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That adage, “please read other books” about Harry Potter fans has a new dimension now. I have specific recommendations. Harry Potter fans need to pick up Tim Pat Coogan’s The Troubles or Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say Nothing. Hell, you can stream Daniel Day-Lewis in In the Name of the Father or watch Derry Girls. Anything really, to get caught up on an essential plot point of 20th century history.

Why? A tweet pointing out that the Irish character Seamus Finnigan constantly exploding is informing a lot of people, for the very first time, about the existence of the Irish Republican Army and some pretty offensive Irish stereotypes.

The quote tweets on this were many variations of “No fucking way Irish people have a terrorist stereotype,” and “J.K. Rowling so racist I’m learning about stereotypes I never even knew about.” It’s kind of incredible, to think that...

Filming kicked off last month on “Crystal Lake,” the upcoming Friday the 13th television series from Peacock and A24 that will serve as an expanded prequel to the legendary slasher franchise. It’s shooting under the faux title “Mama’s Boy,” and showrunner Brad Caleb Kane’s Instagram account has become our go-to source for behind the scenes updates.

Caleb Kane shared a set photo this morning that quite literally takes us into the woods of Crystal Lake, with a cabin seen off in the distance. It almost looks like a shot from the point-of-view of Mrs. Voorhees, who will no doubt be slaying camp counselors in the Peacock series.

Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane captions the photo, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I’ve got promises to keep, and folks to kill before I sleep.” Check out the Instagram post below.

Stay tuned for more “Crystal Lake” updates in the coming months!

Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane has announced today that filming is now officially underway on “Crystal Lake,” the upcoming Friday the 13th television series from Peacock and A24 that will serve as an expanded prequel to the legendary slasher franchise. The series, it’s amusing to note, is shooting under the faux title “Mama’s Boy,” which seems only fitting!

Brad Caleb Kane captions a behind the scenes photo shared out on his Instagram page this afternoon (below), “Production Day 1. It’s real, folks.” Stay tuned for more updates.

The episode currently in production is directed by Michael Lennox (“Derry Girls”), with the slate listing Maceo Bishop as the cinematographer.

Linda Cardellini stars in “Crystal Lake” as Mrs. Voorhees, who was of course the killer in the original Friday the 13th (1980). She’s joined by William Catlett (Abigail), Cameron Scoggins (“Nashville”), Devin Kessler (“Godfather of Harlem”), and Gwendolyn Sundstrom. Scoggins will play Dorf,...

Well horror fans, the day has finally come. After the pure production hell and misfortune that seemed to plague Crystal Lake, also known as the Friday the 13th prequel series, its showrunner, Brad Caleb Kane, took to social media to share an extraordinary update — filming has begun. Sharing an image of a clapperboard along with the title’s code name, Mama’s Boy, Kane wrote “Production Day 1. It’s real folks.” It sure is real, and we can’t wait to see the slasher back on screen after 16 — that’s right, sixteen — years. Also included on the board was the name of the episode’s director, Michael Lennox, who previously stood at the helm of television shows like Say Nothing and Derry Girls.

This won’t be your typical Friday the 13th installment in which Jason Vorhees dons a hockey mask and chops down a hoard of unsuspecting victims. As the name suggests,...

Acorn TV has announced the titles that will be available on the AMC-owned streaming service in July 2025. The Acorn TV July 2025 slate expands the service’s diverse lineup of acclaimed English and foreign-language dramas, engaging comedies, documentaries, and more.

The July schedule includes the Art Detectives season finale, Battle of the Bagpipes, The Madame Blanc Mysteries Season 4, Kostas, A Stitch in Time, Summertide, and more.

The Madame Blanc Mysteries Season 4 Acorn TV July 2025 Highlight

The Madame Blanc Mysteries Season 4 (Acorn TV Original Series) – New Season Premieres Monday, July 7

Created by and starring Sally Lindsay, the thrilling series is set to return with a two-episode premiere on Monday, July 7 in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Additional episodes of the 7-episode fourth season will drop weekly on the platform.

The fourth season of The Madame Blanc Mysteries returns to the wonderful world of Sainte Victoire, packed with unusual antiques and objéts d’art,...

Friendships on TV often feel larger than life, but some shows nail the messy, authentic bonds that mirror our own. These series capture the laughter, fights, and quiet support that define real connections, without leaning on clichés.

We’ve ranked 10 TV shows that shine for their grounded portrayals of friendship, from heartfelt to unforgettable. Here’s why these stories resonate with anyone who’s ever had a true friend.

10. New Girl (2011-2018) 20th Century Fox Television

Jess and her quirky loftmates bumble through life’s chaos, from breakups to career flops. Zooey Deschanel’s charm and the ensemble’s banter feel like a real friend group’s vibe.

