Join our editors Shem Law and Caroline Frost every Friday, for a lively chat about all the latest hits and misses.
Searching for something worth watching? We’ve all been there… Sat in front of the television, flicking through channels, getting increasingly frustrated – there’s so much on, but nothing to watch. The Radio Times Podcast has you covered. Every Friday, TV critics Caroline Frost and Shem Law serve up a weekly dose of TV wisdom, streaming gold and unfiltered opinions – all packed into one bitesize episode. No more asking: what's on TV? Or, what can I watch tonight? Stay in the know about the latest must-see series, wild plot twists, surprise gems and glorious flops – all debated, dissected and served with a side of wit. From all things terrestrial to what’s on the streaming sites – they cover the top picks across the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky to NOW, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV. Whether you’re craving your next costume drama, investigating the latest true crime documentary or in need of a new nail-biting thriller – we’ve taken the guesswork out of what’s actually worth watching. Bite-sized and binge-worthy New episodes drop every Friday, so you can stay in the know about the latest releases across TV and streaming. Short enough to squeeze into your work commute or lunch time walk, every episode is packed with enough entertainment insight to instantly upgrade your evening viewing. Where to listen Listen to the latest episode every Friday or catch up on previous episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Acast. Make sure to follow our Radio Times Podcast channel so you never miss an episode. Browse our available episodes here! The Queen at 100 and Hacks - Friday 17 April View oEmbed on the source website World Cup Comedy and Birding - Friday 10 April View oEmbed on the source website Easter Essentials and Michael Jackson Doc - Friday 3 April View oEmbed on the source website Race Across the World and Babies - Friday 27 March View oEmbed on the source website The Pitt and SNL UK - Friday 20 March View oEmbed on the source website Peaky Blinders and LOL Season 2 - Friday 13 March View oEmbed on the source website The Capture Returns and A Woman of Substance Remake - Friday 6 March View oEmbed on the source website Young Sherlock and the new Post Office - Friday 27 February View oEmbed on the source website Bridgerton Part 2 and Small Prophets - Friday 20 February View oEmbed on the source website Documentary Deep Dive - Friday 13 February View oEmbed on the source website Betrayal and Lord of the Flies - Friday 6 February View oEmbed on the source website Bridgerton and Silent Witness - Friday 30 January View oEmbed on the source website Take that Doc and Death In Paradise - Friday 23 January View oEmbed on the source website Gladiators and What Next for Strictly - Friday 16 January View oEmbed on the source website Industry and Agatha Christie - Friday 9 January View oEmbed on the source website 2025 Hidden Gems - Friday 2 January View oEmbed on the source website New Years Special - Friday 26 December View oEmbed on the source website Christmas Day Special - Friday 23 December View oEmbed on the source website Amadeus and the best of Christmas Eve TV - Friday 19 December View oEmbed on the source website SPOTY and Bad TV - Friday 12 December View oEmbed on the source website New Knives Out Film and Embarrassing Moments - Friday 5 December View oEmbed on the source website George Clooney Netflix Film and Mammoth Season 2 - Friday 28 November View oEmbed on the source website The Beatles and AI - Friday 21 November View oEmbed on the source website Summerwater and Ed Sheeran one-shot - Friday 14 November View oEmbed on the source website Trespasses and the Festival of Remembrance - Friday 7 November View oEmbed on the source website Race Across the World and Alan Carr Appreciation - Friday 31 October View oEmbed on the source website Arty Crime Drama - Friday 24 October View oEmbed on the source website Lazarus, love triangles and a touch of Julia Roberts - Friday 17 October Caroline Frost is joined by guest host Gareth McLean for a fresh round-up of the week's best TV. On the list: Lazarus lands on Prime Video, while a reboot of The Forstye Saga comes to Channel 5 bringing period drama back to the forefront. They also spotlight Leonard and Hungry Paul one BBC Two, a gentle, character-led story full of quiet charm. In Frost bite, Caroline turns her attention to Celebrity Traitors, and Gareth rounds things off with a nostalgic archive pickL Moonlighting, available on STV Player. View oEmbed on the source website Sally Wainright's comeback and Hamza's wild adventure - Friday 10 October Caroline and Shem deliver another week of standout TV picks. This time, they dive into the anticipated debut of Celebrity Traitors on BBC1 - does star power add to the drama? Alongside the bold new series Riot Women. They explore Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles, uncovering the UK's natural wonders, and The Iris Affair on Sky Atlantic, a glossy new drama packed with intrigue. In this week's Frost bite, Caroline debates whether familiar faces in The Diplomat bring serious West Wing nostalgia, and Shem rounds things off with a thoughtful archive pick: The Great Philosopher's on BBC2. View oEmbed on the source website New Alan Partridge and Suranne Jones is everywhere - Friday 3 October Caroline and Shem are back with their weekly rundown of the best TV on the box - kicking off with the anticipated Celebrity Traitors which starts this Wednesday on BBC1. Caroline’s first recommendation How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) on BBC1 – is it a comedic hit? Shem’s pick is new drama Frauds on ITV1 starring Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker, a Thelma and Louise style tale of two con artists. Next on the watch list is the new romcom Film Club on BBC3, created by and starring Aimee Lou Wood. In this week’s Frostbite Caroline discusses ‘Worlds Apart’ bringing contestants of different ages and walks of life together. Lastly Shem dives into the archive with his pick, Robert Redford Night on BBC4. View oEmbed on the source website Blue Lights and Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue - Friday 26 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law have watched the good, the bad, and everything in between - so you don’t have to. Caroline begins with Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue on BBC One, Anthony Horowitz’s modern-day Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. Shem follows with Strictly Come Dancing, fresh from its launch show - but will this year’s celebrity lineup dazzle or disappoint? Caroline also spotlights the BAFTA-winning Blue Lights on BBC One, the tense drama following rookie police officers as they learn the ropes on the streets of Belfast. Shem rounds things off with his archive choice, Banned Music Night on BBC Two, starting with Banned in the 80s: Moments That Shook Music, revisiting the songs that once shocked and stirred the nation. View oEmbed on the source website Slow Horses and Strictly Return - Friday 19 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s top TV picks. Caroline starts with The Hack on ITV1, a gripping drama about the notorious phone hacking scandal starring David Tennant and Toby Jones. Shem’s choice is the eagerly awaited return of Slow Horses on Apple TV+, as the shambolic MI5 team dive into another action-packed mission. Caroline also highlights the glittering return of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One - but can the show steer clear of controversy and keep its sparkle? In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline looks at Amazon Prime Video’s number one hit The Summer I Turned Pretty, asking why so many older viewers are hooked on teen dramas. Shem rounds off with his archive pick, the classic BBC Four documentary series Arena. View oEmbed on the source website Rob and Rylan Return and Twiggy Doc - Friday 12 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s best TV to add to your list. First up is Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India on BBC Two, full of the duo’s usual antics - but is Caroline convinced it’s worth the watch? Shem’s pick is Twiggy on BBC Two, Sadie Frost’s documentary exploring the life and legacy of the 60s and 70s fashion icon. Caroline also highlights Michael Palin in Venezuela on Channel 5, capturing both the country’s breathtaking landscapes and its political struggles. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: why is public service broadcasting still so vital when streaming dominates our screens? Shem wraps up with his archive choice, Fawlty Towers: The Play on U&Gold, bringing the beloved sitcom to the stage. View oEmbed on the source website Only Murders in the Building and Freddie Flintoff's Ultimate Test - Friday 5 September This week, Caroline Frost is joined by Gareth McClean for another round of must-watch TV. Caroline’s first pick is Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams: Ultimate Test on BBC One, which sees the former cricketer heading to deprived areas to work with local teens, showing that anyone can play sport - no matter their background. Gareth’s choice is Only Murders in the Building on Disney+, back for its fifth season with Martin Short, Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and some new guest stars. Caroline also spotlights the third series of The Newsreader on BBC Two, continuing its sharp look inside a 1980s Australian newsroom. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: how can a TV show truly end on a high? Gareth rounds things off with his archive pick, tracing the evolution of Robin Wright’s career—from Forrest Gump to House of Cards. View oEmbed on the source website I Fought The Law and Educating Yorkshire Returns - Friday 29 August As Shem says, life’s too short for boring television - so he and Caroline have done the hard work for you. Caroline’s first pick is I Fought the Law on ITV1, with Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming, the mother who fought to overturn the 800-year-old double jeopardy law to secure justice for her daughter. Shem chooses I Am Martin Parr on BBC Four, a documentary on the photographer’s satirical eye, alongside Martin Parr: Think of England. Caroline also highlights Educating Yorkshire on Channel 4, revisiting much-loved teacher Mr Burton - now head at the same school. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks why we should pay closer attention to The Apprentice and its controversial contestants, before Shem rounds off with his archive pick: Arena – The Peter Sellers Story on BBC Four. View oEmbed on the source website Thursday Murder Club and 1066 Drama - Friday 22 August Caroline Frost and Shem Law return with another week of must-watch TV. Caroline begins with the long-awaited Netflix adaptation of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, directed by Steven Spielberg and boasting a star-studded cast including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie. Shem’s pick is BBC One’s King and Conqueror, charting the rivalry between William the Conqueror and Harold II in the lead-up to the Battle of Hastings - but will historians approve of its accuracy? Caroline also highlights The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Disney+, exploring the story of a woman wrongfully imprisoned for murder. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: when it comes to real-life legal dramas, who do they really serve? Shem rounds off with his archive picks on BBC Four - Battlefield Britain and The Mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry - digging into the true story behind 1066. View oEmbed on the source website Life After Lineker for MoTD - Friday 15 August Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s top TV picks to add to your watchlist. Caroline kicks off with a new Netflix political thriller starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy, while Shem turns to Match of the Day, returning to BBC One with a fresh lineup of presenters stepping into Gary Lineker’s shoes. Caroline’s next highlight is Confessions of a Brain Surgeon on BBC Two, a fascinating look at the highs and lows of the profession. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: why Americans can't get enough of us Brits - as long as it’s their version - with the recent release of Lena Dunham’s Too Much and My Oxford Year. Shem closes the episode with his archive pick, Jasper Carrott Night on BBC Four, celebrating the comedian’s life and career highlights. View oEmbed on the source website Led Zeppelin Doc and Ridley - Friday 8 August Fresh from his holiday, Shem Law rejoins Caroline Frost for another week of standout TV chat. Caroline kicks things off with Ridley on ITV1, starring Adrian Dunbar as a seasoned detective inspector navigating crime in the heart of Lancashire. Shem’s pick is the Antiques Roadshow VJ Day Special on BBC One, uncovering objects that evoke poignant memories of a too-often forgotten chapter of the war. They also spotlight Becoming Led Zeppelin on Now - a brand new documentary tracing the band’s beginnings and their role in creating a whole new genre of music. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline ponders whether future archives will lose their allure when today’s celebrities share so much - is there any mystery left to uncover? Shem closes the episode with his archive choice, Shooting the Past from 1999 on BBC Four, a drama set in the fascinating world of picture libraries. View oEmbed on the source website Wednesday and Annika - Friday 1 August Caroline Frost is joined once again by journalist Gareth McClean for another week of sharp TV insight. Caroline kicks things off with Annika, the black comedy crime drama back for a second series filled with twists, turns, set in the Scottish highlands. Gareth’s pick is the Netflix hit Wednesday, with Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Joanna Lumley all returning to Nevermore Academy for season two. Caroline also turns to MasterChef—with both presenters recently caught up in controversy, how will the BBC handle it, and will audiences keep tuning in? In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: when a show moves from TV to YouTube, what do we gain and what do we lose? Looking at the journey of Spitting Image—from prime-time satire to its new, regulation-free life online. Gareth wraps up with his archive choice, The Newsreader, the 80s-set Australian drama charting the professional and personal lives of news anchors Helen and Dale. View oEmbed on the source website The Gone and Bonnie Blue Documentary - Friday 25 July While Shem takes a well-earned holiday, Caroline Frost is joined by her esteemed journalist colleague Gareth McClean for a week of sharp and savvy TV chat. Caroline kicks things off with The Gone on BBC Two, the slow-burn crime drama returning for a gripping second series. Gareth’s pick is Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, a revealing documentary exposing the dark truths behind a corrupt and scandal-ridden religious movement. Caroline also delves into the controversial Bonnie Blue documentary—does it serve genuine public interest, or is Channel 4 simply pandering to male fantasies under the guise of tackling a social issue? In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: from Gregg Wallace to Christian Horner, when the mighty fall, what happens to the show they front? Gareth rounds off the episode with his archive choice—Star Trek: Enterprise, revisiting the early 2000s chapter of the iconic sci-fi saga. View oEmbed on the source website Karen Pirie Series 2 and New Keeley Hawes Thriller - Friday 18 July Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another episode of the Radio Times Podcast, serving up the week’s standout TV. Caroline starts with series 2 of the hit crime drama Karen Pirie, starring Lauren Lyle as the short, sharp, detective inspector. Shem’s choice is The Narrow Road to the Deep North, an adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s prize-winning novel, following the harrowing experiences of prisoners of war in Burma, with Jacob Elordi in the lead. Caroline also spotlights The Assassin on Prime Video, pairing Keeley Hawes with Freddie Highmore in a tense new thriller. