The Witcher's Adjoa Andoh unsure if she'll be in season 3
"It's totally about what the creators of the show want to do with the material from the books."
Eventually The Witcher season 3 will be upon us, featuring the return of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), Ciri (Freya Allan) and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). Alongside the show’s key players, we can expect the majority of The Witcher’s supporting cast to return. But one character’s future on the show remains up in the air, with The Witcher star Adjoa Andoh revealing that she’s unsure if High Priestess Nenneke will be in season 3. The Bridgerton actress joined The Witcher season 2 as Nenneke, an old friend of Geralt whose appearance served to unlock more of the legendary witcher’s backstory. Well, at the Radio Times Covers Party in London, RadioTimes.com spoke with Nenneke actor Adjoa Andoh, and she gave a few hints about whether she’ll be back for season 3. “Yeah, I don't know," she said. "We'll see. The books are so huge. And they've gone so many different ways in the stories. Nenneke is in the books a lot. But it depends what they want to do with, you know, this version of it." She continued: "It's totally about what the creators of the show want to do with the material from the books and how they want to swing that, and so we'll wait and see." The upcoming third season will be based on The Time Of Contempt, the second entry in Andrzej Sapkowki’s The Witcher Saga. Henry Cavill previously said he wants season 3 “to be true to the books”, adding there was a chance that Nenneke’s relationship will be explored further in season 3. “To be true to the books, I think there’s a chance to explore the Nenneke relationship a little further," he said on The Witcher: Unlocked. He added: "Of course, I would love to work with all the Witchers some more, but it all depends on how much the story allows. “I’m a huge fan of the books and staying loyal to them, and it’s about making sure that story happens without too much in the way of diversions or side things going on to muddy the waters.” Additional reporting by Lauren Morris. The Witcher season 2 is now available on Netflix. The release date for season 3 is yet to be confirmed. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Mark Gatiss teases "exciting plans" for "more spooky stuff"
“I can't keep the spirits down for long”
Mark Gatiss is no stranger to a spooky story. After all, he previously adapted the MR James stories The Mezzotint (2021), The Tractate Middoth (2013) and Martin's Close (2019), as well as writing and directing his own original horrors inspired by James with 2008's Crooked House and 2018's The Dead Room. And when we caught up with him at the Radio Times Covers Party, the Sherlock and Dracula TV writer revealed he has plenty more scary surprises in store for us. "I do have spooky stuff planned," Gatiss told RadioTimes.com. "I don't know exactly when or exactly what but, you know, I can't keep the spirits down for long. But I yes, I have some very exciting plans if everything comes off," he continued. In the meantime, however, Gatiss has been busy with his other projects, including the seventh season of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No.9, which functions as a mini reunion of sorts for Shearsmith and Pemberton's earlier work: The League of Gentlemen. Talking about what it was like to team up with his former League of Gentlemen collaborators, Gatiss said: “It was wonderful. As you'd expect. It was just like putting on an old pair of shoes. We had a really funny time." He continued: "We're stuck in a pedalo with Diane Morgan, who is gorgeous, but we might as well have been speaking another language. We just fell back into our own ways. She was very tolerant. It's a really good episode though. I think it's lovely and it's really quite moving." And that's not the only reunion on the cards for Gatiss, who is also starring alongside Shearsmith in Amazon Prime’s Good Omens season 2, which wrapped filming in March 2022. He's also directing Shearsmith in The Unfriend, a new play by Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat that premieres at the Chichester Festival Theatre in May 2022. Gatiss explained: "And now I've just done Good Omens with Steve and Reece, and then I'm doing something else with Reece at the moment. And then I'm about to direct Reece in Steven Moffat's play, so I can't move for them." Additional reporting by Huw Fullerton. Read more: Steven Moffat teases his new shows with David Tennant and Peter Capaldi Read more: Steven Moffat says Sherlock "might be too sad" to do without Una Stubbs Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch now with our TV Guide.
Steven Moffat says Sherlock "might be too sad" to do without Una Stubbs
"If we reassemble that set, and she didn't magically appear, we might all be too sad to make a show."
It’s been over a decade since BBC drama Sherlock took the world by storm. And while there's no plan to revive the show for the time being, Steven Moffat, who launched with series with Mark Gatiss, has said they'd be delighted to write more if Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were available. Well, if it wasn’t for "one big problem", that is: the tragic death of Mrs Hudson star Una Stubbs, who passed away at the age of 84 last summer. "I'd do Sherlock again tomorrow. Why ask me?" Moffat remarked in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party, with his co-creator Gatiss and their producer Sue Vertue close by. "Mark would do it tomorrow and Sue would do it tomorrow, we'd all just do it again! It's down to Benedict and Martin. No, you know, they were very loyal to that show over a very long life when it definitely became their lowest paying job. And I don't think that's necessarily what they want to do now." He continued: "Fair enough. Absolutely fair enough. But if anyone thinks I'm the one getting the way, I will confidently tell you, I would start writing it tomorrow. If everybody else did, too." Moffat added: "There's just one little problem. And it's one little problem. It's actually one big problem that none of us might be able to get past. Where's Mrs. Hudson? Where's Una Stubbs? And maybe if we reassemble that set, and she didn't magically appear, we might all be too sad to make a show. "So those are the things. We would do it. I'd do it, Mark would do it, Sue would do it. We might be too sad to get through it. And we'd need our leading men, and quite understandably they may well feel they've done their time. Fair enough!" In a separate interview, Gatiss said they've "not shut the door" on Sherlock, reiterating that he, Moffat and Sue Vertue would all "very much like to do some more" but that, ultimately, it comes down to the cast. "You may have noticed, the cast are very busy," he said. "So that's where we are at the moment really. I mean... who can say?" Cumberbatch and Freeman have certainly had pretty busy schedules over the past few months, with the former earning a Best Actor nomination at this year’s Oscars for his turn in Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, and the latter starring in recent BBC One drama The Responder. Both actors are also now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though in quite contrasting roles, with Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Freeman as Everett K. Ross. Sherlock fans should not hold their breath, then. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch now with our TV Guide.
