Coronation Street to recommence filming

Press Release from ITV
Coronation Street’s cast and crew have returned to work after an enforced production break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier today (Monday 1 June) the production team began a health and safety induction to familiarise themselves with the new protocols that are now in place throughout the studios and on the Coronation Street set. The new safety measures are in accordance with the recently issued TV production guidelines which will be observed whilst filming the top ITV soap.

The crew are also undertaking the preparatory work necessary to recommence filming next Tuesday, 9 June 2020 at the programme’s studios in Trafford, Manchester.  The pattern of recording will initially produce three episodes per week.

The return to filming will ensure the soap, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in December, stays on air in July. The new episodes will be scheduled following the instalments recorded earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic halted production. 

New safety measures, implemented to make filming possible, include a fixed cohort system with crew members designated to a specific studio or the Coronation Street exterior lot. The filming units will be maintaining safe social distancing with cohort managers in place to ensure this takes place. Cast and crew will have their temperatures checked on a daily basis by an external company, who are specialised medical advisors.

Intensive cleaning and sanitisation of areas where filming is taking place will occur on a daily basis, crew members will use their own assigned equipment, props will be sanitised with the design team working at a safe distance, make up and costume will work remotely with members of the cast and office staff will continue to work from home to ensure fewer people in the building.

Members of the cast and crew who are over the age of 70 or have an underlying health condition won’t be on set in the initial period of filming. For those members of cast and crew who fall into a Clinically Vulnerable category, we will follow an individual risk assessment process, which will enable them to return to work if it is safe for them to do so.

Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North, John Whiston has overseen the return to filming alongside Head of Production for Drama and Continuing Drama, Matt Cleary, Series Producer Iain MacLeod and Production Manager, Lee Rayner.

Commented John Whiston:
“Getting to this point has taken a huge amount of work and goodwill from a huge number of people, not least our cast and crew. With the peak past, all indications are that the time is right for a return to filming. And with the extensive protocols we have put in place, we have made our workplace as safe as possible. I’m sure our audience will appreciate having the show they love continue on air. For many who have written in it is a vital escape from all the fears and stresses this virus brings in its wake.”

Commented Iain MacLeod:
“The whole team at Coronation Street has pulled together to generate an ingenious, intricate set of protocols, to allow filming to restart as safely as humanly possible. We are really pleased to able to resume making the nation’s favourite soap at a time when people need the reassurance of their regular Corrie fix more than ever. Safety remains our number one priority and we are under no illusions about the challenges still facing us and the nation as a whole. However, I can assure viewers that Corrie’s ever-present humour and brilliant storytelling will be there in abundance in the episodes due to begin filming next week and beyond.”

The Salisbury Poisonings

In March 2018 Salisbury became the site of an unprecedented national emergency. This three-part dramatisation focuses on the extraordinary heroism shown by the local community.

Introduction by writers Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn

At the heart of our retelling of the events that occurred in Salisbury in 2018, is a story about the internal mechanisms of a public health crisis response. It follows the work of a public servant called Tracy Daszkiewicz, the Director of Public Health of Wiltshire Council, as she works with colleagues to try to combat a lethal and invisible enemy that has appeared out of nowhere. The public health response team of which Tracy is a part instigates a lockdown. They close a local economy. They set up an elaborate system of contact tracing and testing. They source and distribute Personal Protective Equipment for use on the frontlines. And they deal, every day, with a terrified and frustrated public. They all wonder - both Tracy and the people she is trying to protect - whether life will ever be the same again. The answer, in the end, is that catastrophe forces us to look in the mirror, and to confront who we really are. After that, things are never really the same.

We arrived in Salisbury in the autumn of 2018. The nerve agent attacks on the Skripals had occurred in March, and local woman Dawn Sturgess lost her life in July, having become contaminated by nerve agent in a perfume bottle found by her boyfriend Charlie Rowley. The wounds from these events, both individual and collective, were still very raw, and we knew that there was a chance that it simply might not be right to tell this story at this time. But when we began researching individual accounts of what happened, we uncovered multiple stories of remarkable courage, resilience, and heroism. Individuals who put themselves at great risk. A community that came together in all sorts of unexpected ways to fight not only the invisible toxin in their midst, but also the fear that they all shared. We were inspired by what we were hearing, and we began to feel that now, soon after the event, was a good time to try and bring these stories to light. Internationally, the events in Salisbury had been cast as an affront to the UK, even an embarrassment. Locally though, we were hearing stories that pointed towards people at their best.

We set about contacting the people who had been most directly affected by the events. The Sturgess family, who had lost their daughter Dawn. Charlie Rowley, Dawn’s boyfriend, who almost died from his own exposure to Novichok. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was contaminated during the course of his own work and who also ended up in a fight for his life. All of them told us their stories and co-operated with the drama. We spent many hours with them, over many months, trying to get the stories right, and we feel a huge debt of thanks to them for taking part.

Naturally, we have watched the recent events around COVID-19 with fascination, because there are so many resonances with the story we tell in Salisbury. Many of the things we observed there have subsequently played out across the country.