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: from Miss Marple to Superman, how do we decide who gets to be “the definitive version”? Shem closes the episode with his archive pick—Helen Mirren Night on BBC Four, celebrating the career of one of Britain’s finest actors. View oEmbed on the source website Bookish and Shark Reality Show - Friday 11 July RT editor Shem joins Caroline Frost for another week of top-tier TV talk. Caroline kicks things off with Bookish, a cosy crime drama starring Mark Gatiss—but does it pack enough punch to stand out? Shem dives into Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, ITV’s new star-studded adventure that sees famous faces head to a tropical island to confront their fear of sharks. The pair also get into the return of Channel 4’s most-watched scripted drama ever, The Couple Next Door, back with another racy storyline packed with twists and turns. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks whether new BBC drama Mix Tape can capture the charm of a good old-fashioned playlist for a new generation. Shem wraps things up with his archive pick - heading back to 1985 once again with Miss Marple. View oEmbed on the source website Oasis and Live Aid at 40 - Friday 4 July Caroline Frost is joined this week by Preview Editor Frances Taylor and David Brown for another round of smart, snappy TV talk. First up, Caroline dives into Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took On the World, a three-part documentary looking back at the generation-defining music event and its global impact. Frances brings us Too Much, Lena Dunham’s new anti-romcom inspired by her own life - bold, marmite, and already stirring debate. Is it worth the fuss? David’s pick is Supersonic, a deep dive into the chaotic rise of Oasis, as Noel and Liam gear up for their reunion tour. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks why we don’t show enough love to the right female players at Wimbledon. With Serena Williams in focus, has public attitude towards women’s sport finally shifted? David rounds things off with his archive pick: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple from the 1980s. View oEmbed on the source website Glastonbury and Wimbledon - Friday 27th June Caroline Frost and Shem Law have been busy watching the good, the bad and everything in between - so you don't have to. This week, Caroline teases her upcoming magazine interview with comedy great Steve Coogan. She then dives into one of the TV events of the summer: Glastonbury on the BBC, packed with headline acts including Radio Times cover star Rod Stewart in that coveted legends slot. Shem serves up another quintessentially British TV highlight with Wimbledon—who’s set to shine on Centre Court this year? Also in the mix: Hill on Sky Documentaries, a moving deep-dive into the life and career of Formula 1 champ Damon Hill. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks the big question—can you really call yourself part of the TV nation if you’re just not that into sport? Shem wraps up with a nostalgic kick: The Big Match Revisited, reliving football’s golden years. View oEmbed on the source website The Bear and Squid Game - Friday 20 June Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another round of smart TV talk. This week: Caroline heads to Tasmania with her pick Survivors, a moody Aussie mystery now streaming on Netflix, while Shem dives into the opulent world of The Gilded Age—but does this Upper East Side period drama earn its place in your watchlist? Caroline also spotlights two big returns: the final, much-anticipated chapter of Squid Game on Netflix, and Disney+’s kitchen heatwave The Bear, with Jeremy Allen White back in the apron. In Frost Bite, Caroline questions the burden of beauty - do handsome men have it harder on screen? Finally Shem winds the clock back to the 60s and 70s with gritty archive drama Z-Cars. View oEmbed on the source website Outrageous and Noel Edmonds in New Zealand - Friday 13 June Caroline Frost and Shem Law serve up another week of sharp TV and culture chat. This episode: the latest from the French Open, breaking down Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s performances on the clay courts. Caroline’s top pick is the provocative Outrageous, delving into the scandalous lives of the Mitford Sisters, while Shem praises Amol Rajan’s interviewing skills in his sit-down with tennis legend Martina Navratilova. They also spotlight America’s Veterans: The War Within, a powerful exploration of the hidden struggles faced by those serving in the US forces. In Frost Bite, Caroline and Shem debate the baffling news of Noel Edmonds embarking on a Kiwi adventure—what’s that all about? Shem rounds things off with a nostalgic trip to the archives, revisiting Charlie Drake’s classic comedy, Drake’s Progress. View oEmbed on the source website The Gold Season 2 and Jamie Oliver Dyslexia Doc - Friday 6 June Podcast hosts Caroline Frost and Shem Law return with another lively mix of TV, culture, and conversation. This week: Ncuti Gatwa’s Tardis exit and the new Doctor regeneration—what’s next for the iconic sci-fi saga? Caroline’s buzzing about the return of Gold’s gripping Brinks-Mat robbery drama in series 2, while Shem champions Jamie Oliver’s campaign for better dyslexia support in schools. They also pay tribute to presenter Alan Yentob with a look back at his influential music and arts shows, alongside Shem’s personal memories. In Frost Bite, Caroline and Shem debate whether ITV’s cut to its daytime schedule is a misstep, and Shem takes us back to 1974 with Alison Steadman’s powerful performance in Second City Firsts: Girl. View oEmbed on the source website Springsteen and Succession’s Successor – Friday 30 May Podcast hosts Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another round of sharp TV talk. This week: Timothy Spall shines in Death Valley, Bruce Springsteen’s UK legacy takes centre stage in the documentary When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain, and Succession creator Jesse Amstrong drops a new one-off feature film, Mountainhead – but does it measure up? In Frost Bite, Caroline dives into the psychedelic haze of Nine Perfect Strangers, while Shem rewinds to the timeless 1995 classic, Pride and Prejudice. View oEmbed on the source website Write to the Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com If you're looking for something to watch, check out our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door.
Heartstopper star Kit Connor reveals favourite Doctor Who era
Who exactly is Connor's favourite Doctor?
In the run up to the anticipated third season of Netflix's Heartstopper, series star Kit Connor has revealed that, actually, he's a big Doctor Who fan. Speaking in the most recent episode of the Radio Times Podcast with co-star Joe Locke, Connor revealed: “I have a couple things that I've probably watched a lot. I don't know if people know this, but like Doctor Who was something that I grew up on." But what was his favourite era of the sci-fi series? Connor said: "I will often re-watch the David Tennant years. I like Matt Smith as well, so I will often like go into that as well. But yeah, it's the David Tennant era for me." Much has been said of the upcoming third season of Heartstopper, with much of the focus being on the slightly more "mature" themes of the new season as the series begins to tackle sex. Speaking about the exploration of sex in Heartstopper's third season, series creator Alice Oseman also said on the podcast episode: "I think like there's already so much chatter about the fact that Heartstopper has sex in it now. "Like everyone's so kind of scandalised. But I think it is exactly what you're saying – it's really helpful for young people, first of all, to see a couple who don't immediately rush into having sex. "I think teenagers today have so much pressure on them to have sex as early as possible, it feels like everyone's doing it. All your friends are saying you should be doing it. The internet's saying you should be doing it, lots of teen media is saying that you should be doing it." Oseman added: "But Heartstopper, it takes a little bit longer for Nick and Charlie and I think that's a really nice alternative vision for young people. The storyline about sex in season 3 is very focused on the emotional side of it." With the trailer for the new instalment having dropped earlier this month, it gave fans their first look at what can be expected in the new episodes. Read more: Rivals author reveals changes in raunchy adaptation Eddie Redmayne confirms changes to Day of the Jackal reboot from original The official synopsis for season 3 reads: "Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realise that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. "As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn't go to plan." As well as all of the beloved main cast reprising their roles in season 3, it's also been confirmed that Hayley Atwell (Avengers: Endgame) will star as Nick's aunt Diane, Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey will play Instagram-famous classicist Jack Maddox, and Eddie Marsan (Back to Black) has been cast as Charlie's therapist, Geoff. You can listen to the Radio Times Podcast now. Heartstopper season 3 will arrive on Netflix on Thursday October 3rd. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Heartstopper stars promise season 3 doesn't suddenly become Euphoria with sex scenes
Heartstopper's leading stars spoke to the Radio Times Podcast about the new season.
Joe Locke and Kit Connor are returning to our screens once again as Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson for Heartstopper season 3 and although this season does tackle sex, the stars have said it won't be reminiscent of HBO's Euphoria. Chatting on the most recent episode of the Radio Times Podcast, the pair were asked about the process of filming sex scenes for the new season. Locke said: "Yeah, we had a really great intimacy coordinator called David who really was so good at putting us at ease. And then, you know, we basically choreographed it like a dance, but just with different sex positions, which is quite funny. "But, you know, I mean, you go into it knowing exactly what you're doing and then you feel comfortable and ready." Connor continued: "We still approach sex in a very Heartstopper [way]. It doesn't suddenly sort of switch to Euphoria all of a sudden. We still approach it in a very optimistic and light hearted approach to it, I suppose. "I think we really focus on the difficulties of knowing when one is ready and what that might feel like and what it is to be a young queer person. Because there isn't as much representation in the industry of queer sex. "And a lot of the queer sex that is being represented is much more advanced, for lack of a better word, it's very highly sexualised." Connor went on: "And I think this was more, we take the approach of young people who are starting to explore themselves and each other and their desires. We don't do it in a sexy way. "They’re teenagers, you know, we do it in a way that is like 'this is really sweet and tender and it's these young people exploring each other and expressing their love in different ways'. "I think that's probably the best way to describe it in my eyes. It's just like, it's a nice, tender, not sexualised, it's more just… I think some people are going to view it as sexualised either way because it's sex. "But I think it's one of the best ways to approach a sex scene and sexual storylines without sexualising these characters too much." Speaking about whether it was easier to film those scenes because of the built up trust with co-star Connor, Locke said: "Yeah, I mean, I feel like it always would feel better in those scenarios when you're re-trusting. "It's a very vulnerable thing, you know, doing a sex scene in a room full of 50 random people that you might not know very well. So, to have the person you're doing it with be someone that you know and trust and is in the same position as you makes it so much easier." Speaking about the exploration of sex in Heartstopper's third season, series creator Alice Oseman also said: "I think like there's already so much chatter about the fact that Heartstopper has sex in it now. "Like, everyone's so kind of scandalised. But I think it is exactly what you're saying – it's really helpful for young people, first of all, to see a couple who don't immediately rush into having sex. "I think teenagers today have so much pressure on them to have sex as early as possible, it feels like everyone's doing it. All your friends are saying you should be doing it. The internet's saying you should be doing it, lots of teen media is saying that you should be doing it. Read more: Joe Locke on Heartstopper season 3, filming sex scenes and famous fans Kit Connor on "sweet and tender" sex scenes in Heartstopper season 3 Heartstopper's Alice Oseman opens up on tackling sex and mental health in season 3 "But Heartstopper, it takes a little bit longer for Nick and Charlie and I think that's a really nice alternative vision for young people. The storyline about sex in season 3 is very focused on the emotional side of it." Oseman added: "It's the characters asking questions like, you know, Am I ready to have sex? How do I know if my partner is also ready? What if it's really awkward and embarrassing because I don't know what I'm doing? Like, it really focuses on those. Still very teenager y questions surrounding sex, um, and yeah, hopefully that will be relatable for a, for a lot of young people." The official synopsis for the third season reads: "Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realise that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. "As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn't go to plan." You can listen to the Radio Times Podcast now. Heartstopper season 3 will arrive on Netflix on Thursday, 3rd October. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck on navigating fame and their new film The Instigators
The stars spoke to The Radio Times Podcast about their childhood friendship and making a movie which is "fun and fast", while also having something to say.
