Maxton Hall season 3: Release date speculation and latest news
Will Ruby and James return for more drama?
Maxton Hall is officially returning for season 3. Back in June, Ruby and James stars Harriet Herbig-Matten and Damian Hardung confirmed the news in a video captioned "Maxton Hall calling… season 3 is happening" wearing smiles and holding the scripts in their hands. The Prime Video hit is based on Mona Kasten's trilogy, so a third instalment was always on the cards. And after that season 2 ending (more on that in a moment), it would've been a real hammer blow for fans not to reunite with Ruby and James. So, when can we expect it? Who's likely to return? And what might go down next? Here's everything you need to know about Maxton Hall season 3. When will Maxton Hall season 3 be released? Seasons 1 and 2 landed in 2024 and 2025 respectively, so we'd expect the new episodes to arrive in 2026 – likely sometime in the mid-to-late part of the year. Watch this space for updates. Who will be in the Maxton Hall season 3 cast? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Ruby-MH-7a88809.jpg" width="1095" height="730" alt="A woman with light skin and long brown hair stands outdoors, looking intently at a man who faces her with his back to the camera. She wears a light, ruffled blouse with soft pink and white tones, while the man wears a light blue shirt. The setting is bright and natural, with greenery and a body of water blurred in the background. The woman’s expression appears emotional and serious, suggesting a tense or heartfelt moment between the two." title="Maxton Hall" /> It wouldn't be Maxton Hall without Harriet Herbig-Matten as Ruby Bell and Damian Hardung as James Beaufort. Other characters who could return are: Sonja Weißer as Lydia Beaufort Fedja van Huêt as Mortimer Beaufort Justus Riesner as Alistair Ellington Ben Felipe as Cyril Vega Andrea Guo as Lin Wang Esmael Agostinho as Wren Fitzgerald Runa Greiner as Ember Bell Gina Henkel as Helen Bell Martin Neuhaus as Angus Bell Hyun Wanner as Percy And there's always the opportunity for other returnees and new additions, too. What might happen in Maxton Hall season 3? At the end of season 2, Ruby was left completely shattered after being barred from sitting her exams due to her suspension – in turn destroying her dream of studying at Oxford. A photo had surfaced of her with Sutton (the teacher who got Lydia pregnant) at the welcome party — a moment she rightly insisted was "a completely harmless situation". But her protests fell on deaf ears. Read more: Maxton Hall season 2 ending explained: The scandal that sabotages Ruby and James’s happy ever after Although Sutton was arrested, he still chose to drag Ruby into the mess, leaving her future hanging by a thread as she broke down in James's arms. Prime Video hasn't released an official synopsis for season 3 yet, but we do have the blurb for Kasten's third book — and it gives us a solid idea of what's coming, including Ruby and James's relationship being pushed to the brink once again. "Ruby is in shock: her worst nightmare has come true, and now Oxford and all her dreams that finally seemed within reach are at risk," it reads. "Worst of all, everything points to James as the one responsible, even after everything they've been through together. Ruby thought she had met the real James — the one who has his own dreams, the one who makes her laugh and makes her heart beat faster with a single glance. "However, after an explosive fight between the two, they discover a terrible truth. "Together, Ruby fights to graduate, as James tries to clear her name at school. But that means James must once again challenge his father and the expectations placed on him. "And despite everything, James still threatens to break under the weight of his family obligations. Ruby and James must ask themselves whether their worlds are simply too different, or if they can finally find their way back to each other.” Is there a trailer for Maxton Hall season 3? No – as trailers usually arrive in the month leading up to the premiere. But there might be some teasers prior to that. As soon as they arrive, we'll update this page. Maxton Hall—The World Between Us streams on Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime. Add Maxton Hall—The World Between Us 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.
Maxton Hall season 2 ending explained: The scandal that sabotages Ruby and James's happy ever after
School's back in session at Maxton Hall, where a scholarship student and the entitled rich kid must fight to overcome the world between them and make their love work. Based on Mona Kasten's best-selling book Save Me, the first season of MaxtonHall had the most successful series launch of any non-American Prime Original ever upon its release. Things weren't looking so good for Ruby and James, however, as season 1 ended in tragedy. Just as their romance finally got back on track, James and his sister Lydia were confronted with the worst news imaginable. Their mother Cordelia had died after suffering a stroke. Season 2 kicked off with James spiralling so much that he wrecked his relationship with Ruby entirely. But Maxton Hall being Maxton Hall, it wasn't long before the pair reconciled. As such, the drama came instead from James's awful father, who continues to make his son's life as hard as possible, with Ruby often taking the brunt of his cruelty. The only thing crueller is us being forced to sit through this schlock in the first place. That's not all though. Beyond this family strife, another controversy brewed, one that takes centre stage at the end of season 2 in what must be one of TV's weirdest, most uncomfortable developments of 2025. Read on to find out how Maxton Hall season 2 ends and see just what we're on about. Maxton Hall – The World Between Us season 2 ending explained The previous episode ended with Maxton Hall's Principal discovering that one of his teachers, Graham Sutton, has got Lydia pregnant. This plotline is all kinds of gross and icky by the way, especially because of how the writers romanticise it – and in a teen show, no less. James's sister and the professor are in love, which apparently makes this power dynamic something worth rooting for? Or at the very least, something we shouldn't be condemning outright? The head has the right response though, dramatically looking into the distance with sheer horror in his eyes (even if he's only thinking of himself). Season 2's finale starts in much the same way, this time with him dramatically ending a call about the same problem, eyes still agape in camp disbelief. Meanwhile, James is skipping out on a vital investors meeting to play lacrosse. It's an important match to be fair, make-or-break for the championship, and his dad sucks, so leaving him in the lurch like this is definitely the right call. The game between Eastview and Maxton Hall is shot like a clash of the titans on Mount Olympus. With every fall and every tackle, the camera shakes and the ground seems to shake with it in booming magnitude. It's silly and over the top in ways that don't fit the show in any shape or form, but it's not like logic has ever held the writers of Maxton Hall back before. Lydia runs off to the bathroom when gossip around Mr Sutton and his mystery lover starts making the rounds. Back at the investor meeting, one of the head business guys runs off too, enraged that James didn't bother showing up. "I will not entrust a man who can’t even handle his own son with another penny." Mortimer is not best pleased. But hey, James was needed at the game because the teams are drawing and there's only ten seconds left on the clock. This is the kind of original, daring storytelling that Maxton Hall has become known for, and I for one am happy to see it continue now in season 2. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/maxton-83afb2d.jpg" width="2000" height="1333" alt="A young man and woman stand on an outdoor sports field, appearing tense. The man, in the foreground, wears a white tank top and grey sweatpants, holding lacrosse gear in one hand while looking ahead with determination. Behind him, the young woman wears a school uniform consisting of a purple blazer, white shirt, and light grey pleated skirt. She carries a brown satchel and watches him with a concerned or serious expression. The scene suggests an emotional or dramatic moment set after a sports practice or game." title="Maxton Hall" /> As if that wasn't dramatic enough, blame at the meeting inevitably brings up Mortimer's dead wife yet again. "I’m glad Cordelia didn’t have to see this," says someone for the umpteenth time, giving her more screen time now she's dead than the show ever bothered to give Cordelia when she was alive. Mortimer blames Ruby Bell, obvs, as does Cyril when Maxton Hall loses the game. Sure, why not? Sutton and Lydia meet to talk about the scandal growing around them. She reckons Cordelia is leaving the family business to her and James in the will reading that's about to happen, so the Professor offers to be a stay-at-home dad to look after their baby. "Seems I’m gonna have a lot of time on my hands soon…" adds Sutton. You know why that is? Because he's going to get fired for impregnating one of his students. Ew. James and Ruby text each other with quick updates on their lives, signing each text with their initials like they're pensioners writing letters from war rather than the 18-year-olds they're supposed to be. James's voiceover uses big terms like "cognitive consistency", which aren't particularly interesting or relevant, feigning intelligence for both him and the writing at hand. At the will reading, it's revealed that Cordelia has left all of her assets and shares to her husband, Mortimer. He's super smug about it, revelling in his children's misfortune. James gets all up in his face, threatening to ruin his father. Sure, James. Good luck with that. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Ruby-5681b2f.png" width="1278" height="852" alt="A woman with light skin and long brown hair stands in a softly lit, elegant setting, wearing a deep blue, textured dress. She looks directly toward the camera with a composed, thoughtful expression. Behind her, several people dressed in formal black-tie attire are visible, slightly out of focus. A large crystal chandelier glows above, casting a warm light that contrasts with the cool blue tones in the background. The atmosphere suggests a formal or sophisticated event." title="Maxton Hall" /> There's a scene where Ruby's family starts singing the "Be Happy" song to lift each other's spirits after her mum's bad news. I mention this here, not because it's relevant, but because it's a perfect encapsulation of just how silly this show really is. I can't possibly convey how cheesy this all plays out on screen. Words do not do it justice, I'm afraid. James goes to Alice, the woman who revoked Ruby's scholarship grant a few episodes prior when Mortimer asked her to do so. He tries his mother's memory to guilt her into doing the right thing, to turn against his father, but Alice points out that Mortimer's financial support helps her do a lot of good in this world through charity. Things aren't looking good, but there's still some hope that Ruby can pass her scholarship exams and get into Oxford. She holds onto this hope pretty strongly in some weird slow-motion scenes where – I kid you not – actual butterflies dance around her. But then it all comes crashing down again. When Sutton is called in to explain himself to peers, he explains that he and the student under his care "have fallen in love with each other". Mortimer is randomly there too because he's on the school board, apparently. "I’m curious what her parents will have to say about it," he mentions, which is kind of weird because his daughter Lydia is the one who is directly involved. Sutton is understandably confused, and so are we. That is, until Ruby is suddenly called to the headmasters' office just before she heads into the exam. Her mother arrives, also confused, and then it happens. The head reveals the photo everyone's been talking about, but that's not Lydia in the picture. It's Ruby in a photo that was taken of her with Sutton at the welcome party last season. "That was a completely harmless situation," Ruby points out, and she's right to say it. Still, that doesn't stop the headmaster from rather cruelly suspending her with immediate effect. "No diploma, no studies… Oxford? you can forget about it." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Ruby-MH-7a88809.jpg" width="1095" height="730" alt="A woman with light skin and long brown hair stands outdoors, looking intently at a man who faces her with his back to the camera. She wears a light, ruffled blouse with soft pink and white tones, while the man wears a light blue shirt. The setting is bright and natural, with greenery and a body of water blurred in the background. The woman’s expression appears emotional and serious, suggesting a tense or heartfelt moment between the two." title="Maxton Hall" /> Ruby then runs out crying in slow motion as a police car picks Sutton up from the university. James and Lydia look on in confusion, but the gross professor gives her a reassuring nod as he climbs into the vehicle. Yep, it looks like Sutton didn't correct the teachers in a bid to protect Lydia, thereby ruining Ruby's life in the process. She and James cry in each other's arms as the Snow Patrol song Chasing Cars plays over the credits. Is it a particularly relevant or original choice to end on? Of course not, and that's Maxton Hall in a nutshell. The show brings drama, make no mistake about that, and it's morbidly fun to hate-watch at points. What doesn't sit right though is how this student/teacher relationship is framed as merely misunderstood. Of course Lydia and Sutton are into it, but it's uncomfortable that the show itself seems kind of into it as well. Let's just hope the already-confirmed third season rectifies this somewhat. As it stands now, this ridiculously absurd ending is built on a weird, uncomfortable story arc that isn't being treated with the skill and nuance it deserves. But maybe that's my fault. Maybe I'm asking too much of Maxton Hall, which, two seasons in, remains one of the worst shows on streaming. Maxton Hall – The World Between Us streams on Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime. Add Maxton Hall—The World Between Us 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.
