Bookish creator Mark Gatiss teases key revelation about Book’s past in "ambitious" season 2
"It's really rich, this new season, and much more ambitious."
With Bookish season 2 on the horizon, creator Mark Gatiss has teased that the new instalment of the detective series will delve further into Gabriel Book's past. The crime drama, which follows the eccentric book shop owner and unlikely detective, gave us a dramatic revelation at the end of season 2 – that Book was in love with Jack's father, a man named Felix. Now, Gatiss has confirmed that season 2 will give us much more detail on what happened between the pair. Explaining what's to come in season 2 at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026, Gatiss revealed: "The first story is set in the world of spiritualism. The second story is about a murder in a tailor shop, and the third story is set in Germany where Book and Jack go to find out what happened to Jack's father, Felix." Also teasing what's to come in the later episodes, when we'll find out more about Book's past with Felix, he revealed: "Episode 5 [and] 6, that's what it's about. So we will find out what happened, who Felix was, what happened to him, the whole shebang!" View Green Video on the source website Season 1 proved wildly popular with fans, and Gatiss admitted he's been relishing the chance to write more of the series. "It's a real passion project," he explained. "The idea of a gay detective in a dangerous world, but also in the post-war world, which is something I've always been really interested in. "I love murder mysteries. I've always wanted to be a period detective, so to have that as a vehicle for all kinds of stories, is very, very exciting. "We've got some amazing people on series 2 coming: Miranda Richardson, Simon Callow, Claire Skinner, Alan Corduner. "It's really rich, this new season, and much more ambitious, having established, as it were, the precinct of the lane and without it stretching credulity, having murders quite close to home, we've sort of opened it up a bit, so I'm really excited about it." First-look images of season 2 were recently unveiled, with the show set to reunite us with Polly Walker as Trottie Book, Connor Finch as Jack Blunt, Elliot Levey as Inspector Bliss, Blake Harrison as Sergeant Morris, Buket Kömür as Nora and Nadia Albina as Dr Calder. Rosie Cavaliero, Gerard Horan and Jonas Nay will also be back in the new season, while they will be joined by a host of beloved guest stars - including Sherlock's Rupert Graves. Bookish airs on U&Alibi. The series is available to stream on demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk. Add Bookish to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Adjoa Andoh details how Bridgerton’s diversity in front of and behind the camera is "really wonderful"
The Bridgerton star spoke to Pass the Mic about the show's diversity on and off the screen.
Since its initial release, Bridgerton has been celebrated for rethinking what many think of as it relates to period dramas. A genre of TV that was often concerned with primarily white leading casts, Bridgerton's arrival on our screens has not only breathed new life into the medium, but has also proven that diversity can be done seamlessly and effectively for any major series. Yerin Ha marks a first for the series though, with her character Sophie Baek being the show's first East Asian lead and opening the doors on another level of joyous representation. While Bridgerton has continued to be a beacon of light for many in terms of onscreen representation, series star Adjoa Andoh also took the opportunity to highlight the behind-the-scenes diversity of the show also. When asked about her hopes for the future of diversity and representation within TV and film, Andoh told RadioTimes.com for Pass the Mic: “We live in the world, don’t we? And it’s lovely to have the world be able to watch themselves on screen. "We all love that, we love to see it – put a baby in front of a mirror and it’s the most fascinating thing ever. I don’t think we ever lose that fascination, whoever you are, from whatever background you are. "To have the range and the multiplicities of the stories, you will have stories that may focus on one demographic more and then another demographic but to have all the stories at a variety of times, it’s great." She added: "At a deepest level, we’re all human beings – we all love, we all get scared, we all need warmth and friendship, all those things and that’s common to all human beings. So to see all human beings in front of the camera and behind the camera is really wonderful.” Since season 1 premiered all the way back in 2020, the period drama has spawned a loyal legion of fans who are dedicated to the stories, its characters and often female-led storytelling. Previously speaking to Radio Times magazine about why casting actors of colour in a period drama is so important, Andoh said: "It has expanded the possibilities of what stories you can tell, how you tell them and who can be in them. It also means you've expanded your audience. "When I stay with family in Ghana, people will charge across the street to me, excited about a costume drama set in Regency England. They identify with it in a different way." Read more: Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela Bridgerton star reveals how season 4 sets up her own leading story: "I’m buzzing to one day do it" However, as a show that has consciously cast a lot of its central characters as people from the global majority, it has come under fire from some critics. Responding to criticisms that the show has gone "woke", Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes told a panel during last year's Edinburgh TV Festival that she's "never going to write a show that doesn't include me". In terms of addressing that specific criticism, Rhimes went on to say: "I learned a really long time ago that I don't read things that are written about me or the shows. "And the reason is because if you decide to believe the good things that are written about you, you also are obligated to believe the bad things that are written about you. "So I've decided that none of it matters. It's really important to stay out of that. How people react and take in the show is none of my business." Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jason Statham is the modern-day Steve McQueen, says Shelter director
It wouldn't be January without a new action film starring Statham.
It's become something of a tradition that every January brings with it a brand new Jason Statham action vehicle – and the latest entry in that ever-expanding canon arrives in UK cinemas this weekend. Shelter follows a fairly similar pattern to a lot of previous Statham flicks; he stars as a reclusive man with a mysterious, violent history who is called back into action when some shady figures from his past show up, teeing up all manner of stunts, car chases and brutal brawls. This time around his character is one-time assassin Mason, who we find living in exile at a lighthouse somewhere in the Outer Hebrides. But when a storm causes a dramatic boat accident that kills his fellow islander and former army pal, he finds himself caring for the friend's young daughter. And it doesn't take long after his first venture to the mainland for supplies before his whereabouts are located by his nefarious ex-employers, kicking off a high-octane action romp. The film is directed by Ric Roman Waugh, who has previously helmed a number of films starring fellow action heroes such as Gerard Butler and Dwayne Johnson. But speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of release, Waugh said there were a few things that set Statham apart from his peers. "I call him modern-day Steve McQueen," he explained, referencing the iconic star of The Great Escape and Bullitt, among many other classic movies. "Because he’s authentic – there’s nothing fake about Jason. And what I love about him in this movie is you get your cake and eat it too. You’re seeing the big action star that we all know, but you’re also seeing this family man." View Green Video on the source website He continued: "You're also seeing this guy who lives his own life with a code and also lives his action in real life; he is a martial artist... he is a fighter... he is a man that keeps himself fit everyday. "So we live vicariously through his characters of bringing that code, bringing that respect, bringing that sense of justice and morality and so when you have somebody who’s already authentic in their real life, it’s pretty easy to put them in a place where you’re getting a character that also has the same authenticity." Waugh added that he'd love to collaborate on further projects with Statham, calling him the "real deal" and praising the way he came to set prepared – not just for the physicality of his scenes but also the emotional beats. "It’s not just you can fight each other to death," he said of the big action scenes. "There’s a child in the room, you have to remember her shelter, her safety. And I love that he always kept that integrity of the performance, and I never had to remind him it’s not just the fight – he was always about performance first." Given Statham has appeared in so many action flicks over the years, you might wonder how he selects which ones to actually say yes to these days. But the answer is relatively simple – he asks himself if he'd go and watch the film himself as a cinemagoer. "Really we’re looking for something that has an emotional core to it," he says. "[Rather than] an action movie for the sake of action. I’ve done movies that… like Crank, silly films that don’t have this same kind of intense emotional drive. "So I’m always looking for something that catches my instinct for… I kind of look for movies that I’d like to go and see myself. And this kind of film is something that I have a personal taste for." Shelter is released in UK cinemas on Friday 30th September. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
John Bishop explains why Bradley Cooper's film about life is "like watching a memory"
Will Arnett plays a character inspired by the popular scouse comedian in new movie Is This Thing On?
With his first two films as director, Bradley Cooper took on some pretty major projects. For his debut behind the camera, he helmed A Star Is Born – the latest remake of one of Hollywood's most beloved musical stories, starring alongside pop superstar Lady Gaga in a film that would go on to build a legion of devoted fans and receive a glut of awards nominations. His follow-up was no less ambitious, this time a biopic exploring the life – and marriage – of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, with Cooper again taking on the lead role and the Oscars again rewarding it with a number of major nods. But for his third film as director, Is This Thing On?, Cooper has gone in a slightly different, perhaps more lowkey, direction. This time around, the inspiration is none other than popular UK comedian and one-time Doctor Who star John Bishop, with Will Arnett playing a man who goes through loosely the same experiences as the Scouse comic. The film – which is set in New York rather than Liverpool – follows Arnett's character after he stumbles into a comedy career while his marriage is collapsing, only for his newfound interest to rejuvenate his life and help put a spark back into his marriage. " It's been a bit of a surreal experience seeing it," Bishop said of watching the film during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com ahead of release. "I think more so now we are doing these chats now. "We just had a screening in Liverpool at the weekend with friends and family and so they were seeing this projection onto the cinema screen of a life that they'd seen happen in real!" He added that because the film was inspired by what had happened between him and his wife, rather than being a more explicitly biographical film, he was able to take "a step back" – but he still found himself a little overawed by what he was seeing. "The moments in it and the essences in it are so on point [that it was at times like watching a memory," he said. "And it's mad because it came about, through [me and Arnett] meeting on a barge in Amsterdam at a social event, eight years ago!" When Arnett had first heard that story on the barge, he had instantly thought it would make a great movie. Initially, what had grabbed him had been the enormity of Bishop's success from his comedy career's unusual beginnings, but after he reached out to Cooper – a friend of many years – they decided the film would be more compelling if the focus of the story shifted to the marriage. "The heights that he's achieved now in comedy... that's pretty amazing. That's its own story," Arnett explained. "We didn't ultimately tell that version, that part of the story of all the great success that he's had as a stand up. "I remember John said to me a while ago that having a career come out of that has been amazing. But that's the icing on the cake. The real meat of it is how much it transformed [his] life... and that's what spoke to us." He continued: "There's something really relatable, even though it seems so improbable and such a crazy story. At the heart of it, it's about these people who are reconnecting with themselves and each other. It's just... that's a universal thing that I think that anybody can relate to. It's a good story, and it's a hopeful story, and I love that about it." While Bishop is a household name on this side of the Atlantic, he's far less famous in the US. And indeed many of the film's other stars – including legendary Oscar-winner Laura Dern (who plays Arnett's character's wife, Tess) – were unfamiliar with his work and his story before signing on to the project. "It was amazing to get to know him through the intimacy of how comedy came to him, and how he discovered it as a place to start talking about what was happening in his life," she explained. "Fearing he was getting a divorce and falling in love with comedy as a place to communicate his feelings. And obviously, the rest is history on his incredible career, but also his marriage – that they found their way back to each other by sort of rediscovering their passions." View Green Video on the source website Oscar-nominee Andra Day – who plays a close friend of the central couple – was also immediately compelled by Bishop's story, explaining that she loved "that his story has a happy ending". She added: "It was really nice to discover just his brand of comedy. I feel like the best comics are the people who are really authentic and who are smart and who are willing to share. And I think he represents that in the best way. So it's been nice to get to know him and his wife and their story!" Thankfully, both Bishop and his wife Melanie were very happy with the finished product. "I remember going home that weekend and saying, 'I met this guy, Will Arnett, he'd like to have a go at writing the movie,'" he recalled of the aftermath of that first encounter in Amsterdam. "And then you kind of reach a point where you hand it over and you go, 'Well, it'll be what it'll be.' [But[ Melanie summed it up when we saw it. She said, you know, 'Eight years ago, if someone had [asked] me how would you want the film to be? That would've been it!'" Is This Thing On? is released in UK cinemas on Friday 30th January 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton stars break down what that surprise nod to the Queen Charlotte spin-off means for season 4
Bet you weren't expecting that, dear reader.
