BBC Hires UK Media Diversity Guru Joanna Abeyie As Interim Head of Creative Diversity

John De Mol’s ‘Million Dollar Island’ Set For Australian Remake On Seven

Dan Stevens decided not to sit down with John Dean, Republican lawyer in the Watergate era turned news pundit and circuit speaker, ahead of playing him in the Starz drama Gaslit.

EXCLUSIVE: CBS has set up a writers room for drama The Great Game, produced by CBS Studios in association with Alex Kurtzman’s studio-based Secret Hideout. It will be led by the project’s co-writers/executive producers John Hlavin (The Man Who Fell to Earth) and Matthew Newman (Chicago PD) with the goal of generating multiple scripts for a potential straight-to-series order.

EXCLUSIVE: Singapore-based Indian financier Vistas Media Capital has launched a North American division to be run by film industry vet Ben Waisbren.

Naman Ramachandran Kate Atkinson’s bestselling 2013 novel “Life After Life” has been brought to vivid life as a four-part BBC series by a heavyweight team. The story centers on Ursula Todd who dies one night in 1910 before she can draw her first breath.

EastEnders star Michelle Collins has revealed that her iconic late co-star  June Brown was really into “fitness" and hilariously chose an unusual place to do her pelvic floor exercises. The legendary Dot Cotton soap actress died earlier this month at the age of 95, after retiring from EastEnders in 2020.

Presenters on The One Show were stunned into silence on Wednesday night as guest star Dan Stevens made a ruthless comment about Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaving viewers in shock. Both Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas looked visibly uncomfortable and were reeling after the remarks.

Brown died at the age of 95. June was best known for her portrayal of Dot Cotton on BBC’s EastEnders, having been in the show for an impressive 35 year run. Her passing was announced on Monday, April with a statement from her family that read: “We are deeply saddened to announce our beloved mother, June, passed away very peacefully at her home in Surrey on Sunday evening, with her family by her side.

Gentleman Jack returns this Sunday evening for its long-awaited second season. Suranne Jones once again takes the lead as Anne Lister for the BBC One hit period drama.

Scots TV presenter John Leslie was the focus of a Channel 5 documentary this week charting his rise and fall.

John Leslie was once a man who had it all.The first Scottish presenter of Blue Peter, onetime boyfriend to rising star Catherine Zeta-Jones and later co-host of ITV’s flagship daytime show This Morning. His future, and place on British TV, seemed assured.

Manori Ravindran International Editor5Ringside Media, the investment arm of Newen-backed indie Ringside Studios, has taken a minority stake in Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s Joi Productions.Joi Productions was founded by Gharoro-Akpojotor (pictured, right), and in 2020 received a BFI Vision award. Gharoro-Akpojotor, a BAFTA Breakthrough nominee, has had breakout hits producing Rapman’s “Blue Story” and “Boxing Day.” She is currently producing the BBC’s “Champion,” written by “Queenie” author and screenwriter Candice Carty-Williams.

EXCLUSIVE: Ringside Studios, the outfit owned by European media company and distributor Newen, has closed its latest acquisition by taking a majority stake in UK company Joi Productions via its investment arm Ringside Media.

Naman Ramachandran Celebrated media diversity and inclusion practitioner Joanna Abeyie is joining the BBC as interim head of creative diversity on a six-month contract.Abeyie will support the BBC’s outgoing director of creative diversity, June Sarpong, and chief content officer, Charlotte Moore, in delivering on-air diversity and inclusion strategies across all BBC output.Abeyie will lead on the planning, development and implementation of initiatives related to on-air talent portrayal, commissioning guidelines, diverse audience panels, monitoring and reporting. She joins at a time when there is an exodus of women of color from the BBC, as revealed by a Variety investigation.

The Great British Bake Off presenter Matt Lucas has hit back at claims that he was shown ‘favouritism’ when he made his baking debut in the tent. In the most recent episode of the Celebrity Bake Off, Matt donned his apron and stepped in to compete against the likes of Example and Annie Mac when another famous face dropped out of the show at the last minute.The 48 year old was seen attempting to make glass window biscuits, and judge Paul Hollywood soon stepped in to give him a helping hand.

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Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed which professionals will be returning this year, and there's some shocking exits.

BBC's Holby City is coming to an end tonight after 23 years on screen. The drama series, which follows the highs and lows of staff and patients on the wards of fictional Holby City hospital, will air its final ever episode on Tuesday night.