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Monday 30 September 2019

Netflix’s first Belgian original series, Into the Night, has started filming


Netflix's first Belgian original series, Into the Night, has started filming. The series will feature an international cast from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, and Turkey. The cast includes Pauline Etienne, Laurent Capelluto, Nabil Mallat, Stéfano Cassetti, Jan Bijvoet, Astrid Whettnall, Vincent Londez, Regina Bikkinina, Alba Gaïa Bellugi, Babetida Sadjo, Mehmet Kurtulus, and Ksawery Szlenkier.

Into the Night begins with a sudden solar event, as the sun inexplicably starts killing everything in its path. The show centers around the 'lucky' passengers and crew of an overnight flight out of Brussels, as they attempt to fly west — into the safety of the dark night. The plane's manifest is multinational and multilingual, with passengers, rich and poor, young and old, civilian and military. The seemingly ordinary travelers share but one thing: A desire to survive the sun — and each other — by any means necessary.

The cast of Into the Night also includes Yassine Fadel, Laura Sepul and Nicolas Aleshine. The series will be directed by Belgian duo Inti Calfat and Dirk Verheye (Over Water) and produced by Entre Chien et Loup. Jason George (The Protector, Narcos) is the creator and writer of the series and will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Other executive producers include Tomek Baginski (The Witcher, The Cathedral) and Jacek Dukaj.

The series will launch globally on Netflix in 2020.

Main cast

Sylvie - Pauline Etienne
Pauline Etienne is a Belgian actress and starred in Le bel âge, where she plays alongside Michel Piccoli. Her credits include Guillaume Nicloux's La Religieuse with Isabelle Huppert, for which received the Magritte Award for best actress. She has recently been seen in the French TV series Le Bureau des Légendes where she plays Celine, and the Belgian noir crime Drama Public Enemy.

Mathieu - Laurent Capelluto
Laurent Capelluto stars in film and theatre, both in Brussels and Paris. He worked with many creators and directors such as Arnaud Desplechin, Michel Hazanavicius, Michael Haneke, and Kore-Eda. He plays the role of prosecutor Siriani in the series Black Spot, of which season 1 and 2 are available on Netflix. He has received several nominations and awards for his work in Belgium and France.

Nabil Mallat - Osman
Nabil Mallat became known for his role in the film Image (2014). Nabil also played in Gangsta (2018) and Rafaël (2019). On Belgian television, he is known for his work in De Dag (2018) and Cordon (2016).

Terenzio - Stéfano Cassetti
Stefano had the lead role (his first role ever) in the French feature film Roberto Succo (2001, Cedric Kahn). Since then he has been working in France, Italy, and Germany. Recently seen in Der Fall Collini, Les Estivants, L'extraordinaire Voyage du Fakir, Black Spot1 and Rosemary's Baby. He is based between Paris, Berlin and Lake Garda.

Rik - Jan Bijvoet
Jan Bijvoet is a Belgian actor and musician from Antwerp. He graduated as an actor from Studio Herman Teirlinck. He is known in Belgium for his career in theatre, but he also became known for his roles in Belgian series and films, like Van Vlees en Bloed, The Broken Circle Breakdown, and D'Ardennen. In 2007 he was nominated for the Flemish Price of Culture for Performing Arts. On the international scene, Jan Bijvoet is known for his roles in Fenix, Borgman, El Abrazo de la Serpiente and Peaky Blinders.

Gabrielle - Astrid Whettnall
In 2016 Astrid won the Magritte de la Meilleure Award for best actrice for her perfomance in Road to Istanbul, directed by three time Oscar nominee Rachid Bouchareb. Her most recent role was the leading part in Baron Noir, a TV series on Canal + in France, which has been nominated for the Emmy's. Over the years she has worked with great directors such as Costa Gavras, Xavier Gianolli, and Claude Lelouch.

Horst - Vincent Londez
Vincent Londez is a French actor who has played many roles in TV, Stage and feature films in his 20 years career. His recent role was in the Belgian Noir crime drama Public Enemy, and in the French Sci-fi TV series Missions, where he plays the role of billionaire Ivan Goldstein.

Zara - Regina Bikkinina
Regina Bikkinina is a Russian-Tatar actress and dancer. She went to acting school at the Shchukin theatre institute in Moscow. In 2014 Regina went to work on Geneva's stages. Regina appeared in plays of Chekhov, Strindberg and Dostoyevsky and danced in Shakespeare's Othello.