Their petty spats and fierce loyalty hit home. We laugh at their antics while rooting for their bond.

9. Atlanta (2016-2022) FX Productions

Earn, Paper Boi, and Darius navigate Atlanta’s music scene with a mix of hustle and absurdity. Donald Glover’s...

Acorn TV today released the official trailer and key art for season four of the fan-favorite crime drama, The Madame Blanc Mysteries.

Created by and starring Sally Lindsay, the thrilling series is set to return with a two-episode premiere on Monday, July 7 in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Additional episodes of the seven-episode season will drop weekly on the platform.

The fourth season of The Madame Blanc Mysteries returns to the wonderful world of Sainte Victoire, packed with unusual antiques and objéts d’art, murder, mystery, sunshine, and laughter. Lindsay returns as Jean White, who is navigating a fledgling romance with her sidekick Dom Hayes, played by Steve Edge.

Co-writer Sue Vincent stars as mechanic Gloria Beaushaw, while Robin Askwith and Sue Holderness reprise their roles as eccentric married couple Jeremy and Judith Lloyd James.

Alex Gaumond is also back as Chief of Police André Caron. Tony Robinson...

Cameron Scoggins (“Nashville”), Devin Kessler (“Godfather of Harlem”), and newcomer Gwendolyn Sundstrom have joined “Crystal Lake” as series regulars.

Notably, Scoggins will play Dorf, the police officer portrayed by Ron Millkie in the original Friday the 13th. Kessler will play Briana Brooks and Sundstrom will play Grace.

They join the previously announced Linda Cardellini (Scooby-D00) as Mrs. Voorhees and William Catlett (Abigail) as Levon Brooks in the expanded prequel series from A24 and Peacock.

The eight-episode series is set to be directed by Michael Lennox (“Derry Girls”), Celine Held & Logan George (Caddo Lake), and Quyen Tran (“The Pitt”).

In the show, Mrs. Voorhees is a mother who gave up a singing career to raise her special needs child, only to take a dark turn when she loses her son — Jason Voorhees.

Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane referred to Scoggins as “one of many” legacy from the original film to appear in the series,...

During a presentation at the Annecy Animation Festival today, Sony Pictures Animation unveiled the voice cast for its upcoming feature, “Goat,” an original action-comedy slated to hit theaters on Feb. 13, 2026. From the studio behind “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and in collaboration with NBA great Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media and Modern Magic, “Goat” brings to life a world where the fiercest animals compete in the high-octane sport of roarball, and a diminutive goat dares to dream big.

Directed by Tyree Dillihay – who co-hosted the day’s presentation with producer Michelle Raimo Kouyate – and co-directed by Adam Rosette, the film celebrates the spirit of the underdog with a story steeped in the energy of basketball culture.

Leading the cast is “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin, voicing Will Harris, the titular “Goat,” a small-framed but big-hearted dreamer determined to prove he belongs in the Roar League, where speed and ferocity rule the court.

Anyone who’s seen Nicola Coughlan in “Derry Girls” knows that she’s a brilliant comedic performer. As nerdy teenager Clare Devlin, Coughlan made teenage anxiety immensely physical and palpable — firing her dialogue with all the air in her lungs, walking with so much propulsive energy she was nearly tripping over herself.

In “Bridgerton” Season 3, Coughlan similarly portrays adolescent turmoil, but through subtler and more internal means. As wallflower Penelope Featherington, who harbors a double identity as the controversial Lady Whistledown, Coughlan was tasked not just with making the ton’s resident introvert a mesmerizing lead but also with bringing humanity to her character’s morally ambiguous actions.

Coughlan nails it: the hit Netflix show’s third season sees Penelope fully step into the spotlight as a romantic interest. In Penelope’s evolution, Coughlan captures how a young woman’s coming of age is defined as much by her own...

Stuart Carolan and Chris Addison have teamed up for the darkly comedic crime drama “Tall Tales & Murder,” and have cast an ensemble of names from “Black Doves,” “Game of Thrones,” “Derry Girls” and “Peaky Blinders” to star.

BBC Northern Ireland and Irish national broadcaster RTÉ have commissioned two six-part series of the drama, in association with Screen Ireland.

“Tall Tales & Murder” was written by Carolan, best known as the writer and creator of “Love/Hate,” one of the most critically acclaimed and successful Irish dramas of all time (and a show that served as an early springboard for many Irish stars), and co-created with Addison, a double Emmy and DGA Award-winner who directed and produced episode of “Veep” and co-created “Breeders.” It’s produced by Avalon, in association with Ireland’s Metropolitan Pictures (“Kin”).

Based on the much loved eight-book “Dublin Trilogy” of novels by Caimh McDonnell, “Tall Tales & Murder” — which...

If you think crypto is a bit of a messy subject, just wait until you see The Altruists. It will be a bit before you can see the story unfold as a limited series on Netflix, but we are learning a bit more about who will make up the cast.

