Innholdsfortegnelse for 8-Nov-25 i TV Times

PLAY FOR TODAY NEW THURSDAY, 9PM, 5 DRAMA It isn’t every day you sit down with two EastEnders legends. So imagine TV Times’ delight when actors Anita Dobson and Tracy-Ann Oberman join us to chat about their first joint project: Play for Today: Never Too Late. The drama is the first of four stand-alone stories in 5’s muchanticipated new franchise Play for Today, a revival of the iconic anthology series of the same name that ran on BBC1 between 1970 and 1984, and which was renowned for exploring societal issues. The opening chapter takes an irreverent look at ageing, and sees Anita play fiercely independent Cynthia, who moves into a retirement village at the insistence of her daughter, Amanda, portrayed by Tracy-Ann. It’s not long before rebellious Cynthia is ripping…

DIY SOS: CHILDREN IN NEED SPECIAL NEW THU, 9PM, BBC1 FACTUAL Nick Knowles and his dedicated team at DIY SOS have a long history of supporting Children in Need. So when the charity’s mascot Pudsey Bear asked Nick to help with an ambitious project for The Joshua Tree, a Cheshire-based charity supporting families affected by childhood cancer, he was up for the challenge. ‘Whenever Pudsey comes bouncing up to me, I’ll say: “Oh no, what am I doing this time?” Because it means there’s a massive build that we have to pull off. But when it’s for a children’s charity, it’s only ever a marvellous thing,’ says Nick, 63. The Joshua Tree was founded in 2006 by Lynda and Dai Hill after their son Joshua was diagnosed with leukaemia. The…

A VERY JONAS CHRISTMAS MOVIE NEW FROM FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER, DISNEY+ COMEDY Fans of pop trio Jonas Brothers are in for a festive treat as Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas star in their own Yuletide film A Very Jonas Christmas Movie on Disney+. The plot follows the siblings, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band, on a topsy-turvy journey as they attempt to travel from the final gig of their world tour in London back to New York in time to spend Christmas Day with their families. But little do they know that Santa, played by Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson, has cast a spell over them to help them rekindle their fractured bond, which means instead of concentrating on their individual roles in the band, they must…

Shona’s pregnancy has been the silver lining for the Platts in an otherwise pants year, which has seen debt-ridden David order his own death and son Max banged up for torching the family home (although that did at least obliterate Gail’s 80s-style decor). But alas, No 8 is to be the scene of yet more anguish, as Shona and David discover all is not well with their unborn baby. Shona was due to have the scan a few weeks ago, but she postponed it when David got stuck in a lift in town. As the rescheduled appointment beckons, David is a no-show yet again, and Shona is forced to get a lift to the hospital from Sarah. Unbeknown to her, her husband has had a fracas with Kit and found…

When Vicki comes to Tommy’s aid after he’s taunted by Denzel and Nugget, Amy points out that the lad doesn’t deserve her support, having kept Joel hidden after he violently attacked her. Blindsided by the discovery, Vicki heads round to The Vic to confront Tommy. Kat steps in to calm her down and offers her support, but Vicki remains haunted by that near-fatal night, and when she later goes for a drink with Kathy, she rushes out after spotting a man making a girl feel uncomfortable. Returning home, she collapses in tears – will she ever be the same again?…

Mark Charnock says there is a lot more to come with regards to the storyline about his character Marlon’s daughter April being groomed into drug dealing by the villainous Ray and his mother Celia. ‘Things are going to get worse before they get better,’ teases Mark. ‘It’s a story that keeps on giving – it’s dark, but in the best dramatic way.’ The actor adds that Marlon would resort to extreme measures to protect April when he learns the truth. ‘I think he could do something reckless,’ reveals Mark, 57. ‘I truly believe that character would sacrifice himself for his child.’…

