Expectation

Alma’s Not Normal returning to BBC Two for second series

Sophie Willan (credit: BBC)

Written, created and executive produced by Sophie Willan, Alma’s Not Normal follows Boltonian wild-child Alma Nuthall and her family of disorderly, eccentric women. The series stars Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley) as Alma’s mother Lin, Lorraine Ashbourne (Bridgerton) as Alma’s grandmother Joan, and Jayde Adams (The Outlaws) as Alma’s best friend Leanne.

BBC Two commissions new documentary on the Maxwell family

As an impoverished survivor of the Holocaust, Robert Maxwell came from humble beginnings.

After serving the British Army in World War II he started working in publishing, building up Pergamon Press to a major publishing house before buying multiple competitors.

Robert’s alleged accidental death in 1991 triggered the collapse of his publishing empire and led to revelations of fraud on a grand scale.

Alex Mahon: How indies saved Channel 4 during lockdown

Speaking at the RTS Digital Convention 2020, Mahon recalled that in the spring when Britain was hit by the first wave of coronavirus: “Indies came to the rescue of Channel 4 and said ‘We’ll be flexible, we’ll work out how to produce in lockdown.’  

“They said, ‘We have to delay this programme or we can’t make it or we’ve found a cunning way to make this programme.’”  

She added: “Indies did incredible things and produced things cheaply.”  

Comedy masterclass with Nerys Evans

Sarah Asante and Nerys Evans (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

How her career began: "I’m from a very small town in Wales. No-one I knew ever worked in TV. I had no in. I just followed my dream and worked really hard to get my foot in the door.

"I’m not an extraordinary person. I am very lucky to work with some quite extraordinary people. It’s hard to get into telly and it’s getting harder.

"I am a massive comedy fan. I wanted to do something in comedy although I didn’t know what that would be. I read politics at Liverpool’s John Moores University where I joined the student radio station.

Rob Rinder to judge 2018 in Channel 4 review show

Judge Rinder (Credit: ITV)

The one-off special will see Rinder apply his legal know-how and sharp wit to analyse the funniest moments and the biggest topics of the last year.

Rinder will also be joined by a roster of famous faces including former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, comedian Deborah Frances-White (Have I Got News for You), journalist and broadcaster Clare Balding (Wimbledon) and politician-turned-dancing star Ed Balls (Strictly Come Dancing).

Peter Fincham on his independent production company Expectation

Ah, they remember it well. It was the autumn of 2015 and Peter Fincham, ITV’s director of television, and Tim Hincks, President of Endemol Shine Group, were having breakfast together.

At least, that’s how Fincham recalls it. Hincks insists it was a drink after work. That detail doesn’t matter. The news they shared, as Fincham explains, did.