Notícias

Oscar-winning Ukraine-Russia war documentary 20 Days in Mariupol from Frontline, PBS and The AP, took home awards in two categories at The Grierson Trust’s 2024 British Documentary Awards on Wednesday night.

In association with All3Media, the ceremony took place at London’s Roundhouse arts and music venue, where Channel 4 took home the highest number of prizes with five, followed by the BBC with three and Netflix with two.

Mstyslav Chernov’s 20 Days in Mariupol, which won the Academy Award for best documentary earlier this year, earned the best current affairs documentary and best cinema documentary awards Wednesday. Me and the Voice in My Head, produced by Hungry Bear Media for Channel 4 won the best single documentary – Domestic award, with Joe Tracini winning the best documentary presenter.

This year’s award winners spanned a wide range of subjects with powerful documentaries on the war in Ukraine, a Turkish singer...

Exclusive: Senior Muslim figures in the British television industry are planning to boycott the Grierson Awards on Wednesday over the treatment of Asif Kapadia, the Oscar-winning director.

As revealed by Deadline last month, Senna director Kapadia was removed as a patron of the Grierson Trust after just two days following a backlash over his social media posts about the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Kapadia later apologized for his social media activity, acknowledging that some of the material he shared was “ill-judged” and likely to be considered “antisemitic.” Posts he shared included a cartoon of Benjamin Netanyahu dining at a blood-stained table in the rubble of Gaza, with the caption “kosher.”

In the weeks following the incident, however, a feeling has grown within UK television’s Muslim and South Asian community that Grierson acted rashly in defenestrating Kapadia.

Senior industry figures have written to Grierson managing director Sylvia Bednarz and chairman Lorraine Heggessey...

Senna and Diego Maradona filmmaker Asif Kapadia has had his appointment as a patron of UK documentary charity The Grierson Trust revoked following criticism of his posts on social media.

In a statement, a Trust spokesperson said: “Since the Grierson Trust announced that Asif Kapadia had been appointed as one of our patrons, some social media posts shared by him have been drawn to our attention which are anti-Semitic.

“As a result, at an 8am board meeting this morning, we took the decision to rescind his role as patron of the Trust. When we made the decision to appoint Mr Kapadia,...

Spacey Unmasked, the Channel 4-Max documentary series detailing new allegations against the double-Oscar winner, has been nominated at the prestigious UK Grierson Awards, as the shortlist in each category is whittled down from eight docs to four.

Spacey Unmasked is nominated in the new Best Popular Culture Documentary category, which depicts people, events, movements or trends that have had a major impact on popular culture in recent years. The series is up against Arena – Being Kae Tempest, Big Zuu Goes to Mecca and Milli Vanilli, the latter of which is also nominated in the Best Music Documentary category.

From Mike Lerner and Dorothy Byrne, Spacey Unmasked detailed sexual misconduct allegations by 10 men against Spacey, which he denies, coming around a year after he was acquitted of sex crimes in a UK trial.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s American Nightmare, which came seventh in the streamer’s most-watched shows of the first...

Pleasure Products

DocuBay, the Indian documentary streaming platform under IN10 Media Network, is set to release “Bad Toys Inc.,” a 45-minute original film exploring India’s burgeoning sex toy industry. The doc, slated for a July 26 debut, offers a peek into the country’s evolving attitudes towards pleasure products.

The film delves into regional preferences, consumer stories and industry insights, featuring interviews with sexologist Dr. Prakash Kothari and founders of emerging sex toy startups. It also touches on legal aspects and historical context of pleasure accessories in India.

Girish Dwibhashyam, COO of DocuBay, touted the film as a “novel viewing experience” that uncovers surprising facts about the Indian market. Producer Richa Sahai of Black Iris noted the challenges and excitement of creating content on this taboo topic.

With India’s sex toy market projected to reach $200 million in five years, “Bad Toys Inc.” aims to shed light on a rapidly...

