Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Peacock has handed a straight-to-series order to romantic dramedy The Miniature Wife, starring and executive produced by Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), from Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res.
Created and executive produced by Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, who also serve as showrunners, The Miniature Wife was taken out to premium buyers at the start of the year. It attracted interest from multiple streamers, ultimately landing at Peacock with a series order.
Based on the short story written by Manuel Gonzalez, The Miniature Wife is a high-concept marital dramedy examining the power (im)balances between spouses, Lindy (Banks) and Les (Macfadyen), who battle each other for supremacy after a technological accident induces the ultimate relationship crisis.
Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer executive produce for Media Res.
A three-time Emmy nominee, Banks most recently starred opposite Zach Galifianakis...
Created and executive produced by Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, who also serve as showrunners, The Miniature Wife was taken out to premium buyers at the start of the year. It attracted interest from multiple streamers, ultimately landing at Peacock with a series order.
Based on the short story written by Manuel Gonzalez, The Miniature Wife is a high-concept marital dramedy examining the power (im)balances between spouses, Lindy (Banks) and Les (Macfadyen), who battle each other for supremacy after a technological accident induces the ultimate relationship crisis.
Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer executive produce for Media Res.
A three-time Emmy nominee, Banks most recently starred opposite Zach Galifianakis...
- 3/25/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Prepare for an exciting journey with Dave and Jenny Marrs as they return to Italy in the latest episode of “Fixer to Fabulous” titled “Italiano: Stone House Surprises.” Catch the action at 8:00 Pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, on HGTV.
In this installment, the dynamic duo faces unexpected construction challenges with the stone villa, raising concerns about meeting the looming July deadline. As two months have passed since their last visit, viewers can anticipate a rollercoaster of emotions as Dave and Jenny navigate the complexities of renovating this historic property.
Get ready for a captivating episode filled with surprises, setbacks, and the Marrs’ signature charm. Don’t miss “Italiano: Stone House Surprises” on HGTV at 8:00 Pm, where the Marrs continue their mission to turn dreams into reality, one renovation at a time.
Release Date & Time: 8:00 Pm Tuesday 19 March 2024 on HGTV
Fixer to Fabulous Italiano: Stone House Surprises Cast – Main...
In this installment, the dynamic duo faces unexpected construction challenges with the stone villa, raising concerns about meeting the looming July deadline. As two months have passed since their last visit, viewers can anticipate a rollercoaster of emotions as Dave and Jenny navigate the complexities of renovating this historic property.
Get ready for a captivating episode filled with surprises, setbacks, and the Marrs’ signature charm. Don’t miss “Italiano: Stone House Surprises” on HGTV at 8:00 Pm, where the Marrs continue their mission to turn dreams into reality, one renovation at a time.
Release Date & Time: 8:00 Pm Tuesday 19 March 2024 on HGTV
Fixer to Fabulous Italiano: Stone House Surprises Cast – Main...
- 3/12/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
As a former teaching colleague was very fond of saying: “You can’t make a pie out of sh*t”.
He was wrong and right. You can technically make all manner of things – up to and including pies – out of sh*t, but in the end, put any amount of sh*t in a pie and what you’ll end up with is a sh*t pie. Ingredients matter, is the point. Just ask Gordon Ramsay, or Minny Jackson from The Help.
The ingredients in the below movies and TV shows are the opposite of shit. They’re grade A, top drawer, high quality constituent parts… I really wish I hadn’t started this ‘shit’ thing. Does anybody else feel a bit queasy. And off pies?
Any road, we salute the actors below for being particularly excellent at their jobs this year, in some similarly excellent films and shows. Top work,...
He was wrong and right. You can technically make all manner of things – up to and including pies – out of sh*t, but in the end, put any amount of sh*t in a pie and what you’ll end up with is a sh*t pie. Ingredients matter, is the point. Just ask Gordon Ramsay, or Minny Jackson from The Help.
The ingredients in the below movies and TV shows are the opposite of shit. They’re grade A, top drawer, high quality constituent parts… I really wish I hadn’t started this ‘shit’ thing. Does anybody else feel a bit queasy. And off pies?
Any road, we salute the actors below for being particularly excellent at their jobs this year, in some similarly excellent films and shows. Top work,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
BritBox has risen to 3.4 million global users total, which is reasonably successful for a streaming platform with such niche content.
Fancy an episode of the British version of “The Office”? What about a marathon of classic “Doctor Who” episodes before watching the latest entries in the series on Disney+? BritBox is one of the top platforms for streaming British television available, and this week it announced it had grown to over 3.4 million global users.
The new BritBox subscriber total means the streamer has added 400,000 net users since February. BritBox also announced a licensing agreement to stream the BBC series “Blue Lights.” Top stories from the year for BritBox include a price increase, as well as a copyright infringement lawsuit from Dish. 7-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month BritBox.com How Many New Users Does BritBox Have?
The subscriber update from BritBox means that the service has added 400,000 new customers since the last...
Fancy an episode of the British version of “The Office”? What about a marathon of classic “Doctor Who” episodes before watching the latest entries in the series on Disney+? BritBox is one of the top platforms for streaming British television available, and this week it announced it had grown to over 3.4 million global users.
The new BritBox subscriber total means the streamer has added 400,000 net users since February. BritBox also announced a licensing agreement to stream the BBC series “Blue Lights.” Top stories from the year for BritBox include a price increase, as well as a copyright infringement lawsuit from Dish. 7-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month BritBox.com How Many New Users Does BritBox Have?
The subscriber update from BritBox means that the service has added 400,000 new customers since the last...
- 11/30/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Exclusive: Jon S. Baird, the Scottish filmmaker known for his work on Tetris and Stan & Ollie, has signed with Range Media Partners.
Baird’s most recent feature, the true-life thriller Tetris, earned him a nomination for Best Director – Fiction at the upcoming 2023 BAFTA Scotland Awards, after world premiering at SXSW. The Apple TV+ pic tells the story of Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton), a video game enthusiast turned entrepreneur, who stumbles upon a little-known title called Tetris at a tech expo and becomes embroiled in a high-stakes battle for its rights, facing off against rival companies, the Kgb, and even Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Baird previously directed Stan & Ollie, a feature about comedy legends Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Hardy (John C. Reilly), for eOne and BBC Films, which was nominated for Outstanding British Film of the Year at the BAFTA Film Awards. The filmmaker also with that title secured...
Baird’s most recent feature, the true-life thriller Tetris, earned him a nomination for Best Director – Fiction at the upcoming 2023 BAFTA Scotland Awards, after world premiering at SXSW. The Apple TV+ pic tells the story of Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton), a video game enthusiast turned entrepreneur, who stumbles upon a little-known title called Tetris at a tech expo and becomes embroiled in a high-stakes battle for its rights, facing off against rival companies, the Kgb, and even Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Baird previously directed Stan & Ollie, a feature about comedy legends Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Hardy (John C. Reilly), for eOne and BBC Films, which was nominated for Outstanding British Film of the Year at the BAFTA Film Awards. The filmmaker also with that title secured...
