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TV producer Hat Trick pays £4.2m to founder Jimmy Mulville and wife | Independent production companies

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A former standup comedian and his wife have received a £4.2m dividend from the TV production company behind Mastermind, Derry Girls and Have I Got News for You.

Jimmy Mulville and his wife, Karen, shared the payout from Hat Trick Holdings, the producer behind hits including Father Ted, Trigger Point and Outnumbered.

Hat Trick’s revenues fell to £48.4m in 2023, from £57.7m the year before, and the company remained in the red, as pre-tax losses narrowed to £377,590 from £397,587, according to accounts filed at Companies House.

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The number of series produced, a key measure of its performance, fell from 12 in 2022 to seven in 2023.

However, the company said highlights of last year had included delivering four shows through HTM Television – its joint venture with the Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio – and setting up Strong Watch Studios, a digital specialist, with two former executives of the online publisher LADbible.

Last month, a US version of Have I Got News For You debuted on CNN, 34 years after it hit British screens.

Hat Trick said that several of its subsidiaries – producing shows such as George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and The Proms for the BBC – “continue to perform well collectively in a difficult environment”.

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Independent TV production companies have struggled as commissioning budgets have been cut by British broadcasters, leading to an industry mantra of “survive to 2025” as they attempt to ride out the tough financial conditions.

Hat Trick was founded in 1986 by Mulville – an aspiring standup turned TV executive – and his ex-wife, Denise O’Donoghue, who together created comedy shows including Drop the Dead Donkey and Room 101 before her departure from the company in 2005.

Mulville has previously discussed bringing back the company from the brink after a private equity deal struck in 2003 turned sour. “I would sit in the car park, quaking with fear,” he said. “The business was crippled with debt, not selling any shows.”

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In total, the company paid out a dividend of £4.7m, including £470,000 to its chair, Patrick McKenna, up from £2.7m distributed last year. Jimmy and Karen Mulville received £4.2m of last year’s dividend, up from £2.4m in 2022.

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“Our goal remains simple: to make highly successful programmes for profit,” wrote Paul Cohen, the group commercial director, in the accounts. He said Hat Trick, which has offices in London and Belfast, also makes investments in “early-stage content creation companies”.

Last year, Mulville was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine after a magistrates court heard that he swore and made rude gestures at a cyclist who had filmed him using his phone while driving his Aston Martin in London.



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Big Brother 2024’s first evicted housemate revealed as star gets the boot after just six days

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Big Brother 2024's first evicted housemate revealed as star gets the boot after just six days


BIG Brother’s Ryan Bradshaw has become the first housemate to be evicted from the 2024 series.

Ryan, 28, was given the boot after just six days during tonight’s live show, admitting he was “gutted to be leaving”.

Big Brother's Ryan Bradshaw has become the first housemate to be evicted from the 2024 series

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Big Brother’s Ryan Bradshaw has become the first housemate to be evicted from the 2024 seriesCredit: ITV

Viewers had become convinced he’d be heading home after one giveaway moment from yesterday’s installment.

The marketing and events worker had caused a scene in the house with Sarah over the shopping task earlier in the episode.

Reflecting on the drama away from his co-stars, Ryan claimed he was set to become a “scapegoat” in a diary room monologue.

He said: “It’s just a bit of fun innit, you know what I mean? As long as I don’t hurt anybody, I didn’t wanna upset anybody and I actually spoke to Sarah after to make sure she’s alright but I know people getting a bit angry but there’s a lot of mischief going on.

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“It’s alright now, but we fail to shopping budget and finger’s on me. If there’s any punishment, I will say I’ll take one for the team because it was kind of me that caused it.

“But yeah, I think it’s all right now, but it’s gonna be a scapegoat, essentially that, oh, you know, if the luxury budget fails, 100% I’ll be an easy target.

“So yeah, I’ve not really played it very well to be honest, have I Big Brother? Came up like a whizz-kid on day one, got blown up by a cake, stayed in a storage room, tried to do the honourable thing.

“Felt like I’d been ripped up, put for eviction, and I pissed people off today in the bloody shopping task, but you’ see how it going.”

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Taking to social media, fans were left with little sympathy for Ryan.

