Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2026-02-24T17:01:54.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more to receive increased regulation from Ofcom
items: The BBC is supposed to belong to you – now's your chance to be heard
items: Meet the BBC's last reporter remaining in Russia: "It feels like we're in the eye of the storm"
items: BBC licence fee will increase to deliver "financial stability it needs"
items: BBC commits to "authentically reflect" communities, classes and cultures after review calls out "tokenism" and "preachy" content
items: Carol Kirkwood confirms exit from the BBC after more than 25 years - and it wasn't an "easy decision"
items: King Charles III's Christmas speech to break from tradition once again with another major relocation
items: The future of the BBC is up for debate – and Radio Times wants your views
items: How to watch the Budget announcement from Rachel Reeves – when is it revealed?
items: If Donald Trump destroys the BBC, there would be a horrible historical logic – so here's who I would pick as Tim Davie's replacement
items: Get rid of the BBC? Careful what you wish for…
items: Sophy Ridge argues why breakfast television is still the pinnacle of broadcasting
items: John Stapleton, renowned journalist and popular GMTV presenter, dies aged 79
items: So, is it all over for our national broadcasters like the BBC and ITV? Not so fast
items: Duchess of Kent dies aged 92, Buckingham Palace announces
items: Former BBC News boss argues BBC's "survival is at stake" amid "chilling" political landscape
items: Sky News confirms Kay Burley's replacements for Breakfast show following her exit this year
items: Radio 4’s Derailed will explore “emotionally devastating” impact of HS2 railway project
items: BBC News set to charge US audiences for the first time – costs revealed
items: Wincey Willis – first female ITV weather presenter – dies aged 76, 40 years after making history
items: Jeremy Vine: "Once you put your views on the table, you become much less interesting as a presenter"
items: Slow Horses star and Strictly Come Dancing legends confirmed for King's Birthday Honours 2025
items: BBC responds to presenter Nihal Arthanayake's criticism that 'nothing has changed' with lack of diversity
items: How to watch Trooping the Colour 2025
items: BBC confirms King's birthday TV coverage timings for Trooping the Colour
items: ITV confirms major changes as Lorraine runtime halved and GMB extended
items: How to watch VE Day at 80 celebrations – full schedule
items: Russell Brand granted bail after rape and sexual assault charges – to appear in Crown Court later this month
items: VE Day at 80: Stories of courage, sacrifice and survival
items: The war ended, but it never left him: Lesley Sharp on her father's quiet courage

Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more to receive increased regulation from Ofcom
type: item
date: 2026-02-24T16:52:46.000Z
creator: Molly Moss
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Disney Plus
subject: Netflix
subject: News
description: The additional watchdog scrutiny is an effort to "better protect children and the most vulnerable", according to
encoded: The biggest video-on-demand services are set to face “enhanced regulation” from UK media regulator Ofcom, putting them under the same scrutiny as traditional broadcasters under new legislation. Streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and catch-up services ITVX and Channel 4, will have to follow the watchdog’s rules relating to accurate and impartial news reporting and harmful and offensive material. The UK government said that the new legislation will apply to video-on-demand services that have more than 500,000 UK subscribers, which will be designated a "Tier 1" service and have to follow a new VoD standards code – similar to the Broadcasting Code followed by established broadcasters. VoD services provided by the BBC such as BBC iPlayer will initially remain exempt, and will continue to be regulated under the the Broadcasting Code via the BBC Framework Agreement, though they will be brought under the new regulatory regime in due course. Ofcom will have the power to accept and investigate viewer complaints, and take action where it sees a breach of the code, as it currently does for all broadcast television in the UK. Until now, only licensed television channels had to comply with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code and accessibility requirements, meaning that many of the UK’s biggest streaming services were either not regulated at all or not regulated to the same standard. UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said of the changes, which are part of the Media Act 2024: "We know that the way audiences watch TV has fundamentally changed. Millions now choose to watch content on video-on-demand platforms alongside or, in the case of many young people, instead of traditional TV." She continued: “The Media Act introduced vital updates to our regulatory framework which this government is committed to implementing. By bringing the most popular video-on-demand services under enhanced regulation by Ofcom, we are strengthening protections for audiences, creating a level p…

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The BBC is supposed to belong to you – now's your chance to be heard
type: item
date: 2026-02-23T17:00:13.000Z
creator: Roger Bolton
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: Comment
subject: Magazine
description: As the Government reviews the BBC’s future and a digital-first shift looms, licence fee payers face a crucial question: what kind of Corporation do we want – and who gets to decide?
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Joni Mitchell’s folk-pop song Big Yellow Taxi has always been one of my favourites. It contains that immortal line, "You don’t know what you’ve got 'til it’s gone". I wonder if we might soon say that about the BBC? Even if it does survive, will it become just a different sort of BBC, just a Big British Company and not the main deliverer of public service content? Is the BBC safe at the hands of the politicians, or even the present management? Remember that the Corporation is supposed to belong to you. "It’s Your BBC." Well, now you have a chance to be heard. The Government consultation about the Corporation ends on 10 March. The online survey is long, it might seem tedious, but it may be your last chance to influence the future content of what you have to pay for. Because change is coming – and, if we are not careful in the rush to be digital first, the Corporation may leave the digitally deprived with blank screens if the Government does, as is currently being suggested, turn off the linear transmitters in 2034. The BBC Charter, which states what the Corporation should be doing, is being renegotiated as we speak. What do you think should be in it? What public service obligations should the Beeb have in future? There are also more cuts coming as well – 10 per cent or £700 million spread over three years. Who decides what goes, what stays? Should we, the licence fee payers, have no say at all? We are in danger of losing some programmes we love while still having to pay for those we do not want. Who decides? It should not be left just to the management or their political masters. "No taxation without representation!" This is your chance to present your arguments, and they should not only be about content, but also about its governance and how it can achieve the greatest freedom possible from Government intervention, while being publicly accountable. Your contribution need not just be confined to this consultation. L…

