Totally viral
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
The BBC’s new take on Terry Nation’s Survivors starts this Sunday and it’s actually really good. As per Little Dorrit we’re getting a bit of scheduling madness in that it then continues on Tuesday, where it’ll stay for the rest of its run.
OTT was fortunate enough to talk to Adrian Hodges, the Primeval supremo who’s penned this revival.
“I can very, very clearly recall watching the first episode [of the original series].” he says. “And I can remember the impact it had, and the shock that was felt by everybody who saw it. Subsequently, when I became a writer, that was the kind of thing I was always looking to create. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. That’s the way it goes.”
Read the full interview here >>
Blue Peter went gold
Sunday, October 26, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
Yesterday, Kaleidoscope – The Classic Television Organisation, held their Blue Peter Goes Gold event at The David Lean Room, BAFTA in London’s Piccadilly.
We were there, and – courtesy of Michael Hoskin – here are pictures from the day. Read more
The end of the world – coming soon
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · 5 Comments
“Please God, don’t let me be the only one“.
Surely not the sentiment of the BBC press office last night at the Apollo West End in Piccadilly as they launched Adrian Hodges’ remake of Terry Nation’s, er, novel based on the 1970s post apocalyptic TV series.
In fact there was a pretty good turnout – this is a show that from the announcement of its commission has really captured the imagination of the TV industry. Read more
OTT talks to Charlie Brooker
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
To tie-in with next week’s debut of Charlie Brooker’s E4 zombie/Big Brother-fest, Dead Set, we’ve got an interview with the man himself.
Among other things, he reveals why he could never survive in the BB house: “If I’m sharing a small bungalow with people and there’s one loo, I can’t bear it. I have to wait till they’ve all gone to bed before I’ll have a shit. Knowing there’s cameras around, I just wouldn’t be able to poo. I’d probably start ingesting my own faeces…”
Blue Peter: 50th Anniversary Book
Thursday, October 16, 2008 by Steve Williams · 4 Comments
Most people will probably only recognise Richard Marson’s name from the newspaper reports on his departure as Blue Peter editor. Yet Marson has been known in media circles for far longer than that as something of a TV expert, spending many years writing for Doctor Who Magazine in the 80s and penning the authoritative book on the history of Upstairs Downstairs. Read more
Is the BP theme broken?
Friday, October 10, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · 13 Comments
As the BBC’s – ahem – flagship children’s programme readies for its 50th birthday celebrations, Michael Hoskin, from cult TV website TV Cream, is asking a pertinent question. Has the theme tune been ‘broken’?
The show returned to our screens last month after its traditional summer break, and sporting an updated version of the famous signature tune – ‘Barnacle Bill’. Nothing odd in that… except is that tune actually still ‘Barnacle Bill’? Or is it now the equally nautical ‘The Sailor’s Hornpipe’? Read more
Brooker C. and the zombies
Thursday, October 9, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · 5 Comments
Charlie Brooker’s new comedy-drama, Dead Set, was launched to the press tonight. A zombie drama set in the Big Brother house, it stars Jaime Winstone, Riz Ahmed, Andy Nyman, Davina McCall (who’s very good indeed) and, er, Bubble from BB series two.
The screening was introduced by Andrew Newman, C4′s Head of Entertainment and Comedy, and a fittingly Nathan Barley-esque (now that’s a phrase that’s gone out of heavy rotation) figure. “It’s gripping, dark, excting, gruesome and really original,” he said, before going on to rubbish rival networks. Read more
The Third Coming
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · 4 Comments
The morning after Heroes series three debuted in the US, the BBC screened the opener for journalists at the Curzon cinema, Soho.
Roly Keating, Controller of BBC2, introduced the preview: “Huge apologies for the short notice, as you may have gathered we didn’t know till the last minute if we were going to have the materials to do this screening, as what you’re about to see only broadcast in America in the small hours of last night. This is as close to an American premiere as you’re ever going to get. Read more
High hopes
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
“I’ve got quite a bit to get through – I’ve been doing this more years than I remember, certainly a lot more than 30 and this is by far the most complicated project I’ve been involved in.” That was outgoing Director of Entertainment and Comedy at ITV, Paul Jackson, this morning, unveiling to the press ITV1′s big white hope for Saturday nights, Britannia High. Read more
Merlin
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 by Ian Jones · 2 Comments
Britain doesn’t have a particularly deep well of folk myths to draw from, so it’s not surprising TV screens have for so long been empty of even low-key attempts at tales of myths and legends.
Read more
Could it be magic?
Friday, September 12, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
Thursday, September 11, and the BBC launched its new Saturday night ITV1-slayer, Merlin, to an enthused press.
The screening was held at the BFI IMAX on London’s South Bank, before the assembled filed along to The OXO Tower for the – inevitably – lavish reception. Read more
The Family
Tuesday, September 9, 2008 by Off The Telly · 6 Comments
“There’s nothing remarkable about this family at all, except one thing…”
So runs John Simm’s narration at the top of C4′s keenly anticipated new fly-on-the-wall series. Very much posited as a successor to Paul Watson’s 12-part documentary of the same name – which followed the fortunes of the Wilkins of Reading over two months in 1974 – this series, unbelievably, proves itself equal to the task. Read more
Viva Bannerman Road!
Friday, September 5, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
This afternoon, CBBC premiered series two of The Sarah Jane Adventures to the press. And, a very upbeat gathering it was too, filing into the Rex Cinema on Rupert Street in the middle of London. Read more
Ken Campbell, RIP
Monday, September 1, 2008 by Ian Jones · 2 Comments
Although his heart, and much of life, lay on the stage, Ken Campbell graced a succession of high-class TV series with equally convincing bit parts, cameos and supporting roles. Read more
OTT in September
Monday, September 1, 2008 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
Okay, in the past we’ve gone with three new articles at the start of every month, but we’re just building up a head of steam here. So to begin with here’s TJ Worthington on Belle and Sebastian.
Geoffrey Perkins, RIP
Saturday, August 30, 2008 by Ian Jones · 3 Comments
A car accident has robbed British television of one of its most ubiquitous masterminds of comedy. Read more