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It’s easier than ever to be an Anglophile these days, largely thanks to streaming services like Netflix, which have brought a wider variety of titles than ever across the pond and right to our doors Love period pieces? You can now pick your preferred timeframe — from gangsters in the 1920s (Peaky Blinders) to the British Royal family in the 1960s (The Crown) and teens in 1990s Ireland (Derry Girls). Looking for a more fast-paced thriller? Binge Bodyguard or Collateral. Want to watch something buzzy and downright weird? Well, Black Mirror and The End of the F***ing World are here for you. There are even options for the British sci-fi fan that isn’t interested in Doctor Who. Here are the best British shows on Netflix.

Channel 5 is joining The Forsytes.

The Paramount network has taken UK rights on PBS Masterpiece’s splashy adaptation of John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga, which stars Doctor Who’s Millie Gibson and Francesca Annis as formidable matriarch Ann.

Penned by British screenwriter Debbie Horsfield (Poldark), the series chronicles the lives of four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers, set against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving late-Victorian world. True Blood star Stephen Moyer (Sexy Beast) also features alongside the likes of Jack Davenport (The Morning Show) and Gibson.

This is the third Forsyte Saga adaptation. A version aired in 1967 on the BBC and 35 years later on ITV. The new show is made by ITV Studios-backed Mammoth Screen and is a rare example of a British show being greenlit by an American network, with Channel 5 coming in at a later date. Channel 5 also combines with PBS Masterpiece...

Nicola Coughlan will be honored at this year’s Canneseries festival with the Konbini Commitment Award. The Bridgerton and Derry Girls star will participate in an interview before receiving the award at the Lumiere Theater in Cannes’ Palais des Festivals on April 28.

The award, presented by French media group Konbini, recognizes talent whose work has artistic impact or social significance. Previous recipients include Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn, American Horror Story actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Transparent showrunner Joey Soloway.

Coughlan gained recognition for her role in Derry Girls, a comedy set in 1990s Northern Ireland. The series won best comedy at the 2023 BAFTAs and the International Emmy Awards. She later gained international fame as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton, earning a Screen Actors Guild nomination for best female actor in a drama series.

She also appeared as Diplomat Barbie in Barbie, starred alongside Lydia West in Big Mood, and featured...

‘Bridgerton’ & ‘Derry Girls’ Star Nicola Coughlan Set For Canneseries

Nicola Coughlan will be feted at Canneseries. The Derry Girls and Bridgerton star will receive the Konbini Commitment Award at the event, which takes place on the Cote d’Azur in late April. Coughlan will take part in a sit-down interview and then receive her accolade in the iconic Lumiere Theater in Cannes’ Palais des Festivals. Coughlan’s recent work includes a role in the Doctor Who Christmas special. She will next be seen as Silky the woodland fairy in the upcoming adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree alongside Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy.

‘Shin Chan’ Movies Set For India

A pair of films from TV Asahi’s Shin Chan franchise will be released in India. Shin Chan Our Dinosaur Diary and Shin Chan The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers In India will released locally through multiplex operator PVR Inox Pictures.

Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, known to hordes of Bridgerton fans as Penelope Featherington/Lady Whistledown and as Clare Devlin to Derry Girls enthusiasts, will be honored at this year’s French TV festival Canneseries with the annual Konbini Commitment Award.

The award, presented by the French online media group, honors talent who have distinguished themselves “by the artistic quality and societal, innovative and/or revolutionary dimension of their work.” Previous winners include Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn, American Horror Story actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Transparent showrunner Joey Soloway.

Coughlan came to international attention with Derry Girls, a period comedy set in 1990s Northern Ireland in the final years of the Troubles. The series ran for three seasons on Channel 4 and became a global sensation when Netflix licensed the show worldwide. It won best comedy at the 2023 BAFTAs as well as the International Emmy Awards.

Coughlan followed it up with Netflix phenomenon Bridgerton,...

Margot Robbie leads the critically acclaimed Barbiemovie, and it features plenty of notable faces in the supporting cast as well. For the most part, the characters are directly inspired by toys that have been released over the years or are original Barbie movie characters. Of course, this means that the long-beloved Mattel toys Barbie and Ken are not just two people.

Instead, the Truman Show-esque Barbieland is populated with plenty of Barbies and Kens. Still, each character has its place in the story, and they all help make this version of Barbieland vibrant and memorable. Most of these characters are portrayed by familiar faces for fans to look for.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 7, 2025: Following the smash success of the first live-action Barbie movie in 2023, all eyes are on Greta Gerwig as she works toward making a sequel. While news on this front is still scarce, fans know...

