News

On Thursday 26 December 2024, ITV broadcasts The Masked Singer!

Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Masked Singer” promises to be an exciting one. Host Joel Dommett will guide the audience through another thrilling night of mystery and entertainment. The show features four fabulous celebrities who will compete while keeping their true identities hidden beneath elaborate costumes.

The panelists for this episode include the beloved duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, known for their comedic chemistry. They will be joined by Jonathan Ross, who brings his own unique flair to the discussions, and Mo Gilligan, who adds a fresh perspective with his humor. Together, they will try to guess who is behind the masks, adding to the fun and suspense of the show.

As the celebrities perform, the panellists will analyze their voices, clues, and performances in an attempt to uncover their identities. Each reveal is sure to bring surprises and laughter.

Exclusive: BAFTA and Sundance-nominated Tina Gharavi has optioned Icelandic bestseller ‘Refurinn’ and is adapting it as crime thriller that will be a UK-Iceland co-production. Gharavi helmed Jada Pinkett Smith’s four-part Netflix docudrama African Queens: Cleopatra and is currently directing Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day. She will be showrunner on the series, has penned a pilot, and plans to produce and direct.

The Fox is based on Sólveig Pálsdóttir’s Refurinn, one of her Ice & Crime series thrillers, which feature detective Guðgeir Fransson.

Nordic noir fan Gharavi bought the rights directly from the Pálsdóttir and spent time researching the book’s characters with the author. She will introduce a new British character to proceedings, said to be loosely based on the Robbie Coltrane’s Fitz in the classic crime drama Cracker and the real-life writer and feminist Germaine Greer.

The series turns on a Sri-Lankan woman who arrives in...

Cameron Diaz is making her big return to acting after 11 years with Netflix’s Back in Action, dropping on January 17. Diaz has built a career that’s tough to ignore—her films have pulled in over $3 billion worldwide. Sure, not every movie has been a hit, but that’s part of what makes her career so interesting—she’s always kept us guessing.

Cameron Diaz returns after a hiatus | Netflix

From her breakout in The Mask to voicing the feisty Princess Fiona in Shrek, Diaz has proved she can hold her own in any genre. But like any actor with a long career, her filmography is a mix of wins and letdowns. Let’s look into her box office journey, and balance the hits against the flops that fell short of expectations.

The Mask, the Orgre, and the Money

The Mask brought Cameron Diaz to the big screen for the first time as Tina Carlyle,...

BBC’s hit competition show The Traitors is set to return for season 3 to our screens at the start of 2025. Find more details below.

If you’re looking to start your 2025 right, we’ve got some exciting news for you. The Traitors, a deliciously addictive reality competition show, is set to return for its third season from 1st January.

In case you’re not familiar with the premise, The Traitors throws a group of people into a Scottish castle. Some of the competitors become the titular Traitors who try to get the Faithfuls eliminated in order to win a very handsome cash prize up to £120, 000.

Similarly, the rest of the group, the Faithfuls, are trying to figure out who the traitors are and get rid of them. The format is based on a Dutch TV show De Verraders, but the British version has found great fame and spawned several other versions all around the world.

Netflix is well known for its original content, and many of those titles are geared toward families. In November 2024, the streamer has a massive list of new releases, including several family favorites, including a new fantasy Spellbound, The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish, Pokémon Horizons: The Series part 4, and more.

Check out some of the best family movies to watch on Netflix this month as the holiday season nears, beginning below with the new animated fantasy film Spellbound.

Spellbound

Spellbound is a new Netflix original family adventure fantasy film with the voice talents of Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman.

The movie comes from the creators of Toy Story, the co-director of Shrek, Vicky Jenson, and The Little Mermaid Egot-winning composer Alan Menken. Set in the magic world of Lumbria, where a magical spell has been cast over a kingdom, Princess...

Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star in Scottish sitcom Only Child, and the BBC has released a first trailer. More here.

Gregor Fisher will always be inextracably intertwined with Rab C. Nesbitt, the permanently plastered Glaswegian festering in squalor alongside long suffering wife Mary Doll, played by Elaine C. Smith. The show became so popular that writer Ian Pattison adapted it into a stage show, and stars like Sylvester McCoy, Stanley Baxter and Richard E. Grant appeared in the show. Series 3 episode Touch features a very early television appearance by David Tennant, who guest stars as barmaid Davina.

As we approach the festive season, Fisher also features in arguably the sweetest story in Richard Curtis’ Love Actually, about the friendship between his character Joe and Bill Nighy’s rock star Billy Mack.

