Star City creators reveal which “special” For All Mankind storyline is revisited in new spin–off
Anastasia Belikova is officially getting her moment.
Star City creators Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi have opened up about the specific storylines that are set to be explored in the For All Mankind spin-off, describing one in particular as "special". The Apple TV drama, starring Anna Maxwell Martin and Rhys Ifans, will follow the Soviet perspective of the space race, after the nation was the first to land a man - and a woman - on the moon in the original series. For the two showrunners, revisiting the story of the first woman on the moon, Anastasia Belikova (now played by Alice Englert) was a huge moment for them. Speaking exclusively at a special screening of Star City in partnership with Radio Times, Wolpert said: "There will be Easter eggs throughout but think the most special thing, one of the other stories I'm really excited about, is Anastasia Belikova. View Green Video on the source website "In For All Mankind, she's just a face on a TV screen, people see her in a newspaper, and [now] to get to see what came before and what came after, especially for her, that story is fascinating. Alice just did such a beautiful job bringing her to life." Speaking about how she approached the character, who becomes famous throughout the world but is barely in control of her own life, actress Englert told us: "One of the things that really struck me is that she starts, I think, in a place where courage isn't something she chooses. "It's just a response to terror and to the deepest of rooted insecurities you could possibly have. It's fear masquerading as courage. But what I liked is watching her wake up and actually have to be a person, even if that person wasn't as interesting or as useful to the state as it was to her." She cites real-life cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin (who became the first person to journey into outer space) and Valentina Tereshkova (the first woman in space) as being "huge inspirations" for her. She went on to explain: "Whoever [Gagarin] really truly was has kind of been eclipsed by the legend of who he was and then the scandal of who he was. And I thought that was fascinating to enter into that space where you don't belong to yourself any anymore." "They're also actual characters within the lore of the story," she added. "Which is what I kind of love about the show as well, is that it is a fiction, it is an alternate history, but it is deeply inspired [by real life] and really authentic where it can be." Star City will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday 29 May. Add Star City to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Anna Maxwell Martin reveals why she couldn’t escape the nerves for new drama Star City
Martin stars as the brutal, no-nonsense head of KGB surveillance.
With countless incredible roles already under her belt, you might think an Apple TV+ drama would be a breeze for British acting legend Anna Maxwell Martin - but not so much! The actress, known for starring in the likes of Motherland, Line of Duty, Ludwig, and with an upcoming role in the Heartstopper movie, has admitted that she couldn't escape the nerves of her new drama, Star City. A spin-off of sci-fi For All Mankind, Star City follows the Soviet perspective of the space race and stars Martin as the brutal Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova, the head of KGB surveillance, alongside Rhys Ifans, who plays the Chief Designer, the enigmatic man behind the entire programme. Chatting at a special screening of Star City in partnership with Radio Times, Martin admitted: "I'm never nervous actually, but I was a bit nervous [for this] because you're starting a big show with a big streamer, and there's quite a lot of scrutiny. "Everybody involved in this show is so lovely and supportive and creative and collaborative, but you definitely feel a little bit of scrutiny. That sort of rumbles at the beginning, and then everyone settles in, and then it's all fine." Meanwhile, Martin wasn't alone in her nerves. Agnes O'Casey, who plays a younger version of For All Mankind character Irina Morozova - and who shares plenty of scenes with Martin - opened up about having "idolised" the Motherland actress before working together. "I have idolised Anna for years, so I think I had a little cry, and then I met her, and she's obviously hilarious, and so kind," O'Casey told us. "And then the first day - I mean, she's just very generous and fun, and I think I really needed that, because I was dealing with being a bit starstruck, but she immediately put me at ease." Creators Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi also opened up about what drew them to exploring the Soviet side of the space race, with Nedivi telling Radio Times: "The more we read about the Soviet program, and how secretive it was, and this city in the middle of the woods that no one could access - the more we read and understood and heard about it, the more we thought there's something special here. "It started from that moment, and then suddenly these characters come to life. You realise the Chief Designer [played by Ifans], that's based on a real person that was also anonymous and maybe historic, was one of the most historically great figures of all time that nobody knows about. So for us, it was an embarrassment of riches in terms of ideas." Star City will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday 29 May. Add Star City to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Taskmaster twins reveal “raw and organic” experience on Channel 4 series - and who their favourite comedians were
What is it like being behind the scenes on one of the biggest comedy programmes?
Taskmaster has provided viewers with plenty of laughs over the seasons, particularly from the comics who appear and the interesting tasks they attempt. Take season 20 episode 3, Thompson, for example. A task brief was laid on the table in the living room, in which the celebrities had to discover the name of the person in the lab, a separate room mere seconds down the hallway. Split into teams, they had to take it in turns to ask one question, and the person in the lab can only say yes or no. Seems simple? It may well have been, were it not for the fact that there were two people in the lab, not one! Twins Lyndsey and Louise (who recently appeared on ITV's The Neighbourhood) would swap places each time, stumping the celebrities along the way. A hilarious watch for audiences at home and a blast for the twins themselves, the pair told Radio Times that the best part wasn't even the task but actually seeing the Taskmaster production in action. View oEmbed on the source website "I think the best part was seeing how it worked, like the behind the scenes of it, meeting Alex Horne, that was just like unreal to see such an iconic show in the works," Louise explained. "It was just so, so fun and it was exactly how it is on telly. Everything is very much raw and organic and if something goes wrong, it goes wrong, like, it's not scripted at all." Lyndsey echoed her sister's sentiments, noting that her favourite part was seeing the comedian's reactions, telling Radio Times: "They were just absolutely flabbergasted and it was just so, so funny. I think it was probably one of our best jobs we've done. It was just amazing to film." Aside from being enamoured by the set, the girls had a very fun time, with Louise saying Maisie Adam was the celebrity who made her laugh the most, largely down to the moment she realised they were twins. She added: "Sanjeev [too], he got a bit cross at one point he was like, 'Are you lying to me?'" But he was also so polite. Every time he'd come in he'd greets us every single time, even though we'd spoke to him a million times at this point. He was boss." Taskmaster continues Thursday 30 April at 9pm on Channel 4. Add Taskmaster to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
For All Mankind creators reveal "complicated" process of recasting characters for spin-off Star City
Sergei Nikulov and Irina Morozova are back in business in Star City.
For All Mankind spin-off Star City is about to bring back some very familiar characters - but they've all been recast from the original. The prequel is set in 1960s/70s USSR (in parallel to the early seasons of For All Mankind), telling the space race story from the Soviet perspective after they became the first nation to place a man on the moon in the alt-history series. Within that story, we're set to see younger versions of iconic For All Mankind characters, most prominently Irina Morozova (played by Svetlana Efremova in For All Mankind and Agnes O'Casey in Star City) and Sergei Nikulov (played by Piotr Adamczyk in for All Mankind and Josef Davies in Star City). Explaining what went into recasting those roles at a special screening of Star City in partnership with Radio Times, co-creator and showrunner Matt Wolpert told us: "It was certainly complicated because obviously we love the actors who played the older versions of them. View Green Video on the source website "But honestly, we looked at it as an opportunity to find the younger versions of them, and it was so important to find actors who captured the essence of those characters. With Sergei, Josef Davies brilliantly captures that intelligence and that warm-heartedness of Sergei Nikulov. "And for Irina Morozova, what was fascinating was, when we meet her in For All Mankind, she's this kind of cold, powerful woman, and getting to show the kind of the younger version of her who isn't that at all, and seeing the journey of her and how she became that woman is something that, creatively, we're really excited to tell." Both Davies and O'Casey mentioned to Radio Times that they looked to the performances from their characters' original actors when crafting the younger versions for Star City. Davies added: "I think in this telling of him, we're coming at the younger side of him, I think he's got a completely different energy, and he he is about to experience all the things that are moulding him into the version of the Sergei that we see later on." O'Casey went on to say during a Q&A at the screening: "For those people who have seen For All Mankind, we meet her in a completely different stage in her life. Every moment she is learning what it's going to mean to fulfil her ambition." Joining Davies and O'Casey in the cast of Star City are Anna Maxwell Martin, Rhys Ifans, Adam Nagaitis, Solly McLeod, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Alice Englert, and Priya Kansara. Star City will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday 29 May. Add Star City to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
007 First Light preview: I spy a decent James Bond game, for once
The name's preview – 007 First Light hands-on preview.
It has been 14 years since the last major James Bond video game; longer still since the last decent one. It is therefore hardly a surprise that 007 First Light has garnered such widespread attention, with gamers and Bond fans alike keeping their eyes on it, eager for a return to form for a series that once – albeit nearly 30 years ago – dominated gaming culture. After a couple of hours hands-on with the game, if the rest of First Light lives up to what I experienced, then Bond could very well be back in business. For those unaware, 007 First Light is a wholly original Bond story, telling the tale of a young Bond on his way to earning his licence to kill. We kick off in Iceland, where James is party to a military operation gone wrong. With no other choice, MI6 intervenes and directs the pre-spy Bond on a top-secret mission, culminating in his recruitment to the agency. Unlike the Bonds we are used to, he's rough around the edges. The irrepressible charm and wit, unsharpened by years in the business, instead comes out as a brash cockiness – this is an immature young man who hasn't quite realised that he isn't hot shit just yet. Again, I was not able to form much of a view on our supporting cast, but their performances are just as strong, and Bond bounces off each character superbly, thanks to some great writing. To be clear, this is not James Bond as we know him; it's young Bond. This is to say that he may not be for everyone, but for what the writers were aiming for, I think they and Gibson have done a bang-up job in imagining who a raw and unfiltered young 007 is. But enough about acting; this is a game after all, and developer IO Interactive has made use of their years of Hitman experience to deliver a solid stealth experience. Initially, things start off very basic. You're hiding in the grass, causing minor distractions and taking out guards. In Iceland, since you're very much learning the ropes, there's quite a lot of leeway for you to screw up and still get the job done. Later on, however, you are held to a much stricter standard. You can still sense traces of the chaotic Hitman DNA here and there, but in certain missions, getting caught is practically a death sentence, unless you are playing on the easiest difficulty. This is, in my mind, how it should be. Despite his youthful charm, this is still a serious story, and straying too far into the slapstick would inspire some strong cognitive dissonance. Figuring out your best path forward feels more like a puzzle – albeit a simple one – than it does in Hitman. For these reasons, when something ridiculous does take place, while it does break the immersion a bit, I am happy to let it slide in the moment; this is still a video game, after all. But while I enjoyed the stealth sections immensely, I was less convinced by the action sequences. Bond is, of course, no stranger to action. But in First Light, when things begin to kick off, they spiral out into bombastic and over the top set pieces. Watching our hero ride a quad bike down a narrow tunnel towards a tank manned by soldiers that would manage to miss fish in a barrel was eye-rolling, to say the least. Having seen other action sequences in previous trailers and clips, I am willing to assume that this is perhaps a one-off, and may perhaps be just a matter of personal preference. For some players, a flashy action thriller might be what they're looking for, but I lean more towards the calculated, espionage-focused side of things; more Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy than Mission Impossible, not to further complicate my spy comparisons. But to have come out of a preview with such an admittedly minor foible is to have come out with a very positive outlook on the game. I had previously been interested, but not sold on 007 First Light as a project. Thankfully, the opening of its story, some well-written and quite likeable characters, and gameplay that is challenging, intelligently designed and of course, fun, have been enough to sell me on it. I am confident that, at the very least, 007 First Light is going to be a great Bond game. I just hope that come the end of it, it leaves me both shaken and stirred. View Green Video on the source website Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Charlie Cox was asked to copy Gustave's mocap actor on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
You can copy my homework, just make sure it's literally the same.