The MGM+ survival thriller Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue makes a pretty bold statement. By the title alone, viewers know most of the show's characters won't make it to the end. What does that mean to the actors playing the survivors of a plane crash? And did any of them know the identity of the murderer?

In an interview with Cbr, stars Siobhàn McSweeney (who plays Lisa) and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (who portrays Lisa's husband Travis) spoke about what drew them to the miniseries from Alex Rider creator Anthony Horowitz. They spoke about the show's very unique filming experience and how it helped them. Plus, how much of a departure is this from their past roles in other hits like Derry Girls and Severance?

Cbr: What was it about Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue that initially excited you about the miniseries?

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson: First of all, the name.

Nicola Coughlan has fans buzzing about her personal life!

The 38-year-old actress, known for her roles in Bridgerton and Derry Girls, has maintained a relatively private personal life.

However, some details about her relationships have surfaced over time, with the latest update involving a seemingly Instagram official confirmation of her latest romance.

Click through to find out who Nicola is rumored to have dated over the years…...

Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson will make her New York stage premiere this spring in Irishtown.

The play, written by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, will make its world premiere at the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage starting April 2, ahead of an April 13 opening night. The show, which also stars Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy), will play a limited Off-Broadway run through May 25.

In addition to Burton and Jackson, the play will feature Kevin Oliver Lynch (Purgatory, After Yeats), Brenda Meaney (Little Gem, Uncle Vanya), and Angela Reed (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), with voiceover work by Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption Two).

Directed by Nicola Murphy Dubey, Irishtown follows a Dublin-based theater company that begins rehearsals for their new play, only to discover that the playwright has made the story too dark and experimental, and not Irish enough. The company decides to take matters into their own hands...

Social media isn’t just a way for actors to connect with fans as it’s now influencing their careers in ways many wouldn’t expect. Actress Maya Hawke, known for her role in Stranger Things shared that she considered quitting Instagram but was advised against it by directors who explained how much it mattered in Hollywood.

Maya Hawke in Stranger Things | Credits: Netflix

Hawke isn’t the only one who has faced this reality. One social media user, named Joe Russo, claimed that in 2020, a Game of Thrones actor was not cast in a movie because he didn’t have enough Instagram followers.

Why was Maya Hawke told not to quit Instagram?

For many actors, social media can feel exhausting, but deleting it isn’t always an option. Actress Maya Hawke recently shared that, despite wanting to leave Instagram, she has been convinced to stay by several well-known directors.

Exclusive: Derry Girls star Louisa Harland is leading RTÉ’s adaptation of Marian Keyes’ The Walsh Sisters, which has unveiled cast including Debi Mazar.

Harland will play the troubled Anna Walsh and is joined by BAFTA nominee Máiréad Tyers, who led Disney+’s Extraordinary and has been cast as Helen. Making up the rest of the Walsh family are Stefanie Preissner, who plays Maggie and is also writing most of the show, Danielle Galligan (House of Guinness) bringing oldest sister Claire to life and rising talent Caroline Menton, who takes on sister Rachel.

Adding a dose of Hollywood to the line-up is Mazar, who plays Chaquie and is coming off the back of her starring role as Medusa in Netflix’s Kaos. Past credits include Entourage, Goodfellas and Little Man Tate. She is joined by Irish American actor Aidan Quinn (This is My Father). Quinn has been tapped to play...

There have been many TV shows focused on female friendships over the years. For this Galentines Day, you need to watch these excellent shows.

Galentines Day was coined thanks to Parks and Recreation. It’s celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day, and is a chance to celebrate the female friends in our lives. There is nothing better than a strong female friendship and being surrounded by women holding us up.

Too many shows have pitted women against women. It was the way of the world in the past, right? Well, now it’s time to see women supporting women, and you need these five shows to do that. Let me say that there are way more than five, though!

Derry Girls

Set during the 1990s, Derry Girls brings us a story of a group of Catholic teenage girls (and a boy) navigating the world of growing up in the midst of The Troubles.

Mediawan Group has named Max Wiedemann as its first Head of Artificial Intelligence.

The European production and distribution group said it had expanded German producer Wiedemann’s role within the company because the industry is “entering a new era driven by artificial intelligence, which is not only reshaping our world but also transforming the way we produce content.”

Wiedemann will remain Chief Production and Chief Business Development Officer For Mediawan-owned Leonine Studios. His new post will focus on integrating cutting-edge AI tech across the group’s activities.

He has been vocal about the usage of AI in production. Last year, he told the Munich Film Festival the the likes of Google and OpenAI should allow content owners to share in the upside from artificial intelligence tools.

