NYT-Backed Serial Productions To Launch ‘The Trojan Horse Affair’ Podcast With ‘S-Town’s Brian Reed

Fake heiress Anna Sorokin, otherwise known as Anna Delvey, is working with Surviving R. Kelly producer Bunim/Murray Productions on a limited documentary series.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorNBCUniversal wants to add an interesting new story to Jenna Bush Hager’s “Today” book club.For nearly four years, the co-host of the 10 a.m. hour of “Today” has chosen a book each month for members of her “Read with Jenna” club to peruse and discuss.

Former Neighbours star Natalie Imbruglia has spoken of her devastation that the popular Aussie soap is being axed in the UK. Speaking on the Heart Breakfast show with JK and Kelly Brook, Natalie, 47, reflected on her time playing Beth Brennan in Ramsay Street, as she backed a fan petition to save the soap from being cancelled. Natalie, who portrayed Beth from 1992 to 1994, told the show’s hosts she was gutted about the news, saying: “Oh I think it's really sad!” The Aussie star, who was crowned the winner of The Masked Singer on Saturday 12 February after impressing the star detectives and fans, continued: “I think at this point we just thought it was gonna go on forever so, I, you know, people are petitioning.

Adele, 33, appeared relaxed and warm during her latest touchdown in Los Angeles, CA. The singer arrived in the City of Angels on the morning of Feb. 12, the day after she made headlines for showing up to a gay London club, and seemed to try and keep a low profile while wearing a brown sweat suit that included a hooded top and sweat pants. She also wore slippers and a black face mask and had her hair down as she waved at onlookers while getting in a car that her luggage was being put into.

Lorraine Kelly has said she thinks Adele is “messing with us” from the engagement rumours. Adele shocked fans as she stepped out onto the red carpet at The Brit Awards with an enormous diamond ring on her engagement finger, leaving many fans to speculate that she is engaged to her boyfriend, Rich Paul. The 62 year old told Good Morning Britain presenters that she thinks Adele is “messing with us” and not actually engaged, but toying with the public.

Komplizen Film, the German indie run by Janine Jackowski, Maren Ade and Jonas Dornbach, has joined The Creatives, an alliance of independent production companies that has a three-year partnership for developing and funding series with Fremantle.

HBO has closed a deal for Doomsday Machine, a limited series about Facebook starring Emmy winner Claire Foy as embattled tech giant COO Sheryl Sandberg and executive producing as well. Anonymous Content (Spotlight, Mr. Robot) and wiip (Mare of Easttown, Dickinson), which took the project to the marketplace in October, will co-produce with HBO.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorFormosa Group and Fox Post Production Services have announced a strategic alliance.Based at the historic Fox Studio Lot in Century City, Fox Post Production Services encompasses four feature mixing stages, two ADR stages, the famous Newman Scoring Stage, a Foley stage and editing rooms to support the full post-production process. Formosa Group will have a presence in the original Film Editorial building on the lot.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaFocus Features has acquired the worldwide rights to “Brian and Charles,” a quirky and heartfelt comedy about an unlikely friendship that debuted to rave reviews this week at the Sundance Film Festival.The film centers on Brian, a lonely inventor in rural Wales, who builds unconventional contraptions that rarely work. He soon sets out on his biggest project yet — spending three days to turn a washing machine and various spare parts into Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages.Polygon’s Oli Welsh praised the film’s “warmth and tenderness” while Thrillist’s Esther Zuckerman wrote that the movie is “adorably whimsical and downright touching.” Director Jim Archer developed the film with Film4, which co-funded the production, and the BFI, which awarded funds from the National Lottery.

EXCLUSIVE: Tim McInnerny (Notting Hill, Blackadder) has signed on to star alongside Murray McArthur (Wonka, The Northman), Cameron Ashplant (Gentleman Jack), Tilly Keeper (EastEnders), Jenet Le Lacheur (Cinderella) and Brian Webster in the thriller Marooned Awakening, which is in production on the island of Guernsey.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSerial Productions, the company behind the true-crime show that helped trigger the podcast boom, is coming out with a new limited-series looking into a panic in Britain over an alleged Islamic plan to infiltrate the country’s schools — which may have all been a hoax.“The Trojan Horse Affair” is hosted by Brian Reed, known for his hit series “S-Town.” Reed teamed with Hamza Syed, a doctor-turned-reporter, to investigate what was dubbed Operation Trojan Horse. The story starts in 2014 with a mysterious letter detailing a supposed Islamic plot to take over schools in Hamza’s hometown of Birmingham.The letter appeared to be a secret communique between Islamic extremists who had been infiltrating the city schools, and it led to a crackdown on Muslim educators and harsh new British counterterrorism measures.

DEALSBadBadNotGood have signed a new deal with Third Side Music, extending their existing partnership with the publisher. “Alexander, Chester and Leland are true contemporaries, yet articulate a cross-generational sense of virtuosity and energy only known to them”, says Brontë Jane, Third Side Music’s VP Creative. “I feel strongly that this next chapter for BadBadNotGood will be the most impactful”.————————————————–APPOINTMENTSAndy West has been named Executive Vice President and General Manager of Warner Music Canada.

Disney+ To Launch In 42 Countries

Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas has hinted at secret romances on the show’s live tour, amid rumours of a flirtation between Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova. Some of the biggest Strictly stars from the latest series are taking part on the Strictly Live UK tour, including series winner Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice, as well as runner ups John Whaite and Johannes Radebe. AJ Odudu, who had to pull out of the tour due to injury, is being replaced by EastEnders’ Maisie Smith, to dance with AJ’s dance partner Kai.

McCoo artist Steven Brown in hospital after suffering stroke at his home, with his family thanking the NHS for looking after him.

EXCLUSIVE: Established post-production venue Levels Audio has expanded to New York, with noted industry vets Sue Pelino and Kassie Caffiero leading its new facility.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorAn aura of economic growth and wealth permeates the new drama “The Gilded Age,” premiering Jan. 24 on HBO. Christine Baranski is Agnes van Rhijn, a socialite living in early-1880s New York City with her sister, Ada Brook, played by Cynthia Nixon.