One tweeted: “This feels like Ryan is leading the vote so here’s a monologue to end his storyline.”

Another agreed: “Sorry, but by the way ryan’s talking, he doesn’t even seem to care if he gets evicted.”

Watch the moment Big Brother’s vegetarian housemate Sarah has a tearful meltdown after accidentally eating a meat sandwich

Someone else added: “Ryan really thinks the public are gonna vote him out over a sausage like the majority of twitter haven’t already voted him out two days ago solely over his VT.”

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During the episode, the 16 housemates were divided into holiday guests and staff members helping to run a hotel and resort.

Both staff and guests had to work together in order to earn a luxury shopping budget but cracks quickly formed.

With the guests split into all-inclusive and half-board, only some of them were permitted to eat what they wanted to and when they wanted to.

As a half-boarder, Ryan refused to wait to eat and when it was his turn he stole a sausage from the kitchen knowing full-well it could cause the group to fail the entirety of the task.

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As soon as he ate the sausage, Sarah raged at him for purposefully defying the rules of the task.

Fuming, she stomped around the house before declaring that she was “going to blow”.

She boomed: “Ryan, no! We are going to fail!”

Big Brother 2024 cast

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A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.

Meet the cast of the 2024 series:

  • Rosie, 29, dental assistant from Cornwall.
  • Emma, 53, aesthetics business owner from Altrincham.
  • Segun, 25, charity videographer from Watford.
  • Nathan, 24, pork salesman from Dumfries.
  • Daze, 24, climate activist from London.
  • Khaled, 23, sales manager from Manchester.
  • Martha, 26, NHS administrator from Scarborough.
  • Lily, 20, Chinese takeaway server from Warrington.
  • Ali, 30, Forensic psychologist from London.
  • Thomas, 20 amputee footballer from Carlisle.
  • Ryan, 28, marketing and events from Stockport.
  • Hannah, 24, HR consultant from West London.
  • Izaaz, 29, sales consultant from London.
  • Sarah, 27, spa account manager from Shrewsbury.
  • Marcello, 34, youth mentor from East London.
  • Dean, 35, barber from East London

With a mouth full of sausage, Ryan cackled in Sarah’s face as the down-trodden housemate looked on in despair.

She then shouted at him: “You sausage-gobbler!”

She slumped to the ground and held her head in her hands.

However, fans turned on Sarah for taking the task too seriously.

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Writing online, one said: “Sarah needs to pack her bags I’m afraid, why on earth would you apply for the most overstimulating show on tv.”

Another added: “Sarah is way too weak for this show.”

A third then penned: “Sarah babe, it’s only a sausage.”



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Bill Bailey says he bought an owl at restaurant in China and set it free

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Bill Bailey says he bought an owl at restaurant in China and set it free


Bill Bailey has revealed he once bought a caged owl from a restaurant in China and set it free in a forest.

The comedian and Strictly winner , 59, has released a memoir titled My Animals, And Other Animals, a chronology of his life hinged around all the animals he has met along the way.

The musician and author told BBC Breakfast: “We were travelling through China in Guangdong province and we went to a restaurant, and I was with the family, and there was an owl in the restaurant.

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“It was never really explicitly mentioned whether it was going to be eaten or whether it was for, you know, demo purposes.

“It was in a cage alongside a lot of other animals, and we felt sorry for it. So we said, we have to get this owl out of here. We offered to buy it off them, and then they were quite happy to sell it to us.

The Strictly winner , 59, has released a memoir titled My Animals, And Other Animal

The Strictly winner , 59, has released a memoir titled My Animals, And Other Animal (PA Archive)

“We bought the owl, and they taped it up and put it in a box, and we carried it off in a taxi to release it somewhere.”

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After phoning an owl expert at London Zoo from China, Bailey said they found a forest, adding to BBC presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt: “We let it go and it flew off. It was a wonderful moment.”

In the book, Bailey says the owl was a female Eurasian eagle-owl, and he paid 400 yuan for it – which is just over £40 today.

According to the Peregrine Fund, which works to conserve birds of prey worldwide, the Eurasian eagle-owl is “among the world’s largest owls”, while its “pumpkin orange eyes and feathery ear tufts make them one of the most striking owls in the world”.