The leads, who will play Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, will be Anthony Boyle and Julia Garner, respectively. The streaming giant announced they will join the cast on Thursday.

The story follows the real-life events of the ironically named Bankman-Fried and Ellison, who tried to remake the international financial system. In the process, the two stole as much as $8 billion. Bankman-Fried was the CEO of Ftx, and Ellison was his girlfriend and worked with Alameda Research, a crypto hedge fund.

Leads for Netflix's The Altruists have been cast

Of course, a story involving anything crypto is quite timely now due...

Acorn TV’s captivating crime drama The Madame Blanc Mysteries, created by and starring Sally Lindsay, is set to return with a two-episode premiere on Monday, July 7 in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Additional episodes of the seven-episode fourth season will drop weekly on the platform.

Photo courtesy of Acorn TV

The fourth season of The Madame Blanc Mysteries returns to the wonderful world of Sainte Victoire, packed with unusual antiques and objéts d’art, murder, mystery, sunshine, and laughter.

Sally Lindsay returns as Jean White, who is navigating a fledgling romance with her sidekick Dom Hayes, played by Steve Edge.

Photo courtesy of Acorn TV

Co-writer Sue Vincent stars as mechanic Gloria Beaushaw, while Robin Askwith and Sue Holderness reprise their roles as eccentric married couple Jeremy and Judith Lloyd James.

Alex Gaumond is back as Chief of Police André Caron.

Photo courtesy of Acorn TV

Tony Robinson...

Exclusive: Laurie Kynaston, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Alex Lawther are toplining Leonard and Hungry Paul, a feel-good drama for the BBC and Ireland’s RTÉ, we’ve learned.

Based on Rónán Hession’s novel of the same name, filming has begun in Dublin on a six-part show and will continue through this month. We’ve got the news ahead of the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast tomorrow, where it will be unveiled. In the UK, it will air on BBC Three and iPlayer.

Irish indie Subotica is producing for BBC Northern Ireland in association with BBC Comedy, Screen Ireland and RTÉ, with Avalon co-producing and distributing internationally. Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson adapating Hession’s book, which has sold over 300,000 copies since publication in 2019. Andrew Chaplin is directing.

The...

This bundle will allow you to stream favorites like ‘Modern Family,’ ‘Home Improvement,’ and many more for only $19 per month.

One of the most relaxing ways to watch TV with the family is to stream shows that reflect the issues we all face in everyday life, but with a humorous slant. Family comedy shows can help remind us of the absurdity of life, and that the issues we face aren’t insurmountable, even if they are difficult. Besides, who doesn’t love a good laugh?

We at The Streamable certainly do, and with that in mind, we’ve put together a list of three streaming services that offer excellent family comedy titles that everyone in your household will enjoy. Best yet, this bundle comes in at a price of less than $20 per month!

Disney+ and Hulu

Is it cheating to put a bundle in your bundle? Does it really matter if you’re saving money?...

British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has firmly rejected proposals for a levy on streaming platforms operating in the U.K., despite recent recommendations from a parliamentary committee suggesting such a measure could help support the country’s television drama sector.

In an exclusive interview with Variety at the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (Waves) in Mumbai on Thursday, Nandy underlined the U.K. government’s reluctance to impose additional financial burdens on streamers at a time when investment in British content is flourishing.

“We’re really excited about the prospect of attracting more investment into the U.K., particularly the big streamers have significantly increased the amount of content that they make in the United Kingdom,” Nandy said. “We don’t want to do anything to deter that investment. We want to make the U.K. the most attractive place in the world to invest.”

Nandy specifically highlighted the success...

Paul Mescal and Nicola Coughlan will make their National Theatre debuts in the theatrical institution's coming seasons, according to Baz Bamigboye of Deadline. Coughlan, best known for her roles in Derry Girls and Bridgerton, will lead The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge at the Lyttelton starting December 4. The production will also be directed by McLaughlin and co-stars Éanna Hardwicke and Siobhán McSweeney. Mescal will star in two productions at the Lyttelton Theatre in 2027. He will appear in Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark, directed by Caitríona McLaughlin, and as Biff in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, directed by Rebecca Frecknall. Mescal recently received acclaim for his stage work in A Streetcar Named Desire at...

Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan has railed against the recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman by biological sex.

In a passionate conversation at the Palais des Festivals during Canneseries this evening in France, Coughlan criticized the “hypothesized, made-up thing about trans women attacking women in bathrooms” and said this is “ridiculous because it is not something that is happening.”

The Derry Girls star said the only times she had felt threatened or scared had been by a “cis-gendered man, not a trans woman.” “It really upset me to see people celebrating people’s rights being taken away and I think there is something really wrong with that,” said Coughlan.