Ines - Alba Gaïa Bellugi
Alba is a French actress with Danish and Italian roots. She is known for her role in Intouchables (2011). After this, she has played several roles in different TV series. Her most recent role was in the TV show Le Bureau des Légendes, in which she plays the character of Prune Debailly.

Laura - Babetida Sadjo
Babetida Sadjo is a Guinea-Bissau Belgian actress. After graduating from the Royal dramatic conservatory of Brussels, she was the first black woman to win the ENSOR of best actress in a supporting role for the film Waste Land directed by Pieter van Hees. Her international career kicked off when she played one of the two leading characters in the Sundance award-winning film, And Breathe Normally directed by Isold Uggadottir.

Ayaz - Mehmet Kurtulus
Mehmet is an internationally working and award-winning German-Turkish actor. In the US feature film Big Game, he played alongside Samuel L. Jackson. Mehmet starred in and co produced Head-On by Fatih Akin which was honored with a Golden Bear Award at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival and with a European Film Award. He starred as lead cast in the first Turkish Netflix Original Series, The Protector.

Jakub - Ksawery Szlenkier
Ksawery Szlenkier is a Polish film and stage actor. He graduated from the internationally renowned Film School in Lodz. Related to the National Theater in Warsaw. He played in many European co-productions such as, Within the Whirlwind by Marleen Gorris, My name is Sara by Steven Oritt and "Správa" (The Report Movie) directed by Peter Bebjak, which will premiere in 2020.

Daniel Ings, Leila Farzad & Nathaniel Martello-White join the cast of new Sky original drama I Hate Suzie


Filming has begun on Billie Piper and Lucy Prebble's new Sky original I Hate Suzie with Daniel Ings (Lovesick, The Crown), Leila Farzad (Innocent, Twenty Twelve) and Nathaniel Martello-White (Collateral, Guerilla) joining the cast alongside Billie, who stars as Suzie Pickles.

Also joining the cast are Lorraine Ashbourne (Unforgotten, Jericho) and Phil Daniels (EastEnders, New Tricks) as Suzie's parents.

Co-creators Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper said: "A strong, dark, fun tale like I Hate Suzie needs actors with nerve as well as talent. We're thrilled to be working with such a brilliant ensemble. We hope you enjoy!"

Directed by Georgi Banks-Davies and produced by Andrea Dewsbery for Bad Wolf, the series will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in 2020.

I Hate Suzie is a bold, bracing, drama about the moment in life when the mask slips, asking if any of us can survive being well and truly 'known'. Suzie Pickles (Piper), a star on the wane, has her whole life upended when she is hacked and a photo of her emerges in an extremely compromising position.

This excruciatingly honest eight-part series reveals Suzie's unmasking and its trauma episode by episode, through the stages of Shock, Denial, Fear, Shame, Bargaining, Guilt, Anger and Acceptance as Suzie and her best friend and manager Naomi (Farzad) try to hold her life, career and marriage to Cob (Ings) together.

Produced by Bad Wolf Limited, I Hate Suzie was commissioned by Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content at Sky and Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios. Liz Lewin is the Commissioning Editor for Sky and the series is co-created and executive produced by Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper. Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter are executive producers.

Celebrity Juice - Returns October 10th



Celebrity Juice is back for a brand new series with a brand new line-up! Join host Keith Lemon as he welcomes new team captain Mel B and returning captain Holly Willoughby for some hilarious fun and games.

Episode 1
Joining the panel to kick off the new series, it's worldwide singing star James Blunt, TV presenter and original Essex boy Mark Wright, stand-up sensation Katherine Ryan, and Good Morning Britain's Richard Arnold.

ITV 2 - 10pm

Channel 4 Marks Black History Month



This October Channel 4 will mark Black History Month with a season of documentaries and films- from seminal game-changers and fascinating histories to bold new visions for the future.


gal-dem, the online platform committed to telling the stories of women and non-binary people of colour, are reaching into the Channel 4 archive to curate a Black British History collection. The six selected titles, which each have something to say about the black British experience, are: Desmond's (1989), Just like Mohicans (1985), Justice for Joy  (1995), The Event: How Racist Are You (2009), Chewing Gum (2015), and Black Lesbian Handbook (2015). To accompany each selection, individuals from the gal-dem community will also author six new short films, in conversation with someone related to the original programme.

gal-dem said: "This is an unfiltered celebration of Black British History. By bringing the archive titles into the present tense we aim to raise important questions about how far we've come in 2019. These questions include, but are not limited to: Who has the Windrush scandal ignored? Who owns queer? Would the black British experience be any different without church? Does British TV really represent black people? Why are white people so committed to the idea of white superiority? Can onscreen stereotypes ever be a force for good?"