Oscar and BAFTA-winning Ukrainian feature 20 Days in Mariupol has picked up two nominations at the prestigious British Grierson Awards, along with docs on Wham!, Boris Johnson and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Mstyslav Chernov’s movie charting the time the filmmaker spent in the besieged city at the start of the Ukraine War is nommed for Best Current Affairs Documentary and Best Cinema Documentary at the prestigious British gongs. It was selected as the Ukrainian submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards but was instead nominated in the Best Documentary Feature Film category, beating off competition from the likes of Bobi Wine: The People’s President, which is also nominated for two Griersons.

Other projects to accrue two nominations include Netflix’s Wham!, Channel 4’s The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson and Studio 99’s Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, which was...

The Grierson Trust has announced the shortlist for the 2024 British Documentary Awards, with the BBC coming top at 28 entries.

Channel 4 follows closely behind with 23, Netflix with 17, Sky Documentaries with eight and National Geographic with four. The shortlist spans 15 program and presenter categories to reflect the best documentary singles and series launched across broadcasters, streamers and online, as well as theatrical releases.

This year’s awards includes a new category titled best popular culture documentary, open to single documentaries or an episode from a strand or series that depicts people, events, movements or trends that have had a major impact on pop culture in recent years. Shortlisted entries in this category cover a hoax pedophile scare created by Internet users, one of the U.K.’s most prominent performance poets, and an investigation into allegations of abuse against Kevin Spacey.

The Arts category features several films about fashion industry icons...

Exclusive: The race to replace Ralph Lee at the helm of BBC Studios Productions is underway, with the studio signaling its ambition by approaching some of the UK’s top unscripted executives.

Lee will step down as the CEO of BBC Studios Productions next month after a six-year stint to “pursue a new challenge” but Deadline is told that headhunter Russell Reynolds Associates is already scoping out successors.

The successful candidate will run a production unit that contributed heavily to BBC Studios’ £1.6B ($2B) content revenue last year, overseeing hits including Good Omens, Strictly Come Dancing, and David Attenborough’s natural history tentpoles.

Deadline understands that Russell Reynolds has held tentative early conversations with potential candidates including Stv Studios managing director David Mortimer, ITV Studios unscripted director Angela Jain and Karl Warner, Channel 4’s outgoing head of youth and digital.

Fatima Salaria, who previously ran The Apprentice producer Naked,...

Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes took home the best cinema documentary prize

Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes won the best cinema documentary prize at The Grierson Trust’s 2023 British Documentary Awards last night (November 9) in London.

The film about two brothers who rescue and care for thousands of New Delhi’s black kite birds premiered at Sundance last year. All That Breathes, which is produced by Rise Films, Kiterabbit Films and Tangled Bank Studios, also won the best single documentary – international at the Griersons, the prestigious UK documentary awards.

The film is sold internationally by Submarine Entertainment and...

Nominations for the 48th annual British Documentary Awards, known as the Griersons, include episode two of Netflix docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts’ Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning “For Sama,” and a best presenter nod for David Olusoga for “The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files.”

The awards are given by The Grierson Trust. Of the 52 nominated films, 21 were broadcast on BBC channels. Netflix has nine nominations and Channel 4 has five. ITV and Al Jazeera have two apiece while YouTube Originals, Channel 5, National Geographic and Discovery have one each.

Lorraine Heggessey, chair of The Grierson Trust, said: “This has been a difficult year for the production community and particularly for freelancers, so it’s more important than ever to recognize and celebrate the excellence of so many talented filmmakers, whether they are newcomers or established global names. These nominations demonstrate the relevance and versatility of documentaries,...

The SVoD giant continues to address the skills shortage and talent development in UK media. Netflix will partner with the UK documentary organisation The Grierson Trust’s mentoring scheme, Grierson DocLab, in order to create a training programme for up-and-coming, unscripted producers. From next year’s scheme onwards, the Us streaming giant will support two initiatives to develop skills in production management and editing in factual titles and documentaries. These will take the form of intensive residential courses, devised for the cohort of selected filmmakers. Grierson Trust chair Lorraine Heggessey explained, “These are the skills that the industry is crying out for,” upon unveiling the partnership at the Grierson Awards last month. This project is part of a large swathe of investment by Netflix in the European film and TV industries. At November’s Westminster Media Forum, UK policy director Ben King spoke of the “necessity and opportunity” for Netflix to contribute to.

When Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry on May 19, she not only became a wife, but she also became a royal. Meghan has officially been crowned the Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II, and with a new title comes new responsibilities. From etiquette to attire, Meghan's life has changed dramatically, and it hasn't even been a month since she said "I do." So, how is the new Duchess of Sussex holding up?

According to People, Meghan is eager to begin the real work and start making a difference in the world. "She's not going to want to be a quiet princess and simply open hospitals or cut ribbons," a royal insider told the publication.

Related: 12 Major Royal Milestones Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Have Already Hit This Year

Even though Meghan has yet to officially announce her charity patronages, Royal Foundation CEO Lorraine Heggessey said Meghan will focus on issues...

A move to another country comes with all sorts of adjustments, and in Meghan Markle's case, that includes learning to drive all over again. Since the California-born actress previously learned the skill in America, she only knows how to drive on the right side of the road. But now that she resides in England, she has to learn again, but this time on the opposite left side. Luckily, she has the best instructor — Prince Harry is teaching his bride-to-be! Perhaps even more tricky, Meghan is also learning on a manual car instead of the usual automatic she's used to driving in the Us and Canada. According to an insider, the 36-year-old has been spotted inside the Kensington Palace grounds practicing her new driving techniques, and she is "keen to drive herself around in the future," the Daily Mail reported. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) According to the source, Meghan will...

Channel 4 is to reignite its investment in British production companies after bringing in the former boss of ITV-owned producer The Garden. Nick Curwin, who co-founded the firm, which produces long-running hit 24 Hours In A&E, has joined C4's Indie Growth Fund Advisory Board. Curtin will work alongside Lorraine Heggessey and Channel 4's executive team, which is now headed up by recently installed Chief Executive Alex Mahon. Curwin, who stepped down from The Garden earlier…...

Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry have given $2.7 million (£2 million) to back a new digital initiative that will help improve people’s mental health.

It is the next step in their ongoing campaign to tackle the challenges and “smash the stigma” about talking publicly about people’s problems.

The money from the Royal Foundation will establish a “start-up for digital mental health innovation,” intended to give members of the public the tools to find help and information when they most need it.

The announcement came as William found out how the royals’ Heads Together campaign had started having an impact.

The palace is going through some changes!

Just one day after it was confirmed that Princess Kate is losing her right-hand woman Rebecca Deacon this summer, the royals have announced that there’s a new woman at the helm of their most important organization.

The office of Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry has announced that a broadcaster is to head up The Royal Foundation. Lorraine Hecggessey will take over in April from Nick Booth, who was chief executive from the start of the organization in 2009.

The foundation focuses on what the royals call the “key issues that need support,...

Other winners include 20,000 Days on Earth.

Oscar-nominated Virunga was one of the top winners at this year’s Grierson Awards, taking home Best Cinema Documentary.

The film, which was also nominated for a BAFTA at the beginning of this year, covers the fight between business interests, rebel groups, and rangers over the Congolese home of the world’s only remaining mountain gorillas.

Elsewhere at the awards, Grayson Perry received Documentary Presenter of the Year for his Channel 4 show, Who Are You?

Repeating its success from last year, Channel 4 won a total of five awards out of the 12 available, including Best Documentary Series and Best Entertaining Documentary.

As previously reported, Kim Longinotto was presented with the Grierson Trustees’ Award for achievement in the world of factual film.

Lorraine Heggessey, Chairman of the Grierson Trust said about the winners: “Once again our winning films demonstrate the vibrant, exciting and innovative ways in which the UK documentary industry...

Documentary filmmaker places a focus on the lives of women across the globe

Kim Longinotto has been named the 2015 recipient of the BBC Grierson Trustees’ Award.

The documentary filmmaker is known for titles including Sisters In Law, which won the Cicea award at Cannes in 2005, Pink Saris and latest release Dreamcatcher, which won the Directing Award at Sundance in January.