*Warning: This article contains a minor spoiler for the Bridgerton season 4 part 1 finale.* Although it was released back in 2023, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story remains a fan-favourite spin-off of the original Regency drama. The series lifted a lid on the indomitable Queen (Golda Rosheuvel) and her backstory, taking us through her whirlwind romance with King George and was a hit of a series. There haven't been any plans for a continuation of that spin-off but nevertheless, fans of the Regency drama remain committed to the memory of Queen Charlotte series. Going forward in the original series, fans now have a greater understanding of the younger years of not only the Queen, but also of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell). So, fans will undoubtedly be delighted to see a small nod to the Queen Charlotte series in Bridgerton season 4! While not a big moment by any means, eagle-eyed fans will spot that Lady Danbury makes her way through the Queen's palace with her in tow, but stops for a moment to admire one of the grand paintings adorning the hallway. When she looks up at it properly, we then get to see that it's actually a portrait of the Queen and Lady Danbury but as their younger selves. As Danbury stops to look at it, the Queen turns back and says: "Agatha?" but no more words are exchanged as she simply smiles and carries on. Seeing as the Queen Charlotte spin-off was such a success, how did it feel to incorporate that nod to the series and their younger characters? Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Adjoa Andoh said: “You’ve got it, woo! First of all, I’m chuffed that you got that because it’s very delicately in there and not everybody will perhaps notice it. I think what it’s saying is ‘Do you remember, audience? Do you remember those young women?’. "You see that remembrance and you understand the length of that friendship and all the vulnerabilities that were on display in that spin-off series. That series was a real gift to us and a real brilliant Shonda lightbulb flashing into our story." Read more: Bridgerton showrunner confirms which characters will be the leads of seasons 5 and 6 Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela She went on: "I love that thing where you look at someone and are like ‘I wonder what you were like when you were 12’. I think everybody has that moment where they do have that wondering so it’s beautiful that we were able to have that in the show. "It just really does inform how we’re able to play these moments now because we know their history. We know for a fact … we physically embodied those stories, we know what’s gone on for them in our younger versions in Arsema [Thomas] and India [Amarteifio].” In this first batch of season 4 episodes, it hasn't exactly been plain-sailing between the Queen and Danbury. While the pair have clearly been friends for decades and do respect one another, Danbury's reveal that she wishes to leave the Ton has clearly upset the Queen. Revealing how that upsets the Queen this season, Rosheuvel said: “I think it has [come out of left field]. I think the Queen has sort of naively been coasting along, rather nicely. "I think Danbury’s ask really shifts the Queen into realising that she has been coasting a little bit and realises, through Whistledown and the comment that Whistledown makes, that she is trapped. She is confined in her own world and can’t go out and you know, go somewhere as Danbury is asking." Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton star reflects on what it means to be part of the show's East Asian representation: "It’s pretty monumental"
Katie Leung stars as Lady Araminta Gun in Bridgerton season 4 and chats to Pass the Mic about what the role means to her.
Known for her roles in the Harry Potter films, Annika and Nightsleeper, actress Katie Leung is making her Bridgerton debut in the anticipated fourth season of the hit Netflix series. Starring as Lady Araminta Gun, Leung's character is a complex one, and John's cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) first meets her treating her stepdaughter Sophie (Yerin Ha) terribly. As we dig into their own back stories, we come to find out how the two women crossed paths and how Araminta went on to employ Sophie as her live-in maid. While their character dynamics aren't exactly close, the introduction of Leung's Araminta, Ha's Sophie and Araminta's daughters Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei) all signal a shift for Bridgerton, as they all step into the spotlight as the show's first East Asian lead family. Ha is heading up the cast as Bridgerton's first ever East Asian romantic lead, a feat worth celebrating in any TV landscape but for such a major series, it just continues to show that people from all backgrounds can be in leading roles in period dramas. But what does it mean to Leung to also be part of such storytelling? Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com for Pass the Mic, Leung admitted: "It feels pretty monumental. I think especially because we’re looking at a family dynamic, it’s not just any role within Bridgerton, it’s the dynamic of the family that’s explored and that is why it’s important because people can watch it and resonate because it’s universal, relationships are what matters." She went on: "It’s quite a blessing to be a part of it and I hope that it’s just – I feel like we’re still not quite there yet, where we need to be. And that’s why Bridgerton is so successful because it has always been a diverse show and it’s successful because it’s so well written and it’s all about … it’s so that people can resonate with the relationship dynamics. "The more we see of that, the more we are going to be working towards something where we’re all going to be happier and more equal.” Leung has been spoken out previously about the racism she experienced after being cast as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films back in 2005. Speaking to The Guardian, the actress said: “I don’t know if anything could have been done back then to make things better or easier,” she says. “At that age, you’re curious. I remember being very curious about what people were saying about me, and I was Googling myself. Nobody could have stopped me, because I was old enough to make up my own mind.” Leung has gone on to voice act in Arcane, as well as star in shows like The Peripheral, The Chemistry of Death and The Wheel of Time, but Bridgerton is a big step into the Regency era for the actress. Season 4 part 1 of Bridgerton sees Araminta trying to platform her daughters on the marriage mart, with a clear disdain for Sophie but with that cliffhanger at the end of the first batch of episodes, we'll just have to wait and see what's in store for Araminta. We can't wait! Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton star defends Lady Araminta – and explains why fans should empathise with her
Lady Araminta is set to be Bridgerton's new antagonist but actress Katie Leung says that fans should "empathise" with her.
There's a brand new family on the block in Bridgerton season 4 and as fans get whisked up into Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie's (Yerin Ha) love story, we also get introduced to the fierce and often cruel matriarch of Lady Araminta Gun. Played by Harry Potter and Annika star Katie Leung, there's a lot that meets the eye to her new character. Having been married and widowed twice, Araminta is majorly concerned with making sure that her daughters Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei) debut this season but she's also described as "fabulous, discerning, and blunt". So, it's safe to say that Araminta will be forging her own path in the Ton this season and isn't one to care too much about the opinions of others. Araminta will undoubtedly be a character that gets the Bridgerton fanbase talking, not least because she does fall into the 'antagonist' category. But what is it that she wants viewers to understand about her character? Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com, the actress revealed: "I think the main thing to understand is that she is a single mother who’s trying to juggle just surviving. Especially back then, in this Regency era, having two daughters is not ideal because the sons manage the household. So, she’s had to do everything herself, having been married twice and widowed twice. "So, she’s inevitably built up this wall of protection for herself, for her daughters and she’s on survival mode. She has to take on this ruthless, high-achieving stance attitude in order to achieve her goals." Read more: Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela Unforgotten season 7 releases major production update – and confirms Peaky Blinders and Coronation Street favourites for new cast Leung continues: "The thing to understand as well is that she loves her daughters, she just doesn’t really show it so much. She shows it through different ways but not in the affectionate way that we see in someone like Violet, for example. I think it’s down to finance, financial stability and not having that. "Yes, it’s easy to say that you should always approach your children, your loved ones with affection, gratitude and all of these things. But it’s actually a privilege because the Bridgertons have the financial stability to do those things, whereas Araminta does not. So yes, we should empathise with her a lot more." The new season focuses on Benedict and Sophie, who meet at Lady Violet's masquerade ball one evening and never cross paths again. Benedict's story is the focus of the third Bridgerton novel, An Offer from a Gentleman. The story of Sophie is uncovered the more we dig into the series as we learn about her work as a maid and the fact that she works for Lady Araminta. As for how that dynamic will play out in the rest of the season and what that could possibly spell for Sophie's future, we'll just have to wait and see. Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on 29th January and Part 2 on 26th February, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Original Blake's 7 star reveals her biggest hopes and fears for reboot – from female representation to politics
"We were the Robin Hoods in space and we were fighting for the dispossessed."
