News

Channel 4 is bringing back its big guns with a Russell T. Davies drama and the return of a David Mitchell and Robert Webb sketch comedy after 15 years.

It’s a Sin creator Davies is making Tip Toe for Channel 4, which the network describes as “exploring the most corrosive forces facing the LGBTQ+ community today.” The show follows Leo and Clive who live next door to each other in Manchester. Leo runs a bar, Clive’s an electrician, with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense.

Speaking at a Channel 4 showcase this afternoon in London, Davies said the two leads, who he described as “big names,” are “lined up just not quite signed yet.”

Tip Toe returns to Manchester’s iconic Canal Street, made world famous by Davies’ 1990s hit Queer as Folk. On Tip Toe, he is...

BBC Studios has announced the titles coming to BritBox in February 2025, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.

The February lineup includes the 2025 Ee BAFTA Film Awards, hosted by David Tennant, true crime miniseries A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, starring Lucy Boynton, Death in Paradise Season 14, the final seasons of BAFTA-winning programs Peep Show and Shameless, and more. Keep reading to view the full schedule.

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television and culture, offering the most comprehensive, must-see collection of British entertainment all in one place. The service provides a pipeline of exceptional storytelling and showcases the depth and breadth of British creativity from across the UK.

BritBox curates a quality...

BBC Studios has announced the titles coming to BritBox in January 2025, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.

The January lineup includes the final season of Vera, starring Academy Award nominee Brenda Blethyn. Watch the titular Dci Vera Stanhope confront new challenges before hanging up the hat in Season 14. The emotional finale premieres on BritBox on January 2.

Father Brown Season 12

BAFTA-winning comedy Gavin & Stacey: The Finale arrives on BritBox on December 26. Take a final peek behind the scenes with the iconic ensemble once more with Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell, streaming on January 1.

Crime in the Cotswolds continues in Season 12 of Father Brown. The BritBox fan-favorite starring Mark Williams returns on January 23. Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb) continue to navigate love, careers, friendship and...

David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin will return in for Ludwig series 2. More news can be found below these words.

David Mitchell has become a familiar face in UK comedy, whether trying to discern who’s telling the truth in Would I Lie To You? or as the uptight Mark Corrigan alongside long time comedy partner Robert Webb in Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s Peep Show.

He also took on the role of William Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s sitcom Upstart Crow, and reprised the role for a stage adaptation that opened in 2020 and then again when the play was restaged in 2022.

Just as Alan Davies took a left turn from stand-up comedy to drama in David Renwick’s superb Jonathan Creek, Mitchell recently moved into the realm of crime drama to play the title role in six part BBC series Ludwig.

Anna Maxwell Martin co-stars as Lucy Betts-Taylor,...

This Friday, fans of “Richard Osman’s House of Games” can look forward to an exciting new episode. Season 8, Episode 25, titled “Week 5,” promises to deliver plenty of fun and friendly competition. The show will air at 6:00 Pm on BBC Two, making it the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

In this episode, four celebrity contestants will take the stage. Chris Bisson, known for his charm and wit, will be joined by Danielle Harold, who brings her unique perspective to the quiz. Katharine Merry, an accomplished athlete, adds a competitive edge, while Robert Webb, a beloved comedian, is sure to bring laughter to the mix. Together, they will face a series of quiz rounds crafted by the ever-charismatic host, Richard Osman.

Viewers can expect a variety of questions and challenges that will test the contestants’ knowledge and quick thinking. With Richard’s clever style and the celebrities’ banter, “Week...

In the upcoming episode of “Richard Osman’s House of Games,” titled “Week 5,” viewers can expect an exciting mix of fun and friendly competition. This Season 8 Episode 22 features a lineup of celebrity contestants who are ready to showcase their quiz skills. Chris Bisson, known for his work in popular TV dramas, joins forces with Danielle Harold, who has made a name for herself in the world of soap operas. Katharine Merry, a former Olympic athlete, and comedian Robert Webb round out the group, promising a blend of wit and charm.

Richard Osman, the beloved quiz master, will guide the contestants through a series of challenging quiz rounds. Each round is designed to test their knowledge and quick thinking, with Osman’s signature humor adding a light-hearted touch. The celebrities will compete for points, aiming to outsmart each other while keeping the atmosphere lively and entertaining.

As the episode unfolds, viewers can...

Whitstable Pearl's return date has been set. Season three will arrive on Acorn TV later this month. The streaming service renewed the series for a third season in February and six episodes have been produced.

Kerry Godliman, FHoward Charles, Frances Barber, Rohan Nedd, Robert Webb, and Emily Head star in the mystery and crime series, inspired by Julie Wassmer's novels. The series follows restaurant owner and new private detective Pearl Nolan (Godliman) as she investigates crimes in the small town of Whitstable with gruff cop Mike McGuire (Charles).

