The Windermere Children - The remarkable true story of a group of child Holocaust survivors

August, 1945. A coachload of children arrive at the Calgarth Estate by Lake Windermere, England. They are child survivors of the Nazi Holocaust that has devastated Europe’s Jewish population. Carrying only the clothes they wear and a few meagre possessions, they bear the emotional and physical scars of all they have suffered.
From Bafta-nominated screenwriter Simon Block and Bafta and Emmy-winning director Michael Samuels, The Windermere Children is the first dramatisation of a remarkable true story about hope in the aftermath of the Holocaust, based on the powerful first-person testimony of survivors who began their new lives in the UK.

The drama is led by a stellar cast including Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist), Romola Garai (The Miniaturist), Tim McInnerny (Strangers) and Iain Glen (Game Of Thrones).

Charged with looking after the children is child psychologist Oscar Friedmann (Kretschmann). Along with his team of counsellors, including art therapist Marie Paneth (Garai), philanthropist Leonard Montefiore (McInnerny) and sports coach Jock Lawrence (Glen), they have four months to help the children reclaim their lives.

By the lake, the children learn English, play football, ride bikes, express their trauma through painting - and begin to heal. Some locals taunt them, but they are embraced by others. Haunted by nightmares, they yearn for news of their loved ones. When the Red Cross arrives with letters about the fates of their families, none of them receive good news. But in the absence of relatives, the children find family in each other.

The Windermere Children is the stark, moving and ultimately redemptive story of the bonds the children make with one another, and of how the friendships forged at Windermere will sustain them as they rebuild their lives in the UK.

ITV commissions true crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders starring Luke Evans

Acclaimed actor Luke Evans will take the lead in true crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders, a three-part mini-series depicting the pursuit of a cold-blooded serial killer.

Commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, the drama is from the makers of Line of Duty and Bodyguard, World Productions, and will be executive produced by Simon Heath, the company’s CEO. World was awarded Best Independent Production Company at both the Broadcast Awards and the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2019. The mini-series is written by Nick Stevens (In Plain Sight) directed by Marc Evans (Manhunt, Safe House) and produced by Ed Talfan (Hinterland, Hidden) for Wales-based Severn Screen.

The drama is adapted from the true crime book Catching the Bullseye Killer, written by Senior Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins and ITV news journalist Jonathan Hill. Luke Evans (Dracula Untold, The Alienist, The Great Train Robbery) takes the role of Steve Wilkins.

Luke Evans: 
“It is a privilege to be playing the role of Steve Wilkins in The Pembrokeshire Murders and working again with Simon Heath, his team at World Productions and ITV. It’s a huge responsibility for me as the drama depicts a true crime which to this day still affects the families of those whose lives were tragically taken.”

Two unsolved double murders from the 1980s cast a shadow over the work of the Dyfed Powys police force. In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins decided to reopen both cases. Employing pioneering forensic methods, Wilkins and his handpicked team found microscopic DNA and fibres that potentially linked the murders to a string of burglaries committed in the 80s and 90s. The perpetrator of those robberies was nearing the end of his prison sentence, but if Steve Wilkins was right, he was also a serial killer ... Could Steve and his team find enough forensic evidence to charge their suspect before he was released  to potentially kill again?

Blake Harrison, Barbara Flynn and Meera Syal will join Brenda Blethyn and Jimmy Akingbola in ITV's new upcoming comedy Kate & Koji.

Kate & Koji is a brand new 6 x 30 studio sitcom from Hat Trick Productions that will air Spring 2020 on ITV.

Golden Globe winner Brenda Blethyn stars as Kate, the owner of a seaside cafe who forms an unexpected and sparky friendship with Koji, an African asylum seeker, played by Jimmy Akingbola.  Although from very different worlds, they are similar in ways which they do not recognise, including a dogged determination to never back down! When the fur does start to fly, Kate's resourceful nephew 'Medium' acts as peacemaker.

'Medium' is played by Blake Harrison, Barbara Flynn stars as Councillor Bone, Kate's lifelong arch enemy.  Meera Syal will guest star as a GP who might represent a threat to Koji.

Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Secrets and Lies, Pride and Prejudice)
Jimmy Akingbola (Arrow, In The Long Run)
Barbara Flynn (Cracker, The Durrells, Killing Eve)
Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners, A Very English Scandal)
Meera Syal (The Split, Goodness Gracious Me)

DO you suffer with insomnia? Well Channel 4 announces LIVE: THE LABOUR LEADERSHIP DEBATE

If you have been having trouble sleeping and need something to help you fall into a deep slumber, well the solution is here as Channel 4 have announced that they will host the first live debate between the candidates vying to become the next Labour Leader.

All five contenders have confirmed to take part; Rebecca Long Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Sir Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry

The show will be hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy with a live audience asking questions of the people aiming to lead the opposition. It will take place on Monday February 17th at 8pm. The leadership contest will be decided by ballot. Voting begins just a few days after the debate, with the result announced in early April.

Anarchic Sky original drama Britannia set to return for a third series

Critically acclaimed Sky original drama Britannia has been recommissioned for a third series on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV. Starring David Morrissey, Mackenzie Crook, Annabel Scholey and Eleanor Worthington-Cox and created by the multi-award-winning writer Jez Butterworth, Tom Butterworth and James Richardson, Britannia brings a moment of our history to life like never seen before on TV. Produced by Vertigo Films in association with Neal Street Productions, it’s a genre-bending, psychedelic tale of clashing faith systems, torn apart families, mystic men, powerful women, all told with humour, heart and violence.

Britannia series two launched in November to widespread praise with The Guardian calling it “…one of those shows you just have to imbibe, celebrating that it has the sheer cheek even to exist. Praise the capricious TV gods!” Whilst The Times said it’s “… ethereal and wonderfully odd” and “…...few shows embrace their own preposterousness quite as wonderfully as Jez Butterworth’s drama about the Roman conquest of Britain”.

In the first series of Britannia we followed the story of the Roman invasion led by General Aulus (David Morrissey) who sought to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia, a mysterious land led by warrior women and powerful Druids. In series two we joined General Aulus two years on from invading Britannia romanising willing Celt tribes with the help of Celtic Queen Amena (Annabel Scholey), and crushing those who tried to resist. The only form of hope for the Druids and Celts was Cait (Eleanor Worthington-Cox), a young girl being trained by outcast Druid Divis (played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas), to fulfil a prophecy that would save Britannia from the Romans. But an epic battle of wills divided the druids in the form of two Druid brothers – Veran and Harka (Mackenzie Crook) putting the prophecy in jeopardy.

Series three sees a radical transformation in Cait’s journey as the Chosen One with a decision that will tie her to the future of her war-torn people and their ravaged land. Aulus comes under pressure from a new and dark force - otherwise known as his wife, whilst Amena finds herself in a lethal Ménage à trois with both of them. Divis gets a new job which he despises, and Veran goes to the underworld and sees the future.

Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios said: “We are incredibly proud to be able to continue to grow the Britannia franchise bringing ‘Jez and the team’s unique and distinctive vision to life for a third series”.

Jez Butterworth added: We’re very excited to be continuing our mythic journey through Ancient Britain. This year was a particularly good vintage for mushrooms here in the West Country, so we strongly suggest you hold on to your hats.”

New Ragnarok Trailer - The Gods Are Coming

This is where it all begins! Today Netflix debuts the main trailer for Ragnarok. The series is written by award-winning writer Adam Price (Ride Upon The Storm, Borgen) and will be released exclusively on Netflix worldwide on January 31st 2020.

Ragnarok is a coming-of-age drama building on and contributing to a new and surprising angle on Norse mythology. The series is set in the small, fictitious town of Edda, situated in the grand, breathtaking Norwegian nature. The story revolves around the inhabitants of Edda, who are perhaps not all who they claim to be. With them, we experience a drastically changing world: melting glaciers, warm winters, violent downpours. Some might say we’re headed for yet another Ragnarok. Unless someone intervenes in time...

The six part Norwegian language series is produced by SAM Productions, a Danish screenwriter-based production company. Adam Price functions as creator, writer and executive producer, executive producer Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (Antichrist, Melancholia), producer Stine Meldgaard Madsen (Pros and Cons, Something’s Rockin’), script executive Emilie Lebech Kaae and director Mogens Hagedorn.

