News

Exclusive: Ross Kemp’s debut Channel 5 series in which he spends time in the world’s most dangerous prisons has been paused midway through filming.

Deadline understands that conversations are taking place between the Paramount UK network and the producers of Ross Kemp: 72 Hours In … following an incident, as they try to revive the show. The crew was just about to head out on the next leg of filming, which would have taken them close to Christmas, and had been preparing to journey to South America before filming was paused, it is understood.

A spokeswoman for Channel 5 said: “Filming had begun on the series, but due to unforeseen production challenges, we have made the practical decision to halt filming at the moment.”

Produced by Kemp’s Freshwater Films and Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama indie Chalkboard TV, the eight-part series, which was unveiled over the summer, follows...

Not so long ago, Netflix was the king of must-see documentaries – mostly about true crime, and nearly all from the other side of the pond. The ongoing appetite created for documentaries like Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes and The Staircase sparked a trend that now goes far beyond Netflix, with all the major streamers, plus regular UK terrestrial channels, after a slice of the documentary action.

The good news is they’re not all about serial killers any more. The even better news is they’ve cottoned onto our wish to be entertained as well as educated, weaving clever storytelling narratives to tell a tale that will break boundaries, keep you invested, and often stay with you for a long time after the credits roll.

Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting British documentary series being released in 2023 and beyond, from the BBC,...

The producers behind Wayne Rooney documentary “Rooney” have unveiled their latest factual sporting series, “Stable,” about the renowned McGuigan family of boxers.

Lorton Entertainment, who produced “Rooney” for Amazon Prime Video as well as “Boom! Boom! The World vs Boris Becker” for Apple TV Plus, are set to follow professional boxing’s first family, the McGuigans, in a new series.

The four-part series will follow trainers Shane and Jake McGuigan, sons of International Boxing Hall of Famer, Barry McGuigan, as they manage a stable of fighters based at their gym.

The gym’s fighters include Chris Billam Smith, who will face off against Shane’s former trainee Lawrence Okolie later this month as they vie for the Wbo World Cruiserweight title, and Ellie Scotney, whose dream of fighting for a world title turns to dust when her opponent – also a former trainee of Shane’s – refuses to fight her if...

Apple TV+ has released the official trailer for “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker,” the new two-part documentary event from Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and Oscar-winning producer John Battsek will premiere globally on April 7, 2023. The docuseries explores every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning The Wimbledon Championships at the age of just 17, going on to win 49 career titles, including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal, as well as his high-profile, sometimes tumultuous personal life. The filmmakers had special access to Becker for more than three years, until late April 2022, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying his debts. “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker” features a series of personal interviews with Becker, including an exclusive conversation with the champion the week of his sentencing, alongside members of his immediate family and tennis stars,...

Lorton Entertainment, who are currently working on highly anticipated Disney+ documentary “Wagatha Christie,” have set a new unscripted series titled “Horsepower” at Amazon, Variety can exclusively reveal.

A four-part documentary series which is set to launch on Prime Video U.K. and Ireland from Sept. 23, “Horsepower” gives viewers a rare glimpse into the world of horce racing via its two protagonists, leading trainer Andrew Balding and his principal jockey Oisin Murphy as they compete over a nine month period culminating in the horse racing world’s most prestigious annual event: Royal Ascot.

Audiences will get unprecedented behind the scenes access as they follow Balding (brother of sports host Clare Balding) and Murphy from fall 2020 to summer 2021, watching them train at Balding’s Hampshire stables and competing in events across the country. All seems lost, however, when Murphy tests positive for cocaine: will he be banned from the sport he loves...

Lorton Entertainment, whose credits include documentaries, Asif Kapadia’s Cannes title “Diego Maradona” and Matt Smith’s Amazon Prime Video film “Rooney,” has launched a content fund.

The Lorton Media Fund, which will invest in drama and documentary across film and television, is a Jersey-based vehicle, which is administered by Oakbridge Fund Services (Jersey) Limited. It will be one of the largest private investment funds focused on U.K. content.

The company said that it has been able to “raise significant capital after a run of 17 hit films in the last six years alone.” Lordon’s credits also include a Boris Becker documentary that’s headed to the Cannes market, “Oasis: Supersonic” and “Bros: After the Screaming Stops.”

Lorton Entertainment was founded by CEO Julian Bird and a consortium of private financiers in 2016 with the abiding principle of bringing the strict discipline of the financial world into the film and television content sector.

A new documentary on tennis superstar Boris Becker is nearing completion and is set to be sold at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

Alex Gibney, Oscar-winning director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” and John Battsek, producer of the Oscar-winning “One Day in September,” have had exclusive access to Becker since 2019 and have been documenting him from then until late April, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.

The as-yet-untitled documentary aims to explore every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning the Wimbledon Championship at the age of just 17 and went on to win 49 career titles including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. Off court, Becker has had a tumultuous personal life. The film will also speak to major figures in his life, from family members to tennis greats John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.

Alex Gibney’s upcoming Boris Becker documentary is heading to Cannes, with Lorton Entertainment set to launch sales on the title on the Croisette next week.

The project, which is nearing completion, has exclusive behind-the scenes access to the former-Grand Slam champion. Gibney, the Oscar-winning director behind Taxi To The Dark Side, has been documenting Becker for more than three years, right up until the end of last month, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding millions of dollars of assets after being made bankrupt in 2017.

The title, which is produced by John Battsek, explores every aspect of the tennis sensation who won the Wimbledon Championship at the age of just 17. He went on to win 49 career titles including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. The project features a series of personal interviews with Becker as well as members of his immediate family and...

Switch announced on Tuesday by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke.

Julie Rappaport has become sole head of movies at Amazon Studios as former movies co-head Matt Newman moves to head original content, sports, at Prime Video’s global sports group.

The switch was announced internally on Tuesday (15) by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, to whom Rappaport will continue to report. Alongside Newman the movies division has released recent tentpoles on Prime Video such as Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Coming 2 America, Cinderella, and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Being The Ricardos starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem is in contention for best actress,...

Switch announced on Tuesday by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke.

Julie Rapaport has become sole head of movies at Amazon Studios as former movies co-head Matt Newman moves to head original content, sports, at Prime Video’s global sports group.

The switch was announced internally on Tuesday (15) by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, to whom Rapaport will continue to report. Alongside Newman the movies division has released recent tentpoles on Prime Video such as Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Coming 2 America, Cinderella, and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Being The Ricardos starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem is in contention for best actress,...

Ex-Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who is suing the National Football League for discrimination in its hiring practices, has landed another NFL job.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have tabbed Flores to be a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach. Flores was hired by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who is one of three Poc head coaches in the league.

Flores was surprisingly fired by the Miami Dolphin following the season. He subsequently sued all 32 NFL teams for discriminatory hiring practices after head coaching interviews didn’t pan out, claiming the talks were prefunctory and merely in satisfaction of the league’s “Rooney Rule,” which mandates that teams interview two minority candidates when they have openings.

“I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL,” Steelers coach Tomlin said in a release. “Brian’s...