Announcing the award, a statement from The Grierson Trust described Longinotto as: “the creator of numerous groundbreaking films which focus on and explore the lives of women across the globe,. Throughout her career she has consistently given voice to those who have no voice living in some of the world’s most repressive and hostile societies.

Previous winners of the honour include John Battsek, Kevin Macdonald, Alex Graham, John Pilger, Penny Woolcock, Norma Percy, Paul Watson, Mike Salisbury, Nick Fraser, Jonathan Gili, Molly Dineen and Sir David Attenborough.

Grierson Trust chairman Lorraine Heggessey said: “Kim is a filmmaker...

Patrick Spence, executive producer of smash hit Fortitude is the latest speaker to join the impressive line-up at the Creative Summit 2015.

The Creative Summit will take place on 2 June at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London part of Creative Week.

The Creative Summit will examine how creativity has the power to build prolific brands and world class businesses. The summit sees industry visionaries discuss the impact creativity has on translating big ideas into legendary content, cultures and businesses.

Renowned innovators including Jonathan Sehring, producer of the multi award-winning film Boyhood, Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the Arts Council England and Sir John Hegarty, founder and creative director of Bbh will discuss topics including how creativity is key to building great brands and businesses, investment in London’s Soho and why risk taking is still necessary to create truly innovative content.

Joining them at the summit are executive producer of The X Factor, Mark Sidaway and Strictly Come Dancing director [link=nm...

Documentary awards took place last night [Nov 3] at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Particle Fever and Cutie and the Boxer were among the film winners at last night’s Grierson Awards, held in association with Sky Atlantic and Shell.

Mark Levinson’s Particle Fever, about the quest for find the Higgs boson, won the Satusfaction Best Science or Natural History Documentary and was praised as a “stunning piece of work” by the jury, while Zachary Heinzerling’s Cutie and the Boxer scooped the Bertha Dochouse Best Cinema Documentary award with the jury calling it a “true gem”.

The big winner on the night was Channel 4 as it took a record eight of the 13 award available, including two wins for Education Yorkshire for Envy Best Documentary Series Award and Radio Times Reader’s Choice Award.

Peter Aker’s Sing Your Heart Out received the Sky Atlantic Best Student Documentary, while former Wall To Wall chief executive Alex Graham was awarded...

Documentary awards took place last night [Nov 3] at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Particle Fever and Cutie and the Boxer were among the film winners at last night’s Grierson Awards, held in association with Sky Atlantic and Shell.

Mark Levinson’s Particle Fever, about the quest for find the Higgs boson, won the Satusfaction Best Science or Natural History Documentary and was praised as a “stunning piece of work” by the jury, while Zachary Heinzerling’s Cutie and the Boxer scooped the Bertha Dochouse Best Cinema Documentary award with the jury calling it a “true gem”.

The big winner on the night was Channel 4 as it took a record eight of the 13 award available, including two wins for Education Yorkshire for Envy Best Documentary Series Award and Radio Times Reader’s Choice Award.

Peter Aker’s Sing Your Heart Out received the Sky Atlantic Best Student Documentary, while former Wall To Wall chief executive Alex Graham was awarded...

London – Plymouth-based indie production giant TwoFour is merging with former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey and Huw Eurig Davies' year-old production venture Boom Pictures in Cardiff. The merger will create what the duo claim will be a "major new nations and regions player" in indie media production. The deal sees Twofour Group’s global business -- comprising Twofour Broadcast, Twofour Rights and Twofour Digital -- joining Boom Pictures, with its senior executives taking key roles in the enlarged Boom Pictures group. This merger fuels the growth of Boom Pictures in line with plans set out by co-founders Heggessey and

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London - British independent TV production firm Boom Pictures has agreed to back the new indie drama banner announced by departing ITV drama experts Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes, who have been responsible for such hit shows as Downton Abbey. Mackie, currently ITV’s director of drama, and Haynes, ITV’s controller of drama, announced their midyear departure and their new venture earlier this month. Photos: 'Downton Abbey' Season 3 Premiere Party On Wednesday, they unveiled the name of their new indie production firm - MainStreet Pictures - and the Boom Pictures backing. The deal reunites Mackie and Haynes with Lorraine Heggessey, executive chair of

