BBC

New BBC comedy thriller from Daisy May Cooper and Selin Hizli

Credit: BBC

The six-part drama focuses on the budding friendship between Nic (Daisy May Cooper) and Jen (Selin Hizli).

When Jen blows into town with her young son Harry, she shakes up Nic’s lonely life, adding fun, laughter and booze, with Nic’s son Ollie also bonding with Harry.

The twisted comedy thriller looks at marital angst, maternal paranoia and features a dead cat.

Viewers will get to see female friendship at its naughtiest and most intoxicating...until it all starts to unravel.

BBC announces new documentary Freddie Mercury: The Final Act

Credit: BBC/Rogan Productions/Getty Images

The special documentary will tell the story of the final chapter of Freddie Mercury’s life and The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium that took place after his death.

It will feature new interviews from those closest to him including Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Mercury’s sister Kashmira Bulsara, friends Anita Dobson and David Wigg and his PA Peter Freestone. 

The documentary begins in 1986 during Queen’s Magic tour and their iconic performance at Knebworth Stadium in Hertfordshire, which cemented Mercury’s legend status. 

First look images revealed for final series of The Split

Nicola Walker (Credit: BBC)

The drama will see prolific stage and screen writer Abi Morgan OBE (Suffragette) make her directorial debut, after writing all three series of the show.

Set within London’s fast paced and cutthroat high-end divorce industry, the series explores the highs and lows of marriage and the legacy and complications of divorce.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie looks back on his first year in the post

If the surprise appointment of the new culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, an outspoken critic of the BBC, had ruined Tim Davie’s day, he wasn’t letting on during what was his first RTS Cambridge appearance since succeeding Tony Hall as Director-General a year previously.

Throughout a 30-minute grilling by ITN’s newish CEO, Deborah Turness, the former head of BBC Studios presen­ted a glass-half-full view of life running an institution that often appears embattled as it is attacked by the Daily Mail or Westminster.

Richard Sharp discusses the danger of disinformation in the media

Richard Sharp (Credit: Richard Kendal)

In an age driven by social media, where, “for most people, affirmation is more satisfying than information”, the BBC’s ability to provide free access to accurate, impartial news is essential to combating the harmful effects of fake news. 

That was the core of ex-Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp’s argument in favour of impartial public service news as he gave his first RTS speech as BBC Chair since being appointed in February. 

This Disunited Kingdom | RTS Cambridge Convention 2021

In a year of a Labour Wales, Tory England and SNP Scotland, what does Britishness mean now and in the future? And how can, and should, the British media react? The PSBs are rapidly spreading production round the country. What does this mean for the industry? Is it too late to save UK plc? Top pollster and TV pundit Professor Sir John Curtice puts a series of scenarios to a panel of industry leaders to explore their views of Britishness and the fragmenting media landscape.

Chair

Kirsty Wark, Journalist and Writer

Speakers

First look images released for thriller The Girl Before

Credit: BBC

The cast includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki), David Oyelowo (Selma), Jessica Plummer (EastEnders) and Ben Hardy (X-Men: Apocalypse). 

Adapted from JP Delaney’s novel of the same name, the four-part series has also been written and executive produced by Delaney. 

The series tells the story of Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a young woman who gets the opportunity to move into a beautiful, one-of-a-kind minimalist house designed by an enigmatic architect (David Oyelowo). 

New images released for BBC’s Around the World In 80 Days starring David Tennant

Credit: BBC

The Jules Verne adaptation features David Tennant as fearless explorer Phileas Fogg, Ibrahim Korma as the changeable Passepartout and Leonie Benesch as young journalist Abigail ‘Fix’ Fortescue. 

After getting involved in a ludicrous bet, Fogg and his valet Passepartout take on the challenge of circumnavigating the world in just 80 days.

They are soon joined by aspiring journalist Abigail Fix, who sees the adventure as a chance to write about the extraordinary story.