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Sky faces bill for hundreds of millions after advertising blunder | Sky

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Sky is facing a bill for hundreds of millions of pounds after a blunder that meant it accidentally underpaid its advertising partners, it has emerged.

The broadcaster’s advertising sales arm, Sky Media, will have to recompense business partners such as Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, after discovering earlier this year that it had miscalculated what it owed them.

Sky Media sells advertising space on its own channels, as well as those owned by other major media organisations.

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Earlier this year, the division discovered that it had significantly underestimated what it was supposed to have paid to the owners of those other channels since 2017, according to the Sunday Telegraph, which first reported the story.

The errors began before the company’s £30bn takeover by the American TV company Comcast but continued afterwards, Sky confirmed.

The reimbursements are understood to have been properly accounted for but not specifically referenced in public filings. Some staff have left the business as a result of the costly gaffe, the Telegraph reported.

A Sky Media spokesperson said: “When we became aware of an issue in relation to payments to partners, we acted decisively, conducted a thorough review process, proactively notified all partners, and are in the process of fully reimbursing them. We have made the necessary internal changes to prevent this reoccurring.”

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The mistake shines an unflattering light on Sky’s competence relative to the UK’s other leading vendors of TV advertising minutes: Channel 4 and ITV.

In 2015, Sky Media held off a challenge from Channel 4 to secure the rights to handle the £250m-a-year ad sales business for Channel 5, which had been bought by Viacom the previous year.

Both Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global, formed by the 2019 merger of CBS and Viacom, could review their contracts with Sky after it had reimbursed them, the Telegraph reported.

In 2015, when Sky Media won Viacom’s business, Andrew Griffith, Sky’s finance chief and managing director of the company’s commercial businesses, said the deal was proof of the value of products such as its localised ad targeting technology AdSmart.

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“This is a big deal in terms of the validation of [ad] formats like AdSmart,” he said. “Why has Viacom gone with Sky rather than another player? Sky Media is seen as punching above its weight and as an innovator.”

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Griffith went on to become a Conservative MP.

The Sky Media division was run until September last year by Patrick Behar, who left to become global chief executive of audience analysis business Kantar Media.

There is no suggestion his departure was associated with the payment miscalculation, which is understood to have been uncovered earlier this year by Sky Media, which informed its partners proactively.

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Sky reported advertising sales of £1.2bn last year, from a total turnover of £10.2bn.



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Stranger Things Season 5: Netflix teases big mystery in new teaser for final season

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Stranger Things Season 5: Netflix teases big mystery in new teaser for final season


Netflix have teased a big mystery for the forthcoming final season of fan-favourite, Stranger Things.

The record-breaking drama features an ensemble cast including Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers.

The show, which follows a series of paranormal events taking place in an American town in the 1980s, is back for its fifth and final segment in 2025, the streamer confirmed earlier this year.

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In a new video shared to their social media page on Wednesday afternoon (6 November), the name of each new episode was revealed.

Titles for each episode often shed light on key events, with the first episode of the first season called “The Vanishing of Will Byers”, setting the scene for the plot of the entire show.

They can take on obscure names based on a theme identifiable to fans, for instance “The Flea and the Acrobat” in which the gate between dimensions was first revealed.

Fans dived deep into speculation, particularly after one of the forthcoming episodes had part of its title omitted.

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(Netflix/Stranger Things)

The titles are as follows:

The Crawl

The Vanishing Of [Omitted]

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The Turnbow Trap

Sorcerer

Shock Jock

Escape From Camazotz

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The Bridge

The Rightside Up

In the show’s characteristic Eighties style lettering along with its instantly recognisable music by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, the teaser was accompanied by the tagline, “In the fall of 1987… one last adventure begins.”

“‘The Vanishing Of…’ was such a massive tease,” wrote one fan, as speculation centred on whether Eddie Munson, played by Gladiator II star Joseph Quinn, could be set to return, or whether a main character will vanish in a repeat of the show’s first episode.

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Fans were also left emotional at the name of the final episode called “The Rightside Up”, as opposed to the horror the characters endured in the evil-ridden “Upside Down”.