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Bailey became the oldest celebrity to win the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball trophy in 2020 at the age of 55, partnered with Oti Mabuse.

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Following the show, he has presented TV programmes that include BBC show Extraordinary Portraits and the Sky Arts series Bill Bailey’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation.

His previous books include Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide To British Birds and Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide To Happiness.



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Jamie Borthwick breaks silence on Strictly Curse rumours after ‘cosy’ night with pro Michelle Tsiakkas

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Jamie Borthwick breaks silence on Strictly Curse rumours after 'cosy' night with pro Michelle Tsiakkas


RUMOURS are rife that EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick is doing the tongue tango with his gorgeous Strictly Come Dancing partner Michelle Tsiakkas.

But the soap star says viewers ­hoping the couple have been struck by the show’s famous love curse are going to be disappointed — because she is more like his mum.

Rumours are rife that EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick is falling for his gorgeous Strictly partner Michelle Tsiakkas

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Rumours are rife that EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick is falling for his gorgeous Strictly partner Michelle TsiakkasCredit: BBC
Jamie has revealed dance pro Michelle is more like his mum

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Jamie has revealed dance pro Michelle is more like his mumCredit: PA

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Jamie, 30, said: “Honestly, it’s hilarious that people think we’re getting jiggy!

“I really don’t know where that comes from, but I think everyone kind of just pre-empts the Strictly curse.

“You definitely ain’t got no worries about Michelle — she’s like a sister, mum and auntie all rolled into one.

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“She’s constantly like, ‘Have you slept well? Have you got this and that?’, I’m being mothered! We’ve got sibling chemistry.”

Fans were thrilled when Jamie appeared to confirm that he and Michelle had grown close, during a chat on Saturday’s show.

While telling a story about training, he said: “We had a delirious night the other night when we were just laying there.”

Host Claudia Winkleman leapt on the comment, hilariously adding: “Delirious night, snuggled up, please continue . . .”

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But modest Jamie, who’s been on our screens as Walford’s Jay Brown since 2006, says he is sure neither 29-year-old Michelle nor his legion of fans would be interested in him anyway, thanks to his “pale little body”.

So he will be keeping everything under wraps, leaving hunks including Vito Coppola and Pete Wicks to show off their six-packs.

Strictly in new fix row after judges predict Jamie Borthwick will win Glitterball

Could spell disaster

Asked if he is prepared to flash the flesh for votes, Jamie said: “I mean, we’ve done the rumba and that’s probably the best you’re going to get out of Borthwick!

“I feel like we should leave that to the big boys, the Vito and Pete Wicks of the world with their six-packs and stuff.

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“I’m afraid I have a pale little body . . . all them women who want to marry me — they won’t want to after they see that.”

Jamie’s bulging social media inbox would suggest otherwise, as a flood of fans fight for his attention.

So has the influx of marriage proposals meant a relationship is something single Jamie might now be thinking about?

“Honestly, I haven’t got time to even have a haircut! There is not a woman on the planet who would settle for my schedule at the moment, I’ll tell you that.

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“So, no, I think for the minute I’ll just focus on my salsa and stick with my ‘sister’ Michelle for the time being. Michelle can be my wing woman and weed out the good messages.”

He added: “That’ll take up about two and a half minutes of her day!”

Jamie is nearly two months into his Strictly journey and has been counting his blessings that he was paired with the Cypriot-British dancer.

Now in its 20th year, Strictly has been rocked by backstage bullying scandals that have dominated the headlines.

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But the lad has no concerns about his own experience so far — though he admits he can see why a clash with your pro partner on the show could spell disaster.

He explained: “Michelle’s the perfect teacher, she’s patient and understanding. She really gets that I’ve never done this before and that every week I am learning something new. So she allows me the time to let it go into my muscle memory. She’s very, very supportive and understands me.

“She knows I need a little bit of fun during the day and a little bit of a laugh, and we have all of that as well.

Jamie and Michelle cuddling up

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Jamie and Michelle cuddling upCredit: MagicmomentsUK

“She gets the perfect balance.