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British independent production company Boom Pictures will back Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes’ new drama shingle, which is to be called MainStreet Pictures. The ITV executives, who are responsible for getting Downton Abbey on the air, announced last week that they were leaving the network to set up their own indie. MainStreet will launch in July as part of the Boom Pictures stable of companies which also includes TV producers Boomerang, Apollo and Delightful Industries, post-production outfit Gorilla, talent agency Harlequin and documentary producer Indus Films. Former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey is Boom’s executive chair with whom Mackie and Haynes worked at the BBC prior to their seven-year run at ITV. Most recently at ITV, the duo commissioned series Appropriate Adult, Mr Selfridge and Broadchurch, which was acquired by BBC America earlier this month. MainStreet will operate from Boom’s London offices.

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, FremantleMedia North America President, and ITV director of comedy and entertainment Elaine Bedell have emerged as candidates for the job of Talkback Thames CEO. Bedell enjoys the reputation of being a toughie. At ITV she has been in charge of Talkback cash-cows The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. Yet, it’s the drama side that needs building up now that ITV has cancelled its long-running soap banker The Bill. That show contributes 40% of Talkback’s profits. Its cancellation was the reason why Talkback chairman Tony Cohen fired CEO Lorraine Heggessey last week. Simon Cowell and Sony hoover up 70% [...]...

London -- In a shock move that has prompted speculation about the future of the Rtl-owned indie production company Talkback Thames, its chief executive Lorraine Heggessey quit Tuesday.

Talkback declined comment beyond saying that chief operating officer Sarah Geater will take over the CEO position on an interim basis, reporting to Fremantle Media chief executive Tony Cohen.

Heggessey, a highly respected former controller of BBC1 who has been chief executive of Talkback Thames for five years, had been thought of as a possible candidate to take over either Channel 4 or ITV when their CEO positions became available last year.

Although she did not surface among the final candidates, she remains highly thought of, having overseen such blockbuster shows as "The Apprentice," "The X Factor," and Britain's Got Talent," as well as dramas including "Gideon's Daughter." Last year ITV cancelled Talkback's longest-running show, the police procedural drama "The Bill."

At...

Lorraine Heggessey, CEO of the TV company which makes The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent over here, is leaving after five years in the job. Heggessey, who was controller of BBC1 before becoming CEO of Talkback Thames in 2005, will be replaced by Sara Geater, currently the COO, for the time being. At Talkback, Heggessey has been responsible for overseeing Simon Cowell’s talent show juggernauts. However, she didn't originate the shows -- they were invented by Cowell -- and Talkback has not come up with any other big new franchises. Also, ITV has cancelled Talkback's long-running police soap opera [...]...

ITV has signalled that it is looking for a new creative leader to run in-house production arm ITV Studios. Lorraine Heggessey, CEO of production company Talkback Thames, and Channel 4 television director Kevin Lygo are two names being talked about. Current ITV Studios boss Lee Bartlett is expected to be moved sideways. What to do about ITV Studios will be right at the top of incoming CEO Adam Crozier’s in-tray when he starts work this morning. His predecessor Michael Grade trumpeted that he wanted ITV Studios to provide three quarters of all ITV’s programming. By law independent producers must supply the rest. [...]...

London -- Channel 4 has named UKTV chief executive and former Discovery Europe head of networks David Abraham to be its new chief executive.

The appointment comes from a shortlist thought to include Channel 4's director of programming Kevin Lygo, former BBC2 controller Jane Root and Talkback Thames chief executive Lorraine Heggessey.

Abraham -- who has successfully re-branded such UKTV channels as Dave, Blighty, Alibi and Yesterday since joining the BBC/Virgin Media library channel joint venture in 2007 -- is a surprise choice to lead the government-owned broadcaster, since he lacks both the public service programming credentials and production and commissioning background that a number of the other candidates had.

But he was described as "outstanding" by incoming Channel 4 chairman Terry Burns, who said Abraham -- who comes from an advertising background -- was a talented creative and commercial manager.

