BBC | Tellyspotting

Posted October 25, 2020 - No Comment

Let us pray as Dibley’s Vicar teases something special for Christmas.

Since everything you read on the Internet is true, I’m taking Dawn French’s teasing of something special from the creators of The Vicar of Dibley this season to the bank. Ok, fine, I can only find one mention of the absolutely brilliant news reportedly dropped recently by French, who plays Dibley’s vicar, Geraldine Granger, but I’m taking that as meaning ‘there is a chance’ that this possibility could be worth the paper it was printed on.

Posted October 19, 2020 - No Comment

‘Talking Heads’ revamp celebrates Masterpiece’s 50th on PBS in 2021

BBC’s recent revival of a late 80s masterpiece, Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologue series complete with a line-up of stars that reads like a who’s who of the British acting world, was not only a ‘masterpiece’ but it’s getting ready to ‘be a masterpiece’, as in PBS’s Masterpiece in 2021. The reboot of the masterful series of […]

Posted October 10, 2020 - No Comment

Becoming a Dame is ‘icing on the cake’ to Mary Berry and her 50+ year cookery career

Mary Berry is set to become a dame after being nominated as part of this years delayed Queen’s birthday honours list. The former judge on the Great British Bake Off will receive the accolade for services to broadcasting, culinary arts and charity. With 70+ cookery books under her belt, the first published 50 years ago in 1970, Berry is […]

Posted October 7, 2020 - No Comment

Could ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ become the next ‘Downton Abbey’?

Ok, that may be just a bit over the top but given the response to last night series 1 finale of the All Creatures Great and Small reboot, it has all the makings of equaling the brilliant six series run of Downton Abbey. Since the new ACGS has yet to premiere on PBS’ Masterpiece series with American audiences having to wait […]

Posted October 6, 2020 - No Comment

Happy 45th, ‘Poldark’!

Looking at the calendar, it’s hard to believe it is already October. Can someone tell me what happened to March through September?? It’s also hard to believe that yesterday, Monday, October 5th, marked the 45th anniversary of the UK premiere of Poldark. It was such a treat to open an email yesterday morning and spend time reading how Robin Ellis, the original Captain Ross Poldark, marked the anniversary.

Posted October 4, 2020 - No Comment

A case of personal morality vs. political power for Hugh Laurie in ‘Roadkill’ on PBS’ Masterpiece

Ambition knows no bounds, nor does corruption when Hugh Laurie (Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder, Veep, The Night Manager, House) and Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders, MotherFatherSon) star in Roadkill, a new political thriller from Academy Award nominee David Hare (Collateral, The White Crow) coming to Masterpiece beginning November 1 at 9p/8c.

Posted September 6, 2020 - No Comment

With the most beautiful cities in the world as a backdrop, David Nicholls’ ‘Us’ with Tom Hollander and Saskia Reeves heads our way

Quality drama continues to come our way via BBC One and PBS as David Nicholls’ Us skirted the coronavirus pandemic lockdown and is set to transmit in 2020-21. Based on the best-selling, critically acclaimed novel of the same name by David Nicholls, Us stars Tom Hollander (Rev, Night Manager, Baptiste, Bohemian Rhapsody), Saskia Reeves (Luther, Wolf Hall, Silent Witness, […]

Posted August 19, 2020 - No Comment

‘Call the Midwife’ returns to filming for S10 + Christmas special

The word out of Neal Street Productions is that cast and crew of Call the Midwife have returned to Nonnatus House (i.e. Longcross Studios) to begin filming of the traditional Christmas special and series 10! Filming was halted in March due to safety concerns for the CTM family. While postponing filming was viewed by producers as a sad but […]

Posted August 15, 2020 - No Comment

Celebrating 10 years — the true story behind ‘Death in Paradise’

Cast and crew of Death in Paradise have returned to the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe to begin filming of series 10 of the popular BBC One series. Series creator Robert Thorogood’s idea was actually inspired by the real-life story of a British police officer who went to the Caribbean to investigate a suspected murder during the Cricket World Cup. Vote for your favorite ‘fish out of water’ Detective Inspector in today’s poll.

Posted July 31, 2020 - No Comment

Leaving the world with a lifetime of laughter to enjoy forever, legendary comedy producer/director, Sydney Lotterby, dies at 93

While we never had the good fortune to speak with Sydney for our any of our PBS specials that featured not only the stars of some of the all-time great British comedy series but also focused on the writers and creators of some of the classics of British comedy, it was through the words of John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Jenny Funnell, Moira Brooker, Philip Bretherton, Richard Briers, Michael Crawford, Roy Clarke, David Jason, Karl Howman, Bob Larbey and Frank Thornton that we were immediately schooled on the greatness that was Sydney Lotterby.