The Salisbury Poisonings is not always an easy watch. It deals with real trauma, experienced by real people, not very long ago. So why show it now? Because it is a story of people coming together in remarkable ways, finding strength in family and community. It’s a story that reflects the internal reality of an emergency public health response, with all of its critical decisions. But perhaps most of all, because it reflects a kind of heroism that we have all come to recognise recently. A heroism that is quiet - ordinary even - and that is wrapped up in a simple sense of civic duty that we had wrongly assumed was on the wane, but that really had only been lying dormant. An everyday kind of heroism that nonetheless changes the world.

Competition: Win Flack - Series 1-2 Box Set on DVD

Flack - Series 1-2 Box Set is out on DVD on 8th June.

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on DVD to give away.

Synopsis
JUGGLING WITH Saturday evening TV presenters harbouring dark secrets and an elderly environmental celebrity who may or may not have got a bit too hands on, as well as a romantic tryst between a high profile couple and a sporting superstar that resulted in a baby… It’s all in a day’s work for Robyn (Anna Paquin – True Blood, X-Men) and the Mills Paulson PR agency.

The queens of spin are back to help to fix those PR nightmares in W Channel’s darkly comic drama Flack which returns after its critically acclaimed first series gripped audiences last year. Flack Series 2 arrives on DVD thanks to Acorn Media International, alongside the Flack Series 1 and 2 DVD Box Set on 8th June 2020.

Following the success of Scorsese’s The Irishman, Hollywood star Anna Paquin returns to the small screen as Robyn, the high-flying publicity guru at Mills Paulson PR, who can make her clients' bad situations better with some expert spin, but when it comes to her own life things are never quite so straightforward.

Sophie Okonedo (Chimerica, Wanderlust) continues her reign as tyrannical boss Caroline, while hedonistic PR powerhouse Eve (Lydia Wilson – Requiem, Ripper Street) and naïve intern Melody (Rebecca Benson – Game of Thrones, The White Princess) are back for more crazy crisis management in the wild world of high stakes public relations.

And as well as wrestling with celebrities’ problems and issues, the staff at Mills Paulson have their own problems, there’s Robyn’s life changing situation, a face from the past returning and the threat of an ownership battle for the agency itself.

Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders), joins the cast as Caroline’s ex Duncan, while guest stars include Jane Horrocks (Little Voice, Absolutely Fabulous) and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-0).

Buy from Amazon by clicking here (Opens in a new window)

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

What is the name of the PR agency in Flack?

Please send you name, address and answer to the question to competition@jonn.co.uk

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 15-06-20
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Competition: Win Bulletproof - Series 2 on DVD

Bulletproof - Series 2 is out on DVD on 8th June.

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on DVD to give away.

Synopsis
DIVE DEEP undercover with London’s finest, Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters, as they return to the crime-filled streets in the second series of Bulletproof. Mixing drama, action and comedy in a fresh take on the police buddy genre, Bulletproof Series 2 and the Series 1 and 2 Box Set arrive on DVD & digital 8 June and 15th June from Acorn Media International.

Acclaimed actor, writer and director Noel Clarke (Kidulthood, Star Trek: Into the Darkness) and chart-topping rapper turned respected actor Ashley Walters (Top Boy, Hustle), lead the action as two undercover cops tasked with bringing down the East End's toughest criminals in this Sky original series co-created by the pair.

Adrenalin-fuelled and packed with laughs as well as high-octane action, as all buddy-cop aficionados know, the key to its success is the bromance and banter between Officer Ronnie Bishop (Clarke) and Senior Officer Aaron Pike (Walters). By-the-book, family man Pike and raised-on-the-streets Bishop may come from different backgrounds, but they work brilliantly together…even if things don’t always go to plan.

Picking up a year after the events of the explosive first series, series two finds Bishop burying himself in work and one-night-stands, while Pike tries to balance his job with his family. Soon the pair are drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the Markides, a notorious and elusive crime family who exist in the shadowy world of narcotics, people-trafficking and money-laundering. As the lines between good and evil, friend and foe, become blurred, will going undercover push the boys to breaking point?

New additions to the team include a young officer with questionable intentions, and a new Deputy Director who takes a keen interest in our team…but will he help or hinder them? Facing love, loss, and ghosts of the past, Bishop and Pike must go further than they ever have before to save those they love, and each other. It’s a good thing they’re Bulletproof.

Buy from Amazon by clicking here (Opens in a new window)

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

What is the name of the actor who plays Officer Ronnie Bishop in Bulletproof?

Please send you name, address and answer to the question to competition@jonn.co.uk

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 15-06-20
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Reality Z - Official Trailer - Netflix Brasil

Netflix's first Brazilian zombie series, Reality Z got an official trailer this Wednesday. Set to premiere on June 10th, Reality Z is adapted and developed for a continuous series format by the award-winning Brazilian director, screenwriter and executive producer Cláudio Torres, based on the acclaimed British horror miniseries Dead Set, created by Charlie Brooker (Black Mirror). A tribute to fans of the genre, the visceral show combines British irony with Brazilian tropicalist anthropophagy, and has the city of Rio de Janeiro as the background for the story.