BBC One unveils "unforgettable" Christmas 2025 idents for TV and iPlayer with beloved characters
One ident will reunite The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and Stick Man.
Some of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s most popular characters are set to appear on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in three brand new idents this Christmas. The festive visuals will showcase a range of popular figures from the beloved picture books, with one ident featuring Harry O’Hay and Betty O’Barley from The Scarecrow’s Wedding as they receive a visit from Santa, ahead of the full TV adaptation. A second ident unites characters from The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and Stick Man, while a third features Zog, Pearl and Gadabout from Zog and the Flying Doctors, alongside Witch from Room on the Broom. Created by Magic Light Pictures and with animation by Triggerfish Animation studios, the idents are scheduled to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer following Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday 30th November and will appear throughout the Christmas period. Kate Phillips, BBC’s chief content officer, expressed her delight at the "unforgettable" idents that "beautifully capture the festive spirit". "Featuring a selection of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s most popular characters, I hope they will spread some extra joy and togetherness into homes across the UK," she added. Martin Pope, joint CEO of Magic Light Pictures. said: "It’s a real joy to see our much-loved characters returning to the BBC this Christmas. These new idents capture the heart of what makes the stories so special – imagination, warmth and wonder – and they also celebrate BBC iPlayer as the home of Gruffalo and Friends, where families can enjoy the entire wonderful collection of specials together.” Donaldson and Scheffler’s Harry O’Hay and Betty O’Barley will also feature in an adaptation of The Scarecrow’s Wedding this Christmas. The animation follows the duo as they prepare for their big day. However, trouble soon swoops in in the form of a scarecrow named Reginald Rake. The Scarecrow’s Wedding will feature a star-studded voice cast, with Slow Horses actress Sophie Okonedo acting as the narrator for the story. Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley will play Betty O'Barley, Domhnall Gleeson will star as Harry O'Hay and Gavin & Stacey favourite Rob Brydon will play the rogue, Reginald Rake. The Scarecrows' Wedding will air on BBC One this Christmas. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Call the Midwife's Zephryn Taitte teases "visitor" for Cyril in 2025 Christmas special
The encounter makes him "focus on life a bit more".
The 2025 Call the Midwife Christmas special is fast approaching, and creator Heidi Thomas has quite the double bill lined up. A small party from Nonnatus House travel to Hong Kong to lend their assistance after the Branch House there collapses, leaving death and destruction in its wake, while it's very much business as usual in Poplar, with Sister Catherine and Joyce attending to "two mums-to-be who are Irish travellers and living in a camp there". And there's plenty of activity happening outside the remit of Nonnatus House, with Cyril welcoming an unexpected “visitor” into his home – an encounter that makes him "focus on life a bit more". The wealthy Mr Fisher sends Cyril a letter explaining that he is terminally ill and wishes to stay in the council worker's rented flat, which was his childhood home. “He wants to compensate Cyril for it, which Mrs Wallace is all too eager to accept,” said Zephryn Taitte, who added that Mr Fisher is Jewish, prompting them to hold a Hanukkah Festival of Lights celebration for him. "It's a lovely experience for Cyril," Taitte continued, describing it as "a story of reminiscence and appreciating your life, which is why Cyril reflects on his life and the future, especially with himself and Rosalind". <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Call-the-Midwife-BBC-7d6174d.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="A woman and a man sit together on the floor of a small tiled room, leaning close and smiling warmly at each other. She wears a patterned purple dress and tights, while he wears a patterned shirt and trousers. They hold hands, their heads touching as they share an intimate, joyful moment in the soft blue-tinted light." title="Call the Midwife" /> "It reminds Cyril of the important things in life and who you spend time with," continued Taitte. "It’s a lovely Christmas story." It was in last year's festive special when Cyril and Rosalind first started to grow close during their collective efforts to help an escaped convict say goodbye to his late mum by organising a funeral. Read more: Call the Midwife's Jenny Agutter teases death and destruction in "disturbing" Christmas special Call the Midwife creator "constantly" receives offers from streamers – but reveals no desire to leave the BBC Their connection then deepened further when Rosalind joined Cyril in volunteering at a homeless shelter – and when it was finally confirmed that Cyril and Lucille's divorce was in motion, Cyril and Rosalind have continued to go from strength to strength, despite external challenges, such as Joyce advising Rosalind against a relationship and racist backlash. And that is very much still the case, as illustrated by the above image from this year's Christmas special. Despite an uncertain start, the couple have never been in a stronger position as they look to the future. Call the Midwife will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas. Add Call the Midwife 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.
Peaky Blinders director's "high-stakes" new action series gets first look with BAFTA-nominated star
The series follows the two sole survivors of an ambush...
Sky has unveiled a first look at upcoming action-thriller Prisoner ahead of its premiere in 2026. The series, which is led by Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) and Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point), will tell the story of "a principled young prison officer escorting a dangerous, high-value prisoner to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate," according to a synopsis. The first-look image (above) shows Rahim in action as the prisoner, Tibor Stone, and Hoyle as Amber Todd, the prison officer, whose convoy is “brutally ambushed”. “As the sole survivors, handcuffed and on the run, they must race to reach their destination alive and on time,” the official synopsis continues. “Along the way, their uneasy alliance is tested as the syndicate closes in. Trust becomes a weapon and their shackled survival a moral dilemma, forcing Amber to confront how far she’ll go to protect what matters most.” Read more: Miss Scarlet and The Duke season 4 finally has free-to-air release date confirmed Sophie Turner's new heist thriller series on Prime Video gets confirmed release date and first look The six-part series is helmed by BAFTA-winner Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders), while Matt Charman has penned the script. Alongside Rahim and Hoyle, the supporting cast features the likes of Eddie Marsan (Back to Black, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe), Catherine McCormack (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, 28 Weeks Later), Leonie Benesch (September 5, Babylon Berlin) and Finn Bennett (Black Doves, True Detective). Sam Troughton (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Black Doves), Laurie Davidson (The Girlfriend, Mary & George), Ken Nwosu (Black Doves, Sticks and Stones), Brían F O'Byrne (Conclave, The Wonder) and Youssef Kerkour (Lockerbie: A Search For Truth) are also set to star. Prisoner will premiere on Sky and streaming service NOW in 2026. Add Prisoner 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 Guideto find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Call the Midwife creator "constantly" receives offers from streamers – but reveals no desire to leave the BBC
"Why would I give it up for something that's a shot in the dark?"
Call the Midwife has proven itself to be the jewel in the BBC's crown, with its 13th Christmas special on the way, followed by season 15 in the New Year – plus a prequel series, a movie and a 16th season beyond that. So, it's no wonder that its creator Heidi Thomas is highly sought after by the streamers, who naturally want a piece of the pie. When asked if she'd had offers to write for Netflix and others during a press Q&A, Thomas said that the offer of "wonderful opportunities" are a "constant" feature of her life, but that she has no desire to walk away from the BBC – which she described as "the best opportunity I have ever had". "Why would I give it up for something that's a shot in the dark?" she said of the long-running series – which charts the personal and professional lives of the midwives and nuns of Nonnatus House, in London's East End, from the late 1950s through to the 1970s. "I've always had things to say and I've always had brilliant people to say it for me, quite literally. This is my job of a lifetime – I've probably spent half my lifetime doing it – and that's not going to change. "To work with other women, to be able to tell stories about women and the working classes and the disabled and about newcomers to this country, I feel incredibly privileged to have had this material to work with. And... the streamers don't necessarily give anybody that because it's all a puff of smoke in the dark. Anything on a streamer comes like a firework and vanishes like a firework. "And this [Call the Midwife] is solid, isn't it? It's solid. It's a building, we built it from the ground up and there will be more stories." When it was then raised that creators often say yes to the likes of Netflix for the financial incentive, Thomas said that for her, "it's not about the money, it's about values". "I love the fact that we are a BBC show, because the BBC gives us a not unreasonable budget to work with, but we put every penny onto the screen," she said. "And I think that is as it ought to be. There's never enough time and there's never enough money, but what you make out of not having enough time and not having enough money is a jewel because you put thought into every gesture that you make, both on the screen and behind it. And I don't think you can put a price on thoughtfulness." Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne, and has appeared in almost every episode of the series, went on to talk about the letters that herself and other cast members have received over the years, which illustrate just how much that "thoughtfulness" touches its loyal fanbase. "All of us will have had letters from people which are not about what we do, but what the story does for them," she said. "And that is so touching, and has always made me feel that I'm– because sometimes, you think acting is a frivolous job. What the hell am I doing? "But when you when you hear from somebody that the show got them through circumstances, or it was something that touched their lives, you think that actually it is a gift to other people, and that's a very special position to be in, and it's been wonderful to have that with us." Read more: Call the Midwife 2025 Christmas preview as Trixie’s marriage gets a major update Call the Midwife's Jenny Agutter teases death and destruction in "disturbing" Christmas special Christopher Harper, who joined the period drama as Trixie's brother Geoffrey in 2023, echoed those comments, describing being a part of Call the Midwife as a "massive privilege". "As an actor, you can kind of play any character at any time, and you'll do whatever you're given. But actually, when you're playing a part like this, you're suddenly the face to somebody who it's really resonated with, and you can be that interface with them. And you realise how important this show is to people and what it does to people's hearts. "So it's fabulous as an actor to be part of that." Call the Midwife will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas. Add Call the Midwife 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.
Shetland's Ashley Jensen said her arrival as new DI could have "gone one way or another"
"When I got this, I just thought, 'I'm doing a six part series with this character and that's it.'"
Joining a show in its 8th season, and as a replacement for a lead character who's loved by fans, is not for the faint of heart. But when Ashley Jensen joined Shetland as Douglas Henshall's replacement, she had no expectations about her future on the BBC crime drama. "I think when you've started at the bottom in your career, which is what I did, going in and doing two lines in something, and doing a play where you take the set in the back of a van, put it up, do the show, take it down and go to the next, I think when you started there, it's actually a very good grounding to taking nothing for granted," she told RadioTimes.com. "And when I got this, I just thought, 'I'm doing a six-part series with this character and that's it,' – and I wasn't under option to do any more than that. So when we did the first one and then it suddenly got two [more seasons] off the back of that, it was a nice feeling because it could have gone one way or another." Jensen went on to praise the manner in which her character DI Ruth Calder was introduced – a moment she believes could have been make of break for Shetland. "I think what they did very cleverly was they kept very much the essence of the show, and Calder's whole super objective of the first series was, 'I want to get the hell away from here.' She never came on and was Billy big boots going, 'I've come to take over.' Everyone would be like that, 'Who are you?' And I think the audience would have done that. But instead, it led them in, it teased them in a wee bit more. "It kept everything and it elevated you [gestures to Alison O'Donnell], which I think the audience were crying out for. They wanted to know a bit more of Tosh." O'Donnell, who plays Calder's partner, DI "Tosh" McIntosh, echoed those comments. "They got both, didn't they?" she said. "Anyone who was feeling, 'My heart's with Perez,' they could go on the journey with her – like, 'Oh, who's this newcomer, and she doesn't even want to be here.' "There was this softly, softly approach. They were never pressing her onto anybody. But then, just by sleight of hand, she made her way into the thing. It was really clever." Two seasons on from Jensen's debut, Calder and Tosh are still hard at work solving crimes on the islands – this time, they're investigating the murder of former social worked Eadie Tulloch. "The murder itself is a peculiar death as the victim is an older woman and she’s positioned in a rather macabre way," said Jensen. What makes it worse is she’s outside her house, exposed to the elements and she’s been out there for a few days. And because it’s a small community, everyone’s a bit suspicious." Read more: Shetland's Alison O'Donnell reveals why she cried after watching first episode following Douglas Henshall's exit Jensen also described season 10 as "the best storyline out of the three I’ve been involved in". "I love the detail of this one and the fact that all the locals are suspects in the murder case. And another fascinating element of this storyline is that the personal lives of the police officers become embroiled in this case, which has been interesting for us all to play. "There are relationships in the station which become fraught and fractious." Shetland season 10 airs on Wednesdays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Seasons 1-9 are available to stream on iPlayer now. Ann Cleeves's Shetland novels are available to buy. 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.