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Meet the BBC's last reporter remaining in Russia: "It feels like we're in the eye of the storm"
type: item
date: 2026-02-09T17:01:45.000Z
creator: Sherna Noah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Interview
subject: Magazine
description: The BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg admits the last four years have tested his optimism, but he has no intention of abandoning the country he loves.
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Steve Rosenberg is the BBC’s Russia editor, and the broadcaster’s only reporter left in the country. Over more than 30 years of living in Moscow, he has experienced the Communist and Boris Yeltsin eras, Vladimir Putin and now “Z”, the military symbol for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Though journalists are often detained, arrested and tried, he continues to report from the country. You’re currently based in Moscow, but not in your usual office? Our main office flooded, there was a burst pipe in the building, so we’re in an emergency flat. We’ve had to build a temporary voice booth, using blankets and a desk. What were you doing when Russia invaded Ukraine, four years ago? I was woken by a call from the news desk in London. I jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and rushed to the office. That was a hell of a day – I was working non-stop, broadcasting live, doing reports for the main TV bulletins. There wasn’t a second to stop. At the end of the day, it hit me – this was a watershed moment, things were never going to be the same. As the only BBC reporter in Russia, what’s a typical day like? Going back 10 years, it would be hard to get on the news; that’s all changed. I sleep for four to five hours, get up at 5am and walk our rescue dog, Laila. After breakfast, I come into the office and review the papers for social media. Even though it’s a very controlled media environment, you find all kinds of nuggets in the Russian press. But the situation is so unpredictable, you never know what’s going to happen. It feels like we’re in the eye of the storm; it’s disconcerting. Last May, I was completely exhausted. The doctor said, “Eat better, do more exercise!” So I started going to the gym, having a decent breakfast, cutting out the snacks… I’m feeling much better. How is it, in the eye of the storm? We’re in a strange bubble. When you’re in Moscow, everything looks pretty normal. Then you see adverts trying to recruit …

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BBC licence fee will increase to deliver "financial stability it needs"
type: item
date: 2026-02-07T10:39:53.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: The fee will rise by £5.50 to £180.
encoded: The BBC licence fee is set to rise by £5.50 to £180 from 1st April 2026 to ensure the corporation has the "financial stability it needs to deliver for audiences and support the creative industries across the UK". The British government has agreed to a 3.14% increase, calculated in line with the consumer price index. The licence fee has been increasing in line with inflation since 2022 and will continue to do so until the end of the charter period in 2027. The change, which follows rises of £5 last year and £10.50 in 2024, will cost UK households an extra 46p per month. All UK households that watch, stream or record live TV on any device, download or watch any shows on BBC iPlayer, or watch shows on any online TV service must pay the fee. On the increase, a BBC spokesperson said: "The licence fee ensures the BBC has the financial stability it needs to deliver for audiences and support the creative industries across the UK. It funds the full range of BBC services and helps us deliver trusted news, the best homegrown storytelling, and unmissable content that brings people together. "The government is currently considering the BBC’s next royal charter and future funding arrangements beyond 2027. We welcome this debate and have been clear we want reform so we can continue to deliver a public service BBC that is independent, sustainably funded for the long-term, and meets audience needs for generations to come." A statement from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport added: "The increase in the cost of the TV licence will help keep the BBC on a stable financial footing, enabling it to continue to deliver on its Mission and Public Purposes. The BBC is the UK’s number one media brand, with 94% of UK adults using the BBC each month last year and it remains the UK’s most widely used and trusted news outlet. "The government recognises the financial pressures on households and is committed to ensuring the BBC’s funding model is sustainable, fair and affordable." The licence …

BBC commits to "authentically reflect" communities, classes and cultures after review calls out "tokenism" and "preachy" content
type: item
date: 2026-01-30T12:31:43.000Z
creator: Morgan Cormack
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: News
description: "It is vital the BBC authentically reflects the lives of all the communities, classes, and cultures across the UK."
encoded: As a national broadcaster that has set out to portray the diversity of the UK in its content, the BBC has now said it will be "strengthening its approach" to reflect audiences and communities. The BBC's statements come after an independent review was commissioned by its board. The findings have highlighted particular areas of grievances, including in the way that BBC productions may be leaning on "tokenism" and "preachy" ways of including diversity in their storytelling and casting. The thematic review – which was conducted by former BAFTA Chair, Anne Morrison, and independent media consultant, Chris Banatvala – was done in order to assess "how accurately and authentically the BBC portrays and represents different groups and communities across the UK." But what did it find? Well, with the review having spoken to 100 people in total (from inside and outside the BBC, including programme makers, commissioners, executives, commentators and media experts), there were a range of opinions but big areas of issue included colour-blind casting and tokenism. Using 2023's Murder Is Easy as an example, one external participant said of the series: "Often when something appears clunky it is because it’s not a successful programme creatively and the diversity seems superimposed rather than arising out of the subject matter. "Audiences are particularly unforgiving of this if it challenges their expectations of what they have switched on to see. If there’s an Agatha Christie murder mystery over the Christmas period, they won’t expect to be taken into anti-colonial struggles, alongside the country-house murder." They added: "Unless it’s very skilfully done, there is a danger it will feel overly didactic and preachy, as if the viewer is being lectured or a point is being made heavy-handedly. A vital component of quality for the viewer is authenticity." The Agatha Christie adaptation was part of the BBC's festive line-up. Starring David Jonsson, the adaptation contained quite a few chan…

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Carol Kirkwood confirms exit from the BBC after more than 25 years - and it wasn't an "easy decision"
type: item
date: 2026-01-27T09:45:13.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: BBC One
subject: News
description: Kirkwood announced the news in a teary appearance on BBC Breakfast.
encoded: BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood will leave the BBC later this year after more than 25 years at the broadcaster. Kirkwood joined the BBC in 1998 and has been a familiar and much-loved presence across the broadcaster, particularly on BBC Breakfast, where she has presented the weather to millions of viewers. Over the years, Kirkwood has been a trusted guide to the nation's weather and has delivered forecasts on all conditions, including reporting at Wimbledon come rain or shine. Her regular outside broadcasts include Royal Ascot, the Chelsea Flower Show and the New Year's Eve fireworks. She has also delivered forecasts for major sporting events such as The London Marathon and leading UK golf tournaments. Kirkwood announced the news live on air this morning (27th January), telling hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay: "I am going to be leaving. It's really hard for me to say this because I love my job, I love all of you guys, my Weather colleagues, every department I've worked with and, of course, all the viewers I’ve been so engaged with for many years, but it’s great! I don’t want to be coming in with a zimmerframe like, ‘I can’t reach the northern isles anymore!'." Speaking of her departure, Kirkwood added in a statement: "It's been an absolute privilege to bring you the weather every day. My job is something I've never taken for granted and I’ve loved every minute! From early starts and all manner of forecasts, I've shared it with incredible colleagues at BBC Breakfast, BBC Weather and programmes across the BBC. I'd like to thank them for their support and friendship which has meant the world. "And to those watching and listening at home - thank you for all the kindness you have shown me over the years, being part of your mornings has been a joy. This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, but it feels like the right moment to step away. I’ll carry with me the most wonderful memories." View oEmbed on the source website Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO, BBC News and Current…