Call the Midwife star reveals hopes for Nancy in season 12
Will the midwife reunite with her young daughter?
Call the Midwife star Megan Cusack has revealed her hopes for her character Nancy Corrigan next season, including her desire for Nancy and her illegitimate daughter Collette to live together. Cusack, who has played Nancy in the Call the Midwife cast since season 10, spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party last week. Asked about her hopes for the occasionally tactless Nancy, she said: “Hopefully, or what I expect, is more of a fight to have her daughter. "I think despite being very foot-in-mouth and a bit erratic, I think the main thing is she wants to make her daughter her own and live together." View Green Video on the source website “To grow in their relationship," added her co-star Ella Bruccoleri, who plays Sister Frances and was also in attendance at the Radio Times Covers Party. The much-loved BBC One series has already been re-commissioned for season 12 (2023) and season 13 (2024), with the former consisting of eight one-hour episodes, plus a feature-length Christmas special. Creator, writer and executive producer Heidi Thomas previously said in a statement: "It’s an incredible privilege to be able to look back on a decade of Call the Midwife, and yet know that our journey is still very far from over. We are thrilled to be going on for a few more years! “Like Nonnatus House itself, we have a proud past but an even more exciting future – full of old favourites, fresh faces, higher hemlines, new ideas. The stories we tell are like babies – they never stop coming, we love them all, and we vow to do our best by every single one.” Read more: Call the Midwife takes fans behind the scenes on gripping season finale Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Call the Midwife seasons 1-11 are available on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Steven Moffat "can confidently say" he’s done with Doctor Who
Or at least, he’s done showrunning it – despite the new Russell T Davies precedent.
Russell T Davies’ shock return to the Doctor Who showrunner position 12 years after he left the show has set an intriguing new precedent – but another modern Doctor Who showrunner says that he’s still sure he won’t make a similar comeback. “I think I can confidently say I'm done showrunning Doctor Who,” Steven Moffat (who was in charge of Doctor Who from 2010 to 2017) told RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party. “Everyone can stop worrying. I did it for six seasons on the trot. And I cannot imagine going back into doing that. I cannot. I simply cannot picture it.” He added: “I loved the show. I don't want anyone to think I didn't love the show. And I loved every second I spent on it, although some of them were hellish. But I've done that. I have done it and I did it a lot. “So no offence and no disrespect and certainly no disdaining of wonderful memories. But no, I will not be showrunning Doctor Who again.” Moffat also noted that despite actually kicking off modern Doctor Who in 2005, Davies worked on the show for a slightly shorter time than he had, joking that his old collaborator needed to “catch up” to even the score. “I did six seasons, and he's got two seasons to catch up on. So that's fine,” he told us. “I actually don't mind that, I would quite like him to overtake me. Because it's really weird. It's weird and strange and wrong for your own favourite show to be the one [...] that you wrote the most of. That's wrong. “So I'd be quite happy for Russell to scoot ahead of me. That'd be nice. That'd be good.” But who knows? With rumours swirling of old Doctors returning and the Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations looming, we’d have to note that Moffat doesn’t specifically deny that he’s done writing Doctor Who entirely – just showrunning it. And given Matt Smith’s latest comments on the matter, we can’t rule out the possibility that he and his old screenwriter have another shot at the Whoniverse on the cards. Unless they don't – in which case, ignore the final two paragraphs of the article. See more photos from the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door, and for more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Doctor Who: Legend of the Sea Devils comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 17th April. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
Bridgerton star likens outgoing showrunner to "visionary" Russell T Davies
"He was our originator, he was our captain."