“I actually couldn’t ask for a better partner because your dance partner is really what makes your experience.

“You know, God forbid, if you don’t get on then your experience is going to be terrible, it’s going to be a drag.

“I haven’t had a day where I’ve gone, ‘Look, I really don’t want to go in today and see Michelle because she’s annoying me’. Not once have I had a moment like that — honestly, she’s amazing.”

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It’s a good job the pair have hit it off because Jamie is spending more time with Michelle than anyone else in his life right now.

EastEnders bosses have cut his filming schedule to one day a week so he can pack in a gruelling eight hours of training every day.

But he’s started to feel like the hard work is paying off.

Jamie explained: “Self-doubt does creep in. You think, ‘What am I doing here?’ You stand there waiting to hear if you’ve got through and I think about all these really happy moments that I’ve had and how much I’m loving being on Strictly.

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“I think, ‘This can all come to an end in a minute’ and I do get a little bit sad that this could all be over soon.

“I’m certainly not taking anything for granted in any way. You know, I am genuinely heading into every week kind of going, ‘This could be my last week, so make sure I give it my all’. But I am critical of myself. This week when I came in on Monday I went, ‘Oh God, how on Earth am I going to do this salsa in five days? How am I going to perform this?’”

Panicked moments

He is clearly finding a way, after turning in a string of solid performances.

Jamie’s Elton John-themed quickstep for Movie Week bagged him 30 points, up from 27 for his rumba and 23 for a Viennese waltz in the previous week.

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Jamie said: “The great thing about Strictly is you do it, you learn it, you go home and sleep on it and it just comes together.

Bobby Brazier, my EastEnders co-star who also did Strictly, said that to me — you have those panicked moments but it all works out in the end. But the competition is so tough this year.”

After winning the Strictly Christmas special last year, Jamie knows there’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders.

He has even faced comic digs from his rivals including Wynne Evans, who cheekily branded him a “cheat” for doing the series just months after the festive episode.

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Jamie said: “I know they want to push me so that I do the best job I can. But this dancing thing, I’ve really got to work at it. You know, I don’t find it easy. It doesn’t come naturally to me.

The pair during a training session

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The pair during a training sessionCredit: Instagram

“This is a really new challenge and it changes every week. I’m trying not to fall into any pressure traps. I’m trying to just remember that even if you win this show it’s still gonna be over before it’s begun.”

So is he bothered by the light-hearted swipes at his past triumph on the dance floor?

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“You take whatever Wynne says with a pinch of salt!” he smiled.

“Honestly, the banter we have, we have a right laugh. We take the mickey out of each other and it’s all in good jest. We’ve really got a nice group this year.

“So when the reality of the competition hits, like Tom going out, it’s like a member of our gang’s gone. It’s horrible.”

Punk singer Toyah Willcox was booted from the ballroom last weekend and raised eyebrows when she warned her fellow dancers that if they want to avoid the dreaded dance-off they need to “get rid” of Chris McCausland.

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The blind comic is hotly tipped to take the Strictly crown this year after wowing the judges and fans at home.

But Jamie insists he is ready to roll out the red carpet for his new pal.

He said: “I think what Chris is doing is absolutely amazing. It is one of the most incredible things I think we’ve ever seen.

“He’s such a lovely guy and what Dianne Buswell is doing with him is absolutely fantastic.

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  •  Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC1 at 6.20pm.
Jamie has been counting his blessings that he was paired with Michelle

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Jamie has been counting his blessings that he was paired with MichelleCredit: PA
Fans were thrilled when Jamie appeared to confirm that he and Michelle had grown close

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Fans were thrilled when Jamie appeared to confirm that he and Michelle had grown closeCredit: BBC



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Big Brother’s first trans winner Nadia says show broke her and calls current contestant transgressive

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Big Brother’s first trans winner Nadia says show broke her and calls current contestant transgressive


The first transgender winner of Big Brother has revealed how the show “broke her”, as she criticised producers for airing “transgressive comments” made by a current contestant.

Nadia Almada proved to be extremely popular when she appeared on the fifth season of the show in 2004, winning a huge 74 per cent of the vote when she was crowned the winner.

