Spooks and Marvel legends confirmed for all-new adaptation of beloved classic with "striking contemporary edge"
The "bold and atmospheric reimagining" is currently in the works for Paramount+ UK.
Classic adventure story Treasure Island will be reimagined as a "high-stakes coming-of-age" series for a "new generation", with David Oyelowo (Spooks) and Hayley Atwell (Marvel's Agent Carter) set to star. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's legendary novel, the upcoming adaptation will chart "the transformation of teenager Jim Hawkins from sheltered boy to emboldened young pirate". Jim will be played by rising star Tom Sweet, who you may have spotted as a young Pip in Steven Knight's Great Expectations, with Oyelowo taking on the role of the "charming [yet] terrifying" veteran pirate Long John Silver. Mission: Impossible and rumoured Avengers: Doomsday cast member Atwell co-stars as Jim's mother, Bess, whose "clever and decisive actions leave him holding valuable knowledge that puts both of their lives in danger". Rounding out the Treasure Island cast is Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) as duplicitous British agent Aaron Graham and Tomer Capone (The Boys) as jaded seaman Billy Bones. The synopsis teases: "Jim has to grow up fast as he and his mother fight for survival on a voyage where alliances shift, secrets multiply and peril closes in from all sides. "Set across the Atlantic, in a Caribbean on the brink of revolution and on the terrifying Skeleton Island, the series tracks Jim as he confronts a world far more complex and dangerous than he ever imagined, where resilience, loyalty and identity are tested – and fortune is the prize." Treasure Island is a co-production between streaming platforms Paramount+, where it will stream in the UK, and the Amazon-owned MGM+, which will take the US rights. Paramount UK's deputy chief content officer Sebastian Cardwell commented: "Treasure Island is a bold and atmospheric reimagining of a story that has captivated audiences for generations. "This adaptation brings fresh emotional depth and a striking contemporary edge to Stevenson's classic." The series is created by McDonald & Dodds scribe Robert Murphy, with directors Jeremy Lovering (Slow Horses), William McGregor (His Dark Materials) and Paul Walker (Riviera) to put in shifts across the six-part run. Treasure Island is currently filming in Spain. Treasure Island is coming soon to Paramount+ in the UK. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/offers/?benefitId=paramountplusgb&ref_=DVM_PDS_CHN_UK_mi_C_mkw_sNynrT7ZC-dc_pcrid_637893181401&mrntrk=slid__pgrid_143491579803_pgeo_9045946_x__adext__ptid_kwd-1210995054370&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHwTfGgy5aYKkYxNQV68UYUZhVWUr2bVS4o-EfnvpowOvplyXMbKqXAaArmvEALw_wcB&tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2191954" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored">Sign up to your seven-day Paramount+ free trial. 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 Treasure Island 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.
Bridgerton season 5: Release date speculation and latest news
Everything we know so far about the upcoming fifth season of Bridgerton.
*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Bridgerton season 4.* Bridgerton season 4 has come to a dramatic conclusion, with Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha) finally getting their happy ending. The moment came right at the end of the new season, with the pair saying "I do" in a surprise scene buried in the post-credits. They may have tied the knot, but it sounds like it might not be plain-sailing for the pair going forward, with Ha recently telling Business Insider that she thinks her character could struggle adjusting to nobility in future episodes. "I think she's going to really struggle," she said. "I literally have scripts in my inbox, and I haven't read any of them, but I hope that's the case. Because I do think it's so hard to undo habits in an instant, even if it's a year, if you've dealt with it for 16 years and you know how it is to be treated on the other side of things." She continued: "I think the Sophie that we've seen in season four is someone with so much heart and kindness and grace that I would hope that that continues on and that we continue to see the downstairs world. That would be so, so nice to see. "But yeah, I think it would be a struggle. Like, I think she would still serve food for people, or take flowers from people. That would be really cool to see." There were also plenty of questions left unanswered at the end of season 4, and showrunner Jess Brownell has teased a bit more about what to expect in the next season during an interview with Radio Times, which you can find below. Read on for everything we know so far about Bridgerton season 5. Bridgerton season 5 release date speculation As of now, there's not been a confirmed Bridgerton season 5 release date. Judging by previous seasons, we could hazard a guess and assume that season 5 will be on our screens some time in 2028 – however, showrunner Jess Brownell has revealed to Radio Times that she has a desire to get that turnaround even quicker than before. When asked about the negative fan reaction to her previous comments about the show taking two-year gaps between seasons, Brownell revealed: "We’re never planning for a two year gap and I will say, I knew when I said that that I was under promising with the hope of overdelivering. "I think we have done that with season 4, I think there’s only been a year and a half actually between season 3 and 4. And we are on track with season 5 so far, fingers crossed, to either meet or match that year and a half mark. So, we’re always trying to keep the trains going faster and faster." She also recently told TechRadar that scripts are nearly ready to go and that filming will be beginning "pretty soon". "We're really keen to try to pace up our release schedule," she said. "So with season 5, we're pretty much done already with the scripts. We have finished the writers room, and I'm just doing a final pass on the finale. We start shooting pretty soon. Those conversations happened as soon as we finished shooting season four." So, we could potentially see Bridgerton season 5 on our screens in 2027 but if scheduling keeps to its usual time constraints, it may not be until 2028 that we get new episodes. Who will be the Bridgerton season 5 lead? It hasn't yet been confirmed who will be leading the fifth season of Bridgerton but we do know that it will either be Francesca (Hannah Dodd) or Eloise (Claudia Jessie). Brownell previously revealed that it would be one of the Bridgerton daughters at season 4's premiere in Paris, telling Deadline: "Both characters with the initials on my pocket squares will get seasons in five in six. In what order? I can’t say." If the Netflix series sticks to the book order then it would be Eloise's love story next and then Francesca's, but seeing as the show has already flipped the order of the novels for Colin and Benedict's stories then we'll just have to wait and see. Many fans of the show may not be able to envision Eloise on her own romantic journey but actress Claudia Jessie revealed that she is "buzzing" to finally step into the spotlight. Previously chatting to Radio Times for the release of season 4 part 1, Jessie said: "In terms of setting her up, I think Eloise is desperately trying to find her way of doing it, right? That’s what I’ve always been excited to be able to one day do, is to show love or romance or whatever her journey is in the most Eloise way possible. "I think she’s just trying to find out her way of doing it." She added: "That’s what I think the set-up is until ultimately we see what her way of doing it is, her version of it. I’m buzzing to one day do it. I love this show with my whole heart, I love my colleagues, I love Eloise so I’ll be buzzing to do it.” Who could potentially star in Bridgerton season 5? We do know that it wouldn't be a season of Bridgerton without the titular family at the helm of the series, as for who will be leading it, we don't know just yet. Season 4 saw an unexpected exit of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and while some viewers may be worried about if she's gone for good, showrunner Jess Brownell dispelled any fears and confirmed she's not going anywhere. She revealed in an exclusive chat with Radio Times: “Absolutely not, you will be seeing much more of Lady Danbury, she has a major role to play in season 5. But it felt important to us to shake up the dynamic and allow Alice to now step into more of the service role with the Queen and to allow Lady Danbury to be the Queen’s peer, at least in a friendship sense. "I think with that storyline, these two have so many years of history, as we established on the spin-off. I think there are a lot of beautiful big speeches this season, including between the two of them. But what I really wanted to see from them at the end was just for them to laugh and to remember that at the end of the day, they’re just girls, we’re just girls! "They have that love and acceptance for each other and laughter is the most equalising medicine, when we can laugh together it takes away the lines that divide us. So, I thought that’d be the perfect ending for their story.” From that, we can also imagine that we'll be seeing plenty more of Alice (Emma Naomi) as she settles into her role as the Queen's lady-in-waiting more. As for people we likely won't be seeing in season 5, we can hazard a guess that we won't be seeing Lady Araminta (Katie Leung) or her daughter Rosamund (Michelle Mao) again but could expect to possibly explore Posy's (Isabella Wei) blossoming love story and friendship with Eloise (Claudia Jessie) that we saw in the season 4 finale. We obviously won't be seeing anymore of Lord John (Victor Alli) after his tragic death in season 4 part 2. With Michaela (Masali Baduza) sneaking off in the dead of the night and leaving Francesca alone in her grieving period, we would certainly expect her return if Francesca's set to be the next lead. However, if Eloise is then perhaps we won't be seeing Michaela's return for some time. Another question mark of a character return also hangs over Lord Marcus (Daniel Francis) who, despite proposing to Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell) and having a steamy blossoming romance, seemed to end things after being on two different pages. As is usually the case, we'll likely continue seeing the former series leads float in and out of the series so can expect to see Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha) as they settle into married life, as well as Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), who we last saw drafting a novel but was shocked to find someone else writing as Whistledown. The cast we'd expect to see return for Bridgerton season 5 are as follows. Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton Jonathan Bailey as Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton Simone Ashley as Kate Bridgerton Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich Ruth Gemmell as Violet, Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom of Great Britain Adjoa Andoh as Agatha, Lady Danbury Polly Walker as Portia, Dowager Baroness Featherington Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich Hugh Sachs as Brimsley Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling Isabella Wei as Posy Li Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs Varley What could Bridgerton season 5 be about? There were plenty of threads running throughout Bridgerton season 4 but of course, the main focus of season 5 will be on whoever's love story will be taking centre stage – be warned as there are book spoilers below. If it's Francesca's, then we can expect the return of Michaela, who has been gender-flipped from the book, When He Was Wicked. That whole novel is about how Micheal loves Francesca but obviously keeps his feelings a secret when she marries his cousin. In the series, we've already seen that John sadly dies and the pair are united in their grief. Speaking to Radio Times about their dynamic going forward, Brownell said: "Obviously, there’s this little moment of frisson when Michaela and Fran first meet but I think for Fran, she doesn’t really have a frame of reference to know what that meant. She’s also not a character who’s very self-aware or who looks deeply internally. So, it really is for these two about developing a platonic friendship." So, we can certainly expect a bit more of a slow burn as it relates to Francesca and Michaela. As for Eloise, fans will know that we've actually already met her future husband, Sir Philip Crane, in season 1. Philip obviously went on to marry Marina out of obligation to his dead brother, with the pair not being romantically involved but sharing a pleasant life nonetheless. In Eloise's novel – <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sir-Phillip-Love-Number-Bridgerton-ebook/dp/B004KSRPXS/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_2/260-0442644-8658930?pd_rd_w=yVH4Z&content-id=amzn1.sym.bb13d3fc-af40-4fff-a822-e0e4c415da96&pf_rd_p=bb13d3fc-af40-4fff-a822-e0e4c415da96&pf_rd_r=R8VEV8GEKJ3AR5H2G6AA&pd_rd_wg=y0Xwj&pd_rd_r=76c5322e-55fa-4702-b479-6545df7917df&pd_rd_i=B004KSRPXS&psc=1&tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2399558" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">To Sir Philip, With Love – she's set to start up letter correspondence with Philip, who is mourning the death of Marina. Eloise eventually embarks on her own unexpected love story with Philip as she starts to fall in love with him despite never having formally met. Well, the pair eventually do and despite Eloise being taken aback by Philip's rugged appearance compared to the average London gentleman, the pair develop their own connection. Both Bridgerton stories sound like they'll be even more interesting in their exploration of emotions and dynamics so consider us excited for whatever's to come! Is there a trailer for Bridgerton season 5? No! Seeing as Bridgerton season 5 hasn't yet even gone into production, there's no trailer just yet. However, you can relive the magic of season 4 below. View Green Video on the source website Bridgerton seasons 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bridgerton season 4 part 2 ending explained – Stars break down end credits scene you might have missed
It was a jam-packed Bridgerton season finale! But fans have been sharing their incredulity at a one rather bold editing choice that concerns none other than Sophie and Benedict's love story.