With many Bridgerton fans having already binged their way through season 2, there's a lot of thought as to what the next season of the hit Netflix series will look like. One thing we already know for certain is there's a change behind the scenes, as showrunner Chris Van Dusen is stepping down to be replaced by Jess Brownell. At this year's Radio Times Covers Party, RadioTimes.com spoke exclusively to Lady Danbury actor Adjoa Andoh about this very change, and she had nothing but praise for both Van Dusen and Brownell. Andoh said: "So Jess, who's taking over for Chris, is amazing. She, like Chris, has been with Shondaland for a good amount of her writing career, so she absolutely knows how to put a story together, she knows how to make a fabulous structure work in the Shondaland style, so I have no worries about that. "My only feeling is I loved Chris. He was our originator, he was our captain. I think that he is a brilliant storyteller. "He reminds you a bit of Russell T Davies, who I worked with on Doctor Who and on Cucumber, just in that sort of visionary showrunner who has an absolute clear idea of how a sentence goes, what a piece of fabric should be, what piece of furniture should be there, what the head should look like, you know, and I love that vision." Andoh played the mother of Martha Jones, Francine during Davies' initial tenure on Doctor Who, while she played Marie in his 2015 Channel 4 drama Cucumber. Nevertheless, Andoh felt assured that the show is in safe hands with Brownell. She continued: "I absolutely know that Jess is gonna grab it and run with it and bring her own style and perspective on it. And Shonda [Rhimes] is overseeing everything, we're all there, we all know who we are, we all know where we are. "So there will be differences, but there will be huge amounts of continuity as well and I think that combination's exciting." For fans of the hit period drama, season 3 surely can't come soon enough. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Bridgerton season 2 is available to stream on Netflix. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-1619185" 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-1619185&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
His Dark Materials’ Amir Wilson: 'Season 3 is bigger journey than ever before'
Exclusive: The Will Parry actor says we pick up with his character “at his lowest".
The second season of Philip Pullman adaptation His Dark Materials aired in late 2020, with fans forced to wait a couple of years before they could see how the parallel universe-spanning story would wrap up in 2022. Now, there’s just a few months before the fantasy drama concludes this autumn – and series star Amir Wilson has dropped some new hints about what to expect, suggesting that the scale of the show will get even bigger while his character Will Parry is put through the emotional wringer. “We left [Will] at his lowest point,” Wilson told RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party, where he was presented with a His Dark Materials cover alongside executive producer Jane Tranter. “He just lost Lyra. I guess without spoiling anything Will's journey this season [is] to find Lyra and to complete the journey that his dad wanted him to go on.” Intriguingly, it also sounds like that “journey” will include a greater scale for His Dark Materials season 3, despite pandemic protocols during the shoot. When RadioTimes.com exclusively caught up with Wilson on the His Dark Materials set last summer, he shed a little more light on what this expansion might look like, noting that there was a large increase in sets and locations written into the upcoming episodes. “We go on a bigger journey than we have been before,” he told us. “Most of season 2 [was] based just in Cittàgazze. “This season, on a whole, I mean, not even story-wise, but in terms of elements when we’re filming – it’s such a different environment. We’re on location more, and we get to experience different types of sets and different locations.” And of course, the list of locations isn’t the only thing that’s grown. With a long break in filming between seasons 2 and 3, both Wilson and co-star Dafne Keen have grown up a lot in the interim, which changed the young actors’ experience filming the series as well as the themes it was able to explore. “I think also since season 2, Will and Lyra have grown,” Wilson told us, noting that Keen was only 11 for her first audition before season 1 (she turned 17 in January 2022). “Obviously me and Dafne have grown. “And those elements – now we’re older; now we’re 16-plus, we’re on adult hours. So they can work us as much as they like.” “I think it’s great,” he added. “[Season 3] has more for people to see. There’s more elements to watch, and for the audience to see. There’s a lot to look forward to.” Altogether, it sounds like His Dark Materials season 3 will be worth the slightly longer wait. Even if for some fans, that might make holding on to see what happens all the more challenging... See more photos from the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door, and for more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. His Dark Materials season 3 comes to BBC One and HBO Max this autumn, and you can catch up on seasons 1 and 2 on BBC iPlayer. For more, check out our dedicated Fantasy page or our full TV Guide.
Line of Duty star wants big return for Buckells in twisty season 7 idea
Actor Nigel Boyle has ideas for Buckells and AC-12 if the show comes back.
Line of Duty's Nigel Boyle has revealed that he has big plans in mind for the return of Ian Buckells if the BBC drama returns for season 7. The hugely popular detective drama aired its sixth run last summer, with Boyle's character Buckells being revealed as the Fourth Man, aka H – the corrupt copper with links to an organised crime group. Speaking to RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview at the Radio Times Covers Party, Boyle said that the Line of Duty team have not yet decided whether to bring the show back for a seventh outing. However, he added that he has ideas for a way his character Buckells can return if season 7 is green-lit, and he's already pitched it to one of the show's bosses. Boyle explained: "I said, 'What's the official line?' and [producer Simon Heath] said, 'Well, there isn't one.' "So I said, 'I'll tell you the official line. Buckles is going to be involved, right? OK, AC12 are gonna get him in. He's gonna get whacked. OCGs are gonna get exposed. We're sorted.' And he just laughed." Boyle isn't the only Line of Duty star who is up for more of the detective drama – Adrian Dunbar previously told RadioTimes.com and other press: "We've got to do another series. "We've got to get onto Jed and say, 'Look, we've got to do one that's not like when we were in lockdown. We've got to do one where we're back on the ground, we're out there, we're in the city, we're having fun'. You know, it's a great city to have fun in, Belfast, so we really want to get back to doing that again." Read more: Martin Compston teases possible Line of Duty return: “We’ll figure it out” Line of Duty is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Take a look at more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Steven Moffat teases his new shows with David Tennant and Peter Capaldi
Exclusive: The former Doctor Who showrunner is reuniting with two former Doctors for upcoming projects, and here’s what to expect.