- 10/26/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
No Spaced. No The League of Gentlemen. No Smack the Pony or Goodness Gracious Me or The Royle Family or Brass Eye, or Red Dwarf or Father Ted or anything that belongs to the last century (side note: the late 90s were an incredible time for UK comedy). These are the 40 finest British comedy TV shows that have arrived since the year 2000, as nominated by our writers. Add in your favourites below, and it’s a party.
What’s cheering about this lot, apart from the fact that as comedies, they should all technically cheer us up, is how different they are. There’s the surreal chaos of Year of the Rabbit, and the sweet warmth of Lovesick, the Pythonesque bonkersness of Yonderland, the satirical might of The Thick of It and much more. Something for everyone, you might say.
And to make sure there was enough space to include a wide enough selection,...
What’s cheering about this lot, apart from the fact that as comedies, they should all technically cheer us up, is how different they are. There’s the surreal chaos of Year of the Rabbit, and the sweet warmth of Lovesick, the Pythonesque bonkersness of Yonderland, the satirical might of The Thick of It and much more. Something for everyone, you might say.
And to make sure there was enough space to include a wide enough selection,...
- 9/1/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Stonehouse, Britbox’s newest TV drama, is about the disgraced life and bizarre fake death of John Stonehouse, a 1970’s Labor British politician.
Emer Heatley, who plays Stonehouse’s mistress Sheila Buckley, sat down with uInterview’s founder Erik Meers to discuss what it’s like to play an unsympathetic character.
“There are definitely parts where you think ‘how could she possibly do that,’ but there are also moments where you see that there’s a real, genuine love and affection that she has for John to stick with him throughout all of this chaos,” Heatley said. “So I suppose that’s what really helped me as an actor to show how much she kind of loves him, and that’s what drives her to do all of these slightly crazy things.”
Heatley also revealed what working with Matthew Macfayden and Keely Hawes was like.
“Being with them on set,...
Emer Heatley, who plays Stonehouse’s mistress Sheila Buckley, sat down with uInterview’s founder Erik Meers to discuss what it’s like to play an unsympathetic character.
“There are definitely parts where you think ‘how could she possibly do that,’ but there are also moments where you see that there’s a real, genuine love and affection that she has for John to stick with him throughout all of this chaos,” Heatley said. “So I suppose that’s what really helped me as an actor to show how much she kind of loves him, and that’s what drives her to do all of these slightly crazy things.”
Heatley also revealed what working with Matthew Macfayden and Keely Hawes was like.
“Being with them on set,...
- 8/23/2023
- by Hailey Schipper
- Uinterview
There’s a British invasion happening at Comcast! British-specialty streaming service BritBox has signed a multi-year with Comcast that will make the platform available in 20 million households in the United States via Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, and Xumo TV.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99 / month via Amazon Prime Video
Xfinity subscribers will be able to add BritBox to their subscription plans at $7.99 per month, or $79.99 per year, the same as other markets, including Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Roku. However, the benefit of signing up through Comcast is that the subscription will be included in the customers’ cable and internet bills.
“BritBox is a great addition to our entertainment platforms…all seamlessly integrated in one experience alongside their other entertainment,” Comcast VP Sudhir Muralidhar said.
The BBC Studios and ITV Studios streamer has had a strong start since its U.S. launch in 2017, reaching 3 million global subscribers in the U.S., United Kingdom,...
7-Day Free Trial $7.99 / month via Amazon Prime Video
Xfinity subscribers will be able to add BritBox to their subscription plans at $7.99 per month, or $79.99 per year, the same as other markets, including Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Roku. However, the benefit of signing up through Comcast is that the subscription will be included in the customers’ cable and internet bills.
“BritBox is a great addition to our entertainment platforms…all seamlessly integrated in one experience alongside their other entertainment,” Comcast VP Sudhir Muralidhar said.
The BBC Studios and ITV Studios streamer has had a strong start since its U.S. launch in 2017, reaching 3 million global subscribers in the U.S., United Kingdom,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Bryan Cranston and Allison Janney have grabbed the lead roles in Everything’s Going to Be Great, which has started production in Toronto.
The Entertainment One and Astute Films project is being directed by Jon S. Baird and has a script from I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Jack Champion also appear in the pic about the Smart family moving from one state to the next, as they cope with loss and struggle with identity, all while performing in regional theater.
eOne is co-financing the project, with Jillian Share, Jen Gorton and Courtney L. Cunniff overseeing production, alongside Astute Films’ Fred Bernstein and Rick Jackson. Rogers is also producing alongside Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and executive producer Scott Morgan; all three previously teamed up on I, Tonya, for which Janney won an Oscar, and the miniseries Mike.
Also producing in Toronto is Alex Lalonde and executive producers...
The Entertainment One and Astute Films project is being directed by Jon S. Baird and has a script from I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Jack Champion also appear in the pic about the Smart family moving from one state to the next, as they cope with loss and struggle with identity, all while performing in regional theater.
eOne is co-financing the project, with Jillian Share, Jen Gorton and Courtney L. Cunniff overseeing production, alongside Astute Films’ Fred Bernstein and Rick Jackson. Rogers is also producing alongside Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and executive producer Scott Morgan; all three previously teamed up on I, Tonya, for which Janney won an Oscar, and the miniseries Mike.
Also producing in Toronto is Alex Lalonde and executive producers...
- 4/20/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After partnering with eOne on the BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated drama Stan & Ollie, director Jon S. Baird is reteaming with the studio on Everything’s Going to Be Great, a new film on which it’s partnered with Astute Films. Set to star in the pic, heading into production around the Toronto area tomorrow, are Bryan Cranston (Your Honor), Allison Janney (To Leslie), Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor) and Jack Champion (Avatar: The Way of Water).
The film penned by I, Tonya‘s Steven Rogers is billed as a valentine to big dreamers whose dreams won’t necessarily come true. It’s about individuality vs. conformity, fantasy vs. reality — but mostly, it’s about family. As the Smart family moves from one state to the next, they cope with loss and struggle with identity, all while performing in regional theater.
eOne is co-financing, with Jillian Share,...
The film penned by I, Tonya‘s Steven Rogers is billed as a valentine to big dreamers whose dreams won’t necessarily come true. It’s about individuality vs. conformity, fantasy vs. reality — but mostly, it’s about family. As the Smart family moves from one state to the next, they cope with loss and struggle with identity, all while performing in regional theater.
eOne is co-financing, with Jillian Share,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Tetris is a biographical film directed by Jon S. Baird, starring Taron Egerton and Toby Jones.
The story of Henk Rogers who developed a video game that was quite successful which maybe some of you remember: Tetris, a game so simple, exciting and addictive that “some of us” have played… a couple of quick games.
Excellent production and with a very intelligent script: good cinema.