It was no surprise that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received so many nominations ahead of the BAFTA Games Awards 2026 before going on to win three awards: best game, debut game, and performer in a leading role, going to Jennifer English. While gamers and the press may not have been shocked after getting to play E33, the game's success still came as something of a surprise to Clair Obscur writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen and Lune actor Kirsty Rider. Not only that, to avoid any crushing post-launch disappointment, actor Ben Starr even told Monoco actor Rick Keeble not to bet on it being a success. Fortunately, this did not transpire, but Starr still wouldn’t reprise Verso in the Clair Obscur film despite the critical acclaim. View oEmbed on the source website Much of what makes Clair Obscur so interesting is its storied development, and how different actors performed different parts of each character that comprised the cast, with Gustave having motion capture performed by Maxence Cazorla and the English voice coming from one Charlie Cox. With a performance already in the bag, the Radio Times Gaming team were curious how Cox went about portraying Gustave, and as it turns out he wasn’t so sure at first. “I didn't even know what I was getting myself into when I showed up for the voiceover element of the job,” Cox told us on the BAFTA Games Awards red carpet. “I was watching his performance on screen, and I said early on to the creators, ‘What are you hoping that I'm going to kind of reinvent this with my own interpretation? Or are you hoping that I'm going to kind of match what he's already done vocally?’” Cox continued To Cox’s surprise, they said, “Look, we love what Maxence has done. So if you're comfortable, you know, kind of almost copying him…”, which Cox concedes made his life “very, very easy". Everyone’s performance in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was brilliant, but Cox found Cazorla’s performance not only incredible but indispensable, giving him “huge, huge credit to him for the work he did over 18 months”. As for the live-action Clair Obscur film in the works, Cox reckons Robert Pattinson should play Gustave, but with his voice. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Neighbourhood's Scouse Haus talk shock exit and the Lozman-Sturrocks: "They played a better game"
*Warning - contains spoilers for The Neighbourhood episode 3.* The Neighbourhood burst onto TV screens last week and has gripped viewers with its juicy twists and turns, especially in its latest episode which saw one household removed from KeepYourEnemies Close. The series, which is fronted by Graham Norton, features a group of households battle it out for a £250,000 cash prize. All they have to do is remain the most popular amongst the other households, which is easier said than done... In the latest episode, it was time for another removal in which each household has to decide amongst themselves who they want to remove, before one representative is sent out in the square to declare who they have chosen. Unfortunately for the Scouse Haus, they received the most votes and were sent home packing, and it's largely down to one member of the Lozman-Sturrocks for their demise. Earlier in the episode, Jordan was intent on making sure some of the other households had his back, which meant stirring the pot slightly about the Scouse Haus. After tying in votes with the Lozman-Sturrocks, it was the Campbell Grahams who had the deciding vote and upon choosing to remove the Scouse Haus, their time was over. In an exclusive interview with Radio Times, the Scouse Hause were asked how they felt about the Lozman-Sturrocks, to which Rosie said: "It is a game at the end of the day and whatever tactic you've got, if it's gonna get you to where you wanna go, then all we can do is respect it. Do what you need to do. Lyndsey added: "And do you know what? They played the better game than us." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/04/5-0773b7f.jpg" width="3000" height="2000" alt="A family of four are standing in front of a row of houses. They are in two couples – on the left is Dave in a yellow shirt and black trousers, with his arm on the shoulder of his wife Christine, who is wearing a yellow floral shirt and a jean skirt. On the right is Katie, who is a redhead with glasses, a white shirt and black jeans, and Jordan, in a pink shirt and black stonewash jeans" title="5 - The Neighbourhood cast" /> But while all is smoothed over now, they certainly weren't expecting the level of game playing that went on behind their backs. "I think we were all blindsided by it because we were just living our life," Lyndsey told Radio Times. Louise added: "We were baking cookies just being so blissfully ignorant, little did we know what was going on in The Neighbourhood. He was knocking round everyone's house." But drama aside, the girls are looking forward to seeing how the rest of the game pans out, with them firmly rooting for the Bradons and the Pescuds - who they're still friends with almost a year on from filming! As for the remaining households, tensions rise in tonight’s episode as the neighbours face their biggest decision yet during alliance week. Norton asks them to pair up with another household, and true colours show when friendships are cast aside… The Neighbourhood continues on Thursday 30 April at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. Add The Neighbourhood to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Why doesn’t Amber just cut the handcuffs? Prisoner star explains decision that could leave fans divided
It's the question at the forefront of our minds...
While being handcuffed together only added to the "chemistry" of co-leads Izuka Hoyle and Tahar Rahim in Prisoner, the journey their characters embark on together is far from smooth. A prison officer and a prisoner were never going to be the best of friends but soon, Amber (Hoyle) is thrust into a world of criminality that she's not used to, with only Tibor (Rahim) there to aid her. It's clear from the offset that Amber is soon being made to witness and be part of morally questionable things that she doesn't agree with – but why doesn't she simply get rid of the handcuffs that are linking her and Tibor together? It's a question we're sure many fans will be wondering, so we posed it to Hoyle and asked her why she thinks Amber made the decision to remain cuffed to Tibor, despite not agreeing with what he does. "I think it's just because she's so principled. When she first makes that quick, impulsive decision - because she's an impulsive woman a lot of the time, she's a risk assessor, she's also a problem solver, but she still can be impulsive. And I think when she does handcuff herself originally to him, it's simply because she thinks it's the right thing to do," Hoyle tells Radio Times. "She hears him, she sees him on the little monitor, and she goes, ‘Oh, I can't leave this man when I know he's screaming for help, I can see him. He's looking into the camera’. And you know, it's her job. It's her job to get this man to court, to get him to the Old Bailey. "At that moment, she obviously isn't thinking, ‘What if I don't get back? What if these people come through? What if it takes me away from my daughter? What if it involves my daughter and my husband, my world?’ She's thinking about the right thing to do, the good thing to do, and that's where most of her decision making comes from." The pair get caught up in this criminal whirlwind after their van is ambushed and as the sole survivors, Amber makes the decision to cuff Tibor to herself. Ever dedicated to her job as a prison officer, the pair are literally shackled together with nowhere else to run. Ultimately, the pair eventually do get their handcuffs cut, but not without their fair share of twists and unexpected turns that will likely impact them both forever. Read more: Hollywood icon confirmed to replace Helena Bonham Carter in The White Lotus season 4 after recast decision Brassic and The Inbetweeners favourites confirmed for Netflix's "thrilling" new Harlan Coben show It's undeniable that part of Amber's reason for trying to escort Tibor to the courthouse in one piece is due to a dedication to her job and family. On the fact that her daughter is her main drive, Hoyle also told Radio Times: "Oh, it's the root of all of her decision making. I think it's where she makes the decisions to better her daughter's life, and then later to get back to her daughter and make sure her family are safe. "I think that's where Matt [Charman] and I really wanted to root Amber in, because she's surrounded by so much action, so much thrilling crime-related violent stuff. The idea of this quite tender and soft character, but still very strong and powerful because of her motherhood. "I think that that was just something more interesting and more human, and that was the part we really wanted to like nail with Amber. She is the human part of, at times, an inhuman world." All episodes of Prisoner will be available on Thursday 30 April on Sky Atlantic and NOW. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Race Across the World 2026 line-up: Meet the pairs competing in this breathtaking journey from Europe to Mongolia
Race Across the World season 6 has now reached its halfway point, as the teams face the longest leg of the race so far. Tonight (30 April), the remaining teams will travel through the world's largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan, and into Uzbekistan, they must navigate the vast Kazakh steppe with its endless horizons and limited English speakers. To keep the race moving, the pairs will have to adapt to a whole new way of travelling. So, who else is left in the race? As the series continues, find our more about the cast and read our exclusive interviews with this year's cast of Race Across the World below. Race Across the World 2026 line-up Mark and Margo Katie and Harrison Andrew and Molly Kush and Jo Puja and Roshni This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Five intrepid duos – best friends, a father and daughter, cousins, siblings and the show's first set of in-laws – set off on a 12,000km journey from Palermo in Italy to Hatgal in Mongolia in the sixth series of Race Across the World. Stripped of their phones, they each have a budget of just £23 a day to survive and make it to the final checkpoint ahead of the other contenders. Puja and Roshni Puja, 31, is a doctor and is racing with her cousin software engineer cousin Roshni, 32. Whose idea was it to sign up? Puja: I applied a few years ago with another friend. I was advised to do it with someone I’ve known for a really long time so I reapplied with Roshni. I’m so glad we did it together. Roshni: We’d both just got married and I was house hunting and trying to be an adult. Leaving work for three months didn’t sound like the smartest idea… Was it hard not being able to contact home? Puja: Definitely. We come from Asian families. We’re both married, but our parents still want to know what we’re doing every day. What were you nervous about? Roshni: For me, it was food. Given we’re vegetarian, I knew we would have to make sacrifices. Puja: Running out of toiletries. Who was better at approaching strangers for help? Roshni: Puja did take the lead at the start and watching her pushed me to do it. Did the race change you? Roshni: Definitely. We found out a lot about each other. Puja: There’s nothing now that we won’t be able to work past. Mark and Margo Mark, 66, a retired architect from London is racing with his sister-in-law Margo, 59, a hypnotherapist from Liverpool. You’re in-laws, who at one point didn't get on and yet you took on this journey — why? Mark: My late wife Julia was a big fan of the show but she would never have done it, she liked five-star hotels! One of Julia’s last wishes [before she died in July 2022] was that Margo and I continue the friendship we’d been building while caring for her. This was a way of doing that. What