(Netflix/Stranger Things)

“My God, The Rightside Up is the best thing I’ve heard,” wrote one person on social media.

Another added, “Sobbing my eyes out” as fans left crying and tearing up emojis.

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Creators Matt and Ross Duffer said that they had created a 25-page document detailing the mythology of the Upside Down when they created the show, in an interview with Tudum.

“We were like, ‘We know what’s going on in the Upside Down, more or less, but we want it to be unknowable. We want it to be mysterious,’ ” Matt Duffer explained.

“But they were like, ‘Yeah, but can you write it down?’ And so we wrote it all down.”

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Meanwhile, Ross said the final season would finally tie up all loose ends.

“The last remaining questions that are answered in that document, we’ve punted a couple of those to have some big reveals in Season 5,” said Ross Duffer during Geeked Week in June 2022. “And that’s really going to affect what Season 5 is about.”

Stranger Things 5 will be released in 2025.





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Stranger Things Season 5 trailer: Is episode 6 linked to Camazotz in the book A Wrinkle in Time?

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Stranger Things Season 5 trailer: Is episode 6 linked to Camazotz in the book A Wrinkle in Time?


STRANGER Things fans have the bittersweet knowledge that while a new series of the show is coming out in 2025, it will be the last one.

The fifth and final season of the mega-hit teen horror has sparked intrigue among fans — here we look at possible links between episode six and the book A Wrinkle in Time.

Series 5 of Stranger Things is set to come out in 2025

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Series 5 of Stranger Things is set to come out in 2025Credit: Netflix
A Wrinkle in Time was also turned into a 2018 Disney movie

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A Wrinkle in Time was also turned into a 2018 Disney movieCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The sixth episode of series five of Stranger Things is called Escape From Camazotz.

This title suggests a fascinating connection between the popular Netflix series and Madeleine L’Engle’s classic 1962 children’s novel.

A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time is a beloved science fiction-fantasy novel that has captivated readers for generations.

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The story follows young Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin O’Keefe as they embark on an interplanetary journey to rescue Meg’s father.

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Their adventure takes them across the universe, including a visit to the mysterious planet Camazotz.

Camazotz

In L’Engle’s novel, Camazotz is portrayed as a dystopian planet where conformity reigns supreme and everything is miserable thanks to The Black Thing — a powerful force of evil threatening the universe.

The planet’s inhabitants live under the oppressive control of a disembodied brain called IT, which possesses powerful telepathic abilities.

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IT enforces a strict uniformity, causing the people of Camazotz to behave in a mechanical, almost robotic manner.

Mayan mythology

Interestingly, the name Camazotz also has roots in Mayan mythology.

In these ancient tales, Camazotz is depicted as a bat-like monster associated with death and the underworld.

Stranger Things star teases return of fan favourite in season five – despite devastating death

The name literally translates to “death bat” in the K’iche’ language.

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Connections between A Wrinkle in Time and Stranger Things

The parallels between A Wrinkle in Time and Stranger Things are striking, suggesting that the reference to Camazotz in the episode title is no accident.

Both narratives feature young protagonists facing otherworldly threats and exploring alternate dimensions.

The concept of mind control, central to Camazotz in A Wrinkle in Time, resonates strongly with themes in Stranger Things.

Camazotz is also an ancient creature from Mayan myth

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Camazotz is also an ancient creature from Mayan mythCredit: Wikipedia

The series has consistently portrayed the Upside Down’s monsters attempting to control humans, mirroring the way IT dominates the inhabitants of Camazotz.

Stranger Things is famous for its numerous references to popular culture, particularly from the 1980s.

For the fifth series it looks like the writers may have gone a little further back for inspiration.

While the exact nature of the connection remains to be seen, the deliberate reference to Camazotz suggests that fans of both Stranger Things and A Wrinkle in Time are in for a treat.

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The crossover between classic literature and modern television demonstrates the enduring power of storytelling.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the final season to see how this literary connection unfolds on screen and contributes to the series’ grand finale.