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King Charles III's Christmas speech to break from tradition once again with another major relocation
type: item
date: 2025-12-24T11:09:33.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Christmas
subject: News
description: This marks the second year the King has changed the location of the speech.
encoded: King Charles III will deliver his Christmas message this year from Westminster Abbey, it has been confirmed. The annual address is traditionally given from one of the royal residences, such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Sandringham House, but this year's speech has been filmed in the Lady Chapel of the historic church. The King is expected to talk about the "pilgrimage" of life and the lessons it can teach about the issues of the day. The change in location is significant, with Westminster Abbey being a location where pilgrims gather to remember to the life of Edward the Confessor. It also won't mark the first time the King has filmed the speech on location, with last year's address being given in the Fitzrovia Chapel as he delivered a message focusing on the health battles he and the Princess of Wales faced in 2024. This location in particular is in a chapel where 15 previous monarchs have been buried, including Elizabeth I, Mary I and Charles II. The Lady Chapel is also home to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, of which King Charles is the Sovereign Head. The annual Christmas message from the monarch dates back to 1932 from King George V, in which he delivered a speech on the radio. The first televised speech was delivered by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, and is often seen as a time to reflect on national and global events while hearing directly from the monarch. King Charles III made his first Christmas speech in 2022 – which focused on the death of his mother – from the Quire in St George's Chapel in Windsor. The King's Speech will air at 3pm on Thursday 25th December on BBC One and iPlayer. 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.

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The future of the BBC is up for debate – and Radio Times wants your views
type: item
date: 2025-12-17T14:32:37.000Z
creator: Morgan Jeffery
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
description: As the BBC faces a defining moment in its history, Radio Times is asking readers to have their say on the broadcaster’s role, relevance and funding.
encoded: The UK Government has launched a formal review of the BBC's Royal Charter, which is the legal framework that allows the broadcaster to exist and sets out its mission, public purposes and governance. The current Charter expires on 31st December 2027, making this a pivotal moment for the future of the BBC and the wider UK creative sector. The Government’s consultation invites both the public and the media industry to help shape what the BBC will look like for the next decade and beyond. At the heart of the review is a Green Paper published by the UK Government – a formal consultation document to set out ideas and options before any decisions are made, not a statement of final policy – which acknowledges the BBC’s "unique value" as the UK’s national broadcaster and its central role in the media ecosystem. The paper commits to "future-proofing" the BBC and ensuring it is sustainably funded for the long term. The BBC has welcomed this approach and will now analyse the proposals in detail before submitting a full response. The BBC argues that the new Charter must protect a universal public service broadcaster that serves everyone, not just certain audiences. It says the Charter should guarantee three core principles: independence from political interference, long-term financial sustainability, and the ability to respond quickly to changing audience needs. Central to this is the question of funding, with the BBC accepting that reform is needed to reflect cost-of-living pressures while still delivering value and fairness for audiences. Finally, the BBC is urging the public to take part in the Government’s consultation, stressing that the BBC ultimately belongs to its audiences. With the process now ongoing, Radio Times wants to hear your thoughts on the future of the BBC – how you think it should be funded, what role it should play in public life and how it can best serve audiences in the years to come. A message from Shem Law, editor of Radio Times magazine The BBC stands …

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How to watch the Budget announcement from Rachel Reeves – when is it revealed?
type: item
date: 2025-11-24T10:57:25.000Z
creator: Molly Moss
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
description: The rumour mill is churning about potential tax increases.
encoded: Rachel Reeves is gearing up to deliver the Autumn Budget, and speculation is rife about what will or won’t change for the next financial year. It was announced last week that the Chancellor has decided not to increase income tax rates when she announces her Budget. Reeves had given strong indications that she would increase the tax in recent weeks. She said in her pre-budget speech that “each of us must do our bit for the security of our country and the brightness of its future”. However, instead of raising rates, Reeves could decide to freeze or lower income tax thresholds. The Chancellor’s plans are also rumoured to include changes to property taxes, pension schemes and ISA limits. Wondering when Reeves's plans will be revealed and how you can watch the speech live? Read on for everything you need to know. When is the Budget? The Budget is set for Wednesday 26th November, which is much later than last year’s October date. The speech will occur after Prime Minister’s Questions, beginning at around 12:30pm. It will last around an hour. How to watch the Budget live and what TV channels will it be on? The Autumn Budget can be watched live on Parliament TV, which streams all the action from the House of Commons online. The Chancellor’s statement will also be broadcast live on TV, with all the major news broadcasters providing live coverage of the event. The BBC's coverage begins at 11.15am on BBC Two's Politics Live, while the speech and all the ensuing debate in the House of Commons can also be watched on the BBC Parliament channel. Audiences can also tune into The Chancellor's Budget on ITV1, which begins at 12.15pm. 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.

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If Donald Trump destroys the BBC, there would be a horrible historical logic – so here's who I would pick as Tim Davie's replacement
type: item
date: 2025-11-18T14:00:32.000Z
creator: Mark Lawson
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Magazine
description: With editorial failures and resignations at the top of the BBC, as well as the threat of an American takeover at ITV, broadcasting as we know it is facing the greatest challenge it has ever seen, writes Mark Lawson.
encoded: Historians may cite last week as the beginning of the end for British broadcasting. On Remembrance Sunday, 9 November, both the BBC and ITV faced threats to their existence as we know them. As the corporation lost its two most senior editorial figures at once – director-general Tim Davie and chief executive of news Deborah Turness resigned over the handling of complaints about an episode of Panorama that misleadingly edited a speech by President Trump – ITV was considering a reported bid of £1.6 billion from Comcast (the American owners of Sky) for all of its on-air networks and the ITVX streaming site. The ITV story is simply financial. Television advertising and sponsorship are collapsing and so ITV’s shareholders perhaps hope to release the value in the broadcast business before it falls further. The logic for Comcast is presumably the possibility of selling advertising and subscriptions across a super suite of digital and terrestrial channels. However, as ITV Studios, which provides most of ITV’s content, would now be separately owned, it’s unclear how the supply line of shows such as Coronation Street and I’m a Celebrity… might be affected in future. The BBC situation is also financial, though complicatedly and now doubly so. It is massively funded (and its pension scheme underwritten) by £3.66 billion of licence-fee income. But support for what some see as a legally enforced broadcasting tax has reduced during a series of scandals – and dissent will surely have been accelerated by recent events. Negotiation with the Government of a new BBC Charter (from 2027) – including funding methods – starts next month, though with the BBC currently lacking a team to attend and a Trump lawsuit still hanging over them. Having threatened to sue for $1 billion unless he received an apology and compensation he regarded as adequate, last week Trump got a qualified “sorry” (though the BBC still claims the speech tampering was accidental) and no money. Trump has not publicly acce…

