The Outlaws season 2 release date confirmed
Stephen Merchant's comedy-drama is coming back very soon.
The Outlaws season 2 air date has been confirmed. Stephen Merchant's comedy-drama following a group of strangers who meet on community service will be back for its second season on BBC One on 5th June 2022, with all episodes arriving on BBC iPlayer then too. The news was exclusively announced at a special preview of the opening episode at the BFI IMAX as part of the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival. The Outlaws was a big hit when it was released last year, becoming the BBC’s biggest comedy launch of 2021 with 11 million streams on iPlayer. Read more: The Outlaws shares first look at season 2 of Stephen Merchant comedy As well as writer-director Merchant, the cast includes Eleanor Tomlinson, Gamba Cole, Darren Boyd, Clare Perkins and Jessica Gunning, all of whom took part in a cast Q&A at today's season 2 premiere. Elsewhere, Academy Award winner Christopher Walken, Rhianne Barreto, Charles Babalola, Nina Wadia, Dolly Wells and Ian McElhinney also return for the second instalment, along with Dracula star Claes Bang, who promises to play a key role in the new episodes as the mysterious and menacing Dean. The new episodes were filmed back-to-back with the first season due to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking about the unusual filming conditions at today's Q&A, Merchant joked: "Well it turns out that shooting two series of a show under a pandemic is a nightmare, and I would suggests no one ever does it. "Particularly if one of your key cast members is 79-year-old Oscar winner Christopher Walken, because every day you're on a knife edge hoping he doesn't get COVID. If anyone even looks like they're going to sneeze near him, you jump in front of him like you're taking a bullet for the president." Gamba Cole joins Episode 39 of The Radio Times Podcast - listen now! The official synopsis for The Outlaws season 2 reads: "Following on directly from the first series, the Outlaws still have time to serve on their sentences - but now they must face the fallout from their actions. If they thought the criminal underworld or the local police were done with them, they are sorely mistaken. "The Outlaws must depend on one another while working with unlikely allies to atone for their sins - but can they save themselves without sacrificing their souls?" The BFI & Radio Times Television Festival concludes on 22nd May and you can book the last remaining tickets here. The Outlaws season 2 will air on BBC One on 5th June, with all episodes arriving on BBC iPlayer. Season 1 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
BFI and Radio Times announce Bridgerton panel
The Bridgerton cast will be reuniting for the BFI and Radio Times' virtual event.
Calling all Bridgerton fans! BFI and Radio Times are teaming up to host an exclusive online event with the Bridgerton cast and the creator of Netflix's hit period drama. Set to be the talk of the town, the digital event, which will stream on the BFI's YouTube channel, will see broadcaster Kirsty Lang in conversation with Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and several cast members, including stars Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Bridgerton) and Regé-Jean Page (Duke of Hastings) to chat about all things season two. Joining them on the virtual panel as part of the Television Festival are stars Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton), Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury) and Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton). During the event, which will be available from 7pm on Wednesday 27th January, the panel will be discussing "the show's groundbreaking approach to character and plot, diverse casting" as well as use of contemporary music, visual splendour and adapting Julia Quinn's hugely popular novels. Bridgerton, which landed on Netflix on Christmas Day, has since climbed the platform's streaming chart thanks to its Regency era drama, saucy scenes and scintillating scandals. The new issue of Radio Times – out Tuesday 26th January. The series, produced by Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes, looks at the competitive world of London's Ton in the 1800's, where well-to-do families enter their debutantes in the marriage market. The eight-part series mainly focuses on the Bridgerton family, who are the subject of the anonymous Lady Whistledown's scandal sheets and whose eldest daughter Daphne makes her social season debut. For more information on how to join the BFI and Radio Times' Television Festival and how to watch the free-to-view event, please visit: bfi.org.uk. BFI & Radio Times' Bridgerton panel will be available from 7pm on Wednesday 27th January. Read an exclusive Bridgerton season 2 interview in Radio Times magazine's Bridgerton Special – out on Tuesday 26th. To subscribe, click here. Bridgerton is available to watch on Netflix. You can order the Bridgerton novels on Amazon. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide
When is I Am Nicola, I Am Kirsty and I Am Hannah on TV? Samantha Morton, Gemma Chan and Vicky McClure star in Channel 4 drama series
The emotionally-charged series includes three female-led anthology films
Channel 4's ambitious new anthology series "I Am..." stars Oscar nominee Samantha Morton, Humans' Gemma Chan and Line of Duty's Vicky McClure in three standalone "female-led" stories. Created by Bafta winner Dominic Savage (The Escape), each hour-long film follows a different women as they experience "moments that are emotionally raw, thought-provoking and utterly personal". Shot over the summer and autumn of 2018, each of the three episodes is co-authored and developed by its female lead, a collaborative process that Samantha Morton compared to "singing a duet" during a Q&A at the BFI & Radio Times Festival. Vicky McClure, Gemma Chan and Samantha Morton to star in trio of “emotionally raw” TV films 15 books you need to read before they become TV series and movies in 2019 The biggest movies of 2019 The first episode is called I Am Nicola, starring Vicky McClure, while the second is called I Am Kirsty, which stars Samantha Morton (Minority Report). The third, starring Gemma Chan, is called I Am Hannah. Here's everything you need to know about the I Am... series: When is I Am Nicola on TV? The hour-long films begin airing on Tuesday 23rd July at 10pm on Channel 4, starting with I Am Nicola. I Am Kirsty and I Am Hannah are expected to air over the following weeks. Is there a trailer for Channel 4's I Am... series? There is indeed — showing the ups and downs of McClure, Morton and Chan's characters, it offers an intriguing glimpse into the dramatic heft of the films. View oEmbed on the source website What is I Am Nicola about? I Am Nicola will star Line of Duty actress Vicky McClure and Perry Fitzpatrick, telling the story of a dysfunctional and coercive relationship. The two actors have actually known each other since they first began acting together as kids, and the whole story came together as a collaborative effort with plenty of improvisation. McClure's character Nicola is a hairdresser "dissatisfied with her life and envious of her customer's exciting new experiences." But her partner Adam (played by Fitzpatrick) "views her desire for a change as a personal attack, sending their relationship into a downward spiral of arguments, guilt and reconciliation." "It’s not a carbon copy of an experience I’ve had, but it's moments from experiences I’ve had from past relationships, it’s moments I’ve seen my friends go through," McClure told press. "You hear stories, you see stories. It’s a real amalgamation of being in a relationship that’s not working. "In some ways, it can come across as mundane because someone’s not having an affair and there’s not big scenarios, it’s the little things that cut deep and when they’re happening to you it feels like your world’s going to fall apart. And that’s what it was, it was predominantly what we wanted to create." The duo spent ten days in a rented house with a stripped-back film crew, working with a story structure but creating dialogue together. It's not the first time "coercive control" has been represented in TV drama, but Fitzpatrick said: "I think we approach it from a different angle than perhaps we’ve seen before on screen so much. I’d say that the spectrum of abuse is so wide and we often see the extremes and their easier warning signs perhaps, red flags for people to notice in relationships that things aren’t right or they’re not happy. "But unfortunately there are a lot of situations where they’re not entirely sure why they’re not happy, on both sides, and that’s where we’ve tried to focus on, the real subtlety of it." "It’s not a campaign film, it’s a character piece," McClure added. What is Channel 4's I Am Kirsty about? In I Am Kirsty, Samantha Morton stars opposite Paul Kaye's Ryan, who's described as a menacing presence in Kirsty's