WILD CHERRY BBC1 A shocking scandal unravels an elite community in a glossy new drama I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE! ITV1 A fresh collection of famous faces join hosts Ant and Dec in the Aussie jungle PICTURE SLAM BBC1 Alan Carr’s fastpaced quiz returns for a third outing SUMMERWATER C4 Shirley Henderson and Dougray Scott lead a thriller set at a Scottish loch-side cabin park COOPER AND FRY 5 Mandip Gill and Robert James-Collier are mismatched detectives Diane Fry and Ben Cooper in a new crime drama…

1 KINGDOM BBC1 NATURE Four magnificent animal families – lions, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas – battle for dominance in the stunning wilds of Zambia in a landmark wildlife series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. See page 21 2 MALICE PRIME VIDEO THRILLER Comedian Jack Whitehall shows his darker side as charismatic tutor Adam Healey, who charms his way into the lives of a wealthy family but has sinister intentions. See page 96 3 HOTEL PORTOFINO U&DRAMA DRAMA Under gorgeous blue skies, English hotel owner Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone) faces changes and challenges in the return of the period drama set in 1920s fascist Italy. See page 15 4 CHILDREN IN NEED BBC1 ENTERTAINMENT A host of famous faces will be joining Pudsey Bear to entertain us and, more importantly, to…

MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG LAST ONE TUE, 9PM, 5 DRAMA Questions of faith and justice abound in the fictional Midlands village of Champton as 5’s 1980s-set mystery Murder Before Evensong reaches its conclusion this week. Having put all the clues together, Canon Daniel Clement (Matthew Lewis) sets a trap to catch the killer of local historian Anthony Bowness, but the effect of the horrific crime leaves a lasting impact on the cleric, and only his mother Audrey (Amanda Redman) can pull him back from a crisis of faith. The two have rarely seen eye to eye since she moved into the vicarage after losing her home, but can this experience finally heal the rift between them? TV Times joined Amanda, 68, for an exclusive interview to find out more… Audrey proves…

HOTEL PORTOFINO NEW SUNDAY, 7PM, U&DRAMA DRAMA (BOX SET, U) As glamorous, sun-soaked drama Hotel Portofino, set on the Italian Riviera during fascist Italy, returns for a third series, the action has moved forward two years to 1929. British hotel owner Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone) is now estranged from her husband Cecil (Mark Umbers), and while she enjoys a secret romance with architect Marco Bonacini (Giorgio Marchesi), Cecil has found love with a much younger woman. TV Times caught up with Natascha and Mark to find out more about the latest six-part series… In the opening episode, Cecil turns up and asks Bella for a divorce, which is a bit by surprise, isn’t it? MARK Bella and Cecil have separated, but the D word hasn’t come up. Then in the…

EASTENDERS MONDAY-THURSDAY, 7.30PM (REGIONS VARY), BBC1 SOAP Few soap characters have made such a huge impact in such a short space of time as EastEnders’ Nicola Mitchell. So as actor Laura Doddington prepares to mark her first anniversary on the BBC1 soap this Tuesday, TV Times decided it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with the fan favourite. Here, in her own words, Laura, 44, tells us about landing her dream role, her colourful Walford journey so far, and what’s on her wish list for Nicola for the future… ‘Nicola is the most exciting character I think I’ve ever auditioned for. When I read the breakdown for her, she was already incredibly formed and very complex. I found a video message on my phone over the summer that I’d…

Matthew James Morrison, who played Felix Baker, is to tread the boards with former soap star Wendi Peters, who played Corrie’s Cilla Battersby-Brown and Doctors’ Nina Bulsara. The pair head the cast for a 20th-anniversary tour of Peter Quilter’s play Glorious! The show follows Florence Foster Jenkins (Wendi) – a New York socialite whose off-key singing made her a cult figure in the early 20th century. Matthew plays Florence’s accompanist, pianist and composer Cosmé McMoon. The production tours UK venues between 10 Feb and 16 May 2026.…