Tetris (2023) Movie Review
Tetris takes everything it can get out of the history of the video-game, and also, with style and personality, knows how to bring out that “something more” that turns a good movie into an excellent movie.
First of all (and I will end up being right after repeating it so much): with a good script, things go better. This one has an excellent script, good dialogue and a solid structure. Moreover, it doesn’t limit itself to developing mechanically, it knows how to stamp humour and,...
The story of Henk Rogers who developed a video game that was quite successful which maybe some of you remember: Tetris, a game so simple, exciting and addictive that “some of us” have played… a couple of quick games.
Excellent production and with a very intelligent script: good cinema.
Tetris (2023) Movie Review
Tetris takes everything it can get out of the history of the video-game, and also, with style and personality, knows how to bring out that “something more” that turns a good movie into an excellent movie.
First of all (and I will end up being right after repeating it so much): with a good script, things go better. This one has an excellent script, good dialogue and a solid structure. Moreover, it doesn’t limit itself to developing mechanically, it knows how to stamp humour and,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
After spending the last few years primarily playing the superbly monikered Tom Wambsgans on Succession, you might think Matthew Macfadyen would want to appear in something where rivals don't trade rude insults. Yet as one of his first post-show projects, he's joining the cast of Deadpool 3.
According to Deadline, Macfadyen is the latest recruit to the movie, which would mark Deadpool's first appearance in the MCU and features the return of Ryan Reynolds as the title character. He'll be joined by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Emma Corrin as a currently unknown character who is reportedly a villain.
Macfadyen's character is similarly mysterious for now, but we're already anticipating whatever he gets up to in the film, which Shawn Levy is preparing to direct.
Though he's now even more free following the announcement that the latest season of Succession will be its last, the actor has always found...
According to Deadline, Macfadyen is the latest recruit to the movie, which would mark Deadpool's first appearance in the MCU and features the return of Ryan Reynolds as the title character. He'll be joined by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Emma Corrin as a currently unknown character who is reportedly a villain.
Macfadyen's character is similarly mysterious for now, but we're already anticipating whatever he gets up to in the film, which Shawn Levy is preparing to direct.
Though he's now even more free following the announcement that the latest season of Succession will be its last, the actor has always found...
- 3/28/2023
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
Exclusive: With the final season of his hit HBO series Succession premiering Sunday, Matthew Macfadyen looks to have found his follow-up project as sources tell Deadline the Emmy winner is the latest addition to Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3. Ryan Reynolds is returning to star, with Hugh Jackman and The Crown‘s Emma Corrin also on board. It is unknown who Macfadyen will be playing.
Related Story Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman Answer All Your Wolverine Questions! Or Not… Related Story 'Succession' Soars To Series High Audience Of 2.3M For Final Season Premiere Related Story 'Succession' Season 4 Premiere: Nicholas Braun On A "Big" & "More Bold" Final Season For Greg
Shawn Levy is on board to direct, with Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese returning to pen the script. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin wrote a previous draft. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will join Reynolds and Levy as producers.
This will mark the first...
Related Story Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman Answer All Your Wolverine Questions! Or Not… Related Story 'Succession' Soars To Series High Audience Of 2.3M For Final Season Premiere Related Story 'Succession' Season 4 Premiere: Nicholas Braun On A "Big" & "More Bold" Final Season For Greg
Shawn Levy is on board to direct, with Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese returning to pen the script. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin wrote a previous draft. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will join Reynolds and Levy as producers.
This will mark the first...
- 3/28/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Plot: Based on the New York Times best-selling book written by Ben Macintyre, this six-episode limited series dramatizes the true story of two British spies and lifelong friends, Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby. The latter became the most notorious British defector and Soviet double agent in history. Philby’s deeply personal betrayal, uncovered at the height of the Cold War, resulted in the gutting of British and American intelligence.
Review: The story of Kim Philby, one of the most notorious spies discovered during the Cold War, has been told many times over in both books and documentaries. While speculative stories and alternate histories abound, Philby’s tale has inspired John Le Carre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the Matt Damon film The Good Shepherd. While these stories and adaptations have been interesting, the true story is fascinating in its own right. The new limited series A Spy Among Friends...
Review: The story of Kim Philby, one of the most notorious spies discovered during the Cold War, has been told many times over in both books and documentaries. While speculative stories and alternate histories abound, Philby’s tale has inspired John Le Carre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the Matt Damon film The Good Shepherd. While these stories and adaptations have been interesting, the true story is fascinating in its own right. The new limited series A Spy Among Friends...
- 3/9/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Matthew Macfadyen is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in Pride & Predudice, Succession and Stonehouse.
Matthew MacFadyen Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Matthew Macfadyen was born on October 17, 1974 (Matthew Macfadyen: age 48) in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. His parents are Meinir and Martin Macfadyen, a drama teacher and an oil engineer respectively. He attended schools in England, Scotland and Indonesia before being accepted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London when he was 17. He finished his schooling in 1995 before taking to the British theatre.
Matthew MacFadyen Biography: Career
Macfadyen started his career on the stage with the company Cheek by Jowl where he had roles in The School for Scandal, Much Ado About Nothing and The Duchess of Malfi. He then went on to play roles in television, such as Hareton Earnshaw in a TV adaptation of Wuthering Heights (1998), Daniel Symon in Perfect Strangers (2001) and...
Matthew MacFadyen Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Matthew Macfadyen was born on October 17, 1974 (Matthew Macfadyen: age 48) in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. His parents are Meinir and Martin Macfadyen, a drama teacher and an oil engineer respectively. He attended schools in England, Scotland and Indonesia before being accepted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London when he was 17. He finished his schooling in 1995 before taking to the British theatre.
Matthew MacFadyen Biography: Career
Macfadyen started his career on the stage with the company Cheek by Jowl where he had roles in The School for Scandal, Much Ado About Nothing and The Duchess of Malfi. He then went on to play roles in television, such as Hareton Earnshaw in a TV adaptation of Wuthering Heights (1998), Daniel Symon in Perfect Strangers (2001) and...
- 3/8/2023
- by Hailey Schipper
- Uinterview
BritBox International has reached three million subscribers across its eight international markets, Variety can reveal.
The “best of British” streamer, which is backed internationally by BBC and ITV, has reached its latest milestone across the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
“Through what’s been a really challenging time for lots of SVODs, we’ve grown by 15% this year, which certainly exceeds that category growth for the U.S., and lots of our competitors in that set,” Reemah Sakaan, the London-based CEO of BritBox International, tells Variety.
BritBox last revealed subs of 2.6 million in March 2022, and prior to that, 2 million in July 2021 and 1 million in March 2020. In the last year, the service has launched in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, and struck new distribution partnerships with Amazon Prime Video and Apple channels across Australia.
The service’s most comparable rival in the U.S. is Acorn TV,...
