BBC First

I’ve noticed an annoying difference between the catch-up series available on Foxtel and Fetch. On Foxtel the episodes are untouched and play without a watermark.

On Fetch however, some of the series are recordings of the episodes as they went to air, so they include a BBC First promo beforehand, a channel sponsor ad, the watermark all the way through, then multiple ads and promos at the end. We just finished watching Sanditon tonight, a series that was on BBC First late last year. I skimmed through the ads at the end of one of the episodes, and they included Foxtel promos for November.

It’s disappointing that the BBC seems to have different arrangements for Foxtel and Fetch. Foxtel obviously gets the original video files, but I’m guessing, by the looks of it, it seems, that Fetch has to create their own catch-up files by recording the broadcasts. (?)

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6-part ITV mini-series The Singapore Grip, based on the novel of the same name by J.C. Farrell, debuted on BBC First last Sunday (July 26) and continues at 8.30pm Sundays. Australia got the first screening ahead of the UK.

Noughts + Crosses has its pay TV premiere on BBC First tomorrow night (September 10) at 8.30pm AEST.


The BBC drama has been streaming on Binge since July this year.

The remake of BBC monologue series, Talking Heads, premieres on BBC First across one week from tomorrow (October 18). It will be shown at 8.30pm AEDT with double episodes except on the Wednesday.
https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/10/02/all-star-cast-assembled-to-recreate-critically-acclaimed-series-talking-heads/

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BBC CHANNELS UPCOMING SHOWS FOR 2021

BBC Studios has announced new shows for 2021 across BBC First, UKTV, BBC Earth and CBeebies.

Adaptations of three best-selling novels, all kinds of detectives investigating all kinds of crimes, glittering award ceremonies and comedy quiz shows and a whole month of Sir David Attenborough’s biggest titles will be coming to BBC channels early next year.

On BBC First, best-selling novels get a new lease of life on the small screen with adaptations of David Nicholls’ Us, Emma Healey’s Elizabeth is Missing and Clara Salaman’s Too Close . Hilarious and heartbreaking, Us stars Tom Hollander ( The Night Manager ) as Douglas, who is blindsided when his wife Connie ( Saskia Reeves ) tells him she is not sure she wants to be married to him anymore. Douglas vows to prove to his wife that he is still the man she fell in love with and to repair his troubled relationship with his son Albie on a long-planned family grand tour of Europe. Elizabeth is Missing sees two-time Academy award winner Glenda Jackson play Maud, a woman determined to find out what has happened to her best friend Elizabeth before her dementia erases the clues. But her search to find Elizabeth unearths an altogether darker unsolved mystery – her sister’s disappearance. The role earned Jackson a BAFTA earlier this year. Emily Watson ( Chernobyl ) stars in psychological thriller Too Close which focuses on the compelling and dangerous relationship between forensic psychiatrist Dr Emma Robertson who is assigned to work with Connie Mortensen ( Denise Gough ) a woman accused of a heinous crime but who claims she can’t remember a thing.

From the team behind Doctor Foster comes Life which covers four interweaving stories about love, parenthood, loss and self-discovery among the occupants of four flats in one house. Cast includes Alison Steadman , Adrian Lester , Victoria Hamilton and Melissa Johns . Also on the slate is 15 Days which starts with a murder as four estranged siblings gather to scatter their mother’s ashes and read her will before flashing back 15 days to discover why the murder took place and who did it. The series stars Catherine Tyldesley ( Coronation Street ). A new series of the ever popular Call The Midwife also premieres in 2021.

Detectives returning to screens next year include Julien Baptiste Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) as he delves into Budapest’s corrupt underworld to find a British Ambassador’s missing family; Jim Worth ( Tim Roth ) returns in the final series of Tin Star as he and his family go back to Liverpool to confront their deadlist enemies in a battle to win freedom from their past. DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker ) and DI Sunny Khan ( Sanjeev Basker ) investigate another cold case in a fourth series of the BAFTA-winning Unforgotten and D I Neville Parker ( Ralf Little ) unravels more murder mysteries in the sun-soaked Caribbean as the smash-hit whodunnit Death in Paradise celebrates its 10th anniversary.

BBC First will also screen Academy Award winning filmmaker Steve McQueen ’s acclaimed anthology series Small Axe Starring John Boyega ( Star Wars ) and Letitia Wright ( Black Panther ). Set from the late 1960s to the mid-80s, the films each tell a different story involving London’s West Indian community whose lives have been shaped by their own force of will, despite rampant racism and discrimination.