Read More…...

Acorn TV’s fan-favorite crime drama Whitstable Pearl returns with all-new episodes on Monday, October 21, in the US, Canada, UK (including Northern Ireland), Australia, and New Zealand. Additional episodes of the six-episode Acorn TV Original series will drop weekly on Mondays.

Based on the beloved novels The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries by Julie Wassmer, Season 3 sees the return of Kerry Godliman (After Life) in the lead role of Pearl Nolan and Howard Charles (Top Boy) as Detective Chief Inspector (Dci) Mike McGuire.

The other returning cast members include Frances Barber (The Chelsea Detective) as Dolly, Robert Webb (Peep Show) as Tom Grant, Isobelle Molloy (EastEnders) as Ruby Williams, and Sophia Del Pizzo (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Detective Sergeant (DS) Nikki Martel.

In Whitstable Pearl, sleuthing restaurant owner Pearl (Godliman) continues to build her private detective business and finds herself involved in more diverse investigations, including reopening an infamous local...

Insiders, it’s me again. Jesse Whittock here to run you through the main international film and TV news. Off we go, and don’t forget to sign up to the newsletter here.

‘Cheers’ To That

Where everybody knows your script: Making your way in the entertainment world today can take everything you’ve got, so it makes sense that you might think remaking an existing program could make things that little bit easier. That feels part of the thinking behind Big Talk Studios’ plan to relocate the Boston bar that Cheers made famous to the UK. On Monday, Jake revealed that Big Talk, known for BBC/Prime Video comedy The Outlaws and many others, has tapped CBS Studios for the rights to remake iconic sitcom Cheers, 30 years after Ted Danson rang the bell for last orders in America. Simon Nye, writer of Men Behaving Badly and The Durrells, is...

Iconic American sitcom Cheers is being remade in the UK, with Men Behaving Badly writer Simon Nye working on the scripts.

Well here’s a bit of TV news nobody saw coming. Iconic American sitcom Cheers is gearing up for a British remake.

According to Deadline, production company Big Talk is in the early stages of development on a UK version of Cheers, which will be set in a pub instead of a bar. The remake is being pitched to broadcasters but has not yet been picked up.

Men Behaving Badly writer Simon Nye has been enlisted to write the scripts. A prolific writer, Nye’s other work includes Martin Freeman vehicle Hardware, Is It Legal?, the terrific How Do You Want Me?, which starred Dylan Moran and Charlotte Coleman, and the star studded ITV Pantomimes, which were broadcast in the early 2000s. Nye is no stranger to American remakes,...

Exclusive: HBO is developing a remake of Back, the British comedy starring Peep Show actors David Mitchell and Robert Webb.

Kenton Allen, the CEO of Back producer Big Talk Studios, confirmed plans for the remake of the Channel 4 series in an interview with Deadline.

Back writer Simon Blackwell is working on the HBO adaptation, which is yet to be greenlit. Blackwell also created Breeders, the Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard comedy that ran for four seasons on FX and Sky, and worked on Veep.

Back followed Stephen (Mitchell) as he tried to take over his recently deceased father’s family business, but his plans were foiled by the unexpected return of his estranged foster brother, Andrew (Webb).

Channel 4 ordered two seasons of the comedy, but there was a three-year gap between seasons because of Covid and Webb requiring heart surgery.

Filmmaker Jesse Lewis-Reece’s short film Mother of Mine is a story of grief and the challenge of learning to live with newfound burdens. Grief isn’t new thematic territory for filmmakers so the challenge with returning to its well-trodden soil is always to show an aspect of it that hasn’t been explored before. Lewis-Reece’s film does this through its attention to detail and specificity, showing how the nuances of gestures can reveal repressed sadness or how locations can quickly switch from being bustling family homes to ghostly vacant spaces. It’s an extremely gripping watch and one that speaks to how the personal can become universal. Dn is proud to premiere Mother of Mine today in conjunction with a conversation with Lewis-Reece (whose BAFTA nominated short Eyelash we featured back in 2020), where he reveals the personal bereavement the film was born out of, his desire to find...

David Mitchell leads new BBC crime drama Ludwig, and the trailer for the show has landed. Anna Maxwell Martin co-stars.

David Mitchell has become a familiar face in UK comedy, whether trying to discern who’s telling the truth in Would I Lie To You? or as the uptight Mark Corrigan alongside long time comedy partner Robert Webb in Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s Peep Show.

He also took on the role of William Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s sitcom Upstart Crow, and reprised the role for a stage adaptation that opened in 2020 and then again when the play was restaged in 2022

Just as Alan Davies took a left turn from stand-up comedy to drama in David Renwick’s superb Jonathan Creek, Mitchell is now moving into the realm of crime drama to play the title role in six part BBC series Ludwig.