Netflix orders "The Girls on the Bus" to series.


Inspired by a chapter of Amy Chozick’s best-selling book Chasing Hillary, the show chronicles four female journalists who follow the every move of a parade of flawed presidential candidates, finding friendship, love, and a scandal that could take down not just the presidency but our entire democracy along the way.

Executive Producers/Writers: Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries; The Originals; Legacies; Roswell, New Mexico), Amy Chozick (The New York Times journalist and author)

Executive Producers: Greg Berlanti (Political Animals, Arrow-verse series, You, Everwood), Sarah Schechter (Arrow-verse series, You, Everwood)

Studio: Berlanti Productions and My So-Called Company in association with Warner Bros. Television


Wednesday 25 September 2019

Lela Loren (“Power”) will play Danica Harlan in Season Two of Altered Carbon


Lela Loren (“Power”) will play Danica Harlan in Season Two of Altered Carbon. Kept under wraps, Loren already has completed production on her Altered Carbon series regular role.

Loren’s character, Danica Harlan, is the charming and ambitious governor of planet Harlan's World. She has the support of the people, but keeps an uneasy grip on the political players who surround her.
Additional Cast: Anthony Mackie as Takeshi Kovacs; Renée Elise Goldsberry as Quellcrist Falconer (returns); Chris Conner as Poe (returns); Dina Shihabi as Dig 301; Simone Missick as Trepp; Torben Liebrecht as Colonel Carrera; James Saito as Tanaseda Hideki.

About Altered Carbon: 
Altered Carbon is based on the groundbreaking cyberpunk novel by Richard K. Morgan. The world of Altered Carbon takes place over 300 years in the future. Society has been transformed by new technology: consciousness can be digitized; human bodies are interchangeable; death is no longer permanent.

About Loren: 
Lela Loren is one of Hollywood’s rising stars. She has impressed audiences through her work in film, television, theatre and even the digital space and continues to show her outstanding range and grace in a variety of projects. Loren was most recently seen in the Starz series “Power,” where her character’s fate was revealed on Sunday, August 25th. In the summer of 2014, Loren was on Fox’s action drama series “Gang Related,” alongside Terry O’Quinn, Jay Hernandez and Ramon Rodriguez where she played Silvia, caught in a love triangle with the two leads. Loren also gave a standout performance in the thrilling Summit Entertainment film Snitch where she co-starred alongside Jon Bernthal and Dwayne Johnson.

She appeared in a lead role in the Lifetime television movie Stalkers opposite Drea De Matteo and Mena Suvari. The film is based on the true story of the prosecutor who authored the stalking law in California. She has ventured into comedy as well, appearing in Warner Bros’ The Hangover III, and Sony Pictures’ Reign Over Me opposite Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.

She has also starred in the Bryan Singer-produced web series "H+", a joint venture with Warner Bros Digital Distribution and YouTube. Last year, Loren starred in an episode of the CBS drama series “Bull.” She has guest starred on a number of other popular television series including: “The Closer,” “Covert Affairs,” “Lost,” “The Mentalist,” “Chuck,” “NCIS,” “The Unit,” “The Shield,” “CSI: NY,” “CSI: Miami,” “Cold Case” and many more. In 2009, she gave a raved-about, leading performance on stage in “Boleros for the Disenchanted” written by José Rivera (acclaimed screenwriter of The Motorcycle Diaries). She was hailed as “first among equals” and “a rare find” for her portrayal as Flora. Loren was born and raised in California. She is multilingual: fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian.

Number of episodes: 8
Season Two premiere: Altered Carbon Season Two will debut in 2020.

Tuesday 24 September 2019

Interview with Dylan Benson ahead of his upcoming debut on hit soap Home & Away.


The son of actors Greg Benson and Amanda Newman, Sydney’s Dylan Benson is prepping for a profile boost from his upcoming debut on hit soapie Home & Away.


Home and Away is well-known for being a launchpad for some of today’s biggest names. What do you think the show offers young people, in addition to a paying gig, that helps cement their careers?

It’s an incredible training ground for actors. The show is fast paced and they usually only do two or three takes before moving on to the next scene. This means you learn how to nail scenes first go and do loads of different scenes. Do this over months or years and you really sharpen your skills


And it was the same for your father – who was a star on the show?