However, when she went on to appear on the all-stars version on the show in 2010, she suffered a huge blow as she became what she described as a “victim of a very produced” series.

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“It was a very, very distressing time for me actually. It was heartbreaking as well,” she said on the Queerphoria podcast. “ It was very intentional. It broke me.”

She discussed how she felt she was “put in harms way” by the show’s producers who didn’t protect her from the transphobic treatment she suffered from her fellow housemate, the late rapper Coolio.

When Nadia went on to appear on the all-stars version on the show in 2010, she suffered a huge blow as she became what she described a “victim of a very produced” series

When Nadia went on to appear on the all-stars version on the show in 2010, she suffered a huge blow as she became what she described a “victim of a very produced” series (Getty)

“Mentally, I was broken by all of his doings and all his beliefs and all his practises,” she said “I guess in essence I was a victim of that very produced series. And I think Channel 4 or even Big Brother will look back and acknowledge some of these things. It was it was very dehumanising, and I think it really took me to a dark place, with that person specifically.”

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Her testimony comes as she criticised producers for featuring a current contestant’s “transgressive comments” as this year’s series began.

In his introductory video tape, housemate Ryan Bradshaw mocked the idea of “woke people” using “certain pronouns”

In his introductory video tape, housemate Ryan Bradshaw mocked the idea of “woke people” using “certain pronouns”

In his introductory video tape, housemate Ryan Bradshaw mocked the idea of “woke people” using “certain pronouns” (ITV)

The 28-year-old said: “There’s a lot of woke people out there. It’s all well and good if you want to use certain pronouns and I get that. It gets a bit confusing sometimes when people start identifying as a spoon or whatnot.”

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In response, Nadia shared her concerns about the comments on her Instagram story writing: “Big Brother made an editorial decision to show Ryan making transgressive comments. The clip was prerecorded – they likely had lots of footage to choose from, but that’s what they went for. They did it to gain publicity for the show and use our outrage for clicks, views and votes.

“BBUK had the opportunity to educate Ryan, instead you’ve let him show himself up. @bbcuk, dear friend and confideant, you have failed me, the #LGBTQIA community and society at large. This is 2024 not 2004 #bbuk.”

She was not the only public figure to express disappointment in the comments. Trans TV presenter India Willoughby also took to social media to condemn the comments, writing on X/Twitter: “Really disappointing @buk. I wonder if this guy would have been allowed in the BB house if he’d been derogatory about Black, Asian or Jewish people in his VT?

“It really is shocking how trans people can now be openly belittled in the UK mainstream @ITV.”

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A Big Brother spokesperson said: “Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.”



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Netflix goes head to head with BBC with ‘new Pride and Prejudice series’

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Netflix goes head to head with BBC with ‘new Pride and Prejudice series’


A NEW period drama is in the works for Netflix, but it will revisit fan-favourite literary characters. 

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy could be coming back to the small screen – although the series still needs to be officially green-lit. 

A new Netflix period drama is set to rival the BBC's upcoming series

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A new Netflix period drama is set to rival the BBC’s upcoming seriesCredit: Alamy
A new adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice is in the works for the streamer

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A new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice is in the works for the streamerCredit: Handout
But earlier this week the BBC announced that they were also working on a new Austen-themed series

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But earlier this week the BBC announced that they were also working on a new Austen-themed seriesCredit: Alamy

Journalist, author and Everything I Know About Love creator Dolly Alderton has put pen to paper once more and written the script for the series which is currently in development. 

If it does get green-lit, Pride and Prejudice will be Netflix’s first Austen adaptation since 2022’s Persuasion, which starred Dakota Johnson.

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No casting for the series has been announced yet.

Many iconic Pride and Prejudice adaptations have been made down the years, including a movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in 2005 – which has recently been added to Netflix – as well as the sensation 1995 version starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle which is now a beloved BBC classic.

Originally penned by Jane Austen in the early 19th century, it is a novel about love and class.

Pride and Prejudice tells the tale of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, who eventually fall in love but have to navigate various obstacles as Elizabeth’s father seeks a male heir.