Today, he said in a statement: “Both Mediawan and Leonine have already cultivated significant expertise in AI, and I am eager to collaborate...

Exclusive: Channel 4 has given the greenlight to Season 2 of Big Mood starring Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan.

Big Mood follows Maggie, played by Coughlan, a 30-year-old writer with bipolar disorder. Her best friend is Eddie, played by It’s a Sin star Lydia West. At the start of Season 2, it’s been a year since Maggie and Eddie last saw each other, without any contact between them. When Eddie suddenly returns for a wedding, she isn’t alone – Maggie has competition, in the form of an infuriatingly positive spiritual healer named Whitney. Maggie needs to work out if her special brand of chaos can find space in Eddie’s new life, or she fears she will lose her forever.

The first series from writer Camilla Whitehill was Channel 4’s most-watched new comedy launch since Derry Girls, according to the network. It reviewed well and attracted plaudits for its depiction of bipolar disorder on screen.

The BBC has revealed the first official images from This City Is Ours, an ambitious new crime drama set in Liverpool, with Sean Bean taking centre stage as gang leader Ronnie Phelan. Created by Stephen Butchard, the writer behind The Last Kingdom and The Good Mothers, and directed by BAFTA-winner Saul Dibb, the eight-part series promises an intense exploration of loyalty, love, and betrayal within a world of organised crime.

Filmed on location in Liverpool and Spain, the series follows Michael Kavanagh, played by James Nelson-Joyce, a lifelong criminal whose devotion to the underworld starts to unravel when he falls in love. After years of working under Ronnie Phelan’s leadership, Michael begins to contemplate leaving the business behind, dreaming of a future with Diana Williams, played by Hannah Onslow. But with tensions brewing within the gang and Ronnie hinting at retirement, Michael soon finds himself battling for survival.

The...

The Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso premiered in 2020 and aired for three seasons to critical acclaim. The show drew viewers in with exceptional performances, outrageous humor, uplifting tone, and more. There is much buzz on social media about a fourth season of the series. But until then, viewers continue to look for another series to fill the void.

Comedy fans are always searching for another intelligent comedy to keep them entertained. Ted Lasso set the bar fairly high, but the list below will certainly give fans some new series to keep them entertained.

Lessons in Chemistry

This is a period drama with some comedy sprinkled in, but it is an exceptionally underappreciated series from Apple TV+. Based on the bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry follows a brilliant chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who hosts a feminist cooking show in the 1960s where she teaches housewives scientific topics. Sadly, there...

World’s Most Dangerous Roads is a series that sends celebrities out to explore places known for having some of the most dangerous roads in the world. The show first aired from 2011 to 2013 on BBC Two, and was rebooted in 2023 for another round of nerve-wracking travels. It was in that reboot season that we got one of the most frightening episodes of the show, for multiple reasons. Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Saoirse-Monica Jackson, stars of the hit comedy series Derry Girls, are brought on to traverse the dangerous roads of Romania. Full of winding mountain roads and narrow ones at that, their entire journey was perilous. It was also chock-full of horror movie-worthy, including references to some of the most famous, as the pair travel into Transylvania and visit Dracula’s castle.

There have been a number of fantastic teen shows in recent years, including Heartstopper, Maxton Hall, and The Summer I Turned Pretty. There is something about that stage of life that lends itself to television that is both relatable and over-the-top, balancing the many emotions and experiences associated with those ages. From teen dramas like Yellowjackets and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, to teen comedies like Never Have I Ever and Derry Girls, the intensity and amount of change during those years makes for great television.

Actress Nicola Coughlan has secured a six-figure deal with Neutrogena after the success of her recent campaign for Kim Kardashian’s Skims.

The 38-year-old – known for her roles in Bridgerton and Derry Girls – is set to front a new campaign for the skincare brand.

The Irish star—who is said to have already shot her first campaign for Neutrogena—will join a growing list of stars, including Jenna Ortega and Nicole Kidman.

A source close to Coughlan told The Sun, “Nicola has filmed her campaign for Neutrogena and is thrilled to be on board with them.”

They added, “The deal is worth six figures, which is a great payday for Nic to kick off 2025. Away from Bridgerton, Nicola has become a huge star in her own right. Getting signed up by Kim for Skims was massive for Nicola in building her CV, and when Neutrogena came knocking, she jumped at the chance.

Jack Rooke’s sweet, award-winning sitcom Big Boys is returning for a third series, and here’s the trailer for it.

Big Boys, Jack Rooke’s autobiographical sitcom about his experience at university, has been one of the comedic treats of the last few years.

Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn and Jon Pointing play two disparate young men, Jack and Danny, who find themselves as roommates in their first year of University. The former is closeted and sensitive, the latter is full of boorish bonhomie, but despite their differences they form a touching, tender bond, and Rooke’s writing covers everything from Jack exploring his sexuality to Danny’s mental health.

The show received critical acclaim for Rooke’s refusal to adhere to the usual masculine stereotypes seen on TV and for highlighting mental health struggles.

It proved to be a hit for Channel 4, who quickly ordered a second series,...

The BBC is moving closer to approving its next big sitcom, and Deadline has just released information on which production companies are being considered.

Last May, Jon Petrie, the head of comedy at the BBC, announced that his team would fund writers’ rooms for fresh sitcom ideas. Deadline learns that BBC Studios, Big Talk Studios, Various Artists Limited, Roughcut, and Hat Trick have been selected.

These companies are behind some of the most popular British sitcoms of recent times, like Derry Girls, Two Doors Down, Friday Night Dinner, Stath Lets Flats, and Such Brave Girls, all of which have won BAFTAs.

While details are under wraps, it’s confirmed that these writers’ rooms are now open and assembling their teams. Each company is expected to develop a pilot script, episode outlines, and a full writing team. There’s potential for more than one new sitcom to hit our screens.

Back...

Exclusive: The BBC is inching towards greenlighting its next big sitcom and we can reveal which producers are in the running.

The corporation’s comedy boss Jon Petrie said last May his team would fund writers’ rooms for original sitcom ideas, which we understand have been awarded to BBC Studios, Big Talk Studios, Various Artists Limited, Roughcut and Hat Trick.

Between them, these storied outfits have made some of the biggest British sitcoms of recent years including Derry Girls, Two Doors Down, Friday Night Dinner, Stath Lets Flats and Such Brave Girls, securing many a BAFTA along the way.

Projects are being kept under wraps but we are told writers’ rooms have opened and are beginning to staff up. The indies are tasked with coming up with a pilot script, episode outlines and a writing team ready to go. More than one idea could make it to screen. When he...

Exclusive: The BBC assembled some of the UK’s finest drama and comedy producers to discuss the scripted funding crisis currently gripping the industry, we can reveal.

Described as a “gathering of the families,” BBC director general Tim Davie and content chief Charlotte Moore invited the group of seasoned executives to a lunch meeting at London’s Charlotte Street Hotel in late November.

Deadline is disclosing details from the private talks for the first time after Jane Featherstone, the Black Doves producer who was in attendance last year, told British Parliament yesterday that the BBC is struggling to fund “multiple” series on its books.

Others at the BBC meeting included The Crown producer Andy Harries, Ludwig maker Kenton Allen, The Traitors producer Stephen Lambert, and Jimmy Mulville, the maker of Derry Girls. Tim Hincks, producer of Alma’s Not Normal, was also in attendance.

Sources familiar with the gathering said the talks were constructive and pragmatic,...

Netflix could have a huge 2025 ahead, with some of the streaming platform's most popular shows making their comebacks, and an exciting batch of new shows making their debuts. Although many of these shows don't have release dates set in stone, it's been confirmed that Stranger Things, Wednesday, Black Mirror and more are all coming at some point in 2025. This is huge news, especially since some of these shows have been away for three years.

As well as these returning juggernauts, Netflix is set to release some intriguing new shows in the next 12 months. The creators of Derry Girls and BoJack Horseman both have new shows coming to Netflix soon, while Robert De Niro is set for a rare TV appearance in a political thriller. Netflix could well have some more surprises in store for 2025, but it's exciting to see so many interesting shows as the streaming platform's release calendar gradually takes shape.

Big Brit stars including Tom Hiddleston, Tamara Lawrance and Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln are set to grace the small screen next year. Here, we round up the biggest shows coming out of the UK in 2025, as The Night Manager returns, Steven Knight’s latest drops and, just maybe, the next big hit launches. Read on, and feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section.

‘The Night Manager’

Tom Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine is back baby, and he’ll be on TV for a little while. A supercharged double-season order of one of the shows that defined TV’s golden era was actioned earlier this year and Season 2 will land in 2k25 with a brand new director in I Hate Suzie’s Georgi Banks-Davies and new American co-producer in Prime Video, which replaces AMC. Last seen in the back of a paddy wagon driven...

“Written by Steven Moffat”. On Christmas Day! My god, how we’ve missed those words. Did any of us truly, in our wildest dreams, think that was something we’d ever get from Doctor Who again? It’s like thinking you’ve had all your presents only to spot a mountain bike with a ribbon around it behind the sofa. The writer responsible for some of the show’s best festive outings returns for a story that hits all the usual Moffatty timey-wimey buttons: clever, funny, emotionally punchy and, occasionally, absolutely exasperating. His previous Christmas specials have ranged from the sublime to the flaky, and ‘Joy To The World’ sits somewhere in the middle — though thankfully closer to the former than the latter.