Yep! He was on it for six years. So was my mother. That’s actually how they met!


Did he ever try his luck in Hollywood?

He auditioned for a few roles in Hollywood but he never moved over there to try his luck. Some of his friends did, some hit success in Hollywood and others came back to do something different.


How has it changed since he was on the series, you think? Has it got easier or harder to nab roles as an actor?

I’m not sure what it was like back then but it’s insanely competitive now. There’s hundreds of actors competing for roles and the issue is roles don’t pop up often. In the four years I’ve been training, I’ve only had 4 auditions for Home and Away. The fourth one I got some luck and booked the job. There’s a lot of idle time and you’ve got to learn how to use it properly. This is usually what determines the success of actors


I suppose one would also look at the likes of Paul Hogan and Chris day they were overnight successes – when they likely weren’t at all?

There’s absolutely no such thing as an overnight success. I’m obsessed with stories about how actors made it and not one of them become a star overnight. They’d all been training and working at it for many many years. It’s just that you don’t hear about them till they’re on the big screen and you think they rocketed to success overnight.


What kind of doors would you like to see open as a result of your role on Home & Away?

It’s definitely a nice resume booster as so many Aussie stars started on Home and Away. Hopefully that will mean I can get into the audition room more and also when I relocate to America. It’s competitive out there so any credit helps a lot and the more times you get into the audition room, the better.


And you’ve relocated to L.A to make that happen?

I’m still in Sydney but I do have plans to relocate to LA or New York. I really want to study at UCB to do some improv and also meet some acting coaches in the states. I might even give stand up another go – I did it here in Sydney. I am planning to be there this pilot season and excited to see how I go. I’m also a model so I’ll be working over there as a model too. Should keep me very busy. I’ve wanted to live in America for a long time now to chase my dreams so I can’t wait

Friday 20 September 2019

The Circle S2: Interview with new host Emma Willis


The stand out TV show of last year, The Circle, is back for a second series. New host Emma Willis takes the reins of this innovative game, where up to £100k is on offer for the winner, so the stakes are high. In the game where anyone can be anyone, who will win The Circle?

In this interview Emma Willis explains what to expect from the new series and tells all about the highs and lows of social media.

The Circle starts live on Channel 4, Tuesday 24th September at 9:15pm

Welcome to The Circle. What did you think of the show when you heard about it?

Well, I totally missed it because I was doing Big Brother and it was our competition! Then lots of my friends that used to work on Big Brother but had left to work on other things said they were watching it. I said, "What do you mean you're watching that? What about Big Brother?", and they went, "Oh no, we're watching that too, but it's really good and you'd love it." I didn't think I would and then I watched it after Big Brother finished and I couldn't stop watching it!

 

How did you feel when they asked you to host the show?

It just felt like a natural thing to do, to be honest. I know there's this kind suggestion it is just a replacement for Big Brother for me but I view it quite differently. The thing with Big Brother is that for me, I always viewed it with the purist mentality, it was a social experiment. That is always how I watched Big Brother. But this, I very much watch it as a game. I hated Big Brother being compared to a game but this is clearly a game with the interaction of people, how they'll react in certain scenarios and then seeing who is going to be themselves and who is going to play it to try and be the most popular and win that money.

 

For people who missed the show last time around, how would you describe the format?

It's a game show where someone can win a hundred thousand pounds. The way they will win that is either by being themselves or by pretending to be someone else who they think would be the most popular person in the Circle. The Circle is not a circle. It's a block of flats, and they all live on their own and they never meet until the end of the game. But one of my favourite parts of the show is when a player has been blocked, meaning they're not very popular. They can get to go knock on the door of one other person that's in the circle to find out if it's really them or not. It's the most exciting part of it for me because they're talking to somebody that they think is one person, for example, last series Dan was talking to this hot chick that he fancied, and she's been really forward with him and kind of putting it out there and saying what she wanted and stuff. Anyway, she was actually a woman in her 50s who was pretending to be younger. He was like, "Wow, she is full on. She's proper putting it out there and telling me what she wants." So, she got blocked and she knocked on his door, walked in and he was like, "Holy shit!" Those moments are crazy but it's also so lovely to see when they come face to face with who they think they've been talking to and it is genuinely them, they're so happy that they haven't been lied to and they have had a real connection. Those moments are really, really good.

 

What do you make of the format of the show?