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Get rid of the BBC? Careful what you wish for…
type: item
date: 2025-11-10T15:09:57.000Z
creator: Caroline Frost
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: Comment
description: Once the pride of Britain, the BBC now faces its biggest crisis yet – but would we really be better off without it?
encoded: Decades ago, I joined a cruise in blue waters off the southern coast of Turkey, where our captain spoke no words of English except "tips here" – until somehow, through the usual blustering British-person-meets-rest-of-world chats, he established where I worked. For the next three days, I was summoned to mealtimes with a shout of "BBC" that echoed across the Med. It was a different time: when our national broadcaster’s brand was considered up there with Coca-Cola for global recognition, and the NHS for trustworthiness. 30 years later, and mentions of "the BBC" once again abound, but this time to a collective eye-roll at yesterday’s headlines that a catalogue of controversies has culminated in both the director-general and the CEO of BBC News falling on their swords over the editing of a 2021 Donald Trump speech. Monday saw the BBC Chair Samir Shah add his apology for the "error of judgement" that caused the furore. Tim Davie’s resignation speech included reference to the intense personal and professional demands that have punctuated his five years in British media’s top job – those years have seen a roll-call of on-air talent disappearing from screen after a litany of behaviour variously criminal (Huw Edwards), allegedly bad (Gregg Wallace) or political (Carol Vorderman, Gary Lineker). The departures of Davie and his news chief Deborah Furness are more redolent of 2004. I was among those queuing up, some in tears, to bid a fond farewell to Greg Dyke after he quit as D-G, as did his Board Chairman, after the government complained about the news coverage of the dossier – "sexed up" as alleged by reporter Andrew Gilligan – putting the case for Iraq’s nuclear weapons and justifying invasion. We know the rest. Possibly apart from some of those involved in that debacle, there were no calls then for the binning of the BBC – this week’s episode feels more rotten and existentially threatening. We learned through a memorandum leaked to The Telegraph that the BBC desperately tr…

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Sophy Ridge argues why breakfast television is still the pinnacle of broadcasting
type: item
date: 2025-10-28T00:01:33.000Z
creator: Sophy Ridge
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Magazine
description: Breakfast TV needs an overhaul to make it fit for the digital age, says presenter Sophy Ridge.
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. When it comes to broadcasting, breakfast television is the premier slot, the pinnacle. It’s a privilege when people decide to start their day with you and it should never be taken for granted. The giants of breakfast television – Frank Bough and Selina Scott, David Frost, Angela Rippon, Michael Parkinson and more recently, Eamonn Holmes, Susanna Reid and Kay Burley – knew that. They somehow transcended the role of television presenter, becoming something much more intimate: almost an extension of the family, there in the background while you have your cereal, pester the kids to find their shoes or search for your house keys. But I’m going to be blunt: morning broadcasting needs an overhaul. The media landscape is going through an unprecedented change. I’m 40 years old and my peers almost exclusively get their news through their mobile phones. According to Ofcom, 52 per cent of adults now use social media as a news source and 71 per cent get their news online. It was a different world when Bough and Scott launched Breakfast Time in 1983 when there were only four television channels (Channel 4 having launched a year earlier). But “traditional broadcasters” shouldn’t fear change – it brings challenges, but far more opportunities. I’m optimistic about what it means. We have an audience that is more interested in the news than ever. A decade ago, I vox-popped people outside a Labour conference who couldn’t even tell me that the party leader was Ed Miliband. That would never happen today. People are hyper engaged in politics and international affairs – they have opinions and are more informed than at any time I can remember. Rather than turning away from the news, the audience is turning towards it. And in a world where it can feel like truth is under attack, we shouldn’t underestimate the public. Our audiences are discerning, informed and engaged and they want trustworthy and impartial journalism. As broadcasters, we n…

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John Stapleton, renowned journalist and popular GMTV presenter, dies aged 79
type: item
date: 2025-09-21T10:00:47.000Z
creator: Lewis Knight
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: ITV
subject: Sky News
description: The presenter had been living Parkinson's disease, revealing his diagnosis in 2024.
encoded: Renowned broadcaster John Stapleton has died at the age of 79. The journalist, best known as a presenter on the likes of GMTV, Sky News, and Watchdog, has been confirmed to have died in hospital on Sunday (21st September 2025) in the early hours of the morning. Stapleton made public his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease in 2024 and was living with the condition and managing it as best as possible. His agent, Jackie Gill, confirmed that he had faced complications with his Parkinson's after being diagnosed with pneumonia in recent days. Gill's statement on Sunday reads: "John had Parkinson’s disease, which was complicated by pneumonia. "His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have been constantly at his side, and John died peacefully in hospital this morning." Stapleton's son Nick was his only child from his marriage of over four decades to his Watchdog co-presenter Lynn Faulds Wood, who died following a stroke in 2020. John Stapleton began his career in regional newspapers before moving to Fleet Street and then to television, with numerous roles at the BBC and ITV, including on Panorama, Newsnight and Good Morning Britain. Stapleton joined GMTV in 1998 and presented on the show and its successors, Daybreak and Good Morning Britain, until 2015. Stapleton won the News Presenter of the Year award in 2003 from the Royal Television Society, largely for his coverage of the Iraq War on GMTV. In 2008, Stapleton also spoke openly about how he struggled with anorexia nervosa in his youth. Speaking to BBC One's Morning Live in 2024, Stapleton was candid about his health and how best he was trying to live with Parkinson's. Stapleton said (via The Guardian): "Speaking is how I’ve earned my living for the best part of 50 years. "It’s very frustrating sometimes, particularly [when] people are constantly saying to you: ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ And you have to repeat yourself, time and time again. "I am fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain posit…

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So, is it all over for our national broadcasters like the BBC and ITV? Not so fast
type: item
date: 2025-09-09T06:01:51.000Z
creator: Caroline Frost
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Magazine
description: With Freely, public service broadcasters are taking on streaming platforms at their own game — and winning!
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Nearly a decade ago, I found myself sitting next to Lord Puttnam at a breakfast event launching an inquiry into the future of public service television. The revered film producer delivered an impassioned plea for the preservation of linear broadcasting and all that came with it. What would we miss without it, I asked him? It’s like any meal, he replied: “We all like our puddings, but we need our greens.” Today, those puddings are everywhere, with streaming platforms offering an unrestricted buffet of everything from dramas to true crime to fawning sports documentaries and, er, more true crime. In July, Ofcom reported that YouTube is now the UK’s second most-watched media service, behind only the BBC, and the US behemoth Netflix continues to be the byword for glossy, easily bingeable content on an easy-to-navigate platform. So is it all over for our national broadcasters? Not so fast. Earlier this month, Everyone TV – the company that runs the public service broadcasters’ free-to-view TV platforms – celebrated the first anniversary of its own streaming service, Freely. With more than half a million weekly users, Freely is on course to become the UK’s leading TV platform within five years. It is already pre-installed on half of all new TV sets sold in the UK. More notably, its largest group of early adopters comes from the notoriously hard-to-reach 16–34-year-old demographic. Why does this matter? Everyone TV simultaneously shared the findings of an independent report that reveals that, when it comes to watching TV together, we still turn to the national broadcasters, whether that be for shows such as The Traitors and The Great British Bake Off or events like the final of the Women’s Euros (2025’s biggest TV audience so far). Equally, when it comes to choosing “moments that matter” and “driving the national conversation”, it’s the BBC’s Gavin & Stacey and ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office respectively that stay in p…