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Jeremy Clarkson denies burning effigy of Donald Trump

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Jeremy Clarkson denies burning effigy of Donald Trump


Jeremy Clarkson has responded to accusations that he burned an effigy of US president Donald Trump on Bonfire Night.

The 69-year-old Clarkson’s Farm star, who recently underwent a heart procedure after becoming unwell while on holiday, called the claims “utter horse s***”.

A picture of a figure dressed in a suit with what appeared to be a coiffed hairstyle burning in the middle of flames was shared by the TV personality on Tuesday night (5 November).

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He captioned the post: “Bonfire Night at The Farmer’s Dog pub”.

The image provoked a divided response from his social media followers, after the businessman and Home Alone 2 star was elected the 47th president of the US on Wednesday morning (6 November).

“This is disappointing,” wrote one person, while another added, “Anyway….looking forward to voting for TRUMP today!”

A third Republican supporter accused the former Top Gear host of being “corrupted by the Democrats”.

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However, Clarkson cleared up any confusion by resharing an article about the bonfire and denying the claims.

“Utter horse sh*t,” he wrote in the caption posted on Wednesday afternoon.

“If I was going to burn someone contemporary on our fire, it would be someone closer to home. But it was actually just Guy Fawkes.”

Clarkson responded to claims he burned an effigy of Donald Trump
Clarkson responded to claims he burned an effigy of Donald Trump (Instagram/JeremyClarkson1)

The US has endured a chaotic and highly polarised election day in which the US voted to elect either Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris.

Shortly after posting the image of Guy Fawkes burning in the fire, Clarkson revealed that his hit Prime Video series, Clarkson’s Farm had been renewed for a fifth season.

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“Over the years bright lights in the sky have been used to make many important announcements, the birth of the baby Jesus for example,” he said as lights arranged themselves behind him in the video.

“But tonight they’re being used to make an announcement that’s even bigger than that. Season 5 of Clarkson’s Farm is coming.”

The documentary series first aired on Prime Video in 2021, and follows the former Top Gear host as he attempts to run his 1,000-acre Diddly Squat farm near Chipping Norton.

The 61-year-old bought the land in 2008 and, after the villager who ran the farm retired in 2019, decided to see if he could run it himself. A long-awaited third series was released to success in May.

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Watch as Amanda Holden reveals her first EVER tattoo – and husband Chris’s furious reaction

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Watch as Amanda Holden reveals her first EVER tattoo - and husband Chris's furious reaction


AMANDA Holden has revealed her first ever tattoo – and her husband Chris isn’t impressed.

The Heart radio star, 53, showed off her first inking on today’s breakfast show after returning home from a holiday in Los Angeles.

Amanda Holden has revealed her first tattoo

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Amanda Holden has revealed her first tattooCredit: Instagram
The tattoo was done inside a parlour in LA

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The tattoo was done inside a parlour in LACredit: Instagram

The Britain’s Got Talent judge was in the States with daughter Hollie, 12, for half-term and they met up with her best friend, Jane.

Amanda told listeners: “I was having a cup of tea with my friend Sarah, and she was squashing a tea bag in her cup when I noticed something about her.

“I noticed something about her person that I was so shocked at but thrilled for her because this is something she’d always wanted to do.

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“And I was like ‘Oh my gosh Sarah, I am going to do that,’ and she says, ‘you must do that.’ Anyway, I go for dinner with Jane, and we were there with Hollie, Freya and Jack.

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“They’re all children, I say children they’re old. And I said to Jane, look at what Sarah’s done to herself. And Jane was like ‘Oh my gosh this is fabulous’ I said, ‘let’s do it.’

“She went, ‘you’re kidding’ and I said, ‘I’ve always been wholeheartedly against them.’ And we got in the car, and we went, and we found a place.”

The parlour in question used to be a bar and had a huge pole in the middle of the room.

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Upon returning home, her family failed to spot the two hearts she’d had tattooed onto her wrist.

“I dropped so many hints,” she said. “I was, you know, obviously my husband just didn’t notice.