The cast of Ragnarok includes David Stakston (Magne), Jonas Strand Gravli (Laurits), Theresa Frostad Eggesbø (Saxa), Herman Tømmeraas (Fjor), Emma Bones (Gry), Henriette Steenstrup, Tani Mathias Hansen (Oscar), Danu Suntharasigamany (Iman)  Odd-Magnus Williamson, Synnøve Macody Lund, Bjørn Sundquist and Gísli Örn Garðarsson.

All-star cast join Keeley Hawes in new ITV drama Finding Alice

Joanna Lumley, Nigel Havers, Jason Merrells, Gemma Jones, Kenneth Cranham, Sharon Rooney join six-part drama as production begins in London this week

10 January 2020: ITV today announced an all-star line-up joining award-winning actor Keeley Hawes in new contemporary drama Finding Alice. The six-part drama created by Roger Goldby, Keeley Hawes and Simon Nye, and written by Roger and Simon, follows a woman whose husband’s sudden and accidental death unearths a trail of secrets, debt, suspicion and criminality.

The series will be produced by RED Production Company (a STUDIOCANAL company) in association with Bright Pictures TV, Buddy Club Productions and Genial Productions.

BAFTA-nominated Hawes (The Durrells, Bodyguard, Line of Duty) plays the role of Alice, and will be joined by a star-studded cast including Joanna Lumley (Gangster Granny, Absolutely Fabulous) and Nigel Havers (Benidorm, Coronation Street) as Alice’s parents Sarah and Roger, and Jason Merrells (Agatha Raisin, Safe House) as her husband Harry.

Also joining the cast are Gemma Jones (Gentleman Jack, Unforgotten) and Kenneth Cranham (Hatton Garden, Bancroft) as Minnie and Gerry, Alice’s in-laws. Rounding out the core cast is Isabella Pappas (Paranoid) as Alice and Harry’s 16-year-old daughter Charlotte, and Sharon Rooney (The Capture, No Offence) as Harry’s sister Nicola.

The series (6 x 60’) focuses on Alice’s honest, raw, blackly comic journey of grief, love and life after the death of her husband Harry. After moving into their newly finished dream house, Harry dies after falling down the stairs. Having designed the weird and wonderful, yet impractical house before he died, the move is one more disorientation for Alice, alongside her sense of loss and abandonment. Her beloved partner of 20 years is no more, and now she can’t even find the fridge. If that were her only problem… men have a habit of hiding stuff that they don’t want to deal with, and Alice discovers that Harry was worse than most.

Nicola Shindler, RED Production Company CEO and executive producer added; “To have such a strong calibre of actors join the cast alongside Keeley to breathe life into these complex characters is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to audiences meeting them.” 

New Trailer for Leslie Jones Time Machine

Comedian, actress and Emmy Award-nominated SNL alum, Leslie Jones, is all about having fun. Through the years that fun has encompassed wild times, crazy experiences, celebrity encounters and a few awkward mishaps.  Now older, and enlightened, the comedian imparts her hilarious wisdom on all ages. Strap in, because you’re headed on a wild side-splitting ride from young adulthood to the present with Leslie Jones.

Leslie Jones: Time Machine is directed by award winning directors David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Leslie Jones: Time Machine launches globally on Netflix on January 14, 2020.

Trailer released for Sky original The End starring Dame Harriet Walter and Frances O’Connor

Sky Atlantic and NOW TV’s bold new drama The End is about three generations of a family with separate but intersecting obsessions – trying to figure out how to die with dignity, live with none and make it count. The trailer released today features deeply moving and surprisingly funny moments from the upcoming Sky original series produced by Oscar® and Emmy®-winning See-Saw Films and created and written by Samantha Strauss (Dance Academy).

O’Connor plays Dr Kate Brennan, an Australian-based specialist in palliative care, Euthanasia is a hot-button topic in Kate’s field of work and she is passionate in her opposition. On the other side of the world, Kate’s mother, Edie Henley (Walter), feels just as strongly about her right to die. Kate has little choice but to ship Edie out from England and deposit her in a nearby retirement village in the Gold Coast – Edie’s worst nightmare. While Kate struggles with her own problems, her children are trying to work out who they are, and who they want to be. What follows is a story about mothers and daughters, ethics and emotion, and mostly how it’s never too late to start again.

Three generations of a family with separate but intersecting ideas…

#TheEnd Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/YQ5VVcOEOS

— Sky Atlantic (@skyatlantic) January 8, 2020