Before I'd watched it, I was like, "This is glorifying what is wrong with social media, where anyone can be anyone. You don't know who you're talking to". But I hadn't watched it and that was just my opinion. Then I watched it and I thought "This is a glowing beacon to teach people, do not trust who you're talking to online. Because you just don't know!" So I think it's a brilliant vehicle for education in the way that a game is showing you that you should be so wary of anything that you're doing online, who you're talking to. It's fascinating to see what people are going to do. How are they going to play it, who will be themselves? What I also loved about the first series was there was the game play element, there was the social interaction element, but then there were also the human stories. Like Genelle, she wanted to know what it was like to not just be seen as a mum. You know? Yes, she's a mum. That is a massive part of her life, but she's also herself. And Freddie wanted to know what it was like to be seen as a man rather than a gay man and have those tags assigned to you. I really loved that part of it last year as well. So I'm hoping there's more elements of that this year and people playing it for that reason.

 

In a way do you think it's a social experiment for modern society, like Big Brother was when it first started?

It is, it's based on the world that we live in now. Most of the time you're keeping up with your mates by what they've just posted, you know? Or picking up the phone and texting them. You're like, "Oh, she's on holiday…have you had a nice time?" That's it. So I think it's going to be interesting and fun to watch.

 

What do you think of social media?

I think I have quite a healthy relationship with social media. I can see how it can be addictive but I also like to keep it at an arm's length. I like to use it for work and I like to use it for personal use as well. I'm always conscious of being realistic on it and painting a true picture of my life, rather than a version of you. I think that's the responsibility we should all be taking. Even if you have that strength I think we can all still get sucked into it.

 

Do you ever find yourself looking at your likes and wondering why you didn't get as many as you'd thought you might?

I try not to bother with it. I think I'm a bit old, I mean, I'm not because obviously social media I'm a part of, but I didn't grow up with it, if that makes sense. So it's not all consuming for me, which is why I think I probably have quite a healthy attitude towards it. I think I enjoy it, but I'm not stuck to my phone constantly. I don't go, "Oh, why hasn't that one got that many...?" What I find interesting is what gets a lot of likes. I'm not like, "I want that one to get more than that one", I just question what is it about that particular post that is liked more than the other. If I do look at my likes, I wonder, "What is it? Is it because Matt's in that picture that it's got more likes rather than the picture of my scones with cream and jam?" What makes a picture popular? I haven't got a bloody clue!

 

It can get addictive…

It totally does. It should be enjoyable and it should be either a tool for your trade or some way where you can express the things that you enjoy or that you're into or feel good about or to connect with somebody that's similar to you or to stay in touch with friends. I think if it could all be a positive platform, it would be wonderful.

 

Have you got a favourite social media platform?

Instagram's my favourite. I was against it for such a long time. I actually find Instagram a much more positive place than Twitter. I think because it's all based on a picture, that's much easier and people want to see nice pictures, not nasty ones.

 

What types of characters are you hoping to see on the show this year?

I'd like diversity. I'd like differences, you know? Older, younger, different backgrounds, different sexualities. Variety, I think, is always good in things like this otherwise it's just a whole group of people who are exactly the same. You need difference. You need variety. You want people being themselves. You want to see how people will play the game by taking on a different personality.

 

Do you think because the contestants aren't living together that this series is perhaps not as naughty as other shows?

Yeah, it is PG. But there are certain conversations that might happen that I wouldn't want my 10 year old to be watching! She probably needs to be a little bit older for this. What's brilliant to watch is seeing if people go in with one objective and that is to win the money and then does their conscience kick in? Are they're like, "I literally can't do this, I'm lying to them and I can't do this anymore". Then they might switch again and remember it's for a hundred grand. It's for the money that, to an extent, drives that decision. It's like Big Brother in the sense you can go in thinking, "I can do this, I can win this money". And then you get into that situation and soon realise you don't actually want to win anymore and get out. Or, start by thinking I'm going to lie my whole way along and then, do you know what? I can't lie anymore. This is a massive game at the end of the day so you need your tactics but you also need to adapt.

 

The contestants live alone, could you cope well in that environment?

No, I'm too paranoid! I second guess everything. So talking to someone online, I wouldn't trust them. I wouldn't trust anyone. I guess I am anti-social on social media! I talk to people I know, but I'm of the older generation, I don't trust anyone.

 

Social media is constantly evolving, do you think that this series can evolve as social media does and could run for years?

