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Glasgow Times
5 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
BBC ‘not institutionally antisemitic', says Observer's editor-in-chief
James Harding said the perception of a 'political presence looming over the BBC' is a problem and the broadcaster needs to be 'beyond the reach of politicians'. The BBC has been criticised for a number of incidents in recent months which include breaching its own accuracy editorial guidelines and livestreaming the Bob Vylan Glastonbury set, where there were chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. Following the incident, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers expect 'accountability at the highest levels' for the BBC's decision to screen the performance. Mr Harding discussed the difficulties of covering the Gaza conflict when he delivered this year's James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday. He described how 'newsrooms are in a furious argument with ourselves over the coverage of Israel and Gaza', with the situation 'very hard to view dispassionately'. The Observer chief said this is true for all media organisations, particularly the BBC, and it is 'about as difficult as it gets in news'. Mr Harding said: 'This summer, Lisa Nandy has weighed in.' He said the Culture Secretary's office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, to 'deliver up' director-general Tim Davie's resignation following the Bob Vylan incident, but 'people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message'. Mr Harding said: 'The place became paranoid about how the BBC itself would cover the story; people around him thought the political pressure would be too much. 'Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing Government minister doesn't help anyone. 'The hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief of the country's leading newsroom and cultural organisation should not be the job of a politician. It's chilling. 'Political interference – and the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC – is a problem, one that we've got too accustomed to. 'It looks likely to get worse. We need to get on with putting the country's most important editorial and creative organisation beyond the reach of politicians now.' James Harding gave the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival (Alamy/PA) The broadcaster is also facing an Ofcom investigation into its documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone after a review found it had breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. Mr Harding said the BBC is not antisemitic. 'I am Jewish, proudly so,' he said. 'I'm proud, too, to have worked for the most important news organisation in the world. 'The BBC is not institutionally antisemitic. It's untrue to say it is. 'It's also unhelpful – much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgment calls that have been wrong, than smear the institution, impugn the character of all the people who work there and, potentially, undermine journalists in the field working in the most difficult and dangerous of conditions.' The UK Government and the BBC have been asked for comment. Mr Harding is co-founder of Tortoise Media, which acquired broadsheet newspaper The Observer in April. Before he co-founded Tortoise Media, Mr Harding was editor of The Times from 2007 to 2012 and was in charge of the BBC's news and current affairs programming from 2013 up until the beginning of 2018. He also co-presented On Background on the BBC World Service and wrote the book Alpha Dogs: How Political Spin Became A Global Business. A spokesperson for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: 'The Culture Secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director-general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue. 'The BBC has itself acknowledged a number of serious failings in recent months, including the broadcasting of the Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury. 'It is entirely right that the Culture Secretary raised these issues with the BBC leadership on behalf of licence fee payers.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
BBC ‘not institutionally antisemitic', says Observer's editor-in-chief
James Harding said the perception of a 'political presence looming over the BBC' is a problem and the broadcaster needs to be 'beyond the reach of politicians'. The BBC has been criticised for a number of incidents in recent months which include breaching its own accuracy editorial guidelines and livestreaming the Bob Vylan Glastonbury set, where there were chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. Following the incident, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers expect 'accountability at the highest levels' for the BBC's decision to screen the performance. Mr Harding discussed the difficulties of covering the Gaza conflict when he delivered this year's James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday. He described how 'newsrooms are in a furious argument with ourselves over the coverage of Israel and Gaza', with the situation 'very hard to view dispassionately'. The Observer chief said this is true for all media organisations, particularly the BBC, and it is 'about as difficult as it gets in news'. Mr Harding said: 'This summer, Lisa Nandy has weighed in.' He said the Culture Secretary's office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, to 'deliver up' director-general Tim Davie's resignation following the Bob Vylan incident, but 'people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message'. Mr Harding said: 'The place became paranoid about how the BBC itself would cover the story; people around him thought the political pressure would be too much. 'Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing Government minister doesn't help anyone. 'The hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief of the country's leading newsroom and cultural organisation should not be the job of a politician. It's chilling. 'Political interference – and the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC – is a problem, one that we've got too accustomed to. 'It looks likely to get worse. We need to get on with putting the country's most important editorial and creative organisation beyond the reach of politicians now.' James Harding gave the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival (Alamy/PA) The broadcaster is also facing an Ofcom investigation into its documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone after a review found it had breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. Mr Harding said the BBC is not antisemitic. 'I am Jewish, proudly so,' he said. 'I'm proud, too, to have worked for the most important news organisation in the world. 'The BBC is not institutionally antisemitic. It's untrue to say it is. 'It's also unhelpful – much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgment calls that have been wrong, than smear the institution, impugn the character of all the people who work there and, potentially, undermine journalists in the field working in the most difficult and dangerous of conditions.' The UK Government and the BBC have been asked for comment. Mr Harding is co-founder of Tortoise Media, which acquired broadsheet newspaper The Observer in April. Before he co-founded Tortoise Media, Mr Harding was editor of The Times from 2007 to 2012 and was in charge of the BBC's news and current affairs programming from 2013 up until the beginning of 2018. He also co-presented On Background on the BBC World Service and wrote the book Alpha Dogs: How Political Spin Became A Global Business. A spokesperson for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: 'The Culture Secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director-general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue. 'The BBC has itself acknowledged a number of serious failings in recent months, including the broadcasting of the Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury. 'It is entirely right that the Culture Secretary raised these issues with the BBC leadership on behalf of licence fee payers.'
