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Steve Coogan is reprising his iconic role of Alan Partridge for new spoof documentary And Did Those Feet… Here are the details.

The BBC has announced a new Alan Partridge series, which will take the form of a spoof documentary called And Did Those Feet… With Alan Partridge. It’s once again written by Steve Coogan and brothers Neil and Rob Gibbons, with the latter also directing. The official description of the series reads as follows:

In his new documentary series – And Did Those Feet… With Alan Partridge – we follow the beloved and, to be fair, revered broadcaster as he reintegrates into life in Britain after a year working in Saudi Arabia. But what begins as a documentary about homecoming soon morphs into something more personal as Alan realises that the happiness he thought he’d feel at being back in Norwich just hasn’t materialised. Something’s missing.

We...

Alan Partridge fans will be in for a treat this September, as Steve Coogan is recording a podcast in the guise of his hapless host for Audible. It’s been confirmed that subscribers will be able to access the complete series of From The Oasthouse via Audible from 3 September, as it will arrive in one big 18-part chunk.

According to the bumf, 20-minute-long episodes of From The Oasthouse will “introduce one of the nation’s best-loved broadcasters to a young, diverse and digitally-engaged audience. Without the BBC or North Norwich Digital’s editorial management breathing down his neck, this new podcast will give Partridge the opportunity to fully realise his creative vision, in the highest quality audio.”

You can listen to the first episode right now by demanding your Alexa-enabled device “read From the Oasthouse” – so give it a whirl, if you already have access to the Amazon tech.

“Like most people,...

The winners for the 45th annual International Emmy Awards were announced tonight, with Kenneth Branagh winning Best Actor for his role in Wallander and Anna Friel taking Best Actress for Marcella. Both series are from the United Kingdom. Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge’s Scissor Isle taking home the trophy for Best Comedy, also from the UK. Norwegian detective series Mammon II won for Best Drama Series. Iranian-American comedian and actor Maz Jobrani hosted the…...

Anybody who discusses satire in audio-visual media at some point must mention the work of Armando Iannucci. Creator of TV’s The Thick Of It and Veep, with credits that include The Day Today and Alan Partridge, his work is some of the finest in Comedy. And in 2009, Iannucci made his big screen full feature directorial debut with The Thick Of It spin-off In The Loop (one of the best comedies of our times) and now, Iannucci casts his eye to even darker – and even more volatile – political territory with The Death of Stalin.

As concepts go, this film has a pitch black core, as it not only delves into a figure whose actions have reverberated throughout socio-political history but in looking at the events surrounding his death in 1953 and the power struggles within the Soviet Union, it is a brazen era, to say the least, in which to set a Comedy.

Rob Leane Oct 19, 2017

We said hello to Jason Isaacs, before chatting about The Death Of Stalin and Star Trek: Discovery...

Jason Isaacs has been on our screens a lot of late. The former Lucius Malfoy actor is currently gracing online streaming services around the globe as Captain Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery, and his hilarious turn as General Zhukov in The Death Of Stalin will be lighting up a cinema near you very soon.

See related Gunpowder: air date announced for Kit Harington's new show Game Of Thrones: the things Jon Snow does know 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017

As part of his promotional tour for the aforementioned Russian romp – which has satirical mastermind Armando Iannucci (Alan Partridge, The Thick Of It, Veep) at its helm – Isaacs sat with us for twenty minutes in a swanky London hotel to have a ruddy good chat.

As I shuffled in and sat down,...

Stars: Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby, Essie Davis, Russell Tovey, Andrea Riseborough, Jessica Barden, Harriet Walter, Steve Coogan | Written by Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby | Directed by Sean Foley

Washed-up Richard Thorncroft (Julian Barratt) peaked with hit 1980s detective show ‘Mindhorn’, playing the titular Isle of Man sleuth with a robotic eye that allowed him to literally “see the truth”. Decades later, when a deranged Manx criminal demands Mindhorn as his nemesis, Thorncroft returns to the scene of his greatest triumphs for one last chance to reignite his glory days, professional credibility and even romance with former co-star/paramour Patricia Deville (Essie Davis).

The idea of fans blurring the line between fiction and reality has been used numerous times in cinema, the latest example of which – Mindhorn – is a very British take on the idea: at once both spoofing and homaging the likes of 70s and 80s TV shows such as Bergerac,...