To try and second guess what is going to happen in the world of social media, I can't even go there. Somebody was talking about the TV show Years and Years earlier, which I haven't watched yet, I'm scared to watch it because of what people told me about it. I don't want to possibly see the insight into where things can go. I just want things to be happy and level out. I hope the show lasts and it has legs and I hope it is a game show that has a positive spin on social media and a positive viewpoint on social media but makes it educational as well.

 

Do you worry about your career and what you'll do next?

No, because I never thought I was going to have it, so I should just enjoy it. One day it will end and I'll have had a bloody good time doing it!

Oscar nominated Naomie Harris joins Sky Studios and HBO original drama The Third Day


Sky Studios and HBO announce that Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated actress Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Skyfall), will join the cast of The Third Day, alongside Jude Law.

BAFTA award winning director Philippa Lowthorpe (The Crown, Three Girls) is also confirmed to direct three episodes, joining previously announced BAFTA award winner Marc Munden (National Treasure, Utopia).

The Third Day is a story told over six episodes and in two distinct halves. The first – ‘Summer’, directed by Marc Munden, sees Sam (Law), a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost.

The second – ‘Winter’, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, follows Helen (Harris), a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.

Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios, said: ‘We are thrilled Naomie is joining the cast of Third Day, it’s a real testament to the combined vision of Dennis Kelly and Felix Barrett. The prospect of Naomie and Jude Law, alongside an array of incredible British talent, with Philippa Lowthorpe and Marc Munden directing really demonstrates the quality and ambition of this distinctive, original drama.’

Creator Felix Barrett, Artistic Director at Punchdrunk International said: “Filming for The Third Day has begun and it’s been a remarkable experience seeing our shared vision come to life. We’ve followed both Naomie’s and Philippa’s careers for several years, and we are thrilled they will be joining the production.”

The six-part limited series will air in the UK and Ireland next year on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW TV and in the US on HBO.

Monday 16 September 2019

Don’t Hate The Playaz - Series 2 To Air Wed 25 Sep 2019


Don’t Hate The Playaz, the hip hop comedy entertainment show returns for its second series.

Filmed in a gig-environment and hosted by Jordan Stephens, two teams made up of comedians, hip-hop legends & celebrity hip-hop lovers battle it out in front of an audience with DJ Shortee Blitz on hand to drop the tracks live.

The two teams are led by Maya Jama and Lady Leshurr with London Hughes as a regular alongside new guests appearing on the teams each week.

This series features guests including: Katherine Ryan, Michael Dapaah, Roman Kemp, The Sugarhill Gang & The Furious 5, Ms Banks, Cariad Lloyd, Judi Love, Natasia Demetriou, Fleur East, Jay 1 and Aitch.

Cristiano Ronaldo meets Piers Morgan


Cristiano Ronaldo meets Piers Morgan, airing on Tuesday 17th September at 9pm on ITV.

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, footballers ever to play the game, winning five Ballon d’Or awards, four golden boots, six league titles in three countries, five European Champions Leagues and one European championship with his national team Portugal.

He’s also one of the most famous people on the planet, with more Instagram followers than anyone else.

Now he meets the most outspoken man in Britain to open up about his life, loves, struggles and the beautiful game.

King of Football Ronaldo sits down with the King of Conversation, Piers Morgan in Turin for a rare interview.

Cristiano Ronaldo meets Piers Morgan, produced by Plum Pictures, promises to be a must see watch.

Piers Morgan said: ‘Ronaldo is a football genius and a global superstar. He’s also a compelling character and this is the most revealing interview he has ever given. Prepare to laugh and cry and to be shocked and inspired.’

Doc Martin - Returns Wed 25 Sep 2019


Martin Clunes returns to play the nation’s favourite grumpy medic in a brand new series of Doc Martin for ITV.

He stars as Dr Martin Ellingham, the GP with a brusque bedside manner and a phobia of blood, in eight new episodes of the successful drama produced by Buffalo Pictures, and set in the idyllic hamlet of Portwenn in Cornwall.

Picturesque Port Isaac provides the beautiful backdrop for the popular series, with all regular members of the cast reprising their roles.

Caroline Catz plays Doc Martin’s wife, Louisa Ellingham, who has resigned from her job as headmistress at the local school to pursue a new career in child counselling.

Returning to this ninth series, Dame Eileen Atkins plays Doc Martin’s formidable Aunt Ruth. Ian McNeice is back to play Bert Large, with Joe Absolom as his son Al. John Marquez is PC Joe Penhale, Jessica Ransom is the doctor’s receptionist Morwenna Newcross and Selina Cadell is pharmacist Mrs Tishell.