Now though? Gregor Fisher is returning to the small screen for sitcom Only Child.

Watch the trailer below:

According to the BBC,...

Actor Tony Todd, renowned for his iconic role in the Candyman horror films, has passed away at the age of 69.

Over his 40-year career, Todd portrayed the ghostly character of Candyman in the horror series. Candyman, known for having a hook for a hand, could be summoned by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. Todd originated the role in the first film released in 1992 and continued to play Candyman in sequels released in 1995 and 1999. He reprised his role in 2021 for a fourth film that serves as a direct sequel to the original.

Todd took on the iconic role of Daniel Robitaille, better known as Candyman—a tragic figure shrouded in mystery and pain. As a tortured ghost adorned with swarming bees, Candyman embodies the legacy of an African American artist and son of a slave, whose life was brutally cut short because of his forbidden love for a white woman.

A first-look image of Nicola Coughlan as Silky from ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ has been unleashed.

Based on The Faraway Tree series of children’s novels, the movie follows Polly and Tim Thompson and their children, Beth, Joe, and Fran, who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants.

Playing the family are Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy as Tim and Polly, respectively. The Thompson children will be played by newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon and Phoenix Laroche.

Also in news – Daisy Ridley set for action thriller ‘Dedication’

The inhabitants of the tree, capable of transporting visitors to fantastical far-off lands, will be played by Nicola Coughlan cast as beloved woodland fairy Silky, Nonso Anozie as self-appointed group leader Moonface, Jessica Gunning as Dame Washalot and Dustin Demri-Burns as Saucepan Man.

Rounding out the cast...

Jack Whitehall, Jennifer Saunders, and Sally Phillips have joined the ensemble cast of the adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s ‘Night & Day.’

The trio will join the previously announced Haley Bennett who will play the lead, with BAFTA-winner Timothy Spall, British singer Lily Allen and German superstar Elyas M’Barek.

Set in an era when glass ceilings were made of concrete, Bennett will play Katharine Hilbery — one woman who insisted on reaching for the stars. Based on what has been called Woolf’s funniest novel, Night and Day is described as an “unromantic comedy” about a passionate astronomer who does everything she can to avoid romantic love and marriage. Contemporary in tone, the story of Katharine’s bold challenge to the Edwardian patriarchy is set against the backdrop of the suffragette movement and advances in science and technology, at the turn of the 20th century.

Also in news – BIFA Announce nominations...

Before production had begun on the anticipated film adaptation of Enid Blyton‘s The Magic Faraway Tree, director Ben Gregor worried that he’d put one of his stars, Andrew Garfield, off a little bit.

“We wrote a song for the film and we sent it to Andrew early on,” Gregor explains to The Hollywood Reporter. “And I hadn’t worked with him yet and you don’t know… With actors sometimes, you can put them off.”

But Garfield loved it. The gesture ended up being instrumental in the atmosphere that Gregor later cultivated on set — one of true-heartedness, trust, and that crucial Blyton ingredient: magic. “Everybody was putting themselves out there,” Gregor says.

The project has grabbed headlines in recent months for releasing back-to-back smash hit casting announcements: first came Garfield and Claire Foy (The Crown), then came Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls) and Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer), and...

Jack Whitehall, Jennifer Saunders and Sally Phillips have joined Haley Bennett, Timothy Spall, Lily Allen and Elyas M’Barek inVirginia Woolf’s Night & Day, as the UK’s WestEnd Films unveils a first look at the anti-romantic comedy.

Production is underway in Newcastle, with Tina Gharavi directing.

Further cast includes KaosstarMisia Butler,Alex Macqueen,Simon Phillips andFrances Barber.

A passionate astronomer, played byBennett,does everything she can to avoid romantic love and marriage, in this adaptation of Woolf’s novel of the same name. It’s set at the turn of the 20thcentury, across the backdrop ofthe suffragette movement and advances in science and technology.

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Disclaimer* is a psychological thriller drama series created by Alfonso Cuarón. Based on the 2015 novel of the same name by author Renée Knight, the Apple TV+ series follows Catherine Ravenscroft, a famed documentary journalist with a picture-perfect family who discovers that she is a main character in a novel that threatens to reveal her darkest secret that she has tried to keep hidden all her life. Disclaimer* stars Cate Blanchett, Leila George, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam El Hagar, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Indira Varma, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. So, if you loved the thrilling mystery, intense narrative, and compelling characters in Disclaimer* here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Sharp Objects (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – HBO

Sharp Objects is a psychological mystery thriller drama miniseries created by Marti Noxon. Based on the...