This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. Oscar-winning Hollywood actors and real-life friends Matt Damon and Casey Affleck have teamed up for Apple TV+’s action-packed heist drama The Instigators. They play ex-marine Rory (Damon) and thief Cobby (Affleck) — two strangers thrown together to rob a corrupt politician. Damon and Affleck spoke with The Radio Times Podcast about the film, their friendship and fame - read on for the full discussion, or listen below. View oEmbed on the source website In The Instigators, your characters make an unlikely pairing — but you've known each other almost your whole lives… Damon: "We met as little kids – Casey’s a little younger than me. We lived in the same neighbourhood and played basketball at the same park. And we used to ride the school bus together…" Casey, is that how you remember it? Affleck: "My earliest memory of Matt is on that school bus. I was in second grade and he was in seventh grade, but our girlfriends were sisters. On the bus, the cooler, older kids sat at the back and the younger ones by the driver. My girlfriend sat at the back with her sister, so I did, too – and there was Matt." Did you both know that you wanted to pursue acting? Damon: "I was 13 and I knew that it was what I wanted to do with my life. Ben [Affleck, Matt’s friend and Casey’s brother] had been on a PBS show – so he was a big star in our neighbourhood. He had an agent in New York, so when I was 16, I went with him and signed with the same agent." Boston to New York is quite a journey for a 16-year-old! Damon: "I look at it now and I’m shocked!" Affleck: "I was younger than that! I think it’s a generational thing – our mothers worked and if we really wanted to go to auditions, we had to go to New York alone." Damon: "We were down in New York getting into all kinds of adventures and they had no idea what we were doing. But we were good kids…" You both dropped out of university to pursue acting — did you have any doubts? Damon: "I kept getting jobs while I was at school that meant I’d have to leave. Technically, I think I’m still on an extended leave of absence – so I could go back and finish my senior year. "By the time I left, my class had graduated, my social circle had gone. A few years later, Good Will Hunting happened, and I was getting paid as a professional writer. So, I thought, why go back and get my English degree?" Was it the same for you, Casey? Affleck: "I had a similar experience – I would do a semester and then leave to work on something and go back to school when I didn’t have a job. At times, I’ve really loved being an actor – but there have always been periods where I thought I wanted to do something else. But I’ve never really launched far enough in any one direction to not come back to acting." Matt, Good Will Hunting was your breakthrough film — how did you cope with sudden stardom? Damon: "It was really disorientating. It’s like someone rewrites a piece of your code in the matrix – but only for you. Intellectually, you know that everything that mattered yesterday still matters today. The world has the same problems. "But the world is just never going to be the same for you. When you walk into a room, suddenly everyone turns and looks. It’s bizarre. I think that’s why so many [famous] people behave in odd ways. It’s relentless and it touches every part of your life." You seem to have navigated fame well, though. What’s your secret? Damon: "I worked, that’s what I did. There were three or four years where the only place that I was treated entirely normally was in the circus with my fellow circus performers. Movie crews didn’t care – they just wanted to work. So, I hid for a few years while I got my bearings. And then, luckily, I fell in love with someone who was not in the business." Affleck: "And who would tolerate it!" Damon: "Yes! And actually, that really helped me – 25 years ago, the gossip magazine culture was huge, but they ignored me. I wasn’t an exciting story – the guy who’s married, it’s boring! Scandal and sex, that’s what people would read magazines for. "I’ve been really lucky. Especially when I look at Casey’s brother, Ben. We’ve had parallel careers in a lot of ways, but I can’t imagine living under that scrutiny for 25 years." Doug Liman — who worked with Matt on The Bourne Identity — co-wrote The Instigators with you, Casey. It looked like a hoot to film — was it as fun behind the scenes? Damon: "We set out to make a fun action comedy, a movie that people would enjoy. We wanted it to be really entertaining." And it’s only an hour and a half — a bonus in a climate where films seem to be getting longer… Damon: "Yeah, it’s a quick one! We didn’t want to overstay our welcome. It’s fun and fast – but underneath that, there are themes about mental health, job insecurity for people in middle age, disruptions in the economy and political corruption. It’s not just a popcorn piece of entertainment – hopefully, the characters stay with you." The Instigators is available to stream globally on Apple TV+ - you can sign up to Apple TV+ here. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Diane von Fürstenberg on Disney Plus documentary, her career and marriage
Woman in Charge is available to watch on Disney Plus now.
This interview first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Diane von Fürstenberg, the groundbreaking fashion designer, is the subject of a new documentary. Releasing on Disney Plus, Woman in Charge tells "the story of the iconic trailblazer known by her initials DVF worldwide", according to the synopsis. Celebrating its release, Fürstenberg joined the Radio Times Podcast to talk all about it - read more or listen to the full episode below. What's the view from your sofa? I'm actually on a boat, sailing near Majorca, so my view is always changing. In your household you have children, grandchildren and your husband Barry Diller, a titan of the entertainment industry. Who controls the remote? When I’m with my husband, he’s in charge of it. I am totally not in charge of that. You have to choose what to control. In the new Disney Plus documentary about your life story, you reveal that, 18 months before you were born, your mother had been in Auschwitz concentration camp. How did that influence you? My mother was, in my early years, very present – she wouldn’t allow me to be a victim or be afraid. If I was afraid of the dark, she would lock me in the closet. Today she could go to jail for that, but it was a good lesson – I became fearless. Bearing in mind your later career, were you a fashionable teenager? No. I remembered characters in stories that I wrote as a young girl were very similar to the person I became. So, to a certain extent, I always knew the kind of woman I wanted to be. You do not decide who your parents are, or where you are born, but you are in charge of how you navigate whatever comes in front of you. You chose to marry a high society prince — how did that change your life? We met at university aged 18 and we were discovering life. We hadn’t talked about getting married, but I got pregnant and he gave me a ring – it all happened very fast. He was an aristocrat from a wealthy family, and he navigated a world I didn’t know. Then, one day, I knew it too. You took fashion by storm with the wrap dress and became DVF, a brand as much as a woman. Was that all part of your plan? None of this was thought through. Before I married, I had worked in a factory for an Italian manufacturer who bought a knitting mill, and he basically invented jersey fabric. I brought some printed samples to New York, I made a simple little dress which moulded the body, and it became a phenomenon. I had no idea this would happen. In 1983, you divorced and became an independent woman, in charge of all your choices, from business to your sexuality. Did you feel any judgement for either? It was a window between the invention of the pill and AIDs. There was a sense of women’s liberation, and it was all very exciting. I didn’t do anything extraordinary that my friends didn’t do. But not everyone was courted by Mick Jagger and David Bowie, from whom you reportedly turned down the offer of a threesome. What really happened? Mick is a friend of mine, I am godmother to his daughter Jade. It’s true that they came to visit me, but it’s a bit of a joke – something I said I would tell my grandchildren, and I did! The film details your many successes. But what can you tell us about failure? It’s like pain: the minute it’s over, you don’t remember. I don’t dwell on things. I tell my friends when they’re experiencing difficult moments, "Remember these will be your best anecdotes when you write a book or do a TedTalk." What advice would you give to a young woman setting out in life today? To be in charge is, first and foremost, to make a commitment to yourself – it’s owning who you are. You own your imperfections, you can transform them into assets. You own your vulnerability, you can turn it into strength – and that is the big secret. Listen to the full interview with Diane Von Fürstenberg on the Radio Times Podcast. Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emma Myers on A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and why Wednesday reaction was "overwhelming"
Myers spoke about her new show and her love of Lord of the Rings on the Radio Times Podcast and in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine.
Emma Myers, the young actor best known for playing Enid in Wednesday, is now starring in BBC Three's adaptation of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, playing the lead role of Pip. In anticipation of the show's release, which is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer, Myers spoke in an interview for The Radio Times Podcast, which was also published in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine. Myers spoke about working on her British accent, seeing Susan and Lucy Pevensie from the Narnia series as role models and her love of Lord of the Rings. You can listen to the podcast right here, or read the interview, below. View oEmbed on the source website How did you land the role of Pip? I was flying home from London [Myers was born and raised in Orlando, Florida] and I got an email asking if I would meet with the director, Dolly. I read the first three episodes, and I really liked it. We ran through a scene together and they said that if I sent in a tape with a British accent, the role would be mine. How did you channel your Britishness? I used to do a British accent for fun – but I was never really good at it! I was nervous because by the time I joined the project, I only had two weeks to nail it before we started shooting. I had a dialect coach, we went through every single scene a million times. That helped – but it wasn’t something I picked up right away! Pip is a great female role model — who were yours growing up? Susan and Lucy from Narnia were always my role models! I was homeschooled so my curriculum consisted of reading books that focused on different eras of history – they were niche! I loved it because it gave me so much freedom. We used to live close to the Disney resort and there were passes for residents. Me and my three sisters would go for the day and do our schooling at night! What made you want to act? I was really into fantasy – The Lord of the Rings was my favourite book, and the films were why I became an actor. Peter Jackson used to make vlogs of behind-the-scenes content; I watched those and thought, ‘Man, that’s such a cool job’. You play the character of Enid in Wednesday. The reaction to the show has been huge — how have you coped? I didn’t even realise how much of a hit the show had become because I was busy with work. My mum sat me down and said, ‘Do you realise how big this show is?’ People don’t really understand that [you’re a real person]. They can cross boundaries. That gets overwhelming – but it helps to have a good support system at home. Has fame stopped you doing what regular 22-year-olds do? I’m pretty much a homebody. I don’t like going out – so it’s not been an issue for me! All six episodes of A Good Girl's Guide To Murder are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer, and will air on BBC Three from 9pm on Wednesday 12th July. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Suranne Jones on a potential Vigil season 3: "It has to be the right story"
Viewers last had their Vigil fix back in December.
Suranne Jones has given fans a much-needed update on the future of Vigil, with viewers last seeing her on screen back in December as Amy Silva. In the new season, Amy was no longer investigating a death on a submarine, but travelled to Wudyan, a fictional Middle Eastern country in which the UK had been developing a military drones programme. In the final episode, viewers finally found out what really happened in Dundair and who took control of the drone which killed members of the military. Six months on, there hasn't been much said about a potential third season, but in a new episode of the Radio Times Podcast, Jones revealed whether it was on the cards. "I don't know, maybe I'll have to make a call to my agent," Jones joked. She continued: "We've done two [seasons], so there has been mention of a three, but as ever it has to be the right story and everyone has to agree that it's the right thing. So, maybe." Show creator Tom Edge previously echoed Jones's sentiments, noting that there could be another season, but only if there is "something urgent to be said". Read more: The Night Manager season 2 confirms Olivia Colman and more returning cast Steven Moffat on Douglas Is Cancelled: 'Suddenly, careless talk was costing careers' Speaking at a Q&A for season 2, Edge said: "I think we never take anything for granted in terms of actors. I mean, these actors are incredible, and they are offered so many jobs, and it's a useful thought to think we have to have a shot at earning their time, their pick, and that is a reasonably high bar. "So, if we think about doing that, it has to feel like there is something urgent to be said, on both the character level and in terms of the domain that we may intend to unpack those questions. But I will say the world doesn't seem short on turbulence or question marks." The full episode with Suranne Jones will be out on Tuesday 25th June on the Radio Times Podcast. Seasons 1-2 of Vigil are available to watch on 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 from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Karen Gillan on Douglas is Cancelled, Doctor Who and the "verbal gymnastics" of Steven Moffat's writing
Gillan talks cancel culture, preparing for "traumatic scenes" and how the role of Amy Pond changed her life on the Radio Times Podcast.