Call the Midwife's Jenny Agutter teases death and destruction in "disturbing" Christmas special
It's anything but a silent night in this year's festive double bill.
It's Christmas in Poplar, but the festivities are put on hold for several Call the Midwife favourites when disaster strikes. In the festive special, the mother house in Hong Kong – filmed on location – collapses, leaving multiple casualties, including several children. But with few hands and limited supplies to manage the fallout, Nonnatus House steps in to help. "We discover the ground underneath the mission has made it collapse," explained Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne. "It's just sunk away. Some people have died, the whole place is destroyed, and the orphans and mothers have nowhere to go. "So, they get a small party together to go out to Hong Kong to see what they can do to help, try and find new premises and take care of things." Also joining them is Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar), "and that’s lovely," said Agutter. "Although it's difficult under the circumstances, there's an excitement in being able to make a difference – and an energy that comes from working in a place where people really need you." "That stays with Sister Julienne. So, when she returns to the UK, it's what she's kind of hankering for." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Call-the-Midwife-Christmas-special-2025-Sister-Hilda-Mrs-Ma-Sister-Julienne-75c0ff2.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="Sister Hilda and Sister Julienne sitting at a table and comforting a distraught Mrs Ma." title="Fenella Woolgar as Sister Hilda, Patra Au as Mrs Ma and Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne in the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2025." /> She went on to say that the theme of the special, which will have two parts for the second year in a row, is "unsteady ground". "Everything is about people being displaced in some way and the changes bringing something new and fresh," she said. "But in other ways, it's very disturbing." Also accompanying Sister Julienne and the others to Hong Kong is Sister Veronica, for whom the trip stirs up complicated emotions. "She and Nurse Crane find a newborn baby who's been left in a cardboard box, literally hours after being born," said Rebecca Gethings. "It's all looking quite bleak, but then the mother comes to collect the baby, so that's a really lovely moment, but tough for Sister Veronica. "She has bonded with this baby. She's got these mixed feelings of delight that this baby's going to be okay and reunited with his mother, but also this illogical wanting of the baby herself." Gethings said that even though having a baby was "not on the table" for Sister Veronica, as a nun, she's still "feeling the end of an opportunity to become a mother". "It's a physiological pull that she's going through, as she's always in close quarters with babies," she added. "It's a story that will continue throughout the series. You'll see that need grow in her." Read more: Call the Midwife 2025 Christmas preview as Trixie's marriage gets a major update BBC confirms Christmas 2025 TV line-up – from Call the Midwife to The Traitors and David Attenborough But it's not just the Hong Kong crew who are put through their paces – the instability Agutter spoke of is also felt back in Poplar. "They're dealing with a family who are completely displaced," she explained. "They are travellers who have no home, and who are having a child." Molly Vevers, who plays Nonnatus House's newest addition Sister Catherine, expanded on that storyline. "She gets involved in a case with two mums-to-be who are Irish travellers and living in a camp there," she said. "As the story unfolds, there's a lovely character called Queenie, who has a heartbreaking back story. "And Sister Catherine is pivotal in supporting her and helping her process the grief she's been through. It's a really heart-rending story but woven in with all the Christmas magic of the rest of the episode." Call the Midwife airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Add Call the Midwife 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.
Down Cemetery Road is stellar TV – but the real scene-stealer isn't who you think
Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are great in the series but it's time we talk about Fehinti Balogun.
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Down Cemetery Road episode 6.* We already knew Zoë was in a precarious situation going into the sixth episode of Down Cemetery Road, but nothing could quite prepare us for the sheer amount of tension that built throughout the latest episode of the series. If you listen closely, you may be able to hear phrases such as "Oh, TV is so back!" or "This is bloody brilliant" ringing out in the distance. Well, those are being cried out by me. That's because episode 6 of the (already) stellar drama is, quite simply, excellent – and really, it's all down to the star that is Fehinti Balogun. Captivating from the very first episode, Balogun has brought the character of Amos to life in such a way that you can't help but want more of him on our screens. There's absolutely no doubt about it: Amos is the antagonist of the series. Whether he's the main one is something to be disputed the closer we inch to the finale and come to understand the powers-that-be a bit better. What we do know, though, is that Sarah (Ruth Wilson) and Zoë (Emma Thompson) are the thorns in his side that he's intent on removing. For all intents and purposes, we're supposed to side with them and not Amos. And while I'm not saying that I side with a serial-killing hitman, it's hard not to absolutely love what the character brings to the dynamic and feel of Down Cemetery Road. Hell, I'd even go so far as saying that the series wouldn't be as great as it is without both Amos and Balogun. In the show's latest instalment, entitled Neglected Waters, the drama comes into its own. While some of the previous episodes may be seen as slightly slower in pace, episode 6 is a lesson for any screenwriter or director in how to build up tension perfectly. Trains have been used time and time again throughout TV and film as apt locations for the most twisted of tales. From Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, to The Girl on the Train, Murder on the Orient Express or the more recent Nightsleeper, there's clearly something about being in an enclosed space rattling along the railway that is ripe for building pressure for characters and viewers alike. In Down Cemetery Road, we already knew Amos had spied Zoë following him to his train cabin in the previous episode and while she went into this one assuming she had the upper hand, we always suspect that Amos is several steps ahead of most. Never will the British Transport Police's "see it, say it, sorted" announcement take on such a sinister note than when relayed by Amos, who slips into the seat opposite Zoë on the train. And who knew playing Bananagrams with strangers would end up being Zoë's only way of ensuring she wouldn't be killed that night? All the while, Amos never so much as breaks a bead of sweat, simply enjoying the lengths that Zoë is having to go to in order to try and outsmart him. We've seen it throughout the series but Balogun's straight face is the stuff of pure poker table fear; it simply doesn't give anything away. But as well as being superbly written, Amos is a character that has unexpected layers which are proving ever more enjoyable to peel away. Episode 3 showed a rare side of emotion to the character, revealing that the body he had cut up and disposed of was, in fact, his brother Axel. It's his unwavering commitment to get Zoë in this episode, though, that is not just the perfect cat-and-mouse chase but also only continues to underline Balogun as a gem within this series. Going up against the likes of Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson is no easy feat for any actor, I imagine, but Balogun makes it all look easy. A villain can only make a protagonist look better than they already do and whilst the likes of Thompson and Wilson certainly don't need to be propped up by anyone else with their existing acting chops, Balogun brings out the best of both of them in this series. Through Amos's looming and anxiety-inducing presence within the storyline, it only serves to create a depth of emotion and panic that carries this series. There are multiple gut-wrenching close calls within the recent train scenes alone, with Zoë using the appropriate term of "you sneaky little f**ker" once she realises that Amos has done something to the train to get all the passengers evacuated. He wants to kill her, it's simple. Some may think otherwise but the gun in his pocket (that has a silencer attached to it, no less) speaks volumes. Amos is one-track minded when it comes to his mission but we already know this. Whilst he could've entertained a very keen lover in previous episodes, it was clear his mind was preoccupied with the work he has to get done. Throw in the personal connection of his brother being killed and, well, it's as personal for Amos as finding Dinah is for Sarah. The predator-prey circling that underpins this entire episode notches up further when Amos (under the guise of 'Andy') hijacks a taxi with his new American friends in the passenger seats. From taking polaroids with them the evening prior, to shooting them both dead in cold blood, Amos never fails to shock us. What's his next move? Really, I don't want to be able to guess it and that's the mark of truly terrific TV. But it doesn't stop there – Amos forces himself to start crying and calls the police to report their murders, cleverly implicating Zoë in the crime as the perpetrator and making sure she'll be unable to move freely through the small Scottish fishing village that they're all descending upon. We've seen Balogun's ease at slipping into accents previously within this series but they never fail to surprise, only demonstrating his character's complete ease at manipulating people. Could Amos be the perfect TV villain? He's unintentionally very funny, no-nonsense, slick and just damn good at being a bad guy. Sure, he kills people with absolutely no remorse and fits all the markers of a psychopath, but he's the kind of antagonist that you can't help but enjoy watching, whether in his scenes with the leading actresses or in moments of comedic gold with Hamza (Adeel Akhtar). View Green Video on the source website Balogun's performance throughout the series is one that has me immediately thinking of the awards circuit and the actor hopefully scooping up a raft of nominations for this role. While Balogun clearly has all manner of talents in his various lines of work also as writer and activist, we can only hope that Down Cemetery Road cements him as a regular on our screens in the near future. Because while Down Cemetery Road has been a joyous web of tension and unease to watch unfold, it's really Balogun that has made this series extra special. Down Cemetery Road episodes 1-6 are available to stream on Apple TV, with episodes being released weekly – sign up to Apple TV now. Add Down Cemetery Road 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.
The Death of Bunny Munro ending explained: Does Bunny go to hell?
The Death of Bunny Munro comes to a surreal end with its sixth episode.
The Death of Bunny Munro is a rollercoaster ride, spanning everything from outrageous comedy to disturbingly dark moments, leaving viewers to anxiously question whether the promise of the title will be fulfilled. In the sixth and final episode, Bunny (Matt Smith) and his son (played by newcomer Rafael Mathé), finally arrive at the beauty product convention they had been heading towards – but there's more than fancy moisturisers to worry about. Not only has Bunny's behaviour become increasingly reckless and unpredictable, but a mysterious devil-horned killer is stalking the area, after gradually nearing closer over the past five chapters. Can disaster be averted? Read on for our full explanation and analysis of The Death of Bunny Munro ending – or stream all episodes on Sky Atlantic and NOW if you don't want anything spoiled for you. The Death of Bunny Munro ending explained: Does Bunny go to hell? The Death of Bunny Munro lives up to its title, with the emotional series finale depicting a grisly fate for Matt Smith's character – but hope of a better future for his young son. Bunny had whisked away his nine-year-old, Bunny Jr, on a chaotic road trip around Sussex, under the flimsy premise that he would teach him the tricks of his trade as a door-to-door salesman. In reality, the impromptu odyssey was utterly self-destructive, seeing Bunny indulge in his addictions to sex, drugs and alcohol, with no regard for the cost to others. Although Bunny Jr initially saw his father through rose-tinted glasses, those eventually dropped as his behaviour became ever more reckless, clearly exposing the fact that he wasn't capable of raising him alone. Throughout the series, we had seen menacing news reports of a murderer in a devil costume, whose deadly spree was on a collision course with Bunny and his son; in the end, the older Munro dies after being mown down by the killer's truck. This is where the show takes a turn for the surreal, with Bunny being guided to an unsettling music lounge filled with faces from his past, including late wife Libby (Sarah Greene). He finally confronts his mistreatment of her with a rendition of love song You Were Always on My Mind, but the token gesture is too little too late, and cannot offer him the redemption he is now so desperately seeking. As Libby and others in the lounge make their way upstairs for "a party," Bunny is informed that he's not invited, leaving him alone in the empty venue where the devil tenderly embraces him. It's apparent that the "horned killer" is not a plot point to be taken at face value, but rather a visual representation of Bunny's worst habits, including his abuse of substances and disregard for people, including those closest to him. Perhaps he could have heeded the reports of approaching doom and meaningfully changed his ways to avert such a catastrophe, but his continued commitment to hedonism and self-interest made his rendezvous with the devil an inevitability. Speaking to GQ about how the story ends, author Nick Cave explained: "I don't think that I'm trying to say 'repent'. I believe that what goes on in Bunny Munro's character is in all men. "It is innate within us – a kind of predatory sexual-ness – just as violence is innate within us. We're born with it. I think we must learn certain other things in order to negotiate ourselves through life, and those things are the better aspects of our character – empathy and intimacy." Cave added: "I was determined not to write a book about a monster who sees the error of his ways and kind of repents, which is the normal way in which a lot of these novels go. I don't go for the facing up to our faults and the admission of our sins as necessarily a redemptive thing." In-keeping with this assessment, Bunny gains a kind of self-awareness in death – recognising his faults and the bright promise in his son – but this doesn't absolve him of his total immorality in life. Whether that means he goes to hell (in the most conventional and mainstream understanding of the term) probably depends on your own philosophical or religious outlook. Certainly, it's one valid way to interpret the disquieting image of Bunny's lonely dance with the devil. However, the following scene suggests a more purgatorial fate. We see Bunny in one last conversation with his son, presumably an imagined one, at the same holiday resort where he first absorbed the toxic traits that would follow him for the rest of his life. He learned these behaviours from watching his own father, Bunny Sr (David Threlfall), as shown by how he mimics the very same hand gestures when approaching a girl at the edge of the swimming pool – resembling the floppy ears of a bunny rabbit. After the heart-to-heart, Bunny Jr walks off to face a brighter tomorrow, while his father proceeds to sink down into the dark, murky pool, returning to where his path in life became set. This might represent Bunny's descent to "hell" or, alternatively, an afterlife spent languishing in purgatory, which would reflect his inability to grow or change on the mortal plane. As a result, the cycle of pain is broken and Bunny Jr gets another chance as he ends up in a caring foster home, which sends him back to school after a prolonged absence. The Death of Bunny Munro is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add The Death of Bunny Munro 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.