Metro
6 hours ago
- Metro
Everything we know about the HBO Harry Potter series from cast to release date
Best have your wands at the ready because the upcoming HBO TV adaptation of Harry Potter is starting to take shape. It's been 14 years since the final part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows apparated onto the big screen and brought the film franchise to an end. A decade and a half later, this TV reboot is set to introduce a new generation of kids to the Wizarding World. It's a move that hasn't been without controversy, but HBO is confident the show will delight muggles across the globe. So confident in fact that they've already lined up big names like John Lithgow and Paapa Essied, as well as Sherlock's Louise Brealey and Andor's Anton Lesser. So with all that in mind, here is everything we know about the Harry Potter series, including the latest information on the release date. From Severus Snape to the Golden Trio, here are all of the actors currently confirmed for the Harry Potter TV reboot. John Lithgow was the first name to be attached to the Harry Potter series when he let slip he had been cast as Albus Dumbledore. He'll be playing the Hogwarts headmaster played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the original films. 'It was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid,' he previously told Screen Rant. 'But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter.' Paapa Essiedu has some big shoes to fill as Severus Snape, following on from the late, great Alan Rickman. There has been plenty of conversation around Essiedo too after his previously support of LGBTQ+ rights, which JK Rowling has said wouldn't impact his role despite 'beliefs that differ from her'. Away from Potter, he's best known for his roles in the likes of I May Destroy You, Gangs of London and Black Mirror. Stage and screen actress Janet McTeer has been cast as Minerva McGonnagal in the series. The role was originated by the late Dame Maggie Smith, but Janet will be hoping to put her own stamp on the role. Across film and TV, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress has appeared in the likes of Wuthering Heights, As You Like It, The Menu and Ozark. Finding the right Harry Potter is vital for the new series, and show bosses think they've done just that with Dominic McLaughlin. Daniel Radcliffe's successor has some acting experience, having appeared alongside Game of Thrones' Indira Varma in a Shakespearean production of Macbeth. He's also set to star in the ensemble cast for Sky film Grow, a comedy including Bridgerton's Golda Rosheuvel. Following in Emma Watson's footsteps as Hermione Granger is Arabella Stanton. She's no stranger to playing a clever clogs with magic powers, having portrayed Roald Dahl's character Matilda Wormwood on the West End. Last year, she appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's roller-skate musical Starlight Express as Control. Alastair Stout has been cast as Ron Weasley, rounding off the iconic young trio. Like Rupert Grint before him, Alastair is a true newcomer – thus far, he's only had a fleeting appearance in a Jersey Royal potato advert. Fans will be looking forward to seeing him bring the same cheeky charm to Ron as his predecessor, while putting his own stamp on the character. Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star Nick Frost has the unenviable task of stepping into the late Robbie Coltrane's enormous Hagrid-sized boots. He'll be playing the beloved Hogwarts groundskeeper – and later professor – in the film, and he's promised he was 'never going to try' and imitate the late actor. 'I'm going to try and do something, not 'different'' I think you have to be respectful to the subject matter, but within that, there's scope for minutia,' he told Collider. 'I always read Hagrid as he's like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm child. I think the beauty of being able to do a book a season means I get to explore that a lot more, and I can't wait.' Draco Malfoy will be getting a new look after young actor Lox Pratt was cast in the role as the Slytherin bully. The news comes just after Tom Felton, who played the character in the original films, announced his return to the Harry Potter fold. Despite speculation that he would be playing his character's father in the series, Tom confirmed that he would be reprising his own role – in the Broadway stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. 'Being a part of the Harry Potter films has been one of the greatest honours of my life,' he said in a statement. 'Joining this production will be a full-circle moment for me, because when I begin performances in Cursed Child this fall, I'll also be the exact age Draco is in the play.' Singer Johnny Flynn was announced as the new Lucius Malfoy, stepping into Jason Isaacs' very creepy shoes as the Malfoy patriarch. Viewers may recognise him from Holby City, Scrotall Recall (renamed Lovesick when it moved to Netflix from Channel 4), Operation Mincemeat, Emma, The Dig and Ripley on Netflix – playing Dickie Greenleaf opposite Andrew Scott. He is also a successful singer and songwriter, having released six studio albums. He also created the theme song for the comedy series The Detectorists. Katherine Parkinson, most known for her efforts as Jen in the IT Crowd, has been cast as Weasley matriarch Molly Weasley – previously played by Dame Julie Walters. She has been a staple of our screens for decades, thanks to stints in Doc Martin, Psychoville, In the Club, Here We Go and the Honourable Woman. Most recently, she popped up in acclaimed Disney+ series Rivals as Lizzie Vereker, alongside Danny Dyer, David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit. Petunia Dursley played a huge role in Harry's early years, with the youngster staying with his aunt and uncle in Privet Drive when the series began. After Fiona Shaw's scene-stealing