life. Kirsty is struggling to keep afloat and protect her two young daughters. Working as a cleaner, she is having difficulties paying off debts and, after a frank conversation with a colleague, she contemplates sex work as a means of earning money. The film explores the sacrifices she makes for her family — and how far she's willing to go to ensure their survival. “Kirsty’s story is deeply influenced by my own experiences and is autobiographical at its heart,” Morton said. “Sadly, the issues explored in this show – poverty, austerity, desperation – are all too real for so many people and I feel strongly that it’s so important that we can speak openly about that.” Series producer Krishnendu Majumdar said, “Dominic Savage’s work always speaks to the most contemporary and urgent of questions, taking a scalpel to modern life.” Speaking at the BFI & Radio Times Festival about how she conceived of Kirsty, Morton, who spent many of her early years in care, said: "As a child I was around two women who — two different women — who were forced into sex work through poverty or a man forcing them to do it for money. "And that was, when I played Tracy in [British TV series] Band of Gold, that was my source material for that, all those years ago. And also living in children's homes and around children who were exploited into sex work." Speaking at the same event, Dominic Savage said: "It was interesting because, looking into it I met some women who had done this [worked as sex workers]... I knew that what we were dealing with is something that is real and is happening. I was very keen to try and describe what these things feel like, what the harshness of it and really the devastation and the impossibility of the situation. "[While filming on] the estate that was in the film, the amount of people who I met living with kids, single parents, that were very close to the edge and had actually had this experience as well." What is I Am Hannah about? "Series finale" I Am Hannah marks a return to Channel 4 for Humans star Chan, and deals with a woman in her 30s struggling with societal and family expectations. “Like many women I know, Hannah is struggling with the anxiety that comes with living in a society that constantly reminds women about their ‘biological clock,’” Chan said. “At its core, her story is about someone trying to free themselves from expectation, both internal and external.” For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Who stars in the I Am... series? You'll no doubt recognise I Am Nicola actress Vicky McClure from her starring role as Kate in the long-running BBC1 Line of Duty series. She's also starred as Lol in the This Is England film and television series. Gemma Chan plays Hannah, a 30-something woman facing societal pressure. She's starred in Humans, Captain Marvel, Crazy Rich Asians, and recently played Bess of Hardwick in Mary Queen of Scots alongside Margot Robbie. Two-time Oscar-nominee Samantha Morton plays Kirsty, a single mum struggling to keep her family afloat after her partner walks out on them. Morton has starred in numerous Hollywood films, including Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, Minority Report, Elizabeth: the Golden Age, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. She's also appeared in various television series, including The Walking Dead, The Rosie Project and Harlots. Co-starring with Morton is Paul Kaye who plays Ryan, a parent at the same school where Kirsty's two daughters attend. He runs into Kirsty after she receives some difficult news. Perhaps best known for playing Thoros of Myr in HBO's fantasy epic Game of Thrones, Kaye has appeared in BBC's Mongrels, After Life, Vera and Cold Feet. Recently he's played Lawrence in Wanderlust and Jim Winshaw in Three Girls, and starred as Tanner in Channel 4's Year of the Rabbit.
Russell T Davies won’t return to Doctor Who – even for an anniversary special
However, the former showrunner's new BBC1 series will be travelling to the future
It’s now been over 14 years since Doctor Who made its big 21st-century comeback when showrunner Russell T Davies successfully established a new era for the Time Lord. However, despite earning God/Doctor-like status among Whovians after his five years helming the BBC show, Davies has vowed not to write another episode. Russell T Davies explains why he won’t return to write A Very English Scandal sequel Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston threatened to sue the BBC after quitting show Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes /subscribe on Google Podcasts Speaking about a possible return to Who at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival, Davies told us a comeback will never be on the cards – even if he had the opportunity to write a special Who 60th anniversary episode. “It'll be like coming back to a job I did 10 years ago, wouldn’t it? Who would do that?” View oEmbed on the source website Seems like Davies' views haven’t shifted since he penned the novelisation of episode Rose. Speaking then, he said: “Really, think about it. Go back to the job you had 13 years ago. Or go back to your old school. Walk in, say hello, take your old seat. And start giving instructions! Watch everyone’s faces. Shortly before they call the police. “Move on! And besides. Why look back? The future is golden.” Although he won’t be returning to Who, Davies’ upcoming TV project Years and Years will be another time-jumping drama – but won’t include a Tardis. Instead, the six-part series starring Emma Thompson will follow one family, the Lyons from Manchester, through events of a near and dangerous future. Everything you need to know about Russell T Davies' new series Years and Years “It jumps five years ahead in the first episode and then every week it goes forward another year more or less. But in the end, it will be set 15 years in the future,” Davies explained. “The world has got madder over the past few years,” he added. “I thought of this series before the 2008 recession – before Trump, before Brexit. I sat back as the world got madder and madder and truly the night of Trump’s election, I emailed the head of drama at the BBC saying if Trump gets in I was going to write it now!” View oEmbed on the source website Of course, there’s one big question many fans need to know about Years and Years: will Doctor Who still exist in this mad version of 2035? "Of course it will!” Davies told us with a laugh. “Doctor Who is forever! It's the one unchanging thing in the world!” Years and Years will be BBC1 Spring 2018
Derry Girls writer reveals James may join a rival gang in series three
The wee English fella isn't leaving Derry – but could he be ditching Erin and the girls for a rival gang?
The series two finale of Derry Girls ended on a surprisingly uplifting note, with wee English fella James (Dylan Llewellyn) choosing not to leave Derry for good after all. But now the writer of the Bafta-nominated sitcom has revealed that although James isn’t leaving Northern Ireland, he could be ditching the Derry Girls for a rival gang in series three. Derry Girls renewed for series three Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn: I didn’t understand any Northern Irish slang – but learning it was cool Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes / subscribe on Google Podcasts Speaking about her plans for a third series, Lisa McGee told RadioTimes.com at the BFI & Radio Times Festival: “I was thinking about maybe one of them joining another gang, a rival gang, and how the others try to get them back and deal with that.” Who could be the Judas breaking away from the group? “I think James, maybe,” McGee teased. James hasn’t exactly been welcomed into the gang with open arms since the day he arrived as the only English kid in the school for girls, and he finds it pretty hard to keep up with all the slang – so it’s wouldn't be the biggest shock if he became the one to split off. But there was a very touching moment between him and his cousin Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell) in the series two finale, where after a lot of tough love and teasing, Michelle finally showed her vulnerable side and asked James to stay. McGee – who in a recent interview revealed there also might be more to explore with James and Erin’s (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) budding romance – added: “I’m just thinking about storylines at the minute. I have a political back story I want to do. It’s a bit scary but I’ll have to start writing things down soon. “We’ll continue from ’95 so obviously it was very different for us then: for one thing all these splinter organisations came out of nowhere, which was quite strange, and then people were just getting used to peace time. “They had more to lose, I think, and we didn’t want it to go wrong because it was something we all really wanted. It was something everyone was afraid to dream of and then it was happening, so it's scarier in a way, the idea of losing that.”
