Fresh From the Noughties with Miquita Oliver Takes Gen Z Back to the 2000s

Image: Ch4

By Jon Donnis

The noughties are making a comeback as Channel 4 prepares to launch Fresh From the Noughties with Miquita Oliver, a new long-form episode exploring what Gen Z can learn from the style, culture and attitudes of the 2000s.

Hosted by T4 icon Miquita Oliver, the show follows three Gen Z participants as they step back into the world of the noughties. Alongside revisiting the era's distinctive fashion and culture, each participant takes part in a personalised "noughties reset" designed around some of the challenges facing them today.

The resets focus on modern struggles including confidence, friendship, dating and self-expression. The idea is to look beyond the aesthetics of the decade and explore whether some of the attitudes associated with the noughties could offer a different perspective on contemporary life.

Helping guide the participants is millennial stylist Ayishat Akanbi, who experienced the decade first-hand. Her role is to help each participant embrace a more confident approach to their individual reset, with lessons covering everything from making real-world connections to worrying less about perfection.

The experiment asks whether millennials can help Gen Z transform more than just their look, using elements of noughties culture to encourage changes in confidence and mindset.

NIVEA B&W Deodorant also features throughout the confidence-building journey, with its focus on helping protect clothes from white marks and yellow stains.

Fresh From the Noughties with Miquita Oliver will be released on Channel 4's YouTube on 21 September. The project, produced by Interstellar, will take the form of a long-form episode accompanied by social shorts, while a promotional TVC will also appear on Channel 4 streaming.

WAR: Sky Unveils Full Trailer For New Legal Drama Starring Dominic West And Sienna Miller

By Jon Donnis

Sky has released the full trailer for WAR, a new Sky Original legal drama from creator George Kay, the writer behind Lupin and Hijack. Set within the ruthless world of London's most prestigious law firms, the eight-part series explores ambition, betrayal and the lengths people will go to secure victory.

The series centres on two rival firms, Cathcarts & Sons and Taylor & Byrne, whose battle for dominance intensifies when they find themselves on opposing sides of a headline-grabbing divorce case.

At the centre of the legal conflict is the explosive split between British tech entrepreneur Morgan Henderson, played by Dominic West, and international film star Carla Duval, portrayed by Sienna Miller. With fortunes, reputations and careers at stake, both firms are prepared to stop at nothing to deliver a victory for their clients.

The case also draws ambitious young lawyer Jonathan "Johnny" Warren, played by Archie Renaux, into a world where professional rivalries quickly become personal. As Cathcarts & Sons and Taylor & Byrne go head-to-head, Johnny finds himself navigating a legal landscape where ambition is currency and betrayal can be part of the strategy.

Phoebe Fox stars as Serena Byrne, while James McArdle plays Nicholas Taylor, the partners in life and business behind Taylor & Byrne. Their rivals at Cathcarts & Sons are Nina Sosanya as Beatrice "Queen Bea" Ubosi and Pip Torrens as St John Smallwood.

The extensive supporting cast includes Celia Imrie, Nick Mohammed, Emma Laird, Aran Murphy, Archie Panjabi, Adrian Scarborough, Shaheen Jafargholi, Akiya Henry, Honor Swinton Byrne, Miles Jupp, Kartanya Maynard, Alexandra Mardell, Dylan Edwards, Mark Quartley and Steve Furst.

With two series already ordered, WAR is set to introduce viewers to a world of fierce courtroom battles and equally intense conflicts behind closed doors. The newly released trailer offers a glimpse at the rivalry between the two firms and the increasingly personal stakes surrounding the Henderson and Duval divorce.

WAR will premiere in the UK on 2 October on Sky and streaming service NOW, with series one consisting of eight weekly episodes.

The Friend Ship: Joe Marler and Joe Wilkinson Take Their Friendship on the Water

Joe Marler and Joe Wilkinson (Image: Zeppotron [a Banijay UK company] / BBC)

By Jon Donnis

The Friend Ship sees Joe Marler and Joe Wilkinson take their unlikely friendship on the road, although this time their journey will be spent on Britain’s waterways.

The six-part series, produced by Zeppotron, a Banijay UK company, follows the pair as they set off on a canal boat adventure combining Wilkinson’s love of canals with Marler’s enthusiasm for having fun. The result promises a very confined test of their friendship, complete with cramped cabins, canal locks and plenty of opportunities for their childlike sense of humour to take over.

The pair became firm friends while appearing on Celebrity Traitors, and The Friend Ship gives them the chance to spend considerably more time together as Wilkinson takes his new friend on a journey that fulfils a lifelong dream of his, ending at the Falkirk Wheel, the engineering landmark connecting two separate stretches of canal.

Their route will take them through North Wales, the West Country, Birmingham, the Pennines, London and Edinburgh. Along the way, they will stop to meet groups of friends from different walks of life while experiencing the slower pace of life on the canals.

Away from the sightseeing and silliness, the journey will also explore friendship, community and male loneliness. As Marler and Wilkinson get to know each other better, they will also discover more about the habits that can become particularly noticeable when two friends are sharing a confined space.

Filming is now underway, with transmission details for The Friend Ship to be announced.

A Course Called Ireland: Bill Murray Takes Golfing Road Trip Across Ireland

Tom Coyne and Bill Murray (Image: BBC/Stellify Media - (a Sony Pictures Television company) / Christopher Barr)

By Jon Donnis

BBC Two, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer have unveiled first-look images from A Course Called Ireland, a new six-part documentary series following Bill Murray on an unpredictable road trip around the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Produced by Skydance Sports and Stellify Media, the series sees Murray joined by extended family members Joel and John Murray, alongside celebrity friends including Chris O’Dowd, Joanne McNally and Jason Kelce. Long-time golfing companion and author Tom Coyne also joins Murray for the journey.

