
Teachers' reactions to Adolescence show ‘real problem' with schooling
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Thorne said: 'I worked in a school, (executive producer) Hannah (Walters) spent a long time in schools, and we both had a real passion to talk about schools that aren't doing so well.
'And it was so interesting the response, because there was teachers going, 'That would never happen in schools', and then other teachers going, 'You've got that spot on'.
'And what that showed is, we've got a real problem in our country, because there's a certain level of schooling which is complacent about the schools that we're allowing to sink.'
One of the episodes in the series is filmed in a school and shows Ashley Walters' character, DI Luke Bascombe, interviewing children who are friendly with 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who has been accused of murdering his school friend.
Also in the session, Netflix executive Mona Qureshi, responded to Channel 4 news boss Louisa Compton accusing the streamer of behaving like 'TV tourists' earlier at the TV festival.
Compton also called the channel 'proud parents' of Adolescence because of the opportunities they had given Thorne and actor and co-creator Stephen Graham over the years, according to reports.
'I don't think I'm a tourist,' Qureshi said.
'Nothing about where I am and where we sit and the conversations we had about and around Adolescence at the beginning really came out of anything other than us.'
Thorne said he 'started out' with Channel 4, adding: 'I'm really grateful for Channel 4, but I'm excited that Netflix is moving into this space.'
In March, Thorne, 46, spoke to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Downing Street about the issues raised in the drama.
This Is England star Graham co-created the drama with Thorne and starred as Eddie Miller, the father of Jamie.
The series took months of preparation and rehearsals so that each episode could be filmed in one continuous shot, which was praised by viewers of the show.
The show has received 13 Emmy nominations, including for its young star Cooper, for best supporting actor in a limited series.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Hostage: 'Playing the Prime Minister 'changes your perception' of politics' says Suranne Jones
Actress Suranne Jones has taken on the role of many women under immense pressure. In Doctor Foster she suspects her husband of having an affair, in Vigil she investigates a death on board a submarine, and in Gentleman Jack she develops a dangerous lesbian romance. But none of the roles are quite as pressured as her latest - playing a British prime minister whose husband is kidnapped. Hostage, Netflix's new political thriller, sees Jones' character, Abigail Dalton, build an uneasy alliance with French President Vivienne Toussaint - played by Julie Delpy - who is being blackmailed during a London two leaders work together in order to rescue the PM's husband, unmask the kidnapper and blackmailer, and bring those responsible to justice. 'Political with a small p' Given its themes of immigration, the funding of the NHS and public trust, audiences may be tempted to connect Hostage to today's headlines. But, both stars insist the show is less about mirroring today's politics and more about creating a thrilling story set in the political world. "We're entertaining and we're in the political world, but it's in no way a reflection of the world we live in," Jones tells the BBC."It's political with a small p - there's enough that roots us in the real world but the world is too complicated to link it directly and I think it would be inappropriate." Delpy agrees and says: "Things change every day. It's impossible to be in the political moment because tomorrow is something else."The show's writer, Matt Charman, explains that there are some connections to the real world as it's "impossible to write a show that exists in the climate we live in that doesn't end up feeling that it's in dialogue with it". "If you wrote a show that isn't connected to our world it would feel weird," he says, "but I hope the show does have the ability to exist in its own oxygen." It is rare to see two female world leaders sharing the spotlight in a political thriller, but, for Charman, making sure Dalton and Toussaint were women was integral to the way the series was conceived and it was both a creative and political choice. "What was exciting was the idea of women in power and how we explore that," he says, explaining that he tried to explore how each situation the characters face would be different for a woman. "There's a double standard for women, so giving full dramatic freedom to that was very important." Charman and Jones have shared an agent for the past 10 years and Hostage came about because Charman really wanted to work with Jones and the pair settled on creating a political thriller. Jones says she particularly enjoyed exploring "how these two women have to dance around each other"."A female politician is used to dealing with men so it's interesting to see how it plays out when it's two women." While viewers quickly learn about Jones' character - a loving wife and mother who is idealistic about bettering the country - Delpy's character is more drawn out and our opinion of her changes throughout the show."We made sure not to play into the female politician stereotypes," Delpy say. "What I like is that these women actually have some things in common like they both want change and came into office hopeful." The Guardian describe Hostage as "quite unusual" in that it doesn't remind you of any other political thrillers. "It's a little biting but it's not House of Cards cynical, it has a breakneck pace but it's not 24, the dialogue is sharp but never played for laughs," Zoe Williams writes. 