The “best of British” streamer, which is backed internationally by BBC and ITV, has reached its latest milestone across the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
“Through what’s been a really challenging time for lots of SVODs, we’ve grown by 15% this year, which certainly exceeds that category growth for the U.S., and lots of our competitors in that set,” Reemah Sakaan, the London-based CEO of BritBox International, tells Variety.
BritBox last revealed subs of 2.6 million in March 2022, and prior to that, 2 million in July 2021 and 1 million in March 2020. In the last year, the service has launched in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, and struck new distribution partnerships with Amazon Prime Video and Apple channels across Australia.
The service’s most comparable rival in the U.S. is Acorn TV,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
As production gets underway for Netflix’s dalliance with the behind-the-scenes account of the ‘news interview of the decade’ with Prince Andrew, ‘Scoop,’ Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Rufus Sewell and Billie Piper have been added to the cast.
Based on former Newsnight Producer Sam McAlister’s memoir Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews.
The logline reads The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen’s ‘Favourite son’. From navigating Palace vetoes to breaking through to Prince Andrew’s inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and rehearsal intensity – to the jaw-dropping interview itself. Scoop is the insider account of the inner workings of the Palace and the BBC, twin bastions of the British Establishment, spotlighting the journalists whose tenacity and guts broke through...
Based on former Newsnight Producer Sam McAlister’s memoir Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews.
The logline reads The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen’s ‘Favourite son’. From navigating Palace vetoes to breaking through to Prince Andrew’s inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and rehearsal intensity – to the jaw-dropping interview itself. Scoop is the insider account of the inner workings of the Palace and the BBC, twin bastions of the British Establishment, spotlighting the journalists whose tenacity and guts broke through...
- 2/7/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen is the newest addition to the cast of the Hitchcockian thriller Holland, Michigan. The Prime Video film from director Mimi Cave (Fresh) will see him star opposite Nicole Kidman and Gael García Bernal.
While Holland, Michigan is said to concern secrets that lurk beneath a Midwestern town, specifics as to the plot of the film scripted by Andrew Sodroski are under wraps. Blossom Films’ Kidman and Per Saari are producing alongside Pacific View Management & Productions’ Peter Dealbert, and Churchill Films’ Kate Churchill. Pic will stream in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Macfadyen is best known for his Emmy- and BAFTA-winning role as Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s drama series Succession, which returns for its fourth season March 26. The actor also recently led the ITV and BritBox drama series Stonehouse, based on a true story, as well as AMC’s limited series Quiz. His most...
While Holland, Michigan is said to concern secrets that lurk beneath a Midwestern town, specifics as to the plot of the film scripted by Andrew Sodroski are under wraps. Blossom Films’ Kidman and Per Saari are producing alongside Pacific View Management & Productions’ Peter Dealbert, and Churchill Films’ Kate Churchill. Pic will stream in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Macfadyen is best known for his Emmy- and BAFTA-winning role as Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s drama series Succession, which returns for its fourth season March 26. The actor also recently led the ITV and BritBox drama series Stonehouse, based on a true story, as well as AMC’s limited series Quiz. His most...
- 2/6/2023
- by Matt Grobar and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Production spend in the UK high-end TV (Hetv) and film industries reached a record £6.3Bn (7.8Bn) in 2022, BFI statistics released today reveal.
This was up £1.8Bn on the figure recorded in the pre-pandemic 2019 and is £600M more than last year’s previous record of 5.6Bn.
Inwards investment accounted for 86 of the total (£5.4Bn) as international streamers and studios continue to invest in the UK’s film and TV production hubs. The BFI’s figures also reveal a welcome box office uptick of more than 50.
Hetv once again contributed most of the spend (£4.3Bn) – 69 of the 2022 total. Feature film production provided nearly £2Bn, a welcome increase of 27 of 2021’s figure, though independent filmmaking saw investment drop of 31 to £174M.
The Hetv numbers includes £938.8M from an increased number of ‘film’ productions made for streaming platforms.
Domestic Hetv production spend was £632.7M, 15 of total TV production spend, and 31 higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
This was up £1.8Bn on the figure recorded in the pre-pandemic 2019 and is £600M more than last year’s previous record of 5.6Bn.
Inwards investment accounted for 86 of the total (£5.4Bn) as international streamers and studios continue to invest in the UK’s film and TV production hubs. The BFI’s figures also reveal a welcome box office uptick of more than 50.
Hetv once again contributed most of the spend (£4.3Bn) – 69 of the 2022 total. Feature film production provided nearly £2Bn, a welcome increase of 27 of 2021’s figure, though independent filmmaking saw investment drop of 31 to £174M.
The Hetv numbers includes £938.8M from an increased number of ‘film’ productions made for streaming platforms.
Domestic Hetv production spend was £632.7M, 15 of total TV production spend, and 31 higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
- 2/2/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Stonehouse, the new true crime series debuting on BritBox, tells the bizarre story of John Stonehouse, a member of the British Parliament in the 1970s. Most true crime stories feature murder, but Stonehouse’s story is about a man whose desire for success, fame, and power turned him into a spy who faked his own death. It sounds serious, but Stonehouse is actually a hilarious story that has disturbing parallels to our modern politics. With a stellar cast of actors and top-notch creators, this is a unique three-episode limited series worth checking out (read our review).
I got the chance to discuss Stonehouse with the cast and creators of the series. Writer John Preston (A Very British Scandal) talked to me about the inspiration for the story and how he adapted it when the stars were cast. Director John S. Baird talked about the approach to telling this insane story...
I got the chance to discuss Stonehouse with the cast and creators of the series. Writer John Preston (A Very British Scandal) talked to me about the inspiration for the story and how he adapted it when the stars were cast. Director John S. Baird talked about the approach to telling this insane story...
- 1/19/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Stonehouse, a three-part drama, follows the true story of British politician John Stonehouse as he decides to fake his own death.
Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen, who plays John Stonehouse, and Kevin McNally, who plays Harold Wilson, recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss the parallels between Stonehouse and New York Rep. George Santos (R).
“That’s a really good example,” Macfadyen said. “He won’t resign. There’s a sort of implacable, demented optimism.”
“[Politics have] always been bad, but it hasn’t always been as bad as it is today,” McNally continued. “In both of our countries, I personally think, but it’s always been there. Power corrupts absolutely, and it seems to be something we have to live with. The very notion that someone wants to be a politician should probably disqualify you from being one!”
“I’d agree with that,” Macfadyen added. ” Even looking at Kevin McCarthy...
Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen, who plays John Stonehouse, and Kevin McNally, who plays Harold Wilson, recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss the parallels between Stonehouse and New York Rep. George Santos (R).
“That’s a really good example,” Macfadyen said. “He won’t resign. There’s a sort of implacable, demented optimism.”
“[Politics have] always been bad, but it hasn’t always been as bad as it is today,” McNally continued. “In both of our countries, I personally think, but it’s always been there. Power corrupts absolutely, and it seems to be something we have to live with. The very notion that someone wants to be a politician should probably disqualify you from being one!”