The UK Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that women can only be legally defined by biological sex, a ruling that has further divided those who are pro-trans rights and those in opposition.

Coughlan said she had taken the...

This Monday, “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan was awarded the Commitment Prize by French media company Konbini at Canneseries, where she also gave a career talk. During the hour-long masterclass, the Irish actor spoke in depth about not only her work on shows like “Derry Girls” and “Doctor Who,” but also her support of causes such as abortion, trans rights, and Palestine.

“There is a factor of ‘it’s better if you say nothing’ because our job is to entertain you,” said the actor when asked about speaking in support of Palestine. “My dad was in the Irish Army, which is a peacekeeping force. My family lived in Jerusalem and Syria in the 70s, so it’s something that is in my bones. We are talking about right or wrong, about children being bombed in their beds. I wouldn’t accept that anywhere in the world.”

The actor, who was bestowed...

It’s a proud day for Ireland as two of its native sons, Hollywood actors Jamie Dornan and Conor MacNeill, launch the feature and television production entity Blackthorn Films.

The new venture will be based in the northern region of the country, where Dornan and MacNeill were born and raised. They met on the 2015 film “The Siege of Jadotville,” and have since co-starred in projects including “The Tourist,” “The Fall” and the Oscar-winning “Belfast.”

At launch, the pair hired producer Shauna Shivers-McAtamney to oversee Blackthorn’s film and TV slate. The company is a recent recipient of the BBC’s TV Small Indie Fund, which supports the growth of grassroots production shops across the U.K.

“Blackthorn films was born out of a shared desire to create indigenous stories from the island of Ireland that have a true global reach. The company’s aim is to produce work that flips...

Noting that nearly half of all viewing hours on Netflix happen with subtitles or captions on, the streaming giant is rolling out a new option for how text appears along the bottom of the screen.

Starting with Season 5 of You, which just went live today, Netflix is offering the option of original language subtitles displaying only spoken dialogue instead of all audio cues. Traditionally, viewers would select a language marked with “Sdh/Cc,” short for Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Those comprehensive representations of the sound of a show include audio cues like “[phone buzzing]” or “[dramatic music swells]” as well as the name of the character speaking.

Now, as Netflix explained in a blog post, viewers can see only the dialogue by selecting “English,” as opposed to “English (Cc).”

The option will be rolled out across all Netflix originals, with the Sdh/Cc version remaining available, in every language offered by the company.

Pedro Pascal made a visible statement at the London premiere of Thunderbolts, wearing a shirt that reads “Protect the Dolls” on the red carpet at Cineworld Leicester Square. The appearance came shortly after the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of “woman” is based on biological sex, a decision that allows for the exclusion of transgender women from single-sex spaces.

The phrase on Pascal’s shirt originates from designer Conner Ives, whose piece was first introduced at London Fashion Week. In Lgbtqia+ communities, “dolls” is a term often used to refer to transgender women. Ives created the shirt as a response to recent political developments in the United States. In a statement to The New York Times, the designer said, “It was very reactive… I knew I wanted to say something, given what we’ve observed in the last few months with the U.S. government and the current political regime.

Jack Rooke has seen at least two U.S. producers reduced to tears in the middle of meetings.

Best known for the BAFTA-winning “Big Boys” — his acclaimed semi-autobiographical sitcom that straddles both out-and-out hilarity and serious matters such a grief, loss, sexuality and mental health — the British comedian and writer has been visiting L.A. and doing the standard tour of networks and production companies that most creatives make when they hit a certain level of success.

Following the unlikely yet uplifting friendship of recently out and (very) sexually inexperienced freshman Jack (Dylan Llewellyn) and horny, straight, mature student Danny (Jon Pointing), “Big Boys” is awash in gags, jokes and one-line zingers. In the second season, Jack gets poked in the eye by a penis after looking through a hole in a toilet cubicle.

But there are plenty of heavier moments too (the penis-in-eye scene actually happens in the middle...

Enthusiasts and industry insiders alike will be getting an exclusive peek behind the curtain of the world of television with the launch of Insiders: The TV Podcast, a brand-new ten-episode series from Expectation TV.

It will be hosted by two of the most influential figures in British television, Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville.

Peter Fincham joined TalkBack in 1985 and became Managing Director the following year. He executive produced many of their biggest shows including The Day Today (BBC Two), Brass Eye(Channel 4), I’m Alan Partridge (BBC Two), Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC Two), Smack The Pony (Channel 4), Da Ali G Show (Channel 4). TalkBack enjoyed many successes in other genres including dramas such as The Lost Prince (BBC One) and Sword of Honour (Channel 4) and factual/factual entertainment programmes including Grand Designs (Channel 4) and The Apprentice(BBC One).

In 2000 TalkBack was sold to Fremantle and two years later Peter became CEO of TalkBack Thames,...