Excitedly chatting a few days after the news hits that a Blake's 7 reboot is in development, original star Sally Knyvette declares: "It's about time!" The actress starred as Flight Officer Jenna Stannis in the iconic sci-fi that aired from 1978 to 1981 and followed Roj Blake (Gareth Thomas) and his group of rebels as they waged war on the totalitarian Terran Federation. While Knyvette stepped away after season 2, in part due to being disappointed with how her character had been written, the series has now been part of her life for almost 50 years. Over the years since it ended, she's heard whisperings of reboots various times - but she's hoping that this time, with director Peter Hoar, exec Matthew Bouch and producer Jason Haigh-Ellery at the helm, might be the one to make it all the way, But what exactly does the reboot need to do to succeed? Knyvette has a few key requirements... Keep it political - but "focused" In the wake of the reboot news, some fans expressed their fears that the series would become "too woke" - despite the fact that it has been overtly political since its inception. To that, Knyvette says: "Don't let it be too woke. I would agree on that. I couldn't agree more. Let it stick to what it's about - the evil forces of the Federation." However, she goes on to add: "You look at the governments around the world now and you think we've all got to stand up to what's going on a lot of the time. I'll only say that in a very generalised way. "But we were the Robin Hoods in space and we were fighting for the dispossessed, we were helping those that were being attacked by evil forces and long may it remain in that vein, because anything that can lighten the rather dark load of what's going on in the world at the moment would be fantastic." "Woke is such a big word. It covers so many things and I want to be careful, because I'm not against the way life is going at all, in many, many ways but what I want to see is people with backbone and resilience and not getting emotionally distressed by the slightest little thing. "I do feel at times, we have to have backbone as women, and if we get too distressed about what's going on, then we sort of make ourselves more vulnerable, rather than empowered. I want to see the empowerment of women in [the reboot] in a very healthy way. "But I wouldn't like it to become a soapbox for lots of different ideologies. I want it to be focused. I'd like it to be focused as it was – fighting the Federation, the evil Servalan and Travis." Give us better female representation – and even make the Blake figure a woman Knyvette has made no secret of the fact that she wasn't happy with how her character Jenna was portrayed by the end of her time on the show, describing her as a "space pirate" who was turned into a "dolly bird". Crucially, she doesn't want the same thing to happen to actresses who take on the reboot. Speaking about her own experiences, Knyvette recalls: "We had to fight a very different world in the '70s, which was very misogynistic and not at all like it is now. One of the reasons I left was veiled in that. "The way women are being treated now is infinitely better - it's not right still, but it's infinitely better - and it'd be great to see some strong, powerful women characters in there, young and old. The most dispossessed group of all is us older actresses from Hollywood down. Everywhere, it's the same. You reach 50 and suddenly you're invisible, and we're not actually, we've got a lot of great experience." Asked if the Blake figure in the reboot could be a woman this time around, Knyvette says: "Absolutely yes. Women are just as natural leaders as men - I would argue probably even better. "Also if you're given a role like I was, as an intergalactic space pirate, let her really be one - not just a dolly bird with sexy outfits. I'm not against that. I like to look good and all of that, but please let us actually do the real stuff, the action, make the decisions. "Don't say, 'Oh goodness, there's a storm coming, Blake, take over.' And that was the pattern, which was why I left so I could find a voice because I had no voice at the time. I didn't feel I could speak up. "I would like to see women having a voice, but I don't want it to be unbalanced. I don't want it to be an anti-men's sort of show at all. Let's see everyone working together, offering their different views and abilities and strengths." Keep a few key characters around - and honour the original cast For Knyvette, there are a few characters who were key to the tone of the show - including the sophisticated computers. She says: "I hope we'd keep the computers, Zen and ORAC, because I think they had amazing idiosyncrasies. And, you know, darling Peter Tuddenham, who was so sweet, did them both beautifully." Meanwhile, discussions have already began in the Blake's 7 fandom about who could possibly step into Jacqueline Pearce's shoes after her incredible performance as the evil Servalan, alongside Stephen Greif's Travis. Knyvette has those same thoughts, telling us: "She was a powerful woman. She was also sexy and dominatrix-y. She was a wonderful actress and friend - and darling Stephen, who recently died. I just adored him, and that was such a shock to us all. That was an incredible team going on with those two. "I would like it to mirror some of the originals, and hopefully they'll get a team like ours, which was sort of magical. We all got on very, very well, and we dealt with a lot of tough stuff with a lot of humour, because you had to keep going, because it was a very difficult way of working in those days." When we suggest that the reboot could honour the original cast in some way, Knyvette adds: "Hopefully the fans will ask for that. I think they will." Stay true to the original tone and keep it character-driven But perhaps one of the biggest reasons Blake's 7 succeeded originally was its unique tone. For Knyvette, it will be essential for the reboot to stay true to that. "I'd love to see the moral ethos of the show [continue]: stand by what you believe, stand up for what you do, don't run away from your your actions. be responsible," Knyvette sums up. "Keep it witty too. The dialogue was witty and funny. Keep that, because you don't want it all to be too intense and heavy." "There were three-dimensional characters," she adds. "It was character driven, so let's see that happening again... let's see it character driven with intention and force." Reflecting on what the reboot could do, she tells us: "Let's see something really original and exciting. It's a great time to do it. We've got the world in the most complex situation, with the most extraordinary people running the world. "Let's see this as a vehicle for our fighting back, to get some form of balance in the world." Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Slow Horses star teases intriguing character change for season 6
There's about to be a personality shift for Roddy Ho.
It seems Slow Horses' Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) might have learnt a few lessons after being (checks notes) nearly run over, shot at, locked up, interrogated, hacked, and honey trapped in season 5. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party about what's ahead for his expert hacker in season 6 of the beloved spy thriller, Chung teased a bit of a personality change... "Roddy is a little bit more spiritual," he revealed. "He might have learned a few things from season 5, from the love that he didn't get returned back to him. You might see him in a little bit more of a holistic place in season 6." He added: "Playing Roddy is so brilliant because you just get to say exactly the things that you are not allowed to say in real life and be completely unfiltered, uncensored, and as obnoxious as you like, but trying to imbue him with a sense of humanity. It's always really fun." View Green Video on the source website Asked if he has a bit more of that humanity in season 6 after his experiences in season 5, Chung responded: "I think he does. "Well, I don't know if that's necessarily something that he would show to anyone else. He always has the wall up, even though inside maybe he's a little bit more like a puppy dog than anyone would realise." Season 6, which is due to be released later this year, will adapt two of Mick Herron's novels at the same time. Reflecting on how that might change the feel of the show, Chung explained: "I think every season of Slow Horses has a slightly different feel to it. "So I think what we've managed to do this season is to combine the two books into one and give it a real propelling force forward, to really elevate the series from where we left off in season 5." And as for the future of the show? "I'd be happy to play Roddy until – well, not the day I die, because that could be a long time. But I think the day that I have to take my Roddy Ho hat off will be a very sad day, so hopefully it's not anytime soon." Slow Horses season 6 will arrive later this year. Seasons 1-5 are available to stream on Apple TV+ – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Add Slow Horses to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Taskmaster's Alex Horne teases "never-before-seen" moment in season 21 involving movie star contestant
Taskmaster's Little Alex Horne has unsettled and excited us in equal measure with a cryptic tease about season 21, involving new contestant Kumail Nanjiani. The Eternals actor is one of the latest stars to take on the show, and has already filmed alongside fellow comedians Amy Gledhill, Armando Iannucci, Joanna Page and Joel Dommett. And, when asked by RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026 about which moment is most likely to go down in Taskmaster history, the Hollywood actor immediately came to mind for Horne. "There is a moment involving Kumail Nanjiani. I don't want to give much away, but he gives a lot away about what he does by himself in his hotel room. So that's what you've got to tune in for," he teased. "He surprised himself by what he revealed, and I was sat next to him, and it's a big moment. It's a never-before-seen Taskmaster moment." Consider us intrigued! View Green Video on the source website Meanwhile, it seems comedy legend Iannucci also has a tricky time ahead of him, with Horne giving his take on each of the season 21 contestants. Horne said: "Armando Iannucci's in it, which is a surprise to me, because he's a comedy legend and a very clever man, you'd think. Not on Taskmaster! "It turns out Armando is an idiot, which is so nice to [know]. I found him quite daunting to meet and work with, but within five minutes, you realise he's the same as everyone else. He crumbles under pressure. "And then we've got Kumail Nanjiani from the movies, Joel Dommett from The Masked Singer, Amy Gledhill, who's just fabulous at everything, and Joanna Page from Gavin & Stacey. So it's a high calibre line-up." View Green Video on the source website Meanwhile, Horne is fresh from a trip to the US with his Taskmaster Live on Stage USA tour. Chatting about any dream American contestants, he immediately listed off: "Ali Wong, Sarah Silverman, Conan O'Brien. "I'd get Seth Myers and John Oliver on because they just did our one in America, the live show, and they were very funny. So there's your five. Done!" Season 21 doesn't yet have a release date but, after the recent line-up announcement, we're expecting it back on our screens fairly soon – and we'll be waiting with bated breath for that Kumail Nanjiani moment! Taskmaster season 21 will air later this year on Channel 4 and on the official Taskmaster YouTube channel elsewhere globally. Add Taskmaster to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who legend Alex Kingston "isn’t buying" Billie Piper regeneration twist
Doctor Who legend Alex Kingston has given her take on the latest regeneration twist, which saw Ncuti Gatwa's the Time Lord regenerate into returning star Billie Piper – and she's not having any of it! With the details of the twist still being left up in the air, the River Song actress, who starred alongside David Tennant and Matt Smith during their eras on the show, is insistent that Piper isn't playing the new Doctor. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026, Kingston said: "I didn't see the Billie Piper twist coming at all. To be perfectly honest, I still don't quite believe it because she's not a Gallifreyan, she's a human. "I think there's some playing going on here. But I don't buy that she's the next Doctor, and if she is, they're gonna have to work hard to convince me, because she's not a Gallifreyan!" Of course, Piper previously starred as companion Rose Tyler in Doctor Who and, with her recent return, does that mean we could see a comeback for River too? View Green Video on the source website "I haven't really stopped being River because I do so many audio recordings and boxsets of of her journeys with the Doctors, but also she has her own River Song Diaries," Kingston pointed out. "So I've never left that world. Would I like to come back? 100 per cent. It's nothing but sheer joy when you work on Doctor Who, and I've actually even said that I believe that, because she's been saved in a computer program, she could come back in a computer program. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. "She could 3D print herself. She could hack into any computer in the universe and cause mayhem. I just feel like there's a lot of opportunity if they wanted to go down that route. "But maybe they feel like that's the end of that character. But never say never!" So, as for what the future holds for Kingston and River? That would be spoilers, sweetie. Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Netflix takes Bridgerton superfan to season 4 premiere to meet the cast – and fan has surprising connection to beloved star
We're well and truly in the swing of Bridgerton season and Netflix have thought of an incredible way to mark the occasion – and that's by treating one mega fan to an experience of a lifetime. The streamer held a competition to find the biggest Bridgerton fan out there and after sifting through countless applications and nominations from loved ones, they crowned one lucky winner. Well now, RadioTimes.com can reveal what went down when Sarah – who was none the wiser as to what surprises she had in store – found out that she was going to be whisked away to the Bridgerton premiere in Paris. Having been nominated by her best friend, we find out more about Sarah's personal life and how she spends a lot of her time caring for others but ultimately, always keeping Bridgerton close to her heart. So much so, in fact, that she identifies with Nicola Coughlan's Penelope, even revealing that she keeps dying her hair ginger to match the character's. "I do, I keep going 'Oh, I'm in my Penelope Bridgerton phase!'," she tells the camera, thinking she's applying to be on a quiz show. In the clip, we see how everything is pulled off on the day in question, with Sarah being told that she's going on a first aid course for work with her friend and travelling to a training centre. Once there, a series of random events occurs but once in the room with the other 'participants', the teacher asks Sarah to go up to the front and asks her about her favourite TV show. Regaling the room about how much she loves Bridgerton, she's then asked to write the show's name on a whiteboard. But as she does, the walls slowly come away from her, revealing an extravagant ballroom with Regency dancers circling the floor in gowns and suits – just like it's been pulled straight from the series. Sarah's then told to make her way to the throne, where she's told she's been nominated by her friend and is invited to attend the Paris premiere, a true dream come true for any fan. Speaking of her experience, Sarah said: "I am incredibly grateful to every single person we met along the way on our Bridgerton journey. There truly are no words to describe what an extraordinary adventure this has been, so thank you for giving us a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "Thank you to everyone for your incredible hard work, dedication, and kindness; none of this would have been possible without you. From the most magical surprise in Newark, to stepping onto the red carpet in Paris, to connecting with so many beautiful souls, every moment meant more to me than words could ever express.” You can watch the heartwarming moment for yourself above and enjoy the full-length video on the official Netflix and Bridgerton social channels, where you also get to see snippets of the premiere itself and the moment Sarah is treated to a video message from Coughlan herself, who couldn't attend the premiere in person. Read more: Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela Bridgerton star reveals how season 4 sets up her own leading story: "I’m buzzing to one day do it" The new season of Bridgerton kicks off tomorrow, with the first batch of season 4 episodes and the rest following in February. This time around, the show is focusing on the story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), who meet at Lady Violet's masquerade ball. Benedict simply only knows Sophie as the mysterious Lady in Silver and so, goes on a mission to track her down. As per the synopsis: "With the reluctant help of his sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Benedict sets out in society to uncover the young lady’s identity. But in fact, his heart’s desire is not in society at all — she is a resourceful maid called Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), working for the formidable Lady of the house, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung). "When fate brings Benedict and Sophie back together, Benedict wrestles between the reality of his affection for this intriguing maid and the fantasy of the Lady in Silver — unaware that they are the same person. Will Benedict’s inability to see these women as one in the same derail the undeniable spark between him and Sophie? And can love truly conquer anything — even a cross-class connection forbidden by society?" Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
School Spirits stars reveal how they've influenced Maddie and Wally's fate in season 3
School is officially back in session in School Spirits season 3 - and, by this point, stars Peyton List and Milo Manheim know exactly where they want their characters to go. The supernatural drama is set to pick up after the massive cliffhanger that saw Maddie (List) return to her body, while Simon (Kristian Flores) is now the one trapped in the afterlife. Meanwhile, Wally's (Manheim) fate was left up the air. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about what's to come in season 3, List and Manheim revealed their requests and questions for the show's creative team. Manheim told us: "They want to hear about what we think makes sense for our characters. "I feel like Wally, in the past, has always been such a team player and down for anything, but I told them he's always sort of a step behind figuring things out, and this season, I'd love for him to be a step ahead. I'd love for him not only to go along with a plan, but maybe come up with a plan. "I think that they really took that note well, and I think we see that happen this season. It's a very adventurous season for Wally." Asked whether Maddie will be helping Simon this season like he helped her, List explained: "That was my first question for the creators and the directors as well! I just wanted to make sure that Maddie is fighting for Simon as hard as he fought for her. "But she has so many other concerns and worries with this new superintendent at the school and with her relationship with her mother... "[She has] so many things that Simon kind of ends up...she's so worried about him, but there's so many other things happening." As for what this all means for Maddie and Wally's relationship? "Wally's really going on his own individual journey this season," Manheim says. "He's done a lot of helping out for others, and I think it's time he starts thinking about himself and putting his needs first. We're definitely a new side of Wally this season." As List points out, Maddie has more than ever to deal with this season as she navigates darker mysteries, while the veil between the two realms grows even more thin, and more terrifying secrets begin to surface. School Spirits season 3 begins on Paramount Plus on 28th January – you can sign up for Paramount Plus now. Add School Spirits to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton star reveals how season 4 sets up her own leading story: "I’m buzzing to one day do it"
How exactly does Bridgerton season 4 set up Eloise for her own love story?