On the latest episode of the Radio Times Podcast, Karen Gillan dives into her journey with the new ITV series Douglas Is Cancelled. It all started six years ago when her friend, writer Steven Moffat, shared the script with her. Back then, it wasn’t even a TV show – just a brilliant story in need of a platform. Gillan immediately saw its potential and urged Moffat to develop it. When he finally did, turning it into a series and offering her the role of Madeline, she jumped at the chance. You can listen to and read the full interview below. How did your involvement in Douglas Is Cancelled come about? Steven [Moffat] shared the script with me, as a friend, about six years ago – before it was even a TV show. He didn’t know what it was going to be – a play maybe – but he knew he had the story. I read it and said, "This is absolutely brilliant. You have to do something with this." When he told me they were making it into an ITV series and asked if I’d like to play Madeline, I immediately said, "Yes, absolutely!" What makes his writing special? He is a master of storytelling, and this show is a real feat — topical, weighted and moving… This project is probably one my favourite things I’ve ever done. I love Steven’s writing so much – it feels like verbal gymnastics. It’s the most fun to deliver – it always has been, from the Doctor Who days. In the show, your co-host gets cancelled after a tweet accuses him of saying something inappropriate. What are your thoughts on cancel culture? It’s always existed to a certain degree but with everyone being on social media and it being so instant, it feels like a more nerve-racking time. It feels like an irrational fear because I don’t think I’d do or say anything offensive, but there is a looming threat anyway. With such a large social following, surely you’ve also been on the receiving end of vile treatment? Definitely. I have people who’ve been coming at me for years on end, relentlessly. I feel quite separated from it, to be honest – I don’t take it to heart. I feel like there might be some mental illness involved so I don’t judge. I try to find empathy in the situation. Your character, Madeline, is trying to make her mark in the TV industry. In a post #MeToo era, there are elements of her story that ring true. How do you prepare for particularly traumatic scenes? And how do you switch off afterwards? Episode 3 is really heavy. When I read the script for it, I knew I absolutely had to play her. The subject is one that I felt was really important to tell. It’s an intense situation that Madeline is trying to navigate because she really wants this job and she’s having to deal with all these things being thrown at her. But it was actually quite close to Christmas when we filmed it – so everyone had their Christmas jumpers on off-camera. How has the industry changed since you started out? Are women more protected now? I would say that it has taken some steps forward since the #MeToo movement – which is great to see. Accountability is important. It was a major issue prior to that. I don’t think we’re there yet – there’s still a way to go. But I do see people making a conscious effort to better the situation and themselves. Every time there’s a scene of a sexual nature or even a kiss, there’s an intimacy coach now. Some actors don’t like that because they feel it kills the mood, but I think it’s a really good thing because everybody feels more comfortable and there are clear boundaries. In your career, you’ve faced scrutiny for how you’ve dressed. What pressure is put on women’s bodies when they’re famous? We’ve been dealing with that for a long time… I remember there being an uproar about my costume on Doctor Who and poor Steven getting the brunt of the blame. Actually, he’d had nothing to do with it. I was 21 and knew what 21-year-olds wore, so I’d told them what I wanted to wear! To see backlash towards that was really strange and fascinating and didn’t feel right. When did the acting bug bite? My dad tells a story of me pointing at the television and saying, "How do I get in there?" I was drawn to all things performance-related and putting on a show. As a child, I was so quiet and unable to look people in the eye. I’m not even exaggerating. It was an extreme shyness. But, when I was performing, I wasn’t like that. It was a moment of relief. I’m not sure this is the healthiest example – but it’s like when you get drunk – no inhibitions. As a girl from Inverness, did a glistening screen career seem possible? I’m a very working-class girl and I had no connections to the industry. My mum worked in Tesco and my dad worked in a care home for people with learning disabilities. It didn’t seem like the most viable career option. There were people who had gone into theatre but not so much film and TV. My parents were incredibly supportive. From a young age my dad taught me what it is to have drive, so I always knew what I needed to do to achieve the things I wanted. Plus, I had an absolutely delusional amount of self-belief. If you had interviewed me as a child and asked me if I’d have a career in acting, I’d have said, "It 100 per cent will happen. There’s zero doubt in my mind." Although I think my mum would be happier if I was still working in Tesco. I’d be around more! That’s nice in a way – my career doesn’t really register with them that much. You were 17 when you left Scotland for London and enrolled at drama school. But you were only a student for two months? I got an audition and was booked for the job. The drama school wouldn’t let me do it because they said it was too early in my training. It was just one episode of Rebus. But I thought, "I have to leave drama school and do it." So I left. I still had the blind optimism of youth. I remember teachers saying, as I was walking out of the school, "You’re making one of the biggest mistakes of your life." It was eight days of filming and then I was working in a pub. I was pulling pints every day and not getting any work. I decided to ring the director of Rebus and ask if he knew of any London agents. He happened to be in the same room as an agent who had just been given her own client list at a top agency. It was a weird synchronicity. She took me on and then I had access to all the auditions in London. That led to Doctor Who. Did playing Amy Pond change your life overnight? It was the best time ever. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten the part. It seemed like a miracle. I went back up to Scotland with two people from the BBC and my agent. We descended on my little house to tell my parents! One of the guys from the BBC posted something on his phone and it was immediately on the news on our television. It was the weirdest sensation. There were journalists knocking on our door within the hour. My mum was on her lunch break from Tesco and had to go back to work! How did you handle losing your anonymity? That was a shock to the system. All of a sudden, there were people outside my house waiting to take pictures. I was a normal 21-year-old who would go out and get drunk with her friends and suddenly it was like – you have to be careful about doing that now because it looks like you’re going off the rails if you go out with your friends and have alcohol. I was incredibly conscious of how things would be perceived. I started to tread really carefully. I’m still like that because of that experience. You then traded the Whoniverse for the Marvel Universe — what was the move to Hollywood like? I remember being really nervous to do the first Guardians of the Galaxy film because it was a big Hollywood movie, and I didn’t know what it was going to be like. I was in fight or flight mode, going to the set terrified. But when I got there, I realised, "Oh, this feels like Doctor Who, just bigger and with more perks! I know my way around a spaceship!" You now live in LA — is it easier to have a more private life there? I don’t know if anything will match the Doctor Who levels [of fame]. These things come in waves, and it depends on how much you’re in the public consciousness at the time. With Doctor Who, you were in people’s living rooms every Saturday night on a regular basis – that means that people really feel like they know you, so you can’t get around at all. When you do a film, everybody recognises you for two weeks and then it calms down. I can just walk around and nobody will even look at me. I feel really happy about that, actually, because I think I would lose my mind if I couldn’t go for a coffee on my own. It’s my favourite thing. Do you miss home? I’m homesick every single day of my life. I’m on Rightmove all the time, looking at houses. I think there’s a possibility that I’ll come back at some point. I’ve made my house very Scottish- looking – it doesn’t feel like I’m in LA at all. It reminds me of a granny’s home in Scotland – which is what I am in my soul. As a woman who is 5ft 10in, has height impacted your career? Good question! I mean, not that I’m aware of, but it’s entirely possible that I haven’t gotten roles because I’m a foot taller than the male lead. I have noticed one disadvantage to being tall, though – when they film you, they’re looking up at you all the time. If you’re short, the camera looks down on you, and that is way more flattering. I’m like, "Why are you filming my double chin?!" Let’s get some taller cinematographers! For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Joanna Lumley on the secrets of a long marriage, the Swinging Sixties and beauty
The actress joins Kelly-Anne Taylor in the studio for this week's episode.
This week on the Radio Times Podcast, Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined in the studio by actress, presenter and author Dame Joanna Lumley. The actress boasts a successful career across six decades, from her hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous to wonderful travel programmes. In this episode, Lumley talks about why she doesn't have a mobile phone and how difficult she found it to shed the 'pretty girl' stereotype when she moved from modelling to acting. Plus, she talks about raising a child as a single mother, how playing Purdy in The New Avengers changed things financially for her, and why she wishes sex scenes would be cut from TV and film. View oEmbed on the source website This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. What's the view from your sofa? A fireplace! I love open fires. There are also lots of bookshelves and paintings. I'm a maximalist and my husband [conductor Stephen Barlow] is very patient. In rather a bourgeois manner, I keep the TV covered up because I don't like flat black screens. What do you enjoy watching on telly? I adore travel programmes – especially with Simon Reeve. He's just great. I love what I call my "Special Pain Television", shows like The Apprentice or First Dates – anything that makes you curl up with embarrassment and horror. We bought a box set of all Shakespeare's plays made by the BBC starting in the '70s – and they're sensational. Who controls the remote? You get fond of what your partner likes. I've become fonder of car racing because he likes that. We watch television, but we also read a lot and he's a musician, so we listen to a lot of music. We're not ruled by the box. Jan Etherington wrote Radio 4's Conversations from a Long Marriage with you in mind. Why is it so popular? People always ask, "Is Jan listening in on us? Does she have a microphone in our floorboards?" Her genius is finding the sweet spots in marriage. I think people like to listen because it sounds like their own lives. It's funny and light-hearted – but also profound. There's love and loss. Our characters realise they're getting older – as do a lot of our listeners. I feel young – but I know, by years, that I’m getting older. Things go wrong but behind it all is sweet love. How do you create that relationship with your Conversations co-star Roger Allam? It's easy peasy! Masses of women come up to me and say, "Can I marry Roger?" No! A) He's married to Rebecca [Saire] and B) I'm first in line! You've been married to Stephen for 38 years. What's the secret to a successful marriage? Ade Edmondson had the answer to that – don't get divorced! I think, respect your partner and always treat them as the most important person in the world. When did you first get the inkling you wanted to be a performer? I was a show-off as a child! I'm an entertainer really – I wanted to make people laugh and tell stories. If I hadn't been an actor, I'd have been a teacher. I never had a plan or certain ambitions. When you started out in the 1960s, wasn't having money seen as crass? When I came to London in the Swinging Sixties, money was considered very vulgar. You never talked about it! If anybody did have money, they'd quietly pay for things. If you didn't, you'd hold your head high, be entertaining and look good. The [current] obsession with money and rich lists – showing how much you've spent on things by having Chanel written on your clothes – is alien to me. I still have '60s dreams in my head. Your career has spanned almost six decades – what are the biggest changes you've seen in the industry? Who is behind the camera. In the olden days, women on set would be continuity and make-up, all the rest were men. Now we have women editors, camerawomen and women on sound. There has also been a great broadening in work for older women. You've spoken out about hating performing – or watching – sex scenes. They bore me rigid! The second you take your clothes off, the audience looks at you, the actor, and your attributes – what your breasts and genitals are like. You've immediately lost the character you've built. There's a playground element to it – pull your pants down and let's see what you've got. I'd cut them altogether. They slow things down. They're rude and horrible. I don't watch people on the lavatory! Visit our TV Guide, Radio Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Martin Compston on "big question" of Line of Duty season 7: "It's got bigger every year"
Compston chatted to The Radio Times Podcast about his new travelogue series and, of course, the future of Line of Duty.