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Duchess of Kent dies aged 92, Buckingham Palace announces
type: item
date: 2025-09-05T11:57:56.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: The Duchess stepped back from royal duties in the early 2000s.
encoded: The Duchess of Kent has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace has announced. The duchess was the oldest member of the royal family, and was married to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and grandson of King George V. In a statement published to its website, Buckingham Palace said: "It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. "Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family. "The King and Queen and all members of the royal family join the Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people." Born Katharine Worlsey, the duchess married into the royal family in 1961, with Princess Anne among the bridesmaids at the wedding in York Minster. The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles were both in attendance. For many, the duchess will be remembered as a familiar figure at Wimbledon, having handed out trophies and consoling those who lost at the tennis championships. She famously consoled Jana Novotná in 1993 and five years later, was in attendance to hand over the trophy to the tennis player. The duchess was also passionate about music and spent time working to improve music education for young people, and from the mid-1990s worked as a part-time music teacher in Kingston upon Hull. She told BBC News back in 2004: "I absolutely love it. I think more and more that it is the most important thing I do. And primary children are like little sponges. "They really want to learn, so teaching them is very satisfying. It's a privilege. To me it's one of the most exciting jobs anyone can do." She is survived by her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their three children, Lady Helen Taylor, Lord Nicholas Windsor and George Windsor, Earl of St…

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Former BBC News boss argues BBC's "survival is at stake" amid "chilling" political landscape
type: item
date: 2025-08-20T18:00:04.000Z
creator: David Craig
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: James Harding outlines the corporation's key issues – and possible solutions – in the prestigious MacTaggart Lecture in Edinburgh.
encoded: Former BBC News director James Harding has delivered Edinburgh TV Festival's prestigious MacTaggart Lecture, where he outlined the need for a different approach to the public broadcasting service. The prolific figure, who went on to co-found Tortoise Media, took aim at the increasing politicisation of the BBC, which he argues, is not only negatively affecting its output, but also undermining trust in the organisation. Harding pointed out that, in an age of misinformation and increasingly sophisticated AI forgeries, the presence of a robust and authoritative counterweight to the chaos has seldom been more important. But repeated real-terms cuts to the BBC budget, concerns from within about funding sources and interventions from prominent Westminster politicians have left the broadcaster in a compromising position. As an example, Harding used the recent controversy surrounding punk rock act Bob Vylan's performance at this year's Glastonbury Festival, which was streamed on BBC iPlayer with a chant that some viewers considered to be hate speech. The incident caused Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to demand that "people must be held accountable" and grill the BBC board on why nobody had "been fired" as a result (via The Guardian). Harding said: "The Culture Secretary’s office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chair, to deliver up the [director-general]'s resignation... but people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message. "The place became paranoid about how the BBC itself would cover the story; people around him thought the political pressure would be too much. Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing government minister doesn't help anyone." He continued: "The hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief of the country's leading newsroom and cultural organisation should not be the job of a politician. It’s chilling." Harding went on to say that the Culture Secretary isn't the only one holding a sign…

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Sky News confirms Kay Burley's replacements for Breakfast show following her exit this year
type: item
date: 2025-08-08T12:42:25.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
subject: Sky News
description: The new presenters will lead the Breakfast programme later this year.
encoded: Sky News has confirmed Kay Burley's replacements for its Breakfast programme, following Burley's exit earlier this year. In what puts an end to continuous speculation, Lead Politics presenter Sophy Ridge and presenter Wilfred Frost will take the helm of the new Sky News breakfast show, launching this autumn. The new breakfast show's name and studio will be revealed later this year, with exact transmission details yet to be confirmed. Ridge – who previously hosted Sophy Ridge on Sunday – was a lead presenter during the last UK election coverage, and is known for her disarming interview technique. Earlier this year, Ridge was named RTS Presenter of the Year at the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2025. Wilfred Frost, son of the legendary broadcaster Sir David Frost, has previously worked for US broadcasters CNBC and NBC, and earlier in the year produced the critically acclaimed documentary series David Frost vs –. Kay Burley, who was a founding member of Sky News when it launched in 1989, announced her retirement from Sky News after 36 years back in February. She announced the news during her final show on the Sky News Breakfast programme, and said in her closing remarks: "From a standing start to one of the most recognised and valued brands in global news, it's been an honour and privilege to work with some of the best and hardest working teams in the business. "News by its very nature is often devastating, and together we've covered so many life-changing events – from the tragic death of Diana, the shocking terror attack of 9/11; the Asian Tsunami; the Concorde air disaster." "But we've also enjoyed some wonderful high notes too, haven't we – the thrill of London winning the chance to host the 2012 Olympics; a plethora of royal weddings; jubilees, and who can forget days and days and days waiting for royal babies to arrive at the Lindo Wing. View oEmbed on the source website "But after over a million minutes of live TV news – more than anyone else in the world – its…

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Radio 4’s Derailed will explore “emotionally devastating” impact of HS2 railway project
type: item
date: 2025-07-07T23:01:07.000Z
creator: Bill Borrows
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Magazine
description: Journalist Kate Lamble says the HS2 farrago is as much about the nuances of British democracy as it is about our ability to deliver big engineering projects.
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. “You get this sharp intake of breath when you approach people about HS2,” says Kate Lamble, the presenter of a new Radio 4 series, Derailed: the Story of HS2. “They’re either people who have been personally affected and it’s been dominating their lives for over a decade, or it’s politicians for whom it was all important for a very brief period a long time ago. For many it’s been emotionally devastating.” Political instability and ephemeral ministers are, no surprise, key factors in the series. As it stands today, when “High Speed 2” is completed – at a date yet to be set – it will be Britain’s second purpose-built, high-speed railway after the London link to the Channel Tunnel (aka HS1) and will run between Birmingham and London. The original idea, conceived in 2009 under Gordon Brown, was to extend HS2 to Manchester and Leeds but this has since been cancelled. “Andrew Stephenson, the only dedicated HS2 minister who had been brought in by Boris Johnson at the Ministry of Transport in 2020, was in a factory looking at rolling stock when Boris called to inform him that he’d lost the leadership and said, ‘I’m out, you’re out, we’re all out’,” explains Lamble. This change of prime minister brought a big change in approach. Johnson was determined the project would succeed and had said, “The Treasury must not prevail in terms of HS2,” but former chancellor Rishi Sunak took a view that the cost should not outweigh the benefit and curtailed the line accordingly. “As with Grenfell Tower,” says Lamble, who won an Aria award for her in-depth coverage of that Inquiry, “it’s a long, involved story that hasn’t really translated in the news. In Grenfell, the news is ‘it’s the cladding’ and for HS2, ‘it’s the cost’. The complexities and what it tells us about how the country is run never get picked up.” In pursuit of the former, she has spoken to (and was “surprised by the frankness” of) everyone from Boris Johnson and the man wh…

