ITV

“Public Service Broadcasting is more important today than it’s ever been" argues ITV's Sir Peter Bazalgette

“PSB is more important today than it’s ever been…Important to our democracy, to our culture and to our economy," argued Sir Peter Bazalgette in his speech at The Voice of the Listener and Viewer Autumn Conference on 29 November. 

“PSB channels are still watched by more than 80% of the [UK] population every week," he stated. “Independent news is the lifeblood of democracy. What public service television news has brought to this is a gold-standard of impartial news.”

“Can there be any better evidence of a genuine democracy?” he asked.

ITV orders Gordon, Gino and Fred's Great Christmas Roast

This 75-minute Christmas special features two teams comprised of several famous faces, as they work against the clock to serve a spectacular festive banquet for some of the heroes of 2017.

Gordon, Gino and Fred go above and beyond as they serve members of the public and emergency services who risked their lives during some of 2017’s tragic events.

Ramsey said, “It’s going to be a lot of fun, but the real prize will be the privilege of cooking a fantastic feast and serving up three stunning courses to some truly deserving diners”.

Classic Christmas TV moments

It really is the season to be jolly as far as television is concerned, the line-up is full of one-off specials, film premieres and climatic soap storylines.

So, crack open the port, grab a selection box and feast on our compilation of some of the finest moments in the history of Christmas television.

​Only Fools and Horses

 

Fleabag producer Lydia Hampson on comedy, drama and Reese Witherspoon

It is a motto she has picked up from Fleabag’s creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

“We wanted to shoot it like a drama and cut it like a comedy,” she explains. “Sometimes it feels like drama is comedy’s big older brother.”

For Hampson and Waller-Bridge, it wasn’t enough to create a ‘typical’ comedy. “We were trying to go for the ambition of drama, but not at the expense of the laughs.”

The Crown and Sherlock among RTS Craft & Design Awards nominations

The awards recognise the huge variety of skills involved in programme production from editing to lighting, and costume design to digital effects. 

BBC dramas lead the way in nominations. Taboo, which stars Tom Hardy is up for six awards, whilst Broken and Three Girls received four nominations each. 

Three Girls director Philippa Lowthorpe received a nomination in the Director - Drama category alongside Euros Lyn for Damilola, Our Loved Boy and Julian Jarrold for The Witnesses for the Prosecution, all for BBC One.