Apple TV thriller The Hunt delayed as production company investigates "intellectual property matter"
The Hunt was originally due to be released on 3rd December.
Last week, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that French series The Hunt, also titled Traqués, was no longer on the schedule to be released on Apple TV, having originally been set to premiere on 3rd December 2025. It was then noticed that all promotional materials for the thriller had been removed, including the trailer for the series, although why this had happened was then uncertain. Now, production company Gaumont, from whom Apple TV acquired the series, has put out a statement to explain the decision to delay the series. The statement says: "The broadcast of our series The Hunt has been temporarily postponed. We are currently conducting a thorough review to address any questions related to our production. "We take intellectual property matters very seriously." Deadline has reported that questions were raised over the series being presented as an original work from creator Cédric Anger, in light of apparent plot similarities to 1973 novel Shoot by US author Douglas Fairbairn (which was also adapted into a 1976 film). Sources told the publication that Shoot had not been brought up as possible source material and was not on Gaumont or Apple TV’s radar until recently. Deadline also reports information about the issue started circulating this week after it was raised by French journalist Clément Garin, noting that any conversations over Shoot would involve his estate, as Fairbairn died in 1997. RadioTimes.com has approached Apple TV for comment. The synopsis for The Hunt says: "Franck (Benoît Magimel) and his long-time friends enjoy spending their weekends hunting together, but one Sunday, they come across another group of hunters who start targeting them without explanation. When one of their party is shot, Franck’s friends strike back, sending an attacker to the ground. "Barely managing to escape, the four friends keep the event a secret. Franck tries to go back to his life as usual alongside his wife, Krystel (Mélanie Laurent), but in the next few days, he starts to feel like he and his friends are being watched, or worse, tracked by hunters who are now hell-bent on revenge." Read more: Breaking Bad creator reveals his vision for new show Pluribus' future and why he wants it to run this long Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road book changes revealed by Emma Thompson The Hunt was due to stream on Apple TV – sign up to Apple TV now. 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.
Jack Shepherd on his famous role as Wycliffe – and why it might have looked "terribly boring" to outsiders
The Wycliffe star on long days, Cornish weather, golf bets and the "marathon" of leading a major TV drama.
This article was first published in July 1997 as part of RT's My Kind of Day series – it has been reproduced here in full following the sad news that actor Jack Shepherd has passed away, aged 85. During filming, Jimmy Yuill [DI Doug Kersey] and I have been sharing this converted schoolhouse near Perranporth in Cornwall. The school's been carefully adapted and renovated and makes a nice gothic residence with lots of atmosphere. It still has the signs saying Infants, Juniors and Seniors, and even the old school bell. I dare say it would still ring, but I've never tried. My day depends on whether or not there is an early schedule. If it's late, everything shifts forward a few hours and you find yourself eating meals at the oddest times, but if it's an early start I'll be up around 5am for a cup of tea. I'm on a yeast-free diet at the moment, so it's decaffeinated. As soon as I'm awake, I'll be learning my lines. If you play the lead in a long series like this one, there's a lot to learn. At the moment I'm about a week ahead, which is a comfort. The driver picks me up from the house and takes me off for breakfast, which is around 7.30am if it's an early day and about 12 if it's a late one. I have it in the caravan – porridge, poached egg, whatever... I'm on soda bread at the moment because of the diet. The routine is that I do costume in my caravan, the Winnebago, followed by make-up, which is simple and takes just ten minutes – enough to remove any blemishes. Then work starts. As anyone knows who's spent time around a film set, it requires a lot of patience. There's always a lot of waiting around and much repetition. Lunch comes after about five hours. If I feel like privacy and have learning to do, I'll take it on my own. Otherwise we all queue up. There's a race to see who is first. The “sparks” always seem to win, followed by Jimmy and I pretty close together. Afterwards I'll have 20 minutes' kip, which isn't a problem if I've been up since five. And the act of learning lines can induce stupor. A short sleep is energising, but it's not a good idea to have a long sleep. Waking up after an hour or more is like climbing out of a swamp. Of course filming in Cornwall is governed by the weather. We've had terrifying gales on the Lizard and snow on Bodmin Moor. In fact it's been minus 20 up there with the wind-chill factor and so cold it's hard to even speak. It can get terribly depressing, but the thing about Cornish weather is that it changes so fast and when the sun comes back, the mood changes with it and everyone cheers up. If we do manage an early finish, Jimmy and I do a quick nine at Perranporth. Golf is a game for which I have hardly any talent, but I am obsessional about it. Apart from the games with Jimmy, we have a four once a month with Brian Morgan, the director of photography, and Eddie Armstrong, the gaffer sparks. It's quite evenly matched, so a lot of £5 notes have passed back and forth! If you run over and get in late, you only just have time for something to eat and maybe a quick gin and tonic. It's not much of a social life – playing the lead for eight episodes in four-and-a-half months can look terribly boring to outsiders. If I went on the tiles, my system simply wouldn't stand it. Last week a friend of mine had an exhibition of paintings at St Agnes, and I managed to get over for that. My wife works in film production and is very busy, so she's only been down once. The children are all at university and they do manage to visit occasionally, which cheers everyone up. But basically working on Wycliffe is a marathon, and while it's going on there's very little time for anything else. Add Wycliffe 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.
The Capture season 3 first look finally released as Holliday Grainger returns in beloved role to face "brutal" danger
The techno-thriller aired its previous seasons in 2019 and 2022.
More than three years after season 2 aired, a first-look image for The Capture season 3 has now been revealed, showing Holliday Grainger back in action as Rachel Carey. The image, which you can see below, shows Rachel stood in an interview room, with her image being reflected multiple times in the mirror behind her. The exact release date for season 3, which is once again written by Ben Chanan, has yet to be revealed, but we do know it will be airing in Spring 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. As already announced, season 3 will see Killian Scott (Kaos) take on a pivotal role, in the same way Callum Turner and Paapa Essiedu played co-leads alongside Grainger in seasons 1 and 2 respectively. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Holliday-Grainger-as-Rachel-Carey-in-The-Capture-S3-coming-to-BBC-iPlayer-and-BBC-One-in-Spring-2026-291b2ba.jpg" width="7203" height="4802" alt="Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey in The Capture season 3, stood in an interview room with her back to a mirror, which reflects her multiple times." title="Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey in The Capture S3 coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One in Spring 2026" /> Meanwhile, returning cast members include Indira Varma as Khadija Khan, Ben Miles as Danny Hart, Lia Williams as Gemma Garland, Ginny Holder as DI Nadia Latif, Ron Perlman as CIA agent Frank Napier, Nigel Lindsay as DSI Tom Kendricks, Tessa Wong as DC Chloe Tan and Daisy Waterstone as Abigail Carey. Season 3 picks up 12 months after the huge season 2 cliffhanger, which saw Rachel broadcast a live deepfake of a government minister to the nation, exposing the UK intelligence service’s clandestine video manipulation programme known as Correction. The synopsis for the new season says: "Amidst an inquiry into the unlawful use of Correction, Carey has become Acting Commander of Counter Terrorism Command, determined to regain the public’s trust in surveillance technology through the new Operation Veritas camera system. "And then it happens: a brutal and exceptionally well-coordinated act of terror aimed right at the heart of the British establishment that leaves behind just one witness. "The more Carey investigates, the deeper she is drawn into an unfolding geopolitical crisis that infects the British political establishment, the security services, and the media. The conspiracy reaches deep into the State, but just who is pulling the strings? Caught in an increasingly violent situation, and with few allies left to trust, what sacrifices will Carey be willing to make?" The Capture season 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Spring 2026. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. 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.
Down Cemetery Road release schedule: When is episode 7 on Apple TV?
When do new episodes of the Mick Herron adaptation series get released on Apple TV?
With only a couple of episodes left to go in Down Cemetery Road, the stakes are ever higher for Sarah (Ruth Wilson) and Zoë (Emma Thompson) who each have been working hard to find Dinah. The series has followed the pair as they've tried to to get people to acknowledge the glaringly obvious but with such a race against time, it seems as though the walls are closing in faster than ever around them. The most recently released episode sees Zoë embark on a very dangerous game of cat and mouse whilst on the train to Scotland, with Amos (Fehinti Balogun) giving the private investigator a real run for her money. Down Cemetery Road has continued to be a welcome addition to Apple TV's offerings, particularly for Slow Horses fans, as it's also adapted from Mick Herron's work. Co-stars Thompson and Wilson have praised the story for featuring two characters at its centre who wouldn't typically be seen in this kind of story. "[Zoë and Sarah] are very unusual characters; Sarah doesn't really fit into the genre," said Wilson in an interview with RadioTimes.com. Read more: Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road book changes revealed by Emma Thompson Emma Thompson: I’d film action scenes on Down Cemetery Road, then have a half an ale between takes "She's a person like you and me, so there's something really fascinating and relatable about her – a twist on what we usually see on TV. They're two amazing, eccentric female leads. It's really rare, unique and funny." But when does the next episode land? Read on for details on when you can expect episodes of Down Cemetery Road to drop on Apple TV, complete with a full schedule and how many we can expect in total. Down Cemetery Road release schedule: When is episode 7 on Apple TV? Down Cemetery Road episode 6 will be released on Apple TV on Wednesday 3rd December. The series premiered on Apple TV with a double bill on Wednesday 29th October. Since then, a single episodes has dropped weekly every Wednesday. How many episodes of Down Cemetery Road are there? There will be eight episodes in Down Cemetery Road season 1 in total. Down Cemetery Road release schedule: When are new episodes out? Episode 1 - Almost True - Wednesday 29th October (out now) Episode 2 - A Kind of Grief - Wednesday 29th October (out now) Episode 3 - Filthy Work - Wednesday 5th November (out now) Episode 4 - My Friends Don't Like Me - Wednesday 12th November (out now) Episode 5 - Slow Dying - Wednesday 19th November (out now) Episode 6 - Neglected Waters - Wednesday 26th November (out now) Episode 7 - Lights Go Out - Wednesday 3rd December Episode 8 - What Will Survive - Wednesday 10th December Down Cemetery Road trailer You can watch the full trailer for Down Cemetery Road below. View oEmbed on the source website Down Cemetery Road will stream on Apple TV+ from Wednesday 29th October 2025 – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Add Down Cemetery Road 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.