Say, aha! Steve Coogan’s iconic alter-ego Alan Partridge has been confirmed to be returning to the BBC in both a 25th anniversary special and a new series. Shane Allen, BBC Comedy Controller, said today at the Edinburgh International Television Festival that BBC Two will air the one-hour special before the end of the year to mark 25 years since the character’s debut on BBC Radio back in 1992. Coogan will also star in a new series which will air on BBC One next year. Both…...

Louisa Mellor Aug 24, 2017

Radio Norfolk's finest is coming back to the Beeb for a 25th anniversary special this year...

Speaking at the Edinburgh Television Festival, BBC Comedy Controller Shane Allen has announced that, after straying to Sky for a period, Mr Alan Partridge will be returning to the BBC.

See related  Game Of Thrones season 7 finale images Game Of Thrones: how the Battle Of The Bastards was made When newsreader Jon Snow met Game Of Thrones' Jon Snow

First up, a one-hour special to commemorate the Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci-created character's twenty-fifth anniversary will air on BBC Two later this year, marking a quarter of a century since Partridge first broadcast on BBC Radio all the way back in 1992.

Following that will be a brand new series, due to air in 2018. More news on that as it arrives.

In the meantime, please join us in an obligatory 'aha!

MaryAnn’s quick take… This fictional dialogue inspired by a private meeting between real-life enemies can’t muster up more than the usual banalities about the ethics of politics and war. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Now, it is true that in 2006, during the Northern Ireland peace process, enemy leaders Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness had a private meeting, after which real progress was made and a power-sharing government for the country was formed with them as, respectively, first minister and deputy first minister. The men had never even spoken before: with Paisley as head of the extremely conservative, pro-uk Democratic Unionist Party and McGuinness as former head of the independence-seeking Irish Republican Army and member of the left-wing political party Sinn Féin, they were almost literally mortal enemies on opposite sides of the...

Starring Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley), and featuring a host of British comedy favourites, including the film's co-writer Simon Farnaby (Horrible Histories, Yonderland) and Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), anarchic comedy Mindhorn follows a broken down former TV detective as he's drawn into a real-life murder case. With its uniquely British style and play on the dated quirks of vintage television, the film is reminiscent of cult favorites like Garth Merenghi's Darkplace. Washed-up Richard Thorncroft (Julian Barratt) peaked with hit 1980s detective show Mindhorn, playing the titular Isle of Man sleuth with a robotic eye that allowed him to literally “see the truth”. Decades later, when a deranged Manx criminal demands Mindhorn as his nemesis, Thorncroft returns to the scene of his greatest triumphs...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The director dishes on industry bias, ‘Taxi Driver’ and turning a perceived setback into opportunity.

The buzz surrounding Prevenge, the pregnancy revenge horror film written, directed and starring Alice Lowe, is well-deserved. Prevenge follows Ruth (Lowe), a grieving woman who embarks on a killing spree and believes that her unborn child is guiding her in this quest for revenge after the loss of her partner. Chock-full of biting British humor, this mother-to-be’s rampage is both relatable as well as a refreshing new twist on the sub-genre that has often been plagued by rape plot lines. But most of all, it’s wickedly funny, which comes as no surprise considering Lowe’s remarkable career in comedy across the pond.

Although Prevenge is her directorial debut, Lowe has worked alongside some of the biggest names in British comedy for the better part of fifteen years, including Rob Brydon’s Annually Retentive, Horrible Histories...

Author: Zehra Phelan

There is something quite special about the 80’s when it comes to detective shows, bad hair, bad fashion sense and the icing on the doughnut the hilarious cringe-worthy exaggerated acting that made these shows car crash TV. From the new trailer for Mindhorn, anyone old enough to remember these will be flooded with a whole host of nostalgia.

The trailer show’s a washed-up has-been actor, Richard Thorncroft (played by Julian Barratt) 25 years after he become a household name in the hit TV show, Mindhorn. Grey and balding and belly for of the high-life – time has not been kind. Thorncroft unexpectedly gets a return call to act out his detective-like skills but this time not for any show but to help catch an escaped real life criminal who will only deal with Mindhorn in his negotiations. Packed full of hilarious, yet eye-rolling gags and antics, Mindhorn looks...

Author: Jon Lyus

Yesterday the 2017 Into Film Awards brought together some of the brightest new young filmmakers in the UK to celebrate their achievements, and promote the ongoing commitment to teaching film in schools. Many of the young filmmakers walked the red carpet before the ceremony, rubbing shoulders with some of our finest actors, directors and producers, and we were able to speak to many of them.

Eddie Redmayne, Daniel Craig, Amma Asante and Charles Dance were among those attending the event, and our collection of interviews are below. The great work Into Film undertakes to promote film education is second to none. Supported by the BFI and the National Lottery there is much to celebrate here, and we wish them well on their continuing adventure.