'Cost of being in power' To play Dalton convincingly, Jones, who also served as an executive producer on the show, says she really immersed herself in the reality of political life. She visited the House of Commons, spoke to the Speaker of the House and devoured books, podcasts and documentaries. "I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to research," she admits. "I was fascinated by not emulating anyone but by understanding a life I knew nothing about. And it's the cost of being in a powerful position in that way that really struck me."Charman also talks about the extraordinary amount of research that went into creating the show. I ask him whether Dalton or Toussaint were inspired by any real life politicians and he confesses that they are, but he won't say who. "We interviewed a lot of people and Suranne had incredible access to people who had been prime minister who talked about their time in office and the pressure on their family. But it was all agreed that they would speak about this as long as it could remain confidential," he says. Jones won't say which politicians inspired her character but says all of her previous characters are a part of her and she has "a boardroom of personalities" which feed into who she plays. She says all the research into what it's like to be a politician "changes your perception for sure" and makes you realise "the cost of being in a powerful position". One question the show raises is whether or not it's possible for a politician today to stick to their ideals once they come into office and while Jones is unsure, Charman is an optimist. "I wanted to explore how there can be decent people in politics who are fundamentally good but get pushed around," he says. He adds that it's not "inevitable" that people give up their ideals once in office, but "it's definitely tough to keep your morals". Above the thrills and drama of Hostage, Charman says the show explores "what it takes to be a good person in a system that doesn't always reward good people."Delpy is slightly more pessimistic and explains that given "politicians have to be heard, if you're too reasonable you won't be listened to as there's so much noise of both extremes"."If you have a moderate view you get lost in the noise as people are only listening to the loudest."


The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
I spent a week watching daytime TV - here's my picks on what to watch
A presenter bagging another gig is nothing new, but the queen of daytime leaving ITV? This was ravens exiting the tower stuff. It could only have caused more of a stir had Lorraine agreed to a direct swap with Channel 4 News' Krishnan Guru-Murthy (well, he did do Strictly …). Lorraine made no comment, ditto Channel 4. I suspect it won't be the last time she is matched to a new job between now and ITV shedding 220 staff - half its morning workforce. Under the new set-up, announced this month, Lorraine and Loose Women will run 30 weeks a year instead of 52, with Good Morning Britain, to be produced by ITN, extending to fill the gaps. Speaking on The Rest is Entertainment podcast Richard Osman called the changes a watershed moment for British television. The producer, author and presenter said it was 'another symbol of what's happening to our television and the terrestrial broadcasters having to cut their cloth according to the advertising revenues they're getting. We are at the stage now where we are cutting off healthy limbs in British television, which is a terrifying place to be." Daytime is no stranger to upheaval, with the first 'big bang' the shift of children's programmes from radio to television. It has been evolution with occasional revolution ever since. Now, after decades of having the field to themselves, the big four, BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4, are competing for viewers with hundreds of new channels and streaming services. And they are doing so with less ad revenue or licence fee cash. As the schedules have changed, so has the audience. Besides the over 55s, who still make up the majority of viewers, there are shift workers and people working from home, students, parents with young children, or anyone out and about with time to fill. Where there's a screen there's a potential daytime viewer. And if that viewer wants to watch daytime shows at nighttime instead, catch-up services will oblige. The audience numbers might be down for daytime but they remain impressive. 'Very little on British TV these days gets a million, even in the evening,' said Osman. 