Two of the UK’s most well-known names in TV production arm making a podcast about the biz.

Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville will front ten-part series Insiders: The TV Podcast, in which they promise to take “enthusiast and industry insiders alike” an “exclusive peek behind the curtain of the world of television.” Fincham’s indie, Expectation, and Mulville’s Hat Trick Productions are making the show.

Each week, the pair, who bills themselves as “fierce friends and former rival TV bosses,” will deliver “personal stories, insider anecdotes and expert analysis on trends, triumphs and controversies that have shaped television over the decades and today.”

Fincham has been a commissioner and producer for the likes of Talkback throughout a four decade-year career. He began at Talkback in 1985, becoming its Managing Director a year later and exec producing the likes of The Day Today, I’m Alan Partridge and Never Mind the Buzzcocks for BBC Two,...

Bridgerton has turned out to be a widely popular period drama, full of scandal, drama, high-society intrigue, and steamy intimate scenes. Thriving on gossip and controversy, the storyline depends as much on these passionate moments as it does on the former, making sure fans remain entertained throughout the episode.

From giving us the iconic Duke and Daphne romance in the first season to the enemies-to-lovers Kate and Anthony romance in the second, Bridgerton has used these schemy plot devices to further the tale, as and when required.

Bridgerton | Credit: Netflix

Well, unfortunately for the star of Bridgerton season 3, Nicola Coughlan, these intimate moments ended up making her mother angry.

Nicola Coughlan’s breakout Bridgerton season had some ‘parental consequences’ Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton | Credit: Netflix

Nicola Coughlan stars as Penelope Featherington, aka Lady Whistledown, in Bridgerton. After two seasons of being in the shadows, observing from the sidelines,...

It’s easier than ever to be an Anglophile these days, largely thanks to streaming services like Netflix, which have brought a wider variety of titles than ever across the pond and right to our doors Love period pieces? You can now pick your preferred timeframe — from gangsters in the 1920s (Peaky Blinders) to the British Royal family in the 1960s (The Crown) and teens in 1990s Ireland (Derry Girls). Looking for a more fast-paced thriller? Binge Bodyguard or Collateral. Want to watch something buzzy and downright weird? Well, Black Mirror and The End of the F***ing World are here for you. There are even options for the British sci-fi fan that isn’t interested in Doctor Who. Here are the best British shows on Netflix.

Channel 5 is joining The Forsytes.

The Paramount network has taken UK rights on PBS Masterpiece’s splashy adaptation of John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga, which stars Doctor Who’s Millie Gibson and Francesca Annis as formidable matriarch Ann.

Penned by British screenwriter Debbie Horsfield (Poldark), the series chronicles the lives of four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers, set against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving late-Victorian world. True Blood star Stephen Moyer (Sexy Beast) also features alongside the likes of Jack Davenport (The Morning Show) and Gibson.

This is the third Forsyte Saga adaptation. A version aired in 1967 on the BBC and 35 years later on ITV. The new show is made by ITV Studios-backed Mammoth Screen and is a rare example of a British show being greenlit by an American network, with Channel 5 coming in at a later date. Channel 5 also combines with PBS Masterpiece...

Nicola Coughlan will be honored at this year’s Canneseries festival with the Konbini Commitment Award. The Bridgerton and Derry Girls star will participate in an interview before receiving the award at the Lumiere Theater in Cannes’ Palais des Festivals on April 28.

The award, presented by French media group Konbini, recognizes talent whose work has artistic impact or social significance. Previous recipients include Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn, American Horror Story actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Transparent showrunner Joey Soloway.

Coughlan gained recognition for her role in Derry Girls, a comedy set in 1990s Northern Ireland. The series won best comedy at the 2023 BAFTAs and the International Emmy Awards. She later gained international fame as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton, earning a Screen Actors Guild nomination for best female actor in a drama series.

She also appeared as Diplomat Barbie in Barbie, starred alongside Lydia West in Big Mood, and featured...

‘Bridgerton’ & ‘Derry Girls’ Star Nicola Coughlan Set For Canneseries

Nicola Coughlan will be feted at Canneseries. The Derry Girls and Bridgerton star will receive the Konbini Commitment Award at the event, which takes place on the Cote d’Azur in late April. Coughlan will take part in a sit-down interview and then receive her accolade in the iconic Lumiere Theater in Cannes’ Palais des Festivals. Coughlan’s recent work includes a role in the Doctor Who Christmas special. She will next be seen as Silky the woodland fairy in the upcoming adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree alongside Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy.

‘Shin Chan’ Movies Set For India

A pair of films from TV Asahi’s Shin Chan franchise will be released in India. Shin Chan Our Dinosaur Diary and Shin Chan The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers In India will released locally through multiplex operator PVR Inox Pictures.

Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, known to hordes of Bridgerton fans as Penelope Featherington/Lady Whistledown and as Clare Devlin to Derry Girls enthusiasts, will be honored at this year’s French TV festival Canneseries with the annual Konbini Commitment Award.

The award, presented by the French online media group, honors talent who have distinguished themselves “by the artistic quality and societal, innovative and/or revolutionary dimension of their work.” Previous winners include Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn, American Horror Story actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Transparent showrunner Joey Soloway.

Coughlan came to international attention with Derry Girls, a period comedy set in 1990s Northern Ireland in the final years of the Troubles. The series ran for three seasons on Channel 4 and became a global sensation when Netflix licensed the show worldwide. It won best comedy at the 2023 BAFTAs as well as the International Emmy Awards.

Coughlan followed it up with Netflix phenomenon Bridgerton,...

Margot Robbie leads the critically acclaimed Barbiemovie, and it features plenty of notable faces in the supporting cast as well. For the most part, the characters are directly inspired by toys that have been released over the years or are original Barbie movie characters. Of course, this means that the long-beloved Mattel toys Barbie and Ken are not just two people.

Instead, the Truman Show-esque Barbieland is populated with plenty of Barbies and Kens. Still, each character has its place in the story, and they all help make this version of Barbieland vibrant and memorable. Most of these characters are portrayed by familiar faces for fans to look for.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 7, 2025: Following the smash success of the first live-action Barbie movie in 2023, all eyes are on Greta Gerwig as she works toward making a sequel. While news on this front is still scarce, fans know...

The MGM+ survival thriller Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue makes a pretty bold statement. By the title alone, viewers know most of the show's characters won't make it to the end. What does that mean to the actors playing the survivors of a plane crash? And did any of them know the identity of the murderer?

In an interview with Cbr, stars Siobhàn McSweeney (who plays Lisa) and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (who portrays Lisa's husband Travis) spoke about what drew them to the miniseries from Alex Rider creator Anthony Horowitz. They spoke about the show's very unique filming experience and how it helped them. Plus, how much of a departure is this from their past roles in other hits like Derry Girls and Severance?

Cbr: What was it about Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue that initially excited you about the miniseries?

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson: First of all, the name.

Nicola Coughlan has fans buzzing about her personal life!

The 38-year-old actress, known for her roles in Bridgerton and Derry Girls, has maintained a relatively private personal life.

However, some details about her relationships have surfaced over time, with the latest update involving a seemingly Instagram official confirmation of her latest romance.

Click through to find out who Nicola is rumored to have dated over the years…...

Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson will make her New York stage premiere this spring in Irishtown.

The play, written by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, will make its world premiere at the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage starting April 2, ahead of an April 13 opening night. The show, which also stars Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy), will play a limited Off-Broadway run through May 25.

In addition to Burton and Jackson, the play will feature Kevin Oliver Lynch (Purgatory, After Yeats), Brenda Meaney (Little Gem, Uncle Vanya), and Angela Reed (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), with voiceover work by Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption Two).

Directed by Nicola Murphy Dubey, Irishtown follows a Dublin-based theater company that begins rehearsals for their new play, only to discover that the playwright has made the story too dark and experimental, and not Irish enough. The company decides to take matters into their own hands...

Social media isn’t just a way for actors to connect with fans as it’s now influencing their careers in ways many wouldn’t expect. Actress Maya Hawke, known for her role in Stranger Things shared that she considered quitting Instagram but was advised against it by directors who explained how much it mattered in Hollywood.

Maya Hawke in Stranger Things | Credits: Netflix

Hawke isn’t the only one who has faced this reality. One social media user, named Joe Russo, claimed that in 2020, a Game of Thrones actor was not cast in a movie because he didn’t have enough Instagram followers.

Why was Maya Hawke told not to quit Instagram?

For many actors, social media can feel exhausting, but deleting it isn’t always an option. Actress Maya Hawke recently shared that, despite wanting to leave Instagram, she has been convinced to stay by several well-known directors.

Exclusive: Derry Girls star Louisa Harland is leading RTÉ’s adaptation of Marian Keyes’ The Walsh Sisters, which has unveiled cast including Debi Mazar.

Harland will play the troubled Anna Walsh and is joined by BAFTA nominee Máiréad Tyers, who led Disney+’s Extraordinary and has been cast as Helen. Making up the rest of the Walsh family are Stefanie Preissner, who plays Maggie and is also writing most of the show, Danielle Galligan (House of Guinness) bringing oldest sister Claire to life and rising talent Caroline Menton, who takes on sister Rachel.

Adding a dose of Hollywood to the line-up is Mazar, who plays Chaquie and is coming off the back of her starring role as Medusa in Netflix’s Kaos. Past credits include Entourage, Goodfellas and Little Man Tate. She is joined by Irish American actor Aidan Quinn (This is My Father). Quinn has been tapped to play...