Steven Moffat may have no plans to return to Doctor Who, but the former showrunner has two projects on the go with former Time Lords David Tennant and Peter Capaldi. And when we caught up with him at the Radio Times Covers Party he dropped a few hints about both projects, starting with the offbeat thriller/drama he’s written for the BBC called Inside Man (which stars Tennant as a priest). “Well, let's keep it mysterious,” Moffat told RadioTimes.com when asked what viewers could expect from Inside Man. “I'm trying to think of anything I can say about it. “Most detective shows are whodunits. This one is more like a ‘who will do it’. Or possibly a ‘you done it'. Its central idea is anyone can be a murderer. And it won't be the one you expect.” And while the series boasts a cast full of stars from Moffat’s earlier projects – Tennant, Lydia West and Dolly Wells among them – one key collaborator from the likes of Dracula, Sherlock and Doctor Who won’t be present. Well, not quite as obviously anyway. “There's always a role for Mark!” Moffat laughed when asked whether his longtime co-writer and star Mark Gatiss could crop up in a role. “But he's not actually in this one. “He did read the scripts, as he always does with me, and I always do with him – he read the scripts and advised me and did all the things that we do for each other but no, he's not actually in this one.” View Green Video on the source website And of course, Inside Man’s not the only project on Moffat’s books set to reunite him with some familiar faces. Via production company Hartswood Films, he’s also executive producing The Devil’s Hour, written by Tom Moran and starring his previous Who leading man Peter Capaldi as a “dangerous recluse”. As with Inside Man, Moffat struggles to describe it, though official releases have noted the story revolves around a murder case where Capaldi's wanderer becomes a prime suspect. “It's a really hard one to define,” he admitted. “And we asked all the actors to define it. “And Peter Capaldi being a genius said, 'Listen to your nightmares.' So that's the best I can tell you.” Altogether, it looks like Steven Moffat has had plenty of exciting reunions (or should that be reWhonions?) over the last year or so. Give Matt Smith and Karen Gillan half a chance, and he might manage to complete a full set... Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Inside Man comes to the BBC later this year, and the Devil’s Hour streams on Amazon at a later date. For more, check out our dedicated Drama page or our full TV Guide.
With thanks to the Radio Times Covers Party Goodie Bag suppliers...
Guests at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 took home quite the selection of gifts.
The Radio Times Covers Party 2022 took place last week, with a raft of special guests in attendance. The stars were out in force, including Doctor Who's Mandip Gill, Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh, Call the Midwife's Megan Cusack and Ella Bruccoleri and many more. The guests may have been gifting us with reflections on their past projects and teases for those that are upcoming, but they also didn't go home empty handed. They were each given a luxury goodie bag worth £350, with the incredible variety of contents being provided by a host of generous suppliers from Sony to Laithwaites. Find a list of those who contributed to the goodie bag below. With thanks to: BBC Books - Penguin Randomhouse Belazu Bonne Maman by Eloise Caleño Canned Wine Co Capel Manor College Divine chocolate Double Dutch Doyen Tea Ebury - Penguin Randomhouse eco living Elysian Theory Esessence Flower & White Irusu Joe and Seph's Popcorn Kabloom Laithwaites Live Luxwells Luscombe Drinks Lyonsleaf Maldon Salt Moth Drinks Munchy Seeds Norlo Papergang by Ohh Deer Paper Blanks Pompom Galore Rhug Estate Wild Beauty Sensory Retreats Sony Spice Pots The Berry Company The Great British Porridge Co. The Psychic Tree War Paint Wiltshire Chillie's Zooki Exclusive photos are more updates from the covers party will be featured in this weeks Radio Times magazine. While in attendance at the party, Steven Moffat spoke to RadioTimes.com about Russell T Davies' return to Doctor Who, saying it proves the "vibrancy" of the show. Meanwhile Line of Duty actor Simon Boyle gave an update on Line of Duty season 7, saying that the hit show's executive producers would like to return, but "don't know if it's going to happen." See more photos from the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door, and for more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Chris Packham defends BBC licence fee: 'Where's Netflix been covering news in Ukraine?'
"If you take away that funding, you'll take away that quality. What a tragic loss."