'BBC Breakfast gets over a million, we then dip under a million for Homes Under the Hammer, then rise to over a million for Bargain Hunt. The news gets one million then you dip down again till Pointless starts then you're back over a million. On BBC2/Channel 4 nothing's getting a million.' ITV, meanwhile, can pull in 600,000-700,000 viewers consistently up to the lunchtime news. Daytime television still matters - not least to its loyal audiences - but there are questions to be asked. Are viewers happy with a diet of repeats, reheats, endless quizzes and manufactured outrage? What does daytime television say about us as a country? And for the love of God, will anyone ever buy a place in the sun, or are they just time-wasters? To find out more I spent a week watching daytime television, something I haven't done since bouts of childhood tonsillitis. A lot had changed. For a start, no one brought me ice cream and jelly on demand. But I stuck with the mission to see what was out there, what works, what doesn't, and offer recommendations to readers of The Herald along the way. Hold my housecoat, I'm going in. Location, chateau, auction Daytime's obsession with property starts with buying wrecks at auction and ends with second homes in the sun. BBC1's Homes Under the Hammer was the gold standard but it now has competition from Channel 4's Bafta-winning The Great House Giveaway. Simon O'Brien (our Damon from Brookside) matches two strangers struggling to get on the property ladder and gives them a house he's bought at auction. They have six months to do the place up, keeping the profits. The Never-ending Antiques Roadshow And what do we do with all those houses we acquire in reality or our imagination? We fill them with treasures/tat from the likes of Bargain Hunt. BH has been going for 25 years and notched up 71 series, making it a daytime legend that shows no signs of flagging. It's the chorus line kick at the end that makes all the difference. They don't do that on snooty old Antiques Roadshow. Who Doesn't Want to be a Millionaire? If Rachel Reeves wants to know why the UK economy is in the doldrums, she need only look at the number of people taking part in daytime quiz shows. Where do they all come from, these Countdowners, Lingo players, Impossible and Unbeatable contestants, and crossers of the Bridge of Lies? They can't all be shift workers and students. Quizzes are the sliced white bread of daytime, a staple that's cheap to make in batches and will keep for a long time. What separates the best from the rest is the host, with Anne Robinson's disastrous stint on Countdown the best example of what happens when you get the pick wrong. Mind How You Go The world is full of wrong 'uns keen to part us from our hard earned, or it is if you watch daytime. BBC1 has the market cornered with the 1-2-3 of Rip Off Britain, Fraud Squad and Crimewatch Caught. If those don't alarm you enough, stick around till evening to catch ex-daytime hit turned primetime hit Scam Interceptors, made at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. Lorraine She's been around a long time, and has a Bafta lifetime achievement award to show for it, but still no one can match her ability to blend serious with fluffy. When accepting her Bafta award from Brian Cox, Kelly made a point of saying there should be more working-class people in television. It can't hurt. Politics Live Daytime television has played a big hand in making politics exciting again (that, and the general chaos of the past few years). The visits to the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions, plus extras such as First Minister's Questions at Holyrood and the party conferences, offer lively, informed coverage. MPs and MSPs like the programmes because it gets them on the telly, plus it gives the media at Millbank something to do. Public service broadcasting at its best (and cheap too). The Way we Were You can watch an old favourite online at any time, but nothing beats seeing it on television again. Talking Pictures TV should be your first call for classic films and dramas such as Bonanza and The Beverly Hillbillies, while for more recent fare have a wander through the various U& channels - U&Drama/ U&Dave/ U&Yesterday. Sky Arts Sky Arts starts at 6am and offers first rate programmes through to the next day. Best of all, it's free to view. This week, for example, you can see films about the Guggenheim in Bilbao, The Yardbirds, performances from the Grand Ole Opry, plus historian Kate Bryan playing tour guide at Tate Brtain. All that and a daily double bill of Tales of the Unexpected. Cue the music … DIY Not the hammer and nails stuff, but putting together your own daytime schedule. Maybe you can't bear another Loose Women or afternoon of quizzes. Why not choose a box set and watch an episode a day instead? On BBC iPlayer it's easiest to see what's there if you search under categories, eg drama and soaps. There are two series of the brilliant Northern Ireland police procedural Northern Lights, plus City drama Industry, Life on Mars, and Peaky Blinders - and all free (with a licence fee). On STV Player you can watch the first run of Karen Pirie and catch the new series. Also showing are the dramas Unforgotten and Joan, plus comedies including Parks and Recreation. Channel 4's streaming service is free and includes The West Wing, The Americans, and Hill Street Blues. The Creme de la Creme The best of the streaming services. Subscriptions are expensive but look out for special offer trial periods, or 'with ads' options. Now is good value for all things Sky, including The White Lotus and The Wire. I'm currently flipping between Veep and Succession. Apple TV+ has Dennis Lehane's Smoke plus Emmy nominees Severance, The Studio and Slow Horses. On Disney+ I can highly recommend the end of the world as we know it drama Paradise. On Netflix, the word is spreading about Pernille, a Norwegian family drama about a single mother and social worker trying to keep all life's plates spinning (sounds awful but it's lovely), and Prime Video has the peerless Bosch.