This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. Known and beloved by many as one of the leading actors in Line of Duty, Martin Compston is back on our screens – but not in the capacity you may instantly imagine. While the actor is known for his roles in the BBC crime drama, as well as The Rig and Vigil, Compston returns to TV in Martin Compston's Norwegian Fling. The new series of the travelogue follows the actor and his friend Phil MacHugh as they travel the length and breadth of Norway from Oslo to the North Arctic. The first season saw the pair travel their homeland of Scotland but in this second series, they're touring remote scenery and some breathtaking adventures. To mark the release of the new series, Compston chatted to The Radio Times Podcast about his Nordic adventures as well as his obsession with The Bear, the pull of his home country and of course, whether he would return alongside Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar for a seventh season of Line of Duty. He also chats about owing his career to Ken Loach and Jed Mercurio, as well as wanting to do less on-screen nudity and how his position in the industry has helped those conversations. View oEmbed on the source website What’s the view from your sofa? Here in Vegas in front of the sofa is my son’s table, which is full of toys. When you’ve got a four-year-old, the house is a riot. We’ve got a big telly. My wife [American actor and event planner, Tianna Chanel Flynn] has green fingers so there are flowers and plants hanging around. We’re very lucky to also have a home in Greenock, in Scotland, where I’m from – the view from the sofa there is overlooking the Clyde and it’s beautiful. What have you enjoyed watching on TV? I’ve just started Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is brilliant. I got quite obsessed with The Bear – it was pretty sensational. I couldn’t make my son’s breakfast without saying, “Yes, Chef!” Who gets control of the remote? Something tells me it’s your son… Oh, for sure! All we get are Disney films, Minions and Despicable Me. My wife would probably say it’s me who controls the remote – although she gets control of most things in the house, to be fair! When did you realise you wanted to be an actor? When I was 15, I went on a double date with my mate and we saw My Name Is Joe, a Ken Loach movie. It was the first time I saw people on the big screen who spoke like me. The following year, Ken was casting a movie [Sweet Sixteen] in my town and I went along. I’m very lucky – everything aligned for me in that period. If I hadn’t seen that film, I would never have gone to the audition and if Ken wasn’t holding auditions in my town, I probably wouldn’t be an actor. You made your name as Line of Duty’s Steve Arnott. Did you realise how much that role would change your life? I probably owe my career to two people – Ken Loach and Jed Mercurio. I didn’t think anybody would ever trust me to be the lead on a BBC network show. None of us had any idea what it would become. Vicky [McClure] and Aidy [Adrian Dunbar] became my best friends. We speak pretty much daily on WhatsApp. Would you do another series? Every year it has got bigger and the numbers on the last series were insane. It was quite overwhelming! I remember going for a walk in Edinburgh when the last episode aired. The streets were empty because everybody was inside watching the finale! It felt like mammoth pressure – and almost became too big and took on a life of its own. We’re really lucky that we’ve got each other to keep ourselves grounded. You’ve spoken out about wanting to do less on-screen nudity. Does having an impressive CV make that easier? Absolutely – I’m lucky I’ve got myself in a position where I can have those conversations. I also feel I’ve done my time – I’ve done full frontal. I’ve had my arse out loads. I sometimes get sent pictures of it on social media – being a father, you do have to start being more careful, but if it was essential to the story, I’d be up for it. In your latest travelogue you’ve swapped Scotland for Norway, where you meet a pack of wolves, and one puts its tongue in your mouth! I’ve realised I’ve got a mad sense of security. When the experts said it was OK to meet the wolves, I thought fine. I didn’t really have any fears. I think that’s why the show works – my travel companion Phil MacHugh likes Scandi pop and fine dining – I like running with wolves and getting ducked underwater! Maybe I’m having a midlife crisis – I’ve also started taking three-wheel motorbike lessons. The first series felt like a homage to Scotland – as you’ve got older do you feel that pull of home more? One hundred per cent. I’m lucky I have a home there. With age, you do start to appreciate what the country means to you. I do as much as I can to try and promote it. I’m very lucky that I’m getting to be on the other side of the camera, producing. There are a lot of Scottish stories I want to tell. Martin Compston's Norwegian Fling is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and will air on BBC Two on Friday 23rd February at 9pm. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Olivia Colman speaks out on gender pay gap in movies
Colman spoke to Radio Times magazine about Wicked Little Letters, in which she stars alongside Jessie Buckley.
Olivia Colman is no stranger to the big screen, having recently starred in Wonka and as the lead of upcoming film Wicked Little Letters, a comedy in which Colman also serves as producer. Speaking to the Radio Times Podcast and featured in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine, Colman revealed her thoughts about whether we're in a "new era" when it comes to female representation on screen. When asked whether this new period of time signals a turn towards "fully-fleshed female characters", Colman responded: "There’ve been many fantastic female-centric films which have moved me. "And some of the biggest-grossing films, Barbie, Bridesmaids, Thelma & Louise, are led by women. "People say men get paid more because they get more bums on seats. That’s a lie! It can be proved in the box office. I don’t know why we’re still having to discuss it!" Of course, Barbie is dominating much of the awards chatter so far this year, with the Greta Gerwig-directed film securing five BAFTA nominations going into this weekend's Film Awards. As for Colman, she will be in attendance due to her role in Wonka, which has been nominated for Outstanding British Film alongside the likes of All of Us Strangers, Poor Things, Saltburn and more. Coming up for Colman after that is Wicked Little Letters, which sees a reunion between the actress and Jessie Buckley after their acclaimed performances in 2021's The Lost Daughter as younger and older versions of main character Leda. Read more: The Iron Claw director recalls Kevin Von Erich's reaction to cutting out fifth brother Wonka's Paul King on the character's origins: "He had a life beyond Charlie" Now, Colman stars as Edith Swan in Wicked Little Letters, a mystery film that sees Colman's Edith and other women in their seaside town targeted by a series of anonymous and outrageous letters. Speaking about her role in the movie and how Wicked Little Letters offers commentary on the treatment of women post-war, Colman also told the Radio Times Podcast: "The women are looked at and judged and, unfortunately, that still exists. Trolling is something they did even then, but in the form of letter writing. View oEmbed on the source website "The swears [in the film] were lifted from real letters, and this was debated in Parliament at the time. "Everyone was following it in the broadsheets. It was shocking. Today, there are [still] comments on what women should look like… if a woman swears people act shocked! F*** off! Women are human – funny, filthy, loving, caring – just like men." Wicked Little Letters comes to cinemas on Friday 23rd February. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Nicole Kidman talks Expats, role choices and intimacy coordinators
The Hollywood icon gave an exclusive interview to the Radio Times Podcast.
By the time she was in her early 20s, Nicole Kidman had already won over Hollywood. Over the subsequent decades – Kidman is now 56 – she has starred in almost 100 TV and film projects and picked up all of the most prestigious industry awards going, including an Oscar, BAFTA and six Golden Globes. Her schedule is so busy that she’s had to give up her lunch break on set – for a project she’s sworn to secrecy about – to speak to Radio Times Podcast about Expats, the new Amazon Prime Video drama that she executive produces and stars in. Very few actors have reached such dizzy heights of fame, and yet Kidman was warned she might never make it as an actor because of her height. "I was told, 'You won’t have a career. You’re too tall,'" recalls Kidman, who at the age of 13 was already 5ft 9in. "I remember auditioning for Annie. It was a big call-out with hundreds of people. I didn’t have an agent, I just turned up. My mum was like: 'Oh, please, do we have to? How long is this going to take?' "I had to talk my way in to the audition because they were measuring you. I was over the mark! You had to be under 5ft 2in and I was 5ft 4in! I was like, 'Please?' And they let me in. But I didn’t get the part. I didn’t even get a call back – but at least I got to sing four lines of a chorus." As well as being tall for her age, Kidman also had fair skin and red hair, so despite growing up in Melbourne and Sydney she didn’t spend her days lounging on the beach but found solace in the theatre instead. "I say I’m 5ft 10 1/2in but I’m really 5ft 11in. I was teased and called Stalky. People would say, 'How’s the air up there?' Now, I get, 'You’re so much taller than I thought,' or men grappling with how high my heels should be. "Whenever I go on the red carpet, I get sent shoes that are always so high. I’m like, 'Do they have a kitten heel? I’m going to be the tallest person – a giraffe!'" View oEmbed on the source website Surely she has now put all height-related insecurities to bed? "It will bother me when I’m acting and I want to be small – but then there are times when I appreciate it and can use it in my work. "Hey, I’m incredibly grateful to be healthy and walking around. Having said that, I’ve had knee issues and all sorts of things, partly because of my height! "But what I tell my daughters is that none of it matters. What matters is how you allow other people to either say 'yes' or 'no' to you, and whether you accept that. Inner resilience as a human being, that’s the superpower, really." Nicole Mary Kidman was born in Hawaii to Australian parents: her father was a biochemist and later a psychologist, and her mother was a nurse educator. After her formative years in Australia, Kidman returned to the US – heading to Hollywood aged 20 for a starring role opposite Sam Neill in the psychological thriller Dead Calm. Kidman quickly made her mark and has since gone on to forge a very successful career in an industry renowned for its fickleness. She now lives in Tennessee with her husband of 17 years, the country singer Keith Urban, and their two teenage daughters, Sunday and Faith (she also has two adopted children, Isabella, 31, and Connor, 28, with her first husband Tom Cruise). One undoubted perk of the job for Kidman is that she gets to work all over the world, and filming Expats took her to Hong Kong. "When you’re very small, if [moving around] has been a huge part of your existence, then travelling becomes embedded. "My husband’s a musician, so touring is in his blood. That’s just how we are. I always say to the kids, 'You’re global,' because they’ve got pretty much every stamp in their passport because of work and travel and the desire to see the world. We take them with us everywhere we go." The drama, directed by The Farewell’s Lulu Wang, follows three American characters living in Hong Kong, whose lives are all impacted by a horrific event – the disappearance of a young boy. Kidman plays Margaret, the mother of the missing child. Over six episodes, the series offers a haunting and evocative exploration of grief, marriage and surviving trauma. It’s an unpicking of what it means to be a mother and what it means to belong – to a family and to a place. The three central women experience moments of isolation and loneliness – something that perhaps Kidman can relate to? "When I was single and I would travel, a lot of it was lonely. Being slightly introverted, I would think, 'Should I call that person and see if they want to have dinner, or will I just stay in my little room and not venture out?' "Obviously, when you become part of a family and there’s people to miss if they’re not with you, that’s not good. I’ve had many, many a night when I’ve been like, 'What am I doing? I want to be with my family, why am I not with them?'" Kidman is famed for her ability to give raw, emotive performances, and in Expats she delivers some of her finest work to date. In one horrific scene, Margaret and her husband arrive at a morgue to identify a body that could be their missing son. As a mother, filming those scenes must take its emotional toll. "It was horrendous. I kept saying to Lulu, 'Is this all necessary? Can’t less be more? Do we have to do this?' We were filming it, off and on, for a long period of time – it’s not a two-hour film, it’s six hours. The state of being Margaret was terrifying to me. "After that, I went and did a romantic comedy that was so light and silly [A Family Affair co-starring Zac Efron is due out on Netflix later this year]. There has to be balance in my life. I kept questioning: 'Why am I drawn to playing these roles?'" But, seeing a fully-fledged Hollywood star like Kidman sink her teeth into meaty, textured parts like this is a treat for television viewers. And it’s thanks to actors like Kidman that we’re seeing more of these three-dimensional, fleshed-out female-led stories. In 2010, she started her own production company, Blossom Films, using her platform to champion women, helping to get them into the industry – behind the scenes and on screen. She’s executive produced on Amazon Prime Video’s Nine Perfect Strangers, Now’s The Undoing (in which she starred opposite Hugh Grant) and teamed up with Hollywood A-lister Reese Witherspoon for the award-winning series, Big Little Lies. But, it’s not just big names that Kidman’s interested in working with – she’s also trailblazing the way for emerging stars. "Lulu and I discussed that we couldn’t cast Expats based on a star – we needed the money to be able to make it. I see my part in the series as an exquisite role – but also as a supporting one, part of an ensemble cast. "Finding the other two leads and not having them be a name or already tried and tested, that was really important to me. [I wanted] people to be given chances, to hopefully jump-start careers, or shine a light on an already established career that hadn’t quite hit the zeitgeist. "There was a time when [roles for women] were lacking, and hopefully that’s being redirected now. It’s partly because we’re all saying, 'Come on, let’s put women behind the lens, let’s give them their voices in writing.' We need our allies, not just in terms of directors, but financially and in the press – we need influence and support so that we can move forward." Another catalyst for change came in the form of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, as stories of the abuse of power and sexual exploitation by male executives sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Since then, we’ve seen more intimacy coordinators – people whose job it is to ensure an actor feels safe while filming nude and intimate scenes – employed on set, especially on high-profile series featuring sex scenes, such as Bridgerton, Normal People, Heartstopper and Sex Education. "I was raised by a feminist mother," says Kidman, "and I’ve worked in the field of violence against women for the UN for decades now – part of what we were always advocating for is protective laws. Once you can say, 'This is not OK and it’s illegal,' structures can be put in place. "It’s still not infallible, but at the same time, when you have intimacy coordinators, it’s very helpful for directors, actors and crew. "We [as actors] want to explore things and have the ability to release into what we do – because so much is emotional and unusual and weird. We want the weirdness. We don’t want to homogenise things. As soon as you start to go, 'We can only do this and that,' those rules get a little restrictive. We can do intimate scenes, but with respect, structure and remembering the human being." One part of the job that those in the limelight often rail against is the lack of privacy. In the early days of her career, an article in the tabloid press (and there were many, particularly when she was married to Tom Cruise) might have made headlines for a few days, but with the internet, stories can take on a lifecycle of their own. Does coverage in today’s always-switched-on world feel more or less intrusive? "I’m probably more oblivious. I definitely don’t google myself! People might send me something [that is circulating] but I’d rather stay in a bubble and not be aware. "When you look at a life, the idea of being bogged down by this flickering noise or statement [seems silly]. Knowing who I am and having people around me that I really care for, and being able to have those strong connections – that is the protection. "Realising you don’t have to have an opinion on everything, and you don’t have to respond to everything, that’s probably part of maturity." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Expats is available to stream on Prime Video from Friday 26th January 2024. Sign up to Amazon Prime for £8.99 per month. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Nicole Kidman was told she was "too tall" to make it in Hollywood
Kidman is starring in upcoming Prime Video drama Expats.