*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for the final episode of Bridgerton season 4 part 2.* The second half of Bridgerton season 4 is upon us, continuing the love story between the second eldest son Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and the mysterious Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). The newest instalment sees grief and sorrow take hold of the Bridgerton household, but fortunately there's happiness and light at the end of the tunnel for many of our characters. It wasn't good news for everyone, however, as multiple characters departed from the Ton, while fans were also left reeling by a breakup and a wedding in the final moments. And, well, it hasn't taken long for some viewers to take to social media to share a crucial lesson with fellow fans: keep watching – right through to the end. Seriously. One post on X reads: "The concept of hiding the main ship’s wedding scene in the mid credits of the show…" And if that isn't enough to make you scroll back to the end of the final episode, we don't know what is. While we wait for more news on season 5, here's what unfolded at the end of season 4 part 2 (plus that sneaky end credits scene that's sent fans into meltdown), complete with exclusive insight from the cast and showrunner Jess Brownell. Bridgerton season 4 part 2 ending explained – What happens to Benedict and Sophie? The finale starts with Sophie remaining banged up in prison for stealing Lady Araminta's shoe clips and for her impersonation as a lady. She feels as though she can't reach out to Benedict but little does she know that Benedict is on a mission to find her, thinking that she has run away and gone to work in the Americas. Lord Stotter proposes to Rosamund (Michelle Mao) but in the midst of the proposal, Rosamund tells Posy (Isabella Wei) that she was instrumental in guiding Araminta to Sophie to have her arrested. Araminta visits Sophie in prison and wants her to confess at her hearing, but Benedict and Lady Violet come to the rescue and get her released into the care of the Bridgerton house, with the judge saying they'll meet again in a week's time to decide on Sophie's fate. Back at Bridgerton house, Sophie is shown to her guest room and is now an official guest of the house, rather than a servant. Benedict tells her that he knows she is in fact the Lady in Silver that he's been looking for, expressing how pleased he is at the news. However, they've been told to keep to their separate rooms so can't act on any desires. That evening, Violet confides in Lady Danbury about what's been happening, who says that she can hold off her trip to win round the Queen to this idea of Benedict and Sophie. That same evening, Sophie sneaks into Benedict's room to have a heart-to-heart about their feelings for one another and also, to tell Benedict about her father and his death. Benedict points out that having never seen his will, Sophie actually doesn't know whether or not Araminta is telling the truth about what has or hasn't been left for Sophie by her father. The talked-about tub scene unfolds, with the pair growing closer than ever. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times about the scene in question, Ha said: “I think it’s the first time that Sophie feels taken care of. She’s spent so much of her life giving to other people and taking care of other people. It’s the first time that she actually gets to let her hair down and actually be taken care of and I think that’s really beautiful and poetic. Also, the first time that she can just enjoy being in the company of somebody else.” The next morning, Sophie and Eloise (Claudia Jessie) club together to visit Cressida (Jessica Madsen), who is of course the new Lady Penwood at Penwood House. Running into Alfie (David Moorst), Sophie tells him that she's on a mission to locate her father's will in the study to help her case and find out the truth. She finds out that her father actually did keep his promise and left an equal-portioned dowry for herself, Posy and Rosamund – something that Araminta has never made her aware of. Danbury is also working overtime to try and persuade the Queen of Benedict and Sophie's love, but she's having none of it and doesn't approve of their union due to their differing classes. Upon hearing this, though, Alice (Emma Naomi) goes to confront her husband about Benedict's dalliances. Alice is tired of being the Queen's lady in waiting and wants to do something more in her new role – and so, she takes matters into her own hands to help Sophie. In the background and despite their tensions, Claudia and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) speak to one another about marriage once again, with Hyacinth declaring that she will join Eloise in being a spinster. Having a slight change of tune, Claudia wins Hyacinth round to the idea of marriage once again by underlining the merit of having each other as siblings because of it. Even so, Hyacinth says that she wants to know herself a little more better before her big debut. The night of the Queen's ball arrives and Sophie is dressed up and nervous to attend, being snuck in by the Bridgerton family to see Alice. Everything gets off to a positive start as Posy is seen flirting with Lord Barnaby, the pair clearly smitten. But then, Araminta orders Posy and Rosamund to follow her to the drawing room that she thinks she's being summoned by the Queen to go to. In fact, Sophie is there waiting alongside Benedict and Violet. Sophie doesn't mince her words as she reveals that in her father's will, he declared that Araminta would get an extra stipend for every year she housed Sophie. However, she wasn't to keep her on as a maid in her own home. It's easy to see that Araminta has taken Sophie's dowry and doubled up Rosamund's in order to get wed, something that leaves Posy and Rosamund upset as it leaves them with differing dowries. Posy confesses to stealing the shoe clips but it's not just about that, Araminta claims as she blames Sophie for preoccupying Lord Penwood and taking his love. However, Rosamund – who usually follows her mother's suit in hating Sophie – says that Sophie has never actually put their social standing in any danger. Violet reminds Araminta of her greater crime of embezzlement in a bid to quash her claims against Sophie. Violet proposes for everyone to agree to a "mutually beneficial recounting of events" and we see them in motion as the ball goes on. Alice goes to the Queen to inform her that she has brought Sophie to the ball in order for the Queen to witness the love between Sophie and Benedict, a very bold move for a new member of the Queen's staff. Alice reminds the Queen of the fact that many royals thought that the Queen should go away at one point in history, much like how the Queen is referring to Sophie. Alice says that the Queen is ignoring a whole world of gossip by not recognising the lower classes and it's something that the Queen can't help but smile at. The Queen goes to meet Sophie, who Benedict introduces and Violet interjects, saying that Sophie is actually the daughter of the late Lord Penwood's cousin. Violet explains that she has spent most of her life in the country and has only just come to London, with Alice saying that she must've been mistaken about the fact that Sophie was a maid. That means that when the Queen asks Sophie if she is a relation of the late earl, she isn't lying at all by admitting she is a daughter of Penwood house. Back in the ballroom, Lord Stotter isn't happy with Rosamund's new much lower dowry and calls off the engagement. But where one door shuts, another opens as it seems as though love is truly in bloom for Posy and Lord Barnaby. Varley (Lorraine Ashbourne) and Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) make up after their disagreements and in the end, Lady Featherington gives a roundabout apology and re-hires Varley. At the ball, Sophie makes her official appearance in the ballroom with Benedict as they dance together in public for the first time. All is well as the Queen and Danbury continue giggling about the evening's events, with the Queen getting teary as she bids farewell to her best friend. Benedict then surprises everyone by proposing to Sophie in the middle of the ball, slipping Violet's family ring onto Sophie's. Finally, at the end of the finale, we see Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) enjoying some alone time, writing. She has of course retired from Lady Whistledown and Colin (Luke Newton) remarks to her that he thought she was done with Whistledown. He pulls out a fresh copy of Whistledown, much to Penelope's surprise as it's revealed there's a new and different author in town now. Chatting to Radio Times about the Whistledown switch-up that strays from the Julia Quinn books, showrunner Jess Brownell revealed: “Shonda [Rhimes], I and all my writers know who Whistledown is and we’ve been writing to that. But that was what was really exciting to us was to A, let Penelope move onto a next chapter as a novelist, in her romance with Colin etcetera. "But I think once we revealed that Penelope was Whistledown at the end of season 1 and especially now that she’s come out publicly at the end of season 3, the stakes of it – we lost a bit of them in season 4. It was really fun telling the story of her having to face some accountability with the people she’s written about, but it’s also so fun now to have red herrings and clues and have no one know because it’s not from the books at this point … Yeah we’re going a bit rogue.” Do Lady Violet and Lord Marcus end up getting married? Unfortunately not – and things remain uncertain between the pair. Violet is overjoyed looking on at Sophie and Benedict, with Marcus joining her and asking whether they should tell her children that evening about their own engagement. Violet explains that she's changed her mind and isn't actually ready to marry, wanting to stay as they are as she gets reacquainted with her true self. But that's not something Marcus is happy with and although he says he would wait if he believed Violet wanted the same life together, he doubts she does and walks away, appearing to break things off. Speaking about that sad moment between the pair, showrunner Brownell says that it was actually one that is "quite empowering" for Violet – and could open up future storylines. Chatting to Radio Times, Brownell revealed: “Yeah, you know I love the chemistry between them and it’s been so fun to see people reacting to ‘I am the tea’. "But it also felt too early for Violet, when this is the first person she’s dated since her husband died, to get back into a marriage. I think she does have some self discovery to do and it is quite empowering, I’m quite excited for her to go on that journey over the next couple seasons.” What happens to Francesca and Michaela? Prior to the ball, Francesca and Michaela are enjoying an evening in together when Francesca tells Michaela about Benedict and Sophie's dilemma of being together. Francesca is worried that the scandal of it all will scare Michaela away but it doesn't. Francesca asks Michaela if she can stay in London until a new heir is found, expressing her anxiety around Michaela's nomadic existence. Michaela says that if Francesca would like it, she'll stay but then looks slightly off as Francesca holds her hand. However, on the night of the ball, Francesca asks her maid where Michaela is and they inform her that Michaela has packed all her belongings and left. We then see Michaela being driven away in a carriage, looking serious but somewhat relieved to be leaving. Bridgerton season 4 part 2 end credits scene, explained Just when those credits start to roll, you may have been tempted to click off of the series but wait! The end credit scene is actually the sweetest icing on the cake of a great season, with it being none other than the wedding of Benedict and Sophie. In the countryside, everyone gathers to celebrate the occasion with Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) giving Benedict the advice of never listening to him again and proclaiming that their father would be so proud of him. Kate (Simone Ashley) poses to the group the question of whose wedding will be next and Eloise surprises everyone by saying she loves a wedding. Francesca remarks that one time is enough for her and that she has found her great love. We then see a beaming Sophie at the end of the aisle with Alfie, who is walking her down the aisle. While Araminta and Rosamund aren't in attendance, Posy is there with Lord Barnaby as well as Sophie's chosen family of her former work colleagues. It's smiles all around as the pair finally end the ceremony with a kiss, with the final shot being of a portrait of Sophie as the Lady in Silver, painted by her new husband Benedict. Speaking about how special that final scene was to film, Ha told Radio Times: “Yeah it was so nice and for Alfie to walk her down the aisle, I think it’s also a message of family is the people who you make it to be. She’s really struggled to, I think, let people in and actually, love is all around you. You just have to be willing to see it and not be blind to it. "But yeah, it’s so funny when you put on a wedding dress and you’re like, ‘I should be wearing this in my real life and I’m here, getting married’. But to have Jonathan and Simone there as well and just all the people there to celebrate our love story, it was just the perfect way to, I think, end the series. Everyone from crew was also wearing nice clothing attire, they got told to wear nice shirts and stuff like that so it did feel like a real celebration. It was really sweet.” Burying the wedding in the end credits has spun some fans out, with several taking to social media to express their, erm, feelings about it. "It's so ridiculous...so many people are going to miss it," one wrote, while another posted: "Putting the main ship's wedding in the mid-credits is actually unhinged. We waited seasons for that and you hide it like a Marvel easter egg? ? Bridgerton really said 'if you blink, you miss the marriage.'" Bridgerton season 4 part 2 is now streaming on Netflix. 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.
Paradise season 2 release schedule – how to watch new episodes
When do new episodes of the Disney+ drama land?
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for episodes 1-4 of Paradise season 2.* Coming into the second season of Paradise, as well as our main players returning for more, we knew that new characters played by Shailene Woodley and Thomas Doherty would prove to game changers for the episodes ahead. While we've followed Xavier (Sterling K Brown) on his quest to find his wife, we have also got a window into how the world has continued on in the face of the natural disaster, through the eyes of Annie (Woodley). That's why it makes it all the more heartbreaking that this week's episode has delivered quite the fatal twist for the character. Speaking about the fourth episode, Woodley told The Hollywood Reporter: "It’s so profoundly and poignantly written, that reading it in and of itself evoked every emotion that we needed to bring it alive on the day. "I credit the writers who are so brilliant and so in touch with their own humanity, which made our jobs a lot more seamless." This only continues to throw more spanners in the works for not just Xavier, but the series which really is taking us on every twist and turn imaginable. With an outside world that has continued whirring after the worst natural disaster ever, Xavier has already started to see just what remains but as for whether it'll get him any closer to finding his wife, we'll just have to see. But when do new episodes of Paradise land on Disney+? Read on to find out. When are new episodes of Paradise season 2 released? Paradise season 2 premiered on Monday 23 February with its first three episodes, with further episodes airing weekly. That means you'll want to set a reminder each Monday to make sure you keep up-to-date with new instalments! New episodes of Paradise season 2 land on Disney+ in the UK and on Hulu in the US. Paradise season 2 release schedule The full release schedule for the second season of Paradise can be found below, with episodes landing every Monday. Episode 1 - Graceland - Monday 23 February (out now) Episode 2 - Mayday - Monday 23 February (out now) Episode 3 - Another Day in Paradise - Monday 23 February (out now) Episode 4 - A Holy Charge - Monday 2 March (out now) Episode 5 - The Mailman - Monday 9 March Episode 6 - Jane - Monday 16 March Episode 7 - The Final Countdown - Monday 23 March Episode 8 - Exodus - Monday 30 March How many episodes of Paradise season 2 are there? There are eight episodes in the second season of Paradise, just like the show's premiere season. Paradise season 2 trailer The trailer for Paradise season 2 can be found below. View Green Video on the source website Paradise season 2 is streaming exclusively on Disney+, with new episodes available weekly. 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.
Bridgerton season 4 soundtrack – A guide to every pop cover in the Netflix drama
Wondering which orchestral covers of pop songs appear in season 4?
Bridgerton season 4 part 2 is finally upon us, continuing the love story between the second eldest son Benedict Bridgerton and the mysterious Sophie Baek. The Netflix series might be set during the Regency era, but various efforts have been made to build bridges with modern audiences, from the show’s emphasis on feminist characters, to its use of diverse casting. Another element of Bridgerton that will undoubtedly resonate with modern viewers is the soundtrack, which features a wealth of orchestral covers of modern pop songs. Although, having said that, the first episode in the new instalment (episode 7) – which marks a tonal shift as grief takes hold of the Bridgerton house – doesn't actually feature any musical covers. "We didn’t want to have some cover take away from that emotion," music supervisor Justin Kamps told Tudum. "It didn’t seem like the right episode." But that doesn’t take long to change, with subsequent episodes featuring classical covers of Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo and Coldplay, as well as Charli XCX, Camila Cabello and Lord Huron. To help you place all the songs, we've put together a comprehensive list of every tune that features in season 4. If you scroll a little further, we've also included the full soundtracks for previous instalments. Without further ado, here are all the songs in Bridgerton season 4 part 2's soundtrack – including the original recording artist and who does the cover. Bridgerton season 4 part 2 soundtrack: Every pop cover featured 360 Episode: 5 Original by: Charli XCX Performed by: Peter Gregson Birds of a Feather Episode: 5 Original by: Billie Eilish Performed by: Gemini Strings Lose Control Episode: 5 Original by: Teddy Swims Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet Just What I Needed Episode: 6 Original by: The Cars Performed by: Altum Quartet Fields of Gold Episode: 6 Original by: Sting Performed by: Music Lab Collective Never Be the Same Episode: 8 Original by: Camila Cabello Performed by: Strings From Paris The Night We Met Episode: 8 Original by: Lord Huron Performed by: Joni Fuller Bridgerton season 4 part 1 soundtrack Life in Technicolor Episode: 1 Original by: Coldplay Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love Episode: 1 Original by: Usher ft. Pitbull Performed by: Strings From Paris Never Let You Go Episode: 1 Original by: Third Eye Blind Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet Enchanted Episode: 2 Original by: Taylor Swift Performed by: Joseph William Morgan All I Wanted Episode: 3 Original by: Paramore Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet bad idea right? Episode: 4 Original by: Olivia Rodrigo Performed by: Caleb Chan Bridgerton season 3 part 2 soundtrack POV Episode: 5 Original by: Ariana Grande Performed by: Strings from Paris Thunder Episode: 6 Original by: Imagine Dragons Performed by: Thomas Mercier Confident Episode: 6 Original by: Demi Lovato Performed by: Archer Marsh Yellow Episode: 7 Original by: Coldplay Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet You Belong With Me Episode: 7 Original by: Taylor Swift Performed by: Duomo Lights (Stripped Down) Episode: 8 Original by: Ellie Goulding Performed by: Archer Marsh All I Want Episode: 8 Original by: Tori Kelly Performed by: Kris Bowers Speaking about the tunes featured throughout this season, music supervisor Justin Kamps told Tudum: "We have a lot of covers that aren’t necessarily part of ball sequences this year, and it’s because we found some cute places to insert something that can play as a fun cover [but] doesn’t necessarily have to be attached to a dance sequence." Two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Tori Kelly is also the first to record an original song for the popular period drama, saying of the experience: "The fact that this is the first time an original song has been a part of Bridgerton makes the whole experience feel even more special! "Really, I’m so excited that I get to be a part of this amazing show in my own way." Bridgerton season 3 part 1 soundtrack abcdefu Episode: 1 Original by: Gayle Performed by: Vitula Dynamite Episode: 2 Original by: BTS Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet View oEmbed on the source website Jealous Episode: 2 Original by: Nick Jonas Performed by: Shimmer Cheap Thrills Episode: 3 Original by: Sia Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet Happier Than Ever Episode: 3 Original by: Billie Eilish Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet View oEmbed on the source website Snow on the Beach Episode: 4 Original by: Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey Performed by: Atwood Quartet Give Me Everything Episode: 4 Original by: Pitbull Performed by: Archer Marsh Discussing the soundtrack with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Jess Bromwell told The Hollywood Reporter: "I’ll say, this season because it’s leaning more into the rom-com sensibility and has at its heart a very strong woman, it felt right to include some pop anthems from some really strong women. So you’ll see Taylor Swift. You’ll see Demi Lovato. You’ll see Billie Eilish, etc. "But when we’re choosing songs, we think a lot about what is gonna make people lean in and go, “What’s that song?” Versus what’s instantly going to be recognizable and take people too quickly out of the show. We want to tiptoe that line as much as we can." Speaking about the musicality of this season, Bridgerton music supervisor Justin Kamps told Tudum: "We have a lot of covers that aren’t necessarily part of ball sequences this year, and it’s because we found some cute places to insert something that can play as a fun cover [but] doesn’t necessarily have to be attached to a dance sequence." Bridgerton season 2 soundtrack Stay Away Episode: 1 Original by: Nirvana Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet View oEmbed on the source website Material Girl Episode: 1 Original by: Madonna Performed by: Kris Bowers Diamonds Episode: 1 Original by: Rihanna Performed by: Hannah V & Joe Rodwell Sofia Episode: 4 Original by: Askjell, iris, AURORA View oEmbed on the source website Dancing on My Own Episode: 4 Original by: Robyn Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet You Oughta Know Episode: 5 Original by: Alanis Morissette Performed by: Duomo Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Episode: 6 Performed by: Kris Bowers Sign of the Times Episode: 6 Original by: Harry Styles Performed by: Steve Horner What About Us Episode: 6 Original by: P!nk Performed by: Duomo View oEmbed on the source website How Deep Is Your Love Episode: 7 Original by: Calvin Harris & Disciples Performed by: Kiris Wrecking Ball Episode: 8 Original by: Miley Cyrus Performed by: Midnight String Quartet Bridgerton season 1 soundtrack thank u, next Episode: 1 Original by: Ariana Grande Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet View oEmbed on the source website Girls Like You Episode: 1 Original by: Maroon 5 Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet In My Blood Episode: 2 Original by: Shawn Mendes Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet bad guy Episode: 3 Original by: Billie Eilish Performed by: Vitamin String Quartet Strange (feat. Hillary Smith) Episode: 5 Original by: Celeste Performed by: Kris Bowers Wildest Dreams Episode: 6 Original by: Taylor Swift Performed by: Duomo The show also features an original score by Kris Bowers. From Call Me Simon and The Duel to Flawless My Dear, the song titles correlate to key moments in the series, including Daphne's successful presentation at court and meeting with Queen Charlotte. Read on for the original songs featured in the Bridgerton soundtrack. Flawless My Dear The Latest Whistledown We Could Form An Attachment Shock and Delight Simon and Lady Danbury What Women Do Best Call Me Simon Sommerset House When You Are Alone Feeling Exceptional What You Saw Was A Lie The Duel A Love Based on Friendship All is Fair in Love and War Miserable Together, Happy Apart Come With Me One Last Dance Love is A Choice A Grand Finish Bridgerton seasons 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Marlow Murder Club season 3 first-look trailer sees beloved Doctor Who star return amid flurry of guest stars
Three more cases are opening up – including one that tears at the very fabric of the close-knit club.
