enjoying #BeingBridgetJones on @BBCTwo right now. Laugh out loud funny. Read the book for the first time earlier this year after being a long-time fan of the films. Had no idea how much was based on Helen Fielding's own life! Amazing, well worth a watch". View oEmbed on the source website The author was super-relatable in the same way her creation was 20+ years ago. A fan wrote: "Helen reminds me of me. Funny and awkward, an open person, wears their heart on their sleeve. Not perfect but just real. #BeingBridgetJones". The celebrity contributions from Curtis, Bridget Jones' actor Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant were another pleasure for the audience, especially the latter's insights about Fielding. One viewer tweeted: "'She came in as Princess Margaret having had a stroke.' Sensational from Hugh Grant on Zellweger's first stab at a British accent. #BeingBridgetJones". Another highlighted Grant's startling revelation: "Helen is a dirty, dirty b**h” I nearly choked on my drink. Hugh Grant is f***ing hilarious. #BeingBridgetJones". Firth was responsible for one Bridget Jones' most memorable lines. View oEmbed on the source website A viewer agreed: "One thing i love about Bridget Jones, is that she's so flawed. that and the so based on pride and prejudice, getting Colin Firth was just the best casting ever #BeingBridgetJones". Will we ever see her like again? Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special the "best thing of 2020" say viewers
The highly anticipated festive special was the perfect "antidote to anxious times". *CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Christmas Eve in the Yorkshire Dales was the perfect televisual bridge between a traumatic, pandemic-stricken year and Christmas Day as the All Creatures Great and Small festive special hit all the right notes with viewers. The will they-won't they storyline of the lovestruck vet James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) and the seemingly oblivious object of his affections, Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton), finally reached its conclusion on the eve of her wedding to Hugh Hulton (Matthew Lewis). Helen rejected the lord of the manor at the altar, setting up her eventual marriage to James. Predictable it may have been, disappointing to fans of the Channel 5 period drama it wasn't! View oEmbed on the source website For many, the special had a winning balance: "What a perfect #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall Christmas special. It strikes just the right balance of heart-warming but never descends into being twee. Looking forward to series 2." View oEmbed on the source website It even soothed the cold hearts of Grinches, as one viewer posted: "Perfect Christmas telly. Even this old Grinch is in the mood now". Another viewer wrote: "I’m a sentimental old fool at the best of times but as Xmas tele goes this #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall is heartbreaking and warming in equal measure. Lovely". It was an "antidote to anxious times" for many in the audience. A viewer contrasted the drama with our current climate of social distancing: "Oh my word the comforting power of the human touch is being well and truly emphasised in #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall tonight. Beautifully done." View oEmbed on the source website Another posted: "I love this new version of #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall on Channel 5 and I'm old enough to remember watching the old BBC series." Earlier, All Creatures Great and Small star Samuel West, who plays Siegfried, stoked anticipation, with the help of Radio Times. View oEmbed on the source website Some viewers were already looking forward to the next series even while the Christmas special was in motion. "Absolutely loving #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall @NicholasRalph_ Just the tonic we needed. Can’t wait for the next series!" We will have to wait quite some time for it to happen, but at least there is the certainty it will return for season two. While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Alzheimer's charity page in memory of Barbara Windsor exceeds £100,000 in less than a week
The fund in aid of dementia research was established by her husband, Scott Mitchell.
A JustGiving page set up by Dame Barbara Windsor's husband Scott Mitchell in aid of Alzheimer's research has exceeded £100,000 in less than a week. Mitchell launched the page to help the search for breakthrough dementia treatments, a disease that ultimately killed the EastEnders and Carry On star on 10th December. He said: “I have been completely overwhelmed by the response from Barbara’s fans, friends and former colleagues. This outpouring of support has filled me with pride and been a huge comfort to me. It just shows how loved, respected and adored my Barbara was. That’s magical." He added: “I’m determined to honour her legacy by doing everything I can to support dementia research and help Alzheimer’s Research UK’s search for a cure. We must find a way to stop future generations going through what so many of us have already. Please do consider a donation however small or large. Every penny will take us one step closer to desperately needed breakthroughs.” According to Alzheimer's Research UK, the sum included a single donation of £83,000 from Gamesys, the owner of the online bingo site Jackpotjoy. Dame Barbara worked closely with the company between 2010 and 2017 and starred in their television adverts as their Queen of Bingo and the company's CEO Leo Fenton said: "Barbara was a national treasure and much-loved member of our family, who brought fun, laughter and joy to so many. Jackpotjoy players remember Barbara fondly – we wanted to find a way to celebrate her life, say thank you and to continue to support a worthy cause that was close to her heart." Beside Mitchell's charity fund, Alzheimer's Research UK said donations to the charity had increased since she publicised her illness in 2018. Its chief executive, Hilary Evans, said: "We are so grateful that Scott is calling for support for Alzheimer’s Research UK in memory of Dame Barbara, and the response has been nothing short of incredible, reinforcing what we already knew – she really was, and still is, one of the most cherished icons to have ever graced our screens." The total for the JustGiving page in memory of Dame Barbara sits at slightly more than £105,000.