Big Narstie explains why he pulled out of Celebrity Bake Off
The grime star opened up about his health scare – and how he's still proud of his dog biscuit bake
Although well on his way to stealing James Acaster’s worst ever Bake Off contestant crown, Big Narstie sadly had to pull out halfway through Channel 4's Stand Up to Cancer celebrity competition. Host Sandi Toksvig became "Little Narstie" as she stood in for the godfather of British grime, with co-presenter Noel Fielding telling the bakers Big Narstie was “a little bit unwell”. While the show didn’t give any more details about his illness, the MC recently revealed to RadioTimes.com that he had collapsed the night before filming and had to visit hospital. Prue Leith aiming “to at least equal Mary Berry” on Bake Off Is Big Narstie the best weather presenter ever? (Yes.) Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes /subscribe on Google Podcasts View oEmbed on the source website “Truth be told, between TV and my music career, they've been working me like a prostitute,” he said when asked about his withdrawal at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival. “So f***ing nine days with only 24 hours sleep…I f***ing collapsed, you get me? I went to hospital. That was a wake up that I really needed to slow down. I'm only a human being. I'm not a robot. Adding how he planned to slow down his working life, Narstie said: “I realised that opportunities don't mean s*** if you're not healthy. If I haven't rested or I haven't slept or had food or done the normal basic things as a human being, how could I stand in front of a camera and do stuff, you know what I mean? It's mad! “When my body just gave up it was crazy! At night I just felt a bit f***ed up and then it all went downhill.” However, despite the health scare, Narstie was delighted about his bakes that did make it to air. Yes, really. “My rasta pie – vibes!” he beamed. “My doggy biscuits were flavours! Snap! It was like school biscuits with custard!” We're unsure exactly what sort of custard cream Narstie was talking about here, but judging by his interpretation of shortbread, we're not sure we want to know...
Bodyguard creator Jed Mercurio: there was a "discussion" about NOT killing off that main character
Jed Mercurio told Bodyguard fans at the BFI & Radio Times Festival that he considered changing the outcome of the mid-season bomb attack
It was a defining moment in 2018's hit thriller Bodyguard – but creator Jed Mercurio says he actually considered not killing off Keeley Hawes' character Julia Montague. Asked whether there was a point where he considered keeping her in the BBC drama, Mercurio told the audience at the BFI & Radio Times Festival: "Oh sure, of course." He added: "We examine everything, and there certainly was that discussion." Jed Mercurio is “optimistic” we’ll get a second series of Bodyguard Line of Duty writer Jed Mercurio has been planning the 'H' conspiracy from day one Who is ‘H’ in Line of Duty? Meet the suspects Bodyguard fans were stunned when Home Secretary Julia Montague was hit by a massive bomb blast in the cliffhanger ending to episode three. Had she lived or died? And would Jed Mercurio really kill off one of his main characters – just like that? The answer came in the next episode, when a horrified David Budd (Richard Madden) heard the news: Julia had died of her injuries in hospital. But crucially, Mercurio decided not to show the Home Secretary's actual death or her body – a choice which left many fans convinced that Julia was still alive. So was this always the plan, or did Mercurio ever contemplate showing her death on screen? "Yeah we did. We did consider that as well," the showrunner revealed. "It was purely actually about the point of view, and I think we're all familiar with some shows where you're watching it and you're thinking, hang on, how is that person witnessing – you know what hospitals are like! Try getting into an operating theatre, it's not easy. So it felt like if we were staying true to the idea that it was David Budd's point of view, there was no circumstance in which he would be allowed in. "So, what we created was a sense of him observing the news being given, and then it kind of plays on his mind about whether – firstly that he's been excluded from that moment and he feels tremendous responsibility for it, but then, yes, it also opens up that other possibility, which is: he hasn't seen the body. "It's not so much that the audience hasn't, it's that David Budd hasn't seen the body. So that was something that was useful to us if we wanted to exploit it." As for why he decided to have Julia die in hospital after the terror attack instead of killing her in the explosion itself, he explained: "Well, there was definitely intentional ambiguity... The choice was that it was instant or there was something to play with dramatically by having an aftermath. We felt that the best way to go was to create an aftermath." All that ambiguity certainly paid off – more than the team behind Bodyguard had ever imagined. There was feverish speculation from fans as the whole nation tried to work out what exactly was going on. "Well it was something that did take us by surprise," Mercurio said. "And Keeley, as well – we were quite overwhelmed by the theories that were coming out. So we did, I suppose, milk it." Bodyguard is available on Netflix now
Russell T Davies explains why he won't return to write A Very English Scandal sequel
The writer said writing the follow-up to the BBC anthology series would be like "getting lightning to strike twice"
After a critically-acclaimed first series, writer Russell T Davies has said he has no plans to pen more episodes of A Very English Scandal. Although it was recently revealed by RadioTimes.com that the BBC1 drama would be turned into an anthology series akin to American Crime Story, Davies told us that returning would be like “getting lightning to strike twice”. Helen Mirren on the shift in roles for women on TV: ‘It’s taken much too long, but it’s finally happened’ Nurse Trixie actress Helen George: I’ll do Call the Midwife “till I’m dead” Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes / subscribe on Google Podcasts View oEmbed on the source website “No, I think I had a scandal that was tailor-made for me there,” Davies said at the BFI and Radio Times TV Festival when asked if he’d write again for the show. Referring to his 2018 series – which centred on Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe (played by Hugh Grant) and his desperate attempts to cover up an affair with Ben Whishaw's Norman Josiffe (better known in the media as Norman Scott) – Davies added: “I always wanted to tell the story of Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott. And I loved writing every single second of it. But it would be like getting lightning to strike twice if I did it [again]. Good luck to [the new team] – how many scandals have there been in our society? A million! But, for me, [the Jeremy Thorpe scandal] was the one.” While Davies’ series was anchored in the 1970s, the second series of the show will jump back to examine the 1963 sex scandal involving Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll. While divorcing her husband Ian Campbell, it emerged Margaret had been involved in several extramarital affairs, allegedly with a number of figures holding positions of power. As executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins previously told RadioTimes.com, “The Duchess of Argyll was the first woman to be publicly slut-shamed. “We’re going to focus on the very public divorce from her second husband. He went through her private desk and found a list of all the men she’d slept with, as well as three polaroid photos of her wearing only her pearls and giving a blow job to a man whose head was out of the picture. “At the time, the news was in all the papers – people thought that it could have been a member of the royal family or the government or a Hollywood actor. No one still knows who it was.” The cast nor writer have yet been unveiled for the series, but Treadwell-Collins revealed it would be penned by a woman (“for a feminist scandal, I need a female writer”). RadioTimes.com understands that Sarah Phelps (Ordeal by Innocence, Witness for the Prosecution) is being lined up to adapt the story. Davies also told RadioTimes.com that he had no plans to develop a new episode of his cult hit Queer as Folk. "I don't think the demand is that great, to be honest," he said. "It's quite a niche show from the past. I'd love to, but I can't quite think of a satisfactory time when a whole series could be brought back in its own right." However, Davies added there's a chance, however small, that the show could return for a small special. "Maybe there's a charity-themed something to be done one day perhaps, but there's nothing planned." However, there is a new Davies series hitting screens soon: Years and Years. Following one family – the Lyons from Manchester – the series will present a version of the near future where the uncertain society of today becomes ever-more dangerous. "The world has got madder over the past few years," Davies explained. "I thought of this series before the 2008 recession, before Trump, before Brexit. I sat back as the world got madder and madder and truly the night of Trump's election, I emailed the head of drama at the BBC saying if Trump gets in I was going to write it now!" "I was the only person celebrating Trump's victory because I got a commission!" he added, with a laugh. Years and Years is set to air on BBC1 in spring 2019