Scott Davis and Dave Sztypuljak were on the red carpet yesterday to speak with the new stars of the British Film Industry. Here’s how they got on…...

[Editor’s Note: This post is presented in partnership with Spectrum. Catch up on this year’s Awards Season contenders and the latest films On Demand. Today’s pick is “Rules Don’t Apply.”]

If it wasn’t already clear that Steve Coogan is an extraordinarily multi-talented man, along came “Philomena.” Perhaps known best as a comic actor in films like “In The Loop,” “The Trip” and “24 Hour Party People,” Coogan took a turn for the dramatic with “Philomena,” both in front of and behind the camera. As producer, writer and star, Coogan helped deliver one of the year’s most heartwarming — and heartbreaking — dramas, detailing the true story of a woman (Judi Dench) who is joined by a journalist (Coogan) to try to find the son who was taken from her 50 years earlier.

A story that easily could have been turned into an overly sentimental tearjerker is handled with a confidence and restraint in both Coogan’s words and performance, resulting in a film that has been winning over audiences and awards groups left and right.

When the film — notably directed by Stephen Frears...

Ensuring that no tender moment is forced to exist without some bizarro cadences or weird personal choices flittering around the outside, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Steve Coogan and Christopher Walken have both signed on for the cast of Irreplaceable You, a new romantic drama from Veep director Stephanie Laing.

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Michiel Huisman (a.k.a. Daario from Game Of Thrones), the film follows two childhood sweethearts suddenly separated by an unexpected death. Bess Wohl wrote the script.

Walken’s most recent roles include a turn in last year’s Eddie The Eagle; Coogan is currently busy with The Dinner and Ideal Home with Paul Rudd, and continues to make noises about a new Alan Partridge series some time soon.

Screen considers potential runners and riders.

The BBC is likely to announce its new head of film within the next two weeks, according to sources close to the process.

Scroll down for potential candidates and the original job spec

That timetable should come as a relief to those under consideration for the role and to wider industry who will want to begin building or growing their relationship with the new boss.

The job, which is considered one of the UK’s most prestigious posts, became vacant in autumn 2016 following the departure of long-time chief Christine Langan. BBC Films veteran Joe Oppenheimer has been serving as acting head of film since then.

The incoming head of film is expected to have an annual war chest of around £12m for production, cementing BBC Films’ position as one the three mainstays of public funding in the UK along with the BFI and Film4.

The organisation advertised the position (as ‘director...

Rob Leane Dec 2, 2016

Is there any older tradition than giving books at Christmas? Well yes, there is. But here's a list anyway...

Books! Undeniably, the combination of ink, paper, a nice cover and a gripping story makes for a classic Christmas present.

See related The Man In The High Castle season 2: new trailer

Whether you and your loved ones are into books or comics, biographies or crime, laughs or love stories, we hope you’ll find something in our gift guide of the biggest and best books coming to shops both real and digital this festive season...

Out now A Life In Parts

If you saw Bryan Cranston on The Graham Norton Show, you’ll know that he’s lived a fair few different lives, from waiter to actor via murder suspect and online dating expert. He chronicles all those roles, and the ones he’s played in TV and film.

James Hunt Jan 24, 2017

Harry Potter, Twin Peaks, Alan Partridge, Lost and even Mr Bean: we salute 'in-universe' books...

On November 17th, the new Harry Potter-verse movie Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them hit cinemas as start of what Warner Bros hopes will be a new and long-lived chapter for the franchise. Considering Harry Potter was considered "over" by its chief writer (except for the website, and the play… and now this…) it’s quite the achievement for Warner to have found a way to continue it in a way that does, at least, feel creatively valid.

Of course, Fantastic Beasts was a book originally released as a Comic Relief special in 2001 alongside Quidditch Through The Ages. Purporting to be written by Newt Scamander (the eventual protagonist of the movie), the edition as published claimed to be Harry Potter’s own copy, as annotated by Ron Weasley. Rowling clearly liked the idea,...

David Blaine’s latest stunts include freaking out and scaring a slew of celebs like Emma Stone, Johnny Depp, John Travolta and Margot Robbie, among others. Three years after his last television event, the magician is pulling out all the stops for his new ABC special “David Blaine: Beyond Magic.”

The recently released promo for the show promises even more mind-bending, out-of-this-world stunts, including Blaine being shot in the mouth. The clip shows the celebrities baffled and grossed out by what they’re seeing, each shocked by the illusionist’s tricks.