Exclusive – Watch first look trailer for Married at First Sight Australia season 6
One of 2020's biggest reality TV hits is back and the trailer promises even more extreme emotion.
E4 has released a teaser trailer for season six of its break-out hit series Married at First Sight Australia, which is returning to the channel and All 4 streaming platform in early January. It promises an "even more dramatic and captivating" series than season five, which was notable for making Dean Wells the most hated man in Australia and one of 2020's unmissable pandemic guilty pleasures in the UK. The trailer highlights some of the more extreme moments, including one man telling a new groom "you're not good enough for my sister", while another bride complains that her new husband is too hands-on. "Any excuse to touch me," she says with a shudder. View oEmbed on the source website Married at First Sight Australia took E4 and the UK by storm earlier this year and was the most watched show on All 4 this summer. An innovation on the new season is that it will start with an eye-opening bucks' night (AKA stag night) for the boys, and hens' night for the ladies. The couples will then say ‘I do’ after meeting each other for the first time on their wedding day, as is the usual format for the series. After the nuptials are over, it's back to reality – or reality TV, at least – as the new couples embark on their luxury honeymoons and a potential lif etogether. Will any of them find their one true partner? Will any of them last beyond the production of the series? Married at First Sight Australia series 6 will air on E4 from 4th January 2021 at 7.30pm and will be stripped across the week from Monday-Friday. While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Darragh Ennis won't be competing on Beat the Chasers – here's why
The new Chaser is not involved in the the second season of the spin-off.
ITV's hit spin-off of quiz show The Chase, Beat the Chasers, will not include new star Darragh Ennis when it starts a second season in early January. Irish research neuroscientist Ennis has been a popular addition to the long-running teatime show, with his debut watched by 4.9 million viewers, and Beat the Chasers has been a welcome variation on The Chase format. So why isn't he featuring in the second season? RadioTimes.com understands that his absence from the series is due to scheduling. A source close to the show said that the pandemic and changing schedules meant it wasn't certain that Ennis would have made his debut on The Chase when Beat the Chasers screened. It would have been peculiar to feature him on the spin-off if he hadn't yet appeared on the parent show. Ennis first appeared on The Chase on Thursday 19th November. Nicknamed "The Menace", Ennis is yet to be beaten by the contestants and made history by last week offering one player £120,000 if she went high, which she did only to lose her chase. Proving he has an edge to him, Ennis tweeted: "120k? Lose more running for the bus." Beat the Chasers spins The Chase concept on its head: instead of four contestants taking on a single chaser, one contestant can compete against between two and five chasers. The more they take on the bigger the pot of money they can win. 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. Chaser Anne Hegerty was upbeat about the new programme. “We’re definitely looking to do more as soon as we can,” Anne told RadioTimes.com after series one screened. “We knew when we were filming it that this was a really good show, we were saying to each other, ‘This is really exciting, we are having such close finishes’." Season two of Beat the Chasers screens on ITV on Sunday 3rd January and runs each night at 9pm for seven episodes, apart from 9th January. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide.
Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off crowns winner
The first winner of the two Christmas specials has been revealed. *CONTAINS SPOILERS*
TV personality Janet Street-Porter became the first of two BBC One Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off Champions this year and hailed her victory as "one for the pensioners". Her winning Christmas-themed menu started with a venison and damson Christmas pudding with seared chicory, caramelised carrot and butternut squash, brussel sprouts and gravy, a course that judge Gregg Wallace said may be “the best dish you have ever cooked for me”. Street-Porter followed that with a damson fool mixed with damson plums served with almond biscotti, drew a "I love it!" from judge John Torode. She triumphed over three rivals, including actor Christopher Biggins, broadcaster Dev Griffin and TV personality Vicky Pattison. She was shocked by her win: “No, I don’t believe it, I can’t believe it. I am really, really thrilled. I did a lot of moaning but I loved the cooking part. This is one for the pensioners!” Wallace said: “This has been brilliant fun. I think Janet’s pie was really clever and I loved the damson jam and venison inside. It was absolutely stunning, brilliantly clever and showed the touch of a really, really good cook.” Torode added: “This has been a fantastic celebration, we wanted a festive feast and that’s what all of the celebrities delivered. Janet’s food didn’t just taste great but it looked great; it was care, it was attention, it was detailed, it was delicious!” The final challenge after the two individual courses was a Christmas-themed Pairs Test, which saw Street-Porter and Christopher Biggins team up to create a Pork Wellington. The second Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off will screen on Wednesday 23rd December at 9pm on BBC One with a line-up that includes choreographer and director, Craig Revel Horwood, entrepreneur and TV presenter Amar Latif, actress Crissy Rock and entrepreneur, businessman and TV personality Spencer Matthews in the kitchen. While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Peter Jackson releases a five-minute montage from his Beatles film, Get Back
The auteur is cutting a film from 56 hours of never-seen-before footage.
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has released a five-minute montage from his feature-length documentary about The Beatles, Get Back, culled from 56 hours of unseen footage of the Fab Four. The Oscar-winning auteur said: “We wanted to give the fans of The Beatles all over the world a holiday treat, so we put together this five-minute sneak peek at our upcoming theatrical film The Beatles: Get Back. We hope it will bring a smile to everyone’s faces and some much-needed joy at this difficult time.” Jackson added in the introduction: "The only good thing really is that we're editing the film in New Zealand and now that our country has largely stamped out the virus, we're able to come back into the cutting room and carry on with the editing that we're doing... And here we are. We've got 56 hours of never seen before Beatles footage and it's great stuff. "I'd say we're about halfway through the edit now but because you've been so patient and the film has been delayed until 2021 we thought it was a good time to give you a little sneaky preview of what we've been working on." View oEmbed on the source website The footage in the five-minute montage is culled from rehearsals for their legendary, valedictory performance on the rooftop of the Apple Corp building in Savile Row, London, in January 1969. It features the band in high spirits, with Billy Preston on keyboards, and Linda McCartney and Yoko Ono chatting away without of the acrimony associated with them. It was The Beatles' last live performance. The five-minute special look is available to fans worldwide on TheBeatles.com and streaming on Disney+. The feature-length documentary will open on 27th August 2021. Jackson's last documentary was the colourised World War 1 documentary They Shall Not Grow Old in 2019. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
His Dark Materials writer Jack Thorne hints the Golden Monkey will speak in season 3
Writer Jack Thorne has suggested Mrs Coulter's silent daemon will find its tongue.
Fans of His Dark Materials can allow themselves that tantalising prospect of the Golden Monkey talking when season three eventually lands. Writer Jack Thorne stated the development in a tweetalong during the climactic His Dark Materials episode on BBC One on Sunday. Thorne wrote in answer to a question about whether he'd written dialogue for Boreal's and Mrs Coulter's daemons, "I've tried for The Golden Monkey. But only once. And in the scripts for series 3." View oEmbed on the source website The Golden Monkey does talk in book three, The Amber Spyglass, and Thorne once again said he wanted to be faithful to Pullman's stories. Thorne explained: "At the beginning of the process, @janetranter1 and I got to spend some very happy hours with Philip setting out the ground work for what we wanted to do. He always reads everything, he will set us right, and he knows we only want to honour his books." Mrs Coulter's relationship with her daemon has been the subject of much analysis during season two. She has alternately maltreated, neglected, ignored and separated from the Golden Monkey. According to Ruth Wilson, the monkey's lack of a voice represented Mrs Coulter, “silencing herself in some way.” If the Golden Monkey does talk in The Amber Spyglass the character and plot significance will be monumental. The tweetalong included a number of other insights from Thorne and, just to be certain, he reiterated that the Golden Monkey is not Ozymandias. "The Golden Monkey is called the Golden Monkey in every single script," he tweeted. His Dark Materials season three is already in development and could air in 2022. “We are working on six out of the eight scripts at the moment and have good outlines for seven and eight, and it’s just very, very exciting,” executive producer Jane Tranter said. “I have to say, Amber Spyglass is my favourite out of the three novels.” While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Stars Wars' original Boba Fett, actor Jeremy Bulloch has died, aged 75
The "quintessential English gentleman" embodied the spirit of Star Wars according to co-stars.