With a long list of films and TV shows under her belt, Nicole Kidman is definitely within the realm of the Hollywood A-list. Known for her small screen roles in shows such as Big Little Lies, The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers, Kidman is set to lead the cast of new Prime Video series Expats. The six-parter follows three American women whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy, and stars Kidman as one of the women, Margaret. But, according to Kidman, the Oscar winner's acting career got off to a rocky start when she was told as a teenager that she was "too tall" to make it. Speaking on the Radio Times Podcast this week, Kidman shared: "I was told, 'You won’t have a career. You’re too tall.'" At the age of 13, Kidman was already 5ft 9in, and she said: "I say I’m 5ft 10 1/2in, but I’m really 5ft 11in." View oEmbed on the source website Kidman continued: "It will bother me when I’m acting and I want to be small – but then there are times when I appreciate it and can use it in my work. "Hey, I’m incredibly grateful to be healthy and walking around. Having said that, I’ve had knee issues and all sorts of things - partly because of my height! "But what I tell my daughters is that none of it matters. What matters is how you allow other people to either say 'yes' or 'no' to you, and whether you accept that. Inner resilience as a human being, that’s the superpower, really." In the podcast episode, Kidman also unpacks her latest role and the importance of having more women behind the camera, which you can listen to below. Kidman has scooped up plenty of awards in her time, including an Academy Award, BAFTA and six Golden Globes, and first made her mark in the industry in Dead Calm, where she starred opposite Sam Neill. More recently, Kidman starred in Special Ops: Lioness, but will now feature in Expats, the new series from The Farewell's Lulu Wang. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Wang has not only written and created the series, but also serves as director and executive producer alongside Kidman and Daniele Tate Melia. Read more: James Buckley says new show Finders Keepers is "a bit like Breaking Bad" Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story casts Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny Premiering on Prime Video later this month, Expats also stars Ji-young Yoo as Mercy and Sarayu Blue as Hilary Starr, with the show based on the internationally best-selling novel The Expatriates by Janice YK Lee. The official series synopsis reads: "Set against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, Expats centres on three American women – Margaret (Nicole Kidman), Hilary (Sarayu Blue) and Mercy (Ji-young Yoo) – whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy. "The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred. Brian Tee plays Margaret’s husband Clarke and Jack Huston plays Hilary’s husband David." View Green Video on the source website Expats premieres on Prime Video on Friday 26th January with the first two episodes. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Romesh Ranganathan: "I never wanted to be a quiz show host"
The comedian discusses watching (or actively avoiding) his own work, climbing up from rock bottom and taking over The Weakest Link.
Romesh Ranganathan has become one of the most recognisable comedians on television, making audiences laugh with his stand-up routines and chaotic turns as host of The Weakest Link and A League of Their Own. Yet there were times when the 45-year-old's career looked like it could never get going, let alone reach the soaring heights that it has. The multi-hyphenate joins the Radio Times Podcast to discuss overcoming adversity, being humbled by his sons and taking over an institution from a certain Anne Robinson. View oEmbed on the source website This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. What’s the view from your sofa? When we moved into our house a few years ago, my wife got an interior designer. We watch telly in the snug. There’s a big TV and on either side of it are books that I’ve never read because they’re only there for aesthetic appeal. You have three sons, so who controls the remote in your family? My three boys – 14, 12 and nine – all have screens in their rooms, so they rarely watch TV with us. We have to make appointments to watch with them – which we do for Bake Off and the football. We’re Arsenal fans! Do you ever get together to watch your own work? I couldn’t think of anything worse… Well, I could, because my imagination is wild. But, no, absolutely not! I never watch myself. I end up thinking of things I should have said that were funnier and my kids have no interest in watching more of the man who lives with them. There’s nothing like three boys to keep you grounded… If their main goal is to keep me humble, they’re absolutely overachieving on all of their targets. You’ve described your childhood as a tale of two halves. What did the view from your sofa look like growing up and how did it change? It started off in a very comfortable two-up, two-down house. The TV was the centre of the living room – until our house was repossessed. My dad went to prison [for two years for fraud]. My mum, brother and I ended up in one room in a B&B. I didn’t have a sofa – the view of the telly was from the bed. During that period, you were moved from a private school to a state school. What was that transition like? My parents had come from Sri Lanka, and they were obsessed with me going to private school. I didn’t enjoy my time there. I was a bit of an outsider. Without getting too dark, I was racially abused. So, I wasn’t that bothered about leaving. I went to a state school, had a great time and went on to teach at that same school – which is where I met my wife [drama teacher, Leesa]. You left your teaching job to pursue comedy full-time. Do you think diversity has come a long way since you joined the circuit? It is harder for women, no argument. When I started out, it was harder to get booked as a woman. Audiences would immediately go, "I don’t find women funny," and that wasn’t just the men. If you’re watching a comedian that you don’t find funny, just accept that they’re not for you. There’s no need to be angry about it. We’re trying to offer variety. It’s not all about you! What are you – the Emperor? You write TV shows, you act, you’re about to do a live tour — do you think your work ethic comes from a fear that on any day it could all disappear? I’ve been through two periods where I’ve hit rock-bottom financially. One, when my dad went to prison, and the other, when I started doing comedy full-time. My dad had passed away two days before – I hope that’s not a sign of what he thought about my move into comedy… I got distracted and couldn’t afford to pay the bills. I can honestly say, if it all went away tomorrow, I’d be all right with it. I’ve done so many things I never dreamt I’d be able to do. I’d still do stand-up even if I didn’t make any money – you’d find me in a park with a mic hooked up to a lamppost delivering it to passers-by. At least you’d still have The Weakest Link to fall back on! I never wanted to be a quiz show host. I was genuinely surprised when I got that call. But the truth is, the quiz is bulletproof. As long as I can read out loud, I’ll do all right! View Green Video on the source website Looking for something to watch? Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Big Zuu: 'They've asked me to do Strictly before'
The TV chef talks all about his love of Strictly, why his mum thought he was possessed by the devil and learning Latin with Boris Johnson in a new episode of the Radio Times podcast.
To launch series five of the Radio Times Podcast, host Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the double BAFTA-winning TV chef Big Zuu. Born Zuhair Hassan to a mother from Sierra Leone and a dad from Lebanon, he grew up on the Mozart Estate in West London. He started cooking aged nine to, as he says,"help around the house" when his mother fell pregnant with his younger brother. It was while he was studying to become a social worker at university that he decided to drop out in pursuit of a full-time music career. After making a name for himself as a grime MC/rapper, he turned the heads of TV commissioners when he started posting videos of himself on social media cooking. That landed him his Dave show Big Zuu's Big Eats. In this episode, Big Zuu talks about his love of Strictly, why his mum thought he was possessed by the devil and learning Latin with Boris Johnson. View oEmbed on the source website This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. What's the view from your sofa? I’ve got a massive sofa. Big up DFS! They gave it to me for some social media posts. It has charging points, reclines, turns into a bed – it’s proper cool. The TV is also massive – 82 inches. On the shelf I’ve got a few accolades – the BAFTA and some broadcast awards, pictures of the lads, a painting from my sister and a fake plant. You live with four of your friends in London — who controls the remote? Me! I’m a very good selector – I watch a lot of Action Bronson’s F**K, That’s Delicious and other food bloggers on YouTube. I don’t watch much terrestrial TV, but I have been watching Strictly. I wouldn’t have had you down as a Strictly fan… I watched the first episode with my mum because she loves it, and since then I’ve been keeping up – Bobby Brazier is the most beautiful man to ever live! Would you ever go on Strictly? Do you have rhythm? They’ve asked me before… Yes, I’ve got rhythm! You should be able to tell! I can’t do a quick step or a flamenco or whatever – but I’d try. If I went on Strictly, I’d want to have a love scandal. Do a Stacey Dooley. Sorry Stace! So, you’re a natural on the dance floor — but were you always a good cook? When did you start? I was nine. My mum was pregnant and I did it to help around the house. I was good from the off – I’m basically Gordon Ramsay! I’ve always been a young fat man. Cooking is in my blood. What were you like as a youngster? Annoying, but smart. I was actually inducted into Gifted and Talented [a government scheme for bright pupils] at my school by Boris Johnson! I went to a humble school in Kilburn, and he came to visit while he was running for London mayor and did a speech. We didn’t even know who he was – everyone just booed him. At the end he asked a number of students to stay behind. Naturally, I thought I was getting into trouble. When everyone else left he was like, "Welcome to Gifted and Talented," and then he taught us Latin for an hour. I didn’t listen. How does your TV set-up now compare to that of your childhood? We moved around a lot – but I did have an 11-inch TV in my room. It had an aerial which I had to bend to get it to work. I used to hate it when the aerial started fuzzer-ing and going "grrgrr" – especially if Match of the Day didn’t play properly. I’d be like, "This is why I’m poor!" You only got one Match of the Day. There was no iPlayer! Bad life! I’m joking, I’m all right. I wasn’t rich, but I had a TV in my room. How did your mum take it when you dropped out of studying social work at university to pursue music? She thought I was possessed by the devil – it’s very African. I was the first person in our family to go to university. It was a shame thing – people looked at her like she’d failed. Now, she’s my biggest fan! How did you go from chart-topping grime artist to TV chef? I made two episodes of a cooking show on YouTube to promote my music. A developer at a production company saw it and then he hit me up and asked me if I wanted to make a pilot for a show. I didn’t even know what a pilot was! I got my mates Tubsey and Hyder involved, and the rest is history. You’ve won two BAFTAs for Big Zuu’s Big Eats. How did it feel to win? When I looked out at the audience from the stage, I thought, "We’ve done it. We deserve this. We’ve worked so hard." Everyone works hard to make a TV show – but our story of who we are [Zuu and his co-hosts] is so different. In my acceptance speech, I’m angry because of what I had to say. I had to talk about working class people and representation in television. I should have been celebrating. I was upset that I had to use my moment to do that – but I was also happy to try and make a change. View Green Video on the source website Looking for something to watch? Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Grace Dent on going sober, writing her new book and Below Deck
The restaurant critic chatted to the Radio Times Podcast about her new book, her decision to give up alcohol and her love for Elizabethan history.