As so often happens to the character at Christmas, we find Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor alone after bidding farewell to his latest companion, Ruby Sunday, back...

Nicola Coughlan, one of the stars of Doctor Who's upcoming 2024 Christmas special, recently spoke about working on the project and praised showrunner Russell T. Davies. Coughlan also talked about reuniting with co-star Ncuti Gatwa after the two filmed Barbie together.

The Doctor Who holiday special stars Ncuti Gatwa's fifteenth Doctor on an adventure in space with Bridgerton and Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan. The new episode is written by former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, and Collider recently spoke with Coughlan about joining the long-running franchise and working with Moffat, Davies and Gatwa. "It was amazing, honestly, because I love Russell T Davies. He is the nicest man in television," Coughlan said. "And when he called me to be like, 'Come do this,' I was like, 'No-brainer, of course.' And I'm such a fan of Ncuti as well, so I was like, 'Definitely.'"

Related Paramount+ Has...

Just like Santa, BBC sci-fi behemoth Doctor Who is returning on Christmas Day to deliver a special gift: “Joy to the World.” The hour-long, annual Christmas special this year features Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan when it reteams the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and writer Steven Moffat with showrunner Russell T Davies.

The Sherlock writer is back to pen his impressive ninth Christmas special for Doctor Who. “Joy to the World” is set within the Time Hotel — a hotel where every door is a portal that can transport you anywhere and anywhen. For Christmas, the Doctor (Gatwa) meets Joy (Coughlan) and discovers dinosaurs, dangers and a sack full of more (yule have to wait until the big day to find out what else). Meanwhile, a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas. The special releases Dec. 25 on Disney+.

The Hollywood Reporter sat down with...

Irish broadcaster RTÉ has tapped “Derry Girls” star Siobhán McSweeney to host its upcoming adaptation of “The Traitors,” set to premiere on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player in 2025.

The psychological reality competition format, which has found popularity in territories including the U.K., U.S. and the Netherlands, will be produced by Kite Entertainment under license from All3Media International.

The series will film on location in Ireland following a national casting call conducted earlier this year. The format features 22 contestants competing for a potential prize of €50,000 while navigating a game of trust and deception. A subset of players, designated as Traitors, attempt to eliminate other contestants without detection while the remaining players, known as Faithfuls, work to identify and remove the Traitors.

McSweeney, known for her role as Sister Michael in “Derry Girls,” said: “Like everyone, I am a huge ‘Traitors’ fan so when I was asked to host the...

If you’ve ever been a Bridgerton binge-watcher, then you know that Nicola Coughlan is a name that has stuck like a good cup of Earl Grey tea on a lazy Sunday.

From being a wallflower in Bridgerton to the hilarious Clare Devlin in Derry Girls, Coughlan has done more than just steal hearts—she’s effortlessly shown the world that talent doesn’t need to shout, it speaks softly, yet powerfully.

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton | Credit: Netflix

However, have you ever stopped to wonder, “Who’s the woman behind those stunning Regency gowns?” Or, more intriguingly, “Where is she really from, and what’s her heritage?” Sure, we all know Penelope, but how much do we truly know about Nicola Coughlan? Her character in Bridgerton is a secret writer and a master of the perfect tea-drinking posture, but there’s so much more to this Irish gem than meets the eye.

Nicola Coughlan Bridgerton Intimate Scene Reaction ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Bridgerton’s popularity stems from various factors: the casting, the chemistry, the costumes, the dynamic between all the characters, the background score, and the intimate scenes between couples. Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington in the show, was okay with the nudity and filming all the intimate scenes, but her mother wasn’t.

Bridgerton first premiered in December 2020 and has become a top-rated and loved show. Season 3 of the Regency drama focused on Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington’s love story. It also featured steamy scenes between Coughlan and Luke Newton, who plays Colin. The former has opened up about her mother being mad at her for those scenes.

Was Nicola Coughlan’s Mother Mad At Her For Intimate Scenes In Bridgerton 3?

While appearing on Graham Norton’s show, the Derry Girls star said she was 35 and realized she had never played an adult role.

Nicola Coughlan best known for ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Derry Girls, roles says she can’t reveal much about her role in the ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas special for a hilarious reason. While she hasn’t been asked to keep it a secret, she admits that she was confused by the show’s plot since she had never watched it before.