It's now been confirmed that the next seasons of Bridgerton will see Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Francesca (Hannah Dodd) taking the lead in their respective instalments. While we don't exactly know who will be first up, it's exciting news nonetheless for fans of the novels who have waited patiently for the Bridgerton sisters to get their own turns in the limelight. While this upcoming fourth season of the show focuses on their unserious brother Benedict (Luke Thompson), the series will surely set up his siblings for their own stories as the show has previously done in subtle ways. But how does season 4 set the stage for Eloise's own season, if at all? When chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com – which you can watch in the video above – the actress revealed: "In terms of setting her up, I think Eloise is desperately trying to find her way of doing it, right? "That’s what I’ve always been excited to be able to one day do, is to show love or romance or whatever her journey is in the most Eloise way possible. "I think she’s just trying to find out her way of doing it." Jessie continued: "That’s what I think the set-up is until ultimately we see what her way of doing it is, her version of it. I’m buzzing to one day do it. I love this show with my whole heart, I love my colleagues, I love Eloise so I’ll be buzzing to do it.” As fans of the Regency drama will know, Eloise hasn't been concerned with matters of the heart and has been more preoccupied with tracking down Lady Whistledown. Finally learning the truth of her identity and coming to blows with best friend Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) over it, Eloise's story has gone through its own various twists but the Bridgerton daughter has never been interested in making her social debut. Read more: Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela The Night Manager season 2 airs major death of [spoiler] in shocking twist ahead of the finale However, last season did see Eloise take a liking to Theo Sharpe (Calam Lynch) but fearing the worst about social optics due to being from different classes, Eloise put an end to their budding chemistry and kept it professional as they endeavoured to find out about Whistledown. Now, Eloise is set to help her brother find his mysterious Lady in Silver, further going against the grain of societal expectations and paving her own path. Speaking about how happy the role makes her, Jessie said: “When I got the part, I was like ‘I can’t believe I get to do this’. She’s my ideal character to play, I’ll never ever play anything like this again. Nothing this fantastic will ever happen to me again. When I got the job, I was like ‘I’m going to get hit by a bus, this is crazy, I can’t get this’. "First and foremost, I’m a clown and a comedian, that is where I started. So to play someone whose really the human, she brings so much laughter, it’s a real pleasure for me. She just represents another type of person but I think it’s ultimately just as refreshing to see someone who’s really committed to the idea of marriage and really committed to the idea of love and partnership. But that’s the great thing about Bridgerton, everyone gets to see themselves in the show.” Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jade from The Traitors reveals which video games she played to prepare – and it’s not the one you’d expect
Jade Scott made it to the final of The Traitors season 4, and she made no secret of her video game experience in the show’s candid pieces to camera. So, here at Radio Times Gaming, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to get on the phone with Jade and find out which games she played in preparation. Surprisingly, Jade didn’t name Among Us — for many, the definitive game like The Traitors — on her list of favourites, noting that she finds it “a bit childish”. What did she play, then? As Jade told us: “I was playing a lot of social deception games. So I played a lot of Project Winter, [which is] a bit different.” Project Winter, if you were wondering, is an 8-player survival game where players have to handle traitorous social situations as well as the deadly weather. Jade continued: “I've never really played Among Us. I just find it a bit childish. That said, I was playing a lot of Dale & Dawson, which was so unserious.” Dale & Dawson: Stationary Supplies can support anywhere from four to 21 players, and it tasks managers and specialists with spotting the slackers in their workforce (and firing them). And did Jade find that her gaming experience really helped in the castle? In Jade’s words: “I think gaming, there's a level of communication needed, especially in teamwork games, right? And you're always talking, whether to your friends, or you are always speaking to teammates that you get allocated with. “I think that helped a lot, especially when I was speaking at the roundtables. Like, I didn't quite realise... it's one thing to speak and it's another thing to watch yourself back when you speak, so that was actually really, really nice to see. “And also, I managed to hit one of the vases with the rocks, so I think that was where my hand eye coordination came in.” Since returning from The Traitors castle, however, Jade’s gaming habits have changed a little. As she puts it: "After coming back, I was kind of like, 'I need a break from social deception games'. So, at the moment, I'm really into my indie games. “I just finished Outer Wilds, so I'm enjoying big story puzzle games. I like Chants of Sennaar, as well.” Outer Wilds is a sci-fi game with a time loop, where the player must solve a mystery in between frequent deaths. Chants of Sennaar, meanwhile, is all about language, with the player tasked with piecing together a linguistic puzzle. So, there you have it, a bunch of video game recommendations from Jade herself! And if they can help her get to The Traitors final, perhaps you should give them a go too? Read more: The Traitors finalist reveals what shocked her most about 2026 series - and what her strategy was all along Add The Traitors to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela
What does Bridgerton season 4 hold for Francesca and Michaela?
In among the romantic story of Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) at the end of Bridgerton season 3, fans of the period drama were also left on a bit of a cliffhanger as it related to Francesca (Hannah Dodd). She may have had an intimate marriage ceremony and wed Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli), but there was a clear spark between Francesca and John's cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) once they met. Their season 3 meeting only led fans into overdrive about what the future could hold and seeing as we now know that Francesca is set to be one of the leads of an upcoming season, many will be waiting to see what becomes of her connection with Michaela. Teasing what's to come between them in season 4, series star Hannah Dodd teased: “What can I say? I think Michaela is a character that challenges Francesca whereas John is a character that makes space for Francesca. They’re both really important for Francesca to move forward." Dodd continues: "I think Francesca is very inhibited by rules of society and rules she puts on herself and expectations she puts on herself. Michaela throws that away and even in life, in modern day, when you meet that person and you’re like ‘Why don’t you feel like this?’ I think that’s the dynamic between the two of them. "It’s quite a confronting feeling for Francesca and a new feeling, a challenging one. I just think there’s an exploration of those feelings.” As fans of the original Julia Quinn novels will know, the role of Michaela has been gender-flipped for the series. The original novels also see Lord Stirling die and Francesca fall in love with Michaela, but as for how that will play out in the series, we'll have to wait and see. Read more: Legally Blonde prequel series finally gets release date confirmed – with added good news for Elle Woods fans Steal's Sophie Turner reveals *that* twist made her want to sign onto the show In terms of what's been happening with Francesca since we last saw her on our screens, Dodd also said: "Where do we start? She’s just got back from Scotland with Eloise and we’re getting the vibes that something’s gone down in Scotland, not really sure what. "She’s in her marriage bubble with John but there’s still a lot of work to go, they’ve only just met really, they’ve not known each other for that long. There’s still a lot of growth and evolution in there to happen between themselves, to get out of their introverted spaces a bit so that they can grow together.” This season, the main focus is of course on Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha), with their love story also set to open up the world of Bridgerton by going downstairs in the lavish homes we often see in the series. Enraptured by a mysterious Lady in Silver at his mother's masquerade ball, "Benedict sets out in society to uncover the young lady’s identity. But in fact, his heart’s desire is not in society at all — she is a resourceful maid named Sophie, working for the formidable Lady of the house, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung)," according to the show's description. Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who's Carole Ann Ford: "I wanted to leave much earlier – but now I don't know what my life would be without it"
The trailblazing Doctor Who companion reflects on her complex relationship with the beloved series.