Charlie Brooker reveals even more scenes that were cut from Bandersnatch
From unlocking achievements to showing a full 90-minute movie, the Black Mirror creator reveals the weirder ideas that never made it to the final film
There are hundreds of different journeys that Black Mirror viewers can take through the narrative of its interactive Netflix movie Bandersnatch – and now show creator Charlie Brooker has revealed there could have been even more. Speaking at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, Brooker and co-showrunner Annabel Jones spoke about the number of scenes and ideas they eventually had to cut from Bandersnatch, as they attempted to build the paths through the drama. Back in January Brooker and Jones revealed some of the grisly deleted scenes from Bandersnatch – find out more about what else was left on the cutting room floor below... The best TV shows to watch on Netflix How many endings does Black Mirror’s interactive film Bandersnatch have? Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes / subscribe on Google Podcasts 'Achievements unlocked' Charlie Brooker said his initial idea involved leaning even more heavily in to the video game concept, saying that he thought about ways that viewers/players could unlock special bonus features by completing tasks in the show. “I wanted it to unlock achievements like an Xbox does,” he said of Bandersnatch, adding that he maintains that “it would have been a good idea” despite co-showrunner Annabel Jones not being so keen. While Brooker didn’t go into detail about exactly what the rewards for viewers could be, but we're kinda happy we don't have to spend hours and hours exploring every corner of Stefan's bleak, doom-laden world. Cereal killers The very first choice that viewers make in Bandersnatch is whether protagonist Stefan eats Frosties or Sugar Puffs for breakfast. It sounds like a fairly benign choice, considering viewers are later asked to choose between cutting up a body or burying it, but it turns out Brooker wanted to bring back the cereals in a gruesome scene later on in the film. “The pay-off for choosing the cereal later on,” explains Brooker, “when you hit Dad with the ash tray and kill him, was going to be cutting to a shot of Frosties or Sugar Puffs being splattered with blood, depending on what you’d chosen. “But it turns out Kellogg’s aren’t keen on having their product associated with patricide.” Fair enough. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’s cereal choice was originally way more significant A film within a film Perhaps the most meta idea that Brooker had for Bandersnatch which didn’t make the cut was his plan to sandwich an entire 90-minute movie in the middle of the film. “There’s a bit where Stefan gets a VHS of a documentary and puts it on and watches it, and I wanted to make it so you had an option to put two tapes in, and one of them has got a film on it so you can watch the whole film. “I wanted to license a 90-minute film so you could watch the whole thing or back out at any time. We’d have shot Fionn [Whitehead] sitting there watching the whole film – I really liked the idea of that.” Find out more about Black Mirror season five here
Helen Mirren on the shift in roles for women on TV: 'It’s taken much too long, but it's finally happened'
Actress Helen Mirren has been inducted into the Radio Times Hall of Fame alongside David Attenborough, Joanna Lumley and Michael Palin
Helen Mirren has said the shift in TV roles for women has "finally happened" – but it has "taken too long." Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of her induction into the Radio Times Hall of Fame, the actress said she had noted a "massive" change within the TV industry over the last few years. Terminator Genisys actor Jason Clarke to star opposite Helen Mirren in new Sky drama Catherine the Great Move over Cumberbatch – Mark Gatiss says "three quarters of the population" will fancy Dracula Mirren first appeared on television in 1967 and, in an acting career spanning five decades, has starred in more than 130 films and TV shows including Prime Suspect, The Queen, and Gosford Park. Asked about whether roles for women on the small screen had shifted, Mirren said: "Absolutely. In the last five years, incredible. It's taken a long time, taken too long, much too long. But I think it's finally happened." Ahead of her return to TV in Catherine the Great on Sky Atlantic, Mirren said her role as DCI Jane Tennison in crime drama Prime Suspect had "absolutely" been a game-changer for female characters on TV. "I got lucky. I got the role," she said, crediting the female writer and producer behind the show: "I took that ball and I ran with it, if you like, but the insemination of that was Lynda La Plante and Sally Head." Mirren's Hall of Fame induction marks the final night of the BFI & Radio Times Festival, as she joins existing members David Attenborough, Joanna Lumley and Michael Palin. "I'm obviously in very good company, and it's an honour," she said, joking: "Do I get a badge?" The ceremony is also a chance to look back over a long and varied career on screen. "I started thinking about the number of TV things I've done, and I suddenly realised, my goodness I've actually done a huge amount of television," Mirren said. "Of great variety as well, in the past. So it's kind of nice to revisit that... it made me think about all those things that I haven't thought about in a long time." But there's one downside to a Hall of Fame induction, Mirren joked: "It is a little bit of an indication of the fact you might be getting a little past it... there's that slight feeling: oh dear, is this the end?"
Nurse Trixie actress Helen George: I'll do Call the Midwife "till I'm dead"
Don't ever doubt Helen George's commitment to Call the Midwife
Helen George has no plans to quit Call the Midwife – and the actress revealed that only death itself will prevent her from starring as Nurse Trixie Anderson. Trixie has been part of the Call the Midwife line-up since the very first episode in 2012. Over the years we have seen her become one of the pillars of Nonnatus House; her only absence from the show came in series seven when Helen George went on maternity leave to have her daughter, while Trixie herself disappeared abroad to recover from a relapse into alcoholism. Writer Heidi Thomas on plans for a possible Call the Midwife movie Here's how Helen George disguised her baby bump in Call the Midwife Filming begins on Call the Midwife series 9 Speaking at the BFI & Radio Times Festival, George responded to a question about whether she planned to stick around "until the end" of Call the Midwife with the words: "Oh I do, till I'm dead." Frankly, you can't get much more committed than that. It looks like Call the Midwife fans will be seeing plenty more of George for years to come, as series nine, 10 and 11 have already been commissioned and the future of the BBC1 drama is secure until at least 2022. Creator and writer Heidi Thomas also told the audience at the BFI in London that the nuns she'd consulted were "vexed" when Call the Midwife did not lead to a rise in women taking the veil. While applications from students hoping to train as midwives initially rose after series one was broadcast, Thomas reported there was "no increase in people applying to become nuns. Which the nuns were quite surprised and vexed about. But I think - we're obviously going to have to up our game."
Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn: I didn’t understand any Northern Irish slang – but learning it was cool
From “wee’un” to “ride”, the only English kid in the Channel 4 comedy had a lot to learn
Dylan Llewellyn’s character James in Derry Girls sticks out like a sore thumb. Not only is he the sole boy in a school for girls, but he’s also the only English kid in the Northern Irish comedy. It turns out it’s not just James who’s a bit out of his depth when it comes to keeping up with the Derry Girls – the actor who plays him also had a lot of Northern Irish vernacular to learn on set. “I am a Derry Girl!” – fans celebrate uplifting ending to Derry Girls series two Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee breaks down the series 2 finale and what might happen next Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes / subscribe on Google Podcasts View oEmbed on the source website “I didn’t understand any of it,” Llewellyn admitted to an audience at the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival. He initially misheard “wee’un” which means 'child' (“Who’s Wayne?” he laughed) and marvelled at the fact that “wee” can mean both “small or big,” “Learning new slang was cool,” he said, "“it’s like a whole new thing, it’s brilliant.” Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who plays Erin, added that she thinks the word “ride” – meaning “to sleep with”– is “lovely”. “I remember when I first moved to England and I was at uni,” she said, “and I would be asking my friends, ‘Did you ride him?’ And they’d be like, ‘That’s so grotesque.’ “I actually don’t think that, I think it’s a much nicer word. It’s lovely, it’s so much better. It’s more casual." Laughing, she concluded: "Ah no, that was not the right thing to say…” Show writer Lisa McGee helped the actress out by adding: “It’s more adventurous.” Derry Girls was recently renewed for a third series, so here’s hoping there’ll be plenty more slang – and adventures – to look forward to.
Move over Cumberbatch – Mark Gatiss says "three quarters of the population" will fancy Dracula
Danish actor Claes Bang stars as the eponymous vampire in the BBC/Netflix co-production
BBC1's Sherlock transformed its lead actor Benedict Cumberbatch into an international sex symbol — and according to its co-creator Mark Gatiss, the upcoming BBC/Netflix adaptation of Dracula is set to do the exact same for its leading man. Gatiss, who co-wrote both Sherlock and Dracula alongside Doctor Who's Steven Moffat, has said that "three quarters" of the national population will end up fancying Claes Bang, who plays the eponymous vampire. New Dracula series was inspired by a photo of Benedict Cumberbatch, says Mark Gatiss Steven Moffat’s Dracula drama WON'T be set in the modern day Mark Gatiss reveals the part he wants to play in his new Dracula TV series In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com at the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival, Gatiss said: "Claes Bang is a fantastic Dracula. We’re having a really good time. He’s a wonderful man and really thrilled and committed to it, and really enjoying himself. View oEmbed on the source website "He looks amazing and is so up for it, but equally I think he’s asking that question that all people who play big parts like that: 'Well, what do I bring to it, this iconic part?' And I think that’s been very interesting for us to explore together." Asked whether half the population would end up fancying Bang, Gatiss said: "Half the population? I would say three quarters. I don’t know what’s wrong with the other quarter to be honest!" Gatiss also revealed that filming had just wrapped on episode one of Dracula, with some locations shot in Slovakia. "It’s the novel in three 90-minute episodes," he said, "not necessarily exactly the same, not necessarily the same order, but the beats of it are very faithful to the novel. "We just wanted to find all kinds of ways of doing the horror, you know, a lot of that is psychological. There’s quite a lot of really nasty stuff in it which I’m very excited about."
New Dracula series was inspired by a photo of Benedict Cumberbatch, says Mark Gatiss
Gatiss has co-created the BBC/Netflix adaptation alongside Steven Moffat
Sherlock's Mark Gatiss has revealed that the original inspiration behind his upcoming BBC/Netflix series Dracula came from a rather unlikely source: a photograph of Benedict Cumberbatch. Speaking at an event at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival, Gatiss said that the "germ" of the idea came midway through filming the third season of Sherlock. Steven Moffat’s Dracula drama WON'T be set in the modern day Mark Gatiss reveals the part he wants to play in his new Dracula TV series View oEmbed on the source website "It came about several years ago," Gatiss said. "We were filming — we'd just started the third series of Sherlock, where he comes back from the dead, and we had to break off after two days to go to the RTS awards (somebody has to do it) and I had a picture on my phone of Benedict silhouetted against the door of Mrs Hudson's room." "I showed it to Ben Stephenson, who was then the Head of Drama [at the BBC], and I said, 'Looks like Dracula'. And he said, 'Do you want to do it?'" "It didn't happen immediately but that was the germ of it, really. So it just seemed like the natural one to do if we were able to." The three-part literary adaptation is co-written by Gatiss and Steven Moffat, and stars Danish actor Claes Bang as the eponymous vampire.