"David is a rare commodity as a broadcaster in that he...

Last night’s star studded X Factor final pulled in a record 19.1 million viewers for ITV.

At it’s peak the show took 62 per cent of the TV audience, a massive rise from last year’s final which was won by Alexandra Burke achieved only 14.6 million.

The show, which featured performances by Paul McCartney and George Michael, fell slightly short of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent final, which peaked at 19.2 million back in May.

Lorraine Heggessey, CEO of talkbackTHAMES, said: “It has been exhilarating season for The X Factor and The Xtra Factor as the production team have raised the bar yet again.

“We’ve had our highest ever ratings, which is incredible for a show in its sixth series, proving that viewers appreciate the investment in the show and want programmes that become a big event.

Peter Fincham, ITV director of television, channels and online, said: “The...

'What really buys you freedom is being successful. So long as you deliver, they leave you alone'

For someone best known for Shooting the Past, a television drama apparently so slow and un-televisual that BBC executives begged him to speed it up, Stephen Poliakoff is a very fast talker. Sentences tumble into one another, thoughts jerkily digress, regroup and change their angle of attack. Ideas flit in and out of focus as all the while a plastic drinking straw is furiously twiddled between his fingers. Outlining details of his latest venture, Glorious 39, his first feature film for 12 years, Poliakoff makes glancing references to George W Bush, Bulldog Drummond, the history of the wire tap and Norfolk's evergreen oaks in expressing his fascination and horror at the aristocratic and establishment appeasers who, in the run-up to the second world war, mounted a desperate last effort to do a deal with...

Cannes -- Unseasonably good weather saw temperatures soaring to 86 degrees on the first day at MIPCOM on Monday, boosting the mood as buyers and sellers thronged to the balconies and terraces and business got off to a heady start.

Despite noticeably fewer attendees and areas in the far reaches of the Palais des Festivals where booth space remained unsold, business appeared to be brisk as buyers and sellers sat down to figure a way through a time when many are still finding the going tough.

"There are tough markets around the world, but those are the places where we are trying to work things out," said Ben Pyne, president of global distribution at Disney-abc Worldwide Television. "We're developing relationships that go to a different level, and it's all about problem solving.

Disney said its sci-fi drama "FlashForward" has sold to more than 100 territories, making it its fastest-growing hit to date.

London – Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan announced his resignation Wednesday morning, following a board meeting in which he told Channel 4 bosses that he would leave the broadcaster before the year-end.

The move brings to an end Duncan's five-year tenure atop the broadcaster behind such shows as "Death of a President" and multi Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire," and marks a likely end to merger talks between Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide that had been under discussion for almost a year.

It also mean that Channel 4 will be without a chairman and a chief executive by the end of the year, when current chairman Luke Johnson steps down, with speculation that ITV director of channels Peter Fincham, Talkback Thames chief executive Lorraine Heggessey, Channel 4 director of programs Kevin Lygo and BBC director of vision Jana Bennett could all pitch for the CEO job.

Duncan, who said that under his watch Channel 4 had "punched...

One of the stumbling blocks that seemingly is keeping star David Tennant from committing more long-term to "Doctor Who" is the fact that he wants to not just to stage work, but some films as well. To help accommodate that, BBC is geared up to make Tennant's wishes come true as they are now negotiating with the 10th Doctor for what is being said is a film version of the hit British series. "For ages, BBC Worldwide held the rights and were planning to make a movie, but it got held up and former BBC One boss Lorraine Heggessey decided to bring back the TV series in 2005," a source told The Telegraph. "But everyone is keen now, and the fans are clamoring. Part of David's conundrum is that he wants to do films, so this looks like it would solve both issues." Right now, Tennant is only committed ...

The Sun in the UK is reporting today that David Tennant’s negotiations to return for a fifth season as Doctor Who may include a guarantee that he star in the much-rumored feature film. The contract being dangled before the 37-year old actor is reported to be worth £1.5 million.

An unnamed source told the tabloid, “For ages, BBC Worldwide held the rights and were planning to make a movie, but it got held up and former BBC1 boss Lorraine Heggessey decided to bring back the TV series in 2005.