A key member of the original Star Wars trilogy, English actor Jeremy Bulloch, who played Mandalorian warrior and bounty hunter Boba Fett, has died, aged 75. The news emerged on Thursday on his Facebook page, while Daniel Logan, who played the same role in the prequel Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones wrote on Instagram: "I’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER.!! CONVENTIONS WONT BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU ALWAYS". Star Wars tweeted its tribute: "He will be remembered not only for his iconic portrayal of the legendary character, but also for his warmth and generous spirit which have become an enduring part of his rich legacy." His co-star in the trilogy, Mark Hamill, posted: "Jeremy Bulloch was the quintessential English gentleman. A fine actor, delightful company & so kind to everyone lucky enough to meet or work with him. I will deeply miss him & am so grateful to have known him." Bulloch wore Boba Fett's armour in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and because he was wearing a mask was able to play another role in the films: he appeared as an Imperial officer in The Empire Strikes Back. He also played Captain Colton in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The legacy of Boba Fett lives on in Disney+ hit series The Mandalorian: the character is played by Temuera Morrison, who actually played Fett's father Jengo in Episode II — Attack of the Clones. Born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, Bulloch had a long and colourful career as an actor. He had recurring roles in Doctor Who as Hal and Tor during the '60s and '70s, he played Edward of Wickham in the classic '80s adventure series Robin of Sherwood and he had roles in a number of James Bond movies, including The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. The message on his Facebook page reads: "Jeremy died peacefully on 17th December 2020 following health complications, including several years living with Parkinson’s disease. He spent his final weeks in the wonderful care of staff at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, close to the house where he and his wife Maureen had lived together for more than fifty years. Maureen and two of his sons, Jamie and Robbie, were with him during his final days. Jeremy had a long and happy life as an actor and was best known for his roles in the films Summer Holiday, Star Wars and James Bond; TV series the Newcomers, Doctor Who, Agony and Robin of Sherwood, and several West End theatre productions. Away from the screen Jeremy was a talented footballer and cricketer. He also supported a number of charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital who saved his granddaughter’s life. He was devoted to his wife, three sons and ten grandchildren, who all love him dearly and will miss him terribly." Read the full character history of Boba Fett.
A reboot of classic '70s drama Little House on the Prairie is underway
The Laura Ingalls Wilder novels are being adapted for a new generation.
With the prevailing taste for adaptations of television classics, it's a surprise it has taken so long for a new version of Little House on the Prairie to be developed. But that hole has just been filled by news of Paramount TV Studios and Anonymous Content working together on a reboot. Little House on the Prairie was a hit long-running '70s series set in the late 19th Century in the struggling farming community of Minnesota, based on the novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It starred Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert and ran for more than 200 episodes between 1974-1983. EW reports that unlike the other "little" (Little Women) of that era, Little House on the Prairie has been left surprisingly undeveloped for modern TV audiences, although interest in the series has never disappeared. Ingalls Wilder's novels were turned into a half-hearted mini-series on The Wonderful World of Disneyand it was the subject of a touring musical in the late 2000s, but the announcement is the first meaningful modern adaptation. Producer Tripe Friendly told EW recently: "Fans are eager to see Little House on the Prairie come back to the screen, and we agree the time is right. We feel optimistic that this will happen.” Former Little House on the Prairie star Alison Arngrim, who played snobbish Nellie Oleson, is keen to be involved: "I’m just the right age to play Mrs Oleson... I’m totally there. I have no shame!” Bonanza star Michael Landon, who played the head of the family Charles Ingalls, died in 1991, but Melissa Gilbert, who starred as the author Laura "Half-Pint" Ingalls, is active. Co-producer Anonymous Content is a thriving creative force, with the likes of Homecoming, Dickinson and 13 Reasons Why in its catalogue. Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Little House series of novels are available to buy on Amazon, Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
MasterChef: The Professionals crowns 2020 winner