The future of the licence fee has been one of the most prominent debates in the UK in recent years – with Chris Packham having long been an opponent of government plans to scrap it. And in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party last week, Packham drew attention to the coverage of the Ukraine war to underline the significance of public service broadcasting. "The licence fee is worth every single penny, and not just for programmes like Springwatch," he said. "But for all of the real news that's out there as well. "I mean, frankly, where have Amazon Prime been, where have Netflix been in Ukraine covering the news there? They've been nowhere. And they cost a lot more than the BBC. "So, good, top-quality public service broadcasting – that's what we pay our licence fee for." The popular presenter also spoke more specifically about how nature programming might be affected if the licence fee was scrapped, claiming it would be a "tragic loss" for the BBC's output. "Some of our nature programmes can be really expensive to make, but they are world-leading," he said. "And they have been for a long time. And we're very fortunate that we've assembled a team of people that make those all the way through production, all of the technicians, camera, sound, editing, and so on and so forth. "And that's a unique opportunity that we have in the UK to continue to fly the flag of world-class natural history programming, and the BBC Natural History Unit and now Science as well have been at the core of that. "If you take away that funding, you'll take away that quality. What a tragic loss at a time when more than ever we need to communicate our passion and concern for the natural world as we're in our climate and biodiversity crisis." Additional reporting by Christian Tobin. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide visit our Documentaries Hub for all the latest news and features.
Call the Midwife stars confirm season 12 begins filming “very soon”
It looks like the gang will be back at Nonnatus House in the near future.
It's only been a few weeks since the 11th season of Call the Midwife came to a dramatic close on BBC One – but stars of the show have revealed that production on the 12th run will start "very soon". Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party this week, Nancy Corrigan star Megan Cusack talked of her excitement about returning to filming. "It’s coming very soon," she said. "So just really excited to get together with everyone again because everyone’s so lovely. It’s like a family. The crew are great. It’s great crack." She added: “It’s that weird time in between where you’re like, ‘I’d actually just like to be with everyone still!'" And Cusack is not the only star of the show looking forward to getting back to Nonnatus House, with Laura Main and Helen George also outlining their eagerness to return to filming. "I am so excited," added Main, before George said that there's "not too long to go". "What’s nice is we’re not going to have COVID restrictions for the first time in a few years, which will be wonderful," George continued. "There will be no perspex," Main added. "We can kiss, we can touch and do what we do." When production is all done and dusted, the new season will once again begin with a Christmas special before playing out across the first few weeks of 2023. The BBC One series has also already been re-commissioned for a 13th run – with no sign of an end in sight any time soon. Additional reporting by Abby Robinson. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Call the Midwife seasons 1-11 are available on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
Emily Maitlis endorses "terrific" Clive Myrie as Newsnight replacement
Emily Maitlis has officially endorsed the "terrific" Clive Myrie, who is the current frontrunner to replace her as host on the BBC's Newsnight. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party this week, Maitlis was asked about the possibility of newsreader and Mastermind host Myrie taking over her former role. She said: "I just think Clive's terrific. I think he's done so well. And I'm sure the team would give him a really, really warm welcome because they are the best in the business. "And it's the loveliest - it's the loveliest [of] gangs, loveliest group of people. So I hope for his sake he gets it, too." Maitlis and the BBC's former North America editor Jon Sopel both announced in February that they will be leaving the broadcaster to join Global. The pair will front a major new podcast together for Global Player and will also host a new show on LBC. Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Maitlis said that she anticipated a "tough learning curve" on the new podcast, but that she was excited for the editorial freedom Global has given her and her colleague. "[Global has] given us the platform and the financial backing to do something with a lot of editorial freedom. And so that's just really exciting for us," she said. "Obviously, all the mistakes we make will be our own. So it'll be a tough learning curve. But yeah, it's really exciting. "We're going to invite all world figures on. If you're a world figure and you're listening to this, don't feel that you're excluded. You're very much included. Yeah, we'd love them all." Additional reporting from Lauren Morris. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Newsnight airs weeknights at 10:30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Line of Duty bosses 'want season 7 but don't know if it'll happen'
In the Line of Duty season 6 finale, it was none other than Ian Buckells – written off by many as utterly incompetent, and certainly not a villain – who was unmasked as the omniscient and omnipotent Fourth Man, aka 'H'. There had been multiple contenders for the role of big bad across the show's six seasons, with Ted Hastings, Kate Fleming and Steve Arnott all accused at one point or another. But creator Jed Mercurio had gone in a different direction entirely, with actor Nigel Boyle, who had flitted in and out of the show, entrusted with the role. As soon as season 6 wrapped up, there were questions about whether the series would return for season 7, with rumblings that there was a desire to. "We've got to do another series," Dunbar previously told RadioTimes.com and other press. "We've got to get onto Jed and say, 'Look, we've got to do one that's not like when we were in lockdown. We've got to do one where we're back on the ground, we're out there, we're in the city, we're having fun'. You know, it's a great city to have fun in, Belfast, so we really want to get back to doing that again." Vicky McClure told The Guardian in January this year that the cast were "all game" for more, and LoD newcomer Shalom Brune-Franklin also said she'd return to the show if asked. Speaking