The synopsis reads as follows:

When...

Don't overlook lesser-known British sitcoms - there are plenty of hilarious shows waiting to be discovered. British comedies may not have as many episodes as American ones, but they still offer unique and rewarding humor. From surreal adventures to heartwarming stories, British sitcoms like "The Mighty Boosh" and "Detectorists" offer a refreshing take on comedy.

Only a few British sitcoms make an impression in the United States, but there are plenty of hilarious shows which deserve bigger international audiences. While shows like Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and The Office have had plenty of success in America, this is merely the tip of the iceberg. British comedy doesn't always translate well overseas, so people don't often give lesser-known British sitcoms a chance.

Another reason that American audiences sometimes struggle to connect with British shows is that there are so few episodes. If someone is accustomed to sitcoms with upwards of 20 episodes per season,...

BBC Adapting Jacqueline Wilson’s Ode To ‘The Railway Children’

The BBC is adapting Jacqueline Wilson’s Primrose Railway Children for TV, the author’s ode to E. Nesbit’s timeless classic. The Cbbc feature length follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow when suddenly they are uprooted from their lives and moved to the remote highlands of Scotland. The book is itself based on The Railway Children, which was also remade as a movie recently starring Jenny Agutter, Tom Courtenay and Sheridan Smith. Cbbc has been going big on its adaptations lately and has also made versions of Oliver Twist and The Famous Five. The kids network has also ordered a sitcom starring Peep Show alums Robert Webb and Isy Suttie titled High Hoop about a reckless high school basketball player, along with more of channel favorite Malory Towers.

To celebrate the release of Whitstable Pearl Series 2 on DVD from 24th March, we are giving away DVDs to 3 lucky winners!

Return to the stunning Kent coast for another dose of seaside suspense in Whitstable Pearl Series 2, which sees the brilliant Kerry Godliman reprise her role as the eponymous Pearl, a restaurateur turned private detective. The series sees the return of familiar faces Frances Barber and Howard Charles and introduces a new character played by TV favourite Robert Webb (Peep Show).

Set in the picturesque 16th century English seaside resort of Whitstable, one of Kent’s most stunning coastal towns famous for its native oysters, the enthralling mystery series, based on acclaimed author Julie Wassmer’s (EastEnders) popular novels The Whitstable Pearl Mystery and Disappearance at Oare is brought to life by iconic Norwegian filmmaker Øystein Karlsen.

Series two sees the big-hearted Pearl Nolan (Godliman) continue to juggle her impeccable...

Thank goodness for no-shows. Had the controller of what was then BBC Choice turned up to the ‘rehearsed read’ for a potential studio sitcom in the very late 1990s and liked what they’d seen, we wouldn’t have Peep Show. As it reportedly went: BBC Two passed on it. BBC Choice didn’t see it. And everything ended happily ever after.

Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain first met the show’s stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb on a BBC comedy writing project in 1998. That went nowhere, but sparked a partnership that led to the acclaimed nine-series sitcom on Channel 4. Before it led there, it almost led to “All Day Breakfast”, the rejected comedy out of which Peep Show grew.

As Robert Webb describes it in the introduction to 2008’s Peep Show: The Scripts and More, “All Day Breakfast” was about “two men in their mid-twenties,...

Whitstable Pearl is returning for a third season. Acorn TV has renewed the British crime drama based on the mystery novels by Julie Wassmer. Season two was released in November 2022 on the streaming service.

Starring Kerry Godliman, Frances Barber, Rohan Nedd, Robert Webb, and Emily Head, the series follows a private detective and single mother of a grown son, Pearl Nolan (Godliman). She and her widowed mother (Barber) run the Whitstable Pearl, a seafood restaurant in their coastal town. After a friend dies under suspicious circumstances, Pearl butts heads with the new detective in town, gruff Mike McGuire (Charles).Read More…...

Exclusive: Whitstable Pearl has been greenlit for a third season by AMC streaming platform Acorn.

The British crime drama stars After Life‘s Kerry Godliman in the lead role and is based on the mystery novels by Julie Wassmer.

In Season 3 of the show from Crime producer Buccaneer, Godliman returns to build her private detective business, finding herself involved in more diverse investigations, including reopening an infamous local cold case and the death of a famous food critic. She’s aided and abetted by her outspoken, feisty mum Dolly and still going strong with boyfriend Tom, but it’s navigating her complex relationship with Dci Mike McGuire that still proves Pearl’s most challenging case

Howard Charles returns as Dci Mike McGuire and other returning cast members include Frances Barber as Dolly, Robert Webb as Tom Grant, Isobelle Molloy as Ruby Williams and Sophia del Pizzo as DS Nikki Martel.

David Mitchell leads new BBC crime drama Ludwig, and the first details of the show have landed.