After a summertime return to theaters that grossed over $53 million at the global box office, Laika’s acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline returns to theaters for a special Halloween engagement starting on October 31st.

In partnership with Fathom in the US and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D as well as 2D formats.

In addition to the U.S., the Halloween engagement of Coraline includes the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria, and Ecuador, with more territories to follow. France and Italy will also begin their Coraline 15th Anniversary engagements this November.

Fans attending Coraline will be treated to an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, Wildwood.

The 15th Anniversary theatrical re-release of Coraline this past August was an astonishing success, surpassing all estimates. Since its re-release on August 15th, Coraline has brought in over $53 million at the global box office.

It marks the...

Fifteen years after the film’s initial release, Henry Selick’s 2009 stop motion film Coraline is once again headed back to theaters for the Halloween season, we’ve learned today.

In the wake of Coraline scaring up $53 million at the global box office this past summer, the film returns for another limited-time engagement in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

From Fathom Events, Coraline comes back to theaters on October 31 & November 1.

Tickets for the spooky season re-release are up for grabs now.

Variety details, “Henry Selick’s film now stands at a lifetime haul of $185.7 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing stop-motion film in the U.S. It’s also the highest-grossing rerelease in the U.S. in the past 10 years and the highest-grossing of Fathom’s 20-year history. Attendees on Halloween will also get a sneak peek of Laika’s upcoming film Wildwood.”

“Everyone at Laika is elated by...

Where 100% Wolf was giddy fun, the chaos of its sequel is in a rush to get to nowhere very interesting or charming

More like 3% watchable. Or 81% likely to give you a headache. Here’s a howler of a sequel to kids’ animation 100% Wolf that picks up the story of Freddy Lupin (voiced by Ilai Swindells), the teenage heir to an illustrious family of werewolves. In the last movie poor Freddy discovered that by the light of the full moon, he transforms into a fluffy neon-pink poodle. The sheer silliness of the original was entertaining and it trotted along with zip and fun. The new film is so frenetic that adults might be tempted to preload on painkillers.

This time around Freddy is still feeling miffed, still disrespected by the pack. Desperate, he prays to the moon spirits for divine intervention. A naughty spirit baby called Moopoo (Elizabeth Nabben) takes pity...

Palisades Park Pictures has secured a distribution deal with Entertainment Film Distributors (Efd) for U.K. rights to “The Magic Faraway Tree,” an adaptation of Enid Blyton’s beloved children’s novel.

The family adventure feature stars Andrew Garfield (“The Amazing Spider-Man”), Claire Foy (“The Crown”), Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton”), Jessica Gunning (“Baby Reindeer”), Jennifer Saunders (“Absolutely Fabulous”) and Rebecca Ferguson (“Dune”).

Ben Gregor (“Britannia”) directs from a script by Simon Farnaby (“Paddington 2”). Currently in production, the film follows a modern family relocating to the English countryside, where the children discover a magical tree with eccentric inhabitants. At the top of the tree, they are transported to spectacular and fantastical lands and, through the joys and challenges of their adventures, the family learns to reconnect and value each other for the first time in years.

Pippa Harris (“1917”) and Nicolas Brown (“Penny Dreadful”) of Neal Street Productions produce alongside Danny Perkins...

Ben Gregor’s star-studded adaptation of Enid Blyton’s children’s classic The Magic Faraway Tree has been picked up for theatrical release in the UK and Ireland by Entertainment Film Distributors.

Los Angeles-based Palisades Park Pictures represents sales, with CAA Media Finance co-repping US rights.

The family adventure features an ensemble cast including Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning, Jennifer Saunders and Rebecca Ferguson.

A family find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. Soon after their arrival, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric residents.

Production is now underway in Malta,...

Entertainment Film Distributors has picked up the U.K distribution rights to The Magic Faraway Tree, the U.K. adaptation of Enid Blyton’s kids novel of the same name that stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy.

Ben Gregor will direct the movie from Wonka and Paddington 2 writer Simon Farnaby, with filming currently underway in Malta after initial production in the U.K. The ensemble cast for the family adventure film includes Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning, Jennifer Saunders and Rebecca Ferguson.

The story from the author, based on her The Faraway Tree series of novels for children, follows Polly and Tim and their children Beth, Joe and Fran as the family find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. On their arrival, the children discover a magical tree and its treasured characters Moonface, Silky, Dame Wash-a-lot and Saucepan Man, a find that allows the family to reconnect and...