Line of Duty's Maya Sondhi: I convinced creator Jed Mercurio to kill Maneet off
"Yeah, not many actresses ask to die!" the star of series five said
Line of Duty fan favourite Maneet Bindra became the latest victim of serial character killer Jed Mercurio in series five – except this time, it wasn't the writer's idea to kill her off. Maya Sondhi, the actress who played the unfortunate AC-12 police officer, said that in fact she was the one who suggested that Maneet should die. Speaking at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival 2019, the actress said that she told writer Mercurio that in order to wrap up the series four storyline – which saw her feed info on her fellow AC-12 officers to corrupt copper ACC Hilton – he needed to do something drastic. Who is ‘H’ in Line of Duty? Meet the suspects Line of Duty: Examining the evidence against Ted Hastings Meet the cast of Line of Duty series five "Jed rang me before the scripts were coming out," she said, when asked by host Mark Lawson when she knew her time on the show was coming to an end. "But before that I had also suggested to him: 'Why don't you kill me?" And he went, 'Really?' "Yeah, not many actresses ask to die!" she joked. Sondhi said she was particularly happy with how she went out: in a blaze of glory, attempting to take on the organised crime group from the inside, before being murdered at the docks. "I think it was so unexpected; Jed said you'll have lots to do in the first episode and it'll be great. And actually, even though I love the show and everything, what a way to go," she told the audience. "I would much rather have gone like that than just sort of been hanging around being dodgy in the background." However, just like Mercurio's other hit series Bodyguard, there have already been theories flying that Maneet may not be as dead as she appears. Actress Sondhi was quick to pour cold water on the rumours – even if, as everyone knows, it's dangerous to second guess Mercurio's true intentions. "Hmm, not sure how many people get their throats slit and survive," she said. "But, you know, it is Jed..." Line of Duty series five continues on Sundays at 9pm on BBC1
'She's young, intelligent and joining an unbelievable family' – Josh O'Connor on why Emma Corrin is The Crown's perfect Princess Diana
Newcomer Emma Corrin will play the Princess in the fourth series of The Crown
She may have only just been cast as Princess Diana in The Crown, but it seems Emma Corrin has already landed a fan in the shape of her Prince Charles. Josh O’Connor, who plays her soon-to-be husband in the Netflix biopic, says that newcomer Corrin is the perfect person to play the key role. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, the actor explained, “I’ve met her and I think she is young but she’s totally on point. She’s an incredible talent. View oEmbed on the source website “She’s incredibly intelligent and she seems really bright and switched on and I think that makes such a difference," O'Connor added. "She’s entering a family of unbelievable actors, unbelievable crew, production and a support system where she won’t feel unsupported and hopefully she’ll be able to enjoy it. She’ll be unbelievable. She’s great.” The Crown cast "can’t stop talking about" Olivia Colman’s Oscar win When is The Crown season 3 on Netflix? Who is in the cast, and what is going to happen? The Crown star Josh O’Connor says the Queen “loves him in The Durrells” When asked about whether the pair had a natural chemistry, he responded, “Chemistry is a funny word. It never works like that. But she’s a really nice girl and she’s going to be brilliant.” O’Connor will be playing the prince during his younger years, starting as a student at Cambridge University and featuring major moments in his early life, including his investiture as the Prince Of Wales in 1969. While O’Connor is familiar to British audiences thanks to his roles as Larry in The Durrells and Marius in Les Miserables, he is set to embrace international fame due to the worldwide popularity of The Crown. “The whole experience from start to finish [on The Crown] has been pure joy and working with those actors and directors and that writing, it feels amazing,” he said. “That’s the focus for me. All the overnight fame stuff? That’s alright.” The Crown is set to return to Netflix later this year
Jed Mercurio says Line of Duty could run for another two series
He knows "a few key points" of the show's eventual ending
Jed Mercurio says that Line of Duty could run for a further two series on BBC, depending on how series five is received. Who is 'H' in Line of Duty? Meet the suspects Line of Duty: Examining the evidence against Ted Hastings Meet the cast of Line of Duty series five The show has traditionally taken two years between each series, and series three, four and five were made in the knowledge that they would definitely not be the show's final run - allowing Mercurio to set up plot points for future series. Series six is already commissioned, and Mercurio, speaking at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, said that he will discuss plans for series seven with the BBC once the dust has settled on the current run. "Once series five has finished airing we'll have a conversation with the BBC, with a view to whether there's a possibility to series seven being commissioned," he said. "But we definitely know we've got series six." This has always been the plan, it seems. "The only reason is that there are a lot of loose ends to tie up, and we couldn’t take the risk of getting it commissioned later on," he said. "So if we didn’t know that we could go beyond this series, then we would have to approach it in a way that concluded things." It's this crafty forward planning that is ultimately responsible for the extended delays between series, and that is likely to be no different this time around. "We are not going straight into series six, we never shoot them back to back," Mercurio said. "It's really helpful to the process that we are allowed time for the series to go out, and then we can kind of take stock of audience reaction. That's just really helpful to us – the stories that have resonated, the things that people are interested in – those help us plan ahead. So we're going to take stock after series five, and that's always the way that we do it." Mercurio confirmed he hasn't started writing the upcoming series, but he has a clear idea of the direction it will take, based upon what happens in the final episodes of the current series. "There are certain things that we know we have to pick up, in terms of the over-arching story, but work wouldn't even start until we decided what the production schedule was. That is something that has to be determined with the broadcaster and also cast availability, location availability – all those things end up being part of quite a complicated analysis." But does he have an idea of where the show will end? "I know a few key points, yeah," he concluded cryptically. Line of Duty series five continues on BBC1 on Sundays at 9pm
Line of Duty writer Jed Mercurio has been planning the 'H' conspiracy from day one
Although we may not find out who 'H' is in series five...
Jed Mercurio has confirmed that he had planned for the identity of corrupt copper 'H' to become the central mystery of Line of Duty from the very beginning. Speaking at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival 2019, the show's creator and writer said that he intentionally gave several characters names beginning with 'H', and made it so that others could theoretically take on the moniker given to the officer allegedly at the heart of police corruption. Who is 'H' in Line of Duty? Meet the suspects Line of Duty: Examining the evidence against Ted Hastings Meet the cast of Line of Duty series five "There aren't 28 - there are about six, aren't there?" Mercurio said, after host Mark Lawson had jokingly suggested the number of characters who could potentially be H was in the twenties. Did he plan this H-eadache? "Yeah, yeah," he said. "And, sometimes there were characters whose name could be corrupted or nicknamed into being an 'H' if I wanted to, so some of the characters were given names where they could have been revealed as having an 'H' connection if it was required." Though Mercurio said he has known the whole time who 'H' is, the writer also admitted that he would have no qualms about doing a u-turn if a better idea came to him. "I suppose if I had an idea later on that was even better then, yeah, of course I would change it – because you want it to be as good as possible and surprising and so forth." There have been several hints in the series that beloved bent copper-catcher Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) could in fact be the corrupt officer in question, ever since he suspiciously ordered Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) to take his picture off the suspects board at the end of series four. Who is 'H' in Line of Duty? Meet the suspects Fans have been hoping that they will discover the antagonist's identity in series five, but according to the show's creator, we may not get the answers we are looking for quite so soon. "I think there are different degrees of resolution," he said, "and when you have a returning series, what you're aiming to do is to resolve certain things but create an interesting direction that comes out of that new information. Irrespective of whether something gets resolved or not, what you're trying to achieve is that it gives you forward momentum into finding out something different, or re-examining the assumptions that have gone into something." He continued: "And that's something that we've done all the way through. It's only really when we knew we were completely finishing that we would try and achieve a greater deal of resolution than that." Line of Duty series five continues on BBC1 on Sundays at 9pm