Over on BBC Earth, the year kicks off with a whole month of Sir David Attenborough ’s biggest titles screening at 7.30pm each evening (check). Titles include Climate Change: The Facts, Seven Worlds, One Planet, Blue Planet II, Frozen Planet, Planet Earth II, Dynasties and more. A look at the lives of people who have chosen to live off-grid are the focus of two popular returning series. Where The Wild Men Are: Revisted sees adventurer Ben Fogle revisit people who turned their backs on the rat-race to set up home in some of Earth’s most remote locations. Is life in the wild is still their ultimate dream? A new series of Life Below Zero provides an insight into the resilient characters and their day-to-day lives in Alaska.

On UKTV the laughs continue with a new series of comedy panel show Hypothetical with Josh Widdicombe and James Acaster posing increasingly absurd hypothetical situations to a panel of top comedians who must say how they would deal with them. The glamour and the glitz of the BAFTAs and Brits returns once more and new series of Who Do You Think You Are tells the fascinating family histories of Jodie Whittaker , David Walliams , Liz Carr and Ruth Jones .

Plucky international heroes Xuli, Kyan, Lars, Foz and their disco-grooving mentor Ubercorn are back to discover more about the world in a new series of Go-Jetters on CBeebies while Gem, Cook and Line meet the brand new captain of the Scarlett Squid in Swashbuckle .

Christina Carras, Head of Programming and Advertising Sales, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said: “With such a diverse line-up of shows across our channels there really is something for everyone as we head into 2021. 2020 has been a tough year for television production so we’re doubly pleased to be able to bring together such a vibrant slate. Its great to see hugely popular established shows like Death in Paradise and Call the Midwife alongside completely new and surprising dramas, and talent that ranges from comedians like Josh Widdicombe and James Acaster to the legendary Sir David Attenborough.

Details:

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Us

Australian Premiere

Coming January 4x60

Full of humour and heartbreak, this miniseries stars Tom Hollander ( Baptiste ), Saskia Reeves ( Luther ) Tom Taylor ( The Dark Tower ) and Sofie Gråbøl ( The Killing ).

Connie and Douglas are set for a grand tour of Europe. It’s one last family holiday before their only son Albie leaves for university. But just days before departure, Connie announces she wants a divorce. They nonetheless continue with the trip in some of the world’s most beautiful cities – from Amsterdam and Paris, to Venice and Barcelona. Douglas sees this as a make-or-break chance to win Connie back and restore his troubled relationship with their teenage son. As love takes a detour, will Douglas get his marriage back on track?

Death in Paradise – Series 10

Australian Premiere

Coming January 8x60

The smash-hit whodunit returns, as D.I. Neville Parker attempts to solve a slew of mysterious murders in the sun-soaked Caribbean

The hugely popular comedy-drama is back for its tenth anniversary series with its usual combination of baffling murders, intriguing puzzles and famous guest stars. There are also some big surprises in store – starting with the shock return of D.S Florence Cassell. Can Florence help Neville embrace life on the island? New characters turn up on shore – including 18-year-old petty criminal Marlon Pryce, who quickly stirs up trouble. The arrival of twins is the least of JP’s challenges as Marlon, and work, tests him to his limits. Meanwhile, Selwyn finds himself in the firing line and Catherine faces grave danger following the death of a friend.

Life

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 6x60

In a house in Manchester divided into four flats, we are introduced to four interweaving stories about love, parenthood, loss and self-discovery. Gail (Alison Steadman) bumps into an old friend who makes a startling observation about Gail’s marriage to Henry (Peter Davison). The ordered life of Belle (Victoria Hamilton, reprising her role from Doctor Foster ) is thrown into disarray by the hospitalisation of sister Ruth (Susannah Fielding), and the subsequent arrival of wayward niece Maya (Erin Kellyman). David (Adrian Lester) goes on holiday without his wife Kelly (Rachael Stirling) and has his head turned unexpectedly by Saira (Saira Choudhry). And heavily pregnant Hannah (Melissa Johns), recently coupled up with Liam (Joshua James), is surprised by her connection with Andy (Calvin Demba), the father of her unborn child, who has been away travelling for the duration of the pregnancy. These disruptive arrivals turn each person’s life upside down, setting off a chain of events which we will follow across the series.