The Marlow Murder Club season 3 is coming to U&Drama this month, with a first-look trailer showing the gang back in action alongside a cavalcade of guest stars. The series follows a trio of amateur investigators – retired archaeologist Judith Potts (Samantha Bond), dog walker Suzie Harris (Doctor Who's Jo Martin), and vicar’s wife Becks Starling (Cara Horgan) – who become invaluable assets to now-Detective Inspector Tanika Malik (Natalie Dew). Based on the novels by Death in Paradise creator Robert Thorogood, The Marlow Murder Club has become a standout title in the 'cosy crime' craze currently gripping British telly, with the next episodes shaping up to be another bunch of crowd-pleasers. The synopsis, courtesy of UKTV, teases: "From the sudden death of the town's beloved mayor – the nicest man in Marlow – to a celebrity chef found dead at the launch of his cookbook with half the town in attendance, the team will be working under the watchful eye of the Marlow community. "They'll also be called to action at a university reunion in an eerie manor house where, in a surprising twist, Becks finds herself amongst the suspects. Could this case threaten our amateur sleuths' roles as civilian advisors?" If you're suitably intrigued, check out The Marlow Murder Club season 3 trailer right here: View oEmbed on the source website Previous images have shown off guest stars Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Jacqueline Boatswain (After the Flood), with Nigel Harman (Eastenders), Sarah Alexander (Art Detectives), Tony Gardner (Last Tango in Halifax) and Jason Merrells (Waterloo Road) to join them in the first two-parter. Later episodes boast appearances from Harry Enfield (The Windsors), Cherie Lunghi (Strike), Adrian Lukis (SAS Rogue Heroes) and Alastair Mackenzie (Andor). Meanwhile, the returning regulars include Hugh Quarshie (Professor Darius Gifford), Phill Langhorne (DC Brendan Perry), Holli Dempsey (DC Alice Hackett) and Tijan Sarr (DC Jason Kennedy). In our The Marlow Murder Club season 2 review, Radio Times writer James Hibbs said: "There's no doubt that the show has effectively transitioned from a one-off novel adaptation into a continuing, episodic formula, and thus set itself up for the future". He also claimed it was taking "cosy crime to new heights of cosiness," which is a description that co-star Samantha Bond would likely push back against. In an interview with Yahoo UK last year, she explained: "I really hate the expression cosy crime, I suppose I need to get past that... The plots are intricate, complex, intriguing, and they really make you think. "I suppose the word 'cosy' comes about because you don't see the violence, that's the only thing that's cosy about them... I'm of an age now where I don't want to see violence on my television." The Marlow Murder Club is coming to U&Drama on Wednesday 18th March 2026. Check out more of our Comedy 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 Marlow Murder Club 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.
Beyond Paradise season 4 confirms guest stars including EastEnders and Gavin & Stacey favourites in new first look
Beyond Paradise season 4 is just around the corner and, as is tradition, several guest stars will be heading to Shipton Abbott as the island's police force find themselves investigating another run of mysteries. Familiar faces include EastEnders' Phil Daniels, who previously appeared in season 1 as fisherman Marvellous Harris, and Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters, whose role has yet to be revealed. According to the official synopsis: "Fact and folklore blur as the team investigate the death of a novelist who predicted their demise, a magical night of Dark Morris that soon turns sour, a stolen treasure map that suddenly reappears, and the alleged sighting of a vengeful mermaid lurking out at sea." Elsewhere, Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) "launch into married life as they search for a new home, while Humphrey wrestles with an impossible decision that may change the lives of everyone at the station forever". But it remains to be seen whether they will continue to foster or even consider adoption – especially given just how painful it was to say goodbye to Rosie last season when she returned to her biological mum. The guest cast for season 4 also includes Susan George (Straw Dogs), Colin McFarlane (The War Between the Land and the Sea), Michael Cochrane (The Archers), Vincent Franklin (The Thick of It), Alex Macqueen (The Inbetweeners) and Tristan Sturrock (Poldark). Rounding it out are Andrea Lowe (Sherwood), Rachel Cassidy (Downton Abbey), Emily Stott (Foundation), Rina Mahoney (Happy Valley), Susan Penhaligon (A Fine Romance), James Clay (MobLand), Kenneth Collard (Cuckoo) and Narinda Samra (Ackley Bridge). Beyond Paradise season 4 will also see the return of Zahra Ahmadi (DS Esther Williams), Dylan Llewellyn (PC Kelby Hartford), Barbara Flynn (Anne Lloyd), Felicity Montagu (Margo Martins), Jamie Bamber (Archie Hughes), Melina Sinadinou (Zoe Williams) and Eva Feiler (Lucy Thompson). As for other potential storylines, after an initial health scare last season, Anne was given the all-clear – but will her new lease of life see her launch herself back into the dating scene? Meanwhile, there still appears to be unfinished business between Esther and Archie, despite the detective continually pushing him away. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. Beyond Paradise season 4 arrives soon on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Beyond Paradise 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's Laura Main and Helen George are this week's Radio Times cover stars
RT celebrates the emotional ending of Call the Midwife with stars Laura Main and Helen George.
This week's RT is a bittersweet issue. Bittersweet because it marks the end of the latest series of Call the Midwife. It's a drama that has anchored Sunday nights each winter since 2012, and has been lapped up at "Law Towers" from the start. Your letters to RT suggest we are far from alone. Few series inspire such loyalty and such affection. We spoke to showrunner Heidi Thomas about her decision to "pause" the show and what it means to draw breath after 15 years. Thankfully, this is not a full stop. With a Second World War prequel plus a feature film in development, the world of Call the Midwife – or CTM, as we affectionately call it in the office (publishing, like the Army, does love an abbreviation) – looks set to evolve rather than disappear. The timing feels apt: Sunday 8 March is International Women's Day, and also in this issue we've asked brilliant women writers to interview some of the actresses and authors behind this week's other eagerly awaited dramas, from the imperious Brenda Blethyn to bestselling writer Patricia Cornwell. But we believe celebrating female talent should never be confined to a single week, which is why we remain committed to championing the most distinctive women's voiced in an industry that is, at last, learning to do the same. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: Actor Eve Myles seems to have specialised in police roles, currently in the ITV drama Gone – but would she make a good one? Author Patricia Cornwell on the long journey to the screen of her medical examiner, played by Nicole Kidman. Why Ellis star Sharon D Clarke, who has made television history, is proud of the stories she is telling. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. 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.
Call the Midwife teases Sister Monica Joan's decline and Cyril and Rosalind's wedding in first look pictures
As Call the Midwife approaches the season 15 finale, joy and sorrow awaits.
Call the Midwife fans are still coming to terms with the desperately sad news that Judy Parfitt's time on the show is rapidly approaching its end, after it was revealed Sister Monica Joan has chronic kidney disease – for which there is no cure. The character's mental and physical health has been in decline for some time now, but still, she soldiered on, as tough as it often was – although she began to reflect more openly on her life and what might await her at the end of it. But it's not only Sister Monica Joan who must now confront the inevitable passage of time. Her Nonnatus House family must also sit with the painful reality that there will come a time when she's no longer with them, as depicted in the image of Nurse Crane below. When Dr Turner first delivered the news, she vowed to love Sister Monica Joan "as we always have, but a bit more carefully" – and she's sticking to her word. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/551564-0c2c83f.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="An older woman with short curly hair sits beside a bed, gently holding the hand of someone lying under the covers. She wears a navy cardigan over a light blouse and looks emotional. A softly lit room with curtains and a lamp creates a quiet, intimate atmosphere." title="Call The Midwife s15" /> "There's this scene [in the finale], I won't really go into detail, but it sort of encompasses all of the characters that we've had on the show over the last 15 years," said Helen George at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026. "And when I walked onto the set, I just sobbed, I sobbed like a baby. It was really emotional. So if I was a mess – and I'm heart of steel – then the audience will be a mess as well." The comments follow creator Heidi Thomas's about season 15 bringing an era to an end, and the final episode being "hard" to write. "I think we've all cried our eyes out at different times because things never will be the same again," she added. "But the whole thing with Call the Midwife, like life itself... it's a process of constant evolution for our characters and also for the stories." But while the finale is set to be a highly emotional affair, Renee Bailey (Joyce) has said that there is still joy to be had. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/CTM-17a9b00.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="A bride and groom stand facing each other and holding hands during a wedding ceremony. The bride wears a white dress and veil, and the groom wears a grey suit with a white boutonniere. An officiant stands behind them at a desk with an open register, as soft light filters through tall lace-curtained windows." title="Call The Midwife s15" /> "It makes you laugh, it makes you cry. It's a hug and it's also heartbreaking," she told Radio Times. "It's a mix of everything, but I think audiences are going to love it," she said, with additional first look pictures revealing that Rosalind and Cyril are set to get married. Read more: Call the Midwife boss teases "three options” for movie - to be revealed in the season 15 finale Call the Midwife's end nearer than ever as Trixie prepares to leave Nonnatus House and Sister Monica Joan declines With the happy couple expecting a baby – a development that wasn't planned, but Cyril was thrilled by, despite Rosalind's initial fears that he wouldn't be – it's now full steam ahead as they seek to make their union official in the eyes of God and the law. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/551559-3837b5e.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="A newly married couple kiss on a staircase as guests gather around them throwing confetti. The bride wears a white dress and veil and holds a bouquet of white flowers, while the groom wears a grey suit with a white boutonniere. Family and friends smile and applaud in the background, creating a joyful, celebratory atmosphere." title="Call The Midwife s15" /> The pair briefly spoke about tying the knot earlier in the season – and with Cyril's divorce from Lucille now official and a child on the way, they are clearly ready to step into the next chapter. "I've been thinking about it [the finale] more and more as we get into the spring", said Natalie Quarry. "I think it really will, hopefully, stay with people." Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. Call the Midwife season 15 will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 1 March. 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 Capture creator reveals which season 3 episode is 'the best we’ve ever made'
If you thought seasons 1 and 2 were thrilling, just wait until you see what creator Ben Chanan has in store for us this time around.
As fans of BBC thriller The Capture wait for the new season to arrive, the show's creator Ben Chanan has given them even more reason to be excited, by revealing that he believes he and the team have bettered themselves once again. Two seasons of the show have aired so far, in 2019 and 2022 respectively, and there have been some real high points along the way. However, speaking exclusively with Radio Times, Chanan was clear when asked whether he had a favourite episode he was most looking forward for fans to check out from this upcoming run. Chanan said emphatically: "Episode 3, season 3, is the best episode we’ve ever made." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/01/5.-Holliday-Grainger-and-Indira-Varma-as-Rachel-Carey-and-Khadija-Khan-in-The-Capture-S3-coming-to-BBC-iPlayer-and-BBC-One-this-Spring-0ecac56.jpg" width="4644" height="3096" alt="Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey and Indira Varma as Khadija Khan in The Capture season 3, stood next to each other in front of camera equipment and screens." title="5. Holliday Grainger and Indira Varma as Rachel Carey and Khadija Khan in The Capture S3, coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One this Spring" /> The Capture season 3 starts airing on Sunday 8 March 2026, and will be dropping new episodes weekly, so fans will have to wait until Sunday 22 to see what Chanan and the team have in store for us in that particular instalment. The new season of the techno-thriller picks up a year after the bombshell end of season 2, which saw Holliday Grainger's Rachel Carey expose deepfake technology Correction, and its use by the British state, to the world. The synopsis for season 3 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?" While stars such as Paapa Essiedu and Indira Varma are returning for the new season, newcomers to the cast include Killian Scott, Joe Dempsie, Hugh Quarshie, Linus Roache, Jonathan Aris, Andrew Buchan and Amanda Drew. The Capture season 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Sunday 8 March 2026. Add The Capture 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.
Industry’s Yasmin has always had the capacity to be awful, but the season 4 finale proves she's gone to new heights
Yasmin may have just pulled off the career pivot nobody was expecting.
*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Industry season 4 episode 8, Both, And.* While this series of Industry thankfully had a bit more of a focus on my beloved favourite Harper (Myha'la), the season 4 finale's last moments were well and truly co-opted by Yasmin-related shock and horror. The two best friends/enemies/surrogate sisters could not be more at odds as to what paths they're now forging in their lives and it's hard to believe that just last week, we were all fangirling over their much-needed clubbing montage. No sooner had we all shouted "They are so back!", than the rug was pulled from under our feet this week, as Yasmin (Marisa Abela) made career decisions that are the stuff of literal nightmares. And while many fans may be complaining about the fact that Yasmin has turned to a life of being a "high-class madame", as Abela herself puts it, I think it's a character arc that actually makes a lot of sense. Stick with me here. There's no denying that the publishing heiress has had quite the trajectory over the course of four seasons of Industry; going from being the graduate many of us rooted for after being subjected to a weird working dynamic with boss Kenny (Conor MacNeill), to the series hinting at a very dark past of abuse, the unexpected (self-orchestrated) death of her father and the trial by media that ensued, to the blossoming romance with Rob (Harry Lawtey). At a high level, we can zoom out and look at Yasmin's life and know it's one that hasn't always been plain-sailing. Despite her family's wealth and seemingly plush upbringing, Yasmin is as layered as any other Industry character – that's what makes her so interesting to watch. But her season 4 arc and its eventual stomach-churning resting place isn't as far-fetched as some may think because she's simply emulating the behaviour of those she's sought to surround herself by. Sure, there is that initial sense of distress we get as we realise the trafficking services she's now helming, but it's a tragic character development that, in a way, was always somewhat pre-determined to an extent. The inspiration from the "biographical elements" of Ghislaine Maxwell are clear for everyone to see, with season 4 wholeheartedly leaning into the parallels between Yasmin and the convicted sex offender. Yasmin has gone from wanting power to marrying power and now, enabling powerful men to do whatever they want to whoever they please. In Harper's moment of clarity in the finale, Yasmin emotionally remarks about her decisions: "I feel important here... I'm necessary. I feel new, I feel less pain. That's it." The "pain" she references isn't just the divorce from Henry because let's be real, she loved the social access the Muck name afforded her more than she did the individual. As we see when she puts her late father's voicemail on a loop later on in the episode, it's the pain inflicted by him that continues to echo through her life. The very lack of power she felt growing up is the thing she's been trying to get a hold of throughout these four seasons and now, by calling the shots in this nauseating way, she's got the security – or "protection", as series co-creator Mickey Down told Variety – that she's so wanted. “I think she sees herself as a very, very high-class madam … rather than a sex trafficker or someone that is abusing these young girls,” Abela told The Wrap. “Her whole life, Yasmin has felt misunderstood and controlled and judged because of her gender and her sexuality and the way that men see her. I think this is her saying, ‘If I can control that, not just with myself, but with these other girls,’ then I can make myself completely useful.” View oEmbed on the source website The way in which Yasmin ends up as a human trafficker by the end of the season is a twist many won't have seen coming in the premiere episode, that's for certain. When you strip it down and take Yasmin's previous behaviour into consideration, though, it isn't all that surprising given the fact that Yasmin has been vicious, calculating and demeaning to many throughout the course of Industry. She's toyed with emotions, burnt Harper one too many times and literally led Rob to believe they were going to be together to then announce her engagement the next day. Yasmin's sharp-tongued comebacks have left many fans in literal shock (a special nod to those aimed at Kenny and this season, Henry), always coming when her status, reputation or sense of control is put into question. None of those instances are crimes but in this season alone, Yasmin has also displayed a complete lack of regard for a growing far-right political climate, admitting she doesn't vote (even to her hopeful Tory MP husband), not wanting to "neuter the appeal" of Reform MP Stefanowicz (Edward Holcroft) and seating her Black best friend next to literal Nazis at the dinner table. Yasmin isn't a lovely character by any stretch of the imagination, and while there are vignettes of sympathy for her, we can't shy away from the fact that much like every character in the Industry landscape, she is made to be complicated and pretty unlikeable. In fact, I think if you really look for it, you'll find that she has been particularly cutthroat this season despite appearing to be in the shadows. "We’re not asking people to defend her. We’re just asking people to see the first four seasons of character development and realise this is probably the natural progression of the character," series co-creator Mickey Down told Variety. "This is where a character like this would end up. It’s hard to take, because Marisa is such an empathetic performer." Down goes on to mention how he hopes audiences are "challenged" by this episode, adding: "I also think hopefully that the weight of history and the character allows people to at least sort of understand what she’s doing, even if they could be horrified by it." We very much should focus on Yasmin's terrifying turn, but one of the true shames of that season 4 finale was the way in which it will continue to ripple through her and Harper's friendship. Their partnership rarely makes sense but by the end of the season, it looked as though they'd restored a sibling-like bond. But in a similar way to the reaction from viewers, Harper was left saddened and alarmed at Yasmin's life choices. Harper has never revealed herself to truly love anybody in these four seasons – not her twin brother, her mother, her friends, colleagues or mentee Eric (Ken Leung). But she has loved Yasmin. That’s clear when she goes to the loyal lengths she does to defend her from Kwabena’s (Toheeb Jimoh) judgements. So, it’s all the more heartbreaking when Harper and Yasmin go their separate ways. With season 5 being confirmed to be Industry's last hurrah and Abela expected to make a return (though not confirmed), we can only anticipate how Yasmin's story may continue to evolve over the episodes to come. Industry has never shied away from deplorable characters but in the way that we had to bid farewell to Eric once we realised what egregious crime he committed, should we be pulling the curtain down on Yasmin? The series has gone from being a jargon-filled financial drama to showing how much meat it has on its bones by venturing into themes and worlds that most viewers won't have expected. I don't think we're at risk of having a fifth season that paints an empathetic picture of Yasmin, but I do think we tow the line of making her actions seem excusable by continuing to showcase them. At this point, does Yasmin deserve a redemption arc or is she past the point of saving? I'll reserve judgement for now, but if season 4's Yasmin was the stuff of horrors, there's simply no telling where season 5 will take us. Industry seasons 1-4 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Add Industry 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.