For the season finale of the Radio Times Podcast, Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by restaurant critic and MasterChef regular Grace Dent. Grace is the host of the chart-topping podcast Comfort Eating – in which she invites celebrity guests to talk about their lives through the prism of food. Now, she gifts us a book – Comfort Eating: What We Eat When Nobody's Watching – which, as well as talking about everyone's favourite foods, delves into Grace's own life. In this episode, she speaks about how writing the book – after the passing of her mother – wasn't cathartic, but like picking a wound. Plus, she discusses the pressures placed on women to look a certain way, why Grace has ditched the booze and how an oversized TV had to be scrapped. View oEmbed on the source website This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. What is the view from your sofa? I'm speaking to you from the Lakes! I'm very much the opposite of the person you see on MasterChef in full make-up and a wrap-dress totting around in heels. I'm like one of the Dingles from Emmerdale – a woman festooned in pet hair! Four weeks ago, I got rid of my 65-inch Sony television. I'd bought the biggest TV available after I'd got a big cheque for something. The moment it arrived, my bloke said: 'Grace, this telly is too big for the living room. It's taking out the fireplace and it's obscuring a window.' I was like [tongue in cheek]: 'Don't tell me what to do, man! This is just typical patriarchy!' as the room became very dark because there was no sunlight coming in. It was so big; it would give me a headache – like I'd chosen seat 1A at the cinema. The worst seat in the house. I had to admit defeat. What do you enjoy watching on telly? I pay for YouTube because I can't bear the ads! I love Elizabethan history. When the world is too much, I slip down a rabbit hole and end up watching documentaries on Henry VIII and his wives or War of the Roses. Do you have similar television tastes to your partner? I live with a bloke who's obsessed with Below Deck – a reality TV show following the crew working on yachts. I really got into it until one day I thought: 'Why do I care if the sorbet doesn't set in time for the guests' dinner? Or if Julie's bad attitude means she needs to speak to the Captain?' I'm really conscious about what TV I get involved with, because time is precious and it's so easy to lose 86 hours of your life to Love Island. Your podcast, Comfort Eating, sees you sit down with a celebrity to talk about their life through the prism of food. You're now releasing a book. As soon as I started reading it, I had to fill my cupboards with all of my favourite foods… Aren't they a happier place for it? Those foods remind us of memories. I hated infant school. I didn't want to be there. I used to go home for school dinner. My mother would make me Heinz tomato soup – in a cup, sometimes – with cheese on toast. It was delicious. And I'm speaking as a restaurant critic that has the finest and fanciest foods at my disposal! Cheese, potatoes, sweet things – they make us feel something. Food works as a portal to things that happened in our lives. Have guests revealed more because of that? If I'd sat my guests down in my living room and said, 'Tell me about your childhood,' they would have said, 'No, I'm not doing that. I'm here to promote a book.' But the moment you say, 'When you went to the shops as a kid, what sweets did your mum buy you?' before you know it, you've got this huge story about their parents and their relationship with them. You write a lot about your own relationship with your mother. Nobody will ever be as interested in what's going on in your life as your mother. My relationship with her wasn't perfect – we're strong women with strong personalities and we could argue over anything. But our bond was very strong. I hadn't really planned to go so deep about her death. I am absolute unable to write a book that people sit on the toilet and read. Before I knew it, I was talking people lovingly through my mother's death. Was it cathartic? No. It's like picking at a wound. But, it's the truth. When you initially decided to go into journalism, were your parents encouraging of your career choice? I think my mother instinctively thought from the beginning that I was making life very difficult for myself. I'm from a background where nobody had had a career. Although my mother was proud of me when she saw me on MasterChef, I think she always thought I would have been a lot happier if I'd married a local builder's son and had the biggest house in Carlisle. She was a Northern woman born in the '30s – to her, making a good marriage was more important than running around the world. My northern family have always resolutely refused to treat me as a star. Any story I tell them about A-List people will be upended by the cat chasing a Quality Street wrapper. You've recently given up alcohol – why? I'm two years sober. I had wanted to stop drinking since I was 30. For me, there was no way out. I was never a falling down drunk person that had to hide vodka in a toilet system. If you are that person, I think society understands more about why you want to quit – they might even encourage you to go to AA. I started drinking at 14, all through university, then came down to London and worked in the media in the '90s – free bars, free drinks! Then I became a restaurant critic with an expense account. Everywhere I went, I got sent free champagne. When my parents were dying it made me aware of the clock ticking. I didn't want to lose any more weekends or days where I wasn't functional. The moment you become sober, you feel 100% better. Then you have to stop yourself being evangelical because you feel like you've found religion. You speak about being stuck in cycles of dieting in your book. Has working with food ever been difficult? Are my attitudes to food and body image complex and conflicting? Oh my God, yes! As a Generation X woman born in the '70s, I will never be at grips with body positivity. My earliest memories are of watching the Miss World Competition! The girls would come on screen, and they would say, 'Julie – 36, 24, 36' or 'Hayley – 38,25, 35' and they would be talking about their hip, boob and bum measurements! From an early age I knew you had to have big boobs, a tiny waist and not big thighs! I am very careful with what I eat. Although I’ll have beautiful patisseries and jus and stews and puddings – a lot of my job is saying 'no'. It's just eating enough to know what I'm talking about! I think about where I'm going to allocate all of my calories every day. I just choose to allocate them on delicious things. View Green Video on the source website Comfort Eating: What We Eat When Nobody's Looking by Grace Dent is published by Faber, out 5th October 2023. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Roman Kemp on growing up in the world of celebrity, fame and nepotism
The Capital Breakfast host chatted to Radio Times Podcast about his upbringing, experience of fame and new quiz show The Finish Line.
This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine. If you tune into the television now, there's no shortage of shows that charismatic host Roman Kemp can be found on. From his newly promoted regular presenting stint on BBC One's The One Show to new game show The Finish Line or BBC Three's Boot Dreams, Kemp has made a name for himself as a presenter on the small screen as much as his well-known radio host role for Capital Breakfast. Ahead of the release of The Finish Line, Kemp chatted to The Radio Times Podcast about the new show, but also about growing up as the 'famous kid' with two very successful parents – father and Spandau Ballet singer Martin Kemp, and mother and Pepsi & Shirlie singer Shirlie Holliman. He talks about what growing up in the world of celebrity taught him about friendships, too, as well as how his love of sport filters into his TV habits. View oEmbed on the source website What‘s the view from your sofa? My TV! I am a classic guy. The first second I viewed my property, I thought, "Where’s the TV going?" It’s a pretty big screen – 75 inches! I sit so slouched on my sofa that I give myself neck and back problems. On either side of the TV are shelves of books, not that I read. They’re just for decoration, and like everyone else living within the confines of London, I own ceramic pots from H&M Home. What have you enjoyed watching recently? My life very much revolves around sport. I watched Quarterback on Netflix, which is an unbelievably great series following the lives of NFL players in America. And The Deepest Breath [also Netflix], a phenomenal feature-length documentary about free diving. We’ve seen you on Celebrity Gogglebox with your father Martin, of Spandau Ballet and EastEnders fame. Who controls the remote? My dad… it’s so annoying! I have PTSD when I hear the Antiques Roadshow theme tune. It reminds me of my school years and Sundays when I hadn’t done my homework. You mum Shirlie was in the pop group Pepsi & Shirlie, your godfather was George Michael — what was it like growing up in a world of celebrities? I’ve hit the jackpot with my parents. I’m so privileged. I got every birthday present I ever wanted. I went on amazing family holidays. I had a celebrity experience as a kid. But the thing my parents have taught me, which I want to pass down to my children, is how to love and how to understand someone else’s point of view. What did your upbringing teach you about the world of celebrity? My upbringing gave me an opportunity to see that that the world isn’t as nice as people think it is. If someone thinks about fame, they think about the best parts of it. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a sob story for famous people – they do have it good. But it’s also very lonely. My dad does not have one friend. He lives his life like that because he’s had so many people in his life that he thought he could trust, then realised he couldn’t. My dad’s favourite person is my mum! And how have you found the experience of fame yourself? The only part about fame I find difficult is being known. When you’ve got someone coming over to you in the middle of the street, talking to you about suicide – which I’ve campaigned about – there are days where I would rather not go out because I can’t deal with it. What do you think of those unkind critics who suggest you only landed your breakfast show on Capital because of your showbiz connections? It’s part of nature for people to say you got this because of this person. I’ve thought like that! When Brooklyn Beckham released a photography book, I thought, "How has he done that? It’s because his dad is David Beckham." People do the same to me. He might be the most talented person in the world – it’s just my small-mindedness. You host the new BBC quiz show The Finish Line, which sees five contestants compete in tasks as well as tests of knowledge. What sets this apart from other quizzes? I think we’ll break a record for how many questions there are in a quiz show! One of my favourite things was working with Sarah Greene. Before we recorded each episode, we predicted who’d do well. Sometimes if a contestant went out, I’d mouth to Sarah, "I told you!" How would you fare as a contestant? Awful. I have the attention span of a goldfish. View Green Video on the source website The Finish Line continues on BBC One on weekday afternoons at 4:30pm. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Radio Times Podcast: Snowflake Mountain and The Undeclared War
Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon review the best on the box this week.
On this week’s episode of The Radio Times Podcast, Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon mark our cards for the week ahead. The duo discuss Netflix’s Snowflake Mountain which follows a group of 10 “snowflakes” who have been branded as “spoiled” and “whiny” and have been dumped in the wilderness – supposedly against their will – by their parents to go on a survival course. Garvey and Dhillon discuss their lack of connection with the characters at the core of this programme. Also under the microscope is Channel 4’s The Undeclared War, Peter Kosminsky’s new six-part thriller set in 2024 that depicts a cyber-attack on the UK from Russia. Dhillon unpicks some of the series’ plot holes while complimenting the timely nature of the programme. Garvey compares her own real-life visit to GCHQ (the Government Communications Head Quarters) against that depicted in the series. Two films are also dissected in this week’s episode – Amazon Prime’s Don’t Make Me Go which follows a single dad diagnosed with a brain tumour who takes his daughter on a road-trip under the guise of going to a school reunion – but, with the intention to reunite his daughter with her estranged mother. The pair advise that it is a tear-jerker of a film – have tissues at the ready! Last on the list of telly-to-review is Netflix’s much-anticipated adaptation of Austen’s Persuasion starring Dakota Johnson. They commend the series for not taking itself seriously and for revolting against the usual stuffy period drama. The Radio Times Podcast is taking a break for the Summer, but for your weekly fix of telly recommendations tune into SMART TV. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
The Radio Times Podcast: My Life As A Rolling Stone, Big Zuu's Big Eats and The Baby
Jane Garvey reviews this week's top telly picks.
On this week’s episode of The Radio Times Podcast, resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon joins Jane Garvey in the studio to mark our cards for the week ahead. They dissect this week’s top telly – reviewing BBC’s documentary My Life As A Rolling Stone, which celebrates the band’s 60th anniversary and Dave’s third series of the hit-cooking-show Big Zuu’s Big Eats. The pair also discuss Sky Atlantic’s The Baby – a dark comic-horror series about a 38-year-old woman who finds herself landed with a new-born. For listeners who fancy some more light-hearted viewing, Dhillon and Garvey also talk about Apple TV’s Loot. The series follows billionaire Molly Novak (played by Bridesmaid’s Maya Rudolph) who has it all – private jets, an opulent mansion, sports cars in every colour and, to top it all off, a Superyacht. But, Molly’s world of luxury and riches is shattered when she discovers her husband of twenty years is having an affair. It’s a heart-warming comedy with a sparkling undertone – it’s never too late to embark on a journey of self-discovery. When and where can I listen? Join Jane and Rhianna every Wednesday for interviews with TV’s biggest stars, plus a whistle stop tour of the finest treats the entertainment world has to offer. Follow via your preferred podcast provider so as to never miss an episode! Available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast and Amazon Music. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
The Radio Times Podcast Glastonbury Special with Jack Saunders - listen now!
Radio 1 Presenter Jack Saunders talks all things Glastonbury
Radio 1 Presenter Jack Saunders chats with Jane Garvey ahead of Glastonbury to give RT Podcast listeners the low-down on the festival. Saunders reveals his own experience getting Glastonbury tickets – cobbling together an Excel spreadsheet with friends, trekking to the office for secure internet and being granted a heavy dose of pot-luck. As a Glastonbury veteran, he reflects on seeing Adele headlining and watching Stormzy on a tiny stage. The presenter also unpicks the magic of Glastonbury – detailing its heritage, what it stands for as an event and how it has been an important hub for counterculture and the rise of the underground. For those attending the festival, Saunders gives his top-tips for making the most of the weekend – which include: dying your hair red, taking your own pillow and staying present in the moment. Plus, he offers his own thoughts about the latest festival-related rumour – if Harry Styles will be joining Billie Eilish on the Pyramid Stage. What else can I expect from Episode 41? Resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon and Jane Garvey dissect what’s best to watch on the box this week – reviewing Netflix’s Man vs Bee, Channel 4’s Murder in the Alps and the 32nd series of Top Gear.
James Nesbitt joins Episode 40 of the Radio Times Podcast - listen now!
James Nesbitt discusses Channel 4's upcoming drama Suspect.
Joining Jane Garvey in the studio for this week's Radio Times Podcast is Cold Feet’s James Nesbitt. In conversation about his upcoming Channel 4 drama Suspect (based on a Danish series), Nesbitt reveals that he wishes he never read the script, how the role challenged him as an actor and why he keeps being cast as a “desperate dad”. The series follows veteran detective Danny Frater (Nesbitt) over 24 hours – as he searches to find the truth about how his estranged daughter died. Nesbitt also reflects on his career – starting as a comedy actor and transitioning to drama – talks about why he won’t watch the new series and discusses why he would love to do Strictly Come Dancing... but never would. View oEmbed on the source website What else can I expect from Episode 40? Jane Garvey and resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon mark our cards for the week ahead. The dynamic duo review Sir Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain on BBC Two, ITV2’s Love Island and BBC One’s Sherwood. Check out our Drama hub for all the latest news. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Gamba Cole joins Episode 39 of The Radio Times Podcast - listen now!
