UK Television

Utopian Failings

Tom Ward | Posted 30.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Tom Ward

Utopia was undoubtedly a show created with the best intentions, and despite the critiques I've just listed, it still rests high above the majority of the trash on TV in the quality stakes. When the plot was finally revealed, the show took a sharp turn for the better, it's just a shame this was only in the last two episodes.

Dancing On The Edge, BBC/Heading Out, BBC - TV Review

Paul Guest | Posted 29.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Paul Guest

RIP the Monday night blues, as television schedules have been bursting with starry brilliance over the past weeks, unfortunately leaving the rest of the week's television rather bland.

ESPN to BT - All a Little Bit of History Repeating

Sri Sritharan | Posted 27.04.2013 | UK Sport
Sri Sritharan

As the old adage goes, to never meet your heroes, so it transpires as ESPN sit astride their proverbial horse and ride into the British sporting sunset. They arrived as great American conquerors who would finally give Rupert Murdoch's monopoly a bloody nose and more. As it is, they have conceded to their great rivals and stepped aside for a younger challenger.

Why Ocean Protection Is More Critical Now Than Ever Before

Anders Lorenzen | Posted 26.04.2013 | UK
Anders Lorenzen

Around 71% of our planet's surface is covered in water, hence we quite often refer to it as the blue planet. It's a whole different world that the majority of us, including myself, do not know much about.

Scroungin' Skiving Feckers...

Neil Scott | Posted 25.04.2013 | UK Politics
Neil Scott

The myth the BBC, ITV, Sky etc are pumping out of the huge swathe of broken Britains- lazy and scrounging drainers of state money- flamboyant druggie drunk wasters of your hard earned taxes- are just that... A myth

My Life on the Line

Jenny Ainslie Turner | Posted 26.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Jenny Ainslie Turner

Most people ask me: 'Why do guys use phone sex as a form of sexual release?' Well, that's easy. In a world so consumed with not offending anyone, and not being allowed to be themselves, for those few minutes they share with me they can be whoever they want to be and just to let themselves go.

Doing the Hollywood Shake

Stephen Hagan | Posted 24.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Stephen Hagan

Now I've been auditioning for various projects in London for over five years now and have had my share of "interesting" auditions. (The most interesting being standing completely naked on a West End stage while four people checked that my anatomy was right for the 'part'. That's for another blog).

That's (Not) Entertainment

Steven James Green | Posted 20.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Steven James Green

For a while now the ongoing trend of recycled entertainment has been stronger than ever. In an age where we're blessed with a wealth of creative talent that's never been more accessible the question has to be asked of some of the larger media companies as to why they're taking the easy way out.

Beating the Bully: How to School Paxman on University Challenge

Will White | Posted 18.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Will White

If you go on a quiz show - and especially if that show is University Challenge - you had better get some questions right. And you had better not get too many questions wrong. And if you do get some questions wrong, you should try not to get them too wrong.

How Programmes Like My Mad Fat Diary and Derek Can Help Reduce the Stigma Around Mental Health

Rebecca Walton | Posted 14.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Rebecca Walton

When I first saw the adverts for My Mad Fat Diary and Derek I was extremely dubious about the pair of them. My Mad Fat Diary was advertised as a programme much like Skins but with a 'mad fat' girl as the main character.

Sexism and Students in Baking-Obsessed Britain

Rachel Hosie | Posted 11.04.2013 | UK Universities & Education
Rachel Hosie

It is undeniable that we as a nation, Great Britain, are completely and utterly obsessed with baking. From cupcakes to cookies... You name it, we've made it. Or tried to anyway. Thanks largely to undisputedly one of the most popular shows of 2012, The Great British Bake Off.

'Parades End' Is Big Leader In BPG Award Nominations

Neil Midgley | Posted 09.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Neil Midgley

The Broadcasting Press Guild is Britain's professional association of journalists who write about TV and radio, and our awards are the biggest event in our annual calendar. The awards present a rare opportunity to the hacks who vote in them: the chance to be unstintingly nice about the programmes that we select.