The new MasterChef: The Professionals champion put all his "heart and soul on a plate" in the final. *CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Born and bred Essex chef Alex Webb became the 14th champion of MasterChef: The Professionals on Thursday night, a performance during which judge Marcus Wareing said the 25-year-old "came of age". Alex said: "It is the best feeling I have ever had in my life. To walk away with the trophy is incredible. I am so proud.” Marcus said: “Today was Alex’s finest day... He is a brilliant young chef, I love his thirst for knowledge, and he has cooked beyond his years. MasterChef is about the next generation and for me as a chef I see Alex as the future.” Alex said that he had put all his “heart and soul on a plate” in the menu for the final. He started with a scallop ceviche with an artichoke and pickled pear tartare, yoghurt foam, parsley powder and crispy capers finished with a watercress oil. Marcus said: “You are very brave… the watercress oil is a point of genius, it works a treat. I could eat that all day long." Alex’s main was pan seared trout, with parsnip crisps, parsnip coleslaw, roasted parsnip, parsley gel and a parsnip puree, finished with a mussel and caviar cream sauce, served with a mini potato fish pie topped with caviar and parsley powder. MasterChef judge Monica Galetti said: “It is just fabulous.” Finally, Alex served a white chocolate and passionfruit dome, with passionfruit pearls, a Prosecco sorbet on a feuilletine and dark chocolate base served with a passionfruit cocktail and passionfruit powder party poppers. Host Gregg Wallace told him: “I have nothing to do here but heap praise on your lap: for me with this dessert you have covered yourself in glory.” During finals week, Alex had to defeat rivals Santosh Shah and Bart van Der Lee as they created and delivered a Michelin-standard dish for eight international culinary titans working in Britain today and then create a dish Dedicated to Someone Special. In Alex's case it was for his granddad. Alex said: “I decided to enter MasterChef because I wanted to see how far I could go; winning is something I will always be very proud of. I really wanted it and all the blood sweat and tears, and sleepless nights have paid off.” The man who still works in the same restaurant he began as a pot washer at the age of 15 dreams of owning his own restaurant one day, a target inspired by his role models Jamie Oliver and current boss Spencer Hewitt. He said: “I want to enjoy the moment and make the most of all the opportunities which may be out there. I have lots of ideas for a book and I really enjoyed the experience of being in front of the camera so would like to look into any chances there may be to do more of this. I will continue to work in the restaurant I do now, and I would like to keep learning and pushing myself." Alex takes his place in MasterChef: The Professionals history alongside previous champions: Laurence Henry, Craig Johnston, Gary Maclean, Derek Johnstone, Steve Groves, Claire Lara, Ash Mair, joint winners Keri Moss and Anton Piotrowski, Steven Edwards, Jamie Scott, Mark Stinchcombe and last year’s winner, Stu Deeley. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Helen George says Call the Midwife is a "love letter to the NHS"
The star says the festive special is a "Christmas miracle" AND a tribute to the health service.
Helen George says this year's Call the Midwife festive special is something of a "Christmas miracle" and even more so than usual is a "love letter to the NHS" after the incredible work the healthcare professionals have done during the COVID-19 pandemic. George, who plays nurse Trixie Franklin in the BBC One period drama set at the East London convent of Nonnatus House, heaped praise on the health service during an appearance on The One Show. "I just pretend to be [a nurse], they actually do the work," she said. "I think Call the Midwife has always been a bit of a love letter to the NHS and it's fantastic, but now... [in] times of crisis and the pandemic, we're really seeing how we need the NHS and how they are the backbone of our society and hopefully they will be appreciated in the future." George said the 2020 episode is "everything you would expect from a Call the Midwife Christmas special – "it's very festive, very traditional. The circus comes to town, which we didn't think we were going to be able to film but we managed to. It's just a really lovely, feel good Christmas, but I think there will probably be a few tears along the way". She added that it was quite a feat that it was produced at all, considering the coronavirus complications. "We didn't know if we were going to be able to film it because we were supposed to start when lockdown happened originally. The fact we even made it is quite frankly a Christmas miracle," she said. The action takes place at the end of 1965, when a circus comes to Poplar, with a very familiar ringmaster, Peter Davison, fresh from his role in BBC One drama Life. The special also sees the return of a Call the Midwife character we’ve seen before for a moving storyline with Shelagh Turner (Laura Main), while Trixie receives an upsetting Christmas gift from her aunt – a subscription to a “Marriage Bureau”. Call the Midwife screens on Christmas Day on BBC One at 7.40pm. While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
See first-look trailer for BBC One serial killer drama The Serpent starring Jenna Coleman
Jenna Coleman appears as the accomplice and girlfriend of a ruthless killer in the first trailer.