Read More: Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Teaser: Showtime Special Will Be a Bleep-Free Night

David Beckham turns away and says “that’s ridiculous,” Drake closes his eyes and has a disgusted look on his face, and all Depp has to say is, “that was amazing.”

Blaine’s previous specials include 2013’s “David Blaine: Real or Magic,...

Steve Coogan’s tactless alter ego Alan Partridge is coming back to a screen near you in a new one-hour mockumentary titled “Alan Partridge’s Scissored Isle” for the streaming comedy channel Seeso.

In this new special Alan will head to the north of England, leaving behind his comfortable existence, for a personal journey of redemption. Per the synopsis, “With his Land Rover and his dog, he journeys into an unreported Britain inhabited by the very people he had offended to ask whether, in this once united kingdom, a ‘schasm’ has formed – a schism or chasm, between the haves and the have-nots (or haven’ts).”

The presenter will live among everyday people in hopes to understand them, see the world through their eyes and ultimately become a better citizen, man and more sought-after broadcaster.

Read More: Liam Gallagher Says Fans Should Give Up On an Oasis Reunion, But He’s...

Simon Brew Published Date Monday, September 12, 2016 - 05:40

Sometimes, character wins. Whilst the basic framework of Bridget Jones’s Baby will be familiar to anyone who watched the excellent first film and the piss-poor second, what screenwriters Helen Fielding, Emma Thompson and Dan Mazer have appreciated here is that the core central character of Bridget Jones is their greatest asset. They are not shy about playing to that.

As such, Bridget Jones’s Baby wastes no time reintroducing us to Bridget, and Renee Zellweger wastes no time effortlessly slipping back into her most popular role. We encounter Bridget this time alone, single, and being woken up on her 43rd birthday. She’s working on a television news show that’s being overtaken by clickbait culture. She’s back to square one, still scribbling in her diary, just a decade on. And once more, she’s stuck. Déjà vu? Yep, and that’s the point.

Andrew Blair Oct 17, 2016

Armando Iannucci & Chris Morris' BBC Radio 4 news spoof not only gave rise to Alan Partridge but also launched countless comedy careers.

If you haven’t heard of On The Hour, you’ll have seen or read the work of the people who made it: Brass Eye, The Thick Of It, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Veep, Four Lions, that bit on the train at the end of Mission: Impossible, Closer, Jam, the Leicester Square Theatre Podcasts, the movie version of Notes On A Scandal; the NME, TV Burp, the videos for Little Baby Nothing by the Manics and Kung Fu by Ash, Smack The Pony, and Alan Partridge to name a few.

See related The Big Bang Theory season 10 episode 4 review: The Cohabitation Experimentation The Big Bang Theory season 10 episode 3 review: The Dependence Transcendence The Big Bang Theory season 10 episode 2 review: The Military Miniaturization The Big Bang Theory...

Rob Leane Jul 22, 2016

A-ha! Alan Partridge is set to make yet another comeback, with a new book called Nomad...

Steve Coogan is back once again as Alan Partridge, to announce a new book called Nomad. It's the follow-up to 2011's I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan, and a memoir that promises, in the words of Alan himself, to "shine a light on the nooks of the nation and the crannies of myself."

Here's the video clip of Mr Partridge announcing the book, where he also takes the time to slam modern TV detectives and Game Of Thrones, courtesy of The Independent... 

"Nomad brings you the story of a one man walk I undertook to try to learn about who I really am," Partridge explains in the video. "I was able to use transport when essential but I set myself one caveat: no unlicensed mini-cabs."

Here's what the cover looks like.

Philomena producer is to join Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions.

Christine Langan is set to step down as head of BBC Films and replace Henry Normal as CEO of Baby Cow Productions.

A spokesperson for BBC Films told Screen the organisation “could not comment on speculation” but Screen sources have subsequently confirmed the departure, which was first revealed by Screen’s sister publication Broadcast.

Langan’s contract and a timetable for the exit are currently being ironed out but Screen sources have indicated that a late October departure is possible.

Langan, producer of Oscar winners The Queen and Philomena, will work closely with Baby Cow co-founder and actor Steve Coogan to shepherd the company through its next phase of growth.

Baby Cow co-produced Philomena, in which Coogan starred and co-wrote, as well as other Coogan vehicles including Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, 24 Hour Party People and A Cock And Bull Story.

At the company...

Sadie Frost, Noel Fielding and Sally Phillips star in twisted comedy.

Dark comedy Set The Thames On Fire has set a UK theatrical release date of September 16 and will be available on digital platforms from September 19.

