BBC Acquires New Irish Factual Drama - The Murder of Mr. Moonlight

Brendan Coyle as Bobby Ryan (Image: Peter Marley)

By Jon Donnis

The BBC is bringing one of Ireland’s most compelling criminal cases to television with The Murder of Mr. Moonlight, a new factual drama commissioned by RTÉ in association with Screen Ireland and Banijay Rights.

Adapted for television by Malcolm Campbell, whose previous credits include What Richard Did and 500 Miles, the series is produced by Conker Pictures, part of Banijay UK, and Samson Films, with additional funding from Screen Ireland.

The three-part story explores the disappearance and murder of Bobby Ryan, a case that would eventually lead to one of the longest murder trials in Irish history. Ryan disappeared in June 2011, with his body not discovered until April 2013 on a farm in County Tipperary.

An extensive investigation followed, eventually leading to the conviction of Patrick Quirke for Ryan’s murder in 2019. Quirke was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ryan was known affectionately as "Mr. Moonlight", the stage name he used during his work as a local DJ entertainer. He regularly performed in pubs, clubs and social venues, making him a familiar figure within the local community.

Brendan Coyle, known for Downton Abbey and Toxic Town, takes on the role of Bobby Ryan, with Sinéad Keenan of Unforgotten and Little Boy Blue playing Mary Lowry, Bobby’s girlfriend. Owen McDonnell, who has appeared in Killing Eve and Bad Sisters, stars as Patrick Quirke.

The cast also includes Hazel Doupe as Bobby’s daughter Michelle Ryan and Carolyn Bracken as Pat’s wife, Imelda Quirke. Ian Lloyd Anderson, Danny Power, Helena Browne, Muiris Crowley, Aidan O’Hare, Emmet Byrne and Pom Boyd also feature.

Set against the backdrop of a close-knit rural community, The Murder of Mr. Moonlight will examine the relationships, secrets and tensions surrounding the case. The drama will explore the devastating consequences of Ryan’s disappearance and murder, while looking at the search for justice and the impact the events had on those closest to them.

Rather than focusing solely on the criminal investigation, the series aims to explore the human stories behind the headlines and the effect of a tragedy that continued to resonate through the community for years.

The Murder of Mr. Moonlight is based on Catherine Fegan’s book of the same name, drawing on extensive research and interviews. The adaptation will revisit a case that captivated Ireland for more than a decade while examining the people and relationships at its heart.

The series will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, with further details about its release to be announced in due course.

Ludwig announces star-studded Christmas special with Sir David Suchet

David Mitchell and Sir David Suchet (Image: BBC / Big Talk Studios / Amanda Searle)

By Jon Donnis

David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin are set to return as the Taylor family for a festive Ludwig special, with an impressive line-up of guest stars joining the BBC detective comedy.

The announcement comes as the International Emmy Award-winning series continues to air its second series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while a third series is already in production. The Christmas special will add another mystery to John's increasingly complicated detective adventures.

Among the guest stars is Sir David Suchet, best known for his celebrated portrayal of Hercule Poirot. This time, however, the actor will find himself on the other side of the investigation, taking on the role of a murder suspect.

Jason Flemyng, Joe Wilkinson, Cathy Tyson, Alexandra Roach and Kiell Smith-Bynoe are also part of the guest cast, alongside Rebekah Staton, Claire Price, Ariella Glaser and George Rainsford.

David Mitchell will once again play John 'Ludwig' Taylor, with Anna Maxwell Martin returning as Lucy Betts-Taylor. Dylan Hughes will reprise his role as Henry Betts-Taylor, while Dipo Ola returns as DCI Russell Carter.

The festive mystery takes the Taylors to a remote Christmas-themed hotel in Yorkshire, where John, Lucy and Henry are hoping for a much-needed escape. Their plans take an unexpected turn when a sudden blackout transforms the festive break into a locked-room murder mystery.

With a blizzard cutting the hotel off from the outside world, the guests are left trapped together with a killer among them. John is reluctantly drawn into another unusual puzzle, leaving the Taylors with the difficult task of solving the murder before Christmas.

The 60-minute Christmas special is created and written by Mark Brotherhood and produced by Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, in collaboration with That Mitchell and Webb Company, with BritBox and ZDF as co-production partners.

On working with Sir David Suchet, David Mitchell said: “I have long been a huge admirer of Sir David Suchet’s work and have watched every episode of Poirot several times, so it was a dream come true for me when he agreed to appear in the Ludwig Christmas Special. He was an absolute joy to work and spend time with - funny, interesting and generous - and his performance in the programme is wonderful.”