Coughlan is one of the few people who hadn’t watched ‘Doctor Who’ before agreeing to appear as a guest star. In the Christmas special titled ‘Joy To The World,’ she plays a character named Joy, who meets the 15th Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, after checking into a London hotel for a peaceful break. She ends up joining the Doctor on a mission to save Christmas everywhere at once.

The actress admitted on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ that she had no previous connection to the show. She explained that she didn...

The Doctor Who universe will welcome Nicola Coughlan, well-known for her appearances in Derry Girls and Bridgerton. In the upcoming special, she lends her distinct charm to this beloved sci-fi series despite initially finding its complicated world daunting.

During an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Coughlan admitted that she was unfamiliar with the legendary BBC series. Growing up in Ireland, she had never seen Doctor Who. She got a crash course on the show from Wikipedia to prepare for her role, comparing it to “reading War and Peace—confusing with monsters and time travel.”

Coughlan plays Joy, a character, in the holiday episode “Joy to the World.” She joins Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor on a time-travel journey through human history. Despite her initial bewilderment, Coughlan indicated enthusiasm for the encounter. “I had a great time, and the experience was enjoyable. “If they want me back, I’ll do it again,...

Despite Nicola Coughlan playing the companion in Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas special, the actor admits that she had no experience whatsoever prior to being cast in the role. Coughlan's breakout role was in the Channel 4 historical sitcom Derry Girls as anxious teen Claire, before joining Netflix's period drama Bridgerton as the third season's romantic lead, Penelope Featherington. Set following the events of Doctor Who season 14, the Christmas special "Joy to the World" sees Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor travel across human history in a hotel offering rooms from throughout time and space.

Though Christmas will see Doctor Who air its 18th seasonal special, Coughlan admitted during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show (via Pa Media) that she had no prior connection to the long-running sci-fi series. Coughlan explained that she did not watch growing up in Ireland, leading to her needing to do research upon being cast.

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The Sex Lives of College Girls is a teen comedy-drama series created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble. The Max series follows four young women as they begin their freshmen years as roommates at the Essex College in Vermont. It revolves around their day-to-day lives, from their love lives to their struggles with adulthood. The Sex Lives of College Girls stars Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Gavin Leatherwood, Christopher Meyer, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, and Renika Williams. So, if you loved the friendships, coming-of-age elements, hilarious comedy, and compelling characters in The Sex Lives of College Girls, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Sex Education (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Sex Education is a British teen comedy-drama series created by Laurie Nunn. The Netflix series follows Otis Milburn, a student at Moordale Secondary...

Quick Links Nicola Coughlan is the Doctor's Companion, Joy Steven Moffat is Writing the Christmas Special The Doctor is Expected to Return on Christmas Day "Joy to the World" Features a Time Travel Hotel

Doctor Who is heading back to Disney+ and BBC One in December 2024, in the upcoming Christmas special, "Joy to the World." 2024 saw the start of a new era of Doctor Who, with Ncuti Gatwa taking control of the Tardis as the Fifteenth Doctor, alongside Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday. Season 1 (or Series 14) ended with the Doctor and Ruby temporarily parting ways, as the Doctor left Ruby at her home in London so she could get to know her birth parents. The new era saw the return of showrunner Russell T Davies, and introduced a pantheon of dark gods to the world of Doctor Who, including classic villains like the Toymaker and Sutekh.

Doctor Who Season...

Over the course of nine episodes of “Say Nothing,” Lola Petticrew is put through the wringer.

The actor portrays the real-life figure Dolours Price, an Irish Republican Army leader who goes from peaceful protester to bank robber to jailed terrorist to, eventually, a woman with many regrets and ghosts. All the while she’s a loving protector to her sister, Marian (Hazel Doupe), and a young person exploring a rapidly changing world around her.

It’s the kind of role any actor, especially a relative newbie, would relish. But Petticrew also felt the responsibility to get this story — one they’d been told versions of since they were a child growing up in West Belfast — right.

“When the email came in about this show on which Dolours Price would be the lead, I immediately was like, ‘I have to do this,'” Petticrew, who uses they/them pronouns, explained. “Then I read the scripts,...

Steven Moffat opens up about Doctor Who's 2024 seasonal special, revealing new details about the hotel at the heart of the Christmas story. The upcoming seasonal episode, coming ahead of next year's Doctor Who season 15, will see the return of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor, now alone in the Tardis and traveling by himself once more after the end of season 14. While the Doctor will not have familiar companions to rely on, Bridgerton and Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan will play guest companion Joy.

With just over a month until Doctor Who returns, former showrunner and writer Moffat revealed to BBC News (via @harrythewhovian on Twitter) new details about the upcoming 2024 seasonal special, "Joy to the World."