An ode to horror, humor and pop culture, Reality Z narrates in 10 episodes a zombie apocalypse that imprisons participants and producers of a reality show called Olympus. On one eviction night, the studio becomes a safe haven for those seeking salvation in a city where madness and horror come to reign.

In the video revealed today, it is possible to cross the walls that isolate the reality show participants from the exterior world and get to know the great self-sustaining fortress, now threatened by the zombies outside and by the vile human nature inside. Witness what other survivors are willing to do to take over the Greek-inspired palace. In addition to satire on reality shows, the series delves into what is the most profound aspect in the zombie genre: the human drama.

With striking Brazilian characters as in the fantastic cinema, who were incorporated into the reboot in an unprecedented way, the series has a great cast. The list includes Anna Hartmann (Nina)​, Luellem de Castro (Teresa), Guilherme Weber (Brandão), Emílio de Mello (Alberto Levi), Ravel Andrade (Léo)​, João Pedro Zappa (TK), Julia Ianina (Cristina), Pierri Baitelli (Robson), Jesus Luz (Lucas), special guest Sabrina Sato (Divina), special guest Carla Ribas (Ana), Gabriel Canela (Marcos), Natália Rosa (Veronica), Leandro Daniel (Augusto), Hanna Romanazzi (Jéssica), Arlinda Di Baio (Cleide), and Wallie Ruy (Madonna).

Reality Z is executive produced by Cláudio Torres and Renata Brandão. Cláudio also shares the series direction with Rodrigo Monte, and signs the script with João Costa. This is the first collaboration between Netflix and Conspiração, Brazilian independent producing company that has the highest number of International Emmy nominations in the market.

The Third Special From Jo Koy Is Set To Premiere Globally On Netflix June 12, 2020

For the first time ever, comedian Jo Koy takes Netflix to the Philippines in his new special, Jo Koy: In His Elements. Koy celebrates his heritage by telling jokes about life as a Filipino-American while highlighting the culture of Manila. Koy uses this opportunity to shine a light on other Filipino-American performers by welcoming to the stage famed breakdancer Ronnie, Grammy-winning producer !llmind, singer/songwriter Iñigo Pascual, and comedians Andrew Lopez, Joey Guila, and Andrew Orolfo. Jo Koy:

In His Elements premieres globally on Netflix on June 12, 2020.

More at www.netflix.com/JoKoyInHisElements

The filming of the first Icelandic Netflix series Katla has begun

Photo Credit: Netflix / Lilja Jonsdottir

The filming of the first Icelandic Netflix series Katla has begun. The cast includes Guðrún Ýr Eyfjörð, Íris Tanja Flygenring, Ingvar Sigurðsson, Þorsteinn Bachmann, Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Guðrún Gísladóttir, Baltasar Breki and Björn Thors from Iceland and Aliette Opheim and Valter Skarsgård from Sweden among others. The series is created by the award winning director Baltasar Kormákur (Trapped, Everest) and produced by RVK Studios.

One year after the outbreak of a violent eruption of the subglacial volcano Katla, the peace and tranquility in the small town of Vík has been dramatically disturbed with the eruption still active.  The ice near the volcano has been melting, the area has been evacuated and only a few remaining people manage to provide the necessary community service in the village, which is now only accessible by crossing the Markarfljót river.  The grand area has turned out to be somewhat apocalyptic and Vík is declared a danger zone.     

Mysterious elements, that have been deeply frozen into the glacier from prehistoric times, start to emerge from the melting ice with consequences no one could ever have foreseen

– I‘m really excited about being a part of this ambitious project. My part as GRÍMA is certainly a challenge, but working with Baltasar you just know that it will turn out right. He‘s really great to work with as director.  While he gives his actors space to develop their characters and is always open to ideas and suggestions, he knows exactly how he wants things done and you can always be sure that he’ll catch you if you go off track and direct you right back on it, says Guðrún Ýr Eyfjörð.

Photo Credit: Netflix / Lilja Jonsdottir

Katla  is created by internationally recognized and acclaimed director Baltasar Kormákur.

– After extensive casting sessions, we put together an amazing ensemble cast, mixed with some of Iceland‘s finest and most experienced actors as well as brilliant young emerging talent. I‘m very confident with the choices we made and thoroughly enjoy working with all of them, says Baltasar Kormákur.

The cast also includes Haraldur Ari Stefánsson, Birgitta Birgisdóttir, Helga Braga Jónsdóttir, jörn Ingi Hilmarsson and Aldís Amah Hamilton along with the 9-year old Hlynur Atli Harðarson.

The team writing the story behind the eight part series is in addition to Baltasar Kormákur, co-creators Sigurjón Kjartansson, Davíð Már Stefánsson and  Lilja Sigurðardóttir and produced by RVK Studios.  Katla will launch on Netflix worldwide. Launch date is still to be announced.

 Find out more about Katla on www.netflix.com/katla