The film, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, has a cast that includes Sadie Frost (Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie), Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh), Sally Phillips (I’m Alan Partridge) and Morgana Robinson (The Windsors).

Set the Thames on Fire follows struggling piano player Art (Michael Winder) and compulsive liar Sal (Max Bennett) as they embark on a string of ludicrous escapades through a dystopian London, ruled over by a grotesque and tyrannical Impresario.

On their adventures they encounter a deranged Magician, played by performance artist David Hoyle, an anarchist witch (Phillips) and the Impresario’s twisted right-hand man (Fielding) leading to a final showdown with the despotic ruler himself.

The film is produced by Blonde to Black Pictures, the company...

Henry Normal, co-founder and CEO of Baby Cow Productions, the indie he set up with Steve Coogan in 1999, is exiting. Coogan will assume a broader role as part of the transition, and BBC Worldwide, which already is part-owner, will increase its stake to 73%. The prolific company’s credits include TV series Gavin And Stacey, The Mighty Boosh, Moone Boy, and Alan Partridge. Normal has executive produced all of the Baby Cow’s output and was also executive producer on Philomena…...

Henry Normal, co-founder and CEO of Baby Cow Productions, the indie he set up with Steve Coogan in 1999, is exiting. Coogan will assume a broader role as part of the transition, and BBC Worldwide, which already is part-owner, will increase its stake to 73%. The prolific company’s credits include TV series Gavin And Stacey, The Mighty Boosh, Moone Boy, and Alan Partridge. Normal has executive produced all of the Baby Cow’s output and was also executive producer on Philomena…...

After airing the second season of Alan Partridge's Mid Morning Matters last year, Sky Atlantic is cutting to new documentary, Alan Partridge’s Scissored Isle. The one-off will air May 30 in the UK with Steve Coogan reprising his long-running role as the socially awkward North Norfolk digital radio DJ. Coogan, whose Shepherds And Butchers premiered in Berlin, is next up in the voice cast of Universal/Illumination’s The Secret Life Of Pets and is filming Oren Moverman’s…...

The play on words that is the title to screenwriter Mitch Glazer and director Barry Levinson’s Rock the Kasbah is one feels akin to the sort of pitch you would hear from Alan Partridge, as you get the impression the title was thought up first, and then the narrative was implemented afterwards, in the most

The post Rock the Kasbah Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

“The Brothers Grimsby” is funny. Get over it. I say this because I was certain it’d be yet another middling spoof of Bond films along the lines of Rowan Atkinson’s “Johnny English” movies, or worse, the ill-conceived and poorly executed Melissa McCarthy espionage comedy “Spy.” “The Brothers Grimsby” isn’t any of those; as noted, it’s funny. Directed by Louis Leterrier, (“Now You See Me”) and written by co-star Sacha Baron Cohen, with Peter Baynham (“Alan Partridge”) and Phil Johnston (“Zootopia”), the film spends all of about 40 seconds setting up the premise, which proves to be 20 seconds more than.

Ant-Man and Alan Partridge are set to join forces for a second time in An Ideal Home – a new comedy drama, written and directed by Andrew Fleming (Hamlet 2, Dick). Marvel’s newest star, Paul Rudd, and British star Steve Coogan already starred opposite each other in 2011’s Our Idiot Brother, but this latest collaboration will see the pair united in marriage.

Coogan will play a famous celebrity, while Rudd will play his more reclusive, shy spouse. Their extravagant, public lifestyle places their relationship under considerable strain, which is amplified by the unexpected arrival of a young man claiming to be the grandson Coogan never realized he had. With his grandson in dire straits, with nowhere else to go, the couple agree to welcome him into their home, in the secret hope that his presence will heal the rifts forming in their marriage.

The film is currently being packaged for sale by Fortitude International,...

Ant-Man and Alan Partridge are moving in together, sort of. Fortitude International has added dramedy An Ideal Home to its Efm slate with Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan starring. Andrew Fleming (Hamlet 2, The Craft) wrote and is directing. Pre-production is currently underway with Remstar Studios and National Bank of Canada co-financing. UTA Independent Film Group and Wme are repping U.S. rights. Rudd and Coogan play a bickering couple leading an extravagant life. Coogan’s…...

BBC Films production is written by Jeff Pope (Philomena) and follows the comedy duo’s final UK tour.

Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly are to star in Stan & Ollie, a biopic that centres on the final UK tour of the renowned comedy duo in 1953.