was your reaction when you learnt the final checkpoint was in Mongolia? Margo: I don’t do cold! Mark: I had an inkling it could be Mongolia. Very few people go, so I was thrilled. What were you most nervous about? Margo: We probably weren’t as nervous as we should’ve been! We had a little bit of chutzpah. We’re used to travelling, we’re grown-ups and we were a little bit gung-ho. Did you agree to prioritise sightseeing or the race? Margo: We thought that it would be nice to see things but how we got along was my priority. Mark: Our intention was to be the oldest couple to win. What did you learn about yourselves along the way? Mark: It was a turning point in my life. I’m quite shy and introverted. But on one particular leg of the race, I had an out-of-body experience in a way and it changed my view of life. Margo: We were both surprised at how much we were there for each other. We read the world in different ways, our brains work completely differently but we found common ground and connected. Would you go on another adventure together? Margo: Absolutely! Mark: It was great fun being with Margo and we work well together and enjoy each other’s company. I could see us doing something again. Looking to plan your next holiday? Request brochures for European and worldwide escorted tours, plus ocean and river cruises from our travel partners Katie and Harrison Account manager Katie, 21, is racing with her brother Harrison, 23, a finance assistant from Manchester. Whose idea was it to sign up? Harrison: It was my idea. Our mum sent us the link. It’s a show I’ve always watched. I just needed to convince Katie because she was scared of doing it until we got there. Katie: I was excited for the race, but nervous about the TV aspect. What was your reaction when you learnt that the final checkpoint was in Mongolia? Katie: I was stressed because I’d packed for Brazil, I really thought we were going there so I was worried about my clothes! What made you most nervous about the task? Harrison: I was concerned about being hungry. Did the race test your relationship? Katie: It strengthened it. Our race relationship was slightly different to our home relationship because we were nice to each other. At home, it’s constant banter and taking the mick out of each other. Harrison: We do everything together, so we had a strong relationship and foundation going into the race, but we made a conscious effort to not wind each other up. Was there an item you were happy you packed? Katie: My face masks, especially because your skin gets so dry. It was a nice luxury. Harrison: I was pretty practical. My calculator and my notebook made me feel better. What did you learn about yourselves on the race? Katie: To be a bit more confident in myself. It made me view the world differently. Harrison: I live quite a regimented life so I think I discovered a different side to me that maybe I didn’t know existed. Would you go on another adventure together? Harrison: We’ve been waiting to finish my exams, then maybe South America. Katie: You keep saying maybe, but it’s a definitely! Andrew and Molly Geography teacher Andrew, 54, is racing with his daughter Molly, 23, a junior doctor from Northern Ireland. Whose idea was it to sign up? Andrew: I decided to fill out the form. Molly was sitting her finals. Never in a million years did we think we’d be picked. What were you most nervous about? Andrew: Would we fall out? That was my biggest fear. Molly: Just doing well. I thought we’d get there eventually, but how was that going to happen? Did the experience change you? Andrew: It gave me confidence and courage. To stop overthinking and seize the moment. Molly: For me, it was realising you can’t plan the future. Stop worrying about it because you’ll get through it and it’ll be OK. Was there a luxury you wish you’d taken with you? Andrew: A spare razor! Molly: A nice outfit. Who was better at approaching strangers to ask for help? Molly: There was a strategy. Daddy went to older people and I approached young people. Did you agree to prioritise sightseeing or the race? Molly: We said that we live and die by whatever call we make at that moment. There’s no “You said that” or “That was a bad idea”. Andrew: We just wanted to enjoy it. Kush and Jo Kush, 19, a gap-year student is racing with best fried Jo, a 19-year-old college student from Liverpool. Whose idea was it to apply? Kush: It was mine! I was on Instagram and saw the advert. I called Jo and said, “Do you want to sign up for this?” and he was like, “Yeah, sound.” Jo: We felt like we didn’t have anything to lose! Were you worried your friendship would be tested? Kush: We were confident it was strong enough to overcome any sort of challenges. Was it difficult to live without your phones? Kush: It was a blessing in disguise. The worst part was not being able to contact my mum and family. Jo: In the first week I was craving it quite a lot, but the race requires so much attention. Did you agree to prioritise sightseeing or the race? Kush: We decided to compromise. When we applied, I was more “Let’s just experience everything”. But Jo was very determined and said, “We’ve got to win.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Race Across the World continues on Thursday 30 April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Seasons 1-5 are available to watch on iPlayer. Add Race Across the World to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Widow’s Bay creator couldn’t imagine The Americans star Matthew Rhys in leading role - here’s what changed her mind
The star of The Americans takes on a very different role in Apple TV's comedy-horror.
The Americans star Matthew Rhys is worlds away from his previous roles in new comedy-horror Widow's Bay, with even the show's creator admitting she couldn't initially imagine him in the leading role. Katie Dippold (who previously wrote on Parks and Recreation) is the showrunner behind the new series, which follows Rhys's sceptical mayor Tom Loftis, who is faced with a overwhelming superstition from the residents of his small town. But, as his attempts to bring in tourists are foiled by strange happenings, he might be forced to admit they're right. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Dippold said: "I had no one in mind for the part, which was a good thing, but it was also very challenging to cast it. "Hiro Murai, the director of five of the episodes, we Zoomed with Matthew. I was huge fan of his. I love the Americans. I think he's brilliant, but I still couldn't quite imagine it or envision him for this. View Green Video on the source website "Then we Zoomed with him, and he's so lovely and charismatic and so funny. And we got off the Zoom, and Hiro and I talked, and we both just had this gut feeling, we just had such a good feeling about it. It was just crystal clear, like, 'Oh, this is our Loftis'. And now it's just crazy. I cannot imagine the show with anyone else. He's so perfect for it." As for what exactly made Rhys perfect for the role? Dippold says it's down to his decision to play it straight rather than overdo the comedy. "I honestly think he's one of the best actors ever to exist, and he is so naturally funny," Dippold added. "So he does this thing where he just plays the part, he just really plays the part, and it's the best acting I've ever seen. But he's naturally funny, and he has pitch perfect comedic timing... he just takes you on this ride with him." Also speaking to Radio Times, Rhys gave some insight into his process, adding: "A real eureka moment for me was when Hiro went, 'Listen, we're not making a comedy or a horror.' View Green Video on the source website "Because I said, 'I've never done a comedy, and he says 'You're not doing one now, you're just doing another drama. So play it like that.'...I felt a great sense of relief from that." Joining Rhys on the cast are Stephen Root, who plays the ultra-superstitious Wyck, and Kate O'Flynn as Loftis's rather unique Patricia, who has a storied history with the town. Widow's Bay is streaming weekly on Apple TV+. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Prisoner star reveals how being handcuffed to The Serpent star built "organic and real chemistry"
Izuka Hoyle reveals what it was like being handcuffed to her co-star for four months whilst filming.
Being handcuffed to someone for four months doesn't exactly sound like a walk in the park for the closest of people, but when it comes to a brand new co-lead that you also have to act alongside and perform stunts with? Well, that certainly sounds like a challenge. That's how things played out for co-leads Izuka Hoyle (Big Boys) and Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) as they filmed Prisoner, Sky's latest thriller series that comes from Hostage writer Matt Charman. But how did being cuffed together impact the role, if at all? When chatting exclusively with Radio Times, Hoyle revealed: "Definitely, it added another level of challenge, but also like intimacy – and quick, right? Because Tahar and I, we met at stunt rehearsals. We didn't have an introduction before that so we literally said hello to each other and then we were cuffed. "But luckily, we really, really get on. And you know, I think it shows in the chemistry between the characters because we built such an organic and real chemistry between each other. It was a challenge but it was fun, right? So fun." She continued: "That's what originally drew me to the script. I think when you describe the synopsis to people, the first thing they go, ‘Oh, I want to watch this!’ It starts with luring them in with ‘Oh, and the two characters are handcuffed together’. Especially when this theme of morality, which we explore with lots of different characters and settings within the piece, they are both deliberately at opposite ends of the moral scale. "So, handcuff those two together, but give them the same objective, put them through their paces - how quickly does her opinion change about morality? How quickly does his opinion change, especially because he's a sociopath, and how quickly does it change their opinions of each other and therefore the world? So, the handcuffs were a root and a real aid in being able to kind of explore all of that." Read more: Hollywood icon confirmed to replace Helena Bonham Carter in The White Lotus season 4 after recast decision Brassic and The Inbetweeners favourites confirmed for Netflix's "thrilling" new Harlan Coben show Speaking to Sky in a press pack for the series, Rahim commented on the filming experience of being cuffed together with his co-star, saying: "Being handcuffed during big stunt sequences made things more complex. Our stunt team was brilliant and inventive, open to ideas and incredibly collaborative. "Izuka and I had to constantly adapt and choreograph every movement together. Izuka has great instincts and she’s strong, which made everything easier. I decided to just flow with her and to treat it like a dance. For me, acting with a partner is a kind of dance: you listen, you feel, you respond. "Being handcuffed to someone for four months filming could easily be a nightmare, but Izuka is a beautiful soul. We got on incredibly well and became real friends. She’s my partner in crime. It was a pleasure." The new series follows Amber (Hoyle) as a determined prisoner officer who's returned from her maternity leave to quite the turn of events. When she's tasked with escorting skilled contract killer Tibor (Rahim) to court, they're unaware of the fact that they're also being targeted by sinister forces and are subsequently ambushed. As the sole survivors, they must band together to get to safety, but their sense of right and wrong soon starts to waver as they do all they can to ensure their safety. All episodes of Prisoner will be available on Thursday 30 April on Sky Atlantic and NOW. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Is it time for more vulnerable intimacy on TV? Virgin Island might be leading the way
The jaw-dropping series has returned for a second season on Channel 4.