Sir David Suchet says: “It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside David Mitchell and the wonderful ensemble cast. It made quite the refreshing change to be playing a suspect rather than the detective, and to sit comfortably in my armchair while David delivered the denouement. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time.”

Episodes 1-3 of Ludwig Series 2 are currently available on BBC iPlayer, episodes 4-6 will be available from Thursday 10 September. Episodes are going out weekly on BBC One, Thursdays, 9pm. The Ludwig Christmas episode forms part of the Ludwig series 2 commission.

Saturday Night Live UK announces Jeff Goldblum and CMAT for series two launch

Image: Sky TV

By Jon Donnis

Saturday Night Live UK is returning for its second series, with Jeff Goldblum set to lead the launch episode alongside Irish singer-songwriter CMAT.

The Academy Award-nominated actor and global star, known for Jurassic Park and Wicked, will take on hosting duties when the new series begins on 12 September. CMAT will join him as the episode's musical guest, bringing her own performance to the live opening show.

The series will once again air live each week, with a different celebrity host and musical guest taking centre stage in every episode. Alongside the live music, viewers can expect topical sketches and a distinctly British take on the iconic Weekend Update segment.

The second series will continue to bring the Saturday Night Live format to a UK audience, combining comedy, live performances and topical material across each weekly episode.

With Goldblum taking the hosting role and CMAT providing the music, Saturday Night Live UK will kick off its second series on 12 September.

Saturday Night Live UK launches on 12 September on Sky and streaming service NOW.

Made in Chelsea returns to E4 with new faces and fresh relationship drama

Image: Ch4

By Jon Donnis

Made in Chelsea is set to return to E4 this autumn, with the SW3 social scene welcoming new faces as existing friendships and romances are put to the test.

The new series will begin on Monday 14 September at 9pm, opening with a pool party at Beks’ family home in Surrey. The event will introduce viewers to the latest arrivals while bringing the group together for an evening that quickly hints at the drama still to come.

Sam Prince finds himself at the centre of one of the early storylines when his new love interest attracts the attention of another member of the group. The situation threatens to create tension among the boys, with divisions beginning to emerge within the friendship group.

Meanwhile, Jazz could be heading into a new romance of her own. She introduces her new flame to the wider Chelsea social circle, although it remains to be seen how the relationship will develop once the pair are under the watchful eye of their friends.

The new arrivals will join a number of familiar faces, with several of the show's established couples also returning. Sam and Alice Vanderpump, Jules and Tristan, and James and Maeva are all back for the latest series.

With new friendships forming and loyalties shifting, the latest instalment of Made in Chelsea looks set to bring another round of complicated relationships and social drama when the series returns to E4.

Made in Chelsea returns to E4 on Monday 14 September at 9pm. Previous episodes are available to stream on Channel 4.

Sky News Reveals New Rotating Guest Presenter Format for Sunday Morning Programme

Image: Sky TV

By Jon Donnis

Sky News is taking a new approach to its flagship Sunday morning current affairs coverage, introducing a rotating line-up of high-profile guest presenters from September.

The new format launches on Sunday 6th September with journalist and broadcaster Jon Sopel taking the helm. Sopel, who is also a co-presenter of The News Agents, will be the first of several familiar broadcasting and journalism figures to front the programme on a weekly basis.

He will be followed by Rachel Johnson on 13th September, with the broadcaster, author and LBC presenter bringing her own perspective to the Sunday morning slot. On 20th September, Kamal Ahmed, broadcaster and Fortune's Executive Editorial Director, Europe, will take over.

The line-up continues with political journalist and Times Radio Breakfast presenter Kate McCann on 27th September, before journalist, author and broadcaster Helen Lewis takes charge on 4th October. Sky News says further guest presenters will be announced in the coming weeks, with the rotating format set to continue in the run-up to Christmas.

The programme will also be renamed Sunday Morning with…, with the name of that week's presenter completing the title. The change is intended to give each host greater scope to shape the programme around their own interests, expertise and interviewing style.

Politics and major interviews will remain central to the show, but Sky News says the programme will look beyond Westminster and explore the wider issues and ideas affecting people across the UK. Discussion and debate will have a greater presence alongside interviews and analysis of the biggest stories of the week.

The new format follows Trevor Phillips' departure from Sky News to join CBS News, bringing a new chapter to the broadcaster's Sunday morning schedule. With a different presenter taking the chair each week, Sky News will be giving audiences a broader range of voices and approaches to its weekend current affairs coverage.