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BBC News set to charge US audiences for the first time – costs revealed
type: item
date: 2025-06-26T16:05:57.000Z
creator: Lidia Molina-Whyte
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: News
description: The dynamic pay model is set to be expanded in coming weeks following the initial phase.
encoded: BBC News launched the first phase of its US pay model today (Thursday 26th June), with visitors of BBC.com expected to subscribe in order to access content. The commercially funded website is reported to reach 60 million visitors in the US alone, and operates separately from the BBC's UK platforms. The move was previously reported by The Guardian, which claimed BBC bosses were considering charging US-based consumers earlier this month in a bid to boost revenue. This initial stage will offer visitors the chance to pay $49.99 a year or $8.99 a month to gain unlimited access to the website's content as well as the BBC News channel live stream. "In the coming months, as we test and learn from audience consumption, ad-free documentary series and films (including the full BBC Select documentary catalogue), ad-free and early release podcasts, and exclusive newsletters and content will be included in the offer," the BBC confirmed in a statement. Rebecca Glashow, CEO BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming, said: "We’re bringing more of the BBC’s trusted, high-quality content together in one powerful, easy-to-access destination. "Over the next few months, as we test and learn more about audience needs and habits, additional long-form factual content will be added to the offer for paying users. This is a major milestone and just the beginning of an exciting new chapter." The dynamic pay model will still allow those who do not subscribe access, but only to select content. 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.

Wincey Willis – first female ITV weather presenter – dies aged 76, 40 years after making history
type: item
date: 2025-06-19T11:20:03.000Z
creator: Patrick Cremona
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: Tributes have poured in for the former Good Morning Britain broadcaster.
encoded: Wincey Willis – who was the first woman to present the weather on ITV – has died at the age of 76. Her death was made public this week, six months after she passed away in December 2024. She had previously been diagnosed with fronto-temporal dementia in 2015. Willis originally joined Good Morning Britain in 1983 having previously worked for Radio Tees and Tyne Tees Television. She went on to become the station's main weekday weather presenter and also presented a number of other segments on TV-am, many of which included pets and animals. Other television work included appearing as an adjudicator on the Channel 4 series Treasure Hunt and making several appearances on the game show Cross Wits, while throughout her career she also appeared in pantomime, published books and even devised a board game titled The Weather Game. Willis also devoted much of her her life to campaigning for environmental causes and worked as a conservation volunteer around the world, while her second book – titled Greendays – was a diary that included facts about environmental issues and suggestions of relevant activities and projects. Many people took to social media to pay tribute to Willis after the news of her death was made public, with BBC Wales weather presenter and journalist Sue Charles writing on X: "Sad news about Wincey Willis. Bringing back big memories of the early days of Breakfast TV. "And for '80s kids, the line ‘John Kettley is a weatherman… and so is Wincey Willis’, brought a level of pop culture notoriety, that went way beyond a namecheck in a one-hit wonder." View oEmbed on the source website Another X user wrote: "Sad to learn of the passing in December 2024 of Wincey Willis. She was something of a female trailblazer on TV, and we still enjoy the occasional bout of Treasure Hunt, with Wincey keeping track of Anneka Rice." A third commented, "RIP Wincey Willis. I'll always remember your happy face and bubbly personality on TV as I got ready for school." And another fan wrot…

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Jeremy Vine: "Once you put your views on the table, you become much less interesting as a presenter"
type: item
date: 2025-06-16T23:01:30.000Z
creator: Gareth McLean
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Interview
subject: Magazine
description: The TV presenter chats exclusively to Radio Times about impartiality and the topics that divide the UK the most.
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. What's the view from your sofa? I’m not going to boast about what I thought was a sexy TV but most likely isn’t – it’s probably got a cathode ray tube and is about 20 years out of date. But I have recently got a sexy clock and that’s just above the TV. It has a digital interface but it shows cogs, gears and levers that look real. To the right of the TV, there’s a little fire, which obviously isn’t lit at the moment. You hosted Eggheads and now Celebrity Puzzling. Do you like a quiz? I have a real interest in TV quizzes. There must be 1,000 episodes of Eggheads [he presented around 1,200] and they’ll still be showing them when I’m long dead. Whenever there’s a new quiz on, I always watch it. You don't just watch, you also partake? I was on Pointless with Jo Whiley and, to my surprise, we actually won. I’ve still got the trophy at home. I was on Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains with James Acaster and I’ve got the trophy for that on my desk at ITN. Recently, I was on Catchphrase. I was also on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with my brother, Tim [Vine, the stand-up comedian]. How was that? You always remember the question you were knocked out on. It was: “What does the D in Dwight D Eisenhower stand for?” Which I think is quite a difficult question. One of the options was David, as in Camp David, and another option was Donald. Tim said, “I know this – it’s Donald, Eisenhower was named after Donald Duck.” It was, of course, completely wrong… The D stands for David. Later, I asked Tim why he said that and he said, “Because it was funny.” Have you spoken to him since? He’s my brother; I have to speak to him. He was on The Weakest Link on Christmas Day – there were 15 Vines sitting around at home and he said, “Don’t watch it, don’t watch it!” So we watched it. The first question he got was: “What orange vegetable has a name that sounds like a property of gold?” You know what he said? Swede. You took over on Radio 2 from the l…