“And then yesterday, obviously my 18-year-old is home, I made a roast dinner. I was pretending to mop my brow because my tattoo is actually just on my wrist. Because, you know, I was sort of slaving over a stove as I was talking to Chris.

Sex Confessions of the Famous

“I had my hand like that, just nothing. Anyway, Holly was losing her mind because she was obviously present for the tattoo moment, which didn’t hurt and took less than 30 seconds.”

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Amanda admitted she expected Chris’s negative reaction, and it played out how she imagined it would.

She said: “First, he would say, it looks fake. Second, he said it looks naff. And third, he said, ‘Oh, what’s going to happen next? Where else are you going to get one? What else are you going to do? And now the children are going to want one,’ is what he said.”

Regardless of his view, Amanda was thrilled with her body art, which symbolises her two children Hollie and Lexi.

And she revealed she’s going to get a small third heart added at the bottom, perhaps to symbolise her son, Theo, who was tragically stillborn in 2011.

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Listen to Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden weekdays from 06:30 – 10:00 across the UK and on Global Player

Amanda looked pretty in pink this morning

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Amanda looked pretty in pink this morningCredit: The Mega Agency
The tattoos are for her two daughters

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The tattoos are for her two daughtersCredit: Instagram
Amanda's husband Chris isn't a fan of her tattoos

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Amanda’s husband Chris isn’t a fan of her tattoosCredit: PA:Press Association



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Death in Paradise reveals first look at Don Gilet as show’s new lead detective

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Death in Paradise reveals first look at Don Gilet as show’s new lead detective


The BBC has shared a first look at the new lead detective in popular mystery series, Death in Paradise.

EastEnders and Shetland star Don Gilet was unveiled as the replacement for Ralf Little earlier this year. Little had starred as Detective Inspector Neville Parker in series 9 to 13 of the show, which has been running since 2011.

The hit BBC series, which focuses on the detective inspector from the UK and his police team solving murder mysteries that continue to shake the fictional island of Saint Marie, sees a new actor joining as DI every few years.

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Gilet will make his debut as Detective Inspector Mervin WiIson in a feature-length Christmas special later this year, before a brand-new series in 2025. He is best known for playing Lucas Johnson in the long-running soap, as well as Jacob Harris in Sherwood and John Howell in Shetland.

Filming has wrapped in Guadeloupe, which will also see the return of regular faces including Don Warrington, Shantol Jackson, Ginny Holder, Élizabeth Bourgine and Danny John-Jules.

“I am delighted to have returned to the wonderful island of Guadeloupe and this time to be stepping into the well-worn shoes of the Detective Inspector,” Gilet said.

“It’s been a real pleasure filming such a beloved series alongside the hardworking cast and crew. I can’t wait for the fans to see how DI Mervin Wilson fares on the island, how he fits within the Saint Marie police team and what secrets may unfold…”

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(BBC/Lou Denim/Death In Paradise)

When his casting was revealed back in May, Gilet had said that “being offered the new lead role in Death in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands”.

He added, “This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it. It is my intention to never lose sight of that and to remain grateful, humbled and dedicated.

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(BBC/Lou Denim/Death in Paradise)

“Even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer – whichever happens to be closer at the time!”



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The Vicar of Dibley returns to screens 30 years after debut episode – with unseen footage that never made it to air

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The Vicar of Dibley returns to screens 30 years after debut episode - with unseen footage that never made it to air


THE Vicar of Dibley is returning to screens ahead of its 30th anniversary – with fans treated to never before seen footage.

The beloved sitcom – which launched in 1994 – centred around Dawn French‘s character Geraldine Grainer.

The Vicar of Dibley has returned to screens just in time for its 30th anniversary

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The Vicar of Dibley has returned to screens just in time for its 30th anniversaryCredit: Alamy
The beloved sitcom starred Dawn French and ran for three series and drew millions of viewers to each episode

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The beloved sitcom starred Dawn French and ran for three series and drew millions of viewers to each episodeCredit: Getty

She arrived in the Dibley as the village’s new vicar, but struggled at first to win over the locals.