The new Australian-produced animated feature “200% Wolf”, directed by Alexs Stadermann, stars Ilai Swindells, Elizabeth Nabben, Jennifer Saunders, Sarah Georgina, Peter McAllum, Samara Weaving, Janice Petersen, Heather Mitchell and Michael Bourchier, now playing in theaters:

“…a heroic poodle struggles to maintain the respect of his ‘werewolf' pack when a wayward wish transforms him, dropping off a troublemaking 'fairy’ on earth…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Brat summer architect and influencer of foreign elections Charli xcx is expanding her resumé. Charli has joined the cast of Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, which just this week added Cooper Hoffman to its roster as the subject of Olivia Wilde’s sexual fascination. The pop star’s...

Rebecca Ferguson has been cast in 'The Magic Faraway Tree'.The 'Dune' actress, 40, has signed on to star as the terrifying headmistress Dame Snap in the upcoming Palisades Park Pictures movie adaptation of Enid Blyton's book series for children, which will be directed by 'Britannia' filmmaker Ben Gregor.In a statement, the director said: "Rebecca is a towering screen presence, one of the finest actors of her generation, and will be an electrifying addition to our movie."The actress will star opposite the likes of Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Jennifer Saunders, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Nicola Coughlan and Nonso Anozie in the picture, which is currently filming at Shinfield Studios in the UK.Ferguson is best known for starring opposite Tom Cruise as the secret agent Ilsa Faust in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise, though exited the series after her character was killed off in last year's 'Dead Reckoning'.

‘Dune’ and ‘Mission: Impossible’s’ Rebecca Ferguson has been set to join the cast of the Enid Blyton adaptation ‘The Magic Faraway Tree.’

Ferguson will play the story’s terrifying headmistress, Dame Snap, one of Blyton’s most iconic villains.

Ferguson joins the cast which, as previously announced, includes two-time Academy Award-nominee, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Winner Andrew Garfield and Golden Globe and two-time Emmy Award-winner Claire Foy. Also previously announced cast are Jennifer Saunders as the kids’ ruthless Grandma, Nicola Coughlan who is cast as the beloved woodland fairy Silky, and British icons Sirs Lenny Henry, Michael Palin and Simon Russell Beale.

Based on The Faraway Tree series of novels for children, the story follows Polly and Tim Thompson and their children, Beth, Joe and Fran, who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants.

Rebecca Ferguson, star of the Dune films and The Greatest Showman, has joined the cast of The Magic Faraway Tree, as production moves from the UK to Malta.

The Swedish actor plays Dame Snap, the villainous headmistress in Enid Blyton’s classic children’s story of the same name on which the film is based.

Ferguson completes the cast, which includes Claire Foy, Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, Nonso Anozie, Jessica Gunning, Lenny Henry, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale and Jennifer Saunders. Shooting has been taking place this summer in the south of England and at Shinfield Studios.

Ben Gregor directs the UK project,...

Rebecca Ferguson has signed on to star in the upcoming film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree.

Ferguson has joined the cast in the role of Dame Snap, the story’s terrifying headmistress.

The film is currently shooting in England at Shinfield Studios. Adapted by BAFTA Award-winner Simon Farnaby, the movie is directed by Ben Gregor.

The film is produced by Academy Award-nominee Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown of Neal Street Productions, along with Danny Perkins (Greatest Days) of Elysian Film Group, and Jane Hooks. Executive Producers include Ashland Hill Media Finance’s Simon Williams, Joe Simpson, Jonathan Bross, and Palisades Park Pictures’ Tamara Birkemoe.

Ashland Hill Media Finance is fully financing The Magic Faraway Tree. Palisades Park Pictures is handling worldwide sales, with CAA Media Finance co-repping US rights.

Rebecca Ferguson, star of Dune and Mission Impossible, will line up alongside Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning and Jennifer Saunders in the film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s beloved children’s classic The Magic Faraway Tree.

Ferguson has joined the cast in the role of Dame Snap, the story’s headmistress and one of Blyton’s most iconic villains.

From Neal Street Productions, Elysian Film Group and Ashland Hill Media Finance, The Magic Faraway Tree is currently shooting.

Based on the Faraway Tree series of novels for children, the film follows Polly (Foy) and Tim Thompson (Garfield) and their children, Beth, Joe and Fran, who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. “There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants,” a plot synopsis reads.

The inhabitants of the tree, capable of transporting visitors to fantastical far-off lands, will be played by Coughlan,...

