Coronation Street’s Jean Alexander dies aged 90

Jean Alexander, who played Coronation Street‘s Hilda Ogden and shop-owner Auntie Wainwright in Last of the Summer Wine, has died aged 90. Alexander portrayed Hilda Ogden, a sharp-tongued, put-upon housewife who was one of Coronation Street‘s best known characters, from 1964 to 1987. She also appeared as shopkeeper Auntie Wainwright which, according to Alexander, was […]

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‘The Durrells’ are packed and headed to “Drama Sundays” tonight on PBS!

One of the brightest spots in the drama category at the BBC Showcase in Liverpool earlier this year was The Durrells. Based on ‘The Corfu Trilogy’, three autobiographical novels (which include ‘My Family and Other Animals’) by environmentalist Gerald Durrell, The Durrells is set on the Greek Island of Corfu in 1935, and follows the adventures of Gerald and […]

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Will Royston Vasey be the ultimate winner post-Brexit?

As if Doctor Who writer and Sherlock co-creator/writer, Mark Gatiss, isn’t busy enough these days, along comes the fateful day of 23 June which saw England leave the EU. Gatiss, along with Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Jeremy Dyson, comprised the uber-black comedy troupe, The League of Gentlemen. Known for touting the importance of having a ‘local shop’ run by […]

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‘Sherlock’ + ‘Supernatural’ + ‘Doctor Who’ = ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’

From the producers of The Walking Dead (that should tell you something right there), Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is a comedic thriller that follows the bizarre adventures of eccentric “holistic” detective Dirk Gently, played by Samuel Barnett (Twenty Twelve, Penny Dreadful) and his reluctant assistant Todd, played by Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings). Overall, Gently is […]

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‘Prime Suspect: Tennison’ to hit PBS’ Masterpiece in 2017

Much like Endeavour has given us invaluable insight into the early years that shaped what we came to know as Inspector Morse in the mid-80’s, ITV has commissioned a ‘prequel’ to the classic series, Prime Suspect. Based on writer Lynda La Plante’s book, “Tennison”, which reveals how DCI, then Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison became such a complex and […]

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Happy belated 45th, Upstairs Downstairs (the original Downton Abbey!)

On October 10, 1971, Upstairs Downstairs took the world by storm. Based on an original idea by Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins for a comedy called Behind the Green Baize Door, the series ran for 5 series and 68 episodes over four years from 1971-1975. As originally thought out, the series would focus on two housemaids, played […]

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Bill Bailey returns to world of sitcom telly for wildlife park pilot

Bill Bailey, an extremely familiar face to loyal and long-time viewers of Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI, will be returning to the world of situation comedy in the not-too-distant future for a BBC pilot set in a wildlife park in the west of England. According to the British Comedy Guide, […]

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‘Victoria’ adds Christmas special for 2017

If one Queen’s Speech of the Day isn’t enough for you next Christmas, you had best stick around as there will be another one Christmas night, courtesy of ITV and Mammoth Screen, producers of Victoria, Poldark, Endeavour, And Then There Were None and Black Work, among others. Following last weeks news that Victoria, the current leader in the […]

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