Spectator
3 hours ago
- Spectator
Spectator Competition: Category error
Comp. 3413 was prompted by J.G. Ballard's story 'The Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Considered as a Downhill Motor Race' (itself inspired by Alfred Jarry's 'The Crucifixion Considered as an Uphill Bicycle Race'). You were invited to consider some event in a category to which it did not belong. It was harder than ever to choose winners; Adrian Fry, Bill Greenwell, Paul Freeman, Martin Brown, Sue Pickard, J.S.R. Fleckney, Nicholas Stone and Sylvia Fairley are a few of the runners-up. The prizes go to those below. The Big Bang considered as a TV baking challenge The initial cosmic oven temperature was unbelievably high. Whoever was responsible for turning it on should have read the thermodynamic instructions with more care. The particle dishes eventually cooled down, while the all-seeing Judge oversaw the creative aspects of the show to ensure things were co-ordinated. The three challenges were: a signature volcanic bake to test creativity; a technical bake which took skill and talent, especially with dark matter ingredients; and finally a showstopper with fruity neutron bombes. Two would-be stars were eliminated due to a surfeit of black holes in their sponges, while another lost out during desert week. Sadly, the baked Alaska dish was not received well. In the later stages, the fundamental forces of the strong and weak came to the fore. Various quirks and quarks combined to form exciting new recipes. Uplifting, like gravity. John O'Byrne Anne Boleyn's death as an RHS seminar Tower Green today hosted an RHS seminar on the early dead-heading of tender young blooms judged to have become expendable following their excessive and unsuitable cross-pollination. The event culminated in a dramatic demonstration given by a visiting French expert who, despite an initial concern over the proper positioning of his main prop, performed his task with admirable speed and neatness which earned him a Patron's Gold Award of some £23. The said Patron, though absent due to a prior engagement, was reported to have been well satisfied with the morning's outcome and confident that it would not deter his country's most respected seedsmen from continuing to supply him with the most desirable specimens from their own exclusive stock. Indeed, an early replacement for the once-fragrant, though apparently unreliable, Rosa Boleynii may be announced very shortly. Martin Parker The first world war as a Netflix crime series The first episode of this much talked-about crime noir opened literally with a bang, the murder of a feathery-hatted aristocrat and his wife. The hit-man is swiftly arrested, but who was behind it all? Cue then a whole range of the usual stock figures, often expendable, to come and try to sort things out, including incompetent Frenchmen who need to be rescued, until things get repetitive and the plot gets bogged down near the unlikely and insignificant river Somme. In a somewhat predictable twist in episode five, the increasingly implausible action requires some entirely new characters, of course American, to tidy it up. In an overly showy final scene set – why? – in a palace full of mirrors, the principal American, apparently called Woody, apportions rewards and blame. Every-one claims it to be 'the end', but it is abundantly clear that we are being set up for a second series. Brian Murdoch The Charge of the Light Brigade as a cricket match Raglan gave the order. From the top of the pavilion he rang the starting bell. When Cardigan trotted out, it was believed he had misunderstood the instructions. He had a bad start. Dancing down the wicket to Starc he missed entirely. Next ball he repeated the madness and was caught in the deep. Raglan looked on in horror. As Australia brought out the big guns things only got worse. The 13th Light Dragoons were hit hardest at first: Duckett, Crawley and Pope all fell before lunch. Later, the 17th Lancers and the 11th Hussars took the brunt, with Brook and Smith gone by 2.30. Only Root held out till tea, when the end of the innings brought a stop to the madness. Still, the question remained. Why had England tried to play T20 cricket in a Test match? David Harris It's the Brexit round of Strictly Come Dancing, the European Union holding the floor as the UK considers a move; will she stay or withdraw? They have long been uneasy partners, out of step, missing the beat, dancing to different tempos as they struggle over who will lead. A brisk comparison of choreography; it may be a case of 'take back control' with the UK as the music starts. Leavers and Remainers begin to tango, pressed close, a passionate, heated dip and rise, a kick or two. Incredible tension. A battle for independence, a flirtation with staying in sync. This may be the last tango in Paris, or anywhere in Europe for that matter. The judges confer, and the Leavers waltz away with the crown, leaving the Remainers feeling slighted, shocked and boxed into a corner with little room to manoeuvre. It's been absolute murder on the dancefloor. Janine Beacham The Annual Budget as a Branch of Mathematics Sturtevant and Yang propose erecting a new branch of maths, to be known as Governmental, Impure or Speculative Mathematics, but there is more to the subject than the commonplace that cancellarian two and two do not usually make four. Consider Cook's Variable Constant, C, (the 'Fudge Factor') defined as modulus (Ng – Nw), where Ng = the number you have and Nw = the number you want. Particularly interesting is the finite summation of an infinite diverging series, so that government borrowing can increase forever without repayment. A further promising development is Quantum Statistics, in which figures can be right and wrong simultaneously. The novel use of infinitesimals, as applied to spending cuts, is more controversial, but a ground-breaking use of pi, as something we can have tomorrow, but never today, exemplifies the useful creativity of the new subject. Frank Upton No. 3416: Throuple You are invited to submit a passage which marries romantasy with a third genre, e.g. political thriller, comic fiction, noir (150 words max, not too rude). Please email entries to competition@ by 3 September.