The first edition of Sunday Morning with Jon Sopel will air on Sky News on Sunday 6th September.

Dolly: New Six-Part Series From the Creators of Kleo Begins Filming

Image: Netflix

By Jon Donnis

Set in Berlin in 1899, Dolly is shaping up to be a dark and dangerous period thriller, as a rebellious young woman takes matters into her own hands after surviving an encounter with a serial killer.

The six-part series, currently filming under the working title Dolly, comes from Hanno Hackfort, Richard Kropf and Bob Konrad, the creative team behind Kleo. Produced by BetaBerlin Productions GmbH in cooperation with Candy Shop GmbH, the series has now begun production, with filming scheduled to continue through the winter.

The story follows Dolly Pinkus, who narrowly escapes a serial killer but quickly discovers that the authorities are unwilling or unable to take the threat seriously. Rather than simply waiting for someone else to act, Dolly decides to investigate the crimes herself.

She is joined by her best friend Mieze and Carl, a young police inspector, as the unlikely trio begins a dangerous search for the person responsible. With Berlin at the turn of the 20th century providing the backdrop, the series has plenty of scope for a tense murder mystery while also exploring the character of a woman determined to challenge the authorities around her.

Production has already taken the series to Görlitz, where the historic city centre was used to recreate Berlin at the end of the 19th century. Following the completion of that shooting block, filming has moved on to locations across the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Dolly features Derya Akyol, Samirah Breuer, Sean Douglas, Max Hubacher, Merlin Rose, Béla Kampschulte, Karolina Lodyga, Andreas Lust, Maria Matschke Engel, Odine Johne and Jerry Kwarteng in the cast.

With the creators of Kleo behind the project and a period setting built around a serial killer investigation, Dolly has the potential to deliver another distinctive German thriller. The combination of Dolly's rebellious nature, an inexperienced police inspector and an investigation that appears to be ignored by those in authority could make for an intriguing central dynamic.

The series is currently in production, with further filming expected to continue into the winter. Details of its release date have yet to be announced.

Casualty 40th Anniversary Preview: The Biggest and Boldest Story Yet

 

 Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

Casualty is set to mark its 40th anniversary with a special double-bill promising to deliver one of the most ambitious and emotionally charged stories in the medical drama's history.

Produced by BBC Studios Drama Productions, the world's longest-running medical drama has spent four decades putting its characters through some of television's most challenging situations. Its anniversary event looks set to continue that tradition, with a major incident throwing Holby into chaos and leaving the emergency department team facing an unprecedented crisis.

The scale of the storyline immediately raises the stakes. With lives hanging in the balance, the ED team will be pushed to their limits as they attempt to deal with the aftermath of the incident. The story will bring together some of Casualty's most beloved characters, while placing them in situations where there may be no easy answers.

At the centre of the drama is Dylan, played by William Beck, who finds himself attempting to lead his team through their darkest hour while also dealing with personal tragedy. His leadership will be tested as the pressure mounts, with the anniversary storyline promising to explore the emotional toll of being responsible for others when everything around you is falling apart.

Meanwhile, Stevie, played by Elinor Lawless, and Flynn, played by Olly Rix, will be fighting for survival as a major rescue operation unfolds. Their situation adds another layer of urgency to an already chaotic scenario, with the race against time forcing characters to make potentially life-or-death decisions.

The promise of a major rescue operation suggests that the anniversary episodes will move beyond the familiar confines of the ED, giving Casualty the opportunity to stage a large-scale disaster story while retaining the character-driven drama that has been central to the series for 40 years.

What makes the double-bill particularly significant is that it is not simply looking backwards. While the episodes will celebrate Casualty's extraordinary history and the characters who have helped make the show such an enduring success, they are also intended to signal an exciting new chapter for the series.

After four decades on screen, the challenge is finding a way to make an anniversary feel genuinely important rather than simply nostalgic. By placing its characters in a major crisis and promising a story on an unprecedented scale, Casualty appears ready to meet that challenge head-on.

With Dylan, Stevie and Flynn all facing enormous personal danger, and the wider hospital caught up in the fallout from the major incident, the anniversary double-bill looks set to be an emotional and high-stakes celebration of everything that has kept Casualty at the heart of British television for four decades.

The promise from the cast and crew of "the biggest, boldest" episodes yet certainly sets expectations high. If the anniversary storyline delivers on that ambition, Casualty's 40th birthday could prove to be one of its most memorable chapters yet.