15 Days

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 4x60

The series begins with the brutal murder of a young man, before cutting back to 15 days earlier when a group of troubled siblings reunite after their mother’s death. Following her funeral, tensions arise over who will inherit the farm and events spiral into the shocking demise of one of the four. Former Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley plays daughter Sara, who harbours a deep affection for the farm and whose violent husband, Michael (David Caves) is having an affair.

Following her mother’s death, Sara is reunited with her three estranged siblings: Nia (Mali Tudno Jone) Gareth (Geraint Morgan) and Rhys (Tom Rhys Harries).

Call the Midwife – Series 10

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 7x60

The return of the multi-award-winning drama. It’s 1966, and it’s a testing time for the midwives. But there’s excitement, too, as the women’s rights movement intensifies. With Trixie’s help, Sister Julienne is determined to steer Nonnatus House out of its financial quandary. Dr Turner deals with an array of difficult cases including a former soldier involved in nuclear test explosions. Meanwhile, Sister Monica Joan experiences a crisis of faith, and Sister Frances realises she needs to be a little less spiritual if she’s to really connect with the local women. There are some interesting challenges ahead, as well as great celebrations when England wins the World Cup.

Unforgotten – Series 4

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 6x60

The BAFTA-winning hit returns, as Cassie and Sunny investigate a cold case with alarming links to the police force.

A corpse is discovered in a scrap yard, his features frozen in time. Four suspects emerge. All four have links to the law and attended the same police training course back in 1989. Since then their lives have gone in very different directions. Some have thrived and others have faltered. But exactly who is fighting for justice? Can the police force ever really be trusted? And will Cassie and Sunny find themselves on the wrong side of the law?

Baptiste – Series 2

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 6x60

From award-winning producer Two Brothers Pictures, this six-part series follows retired detective Julien Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) as he delves into Budapest’s corrupt underworld to find a British Ambassador’s family who go missing on a skiing holiday in the Hungarian mountains. Ambassador Emma Chambers, played by Fiona Shaw, is a character who is thrust into the crosshairs of Baptiste’s most complex case to date, as the detective navigates an untrustworthy Hungarian police force and international media interest as he hunts for her husband and two sons.

Small Axe

Channel Premiere

Coming 2021

John Boyega ( Star Wars ) and Letitia Wright ( Black Panther ) lead the cast of a deeply personal drama.

The first television project from Academy Award and BAFTA- winner Steve McQueen, this series of films for television is based on the real-life experiences of London’s West Indian community. Set between 1969 and 1982, these standalone stories celebrate courage and community. From a group of activists taking on a seemingly hopeless battle against police persecution, to a teenager experiencing a blues party full of dance, danger and romance, they’re a powerful reminder of how brave individuals can spark change. Small Axe delivers a message our divided world needs to hear: even the most marginalised voices can challenge the most powerful.

Elizabeth is Missing

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 1x90

Two-time Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson makes a triumphant return to the screen after 27 years, in this poignant and compelling mystery based on the bestselling novel by Emma Healey.

When her best friend Elizabeth goes missing, Maud is convinced something terrible has happened. But her search to find Elizabeth unearths an altogether darker unsolved mystery: her sister’s disappearance, long buried in the recesses of her memory. Can Maud discover the fate of both missing women before her dementia erases the clues and the answers are lost to her forever?

Tin Star Series 3

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 6x60

Starring Tim Roth ( The Hateful Eight ), Genevieve O’Reilly ( Star Wars ) and Abigail Lawrie ( The Man With the Iron Heart ), the show’s final season picks up after Jack and Angela revealed the truth to their daughter Anna. Thousands of miles away from the Rocky vista of Canadian town, Little Big Bear, Jack, Angela and Anna return to the UK twenty years after leaving to confront the sinister truth they ran from. The secrets they hold threaten a group of dangerous criminals who are still operating in the city. Jack, Angela and Anna will stop at nothing to defeat their common enemy. Ian Hart (Boardwalk Empire), Tanya Moodie (Sherlock), Joanne Whalley (The White Princess) and Kerrie Hayes ( The Mill ) have joined the cast for the final season.

Too Close

Australian Premiere

Coming 2021 3x60

Too Close focuses on the compelling and dangerous relationship between forensic psychiatrist Dr Emma Robertson (Emily Watson) who is assigned to work with Connie Mortensen (Denise Gough) a woman accused of a heinous crime but who claims she can’t remember a thing.

