Kate Phillips Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Steve Clarke As commissioning budgets continue to tighten, and with content powerhouses feeling the economic squeeze, there is renewed pressure to think laterally in the international formats business. “Producers are struggling to survive. People need to up their game and think outside the box in terms of their business models and how shows are made,” says Jan Salling, co-chairman of the Format Recognition and Protection Assn.

The BBC has unveiled a landmark natural history series on insects as its head of unscripted brands the notion that the streamers are taking over “utter bollocks.”

Miss Scarlet wasn’t left alone for long: Tom Durant Pritchard (This Is Going to Hurt, The Crown) has joined the cast of the Masterpiece drama that’s currently filming its fifth season in Belgrade, Serbia.

Masterpiece PBS and the BBC have released first look photos from Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, an adaptation of the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy.

K.J. Yossman The long-awaited adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s novel “The Mirror and the Light” has wrapped.

Big change on Masterpiece’s popular drama Miss Scarlet and the Duke.

Wolf Hall is coming back and bringing Harriet Walter and Timothy Spall along for the ride.

King Charles III‘s first year on the throne is to be explored in a BBC documentary narrated by Helena Bonham Carter.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light,” based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy, will begin filming in the United Kingdom soon, according to Masterpiece, PBS and the BBC. Oscar winner Mark Rylance is back as Thomas Cromwell, joined by Emmy winner Damian Lewis returning as King Henry VII and Oscar nominee Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey. Kate Phillips will also reprise her role as Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, and Lilit Lesser is Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.

Masterpiece PBS and the BBC are set to begin production on Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, an adaptation of the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy.

Masterpiece has released the first trailer for Miss Scarlet and The Duke ahead of its season four premiere on Jan. 7 at 8 on PBS.

The BBC’s director of unscripted has defended the corporation against claims that it is shutting out new content ideas by rebooting TV shows in its primetime schedule.

Idris Elba is stepping out for the world premiere of his new Apple TV+ series!

K.J. Yossman Sean Bean and Miranda Richardson are set to star alongside John Malkovich in the biopic of Romanian composer Sergiu Celibidache, Variety can reveal. Also joining the cast is Ben Schnetzer (“The Book Thief”), who has replaced Rupert Friend after scheduling difficulties meant Friend had to drop out of the project. Schnetzer will play a young version of Celebidachi while Malkovich will play the composer later in life. They will be joined by Kate Phillips (“Downton Abbey”), Anton Lesser (“Game of Thrones”) and Charlie Rowe (“Rocketman”). “The Yellow Tie” tells the story of controversial classical conductor Sergiu Celibidache, one of Romania’s best known classical music artists. He battled homelessness and prejudice before becoming the youngest ever conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Eurovision Song Contest grand final is almost among us.

Orlando Bloom has said he is “immensely proud” of his fiancée Katy Perry following her set at the Coronation Concert. The actor – who has been engaged to Perry since 2019 – took to Instagram to share his delight at her performance, writing: "Immensely proud of you my love. You always bring the light.

You wait 70 years for a Coronation and 25 to host the Eurovision Song Contest and then the two come along at once.

Joining the celebration! Tom Cruise, Winnie the Pooh and Nicole Scherzinger are among the latest celebrities set to appear at King Charles III’s Coronation Concert.  

BBC and NBCUniversal are partnering up on a new reality competition show “Destination X.”The adventure series, whose format originated in Belgium, follows 10 contestants who embark on a road trip, but do not know their location as the Destination X bus works to mislead both the contestants and the viewers. As their journey continues, contestants must follow clues to determine if they can trust what they see as their knowledge will be put to the test at the end of each episode.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent BBC and NBCUniversal have co-commissioned travel reality competition show “Destination X” from a format that originated in Belgium where it’s become a hit. The format created by Antwerp-based production company Geronimo and distributed globally by Be-Entertainment mixes fantasy and reality within a road trip setting. In “Destination X” 10 contestants board a Destination X Bus with blacked-out blinds. Throughout the trip reality is regularly tweaked to mislead the contestants as well as the viewers at home. At the end of each episode, the contestant who places their X on a map furthest away from the bus’s actual location has to leave the game and loses their shot at winning a cash prize. 

Rylan Clark has responded to the fan theory that he has stepped down from Strictly: It Takes Two so that he can host the highly-anticipated return of Big Brother. Earlier today the TV star, 34, announced that he would be stepping down from hosting the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off, It Takes Two.

Fans think they have worked out Rylan Clark's next job after he announced he was stepping back from his role on Strictly Come Dancing's weeknight spin-off after four years. The BBC confirmed on Wednesday (April 11) that the TV and radio star would no longer be hosting the dance contest's BBC2 show, Strictly: It Takes Two.

Rylan Clark has taken to social media to announce his departure from the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off 'It Takes Two.'

Rylan Clark is stepping down as a presenter on Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two, the BBC has announced. The TV and Radio star has co-hosted the BBC Two tea-time show since 2019, with a few of those years alongside former Strictly professional dancer Janette Manrara.