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Slow Horses star and Strictly Come Dancing legends confirmed for King's Birthday Honours 2025
type: item
date: 2025-06-14T10:08:19.000Z
creator: Alex Raisbeck
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: Honours left, right and centre!
encoded: It's that time of year when The King imparts honours for his birthday, and as usual, there's a gamut of famous faces from film and TV who have been chosen. One of the most high-profile names in the list has to undoubtedly be football icon David Beckham, who has received a knighthood, but he is far from the only big name to receive the honour. Actor Gary Oldman has also received a knighthood, following a storied career on screen, including an Oscar-winning performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Oldman has also received plenty of plaudits in recent years for his performances as Jackson Lamb in Apple TV+'s Slow Horses, the fifth season of which will air in September. Alongside him, there have been honours for two Strictly Come Dancing stars, with presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman both being made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to broadcasting. Unsurprisingly buoyed by the news, Winkelman is noted to have said by the BBC, "I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble," while Daly revealed that she cried upon opening her letter. Further honourees include Evita star, actress and singer Elaine Page, who has received a damehood, Love Island and TOWIE star Georgia Harrison, who has received an MBE for her work on online privacy and cybercrime, and The Who's Roger Daltrey has been knighted for his services to charity and music. It was a big day for darts, too. Both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, who have teamed up for England at the World Cup of Darts, received MBEs, joining Beckham on the list of sporting honourees. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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BBC responds to presenter Nihal Arthanayake's criticism that 'nothing has changed' with lack of diversity
type: item
date: 2025-06-12T12:38:50.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: The BBC has said that creating an "inclusive culture" is a "big priority".
encoded: The BBC has responded to criticism from presenter Nihal Arthanayake that "nothing has changed" concerning diversity at the broadcaster. In a post on Instagram, Arthanayake – who first joined the BBC in 2002 and has held multiple roles across radio and TV – revealed he would be leaving in September and that he felt no progress has been made since he raised concerns more than a year ago. He said: "So today I walked into the BBC building in Salford and I was struck yet again, not for the first time, just how few Black and Asian people work in that building. "One thing that people have to understand is that when you walk into an environment where you just don't see anybody that looks like you, that has an effect. "Since I called them out on it, well over a year ago, it seems like ain't a damn thing changed." The post was captioned: "I remember calling out BBC North on the lack of diversity in the building I worked in. "I remember speaking to some of the black and asian people who worked there and I kept hearing how isolating it was for them (not all obviously). It just struck me again today. "It also reminded why I'll be leaving in September. Have pondered whether to press 'share' on this, but as I am leaving anyway." Yesterday, he posted a screenshot of an anonymous message from a BBC colleague that said: "I'm not sure the BBC is a place for people of colour. I feel we get treated like 'pets' that we should be grateful, despite grafting for our positions and dare we speak out." In response, a BBC spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: “We’re sorry if anyone feels this way, as creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong is a big priority for us and we know we have further to go. "Whilst we’re proud of the diversity of the BBC, we remain committed to continuing to build a workforce that fully reflects and represents the whole of the UK.” In 2021, the broadcaster set a goal for 20 per cent of its staff to come from Black, Asian and minority ethnic background…

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How to watch Trooping the Colour 2025
type: item
date: 2025-06-12T10:36:57.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: BBC One
subject: BBC Two
description: The annual celebration returns.
encoded: Trooping the Colour returns for another royal celebration this year as the public gather for a weekend of festivities to celebrate the birthday of the sovereign. This year marks King Charles III's third Trooping the Colour as monarch, almost three years on since he became King. The celebration, which will be covered across BBC One and Two, is promised to be full of music, majesty and military precision, culminating with the annual RAF flypast and the Royal Family's balcony appearance. Read on for full details about Trooping the Colour 2025 and how to tune in from home. How to watch Trooping the Colour 2025 Clare Balding leads the live coverage once more from the heart of London, beginning on Saturday 14th June at 10:30am on BBC One and iPlayer. The parade will last for around two hours, with the BBC's coverage ending at 1:10pm. Highlights from the day will then be shown on BBC Two at 7pm. What is the schedule for Trooping the Colour 2025 and what time does it begin? Like years before, the Royal Family will begin celebrations in a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards. Below is an estimated order of events for the day: 10:30am – The Horse Guard Parade 12:25pm – Royal Family to return to Buckingham Palace 12:55pm – Royal Family to assemble on the balcony of Buckingham Palace 1:00pm – Royal flypast by the RAF Does Trooping the Colour take place on the King's actual birthday? Contrary to popular belief, Trooping the Colour does not take place on King Charles III's birthday. His actual birthday is on 14th November, but Trooping the Colour marks an official celebration of a monarch, a tradition that dates back to the 18th century. Live coverage of Trooping the Colour – The King's Birthday Parade begins at 10:30am on Saturday 14th June on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 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.

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BBC confirms King's birthday TV coverage timings for Trooping the Colour
type: item
date: 2025-06-04T13:55:27.000Z
creator: Lidia Molina-Whyte
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: BBC One
subject: BBC Two
subject: News
description: When to tune in to the King's official birthday celebration.
encoded: The BBC has confirmed timings for this year's Trooping the Colour, with the King's birthday parade set to go ahead on 14th June 2025. The broadcaster will show highlights on BBC Two at 7pm before airing Trooping the Colour: the King's Birthday Parade at 10:30pm on BBC One. Over 1,350 soldiers are set to take part, including more than 300 musicians from the Massed Bands. There will also be 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards who will line the processional route along The Mall. This will mark King Charles's third Trooping the Colour ceremony, which has been commemorating the birth of the country's sovereigns since the 18th century. It always takes place in summer, regardless of what dates their actual birthdays fall on. His Majesty's birthday is on 14th November. The BBC is set to air a programme dedicated to the event in the evening, covering the celebrations after airing highlights earlier in the afternoon. Trooping the Colour: the King's Birthday Parade will air on Saturday 14th June at 10:30pm on BBC One. Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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ITV confirms major changes as Lorraine runtime halved and GMB extended
type: item
date: 2025-05-20T15:09:27.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: A major shake-up is coming at ITV in 2026.
encoded: ITV has announced major changes to its daytime shows as part of a shake-up for 2026. From the start of next year, Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes, running from 6am to 9:30am every day, while Lorraine has had its runtime cut in half and will now be broadcast from 9:30am to 10am. Lorraine and Loose Women's output will be reduced to 30 weeks of the year, down from 52 weeks, as part of the reshuffle. When Lorraine is not on the air, GMB will run from 6am to 10am. This Morning will continue to be broadcast between 10am and 12:30pm while Loose Women will be in the 12:30pm to 1:30pm slot. As part of the changes, GMB will be made by a dedicated team within ITV News at ITN, in a move aimed at bringing all of ITV's national news gathering into one hub. Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women will still be produced by ITV Studios but will be broadcast from a new central London location. Deadline is reporting that the changes will see ITV make more than 220 redundancies – around half the 450 employees who work across ITV Studios-produced programmes GMB, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women. ITV has said that the changes will fund additional investment in drama and sporting events, including the coverage of the 2026 World Cup. Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, explained the motivation behind the announced changes. He said: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres. “These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage mo…

