BBC

BBC News Russia editor Steve Rosenberg spoke via a sometimes erratic video link from Moscow, posing the question: “In today’s Russia, does a foreign correspondent still have the opportunity to do journalism?

Rosenberg joined the BBC’s Moscow Bureau as a producer in 1997 “at a time when Russia and the West were still partners – it’s very different now… in recent months, journalists from ‘unfriendly’ countries [largely the UK and the West] have been barred from major events such as the Victory Day Parade on Red Square.”

As the allegations against Russell Brand circled the broadcasters gathered at Cambridge, there was particular interest in this session about – as the panel chair, John Gapper, put it with an ironic smile – “the incredibly unlikely situation” in which a media crisis erupts involving a well-known TV figure.

Another week, another BBC media storm. As allegations of rape and other forms of sexual abuse emerged against Russell Brand, a former Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music presenter who resigned in 2008 following a prank phone call to actor Andrew Sachs, the BBC’s Director-­General, Tim Davie, once again found himself having to defend the corporation’s culture.

Since its debut in 2000, Doctors has followed the fictional lives of NHS doctors, nurses, and receptionists, as well as their families and friends. Alongside these continuing story lines, they also have a story of the week which focuses on a patient and their individual life, usually for a one or two episode arc.

Both semi-finals and the final itself will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The contest will be taking place in Sweden, with the Grand Final taking place in the Malmö Arena on Saturday 11 May next year.

The BBC has also confirmed that the search for the United Kingdom’s act and song entry took place over the Summer. It was led by Lee Smithurst, executive producer at BBC Studios and Will Wilkin, commissioning executive at BBC Music.

Details over the UK’s entry, though, are yet to be announced.

The three-hour fundraising extravaganza will also be hosted by ex-Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc, comedians Jason Manford and Chris Ramsey, and sports stars Alex Scott MBE and Ade Adepitan MBE. Lenny Rush’s new post means he will be the youngest presenter CIN has ever had.

2022’s show saw Doctor Who’s new companion exclusively revealed on stage, included segments from The Repair Shop, Blankety Blank and The Weakest Link, and featured live performances from Lewis Capaldi and Diversity. £35 million was raised for charity.

This means classic episodes of the sci-fi juggernaut will be available to watch ahead of the three 60^th anniversary specials. Though exact broadcast dates are yet to be announced, the BBC confirmed they will air at some point next month.

Every episode of programming will boast multiple accessibility options, including subtitles, audio description and sign language.

A release date is yet to be announced, but the BBC has said the six-part programme is “coming soon” to BBC Four and iPlayer.

The series concerns a French special forces unit on the precipice of the 2016 Battle of Mosul. With a terror threat hanging over their heads, the unit must kidnap the daughter and grandchildren of a prominent ISIS leader in hopes of extracting information from him.