Here's the clip! Straight from today's 6.30pm slot for BBC South East. Rtd was originally writing the special, ran out of time, and got Moffat in to do it so he could start Season 2. #DoctorWho https://t.

“Welcome to this week’s edition of Deadline International Insider! As we navigate through the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, it’s clear that AI is not just a buzzword but a transformative force reshaping industries worldwide.”

If you hadn’t guessed already — and I hope you had — the intro above was written by a robot. But it feeds nicely into what we’ve been writing about in the film and TV world this week, so the real Max Goldbart is here and the non-ai-created newsletter is below. Or is it? Please do sign up.

Analyzing Artificial Intelligence

Millions of strands: Each week it feels as though there are immeasurable AI-themed strands we could be pulling on and the last couple have certainly been no different. Debates continue to rage within local and global industries around the ethics, usefulness and necessity of artificial intelligence and the developing, invasive tech...

The first look of Éanna Hardwicke as Manchester United and Ireland soccer legend Roy Keane alongside Steve Coogan as his embattled Irish national manager Mick McCarthy, has been revealed from upcoming comedy biopic “Saipan.”

The film — first announced earlier in the year by Variety — chronicles one of the most infamous moments in Irish sporting history, when Keane and McCarthy had a very public falling out. Alongside Hardwicke and Coogan, the supporting cast includes Alice Lowe (“Sightseers”), Jamie Beamish (“Derry Girls”), Alex Murphy (“Young Offenders”), Harriet Cains (“Bridgerton”) and Peter McDonald (“The Batman”).

“Saipan” is being directed by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa — the duo behind “Good Vibrations” and “Ordinary Love” — — working from an original script by Paul Fraser (“Dead Man’s Shoes”). Bankside Films is handling sales and will be showing a promo to buyers at the American Film Market.

Described as a “true-life comedy of the most epic proportions,...

Next August, Taken star Liam Neeson will put aside his gritty, aged action hero persona and pick up something far funnier (though likely just as gritty) in the reboot of comedy gem The Naked Gun. Now, Neeson has given us a brief insight into what we can expect from the comedy outing, delivering a menacing warning when asked about the project by JoBlo. Leaning forward and delivering the following quote in his familiar growl, Neeson stated that...

Its going to be very funny.

While short, the way Neeson promises big laughs as if its a threat is no doubt a tease of whats to come when The Naked Gun reboot puts the action stars persona in the parody spotlight. Breaking character, Neeson reportedly went on to praise his co-stars, which includes Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, Cch Pounder, and Busta Rhymes.

While...

Some comedy shows take a while to get into their rhythm, but others manage to hook their audiences from the very first episode. It can take writers and actors some time to find the comedic flavor of a new show. Comedy relies so much on chemistry and timing that a perfect comedic pilot is rare. These things can take a long time to build up. However, some hilarious shows capture lightning in a bottle from their first outing.

There are many great comedy shows which started off a little slowly. Seinfeld, for example, has an odd first season that doesn't quite nail the comedic rhythms that the show is known for, and The Office takes some time to distinguish itself from its British counterpart. Not all comedy shows suffer from the same affliction, however. Shows like Futurama, How I Met Your Mother and Derry Girls hit the ground running.

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FX is transporting viewers back to Belfast during the Troubles with “Say Nothing,” a limited series that the network released a trailer for on Wednesday.

The trailer has a sort of kiss-kiss-bang-bang ‘70s thriller tone that emphasizes the thrill of young people fighting for a radical cause. That is not the tone of journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s excellent book on which the series is based, which is more neutral and sad. FX’s description of the show, however, hints that the show may be more like the book. “Telling the story of various Irish Republican Army (Ira) members, ‘Say Nothing’ explores the extremes some people will go to in the name of their beliefs, the way a deeply divided society can suddenly tip over into armed conflict, the long shadow of radical violence for all affected, and the emotional and psychological costs of a code of silence,” according to the network.

The creators of Derry Girls and Big Boys have hit out at ITV over the UK network’s plan to hire an exec who would use AI to create program ideas.

Lisa Mcgee and Jack Rooke’s criticism came after it emerged over the weekend that ITV had been advertising for a ‘Head of Generative AI Innovation’ role on LinkedIn, with Mcgee calling it “incredibly depressing.”

The role, which would pay up to £95,000 a year, called for a “visionary” candidate who would lead “AI-driven transformation of ITV Studios and streamer Itvx. This would include “character development” and “AI-generated ideation.”

Writers have long feared the creep of AI use in creative endeavors and the issue was among the most divisive during last year’s U.S. labor strikes. ITV’s plan has also provoked many writers over on this side of the pond.