Cooper & Fry release schedule: When will episode 3 air on 5?
The detective drama starring Robert James-Collier and Mandip Gill is now airing.
Detective drama Cooper & Fry may have only aired two episodes, but the short length of this first season means we're already halfway through the mysteries they will be solving this time around. The 5 drama, based on the novels by Stephen Booth about two police officers solving cases in the Derbyshire town of Edendale, stars Robert James-Collier as Ben Cooper and Mandip Gill as Diane Fry, and viewers are already loving their mismatched dynamic. Episode 3 will see the duo travelling to a small village, Withens, which is in a fight for survival against a water company with plans to buy, demolish and rebuild. There, a local man, Neil Goodwin, has been found brutally beaten to death in a disused quarry. The synopsis for the episode says: "As Fry begins to connect the case to the disappearance of Emma Runshaw from five years ago, she and Ben are pursued at every turn by ‘The Border Rats’ a mysterious group shrouded in secrecy. Led by the formidable Lucas Oxley, they’re sworn to protect Withens and ready for war. "As the strange behaviour of Emma’s parents, Howard and Sarah, raise suspicions for Fry, the detectives learn that Neil was involved in profiting from stolen goods. "But as Cooper and Fry get closer to the truth, the discovery of a body illegally buried in the local church graveyard, brings forth secrets once laid to rest long ago. To find the truth, Cooper and Fry will have to face the past and the present." But when will fans be able to watch that episode and how many episode will there be of this season in total? Read on for everything you need to know about the release schedule for Cooper & Fry. When will Cooper & Fry episode 3 air on 5? Unlike some 5 shows which air episodes daily across a week or more, Cooper & Fry – like another 5 drama The Forsytes – has gone for a traditional weekly release. This means that episode 3 will air on 5 at 8pm on Tuesday 2nd December 2025. How many episodes will there be of Cooper & Fry? There will be four episodes of Cooper & Fry in total, with each being based on a different book by Stephen Booth – Black Dog, Dying to Sin, Blind to the Bones and Dancing with the Virgins. There are 18 novels in the Cooper & Fry series in total, meaning there is still plenty of material ready to be adapted in potential future seasons. Cooper & Fry release schedule New episodes of Cooper & Fry will air every Tuesday on 5 at 8pm. You can find the full release schedule for Cooper & Fry below. Cooper & Fry episode 1 – Tuesday 18th November 2025, 8pm (out now) Cooper & Fry episode 2 – Tuesday 25th November 2025, 8pm (out now) Cooper & Fry episode 3 – Tuesday 2nd December 2025, 8pm Cooper & Fry episode 4 – Tuesday 9th December 2025, 8pm Cooper & Fry continues on Tuesday 2nd December at 8pm on 5. Add Cooper & Fry to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Nicole Kidman stars as "iconic literary character" in first look at star-studded detective thriller as release date confirmed
The series is coming to our screens next March...
Prime Video has unveiled a first look at upcoming series Scarpetta. The new images from the thriller (above and below) show Nicole Kidman stepping into the role of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the medical examiner with a knack for solving crimes from Patricia Cornwell’s novel series. The Prime Video series, which is set to premiere on the platform on 11th March, will take place across two timelines, with the dual narrative exploring Kay’s journey from her beginnings as a chief medical examiner in the late ’90s to her present-day return to her hometown, where she takes up her former position while investigating a murder. “As Scarpetta pursues justice, she must navigate complicated relationships, including the fraught dynamic with her sister Dorothy Farinelli (Jamie Lee Curtis), confront long-held professional and personal grudges, and face secrets that threaten to unravel everything she’s built,” the official synopsis continues. Alongside Kidman and Curtis, the series also stars Bobby Cannavale as Detective Pete Marino, Simon Baker as FBI profiler Benton Wesley and Ariana DeBose as Scarpetta’s niece Lucy Watson. Rosy McEwen, Amanda Righetti, Jake Cannavale and Hunter Parrish also star as the younger versions of Kidman, Curtis, Cannavale and Baker’s characters, respectively. Scarpetta is executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Jamie Lee Curtis through Comet Pictures, writer and showrunner Liz Sarnoff through Sarnoff TV, author Patricia Cornwell through P & S Projects, as well as Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie, and Chris McCumber through Blumhouse Television. David Gordon Green helmed five episodes and also serves as executive producer alongside Amy Sayres. Read more: Miss Scarlet and The Duke season 4 finally has free-to-air release date confirmed Sophie Turner's new heist thriller series on Prime Video gets confirmed release date and first look Scarpetta will launch on Prime Video on 11th March. Add Scarpetta 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 Guideto find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Sky's new Amadeus adaptation releases stunning first-look trailer and confirms release date
Will Sharpe and Paul Bettany's iconic composers face off in the new adaptation.
Sky has unveiled a brand new trailer for Amadeus, the upcoming series that reimagines the legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The six-part drama, which is based on Peter Shaffer's play of the same name, stars Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) as the musical genius. Paul Bettany (WandaVision) also stars as the envious court composer Antonio Salieri, while Gabrielle Creevy (In My Skin, Black Doves) plays Constanze Weber, Mozart’s fiercely loyal wife. It has also now been confirmed that Amadeus will launch on Sky and NOW on 21st December. Penned by Joe Barton, the series explores the genius composer’s extraordinary career and his imagined rivalry with Salieri. The new trailer gives fans a first look at this conflict between the two men, as Mozart says to Salieri: "Just because you're stuck rehashing boring old operas, doesn't mean I have to be." The footage then shows us various shots of Mozart conducting as we hear Salieri saying: "This repulsive creature. Played as though guided by a greater power." Mozart then tinkers at a piano, before picking up the sheet music and saying: "Yuck, who wrote this?" The answer, of course, is Salieri – and he looks pretty insulted. You can watch the trailer for yourself below: View oEmbed on the source website Amadeus begins with 25-year-old Mozart arriving in the musical hub of Vienna, where he's determined to escape his child prodigy label and carve out his own creative freedom. However, he soon collides with the respected court composer Salieri, who is shaken by Mozart's apparently divine gift. Salieri views Mozart as a threat to everything he values in life: his talent, his reputation and even his faith in God. Over the course of 30 years, the drama tracks the tumultuous relationship between the pair, which culminates in a murder confession and a desperate attempt by Salieri to entwine himself with Mozart’s legacy forever. The ensemble cast features notable names such as Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat) as Emperor Joseph, Lucy Cohu (Becoming Jane) as Cecilia Weber, and Jonathan Aris (The Sixth Commandment) as Leopold Mozart. Speaking about how he got into the headspace of Mozart on set, Sharpe previously told Radio Times: "Obviously there’s no footage of the real man, so I tried to get a sense of him through his music, which at times is grand and dark, and at other times sweet and playful – like the seemingly paradoxical elements of his psyche." Read more: Miss Scarlet and The Duke season 4 finally has free-to-air release date confirmed Sophie Turner's new heist thriller series on Prime Video gets confirmed release date and first look Amadeus will launch on Sky and NOW on 21st December. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
This week's Radio Times features an exclusive look at the best shows coming this Christmas
From Call the Midwife to new drama Amadeus, and from Dame Judi Dench to Sir David Attenborough, we reveal the festive season's most exciting treats.
I can't tell you how excited we get at Radio Times when Maria Fyfe, our peerless planning editor, reveals to us the programmes that are destined to shape the festive TV schedules. This happened a few weeks ago now but, as always, Maria reminded us that the information she had gathered was strictly confidential and we were sworn to secrecy, even from our own families. It's a little like working for MI6. (All right, it's nothing like working for the security services, but you get the idea.) So it's with real pleasure that, in this week's issue, we can finally start sharing some of those festive highlights with you. It's not the full feast of what's to come over the Christmas break, but it's the very best of what's to come in December, from Dames Judi Dench and Joanna Lumley telling us about their seasonal treats, to Will Sharpe and Paul Bettany talking about their ambitious long-form re-imagining of Peter Shaffer's classic play, Amadeus. We've even tucked in a sneak peek at the New Year's offerings to extend the anticipation a little further. There's still time to stock up on highlighter pens for the Christmas double issue when it lands – but, until then, consider this the moment that Christmas officially starts! The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: The queen of SoHa returns with two very special guests for an Amandaland Christmas special. Amadeus presents a racy new take on the life of Mozart the genius composer. More episodes of the final season of Stranger Things drop on Netflix over the festive period. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add Call the Midwife 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.
Has the new Robin Hood gone "woke"? A Robin Hood expert weighs in on the debate
Dr Sean McGlynn is a university lecturer and author of Robin Hood: A True Legend. He writes extensively on Robin Hood and medieval history.
The new Robin Hood series from MGM+ has produced an arrow storm of criticism from viewers who dislike its historical inaccuracy, with accusations of "wokery" unsurprisingly making their way into the discourse. Others, at the same time, are enjoying its modern updating and creative invention. Both sides have a point. Viewers who do not approve of the dramatic licence taken by the series’ makers draw attention to a number of issues that are modern-day interventions rather than being true to medieval England. One insertion is that Robin Hood’s closest ally, Little John, is a black man with dreadlocks. The chances of this bearing any resemblance to reality in late 12th-century England are almost zero. If Little John was of African descent, then something extraordinary would be happening today – instead of the Robin Hood legend we would be talking of the Little John one, so exceptional would be the scenario. We would not be watching films and TV series on Robin Hood, but on Little John. It is inconceivable to have such a character not being one of the most famous people of the Middle Ages, comparable to that of Joan of Arc in France. In the early stories of Robin Hood, Little John is a figure of almost equal importance and heroism to Robin, featuring in all the ballads and tellings of the legend. He also appears as a named companion of Robin in Scottish chronicles from the early 15th century. As one would expect, at no point is any reference ever made to his racial ethnicity. The extreme rarity of people of colour in 12th-century England would have immediately drawn the overwhelming attention of writers had Little John been black. The makers of the new Robin Hood also distort historical reality by making the “Saxons” (i.e., the English) as worshippers of a female goddess, Godda. By the time in which the series is set, England had been Christianised for 500 years. Pockets of paganism and folk religion would have survived, but any found by the church or monarch would have been destroyed by English kings long before the Normans (very much the bad guys in the programme) arrived. The Merry Men also include a woman disguised, for a while, as a man. This is Much the Miller’s Son of the original tales now being the Miller’s Daughter. While such a character has never appeared in any of the Robin Hood stories, there certainly were plenty of women criminals, so this is not such a stretch. Read more: I'm an expert historian and here's how accurate Robin Hood on MGM+ is to real events Robin Hood star teases potential season 2 as Sean Bean series approaches finale next month Such additions to the tale have been criticised by some as being an historically inaccurate attempt to make the story fashionable and relevant to our 21st-century multicultural society in which less than 5 per cent of the population regularly attends Christian services. How, then, in purely historical terms, can it be that viewers who have no problem with these modern embellishments are equally right in their opinions? The key here is that while there are the real facts discussed above about the historical setting and medieval writers supporting the critics, the earliest tales of Robin Hood are highly unlikely to be factual ones. This is because the story of Robin Hood was, from the start, designed as entertainment. Just as modern audiences like to be transported away from daily life into exciting stories of heroes and derring-do, so, too, did medieval ones – and all those in the centuries since. In the numerous medieval outlaw tales, of which Robin Hood was just one, audiences relished the often-gratuitous violence, revenge, coarse humour and mostly happy endings where the hero succeeds and where justice is restored. By the time of the earliest surviving Robin Hood tales in the late-15th century, the legend was already at least two centuries old. It is anyone’s guess how much the tale had already changed over that time. Notably, neither Maid Marian nor Friar Tuck were in the first stories, being added only later. View oEmbed on the source website The legend has lasted the test of time due to its almost limitless potential for adaptation. It has been made to appeal to all classes and audiences in different times. Thus, towards the end of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign in the 1590s, Robin was no longer a yeoman but elevated to the ranks of the nobility as Earl of Huntingdon so he could now be a hero of the upper classes. By the 20th century, Robin was re-imagined in many forms, two notably being as an anti-communist freedom fighter of the Cold War and the DC Comics superhero Green Arrow from the 1940s. The 21st century sees the changes continuing. The Green Arrow was adapted to the Arrow series, in which the hero fights corporate corruption and terrorism in the post-9/11, post-2008 financial crisis world. In the 2018 film Robin Hood he is something of an environmentalist. In the new series, Robin Hood and his Merry Men (and Women) offer yet another variation. While there are many fascinating historical clues about Robin Hood, he has always been an infinitely adaptable character from literature and culture. And so he remains today. Robin Hood is streaming now on MGM+. Add Robin Hood to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Rivals and Ludwig win big at International Emmy Awards 2025 – and so does Line of Duty favourite
British productions received multiple top honours.