Dr Robertson has worked with her fair share of high security patients but when she is sent to assess Connie for trial the two women become dangerously close. Connie has a searing insight into Emma’s deepest insecurities and starts to brutally exploit them. Their sessions become a complex psychological game with confusing undercurrents. But as Emma tries to uncover the truth and learn what triggered Connie’s despicable behaviour, it seems that her attempts to see justice done may destroy her instead.

Season 10 premieres on BBC First tomorrow (January 8) at 8.30pm AEDT, fasttracked from the UK.

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Premieres this Wednesday (February 3) at 8.30pm AEDT.

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Cobra - Season 2

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From Tuesday 16 November

COBRA is a political drama set in the heart of government during a crisis that threatens to engulf the entire nation.

In times of national emergency, a team comprised of Britain’s leading experts, crisis contingency planners and the most senior politicians assemble under the name ‘COBRA’ with the aim to coordinate the government response. In those meetings we’ll see how a government works under extreme pressure to make difficult decisions quickly and watch as the consequences play out on the ground in the worst hit parts of the country and in the iconic boardroom in the heart of Whitehall.

After a successful first series on BBC First, the Cobra Committee return to the briefing room as Prime Minster Sutherland (Robert Carlyle) and Chief Of Staff (Victoria Hamilton) attempt to deal with a string of cyberattacks to critical infrastructure, as well as the impact of fake news on democracy.

Cast: Robert Carlyle (The Fully Monty, War of the Worlds, Once Upon a Time, Trainspotting) returns as Prime Minster Sutherland; Victoria Hamilton (The Crown, Doctor Foster, The Game, Pride & Prejudice) returns as Chief of Staff Anna Marshall.

Interesting move to delay it a month from its UK debut (on Friday coming up) when I thought the idea was to bring the UK drama to Australia with minimal delay

(As an aside, do BBC First carry a lot of Sky’s (UK) productions?)

Call the Midwife season 11 starts today at 10am AEDT, express from UK, with encore at 7.35pm AEDT. This season has eight episodes.

BBC First has bought the Australian rights to Around the World in 80 Days from Seven, and will show it at Sunday nights from June 26.

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HBO has axed Gentleman Jack after two seasons, so the BBC must find a new production partner if the drama is to continue.

EDIT: further reactions from lead actor Suranne Jones, the BBC and the production company behind Gentleman Jack


One of the channels most popular programs. Also shown later on ABC.

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BBC and BritBox North America release first look at Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsay in Time series two, as further casting is announced

The BBC and BritBox North America have released a first-look picture from the second series of Jimmy McGovern’s multi award-winning hit drama Time.

As previously announced, the three-part drama made by BBC Studios and co-produced by BritBox International for North America, will be led by Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who, Broadchurch), Tamara Lawrance (The Silent Twins, The Long Song) and Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us, His Dark Materials), with Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley, Downton Abbey) reprising her role from series one as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain. The series is written by multi-award winning Jimmy McGovern (Broken, Cracker, The Street) and Helen Black, writer of the BAFTA-nominated Life and Death in the Warehouse, and is directed by Andrea Harkin (The Confessions of Frannie Langton, The Trial Of Christine Keeler).

Announced today, BAFTA-award winner Sophie Willan (Alma’s Not Normal, Still Open All Hours) has joined the cast of Time series two, alongside Julie Graham (Shetland, Being Eileen), Alicia Forde (Waterloo Road, Ryan Can’t Read), Lisa Millett (The A Word, Robin Hood), Faye McKeever (The Responder, Des), Kayla Meikle (The Capture, The Girl Before), James Corrigan (This Is Going to Hurt, This England), Nicholas Nunn (Clique, SAS Rogue Heroes) and Maimuna Memon (Sherwood, Unforgotten).

Told through the lens of three very different inmates, Time is a moving and high-stakes portrayal of life inside a women’s prison. Arriving at Carlingford Prison on the same day, Kelsey (Bella Ramsey), Orla (Jodie Whittaker) and Abi (Tamara Lawrance) are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world. But even with the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community, and a shared understanding, still might be possible.

Time series two (3x60’) is a BBC Studios production for the BBC, in a co-production with BritBox North America. Additional funding and support comes from the Liverpool Film Office through its Liverpool City Region Production Fund. Global distribution will be handled by BBC Studios.

The series is produced by Mark Hedges (Hanna, The Rising), with executive producers Priscilla Parish, Michael Parke and Andrew Morrissey for BBC Studios, Lucy Richer for the BBC, and Jimmy McGovern.

Time series one is available to view on BBC First or stream On Demand. Series two is coming soon to Australian screens.