Coogan, star of Philomena and Alan Partridge, will play Stan Laurel while John C. Reilly, known for his roles in Chicago and We Need to Talk About Kevin, will portray Oliver Hardy

Directed by Jon S. Baird (Filth), the screenplay has been written Jeff Pope, who was nominated for an Oscar and won the BAFTA for Philomena.

Stan & Ollie is being made by BBC Films, which developed the feature, alongside Faye Ward’s Fable Pictures and Jeff Pope’s Sonesta Films.

Pope said the duo were his “heroes” but did not shy away from writing about their “flaws and shortcomings”.

“When I watch their movies, in my head...

It isn’t often we get an R-rated movie with such a high-profile cast (read: Deadpool) let alone an R-rated and hand-drawn animation featuring a host of funny and talented actors. The Adventures Of Drunky is about to fix the latter though, and it’s got a cracking cast to help Aaron Augenblick’s cheeky feature hit the ground running.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Seven Psychopaths star Sam Rockwell, Steve Coogan and the award-winning Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent) will lend their vocal chords to Augenblick’s riotous tale. Out of luck and out of love, it’s Rockwell’s titular barfly who finds himself caught up between God and Satan, and the two celestial beings strike a bet to push his character through heaven and hell – quite literally, in fact – to rescue the woman he holds nearest and dearest (Nina Arianda).

Like an angel one shoulder and a horned imp on the other,...

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Cheer on local talent with these potentially great UK films from 2016, including drama, comedy, action, horror, fantasy & more…

While Batman Vs Superman, Captain America: Civil War, X-Men Apocalypse and other mega franchises are expected to dominate cinemas in 2016, let’s hear it for the films below. None are sequels, few have titanic budgets, all of them are British and each of them has the potential to be great.

2016 looks to be a particularly strong year for UK crime drama, with Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire, Adam Smith’s Trespass Against Us and Michael Apted’s Unlocked on their way. Military thrillers are also well represented this year, with Gavin Hood’s Eye In The Sky, Fernando Coimbra’s Sand Castle, and Simon West’s Stratton incoming. There’s also comedy, fantasy, drama, horror and even a musical waiting for you below.

A Street Cat Named Bob (dir.

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It's the final entry in Wesley's top 100 Christmas TV episodes of all time list, numbers 20 to 1. Merry Christmas to all!

Read entries 100 - 81 here, entries 80 - 61 here, entries 60 - 41 here, and entries 40 - 21 here.

Since the medium’s infancy, viewers have enjoyed sharing holidays with their favourite television characters. We grow invested in our friends on screen over the years; spending Christmas with them is a rite of passage, a chance for us to share tradition from our world with the fictional ones we see on screen. Some shows embrace the season wholeheartedly, characters in good spirits and enjoying the trappings of the season; others skew a little darker, bringing the more oppressive, burdensome side of the holidays to life. Either way, Christmas episodes tend to demonstrate the strengths of our favourite series, and it’s long been a festive ritual of mine to wheel out old...

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Paterson Joseph's Johnson returns for this week's Peep Show series 9 episode, in which there's trouble at the bank...

This review contains spoilers.

9.4 Mole Mapping

And it was all going so well. Only seven days ago I was singing Peep Show’s praises for successfully inching its way through the treacherous minefield that is sitcom character development. Although not everyone in the comments section last week shared my view about how well Threeism’s dinner party played out, the general consensus seemed to be that series nine was off to a flying start.

Sadly, episode four didn't live up to the high standards set by the show so far. In fact, the bank robbery plot that saw Jez rushing in to Mark’s place of work to warn him of an impending shooting was so bananas it felt like something from another sitcom altogether.

The episode got...

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Peep Show, now airing its final series, is packed with precise, very funny writing that reflects unflattering truths about us all…

There’s a speech in Peep Show’s series nine opener that sums up the show’s comedic focus: the gap between the face we present to the world and our inner feelings. Talking to Mark, Jeremy confronts his friend’s essential hypocrisy. “I know you, Mark,” he says, “I know you like to pretend that you’re this stuffed shirt who reads incredibly boring books about dead people killing each other with bayonets and typhoid, but I know the truth.”

That truth, gleaned from years of friendship weaponised for this coup, is that Mark Corrigan isn’t, as he pretends to be, a rarefied type fascinated by nineteenth century arts movements, but instead “a pathetic human who likes Twirls and Downton and Bond and burgers.

Red Dwarf fans are used to having to wait between series, and the gap between X and XI has been tougher than biting into a space weevil.