Call the Midwife star reacts to season 15 finale: "We’ve never had to be upset at the end before"
Call the Midwife stars Helen George and Laura Main reflect on the changes to come, the sense of community and the show's enduring truthfulness.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Helen George and Laura Main are unanimous: they won’t miss Call the Midwife. At least not yet. “We’ve all been saying that we’ll feel it most in April because that’s when we usually start filming,” explains George, who has played midwife Trixie since episode 1. “So when that comes around and we don’t, we won’t have the support network and community that work has given us.” “Apart from that first year, we’ve always known at the end of filming that we’d see each other again,” says Main, whom we first encountered as Sister Bernadette and later transitioned to Nurse Shelagh Turner. “Even that first year, we found out after the second episode that the show would be coming back. We’ve had rare and lovely stability for 15 years. We’ve never had to be upset at the end before.” “And it is just a pause because we know it’s coming back,” George adds. “But it won’t be the same, with different characters leaving and whatever.” Despite Main exclaiming brightly that “we’ve had 14 years of two Christmasses!”, there is an undeniable melancholy at Nonnatus House. “As ever with Heidi [Thomas], the art informs real life and on-screen, there has been a lot of change,” George notes. “We’re definitely all feeling that in our lives off-set, too. But in amongst the grieving, we’ve had these incredible moments of togetherness, playing charades or reminiscing about the Isle of Harris or South Africa, or guest stars that came and went.” “I’ve always felt very held, very nurtured,” Main notes. Of Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt and Pam Ferris, the three established actresses who launched the drama, she says: “They set this wonderful tone of collaboration and equality and togetherness that exists still. We all support one another.” Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. “That’s the best thing about this job, it’s not competitive,” George adds. “Because Heidi writes for everybody, gives everyone a moment and something special to play, everybody gets a chance.” Why do they think that it’s resonated with audiences so much? “The show is about community and family, looking out for one another and how, when we do that, we are better as a society,” Main argues. “It is a lovely thing to get to play and when you see that volume of people tuning in over such a long time wanting to see it, it suggests that those values are important to the audience, too.” For George, who says there’s a selflessness that “we’re sadly lacking in society these days”, it’s even more profound than that. “We’re afraid to be ugly on the screen and we’re afraid to be ugly in our real lives,” she explains. “But sometimes, real life is ugly. It’s ugly and it’s dirty and it’s painful and it’s hard — it’s f***ing hard — and all that is shown on Call the Midwife. Not grotesquely glamorised and not sensationalised. Just…” She reaches for the right word. “Truthfully.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. 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.
Patricia Cornwell talks Scarpetta finally making it to the screen and her surprise cameo: "I was so overwhelmed"
It took 37 years for Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling crime novels to get the TV treatment. Why? Because her protagonist is female, she says
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Had I known it would have taken 37 years – and the sheer willpower of Jamie Lee Curtis – to bring Kay Scarpetta to the screen, I’d have been very disheartened. I sold my first Scarpetta book, Postmortem, while I was working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia and it was first optioned as a movie in 1989, right before it was published. Ever since then, it has been in and out of options. I asked Jodie Foster if she’d play Scarpetta not long after The Silence of the Lambs came out in 1991. She looked at me and said, “Don’t you see why that would be a really bad idea?” I didn’t; I thought it was the best idea ever. But it didn’t go anywhere – she wasn’t interested in that kind of role back then. Around 1997, I spent a few days with Helen Mirren in New York. I will never get over the privilege of hanging out with such an amazing, unassuming and lovely woman. The studio execs were worried about Prime Suspect being so high profile… anyway, nothing ever came of it. Demi Moore was attached for a while. I talked to Susan Sarandon. Angelina Jolie was attached to Scarpetta for the better part of eight years, but it has always fallen apart at the writing stage; no one seemed to understand her job as a medical examiner and so the script never worked. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/ScarpettaS1Static16x9Ensemble3840x2160PREPVFINALen-USKAPS3000-8262d68.jpg" width="1627" height="1085" alt="Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker and Ariana DeBose in Scarpetta. Kidman is sat in a large red chair, while the others are stood behind her. They are all looking at the camera." title="Scarpetta_S1_Static16x9_Ensemble_3840x2160_PRE_PV_FINAL_en-US_KAPS_3000" /> It also didn’t happen because Scarpetta isn’t a man. In the early days of the series – before my books sold over 120 million copies in 36 languages – a lot of people had a hard time with her being a woman. One bookseller told me that he couldn’t handle the idea of a woman dealing with the grim stuff that Scarpetta deals with. He reread Postmortem and changed all the pronouns to “he”, but that didn’t work, either. Scarpetta being a woman is what makes the book series unique, as opposed to it being a different version of Quincy. But the fact remains that if Scarpetta had been a man, and someone like Tom Cruise had played him, he’d have been a household name a long time ago. I suspect that TV series would have been very successful. Having said that, I am thrilled that Jamie Lee Curtis is championing Scarpetta and we now have two seasons commissioned. She stepped in four years ago when she moved into producing and she didn’t realise Scarpetta was available. She took it on and, because of who she is, has been able to attract huge talent, including Nicole Kidman. In fact, Nicole circled this project long ago, but once again it unfortunately fell apart at the script stage. So now we have the talented Liz Sarnoff as showrunner [Deadwood; Barry], Nicole Kidman as my heroic protagonist Scarpetta, Jamie Lee Curtis as her outrageous sister Dorothy and Bobby Cannavale as Pete Marino, who works alongside Kay. I’ve always loved Bobby, cute as he is, and all bets are off about whether Marino and Scarpetta will have an affair. Ariana DeBose is stellar as Lucy and who doesn’t love the idea of Simon Baker as Benton? Before going on set [look out for Cornwell’s cameo in the first episode], I warned Jamie that I would most likely turn into a little puddle on the sidewalk. I was so overwhelmed. I don’t actually watch many crime shows, apart from Only Murders in the Building, because I don’t like to be reminded of what I do for a living when I’m watching TV and trying to relax. Following my early failures – Postmortem was rejected by almost every major publishing house in New York before Scribner took it on for $6,000 – I learnt not to have high expectations, so seeing Nicole Kidman play Scarpetta on TV is magnificent and absolutely worth the wait. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. All episodes of Scarpetta are available from Wednesday 11 March on Amazon Prime Video. 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.
Torchwood legend Eve Myles reveals why dark new drama "took its toll a bit"
Playing murder detectives takes its toll, says Eve Myles, but luckily her husband is always on hand with a big glass of wine.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Eve Myles has played a cop several times in the past few years, in We Hunt Together, The Crow Girl and now in Gone, the new ITV series from George Kay. It seems fair to ask, then, if she’d make a good cop. She leans into the screen – she’s at home in Cardiff – and pulls a face. Just as I fear she’s unhappy with the question, she roars with laughter. “I’m way too empathetic! I’d be the person bringing in cakes in the morning for everyone who’d just had a terrible night. I’d take everything home with me. I just feel too much.” Empathy is Myles’s superpower. It made us advocate for her in Keeping Faith, in which she starred as a lawyer whose husband (played by her actual husband, Bradley Freegard) disappeared out of the blue. It made her utterly believable as a detective chief inspector investigating a string of ritualistic murders of young men in the first series of The Crow Girl. And now, in Gone, she is the compassionate Annie Cassidy, a steely detective assigned as family liaison officer to private school headteacher Michael Polly (a very uptight David Morrissey) after he becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s death. Before you say: “Not another woman found dead in the woods”, Gone is elevated not only by the cat-and-mouse game between Cassidy and Polly, but also by the fact that it’s inspired by the career and work of Julie Mackay (see sidebar), a former detective superintendent, and her book, To Hunt a Killer. The book detailed Mackay’s work on a cold case, in which she found the killer of a young woman called Melanie Road who had been murdered some 30 years earlier. Both Mackay and her co-author, ITV crime correspondent Robert Murphy, were consultants on Gone, and the attention to detail shows. Myles, who has three daughters aged 16, 12 and four, liked the fact that Gone was filmed down the road in Bristol, meaning she could see the girls before school and read them a bedtime story (“not the 16-year-old, despite my persistence”), and that the series was a psychological mystery rather than a procedural cop show. The “final key” in taking the job was Mackay always being on the end of the phone for her. “Julie is a remarkable human being. Being in the force wasn’t easy, but she really used her voice and helped solve a cold case after 30 years. Gone isn’t Melanie’s story, but I took note of Julie’s persistence and resilience when playing Annie.” Despite being an actor and not a cop, Myles nevertheless still takes her work home – she’s just wrapped on the second series of The Crow Girl and the story was “so dark and difficult that it took its toll a bit”. Luckily, Freegard, whom she met at the National Youth Theatre in 1994 and married in 2013, firmly but kindly tells her that her work day is done. “Having a six-foot-three husband plonk a big glass of Malbec in front of you isn’t bad. I don’t want to brag… But I am. I will!” She grins like a lovestruck teenager. “Seriously, though, in this day and age you’ve got to take care of your mental health. I connected with David [Morrissey] on Gone because we were both always running and in the gym. It’s the only way to sustain the frankly ridiculous hours we do.” Although Myles and her husband lived in Hollywood while she was filming Torchwood and spent years in London, they moved back to Wales – Freegard is from Pontypridd – after looking all over the UK and realising the only option was the obvious one. “I’ve always belonged to Wales; it runs through me like a stick of rock,” she says gleefully. Myles was brought up by a single mother on a council estate in a small Welsh mining town and could barely afford to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. “My mum was proud to be working class. She was proud to hold down three cleaning jobs a day. She instilled a work ethic in me, and she was the most loving woman. My friends loved to come round to get a hug, a bath, food. I don’t overly spoil my kids, I just ensure they have love in abundance. And a kitchen disco at least once a week.” When I ask if she’d like to make a TV series her kids can watch, she once again hoots with laughter. “I did a CBeebies Bedtime Story once and I’ve been a hero to my kids ever since. My eldest is looking forward to Gone because she wants to do a degree in anthropology. If the gods are listening, please, let me do something lighter, something funny, so our two youngest can watch. Otherwise” – she is laughing so hard she can barely get the words out – “they’ll always think Mummy and Daddy work in a caravan in a Tesco’s car park, because that’s all they see when they come to set.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Gone begins airing on Sunday 8 March on ITV1. 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.
Vera icon Brenda Blethyn talks new drama’s explosive finale: "Trump them all. Sorry to use that word..."
Having bid farewell to Vera’s old mac, Brenda Blethyn is embracing power-dressing as Emma Harte, the formidable tycoon at the heart of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s novels.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. There’s a barnstorming finale to Brenda Blethyn’s new series, A Woman of Substance. Octogenarian tycoon Emma Harte, frocked in immaculate royal-purple and a heavy gold necklace, confronts her family with deadly calm. "There’s a fatal flaw in your scheme – you underestimated me!" Think of a female version of Brian Cox in Succession. "I really get my teeth into that scene," she says. "Trump them all. Sorry to use that word..." Even more fun is the final twist that follows, with a masterclass in close-up face-acting. Breezy, friendly, full of life and only a few days off her 80th birthday, Blethyn loved the story based on Barbara Taylor Bradford’s novel. “It’s so rich, it’s luscious.” It’s the ultimate rolling, readable popular saga: a 1900s Yorkshire kitchen maid, pregnant and abandoned by the young master, whose gift for dressmaking and commercial acuity builds, by the 1960s, to a global business and a troublesome dynasty. Channel 4’s 1984 adaptation had Deborah Kerr as the old Emma and Jenny Seagrove as her young self. This sprawling, spectacular new version has Blethyn as matriarch and boss, looking back on her life as she stalks through her New York HQ to challenge her boardroom. She smoulders with grand old-lady fury, a touch of Margaret Thatcher as she deals with ungrateful offspring and rekindles the furious feud with the rich Fairley family whose maid she once was. The story is a ferocious one about revenge and the brutalities of an early-20th-century class struggle. She also loved watching the moorland scenes with Jessica Reynolds playing Emma’s younger self. “She’s great. Look,” she says, pulling out a photo. “I found some old pictures of me and at her age I do actually look like her – the eyes. The producers hadn’t even seen those photos, but must have thought it worked. “Did you notice that they shot the New York locations in Liverpool,” she adds gleefully. “The Cunard Building is the same both sides of the Atlantic! At one point, I got there and saw this huge department store and thought, ‘Ooh, might do some shopping, but of course it was part of our set! New York in the 1960s, yellow cabs, sound effects, the lot.” The 1960s upmarket mature-couture (“But not shoulder pads, thank goodness,” she laughs) was a nice change, too. Having delighted the nation for 14 years as Vera, the dishevelled but brilliant chief inspector in Northumbria, “the glamour in this was wonderful. Our designer made these terrific clothes. Actually, yesterday I was in Newcastle as Vera, back in the costume. The poster headline was ‘Lewis Capaldi, Brenda Blethyn and Sting’. It was for a charity, Sunday for Sammy, for young people who want a profession in the arts. So there I was in the old mac, hat and boots, but probably anybody could have been inside.” She has relished being the triumphant Vera, and now Emma Harte. Before that, “I’d always tended to be cast as put-upon people.” But both Vera and Emma Harte have to depict an acute intelligence. How does she approach that? “I don’t have to show the thinking, I just think. And actually, I do love solving problems. I’m a member of the Times Crossword Club. My brother races me every day to do the cryptic puzzle first. He won the other day. As kids we didn’t have a TV and sometimes not the radio – no money.” (The radio licence was only abolished in 1971.) “But Dad set us brainteasers and puzzles to do, all the time.” Her own parents were not so distant from fictional Emma: her mother was a kitchen maid who worked up to lady’s maid, who met Blethyn’s father when he was a chauffeur for the same family. “Hard, long hours, working all the time, polishing grates, the silver, scrubbing.” Once her parents were married and living in Ramsgate in Kent, where Blethyn was later born and raised, the pair left “service” and found other work. “Mum had several jobs, morning and afternoon. She was a cleaner, cleaned the council offices. Dad drove for the Corporation. She’d take the housekeeping out of his pay packet, three pounds a week or something. There were nine of us. I was the youngest but the oldest ones had moved on by then.” In the series, Emma’s mother urges her to “Get out, and get on!” Did Blethyn’s mother do the same? “Yes! They both said, ‘You can do anything you want to do if you work for it. You’re as good as anybody else.’ So we’ve all worked hard.” Did she have books and stories, the stimulus an actor needs from childhood? “They both told us stories. My dad would talk about being in India in the Royal Artillery, walk about telling stories, acting them out. Perhaps about the desert, adventures, people in delirium. One of his duties was driving the dustcart, and he’d collect periodicals, books and comics that people threw out… he loved the Reader’s Digest. Mam would also tell us about her first job, collecting acorns for a pig farmer... is that right?” Yes, I tell her, captivated at this postcard from the 1930s. Acorns would have been used to make food that pigs love. Her father also taught her how to express herself – she suddenly cites a remembered string of long words he quoted mockingly: “Promulgating esoteric cogitations, beware of ponderous cogency... No, just say what you want to say in your words, don’t be pompous!” By this time I half wish I could time-travel and give both her long-gone parents OBEs. But instead, we move on to Blethyn’s actual career. She trained as a stenographer with Pitman’s shorthand – “I can still do it, useful when you’re on the phone” – then various office jobs, eventually ending up in the British Rail freight marketing department. “On the train today, one of the trolley ladies asked, did they let you keep your pass? No... but I did have one then, travelled everywhere! One day a lady came in, said she was from the Euston Players and they were doing a competition, a one-act play, and someone was sick. I said no, but she said, ‘Oh, it’s only one line.’ ” What, I ask, was the line? Blethyn promptly does it, word perfect, with expression. “It’s a real dirty old night. Evans the post says the mist is right down to the path.” She was enthralled with theatre from that moment. “I think we came last in the competition. But oh, the different skills – someone making the frocks, someone doing the lights, the set, someone selling tickets. And the more you do, the better you get. People said I should try going professional. I had no clue I’d ever be in television or film. I didn’t tell my parents until I knew it was the right thing.” We veer off in wonderment at how much harder it would be today for a young aspiring actress to go from an office desk to studying at drama school for a year (“I had a grant!” Blethyn remembers) and then head almost straight onto the National Theatre stage. “I just don’t understand the lack of investment in theatre and arts. And all the students, they’re stuck with loans and these huge interest rates.” She is still a great champion of am-dram. “I’m a patron of the Enfield Players in Derby where my brother lives. No matter what your profession, theatre training is good. All the different skills and punctuality – ‘Don’t be late, you’re relying on other people, they’re relying on you.’ ” She remembers she once brought her parents to the National Theatre. “I took them along the miles of corridors and Dad said, ‘This must have cost a million pounds!’ He had that old twangy accent, born in 1894. And when I was offered a film job in America, A River Runs Through It, my mum was in hospital. So I said don’t worry, I won’t go. But she said no, do go! Because it was directed by Robert Redford and she loved him. He sent her a photo saying, ‘Love to Louisa’.” So which does she prefer now, stage or screen? “I do love the stage, it’s the luxury of rehearsal and playing the part chronologically, not like in film or TV doing scenes in the wrong order, always having to remember what you don’t know. And I love an audience: that warmth, it’s like scoring a goal. But it’s hard to commit far ahead at my age. If it was, ‘Ooh, next week could you step in?’, I probably would.” Does she go to the theatre? “There was a time my niece came to stay and we had a whole week, matinees and evenings. I’m planning on doing that again.” As for the beautifully dressed, ferocious role of Emma in A Woman of Substance, who knows? After that final twist, what is she showing in that close-up? “Oh, she’ll be thinking of a way out.” After all, this is just the first of a seven-book series, and the next one – Hold the Dream – also features the old battleaxe. If it does get made, you may rest assured there’s still plenty of go in Brenda Blethyn, OBE. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. A Woman of Substance begins on Wednesday 11 March on 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.