“I’d agree with that,” Macfadyen added. ” Even looking at Kevin McCarthy...
- 1/18/2023
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
Plot: A three-part drama, based on the extraordinary rise and fall of MP John Stonehouse. As a high-flying member of Harold Wilson’s Labour government and a seemingly devoted family man, Stonehouse’s perfect life spirals out of control in the early 1970s amid rumors of fraud and espionage.
Review: There is no shortage of true crime stories that can be adapted into television dramas, but it takes a unique tale that can make such a series funny. Murder and death don’t tend to work well in humorous adaptations, but when a bizarre series of events is so bafflingly strange and involves no one dying, it can appease many audiences. Coming from the United Kingdom, Stonehouse is a darkly hilarious true crime story that was big news in the 1970s but remained a relatively unknown curiosity in the States. This new three-part limited series adapts the exploits of John Stonehouse,...
Review: There is no shortage of true crime stories that can be adapted into television dramas, but it takes a unique tale that can make such a series funny. Murder and death don’t tend to work well in humorous adaptations, but when a bizarre series of events is so bafflingly strange and involves no one dying, it can appease many audiences. Coming from the United Kingdom, Stonehouse is a darkly hilarious true crime story that was big news in the 1970s but remained a relatively unknown curiosity in the States. This new three-part limited series adapts the exploits of John Stonehouse,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
The story of John Stonehouse may be little known stateside, but you almost wouldn’t believe the tale told in BritBox‘s three-part drama Stonehouse spins if it wasn’t based on true events. Following the rise and fall of MP John Stonehouse’s (Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen) career, the ’70s-set tale examines his climb up the political ladder as a member of Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s (Kevin R. McNally) cabinet through which he forges secret relationships not only with shifty figures in Prague but with his secretary Sheila Buckley (Emer Heatley). These secrets begin to pile up in unfathomable ways to the point where John just can’t take it anymore and he decides to fake his own disappearance by traveling to Miami and continuing on to Melbourne, Australia. Of course, not all will go according to plan. As part of the Labor Party, Macfadyen tells TV Insider,...
- 1/17/2023
- TV Insider
Diederick Santer, chief creative officer at streamer BritBox International, has stepped down from his role.
He joined just 18 months ago from Kudos with the mandate of curating a slate of top shows. Among the programs he has overseen are “Stonehouse,” which features “Succession’s” Matthew MacFadyen and is set to launch next week, and the upcoming Cary Grant biopic “Archie,” which stars Jason Isaacs.
Santer, who reported into BritBox CEO Reemah Sakaan, was also tasked with overseeing global programming, across all genres and international markets, including commissions and acquisitions, outside of the U.K.
According to Santer’s LinkedIn, he stepped down earlier this month, moving from his full-time creative role to a part-time executive role. Sources tell Variety that he is set to stay on at BritBox International to help executive produce and manage a handful of shows until the end of February.
Sakaan will step in to cover...
He joined just 18 months ago from Kudos with the mandate of curating a slate of top shows. Among the programs he has overseen are “Stonehouse,” which features “Succession’s” Matthew MacFadyen and is set to launch next week, and the upcoming Cary Grant biopic “Archie,” which stars Jason Isaacs.
Santer, who reported into BritBox CEO Reemah Sakaan, was also tasked with overseeing global programming, across all genres and international markets, including commissions and acquisitions, outside of the U.K.
According to Santer’s LinkedIn, he stepped down earlier this month, moving from his full-time creative role to a part-time executive role. Sources tell Variety that he is set to stay on at BritBox International to help executive produce and manage a handful of shows until the end of February.
Sakaan will step in to cover...
- 1/17/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re a fan of video games, you can hardly have been impressed by the current spate of television adaptations. From Paramount Plus’s anaemic Halo to Netflix’s short-lived and by-the-numbers Resident Evil, gamers have been served poorly by TV executives. So, when the news emerged that Craig Mazin, writer of the critically acclaimed Chernobyl mini-series, would be joining forces with Neil Druckmann, creator of one of the most revered games in the history of the format, well, expectations were tempered. So it is with a breezily unencumbered swagger that HBO’s epic reimagining of The Last of Us arrives this month on small screens.
Pedro Pascal is Joel, a taciturn veteran. It’s 2003: George W Bush smiles down from classroom walls and Joel’s truck sports an Operation Desert Storm bumper sticker. “Jakarta?,” Joel wonders, as rumours of a horrific infection reach American airwaves. “Where is that?...
Pedro Pascal is Joel, a taciturn veteran. It’s 2003: George W Bush smiles down from classroom walls and Joel’s truck sports an Operation Desert Storm bumper sticker. “Jakarta?,” Joel wonders, as rumours of a horrific infection reach American airwaves. “Where is that?...
- 1/10/2023
- by Nick Hilton
- The Independent - TV
Warning: this review contains spoilers for all three episodes of Stonehouse
At first glance, ITV drama Stonehouse has all the usual true crime trimmings: deceit, betrayal, untimely death, but it’s quickly apparent that this is not your average true crime drama.
The set and costume design gives a sizable early hint that this won’t be a particularly gritty story – instead of bleak and sinister it’s luxurious and rich with jewel tones – and rather than the usual ominous true crime soundtrack we get jaunty, spoofy spy music.
Indeed, you can imagine this music gleefully running through Labour MP Stonehouse’s head (a la Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove) when he’s recruited as a Czech spy in the opening scenes after being all-too-easily caught in a honey trap.
But in Matthew Macfadyen’s portrayal of the disgraced politician, intelligence (the secret agent kind or otherwise) is as lacking as subtlety,...
At first glance, ITV drama Stonehouse has all the usual true crime trimmings: deceit, betrayal, untimely death, but it’s quickly apparent that this is not your average true crime drama.
The set and costume design gives a sizable early hint that this won’t be a particularly gritty story – instead of bleak and sinister it’s luxurious and rich with jewel tones – and rather than the usual ominous true crime soundtrack we get jaunty, spoofy spy music.
Indeed, you can imagine this music gleefully running through Labour MP Stonehouse’s head (a la Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove) when he’s recruited as a Czech spy in the opening scenes after being all-too-easily caught in a honey trap.
But in Matthew Macfadyen’s portrayal of the disgraced politician, intelligence (the secret agent kind or otherwise) is as lacking as subtlety,...
- 1/6/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
Have British crime dramas been boiled down to a formula? Take a forbidding rural location, populate it with miserable, suspicious people, and explore some kind of tragic but enigmatic crime that took place years in the past. It’s a winning framework that has formed the basis of many of the UK’s best recent TV series – as well as a lot of generic dross. Channel 4’s bleak new addition to the genre, the Wales-set mystery The Light in the Hall (Welsh title Y Golau), feels closer to this latter category.
The story picks up 18 years after Ela, a teenager, suddenly went missing. A local gardener, Joe Thomas (played by Misfits and Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon), confessed to her murder at the time but was unable, or unwilling, to recall some details of the crime; a body was never found. In the first episode of The Light in the Hall,...