Even the producers of Unforgotten don't know the new killer
Series four is going to be a big surprise...just don't expect any drugs or fast cars
The Bafta-winning Unforgotten has always shocked and surprised its audience with the final reveals of its culprits. When is Unforgotten series four on TV? Unforgotten gets a fourth series Unforgotten viewers have some major questions about the series three finale With the exception of the third series, which tipped its hand earlier in the run, a new suspect always emerge just when we have convinced ourselves whodunnit. Now even the producers are keen to avoid spoilers, requesting that Unforgotten writer Chris Lang keeps them out the loop. Speaking at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, executive producer Laura Mackie explained, “we have made an interesting decision in series 4. In the past, [executive producer] Sally Haynes and I have always known who’s done it. “This time we’ve decided with Chris that we don’t want to know. We’ve got five scripts now, Chris has written drafts of five out of the six scripts of series 4. We came in a few weeks ago and Sally and I were looking and ask each other who we thought could be the culprit and we literally didn’t know.” However, Mackie insisted that this actually works as an advantage for them for when the series comes out. “It’s actually great to be able to read it because then you are objective, you’re not bringing any baggage to it,” she continued. “But we do have notes, we do have little annoying anal notes that probably get on Chris’s nerves.” The fourth series will see the return of police detectives Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker) and Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) as they attempt to solve another case. Lang added at the festival that it was their “ordinary” depictions as detectives on screen that made them “extraordinary” in televisual terms. “Most TV detectives seem to often require external tropes in ordinary to make them seem more interesting,” he said. “They have a fast car or a drink or drug habit or a mental health issue or some kind of quirk that I think is a little bit bolted on because actually, watch 24 Hours In Police Custody and those guys have none of that crap going on, they’re just extraordinary because of the job they do and how they inhabit the word in which they live. I thought that was all you needed to show for it to be actually unusual.” Unforgotten series 4 is set to return to ITV soon
Jennifer Saunders once considered 'killing off' Ab Fab's Eddie and Patsy
Joanna Lumley revealed during the BFI and Radio Times TV Festival that her co-star suggested a drastic way to end the show – but she joked that the characters "can never die"
Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley revealed that her co-star Jennifer Saunders once considered a drastic way to end the show – by killing off Patsy and Eddie. Lumley said during the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival that Saunders once wrote her a message asking her whether they should "kill them off and bury them". Lumley's response? Patsy and Eddie can "never die". Find out more about the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival "“I utterly adore her [Patsy]," she told Saturday Live presenter and Q&A host Richard Coles. "The thing is, she can’t be destroyed. I hope I’m not saying anything out of turn, but Jennifer said, ‘Shall we just kill them off and bury them?’ and I wrote back the fastest email return I’ve ever written back. "I said, ‘No, we’ve promised the world we will never die!' Anyway, I think I’ve made that up, but I just said, ‘No, we can’t die!’." Jennifer Saunders hints at “age-appropriate” Absolutely Fabulous return Lumley was speaking as she was inducted into the Radio Times Hall of Fame, an event to celebrate her 50-year career in TV and entertainment. Quashing any suggestions of retirement, the 72-year-old star said that she would never give up the "dream" of performing. “The thing is, if I was in a job that I hated or was tedious or tired me out, and was not rewarding and that I couldn’t wait to get my holiday every year to get away from it, I’d retire like a shot," she said. "But as all I’m doing is all I dreamed of doing and being in life: why would I give it up?" Lumley also confirmed that she would be travelling to Cuba later in the year for a new TV travelogue.
When is the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, what's on, and how can I buy tickets?
Everything you need to know about the star-studded television festival, including line-up, ticket information and dates
Whether it's the chance to hear Charlie Brooker discuss Black Mirror, enjoy a spot of tea with Bake Off's Nadiya Hussain, meet the stars of Clique, or you're looking to catch an exclusive preview of Russell T Davies' hotly-anticipated drama Years and Years, there's something for everyone at this year's BFI & Radio Times Television Festival. The festival will comprise more than 30 interviews, screenings, talks and previews, with more to be announced. There'll be sessions on Black Mirror, Bodyguard, Line of Duty, new Keeley Hawes drama Summer of Rockets, and many more... Plus, you can hear from stars such as Joanna Lumley, Zawe Ashton, Jamie Oliver and Big Narstie, as they talk about their life on TV. How can I get tickets to the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival 2019? If this sounds like your dream weekend, you can join us at London's BFI Southbank from Friday 12th — Sunday 14th April 2019. Priority tickets are on sale for Radio Times magazine readers from Monday 11th February at 11:30am (using the special booking codes found inside your 9th-15th and 16th-22nd February copies) and the general public from Friday 15th February at 11:30am. You can also buy tickets in person at BFI Southbank, London. *Lines open 11.30am – 8.30pm; calls cost 5p per minute from a BT landline, other networks and mobiles may vary. Here’s your guide to all the TV shows, stars and talent due to appear – look out for more events to be announced in the coming weeks... First look at Emma Thompson in Russell T Davies drama Years and Years Watch full series of Patrick Melrose, Save Me and In the Long Run for FREE on RadioTimes.com Stay up to date with the RadioTimes.com newsletter Game of Thrones Sunday 14th April, 7.30pm (Tickets £20) On the same day that the eighth and final series of the epic fantasy drama airs around the world, two potentially key players – Joe Dempsie (Gendry) and Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm) – join Thronecast's Jamie East for an evening of conversation about all things Game of Thrones. Did you spot these Easter eggs, returning characters and story teases in the new Game of Thrones trailer? Expect behind-the-scenes insights, aided by clips from the series, plus Dempsie and Anderson's (spoiler-free!) thoughts on the possible outcomes for their characters. Line of Duty Saturday 13th April, 4pm (Tickets £25) Series creator Jed Mercurio and select members of the Line of Duty cast will reveal the inside story behind the upcoming season, and discuss what it's like being part of one of British television's most gripping crime dramas. From Tony Gates to Roz Huntley: how are all four series of Line of Duty linked together? Centring on the police anti-corruption unit AC-12, the series stars Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston as the unit's officers, while past guest-stars have included Thandie Newton and Keeley Hawes. Joanna Lumley Friday 12th April, 6pm (Tickets £25) After five decades of gracing our screens, Joanna Lumley will be inducted into the Radio Times Hall of Fame, taking to the BFI stage for a retrospective on her long and varied career, reflecting on highlights ranging from her Bafta-winning portrayal of Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, to The New Avengers and Sapphire and Steel, and her presenting roles for adventurous travel shows and at the British Academy Film Awards. Bodyguard Friday 12th April, 7.30pm (Tickets £25) It was the biggest drama of 2018, winning Richard Madden a Golden Globe for his role as the eponymous security officer tasked with protecting Keeley Hawes' steely Home Secretary, Julia Montague. So just how did writer Jed Mercurio and his creative team manage to keep the nation on the edge of their seats each Sunday night? Join us as they reveal the behind-the-scenes story of the international hit. Black Mirror Credit: Jack Barnes Sunday 14th April, 