BBC

Dances with Balls: Katya Jones tells all about Strictly's most enthusiastic contestant

Strictly Come Dancing’s Len Goodman’s critique of Ed Balls’ The Mask-themed Samba spoke for the nation a few weeks ago. Ed Balls has defied expectations to become one of the most popular contestants on the show.

Despite coming bottom of the leaderboard throughout the series, Balls and dance partner Katya Jones have escaped elimination each week.

“Even those who didn’t like him before are warming to him now” Jones says. “He’s just a normal human who came in knowing nothing about dance, and he’s trying so hard.”

Aussie swim drama Barracuda lands on BBC Three

Andrew Creer, Ben Kindon, Elias Anton and Rhys Mitchell Elias Anton as Danny Kelly (Credit: BBC/ NBCUniversal)

The series, based on the book of the same name by award-winning novelist Christos Tsiolkas, is directed by Robert Connolly (Paper Planes, Balibo, Three Dollars).

It stars Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths (Muriel’s Wedding, Brothers and Sisters), Matt Nable (Hyde & Seek, East West 101) and introduces Elias Anton as central character Danny Kelly.

Barracuda begins in 1996 in Melbourne, when Danny has just won a swimming scholarship to the prestigious Blackstone College.

Strictly professional: Gorka talks Tameka, Charleston and elimination

Strictly

“Every ballroom dancer in the competition world, once they stop competing, they want to join the programme,” says Gorka Marquez.

Marquez is one of six new professionals who joined the Strictly Family in 2016, along with husband and wife dancing duo Katya and Neil Jones, AJ Pritchard, Chloe Hewitt and Oksana Platero.

Until the shock elimination last weekend, he was partnered with EastEnders actress Tameka Empson.

“I think the time wasn’t right for her because she was a good dancer. I think it was too early” he protests.

From page to screen: how The Night Manager got made

She said that long-form TV drama was where the best writing now took place.  

“I’ve probably read 100 scripts in the last five or six weeks and there is no doubt that primarily the great writing is in television, it’s way better,” said Bier. 

“There are exceptions. There are a couple of good feature scripts but in general it’s much better in TV.”

Bier, the only living woman to have won an Oscar, an Emmy and a Golden Globe, was speaking at an RTS event, The Night Manager – Anatomy of a Hit.

Jaime Winstone to play Barbara Windsor in BBC1 biopic

Babs, penned by Eastenders and Hustle scriptwriter Tony Jordan, documents 50 years in the life of Dame Barbara. From her evacuation as a child during World War Two through to 1993, before her soap opera debut as the iconic Peggy Mitchell.  

Detailing her troubled marriages and a complicated relationship with her father, the 90 minute film celebrates the actor's early days on stage in Blackpool and her breakthrough performances in the Carry On franchise. 

This week's Top TV: 10 - 16 October

Monday

Derren Brown: Miracle

Channel 4

9pm

Derren Brown takes his audience in his healing hands in the latest live show from the illusionist. Having already explored evangelical healers in his 2011 programme Miracles For Sale, Brown now performs medical marvels of his own by restoring one woman's sight and curing another of arthritis. Recorded from his tour last year, Derren Brown hosts the event from London's Palace Theatre.

BBC commissions three Landmark Sitcoms

A Brief History of Tim, Motherland, and Porridge will all return to television with a full series. Each programme was piloted as part of the BBC's celebration of 60 years of the sitcom, marking the anniversary of the first TV episode of Hancock's Half Hour.

Porridge was brought back by the creative time behind the original 1974 sitcom of the same name. A reimagining of the BBC One favourite, the new Porridge stars Kevin Bishop as the cyber criminal grandson of Ronnie Barker's iconic inmate Fletcher.