Kev’s arrival in the village has been an enormous headache for Robert, who’d just reunited with his beloved Aaron when his secret prison husband rocked up… and yet he’s been in no rush to send Kev packing. In fact, last week he agreed to them renewing their wedding vows. Clearly, the pair’s relationship is complex – it certainly seems that Robert feels indebted to Kev. So what exactly happened between them? Well, the lid will be lifted in the second of this week’s special instalments. The episode kicks off in the present day as Robert opens up to Aaron about his time on the inside. He was banged up in 2019, you’ll recall, for the manslaughter of sister Victoria’s rapist, Lee Posner. Flashback scenes then take us to the early…

HOME AND AWAY Mackenzie and Levi are thrilled to discover their IVF treatment has been successful – she’s pregnant! But with the pre-wedding celebrations for his sister Eden and fiancé Cash in full swing, the couple decide to keep the news to themselves for the time being. However, it’s not long before housemate Mali finds a discarded pregnancy test in the bin (always the way in soapland!) and jumps to the conclusion that his girlfriend Abigail could be expecting… Elsewhere, Lacey threatens to blackmail Councillor Wendell for causing her mum’s death, and Harper has a medical mishap. NEIGHBOURS As family and friends gather for Andrew and Wendy’s vow-renewal ceremony, the cheating cop is secretly spiralling after learning he has got ex-lover Holly pregnant. Andrew’s guilty conscience finally gets the better…

WIN £100 CROSSWORD YOU CAN WIN £100! REARRANGE THE LETTERS IN THE YELLOW SQUARES TO SPELL OUT THE NAME OF AN ENGLISH SINGER (4,6) ACROSS 7 CBeebies star Mr Fletcher’s recently arrived (6) 8 See 1 Down 9 Seasoning required for Home and Away eatery (4) 10 Likened somewhat to kid in South Park (3) 11 Stupor, we hear, followed happy 70s sitcom featuring The Fonz (4) 12 Sudden bright light identifies comic-book hero (5) 14 Winning like the girls in 80s sitcom with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (2,3) 16 Take achievable part for Mike Hammer actor Stacy (5) 18 Garden designer and TV presenter Joe recognised migratory bird (5) 22 Copper and barium required for old Sean Connery film (4) 24 Low turnout for Hedwig in the Harry Potter…

SHETLAND WED, 9PM (WALES, BBC2), BBC1 DRAMA After starring as laidback landscaper Mal in hit BBC1 comedy Amandaland, Samuel Anderson is showing a more intense side in his latest role as Shetland’s new procurator fiscal, Matt Blake. The newcomer debuts in the opener on Wednesday 5 November, and is in charge of the investigation into the murder of Eadie Tulloch, with DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) and DI Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) on the case. But in this week’s episode, the detectives push a suspect too far during an interview – and Matt is left to pick up the pieces. In an exclusive interview, Samuel, 43, went over his case notes with TV Times… How did your role in Shetland come about? It’s one of my agent’s favourite shows,…

CHILDREN IN NEED LIVE FRI, 7PM, BBC1 ENTERTAINMENT Get ready for a glittering night of entertainment as Pudsey Bear is joined by a host of TV favourites who’ll put the fun into fundraising for this year’s Children in Need appeal. Broadcast live from MediaCity UK in Salford, the three-hour spectacular will be packed with performances, challenges and sketches to raise ​money for lifechanging projects for children and young people across the UK. Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay and Lenny Rush return to present, with Paddy McGuinness and Big Zuu joining them for this year’s event. Here, in an exclusive interview with TV Times, Mel, 57, tells us what to expect on the night… How do you feel about cohosting Children in Need again? I’m already buzzing because we’ve got…

KINGDOM NEW SUNDAY, 6.20PM, BBC1 NATURE (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) The desperate battles for survival faced by four different wildlife species in Zambia are under the spotlight in BBC1’s new docuseries Kingdom. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the six-parter has been filmed over five years in Nsefu, a fertile region of the South Luangwa National Park. It centres on the power shifts that occur between a leopard family, a wild dog pack, a hyena clan and a pride of lions as they compete against each other for space, food and supremacy. ‘It’s a rollercoaster ride, and it’s Shakespearean,’ executive producer Mike Gunton tells TV Times. ‘These animals are heroic because they struggle every day fighting for their families and events can turn on a knife edge.’ Here, Mike, series editor…