“But everyone is keen now and the fans are clamoring. Part of David’s conundrum is that he wants to do films, so this looks like it would solve both issues.”

Peter Cushing in 1965 and Paul McGann in 1996 both starred as the Doctor in previous film versions. Tennant is already committed to four specials and a Christmas story for airing in 2009.

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- The future of ITV, the cult of celebrity-driven television and the challenge of managing program rights in an on-demand world topped the agenda at this year's Edinburgh International Television Festival. British program makers, producers and policy executives gathered at the three-day annual pilgrimage in Scotland's capital for a whirlwind series of speeches, panels and parties -- the outcome of which likely will set the programming industry's agenda for the next 12 months. At a gathering at least as important for the mingling opportunities in corridors and late-night drinking spots as it is for keynote speech-making, jeans-clad secretary of state for culture Tessa Jowell rubbed shoulders with former BBC director general Greg Dyke, now chairman of preschool kids group HIT Entertainment, while a series of execs including Five channel program head Dan Chambers and Talkback Thames chief executive Lorraine Heggessey took to the conference stage for a one-off executive version of the hit BBC and ABC format "Strictly Come Dancing".

LONDON -- Daisy Goodwin, the independent producer responsible for such reality hits as The Apprentice, Jamie's School Dinners and How Clean is Your House, is leaving Fremantle-owned Talkback Thames after seven years, it was announced Wednesday. Goodwin, who will not renew her contract with the production house when it expires next month, did not announce other plans. The move comes after a period of change at one of the U.K.'s most successful independent production houses, which has seen former BBC1 chief Lorraine Heggessey take over from Talkback chief executive Peter Fincham, who has since moved to the BBC to replace Heggessey at BBC1.

LONDON -- Unveiling her valedictory BBC1 program launch before quitting the pubcaster to take up the post of chief executive of independent producer Talkback Thames, BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey said Tuesdaythat the network will focus programming in the spring/summer season on the theme of Africa. The season has been timed to coincide with July's Africa-focused G8 conference hosted by Tony Blair, as well as the 20th anniversary of charity rock concert Live Aid. In something of a departure from traditional season programming, Heggessey said BBC1 has created new plot lines in existing dramas as well as commissioned new programming around the theme of a vibrant, regenerating continent away from the images of poverty and starvation that are prevalent in the media.

LONDON -- BBC drama head Jane Tranter is shaping up as the top candidate for the job of BBC One controller, sources close to the process said Tuesday. The speculation comes after Lorraine Heggessey's announcement last month that she would exit the post to take the chief executive job at independent production company Talkback Thames (HR 2/15). While other candidates said to be favored include Flextech chief executive Lisa Opie, Channel 4 program head Kevin Lygo and Sky Networks deputy managing director Sophie Turner Laing, Tranter is viewed as the candidate who would be the "safest pair of hands," insiders said. "The BBC aren't really going to take a big risk -- you have to be fairly bulletproof to be given BBC One," one insider said. "Jane's done a fabulous job with drama and would be the natural internal choice."...

LONDON -- Lorraine Heggessey is leaving her job as controller of BBC1 to become CEO of TalkBackThames, the drama and entertainment production arm of FremantleMedia, the organizations said Monday. Heggessey, who has been in the BBC position for five years, will succeed Peter Fincham, who said in January that he would leave TalkBack after 20 years with the company. Reporting to FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen, Heggessey will join the company later this year to oversee TalkBack's full range of U.K. production, which includes such shows as The Bill, The X Factor, Green Wing, The Lost Prince and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. "I feel I am ready for a new challenge," Heggessey said in a statement. "I have had a wonderful time at BBC1 working with some of the best talent both in front of and behind the camera, but with the terms of trade putting independent producers in greater control of their rights, this is an exciting time to move into the U.K.'s independent sector."...