Despite her original run on Doctor Who spanning just two seasons, Carole Ann Ford has lived with her trail-blazing character, Susan Foreman, for more than 62 years. "I can't imagine not having her in my head," she tells RadioTimes.com, as she sits down for an in-depth interview at her London home. "I haven't been apart from her." Ford first appeared as Susan Foreman, the first ever Doctor Who companion and the Time Lord's granddaughter, in the iconic first serial An Unearthly Child, broadcast in 1963. Starring alongside William Hartnell, who played the First Doctor, she paved the way for every single companion that would come after her. Looking back on her memories of filming An Unearthly Child all those years ago, Ford recalls: "It somehow cemented Susan within me. I think, when I walked through the junkyard and saw the TARDIS, it was a feeling of home." Part of the magic of the early days of Doctor Who was also the chemistry between Ford and her co-stars, including the late great Hartnell, who Ford spent hours with on set creating their own backstory for their characters. There was also the "adorable" William Russell, who played Ian Chesterton ("I suggested to them that maybe Susan could have crush on him") and the "kind and thoughtful" Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright). "They're very much missed. I can't believe that they're no longer here," Ford says. "[Hill] would love to have seen how it progressed and and Russ was there to see the big time happening for us and being part of it. "It's always difficult when you lose mates like that. And as we were just the four of us for a long time, we were like a family. We knew how the other person worked and what made them tick. "It's very important to know how your fellow actor is going to react if you make a slight change in the dialogue...We were all so relaxed with each other. We knew each other so well. You had to jolly well trust each other, because there's so much potential for it to go wrong." Of course, despite Doctor Who's incredible success, plenty did go wrong. While Ford remembers bloopers like wobbly scenery and lighting issues, one issue is still impacting Doctor Who's legacy today - the episodes that are still missing after the BBC erased or reused tapes in the 1960s and 1970s to save storage space and costs, before archiving policies were in place. Marco Polo, one of Ford's serials, is still missing in its entirety, with just some audio surviving. Ford says she's "mortified" by the idea that the story can't be watched by fans, adding: "Marco Polo! Such a beautiful one, so beautiful. Such a loss. Well, hopefully it’s not lost forever." While nothing has been proven, some fans believe the story exists in a private collection, with Ford issuing a plea if that is the case and saying: "Please, if there's somebody out there who's got Marco Polo, return it because we're suffering... please, let us have it back just for a while so we can see again what that loveliness was." Ford also wasn't always happy with how Susan was portrayed on screen, admitting it "wasn't an immediate yes" when she was asked to take on the role. "It sounded to me as though she was going to have loads of wardrobe changes, loads of character changes, mixing in with whatever period, whatever time, whatever place I was..." she says. "The initial description of her didn't match up with what finally happened. I was promised quite a lot of different things were going to be happening with her, which didn't. But we had fun doing it, and 60 years later, I suppose we did something good!" Ford adds: "I was very frustrated, because at the time, I was super fit, I was a trained dancer, and I was a very good swimmer and horse rider, and I would have thought they could have brought some of those skills into her character and made her much more interesting," Ford recalls. "I was lucky if I got to sort of climb up a one-foot wall or something. It was disappointing." It's a situation that Ford admits led her to be envious of later companions, most notably of Billie Piper, whose first appearance as Rose Tyler in 2005 saw her swing across a fiery pit. Speaking about how companions were portrayed in Doctor Who, Ford added of Piper: "She, I think, made a big difference to it. "Until then, I think they were almost trying to recreate Susan.... what they envisaged was Susan to be the sort of young girl next door watching Doctor Who and. I can see it's worked, because I've been to quite a few conventions where a couple of girls have come up and said, 'I always wanted to be you.'" But a lot also went also went right with Doctor Who, something that one person in particular foresaw. "The one who who had the highest hopes and aspirations for it was Bill, and he said to everybody, 'This can run for ever, ever and ever and ever. Because why wouldn't it? We can be anywhere at any time.'" "The part was so important to him. It was everything to him," she says of her late co-star. "And because of that, he was a real perfectionist with it. "I think if people were a little bit off about the idea of Bill, it may be because he was such a perfectionist, and if he saw people fooling around with the part, not taking it all seriously... but he was right. "Unless you're doing it seriously, it doesn't mean anything to the audience. If you're thinking, 'Oh, a load of rubbish', then how are the audience going to ever accept what's going on and be entertained by it? "We got rid of all our giggles about the various monsters in rehearsals, and just as well we did, because sometimes I look back and I think, 'How did I ever keep a straight face?!'" Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. One particular serial Ford recalls finding that challenging on was Planet of the Giants, which she describes as her favourite experience on Doctor Who. "We had a lot of laughs on that because, of course, there's no CGI involved there. It was great, huge pieces of furniture that were mountainous, and we had to actually climb up a huge chain, which was the chain of the plug to go in the sink, and enormous, mountainous sized cats and insects, especially the ant, was not at all nice - it gave me the creeps - but it was great fun." But despite having a blast on the show, Ford couldn't help feeling that Doctor Who was holding her back in some ways. "I was wanting to leave much earlier [than I did]," she admits. "The thing that happens to all actors is that when they're in a successful thing, suddenly you get lots of offers from other people. And I was having quite a few lovely offers from other people, which I couldn't do because of Doctor Who for one thing, but also it was getting a bit repetitive. "In spite of what we'd say at the first day reading it, it was getting very repetitive. There was the same thing happening. We'd go off, perhaps in a hurry from somewhere, and so perhaps not set the dials for the correct time, and we'd arrive somewhere and the doors would open, and I was told not to rush out and get lost. And I always used to rush out and get lost or get captured or whatever. "So I was always the one who was in trouble, and the others would come and find me, and then it would start again... My character just wasn't expanding, certainly not in the directions I wanted." So, the time came for her to leave Doctor Who, with Susan bidding farewell to her grandfather and Ford going on to play a variety of different roles that she hoped would separate her a little from her breakout role. "In Public Eye, they wanted me to play a prostitute," she says, cheering at the thought. "I thought, 'That'll do it! That'll stop them thinking of me just as Susan from Doctor Who,' but no way. I had furious parents getting in touch, saying, 'What on earth were you doing playing that part? I allowed my children to stay up late to watch you, and there you were playing a prostitute. How can you do that?' Well, sorry, I'm an actress!" But, over the years, she kept tabs on Doctor Who, praising the fans who "stuck with it through thick and thin over the years". "When the BBC weren't producing it, they were producing it themselves. I mean, there's a huge love out there," she points out, adding that the broadcaster has a "duty" to the fans. Ford has also returned to the character of Susan in the form of Big Finish audio dramas, telling us: "They stretch my character. They make her older and more responsible and do all sorts of things - the sort of things I wanted to do before, they allow me to do." As for when Doctor Who came back in 2005? "I thought it was absolutely brilliant, and I was longing to be part of it. I mean, obviously they had money to spend on this thing. I thought it was fantastic." It might have taken another 18 years, but Ford finally got her wish when she ran into Russell T Davies in 2023: "I ran into his wide-open arms, and he picked me up and swung me around and said, 'I think it's time you came back.'" True to his word, Ford returned to Doctor Who in The Interstellar Song Contest - but some fans felt that, by the end of the latest season, Susan's story hadn't quite been finished. "I think enough people out there know by now that something extra was filmed and wasn't shown," Ford points out. "So yes, of course, there were a couple more [scenes], which, because of some changes that had to be made, didn't make sense once the changes have been made. So they obviously had to film something else that went with those changes. "It's a shame though - I'd loved to have done it, and the bit I did do, I really enjoyed doing, and I loved seeing it. I sort of looked as I was floating in space." Now, at the age of 85, Ford has no considerations of retirement. After all, there are things she hasn't ticked off yet, including her hope of starring in a big-budget period drama. Plus, after feeling like the writers didn't quite do Susan justice, she's taken matters into her own hands, writing a short story for the anthology Doctor Who: The Adventures after, in which she very much saves the day. "It's the sequel to The Edge of Destruction," Ford explains. "When it seemed as though the TARDIS was attacking everybody in the ship, and Susan in particular was attacking Ian and trying to kill him... And in our story, this creature has invaded the ship, and invaded the controls of the TARDIS. It's quite a story." Of course, Ford has made no secret of the fact that she'd relish the opportunity to return to Doctor Who to finish Susan's story, declaring with a twinkle in her eye: "You've still got to find me, Grandfather! I'm waiting for that..." And, despite initially feeling she wanted to distance herself from Doctor Who, her feelings have now very much changed. Reflecting on her relationship with the beloved series, she admits: "I don't know what my life would have been without it." Radio Times' Doctor Who Insiders continues next month – register now to make sure you don't miss a thing. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
LEGO Smart Brick preview: These next-gen blocks rock
We go hands-on with the first genuinely new LEGO upgrade in decades.
There have been a few major innovations in LEGO's history: LEGO Technic in 1977, and the minifigure a year later, but those are nearly 50 years ago now. In the interim, the LEGO brand has kept its place as the world's favourite toy mainly by pairing up with kids' favourite intellectual property, including Star Wars, Marvel, Minecraft and Super Mario. Enter the Smart Play system, out this year, which incorporates modern digital technology such as sensors, speakers and lights to offer the first new way to play with LEGO in decades. We went hands on at the CES conference in Las Vegas to find out more! So, what actually is this new range? The Smart Play system incorporates the Smart Brick itself, which is the hub of the whole experience thanks to the built-in sensors, speakers, lights and custom chips it houses. Check out LEGO Smart Play at LEGO These allow it to be aware of data such as movement, as well as proximity to other Smart products. Those include the Smart tags and Smart minifigures, both of which tell the Smart Brick how to behave — for example, make duck noises if the tag is attached to a duck, or mimic Darth Vader's breathing and vocals if it's a Smart minifigure of the Sith Lord. The real genius, though, is how LEGO's engineers have programmed the Smart Brick to enhance LEGO play and make it more fun and interactive. Maarten Simons, the Design Manager on the project for the last few years, started our CES session with a relatively simple demonstration, attaching a Smart Tag to the Smart Brick to play simple musical notes and flashing lights when you tilt and move the brick around. Another Smart Tag tells the brick to be a car, making engine noises as you move, tyre screeching noises as you go round a corner, and a crashing noise when you hit something. There were similar demos with a helicopter, a duck and a dinosaur. However, things get a lot more fun when you combine multiple LEGO items that feature Smart Bricks, as they interact with each other in both predictable and surprising ways. For example, we watched Simons surprise the aforementioned dinosaur with a birthday cake covered in candles, upon which the dinosaur's brick flashed green with excitement, made the sound of streamers. When you then blow the candles out on the cake, the Smart Brick on it emits a "Happy Birthday" song, upon which the dinosaur flashes with excitement once again. It's simple, but super fun, and just five minutes into our demo we can already tell kids are going to love it. And that's way before we've even seen the Star Wars packs that are coming out. We're getting ahead of ourselves, however. There are other Smart features, such as a tag that allows the Smart Brick to sense colour: if it sees blue, it will make underwater sounds; or if it sees yellow, it will make beach noises; green will make it assume it's on grass; while red will cause a fire alarm. You can also link multiple bricks by shaking them to pair, upon which a second brick will match whatever the first brick is sensing, up to five meters away, using its own low latency BrickNet wireless technology. Next up, we got to see how LEGO minifigures interact with the Smart Brick. Smart-enabled minifigures feature a symbol on their back to denote their Smart status — it's a circle encapsulating speaker, sparkle and mystery symbols signalling what they can make a Smart Brick do. When they're placed near a Smart Brick, the brick will react differently to which side they're placed. This allows for interesting play possibilities, which was demonstrated with a police car featuring a Smart tag, and cop and robber minifigures. If the robber approaches the police car, the car alarm goes off, but if the cop is driving towards the robber, his siren will start wailing. The Smart Bricks can also measure distances away from each other, using colours to denote how far apart they are. This allows LEGO builders to do things like create a defensive bubble around certain objects, and set an alarm if anything breaks that perimeter. Similarly, the bricks can tell if they're facing each other, and light up accordingly. A fun demo we played that took advantage of these features was a mother duck and her four ducklings — the ducklings would talk among each other, but when the mother turned around to face them, they'd behave and stay quiet. When the dinosaur from earlier comes in, the ducklings then sing him a birthday song. We then played a game of duck curling with the ducklings (on skateboards). Standard! A gold trophy with a Smart tag was the target to get closest to, and each player would shake a duck to activate it, and then push it towards the trophy. The player with the closest duck is then recognised at the end with lights and sounds (in our case, the green duck) and then fireworks once the duck is placed in the cup of the trophy. With those cute demos over with, it was time for Star Wars, and one of the first Smart-enabled sets to go on sale. We saw Darth Vader's TIE Fighter (£60), Luke Skywalker’s Red Five X-wing (£80), and the Throne Room Duel sets (£140), and saw how they can all interact together. The X-wing houses Luke and R2-D2 minifigures, and as you fly the X-wing around by hand, the Smart Brick will make engine noises, and if you perform a barrel roll (that's a neat trick), there'll be a loud wooshing sound followed by a cute wail from R2-D2. There's also a button at the rear of the ship to fire the lasers, which is where the TIE fighter comes in, as you can fire back and forth between the two ships. If one ship "hits" the other using its lasers, the opposing ship will flash red, sound alarms, and finally mimic an explosion once you hit critical damage. The throne room allows you to put Luke and Vader down opposite each other and have an interactive lightsaber battle in front of the Emperor sat on his throne. You can hear lightsaber sounds as their laser swords clash, which is pretty cool, it has to be said. On a technical level, each pack will come with a couple of Smart Bricks, and a charger which can charge up two bricks at once. Each brick should offer about 45 minutes of play time, and take about 2 hours to fully recharge. The bricks will go to sleep when they're not being used, however, which will help kids who might not be the best at remembering to recharge every time they finish playing. LEGO's new Smart system is great fun, and you could see how much it delighted a room full of middle-aged, probably somewhat tired and jaded journalists having to contend with a packed Las Vegas. It's a safe bet, then, that it will be mightily popular with children, who will no doubt love doing things with this tech that its designers haven't even dreamt of. LEGO's debut Smart Play kits are available for pre-order now, and will be released on 1st March 2026. Read more on LEGO: Best LEGO deals for January 2026 New LEGO sets for 2026 revealed How to get the new LEGO Zelda Ocarina of Time set Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Siobhán McSweeney details what separates The Traitors Ireland from other international formats
"They're not backward at coming forward, shall we say?"