But spin our nipple nuts and send us to Alaska - the waiting is almost over as as Rimmer, Lister, Kryten and Cat will be back in 2016 for a brand new run. Here's everything you need to know about the small rouge one.

When is it back?

There are no exact dates yet, but XI is expected to land on Dave in the summer of 2016 at the earliest.

Writer and co-creator Doug Naylor recently denied reports that it could be as early as the spring, so we could be waiting up to a year for its launch.

Filming will begin in October

Read through meeting for Rd XI. pic.twitter.com/k8Fq14AR6y

— Robert Llewellyn (@bobbyllew) October 12, 2015

Red Dwarf will shoot two brand new series back-to-back,...

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Unit, shape-shifters and the Doctor cosplay. Here are the geeky bits and pieces we spotted in Doctor Who's The Zygon Invasion...

For at least the third time this series, one or all of the characters you care about on this show are dead. So what better way to celebrate than to read through our weekly list of callbacks, allusions, shared themes and generally interesting (if tenuous) nonsense? As ever, feel free to leave your own contributions in the comments below!

The Old-Who Invasion

This is the third appearance of the Zygons in Doctor Who; they first menaced the fourth Doctor in 1975’s Terror Of The Zygons, a story which revealed the Loch Ness Monster to be one of the Skarasen, a race from the Zygon homeworld. Unit also featured in that tale, with Kate’s father Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart revealing his Scots heritage in a fetching kilt.

Danny Dyer doesn't just hate controversial talk show host Jeremy Kyle - he "despises every bone in his stuck-up, sanctimonious, two-faced body".

Isis, dildos and a miniature Queen Vic: 12 eye-opening extracts from Danny Dyer's new book

The EastEnders star lets rip at the TV presenter in his new book Life Lessons from the East End, and reveals his recent discovery that Kyle supports the same football team as him was one of the "most depressing facts" he'd heard in years.

"Look, there's a golden rule in life. West Ham don't allow wankers. I despise Jeremy Kyle, every bone in his stuck-up, sanctimonious, two-faced body," Dyer writes. "He licks his mobile phone for comfort. That's what he says in his autobiography.

"Try this quote from him, Jeremy says: 'The reason I lick my [golf] balls in the way is probably more strange than the licking of the balls themselves. It's...

British sitcom to film adaption have done quite well in the past, The Inbetweeners and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa being the most recent examples, and now it’s the turn of one of most successful Britcoms in history with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reuniting once again for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. The pair step back into the shoes of comedy icons Edina and Patsy, as the hard drinking, fad chasing pair go on holiday to the French Riveria. They will be joined by the rest of eth original cast, including Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks, and June Whitfield. Filming has begun on location in the U.K. and the south of France, with the movie set to be released sometime in 2016.

Social media users have reacted angrily or with bemusement after Eamonn Holmes conducted a cringe-worthy interview with Jeremy Corbyn.

The presenter went 'full Alan Partridge' by using tortuous football analogies ("Every young lad has a dream of playing in the cup final - was yesterday your Fa Cup Final?") and asked inane questions during the exchange. Holmes immediately came under fire from critics on Twitter who accused him of dumbing down political debate.

The new leader of the Labour party batted away with a number of questions, and was left bemused at some of the interjections made by Holmes in the uncomfortable interview.

"People will say I'm sucking up to you or being soft - but people will say your outlook is 'a bit hippy'," declared the Sky News man, who seemed embarrassed to ask tough or political questions beyond, "Why don't you just admit you hate the Tories!

In a year that's already seen BBQ Champ, Flockstars and (sort of) Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank, there's now another contender for most Partridge-esque reality show.

Watch has commissioned Battlechefs, which follows celebrities competing in a cruise ship kitchen to impress Marco Pierre White.

12 bizarre TV shows that weren't invented by Alan Partridge - honest

Ten amateur celebrity chefs - including Blur's Alex James, Keith Duffy from Boyzone and EastEnders' John Partridge - will take on the challenge.

They will take it in turns to command the kitchen, cooking for the ship's captain and VIP guests.

There will be two separate cruises, with five stars competing on each, and the show will also explore the locations at which the ships stop, particularly the food and cooking techniques they offer.

UKTV Commissioning Editor and Executive Producer Victoria Summer said: "Travel, food and competition come together in Battlechefs. It's an...

Paul Nicholls, Emma Rigby and Poldark's Heida Reed are heading to the Caribbean for Death in Paradise.

The trio will guest star in the lighthearted crime drama's upcoming fifth series next year on BBC One.