They are joined by special guest stars Danny Huston, Conleth Hill, Caroline Quentin and Tom Conti. Danny plays Robert Brooke, a man who is shot by a farmer who thinks he is stealing eggs. Caroline returns to the series to star as vet Angela Sim, Conleth plays a GP who comes to assess Martin and Tom Conti plays Bernard  Newton, an eminent surgeon who is also assessing the Doc.

Episode 1: To the Lighthouse
In the first episode of this new series the Dr Marrtin Ellingham’s (Martin Clunes) career is hanging in the balance. His future as a GP is under scrutiny from the General Medical Council following complaints about his irascible approach to patients, and his blood phobia.

 A representative from the GMC, Rebecca Hedden (Hermione Gulliford) has come to assess both Martin and his surgery. The Doc thinks the assessment is a complete waste of time and is quick to make his views clear to Dr Hedden.

Meanwhile his wife Louisa (Caroline Catz) is pursuing a new career as a child counsellor. She is also concerned that their son James Henry is becoming too much like his father, and considers whether they should try for a little brother or sister. But is now the right time with her career change and Martin under review?

Morwenna (Jessica Ransom) is helping out at the pub, the Crab and Lobster, while Al (Joe Absolom) tries to find extra staff. Morwenna feels taken for granted, and in an attempt to show her his appreciation, Al accidentally proposes to her, setting the village buzzing with their wedding plans.

Mrs Tishell (Selina Cadell) decides to go on a date with Donald (Simon Chandler), whom she met at Book Club.  But their trip to a  lighthouse turns to disaster when Mrs Tishell suffers a terrible accident. The Doc has to commission a fishing boat, with PC Joe Penhale (John Marquez), to sail out to the lighthouse to treat her. Dr Hedden insists on joining them to monitor the Doc at work, but faces a life threatening situation herself.

The episode is written by Jack Lothian, the producer is Philippa Braithwaite, the director is Nigel Cole and the executive producer is Mark Crowdy.

Competition: Win Der Pass - Season 1 on DVD


Der Pass - Season 1 is out on DVD on September 23rd

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

Synopsis
From the award-winning makers of hit drama The Dark comes a thrilling new German-Austrian spin that takes the initial premise to the brand-new gripping heights of Der Pass.

This Sky Original garnered exceptional viewing figures when it premiered in Germany, earning critical acclaim and now it’s set to take the UK by storm.

When a gruesomely staged, dead body is found in a mountain pass in the Alps near the German-Austrian border, two detectives from either side are brought in to investigate.

Not only are they from two different countries, they are worlds apart in their careers…German detective Ellie (Julia Jentsch) embraces the case as the first real challenge of her profession, while her Austrian counterpart Gedeon (Nicholas Ofczarek) is jaded and seems to have lost any ambition.

They soon discover more crime scenes with symbolically posed victims, which appear reminiscent of pagan rituals. Are they all part of a much bigger, sinister plan?

Ellie puts herself under increasing pressure to try and understand the deranged murderer’s motives so she can stop them killing again, and as the hunt goes on the detectives are drawn deeper into the dark valleys and archaic Alpine customs – and the paranoid world of the killer.

Set against a majestic backdrop, the eight-part series is produced by the Academy Award-winning Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg (The Lives of Others) and won the award for Best TV series at Austria’s ROMY TV Awards.

Make the darkly enthralling Der Pass your new favourite ritual.

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

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED


Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-09-19
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.


Sunday 15 September 2019

The first official trailer for The New Pope, from Academy Award winning director Paolo Sorrentino


The first official teaser trailer from the Sky, HBO and Canal+ original limited series, The New Pope, has been revealed, featuring Jude Law and John Malkovich.


The New Pope, written by Paolo Sorrentino with Umberto Contarello and Stefano Bises, marks Sorrentino’s second limited series set in the world of the modern papacy.

All nine episodes are directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The cast features two-time Academy Award® nominees Jude Law and John Malkovich.  Returning cast from The Young Pope include Silvio Orlando, Javier Cámara, Cécile de France, Ludivine Sagnier and Maurizio Lombardi. New cast for the limited series are Henry Goodman, Ulrich Thomsen, Mark Ivanir, Yuliya Snigir and Massimo Ghini. Sharon Stone and Marilyn Manson.

Saturday 14 September 2019

Competition: Win Deep Water - Original TV Soundtrack


Deep Water - Original TV Soundtrack is out on CD on September 20th

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

Synopsis
Deep Water, a raw and unpolished score to ITV’s gripping new drama starring Anna Friel, Sinead Keenan and Rosalind Eleazar.