It's been a long time coming but The Traitors Ireland is finally making its way to BBC One, and fans of the juicy and deceptive format are in for a treat. Hosted by comedy great Siobhán McSweeney, viewers will be transported to Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland, as a group of strangers play the ultimate murder mystery game. Kicking off at 12:10am on Saturday 24th January, it has been teased that the players make a decision that ripples through the castle as the Traitors are chosen and the lies begin. But are the rumours of this series' cutthroat nature true? Well, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, McSweeney was sure not to give away any spoilers but teased there is something slightly different about the Irish cast to other international formats that audiences may pick up on. She explained: "One of the franchise, who goes around the whole world setting up the show, a lovely man. He was with us as we helped set up the show, as it was our first series, and of course, everybody was asking him, 'Oh, are we different to everybody else?' Every country wants to be somewhat exceptional in their own sort of way. "[There are] particular characteristics that make them all this more special. And he quite brilliantly, and I [was] delighted to hear, he was like, 'Nah, everyone is sort of the same, it's a global village out there, everybody is sort of behaving the exact same, Traitors, Faithfuls, etc.'" But there was one difference that McSweeney noted, and it was the immediate chatty nature of the cast before they'd really got to know one another, which spawned moments that perhaps show producers weren't expecting to happen until much later down the line. She added: "Before people even had their first cup of tea, they were chatting away. "Usually it takes a while for the contestants to loosen up and to have a chat and to 'Oh, hello, what's your name?' and they're polite, whereas people were going up the stairs to the front door of the castle, they were already [chatting away]." As the first moments progressed in the castle, McSweeney told RadioTimes.com that the cast "bypassed the getting to know each other stage", having already done that on the way top the castle. "So it's incredible," she added before teasing: "They're not backward at coming forward, shall we say?" The Traitors Ireland begins on Saturday 24th January at 12:10am on BBC One and iPlayer. Add The Traitors Ireland to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Steve Coogan reveals why he didn't want to understand Roy Keane's perspective while making Saipan
The Alan Partridge star plays former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy in the new film about the infamous 2002 bust-up.
As football bust-ups go, it's hard to think of many that have crossed over into the news cycle to quite the same extent as the infamous spat between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy ahead of the 2002 World Cup. The argument – which ultimately led to Keane missing out on his only chance to play at a World Cup – stemmed from the legendary midfielder's issues with what he perceived to be a lacklustre preparation for the tournament, and sparked huge debate among fans. That debate continues to divide people to this day – especially in Ireland – and so when RadioTimes.com exclusively spoke to star Steve Coogan, who plays McCarthy in new film Saipan, we asked if he tried to see both sides of the argument or if he looked at things entirely from the manager's perspective. "Objectively, I – Steve Coogan, the actor – can look at both those points of view and go well, actually, I can see both," he responded. 'They're both compelling, and they've got a certain about of credibility. "[But] as an actor, I almost deliberately wanted to not see Roy's point of view because playing Mick, I wanted to get inside [his] head and it doesn't help me to have lots of empathy with Roy's point of view." Coogan added that he reached out to McCarthy and chatted to him, attempting to "get more of a feeling of what was driving him or what made him tick". And it was only afterwards, while watching the film, that he truly began to get a sense of the two sides of the argument. "That's the joy of it," added Éanna Hardwicke, who plays Keane. "It's getting to watch it and for that to be revealed. Like, I was very much staying in my lane. We did have a few script chats before we started filming, and I learned a lot from that. "[But] I think I, probably quite lazily, just [thought] I'm going to stay in the lane of this thing, and then afterwards, you get to see the film, and you get to see the kind of richness of how opposite their perspectives were, actually." View oEmbed on the source website Coogan also pointed out that the idea was for cinemagoers to shift their own opinions while watching, claiming that " you don't want the audience to think it's even Stevens all the way through." He explained: "You do want people to ideally sort of think, 'Well, actually, I think I agree with him, and now I agree with him.' You want people to be constantly shifting. Whichever way they end up at the end is sort of academic. But [we wanted] to make it a little more that your empathy is in motion when you watch it." For his part, Coogan admitted that he walked away from the film with a changed view on Keane and his persona – and particularly his notorious temper. "I think it's just humanising it, because everyone's aware that he is a force of nature," he said. "But it's knowing where that comes from. I mean, I have to say, watching the film I understood Roy Keane more than I did before. "Because my view of Roy was like, you know, he's a bit of a tinderbox, [an] effective player, but a bit of a coiled spring, and maybe a little crude. Powerful, but crude. And watching this, I saw that there was much more substance to his anger." Saipan is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Éanna Hardwicke explains how playing Roy Keane was more about capturing an "attitude" than impression
The star of The Sixth Commandment takes on the role of the legendary Irish midfielder in new film Saipan.
There haven't been many footballers in the past few decades with a larger, stronger presence than Roy Keane. The legendary Manchester United and Republic of Ireland star – who is of course now an opinionated Sky Sports pundit – was something of a major force, known for his deeply competitive spirit and occasionally hot-headed temperament, both on and off the pitch. Both of those qualities are very much on display in new film Saipan, which dramatises Keane's infamous bust-up with Ireland manager Mick McCarthy in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup, a spat which ultimately saw the iconic midfielder miss out on what was his only opportunity to play at football's most prestigious tournament. The film sees The Sixth Commandment star Éanna Hardwicke take on the role of Keane alongside Steve Coogan – no stranger to playing real people – as McCarthy. And speaking to RadioTimes.com for an exclusive interview ahead of the film's release, Hardwicke explained how he approached the challenge of playing such a well-known figure. "I think we were really on the same page with this, and I've loved and admired so many of Steve's real character portrayals," he revealed, adding that deciding how to approach a real life character tended to depend on the particular film or TV project in question. "The extent to which the physical accuracy, the vocal accuracy, is important, and then the extent to which you're just trying to capture the essence or soul of someone in your own way," he explained. "For me, it was probably the latter in this. We're telling a story about an event rather than a biopic. So for me, it was always about capturing a spirit, an attitude." He explained that there were certain projects – such as Coogan's portrayal of Jimmy Savile in 2023 BBC series The Reckoning – where "pinpoint accuracy" and "precision" are more important, but that in Saipan he felt "freed from the biopic-ness." View oEmbed on the source website With Keane having been a public figure now for almost three decades, Hardwicke added that there was so much material at his disposal, and so he had to pick one or two things to hone in on when crafting his performance. "For me, it was that well of anger and where that comes from," he continued. "And I think there's something quite brilliant about anger when it's justifiable or when it comes from a real place. And so it was about channeling that, but finding my version of that. "Then the second thing was about commitment and dedication, what is it like to be that disciplined? Because I don't have that very much in my life. So it was about channeling that. Those are the two things I tried to keep as the touchstone. "And then the other thing was just remembering that you put away the public figure and to try imagine and figure out what it's like behind closed doors. I'm so grateful that that was in the script that we both got to explore, like those sort of private lives of those characters, because I think that grounds it and brings into other territory, you know." Saipan is released in UK cinemas on Friday 23rd January. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Scott Pilgrim EX creators "wouldn't call it a traditional beat 'em up" – Here's why
Bryan Lee O’Malley returns for a new story.