The BBC has released the first trailer of its new serial killer drama, The Serpent, inspired by the true story of the conman and murderer Charles Sobhraj who led detectives on a merry dance throughout Asia in the mid '70s. The drama is a co-production between the BBC and Netflix and it stars Tahar Rahim as Sobhraj and Jenna Coleman as his girlfriend and accomplice Marie-Andrée Leclerc, who travelled across Thailand, Nepal and India in 1975 and 1976, carrying out a spree of crimes on the ‘Hippie Trail’ and becoming the chief suspects in a series of murders of young Western travellers. Sobhraj is depicted as a charming, cold-hearted psychopath in The Serpent trailer. Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg (The Witness for the Prosecution star Billy Howle), says urgently: "This man will keep killing until he's caught!" "What if he's never caught," responds his partner. View oEmbed on the source website The Serpent charts the path of Sobhraj as he became international crime agency Interpol's most wanted man, while Knippenberg becomes involved in his web of crime and himself sets off an extraordinary chain of events. Notable for Victoria and Doctor Who star Coleman's departure from her usual virtuous roles, The Serpent also co-stars The Trial of Chrstine Keeler actress Ellie Bamber, Amesh Edireweera, Mathilde Warnier, Grégoire Isvarine and Blackadder actor Tim McInnerny. The Serpent is an eight-part, one-hour long series made by Mammoth Screen and conceived and developed by Tom Shankland and Richard Warlow. The Serpent will initially screen on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK on New Year's Day at 9pm, but will later be available outside of the UK and Ireland on Netflix. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Death in Paradise announces January premiere date for season 10
The much-loved murder-mystery series will return early in the New Year.
Death in Paradise has confirmed when its 10th season will premiere on BBC One: the popular murder-mystery series will kick off on Thursday 7th January at 9.00pm. Death in Paradise announced the return of the programme set in the fictional murder capital of the Caribbean, the island of Saint-Marie, on Twitter. View oEmbed on the source website Ralf Little will be back in the lead role of DI Neville Parker in Death in Paradise, but the new season features the return of two much-loved characters in the form of the original lead detective Richard Poole, played by Ben Miller, while Joséphine Jobert will return to the role of DS Florence Cassell. It's not known how DI Poole will return to the show, but it will be a brief comeback. Fans were happy to have the premiere date confirmed. One responded on Twitter: "Frankly amazed you’re coming back as soon as that but thrilled." Another wrote: "Just hearing the theme tune will make the miserable Covid winter feel that bit better". Death in Paradise has become one of the BBC's most-loved programmes since it debuted in 2011, as proven by one American fan, who wrote: "The episodes trickle in on the PBS channel. I see no means of viewing this shows entire season and I don't know how to get this show!!!!! I have the BBC channel but they do not broadcast shows, only news. I am excited, but I will not be able to tune in." Season 10 will consist of eight episodes, airing each Thursday on BBC One. Meet the full cast of Death in Paradise season 10. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Director John McTiernan confirms Die Hard is a Christmas film
The director of the original has finally explained how it became a Christmas classic.
The director of Die Hard, John McTiernan, has released a short video explaining why the original Die Hard movie is a bona fide Christmas film. It's a debate that rears its head each year as the Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman blockbuster invariably crops up among festive television schedules and, despite a fan proving why it is a Christmas movie, it always sparks debate for and against. McTiernan said in his video, first reported in The Hollywood Reporter: "We hadn't intended it to be a Christmas movie, but the joy that came from it is what turned it into a Christmas movie." This may not satisfy the nay-sayers, including star Bruce Willis, but he continues in a particularly rambling fashion that the original Die Hard script sent to him by producer Joel Silver was a terrorist film about particularly nasty people at the heart of capitalism. McTiernan didn't want to make that film – he wanted to make Christmas classic inspired by It's a Wonderful Life, with a working-class hero at the heart of it, which is what John McClane became. The figures of authority and not just the terrorists were all made to be "foolish". View oEmbed on the source website He said there was a "joy" among the cast and crew because they "got it", they understood how the story had changed and been subverted from a straightforward terrorist movie into a parable about greed, a story that's at least as old as Ebeneezer Scrooge and A Christmas Carol. McTiernan related the authoritarians in Die Hard to modern US politicians. "There are genuinely evil people out there," he said. "My hope at Christmas this year is that you will all remember that authoritarians are low-status, angry men who have gone to rich people and said, 'If you give us power, we will make sure nobody takes your stuff.' And their obsessions with guns and boots and uniforms and squad cars and all that stuff. And all those things you amass with power meant to scare us, meant to shut us up so we don't kick them to the side of the road and decent people of the world get on with building a future." Still in doubt? Watch Die Hard on Sky Cinema now or buy it on on DVD from Amazon. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas specials confirmed until 2026
The show's creator Brendan O'Carroll says there will be at least five more years of the specials.