Golf provides the starting point, with Murray and Coyne playing their way across some of the island’s legendary courses. However, the series is about more than what happens between the first tee and the final hole. Along the way, the pair meet the people who give the island its character, with the journey exploring the stories, personalities and experiences that have helped shape Murray’s connection to his Irish heritage.

Each episode visits a different golf course and features a different guest, giving the six-part series a new setting and personality throughout its journey.

The BBC describes A Course Called Ireland as a celebration of life going gloriously off course, with golf serving as the excuse for Murray and his friends to explore the island and meet the people along the way.

The first episode of A Course Called Ireland will air on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer from Friday 23 October, before the series arrives on BBC Two on Sunday 25 October at 9.30pm.

Chris O'Dowd and Bill Murray (Image: BBC/Stellify Media (a Sony Pictures Television company))

Wisdom of the Crowd brings a new twist to the Saturday night quiz show

Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

There is something immediately appealing about Wisdom of the Crowd. Rather than simply asking contestants to answer questions, the new Saturday night quiz show is built around a fascinating scientific theory that dates back more than 100 years.

Hosted by John Bishop, the show takes its inspiration from scientist Francis Galton, who visited a farmers' fair where more than 800 people attempted to guess the weight of an ox. Galton discovered that the average of all those guesses was remarkably accurate, even beating the best individual guess.

That idea, which he called The Wisdom of the Crowd, went on to influence politics, economics and philosophy. Now it is being given a rather more entertaining test, with up to £30,000 at stake.

The basic concept is simple. A contestant takes on the entire studio audience, with everyone asked a question requiring a numerical answer. The contestant wins £10,000 if their guess is closer to the correct answer than the Crowd's average guess.

The questions sound deliberately unpredictable, covering everything from the average spend on an engagement ring to how many pairs of pants the average man owns and how many minutes per week the average person exercises.

Contestants get three attempts, but the interesting part comes when they start losing. If the Crowd beats them, they can try again. Fail on the third attempt and they are out with nothing, while the £10,000 goes into the Crowd Fund to be shared equally among the Crowd at the end of the show.

There is also a fascinating escape route. Contestants can choose to forfeit the £10,000 and join the Crowd instead, giving up the chance of winning big for the possibility of taking a smaller share of the eventual fund.

That dilemma is what makes Wisdom of the Crowd particularly intriguing. The science suggests that the Crowd should have the advantage, but the whole point of the show is seeing whether individual contestants can defy the odds.

I like the idea behind this one. It takes a scientific discovery that is genuinely interesting and turns it into a straightforward Saturday night game show, while giving contestants a difficult choice between trusting their own judgement and putting their faith in everyone else.

The big question is whether anyone can actually beat the Wisdom of the Crowd and walk away with the full £30,000.

Wisdom of the Crowd starts on Saturday 19 September at 9.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The Walsh Sisters returning to the BBC for second series

Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

The Walsh Sisters is returning to the BBC for a second six-part series, bringing the chaotic and dysfunctional Walsh family back to Dublin.

Inspired by the novels of international best-selling author Marian Keyes, the comedy drama will once again follow the five Walsh sisters, their mother and their bemused father as they navigate the latest challenges facing their family.

Series two sees each of the sisters facing a different personal struggle. Rachel steps outside the family bubble as she attempts to manage her recovery on her own terms, but her newfound independence is tested when she encounters a familiar face.

Claire finds herself challenging the traditional expectations placed on her as a mother, particularly when compared with the responsibilities of her ex as a father. Meanwhile, Maggie's attempt to create the perfect family takes an unexpected turn as she reaches a crossroads in her marriage.

Helen becomes increasingly protective of her sisters while also struggling with her own emotional wellbeing, while Anna turns to some unusual methods in an attempt to overcome heartbreak.

As the sisters face their individual challenges, all five are forced to confront who they really are as the roles they have previously played in life begin to feel as though they no longer fit.

Away from the sisters' troubles, Daddy Walsh remains blissfully unaware of much of the family drama. His attention is instead focused on his ambition to land a part in the local amateur dramatic musical, much to the frustration of Mammy Walsh.

Despite the changes and challenges facing the family, the second series will retain the fierce, funny and unbreakable bond between the Walsh sisters at the heart of the story.

The Voice UK unveils brand new line-up for Series 15

Image: ITV

By Jon Donnis

The Voice UK is getting a major new look when it returns for its 15th series in 2027, with Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon taking over as hosts and two new coaches joining the famous red chairs.

Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon will lead the new series, while platinum-selling rap artist Aitch and global pop icon Cheryl prepare to make their coaching debuts.

The pair will be joined by international superstar Kelly Rowland, who is returning for her second series as a coach, alongside long-standing The Voice UK coach will.i.am.

The new panel brings together a mix of musical experience and competitive spirit as the coaches begin their search for the nation's next vocal powerhouse. They will be looking to discover and celebrate some of the most exciting vocal talent emerging from across the country.

The changes also mark the end of Sir Tom Jones' time on The Voice UK. ITV has thanked the legendary singer for his years on the programme and the countless memorable moments he provided, both for audiences and for the singers who performed for him and alongside him.

Emma Willis, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones have also been thanked for their contributions to the show. ITV praised their dedication, expertise and energy during their time on The Voice UK and wished them well as they move on to their next chapters.

The Voice UK is produced by Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, with The Voice being an ITV Studios-owned format. ITV Studios handles the format's international distribution.

Series 15 of The Voice UK will air in 2027.

The current series of The Voice UK airs Saturdays at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.