Scott Pilgrim EX might be a successor to a 2010 beat ‘em up (Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game), but its developers wouldn’t call this new release a “traditional” entry in that genre. On the Radio Times Gaming podcast this week, as we continue to preview the big games of 2026, we’ve shared our exclusive interview with Scott Pilgrim EX community manager Ziva Reby. During the chat, which you can also enjoy as a video (see the player above or the Radio Times Gaming YouTube channel), Reby explains why EX isn’t “a traditional beat 'em up”. Before we got onto that, Reby revealed that Bryan Lee O’Malley — Scott Pilgrim’s comic book creator — has been very hands-on with this project. “ Bryan has been involved in the process since the beginning,” Reby told us at the Gamescom conference last summer. “I think he wanted to be more involved in this game. So, he works with our narrative designer, Yannick [Belzil], to craft a brand new story.” As for what that story will entail, Reby teased: “Yannick and Brian work together to create this new version of Scott, Metal Scott. The origin [of whom] will have to be discovered as you play the game. “Of course, Scott is super enthused to have kind of a video game version of himself. Ramona's a little less enthused by the idea, 'cause of course, Metal Scott has kidnapped all the members of the Sex Bob-Ombs as well as their instruments. And they have a show tonight.” As we saw when we demoed the game, it doesn't strictly stick to the rules of the beat ‘em genre, which seems fitting for a counter-culture icon like Scott Pilgrim. In fact, at times it feels more like a role-playing game. Reby explained, “So, we can't call it an RPG, but I wouldn't call it just a traditional beat 'em up in the style that people know from our company here at Tribute Games. “There's elements of RPG, like shopkeeping, where you can upgrade certain stats. You can buy badges, accessories, to give yourself different abilities. You can really build a build that is unique to you. “Each character has their own really unique abilities. Uh, you have Lucas Lee who will have a bit more of a brawler style. You've got Roxy, who has a bit more of like that ninja style with her katana. She's got different moves that she can pull from there. “And then your ability, you're really able to build something more brawly, more agile, more health-pool based if you're someone who likes to take a lot of hits. So you have that kind of RPG aspect." Reby continued: “There's quest progression. There's some light backtracking, so you have a map that you can explore. There's nothing forcing you to consistently go to the right. “You don't have to clear enemies, waves of enemies, to be able to move on. So, we've kind of pulled away slightly from the traditional beat 'em up, while marrying the two, to still make it something that people who like beat 'em ups can enjoy.” So, how does this mash-up feel to play? We certainly had a good time with it. You'll be able to decide for yourself when Scott Pilgrim EX launches, later in 2026, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. In the meantime, you can check out the rest of the interview below, where we also touch on musical maestro Anamanaguchi’s return! View oEmbed on the source website Discover more of our podcast interviews: How James Bond: 007 First Light is "like a hand fitting into a glove" Why High on Life 2 added skateboarding, explained by the developer Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
"It's basically changed my entire life" - Erik Flom on his Counter-Strike journey
Just at the end of last year, Monster Energy flew the Radio Times out to Hungary for the Counter-Strike 2 StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, held within the MVM Dome. It was a truly fantastic event, with unbelievable play on show from the teams involved, but, only one team could remain standing, and it was Team Vitality who ended up taking the trophy back home to France. In amongst this, we got the chance to speak to venerable Counter-Strike player and streamer, Erik Flom (who otherwise goes by fl0m), for a quick interview about his thoughts on CS, past, present and future. We also interviewed Chris Alesund, AKA GeT_RiGhT, and you can check out that interview on the Radio Times Gaming YouTube channel. But as for Flom, who has been part of the scene for over two decades now, we were curious to hear what the biggest changes in Counter-Strike have been for him. "I mean, the scale," Flom told us, without missing a beat. "I used to go to events, and I was hoping to win them, not to lose money. Now, you know… I've built my entire life. I have a great house, family. It's basically changed my entire life". Compare this to when Flom first started, he tells us it was "very small potatoes. No salaries, no nothing. You're just doing it because you're stupid, basically. And now… we're in here. We're in Budapest, and there's an arena with 20,000 people." It can certainly be easy to get swept up in the moment of it all, particularly when you're among thousands of people, with pyrotechnics going off, punctuating the craziest strats you’ve ever seen in esports. But not all in Counter-Strike land has been hunky dory. View oEmbed on the source website Last year, Valve made changes to how the controversial skins market operates, causing some to see the value of their Steam inventories go down by thousands of pounds, with others becoming richer overnight. The move came out of nowhere and sent shockwaves across the community. But had it affected the professional Counter-Strike scene? Flom wasn’t convinced. "When they talk about the market crashing, it didn't go below where it started for the year. I don't think most people realise how insane it was, like where it was at, and still is, and now it's already kind of bounced back, and I think it's on pace to basically be right where it was, or, if not, higher." Flom also sees a distinction between how people interact with Counter-Strike, with the streamer saying that there are those who love to watch and play the game, but "the people that are sitting there monitoring Counter-Strike in this market, checking their inventory value every single day, I don't think they're necessarily translating into watching every single Counter-Strike match." With Counter-Strike 2 in rude health, we wanted to know what Flom hopes for the game’s future and how it might grow to accommodate new audiences and players. "I mean, I'm biased, because I come from North America, but basically growing the other regions for the game." Taking inspiration from the traditional sporting world, where "in the US [the NFL] tries to do games in Europe," and you have the "NBA trying to make sure that they're always advertising and fully international." Flom hopes to see this same kind of action, but in reverse, as "Europe is already such a strong home ground" for Counter-Strike. Inroads have already been made into other markets, as Flom notes that "Blast and ESL, I think, have done a great job of starting to spread that out to other regions as well, especially in China and… Asia in general." I like the idea of building up, like, basically Asia, North America, South America, because that's kind of where I think we're gonna generate more fans, more good health for the game, and just making sure that Counter-Strike continues to grow." As for what Flom hopes for himself in the future, he told us that he is "just gonna keep streaming and doing my thing… I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." When asked if he could ever see himself becoming a coach, Flom was insistent and said, "I definitely don't want to be involved with [a] team. I will not be coaching… Competition of any sort? No, I'm good. I'll host the competition, but I'll just be back here." And as the interview was conducted before the big finale, we asked Flom if he had to put a Karambit on it, who he thought was going to take the trophy home. "I think it's gonna be the Shanghai Major again. I think it's gonna be FaZe-Spirit. At this point, I'm tired of telling people why FaZe can win games, so I'm just kind of riding the wave now." Hopefully, Flom didn’t put a Karambit where his mouth was, as it was Team Vitality that beat FaZe clan 3-1 in what was truly a white-knuckle final. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who legend Carole Ann Ford reveals her "emotional" reaction when watching David Bradley’s William Hartnell
"Every time I see it, I burst into tears."
For many Doctor Who fans, watching the 50th anniversary docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time was emotional - but no one's experience could compare to Carole Ann Ford's. Ford played Susan, Doctor Who's first ever companion, who assisted the debut Doctor actor William Hartnell in his adventures across the galaxy from 1963-1964, with some of their earliest experiences on set being dramatised for the modern special. In the docudrama, David Bradley playing Hartnell and Claudia Grant played Ford. While Ford, who made a cameo in the special, admitted the experience of seeing herself played as a character felt "extremely creepy", on the whole, she loved An Adventure in Space and Time. Recalling how she felt when she watched the film, created by Mark Gatiss, she exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "I loved it. I've seen it a few times. Now, every time I see it, I burst into tears. I find it very emotional, looking at Bill as he was, and everybody else who’s no longer with us. "Mark did a fabulous job with his research. He took me out to lunch so we could have a good old chat about it, which was fabulous. I loved it. He's a wonderful man - he really digs deep into what he's doing. I know he researches everything. He certainly researched that really, very well." Meanwhile, during the in-depth chat about her time on Doctor Who, Ford also reflected on her close friendship with her old co-stars, including the late Hartnell. "I thought he was adorable!" she said. "He was very charming, very sweet, very considerate, and took it all very seriously, which I approved of. I don't like people messing about and giggling – they've got to take the work seriously." She added: "The part was so important to him. It was everything to him. And because of that, he was a real perfectionist with it." Meanwhile, she remembers Jaqueline Hill, who played Barbara Wright as "a lovely, kind, thoughtful lady, who was a great actress." As for William Russell? "My first impression was 'Cor!', and then I suggested to them that maybe Susan could have a sort of crush on him...I thought I was being reasonable, but, no way not allowed, that. No fun and games on the TARDIS!" Carole Ann Ford's full interview will be available on RadioTimes.com soon. Missing Doctor Who? Register now for Radio Times's Doctor Who Insiders club for exclusive interviews with Doctor Who legends every month. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Baldur's Gate 3 star Devora Wilde pitches her Lae'zel return idea: "That might be quite cool"
What does the future, or the past, hold for Lae’zel?
Devora Wilde, who played Lae’zel in the beloved Baldur’s Gate 3, has been chatting to us about potentially revisiting her iconic Githyanki character. Wilde is the latest guest in our Arcade Hang interview series, and you can watch our BG3 chat in the player above (or over on the Radio Times Gaming YouTube channel). Of course, despite the fact that Dungeons & Dragons mainly takes place in a vaguely historical setting, it didn’t take long for talk to turn to the future. And given that Wilde is constantly told that she looks like Lae’zel (much to the actor’s chagrin), surely that puts her in good stead for the live-action BG3 adaptation that fans keep asking for? Wilde answered with a laugh, “When is that happening? Yeah, I'd love that. That would be amazing. Yeah, it would put me in good stead. I guess I'd have to have some prosthetics, but I'm fine with that.” She could have whatever treatment Walton Goggins gets to remove his nose in Fallout? “Yeah, absolutely,” Wilde concurred. “I think they could do it.” And then, she added, looking right down the lens of the camera: “Do it. Do it, please. “Yeah, that would be amazing. That would be taking the dream to another level.” Thinking of games rather than live-action adaptations, it’s worth noting that Dungeons & Dragons rights-holders Wizards of the Coast have said they are definitely going to do another Baldur's Gate. Someday, somehow. As Wilde told us: “It could be many years [away], though, couldn't it? Because if you think about how huge Baldur's Gate was.” She did concede, though, that “It's exciting” as a prospect. And given how many endings Lae’zel survives in, she seems to be in a strong position to return for a sequel. “Yeah. I think I'm fine,” Wilde said. “I'd be just happy to be involved. “It'd be weird to play Lae'zel again in any capacity, though. I suppose there would be that extra expectation of, like, people now know and love the game and the characters.” In fact, Wilde has one other suggestion up her sleeve: “I think it'd be fun to see what Lae'zel did before Baldur's Gate 3. The prequel. “It's alluded to, but she's really the only quote-unquote ‘alien’ that's kind of thrown into this completely different planet, really, than the one she lives on. So I think that might be quite cool.” Given the huge critical, commercial and awards season success of Baldur’s Gate 3, we reckon that Wilde isn’t the only one who’d think that idea is cool. We’ll be sure to keep you posted if we hear anything about the future of Baldur’s Gate. Until then, check out the rest of this interview, where we also talk about how Wilde’s BG3 script was arguably the hardest one of the lot! View oEmbed on the source website See more Arcade Hang interviews on YouTube: Neil Newbon talks Dungeons & Dragons & Dramas Karlach actor Samantha Béart talks Baldur's Gate 3 and more House of the Dragon star Abubakar Salim talks Dead Take Glenn Moore, Sarah Keyworth and Pierre Novellie talk Button Boys podcast Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who legend Carole Ann Ford says BBC has a "duty to the fans" to continue show
"The fans are very loyal and they've stuck with it through thick and thin."