Period drama Rivals and mystery crime series Ludwig are among the British productions that have won prizes at this year’s International Emmy Awards. Disney+ series Rivals, which is based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s hit 1988 novel of the same name and centres on a group of wealthy media figures, bagged the award for Best Drama Series. BBC series Ludwig, which stars David Mitchell as a puzzle designer who adopts the identity of his twin brother James to uncover the mystery of his disappearance, received the Best Comedy award. Meanwhile, Line of Duty star Anna Maxwell Martin won the Best Performance by an Actress category for her role in the ITV true crime mini-series Until I Kill You. The four-part drama is based on Delia Balmer’s autobiography and tells the harrowing tale of her near-fatal relationship with serial killer John Sweeney. Further successes for UK shows included BBC series Lost Boys and Fairies, which received the TV Movie/Mini Series award. The series follows the tale of a gay couple’s journey to adoption. Fallen, which follows 17-year-old Lucina “Luce” Price as she’s put into a rehab facility, claimed the Best Kids Live-Action Show award, while BBC Two’s Hell Jumper received Best Documentary for its first-person footage of volunteers in Ukraine. Read more: Red Eye season 2 releases explosive first look trailer as Line of Duty icon joins thriller Riot Women future finally confirmed by BBC as Sally Wainwright promises "rollercoaster" of stories Elsewhere, Channel 4’s Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza won the Emmy in the Current Affairs category. The documentary tells “the story of the Israeli military assault on Gaza following the Oct 7th attacks” and takes “a raw and harrowing look at how the lives of Palestinians have been uprooted and destroyed, seen and told through the eyes of children, journalists and doctors”. 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.
Hit Channel 4 drama confirms return with beloved Doctor Who guest star joining the cast in first-look images
It's all change at York Police as Patience gets a new partner.
Channel 4 has released first-look images from the second season of its hit detective series Patience, which has enlisted a new co-star for its latest run. The show premiered at the start of the year, introducing viewers to York Police's Patience Evans (played by Ella Maisy Purvis), who went from a backroom role in the criminal records office to cracking the city's most perplexing crimes. She did so in partnership with DI Bea Metcalf (Breaking Bad's Laura Fraser), who is notably absent in season 2 as Patience gets a new boss in the form of Jessica Hynes's Detective Frankie Monroe. Hynes will be well-known to viewers from her roles in Spaced, W1A and There She Goes, as well as her guest appearances in acclaimed Doctor Who episodes Human Nature and The Family of Blood. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/78256S2-Embargoed-0001-Tuesday-25th-November-Patience-Series-2-First-Look-3ab5c9b.jpg" width="5469" height="3409" alt="DS Jake Hunter (Nathan Welsh), Calvin Baxter (Mark Benton), Detective Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes) and DC Will Akbari (Ali Ariaie) in Patience season 2" title="78256_S2_- Embargoed 0001 Tuesday 25th November - Patience Series 2 - First Look" /> Frankie's introduction poses quite the disruption to Patience's working life, with the season 2 synopsis teasing a "very different management style" that will prove "tricky for them both to navigate". Of course, viewers can also expect "more twisted and mysterious crimes in spectacular settings including a killer in York Minster, a murder in a monastery and a body in the Botanical Gardens". Patience is based on the French-Belgian series Astrid et Raphaëlle and has been praised for its mainstream representation of autism through the title character (as well as star Purvis, who plays her). The series attracted a large audience with its first season, with an average of 4.2 million tuning in to make it Channel 4's most successful launch in four years. Patience has since secured distribution in 33 other territories around the world. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/78256S2-Embargoed-0001-Tuesday-25th-November-Patience-Series-2-First-Look-3-eb455c6.jpg" width="7681" height="5095" alt="Detective Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes) and Patience Evans (Ella Maisy Purvis); they are photographed standing against a red brick wall, with York Minster in the distance behind them" title="Patience - Series 2" /> Channel 4's release concludes: "This groundbreaking series goes from strength to strength and is sure to delight its many fans around the world again." In addition to Purvis and Hynes, Patience season 2 also sees the return of Nathan Welsh (Trying) as DS Jake Hunter, Mark Benton (Smoggie Queens) as Calvin Baxter, Adrian Rawlins (Chernobyl) as Douglas Gilmore and Ali Ariaie (The Great) as DC Will Akbari. Rounding out the cast are Connor Curren (Dodger) as Billy Thompson, Liza Sadovy (The Rumour) as Dr Loretta Parsons and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack) as Patience's love interest, Elliot Scott. Watch a trailer for the first season of Patience below: View Green Video on the source website Patience season 2 is coming soon to Channel 4. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add Patience 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.
Kim Kardashian series All’s Fair gets future confirmed following critical mauling and ahead of season finale
The series has performed well for Hulu despite receiving negative reviews.
Hulu has renewed the Kim Kardashian-fronted legal drama All’s Fair from Ryan Murphy for a second season. The series has performed well so far on Hulu despite a host of scathing reviews, including a 3 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Disney-owned streamer said the series received 3.2 million views globally in its first three days, which marks the best premiere for an original scripted series on the platform in three years. Kardashian previously shrugged off the negative reviews the legal drama has received in a playful post on Instagram, which included screenshots of posts on X (formerly Twitter) from fans, one of which read: "Some of the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life alongside the most predictable storylines and the most ridiculous styling. I’m obsessed I need 14 seasons." “Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year!?!?!?” Kardashian joked in the caption. All’s Fair revolves around a group of women who band together to launch their own divorce law firm and go to great extremes to get what they (and their clients) want. The official logline for season 1 reads: "Fierce, brilliant, and emotionally complicated, they navigate high-stakes breakups, scandalous secrets, and shifting allegiances — both in the courtroom and within their own ranks. "In a world where money talks and love is a battleground, these women don’t just play the game — they change it." Alongside Kardashian and Paulson, the star-studded cast also includes Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close. The series is created by Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken, who write and executive produce with Jamie Pachino, Lyn Greene and Richard Levine. Kardashian, Close, Watts, Nash-Betts and Paulson also serve as executive producers, as do Anthony Hemingway, Kris Jenner, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson and Nissa Diederich. The series is helmed by Murphy and Hemingway. Read more: Red Eye season 2 releases explosive first look trailer as Line of Duty icon joins thriller Riot Women future finally confirmed by BBC as Sally Wainwright promises "rollercoaster" of stories All's Fair is available to watch on Disney Plus in the UK. You can sign up to Disney Plus from £4.99 a month now. Add Down All's Fair 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.
BBC confirms Christmas 2025 TV line-up – from Call the Midwife to The Traitors and David Attenborough
Other big hitters on the schedule for this year include an Amandaland Christmas special and The Night Manager season 2.
Following ITV's confirmation of its 2025 Christmas line-up last week, the BBC has now followed suit, unveiled a raft of festive programming to keep viewers entertained throughout the holiday season. Some of the big hitters this time are, of course, returning favourites. For instance, there are festive specials for dramas such as Call the Midwife, Beyond Paradise, Death in Paradise, as well as comedies including Amandaland, Mammoth, Mandy and Mrs Brown’s Boys. There are also plenty of returning entertainment programmes set to air, with Strictly Come Dancing, Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel, Gladiators and The Repair Shop all hosting specials, alongside twists on formats such as Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Christmas and The Celebrity Apprentice. However, there are still plenty of new programmes and one-off specials on the way. This year's Julia Donaldson adaptation The Scarecrows' Wedding is set to air, while Mark Gatiss brings us a new Ghost Story for Christmas, The Room in the Tower, and Sir David Attenborough hosts a brand-new film exploring the wildlife of England’s capital in Wild London. New comedies set to air include Shedites, written by and starring some Mrs Brown's Boys favourites, while Guz Khan will star in a modern-day Christmas caper, Stuffed. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/544033-7d6f2b9.jpg" width="4320" height="2880" alt="Jennifer Saunders as Aunt Joan, Philippa Dunne as Anne, Samuel Anderson as Mal, Lucy Punch as Amanda, Alexander Shaw as Manus, Miley Locke as Georgie and Joanna Lumley as Felicity in Amandaland, all sat and stood around a Christmas dinner table wearing paper crowns." title="544033,TITLE:Amandaland Christmas Special 2025" /> If you're already looking ahead to New Year, a host of big hitters are on the horizon to see 2026 in in style. Not only are there plenty of specific programmes for New Year's Eve – including Ronan Keating & Friends: New Year’s Eve Party, Jools' Annual Hootenanny and The Graham Norton Show New Year’s Eve, but hit comedy Here We Go is set to get a New Year's special. Meanwhile, The Night Manager will start airing on New Year's Day, and The Traitors is set to return for its fourth civilian season, expected to start airing in 2026. If you're in the mood for more Traitors (and let's face it, who isn't?) there's the broadcast of The Traitors at the Proms on the horizon, along with other musical programming including a new production of Kiss Me, Kate, Biggest Night of Musicals by the National Lottery, Top of The Pops: Review of The Year 2025 and Christmas Hits: The Videos That Sleighed. Quiz and competition show fans are in luck this season too, with new Christmassy editions of The Weakest Link, The Festive Finish Line, University Challenge, The Great British Sewing Bee and MasterChef in the line-up. MasterChef, of course, brings us on to food, and it wouldn't be Christmas without Mary Berry, who is hosting A Mary Berry Christmas on BBC One. Meanwhile, Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey will take us Inside the Factory for a Christmas Gingerbread Special. Gentle, fun-filled additions to the line-up include Gone Christmas Fishing with Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and terrier Ted, as well as Celebrity Escape to the Country, Christmas Treasures of the National Trust and the return of My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani. That really is just scratching the surface, with children's programming including Shaun the Sheep – Fleece Navidad and The Famous Five – Big Trouble on Billycock Hill also on the way, as well as annual events like Sports Personality of the Year and Carols From King's. Film fans can also find plenty to enjoy, with this year's line-up of blockbusters on the BBC including Elvis, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Robin Robin, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Oppenheimer, Operation Mincemeat, Challengers and Back to Black. The full schedule for the line-up – including dates and times – will come at a later date. We are also expecting to hear the line-ups for other broadcasters in the coming days, after ITV's offering was confirmed to include Red Eye season 2 and the return of The Masked Singer. 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.