The story picks up 18 years after Ela, a teenager, suddenly went missing. A local gardener, Joe Thomas (played by Misfits and Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon), confessed to her murder at the time but was unable, or unwilling, to recall some details of the crime; a body was never found. In the first episode of The Light in the Hall,...
- 1/4/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
Netflix has released the first image of Lady Danbury in the forthcoming Bridgerton prequel series.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will give viewers an insight into the early stages of Charlotte’s marriage to King George and show her journey to becoming the most powerful woman in England.
Meanwhile, Agatha Danbury – played by Arsema Thomas – uses Charlotte’s growing profile as an opportunity to emerge as a star of the social scene in her own right, all while navigating her marriage to a significantly older man.
According to Netflix, Danbury is an early confidante of the Queen. The character description reads: “With keen knowledge of the once divided social scene and the intricacies of marriage, Agatha becomes a guiding light for the new Queen, all while finding her own voice and power.”
In the first look image of young Danbury, the character is dressed in fineries and in conversation with the Queen,...
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will give viewers an insight into the early stages of Charlotte’s marriage to King George and show her journey to becoming the most powerful woman in England.
Meanwhile, Agatha Danbury – played by Arsema Thomas – uses Charlotte’s growing profile as an opportunity to emerge as a star of the social scene in her own right, all while navigating her marriage to a significantly older man.
According to Netflix, Danbury is an early confidante of the Queen. The character description reads: “With keen knowledge of the once divided social scene and the intricacies of marriage, Agatha becomes a guiding light for the new Queen, all while finding her own voice and power.”
In the first look image of young Danbury, the character is dressed in fineries and in conversation with the Queen,...
- 1/2/2023
- by Nicole Vassell
- The Independent - TV
On 20 November, 1974, a man left his clothes in a neat pile on a Miami beach, walked into the sea, and never returned. Later that day, a waiter at a nearby hotel found the man’s clothes and the police were alerted. A search began, but the man could not be found. That man was John Stonehouse, Labour MP for Walsall North and a former Postmaster General in Harold Wilson’s government.
Stonehouse had been a rising star in Wilson’s government of 1964, with his sights set on high office. But things didn’t go as swimmingly as he’d hoped, and within a few years he was in financial ruin, his marriage was over, he had been questioned by MI5 on suspicion of being a spy for the Czech secret service, and he ended up faking his own death in Miami.
In the new ITV drama, Stonehouse, written by John Preston,...
Stonehouse had been a rising star in Wilson’s government of 1964, with his sights set on high office. But things didn’t go as swimmingly as he’d hoped, and within a few years he was in financial ruin, his marriage was over, he had been questioned by MI5 on suspicion of being a spy for the Czech secret service, and he ended up faking his own death in Miami.
In the new ITV drama, Stonehouse, written by John Preston,...
- 1/2/2023
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
Sometimes, an on-screen couple is simply that – actors convincing their audience of burning passion through sheer talent.
On other occasions, the performance ends up sparking real-world romance that leads to wedding bells and the pitter-patter of small feet.
And then, there are some TV and film pairings that began in reality, long before they transferred to our screens.
ITV’s Stonehouse offers one of 2023’s first examples of an on-screen relationship being rooted in a real-life connection. Based on the true story of Labour MP John Stonehouse, who faked his own death in 1974, the drama stars Matthew Macfadyen in the title role, while Keeley Hawes plays his wife, Barbara.
The two actors have been married since 2004 and have two children together, as well as Hawes’ son from an earlier relationship.
Here are 10 more examples of real-life couples who have also played romantic partners.
Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids)
After...
On other occasions, the performance ends up sparking real-world romance that leads to wedding bells and the pitter-patter of small feet.
And then, there are some TV and film pairings that began in reality, long before they transferred to our screens.
ITV’s Stonehouse offers one of 2023’s first examples of an on-screen relationship being rooted in a real-life connection. Based on the true story of Labour MP John Stonehouse, who faked his own death in 1974, the drama stars Matthew Macfadyen in the title role, while Keeley Hawes plays his wife, Barbara.
The two actors have been married since 2004 and have two children together, as well as Hawes’ son from an earlier relationship.
Here are 10 more examples of real-life couples who have also played romantic partners.
Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids)
After...
- 12/30/2022
- by Nicole Vassell
- The Independent - TV
While Emmy-winner Matthew Macfadyen may entertain viewers as the power-hungry Tom Wambsgans on Succession, he’s taking on a whole different kind of corrupt in BritBox’s upcoming three-part drama Stonehouse and we have your exclusive first look at the new trailer. Based on the rise and fall of Labour Minister John Stonehouse (Macfadyen), Stonehouse follows the high-flying member of British Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s Labour government who on the outside appears to be a devoted family mad, but descends into chaos as his perfect life spirals out of control in the early 1970s amid rumors of fraud and espionage. (Credit: BritBox) Set to premiere on BritBox beginning Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the series is inspired by the extraordinary true story of events surrounding Stonehouse’s vanishing from a Florida beach in 1974. It is written by John Preston (A Very English Scandal) and directed by Jon S. Baird (Stan & Ollie), both...
- 12/21/2022
- TV Insider
On 20 November, 1974, a man left his clothes in a neat pile on a Miami beach, walked into the sea, and never returned. Later that day, a waiter at a nearby hotel found the man’s clothes and the police were alerted. A search began, but the man could not be found. That man was John Stonehouse, Labour MP for Walsall North and a former Postmaster General in Harold Wilson’s government.
Stonehouse had been a rising star in Wilson’s government of 1964, with his sights set on high office. But things didn’t go as swimmingly as he’d hoped, and within a few years he was in financial ruin, his marriage was over, he had been questioned by MI5 on suspicion of being a spy for the Czech secret service, and he ended up faking his own death in Miami.
In the new ITV drama, Stonehouse, written by John Preston,...
Stonehouse had been a rising star in Wilson’s government of 1964, with his sights set on high office. But things didn’t go as swimmingly as he’d hoped, and within a few years he was in financial ruin, his marriage was over, he had been questioned by MI5 on suspicion of being a spy for the Czech secret service, and he ended up faking his own death in Miami.
In the new ITV drama, Stonehouse, written by John Preston,...
- 12/17/2022
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
European Film Promotion Unveils 2023 European Shooting Stars
Belgian actress Joely Mbundu, co-star of Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne’s Cannes 2022 feature Tori And Lokita, is among the eight rising talents selected for the 2023 edition of European Film Promotion’s European Shooting Stars initiative. The selection also includes Italy’s Benedetta Porcaroli, seen recently in Venice Horizons 2022 title Amanda, and Norway’s Kristine Kujath Thorp, who previously made her mark in Fanny, The Burning Sea and Ninjababy, and also won praise for her performance in Cannes Certain Regard 2022 selection Sick of Myself. The other spotlighted titles comprise Alina Tomnikov (Finland), Leonie Benesch (Germany), Yannick Jozefzoon (The Netherlands), Judith State(Romania), Gizem Erdogan (Sweden) and Kayije Kagame (Switzerland) Thorvaldur Kristjansson (Iceland). This year’s talents were selected by an eight-person jury featuring Polish director Jan Komasa, Dutch casting director Rebecca van Unen and Norwegian producer Maria Ekerhovd. The eight talents will participate in...
