Category Archive: News

The Hour

Bel Rowley (Romola Garai), Hector Madden (Dominic West) and Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw)

“THE newsreels are dead. We’ve bored the public for too long.”

So begins The Hour, a fascinating new BBC2 drama series set in the changing media and political world of the 1950s.

Episode one finds the BBC News at London’s Alexandra Palace still fixated with reporting on the daily lives of society darlings.

Frustrated TV news reporter Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw), working alongside Bel Rowley (Romola Garai) knows there are far more important stories to tell.

Both seize their chance with a move to Lime Grove studios in west London, heralding the dawn on a modern and questioning topical news programme called The Hour.

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Silver Shadow: All At Sea

Silver Shadow

MY recent week on the Budapest set of ITV1 2012 drama Titanic brought back memories of a much happier voyage.

As did a trip last week to see Jamie Cullum in concert at Kew Gardens.

The below feature was published in June 2005 but appears to have vanished from the MEN website.

So I thought I’d post it back somewhere on the web, for those who might be interested in reading it.

Of course a few things have changed since then, and the Silversea fleet has expanded.

But it remains my ambition to, somehow, someday return to the ship that captured my heart.

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The Night Watch

Helen (Claire Foy) and Kay (Anna Maxwell Martin)

“IF you go to the cinema midway through a film, you watch the second half first, don’t you?

“So you see how the characters end up in the story.

“What happened to turn them into the people they became.

“It’s like a riddle you have to solve.”

So begins The Night Watch on BBC2 tomorrow night.

Yet another television treat from BBC Drama.

In a month that will also bring us the start of The Hour, of which more later.

My feature on The Night Watch is in today’s MEN and below.

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Titanic Set Visit

BACK from an amazing week in Hungary, on the Budapest set of ITV1 drama Titanic.

Written by Julian Fellowes, it is due to be screened both in the UK and around the globe in 2012 to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.

Having been bought by a large number of broadcasters, including ABC Network in America.

I was the first journalist on the incredible Stern Studios sets on Monday and the last to leave at the end of the week.

Completing, to date, a total of 22 one-to-one interviews, including 16 principal cast plus Julian and key members of the production team.

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Scott and Bailey: Amelia Bullmore

Amelia Bullmore as Det Chief Insp Gill Murray

“WONDERFUL. I loved that cast. I loved my beautiful daughter.”

I’ve just asked Amelia Bullmore about playing Caroline Price in Ashes To Ashes.

Caroline was the mother of Alex Drake, played by Keeley Hawes, who has also been the face of Boots No7 cosmetics.

“Still in Boots when I see her looking ravishing above the make-up counter, I think, ‘That’s my girl.’

“Ashes To Ashes was great. And I’d been such a mad fan of Life On Mars.

“It was great to be part of that machine. Very, very good fun.”

I met up with Amelia at ITV Network Centre in London to discuss all things Scott and Bailey.

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Stolen: Damian Lewis

Damian Lewis as Anthony Carter

THERE are lots of demands on our time.

Too much to do, too little time to do it in.

But if you have time to watch one TV drama this week, then please make it be BBC1’s Stolen.

I met up with leading man Damian Lewis at BBC TV Centre in London earlier this year.

Before later seeing a special preview of the film at the BFI in London.

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Torchwood: Miracle Day

John Barrowman, Eve Myles, James Rampton, Russell T Davies and Bill Pullman during the Q&A

“IT’S a new start for the show. It’s a new audience.”

Torchwood creator Russell T Davies speaking at the British Film Institute in London last night.

While John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) reassured fans: “But we never thought of taking it away from you. We never did.

“We want to make it bigger. We want to make it better. We want to spread what is the best of British television from the BBC.”

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Injustice: Nathaniel Parker

Nathaniel Parker as Martin Newall

THE jury verdict is returned in tonight’s concluding episode of Injustice.

Did I guess the final twists in the five-part ITV1 thriller, written by Anthony Horowitz?

No.

They also surprised some members of the cast before they received their scripts for the last hour.

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The Saint: James Purefoy

James Purefoy on BBC1 Breakfast today.

INJUSTICE actor James Purefoy is still set to star in the return of classic TV show The Saint.

Or so it would appear.

I spoke to him about the role of British international playboy Simon Templar when we met in London last month.

James told me that filming of an American TV pilot – The Saint In New Orleans – was due to start in July.

Of which more further down this blog.

But he was not asked about the project when he appeared on BBC1’s Breakfast sofa this morning.

Or during his ITV1 interview with Lorraine yesterday.

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Injustice: This Is Not Just A TV Thriller

William Travers (James Purefoy) and wife Jane (Dervla Kirwan)

IT begins at 9pm tonight and is worth sticking with, especially for the big twist at the end of episode one.

The first of several surprises that will keep you guessing until the final minutes of episode five on Friday.

I met up with the cast and writer of ITV1‘s Injustice last month.

Leading man James Purefoy told us about his plans to play The Saint – of which more in this blog tomorrow.

Update: The Saint: James Purefoy

While Dervla Kirwan revealed the truth about her iconic voiceovers for those Marks and Spencer commercials.

My feature on Injustice is in today’s MEN – and in full online below.

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