to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party recently, this is what Boyle had to say: "I was chatting to [executive producer] Simon Heath earlier and I was saying, 'Come on mate. [What's happening?]'' And he was like, 'We'd kind of like to but we don't know if it's going to happen.' "I said, 'What's the official line?' And he said, 'Well, there isn't one.'" On if we'll see Buckells again if it does get the greenlight, Boyle predicted that the potential is there, but he'd likely die very early on. Before season 6 arrived, this is what Mercurio told RadioTimes.com about the future of the show: "We’re in a situation where it's not entirely clear that there will be a seventh series. "We would hope there could be. But we're having to do our planning coming out of COVID, and a whole bunch of other things... these things aren't guaranteed at all now." He added: "A lot of it depends on the key creatives – that's me and the main actors – finding new stories to tell within that universe. Line of Duty may have reached 'the Chandrasekhar Limit', at which a mass collapses under its own gravitational force." Line of Duty is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Take a look at more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Mandip Gill teases Thasmin development in Doctor Who’s next special
After years of speculation, Doctor Who’s New Year Special Eve of the Daleks confirmed that longstanding series companion Yaz (played by Mandip Gill) had romantic feelings for the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), following plenty of hints that the pair could become more than just friends. Many fans on the internet more or less exploded with excitement, and it looks like they have plenty to look forward to – while speaking to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party, Gill confirmed that the upcoming Easter special would continue the popular storyline. “Yes,” Gill told us when asked if the Doctor/Yaz romance would be addressed. “That's where I think the heart [of the special] is, the understanding, the emotion that [showrunner Chris Chibnall] is so good at writing. “So I won't tell you which way it goes, but we obviously have to touch upon that again – it wouldn't make sense not to.” Still, Gill also noted that it wasn’t the main drive of the episode, which primarily focuses on the Doctor and friends’ attempts to face off with pirates and classic Who monsters The Sea Devils. “I mean, that's in the midst of everything else that's going on,” she said. “And you know, the sword fight with the Sea Devils and all that kind of stuff.” Following the New Year’s special, Gill noted that she hadn’t been particularly surprised by the effusive fan reaction, having seen viewers discuss the possibility of a Doctor/Yaz romance for years and in some depth. “It was massive. But you know what, I'd seen a lot of stuff on social media. So I'd seen people's reaction to that,” she told us. “I'd seen people building that up way before it was on screen and whatnot. So it kind of... it came naturally. It weren't this thing that had been discovered on screen and then all of a sudden the fans saw it. It was part and parcel. “I'd seen fan art of that happening, I'd seen people talking about it, I'd seen people had rewritten like storylines and all that stuff. So we're like, ‘OK, you asked for it. And here it is.’ “It was always exciting,” she added. “Seeing it was exciting. Seeing it play out was exciting.” Altogether, it sounds like fans invested in this nascent relationship will have something to savour in Legend of the Sea Devils. Though with just one episode starring Whittaker and Gill left to air after it, it might be rather a fleeting romance... Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Doctor Who: Legend of the Sea Devils comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 17th April. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
Doctor Who's Mandip Gill says Yaz’s final appearance will leave fans in tears
The long-time series companion says she "loved where [her story] ended up".
This autumn marks the final appearance of Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who, with the Thirteenth Doctor bowing out in a BBC centenary special alongside showrunner Chris Chibnall. How this Doctor’s story ends is still a mystery – but it’s worth remembering she’s not the only character having her story wrapped up. After all, long-time companion Yaz (Mandip Gill) is also set to depart in the autumn after four years in the TARDIS. And when we caught up with Gill at the Radio Times Covers Party this week, she promised an “exciting” and “emotional” exit for her character – even if it’s not the easiest one for fans to watch. “I think just like me, just like my character, there'll be a lot of tears,” she told RadioTimes.com when asked how fans would react to her character’s ending. “But I loved where it ended up. “I think it was the right thing. It's exciting. There's a lot of emotion. And I think they'll be – not pleasantly surprised, but I think they'll realise that's exactly where it should be going.” With filming now finished, Gill is (in theory) experiencing her post-Doctor Who life, booking new roles (including her West End debut in 2:22 – A Ghost Story) and no longer beholden to the punishing production schedule. In reality, though, she says that the series will be with her forever. “Is it ever post-Doctor Who?” she laughed. “I feel like it's post-Doctor Who filming. Like that's what we should say. “Because yeah, we've been away from filming for a couple of months, but you're still such a big part of this world. I speak to all the cast, obviously they're some of my best friends. [And] you're constantly talking about the show. You're doing press for it. We've got the Easter special coming up. “So I feel like we should rephrase that to post-filming because I'm always going to be a part of it.” Still, it might get a little easier once the new cast settles in. With Gill and Whittaker gone (alongside fellow companion John Bishop), there’ll be a couple of vacancies on the show. So does she have any advice for the new Doctor and their best friend, whoever they might be? “None at all,” Gill tells us. “Because you know what you get in, and especially the crew in Cardiff, everyone knows what's going on. It's like this beautiful machine that just works.” She added: “They're gonna be absolutely fine and it's gonna fly by.” Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Doctor Who: Legend of the Sea Devils comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 17th April. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
Sherlock creators 'would bring it back tomorrow' if cast were available
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss would both love to return to 221B Baker Street.