David Mitchell has become a familiar face in UK comedy, whether trying to discern who’s telling the truth in Would I Lie To You? or as the uptight Mark Corrigan alongside long time comedy partner Robert Webb in Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s Peep Show.

He also took on the role of William Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s sitcom Upstart Crow, and reprised the role for a stage adaptation that opened in 2020 and then again when the play was restaged in 2022

Just as Alan Davies took a left turn from stand-up comedy to drama in David Renwick’s superb Jonathan Creek, Mitchell is now moving into the realm of crime drama to play the title role in six part BBC series Ludwig.

The synopsis reads as follows:

When John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor’s (David Mitchell) identical twin,...

Screen Rant celebrates its 20th anniversary by revisiting the best TV show from each year it has been active, showcasing the impressive quality and abundance of TV content. Highlights include Peep Show (2003), Breaking Bad (2008), The Walking Dead (2010), Game of Thrones (2011), Succession (2018), and The Last of Us (2023).

Screen Rant is leaving behind its teenage years and heading boldly toward its twenties, but each year the site has been active holds fond TV memories, with some releases in particular standing out. Whereas most 19-year-olds would celebrate their birthdays by consuming questionable amounts of alcohol and trying to forget about the sorry state of the housing market they're about to join, Screen Rant is marking its 20th anniversary by revisiting each year the site has been active, from 2003 to 2023, and highlighting the best TV show that premiered during each. The sheer amount of shows to choose from confirms the television medium has never been in ruder health.

Some British and Irish actors started their careers in British comedy shows before making it big in Hollywood. Many of those actors have successfully transitioned to Hollywood, taking on both comedic and dramatic roles. Notable examples like Olivia Colman, Simon Pegg, and Martin Freeman have made a name for themselves in Hollywood, starring in acclaimed films and popular franchises.

It is common for British and Irish actors to make the journey across the pond to try and make it big in Hollywood, and many of them had their start in British comedy shows. British sitcoms tend to use a lot of slapstick comedy and dry humor, which is a big difference compared to a typical dramatic Hollywood film performance, but they do allow the actors to show off their range. Hollywood often sees the appeal in casting British actors, and it is not just for comedy roles.

From laugh tracks...

Warning: contains spoilers for the Succession season four finale.

In the final scene of British comedy Peep Show (2003 – 2015), longtime flatmates Jez and Mark are watching TV and idly swapping murder methods they’d use on each other. “Aw,” Jez thinks in voiceover as he gazes fondly over at Mark, “we do love each other really.” In silence, Mark looks back at Jez as his own inner monologue concludes, “I simply must get rid of him.”

Roll credits.

It’s the perfect ending to a nigh-on perfect male friendship comedy – funny, unsentimental, and truthful. You can be married to somebody, related to somebody, or like Mark and Jez, be two mismatched socks paired up by tumble dryer static decades ago who never had the wherewithal to peel yourselves apart, and still never know what another person is really thinking.

Take Tom Wambsgans and Shiv Roy, the billionaire husband and wife who...

David Mitchell is returning to the BBC for genre-bending detective comedy Ludwig, which features on a five-strong comedy slate alongside Hulu co-production Dinosaur and a show from The Duchess star Michelle de Swarte.

Unveiling his first major comedy slate at this afternoon’s BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff, the corporation’s Comedy Director Jon Petrie said the shows reflect “the depth and range of our offerings which champion British creativity.”

The slate is led by Ludwig, Peep Show star Mitchell’s first BBC project since Upstart Crow, which follows the eponymous protagonist as he takes on the identity of his brother, Dci James Taylor, who has disappeared off the face of the earth. Mitchell’s Ludwig lives in quiet solitude, designing puzzles for a living under his nom-de-plume, and he struggles to adapt to being a twin who happens to be a successful Dci leading Cambridge’s busy inner-city major crimes team.

Inarguably, Peep Show's best episodes contain the greatest comedic moments in sitcom history. Running from 2003 to 2015, Peep Show stars the perfectly cast comedy duo of David Mitchell and Robert Webb as flatmates. While Mitchell plays the reserved, self-aware pseudo-intellectual Mark, Webb is the passionate, delusional, and sensation-chasing Jeremy/Jez. It's a classic sitcom pairing between two highly contrasting individuals, whose only common factors is their unrelenting and selfish dishonesty. This relationship lays the groundwork for the show's brilliantly subtle absurdity and hard-hitting dark humor, which rarely ever misses throughout the entirety of Peep Show's 54 episodes. Although technically a rom-com, Peep Show is not for the faint of heart.

Originally called Pov, Peep Show also stands out for its signature heavy use of point-of-view shots and voice-overs that reveal the inner monologue of whichever character's perspective is onscreen. To this day, Peep Show remains the only sitcom that has used both...