Ellis star Sharon D Clarke: "Seeing a big woman on television making love… is still something you don’t often see"
Sharon D Clarke reveals the roles that have enabled her to unleash her true self.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Sharon D Clarke has made history with the roles she’s played. As Grace O’Brien, she was one of three very diverse women to step into the Doctor Who universe in 2018, alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and Mandip Gill’s companion Yaz. “What, young boys can’t look up to a woman?” she says now of the claims a female Doctor deprived young boys of a positive male role model. She then starred in a story that hadn’t been told on screen before with 2024’s Mr Loverman, based on Bernardine Evaristo’s novel. She played the wife of a secretly gay man (Lennie James) who’s in love with his best friend. It was only in 2022 that homosexuality was decriminalised in Antigua and Barbuda, where part of Mr Loverman was set. “It’s really, really important these stories are told.” She also reflects proudly on her sex scenes in the series. “Seeing a big woman on television making love – or being loved – is still something you don’t often see. I’m there with all my flesh and my red sequinned thing with my t*ts out!” she remembers. Now Clarke returns as the first Black female lead detective in a British TV series for season 2 of Ellis. In one scene, a character who’s part of an investigation expects DCI Ellis to be a man, and when she shows up, tries to belittle her. “It’s dealing with that kind of behaviour, which sometimes is overt in life, but usually it’s subtle. I’m glad we don’t beat anybody over the head with it. When you show them what the small microaggressions are, they have to think again and look deeper.” In the moment, have all these parts felt significant? “Every last one,” says the 59-year-old from Enfield, north London. “It’s never lost on me that, at this stage, I’m able to do work that really holds up a mirror to society.” The three-time Olivier Award winner admits she’s “happiest on stage”, and has spoken about how she stopped auditioning for TV roles because she was only being cast as nurses, but that changed when she was offered the role of consultant Lola Griffin in Holby City in 2008. “Lola was a young version of my mum – this strong Black woman who didn’t apologise for who she was, for her size, for any of it. I went, ‘That’s what your mother’s been trying to teach you. Get on board.’ This part of my mum [who passed away in 2016] that I’d run away from just became a part of me. Lola gave me that.” Clarke’s wife, writer and director Susie McKenna (the couple married in 2008), said it was hard when Clarke was playing Lola. “She saw this strength coming through,” the actor recalls, “like, ‘She’s gone a bit too far, she needs to come back to the middle.’” But when she was young, Clarke backed away from confrontation. “I’d think, ‘OK, let me not say that. I don’t want to upset so-and-so.’ Now, I’m not afraid to say what I think. That’s part of being [nearly] 60 and coming into your own, and it’s so liberating. Characters along the way have shown me those parts of myself that I’m able to unleash.” Unlike when men speak their mind and are called confident, when women say what they feel with conviction… “You’re intimidating,” Clarke chimes in. “Like what, really? Just because you’re strong! This is me being gorgeous, baby! You get a lot of that, especially as a Black woman. It’s: ‘angry Black woman’. It’s like, now you’re making me angry. I was cool before, but now you’re getting my hackles up.” Even in her smaller roles, Clarke makes a big impact. She voiced Dulcibear, Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) caring childhood nanny, in Wicked and Wicked: For Good, a part that doesn’t exist in the stage musical. “I didn’t really tell anybody about it. I was a very subsidiary character. My niece sent me a text going, ‘OMG, Auntie Sharon, are you in Wicked? You didn’t tell me you were in Wicked!’” People have credited Dulcibear’s inclusion as key to understanding Elphaba’s backstory. “It’s incredible that this little character has gotten into people’s hearts,” Clarke says. “It makes me really proud to be part of that Wicked legacy. It has fulfilled one of my ambitions of voicing a character. I’d love to do a big animated movie.” She’s proud of each and every role. “I’m loving the work I’m doing at the moment. Rather than going, ‘Oh my God, we need to pay the mortgage, let’s get some money in this house now,’ I’m doing stuff because I want to do it and be part of telling that story.” Ellis season 2 will air on Tuesday 10 March and Wednesday 11 March at 9pm on 5. Add Ellis 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 star Holliday Grainger talks Strike, deepfakes and Northern representation
Grainger spoke with Radio Times magazine about the third season of her hit BBC techno-thriller.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Holliday Grainger has been scene-stealing since the age of six, when she landed her first role in the BBC’s All Quiet on the Preston Front (1994). Now 37, she’s firmly in her detective era. As well as continuing her role as the unflappable Robin Ellacott in Strike (season 7 will air later this year), she’s back as the inscrutable surveillance boss Rachel Carey, diving into the murky world of deepfakes and institutional cover-ups, in BBC One’s The Capture. What was the hardest part about filming this third series? To be honest, the hours! But to be more specific, the learning of the procedural jargon. You’ve got to make it look easy, otherwise you’re doing your job wrong. Give me a stunt scene any day. It doesn’t require as much homework. I really enjoyed doing a lot of the action stuff this season. I love how Rachel doesn’t try to be likeable — is that important? Yes, and I do, too. I also love that you don’t get a major back story with her. It’s all about the plot and the work. This is a generalisation, but women tend to be people-pleasers. She’s not. I really like her bluntness. It makes it all the more poignant when you see a little slip into her inner emotional life, although those are few and far between. When The Capture first aired in 2019, the idea of "deepfakes" felt outlandish. Now that the internet is littered with fake Artificial Intelligence (AI) videos, do you feel it was ahead of its time? Completely. At the time, most people thought the idea was so far-fetched. Now, it’s not just the scary ways people in power might be manipulating footage, it’s day-to-day manipulation on social media, and how easy it is for anyone to create fake content. I don’t think we would’ve believed it in 2019. Today, how do we sort fact from fiction? I don’t think we can at the moment. We’ve just got to keep an open mind. The more cynical we are, the more it’s probably the truth. Working on this new series completely reframed how I read world events. We are having to question what we see and the reasons for it in a way that we didn’t before. We all need a Rachel Carey in our lives with Operation Veritas! <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" /> Have you ever been fooled by anything online? Probably. There’s a line in the show, “What is the truth? Does truth even exist?” I’m questioning everything. Recently, I read something about the Lovers’ Arch in Italy collapsing on Valentine’s Day, and my first thought was, “Is that real?” My favourite word of the year is “slopaganda”. It’s not just about the dangerous, propaganda that’s out there, it’s AI regurgitating someone’s s**t that they spewed on Wikipedia. Which is the scariest? The propaganda or the slopaganda? Do you worry about your image being used without your consent — especially as a woman? Yes, though I’m more worried about being forced to sign something that says it’s OK to do things with my image; of it legally being taken out of my hands. You can’t control the slopaganda. But I’m not on social media, so I’d just never know. It’s always women [who are typically more affected]. It’s a scary and sad thing that it’s so easy to do now. People can do it at the click of a button. We need to make sure the prevalence of it doesn’t make us normalise it. You started acting at six, and have said that your mum was your chaperone when you were a teenager. What was that like? Thank God for my mum! I wouldn’t be acting otherwise. I enjoyed it because I was with her. I hated being with chaperones as I felt really infantilised. She made it OK for me. Being a teenage actress in the noughties, there were experiences that meant you needed a good grounding. As someone who grew up in Manchester, do you feel Northern talent is better represented now than when you started out? Definitely. In the same way that more women’s stories are being told, as a society, we’re more interested in opening our minds to stories of different regions, cultures and abilities, almost in a way that I don’t even notice it now. You play investigators in both The Capture and Strike. Who is most like you: Rachel or Robin? Probably Robin. I’m way too much of a people pleaser to be Rachel. Robin is probably a version of me. And after solving so many TV crimes, do you think you’ve become good at reading people? I’d like to think I am. I do think that I can get a sense of someone quite quickly. For the first season of The Capture, I did quite a bit of shadowing in the police, and came away thinking, “I could do this”. I wanted to get stuck into some of the investigations. Would I be a good Celebrity Traitor? Is that the question? Ha! I’ve never watched The Traitors. Maybe I should, and then I’d know… The Capture season 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Sunday 8 March 2026. Add The Capture 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.
Paramount+ and HBO Max set to merge – but HBO tipped to operate with "independence"
Paramount CEO David Ellison has said that "HBO should stay HBO".
Following the news that Paramount Skydance had won out in its battle to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, beating out Netflix's offer with a bid that was deemed "superior", the company has reaffirmed its plan to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max. Paramount CEO David Ellison spoke about this plans during an investor call, as reported by Variety, now that the wheels are in motion for the deal to go ahead. He said: "As we said, we do plan to put the two services together, which today gives us a little over 200 million direct to consumer subscribers. We think that really positions us to compete with the leaders in the space. "At Paramount, by the middle of this year, we’ll have completed the consolidation of our three services under one unified stack, and you can see us taking a similar approach to this platform going forward. "And we think the combined offering, and given the amount of content and what we can do from the tech side, really will put us in a position to be able to compete with the most scaled players in DTC [direct to consumer]." While it has not yet been confirmed exactly how this will work in practice and whether the new streamer will be retaining one title or another, Ellison did say that "HBO should stay HBO", suggesting a special place would be marked out for the brand, which has for many years been synonymous with premium, critically lauded content. Ellison said on the call: "Casey [Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content] and his team do absolutely a remarkable job at HBO. And as we said, we do plan for that to be able to operate with independence, so that HBO can, candidly, do what it does incredibly well. "Our viewpoint is HBO should stay HBO. They built a phenomenal brand. They are a leader in the space, and we just want them to continue doing more of it. But by bringing the platforms together, all of our content will be able to reach even a broader audience than we can do standalone." HBO's current, ongoing dramas include A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, Euphoria, The White Lotus and The Last of Us, amongst many others. Meanwhile, upcoming additions include DC's Lanterns and the new Harry Potter series. HBO Max has yet to launch in the UK, and will actually be arriving later this month. Based on the prospective deal, it seems it may only be doing so, at least in its current form, in the short-term. 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.
Young Sherlock review: Guy Ritchie's return to Holmes is messy, throwaway fun
Is it top tier Holmes? Absolutely not. Is it well crafted drama? Not entirely. Would I watch more of it? You bet.
The opening scenes of the creatively titled new Sherlock Holmes prequel, Young Sherlock, find our hero engaged in a prison brawl, before being made to work as a porter at Oxford University by his brother Mycroft. The sight of Holmes bruised and dressed in prison garb is actually only fleeting here, but has been used extensively in marketing, clearly suggesting this is how Prime Video wants to sell the series. It's not far off from the vision of Holmes we saw in the previous films from Guy Ritchie, who is a director and executive producer here, but it's been stressed that the two projects are not linked. So, Holmes as a bruiser, is that what we're going for here? Well, not exactly. In truth, having now seen all eight episodes of Young Sherlock, I'm still not quite sure what version of the detective this is, so muddled is the journey it takes both us on. Is that a problem? Yes, undoubtedly. The series is messy, disjointed and will be an absolute turn-off for die-hard Arthur Conan Doyle fans. However, for everyone else there is another point that has to be made - Guy Ritchie knows how to make damn addictive entertainment. As already explained, Young Sherlock quickly establishes the titular hero, a reprobate youth who has taken to pickpocketing just for the thrill of it, working at Oxford University. There, he meets James Moriarty, a student attending the university on a top scholarship, and the two become fast friends due to their matched intellect. Of course, we know how that story goes - the duo will one day be arch-enemies, but don't expect a speed-run up to that point. Sherlock's first unofficial case sees him investigating a stolen scroll, nicked in transit to the university by a Chinese princess. However, that's just the beginning of things, as the case leads both he and James into a world of murder and conspiracy, eventually bringing him all the way home to reconnect with his mother, Cordelia, who has been committed to an asylum for years, and his father, Silas. You get the picture - this isn't your 'case of the week' Holmes, like in Sherlock or Elementary. It's not only tonally aligned with Ritchie's films from 2009 and 2011, but also structurally. It follows a similar formula, in that it starts out with a relatively simple case, which then balloons to the point that Sherlock is travelling the globe on the trail of a wider conspiracy, with the audience left wondering exactly why he's doing so or quite how he got there. It has to be said that while that sort of plot can work quite handily in a film, where things move at such breakneck speed that it's hard to stop and thinking about it all too much, across a series it does leave things feeling disjointed. Episodes 1 to 3 feel like a totally different story than the middle chapters, and particularly removed from the final few. And this isn't just an issue of location, but also one of tone and characterisation. On that note, we have to talk about Sherlock. If one were being generous, you could say that he goes on a journey across the series. If one were being honest, you would say his characterisation is all over the place. Sure, he does come across some personal trials which could explain his rapidly changing demeanour, but the cheeky chappy of the earlier episodes does seem to completely vanish come to midpoint of the series. His level of morality and emotional sincerity also seem to both be in flux - if the character weren't called Sherlock Holmes, viewers would be left with little clue as to who this hero is actually meant to be or what he's meant to represent. This isn't particularly the fault of Hero Fiennes Tiffin, it's really in the script. Fiennes Tiffin is fine in the role. It would be stretch to say he excels, or will be a particularly memorable take on the character in years to come, but he is watchable, and doesn't detract from everything else that's going on. His relationship with Dónal Finn's Moriarty is probably the most interesting element of the series, with the 'friends to foes' angle playing out with surprising subtlety, and the end result yet to be realised. This is aided supremely by Finn's impressive turn, with a twinkle in his eye which sells the character's mischief and inner darkness, even as he is outwardly all justice and light. The rest of the cast are impressive too, whether it's established names like Natascha McElhone and Joseph Fiennes (both of whom are having a whole lot of fun as Sherlock's parents) or relative newcomers like Zine Tseng. Max Irons is particularly impressive in his role as Mycroft, and one wonders whether he himself would have made a good young Sherlock 10 years ago. Oh, and Colin Firth pops up too. In all honesty, the show is probably starrier than it deserves to be. It's also absolutely not one for Holmes purists. At times, as with Ritchie's previous takes on the character, one wonders whether he or anyone else behind the programme has all that much interest in Conan Doyle's character. Elements of the story could be transposed into any other action/adventure series, and there is little display of Holmes's deduction skills in full force. Of course, you could argue that this is because the character is in his early days, and is yet to hone his craft. Instead, I would argue that, beyond a couple of displays of Holmes's mind palace in action, the series has much more interest in Holmes as a Ritchie style gentleman action hero than it does with him as a deductive genius - even if that does make it all the more generic. All that being said - the messiness, the weak characterisation, the lack of fidelity to the source material - it has to acknowledged that Young Sherlock is not a slog to get through. In fact, quite the opposite is true. No matter the strength of the material he's working with - from the highs of The Gentlemen to the lows of Fountain of Youth - Ritchie usually manages to maintain a level of entertainment quality which escapes many directors and creatives, perhaps because he's so willing to shake things up and play fast and loose with source material. Even with all its faults, Young Sherlock is a proper rollicking adventure, with a sense of fun that prevails even as more brooding elements descend. The action is well-staged and inventive, the plot is largely propulsive, the character interactions are charming and the locations are stunning. With all the criticisms I had across all of the eight episodes, my level of enjoyment never really cratered, and instead I was left wanting more come the end of the run. I wanted to find out what happens next to this version of Holmes and Moriarty, perhaps because they are so unrecognisable from their literary counterparts. Whether we do get to see more adventures, who knows. If audiences flock to the series like they did to watch the trailer, then it certainly seems likely. In the end, one wonders whether it wouldn't have been better to make this an official prequel to the Ritchie films. Little would have had to change, but it would have at least made clear what the end goal is, and given the characterisations some grounding. As it is, we've got a fun, messy, throwaway adventure series, with nominal ties to Sherlock Holmes but little of the substance. It's got much closer ties to Ritchie's back catalogue than to Conan Doyles - and your willingness to go along with that will no doubt determine your enjoyment. Young Sherlock is available to stream in full on Prime Video now – 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 Young Sherlock 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.