LONDON -- BBC2 controller Roly Keating was in police hiding Sunday night after receiving death threats following the BBC's decision to air controversial stage show Jerry Springer -- The Opera, sources said Sunday. Keating is one of a number of BBC executives to have received police protection after details of their home addresses and phone numbers were published by the Christian Voice organization on its Web site. BBC reps said they would not comment on "issues relating to personal security" but sources confirmed that Keating, his wife and their three children had been moved from their North London home after receiving abusive phone calls and personal threats. Other BBC execs thought to have been assigned police protection included director of television Jana Bennett and BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey.

LONDON -- BBC1 will head its winter lineup with disaster drama Supervolcano, a £3 million ($5.8 million) project that looks at the catastrophic U.S. and global scenario that would unfold should the 50-mile deep supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park erupt, channel head Lorraine Heggessey said Wednesday. The program, a co-production with Discovery, ProSieben, NHK Japan and Italy's Mediaset, encompasses the run-up to the eruption and the 10 days after the volcano explodes and uses CGI technology to re-create a pyroclastic cloud with a 100-mile fallout radius. The volcano has erupted every 600,000 years, scientists believe, but 640,000 years have elapsed since its last eruption, making the next disaster well overdue.

LONDON -- The BBC on Tuesday rolled out a £221 million ($403 million) fall schedule for its flagship channel BBC1, a slate driven by fact-based drama and natural history offerings. Fact-based drama is heralded by Dirty War, a co-production with HBO that details a hypothetical radiological attack on London and the ensuing disaster. Based on real scenarios prepared by the U.K. government and emergency planners in the wake of 9/11 and this year's Madrid bombings, Dirty War also meets a challenge from the BBC governors under the new chairman Michael Grade to make BBC's current affairs programs "more topical," BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey said at the launch.

LONDON -- A focus on children in state-supported homes and on dramas with social and political arguments marks BBC1's £177 million ($305.7 million) winter schedule -- up £3 million ($5.2 million) from last year, BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey said Wednesday. BBC television, radio and online will carry the Taking Care theme about the underprivileged children, and BBC1 will air documentaries and feature related story lines in its dramas Casualty, Doctors and Neighbours. "The reality is that children who have been in care are more likely to be homeless, to be drug addicts and to end up in prison," Heggessey said. "Why should that be, just because they've been in care? We might as well brand them."...

LONDON -- The BBC is set to make a new series from the worldwide cult science fiction show Doctor Who. The title role is yet to be cast. BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey said Friday that a rights issue over the title had been resolved and that she has greenlighted scripts from Russell T. Davies, whose credits include Queer as Folk and Bob and Rose. "It is far too early in the day to discuss possible story lines, characters, villains or who might play the Time Lord -- it is unlikely anything will be on the screen for at least two years," Heggessey said in a statement. No decisions have been made regarding budget or the number of episodes, she said, but it will be a family show.

Announcing BBC1's £270 million ($423 million) spring/summer schedule highlights, controller Lorraine Heggessey on Tuesday pledged that the pubcaster's flagship channel would be at the forefront of domestic and international coverage of unfolding events in the Gulf. Speaking at a news conference in London, Heggessey said she is in hourly contact with BBC news and current affairs heads and is prepared to make last-minute schedule changes to keep up with breaking news. "I would prefer not to be announcing this new schedule at a time when the country is on the brink of war," she said. "Our news and current affairs teams are on notice to provide specials and extra coverage at short notice, and (if fighting begins) we will be adding extra bulletins at 8 and 9 p.m. (in addition to half-hour news shows at 6 and 10 p.m.)."...

Steven Spielberg's war epic Band Of Brothers will be broadcast on alternative British channel BBC2 because its too "niche." TV controllers at British Broadcasting Corporation decided not to show it on mainstream channel BBC1, despite being the most expensive television drama ever made - it cost $104 million - and its famous cast of Tom Hanks, David Schwimmer and Donnie Wahlberg. The World War II movie, written by Hanks and author Steven Ambrose, was originally bought by Peter Salmon, the predecessor of current BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey, for $9.1 million. Speaking on Tuesday, Heggessey explained, "It's relatively niche and I'm running a mainstream channel. We felt it would be better suited to BBC2." The miniseries will run on pay cable channel HBO in the U.S.