Minnie Driver and Amandla Jahava are set to play the lead roles in FX’s “Peep Show” pilot, Variety has learned. In addition, Yana Gorskaya (“What We Do in the Shadows”) has come onboard to direct the pilot.

The pilot, a reboot of the British comedy series of the same name, was originally commissioned at FX in December 2022. It hails from writer, executive producer, and showrunner Stefani Robinson.

The official logline states, “Taking inspiration from the original UK series ‘Peep Show’ and its unique narrative format, the pilot follows the relationship between a long-suffering assistant (Jahava) and her boss (Driver), an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.”

The role marks a return to FX for Driver, who previously starred in the series “The Riches” at the cable network. She is best known for her feature work, including her Oscar-nominated role in “Good Will Hunting.” Her other feature credits include “Circle of Friends,...

Although one episode of Rick and Morty season 6 featured a slew of high-profile actors, unfortunately, the outing squandered them in a pointless storyline. A guest star is only ever as good as the role they play. Plenty of shows have had nigh on perfect guest cameos, only for the episode itself to ultimately sabotage their impact.

Unfortunately, since Rick and Morty season 6’s writing didn’t live up to the show’s earlier seasons, the outing wasted most of its high-profile guest stars. While Peter Dinklage turned in a stellar parody of Alan Rickman’s famous Die Hard villain Hans Gruber, his character was underused in one of the less inspired episodes of Rick and Morty season 6. Similarly, while Susan Sarandon’s fan-favorite Dr. Wong did reappear briefly in Rick and Morty season 6, her role wasn’t as substantial as her debut.

Rick and Morty Season 6 Episode 9 Had Too Many Guest Stars

However,...

While some remakes can improve upon the original, these U.S. remakes of U.K. sitcoms did not. Many attempts have been made to adapt prosperous British comedies for an American audience over the years, with varying degrees of success. This list details the seven worst U.S. remakes of U.K. sitcoms.

Certain British sitcoms have received a new lease of life after being remade into American counterparts. The Office is the prime example of this, so successful and popular many consider it superior to the U.K. original. However, other U.S. remakes of British sitcoms have been far less triumphant.

The Inbetweeners

The beloved British sitcom The Inbetweeners originally aired three series between 2008 and 2010 and spawned two movies in 2011 and 2014. The Inbetweeners detailed the exploits of teenagers Will, Simon, Neil, and Jay as they struggle with school life and puberty. A U.S. remake was first attempted in 2008 by ABC,...

The latest attempt at a US remake of UK sitcom Peep Show could learn from the massive success of the American remake of Ricky Gervais' The Office. Written by Atlanta's Stefani Robinson and executive produced by Peep Show and Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, it will mark the second attempt by FX to remake Armstrong's classic sitcom for US TV. Stefani Robinson's American remake of Peep Show is the fifth attempt overall, and hopefully, it will be a success.

It's been revealed (via Hollywood Reporter) that the remake will use Peep Show's unique first-person aesthetic to explore "the relationship between a long-suffering assistant and her boss, an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur." Jesse Armstrong's original sitcom was focused on the flatshare between former university friends Mark (David Mitchell), a socially awkward loans manager, and Jez (Robert Webb), an unemployed musician. The difference in the central relationship and the fresh perspective given by...

‘Never work with children or animals’, the old showbiz phrase goes, but when filming Nativity! in 2009 not only did Martin Freeman and Marc Wootton have both children and animals to contend with, they were doing it all without a script. Like Debbie Isitt’s 2006 mockumentary romcom Confetti also starring Freeman and Wootton, Nativity! was largely improvised, but how did that work on set?

Nativity! is the story of a primary school teacher (Freeman) who tries to put on a Hollywood-worthy nativity play with help from his young-at-heart teaching assistant (Wootton). Confetti, which stars a host of British comedy talent including Julia Davis, Jessica Stevenson, Olivia Colman and Robert Webb, is a wedding competition in which Freeman played one of three grooms competing with their bride to win a house.

When speaking to The York Press about both projects, Freeman explained that Nativity! had more guidance for each scene than Confetti,...

British sitcoms have long been the source of reboot attempts in America.

The big one that springs to mind is The Office, which became a global hit and, following its addition to Netflix, one of its most-watched titles. A recent success has been Ghosts, which received acclaim upon its debut in 2021.

However, there have been many botched attempts – Spaced, The Inbetweeners and The It Crowd, to name a few.

There have also been several attempts to do a US version of Peep Show in the past, all of which have failed – but FX is going to give it another go, with series creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain on board as executive producers.

However, the former will not be scripting the pilot due to his commitments with HBO’s Succession. Emmy-nominated Stefani Robinson, who worked on Atlanta and What We Dp in the Shadows, will write the first episode.