Industry season 4 ending explained by creators after dark twists for [SPOILER]: "The character isn’t finished"
*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Industry season 4 episode 8, Both, And.* Not only has Industry taken itself to new heights in season 4 generally, but its finale is likely one of the bleakest that it's pulled off. There's no major happy ending in the final moments of this fourth instalment but seeing as the show has already been renewed for season 5, we can hedge our bets and guarantee that the new waters we've started wading into will only get deeper (and choppier) in episodes to come. Series co-creator Konrad Kay has reflected on the final episode and where it left Harper as "fun and provocative", telling Vulture: "She’s in a house of horrors. She doesn’t know she’s in a house of horrors. She’s the final girl. Everybody’s evil." The episode starts with increasing pressure on the Labour government as Jennifer Bevan's (Amy James-Kelly) ties to Tender continue to put her party's decision-making into the limelight, with Reform UK politician Sebastian Stefanowicz (Edward Holcroft) painting himself as the answer to everyone's political prayers. View oEmbed on the source website But where do the chips fall for not just the state of politics at the end of Industry season 4 but more importantly, Harper (Myha'la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela)? It was an episode that left Myha'la feeling "really depressed" upon first reading it, after all. Read on for a full breakdown of the Industry season 4 finale. Industry season 4 ending explained: What happens to Harper? The start of the finale unfolds as a bit of a high for Harper – who is celebrating her company's success at knowing just when to short Tender and expose a now on-the-run Whitney (Max Minghella) in the process – and a bit of a (short-lived) low for Yasmin. The former is celebrating with her team as Tender's value plummets while the latter is telling Henry (Kit Harington) that she wants a divorce. Despite her astronomical success and pay-out to come, Harper only pines to tell one person and that's the now disgraced Eric (Ken Leung), who she leaves a voicemail for. As Yasmin sleeps off the night before, Whitney calls Henry and instructs him to find a bag of money stashed in his bedroom. Whitney knows the headlines are implicating Henry and tells him their only option is to run away and reposition themselves, informing Henry of the Russian involvement in the company. Whitney has donned quite the disguise and speaks from a mystery hotel room, reminding Henry that they're in this together now. We then see Whitney hiding out in a private jet, waiting for Henry and the money. Henry arrives but is given a surprise when Whitney hands him a new passport, devoid of his titles. It's the nail in the coffin for Henry who realises he's just Whitney's leverage and refuses to run away with him. Speaking about that scene, series co-creator Konrad Kay told Vulture: "The reason I like that scene is because I feel like the whole thesis of the show is crystallised in that moment where Henry literally looks at a passport of a guy with no status and a passport of a guy with his background and is like, 'All the other s**t, you can bulls**t me on, and I’m enough of a dolt that I’ll still end up on a plane with you. But when you present something to me which basically forswears my titles and makes me Joe Bloggs in Lithuania, that’s the point at which I draw the line.' "That was his class consciousness becoming the text. The subtext is really, really text in a way that maybe the show didn’t use to do as much. " Henry then returns home to Yasmin to find the police waiting for him in the living room, ready to take him in for a voluntary interview. Henry is given the opportunity to take a plea deal but now armed with information about Tender's Russian involvement, he's keen to bring that to trial. He tells Otto (Roger Barclay) about that, asking if he can pose it at the House of Lords, but Otto tells him about a businessman who was killed after proclaiming something similar. We later see Yasmin appearing to work for Henry's uncle Alexander (Andrew Havill) as she organises a meeting between him and Stefanowicz, who tells him of his future political hopes and the right-leaning path he's continuing to forge. It turns out that Yasmin is hosting a fundraising and networking event for him in Paris, something that Harper has been invited to and she extends it also to Kwabena (Toheeb Jimoh). Once they're in Paris, they're met by Yasmin and Hayley (Kiernan Shipka) who are clearly very close now that they've united after their dealings with Whitney. Despite their newfound bond, Yasmin asks Hayley again if she has footage of their night in Austria with Henry, but Hayley says she doesn't. Before the party, Harper gets into a heated exchange with Kwabena, who tells Harper that his friend went to school with Yasmin and describes her as a "sadist". As her friend, Harper defends Yasmin because she's someone who has been through a lot but it leads to a fallout between Kwabena and Harper, with Kwabena refusing to go to the dinner that evening. At the dinner, Harper is seated next to Moritz-Hunter Bauer and his mother Johanna, who laud Stefanowicz and his politics. Harper soon understands their far-right leaning views and is visibly uncomfortable, later telling Stefanowicz and Yasmin of their extreme views. With the dinner finished and the party underway, we then see Yasmin's former maid Molly make an appearance in a formal dress, along with Hayley and Dolly, who we of course know to be underage from the video with Eric. Harper becomes increasingly attune to the fact that there are young women being brought into the room, asking Yasmin why she's doing all of this. Yasmin doesn't really care to hear Harper's concerns about these people's political views and tells Harper about the kind of social access she's affording these girls. Yasmin has taken over from the trafficking/blackmailing operation that Whitney had going, it seems, as a madam, all in a bid to remain a big power player. To put an end to their conversation, Yasmin shows Harper the incriminating sex video of Eric and Dolly, telling Harper that Eric knowingly had sex with an underage teenager. This of course, knocks Harper for six and she then sees that Dolly is in the room with them. Harper pleads with Yasmin to take her hand and leave with her, but refuses. “I think that Yasmin is aware that her own history with abuse and with trauma has left her in a very vulnerable position, and throughout her life, we have seen that she can’t find a way into being taken seriously, to being safe, to having job security, to having relationship security. She has not managed to find a stable footing,” Abela told Deadline. “She starts to see that the way that men have always seen her and treated her, she understands on such a fundamental level, because of her childhood trauma, that she can actually use and manipulate, and she can position herself so that she has a proximity to power if she looks after these other vulnerable women, and I think that is how she sees it.” As for what the motivations for Yasmin are to lie to Harper about Eric knowingly sleeping with a teenager, Down says: “The character isn’t finished. If we were to come down and say, ‘She felt this,’ then it would close a lot of doors for character development. Annoyingly, if we do another season, we might have to make up our mind about that." Harper leaves and tries to plead with Dolly to also go with her, but Hayley orders her to leave and she does, with the room just laughing at her making a scene. We then see the emotional fallout of the evening on Harper, who is distraught once she gets back to her room. Kwabena returns, telling her that he kissed someone else and they confront each other about their dynamic, the loss of Harper's mother and what Kwabena got up to in Ghana. But it looks like the pair are on the up as they talk of relationships and it seems as though they may be heading in that direction. At the very end of the episode, we see Kwabena sitting in the same private jet as Harper as she has an interview with real-life journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, who makes a cameo in the episode, and interviews Harper about her success. What happens to Yasmin? Henry pleads guilty to charges of fraud but says that he was deceived by Whitney just as much as anyone. That same morning in Paris, Yasmin is paid a visit by Molly who is visibly exhausted from the night before. Her make-up is smudged and she's got her heels in her hands but ignoring that, Yasmin simply tells her a French adage about women being tossed by waves but not sinking. Hayley comes in and Yasmin tells her she can have the day off, reminding her of dinner obligations in the evening with "the Qataris". Something is off about Yasmin and she asks Hayley to make sure she can have a minute to herself with the doors closed. We then see her play an old voicemail from her father on her phone, which was likely one of his last, asking her to come to Mallorca to be on his boat. Yasmin then connects her phone to her speaker and plays the voicemail on a loop, eventually lying down on the floor as she does so. Series co-creators Kay and Mickey Down have said that there are parallels to the "biographical elements" of Ghislaine Maxwell's story and Yasmin's, but say that the "one-to-one comp between Ghislaine Maxwell and Yasmin is to do a disservice to Yasmin as a character". Speaking to Variety, Down said: "She’s always been attracted to the vulnerable. She’s always felt vulnerable herself. She’s always felt like whatever’s in the ascendancy is something she should grip onto. And I feel like it would have felt less sincere not to take her there, especially after we took biographical elements from Ghislaine in season 3." As for Henry, he's seen fishing with his uncle and Otto, taking his Lithium medication and washing that down with a beer. He's on a tag, which is the sum of the consequences of his actions as he's clearly not serving any prison time. The scene in question with the fishing was as a result of Harington himself suggesting it to Kay and Down. Harington told Deadline: "I think he needs to catch a fish, and you see the addict in him come out again, and you know that this guy is gonna be fine doing what he does like. He’s always gonna get another chance. There’s always going to be another fish. That addict in him is always going to go again if he lets it." Industry seasons 1-4 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Add Industry 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.
Has Silent Witness been renewed for season 30?
Are we heading back to Birmingham's Sir William Bowman Centre of Excellence?
Silent Witness made its debut in 1996 and, while many shows have come and gone during the last 30 years, it's still kicking. "I think it's the premise of the story," said Emilia Fox, who's played Dr Nikki Alexander since 2004 (via the BBC), when asked why people still tune in. "I always like to think of it as a behind the scenes of crime solving. The credit should really go to the late, great Nigel McCrery who came up with the idea in the first place and to Amanda Burton, playing Sam Ryan. It's thanks to the legacy that they left us that the show continues. "I think it’s also this look at human beings and what they are capable of – the good and the bad. There is something reassuring about a team of people who are doing good, trying to make sense of things and get justice." David Caves added: "It's comforting in a strange way, even though it's about death. Death is a mystery, 'the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns' to quote Hamlet. "But life is mysterious too and we always try to balance the negative with the positive. I think people enjoy the odd bit of gallows humour anyway." But can we expect more episodes next year? Read on for everything we know so far about a potential Silent Witness season 30. Has Silent Witness been renewed for season 30? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/01/Silent-Witness-season-29-3f7961c.jpg" width="3900" height="2600" alt="TX DATE:02-02-2026,TX WEEK:5,EMBARGOED UNTIL:20-01-2026 12.00,PEOPLE: Harriet (MAGGIE STEED). Jack Hodgson (DAVID CAVES), Kit (FRANCESCA MILLS), Dr Nikki Alexander (EMILIA FOX),DESCRIPTION:,COPYRIGHT: BBC Studios,CREDIT LINE: BBC Studios" title="543219,TITLE: Silent Witness S29" /> The BBC has yet to announce if Silent Witness is returning but filming is seemingly already underway according to a Facebook post, shared in February, featuring Fox. "Bodenham had the privilege of being chosen as the BBC drama's 'Silent Witness' base camp whilst filming locally for the 30th series," reads the caption. When could Silent Witness season 30 be released? With a couple of exceptions, Silent Witness typically airs at the start of the year – usually in January, although season 29 arrived in February – so we'd anticipate season 30 to arrive in January or February 2027. Watch this space for updates. Who could star in Silent Witness season 30? Both Nikki and Jack were tested in season 29, with their futures thrown into doubt. However, they live to fight another day and are seemingly set to continue working alongside Harriet and Kit. Unless there are any seismic changes, we expect the main cast of Silent Witness season 29 to be as follows: Emilia Fox as Nikki Alexander David Caves as Jack Hodgson Maggie Steed as Harriet Maven Francesca Mills as Kit Brooks Plus, there will be plenty of new guest stars, as is tradition. Silent Witness seasons 1-29 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Add Silent Witness 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.
Yellowstone spin-off Marshals reveals shocking fate for Dutton family member in premiere
Luke Grimes is back as Kayce Dutton - but another key character is no longer with us.
*Warning - contains spoilers for Marshals episode 1.* The original Yellowstone series may have come to an end in 2024, but the franchise continues on apace, with new spin-off and sequel series Marshals having now debuted on Paramount+. The new series sees Luke Grimes return as his character Kayce Dutton, who has left the Yellowstone Ranch behind him and has joined an elite unit of US Marshals, combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL. The synopsis for the series teases that Kayce and his teammates must balance "family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defence in the region’s war on violence". That family element was out in full force in the premiere episode, which has now been released, as it was revealed that Kayce is now raising his son Tate, played by Brecken Merrill, as a single father. That's right, as many fans had predicted based on the show's trailer, Kayce's wife Monica, who was played by Kelsey Asbille in all five seasons of Yellowstone, has died. The character suffered a traumatic brain injury in the very first season of Yellowstone, but in Marshals she was revealed to have died as a result of cancer due to the toxicity on the reservation. Throughout the episode, Kayce grappled with the fact that Monica was "better at all this" when it came to raising their son, adding that "the only thing more cruel than losing a parent, is losing the wrong one". While a couple of other returning stars join Grimes and Merrill in the spin-off, in the form of Mo Brings Plenty and Gil Birmingham, the cast is mostly made up of newcomers including Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos and Tatanka Means. This isn't the first time the Yellowstone franchise has killed off a key player off-screen - the same happened to Kevin Costner's John Dutton at the start of the final batch of episodes of the main show. While other series are in development, there is currently only one other Yellowstone spin-off officially on the way, in the form of The Dutton Ranch, starring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser. The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, was originally reported to be set in the Yellowstone universe, but it now turns out that is not the case. Marshals airs new episodes weekly on Mondays on Paramount+. Add Marshals 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.
Will there be an Industry season 5? Release date speculation and news
The future of the HBO/BBC series has been confirmed.