Sir David Attenborough - How to Make the Very Most of a 'Life on Earth'

Rob Atkinson | Posted 06.04.2013 | Home
Rob Atkinson

If there were only a course or qualification entitled "How to Get The Most out Of Life" - and, by golly, shouldn't there be? - then who better, I earnestly enquire, to act as mentor or role-model than Sir David Frederick Attenborough, OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS?

Virgin Media To Take On Murdoch

PA | Posted 07.04.2013 | UK Tech

Virgin Media vowed to become a "disruptive challenger" in the pay-TV market today after agreeing a £10 billion takeover by US cable giant Liberty Glo...

Does 'Call The Midwife' Fail The Sexism Test... For Men?

Caroline Frost | Posted 07.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Caroline Frost

Call the Midwife's dewey tableau has been pilloried this season around for giving men a hard time... when they're not serially bashing their wives, they're neglecting them in fire hazards of homes, marrying two sisters at a time (that was all a bit weird) or queueing up on the ship to take their turn with the captain's daughter. So does this hit show fail the sexism test?

House Of Cards - A Political Intrigue for an Internet Age

Alex Jaconelli | Posted 06.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Alex Jaconelli

Reinventing Francis Urquhart, political manipulator from the pen of Michael Dobbs and his House of Cards trilogy present on our screens in the early 90's, was going to take some doing. But I do believe Netflix has pulled it off. I've stopped at two, ok three. And as I burp on the layered cake of political intrigue, game playing and negotiations, a peculiar aftertaste strikes me.

Five Careers Liz Lemon Could Try Next

Hilary Wardle | Posted 06.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Hilary Wardle

Just in case Liz Lemon decides that working on a comedy where people regularly roll their eyes, turn to a dog and say 'don't even SAY it!' isn't for her, here are five alternative careers she could try.

Clive James: A Tribute

Paddy Duffy | Posted 05.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Paddy Duffy

A decade and a half after I first came into contact with Clive James his influence has become all the more pertinent. When people ask me what I'd like to do with my career, the phrase "a bit like Clive James" is invariably my opening salvo.

The Future of the Media - In Jon We Trust

Marcus Middleton | Posted 31.03.2013 | UK Entertainment
Marcus Middleton

In a world where the 'old media' (TV, Radio & Newspapers) are in decline, 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' is clearly the format for the future. Shows like this one will save television.

Local TV Must Have News at Its Heart

Mark Browning | Posted 03.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Mark Browning

For local TV it will be crucial to deliver quality news programming, but it needs to be innovative and distinctive so it complements the other TV news that people already watch.

Live Review - Mikill Pane at the Sebright Arms

Carly Wilford | Posted 02.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Carly Wilford

Pane is a man's man. He's on a level. A tattooed and bearded dope chef that speaks to guys deeper than any lads mag.

Charlie Thomas

Stellar Sporting Calendar Provides Boost For BSkyB

HuffingtonPost.com | Charlie Thomas | Posted 31.01.2013 | UK

BSkyB has seen revenue, profits and subscriptions all rise in the past six months, helping the company to maintain good growth in a tough consumer mar...

Three Recent TV Ad Tropes That Women Are Sick Of

Belinda Parmar | Posted 01.04.2013 | UK Entertainment
Belinda Parmar

Women are now involved in 80% of household purchasing decisions. And how many advertising directors are female? Only 3%. This might be the reason that so much of the ad industry's female-orientated output feels hopelessly out-of-date.

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off: More Soothing Than a Bath in Buttercream Icing

Hilary Wardle | Posted 31.03.2013 | UK Entertainment
Hilary Wardle

There's nothing more relaxing than baking... but only if it goes to plan. I once managed to make a pizza base that was so yeasty, lively and glutinous that it tried to eat the wooden spoon I mixed it with.

Meet The Future of the Labour Party, Ewan Jeffries AKA Jolyon Rubinstein

Jolyon Rubinstein | Posted 31.03.2013 | UK Comedy
Jolyon Rubinstein

Meet Ewan Jeffries AKA Jolyon Rubinstein (The Revolution Will Be Televised), the next hot young thing in the UK Labour Party.