Channel 4 has never been coy about creating eyebrow-raising television, and Virgin Island certainly isn't the first time the broadcaster has commissioned a rather jaw-dropping concept. Open House: The Great Sex Experiment first aired in 2022, following couples who head to a luxury retreat where they explored whether having open relationships and sex with other people could strengthen their bond. It was eye-opening, featured sex and relationship experts and put intimacy at the forefront of the conversation - and Virgin Island is doing the same thing. Having first aired in 2025, the series became a ratings hit, breaking records among 16-to-34-year-olds and was Channel 4's biggest streaming hit of the year, so it was unsurprising when the renewal news came around. The reality series follows 12 adult virgins as they head to a Mediterranean retreat under the care of intimacy experts, including lead coaches Celeste Hirschman and Dr Danielle Harel, both co-creators of the Somatica Method which is used on the show. With two more episodes in this season, there is plenty for Hirschman, Harel and their expanded team of experts to get stuck into - from religious shame and online bullying to body image anxiety. The experts also tackle sexual disorders on the rise among young people, including premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction and vaginismus. Along with tackling these sexual issues, the series follows the group on a transformative journey and edges towards moments as intimate as people potentially losing their virginity. And with a new season, it begs the question: Do we really need to see this all over again? Well, it's certainly a show worth being optimistic about. The reaction to season 1 was rather negative, with social media filled with comments from viewers saying they were "creeped out" and "uncomfortable", particularly during scenes involving surrogate partner therapy, in which participants who choose to do so can engage in intimate exercises - including kissing, nudity and, in some cases, intercourse - with trained surrogates. Hirschman and Harel have rigorously defended the show since its introduction last year, with the experts telling Radio Times how important and detailed the duty of care for the participants is. View oEmbed on the source website "The duty of care is amazing, and that's one of the amazing things I love about the structure and the production team and the British TV rules too," Harel began. "There is really amazing duty of care, people always have someone to reach out to. There's psychiatrists on the team, in addition to all the professionals [on the show there is] someone on the outside." She continued: "So it won't be a part of the process they're going through and people always checked on [the participants] before, during and after. There's dedicated people that they talk to on a weekly basis if they want to." Participants themselves have also rejected ideas that they were exploited on the programme, with season 2's Bertie telling LadBible: "The therapists as well always said, 'If you don’t want to do this particular thing you do not have to, it’s completely fine.' "We felt very safe on the programme, we felt very secure and it genuinely was a good time." Many of the participants have praised the show, noting it has been a life-changing experience, with it offering a rare chance to focus entirely on their intimacy issues with intensive professional support. Experts argue that much of the discomfort around Virgin Island stems from the fact that it shows intimacy as messy, awkward and, at times, emotional, rather than smooth and cinematic — something audiences are accustomed to when it comes to seeing sex on television. As psychosexual dysfunction therapist Shelly Dar argues, the "cringe" viewers feel is a mirror: real sexual vulnerability can be difficult to watch because it activates people's own shame, discomfort and unresolved feelings. "We've become so accustomed to the polished, performative sex found in porn or scripted dramas that real, awkward sexual vulnerability feels alien," she told Radio Times. "Viewers aren't just laughing at the contestants; they are distancing themselves from the terrifying prospect of being that seen and that exposed." Dr Lori Beth Bisbey, psychologist, GSRD (gender, sex, relationship diversity) therapist, sex and intimacy coach, makes a similar point: "Viewers find vulnerability difficult to watch. Sexual vulnerability can be more difficult to watch as people often have their own sexual vulnerabilities and the vulnerability highlights the emotional part of intimacy." She continued: "On television people seem more inclined to connect with straight physicality as it doesn’t spark off any shame or unresolved feelings for them. As a society, we are not great at talking feelings, responding to feelings and talking about sex, so the programme is more challenging than people expect it to be." Virgin Island has begun to open up a conversation that mainstream television often shies away from. Hirschman and Harel repeatedly frame the show as a way to reduce shame, normalise awkwardness and show that intimacy is learned, not magically innate. Harel told Radio Times that sexuality is often treated as something secretive and shameful, asking why we can watch cooking shows together but struggle to treat sex with the same openness. Harel explained: "Just thinking about the idea of [it being] personal and secretive, I think that's part of the shame. It's not like the idea is, 'Let's have sex outside on the streets', that's not the point. It's okay to have privacy around sexuality but there's something so powerful about seeing people's transformation and helping it transform other people's lives. And also, what if we didn't feel so much shame around sexuality? What if we were allowed to talk about it? People see cooking shows together, why is that not personal?" Hirschman added that erotic energy shouldn't be boxed into the bedroom, but understood as something that can move through the whole body and one's entire life. She said: "What happens when we don't actually feel that erotic energy and that aliveness flowing through us all the time is that it actually shuts down. And then when it is time to go to the bedroom, nobody has any of it flowing. To be able to feel it and flow it throughout your throughout your body, throughout your life, I think that creates much more lubrication, as we say, for when you are actually ready to have sex." Dar added: "Intimacy deserves more space on television, provided it’s handled with integrity. We have a crisis of loneliness and sexual dysfunction in the UK, often fuelled by silence. If this show moves the conversation from shame to curiosity, it’s doing a service, even if the format is designed to make us squirm." Their points are not that sex should be public for the sake of it but that silence has its own cost. As we see in Virgin Island, many adults reach their 20s and 30s with little sexual education, a heavy burden of shame, or sexual disorders that are rarely discussed in detail on television. Virgin Island is making these experiences visible. Virgin Island returns on Monday 27 April at 9pm on Channel 4. Add Virgin Island to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Game of Wool winner reveals adorable exclusive look at new CBeebies show Froglets – and why it feels unique to modern children's TV
The show will follow the adventures of a trio of amphibian friends crafted by Holger Auffenberg.
A children's TV show starring wool frogs hand-knitted by Game of Wool winner Holger Auffenberg is coming to CBeebies – and now Radio Times can share an exclusive new look at the series. Froglets will follow the adventures of a trio of amphibian friends crafted by Auffenberg – who was crowned the winner of Tom Daley's first season of Game of Wool in December 2025 – and brought to life by a team of puppeteers as they navigate life together in a house. The pre-school show will arrive on 11 May 2026 on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times about what viewers can expect from Froglets, which is narrated by comedy star Sue Perkins, Holger said it will follow "the everyday adventures of a group of three best friends living together in a suburban house. But they’re knitted. And they’re frogs. And nobody but the dog knows they’re there." He added: "It’s a charming series aimed at pre-schoolers, who can follow our intrepid three as they navigate the world of the humans with unlimited imagination and an unfeasibly large wardrobe of fabulous outfits." He continued: "It's really a show that will inspire children to be creative and have fun playing with the simplest and humblest things they find in their own home." Talking about the series' origins, Holger added: "We first started developing this a few years ago when we noticed a big knitted-frog trend on Instagram led by various creators, including Claire Garland (AKA @dotpebbles_knits), and the charming cottagecore feel transpiring from this trend was one of the first inspirations for the production team." In terms of what makes the show unique among modern children's TV, Holger said: "We went for an overall feel that is, at the same time, both endearingly old-school and very modern. "Froglets is a slower, more thoughtful pace that gives children time to engage and absorb, very much in keeping with the CBeebies approach." Rather than using CGI for the series, a bespoke technical filming set-up was developed in order to film the Froglets as live action. Holger added: "The characters are animated in a deliberately simple and naive way by traditional puppeteers, because this reflects the way they would be moved around if a child were to play with them. As a result, there is a very honest and wholesome feeling to the stories." The series, which was created by Massimo Fenati, was commissioned by Rai Kids, Italy and is an international partnership between Eaglet Pictures and Pesci Combattenti (Italy). Tess Cuming serves as executive producer, while Riccardo Mastropietro helms and produces the episodes. Froglets will air on 11 May on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office legend on why the theme of forgiveness is so important in her work – especially "actor dependent" new play
Monica Dolan is bringing to life a tragic new play.
Monica Dolan's ability to translate a true story on screen is a whole other art form in itself. Whether it's as subpostmistress Jo Hamilton in Mr Bates vs The Post Office, or Rose West in Appropriate Adult, she makes a point of tackling even the most complex of morally complex roles with the same vigour. The secret, she says, is not judging them at all, no matter how tempting it may be. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times she said: "What's quite lucky as an actor is that one of the things that's least useful for your job is any sort of judgement or opinion. Because you just have to be open to someone who's not you, you can't really judge them." Lately, the actress says she's become very keen on how the theme of forgiveness plays into that work, which makes her latest play, Mass, a fitting choice. Based on the 2021 film starring the likes of Ann Dowd and Jason Isaacs, Mass sees two couples meet in a church basement to discuss a shared tragedy between their two children. While we won't be spoiling said tragedy here, what you need to know is most people would find such an event very hard to forgive, so for Dolan, it was an exciting prospect to sink her teeth into. She said: "I guess I feel like that's something that really, really divides people. "And, you know, for human beings is a very difficult thing to do and requires generosity, sometimes on a very enormous scale. "I suppose forgiveness is something that people can attain if they're lucky and if they really try, but also need to be lucky to be able to access it and to maybe feel something outside yourself in order to access it." On stage, Dolan is part of a very limited cast with Slow Horses actor Paul Hilton as her husband Richard, and opposing parents Jay and Gail played by Harlan Coben star Adeel Akhtar and Lyndsey Marshal. Actors Susie Trayling, Rochelle Rose and Amari Bacchus complete the cast, however, most scenes are just the two couples. "It's very actor dependent," she said: "Strangely, the only thing that I can even slightly liken it to technically that I've done before is W1A, because it's such a team and relies on people coming in at the right time, except with enormous emotion of course. "What's so exciting and engaging is that for much of it we're just doing this one uninterrupted scene and it's highly technical. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/04/Lyndsey-Marshal-Paul-Hilton-Monica-Dolan-Carrie-Cracknell-and-Adeel-Akhtar-in-rehearsals-for-MASS-Donmar-Warehouse-photo-by-Richard-Hubert-Smith-0334fee.jpg" width="5000" height="3333" alt="Lyndsey Marshal, Paul Hilton, Monica Dolan, Carrie Cracknell and Adeel Akhtar in rehearsals for MASS - Donmar Warehouse - photo by Richard Hubert Smith" title="Lyndsey Marshal, Paul Hilton, Monica Dolan, Carrie Cracknell and Adeel Akhtar in rehearsals for MASS - Donmar Warehouse - photo by Richard Hubert Smith" /> "I think the audience might come in feeling like they're sort of hitting the ground running, but, they hopefully will stay with us till the end, because it's quite a relentless, intense experience." As for why people should see it, she said: "I think theatre is all about being in the same room and I think they will feel like they're in the room with these people and that this situation that these characters are in is absolutely unique. Just trying to just watching these people find common ground, communicating, and there's something sort of animal about it as well, you'll see..." Mass is playing at London's Donmar Warehouse until 6 June. For more live entertainment, here are the best comedians on tour in 2026.