The show also starred Emma Chambers, Gary Waldhorn, Trevor Peacock, Roger Lloyd Pack and John Bluthal, who have all sadly died.

It ran for just three series but pulled in millions of viewers and is still adored to this day.

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Three decades on, fans will get to enjoy the BBC series as it lands on TV streaming platform Now.

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A special tab hosts some of The Vicar of Dibley‘s most memorable episodes – such as Geraldine being completely submerged after throwing herself into a puddle.

It also includes the 2021 special ‘Inside Out’ where Dawn, 67, and Richard Curtis look back at memorable episodes with never-before-seen footage also included.

Bosses are also releasing a new episode each day, starting with series one.

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Meanwhile, Dawn French previously revealed she was returning to comedy – 17 years after The Vicar of Dibley ended.

Can You Keep a Secret? is a six-part series created and written by Simon Mayhew-Archer, the talent behind hits like This Country and Josh.

Inside the tragedy of Vicar of Dibley stars as 6 of the 8 cast have died in last 8 years

In this new comedy, Dawn plays Debbie Fenton – a widower, lawn bowler, and self-proclaimed protector of her family.

The new show is a co-production between Big Talk Studios, Mayhay Studios, and CBS Studios and will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

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Best BBC comedies

A BBC boss called on the industry to “save our sitcoms”, but the corporation has a history of fantastic shows.

We look back at some of the best to ever grace the screen.

Fawlty Towers (1975-1979) – Only two series were made of the beloved institution. However, the cultural impact of the series starring John Cleese and Connie Booth spans decades. It follows rude and intolerant Basil Fawlty (Cleese) as he attempts to improve the reputation of his hotel.

Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003) – The show was crowned by some as the best British sitcom of all time by a TV poll in 2004. Seven series were broadcast on BBC until 1991 with additional sporadic Christmas specials airing until 2003. Sir David Jason starred as ambitious market trader Derek “Del Boy” Trotter whilst Nicholas Lyndhurst played his younger half-brother Rodney. Set in working-class Peckham in south-east London, it follows the highs and lows of the lives of the Trotters’, in particular their brazen attempts to get rich.

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Blackadder (1983 – 1989) – Four series were made of the iconic show, created by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson. Each series spans a different historical period as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder (Atkinson) tries to better himself in each society. Accompanied by his dogsbody Baldrick (Tony Robinson), trouble always ensues. A TV poll in 2004 found that Blackadder was voted the second-best British sitcom of all time

Absolutely Fabulous (1992 – 2012) – Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley star as failing PR guru Edina ‘Eddie’ Monsoon and alcoholic fashionista Patsy Stone. The pair embark on heavy-drinking sessions and abuse drugs in a desperate attempt to stay ‘hip’. Eddie constantly chases bizarre fads and fails to lose weight whilst her disappointed and neglected daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha) looks on.

Little Britain (2003 – 2006) – The premise is simple. A sketch show which features different British people from all walks of life that are engaged in all sorts of comical scenarios. Starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, the pair created iconic pop culture characters. Viewers loved obnoxious council estate teenager Vicky Pollard, morbidly obese scrounger Bubbles Devere, slimming coach Marjorie Dawes, despondent office worker Carol Beer, disgraced politician Sir Norman Fry, of course the iconic Lou and Andy!

The Catherine Tate Show (2004-2015) – A sketch show starring the likes of Catherine Tate. She made iconic characters such as rowdy schoolgirl Lauren Cooper with her line ‘Am I bovvered?’. Other characters featured Bernie the nurse, the aga saga woman, complaining couple Janice and Ray, and of course her infamous ‘Nan’, Joannie Taylor. The last character herself spawned multiple specials and even a movie.

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Gavin and Stacey (2007 – Present) The series tells the story of Gavin (Matthew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page). The pair embarked on an online and telephone romance for six months. But when they finally decide to be together properly, their friends and family get in the way. Ruth Jones and James Corden created the beloved show, which has been going for over a decade. The 2019 Christmas special was the most-watched comedy in 17 years and the most-viewed non-sporting event in a decade.



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