6pm (Tickets £25) Charlie Brooker and longtime collaborator Annabel Jones pushed the boundaries of streaming and interactive content with Netflix's Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch — but that won't be the last we hear from them this year, as 2019 will see the release of the hotly-anticipated Black Mirror season five. How many endings does Black Mirror's interactive film Bandersnatch have? The Emmy and BAFTA-winning duo will be discussing the ideas behind the new series, how they realised them on screen, their relationship with technology – and the future of television. Unforgotten Saturday 13th April, 2.30pm, (Tickets £15) Unforgotten is the cold-case crime drama that's taken the nation by storm, with each new season seeing Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar's detectives take on a brand new case, along with a revolving cast of potential suspects. Unforgotten creator Chris Lang explains THAT series three finale twist Writer and creator Chris Lang will be joined by producers and select members of the cast, including Bhaskar and Walker (work permitting), to discuss the upcoming fourth series and the reasons behind the crime genre's enduring appeal. Call the Midwife Credit: Nicky Johnston Sunday 14th April, 4.30pm (Tickets £20) One of the nation's favourite Sunday-evening delights, Call the Midwife has become a staple of British television. But beyond its cosy exterior (tea breaks, wimples, those natty cardigans...), the show tackles a range of hard-hitting subjects, including racism, disability and backstreet abortions. Writer and creator Heidi Thomas will be joined by cast members Helen George, Jennifer Kirby and Leonie Elliott to discuss the new series, and reveal how the show always manages to maintain its overriding message of hope. Years and Years Saturday 13th April, 7pm (Tickets £25) Seize the opportunity to watch tomorrow's hit today, with an exclusive preview of Russell T Davies' new BBC1 drama series Years and Years, followed by a Q&A with Davies and members of the cast. Starring the likes of Emma Thompson, Rory Kinnear and Jessica Hynes, the drama tells the story of the Lyons family in a fast-changing Britain, beginning as they converge on one crucial night in 2019 and then accelerating into the future, following the twists and turns of the next 15 years. Helen Mirren Sunday 14th April 8.30pm (Tickets £25) The legendary, award-winning actress will be in conversation at the BFI & Radio Times Festival ahead of being inducted into the Radio Times Hall of Fame. From Prime Suspect and Elizabeth I to her new role in the upcoming Sky Atlantic drama Catherine the Great, Mirren will look back on her stellar career. Gentleman Jack Sunday 14th April, 12 noon (Tickets £20) Actress Suranne Jones and Bafta-winning writer Sally Wainwright will reveal the real-life historical inspiration behind their new BBC drama, Gentleman Jack. Based on the life of “the first modern lesbian”, landowner Anne Lister, the series is set in West Yorkshire in 1832. View oEmbed on the source website Craig Parkinson and Richard E Grant Sunday 14th April, 7pm (Tickets £20) Actor Craig Parkinson — perhaps best known for his stint as bent copper “Dot” Cottan in Line of Duty — has been busy interviewing actors about the lives and careers for his award-winning podcast The Two Shot Podcast. So far he’s interviewed everyone from Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker to Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer. Listen in with a live recording of the podcast, with Oscar-nominee Richard E Grant as guest. Dad's Army Sunday 14th April, 1.30pm (tickets £20) Three episodes from series two of Dad’s Army – The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker, A Stripe for Frazer and Under Fire – were all seemingly destroyed after they were first shown in 1969. But now, 50 years on, they are being remade by UKTV Gold, using the original scripts by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and with a new cast playing all your old favourites. Robert Bathurst (Sergeant Wilson), David Hayman (Private Frazer), Mathew Horne (Private Walker) and Tom Rosenthal (Private Pike) will be attending this exclusive first look at what must be one of the remakes of the year. Beecham House Saturday 13th April, 11am (Tickets £20) ITV’s new lavish six-part drama is set in India, 1795, and follows the former East India Company trader John Beecham, who’s keen to start afresh — despite the whispers about his “olive-skinned” child. Watch a preview of episode one before hearing from the show’s stars including Tom Bateman, Leo Suter, Pallavi Sharda and director Gurinder Chadha. Mark Gatiss Sunday 14th April, 1.30pm (Tickets £25) Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss has been a fan of the “very noble tradition” of ghost stories ever since he was a child, devouring everything from Scrooge starring Albert Finney to Nigel Keane’s The Stone Tap. Ahead of his adaptation of Dracula for BBC1, listen to him discuss the power of ghost tales and his own spooky stories, including last year’s The Dead Room. Midsomer Murders Sunday 14th April, 3pm (tickets £20) For more than 20 years, murder has stalked the rural county of Midsomer. Now the stars of the show reveal the secrets of one of the most popular British detective shows ever made, which still has audiences gripped across the globe. Join stars Neil Dudgeon and Jane Wymark for our anniversary celebrations, a panel discussion and an exclusive sneak preview of clips from the 20th series. Josh O'Connor Saturday 13th April, 5.30pm (Tickets £15) Best known as Marius from Les Miserables and as Lawrence Durrell in ITV’s hit family drama The Durrells, Josh O’Connor’s success is set to continue as he takes on the role of Prince Charles in Netflix’s royal hit The Crown. Join him for a lively Q&A and have the chance to ask the acclaimed young actor your own questions. Derry Girls Sunday 14th April, 3pm (Tickets £25) Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls, a sitcom set in 1990s Derry against the backdrop of The Troubles, follows a loveable, motley band of teenage girls (and one wee English fella) and has already achieved cult status after only one season. As the show returns to our screens, McGee and cast members Nicola Coughlan (Clare), Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Erin), Dylan Llewellyn (James), Louisa Harland (Orla) and Siobhan McSweeney (Sister Michael) will be discussing the show’s success at the BFI and Radio Times Festival. The Archers Saturday 13th April, 7.30pm The radio that has almost singlehandedly been turning the nation green since 1951, The Archers proves more relevant every year as Britain becomes increasingly urban. Talking about the importance of the countryside, join editor Jeremy Howe, stars Patricia Gallimore (Pat Archer), Charles Collingwood (Brian Aldridge), Carole Boyd (Lynda Snell) and the show’s agricultural story adviser Sarah Swadling. Clique Friday 12th April, 2pm (Tickets £5) Meet the cast and creators of BBC3’s hit thriller Clique, which sees haunted heroine Holly navigate her way through life at a university in Edinburgh as she becomes embroiled in the scandals of various cliques. After bringing down the sinister Solasta Finance in her first year, Holly is now determined to keep her head down – but finds herself increasingly drawn to a new clique, a mysterious band of brothers. When they are accused of a horrific act that rocks the entire campus, Holly finds herself forced to intervene once more… Actors Synnove Karlsen (Holly), Sophia Brown (Louise), Izuka Hoyle (Dani) and Leo Suter (Jack) are all set to attend, discussing last year’s suspenseful second season, followed by a Q&A. This event is part of the Switched On series, which are for 16 to 25-year-olds and are all priced £5 each. I Feel So Seen: the Messy Characters Tearing Up TV How important is it to show characters’ imperfections onscreen? From E4’s groundbreaking Skins, to Channel 4’s recent success Pure, television hasn’t shied away from showing the messy reality of young characters’ lives. Join actress Charly Clive (Pure) and TV writers Bryan Elsley (Skins), Kirstie Swain (Pure) and Ambreen Razia (Hounslow Diaries) to discuss the importance of messy, ‘flawed’ characters. This event is part of the Switched On series, which are for 16 to 25-year-olds and are all £5 each. TV in the Digital Age: an Alternative Careers Talk Ever thought about breaking into the TV industry, but don’t know where or how to start? This alternate career talk, featuring a panel of experts, focuses on how the industry is adapting and changing for a digital age, looking at everything from Netflix’s groundbreaking Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, to Instagram’s move into TV content. This event is part of the Switched On series, which are for 16 to 25-year-olds and are all £5 each. Also appearing at the BFI & Radio Times Festival 2019: Nadiya Hussain Keeping Faith Jamie Oliver Midsomer Murders Summer of Rockets The Big Narstie Show Inside No. 9 Frank Gardner Ackley Bridge Vera Ghosts Taskmaster Zawe Ashton Samantha Morton From the BFI Archive: David Bowie TV quiz From the BFI Archive: Britain's Earliest TV ads