Belgian actress Joely Mbundu, co-star of Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne’s Cannes 2022 feature Tori And Lokita, is among the eight rising talents selected for the 2023 edition of European Film Promotion’s European Shooting Stars initiative. The selection also includes Italy’s Benedetta Porcaroli, seen recently in Venice Horizons 2022 title Amanda, and Norway’s Kristine Kujath Thorp, who previously made her mark in Fanny, The Burning Sea and Ninjababy, and also won praise for her performance in Cannes Certain Regard 2022 selection Sick of Myself. The other spotlighted titles comprise Alina Tomnikov (Finland), Leonie Benesch (Germany), Yannick Jozefzoon (The Netherlands), Judith State(Romania), Gizem Erdogan (Sweden) and Kayije Kagame (Switzerland) Thorvaldur Kristjansson (Iceland). This year’s talents were selected by an eight-person jury featuring Polish director Jan Komasa, Dutch casting director Rebecca van Unen and Norwegian producer Maria Ekerhovd. The eight talents will participate in...
- 12/14/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow and Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Ahead of next week’s Mipcom, Banijay has acquired global rights to Argentine celebrity competition series “The Hotel,” continuing its hugely successful relationship with Diego Guebel’s high-flying Boxfish in Argentina.
Produced by Boxfish for Canal 13, one of Argentina’s biggest free-to-air channels, “The Hotel” (“El Hotel”) sees 16 celebrity contestants shut themselves away for four months in a luxury hotel on the outskirts of a city. There’s only one caveat: the luxury establishment does not employ any staff.
“While guests enjoy a luxurious stay in the pool, spa and live shows and tuck into gourmet dinners, staff are housed in the hotel’s service area, washing linen, preparing breakfast and serving the guests’ every need,” Banijay explained Saturday, announcing its acquisition.
The celebrities decide at the start of the week who are ‘guests’ and who become the ‘hotel staff.’ At the end of the week, an elimination duel determines who leaves “The Hotel,...
Produced by Boxfish for Canal 13, one of Argentina’s biggest free-to-air channels, “The Hotel” (“El Hotel”) sees 16 celebrity contestants shut themselves away for four months in a luxury hotel on the outskirts of a city. There’s only one caveat: the luxury establishment does not employ any staff.
“While guests enjoy a luxurious stay in the pool, spa and live shows and tuck into gourmet dinners, staff are housed in the hotel’s service area, washing linen, preparing breakfast and serving the guests’ every need,” Banijay explained Saturday, announcing its acquisition.
The celebrities decide at the start of the week who are ‘guests’ and who become the ‘hotel staff.’ At the end of the week, an elimination duel determines who leaves “The Hotel,...
- 10/15/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Banijay Rights has set a new returning drama series titled “Runners” with writer John Preston and exec producer Ellie Wood of Clearwood Films, the team behind “Stonehouse” and “The Dig.”
“Runners” tells the story of the world’s first police force, the Bow Street Runners, who were formed in the 1740s in London, which at the time was facing a colossal crime wave.
The Chief Magistrate of London at the time, Heny Fielding (who also happened to be a celebrated novelist), decided to take on this criminal underworld by assembling a group of police.
“This extraordinary story will tell of how a group of just six police officers, none with any training or experience, set about imposing law and order on a completely lawless society and embarked on solving one of the strangest cases of its time – one with momentous political and social ramifications,” reads the logline.
Wood (“Bleak House...
“Runners” tells the story of the world’s first police force, the Bow Street Runners, who were formed in the 1740s in London, which at the time was facing a colossal crime wave.
The Chief Magistrate of London at the time, Heny Fielding (who also happened to be a celebrated novelist), decided to take on this criminal underworld by assembling a group of police.
“This extraordinary story will tell of how a group of just six police officers, none with any training or experience, set about imposing law and order on a completely lawless society and embarked on solving one of the strangest cases of its time – one with momentous political and social ramifications,” reads the logline.
Wood (“Bleak House...
- 9/7/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Succession star Matthew Macfadyen, who stole the rug from under the warring Roys by betraying wife Shiv last season, has got the seal of approval for his performance in upcoming drama Stonehouse from his real-life wife and co-star Keeley Hawes.
Macfadyen has earned plaudits worldwide and been twice Emmy nominated for his portrayal of seemingly spineless Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s award-winning comedy-drama. Next he will appear on screen playing another wriggly character, the 1970s-era British politician John Stonehouse, who famously faked his own death in Florida in 1974, leaving a pile of clothes on the beach in Miami, only to turn up in Melbourne, Australia, where he was spotted by police, arrested and shipped back to the UK.
Macfadyen will co-star with Hawes – one of the UK’s most recognisable actresses with roles in It’s A Sin, Bodyguard and The Durrells – as Stonehouse and his wife, and Hawes has revealed...
Macfadyen has earned plaudits worldwide and been twice Emmy nominated for his portrayal of seemingly spineless Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s award-winning comedy-drama. Next he will appear on screen playing another wriggly character, the 1970s-era British politician John Stonehouse, who famously faked his own death in Florida in 1974, leaving a pile of clothes on the beach in Miami, only to turn up in Melbourne, Australia, where he was spotted by police, arrested and shipped back to the UK.
Macfadyen will co-star with Hawes – one of the UK’s most recognisable actresses with roles in It’s A Sin, Bodyguard and The Durrells – as Stonehouse and his wife, and Hawes has revealed...
- 9/3/2022
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Bodyguard and Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes has been tapped as a co-lead opposite Krysten Ritter in Orphan Black: Echoes, the upcoming offshoot series set in the world of Orphan Black, which is slated for a 2023 debut on AMC Networks’ digital platform AMC+ and linear nets.
The 10-episode Orphan Black: Echoes, produced and distributed globally by Boat Rocker, takes place in the near future and explores the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women — two of them played by Hawes and Ritter — as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal.
Hawes will portray a perceptive but sensitive scientist who finds herself at odds with her own moral code when circumstances lead her to make an unthinkable choice. In addition to Ritter,...
The 10-episode Orphan Black: Echoes, produced and distributed globally by Boat Rocker, takes place in the near future and explores the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women — two of them played by Hawes and Ritter — as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal.
Hawes will portray a perceptive but sensitive scientist who finds herself at odds with her own moral code when circumstances lead her to make an unthinkable choice. In addition to Ritter,...
