EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s international teams are braced for layoffs and content cuts.
22.03.2023 - 21:32 / deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Around 25 layoffs are incoming in the BBC Children’s & Education department, while the BBC Studios Kids & Family team has seen a similar number depart since December.
The decisions have been made independently of each other, we understand, and a voluntary redundancy process will now commence within Children’s & Education. Staff were informed yesterday afternoon by email and affected staff were spoken with individually.
BBC Children’s hits include the likes of Hey Duggee, Oliver Twist adaptation Dodger (pictured) and Blue Peter.
Following an 18-month review that has just concluded, the circa-25 layoffs will be within the presentation sub-division, which promotes kids content via links and resources, and the educational production sub-division, which will see a senior leader restructure.
BBC Children’s & Education, which is based in Salford and runs channels CBBC and CBeebies along with online content and educational resources, is preparing to take the older-skewing CBBC channel online only, a decision that has proved controversial.
The Children’s & Education layoffs follow a number of senior commissioner departments including the likes of Hugh Lawton and Michael Towner. They also come following a review of Children’s & Education’s commissioning practices after a two-year period of sweeping change under Director Patricia Hidalgo, who used to run Turner EMEA Kids.
Redundancies have become the reality at the BBC in recent times, with the news team particularly hard hit, as the corporation battles to make savings and is impacted by the UK government’s freezing of the annual licence fee.
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC is creating a modern, digital-led and streamlined organisation that drives the most value
EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s international teams are braced for layoffs and content cuts.
Anna Cardwell has been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer, according to TMZ. Eldest daughter of reality TV personality Mama June (real name June Shannon), and a mum-of-two herself, Anna, 28, is more commonly referred to as 'Chickadee'. Reports reveal that her life-threatening news was delivered all the way back in January of this year after complaining of stomach aches.Tests were subsequently conducted by doctors, which is when the adrenocortical carcinoma was discovered in her liver, kidney and lung.
Paramount will give Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon a theatrical release in France from October 18, Deadline has confirmed, in a move that will make the film subject to the country’s strict windowing rules.
John Wick: Chapter 4.The film was released in the UK last week (March 24), and is the fourth instalment to the action-packed John Wick franchise.Following its release, many fans have noticed a cameo from the iconic Berghain bouncer, who appears several times throughout the film and has just one line: “I am Klaus”.The premise behind the fourth edition of the series follows the title character, as he attempts to take on the aristocratic crime barons who sit at The High Table’ – travelling across the world to do so. From there, the impeccably-dressed assassin heads to iconic locations including Paris, New York and Berlin, where he meets Marquardt.Here, his character is an associate of Wick and helps the title character to locate a villainous character whom he’s instructed to assassinate.
McDonald’s is looking to fill a range of job vacancies in Greater Manchester, and they all come with an amazing benefit. The fast-food giant has opportunities available in front of house and behind the scenes across the region, including in Salford, Trafford and Stretford.
EXCLUSIVE: The BBC and PBS have set their latest landmark science series, an exploration of how modern humans came into being.
Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The BBC has reversed a controversial decision to disband its professional choir, the BBC Singers. The corporation confirmed on Friday that it’s “suspending” the proposal to close the group, and that the BBC Singers will also appear in this summer’s annual classical concert series, the BBC Proms. In a statement, the BBC said it has “received approaches from a number of organizations offering alternative funding models for the BBC Singers. We have agreed with the Musicians’ Union that we will suspend the proposal to close the BBC Singers, while we actively explore these options. If viable, these alternative options would secure the future of the ensemble.”
EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin and BAFTA-nominated director Natalie Hewit are boarding the National Geographic documentary Endurance (working title), the incredible story of “the epic search to find the lost ship of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.”
