Drama

Jeff Pope on his new drama Little Boy Blue

Interviewed by journalist Mark Lawson, Pope discussed his career, which, as a writer and producer, has seen him win BAFTAs for See No Evil: The Moors Murderers and the film, Philomena. His credits also include Appropriate Adult about serial killers Fred and Rose West. 

Pope’s latest project is the heart-rending Little Boy Blue, which tells the story of the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, an innocent victim of gang conflict in Liverpool.

Netflix and E4 partner for dark road trip drama

The End of the F***ing World is a menacing, tense and chilling tale starring Jessica Barden (The Lobster) and Alex Lawther (Black Mirror) as teen outsiders James and Alyssa, who embark on a road trip to find Alyssa’s father, who left home when she was a child.

Emotionally detached and disdainful James is convinced he’s a psychopath and he’s decided he is ready to take a step up from his dark habit of killing animals... to humans.

Sacha Dhawan to star in Sathnam Sanghera’s The Boy With The Topknot

Mick Ford will adapt The Boy With The Topknot, the humorous and touching memoirs of Sathnam Sanghera's childhood, growing up as a second-generation Indian in 1980’s Wolverhampton.

His book is an account of his childhood and facing up to a bunch of painful family secrets and truths in his twenties – not least that his father and sister had suffered from schizophrenia – and that he was going to defy expectations of an arranged marriage.

Casualty to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a one-shot special

Casualty One shot

The hour-long episode will be filmed using a single camera all in one take to mark the special occasion.

To create this, the mobile camera covering A&E will be required to be cable free and will also have to cover action from inside a moving ambulance. The sound will be achieved with 40 hidden radio microphones and five boom operators, disguised as part of the set.

The episode will mostly focus on Duffy mentoring two teenage girls, Chloe and Diamond, who are being shown around the department for work experience, but will also include the series' regulars.

What's next for Thirteen writer Marnie Dickens?

Dickens is the writer behind BBC Three drama Thirteen, the channel’s flagship programme following its move online

The show follows 26-year old Ivy Moxam (Jodie Comer) who finds her way home 13 years after she was abducted on her way from school.

“There [were] several other projects in development around the same time of someone being captured and escaping,” recalls Dickens. “But most of them were told that way: captured and escaping.”

“We basically started where a show might end and tried [to] be as forward-looking as possible.”

"Soap audiences are a sophisticated bunch", says Emmerdale's Iain MacLeod

After jumping ship from Hollyoaks to Emmerdale, MacLeod explains his excitement at bringing new ideas to the Yorkshire-based soap.

“I’m always looking for ways to do something differently or surprise the audience with something they haven’t thought of before,” he says.

And that he did. During a week-long storyline, which was ten months in the making, the small village turned to chaos when a multi-car pile up left viewers guessing who would exit the soap, with central characters at the heart of one of the biggest disasters in Emmerdale history.

Game of Thrones series 7 release date announced

The highly anticipated release date for series 7 of Game of Thrones has been announced.

Episodes will be broadcast weekly at 2am from 17th July on Sky Atlantic and online streaming service NOW TV, followed by a repeat at 9pm the same day. 

Many burning questions from series six will be answered on the wintry return to Westeros, which saw Daenerys setting sail for the Seven Kingdoms, Jon Snow dubbed King of the North, Cersei seizing the Iron Throne and the Night King amassing forces.

BBC One announces new drama Shibden Hall from Sally Wainwright

The eight-part series follows the story of landowner Anne Lister who returns from years of travel to re-establish her faded ancestral home Shibden Hall, Halifax.

Society dictates that she should re-open her coal mines and marry well, yet the charming and single-minded Anne has no intention of marrying a man and instead seeks a wealthy female suitor.

Shibden Hall is a love story based on historical facts, taken from the diary entries of Anne Lister which contained the intimate details of her life.

Benedict Cumberbatch to star as aristocratic playboy Patrick Melrose

Benedict Cumberbatch (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

The series, based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn, will be adapted for television by One Day and Starter for Ten author David Nicholls.

Cumberbatch, who will also serve as an executive producer on the show, stars as Melrose, a man struggling to overcome the damage inflicted growing up with an abusive father and unsupportive mother. It will track his journey from his harrowing childhood through substance abuse and to eventual recovery.

Channel 4 releases first look at drama The ABC

The ABC follows two comprehensive schools in Yorkshire, largely divided by white and Asian populations, that are merged into a new academy, Ackley Bridge College.

The drama series will explore the turbulent school experience, covering the challenges of prejudice and cultural issues in the school environment, as well as the humour, relationships and conflict had by the pupils, teachers and parents.