Multi-award winning actresses Anna Friel, Sinead Keenan and Rosalind Eleazar star in the gripping, emotional thriller, Deep Water. Set against the beautiful and imposing backdrop of the Lake District, the series is written by BAFTA-nominated Anna Symon (Indian Summers, Mrs Wilson) and adapted from the Windermere series of novels by critically-acclaimed author Paula Daly.Toydrum are a Brighton based electronic music duo formed in 2013 by Pablo Clements and James Griffith. The pair met in 2007 when they were both recruited for UNKLE for live and in the studio work. Clements and Griffith both instantly clicked and knew they had something special. After they exited UNKLE they decided to build a studio on the Brighton seafront. Recent scores from them include London Fields, Detour, Future World and Prevenge, the latter featuring on a number of end of year lists for score of the year.

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

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED


Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-09-19
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.


Tuesday 10 September 2019

All episodes of Sky original Catherine The Great starring Helen Mirren launch on Thursday 3 October


All episodes of the four-part Sky original drama Catherine The Great have been confirmed to air on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW TV on Thursday 3 October, with a linear playout at 9pm.

Starring Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren as the iconic Russian Empress alongside Jason Clarke, Gina McKee and Rory Kinnear, the series follows the latter years of the Catherine The Great’s reign and her passionate affair with Grigory Potemkin (Jason Clarke), amid a backdrop of scandal, intrigue and immense conflict.

Unable to publicly marry, Catherine and Potemkin’s story is one of obsessive love for each other and their country as they develop a unique and devoted relationship, overcoming their adversaries to build Russia’s reputation as one of the great European powers of the 18th Century.

Written by Nigel Williams (Elizabeth I) and directed by BAFTA and Emmy® Award-winning Philip Martin (The Crown), Catherine The Great is produced by Origin Pictures and New Pictures. It is the third commission from Sky and HBO’s global drama partnership, which to date has included The Young Pope and Chernobyl, which recently received 19 Emmy® Award nominations.

Monday 9 September 2019

Competition: Win UFO - Original TV Soundtrack on Audio CD


UFO Original TV Soundtrack is out on CD on September 13th

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

Synopsis
After a decade of creating pioneering puppet series made for children, Gerry & Sylvia Anderson took their first steps into live-action, with the 1969 feature film Doppelganger (re-titled outside Britain as Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun).

This science-fiction film approached its outer space subject matter with a gritty realism, and would set the tone for what was to be their first live-action television series: UFO. This new series took as a starting point the pioneering work of Dr Christiaan N. Barnard, the surgeon who performed the world's first heart transplant operation. In UFO a dying race of aliens travel across vast distances of space to harvest organs from human beings to help ensure their own survival. To combat this threat the United Nations created SHADO, a top-secret organisation utilising the latest technology available to defend the Earth.

To complement the series, the Andersons frequent musical collaborator Barry Gray created a multifaceted score that gave the programme its own musical identity. Elegantly crafted and a firm favourite with Barry Gray fans, the sound of UFO, particularly its ethereal "World Music" closing credits is, quite simply, a joy. Includes a bonus track, Trampoline performed by The Spencer Davis Group from the episode Ordeal.


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

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 23-09-19
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.


Tuesday 3 September 2019

DIRECTOR HWANG DONG-HYUK TO PRODUCE NEW KOREAN ORIGINAL SERIES, ROUND SIX


Award-winning director Hwang Dong-hyuk will produce a new Korean original series, Round Six.

Round Six is a story of people who fail at life for various reasons, but suddenly receive a mysterious invitation to participate in a survival game to win ten million US dollars. The game takes place at an unknown location, and the participants are locked up until there is a final winner. The story will incorporate popular children’s games from the 1970s and 1980s of Korea, such as squid game, literal translation of its Korean name, which is a type of tag where offense and defense use a squid-shaped board drawn in the dirt.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk is known for his latest work, The Fortress (2017), for which he won numerous prestigious awards, including best screenplay at Blue Dragon Film Awards. For audiences outside Korea, Hwang is also well associated with a huge box office hit Miss Granny (2014), which has been adapted in many Asian countries, such as China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“I’m already thrilled at the prospect of introducing Round Six to global audience through Netflix. I also have high expectations for the great collaborative work I’ll be having with them,” explains Hwang as this is his first time working with the global entertainment company.

Round Six will be available only on Netflix, with its launch date to be announced at a later time.