Subtle, soul-searching dramas tackling Northern Ireland’s Troubles are proving that few escaped this era unscathed
Writers are starting to explore Northern Ireland’s violent history to create soul-searching TV.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. In the very first reel, we’re reminded that “the Irish have been arguing over the same sh*te for 800 years”. So it comes as no surprise that the drama Say Nothing – about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the toll they took, including a burden of silence carried by many to this day – has already drawn as much criticism as praise from all sides. Adapted from Patrick Radden Keefe’s non-fiction bestseller, it stars Maxine Peake as the former paramilitary Dolours Price, narrating and reflecting on her violent past – as the real Price and others did for Boston College’s “Belfast Project”, an oral history of the Troubles – before the drama flashes back to chart how Price and her sister Marian evolved from peaceful protestors into key members of the IRA unit that carried out the 1973 Old Bailey bombing. True, there’s a caperish quality to some of their “fundraising” antics – the sisters dress up as nuns to rob a bank at gunpoint – that presumably won’t sit well with victims of such violence. There’s nothing about loyalist paramilitaries’ equal and opposite activities, and the Republican mission is positioned as one of ideological zeal, with no account of the economic disparity suffered by Catholics. And Gerry Adams has, of course, denied ever being part of the IRA or its activities, the disclaimer after every episode providing a wry counterpoint to his vivid depiction on screen. Whatever it gets wrong, Say Nothing succeeds in bringing home the cost wrought to so many by virtue of era and circumstance – when living in a particular street, or drinking in a particular pub, construed a political act. Equally evocative is Trespasses, also adapted from a bestselling book and set at the height of the Troubles. The best TV drama I’ve seen this year, it depicts the forbidden love affair between teacher Cushla (Catholic) and lawyer Michael (married, Protestant), and delicately weaves the personal with the political. The stakes are made clear by the rotten fate of a Protestant-Catholic couple living on a nearby estate. After a lovers’ tiff, Michael asks Cushla, “We’re all right?” She replies, “We’re doomed. Apart from that, we’re grand.” <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/unnamed-file-ca2eeaf.jpg" width="5938" height="3959" alt="A man in a dark suit gently kisses the forehead of a woman wearing an off-the-shoulder white dress with pink trim. She holds a brown clutch and leans slightly toward him with a small smile. They are standing in a warmly lit room with wood paneling and abstract artwork on the wall behind them, creating an intimate and tender atmosphere." title="Trespasses" /> Nearly 30 years after the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, a host of writers from Northern Ireland are leaning into its violent past to create subtle, soul-searching drama. Historians pin the start of the Troubles to 1968, which means it’s taken nearly as long as they lasted for writers to speak up – why? The answer is the same reason their stories remain powerful now: that no one who lived through that era – one of armed soldiers patrolling streets, helicopters whirring overhead and threat all around – emerged unaffected. Every resident of Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, was steeped in “fight or flight”, too busy trying to get through each day to build the narrative, let alone provide the complex political, cultural, religious context these stories demand. Three decades later, we meet characters both real and invented, ordinary people rendered extraordinary through circumstance, capable of the worst of behaviour, but also of unexpected kindness and courage. The stories are embedded in the era, but the humanity is timeless. Nowhere is the contrast between ordinary life and extraordinary setting more charming than in Derry Girls. When a bomb threat closes a nearby bridge and Aunt Sarah complains, “they want ordinary people to suffer”, it transpires she’ll have to miss her appointment at the sunbed salon. For three series, writer Lisa McGee had us laughing out loud with her take on the past, but finally brought a lump to the throat with an ending where every generation votes “Yes” in the 1998 referendum for peace. Say Nothing and Trespasses also conclude with modern-day scenes. It’s telling that, even in exploring the past, all three reach for upbeat, optimistic bookmarks to all that went before. The latest issue of Radio Times is out on Tuesday – subscribe here. Say Nothing is on Monday and Tuesday at 9pm on Channel 4. Trespasses is available on Channel 4 streaming. Add Say Nothing and Trespasses to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Call the Midwife 2025 Christmas preview as Trixie's marriage gets a major update
Ahead of the annual Call the Midwife Christmas special, Helen George lifts the lid on Trixie and Matthew.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Ahead of this year's Call the Midwife Christmas special, Helen George sat down with Radio Times to discuss what's going on with Trixie and Matthew, her love of the festive season, and her upcoming stint as the Fairy Godmother in the Richmond Theatre's Cinderella pantomime. How is Trixie this festive season? Even though there’s a huge distance between Trixie and her husband, things feel more stable than they possibly ever have. For once, she feels settled, strong even, and in a space, psychologically and literally, where she feels at home. But you do wonder how Trixie would react if her whole world were to change, if Nonnatus House faced a fresh threat to its very existence. Trixie deserves stability after all the tumult but, as an actor, do you wonder where the drama is going to come from if she’s content? It’s quite a relief, actually. I’ve spent so much time enduring, going through things and being desperately heartbroken all the time, it’s really fun that now she’s fighting other people’s battles and not her own. Given this is the 14th Yuletide edition of Call the Midwife, there must be a great feeling of camaraderie! It’s a family and I absolutely adore them all. It’s Judy Parfitt’s (Sister Monica Joan) birthday today; it’s lovely that she’s here so we’re celebrating together and have filled her trailer with balloons and flowers. I had a Halloween party – I went as a banshee and my daughters [she has two, aged eight and four, whom she shares with her ex-partner Jack Ashton] were clowns so were terrifying – and Hilda, a focus puller on the crew, came with her husband and her son, and Victoria Yeates who played Sister Winifred came along, too. It’s just so nice to be in each other’s lives, and for so long. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/CMT-Christmas-92d8eab.jpg" width="7236" height="4824" alt="Two women dressed as angels walk through a snowy street at night, smiling as they take part in a festive parade. They wear white coats with fluffy collars and large feathered wings. One pushes a decorated pram covered in white fabric and gold stars, while the other waves at onlookers. Snow falls heavily around them, and a brass band plays in the background beneath strings of laundry hanging overhead." title="Call the Midwife" /> If you go big on Halloween, I’m assuming that you absolutely love Christmas? It’s like a festive bomb goes off in my home! I just moved and the reason we chose this house was that it’s just the perfect place for Christmas Day – it’s really obvious where the tree will go. I’ve always loved this time of year. All the family would go to my aunt’s house – she also had this brilliant house – and we’d all wear festive jumpers and play games. I have such fond memories of it and I really want to re-create them for my kids. Read more: Call the Midwife movie: Release date speculation, potential cast and plot, and latest news Call the Midwife favourite reveals there is "so much change coming" as scripts left cast reeling So when do things get under way in the George household? When I start making the cake – I’ve had my fruit soaking since Bonfire Night so that it’s really boozy. What do the holidays mean to you? Family. And charades. And cheese! Do you stay traditional with Stilton? I have all of them. But with my cake, I like to have a slice of wensleydale. You’re also in panto this year, playing the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella opposite Basil Brush at London’s Richmond Theatre. Is that fun? It’s two shows a day for four weeks. I’ve got a show on Christmas Eve, off Christmas Day, back in on Boxing Day – and there’s only a week’s rehearsal. I’m taking my kids to Lapland afterwards to make up for the fact that I’m going to miss their school shows because I’ll be in one of my own! The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Call the Midwife seasons 1-14 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Add Call the Midwife 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.
Beyond Paradise 2025 Christmas special teased by star as Martha hides a secret
"She wants to spring a surprise," says Barbara Flynn of her fictional daughter in the Beyond Paradise festive episode.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. A smiling Barbara Flynn is being careful not to say too much about this year’s trip to Shipton Abbott in the Beyond Paradise Christmas special – “they don’t tell me anything,” she clearly fibs. But she lets slip a few hints: “It starts with a party for the gang – we’re all having a lovely time, but of course it sets the scene for the first puzzle. And Martha has a secret; she wants to spring a surprise.” That’s all we get before Flynn firmly zips her lips. Previously a familiar face in shows from Open All Hours to Cracker, the veteran actor knows better than to spoil the fun for Beyond Paradise’s many fans. Since the show’s 2023 debut, Flynn has regularly stolen scenes as Anne – mum of Martha (Sally Bretton), prospective mother-in-law of DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall). “I adore Sally,” she says. “We had a lot of scenes together when the show began, talking about grief for Martha’s father, and it wasn’t long after my own husband had died, so it was good to have that outlet. That’s the wonderful thing about acting.” Read more: Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise reveal guest cast for Christmas specials – including Doctor Who and Ted Lasso stars Return to Paradise stars tease crossover hopes – and reveal a major one that almost happened with beloved character There has also been a slow but palpable thawing in Anne’s feelings for Humphrey. “Well, there’s the obvious mother-in-law thing, but yes,” Flynn agrees, “he’s divine. There’s the thing of him being clumsy, which is funny because Kris isn’t at all clumsy, he’s the opposite. But Humphrey is always in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. And there’s all that in this story.” With series four of Beyond Paradise (the first of the Death in Paradise spin-offs) currently filming, what does Flynn credit for its extraordinary success? “Most age groups are represented,” she reflects, “so you have this amazing place where people can go and see themselves and their own existences. And I think of something Kelby [Dylan Llewellyn] says in this Christmas episode, about a character ‘being home for Christmas’. It’s very gentle, but that warmth is key.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise air on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Forsytes season 2: Release date speculation and latest news
Will the lavish period drama be back for more?
It's been a drama-filled six weeks, but now The Forsytes, 5's lavish new adaptation of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga has come to an end – for now. Of course, for those who have seen the season finale, they will know that things don't end on a conclusive note, and there are still plenty more stories to be told surrounding the titular family. So will the series, and its all-star cast including Tuppence Middleton, Millie Gibson, Jack Davenport and Eleanor Tomlinson, be back for more? And if so, when will be the new episodes be released? Read on for everything you need to know about The Forsytes season 2 on 5. Will there be The Forsytes season 2? There will! In fact, it was announced back in June 2025 that the show would be returning for a second season, well before the first had even debuted. When the news was announced, Damien Timmer, CCO and founder of production company Mammoth Screen, said in a statement: "We can’t wait for the world to see series 1 of The Forsytes, and we’re so pleased to be getting ahead of ourselves and starting on this thrilling second series with Debbie Horsfield’s irresistible scripts and our glorious – and ever expanding – cast." Meanwhile, Susanne Simpson, head of scripted content and executive producer for the show's US broadcaster, Masterpiece, said: "We’re so pleased with the first season of The Forsytes that we’re thrilled to continue the story into season 2 with our stellar cast. "We’re confident that our MASTERPIECE audience will quickly come to love the intrigue, romance and drama that this series brilliantly brings to the screen." When will The Forsytes season 2 be released? We don't yet know when The Forsytes will be returning for season 2, but given that the team got a head start on it, thanks to the early renewal, we imagine fans shouldn't have to wait too long. It seems likely that the show will stick to an annual release, which would therefore mean the new episodes would start airing in late 2026 – however, at this point that's purely speculation. We will keep this page updated with any more concrete news as and when we get it. Who will be back to star in The Forsytes season 2? It has already been confirmed that the entire central cast from The Forsytes season 1 will be back for season 2, including the likes of Francesca Annis, Danny Griffin, Joshua Orpin, Tuppence Middleton, Millie Gibson, Stephen Moyer, Jack Davenport and Eleanor Tomlinson. Meanwhile, there are also at least three new stars joining, with the trio having been announced when season 2 was confirmed. Those joining the series for season 2 include Outlander's Richard Rankin, Art Detectives' Sarah Alexander and Bob Marley: One Love's Nia Ashi. Their characters have yet to be confirmed. You can find a full list of the currently announced cast for The Forsytes season 2 right here: Francesca Annis as Ann Forsyte Danny Griffin as Jolyon Forsyte Joshua Orpin as Soames Forsyte Tuppence Middleton as Frances Forsyte Millie Gibson as Irene Heron Stephen Moyer as Jolyon Senior Jack Davenport as James Forsyte Eleanor Tomlinson as Louisa Byrne Justine Moore as June Forsyte Tom Durant Prichard as Montague 'Monty' Dartie Naomi Frederick as Emily Forsyte Jamie Flatters as Philip Bosinney Owen Igiehon as Isaac Cole Eleanor Jackson as Winifred Dartie Susan Hampshire as Lady Carteret Richard Rankin as TBC Sarah Alexander as TBC Nia Ashi as TBC Is there a trailer for The Forsytes season 2? There isn't a trailer for The Forsytes season 2 just yet, as season 1 has only just finished airing. However, we will make sure to add one in here once it's available, and in the meantime you can rewatch the season 1 trailer below. View oEmbed on the source website The Forsytes will continue airing on 5 on Mondays at 9pm. 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.