Doctor Who's first ever companion has said the BBC has a "duty to the fans" to continue the show after recent discussions about its future following the end of the deal with Disney. Carole Ann Ford, who reprised her role as Susan Foreman in the latest season of the show alongside Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor, has praised the loyalty of the fanbase. "The fans are very loyal and they've stuck with it through thick and thin over the years," she exclusively told RadioTimes.com. "And when the BBC weren't producing it, they were producing it themselves. There's a huge love out there [and] it'd be a shame to to squash that. I do think they have a duty to the fans to reproduce it, to carry it [on], to keep it going." Ford's words echo those of former showrunner Steven Moffat, who also spoke to RadioTimes.com about the BBC's "national duty" to continue Doctor Who. Thankfully, despite the deal ending with Disney, it seems the Beeb are very committed to Doctor Who, with chief content officer Kate Phillips assuring fans that the show will continue. Indeed it has since been confirmed that Russell T Davies will return to pen a new Christmas special this year. Elsewhere during the in-depth chat, Ford looked back on her first memories on Doctor Who, starting with filming the first ever serial An Unearthly Child, which aired in 1963. "It somehow cemented Susan within me," she recalled. "Strangely enough, I think, when I walked through the junkyard and saw the TARDIS, it was a feeling of home... By this time, I was very familiar with it, and it was Susan's home, and when I looked at it, I didn't see the outside, I saw the inside, which was much bigger!" Meanwhile, she also reflected on how she and her co-star, the late William Hartnell, who played the First Doctor, would invent backstories for their characters, after they felt they hadn't been given enough information from the writers. "Bill and I put our heads together and we made it up," she revealed. "We thought that the most likely thing was that the TARDIS was not this year's model. It was a previous model which had been tarted up a bit, and the tarted up bits weren't quite working as smoothly as they should have done. "So Bill, my grandfather, was in a huge sort of aircraft hangar-type place with loads and loads and loads of other TARDISes, all being tinkered with. And he was tinkering away with it and making everything work more smoothly, when suddenly there was an invasion from another planet. "Everybody was going crazy, and he just bundled me into the TARDIS and said, 'Right, we're out of here.' So we got in with only a partially-working TARDIS, which he continued to fiddle with throughout the series, and finished up where we finished up – Totter's Lane." Carole Ann Ford's full interview will be available on RadioTimes.com soon. Missing Doctor Who? Register now for Radio Times's Doctor Who Insiders club for exclusive interviews with Doctor Who legends every month. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
We spoke to Brendan Fraser and Hikari about the charming film.
Rental Family is Brendan Fraser's latest offering to the world of cinema, and follows Phillip Vanderploeg, an American actor living in Japan constantly searching for a stable job and whose life changes when an unexpected gig comes his way. Phillip, played masterfully by Fraser, is hired by a company that provides actors to play stand-in family members and friends for strangers — a service that is difficult to believe is real. "Squaring the ethics behind the whole notion of this is a tricky one, isn't it? Because you could be helping or you could be doing harm," Fraser told RadioTimes.com. "That's where the movie lives. Is it blurring the line between the fantasy? Or, is the big belief the reality and the blurred region in between? And those are the conflicts that each of these characters come up against." So, is there any truth to the service and the tale of Fraser's character? Is a rental family a real service? Yes, a rental family service was first offered in Japan in the 1990s. Better known as a professional stand-in service, it provides clients with actors who stand in as their friends, family members or co-workers at social events like weddings. The first reported service was offered by Japan Efficiency Corporation, which provided professional actors for "soft service - reaching others with a sympathetic heart". Rental family services have been featured in various series and movies over the years, including 2004's Surviving Christmas starring Ben Affleck. Is Rental Family based on a true story? The story of Rental Family is fictionalised, even though the service itself is based in reality. "I really wanted to make a story, or write a story, about connection between people or total strangers and how that looks like," writer-director Hikari told RadioTimes.com. "It's all about feeling for me and just by creating a character like Phillip who is [a] fish out of water, [an] American guy, [the] token white guy living in Tokyo, because that's kind of my experience when I lived in America for the first time, and I was the only Asian girl." She continued: "So from my experience, even though you're the only person, even though you come from a different culture, there is a connection that you create, you just have to be open to it. You just have to be available for the possibilities, and just really hold hands and go with it and I just wanted to put that kind of idea behind Phillip, and then see what that looked like. "So that was kind of my idea [of] what kind of movie I wanted to make. And then just throw the rental family idea and see what that looked like and [it] brought a lot of different versions of the script, and we just landed on this one." Rental Family is released in UK cinemas on Friday 16th January 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Star Trek legend reveals improvised callback to 30-year-old episode in new spin-off
Robert Picardo wanted to plant Easter eggs for Voyager fans.
Star Trek legend Robert Picardo has revealed that fans are in for a callback that has been 30 years in the making in new spin-off Starfleet Academy. The actor is reprising his role as the Doctor in the new spin-off, three decades after he originated the role on Star Trek: Voyager. And for him, it was crucial to give fans of the '90s series some Easter eggs to find. "I had the [greatest] Easter egg of all time," Picardo exclusively told RadioTimes.com. "I repeated the same first laugh that I got in Voyager when I say the line 'Medical Tricorder' with withering sarcasm. It's exactly my first scene in Voyager, when they hand me the wrong instrument and [it's like] ‘You're the biggest idiot I've ever seen.’ "So I asked if I could do that again as a surprise for the fans who've watched the old pilot 30 times." The new spin-off is set in the 32nd century, after the events of Discovery and a whopping 800 years after we last saw the Doctor. Now, we're set to see him dispensing wisdom (and sharing his love of opera) with cadets at Starfleet Academy as a teacher, with the spin-off following the next generation of officers as they try to save the world while grappling with school pranks, classmate rivalry and first loves. Picardo has also teased that we're set to see a completely new side to the Doctor in the new series. "Late in the season, you'll see a side of the character that you've never seen before, as far as the emotionality. So that was a challenge to do," he told us. "There's a sort of a surprise event that happens late in the episode for my character. I'm anxious to see how longtime fans who know the character respond." "It's hard to say what he's been doing for the last 800 years!" Picardo added. "Now the Star Trek canon sort of acts as a whole, and there's a reference in the pilot to my having taught young cadets on Star Trek: Prodigy, so the Doctor has a history of teaching... In that respect, he has been teaching before and he's a natural teacher, if not an easy one, because he's full of himself. He likes to pontificate!" Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is coming to Paramount+ on 15th January. Add Starfleet Academy to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Chris Chibnall on Doctor Who, Broadchurch and Agatha Christie's Seven Dials – The Radio Times Writers' Room
Chibnall, best-known for his work on Doctor Who and Broadchurch, is the latest guest on our interview series looking at the art of screenwriting.
Welcome back to The Radio Times Writers' Room! This time around we're welcoming Chris Chibnall, the writer best known for creating hit crime drama Broadchurch - and acting as showrunner on Doctor Who. Chibnall started his screenwriting career by co-creating Born and Bred, a period medical drama, before working on episodes of Life on Mars and developing a version of Merlin which never got off the ground. A lifelong fan of Doctor Who, his first work in the Whoniverse was on Torchwood, which he acted as lead writer on for both seasons one and two. He also wrote episodes of the main series for David Tennant and Matt Smith's Doctors, before taking the reins of the sci-fi behemoth in 2018, crafting his own era which introduced the first female Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. Whittaker was cast having previously starred in Chibnall's ITV series Broadchurch, which kept the nation guessing for three seasons and catapulted Olivia Colman to new heights of fame and acclaim. Now, Chibnall brings us Agatha Christie's Seven Dials, his first ever adaptation which also happens to be taking on one of the works of the best-selling fiction author of all time. The series stars Mia McKenna-Bruce as Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, who finds herself becoming an amateur sleuth when a practical joke at a lavish country house party appears to have gone horribly, murderously wrong. The three-part series also stars Martin Freeman and Helena Bonham Carter, and Chibnall has teased that it's a "really propulsive... cinematic thriller", one which is "quite different" from Christie's other works. Throughout our chat, Chibnall spoke about his work on Law & Order UK, revealed the run of Torchwood he's most proud of and even teased the upcoming adaptation of his novel Death at the White Hart. He also revealed some of his favourite scenes that he's ever written, and explained why he doesn't ever intend on returning to write more Doctor Who. "I don't feel like I have any unfinished business, and I'm not that bothered about going back," he said. "I haven't really done it on anything, I don't like going back. There's so many new things to do, and so many opportunities. I'm interested in things I haven't done and trying out things. "That’s why I wrote a novel this year, so it's like, I thought, ‘I want to try that’. And I've had such a good run on Doctor Who and done so many different things, it also feels it's somebody else's turn. "That’s a very precious seat in which you're sitting, and you want to go, ‘Oh, yeah, who's the next person? What are they going to do? What are they going to do that’s new?’ So, no, I don't ever think about that." You can watch the full video at the top of this article right now, and look out for more trips to The Radio Times Writers' Room soon. In the meantime, you can also catch up with our previous chats with Mark Gatiss, Harry and Jack Williams, Noah Hawley, Neil Cross and Steven Knight. Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials will launch on Netflix on 15th January 2026. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Agatha Christie's Seven Dials to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who icon reveals her and William Hartnell's own alternative backstory for the Doctor and Susan
"Bill and I put our heads together and we made it up."
Doctor Who has seen countless writers across its 62-year history – but now it's been revealed that even its original stars, William Hartnell and Carole Ann Ford gave it a go! Ford, who played the first ever companion Susan Foreman, has revealed that she and Hartnell, who starred as the first incarnation of the Time Lord, invented a backstory to explain how the Doctor's travels began, before the first ever serial An Unearthly Child. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Ford recalled that the pair were "never given any" backstory – so felt they should fill in the gaps! "Bill and I put our heads together and we made it up," she revealed. "We thought that the most likely thing was that the TARDIS was not this year's model. It was a previous model which had been tarted up a bit, and the tarted up bits weren't quite working as smoothly as they should have done. "So Bill, my grandfather, was in a huge sort of aircraft hangar-type place with loads and loads and loads of other TARDISes, all being tinkered with. And he was tinkering away with it and making everything work more smoothly, when suddenly there was an invasion from another planet. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2008/09/15.jpg" width="1500" height="900" alt="Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, and William Hartnell as The Doctor for Doctor Who." title="Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, and William Hartnell as The Doctor for Doctor Who." /> "Everybody was going crazy, and he just bundled me into the TARDIS and said, 'Right, we're out of here.' So we got in with only a partially-working TARDIS, which he continued to fiddle with throughout the series, and finished up where we finished up – Totter's Lane." Speaking about the importance of having a backstory to work with, Ford added: "An actor has to have an idea of what happened before you stepped through the door, and also what's going to happen after you step through the other door." During the in-depth interview, Ford also reflected on her friendship with Hartnell, including her first impressions of the actor. "I thought he was adorable!" she said. "He was very charming, very sweet, very considerate, and took it all very seriously, which I approved of. I don't like people messing about and giggling – they've got to take the work seriously." She added: "The part was so important to him. It was everything to him. And because of that, he was a real perfectionist with it. "I think if people were a little bit off about the idea of Bill, it may be because he was such a perfectionist, and if he saw people fooling around with the part, not taking it all seriously... but he was right. "Unless you're doing it seriously, it doesn't mean anything to the audience. If you're thinking, 'Oh, a load of rubbish', then how are the audience going to ever accept what's going on and be entertained by it? "We got rid of all our giggles about the various monsters in rehearsals, and just as well we did, because sometimes I look back and I think, 'How did I ever keep a straight face?!'" Carole Ann Ford's full interview will be available on RadioTimes.com soon. Missing Doctor Who? Register now for Radio Times's Doctor Who Insiders club for exclusive interviews with Doctor Who legends every month. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.