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Ashley Greene, Thomas Kretschmann and Praya Lundberg have joined the cast of Anthony Hopkins starrer “Eyes in the Trees.” Palisades Park Pictures is launching worldwide sales on the sci-fi thriller ahead of the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film, a modern reimagining of H.G. Wells’ novel “The Island of Doctor Moreau,” stars two-time Academy Award winner Hopkins. The cast also includes Golden Globe winner Rhys Meyers, Greene, Kretschmann and Lundberg.

“Eyes in the Trees” follows “a video journalist and his film crew who embark on a journey into an isolated forest, only to find their excursion turned into a fight for survival for not just themselves, but the entire human race. Vince Henway (Meyers) and his former protégé-turned-ex Channing Arneau (Greene) lead their crew into the heart of Monkey Ko off the coast of Thailand. Also known as ‘The Island of Death’ to the locals, the island...

The Frog is a South Korean psychological mystery crime thriller series written by Son Ho-young. The Netflix series tells its story in two different periods of time, the first one is of Gu Sang-jun, a middle-aged man running a motel in the countryside in the year 2000, and the second one is of Jeon Young-ha, the owner of a pension house in the forest in 2021 as both of them face unexpected incidents after a mysterious guest arrives. The Frog stars Kim Yoon-seok, Yoon Kye-sang, Go Min-si, Lee Jung-eun, and Ha Yoon-Kyung in the main roles. So, if you loved the thrilling story, complex and dark characters, and surprising twists in The Frog here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Hell Is Other People (Pluto TV)

Hell Is Other People is a psychological thriller series written by Jung Yi-do. Based on the Naver webtoon series of the same name by Kim Yong-ki,...

Dawn French is returning to the BBC to star in sitcom Can You Keep A Secret?, and here are the details.

Dawn French came to prominence alongside comedy partner Jennifer Saunders in the alternative comedy boom of the 1980s, where they honed their craft at The Comedy Store and, later, The Comic Strip. That was alongside the likes of Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Peter Richardson and Nigel Planer.

After appearing in The Young Ones, several Comic Strip films and Ruby Wax’s sitcom Girls On Top, French and Saunders starred in their eponymous sketch show, which ran on and off for over 30 years.

While Saunders became a solo star with Absolutely Fabulous, French played Gereldine Granger in Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer’s The Vicar of Dibley, which grew into one of Britain’s most beloved sitcoms.

According to Deadline, French is returning to the BBC to star...

Dawn French is returning to the BBC with a sitcom from This Country’s Simon Mayhew-Archer, CBS Studios and Big Talk.

French is co-starring with Mark Heap on Can You Keep a Secret?, in which the comedy icon will play widower Debbie Fenton, who will stop at nothing to make sure her family’s protected. Unfortunately, most of the time the person they really need protecting from is her. When her hermit-like husband William (Heap) unexpectedly dies, she makes an outlandish decision that will put the family under more pressure than ever before.

French hasn’t appeared on the BBC since a French and Saunders Christmas special in 2017. She made her name with her sketch show alongside Jennifer Saunders and has appeared in a wealth of other comedies and dramas, as well as performing stand up.

Can You Keep a Secret? is being created and written by Mayhew-Archer and directed by Ghosts’ Simon Hynd.

It’s official – the BBC is making traitors and faithfuls out of celebrities.

The UK broadcaster has just confirmed its long-gestating Celebrity Traitors series and the Claudia Winkleman-hosted show will land next year. The BBC has also greenlit a fourth season of the regular version of The Traitors UK.

The news confirms Deadline’s scoop from several months back, when we told you a deal between producer Studio Lambert and the BBC was close.

The smash hit show, which has sold around the world, sees contestants live together and take part in challenges while seeking to uncloak the traitors among their number. Harry Clark won the previous series.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: “The Traitors has well and truly established itself as an unmissable highlight of the year and the news of a fourth outing, alongside a brand new celebrity version coming to the BBC,...

The new Australian-produced animated feature “200% Wolf”, directed by Alexs Stadermann, stars Ilai Swindells, Elizabeth Nabben, Jennifer Saunders, Sarah Georgina, Peter McAllum, Samara Weaving, Janice Petersen, Heather Mitchell and Michael Bourchier, releasing September 20, 2024 in theaters:

“…a heroic poodle struggles to maintain the respect of his ‘werewolf' pack when a wayward wish transforms him, dropping off a troublemaking 'fairy’ on earth…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Laika is celebrating the beyond-expectations box office results for the re-release of its acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline and will extend the run of its groundbreaking film through August 29th.