As...

FX has ordered a pilot for an American reboot of the British comedy series “Peep Show.”

The half-hour project hails from writer Stefani Robinson. Per the official series logline, the new version “takes inspiration from the original U.K. series and its unique narrative format. It follows the relationship between a long-suffering assistant and her boss, an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.”

Robinson will executive produce the pilot in addition to writing. Dianne McGunigle will also executive produce along with Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, two of the co-creators of the original series. Hannah Mackay and Ben Farrell of Objective Fiction, which produced the original series, will also executive produce.

“Peep Show” aired from 2003-2015 on Channel 4 in the U.K. for nine seasons. The series was unique in that nearly every shot was from the main characters’ point of view, while the audience is also able to hear their...

FX has ordered the comedy pilot “Peep Show” from writer and executive producer Stefani Robinson.

Inspired by the UK sitcom of the same name, additional executive producers include Dianne McGunigle (“Atlanta”), Hannah Mackay and Ben Farrell for Objective Fiction (behind the original series). Jesse Armstrong (“Succession”) and Sam Bain, both of whom co-created the UK format, also serve as EPs.

Produced by FX Productions, the half-hour pilot follows the relationship between a long-suffering assistant and her boss, an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.

Also Read:

‘Kindred’ Review: FX’s Historical Sci-Fi Adaptation Doesn’t Dig Deep Enough

The original series, starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, ran for nine seasons from 2003 through 2015 on Channel 4, becoming the network’s longest on-air sitcom. Regarded as one of the top-rated British programs, the cult classic comedy was also twice nominated for a BAFTA TV Award, including for Best Scripted Comedy.

Shot in point-of-view style,...

Peep Show, the long-running British comedy starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, is getting another shot in the U.S.

FX has ordered a pilot for this latest remake attempt written by Atlanta and What We Do In The Shadows exec producer Stefani Robinson.

It marks the latest attempt for the Channel 4 cult classic.

The Disney-owned network had a script in development in 2019 from Portlandia and Superstore writer and co-exec producer Karey Dornetto. Starz attempted a remake in 2016, while Fox took a run at a pilot, starring The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki, in 2005 and Spike gave it a shot in 2008.

This version, however, doesn’t necessarily attempt to remake the show beat-by-beat and will feature two female leads unlike the original.

The network said the pilot will “take inspiration” from the original with its “unique narrative format” – essentially the show is shot largely from the points of...

Click here to read the full article.

FX is trying its hand at a Peep Show update again.

The Disney-backed basic-cable network has handed out a pilot order to an update of the cult favorite U.K. series from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong. Atlanta grad Stefani Robinson will pen the script and exec produce the half-hour comedy that will be produced in-house via her overall deal with FX Productions.

Armstrong, who has an exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Discovery-backed HBO, is attached to exec produce but will not be involved with the series given his commitments to Disney’s corporate rival and the premium cable network’s Emmy-winning drama Succession.

The new Peep Show will take inspiration from the U.K. original and its unique narrative format. It will follow the relationship between a long-suffering assistant and her boss, an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.

Robinson, whose credits also...

Rick and Morty season 6, episode 9 sees a whopping five cameos appear in a single episode, breaking a common trend with it comes to celebrity cameos. Season 6 served as something of a soft reset for the show, allowing it to focus back on Rick and Morty having episodic adventures without having to remove all the developments that have come before it. This change centers the show back around playing with comedy, sci-fi, and animation tropes, which goes some way to explain Rick and Morty's season 6, episode 9 cameos.

Celebrity cameos have long been the stuff of bated breath when it comes to audiences, as there's a tendency for them to feel shoehorned in, or to otherwise derail the show - evidenced perhaps best by The Simpsons' infamously poor received cameos of Elon Musk and Lady Gaga. As such, the fact that the five Rick and Morty season 6, episode 9 cameos all fit...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Rick and Morty, season 6, episode 9, "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort."The penultimate episode of Rick and Morty season 6, titled "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort," is an Arthurian fantasy adventure story littered with several incredible guest stars. During the episode, Rick and Morty find themselves embroiled in an epic-fantasy plot akin to Game of Thrones. When Morty inadvertently becomes the leader of the Knights of the Sun, an interplanetary war is ignited. Much of the episode focuses on Morty, with Rick's character arc taking a brief backseat.

Much of Rick and Morty season 6, episode 9, "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort," relies on stereotypically British fantasy references and characters. The Knights of the Sun, "sworn defenders of Helios," consist of characters played by a quintessentially British voice cast from cult television shows and one popular fantasy franchise. The episode also features another character who...