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How to watch VE Day at 80 celebrations – full schedule
type: item
date: 2025-05-06T15:14:28.000Z
creator: James Hibbs
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
description: There are a host of programmes scheduled for the big day and throughout the week.
encoded: Thursday 8th May 2025 marks exactly 80 years since Victory in Europe Day, otherwise known as VE Day, when the Allies formally accepted Germany's unconditional surrender in the Second World War. There will be many programmes and events scheduled throughout the week to celebrate and mark the occasion, with the day itself seeing a service of thanksgiving taking place at Westminster Abbey. This service will be televised on BBC One, with Petroc Trelawny providing commentary and Sophie Raworth presenting from a studio in St James’s Park. This will be followed later in the day by a live concert from Horse Guards Parade in London, presented by Zoe Ball, with the likes of Samantha Barks, Fleur East, John Newman, Freya Ridings, The Darkness, Toploader and Tom Walker among those set to perform. East will be accompanied by a performance from Strictly Come Dancing professionals Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Lauren Oakley and Kai Widdrington. Meanwhile, other programming in recognition of VE Day scheduled over the upcoming days includes documentary Dad’s Army at the BBC, a repeat of Vicky McClure: My Grandad’s War and the airing of 2016 film Their Finest. The Repair Shop will also be providing a VE Day special, while there will be a special episode of EastEnders which will see celebrations taking place in Albert Square. Read on for the full schedule of VE Day celebrations on TV this week. VE Day at 80 celebrations – full schedule You can find a full list of the VE Day at 80 coverage that is scheduled across the next few days here, including films and programmes centred around the Second World War, specific celebration programming and special episodes of ongoing series: Dad’s Army at the BBC – Tuesday 6th May, 7:30pm, BBC Two Dad’s Army – Tuesday 6th May, 8:30pm, BBC Two The Repair Shop: VE Day Special – Wednesday 7th May, 8pm, BBC One VE Day: We Were There – Wednesday 7th May, 11:30pm, BBC Two VE Day 80: The Nation Remembers – Thursday 8th May, 10:45am, BBC One …

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Russell Brand granted bail after rape and sexual assault charges – to appear in Crown Court later this month
type: item
date: 2025-05-02T13:14:39.000Z
creator: David Craig
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: News
description: The comedian and actor has denied the accusations.
encoded: Russell Brand has been granted bail following a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court. The comedian, actor and television presenter has been charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault and one count of oral rape, plus two counts of sexual assault. Accusations come from four different women and are in connection to incidents in Bournemouth and London, which are alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005. The allegations were made public for the first time in a 2023 investigation by Channel 4's Dispatches titled Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, carried out in partnership with newspapers The Times and The Sunday Times. Brand has strongly denied the accusations, most recently telling followers on X: "I was a drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile – but what I never was, was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity." In court today (per Sky News), he said very little, only confirming his name, date of birth, address and his understanding of the conditions of the bail. The case is now referred up to the Old Bailey, a Crown Court, where Brand is scheduled to appear on Friday 30th May. The charges were read out during the hearing, referring to an alleged rape in a Bournemouth hotel room in 1999 and an alleged indecent assault at a television studio in 2001. The charges also concern an alleged oral rape and sexual assault in London in 2004, and another alleged sexual assault between 2004 and 2005 at a radio station. Brand was living in the United States when the Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges, which were made via post. He had provided the court with both his US and UK addresses. The 49-year-old became famous around the world for roles in comedy films and popular stand-up tours, but has more recently been known for his political views and social media output.

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VE Day at 80: Stories of courage, sacrifice and survival
type: item
date: 2025-04-28T23:01:54.000Z
creator: Kate Battersby
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Magazine
description: "So many of the ones I knew who didn't come back were air crew. They're who I'll be thinking of."
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Stewart Taylor. The 102-year-old RAF veteran piloted a Dakota transport plane, serving in Europe and the Far East. For almost an hour, 102-year-old Stewart Taylor has been recalling his time piloting Dakota transport aircraft in the Second World War. The memories come back thick and fast, often peppered with smiles. It's only when he reflects on the meaning of VE Day 80, and why remembrance matters so much, that the words are suddenly more difficult to find. "I have a list of 50 people," he says slowly, tapping his temple. "Some I can't name, but I can see their faces. Some I was at school with, some lived down the street, some I served with, some were whole crews." His voice cracks as he struggles to get the words out, then finishes: "They never came back. Simple as that." Taylor's handshake is firm as he welcomes you into the Preston house where he lives entirely independently. Just back from a solo break driving to the Lake District in his camper van, close to where the RAF veteran sits is a photograph of himself with Kathleen, his wife for seven decades until her death nine years ago. They met in 1937 when he was 14 years old. "King George VI had made Lancaster, where I was born, a city to mark his coronation," he says, smiling. "There was a pageant with local schoolchildren doing a tableau of Saxon times. We were at the back, a serf and serfette. We were told to mingle, so Kath and I mingled for 70-odd years." The son of a factory foreman and a seamstress, Taylor left school at 15 before getting a job as a junior clerk in local government. In 1942, with war intensifying in Europe and Singapore falling to the Japanese, Taylor, then 19, joined the volunteer reserve. At that time the furthest he had been from home was 20 miles. By the end of 1946 he would see swathes of Canada, and journey through Libya, Iraq and the Indian sub-continent to reach Burma (now Myanmar), from where he would fly all over the Far East…

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The war ended, but it never left him: Lesley Sharp on her father's quiet courage
type: item
date: 2025-04-28T23:01:13.000Z
creator: Lesley Sharp
subject: Current Affairs
subject: TV
subject: Magazine
description: He was a quiet, dignified, dutiful, beautiful man.
encoded: This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. My dad was born in 1916, the year of the Battle of the Somme, at the height of what HG Wells called “the war that will end war”. A stoic Scotsman, he was 23 when the Second World War broke out. He signed up without thinking, but with the feeling that it was the right thing to do. The baby of one war was a man of the next. Over the next five years, he was stationed in Damascus, India, Lebanon and what was then called Persia. He saw major campaigns such as the Battle of Anzio, during which 10,000 British and 24,000 American soldiers lost their lives. By the time VE Day was declared, my dad had risen to the rank of Major and was sent to Germany, where he would be responsible for German prisoners of war. After his work there was done, he left the Army, despite entreaties from his superiors to stay. He wasn’t yet 30. When I was young, he talked about the war a little. He was humbled by the loss he had experienced; he nearly lost his own life a couple of times. A lot of the trauma he witnessed he didn’t talk about at all. He kept that in. He was grateful too, despite the circumstances, that he got to experience parts of the world that a working-class lad from Scotland would otherwise not have experienced. As I grew older, he told me more. Once, he relayed a story about a Polish officer who, unable to cope, drank himself to death over the course of a single night. The casualties of war weren’t confined to the battlefield. As Dad grew older, I could see for myself how significant his war years had been. He kept in touch with his colleagues and whenever one of them died, he always went to the funeral. He would be tipped back into a place where he remembered being young and what they’d been through together. That comradeship was a mainstay of his life, until the end of his life. After he died in 2007 at the age of 91, I had to go through his things. Along with his medals and letters and photographs from the time, I found ol…

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