International Insider: Hazza & Meg Fall Flat; Red Sea Draws Curtain; BBC & ITV Future; Buzzy Agent Deep Dive

Good afternoon Insiders and a happy holiday to you all, Max Goldbart here seeing out the year. We’re inching slowly towards the holiday and have just got a quick summary of the week’s headlines and some Essentials for you this week. We’ll be taking a well-earned (we hope!) break next week but back all systems go on Friday January 6. Until then, our heartfelt thanks go out to all you Insider readers. We are nothing without you. Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukah and a Happy New Year.

Yesterday’s thrilling World Cup final was watched by a peak of almost 20M viewers across the BBC and ITV as the game drew to an incredible close.

Welcome back, Insiders. Jesse Whittock here. Christmas is just around the corner now but the news doesn’t let up. Let’s begin.

Christian Wikander, the scripted specialist who left HBO Max as part of cuts to the streamer in Europe this summer, has a new role.

Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? will return for a second 10-week season on HBO Max and then a “best of” show that runs on CNN.

The cop who knelt into George Floyd's back has been jailed.

Boys’ night! Ant Anstead enjoyed some quality time with son Hudson after finalizing his custody battle with ex-wife Christina Hall (née Haack).

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re talking with Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Jeanne Snow and Sarah Harvey from Made Up Stories. The company is behind TV hits such as The Undoing, Anatomy of a Scandal, Pieces of Her and Netflix’s recent feature hit Luckiest Girl Alive. We talk with Papandrea and her team about growth in the UK and Europe and their continued ambition to champion unique female-led stories. 

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu has picked up exclusive U.S. streaming rights to the second season of New Zealand transgender drama Rūrangi, which recently won an International Emmy for best short-form series.

walked the red carpet for the Women in Cinema event at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dressed in head-to-toe red, Hale wore a pant set with cutouts down the arms and legs with sweet bow details.

While fans await Denis Villeneuve‘s “Dune: Part Two,” in theaters (tentatively) next November, another “Dune” project looms on the horizon: HBO Max‘s “Dune: The Sisterhood.” And anticipation is already high for the upcoming series, with Emily Watson, Shirley Henderson, and Indira Varma leading the show’s cast. Now Deadline reports three more joining the ensemble: Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, and Chris Mason.

Roll up, roll up, Insiders. The Deadline International team have once again been travelling the world to bring you the latest news and analysis from the global film and TV biz, with Mel and Zac both in the Middle East. Max and I actually found the TV world descending on London for once, so we didn’t have to go so far for access. Read on.

Fleetwood Mac’s very own Christine McVie has passed away at age 79, and Stevie Nicks is remembering her “best friend” in an emotional tribute.

Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie has sadly passed away at the age of 79, her family have confirmed in a statement. Her loved ones said she was a “revered musician who was loved universally”.

Universal International Studios (UIS) has signed an exclusive deal with Home Team, the UK film and TV production outfit run by The End of the F***ing World exec Dominic Buchanan and Mogul Mowgli’s Bennett McGhee.