Industry season 4 drops electric teaser as release window confirmed
It's time to return to the heady world of finance.
Harper, Yasmin and the gang return along with a slew of new faces in the first teaser trailer for Industry season 4. The hit BBC/HBO co-production's moody promo unveils not only a first look at the cast of new characters, but also gives us a sneak peek into some of the significant drama to come. As well as Harper (Myha’la) seemingly living out a brand new, successful chapter of her career, things continue to be complicated for Yasmin (Marisa Abela) as she navigates a new life as the wife of Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington). In the trailer, which unfolds to the sound of Nina Simone’s Lilac Wine, we see Muck about to drive off in his vintage convertible car with Yasmin by his side, but nursing a bloody hand. Although season 3 appeared to show Yasmin turning her back on the world of finance altogether, it may not be quite that easy, as we see her come face-to-face with Harper once again. It wouldn't be an instalment of Industry without its fair share of secrets, sex, arguments, boardroom tension and chain smoking – all of which appear to be in plentiful supply in the new trailer. You can watch it for yourself below. View oEmbed on the source website Along with the teaser, HBO has announced that the new season will be released in the US on Sunday 11th January at 9pm. However, a UK release date is yet to be revealed – though the BBC has also confirmed a January 2026 release window. All episodes of Industry season landed in October 2024, coming two months after the US, which premiered the third season in August that same year – but it appears fans won't have as long to wait for season 4. The new trailer also gives us a look into the world of new character Whitney Halberstram, who is played by The Handmaid's Tale star Max Minghella. He remains a mystery so far – how does he get swept up into the high-stakes world of the series? We'll just have to wait and see. Read more: Hijack writer's "gripping" new thriller casts Torchwood star opposite David Morrissey Red Eye season 2 releases explosive first look trailer as Line of Duty icon joins thriller Other new faces for the fourth season include Kiernan Shipka, Jack Farthing, Toheeb Jimoh, Amy James-Kelly, Kal Penn, Charlie Heaton and Claire Forlani. Marisa Abela, Myha'la, Ken Leung, Sagar Radia, Miriam Petche and Kit Harington all reprise their roles, with plenty clearly in store for their characters. The official synopsis for Industry season 4 reads: “At the top of their game and living the lives they set out to have as Pierpoint grads, Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) are drawn into a high-stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game when a splashy fintech darling bursts onto the London scene. "As Yasmin navigates her relationship with tech founder Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington) and Harper is pulled into the orbit of enigmatic executive Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella), their twisted friendship begins to warp and ignite under the pressure of money, power and the desire to be on top.” Industry is on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The drama airs on HBO in the US. 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. 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.
Amadeus stars Paul Bettany and Will Sharpe talk Mozart drama's 'woke' accusations and the "strange" power of conducting
Paul Bettany and Will Sharpe are bringing the composer's story to life with divine intervention – and stunt strawberries.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. To paraphrase 1980s Austrian pop singer Falco: “Amadeus, Amadeus, let me shock you, Amadeus”. That’s to say, Sky’s five-part series, which flits between concert theatre, Imperial palace and brothel, contains some very naughty scenes. One particular encounter, on top of a (literally) groaning buffet, may or may not be narratively essential, but it’s certainly sexually ingenious. Was that really a strawberry? I ask co-stars Will Sharpe and Paul Bettany. “Oh, yes,” says Sharpe. “A stunt strawberry,” adds Bettany. Based on Peter Shaffer’s 1979 play of the same name, Amadeus takes place in late 18th-century Vienna, where Antonio Salieri (Bettany) is court composer to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Joseph II. At the very height of his profession, the religiously devout Salieri is nonetheless plagued by one doubt: is he any good? As if to confirm his fears, along comes young genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Sharpe), who is escaping his overbearing father in Salzburg and intent on having a good time in the capital of the Habsburg Empire. Salieri is the one who kneels before the cross, the composer who dedicates himself to the Almighty. Yet it is Mozart, dedicated to orgies and wine, who writes music of divine beauty. Infuriated by God’s practical joke, Salieri sets out to secretly destroy Mozart. Both actors are called upon to conduct and play the piano. “Will did an extraordinary job with his piano playing,” says Bettany. “I was more obsessed with the conducting, and specifically conducting the Requiem. It was an amazing feeling. A strange feeling of power.” The Requiem Mass in D Minor, Mozart’s last work, is “exquisite” says Bettany, but is it actually coming from God? “Well, I had to believe it was,” says Sharpe. “There were occasionally mad things that happened during filming. We’d shoot a scene where Mozart mentions God in some way, and then the moment I say ‘God,’ there’s a huge thunderclap, lightning through the window, like it was theatrically managed. So occasionally there would be weird, ‘What’s happening here?’ moments.” Shaffer’s play has, famously, been given a screen treatment before, in MiloŠ Forman’s 1984 film in which Tom Hulce played Mozart and F Murray Abraham was Salieri. But rather than the giggling manchild Hulce gave us, Sharpe’s Mozart is a roistering gadabout whose apparent ability to produce utterly sublime music on request increasingly becomes a burden. “One of the main ways into him as a character for me was the music,” says Sharpe. “Hearing all the different shades of Mozart, how sometimes he is super playful and light, but he can also be very grand and dark.” View oEmbed on the source website Bettany seethes as the conflicted Salieri, visiting a prostitute to be beaten, doing something intensely personal over his keyboard – “I find that stuff very difficult to be honest, especially as I hurtle towards my dotage” – or simply staring at a score sheet, alone with the terrible thought that he might be mediocre. “And gosh, I have those same fears and make the same accusations,” he says. “I’m sure most people do, unless they happen to be Mozart.” Sharpe, who will be 40 next year, won rave reviews and a Bafta for Giri/Haji in 2019 and co-wrote and directed Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain in 2021. In the same year he co-wrote and directed the Sky Atlantic/HBO series Landscapers. Then, in 2022, came his acclaimed performance as troubled tech entrepreneur Ethan Spiller in The White Lotus. Given all that, does 54-year-old Bettany, who first came to wide public attention in 2001 alongside Heath Ledger in A Knight’s Tale and, more recently, has starred as Vision in the Marvel films and Disney+ series, have any fellow feeling with Salieri and his jealousy of the younger man? “It’s horribly revealing for me to say it, but this didn’t feel a massive stretch for me,” he says. “I think we all have these venal, mendacious, awful ideas that we hopefully don’t act on, so it was delicious to do it as actors.” When the cast photographs were released in August, social media noticed that Sharpe, who describes himself as British-Japanese, isn’t a white Austrian. His casting was decried as “woke”, among other things. “Not many people mentioned how un-Italian I am,” notes Bettany. Sharpe is inclined to play the furore down. “I’m only dimly aware of it, because I’m not really online. The play, and this show, is quite fictionalised, it’s not meant to be a historical biography of either character.” And that, of course, is key: this is a made-up story. In real life Salieri helped Mozart, and we have no evidence that he regarded himself as a failure. Rather, the plot was possibly a figment of an increasingly ill Mozart’s imagination, leading to rumours that were developed by the Russian writer Pushkin in his 1830 play Mozart and Salieri, and later reworked by Shaffer as a madcap morality tale about the high price that both jealousy and genius demand. Thus, a series that began with much bawdiness resolves in a poignant contemplation of the meaning of art and reputation, as the ailing Mozart finally understands Salieri is the author of his demise and Salieri realises a second cosmic trick has been played on him – it will be Mozart that history remembers. “There’s a moment where Salieri touches Mozart’s hand and suddenly, they hear music.” says Bettany. “I don’t know how it was for Will, but the whole way through the show, I was thinking, ‘How the hell are we going to convey this thing?’ And I hate to use this word , because you just sound like a ponce, but here we go. It just happened ‘organically’. There, I said it.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Amadeus will be available to watch on Sky and NOW in December. Add Amadeus to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
All Creatures Great and Small star teases "joyful carnage" for Christmas special with nativity twist and Helen's return
"We've got some lovely warm, cosy scenes between her and James, which we'd missed."
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Filming a Christmas special in the summer might not sound particularly festive, but for Nicholas Ralph, who plays James Herriot, and the rest of the All Creatures Great and Small cast, the Skeldale House set in July is “like an immersive experience”. “The set is decorated incredibly and everyone’s dressed up, so it really does get you in the festive spirit – and they’ve also got AC on in there, so even if it’s 30 degrees outside, it doesn’t feel it,” Ralph tells Radio Times. “Sometimes they’ll even do Christmas lunch for you, so you do get transported.” It’s 1945, the first peacetime Christmas after the war, which comes with its own challenges for everyone. “There’s a pressure to have the best Christmas ever, for everything to be perfect,” says Ralph. “But God, the enormity of it is not just going to go away overnight. It’s not all singing and dancing and everything’s merry all of a sudden. So, there is the joy of Christmas, but there’s also the pathos, people are still struggling. “It’s very truthful, it’s not twee. But it’s still steeped in those wonderful Christmassy themes, along with the fun and the capers.” One such caper is the Nativity. With Helen out of action after being struck down with a lurgy, it’s the vet’s responsibility to wrangle the children and get them performance ready. (James’s son Jimmy plays an angel who comes down from “Hebden”, as opposed to Heaven.) “It was joyful carnage,” Ralph says with a smile. “The director, Andy Hay, just let a camera roll while the kids improvised. Then we put the animals in, and that just added to the chaos. “James is on the back foot anyway because he’s said to Helen he’ll take over the writing and directing and producing – and when I walked into the room there was absolute chaos going on, so there was no acting required, really.” For Ralph, it brought to mind his own experience of the Nativity. “I was about five years old, and I was Joseph” – his leading-man status was clearly there from the beginning. “Proper tea towels on the head, a little plastic mallet and saw, and some very funny, bad but cute acting.” Read more: All Creatures Great and Small gets major update on its future - with special bonus for fans of "unforgettable" show All Creatures Great and Small season 6 finale finally answers Tristan mystery And despite Helen being confined to her bed, actor Rachel Shenton returned to set, after missing part of the last series due to pregnancy, with her newborn Orson in tow. “Her trailer had never been so busy,” said Ralph. “People were desperate to say hi to the little man. And it was great to have the character of Helen back. We’ve got some lovely warm, cosy scenes between her and James, which we’d missed.” “It’s about love and kindness across the board this year – for one another, for the animals, and for your little pocket of the world,” adds Ralph. “Those are universal themes... and this one’s not short of those.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. All Creatures Great and Small seasons 1-6 are available to watch on 5. You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon. Add All Creatures Great and Small 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. If you're looking for something else to watch, visit our TV Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.