House of the Spirits star reveals key change she made to iconic role after seeing Meryl Streep's version
House of the Spirits star Nicole Wallace has opened up about why she's decided to play one key part of her character, Clara del Valle, differently compared to Meryl Streep's version in the iconic 1993 movie. More than 30 years ago, Isabel Allende's global bestseller was adapted into a star-studded - but rather heavily criticised - movie, led by Streep as Clara, while also featuring the likes of Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Glenn Close, and Antonio Banderas. Now, the story is getting a second chance, with an eight-part series having been filmed in Chile, starring Latin American actors. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, star Nicole Wallace opened up about what exactly she wanted to do differently to Streep in her portrayal of the Clara. "I think she did something very beautiful with it," she said. "I feel like it's much more of an esoteric aura that she brings to the character - she's much more just in the air." Wallace plays Clara in her young adulthood but, across the season, we also see the character played by Dolores Fonzi in her older years. View Green Video on the source website "I really wanted to ground Clara as much as I could, at least in my timeframe. I feel like when Dolores grabs Clara, she does go a little further away from earth, but I really wanted to make her feel like she was a real human being on Earth that is just so connected to everything. "But to be able to go into the same shoes and the same story as [Streep] and, to be able to revisit that material and have an opportunity to kind of do it in my ways is a huge, huge honour." Of course, magical realism is a critical part of Allende's novel, and Wallace had a unique way to get into character - doing spiritual exercises with the rest of the women on the cast. "It was very important for me to be able to experience all of these things so that when I played them, it was from an honest place," she explained. "I really wanted it to feel very natural. She was born with all of these things, so it's not interesting to her. It's not weird or something unnatural, so it, I really wanted it to feel like that for me as well." The House of the Spirits will arrive on Prime Video on 29 April. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
British TV favourite Stephen Tompkinson reveals all about his new detective role – and what he learnt from DCI Banks
Stephen Tompkinson has played plenty of detectives in his time on our screens, but his latest take on the murder mystery genre takes us into an entirely new realm for him - the surrealist art movement. This is Not a Murder Mystery, a series filmed in Ireland and Belgium which is now coming to U and U&Drama, is set at a lavish English estate in the 1930s. The series sees a group of guests at a private art exhibition shocked to learn that one of their number has been murdered. It just so happens that all of these guests - and suspects - are also rising stars of the surrealist movement, including René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Lee Miller, Man Ray and Max Ernst. Into the mix comes Scotland Yard DCI Thistlethwaite (Tompkinson), who is called to the estate to investigate the murder. He is joined by a new detective partner in the form of DC Mary Quant, played by Donna Banya. Describing his new character, Tompkinson told Radio Times in an exclusive interview: "He's had a military background, and he's sort of traditional through and through - although he does give a hint to being more forward thinking than his initial persona could make you think. "He's quite gruff, does everything by the rule book, but he's also looking to move things forward into the future and sort of mentoring his new detective partner. That's a very nice relationship that Donna and I established, she was wonderful to work with." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/04/This-Is-Not-a-Murder-Mystery-7a7730f.jpg" width="2640" height="1760" alt="Florence Hall as Lee Miller, Donna Banya as DC Quant, Iñaki Mur as Salvador Dalí, Pierre Gervais as René Magritte, Frank Bourke as Man Ray, Stephen Tompkinson as DCI John Thistletwaite and Mathilde Warnier as Georgette Magritte in This is Not a Murder Mystery, in front of a blue sky." title="This-Is-Not-a-Murder-Mystery" /> Tompkinson continued: "You don't get many opportunities to do joint Belgian-Irish productions, with a cast from all around Europe. It was fascinating. It was joyous to work on. It really galvanised everyone. The cast and crew were very close and really determined to make this thing the best that we could. "And I think the design of the piece as well, from every department, was fantastic. We had a wonderful day developing the look for Thistlethwaite. They found the small moustache for him, because I would have had time to grow one in myself, if required. So, yeah, we had a great day doing that, and we found the look quite easily, and then everything started to fall into place." Meanwhile, Tompkinson also revealed that he "did have a good guess" as to who the killer was before he got to the end of reading the scripts for the series. "I suppose doing years of DCI Bank had led me to think about various who had done it and who hadn't. So I had a bit of an advantage there as well," he said. The show's title refers to Magritte's 1929 work The Treachery of Images, which features the image of a pipe alongside text saying "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" - "This is not a pipe". View Green Video on the source website This is Not a Murder Mystery will air on U&Drama from Wednesday 29 April at 8pm. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add Bookish to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
How Terry Pratchett's legacy lives on with Good Omens
Terry Pratchett, who created the Good Omens world with Neil Gaiman, died in 2015.
This feature was first published in 2023. One night in a hotel room in Seattle in the early 1990s, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, who co-wrote the novel Good Omens, made a plan for how they would bring their beloved tale to TV. Almost three decades later and, tragically, four years after Pratchett's death, season 1 of the TV adaptation starring David Tennant as demon Crowley and Michael Sheen as angel Aziraphale, premiered on Prime Video to widespread acclaim. Fans pored over every scene and quickly noticed the many references and homages to Pratchett – from his hat and scarf taking pride of place in Aziraphale's bookshop to how his wishes were honoured in the scripts. Now, the show is about to end with a 90-minute finale, it's clear it's a lasting homage to the legendary author. After Pratchett's death, his wishes have lived on, as he has a representative in Rob Wilkins who worked first as the author's personal assistant and later as his business manager. Nowadays, Wilkins has the title of Pratchett's "representative on Earth", making completely sure that the author's wishes are being honoured. Early on in production, he's sent every script and he's present on set to talk things through with Gaiman. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Wilkins explained: "If I said I was here to make sure Terry's voice was heard, that's wrong because Terry's voice is here, it's everywhere. My presence is Terry's presence and that's what I bring to the set." He adds: "He would be most proud of the detail and the love that is compressed into this that everybody puts into it and it's lovely to see that everybody respects the written word and here we are turning the written word into this." Taking us through the Dirty Donkey pub on set, Wilkins also shows us one of his favourite details – a portrait of Pratchett which takes pride of place. "Witchfinder General Pratchett!" he declares. "With a brandy in his hand, a hat on his head. That's how he should be. That was a surprise. I didn't know that was happening until it was there and it's really quite emotional, so Terry's not just here in spirit, he's actually here." It's not just the portrait in the pub – Pratchett is everywhere on set if you look for him. Fans are well aware of his hat and scarf, which are proudly displayed in Aziraphale's bookshop on a hat stand. Set designer Michael Ralph tells us: "This is Terry's hat and Terry's scarf. Everyday we film here it's left in the shop, and it's always put in a safe at night. But it's always there." There are smaller references too. In the coffee shop, Give Me Coffee...Or Give Me Death, producer Sarah-Kate Fenelon points out, amid a sea of graffiti, the name Terry scrawled on the wall. Meanwhile, the stars of the show have also revealed that Pratchett is a big presence on set. Tennant previously told Digital Spy: "We were always talking about Terry Pratchett and how Terry Pratchett had written half of the original novel and who desperately wanted this to happen. This was, in a sense, a dying wish of his, to bring this to the screen." Maggie Service, star of season 2, also gave us an insight into how Pratchett's present is felt on set. "Yeah, he's always around," she said. "Again, the first day of filming around the monitors was his hat on his chair, so – it's giving me goosebumps! He was there and he is there. "It's extraordinary. I never got the chance to meet him, but Rob Wilkins, who's his official representative on Earth – that is his classic, brilliant, perfect title – he's just really aware of making sure that Terry is a part of it." She added: "It was Neil and Terry's universe in the beginning, they created it together and now we only have Neil, who is made of magic, so it's pretty good – there's no undersell here – but it's important that it's always both of their worlds because, just what a magnificent thing to put those two brains together. Aren't we all lucky?" Good Omens season 3 will be available to watch on Prime Video from 13 May – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
007 First Light star "is sure" that Bond game actor is "under consideration" for the movie role
There has been much debate over the last few years over just who should pick up the James Bond mantle after Daniel Craig, but one 007 First Light actor reckons the man is staring Amazon and MGM in the face. Lennie James plays John Greenway, Bond’s mentor in 007 First Light, so it’s safe to say the man knows the ins and outs of what makes a good MI6 agent. During the BAFTA Games Awards 2026, actor Lennie James presented Jennifer English with the best performer award for her portrayal of Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Before this, however, the Radio Times Gaming team managed to catch up with James on the red carpet, where we talked about all things 007, and he reckons young Bond actor, Patrick Gibson should be in the running, saying "the people in control would be mad" if he isn’t already. View oEmbed on the source website That’s quite the statement, but James is absolutely certain, saying Gibson is "fantastic in our version of Bond, and I genuinely think he should be a candidate for the main role that they're trying to find someone for". Perhaps with Lenny Kravitz featuring as the 007 First Light villain, we'll get to see him pop up in a future Bond movie, too. If Gibson doesn’t get picked for the films, it seems like he’ll still be able to play Bond for a good while yet, as 007 First Light developers IO Interactive have teased future sequels that would feature him. In an interview, 007 First Light senior producer Theuns Smit said development was "like a hand fitting into a glove" after making Hitman, so the will is definitely there. With Lana Del Rey having put out a Bond anthem, who Bond composer David Arnold said was a perfect fit, it would seem strange for the buck to stop with the first game. Hopefully, it is a critical and commercial success, so that Gibson can Bond it up ad infinitum. Sadly, Nintendo-stans won’t be able to experience Gibson as young Bond for themselves until the summer, as 007 First Light has been delayed for the Switch 2 And if IO Interactive does continue with 007 First Light sequels, we reckon they can learn a thing or two from the James Bond novels, despite the game not being official canon. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Marshals star Luke Grimes confirms future with Yellowstone franchise - and how long he'll play Kayce Dutton
Luke Grimes may be playing Kayce Dutton for years to come, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Luke Grimes is in it for the long haul when it comes to Yellowstone, explaining the role of Kayce Dutton is a dream come true for him as an actor. After playing Kayce through five seasons of the main Yellowstone timeline, Grimes is continuing his journey as the complex cowboy with his own spin-off series, Marshals, which is approaching the end of its first season right now. We know Marshals season 2 has been given the go-ahead at Paramount, too, after a record-breaking premiere for the new show. But just how long will Grimes keep playing this character? In an exclusive interview with Radio Times, we asked the actor about his plans for the future, and he insisted he wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. "I mean, I've signed a contract, so I have to do it as long as people kind of watch it for the next, however, many years," he joked. "But if there was ever a character that I was going to play for 10 years or more, this is the one." Read more: Luke Grimes reveals "crazy" truth about one of Yellowstone's strangest ongoing mysteries Yellowstone favourite reveals he initially hated shocking decision to kill off popular character - and why he changed his mind Reflecting on securing the role of Kayce Dutton, Grimes added: "When I read the script in 2017 for the first time, I remember thinking, if I don't get to play this guy it's going to be the one that got away. It'll be the biggest heartbreak of my career. I'll think about this for the rest of my life. So the fact that I got it was a dream come true. It's very easy for me not to take it for granted, because I do love playing this guy. "Obviously there are times when I think about it all at once, and I think, ‘Oh, my God, how many more years? And this is crazy, and this is a lot of work.’ But then I remember this is Kayce, so I'm good. I get to be in this beautiful place in the mountains, and it's just awesome. It's all the things I wanted to play as a young actor and as a boy, all rolled into one." View Green Video on the source website Clearly, Grimes is living the dream. And, the Yellowstone adventure doesn’t look like it’s going to come to an end any time soon, with Dutton Ranch also on the way, which will pick up Beth and Rip’s story. As one of the original cast members on the show, we were curious whether Grimes is privy to Taylor Sheridan’s plans for the franchise. Turns out, he does learn a few secrets, but only by accident. "The only time I find out anything is if I happen to be at Taylor’s house, because he likes to use speakerphone so sometimes I'll get it straight from the source", he told us. Oh to be a fly on the wall in those moments! We can’t wait to see what Sheridan is cooking up next, but there’s still plenty to keep Yellowstone fans fed for the rest of this year. Marshals airs new episodes weekly on Mondays on Paramount+. Add Marshals to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Virgin Island experts respond to show critics ahead of season 2 - and argue why it's not a dating show
"What if we didn't feel so much shame around sexuality?"
