Soap Weekly
TV Weekly: ‘It takes over his penis, and does things…’
The second TV Weekly of 2021, on our new day, Sunday, but the same telly latest newswrapped into ten stories.
Death in Paradise, set on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this January and as part of the celebrations, the Beeb announced that after the current series ten airs there will be at least another two runs for the show.
Marking its milestone second decade in production, series 11 and 12 will see cast regulars and new faces alike descend on Saint Marie, delving into a world of mysterious murders and perplexing puzzles that have gained Death In Paradise its reputation as a shining example of the crime drama genre.
“We’re really proud of Death In Paradise and know how popular it is with viewers, offering some much-needed escapism as well as compelling whodunnits and deeply satisfying plot twists. We hope audiences enjoy the tenth-anniversary series starting tonight, and they have lots to look forward to with series 11 and 12.” – BBC Commissioning Editor Tommy Bulfin
Hollyoaks’ newly installed cast member Denise Welch praised the Channel 4 soap on Loose Women recently for casting her in the part with a much younger lover.
The former EastEnders and Coronation Street actress has joined the saga as Trish Minniver with her romance blooming with Brad King (Tom Benedict Knight)
“What’s great about Hollyoaks is that although I’m 62 and so is Trish, Tom is 44, and although there is an age gap and that’s quite obvious, they’re not making a big deal of it… It’s just about the two of them and what they get up to, the age thing is not really that relevant.”
“That’s fantastic because we all know that when you watch films and TV shows with women in their 60s, they’re kind of being written as a granny, whereas I’m still after a booty call, so there you go!”
Last week producers Lime Pictures also confirmed that Hollyoaks will resume five episode screenings from January 18th. The serial has been airing Monday to Thursday only on Channel 4 since it returned from its Coronavirus shutdown in September.
Love Your Weekend host Alan Titchmarsh has commented on Netflix drama The Crown, criticising the production for ‘playing with people’s lives,’
RTÉ News reports that the former Pebble Mill presenter had watched the first two series, then decided enough was enough for him.
“I watched the first two series, which were sufficiently distant historically to be interesting. Now we are getting much closer to the present day and so much of it is conjecture.”
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain – weekdays from 6am – he also noted that ‘We weren’t behind those closed doors when things were going on. To say, ‘Oh, it’s a drama’ – I think it is playing with people’s lives…’
“You are using real people. Whoever they are, I don’t think it is a good idea. That’s just me.”
The Telegraph reported this week that Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll and the BBC were being sued by actor Gary Hollywood.
The newspaper quoted Hollywood, who played Dino Doyle, in the sitcom and spin-off entertainment series All Round to Mrs Brown’s. “I feel I wasn’t being paid equally and I wasn’t being given an explanation for decisions.”
“When I tried to resolve it, nothing was done. I was just disregarded. But I won’t put up with it any more. I won’t be -treated like that. This has gone too far. They shouldn’t do this to people.
“I am taking legal action. The papers have been lodged for a tribunal and the process has now started.”
Two days later the Daily Mail ran a story adding a further actor from the show was also suing the BBC. Damien McKiernan who was the second actor to play Rory Brown was reported to also be taking the action over similar complaints. Rory was originally played by Rory Cowan who quit to care for his ill mother.
Mrs Brown’s Boys has been a low-brow hit with Beeb viewers since it made its television debut on BBC One in 2011. The show follows the life of Agnes, played in drag by O’Carroll, and her family. The harmless fun has never proved popular with critics, however, is a hit with TV viewers and also sell-out live arena shows.
Stacey Solomon has taken offence at a Danish children’s show. The Loose Women regular felt the programme ‘sends out the wrong message’ to young boys due to its content focusing on a man with the world’s longest penis.
‘I do have a bit of problem because, in the cartoon, he is out of control. It takes over, his penis and does things, and sometimes it’s heroic, but sometimes he can’t control it.’
This is not April 1st. This is real.
The BBC has seen around 500 complaints thanks to its political tribute on New Year’s Eve – excluding Scotland who did its own thing on BBC One and BBC Scotland Channel.
Some Beeb viewers were not impressed by the Black Lives Matter tribute in the fireworks display. This included a fist created from illuminated drones. The fist symbol has become a signature sign of the BLM movement.
The 10-minute show used more than 300 drones which were flown around the 02 Arena, the Metro newspaper reported.
Recently gonged Sally Dynevor spoke this week of how Granada Television bosses behind Coronation Street once pondered writing out her character of Sally and then on-screen hubby Kevin Webster.
However it wasn’t as awful as it first sounds, Sally and Kevin would have featured in their own spin-off drama instead of being part of the Weatherfield regulars. Dynevor and Michael Le Vell, however, remained on the cobbles.
“Tony Wood [the producer] came up with the idea that we should leave the show and set up a new show. Oh my God, I’m so glad we didn’t. If it hadn’t gone very well, where would we be now?”
“Michael and I are very close and Sally and Kevin were married for 25 years, they were happy for most of those years, so I love the fact the writers have Sally still [be] concerned about Kevin and vice versa.” – Sally Dynevor speaking to Soap on the Box podcast
As we reported last weekend Dynevor was bestowed with an MBE as part of the Queen’s New Year honours list.
John Bishop joins Doctor Who. Again, it’s not an April fools joke.
The comedian is to play Dan. As he becomes embroiled in the Doctor’s adventures, Dan will quickly learn there’s more to the Universe(s) than he could ever believe. Travelling through Space and Time alongside the Doctor and Yaz, he’ll face evil alien races beyond his wildest nightmares.
The 13th series of Doctor Who began filming in November 2020. John has already begun filming and will make his first appearance when the 13th series starts on BBC One later in 2021.
The BBC Cymru Wales and S4C co-commission, which airs as Craith on S4C then as Hidden on BBC One Wales, will return to TV screens later this year the Beeb this week confirmed.
The news on Hidden comes after the announcement that another BBC drama, Keeping Faith, will also return to screens this year for its third and final series.
This week the world of television said farewell to Hammer Films and Doctor Who actress Barbara Shelley who passed away aged 88.
We also said goodbye to Coronation Street and Brookside actor Alan Igbon who died aged 68.
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