BB FANS

Emilia Fox, Joanne Froggatt and Ben Chaplin join cast of BBC1’s The Secrets
The five-part drama strand from Bafta-winning director Dominic Savage will showcase up and coming writing talent alongside a cast that also includes Olivia Colman and Alison Steadman www.radiotimes.com

Z-Cars star James Ellis dies at 82

Actor James "Jimmy" Ellis, who played Bert Lynch in Z-Cars, has died, the BBC has reported.

The Belfast-born actor was 82 and died from a stroke in Lincoln Hospital early today.

Ellis became a familiar face through his role in the BBC police drama, which was a household favourite from 1962 to 1978.

He played alongside a young Kenneth Branagh in BBC Northern Ireland's series of "Billy" plays and also starred in programmes such as Doctor Who, In Sickness And In Health, Ballykissangel and Only Fools And Horses.

Northernecho

Dame Vera Lynn is to release a new album - as she turns 97

Dame Vera Lynn is to release a new album - as she turns 97. to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which occurs four days later.

Dame Vera said: "I think it's wonderful that my songs are still enjoyed, especially if it encourages people to commemorate what happened 70 years ago. It's moving for me to relive those days, and humbling to know that people still think of me - after all, it was simply my duty to keep singing."

The album will bring together more than 40 of her morale-boosting songs from 1940-1945, including We'll Meet Again, The White Cliffs Of Dover and You'll Never Know, but also some of the unreleased tracks which have been uncovered by her daughter Virginia.

The songs have been remastered after being taken from the best available recordings. Some had only survived on the original 78rpm releases.
The release comes as Dame Vera also celebrates 90 years in showbusiness - a feat which will be difficult to match - after her making her stage debut at the age of seven, and comes in a year of commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

Channel 5

Brad Pitt's production company buys rights to Anonymous v Steubenville
Anonymous: Plan B Entertainment plans to bring Rolling Stone article about the Ohio teen rape case to the big screen
Amanda Holpuch in New York guardian.com

Tom Hardy teams up with Ridley Scott for new BBC1 drama
The British actor will also reunite with his Locke screenwriter and director for Taboo - an eight-part series set in the early 19th century www.radiotimes.com

Merlin star Colin Morgan cast in The Fall series 2
The 28-year-old will star alongside Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson when the BBC2 crime drama returns for a second run www.radiotimes.com

Adrian Mole author Sue Townsend, 68, dies at her home in Leicester after a stroke

The novelist and playwright, who died at home in Leicester, had various health problems throughout her life and had lost her sight in 2001 after complications from type 1 diabetes.

In 2009 she received a new kidney donated by her son Sean, 50 – who was said to be the inspiration behind Adrian Mole – after a two-year wait for a donor.

She leaves husband Colin Broadway, son, Sean, and her three other children Daniel, 45, Victoria, 44, and Elizabeth, 37.

Family friend and fellow Leicester author Bali Rai broke the news of Townsend's death on Twitter last night after speaking to her family.

Mr Rai told The Sun he had spoken to Townsend's son, Danny, who said she died at about 9pm yesterday but would not confirm she had died from a stroke.


DailyMail

Stephen Colbert: The next king of US late-night television will have the perfect platform from which to spread his satirical message www.independent.co.uk

Stephen is a great replacement for David Letterman and there is no way he could turn down the offer but I will miss his Colbert Report show so much...

Tom Hardy confirms he will play both Kray twins in new gangster film
Apr 18, 2014 13:00 By Rob Leigh
Inception and Batman star will take on the tricky task of playing both Ronnie and Reggie Kray simultaneously Mirror

If anyone can take over the Generation Game, it’s Miranda

The BBC is reportedly sounding out Britain’s new sitcom queen


Independent

BBC receives complaints after viewers struggle to hear dialogue in new period drama Jamaica Inn

Viewers who tuned into the BBC1's new period drama, Jamaica Inn, were left disappointed after struggling to make out what the actors were saying.



The first episode of the TV adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's classic gothic novel, stars Downton Abbey actress Jessica Brown Findlay and was broadcast on Monday night.

The BBC received 107 complaints when viewers claimed they had to switch on the subtitles or turn up the volume to the maximum setting to understand what the cast were saying.


DailyMail

Poldark crew to remake an 18th century Gloucestershire house for new BBC period drama
Filming for the new adaptation of the hit Cornish romantic saga will begin at the end of April at the Cotswold’s Chavenage House www.radiotimes.com

Jamaica Inn drama loses quarter of audience after sound quality issues

Transmisson snags – or actors' artistry – blamed for muffled dialogue as Daphne du Maurier tale sheds 1.6m viewers

The audience for the second episode of the adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel fell by 1.6 million following hundreds of viewer complaints over mumbling in the first episode.


Guardian

Channel 4 teams up with Xbox for new sci-fi drama
The broadcaster is teaming up with Xbox Entertainment Studios to make a series based on the Swedish hit Real Humans www.radiotimes.com

BBC 'apology' blames actors for mumbling in television drama Jamaica Inn after viewers said they could not hear as complaints surge and viewing figures slide

The show lost one quarter of its viewers over the first night's sound issues
BBC drama head claimed 'actors not being clear is one part of it'

Viewers complained that they were forced to turn on subtitles to follow the drama

Final episode watched by 4.1 million viewers after early high of 6.1 million

Almost 1,400 complained about the show but BBC said they received some praise as well


DailyMail