- 8/30/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Judging from the buzz around 2022 dramas like Inventing Anna, The Staircase and The Girl from Plainville, our appetite for true crime series isn’t going anywhere. From grisly murder to exquisite scams, these powerful stories based on real-life events have us hooked.
Most of the year’s biggest true crime dramas have so far focussed on tales from the USA, but if you’re looking for unbelievable criminal cases from the UK, there’s plenty of must-watch series depicting some of the country’s most notorious criminal scandals coming later this year and beyond. Here’s a few to add to your watch list.
The Reckoning (BBC – later in 2022)
Actor, comedian and Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan is set to portray the life-long sexual predator and disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile.
After the disturbing and harrowing Netflix documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story aired earlier this year, many have...
Most of the year’s biggest true crime dramas have so far focussed on tales from the USA, but if you’re looking for unbelievable criminal cases from the UK, there’s plenty of must-watch series depicting some of the country’s most notorious criminal scandals coming later this year and beyond. Here’s a few to add to your watch list.
The Reckoning (BBC – later in 2022)
Actor, comedian and Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan is set to portray the life-long sexual predator and disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile.
After the disturbing and harrowing Netflix documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story aired earlier this year, many have...
- 8/11/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
BritBox is hoping to carve out a niche for Anglo-centric programming in the U.S. and its boss has taken a particularly British swipe at rival streamers for their attempts.
Opening the streaming service’s virtual TCA panel, CEO Reemah Sakaan took aim.
“While other streamers have definitely discovered the quality and power of the British genre and in recent years, they’ve been originating some great British shows, they are accessories and not part of the core offering,” she said.
“The streamers are well intentioned. However, they definitely lack a little of what we would define as the essence of British, you might hear the accent see the settings and costumes, but in reality, they’re what we would call British-ish. At BritBox, there’s no extra -ish,” she added. “We were born in America, but we’re wholeheartedly British undeniably authentically and fanatically so. British is in our brand,...
Opening the streaming service’s virtual TCA panel, CEO Reemah Sakaan took aim.
“While other streamers have definitely discovered the quality and power of the British genre and in recent years, they’ve been originating some great British shows, they are accessories and not part of the core offering,” she said.
“The streamers are well intentioned. However, they definitely lack a little of what we would define as the essence of British, you might hear the accent see the settings and costumes, but in reality, they’re what we would call British-ish. At BritBox, there’s no extra -ish,” she added. “We were born in America, but we’re wholeheartedly British undeniably authentically and fanatically so. British is in our brand,...
- 8/9/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
BritBox, the ITV and the BBC’s streaming service, is set to roll out across the Nordics with a raft of original programming on April 28.
BritBox International will launch in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, and will include BritBox Originals, exclusive new series, as well as TV classics.
The slate will boast true crime dramas “Stonehouse” (pictured), starring Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes and “The Thief, His Wife, and the Canoe,” starring Eddie Marsan; light-hearted murder mystery series “Sister Boniface Mysteries,” starring Lorna Watson and Jerry Iwu, on top of the lush period drama “The Confessions of Frannie Langton” with Sophie Cookson and Jodhi May. New titles will also bow on the streamer every month, for instance Idris Elba’s “Fight School” and “Anne” starring award-winner Maxine Peake.
Britbox kicked off its international roll out with launches in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
“Adding fresh Originals to...
BritBox International will launch in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, and will include BritBox Originals, exclusive new series, as well as TV classics.
The slate will boast true crime dramas “Stonehouse” (pictured), starring Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes and “The Thief, His Wife, and the Canoe,” starring Eddie Marsan; light-hearted murder mystery series “Sister Boniface Mysteries,” starring Lorna Watson and Jerry Iwu, on top of the lush period drama “The Confessions of Frannie Langton” with Sophie Cookson and Jodhi May. New titles will also bow on the streamer every month, for instance Idris Elba’s “Fight School” and “Anne” starring award-winner Maxine Peake.
Britbox kicked off its international roll out with launches in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
“Adding fresh Originals to...
- 4/21/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Commission
U.K. broadcaster ITV has commissioned real-life drama “Stonehouse,” from “A Very English Scandal” writer John Preston, directed by BAFTA-nominated Jon S. Baird (“Stan & Ollie”). The three-part drama, produced by Snowed-In Productions and Clearwood Films, with BritBox International as co-production partners, follows the life and times of disgraced Labour politician John Stonehouse, a high-flying minister of Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s government vanished from the beach of a large luxury hotel in Florida in Nov. 1974, leaving a neatly folded pile of clothes as he swam into the sea, intent on faking his own death.
Matthew Macfadyen stars as Stonehouse with Keeley Hawes (“It’s A Sin”) as his wife Barbara. Macfadyen said: “What happened to John Stonehouse is the stuff of legend. I’ve always been intrigued by what motivated him to fake his own death, and leave behind the family he loved and doted upon and a promising political career.
U.K. broadcaster ITV has commissioned real-life drama “Stonehouse,” from “A Very English Scandal” writer John Preston, directed by BAFTA-nominated Jon S. Baird (“Stan & Ollie”). The three-part drama, produced by Snowed-In Productions and Clearwood Films, with BritBox International as co-production partners, follows the life and times of disgraced Labour politician John Stonehouse, a high-flying minister of Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s government vanished from the beach of a large luxury hotel in Florida in Nov. 1974, leaving a neatly folded pile of clothes as he swam into the sea, intent on faking his own death.
Matthew Macfadyen stars as Stonehouse with Keeley Hawes (“It’s A Sin”) as his wife Barbara. Macfadyen said: “What happened to John Stonehouse is the stuff of legend. I’ve always been intrigued by what motivated him to fake his own death, and leave behind the family he loved and doted upon and a promising political career.
- 2/23/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes are to play the leads in an ITV/BritBox U.S. drama about a disgraced British politician who faked his own death.
Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird is behind Stonehouse from The Dig writer John Preston, in which Succession star Macfadyen will play John Stonehouse and Keeley Hawes his wife Barbara.
Stonehouse was a high-flying politician in the Labour Party in the 1970s but was involved in an extramarital affair, had financial problems and had acted as a spy for the Czech Secret Service, which took its toll and led to him faking his death and fleeing to Australia. He was eventually found and brought back to England by British detectives.
The drama represents a return to ITV for Macfadyen who also starred in Quiz as a former soldier accused of cheating on popular ITV gameshow Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.
Stonehouse is...
Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird is behind Stonehouse from The Dig writer John Preston, in which Succession star Macfadyen will play John Stonehouse and Keeley Hawes his wife Barbara.
Stonehouse was a high-flying politician in the Labour Party in the 1970s but was involved in an extramarital affair, had financial problems and had acted as a spy for the Czech Secret Service, which took its toll and led to him faking his death and fleeing to Australia. He was eventually found and brought back to England by British detectives.
The drama represents a return to ITV for Macfadyen who also starred in Quiz as a former soldier accused of cheating on popular ITV gameshow Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.
Stonehouse is...
- 2/23/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
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