efforts as his late mother's snooty sister, Bel Powley will be taking over the role in the adaptation. She previously appeared in Masters of the Air, and The Morning Show, as well as The Diary of a Teenage Girl on the big screen. Daniel Rigby is taking over from the late Richard Thomas Griffiths as Petunia's husband and equally nasty Vernon Dursley. His most recent roles include Tom Jones and Eric and Ernie – for which he was awarded a Bafta – while he is set to grace our screens in Amazon's Blade Runner 2099. Bertie Carvel was confirmed to be playing Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, replacing Robert Hardy who took on the character on the big screen. He is one of the most notable actors from the cast so far, having appeared in The Crown, Dalgliesh, Doctor Foster, Sherlock, Waking the Dead and Babylon. Bertie also narrates Walking with Dinosaurs. The Gryffindor house is being further fleshed out after Leo Earley was cast in the role of Seamus Finnigan. Leo appears to be another newcomer to the spotlight, with Devon Murray having the role in the original franchise. Alessia Leoni has stepped into Shefali Chowdhury's robes as fellow Gryffindor Parvati Patil. It is currently not clear who will play Parvati's identical twin sister, Padma, with Shefali's close friend Afshan Azad landing the role in the franchise. Sienna Moosah will be joining the gang in the Gryffindor common room after being cast as Lavender Brown. Jessie Cave, Jennifer Smith and Kathleen Cauley were the stars who had portrayed the character in the original franchise. David Bradley left a lasting impression as sneering and grumbling Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch. For the HBO series, Paul Whitehouse will be the one roaming the corridors with Mrs. Norris in hand. From The Fast Show and Gone Fishing to Alice in Wonderland, The Death of Stalin and Corpse Bride, he's already built an impressive legacy. Quirinus Quirrell only appears in the Philosopher's Stone, but he plays a vital role in the Harry Potter franchise. Getting the nervous and jittery Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher right is an important one, and Luke Thallon follows on from Ian Hart in taking on the role. It will mark his TV debut, although he's had plenty of experience on the West End in the likes of The Room, Family Voices and Patriots, while he reprise his role from the latter on Broadway. Rory Wilmot was most recently added to the cast as the infamous Neville Longbottom, played in the films by Matthew Lewis. The young Brit is understood to have answered the production's casting call. He already has a couple of credits under his belt, from one episode of FBI: International and in Out of the Dust, an upcoming TV show currently in post-production. Articulate Drama School & Agency, where Wilmot has trained in acting, shared a post on Facebook congratulating him. They wrote: 'Congratulations Rory! You're going to be a brilliant Neville Longbottom! So proud.' Amos Kitson has been cast as Harry's slightly horrid cousin Dudley – although fans will know he goes on to mellow in later books after a nasty encounter with the Dementors. This will be Kitson's first acting role. Mickey McAnulty, meanwhile, will be playing Dudley's sidekick, Piers Polkiss. Anton Lesser has been cast as the wand-seller Garrick Ollivander, fresh off his run on the revered Star Wars show Andor. Considered by many to be the best wandmaker in the Wizarding World, Ollivander was played by the late great John Hurt in the original films. Lesser is also known for his roles in Game of Thrones and The Crown, as well as in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Louise Brealey will take on Quidditch flying professor Madam Rolanda Hooch. The role was first played by the spikey-haired, husky-voiced Zoë Wanamaker. Brealey is best known as Molly Hooper in Sherlock and has most recently starred in the Bafta-winning dark comedy Such Brave Girls. Red hair and hand-me-down robes? It could only be the Weasleys! Yes, on August 19, 202,5 HBO Max shared a picture of five kids who have landed the role of a lifetime as The Burrow's beloved occupants. Joining the wizarding clan are Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley. Oh, and if you're wondering where Bill and Charlie are, don't worry, they're coming down the line… There are still so many key characters yet to be officially cast, with Lord Voldemort chief among them. There are a couple of names in the running, with reports suggesting Cillian Murphy could follow in Ralph Fiennes' footsteps, while Tom Hiddleston has also been linked to the role. Warner Bros TV boss Channing Dungey told Deadline in April that they were 'still weighing a couple of different options' for the villain. However, that's not stopped fans speculating that the dark lord may have been cast in secret. The first season of the Harry Potter TV show is scheduled for release in early 2027. Filming kicked off on July 14 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, with the first season set to focus on the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. More Trending Several photos from the set have leaked online, including pictures of Nick Frost and Dominic McLaughlin on their way to Diagon Alley (we presume) and the Durseleys at London Zoo. Filming for the first season will continue until the middle of next year, with production on the second season set to begin soon after. HBO has confirmed that Harry Potter's first season will have eight episodes rather than the rumoured six (phew). View More » A version of this article was originally published on June 9. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Harry Potter TV series reveals new all-ginger Weasley siblings cast MORE: Harry Potter director reveals struggle to get support from 'suspicious' crew MORE: 7 of the worst TV endings of all time after 'disastrous' And Just Like That finale