A.D. Amorosi In 1972, director-writer Perry Henzell released his Jamaican crime flick “The Harder They Come” with singer-songwriter Jimmy Cliff — then, a burgeoning reggae star — as its anti-hero lead actor. For his menacing cinematic debut, Cliff provided the lion’s share of the film’s riveting soundtrack, with lilting songs such as “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and the movie’s title tune. Both the soundtrack and film (the latter released in the United States in 1973) became sensations. “The Harder They Come” brought island culture to the world beyond the Caribbean, and helped popularize reggae in the Americas. Along with his anthemic title song becoming an instant classic, Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross” was subsequently covered by Linda Ronstadt, John Lennon and Annie Lennox, among other artists. Along with being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, the Library of Congress deemed Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” worthy of preservation in the National Recording Registry as of 2021.
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt may have early starts most days, but that doesn't mean they can't let their hair down after finishing.The duo were spotted indulging in some pints in Manchester City Centre on Friday afternoon, where they looked worlds-away from their on-screen personas. Keeping warm in the rather chilly temperatures, Naga, 48, donned a black North Face jacket, which she wore over a black turtleneck jumper.
The BBC is reviewing whether to ban TikTok and has told staff to delete the Chinese social media app from work phones unless they are using it for editorial or marketing reasons.
A smuggler hid a gun in a secret van compartment filled with expanding foam. Radek Dobias, 42, was caught after the VW van was stopped in Dover by Border Force officials.
Olivia Wilde who?
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The trio behind Mediawan, the French company which recently acquired a majority stake in Brad Pitt’s Plan B, have made an offer to buy CGR Cinema, France’s second biggest multiplex chain, Variety has confirmed. The bid has been made by Pierre-Antoine Capton and French telecom tycoon Xavier Niel, the co-founders of Mediawan. Capton and Niel are being backed by a consortium which includes Matthieu Pigasse, a big-time financier who is the third co-founder of Mediawan, among others. The offer values CGR Cinemas below €500 million ($300 million), according to a source closed to discussions. The British fund Aermont Capital has also made an offer, according to the French news site “L’informé.”
Strictly Come Dancing stars Tyler West and Molly Rainford have finally confirmed their relationship.The stars, who competed against each other on the BBC show last year, made their romance official with a hilarious nod to an iconic scene from Friends. Watch below to see the playful exchange… They lip-synched Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green and Matt LeBlanc's Joey Tribbiani iconic scene, in which they uncovered Monica Geller and Chandler Bing's secret relationship.Towards the end of the clip, Tyler lifted up his phone to show his hand was sweetly placed on Molly's leg – and fans quickly flocked to the comments section to express their delight.Strictly pro dancer Neil Jones was also among the first to react, writing: "This makes me soooo happy." One fan remarked: "You two are the absolute cutest, so happy for you both."A second post read: "You two are so gorgeous together xxx." Another follower added: "Omg yes!! About damn time!!!!!!" Rumours of the pair being an item began to swirl earlier this year.
Marcus Lim Chinese TV producer Linmon Media struck a decidedly international tone during the presentation of its 2023-24 slate at FilMart, with presenters speaking about their Chinese-language projects in only English and Korean, and handing out sleek project literature in multiple languages. Apart from a slate of romance, medical and crime dramas targeted at domestic audiences, the studio is actively remaking its hit female-led contemporary drama “Nothing but Thirty” in Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong, having previously licensed the remake rights to Korean pay TV network JTBC. The drama, which follows the lives of three women as they transition from their 20s into their 30s, is emblematic of the Linmon slate, which is heavy on female-centric contemporary romance dramas.
EXCLUSIVE: Drift director Anthony Chen is gearing up to direct his first US-set project, Heartbeat: A New York Story, about the rarely-told experiences of the Asian gay community during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s New York.
What is spinal stenosis?The Mayo Clinic explains: "Spinal stenosis happens when the space inside the backbone is too small. "This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine. "People who have the condition can experience pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness, which can worsen over time.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken out after Gary Lineker was dropped from his role on Match of the Day. The row broke out earlier this week after the former England striker took to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
Piers Morgan has blasted the BBC's decision to pull Gary Lineker off Match of The Day. The corporation said the presenter's criticism of the government's Migration Bill was a "breach of our guidelines". The sports pundit will now be stepping back from his presenting duties until a "clear position" on his social media use is agreed upon.