Channel 4 is ready to get the nation talking all over again, as its BAFTA award-nominated series Virgin Island returns for an extended second season. Tonight (27 April), viewers will return to the island as 12 new young people face their intimacy anxiety head on, helped by a group of sex therapists who have surprises that push the participants to confront their sexual issues. Like in season 1, the participants will experience a hands-on approach to intimacy, guided through the process by surrogate partner therapists, sexological bodyworkers and a newly introduced BDSM coach. This level of intimacy and conversations around sex on screen came as a shock to viewers last year when season 1 was released, with some people unsure if such a personal journey like losing your virginity should be played out on television for the nation to watch. The question of whether the show's depiction of someone's sexual journey should be shown on television was put to experts Dr Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschman – co-founders of the Somatica Institute and co-creators of the Somatica method. "Just thinking about the idea of personal and secretive, I think that's part of the shame," Harel told Radio Times. "It's not like the idea is, 'Let's have sex outside on the streets', that's not the point. It's okay to have privacy around sexuality but there's something so powerful about seeing people's transformation and helping it transform other people's lives." She continued: "And also, what if we didn't feel so much shame around sexuality? What if we were allowed to talk about it? People see cooking shows together, why is that not personal?" The Somatica method is an experiential approach that combines emotional connection with practical tools to build confidence, communication and intimacy. "Somatica is a method that we really teach people intimacy and relationship skills, because we really believe that you're not born with those skills. You need to learn them," Harel explained. "And we don't have a lot of good examples around how to have good relationships and intimacy and what I think the most amazing thing about Somatica is that we're teaching intimacy while being in intimacy with our clients. "So it's a two side relationship called the relationship lab. We're sharing vulnerably, we're sharing with them and giving them feedback lovingly, in the moment, to help them improve the skills." View oEmbed on the source website This season, thanks to two additional episodes, features new concepts for audiences and the participants alike, including core desires, helping them "embrace and explore their specific turn-ons" during their time on the retreat. There was also a new workshop that helped the group "own the 'tease' and debunk the 'creep', allowing them to "feel more empowered in their boundaries and less worried about coming across as 'creepy'"". Hirschman explained to Radio Times that she feels as though there is "compartmentalisation" that people are "only supposed to be a sexual being in the bedroom with your partner". She added: "What happens when we don't actually feel that erotic energy and that aliveness flowing through us all the time is that it actually shuts down. And then when it is time to go to the bedroom, nobody has any of it flowing. To be able to feel it and flow it throughout your throughout your body, throughout your life, I think that creates much more lubrication, as we say, for when you are actually ready to have sex." Read more: Where is Virgin Island filmed? Location of new Channel 4 series Virgin Island experts: Meet the new and returning coaches Last season saw romance spark between participants Viraj and Emma and while that didn't amount to anything, there is some romance on the horizon in season 2. But while the series explores sex and relationships and romance does blossom, it is by no means a dating show. "This is for people's personal transformation and growth," said Hirschman. "And they all, especially in season 2, when they kind of knew what was going to happen because they'd seen season 1, they were much more prepared with their own personal goals and issues that they really wanted to work with and have some resolution around. "So it really wasn't a dating show. And it's beautiful because they're all practicing with each other, and experimenting and trying things and some little love connections can happen. There's no pressure or goal towards that, but it's an option as well, which is really nice." For Hirschman and Harel, it was important to "set the tone", explaining: "When we did the pillow talk that you see in the trailer, we're business partners, we're not lovers, and we just demonstrate with each other. And we said, 'Hey, we are not doing it for the purpose of practicing, so try it out, you can practice with everyone.' It doesn't define your relationship with them. And I think that created a really important invitation for them to feel safe, to try it out, and to let themselves be themselves." Virgin Island returns on Monday 27 April at 9pm on Channel 4. Add Virgin Island to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Coronation Street star teases "absolutely thrilling" murder week - and who he thinks is most at risk
Theo star James Cartwright spoke exclusively with Radio Times about the highly anticipated storyline.
This week is set to be a big one on Coronation Street, as the highly anticipated Murder Week has arrived. The storyline will see one of five characters killed off on the day of Carla Connor and Lisa Swain's wedding, with the potential victims being Megan Walsh, Jodie Ramsey, Carl Webster, Theo Silverton and Maggie Driscoll. Now, the stars behind one of those characters has teased what we can expect, when speaking exclusively with Radio Times. James Cartwright, who plays Theo, has said that Murder Week is "an absolute thrill," adding: "Listen, you're sat on your seat, but you'll only need half of it, because you'll be on the edge of it. It's got thrills. It's got spills. It's storytelling at its finest." He continued: "What you've got is, you've got the characters that you know, the characters that you love, but in these incredible situations, high stakes, jeopardy, you've got marriage, you've got love, you've got hate, you've got fireworks. Everyone loves a firework. You have got, you know, potential murder, right? Somebody's getting it." View Green Video on the source website Cartwright added: "I believe it's TV at its finest. You know, in this modern era, you've got streaming services, and you've got YouTube and all that tackle. And I believe this, this week, is what puts Corrie back where it should be, which is the top of television. "You know, it's the spearhead of it all. It started it all - strong characters. It's got that ability to go between humour to danger to jeopardy, make you laugh, make you cry, and that's all in this week." When it was put to Cartwright that Theo isn’t the most liked person in Weatherfield, and it could be him who dies, he joked: "Well, look, if they were taking bets at the bookies, I wouldn't shy away from maybe doing it. "I'd probably, if it were me, and I were watching from the outside, I'd probably do an each way bet between Theo and Carl, because they've upset everyone. And I also love the fact they've ended up going they've even upset each other." When it was suggested that Carl and Theo might actually kill each other, he said: "Can you imagine? How would Carl kill Theo? What would he do? Would he hit him with a wrench or run him over maybe?" Just last week, Theo did make a threat to kill another Weatherfield resident, after murdering vicar Billy Mayhew and threatening Carl. This time, it was Summer he had in his crosshairs - but how will that play into the upcoming storyline? Read more: Coronation Street airs major showdown between Theo Silverton and Carl Webster in early ITVX release Coronation Street airs surprise Summer Spellman scenes as she vows to protect Todd Grimshaw in early ITVX release Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm and from 7am on ITVX. Add Coronation Street to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Joanna Lumley speaks out in defence of immigration: "We don’t own anything, we don’t own the land"
"I think we should be kinder, just be kinder" the star told Radio Times.
In an interview with Radio Times magazine, Amandaland star Joanna Lumley has reiterated her views on how immigrants are talked about and treated, calling for people to be "kinder". Speaking with Ginny Dougary for the issue out on Tuesday 28 April, Lumley said: "A lot of people say they don’t think actors should be given the platform to say what they think. "But if you feel strongly about something and you feel that it’s setting up a bad feeling among people, hurting them, dispossessing people who you ought to love and greet, then it’s good for you to stand up and say what you think. "We’re all just creatures. We don’t own anything, we don’t own the land, we’re just people on the earth. And most of the people who are coming here are getting away from something that’s completely horrible at home. "Nobody wants to leave their homeland. But if they can’t bear to live there, can’t get work, are persecuted, if there’s a drought, a famine, if there’s a war, then we have got to understand that. So, I think we should be kinder, just be kinder." Lumley has long been known for her activism, including as a supporter of Survival International and as a patron of organisations including Born Free Foundation, Population Matters and Tree Aid. Lumley will next be seen on screen in the second season of Amandaland, the spin-off to BBC comedy Motherland in which she stars alongside Lucy Punch. Season 2 will see Punch's Amanda continuing to develop her online lifestyle brand 'Senuous', including by giving a talk at a 'careers week' event held by her son's school. Lumley will continue to play Amanda's judgmental and overbearing mother Felicity, who was last seen reuniting with her sister Joan (played by Lumley's Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders) in the show's 2025 Christmas special. The latest issue of Radio Times will be out on Tuesday 28 April. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Yellowstone favourite reveals he initially hated shocking decision to kill off popular character - and why he changed his mind
Luke Grimes was not happy about this Marshals decision, but he eventually realised it was the right thing to do.