Ever since it aired its final episodes back in 2017, Sherlock fans have been desperate for the hit detective show to make a return. And while new seasons aren't in the pipeline for the time being, the show's creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have said they'd be delighted to write more – if only Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were available. "I'd do Sherlock again tomorrow, why ask me?" Moffat remarked in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party. "Mark would do it tomorrow, Sue [Vertue, producer] would do it tomorrow – we'd all just do it again. "It's down to Benedict and Martin," he added – before stressing that that's where the obstacle may lie. "They were very loyal to that show over a very long while when it was out, when it definitely became their lowest paying job," he said. "And I don't think that's necessarily what they want to do now – fair enough, absolutely fair enough. But if anyone thinks I'm the one getting in the way, I will confidently tell you I would start writing it tomorrow, if everybody else did too." Moffat went on to talk about one other problem that "none of us might be able to get past": the sad death of Mrs. Hudson star Una Stubbs, who passed away aged 84 last summer. "Maybe if we reassembled that set and she didn't magically appear, we might all be too sad to make a show," he said. "So those are the facts. We would do it, I'd do it, Mark would do it, Sue would do it. We might be too sad to get through it. And we'd need our leading men and, quite understandably, they may well feel they've done their time." In a separate interview, Gatiss added his twopence – claiming they've "not shut the door" and reiterating that he, Moffat and Vertue would all "very much like to do some more". "But you may have noticed, the cast are very busy," he continued. "So that's where we are at the moment really. I mean... who can say?" Cumberbatch and Freeman have certainly not been lacking for parts in recent times. The former was up for Best Actor at last week's Oscars for his turn in Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, while the latter gave one of the best performances of his career in recent BBC One drama The Responder. Furthermore, both actors have roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Freeman as Everett K. Ross – in addition to a whole host of other projects on screens both big and small. But who knows, maybe somewhere down the line a return to 221B Baker Street could still be on the cards... Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch now with our TV Guide.
His Dark Materials star promises "love, loss, death" in "darker" season 3
Will Parry star Amir Wilson says "it was definitely harder to film".
His Dark Materials is set to end with its upcoming third season, and the cast and crew have been teasing what we can expect. Speaking to RadioTimes.com at this year's Radio Times Covers Party, Will Parry actor Amir Wilson suggested we could be in for an emotional end to Lyra and Will's journey. Wilson said: "I think it's a lot darker, a lot sadder. It's definitely more emotional. I think it was definitely harder to film. There's a lot more going on, I think the introduction of a lot more characters as well. It's a lot to look forward to." Asked to describe the new season in three words, Wilson ominously chose "love, loss and death". Meanwhile, one of the series' executive producers, Jane Tranter, said: "I think it's bigger. It's certainly bigger, it's certainly a little darker, but it's also more romantic. "The third season of His Dark Materials is when all the questions of season 1 and season 2 finally are answered. But it's when we also start exploring the theme of love, romantic love, and love between mother and child, father and son. And I would say it's more thrills and spills than season 1 and 2 have been." A specific airdate has not yet been confirmed for the fantasy series' autumn return, but here's hoping we don't have long to wait to see how it all plays out. For now, we were given our first glimpses at the new season in an HBO trailer late last year, including the full return of James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel. Additional reporting by Huw Fullerton. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. His Dark Materials season 3 is coming this autumn to BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. You can buy all three His Dark Materials novels on Amazon here. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide, or our Fantasy hub for all the latest news and features.
Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh promises "new spin" in season 3
"Everything is to play for, as Lady Danbury would say."
The second season of Bridgerton may only have been on Netflix a week, but with many fans having already binged the new episodes, thoughts are turning to season 3. Well, at the Radio Times Covers Party, RadioTimes.com spoke with Lady Danbury actor Adjoa Andoh, and she gave a few hints about where the scandalous series might go next. Andoh explained: "All I can tell you about season 3 is, you know, we have the spine of the books, which then Shondaland puts through the Shondaverse as I call it, and then it becomes a different thing. "So I know that we have more Bridgerton babies to be married off, we have more possible intrigue around Whistledown, no doubt Lady Danbury - I know Lady Danbury and the Queen will be deep in their machinations yet again, and there'll be sort of more of the same. "But I think with every season they try to change the spin on it slightly. And so there'll be a new spin, we've got a new showrunner. And so I think everything is to play for, as Lady Danbury would say." Exactly what that new spin will be is yet to be seen, but one thing that is confirmed is that the next season of Bridgerton will be helmed by new showrunner Jess Brownell, after creator Chris Van Dusen stepped down from the post. Van Dusen recently explained that he felt it was "time for [him] to move on", even thought the show "will always have a special place in [his] heart". Additional reporting by Abby Robinson. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Bridgerton season 2 is available to stream on Netflix. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-1612372" 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-1612372&dtb=1" data-id="iframe-1-anchor-7">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
Russell T Davies' return proves "vibrancy" of Doctor Who, says Steven Moffat
Exclusive: The former showrunner says he knows “a certain number of things” about the next era of Who, while Mark Gatiss expects "big, ambitious stuff".