*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Industry season 4.* As we inched closer to the final episode of Industry season 4, many fans were starting to get slightly worried that the future fate of the show hadn't yet been announced. Thankfully, we all just needed to exercise a little smidgen more patience, as ahead of the finale, Industry was renewed for its fifth and final outing. We know, it's sad that the financial drama is drawing to a close with season 5, but we can already anticipate that it'll mean the series will go out with one surefire bang. Show creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay said in a joint statement: "For some time now we have been thinking about how best to end the show on an unparalleled high. Unlike some of our characters, we know when to leave a party. We’d like to thank our evangelical fan base, especially those who have watched from day one." View oEmbed on the source website With things having wrapped up on a very wild note for season 4, just when can we expect season 5 to land on our screens? And more importantly, in what newfound direction will we be going in? Read on for everything we know so far. Will there be an Industry season 5? Yes! The news of the show's fifth season was announced ahead of the season 4 finale on Wednesday 25th February. In their joint statement on the renewal announcement, Industry co-creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay said: "We’re privileged to have joined the small, esteemed club of dramas that have run for five seasons on HBO. This March marks a decade since we first began to conceive of the world of Industry and it exists because of the unwavering faith and vision of our partners and former partners at HBO — Casey, Frannie, Kara, Cela, Sam, Kathleen, and Max. "Without Jane Tranter’s imagination and belief, the show would simply be a dead idea in a drawer somewhere. She — alongside her partners at Bad Wolf — has been our guiding light and fiercest champion. We’d also like to thank the BBC for their partnership." They added: "Finally: we owe everything to our crew and the best cast on TV for making our writing live. The characters will live on because of their world-class performances. Seeing the HBO ident in front of our work will never stop being a thrill. It remains the best place to make television, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration well into the future." Speaking about the final season, co-creator Konrad Kay told Deadline: "Season 5 is just great, because we know what the end is. We know the final images of all the characters. We had a 12-week room over the course of the new year, just now. So we know what we’re writing towards." Industry season 5 release date speculation There's been no confirmed release date for Industry season 5 yet. However, seeing as there's usually been a two-year gap between seasons, we could hazard a guess and assume that Industry season 5 would be landing on our screens sometime in 2028. With the continued success and hype around the series, though and the fact that Down and Kay have hinted at knowing how they'll be wrapping up the show, we can always cross our fingers that the fifth and final season will be landing sooner. Watch this space! Who could return for Industry season 5? It's the burning question for many fans – who will be coming back for season 5? With the way that season 4 ended, we can anticipate that the show will continue its reign of leading ladies with Harper Stern (Myha'la) and Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela) both returning for more. In the season 4 finale, we saw Harper at a career high and looking into office space for her company, which could signal the dawn of a new batch of characters working for her. The closing moments of the episode also saw Kwabena (Toheeb Jimoh) by Harper's side, so we would assume he'd be making a return, as well as Sweetpea (Miriam Petche). As for characters we won't be seeing anymore of, we can assume that Rishi (Sagar Radia) won't be making any more appearances. Although he is a cat with nine lives, we can't imagine Industry will be taking us into prison to pay him a visit – but wilder things have happened. We can also imagine that we won't be seeing Whitney (Max Minghella) after his apparent demise, with the same being said of Ken Leung's Eric Tao and Charlie Heaton's Jim Dycker. We may also be bidding farewell to Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington) after he was seen on house arrest at his palatial estate, but we may possibly see his uncle, Alexander, Viscount Norton (Andrew Havill), seeing as Yasmin seemed to grow quite close to him in season 4. However, we have no idea if this will really be the last we see of Sir Henry Muck. Yasmin's own career has taken a major turn, and so, with Hayley (Kiernan Shipka) seemingly being her right-hand, we may be seeing more of the American actress. The same could be said of Reform MP Sebastian Stefanowicz, who is played by Edward Holcroft, and whom Yasmin was keen to impress by the end of season 4. Seeing as the new path she's embarked on will see her meet plenty of undesirable, powerful characters, we can probably look forward to plenty of new faces joining the Industry cast, we're sure. For now, the cast we'd expect to return for Industry season 5 are as follows. Myha'la as Harper Stern Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman Miriam Petche as Sweetpea Golightly Kiernan Shipka as Hayley Clay Andrew Havill as Alexander, Viscount Norton Edward Holcroft as Sebastian Stefanowicz What could Industry season 5 be about? With Harper on a career-high helming her own company and Yasmin seemingly having turned to human trafficking, blackmail, and escorting services, it really is all to play for in regard to what direction season 5 takes. Season 4 already took us on an unexpected turn away from the world of finance, and it was welcomed by many fans, but could season 5 see a return to classic form and get us back on the trading floor? Speaking to Deadline, co-creator Konrad Kay said: "Season 5 is going to be just as ambitious and, hopefully, just as engaging, but I think it’s going to be led, really, by the characters, because we know that we’re going to ride towards an ending." Will it mean that we see Harper and her team continue to try to hunt down fraudulent companies? Something tells us Harper's not all that concerned with turning into a whistleblower, but with her name increasingly more out there due to her Tender success, how will it all manifest? Hopefully, she doesn't take the power-hungry route of her mentor Eric, but we'll just have to wait and see. But where will Yasmin and Harper's relationship go next after the former's actions? Co-creator Mickey Down told Deadline: "Ask the question: Is it salvageable, given what happened? There needs to be some kind of relationship. I will say that." Industry seasons 1-4 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Add Industry 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.
Call the Midwife's end nearer than ever as Trixie prepares to leave Nonnatus House and Sister Monica Joan declines
For the times they are a-changing in Poplar.
There's still plenty of life left in Call the Midwife yet. A World War two-era prequel series, a movie set overseas featuring current cast, and season 16 are all in the pipeline. But the end of the series as we have known it since 2012, when it first debuted, is fast approaching (some may argue we're already there given the impact of the NHS's sweeping changes on Nonnatus House). And of course, the series will end altogether sooner rather than later. But while Call the Midwife will one day be no more, its characters will live on beyond the credits – and it seems Trixie intends to remain in London, rather than relocating permanently to New York, despite admitting her marriage was on the rocks. In tonight's episode (Sunday 1 March), she was offered the position of matron at The Lady Emily Clinic for Women and Babies, a private medical facility in Mayfair. Trixie completed a placement there back in season 10, but this would be a permanent move if she accepted – which she did, on one condition. "I can't commence until the new year. I need to give in my notice to Nonnatus House, they're not in the best shape at this present time." While Dr Turner's GP surgery is to remain open, Nonnatus Houses's maternity home is set to close, meaning the midwives will need to find other employment while the nuns are beginning to commence plans for missionary work elsewhere. But it would be a marked shift for Trixie, who has spent the whole of her career in the East End, delivering babies from all walks of life and in all manner of settings. View Green Video on the source website "It was, and still is, a privilege," she said of her time working at Nonnatus House. But soon, her duties will lie elsewhere – with potentially more to come. "We have new adventures to look forward to," said Mr Scarisbrick, who runs the clinic. "In due course, I'll have something else to put to you," he adds and in the teaser for the finale, he asks Trixie if she would consider entering into partnership with him. But will she accept? Her decision will arrive alongside Sister Julienne unveiling the three options for the movie location. Australia has already been touted but as creator Heidi Thomas recently revealed, that hasn't been confirmed. But while new beginnings await them as the show looks to the future, season 15 is set to bring Sister Monica Joan's story to a close. Judy Parfitt's character was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease earlier this season, for which there is no cure – although there is treatment that can prolong one's life. But in the most recent episode, Sister Monica Joan made her feelings about that viscerally clear. After snapping her bible shut, she hurled her diuretic medication against the wall, the glass shattering, as she finally lets go. As Dr Turner previously explained, she will "progress to end-stage renal failure fairly quickly" if she doesn't take what drugs are on offer – something her fellow sisters and friends encouraged her to do. But while so much is now out of Sister Monica Joan's control, this is a decision she is able to make for herself, however painful her choice may be for those around her. Despite her failing health, she is still in tune with herself and in this moment, she knows: it's time to say goodbye. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. "There's this scene [in the finale], it sort of encompasses all of the characters that we've had on the show over the last 15 years," said Helen George the Radio Times Covers Party 2026. "And when I walked onto the set, I just sobbed, I sobbed like a baby. It was really emotional. So if I was a mess – and I'm heart of steel – then the audience will be a mess as well." Call the Midwife season 15 will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 1 March. 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 Lady true story: How Sarah Ferguson's dresser Jane Andrews became a killer
The gripping four-part drama depicts events leading up to the headline-making crime – and its devastating aftermath.
With the help of the creators of The Crown, ITV is examining the shocking true crime case of Jane Andrews, a former employee of Sarah Ferguson who was convicted of murder. The Lady, which continues tonight on ITV1, tells the life story of Jane Andrews (played by Mia McKenna-Bruce), who went from a relatively poor home in Grimsby to the opulence of Buckingham Palace after becoming a dresser to the then-Duchess of York (Natalie Dormer). Their friendship continued throughout Ferguson's divorce from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but fizzled out not long after, leaving Andrews bereft at losing access to the royal world. Just a few short years later, Ferguson would be contacted by police about the whereabouts of her earlier confidante, whose boyfriend had been found dead in his west London home. This is the true story that inspired ITV drama The Lady. The Lady true story: How Sarah Ferguson's dresser Jane Andrews became a killer ITV drama The Lady tells the life story of Jane Andrews, who rose from humble origins to the privileged position of Sarah Ferguson's dresser. But years later, events took a dark turn. Andrews was born in April 1967 to a working-class family, who spent her early years in Cleethorpes before moving to Grimsby due to financial difficulties. Although she performed well at school initially, her academic life took a dip in her teenage years as severe mental health issues arose, causing her to attempt to take her own life at the age of just 15. Andrews recovered from the incident and later found her passion studying fashion at Grimsby College, which led to a job as a sales assistant in a local Marks & Spencer store. By the age of 21, she was itching for a new opportunity, which came from an anonymous job advert in The Lady – a historic women's magazine which ceased publication last year – seeking a dresser for an unnamed individual. That person later turned out to be none other than Sarah Ferguson, then-Duchess of York. Andrews secured the job in the summer of 1988, transforming her life overnight. At the time of the hiring, Ferguson was still married to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (known as Prince Andrew at that point in time), but the breakdown of that relationship soon followed. For Andrews, her job only became more important in that tumultuous period as she proved to be a valuable emotional support for Ferguson, who kept her close even when other staff had to be let go. In her own life, Andrews had also been through a divorce to a man named Christopher Dunn-Butler (portrayed by Adolescence star Mark Stanley in The Lady), whom she was married to for approximately five years. A subsequent relationship with affluent Greek businessman Dimitri Horne ended badly, with Andrews admitting to entering his home and damaging his property. "I was so angry, I took our photographs down," she told The Guardian. "On the mantelpiece in the living room was a cup and saucer that I knew was very special to him and I smashed it. "I went through his journal with a black marker pen and blanked out all the references to myself. I picked up his telephone and smashed that as well. I'm ashamed of what I did. I've never done that to anyone else's possessions." A character similar to Horne is played by Sean Teale (The Gold) in The Lady. Eventually, the axe came for Andrews, who was made redundant in November 1997 in what has been described simply as a "cost-cutting exercise," but it took her completely by surprise. She felt betrayed and became deeply depressed. Later, she found a new job at a Knightsbridge jewellers and met another businessman, Thomas Cressman (portrayed by Ed Speleers), with whom she began a relationship. This was a romance that ended in horror as, around two years after they met, Andrews violently murdered Cressman in his sleep using a cricket bat and a knife. Earlier that evening, he had called the police requesting officers to visit their address, due to a volatile argument between himself and Andrews that he feared would result in one of them getting hurt. They never came. While it is accepted that Andrews killed Cressman, the motives behind the crime are the subject of debate. The prosecution argued that Andrews's anger over her boyfriend's refusal to propose fuelled the shocking attack, with friends and relatives of Thomas claiming that she had exhibited possessive behaviour. In her defence, Andrews accused Cressman of being abusive, claiming that a broken wrist she had suffered while dancing with him had been inflicted deliberately. She also alleged that he would hit her with a wooden brush and abuse her sexually (via The Guardian). The withholding of a proposal was, by her account, one of the "mind games" that he would play with her. "I stayed with Tom for a thousand and one reasons, because every time he was violent or abusive, apologies came and he said he would change," she told the newspaper in an extensive interview, which took place after her conviction. Cressman's family strongly pushed back against the narrative that he mistreated Andrews, pointing to favourable testimonies from ex-girlfriends and a lack of forensic or anecdotal evidence to support the claims. After the trial had ended, Thomas' father Harry claimed that Andrews had "tried to destroy his reputation," while an earlier ex named Christina Spanier said "it was like she was killing him all over again" (via BBC News). "He was never violent and never made any horrible demands," added Spanier. "It is so unfair that he is dead and isn't here to defend himself." Due to the historic nature of the allegations, it is impossible to know with absolute certainty what happened behind closed doors, but Thomas's brother, Rick Cressman, remains firm in his own beliefs two decades later. Appearing on This Morning in 2021, he reiterated his view that Thomas's "character was besmirched in every which way as an excuse to try to justify murder". Immediately after the murder, Andrews fled the scene and went missing for several days, during which time Ferguson and other contacts were approached by police for assistance in locating her. Eventually, she was found in a car in Cornwall, having taken an overdose, which she recovered from. Andrews's trial at the Old Bailey was widely covered by the mainstream media, due largely to her connection to the Royal Family, which Rick cites as the principle reason why the case has never fully been put to rest. Andrews has been out of prison since 2019. The Lady continues on Sunday 1 March at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Add The Lady 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.
The Lady cast and their real-life counterparts: Who stars in ITV's drama?
Inspired by true events, the new miniseries explores a shocking murder with a royal connection.
The Lady is ITV's latest drama offering, telling the story of convicted murderer Jane Andrews, featuring BAFTA Rising Star winner Mia McKenna Bruce (Agatha Christie's Seven Dials) in the leading role. Andrews became the subject of great media interest in September 2000, when she killed her boyfriend, Thomas Cressman (Ed Speleers), before going on the run for several days. Besides the shocking nature of the crime itself, Andrews had previously been a staff member and close confidante to Sarah Ferguson (Natalie Dormer), then known as the Duchess of York (a title she has since stopped using). Andrews had parted ways with Ferguson a few years earlier, but her connection to the Royal Family was a prominent angle of news coverage – and, according to Thomas's brother, Rick, it's the main reason why the case continues to be examined. The four-parter from the creators of The Crown available as a box set on ITVX, airs its third episode Sunday 1st March in which "Jane starts to unravel and a make-or-break holiday has disastrous consequences". This dramatisation of the true story was written and produced prior to the release of old emails from Ferguson to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which have been the source of outrage and criticism in recent weeks. The Lady co-star Dormer, who portrays Ferguson, has chosen not to promote the show or accept her salary, which she instead donated to charities supporting victims of child abuse. Read on for an overview of The Lady cast as the series premieres on ITV1 and ITVX. The Lady cast: Who stars in ITV's drama? Here's a round-up of the key players in The Lady cast – read on for more detailed profiles on each character and the actor playing them, including where you might have seen them before. Mia McKenna-Bruce as Jane Andrews Natalie Dormer as Sarah, Duchess of York Ed Speleers as Thomas Cressman Philip Glenister as DCI Keith Douglas Stephanie Street as DS Smart Claire Skinner as June Andrews Laura Aikman as Francesca Ophelia Lovibond as Aleksandra Mark Stanley as Charles Daniel Ryan as David Andrews Sean Teale as Luis Ella Bruccoleri as Angela Mia McKenna-Bruce plays Jane Andrews Who is Jane Andrews? Jane is a working-class woman from northeast England, who moves to London after getting a job as the dresser of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. The opportunity initially seems to be a dream come true, giving her the chance to rub shoulders with royalty and other upper-class socialites, while also earning a good salary herself. However, being so far from her family also means she is without a strong support unit in difficult times, which is particularly significant for somebody with a history of mental health issues. The Lady depicts the period leading up to the murder of Thomas Cressman in September 2000, which Jane was found guilty of the following year. She served 14 years in prison, before being released on licence. What else has Mia McKenna Bruce been in? McKenna-Bruce recently won the BAFTA Rising Star Award for her starring role in 2023 coming-of-age drama How to Have Sex. She is also known for Netflix mystery Agatha Christie's Seven Dials and teen drama Get Even as well as CBBC shows Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground. Natalie Dormer plays Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York Who is Sarah Ferguson? At the time when The Lady is set, Sarah Ferguson was still using her royal title, the Duchess of York, attained through her marriage to the former Prince Andrew (now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor). The series follows her in the twilight years of that unsuccessful relationship and in the immediate aftermath of her divorce. The Lady star Natalie Dormer has declined from promoting the show due to Ferguson's historic relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She also donated her salary for the show to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (via Barnardo's). She told Variety in September 2025: "Since completing the project, new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson's behaviour, which I believe is inexcusable." What else has Natalie Dormer been in? Dormer is probably best known as Margaery Tyrell in HBO's smash-hit fantasy drama Game of Thrones. She went on to join The Hunger Games franchise with Mockingjay – Parts 1 and 2, where she played rebel filmmaker Cressida. Other credits include The Tudors, Elementary and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. Ed Speleers plays Thomas Cressman Who is Thomas Cressman? Thomas is a man who gets into a romance with Jane Andrews. She murdered him when their relationship soured, prompting widespread media coverage in part due to her connection with the Royal Family. What else has Ed Speelers been in? Speelers has recently appeared in Netflix thriller You, Paramount's Star Trek: Picard and BBC sitcom Black Ops. He's also known for playing Jimmy Kent in Downton Abbey, Stephen Bonnet in Outlander and Eragon in the fantasy film of the same name. Philip Glenister plays DCI Keith Douglas Who is DCI Keith Douglas? Douglas is the lead detective investigating the suspicious death of Thomas Cressman. What else has Philip Glenister been in? Glenister has a long list of credits to his name, including Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, Steeltown Murders and Apple TV's Foundation. Most recently, he's been seen in UKTV's Bergerac reboot and ITV's After the Flood. Stephanie Street plays DS Smart Who is DS Smart? She is DCI Douglas's partner on the case of Thomas Cressman's murder. What else has Stephanie Street ben in? Recent credits include ITVX biopic Joan, true crime series Until I Kill You, pandemic hospital drama Breathtaking and Channel 4's The Couple Next Door. Claire Skinner plays June Andrews Who is June Andrews? June is the mother of Jane Andrews. What else has Claire Skinner been in? Skinner is best known for playing Sue Brockman in the long-running BBC sitcom Outnumbered, which returned for a special Christmas episode in 2024. Other credits include Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse, McDonald & Dodds and Riot Women. Laura Aikman plays Francesca Who is Francesca? Francesca is a wealthy woman who befriends Jane after she joins London's social scene. What else has Laura Aikman been in? Most recently, Aikman played Sonia in the final two episodes of Gavin & Stacey, and Rachel Duffy in BBC One's crime drama This City is Ours. Ophelia Lovibond plays Aleksandra Who is Aleksandra? Another of Jane's affluent friends, who holds classist prejudice against her. What else has Ophelia Lovibond been in? Lovibond's past credits include BBC sitcom W1A, Netflix comedy-drama Feel Good and Apple TV's Trying. She's also known for Sherlock Holmes adaptation Elementary and Elton John biopic Rocketman. Additionally, Lovibond played the role of Carina, servant to The Collector (Benicio Del Toro), in Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel's What If...?. Mark Stanley plays Charles Who is Charles? Charles is an earlier romantic partner to Jane Andrews, whom she later marries. What else has Mark Stanley been in? Stanley recently appeared in Netflix's smash-hit drama Adolescence and ITV's true crime series A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story. Other credits include Game of Thrones, Sanditon, Trigger Point and Happy Valley. Daniel Ryan plays David Andrews Who is David Andrews? David is the father of Jane Andrews. What else has Daniel Ryan been in? You may have seen Ryan recently in The Hack (as Tom Watson), Such Brave Girls (as Graham) or The Bay (as DI Manning). Sean Teale plays Luis Who is Luis? Luis is another wealthy man, who Jane briefly dates. What else has Sean Teale been in? Teale has previously starred in X-Men spin-off The Gifted, Netflix thriller Who is Erin Carter? and Disney Plus mystery drama Doctor Odyssey. You might also have spotted him in the second season of BBC drama The Gold, where he played Enriqué. Ella Bruccoleri plays Angela <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/the-lady-cast-9bf6fa6.jpg" width="4502" height="3000" alt="(L-R) Caroline Fabar, Natalie Dormer and Ella Bruccoleri star in The Lady; Sarah Ferguson (Dormer) stands between two seated women holding a newspaper as they look on. Another woman stands in the foreground ahead of them, with her back to the viewer." title="the-lady-cast" /> Who is Angela? Angela is another employee of Sarah Ferguson. What else has Ella Bruccoleri been in? Bruccoleri became known to many as Sister Frances on the BBC drama Call the Midwife, holding the role from seasons 8 through 12. Since leaving the cast, she's appeared in ITVX drama Passenger and Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road as well as Netflix period dramas Bridgerton and Agatha Christie's Seven Dials. On the big screen, she's nabbed roles in Polite Society, Joy, Paddington in Peru and recent slasher trilogy The Strangers: Chapters 1-3. The Lady continues on Sunday 1 March 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. 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 Lady 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.