While Kayce Dutton continues his journey in the wake of Yellowstone’s main show coming to an end, there are a lot of changes in the character’s life for audiences – and star Luke Grimes – to deal with. Most notably, fans were shocked to learn that Kayce’s wife, Monica Dutton, would not be a part of the new spin-off series, Marshals. Kelsey Asbille, who has starred opposite Grimes since the start of Yellowstone, was written out of the latest story with an off-screen death. Grimes was gutted about the decision when he was first told his long-time co-star would not be with him for this new chapter of Kayce’s life, and he told Radio Times in an exclusive interview exactly what he thought at the time. He said: "My first gut reaction was, ‘I hate that idea’. It just didn't even compute. There was no Kayce without Monica. That was their whole arc – this Romeo and Juliet love story. They were two halves that made the whole so I couldn't even wrap my head around it at first. "And then also, personally, Kelsey and I are very close. She's a good friend of mine, and she was there for my whole experience on Yellowstone. I just couldn't imagine doing it without her and being on set without her." Initial reports suggested scheduling issues got in the way for Asbille, but Grimes now admits that, narratively speaking, it really did make sense for Monica to be out of the picture for Marshals. "Little by little, I started to realise that they had everything they'd ever wanted. If they were going to be together, and have Tate, the ranch, and that dream life, then there's no more stories to tell," Grimes added. "In that case, we should just leave them alone and let them be happy. So there were only a couple options, really, for removing the possibility of that dream life, and that was the only way to tell a new story." View Green Video on the source website Thankfully, Asbille gave her blessing for the show to go on without her, and Grimes believes that, as painful as it was to work without her, the death of Monica does give Kayce more depth and sets him on a fascinating path in Marshals. Read more: Luke Grimes reveals "crazy" truth about one of Yellowstone's strangest ongoing mysteries Yellowstone spin-off Marshals gets future swiftly confirmed after huge record-breaking premiere "I realised that's the motivation for everything that follows. That's literally the core of this series: how does a guy get up and dust himself off after losing the most important person in his life and find a new purpose? That's what the whole show is," Grimes concluded. Without Monica by his side, we’ve seen Kayce embrace a new career helping people in the community and bringing criminals to justice, as well as trying to do right by his son, Tate, as his sole carer. There is no doubt that Monica’s absence has given Kayce greater nuance, and it will be interesting to see how much further that goes for the rest of this season and in Marshals season 2, as well. Marshals: A Yellowstone Story is available to stream on Paramount+. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/offers/?benefitId=paramountplusgb&ref_=DVM_PDS_CHN_UK_mi_C_mkw_sNynrT7ZC-dc_pcrid_637893181401&mrntrk=slid__pgrid_143491579803_pgeo_9045946_x__adext__ptid_kwd-1210995054370&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHwTfGgy5aYKkYxNQV68UYUZhVWUr2bVS4o-EfnvpowOvplyXMbKqXAaArmvEALw_wcB&tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2191954" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fgp%2Fvideo%2Foffers%2F%3FbenefitId%3Dparamountplusgb%26ref_%3DDVM_PDS_CHN_UK_mi_C_mkw_sNynrT7ZC-dc_pcrid_637893181401%26mrntrk%3Dslid__pgrid_143491579803_pgeo_9045946_x__adext__ptid_kwd-1210995054370%26gad_source%3D1%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHwTfGgy5aYKkYxNQV68UYUZhVWUr2bVS4o-EfnvpowOvplyXMbKqXAaArmvEALw_wcB%26tag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-2191954&dtb=1">Sign up to your seven-day Paramount+ free trial. Add Marshals: A Yellowstone Story to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Will Half Man return for season 2? Richard Gadd confirms series future
"I think the best way of telling this story was the way that it ended, in the way that it does end in Half Man"
The first episode of Half Man is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer, and it sets us off on a 30-year journey with Richard Gadd's Ruben and Jamie Bell's Niall. The characters are predominantly played in the first episode by younger actors Stuart Campbell and Mitchell Robertson, with Gadd and Bell's versions only appearing to bookend the episode, at the end of the 30 years timeline we are set to track. Given this closed structure, it seems as though Half Man is set to be a one and done series. Now, while speaking with us exclusively for our video interview series The Radio Times Writers' Room, in which we get to know what makes screenwriters tick, creator Gadd has confirmed that this is indeed the case, even if it wasn't always. When it was suggested to Gadd that it feels as though the story is wrapped up in the show's final episode, and asked whether it ever occurred to him to make it a multiple season project, he said: "It did at one stage, I think it crossed my mind." View Green Video on the source website Gadd continued: "I did have an idea for it. But I think you've always got to do what's right for the project. And I think the best way of telling this story was the way that it ended, in the way that it does end in Half Man, and I think that that mattered more than laying the groundwork for a potential future season that may or may not happen. "So I felt like an idea of how it would end came to me, an idea of structuring it throughout came to me, that felt a lot more satisfying than hedging my bets in the future. It just suddenly occurred to me, while I was writing it, that it should exist as its own piece of work and not something that can kind of extend and extend." In his chat for The Radio Times Writers' Room, Gadd also discussed his work on his previous project, breakout Netflix hit Baby Reindeer. View oEmbed on the source website Gadd said of the show's rapturous reception, and the amount of people that watched it: "It was kind of exposing, because so many people were just watching it. "And in a way, walking down the street, and just by nature of suddenly being famous, suddenly being recognised, I just suddenly felt like one day people weren't paying attention to me, and the next day they were. And that is an innately destabilising experience." Half Man will continue on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Friday 1 May. Richard Gadd's full interview for The Radio Times Writers' Room is available to watch on Radio Times and on YouTube now. Add Half Man to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton star gives verdict on Whistledown season 4 twist: "I've taken everything out of it that I could possibly want"
Nicola Coughlan reveals what she made of that surprising Whistledown twist.
While the fourth season of Bridgerton was very much concerned with the love story of Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha), there was plenty else going on within the Ton. Now that the fifth season lead's love story has also been confirmed, fans can continue to ideate about how they think things will unfold – but season 4 also delivered quite the surprise ending. The fourth season of the hit Netflix drama saw Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) retire from being Whistledown after realising that a life in the spotlight wasn't one she wanted. But in season 4's final moments, Penelope is writing away at her desk once again. However, she's not writing Whistledown but a novel of her own, as she tells husband Colin (Luke Newton). Colin is left confused though, handing Penelope a copy of Whistledown before asking her who has written that. What a cliffhanger! Asking Coughlan what she made of the Whistledown twist while promoting the second season of Channel 4's Big Mood, the actress told Radio Times: "I think in a way, it's great because it's a show that keeps reinventing itself. Same thing – you have to hold on tightly, let go lightly. Like I loved leading that show, it's amazing but it's exhausting – it was so much work." She continued: "Yeah, you don't really have a life when you're doing it, which I was sort of fine with. It's about eight months filming and then it was like six months promotion around it. It was amazing but I've taken everything out of that that I could possibly want. "So then it's just lovely to pass it on to someone else. We're about to start filming season 5 and I think it's time to like... you know, it never focuses too long on any particular set of characters so it's lovely to see Florence [Hunt] and Will [Tilston] coming up and Hannah [Dodd]. I think it's great." She added: "I'll always pop in if they want me to! I'll be hanging around in the background sometimes for sure, if they need me." Read more: The Boys season 5 finale will be "heartbreaking", teases series favourite about show's ending Amandaland season 2 release date finally confirmed by BBC as beloved spin-off series returns As for who has taken over the Whistledown reigns, it'll likely play out much like the show's first episodes where viewers and characters were left wondering just who was penning the exposing pamphlet. When asked about whether the team behind the show already know who the new Whistledown is, showrunner Jess Brownell previously told Radio Times: "Shonda and I and all my writers know who Whistledown is and we’ve been writing to that. But that was what was really exciting to us was to A: let Penelope move onto a next chapter as a novelist, in her romance with Colin et cetera. "But I think once we revealed that Penelope was Whistledown at the end of season 1 and especially now that she’s come out publicly at the end of season 3, the stakes of it – we lost a bit of them in season 4." She continued: "It was really fun telling the story of her having to face some accountability with the people she’s written about, but it’s also so fun now to have red herrings and clues and have no one know because it’s not from the books at this point… Yeah we’re going a bit rogue." Bridgerton season 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-2381335&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Luke Grimes reveals "crazy" truth about one of Yellowstone's strangest ongoing mysteries
This plot hole has bugged Yellowstone fans since season 1, but we finally have answers.
Luke Grimes has explained a mysteriously dropped storyline from the first season of Yellowstone, which has played on the minds of fans for many years. After making a name for himself as Kayce Dutton in the original series, Grimes has stepped up as the main man in new spin-off show, Marshals. Long gone are the soap opera-esque storylines, replaced with a far more gritty, explosive, procedural vibe. This new journey for Kayce has seen him deal with the death of his wife, Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille), while wrestling with the idea of moving out of the shadow of his family name and carving out a more purposeful career. However, it's hard to keep the past buried, especially when there are still unanswered questions from the Yellowstone timeline. So, we decided to do some digging into one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the show, which dates right back to season 1 episode 2. Hardcore Yellowstone fans will remember Kayce and his son, Tate, unearthed a bunch of dinosaur bones while trying to remove a tree stump on their land. The bones were later seemingly stolen, but the storyline came to nothing and was never mentioned again throughout the course of the show. Well, we finally have some answers! In an exclusive interview with Radio Times, Grimes revealed that higher-ups pushed back against the storyline, which meant that it ended up being abandoned entirely. When asked if he knew what the plan was for the dinosaur bones, Grimes said: "Absolutely. I got a script where that whole thing came back around. It was the season 2 finale. There was a completely different finale. "But, it's basically the politics of the way that television shows work, when you have all these different producers, and you have a network and studio. There were a lot of notes about the original season 2 finale. It was finessed, and the dinosaur bones didn't make the cut, unfortunately." Grimes was visibly excited as he recalled this lost storyline, and proceeded to share even more information about what that alternate season 2 finale would have entailed. "I could probably tell you, because it doesn't matter at this point... Basically, Kayce goes on this mission, he just kind of goes off on his own and starts hopping trains, and then he meets a guy who had stolen the bones," he explained. "It was crazy. It was out of this world. But I think [studio bosses] thought, maybe, it took the story a little too far from the ranch. But I was excited to do it." The idea of Kayce hunting down the fossil thief in some kind of Indiana Jones-style subplot does sound tantalising. While we'll never get to see that play out now, at least we can finally rest easy knowing why the storyline wasn't taken any further. View Green Video on the source website Marshals: A Yellowstone Story is available to stream on Paramount+. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/offers/?benefitId=paramountplusgb&ref_=DVM_PDS_CHN_UK_mi_C_mkw_sNynrT7ZC-dc_pcrid_637893181401&mrntrk=slid__pgrid_143491579803_pgeo_9045946_x__adext__ptid_kwd-1210995054370&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHwTfGgy5aYKkYxNQV68UYUZhVWUr2bVS4o-EfnvpowOvplyXMbKqXAaArmvEALw_wcB&tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2191954" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored">Sign up to your seven-day Paramount+ free trial. Add Marshals: A Yellowstone Story to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Ben Starr reveals he wouldn't play Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 movie
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - The Movie, not starring Ben Starr.