Mcgee, who created Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls,...

U.K. public service broadcaster ITV has come under fire after a job advert for a “head of generative AI innovation” went viral.

The advert, which was posted on LinkedIn as well as other job sites, says the role will include spearheading “AI-driven innovations in content creation for TV shows, films, and digital-first content across ITV Studios and Itvx” and implementing tools like “AI-generated ideation, character development, and enhanced production graphics.”

The chosen candidate, who will be based in London, will be paid up to £95,000 per year with the potential for an annual bonus and “generous” vacation allowance to boot.

Television writers have reacted with outrage to the job posting, however. In a statement, Ellie Peers, general secretary for the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (Wggb), said: “We were shocked to hear that ITV are intending to bring in an AI expert to replace writers and other creators. There’s...

Apple TV Europe boss and BFI chair Jay Hunt engaged in a rare public Q&a hosted by “The Traitors” U.K. presenter Claudia Winkleman during the BFI London Film Festival, where she discussed her lengthy career in U.K. public service broadcasting, move to streaming and the U.K. screen industry at large.

Among the advice Hunt shared with the audience was the importance of acknowledging failure and taking risks. Of the latter, she revealed that “Slow Horses” – one of AppleTV+’s biggest U.K. hits, which has since gone on to win BAFTA and Emmy awards – had been considered a risky investment, with the U.S. streamer only picking it up after it was turned down by the BBC.

“I think you have to take risks,” said Hunt. “It’s interesting. ‘Slow Horses’ is a very good example where it was passed on by the BBC. I think...

Exclusive: Creatives behind upcoming BBC comedy Smoggie Queens have credited RuPaul’s Drag Race UK with clearing the path for more shows about queer communities across the nation.

Phil Dunning, who created and stars in the Hat Trick-produced show alongside the likes of Peaky Blinders star Charlotte Riley and Mark Benton, said a decade ago the series about drag queens in the north east of England may have struggled to get a greenlight.

Now into its sixth season, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK launched in 2019 and has consistently been one of BBC Three’s top-rated shows, catapulting the careers of the likes of The Vivienne and Baga Chipz and carving out space in the national conversation about drag. The majority of its contestants come from outside of London.

“Drag Race has done amazing things for the queer community,” Dunning told Deadline. “It’s shone such a spotlight on drag and made...

Late Wednesday afternoon at a BFI London Film Festival event, beloved British presenter Claudia Winkleman began the session by quoting The Hollywood Reporter.

“For one of the most influential, respected and, yes, powerful executives in international TV,” The Traitors host said, reading out from THR’s newly-released list of the most powerful women in international television, “Jay Hunt keeps a remarkably low profile, rarely giving interviews and keeping public appearances to a minimum.”

Winkleman, best known for her presenting duties on U.K. reality show staple Strictly Come Dancing, spoke with her friend, British Film Institute chair and Apple TV+ European creative director Hunt, about the exec’s vibrant, impressive career — and why this country’s film and TV industry is doing it better than anywhere else.

“We are unmatched in the world for what we do in this space,” Hunt told Winkleman. “I mean literally unmatched. To sit at...

Sitcoms often have the most interesting characters on television. Due to the nature of the genre, sitcom characters can be quirky, unique and as far or close to reality as they please, which makes them memorable. However, there are too many characters, like Barney Stinson and Ross Geller, who are iconic but have aged poorly due to their regressive thinking or actions in their respective shows.

In the vast landscape of television shows, sitcom characters are rarely ahead of their time. Most characters in an ensemble are a product of the age that the sitcom was created in, but some characters are the exception. Shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl and Derry Girls had carefully crafted sitcom characters who have stayed likable and also aged well in today's day and age.

Updated on October 11, 2024 by Lynette Guzman: Despite many new TV show options, many viewers enjoy revisiting old favorite sitcoms.

Ruth Bradley has found success playing the character of Emma Flyte on the Apple TV+ spy drama “Slow Horses.” The Irish actress earned the role after a blind audition where she was impressed by the high-quality writing. Bradley has since completed filming for the show’s fifth season and will begin work on the sixth.

Bradley remembered being drawn to acting from a young age after seeing Gary Oldman in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” She was fascinated by how actors could completely change their appearance. Years later, Bradley feels lucky to act alongside Oldman on “Slow Horses.” She said Oldman is very kind and likes tea with biscuits, showing his down-to-earth personality on set.

In the past, Bradley’s roles often required her to transform her appearance through different hairstyles and costumes. However, her character Emma Flyte does not look very different from Bradley. This marks a change from Bradley’s...