Bridgerton’s Yerin Ha reflects on being the show’s first East Asian lead: "It’s what I dreamed about"
Yerin Ha chats to Pass the Mic about what being Bridgerton's first East Asian lead means to her.
Since Bridgerton first landed on our screens back in 2020, the Regency era drama has been a glowing example of a show that champions diversity. With the likes of Regé-Jean Page, Simone Ashley and now Yerin Ha, the series has celebrated those who we often don't see in period dramas as being at the forefront of their own love stories. Season 4 continued to make strides, with Sophie Baek, whose name was changed from the original Julia Quinn novels to honour Ha's Korean heritage. Since the release of this instalment of the hit Netflix series, Ha has rightfully been praised for her performance, but also has had plenty of warming fan reactions to her fronting the show. It's an experience that likely can't be summed up in a few short words but when asked by Radio Times for Pass the Mic about how it's felt to be Bridgerton's first East Asian lead, Ha said: "It’s what I dreamed about and the reason why I moved to Korea was because I didn’t see myself represented in these love stories." She continued: "I never saw myself as a person who was desirable, who was able to be a romantic leading lady. And for people to be able to project themselves and see that on screen and to make them… it’s amazing how much TV can represent characters and the way that they’re seen in society. "And so, for women to see that and think that they’re desirable as well, I think it’s so powerful and that’s what art can do. It can help change perspective and it can help shift something internally that art has made you feel otherwise. "So, to be able to do that, I think, is a dream and I plan to keep doing that. Hopefully, I’m not the last – definitely won’t be the last." A pioneering drama, Ha hopes the series' casting will help the industry "get to the point where it doesn’t have to be a conversation anymore and everyone from every different background can see themselves in all different kinds of roles. Even Katie [Leung] being the antagonist, I think is really refreshing to see as well." View Green Video on the source website Prior to her leading role in Bridgerton, Ha was known for starring in Dune: Prophecy, Halo and The Survivors. But now, her star power is only set to grow more now that she's completed her stellar run on Bridgerton. As Ha details, she may be fronting this season as the romantic lead but she's also joined by the likes of Katie Leung as her somewhat evil stepmother Lady Araminta Gun, as well as Araminta's daughters Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei). Read more: Adjoa Andoh details how Bridgerton’s diversity in front of and behind the camera is "really wonderful" Bridgerton showrunner talks approaching Benedict’s "beautiful" queer storyline On the release of season 4 part 1, Leung had also reflected about how it feels to be part of the show's first East Asian lead family. She told Radio Times: "It’s quite a blessing to be a part of it and I hope that it’s just – I feel like we’re still not quite there yet, where we need to be. And that’s why Bridgerton is so successful because it has always been a diverse show and it’s successful because it’s so well written and it’s all about … it’s so that people can resonate with the relationship dynamics. "The more we see of that, the more we are going to be working towards something where we’re all going to be happier and more equal." Bridgerton season 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original/dp/0349430187?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2381335" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored" data-geniuslink="https://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=114542&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBridgerton-Collection-Inspiration-Netflix-Original%2Fdp%2F0349430187%3Ftag%3Dradtim0b-21%26ascsubtag%3Dradiotimes-1612614&dtb=1">Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Add Bridgerton to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Vampire Diaries and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star officially joins Apple TV's The Buccaneers
Paul Wesley has joined the cast of The Buccaneers season 3 as a mysterious but charming stranger who arrives into Nan and Mrs St George's world, turning it upside down. Best known for his work in The Vampire Diaries and more recently, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, not much else is known about Wesley's character, but it's clear he'll play a pivotal role in the third outing of the Apple TV series. Rumours about Wesley's casting in the series had spread online prior to the announcement, with images of him on set alongside Christina Hendricks' character, confirming season 3 was in production. As for what is set to take place in season 3, Apple TV has confirmed the Buccaneers will be "fighting back", and they'll be doing it side by side. The logline reads: "When they arrived in England they were all navigating their first loves. Now, they’re looking for the loves of their live, and with a new and enigmatic Duke at the helm, Tintagel is also facing an uncertain future. If polite English society thought our American girls rocked the boat, this new bad-boy Duke is about to sink the ship." Details on who will play this "bad-boy Duke" are yet to be announced, but with Wesley joining the series, we can only hope for another casting announcement in the coming weeks. Two months after season 2 concluded its run, the streamer announced it had been renewed for season 3, having left plenty of unanswered questions for fans. Season 2 concluded with Theo abdicating in order to divorce Nan and marry Lizzy and Nan running away from Tintagel with a pregnancy secret. "We couldn’t be more delighted to be lacing up our corsets, slipping on our ball gowns and running breathless across the cliffs of Tintagel for the third time to see what passionate adventures our beloved Buccaneers get up to next," creator-showrunner Katherine Jakeways said of the renewal. "Huge thanks to Apple TV+ and also to the devoted viewers for loving the show as much as we do." The Buccaneers seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on Apple TV. Add The Buccaneers 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.
Wednesday star's twisty YA thriller unveils first look at season 2
The second season is coming later this year.
Pip Fitz-Amobi is back on the case, as A Good Girl's Guide to Murder returns for a second season – and we finally have a closer look at what's to come! Returning to BBC One later this year, Pip (Emma Myers) is determined to fix the fallout from solving the Andie Bell case, as well as staying away from any more investigations. But when Max Hastings' (Henry Ashton) trial approaches and Connor's brother Jamie suddenly goes missing, Pip finds herself in a race against time to find him. The first look images reveal Pip and her friends back on the pursuit for the truth as she, Ravi (Zain Iqbal), Cara (Asha Banks), Lauren (Yali Topol Margalith) and Connor (Jude Morgan-Collie) reunite, unravelling new secrets, leads and mysteries. While Pip prepares to face Max in court, his cousin Robin (Freddie England) starts dating Lauren and becomes a controversial new member of their friendship group. The series is based on the best-selling novels by Holly Jackson, who has penned the second season for television. When it first launched in 2024, the series became one of the BBC iPlayer's most watch titles with 16-24 year olds and BBC Three's highest rated drama since its relaunch. Last year, the BBC announced a flurry of new cast members joining the second season, including KAOS star Misia Butler as Stanley Forbes, a figure on the fringes of Pip's new investigation. Tell Me Everything's Eden Hambelton-Davies joins the cast as Jamie, the brother of Jude Morgan-Collie's character Connor Reynolds. Jamie is described as a quiet but popular local musician whose sudden disappearance sends shockwaves through the community. MobLand star Jack Rowan also joins as Charlie Green, Pip's new neighbour who is drawn into the heart of the mystery unravelling in Little Kilton. Jackson, said of the castings: "I'm so excited to welcome some new and incredibly talented actors into the AGGGTM family. Eden is sensational as our Jamie, his presence felt throughout, even though he’s missing. "Misia is the perfect Stanley Forbes, delivering a truly heart-wrenching performance. And Jack as Charlie Green is simply extraordinary: I had to stand and clap at the monitors. Just you wait." https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=radiotimes.com">Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what&rsquo;s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times &ndash; see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder season 2 will air on the BBC in 2026. Season 1 is available to watch on iPlayer now. Add Good Girl's Guide to Murder 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.
I directed Channel 4's Dirty Business and this is why we need to end the 35-year train-wreck of water privatisation
Behind the scenes on the rage-inducing new factual thriller.
My eagle-eyed commissioners Alisa Pomeroy and Rita Daniels sent me their favourite tweet of the night after episode 2 of our new series Dirty Business went to air on Channel 4. A viewer, Josh Folks, had been checking Thames Water sewage dumps from a works in Islip. “If I’d been s**tting into a river non-stop for 966 hours I’d probably have been arrested by now.” Well, yeah. Fair point. You definitely wouldn’t be able to s**t into a river non-stop for 40 days without attracting the interest of the local constabulary. But water companies get away with it. Collectively they dump sewage into rivers and seas 1,600 times a day. The law says the water companies have to treat the sewage to make it safe, before they put it back into our waterways, except in very extreme, once in a blue moon, storm conditions. Every dump is an offence, punishable by five years in prison. But the water police force – the Environment Agency – has never prosecuted any water company executive or owner or board member, ever. Not once. In the show, Chanel Cresswell’s Environment Agency whistleblower calls the agency a ‘Potemkin regulator’. Potemkin was a Russian Field Marshall who had an affair with the Empress Katharine. He’s said to have built the facades of bogus villages to ride past and admire on her way to their booty calls. So Potemkin means something got up to look like something – in this case a regulator – which is in fact fake. Factual producer Laura McCutcheon and I worked on Dirty Business for more than two years. Laura did the heavy lifting on the incredible amount of research. She met a person who worked inside the agency, called Dave Henderson. Coincidence? It was the same name as the head of the water company lobbying body who’s always on Radio 4 trying to defend their dumping. Duh… it was obviously a fake name. ‘Dave’ supplied us with internal Environment Agency documents and the results of his investigations into the Agency. They showed the Agency handing down policies which prevented its own investigators from doing their job properly. ’Operator self monitoring’ meant that the water companies were invited to self-regulate, ie report on their own crimes; and a policy trumpeted as moving the needle on climate change meant the investigators had their cars taken away from them… making it close to impossible for them to get to the rivers, coastlines and Sewage Works to investigate alleged sewage crimes. Writing the script, it was vital to protect Dave’s identity. I made him a woman, and cast the incredible Chanel Cresswell to play him. But a year or more into our investigation, Dave’s circumstances at the agency had changed. They’d identified him as a whistleblower back in 2021 and after years of legal battles, he had eventually agreed to leave. He’d given up a 21-year career to tell the truth about the Environment Agency. His real name is Robert Forrester, we name him in a card at the end of episode 3, and he is a national hero. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/76845Dirty-Business-9-38ead9b.jpg" width="3840" height="2560" alt="A family relaxes on a sandy beach on a sunny day. A woman sits on a blanket smiling toward a young girl who is balancing upside down in a handstand beside her. Another child wearing a pink cap and striped shirt stands between the adults, while a man sitting opposite holds her leg and laughs. Beach bags, towels, and toys are scattered around them, with a seaside café, steps, and rocky cliffs visible in the background." title="Dirty Business" /> We met a lot of heroes. Heather Preen, who was 8, died after coming into contact with sewage marinated water in Dawlish, Devon in 1999. We met Heather’s mum, Julie, with the founder of Surfers Against Sewage, Chris Hines, in a garden centre tea shop outside Birmingham. She’d had bad experiences with the media, but trusted Chris, who’d helped the family at the time of the Inquest, and Chris vouched for us. She decided she wanted us to tell her story. Julie and Laura spent the next year talking through every aspect of the Preens’ story, and providing the texture and truthfulness for the astonishing, heartbreaking performances of Posy Sterling and Tom McKay as Mark Preen, Heather’s dad, who eventually took his own life. Laura spent months identifying and earning the trust of other victims and whistleblowers. Reuben Santer went surfing and got Meniere’s disease. Doctors don’t know the exact cause but he’s prone to vertigo attacks with severe vomiting; and could be battling this chronic disease for the rest of his life. For the shoot, scores of real people (and their families) who’d contracted life-wrecking illnesses after coming into contact with sewage marinated water let rip on poor unfortunate actors playing (mostly) fictional water companies. The lovely actors were so traumatised by the pain and anger we all had a verbal group hug at the end of the shoot. Then there were the proper national heroes. Ash Smith and Peter Hammond, the real-life investigators who’d uncovered the crimes of the water companies in an eight-year investigation. We met them early in our journey, and I decided to condense the whole massive story by making it their story. And so Dirty Business became a thriller. The story of two real-life detectives (played with brilliance and humour by David Thewlis and Jason Watkins) who uncover the evidence and take it to the cops… only to find that the cops aren’t interested. Dirty Business makes some serious allegations. Everything had to be underpinned by evidence. Laura pored over hundreds of pages of inquest documentation, trial transcripts, internal Environment Agency memos, log books from water company engineers, and Ash and Peter’s hundreds of emails with the water companies and the agency, and the granular details gleaned from these became the backbone of the storytelling. This evidential basis formed the legal scaffolding of the series: the evidence was rigorously mapped to the narrative, so that every line in the scripts was underpinned with a corresponding evidential source. On set, Laura was nicknamed the ‘guardian of the truth’, there to ensure that whilst filming we remained faithful to the truth of what happened. She was constantly cramping my directorial style – but the actors loved it and thank god she’s so good at her job. And then there was one last problem. Laura, Ash, Peter and many others had collected evidence of ecocide, horrific suffering, campaigners who couldn’t get a hearing in government, systematic law-breaking by the water companies and Environment Agency that was looking the other way – but the things the water companies were saying to justify themselves, and the policies the top brass at the agency were implementing… well, they were a farce. They were taking the Michael. It was funny. In 2023 Laura and I had made Partygate, the true story of Boris Johnson’s 14 parties during the Covid lockdowns. For that film, I’d worked with brilliant comedy actors who were also amazing at drama (Charlotte Ritchie, Alice Lowe, Jon Culshaw, Kim Nixon). And for Dirty Business I thought ‘There’s some much suffering and tragedy in this series. But I just can’t play the water companies and Environment Agency straight: the situation’s too ridiculous.’ So for scenes inside the agency and South West Water I once again approached England’s funniest comedic actors - Alice Lowe (Prevenge), Charlotte Ritchie (Fresh Meat), Vicki Pepperdine (Getting On), Juliet Cowan (Pulling), Chanel Cresswell (This Is England), Ellie White (The Windsors) and Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing.) And in the end, 80 or so brilliant actors have us crying one minute, laughing out loud the next. Is that bad? Or just the way life is? Make up your own minds. As to what the country needs now? Criminal prosecutions. Law-breaking water company execs, owners and board members banged up. Zack Polanski, leader of the Greens, now surging in the polls, is calling for a return to collective ownership of the water companies. Time to end the 35-year train-wreck of privatisation. Dirty Business is available to watch now on 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.