K.J. Yossman “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham is set to host the Eurovision Song Contest final in May, it has been revealed. Waddingham, who plays soccer club owner Rebecca Welton in the Apple TV drama, will host Eurovision alongside Graham Norton, “Britain’s Got Talent” judge Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. Norton is the BBC’s longtime commentator of Eurovision and on the night of the Grande Finale in Liverpool will be alternating hosting duties with commentating. Mel Giedroyc will fill in in the commentary box when Norton is on stage. Dixon started her career as a pop star in R&B group Mis-teeq before pivoting to television presenting following a stint on “Strictly Come Dancing.” Sanina is a singer and composer as well as frontwoman of rock band The HARDKISS.

BBC Storyville has appointed Emma Hindley as its Lead Commissioning Editor.

Production is underway in Serbia for a fourth season of Miss Scarlet and The Duke, the Masterpiece mystery starring Kate Phillips (The Crown, Wolf Hall) as the first-ever female detective in Victorian London. The PBS series also features Stuart Martin (Jamestown, Army Of Thieves) as her childhood friend, professional colleague and potential love interest Inspector William “The Duke” Wellington.

Christmas is going to be extra Christmassy this year, because the BBC has commissioned Cliff Richard to perform a set of his festive classics and more for the yuletide season.The hour-long show will be filmed at St John At Hackney Church with various guests joining in the fun. As well as that, Sara Cox will interview the musician at Abbey Road Studios.Songs likely to be on the setlist include, of course, ‘Mistletoe & Wine’ and ‘Saviour’s Day’ – both of them Christmas number ones – plus ‘Millennium Prayer’, which is more of a new year song, but whatever.”I remember, as though it was yesterday, the three series – each containing thirteen shows – that I did for the BBC in the 70s”, says Cliff, slightly irrelevantly.

Popular show I Can See Your Voice is back for a brand new series and the first episode sees a Scots couple take on the challenge.

K.J. Yossman The BBC has set its executive team overseeing the broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which is set to take place in Liverpool next year. Although the U.K. is hosting, the BBC have promised that the show will “celebrate Ukraine’s victory as well as U.K. creativity.” Ukraine were unable to host the contest due to security issues stemming from the ongoing Russian invasion. Martin Green has been appointed managing director for the operation, which will see the BBC broadcasting in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Green was recently the chief creative officer of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and was head of ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He will report to Kate Phillips, BBC’s director of unscripted.

K.J. Yossman BBC have unveiled their fall/winter arts and factual slate including documentaries on Elon Musk and fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who tragically died last year at the age of 41, as well as a new Louis Theroux series in which he interviews stars including Judi Dench, Rita Ora and Stormzy. “I’ve been in my new role for four months and I’ve been blown away by the sheer range, scale and quality of programming coming out of the factual, arts and classical music departments,” said Kate Phillips, director for unscripted. “From stand out documentaries like ‘The Real Mo Farah’ and ‘Freddie’s Field of Dreams’ to the BBC Proms and the launch of ‘Frozen Planet II,’ the team here are at the very top of their game, bringing audiences high impact, uniquely public service content at its very best. We’ve got plenty more to look forward to in the months ahead and I’m excited to unveil such an impressive array of diverse new content featuring big and upcoming talent, and bringing us new perspectives, incredible access and big moments for everyone.”

Survivor is making its long-anticipated comeback, moving to the BBC for a brand new season. The reality TV show, whose first two seasons aired in the UK on ITV between 2001 and 2002, has been commissioned for a revival on BBC One from producers at Banijay UK company Remarkable Entertainment.

K.J. Yossman The BBC is rebooting hit reality series “Survivor.” The show last appeared on U.K. screens in 2001 and 2002, when it aired on ITV for two seasons. The new adaptation, which will be produced by Banijay U.K.-owned Remarkable Entertainment, will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It is the latest in a series of high-profile unscripted reboots from the BBC, following “Gladiators” and “The Osbournes: Home to Roost.” The 16-episode season promises physical and psychological challenges for 20 contestants, who must compete in a tropical location to be crowned the Ultimate Survivor.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer A “Gladiators” revival is heading to BBC One next year. The competition series is returning with an eleven episode series produced by MGM Television UK and Hungry Bear Media, and will focus on “a brand new generation of superhumans who will compete against contestants in the ultimate test of speed and strength.” Per BBC One, this new iteration of “Gladiators” will incorporate fresh games alongside classic challenges, culminating at the end of each installment with the iconic “The Eliminator” event. Filming will take place at the Utilita Arena Sheffield in 2023. Additional information about the series, including broadcast details, will be announced at a later date.

BBC are set to bring back the classic game show Gladiators next year. The popular game show originally aired on ITV between 1992 and 2000 and drew huge audiences in every Saturday evening.

Popular TV show Gladiators is returning to the BBC next year, it has been announced.The programme will return with an 11-episode series and will be welcoming a new generation of “superhumans” who will compete against contestants in the “ultimate test of speed and strength”, the BBC said.The series, which will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, will include new games alongside classic challenges – with each episode ending with fan favourite, gruelling obstacle course The Eliminator. At its peak, Gladiators – broadcast from 1992 to 2000 – drew huge audiences to its Saturday evening ITV slot as the famous call of “Contenders Ready? Gladiators Ready?” echoed across TV screens.