Brendan O'Carroll, the creator of long-running Dublin sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys, has confirmed he has signed a deal with the BBC that guarantees Christmas specials until 2026. O'Carroll told The Irish Sun that the deal had a clause in it which guaranteed the specials would go out at 10.00pm on Christmas Day, otherwise he didn't have to make them. He said: “We’ve been doing it in for nine years already — which is six more than The Royle Family had and more than Morecambe and Wise. This new deal we signed last week goes all the way to 2026, which means I will be able to grow into the part, and we’ve a clause in which guarantees Mrs Brown is aired at 10pm on Christmas night, or else we don’t have to make it." He added: “I wanted that because if it’s not good enough for Christmas Day, then we shouldn’t be making it.” Mrs Brown's Boys is an award-winning programme that divides opinion like few others. It has a substantial and loyal fanbase – at its peak in 2012 the Christmas specials were watched by 11 million viewers, although last year just under five million tuned in, which, in audience share terms, was still significant. The broad comedy of the sitcom set in the Dublin neighbourhood of Finglas has its detractors. One viewer posted on Twitter: "As someone who did stand up, comedy is subjective and usually has its audience. The viewing figures for Mrs. Brown's Boys tend to be some of the biggest. We just gotta like it and lump it." The 2020 Christmas specials were filmed at BBC Scotland in October with the cast having rehearsals on Zoom and daily COVID tests before filming the two episodes. O'Carroll said: “When we arrive in Pacific Quay, the HQ of BBC Scotland, we light up the whole place. They let us take the place over. We just get on with everybody. Not just our crew but the people working in the offices. It goes back to when we made the very first Mrs Brown series, we connected with everyone at BBC Scotland." The Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas specials screen on BBC One on Christmas Day at 10.00pm and New Year's Day at 10.00pm. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
Disney confirms Lizzie McGuire reboot is not "moving forward"
The revival of much-loved teenage comedy drama had started production in 2019.
Disney has confirmed that the Lizzie McGuire reboot will not be going ahead, while its star Hilary Duff said "despite everyone's best efforts, it isn't going to happen". The revamp of the much-loved series has been in doubt for some time, ever since show runner Terri Minsky left the show in January in a disagreement over the direction of the reboot. According to EW, Disney wanted to keep the show PG-friendly and suitable for Disney+, but Minsky and Duff wanted to be faithful to the life of the now 30-year-old central character. Duff wanted the show transferred to Disney's more adult Hulu streaming platform. A Disney spokesperson told EW, “Lizzie McGuire fans have high expectations for any new stories. Unless and until we are confident we can meet those expectations, we’ve decided to hold off and today, we informed the cast’s representatives that we are not moving forward with the planned series.” Duff, who starred as the teenager on Disney Channel from 2001-2004, said on Instagram that she wanted any reboot to be "honest and authentic to who Lizzie would be today". "It's what the character deserves," she said. "We can all take a moment to mourn the amazing woman she would have been and the amazing adventures we would have taken." The Lizzie McGuire reboot started filming in November last year before coming to a halt in January. Minsky left the production soon after while Disney said the revival would be heading "in a different creative direction". Lizzie McGuire ran for 65 episodes over two seasons, plus one feature-length movie in 2003, and its depiction of the life of the awkward teenager desperate for a popularity made a star out of Duff. She signed off her Instagram post: "I'm very said, I promise everyone tried their best and the stars just didn't align. Hey now, this is what 2020s made of." Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.