Coraline returned to theaters worldwide for its 15th Anniversary in newly remastered 3D for a special limited engagement that started August 15th. In partnership with Fathom in the U.S. and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

Since opening on Thursday, August 15, the re-issue of Coraline has earned over $20 million at the worldwide box office. It has sold $12.5 million in tickets in the U.S. and $7.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $20.1 million. Coraline was the #4 movie at the domestic box office.

The 15th anniversary Coraline showings also include an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, Wildwood. You can check out that teaser here.

In Mexico, Coraline has officially...

Classic Doctor Who and British comedy series are often the first things viewers think of when BritBox is mentioned. Of late, however, the British TV streamer has expanded its offerings to originals and limited series to go along with its archive of U.K. TV classics.

This list of hidden gems is curated around highlighting archive U.K. TV series you may have missed as well as recently-acquired properties from other streaming services that are often overlooked. Whether you subscribe to BritBox directly or use the Amazon or Roku platforms, these series and limited series are must-watches.

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

Summary: Historian Dr. David Olusoga guides viewers to observe all of the current historical and archeological evidence documenting Black life in Britain. Olusoga moves from the ancient Cheddar Man through today including the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Why It’s a Hidden Gem: BritBox’s documentary offerings are...

Henry Selick’s adapted from Neil Gaiman’s book about a young girl who finds new parents with buttons for eyes is a nifty stop-motion animation

Henry Selick’s 2009 animated supernatural fantasy Coraline is now rereleased for its 15th anniversary; it is based on a novella by Neil Gaiman, the author now the subject of sexual assault allegations. This stop-motion film looks as amiably creepy as it did when I saw it first – though, as with The Nightmare Before Christmas, another of Selick’s movies, which was produced by Tim Burton, the chills are mixed with adventure, exotic strangeness and comedy, certainly a recipe that has entranced audiences. As before, though, I wondered if this story might have been more frightening if it had been filmed in conventional live-action with regular human beings showing us their eerie smiling faces with buttons for eyes. But straight-up scariness may not be the point.

The new Australian-produced animated feature “200% Wolf”, directed by Alexs Stadermann, stars Ilai Swindells, Elizabeth Nabben, Jennifer Saunders, Sarah Georgina, Peter McAllum, Samara Weaving, Janice Petersen, Heather Mitchell and Michael Bourchier, releasing in 2024 Tba:

“…a heroic poodle struggles to maintain the respect of his ‘werewolf' pack when a wayward wish transforms him, dropping off a troublemaking 'fairy’ on earth…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Jennifer Saunders has been added to the cast of ‘The Magic Faraway Tree.’

Saunders takes on the role of the kids’ ruthless Grandma. Additional supporting roles include Laurence Olivier Award-winner, Hiran Abeysekera as the Angry Pixie, one of the magical denizens of the woodland, and Pippa Bennett-Warner as Grandma’s assistant, Hannah.

Newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon and Phoenix Laroche will play the Thompson children.

Based on The Faraway Tree series of novels for children, the story follows Polly and Tim Thompson and their children, Beth, Joe and Fran, who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants.

Also in news – Pharrell Williams Lego documentary ‘Piece By Piece’ set to close the 68th BFI London Film Festival

The inhabitants of the tree, capable of transporting visitors to fantastical far-off lands, will be played by Nicole Coughlan...

Jennifer Saunders, Hiran Abeysekera and Pippa Bennett-Warner have signed on to star in the upcoming film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree.

The film is currently shooting in England at Shinfield Studios. Adapted by BAFTA Award-winner Simon Farnaby, the movie is directed by Ben Gregor.

The film is produced by Academy Award-nominee Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown of Neal Street Productions, along with Danny Perkins (Greatest Days) of Elysian Film Group, and Jane Hooks. Executive Producers include Ashland Hill Media Finance’s Simon Williams, Joe Simpson, Jonathan Bross, and Palisades Park Pictures’ Tamara Birkemoe.

Ashland Hill Media Finance is fully financing The Magic Faraway Tree.

British icon Jennifer Saunders has joined the star-studded cast for the film adaptation of Enid Blyton‘s beloved children’s book, The Magic Faraway Tree.

Hiran Abeysekera (The Life of Pi, The Father and the Assassin) and Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London, See How They Run, Chloe) will also feature alongside the previously announced cast of Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan and Jessica Gunning.

From Neal Street Productions, Elysian Film Group and Ashland Hill Media Finance, The Magic Faraway Tree is currently shooting.

Based on the Faraway Tree series of novels for children, the film follows Polly (Foy) and Tim Thompson (Garfield) and their children, Beth, Joe and Fran, who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. “There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants,” a plot synopsis reads.

Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, Shrek 2) has been cast in the role of the children’s ruthless Grandma.

Jennifer Saunders (“Absolutely Fabulous”), Laurence Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (“The Life of Pi”) and Pippa Bennett-Warner (“Gangs of London”) have joined the cast of the film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Faraway Tree,” which is currently in production.

The film, based on Blyton’s beloved “The Faraway Tree” series, follows the Thompson family as they move to the English countryside and discover a magical tree. The fantastical tree’s residents transport visitors to distant lands, setting the stage for a series of whimsical adventures.

Saunders has been cast as the children’s grandmother, Abeysekera as the Angry Pixie, and Bennett-Warner as the grandmother’s assistant, Hannah. Newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon and Phoenix Laroche will play the Thompson children.

These actors join previously announced cast members Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan, Jess Gunning, Nonso Anozie, Dustin Demri Jones, Mark Heap, Oliver Chris, Lenny Henry, Simon Russell Beale and Michael Palin.

What’s it like playing a Bond girl? Lois Lane? Being one degree from Kevin Bacon? The actor is here to tell all. And she might even talk about starring in the odd era-defining comedy drama

If you haven’t seen Coraline – the spooky animated dark fantasy film based on British author Neil Gaiman’s novella and produced by American stop-motion animation studio Laika – now’s your chance. But don’t forget your 3D glasses (also available in the foyer) because it’s been remastered in 3D to mark its 15th anniversary. A creepy story about people with buttons for eyes, Coraline features the voices of Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, our old friend Ian McShane – and Teri Hatcher who’s kindly agreed to take the reader interview.

So … what to ask? Hatcher has been a Bond girl of course, in Tomorrow Never Dies; in fact, she plays Bond...

Leading podcast agency Listen announces the promotion of Exec, Suzy Grant to Head of Visualised Podcasts as it doubles down on companion shows and original podcasts for TV.

Following the success of their premium video podcasts, including the first original podcast commissioned for linear TV, The Traitors: Uncloaked, the super-indie is in talks with broadcasters, streamers, and publishers to create podcast formats built for linear TV, VOD, SVOD, and social.

Grant has led Listen’s momentous video podcast charge to date. In January 2024, Listen broke the mould with the first official companion podcast for international sensation, The Traitors - Exec’d by Grant. The Traitors: Uncloaked, hosted by comedian Ed Gamble, was shot for TV, with an extended cut available in audio only. This new take on the TV sister-show reached 7x more viewers than the slot average for BBC2 (2 million average per episode) and achieved a whopping 4.4 million consolidated...

"In a world where love is just a spell away." Enjoy this official trailer for a fantasy adventure movie called Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps, made by director Michael Hines. A heartwarming homage to the lo-fi fantasy films of the 80s and a fun comedy adventure that both fulfills and subverts the expectations of what a fantasy universe can be. Fathom Events is hosting two nights of theatrical screenings at the end of July if you want to catch this one on the big screen. Get ready to experience the most magical movie of the summer! Actress Tami Stronach, the iconic "Childlike Empress" in The NeverEnding Story (1984), makes her long-awaited return to the big screen in the new fantasy film Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps. When a lonely goatherd discovers that he has been cursed at birth to never take a wife,...

"Do you want to stay in your buttoned-up world forever? Or maybe you're brave enough to go back...?" Laika has revealed a brand new trailer for the 15th Anniversary re-release of the stop-motion animation classic Coraline, which originally opened in 2009. We covered this release extensively during its original debut years ago, and I remember how big of a deal it was when it opened in theaters in February of '09. To celebrate the anniversary, Focus and Laika are re-releasing the special 3D version of Coraline in theaters worldwide (!!) for everyone to enjoy. The Cat (Keith David) welcomes you back for a dream come true! On August 15th, Coraline returns to theaters in a newly remastered edition with eye-popping 3D. Crawl into the Other World with your favorite characters & experience Laika's film as you’ve never seen it before. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning as Coraline, Teri Hatcher as Mel,...

Jennifer Saunders reunites with the cast of Absolutely Fabulous for a new documentary called Inside Out. Here are the details…

Following the huge success of Bottom: Exposed earlier this year, Gold have commissioned a similar feature length documentary about Absolutely Fabulous called Inside Out. While Bottom: Exposed featured many interviews and talking heads, Inside Out reunites most of the cast – Whitfield passed away in 2018.

Series co-star Jennifer Saunders said to the British Comedy Guide, “I loved making Ab Fab but I can’t remember a great deal, so much of this retrospective is a revelation to me. Thank you Gold for this kind and helpful programme”.