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If Netflix moves forward with its adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, it could be set to rival the Beeb’s upcoming period drama, The Other Sister, which was confirmed earlier this week

The Other Bennet Sister is based on Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same name and follows the life and times of the middle Bennet sister.

The series will be brought to the screen by Doctor Who production company Bad Wolf as part of a 10-episode show, written by Sarah Quintrell.

The BBC is yet to announce cast members but has revealed a synopsis for the film, saying: “Unlike her sisters, Mary isn’t your typical period drama heroine,” it states.

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Iconic scene sees Colin Firth dripping wet after taking dip in Pride And Prejudice

“She is awkward, anxious, preachy, full of facts, a terrible singer… overlooked by her mother and seemingly destined to an empty dance card for the rest of her life… until Mary takes matters into her own hands.”

This time, Mary is the star of her own love story, as she leaves behind her home in Meryton for the bright lights of Regency London and the Lake District.

“I’m thrilled to be telling the story of Mary – the other Bennet sister – exploring what it is to come of age when you’re the odd one out,” Sarah added. 

Meanwhile, Emerald Fennell is also venturing into the world of period dramas making a big-budget retelling of Emily Bronte’s classic Wuthering Heights starring Barbie’s Margot Robbie and Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi.

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Netflix arrivals this October

Here are some of the other films and shows to look out for this month on Netflix

  • Bridesmaids
  • Couples Retreat
  • Get Him to the Greek
  • Point Break
  • The Karate Kid Collection
  • Till Death
  • Unfriended



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Threads: BBC viewers urge everyone to watch ‘bleak’ war film that has only ever been shown four times

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Threads: BBC viewers urge everyone to watch ‘bleak’ war film that has only ever been shown four times


BBC iPlayer viewers are encouraging viewers to watch the nuclear war film Threads, often described as one of the most harrowing movies ever made.

The 1984 film was made for BBC TV by The Bodyguard director Mick Jackson and Kes writer Barry Hines, with Jackson wanting to focus on the scientific ramifications of a nuclear attack and its fallout.

Threads was first aired on BBC Two on 23 September 1984 at the height of the Cold War, when nuclear tensions were as prevalant a talking point as they are today.

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Although the film revolves around the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, after the latter invades Iran, it predominantly focuses on the lives of a couple in Sheffield, England and how the war impacts their lives.

The South Yorkshire city was chosen due to the belief that the Soviets would opt to strike an industrial city in the UK and that the local council, at the time, had a “nuclear-free zonepolicy.

Despite having a budget of just £400,000, Threads was the first film to ever depict what a nuclear winter would actually look like, giving an uncompromising and brutally bleak outlook on the implications of nuclear war and the devastation it would create. It has been widely praised by critics and audience alike ever since and holds a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It has only been repeated on BBC TV three times since its original broadcast, with the most recent being on 9 October, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

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The film is now available to watch on iPlayer, with many encouraging those who haven’t seen it to watch it despite the heavy subject matter.

On X/Twitter, one person wrote: “Watching Threads as a youngster (too young really) was a massively transformative experience for me. If you haven’t watched it, you owe it to yourself to do so.”

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Another said: “One of the earliest films to not treat nuclear bombs as the end point. But instead focus on the horrors and hauntings that accompany surviving their impact. Rarely shown on TV, a must watch.”

A third added: “I beseech you, if you’ve never watched Threads before, make sure you do now. It’s only been shown 4 times on telly in 40 years and it’s a bleak, harrowing, but essential watch. Something you’ll never forget.”

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Watching it for the first time, one viewer said: “Waking up the morning after seeing Threads for the first time… … Like all great art, shakes you to the core and makes you see the world in a new way. While the kitchen sink (antithesis of Hollywood) context makes it all the more terrifying.”

Speaking to the BFI in September, Jackson said the he still suffers from a type of PTSD brought on from making the film. He “For many months after the film was finished and done with, I would still have moments where that alternative reality would suddenly ‘flash’ into my consciousness – as if I were actually there,” he said “I guess it eventually faded but it still hasn’t quite gone.”

(BBC/ Nine Network/ Western-World Television)

In January, the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, prompted scientists to keep the hands on the Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds to midnight for a second year in a row as scientists say “humanity continues to face an unprecedented level of danger”.

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