When former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies announced his surprise return to the BBC sci-fi series last autumn, it wasn’t just the fans that were reeling – former collaborator and fellow Who showrunner Steven Moffat was also wrong-footed, only learning the news the night before the rest of us. Now, a few months on, he says the move proves the "vibrancy" of Doctor Who, sharing his thoughts on Davies’ return with RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party. "Ach, they're dragging him out of the archives!" Moffat joked. "My first thought, 'Well it's brilliant news for Doctor Who.' He's the finest writer working in television. And he's coming back to what is, I suppose, still his biggest hit. "So that's just wonderful, wonderful news for Doctor Who. And sort of proof of the vibrancy of that show that he would do that – he'd come back to it. "He's got every offer under the sun. And what he's choosing to do is to come back to what all us right-thinking people know is the best show in the history of television." "" mean really if anyone can do it twice, it's Russell," added regular Who contributor Mark Gatiss, who wrote several episodes for both Davies and Moffat during their time in charge. "I don't know a thing about it, which is brilliant. "I know it'll be very big, ambitious stuff. And that's exactly what Russell has always brought to it. Yeah, I think it's delightful. I saw him quite recently, and he looked really, really happy. And I think that's a lovely thing to see. You know, he's bursting with enthusiasm. So that's great." And apparently, Davies has teased a few of his plans to his former Who colleagues, with Moffat hinting that he’s been privy to a few secrets about the revamped series. "I'm going to give you no hints. I know a certain number of things," he told us. "But I don't remember which bits are secret. So I'm terrified to say anything. I know some stuff, but not everything. And I don't have the briefing sheet I used to have – I used to create – which was to tell me what to shut up about. So I'm saying nothing at all." Hopefully, we’ll find out a few of these secrets ourselves when Davies takes over next year – and when we do, it sounds like fans are in for a treat. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Doctor Who returns to BBC One on Sunday 17th April. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
Mandip Gill injured her hand fighting Sea Devils in Doctor Who’s Easter special
The Yaz star went above and beyond in the upcoming episode, which she says is “exciting” with “so much heart”.
Doctor Who’s upcoming Easter special sees the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop) come face-to-face with classic monsters The Sea Devils, who’ve turned to piracy on the South China Sea decades after their last appearance in the BBC sci-fi series. And if you had any doubt about the Sea Devils’ fearsomeness, episode star Mandip Gill has proof, revealing that she suffered a minor injury while facing off with them in a climactic sword-fighting scene. “We have this really amazing stunt and they hurt my finger and I can't stop thinking about it!” Gill told RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party. “I was like, I actually hurt my finger because of a Sea Devil. Not many people get to say that. “It didn't go down very well,” she laughed. “I was like, 'This sword is really heavy. And I've hurt my finger now. Shall we stop?'” Still, despite these challenges, Gill was enthusiastic about the upcoming Doctor Who adventure, stating that she was “really proud” of the finished product. “It's a big family fun adventure. Really swashbuckly, exciting, but actually there's so much heart,” she told us. “And my favourite word for this episode is understanding. “Chris [Chibnall] is really good at writing characters and emotion and we do get that through. It is epic. Like, the sets were amazing, the actors are amazing, the costumes and stuff... but there is so much heart in that episode. “I'm really proud of this one. I'm really excited for people to see that.” And when they do watch it, they should keep an eye out – look closely, and you might be able to spot where Mandip Gill took a wound in the line of Who-ty. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Doctor Who: Legend of the Sea Devils comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 17th April. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
Call the Midwife star: 'There would be uproar if it was cancelled'
"It’s the kind of show that you could stick with. I feel it will go on and on and on."
Call the Midwife stars Megan Cusack and Ella Bruccoleri believe the much-loved BBC One series will "go on and on and on" – otherwise there would be a public outcry. The actors, who play Nancy and Sister Frances in the Call the Midwife cast, spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party this week. Cusack said: "I think the amazing thing about it is it’s so wonderful getting to be with the characters for so long and not necessarily knowing where their journey is going. We get to live with them." Bruccoleri added: "It’s the kind of show that you could stick with. I feel it will go on and on and on." "People love it," Cusack continued. "It’s great. And everyone’s brilliant in it. The crew and production and everyone behind the scenes. That keeps people in it and that’s what keeps shows going. "When people want to stay together, they stay together. And that’s what’s so beautiful about the show. So who knows. It could go on for years." "It probably will," her co-star agreed. "There would be uproar if it didn’t!" The BBC One series has already been re-commissioned for season 12 (2023) and season 13 (2024), with the former consisting of eight one-hour episodes, plus a feature-length Christmas special. Creator, writer and executive producer Heidi Thomas previously said in a statement: "It’s an incredible privilege to be able to look back on a decade of Call the Midwife, and yet know that our journey is still very far from over. We are thrilled to be going on for a few more years! “Like Nonnatus House itself, we have a proud past but an even more exciting future – full of old favourites, fresh faces, higher hemlines, new ideas. The stories we tell are like babies – they never stop coming, we love them all, and we vow to do our best by every single one.” Read more: Call the Midwife takes fans behind the scenes on gripping season finale Additional reporting by Abby Robinson. Enjoy more chats with the stars at the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey. Call the Midwife seasons 1-11 are available on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.