At the BAFTAs Games Awards 2026, Radio Times Gaming had the opportunity to catch up with Ben Starr on the red carpet, who was nominated for performer in a leading role as Verso, about his outfit, pre-launch thoughts on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s success and whether or not he would be up for reprising his role in a live-action film. Whilst the best performer award ultimately went to cast mate Jennifer English as Maelle, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won best game, and Hades 2, in which Starr, err, stars, was up for two nominations as well. We also had the chance to speak with Charlie Cox, who played Gustave, and he reckons that Robert Pattinson would be the best choice to physically portray him, but that they should still use his voice. View oEmbed on the source website But as for whether or not Starr would like to play Verso, we posed the question, and he told us "No, I don't", adding that "I don't think there needs to be a film." It seems like a big opportunity to pass up, given how successful Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been, which writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen and Lune actor Kirsty Rider didn’t expect, nor did Starr himself, who cautioned Monoco actor Rich Keeble about putting too much faith in the game before launch. If nothing else, it would be a good fit for an adaptation just for the simple fact that it’s a brilliant story brought to life by a great cast. Starr is quite content with his contribution, though, telling us "I got to play him in the game. I got to define the character in a way that I'm really, really happy with", and reckons that it's best that the film's director "let someone else take it over". However, everyone loves a fan cast, and we were curious who Starr would pick if he were put in charge of casting an Expedition 33 film, but he was steadfast in his resolve, telling us, "I don't know. I'll let people decide. I won't give you a definitive answer." Starr isn’t entirely opposed to the idea of a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 film, saying that "I would love to be, of course, a part of it", but reckons the medium is what makes it special, saying "I think Expedition 33 is a brilliant video game, and that's what makes the story so impactful." Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Hardacres season 2 exclusive first-look trailer shows off transformative new episodes
The trailer gives fans a first look at the family’s new foe, Lady Imelda Hansen.
The Hardacres is returning to our screens for a second season - and now Radio Times has an exclusive first-look trailer. The 5 drama, which is based on the novel series by C L Skelton, focuses on the titular family as they navigate their rise from rags to riches during the 1890s. In the new clip, the Hardacres can be seen still trying to find their feet after rising from poverty to wealth, whilst they’re also tasked with navigating the shifting world in 1895. The footage also gives fans a first look at the family’s new foe, Lady Imelda Hansen (played by A Very British Scandal's Michele Dotrice). She says of the Hardacres: "I want to make an example of them. A warning to anybody who thinks they can buy class. That family has to be stopped." Claire Cooper and Liam McMahon are reprising their roles as Mary and Sam Hardacre alongside Julie Graham as Mary's mother, Ma, in season 2. Adam Little, Shannon Lavelle, and Zak Ford-Williams will also be back as the Hardacre children Joe, Liza, and Harry, respectively, while other returning faces include Holly Sturton, Cathy Belton, Owen Roe, Ingrid Craigie, and Sarah Agha. Alongside Dotrice, other new additions to the cast include Niall McNamee (Saipan) as Edward Blackwood, and Edward Mitchell (Justice League) as Arthur Lewis. The official synopsis for season 2 teases: "Mary and Sam embrace wealth and opportunity, but their children begin forging identities that challenge expectations. Mary champions adult education for dock workers, while Sam expands the family business amid a looming recession, uncertain if Joe is ready to succeed him. "Determined to prove himself, Joe’s impulsive choices threaten his future. Liza, recovering from romantic disappointment, is swept up by a chance encounter with a handsome stranger, while Harry’s plans to abandon school are transformed by an inspiring new tutor. "Ma forms an unexpected bond but as some relationships blossom, others are strained. As tensions rise, Lady Imelda Hansen arrives at the Fitzherbert’s home with a dangerous agenda, forcing the Hardacres to unite or risk losing everything." The Hardacres airs on 5. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Top Boy and Day of the Jackal stars feature in exclusive first look at "edge-of-your-seat" new thriller series
The Nick Blood and Saffron Hocking-led thriller is coming this summer.
A new Nick Blood and Saffron Hocking-led thriller titled Hit Point is coming to our screens - and now Radio Times can share an exclusive first look at the series. The show, which has been penned by Howard Overman (Misfits) and promises "edge-of-your-seat action, high-stakes drama, and a gripping storyline", will be released on U and U&Dave this summer. Blood (Day of the Jackal) and Hocking (Top Boy) star as thirty-something-year-old detectives Leo (pictured above) and Bella (pictured below), whose latest case pulls them into a dangerous West London underworld. As they hunt for answers, the lines between their personal and professional lives soon begin to blur, and "loyalty is tested secrets explode, and love might just be the most dangerous game of all", the official synopsis teases. Alongside first-look images, a trailer has also been unveiled, showing a high-stakes chase between Leo and Bella and a bunch of masked people, in which it's unclear who's chasing and who's being chased. The clip ends with another twist as the person behind one of the masks is revealed to be Leo. Watch the clip for yourself below: View oEmbed on the source website Alongside Blood and Hocking, Hit Point also stars William Abadie (Emily in Paris) Brendan Coyle (Toxic Town), Peter Serafinowicz (The Gentlemen), Nadia Parkes (Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story) and Moe Bar-El (Alien: Earth). Ossian Perret (The Last Kingdom) and Joshua Sher (The Undeclared War) also star, while behind the camera, the Gentleman director David Caffrey helms the project. The series was announced last August, with Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning for UKTV, teasing "a cop show like no other", adding: "With his singular voice, Howard has crafted a tense crime thriller that's driven by a characterful will-they-won't romance. It's a distinctive genre mash-up, full of heart, humour and action-packed sequences. "It's the perfect first scripted drama commission for U&Dave and U, and a marker of our ambition for drama on the channel." Overman added: "We are all excited at Urban Myth Films to be teaming up with UKTV on Hit Point. It's been a joy to create a show that blends high-octane thrills with heart, humour and a love story at its core." He added: "We have a talented crew of industry experts bringing Leo and Bella's world to life, and I can't wait for audiences to dive into the twists, turns and surprises we have in store." As well as his part in The Day of the Jackal as Vince Pyne, Blood is known for his roles in Agents of SHIELD, Euphoria, Slow Horses and Joan. Meanwhile, Hocking is best known for her role as Lauryn Lawrence in Top Boy, and has also starred in Moon Knight, Riches, Peacock and The Devil's Hour. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Joséphine Jobert explains how a specific Death in Paradise episode prepared her for new Saint-Pierre role
It turns out that one Death in Paradise experience set Jobert up perfectly for her new leading role.
If you cast your mind back to season 13 of Death in Paradise, you'll remember that there was plenty of drama in store for our main cast of characters as well as the anticipated return of Florence Cassell. A fan-favourite character played by Joséphine Jobert, Florence came back not only to explore the growing spark with Neville (Ralf Little) but also to help out on one of the cases. It turns out, though, that Jobert's final Death in Paradise episode paved the way for her new leading role in Saint-Pierre. Chatting exclusively to Radio Times about whether her role in Death in Paradise prepared her for Saint-Pierre in any way, the actress laughed and said: "Yes, it's crazy. I left Death in Paradise many times and I came back many times because they would call me back and be like, ‘Oh, can you come back for half a season?’. My last season I said that I'm okay to do one special guest episode. "Usually it’s the Inspector who does the whole whodunnit scene and they gave it to me this time. They were like, ‘You’re going to do it by yourself’ and I was like, ‘Okay, are you sure?’. It's like an eight page monologue. It's a very huge challenge." Jobert continued: "But the thing is, sometimes in Guadeloupe, there is dengue fever - I got the dengue! Honestly, I was so sick and I couldn't even stand, I was dying, seriously. I had to do the whole thing during the entire day, you can't see it on camera! I was dying. I was in pain. Honestly, it was awful. "But that prepared me because just being able to deliver that scene, the entire day, eight page monologue, sick to death – if I can do this, I can do anything. It's funny, life is funny sometimes. So when I got this job… because I have definitely more lines in this than Death in Paradise. She is leading, she's the boss. It felt like I was prepared because of that episode of Death in Paradise, it gave me confidence." Jobert leads the cast of Saint-Pierre as Deputy Chief Geneviève 'Arch' Archambault alongside Jack Ryan's Allan Hawco as the show's other central character Donny 'Fitz' Fitzpatrick. Read more: Margo's Got Money Troubles adaptation eyeing Big Little Lies-style continuation, says star Bookish season 2 debuts thrilling new trailer as Jason Watkins and Sherlock star join Mark Gatiss The synopsis for the series says: "After the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Inspector, Donny Fitzpatrick (Fitz), digs too deeply into a local politician’s nefarious activity, he is exiled to work in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon — the French Territory nestled in the Atlantic Ocean. Fitz’s arrival disrupts the life of Deputy Chief Genevieve Archambault (Arch), a Parisian transplant who is in Saint-Pierre for her own intriguing reasons." It continues: "As if by fate, these two seasoned officers — with very different policing skills and approaches — are forced together to solve unique and exciting crimes. Although the islands seem like a quaint tourist destination, the idyllic facade conceals the worst kind of criminal activity, which tends to wash up on beautiful shores. "At first at odds and suspicious of each other, Arch and Fitz soon discover that they are better together." Saint-Pierre airs on U&Alibi from 9pm on Wednesday 22 April 2026. Add Saint-Pierre to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.