The spring blossom is well and truly out in the Radio Times garden, which means it's time for us to present our Spring Drama Special, where we round up the best series on offer now and in the coming weeks.

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Top of the list has to be Netflix's Queen Charlotte. A prequel to the game-changing costume drama Bridgerton, it introduces us to the early court of George III and the love story between the monarch and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, grandmother of Queen Victoria.

With Bridgerton showrunner Shonda Rhimes again at the helm, it's probably best not to expect too much in the way of verisimilitude, and simply enjoy it as a thoroughly entertaining and captivating drama.

In the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, our cover star India Amarteifio, who plays young Queen Charlotte, Bridgerton favourite Golda Rosheuvel, who plays the older Queen Charlotte, and Corey Mylchreest, who plays George III, explain more about this new slice of period escapism – and how the ingenious plot works!

Centuries and worlds away, we also discover how actor Bertie Carvel gets inside the mind of PD James's detective Adam Dalgliesh. And we hear the story of how a chance encounter in a New York bar led writer Neil Forsyth to make friends with Brian Cox, script the recent BBC One hit The Gold and create the terrific thriller Guilt, which is back for a much-anticipated third and final season on BBC Two this week.

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Back in the real world, Simon Barnes talks to Eilish McColgan about her attempt to follow in the footsteps of her mother Liz and win the London Marathon, while on the back page, Sky News political editor Beth Rigby explains how female reporters are slowly changing the old boys' club that is Westminster. Listen to more about that on the Radio Times Podcast, details below.

India Amarteifio Radio Times cover

Also in this week's Radio Times:

  • Neil Forsyth on going from writing for football fanzines to smash hit series like Guilt and The Gold, how Irvine Welsh propelled his career and why post-Succession Brian Cox may return as iconic character Bob Servant
  • As Phil Tufnell returns to the jungle in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, he gives his advice for surviving Bushtucker Trials and describes how the show impacted his life
  • Malpractice screenwriter Grace Ofori-Attah discusses drawing inspiration from her previous medical career, how her training was re-awakened to save someone's life, and why she doesn't miss the acute stress of the medical profession
  • Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton chat about announcing the end of the iconic Inside No. 9, why they will carry on writing together, and celebrity appearances on the show
  • Speaking to the Radio Times Podcast: political commentator Beth Rigby on the double standards female broadcasters face, dealing with criticism after interviewing Boris Johnson, why Westminster is becoming less of a man's world and becoming the story when she broke lockdown rules

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will land on Netflix on Thursday 4th May 2023. Meanwhile, Bridgerton seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

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Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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