There have been many TV shows focused on female friendships over the years. For this Galentines Day, you need to watch these excellent shows.

Galentines Day was coined thanks to Parks and Recreation. It’s celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day, and is a chance to celebrate the female friends in our lives. There is nothing better than a strong female friendship and being surrounded by women holding us up.

Too many shows have pitted women against women. It was the way of the world in the past, right? Well, now it’s time to see women supporting women, and you need these five shows to do that. Let me say that there are way more than five, though!

Derry Girls

Set during the 1990s, Derry Girls brings us a story of a group of Catholic teenage girls (and a boy) navigating the world of growing up in the midst of The Troubles.

Mediawan Group has named Max Wiedemann as its first Head of Artificial Intelligence.

The European production and distribution group said it had expanded German producer Wiedemann’s role within the company because the industry is “entering a new era driven by artificial intelligence, which is not only reshaping our world but also transforming the way we produce content.”

Wiedemann will remain Chief Production and Chief Business Development Officer For Mediawan-owned Leonine Studios. His new post will focus on integrating cutting-edge AI tech across the group’s activities.

He has been vocal about the usage of AI in production. Last year, he told the Munich Film Festival the the likes of Google and OpenAI should allow content owners to share in the upside from artificial intelligence tools.

Today, he said in a statement: “Both Mediawan and Leonine have already cultivated significant expertise in AI, and I am eager to collaborate...

Exclusive: Channel 4 has given the greenlight to Season 2 of Big Mood starring Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan.

Big Mood follows Maggie, played by Coughlan, a 30-year-old writer with bipolar disorder. Her best friend is Eddie, played by It’s a Sin star Lydia West. At the start of Season 2, it’s been a year since Maggie and Eddie last saw each other, without any contact between them. When Eddie suddenly returns for a wedding, she isn’t alone – Maggie has competition, in the form of an infuriatingly positive spiritual healer named Whitney. Maggie needs to work out if her special brand of chaos can find space in Eddie’s new life, or she fears she will lose her forever.

The first series from writer Camilla Whitehill was Channel 4’s most-watched new comedy launch since Derry Girls, according to the network. It reviewed well and attracted plaudits for its depiction of bipolar disorder on screen.

The BBC has revealed the first official images from This City Is Ours, an ambitious new crime drama set in Liverpool, with Sean Bean taking centre stage as gang leader Ronnie Phelan. Created by Stephen Butchard, the writer behind The Last Kingdom and The Good Mothers, and directed by BAFTA-winner Saul Dibb, the eight-part series promises an intense exploration of loyalty, love, and betrayal within a world of organised crime.

Filmed on location in Liverpool and Spain, the series follows Michael Kavanagh, played by James Nelson-Joyce, a lifelong criminal whose devotion to the underworld starts to unravel when he falls in love. After years of working under Ronnie Phelan’s leadership, Michael begins to contemplate leaving the business behind, dreaming of a future with Diana Williams, played by Hannah Onslow. But with tensions brewing within the gang and Ronnie hinting at retirement, Michael soon finds himself battling for survival.

The...

The Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso premiered in 2020 and aired for three seasons to critical acclaim. The show drew viewers in with exceptional performances, outrageous humor, uplifting tone, and more. There is much buzz on social media about a fourth season of the series. But until then, viewers continue to look for another series to fill the void.

Comedy fans are always searching for another intelligent comedy to keep them entertained. Ted Lasso set the bar fairly high, but the list below will certainly give fans some new series to keep them entertained.

Lessons in Chemistry

This is a period drama with some comedy sprinkled in, but it is an exceptionally underappreciated series from Apple TV+. Based on the bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry follows a brilliant chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who hosts a feminist cooking show in the 1960s where she teaches housewives scientific topics. Sadly, there...

World’s Most Dangerous Roads is a series that sends celebrities out to explore places known for having some of the most dangerous roads in the world. The show first aired from 2011 to 2013 on BBC Two, and was rebooted in 2023 for another round of nerve-wracking travels. It was in that reboot season that we got one of the most frightening episodes of the show, for multiple reasons. Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Saoirse-Monica Jackson, stars of the hit comedy series Derry Girls, are brought on to traverse the dangerous roads of Romania. Full of winding mountain roads and narrow ones at that, their entire journey was perilous. It was also chock-full of horror movie-worthy, including references to some of the most famous, as the pair travel into Transylvania and visit Dracula’s castle.

There have been a number of fantastic teen shows in recent years, including Heartstopper, Maxton Hall, and The Summer I Turned Pretty. There is something about that stage of life that lends itself to television that is both relatable and over-the-top, balancing the many emotions and experiences associated with those ages. From teen dramas like Yellowjackets and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, to teen comedies like Never Have I Ever and Derry Girls, the intensity and amount of change during those years makes for great television.