Death in Paradise star Kris Marshall Q&A: 'It's been my hardest job'

Paul Nicholls, who appeared on The C Word as well as EastEnders, said: "I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work with the fantastic cast and crew on the upcoming series of Death in Paradise.

"I play a fashion photographer in my episode which is very different from many of my previous roles so was a great challenge. Filming in Guadeloupe was incredible too. We had so much fun!"

Rigby is known for her performances in Hollyoaks and Prisoner's Wives, while Icelandic actress Reed starred in One Day before taking on the role of Elizabeth Chynoweth in Poldark.

Other guest...

To mark Cbbc’s thirtieth birthday, we delve into the Broom Cupboard to salute some cherished childhood memories…

On the afternoon of the 9th of September 1985, UK children were introduced to their new big brother. Phillip Schofield, a vision in a side-parting, a geometric print jumper and a beaming smile, arrived in the Children’s BBC Broom Cupboard to babysit the nation’s kids for an hour and a half every weekday.

Schofield’s job was to ferry us through the post-school slump and drop us off at Neighbours no later than 5.35pm. He let us watch cartoons, wished us happy birthday, praised our felt-tip drawings of Jimbo and the Jet Set, and never once told us off for eating too many packs of salt and vinegar Chipsticks before tea.

After Phillip came Debbie Flint, who was awesome because her earrings didn’t match, and then Andy Crane, who taught...

Daniel Craig has spoken out about his take on James Bond, saying: "He's very f**king lonely".

Talking to Esquire, he opened up about what it really must be like to be 007, adding: "There's a great sadness."

"He's f**king these beautiful women, but then they leave and it's... sad," he continued.

"And as a man gets older, it's not a good look. It might be a nice fantasy – that's debatable – but the reality, after a couple of months..."

It's enough to make Alan Partridge weep.

The upcoming Bond movie Spectre sees Craig back for his fourth appearance as 007, with Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear and Naomie Harris also reprising their roles.

Fresh faces to the franchise include Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci, Léa Seydoux, Sherlock's Andrew Scott and newcomer Alessandro Cremona.

Spectre will be released in the UK on October 26, with a Us release following on November 6. The James Bond issue of Esquire,...

Veteran Irish actor looks set to join the previously-announced Timothy Spall, who will star as former Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley in Nick Hamm’s film

Irish actor Colm Meaney may join the cast of high-profile Troubles drama The Journey, starring as Martin McGuinness opposite Timothy Spall as Ian Paisley in the story of the two Northern Ireland political titans’ unlikely friendship.

The BBC reports that Meaney, 62, is in advanced talks to sign up for the Oscar-bait project. Spall confirmed he would play firebrand former Democratic Unionist Party leader last month. The Irishman is best known for his role on television as chief Miles O’Brien from Star Trek: The Next Generation, , and on the big screen for portrayals in The Commitments, Con Air and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.

Continue reading...

It's been 18 years since Alan Partridge first mooted the notion of Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank - and as of last week, the project is a dream no longer.

Eubank's team-up with Hostelworld is, of course, a deliberate tip of the hat to Steve Coogan's comic creation - but too often the telly schedules are plagued with examples of #AccidentalPartridge.

Behold, 12 shows that sound like they sprang straight from Alan's fertile mind - this little lot are on a par with Inner City Sumo or Arm Wrestling with Chas 'n' Dave.

1. Flockstars

Celebrity shepherding - Lesley Joseph goes from Birds to sheep and Fazer from N-Dubz lends livestock some street cred.

No-one makes a pun on Amanda Lamb's name, though. Missed opportunity.

2. Gordon Behind Bars

"Cooking in prison" was a format that Alan Partridge actually pitched to Tony Hayers, but it took foul-mouthed foodie Gordon Ramsay to make it a reality.

Someone pick up the phone to Alan Partridge, because Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank has finally happened in real life.

Well, sort of.

Former boxing champion Chris was left baffled earlier this month as Twitter users quizzed him over a famous scene in I'm Alan Partridge where Steve Coogan's hapless broadcaster pitches some downright baffling ideas for TV shows to BBC controller of programmes Tony Hayers.

However, Alan's dream has now become a reality - and it seems like Chris enjoyed his visit to the Yha in Brighton, testing out the bunk beds and the WiFi as well as entertaining the guests.

"My inaugural visit to a youth hostel was enlightening and delightful!" he wrote on Twitter. "Expect the unexpected!"

David Schneider, who played Tony in 'A Room with an Alan', was absolutely delighted by the surprising turn of events.

Behold! It has happened. #DeliberatePartridge

(ta @juliansheasport)

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