The contract says no crossover: he has it from 8am to 8pm and I have it 8pm to 8am.” In the first episode of The Flatshare on Paramount Plus, Tiffany (Jessica Brown Findlay) explains the intricacies of her unorthodox new living arrangement to her friend Maia (Shaniqua Okwok) over brunch. This kind of exchange is typical of a series – adapted from Beth O’Leary’s 2019 novel – that zeroes in on the day-to-day travails of renting in London.

The arrangement, though, is more of a bedshare than a flatshare: Tiffany’s nocturnal flatmate Leon (Anthony Welsh) will catch up on sleep in the one-bed apartment while she is out at work during the day. At weekends, though, Tiffany will have the place to herself, “so it’s actually a pretty good deal”. Maia’s face says otherwise – but anyone who has experienced the rental market in recent years has probably engaged in...

Whitstable Pearl is returning soon to Acorn TV. The streaming service has announced a premiere date for season two of the mystery series. Kerry Godliman, Frances Barber, Rohan Nedd, Robert Webb, and Emily Head star in the series, which follows Pearl Nolan, a restaurant owner who has a knack for investigations. There will be six episodes once again. Read More…...

The partnerships for Strictly Come Dancing 2022 have been revealed.

The reality competition series returned to our screens on Friday (23 September) night, with a launch show in which the celebrity contestants learnt which professional dancers they would be coupled up with.

The celebrities also performed together in a group number.

The first Strictly live show will take place on Saturday (24 September), with all 15 couples hitting the dance floor for their first routines.

Meet your Strictly Come Dancing couples below...

Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin

Paralympic medallist Ellie Simmonds will be dancing with Nikita Kuzmin. You can find out more about her here.

Kuzman made his Strictly debut in 2021, when he was partnered with Tilly Ramsay.

Asked by Tess Daley what it meant to represent people with dwarfism on Strictly, Simmonds said: “It means everything, to represent not just dwarfism but disability in general, for me to go out of my comfort...

Peep Showfans have reacted with delight upon realising that the actor who played Big Suze in the show, Sophie Winkleman, is a member of the royal family.

On Friday evening (16 September), the Queen’s children – King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew – stood by her coffin in Westminster Hall in a vigil for the late monarch.

The event was covered live on BBC One, with some viewers spotting Winkleman standing with the royals.

The actor, who is half-sister to Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman, married Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009, becoming Lady Frederick Windsor.

Lord Frederick is the son of Prince Michael of Kent, one of Queen Elizabeth II’s cousins. He is currently 52nd in line to the throne.

Caitlin Moran, a columnist for The Times, tweeted: “Just watched Prince Charles stand vigil over his dead mother whilst Big Suze from Peep Show looked on. There...

Format

“Stranger Things” star Nikola Djuricko has been tapped to present the Serbian edition of NBCUniversal Formats’ entertainment series “Hollywood Game Night.” This is the 24th international edition of the series, joining adaptations in the U.K., France, Greece, Hungary and Thailand, among others. The show pairs celebrities with contestants as they compete in a variety of party games. The U.S. original was created by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner and fronted by Jane Lynch. The Serbian version will be known locally as “Holivudiranje” and is a co-production between TV Una and NBCUniversal Formats, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Office

Ampere Analysis, which provides data, analytics and insight for the global entertainment business, has opened its first office in North America, in Culver City, Los Angeles. “It’s the ideal location for serving the firm’s growing roster of broadcast and...

Rose Ayling-Ellis, the actress who this year became the first deaf contestant on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, is now also the first deaf winner of the British dance competition series, after triumphing in its 19th season.

Ayling-Ellis shared her win with professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice—prevailing over John Whaite and Johannes Radebe, who together comprised the series’ first same-sex partnership.

Ayling-Ellis is best known on the acting side for her turn as Frankie Lewis in BBC One’s long-running soap opera, EastEnders. The 27-year-old performer and advocate of deaf awareness has also previously appeared in the series Summer of Rockets and Casualty, among other projects.

Live shows for Strictly Come Dancing‘s 19th season kicked off on September 25. Additional non-professional contestants included actresses Nina Wadia and Katie McGlynn, actor and comedian Robert Webb, actor Greg Wise, rugby pundit (and former player) Ugo Monye, comedian and talk show...

Like the one before it, 2021 was a year in which many of us saw more of our TVs than of our friends and loved ones. It was lucky then, that there was so bloody much of the stuff, despite the pandemic’s best efforts to shut it all down. They might have been delayed, they might have been curtailed, but they weren’t stopped. Returning British TV shows returned like spring lambs, gambolling over the horizon right into your living room.

There was comedy and drama, as well as crime thrillers by the lorryload, and sci-fi and fantasy coming by the… much smaller lorryload.

A Discovery of Witches Season 2 (January)

Based on Deborah Harkness’ All Souls trilogy about the forbidden love between a powerful witch and a centuries-old vampire, A Discovery Of Witches debuted on Sky in autumn 2018 (read our reviews here) and was renewed for series two and three almost straight away.