Gamba Cole discusses Stephen Merchant's BBC comedy-drama The Outlaws.
Jane Garvey interviews The Outlaws star Gamba Cole. The series follows seven strangers from different walks of life who are forced together to compete a community service sentence in Bristol. The series is written by and stars comic genius Stephen Merchant. Cole discusses what it is like to work alongside Merchant – “He’s super funny. He’s a genius. He’s meticulous.” Cole discusses the liberation he felt when working with Merchant, who was not precious about his writing and allowed Cole to bring his own ideas to the table. The series also stars Hollywood legend Christopher Walken and comedy-actress Jessica Gunning, who Cole was originally starstruck by. Cole celebrates the beauty of filming outside of London and reveals that his big career ambition is to star in a Marvel film. What else can I expect from Episode 39? Jane Garvey is joined by resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon to dissect Dolly Alderton’s BBC adaptation Everything I Know About Love, Amazon Primes’ Backstage with Katherine Ryan and Britbox’s Reel Britannia. Check out our Drama hub for all the latest news. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. For the biggest interviews and the best TV listings subscribe to Radio Times now and never miss a copy.
Dolly Alderton joins Episode 38 of the Radio Times Podcast - listen now!
Dolly Alderton discusses upcoming BBC drama Everything I Know About Love.
Jane Garvey sits down with Dolly Alderton – the best-selling author and Sunday Times columnist to talk about BBC One’s highly-anticipated series Everything I Know About Love. The seven-part series is inspired by Alderton’s 2018 memoir of the same name. The show follows four graduates who move to London – Maggie (played by Emma Appleton is based on Dolly) – and is a homage to the golden grubbiness of yours 20s, a celebration of female friendships and captures the essence of female hedonism. Alderton discusses how working in TV has exposed the loneliness of writing, the difficulties of womanhood (namely having to spray-tan, clip in fake hair and select three million outfits before screenings – which male counterparts can avoid) and the difference between the memoir and the TV series. She talks of the liberation she felt changing her and Farley into Maggie and Birdy – and how part of this was self-preservation (she didn’t have to listen to TV producers talking about how “unlikeable” Dolly was). What else can I expect from Episode 38? Jane Garvey is joined by Radio Times staff writer Kelly-Anne Taylor to mark your cards for the week ahead. They review BBC’s My Name is Leon, Netflix’s Borgen and BBC’s Avoidance. Everything I Know About Love starts on BBC One on 7th June. Check out our Drama hub for all the latest news. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. This edition of The Big RT Interview originally appeared in the Radio Times magazine. For the biggest interviews and the best TV listings subscribe to Radio Times now and never miss a copy.
Stephen Fry joins the BFI and Radio Times Festival Podcast Bonus Special!
Stephen Fry, Martin Freeman, Rose Matafeo and Professor Brian Cox in conversation with Kelly-Anne Taylor.
The TV event of the year returned to London’s Southbank on the weekend of 20 to 22 May after a two year hiatus – The BFI and Radio Times Television Festival. In more than 20 sessions, we had a world premiere of Sir David Attenborough’s new dinosaur epic Prehistoric Planet, Ruth Wilson in conversations about BBC’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and Sir Bob Geldof revealing how, against impossible odds, he created Live Aid. Amongst the hubbub of the festival, celebrities stole away to a makeshift podcast studio (the pod cupboard) where they spoke to Radio Times staff writer Kelly-Anne Taylor. When it comes to television, it’s fair to say that Stephen Fry is a master of the medium. The writer, actor and comedian chatted with Kelly-Anne Taylor about imposter syndrome, getting arrested in his youth and what he’s currently watching on the telly. Taylor picks the brilliant brains of the science professor (every student wishes they had) Brian Cox, chats to Martin Freeman about The Responder and Stephen Merchant about series 2 of The Outlaws. Rose Matafeo discusses what rom-com she’d be and the realities of filming all-day in a lake. Plus, It’s a Sin’s Omari Douglas talks about how the series has revolutionised and disrupted the British drama scene – especially through the lens of LGBTQ+ representation. You can listen to all the stars in conversation with Kelly-Anne Taylor below: View oEmbed on the source website If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. This edition of The Big RT Interview originally appeared in the Radio Times magazine. For the biggest interviews and the best TV listings subscribe to Radio Times now and never miss a copy.
Kit Connor joins Episode 37 of The Radio Times Podcast - listen now!
Recorded live at the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival, Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon chat to Heartstopper's Kit Connor.
This week’s episode is a live recording of Jane Garvey in conversation with resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon at the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival. The pair are joined by special guest, Heartstopper’s Kit Connor. View oEmbed on the source website Connor, the 18-year-old actor who has recently risen to fame for his turn as Nick Nelson in the LGBTQ+ teen drama on Netflix, answered questions about the hit show’s future (which has recently been confirmed for a second and third series). During the episode Connor discusses his hopes for Nick and Charlie in season two and the glowing reaction season one has garnered. “I mean, I think that it's pretty incredible, really, to be able to do a show like Heartstopper at the age of 17," revealed Connor. “Seeing different things like people using scenes to come out to their parents is just unbelievable.” The actor added: "There's never enough queer people being genuinely happy on screen. It's so important that we are doing that." What else can I expect from Episode 37? Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon dissect Channel 4’s Five Dates a Week, Amazon Prime’s Emergency and the miniseries Pistol. Listen now: The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
The Essex Serpent's Clio Barnard joins Episode 36 of The Radio Times Podcast - listen now!
Clio Barnard discusses Apple TV's adaptation of The Essex Serpent.
Ahead of the release of Apple TV’s highly-anticipated adaptation of Sarah Perry’s The Essex Serpent, Jane Garvey interviews director Clio Barnard. Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston star in this beautifully shot costume drama set in 1893. It follows the adventures of Cora Seaborne after she is released from an abusive marriage and relocates to a small village in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by a mythical creature (the Essex Serpent) and finds herself drawn to the village vicar. Clio sits down with Jane Garvey to discuss Kiera Knightley dropping out of the project, working with starry individuals and filming in the freezing marshes of Essex. What else can I expect from Episode 36? For fans of The Radio Times Podcast join Rhianna Dhillon and Jane Garvey live on stage at the BFI Southbank on Sunday the 22nd of May. They’ll be joined by a very special guest! Book your tickets now. Resident TV critic, Rhianna Dhillon, joins Jane Garvey to mark our cards for the week ahead. This week’s telly picks under the microscope are Channel 4’s Big Boys, Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet and Netflix’s Selling Sunset. View oEmbed on the source website When and where can I listen? Join Jane and Rhianna every Wednesday for interviews with TV’s biggest stars, plus a whistle stop tour of the finest treats the entertainment world has to offer. Follow via your preferred podcast provider so as to never miss an episode! Available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Write in to The Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com. Find something to watch with our TV guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon chat all things TV in Radio Times Podcast Episode 35
From Conversations with Friends to Floodlights, resident TV critics Jane and Rhianna mark our cards for the week ahead.
On the latest episode of The Radio Times Podcast, hosts Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon share their expert insights on this week’s must-see TV. Jane and Rhianna start their reviews this week with Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood, a new documentary about the fitness coach who rose to fame though his lockdown workouts. Jane and Rhianna discuss Wicks’ “eye-opening” revelations about his upbringing and explore how the social media star led them to reassess their own childhood experiences. The duo also delve into the latest project from time travel veteran, ex-Doctor Who writer, Steven Moffat. Starring Rose Leslie and Theo James - respectively best known for Game of Thrones and The Divergent Series - The Time Traveller’s Wife is adapted from the novel of the same name by American author, Audrey Niffenegger. Despite the HBO show’s impressive credentials, Jane isn’t entirely convinced - listen in to discover why this “super soppy” show doesn’t tick all her boxes. Jane and Rhianna also give their verdict on Conversations with Friends - a new adaptation of the work of Sally Rooney, author of the 2020 hit, Normal People. Discover their highs and lows from the “gentle and beautiful drama”, which follows “academic, arty types” in a middle-class Dublin. Finally, the pair discuss Floodlights, which makes for a “deeply unsettling” look at abuse in professional football. Write in to The Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com. Find something to watch with our TV guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Joe Wicks is the cover star of this week's Radio Times
Joe Wicks discusses his troubled upbringing and how exercise has helped him heal in upcoming BBC documentary.
The cover of this week’s Radio Times features the master of the lockdown workout, and now the subject of a highly personal documentary, Joe Wicks. Ahead of the release of Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood, which is produced by Louis Theroux, ‘the nation’s PE teacher’ discusses his troubled upbringing and how exercise has helped him to heal. Wicks shares emotional details of his parent’s mental health issues, alongside how messages from fans opened his eyes to the nation’s mental health crisis. He says: “People think I’m Mr Happy and I am always positive and upbeat but there are also days where I feel flat. I try to be truthful and honest, and show vulnerability, because that’s my superpower. "What I’ve realised about childhood trauma is that it can completely paralyse you and destroy your life, or it can give you energy and direction. I don’t look back and feel sorry for myself.” Also in this week’s Radio Times: The BBC’s Nick Robinson tells us why he thinks it’s becoming harder to defend our political class Conversations with Friends stars Alison Oliver and Joe Alwyn discuss the realities of filming their characters’ sex scenes Ex-Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat reveals his parting advice to the BBC on leaving the show Find something to watch now with our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Rose Ayling-Ellis joins the Radio Times Podcast Episode 34 – listen now!
Jane Garvey and Rhiannon Dhillon review White Hot, Downtown Abbey 2 and other upcoming titles in this week's episode.
A new episode of The Radio Times Podcast is here, with Jane Garvey and Rhianna Dhillon giving their verdict on this week's TV line-up. In this week's episode, Jane speaks to Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, whose silent dance with Giovanni Pernice to Clean Bandit's Symphony is in the running for a TV BAFTA Award this Sunday. https://embed.acast.com/98bf241d-e981-4e22-886c-1497e5a9db35/627158d5a696b70012215f04 What else can I expect from Episode 34? Meanwhile, Jane and Rhianna review Netflix's White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch – the latest documentary about the clothing brand and its various controversies over the years, as well as the upcoming Downton Abbey sequel. Up for discussion when it comes to TV is The Staircase – HBO's true crime drama inspired by the story of Michael Peterson and starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, as well as Dublin-based comedy-drama The Dry which is set to launch on BritBox this month. Of course, we can't forget the 2022 TV BAFTAs and all the excellent shows that are up for awards this year, so Jane and Rhianna will be making their predictions as to which nominees will be heading home with that coveted head as well as which actors and actresses are the ones to watch. Meanwhile, if you're eagerly awaiting the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival, then this week's podcast will be revealing another round of exciting updates about the star-studded line-up. Write in to The Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com. Find something to watch with our TV guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
DI Ray’s Parminder Nagra joins the Radio Times Podcast Episode 33 – listen now!
Parminder Nagra talks about her upcoming lead role in ITV’s DI Ray.
On this week’s Radio Times Podcast with Jane Garvey, DI Ray star Parminder Nagra discusses stepping into the titular detective role with Radio Times journalist Amy Raphael. “I just thought it was such an interesting concept,” Nagra says, discussing the show’s subtle focus on the microaggressions that her character faces while on the case. The Bend it Like Beckham and ER star also explains how much of a “huge responsibility” it felt to be trusted with the lead role of DI Rachita Ray by Line of Duty writer and DI Ray producer Jed Mercurio. The new ITV drama, written and created by Line of Duty star Maya Sondhi, premieres 2nd May. DI Ray episode 1 recap: Line of Duty creator's new thriller ends on cliffhanger What else features in Episode 33? Joining Jane is resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon to discuss The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, Miriam Margoyle’s appearance on BBC’s Imagine… series, and to consider the pros and cons of 10 Percent, the English-language adaptation of the French sensation Call My Agent. Plus, Jane has a very special announcement to make about the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival. Write in to The Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com. Find something to watch with our TV guide. The latest issue of Radio Times is 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.