Actress Nicola Coughlan has secured a six-figure deal with Neutrogena after the success of her recent campaign for Kim Kardashian’s Skims.

The 38-year-old – known for her roles in Bridgerton and Derry Girls – is set to front a new campaign for the skincare brand.

The Irish star—who is said to have already shot her first campaign for Neutrogena—will join a growing list of stars, including Jenna Ortega and Nicole Kidman.

A source close to Coughlan told The Sun, “Nicola has filmed her campaign for Neutrogena and is thrilled to be on board with them.”

They added, “The deal is worth six figures, which is a great payday for Nic to kick off 2025. Away from Bridgerton, Nicola has become a huge star in her own right. Getting signed up by Kim for Skims was massive for Nicola in building her CV, and when Neutrogena came knocking, she jumped at the chance.

Jack Rooke’s sweet, award-winning sitcom Big Boys is returning for a third series, and here’s the trailer for it.

Big Boys, Jack Rooke’s autobiographical sitcom about his experience at university, has been one of the comedic treats of the last few years.

Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn and Jon Pointing play two disparate young men, Jack and Danny, who find themselves as roommates in their first year of University. The former is closeted and sensitive, the latter is full of boorish bonhomie, but despite their differences they form a touching, tender bond, and Rooke’s writing covers everything from Jack exploring his sexuality to Danny’s mental health.

The show received critical acclaim for Rooke’s refusal to adhere to the usual masculine stereotypes seen on TV and for highlighting mental health struggles.

It proved to be a hit for Channel 4, who quickly ordered a second series,...

The BBC is moving closer to approving its next big sitcom, and Deadline has just released information on which production companies are being considered.

Last May, Jon Petrie, the head of comedy at the BBC, announced that his team would fund writers’ rooms for fresh sitcom ideas. Deadline learns that BBC Studios, Big Talk Studios, Various Artists Limited, Roughcut, and Hat Trick have been selected.

These companies are behind some of the most popular British sitcoms of recent times, like Derry Girls, Two Doors Down, Friday Night Dinner, Stath Lets Flats, and Such Brave Girls, all of which have won BAFTAs.

While details are under wraps, it’s confirmed that these writers’ rooms are now open and assembling their teams. Each company is expected to develop a pilot script, episode outlines, and a full writing team. There’s potential for more than one new sitcom to hit our screens.

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Exclusive: The BBC is inching towards greenlighting its next big sitcom and we can reveal which producers are in the running.

The corporation’s comedy boss Jon Petrie said last May his team would fund writers’ rooms for original sitcom ideas, which we understand have been awarded to BBC Studios, Big Talk Studios, Various Artists Limited, Roughcut and Hat Trick.

Between them, these storied outfits have made some of the biggest British sitcoms of recent years including Derry Girls, Two Doors Down, Friday Night Dinner, Stath Lets Flats and Such Brave Girls, securing many a BAFTA along the way.

Projects are being kept under wraps but we are told writers’ rooms have opened and are beginning to staff up. The indies are tasked with coming up with a pilot script, episode outlines and a writing team ready to go. More than one idea could make it to screen. When he...

Exclusive: The BBC assembled some of the UK’s finest drama and comedy producers to discuss the scripted funding crisis currently gripping the industry, we can reveal.

Described as a “gathering of the families,” BBC director general Tim Davie and content chief Charlotte Moore invited the group of seasoned executives to a lunch meeting at London’s Charlotte Street Hotel in late November.

Deadline is disclosing details from the private talks for the first time after Jane Featherstone, the Black Doves producer who was in attendance last year, told British Parliament yesterday that the BBC is struggling to fund “multiple” series on its books.

Others at the BBC meeting included The Crown producer Andy Harries, Ludwig maker Kenton Allen, The Traitors producer Stephen Lambert, and Jimmy Mulville, the maker of Derry Girls. Tim Hincks, producer of Alma’s Not Normal, was also in attendance.

Sources familiar with the gathering said the talks were constructive and pragmatic,...

Netflix could have a huge 2025 ahead, with some of the streaming platform's most popular shows making their comebacks, and an exciting batch of new shows making their debuts. Although many of these shows don't have release dates set in stone, it's been confirmed that Stranger Things, Wednesday, Black Mirror and more are all coming at some point in 2025. This is huge news, especially since some of these shows have been away for three years.

As well as these returning juggernauts, Netflix is set to release some intriguing new shows in the next 12 months. The creators of Derry Girls and BoJack Horseman both have new shows coming to Netflix soon, while Robert De Niro is set for a rare TV appearance in a political thriller. Netflix could well have some more surprises in store for 2025, but it's exciting to see so many interesting shows as the streaming platform's release calendar gradually takes shape.