Its other co-star, Joanna Lumley, added: “It was a fabulous wander down memory lane by actresses who only have the faintest grip on reality. Really thrilling, and I hope vastly entertaining. I loved every second”.

Saunders, along with double act partner Dawn French, began...

One year after making $7 million in theatrical re-release, Henry Selick’s 2009 stop motion film Coraline is headed back to theaters nationwide this summer… this time in 3D.

Fathom Events will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Coraline by bringing a brand new 3D remaster to theaters around the world from August 15 – August 22, 2024.

Variety details in a report this afternoon, “Ticket sales kick off on June 21. A 2D version of the film will also be available to exhibitors.” You can sign up for an email reminder now.

“Laika set the 3D standard with the 2009 release of Coraline,” said the studio’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer David Burke. “This newly remastered version, in the works for three years, brings Neil Gaiman’s enchanting story to life in stunning, stereoscopic 3D detail and is a love letter to Laika fans everywhere.”

“Everybody loves Coraline, and Fathom is proud to partner once again...

Henry Selick’s modern classic “Coraline” turns 15 this year, and a new 3D remaster of the stop-motion feature (announced in February) will get a worldwide theatrical release this fall by Fathom in the U.S and Trafalgar Releasing in the rest of the world.

Limited screenings will begin on August 15 and feature an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, “Wildwood.” Ticket sales kick off on June 21. A 2D version of the film will also be available to exhibitors.

“Coraline”

In 2023, Fathom re-released the original version of “Coraline” in the U.S., which netted over $7 million at the box office, a record for the event-based distributor. The film is also screening in this year’s Annecy Classics program, marking a return to the French festival where it won the Cristal for a feature film in 2009.

“Coraline” was written by Neil Gaiman and Selick and stars voice actors Dakota Fanning, Ian McShane,...

The beloved series Celebrity Gogglebox returns for its sixth season, airing on Channel 4 on Friday, 7 June 2024. The season premiere features a stellar lineup of Britain’s best-loved personalities, who will offer their unique perspectives on the week’s most talked-about television programs. This installment introduces a diverse range of celebrities, including Jennifer Saunders and […]

Celebrity Gogglebox: Season 6 Premiere...

Netflix’s surprise hit psychological dark comedy series Baby Reindeer is surprising people with its cute name and intensely dark story. Created by Richard Gadd, the Netflix series is based on Gadd’s autobiographical one-man show of the same name and it tells Gadd’s experience of being sexually assaulted in his 20s. Baby Reindeer stars Gadd in the lead role with Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Tom Goodman-Hill, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Danny Kirrane, Hugh Coles, and Nina Sosanya starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the psychologically thrilling look on obsession and the rawness of the dark comedy in Baby Reindeer you should check out these similar shows next.

You (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

You is a psychological crime thriller series created by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble. Based on a novel series of the same name by Caroline Kepnes, the Netflix series follows the story of Joe Goldberg, a young...

Exclusive: Comedian and writer Julian Clary (Julian Clary: Live – Lord of the Mince) will play the title role in this festive season’s London Palladium pantomime Robin Hood, with singer and travel show presenter Jane McDonald (Cruising with Jane McDonald) topping the bill as Maid Marion.

The annual Palladium show, now in its ninth consecutive season, has become an eagerly awaited staple in the West End’s calendar. It runs from December 7 through January 12, 2025. Priority booking opens 10 Am (GMT) April 25.

Last year’s production, Peter Pan, with comedy legend Jennifer Saunders making her pantomime debut as Captain Hook, and with Clary playing Seaman Smee, was a sold-out success, playing 56 performances -often two a day – to an audience of more than 123,000 at the 2,200 capacity variety house.

When tickets went on sale, there was a moment when 90,000 people were in the queue, waiting their turn to book seats.

Exclusive: Star traitors and faithfuls are set to face off on in the UK in a celebrity version of smash hit format The Traitors, which Deadline understands is set to launch on the BBC next year.

Several sources have told us that an agreement between Studio Lambert, which makes the UK and U.S. versions of The Traitors, and the BBC, which broadcasts it, is close. The hope is that the first celeb version will film next year and go out later in 2025, by which time three seasons of the “civilian” version will have aired. Host Claudia Winkleman is expected to present the celeb version.

The U.S. and UK versions of The Traitors — in which contestants live together and take part in challenges while seeking to uncloak the traitors among their number — are filmed back to back in a castle in Scotland. The producers could capitalize upon that model...