Can someone please put their hand in their pocket and treat Fiz to a spa break at the Chariot Square Hotel? Because, by ’eck, she needs it. The mum of three is run ragged, so much so that she loses her rag at work this week. Recovering from his hit-and-run ordeal, Tyrone, who is now using a wheelchair, is unable to share the load at home, meaning it’s up to Fiz to take care of the kids and do the washing, cooking and cleaning – all while holding down a full-time job. It would help if the girls mucked in, but Hope and Ruby are too busy screaming at one another. As the sisters have another row, Tyrone makes a feeble attempt to intervene, and Fiz complains that she has…

Eighteen months after Junior tipped up in Walford, the businessman makes tracks. Although given how few appearances he’s made this year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that he left the soap yonks ago. Relations between him and dad George have long been strained, but it’s Junior’s son Xavier who is the catalyst for his departure. The lad moved to Dubai with his mum Monique earlier this year, and Junior admits to George and Gina that he’s missing him. Coincidentally, he’s then offered a job over there, and he accepts the position. Can bridges be built before he jumps in a black cab? And how will a returning Cinders – his former lover – take the news? As George processes Junior’s announcement, he risks losing another family member. Brother Kobina gets…

HOLLYOAKS Lucas remains smitten with Dillon, and still has no idea that his former lover is lusting after his dad Ste. As Dillon confesses to pal Frankie that he’s no longer in love with the lad, Lucas is given encouragement by Leela, who tells him that she can’t imagine him and Dillon not being together. Her words inspire Lucas to make the ultimate grand gesture – he gets down on one knee at The Hutch and asks Dillon to marry him. Will Dillon finally put him straight? Meanwhile, Frankie’s recent liaison with Esme – the first time she’d been intimate with someone after being sexually exploited by Grace and Clare – has given her the confidence to get back ‘out there’. Lying about her age on an onlinedating site, she’s…

Although Charity has convinced Ross that the child she’s carrying isn’t the result of their one-night stand, her baby daddy remains a threat, especially now that he has become pally with her husband Mack. If he were to spill the beans about their fling, her marriage would implode and questions about the baby’s parentage would likely follow. The Woolpack landlady is on tenterhooks as Ross continues to befriend her other half, and she panics when a tipsy Mack reveals that he and Ross tell each other everything. Is it just a matter of time before Ross throws a hand grenade at her family unit?…

THIS WEEK’S PICKS NEW I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue Monday, BBC Radio 4, 6.30pm The long-running quiz show is back for an 84th run! Comedian Jack Dee will be in the umpire’s chair at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton – and will welcome comedic panellists Miles Jupp, Adrian Edmondson, Rachel Parris and Marcus Brigstocke. NEW Darren Harriot: Father Figuring Monday, BBC Radio 4, 1.45pm The comedian, who has no kids of his own yet, begins a five-part look at fatherhood, with the help of family, friends and experts. Darren begins by reflecting on the fact that he has now live longer than his own dad did. THIS WEEK ON… THE ARCHERS George is still struggling with post-prison life, and is worried that Amber isn’t happy with his lack of…

THE PRICE IS RIGHT It’s good to see Catherine Tyldesley back as Eva Price in ITV1’s Coronation Street and even better to see her behind the bar in the Rovers. I am looking forward to seeing her in some exciting storylines in the run-up to the soap’s 65th anniversary in December! Kevin Milner, Staffordshire SUPER SAGA I was looking forward to The Forsytes on 5 and it’s not disappointing me. The cast is full of well-known faces and, after the first episode, I couldn’t wait to tune in for the next! Noreen Coldwell, South Yorkshire ED: We hope you enjoy our feature on p6, Noreen. STAY CLOSE I loved watching the return of some iconic Brookside characters in the crossover episode of Hollyoaks on E4, which was shown as part…