Epic Films’ First Day has added an International Emmy to its extensive collection of awards, winning the Best Live Action category.

The four-part ABC series about a 12-year-old transgender student navigating her first terms at high school beat entries from the Philippines, Netherlands, and Argentina to triumph at the October 12 ceremony.

It comes after wins for the series at the Rockie Awards, Rose d’Or Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and the Australian Teachers of Media Awards, as well as two Aacta Award nominations.

Created by Julie Kalceff, First Day was originally commissioned by the ABC, where it aired in March 2020, and is produced by Kirsty Stark and Kate Croser for Epic Films in association with Kojo Entertainment.

Also involved are director of photography Meg White, production designer Robert Webb, costume designer Renate Henschke, and editor Christine Cheung.

The first season received funding from Screen Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, the...

Dust off your sequins and feathers because BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing” has revealed the first celebrity contestants for this year’s two-step extravaganza.

Among the first names to be revealed are comedian Robert Webb, best known as one-half of “Peep Show” double act Mitchell and Webb, and McFly singer Tom Fletcher.

“Big Brother’s Bit on the Side” presenter Aj Odudu is also set to twirl under the disco-ball alongside “Great British Bake-Off” winner John Whaite, who will make history by competing as part of the show’s first-ever all-male partnership.

“I’m so grateful, excited, and nervous to be joining the Strictly 2021 family,” Whaite said. “I’ve been wearing sequins and jazzy attire since I was three years old and can’t wait to hurl myself, full throttle, around the most glamorous dance floor on earth. What’s more exciting for me, is that I’m going to...

Exclusive: Breeders writer Simon Blackwell has revealed that work is underway on Season 3 of FX and Sky’s parenthood comedy — and a physical writers room has been set up for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe.

In an interview with Deadline, Blackwell spoke with relief to be back among colleagues, such as co-creator Chris Addison, instead of having to collaborate over Zoom. Though Season 3 of the Avalon-produced Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard series has not been formally renewed, they are working up new ideas should FX and Sky signal the green light.

“We really wanted to get a physical room together because there is just that element missing on Zoom. You can feel the vibe of the project and that’s harder to get when you’re all remotely starring down the barrel of your laptop,” said Blackwell.

“There is something to be said to be for real-life,...

Season 2 of “Back” has a great runner. The first in the comedy series’ new batch of episodes, returning after a years-long absence and now airing stateside on IFC, sees the staff and patrons of the local John Barleycorn having to deal with a trendy neighborhood newcomer. “P:ub,” the newly-arrived drinking establishment, has all the trappings of a deconstructed brewery, all the way down to a name that people aren’t 100 percent sure how to pronounce.

The sprinklings of people invoking “Puh-uhb” in and around the John Barleycorn is the kind of simple Season 2 joke that’s “Back” in a nutshell. Pronouncing that name becomes more a dejected statement of fact, the kind of thing that writer Simon Blackwell and stars Robert Webb and David Mitchell have turned into their own kind of magic trick over their multi-decade run together. So while there’s plenty of shifting around in “Back” Season...

The second season of Sarah Kendall’s comedy Frayed is currently filming in Sydney for the ABC/Sky Studios UK, with Hamish Michael, Jane Hall and Emma Harvie joining the regular cast.

The next instalment will find Sammy (Kendall) and her kids, having made it out of Australia, living in a tiny London flat while she frantically tries to prove that her lawyer, Rufus (Robert Webb), stole her house. Barely able to make ends meet working in ‘exhaust management’ (she’s a secretary in a muffler repair shop), Sammy is desperate to find a way to reclaim her opulent London life. She must also keep her kids far away from Australia and the truth about what happened to their neighbour.

Meanwhile back down under in Newcastle, an ambitious cop heads up the missing persons case and simply does not believe Sammy’s neighbour would just disappear.

With Jim (Ben Mingay...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Starzplay secures financing in UAE; shooting kicks off on “Frayed” Season 2; Sheffield Doc/Fest picks its curation teams; “Operation Buffalo” lands on Netflix in Apac; National Geographic acquires Sundance hit “Playing With Sharks”; and Movistar Plus deals with Universal to bring Universal Plus to subscribers.

Financing

Mena streamer Starzplay Arabia has secured debt financing of $25 million from Abu Dhabi-based independent investment firm Ruya Partners. The funding will be used to reinforce Starzplay’s geographic and customer reach as well as the acquisition and production of new original content. According to the announcement, the influx of capital, building on $125 million in funding secured since the company’s 2015 launch, will also support Starzplay’s future ambitions through a potential IPO.

Starzplay was the first SVOD platform to acquire a license in the UAE, giving it an early boost over competitors and spurring significant year-on-year growth that has...