Latest news with #BritishDrama
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans go wild for 'brilliant' British drama 'not to be missed' a decade on from its ITV release to rave reviews
Netflix fans have gone wild for a 'brilliant' British drama 'not to be missed' a decade on from its ITV release. The three-part biopic, titled Cilla, first hit screens on ITV back in 2014. Following 'Cilla Black's rocky path from Liverpool clubs to the top of the charts,' according to the synopsis, the drama has since been added to Netflix. Cilla was a famous singer and television presenter, known for her hit singles You're My World and Anyone Who Had A Heart. The series explores the famous singer's relationships including with Bobby Willis and Brian Epstein. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Cilla was a famous singer and television presenter, known for her hit singles You're My World and Anyone Who Had a Heart Sheridan Smith plays the titular star, alongside Aneurin Barnard, John Henshaw and others. In the show, Sheridan dons a sleek ginger bob - strikingly different to her longer, blonde locks. Cilla has received raving reviews by fans and one penned on Google: 'Brilliant portrayal of Cilla by Sheridan Smith who also sings all the songs! Wow! The whole cast were fabulous. One not to be missed!' 'Brilliant. Loved this series, Smith always smashes it,' someone else said. Another added: 'Great performance by all and gives a great feel for the early 60's in Liverpool.' The show was a hit when it first aired over a decade ago, and triggered Cilla's music to be back in the charts. Thousands flocked to buy Cilla's 1964 Number 1 smash Anyone Who Had A Heart after Sheridan performed it on the show back in 2014. The classic track was at number 46 in the midweek chart, as well as reaching the top of the Irish charts. Cilla has received raving reviews by fans and some took to Google to leave their verdicts Cilla, who sadly passed away aged 72 in 2015, watched the show and gave Sheridan her seal of approval for portraying her. The Liverpudlian told the Daily Mirror: 'It's a strange experience seeing other people recreating your life... I was a bit worried when I heard that Sheridan was playing me because I'd only ever seen her as Mrs Biggs'. However she added: 'I needn't have worried because Sheridan is absolutely terrific. I can't fault her. But God knows how she sang so well with those false teeth in', during an interview with the newspaper's Rachael Bletchly. It comes as Blind Date is set to make a sensational return to TV after 22 years away from screens. The legendary dating show - famously hosted by the late Cilla Black from 1985 to 2003 - is eyeing up Claudia Winkleman, Holly Willoughby or Davina McCall to host the revival. Originally, rumours suggested the ITV hit would make a comeback on BBC but now sources claim the love-match show will reboot on Disney+. An insider told The Sun: 'Although there's likely to be some modern twists, the bosses very much want to keep the essence of the original. 'There'll be key elements returning, including the famous sliding wall. The legendary dating show - famously hosted by the late Cilla Black from 1985 to 2003 - hopes to get Davina (pictured) in the mix 'Plus there will be a prize up for grabs of a wedding package, which echoes Cilla's famous gag whenever couples had enjoyed a successful date, and she used to ask, "Do I need to buy an 'at for the wedding?"' MailOnline has contacted Disney+ for comment. In March, former This Morning host Holly was tipped to become the next Cilla, with the presenter lining up a string of big-money deals worth up to £10million. The revival was previously being considered by Holly's husband Dan Baldwin, and the star had previously stepped into Cilla's shoes when she hosted a reboot of Surprise Surprise. Cilla is available to stream on Netflix.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Future of 'excellent' Channel 5 British police drama compared to acclaimed series Vera confirmed
The future of an 'excellent' British police drama that has been compared to Vera has been confirmed. Channel 5 's Ellis follows DCI Ellis, as she delves into complex investigations in the north of England with DS Harper by her side. Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke, 58, who last year starred in Wicked as Dulcibear, plays the lead character and is joined by Andrew Gower, 35. The first season, consisting of three two-hour episodes, premiered back in 2024 and was a hit with fans. It has now been confirmed there will be a second instalment of the detective series and filming is set to commence next month. Sharon, who has won three Olivier Awards, described how 'thrilled' so was to be returning as Ellis. 'The response to the first series was overwhelming, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented team, especially with the wonderful Andrew Gower by my side,' she added. 'Ellis is a character who resonates deeply, and I can't wait for audiences to see what we have in store for her and Harper in series two.' Channel 5 boss Paul Testar commented: 'Following the huge success of the first series of Ellis, we are thrilled for it to return with the brilliant Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Gower reprising their roles. 'We can't wait to bring the detective duo back to the 5 audience next year'. The second series is set to hit screens next year and fans raved over the first, with one leaving a review on IMDb comparing Ellis to Vera. They penned: 'If you like detectives in the style of Vera, Van der Valk, a super grumpy smart detectives with lots of quirks and sly humor, you'll like this show.... it has a lot of similarities.' While someone else on Rotten Tomatoes urged for another instalment and praised the talent: 'Multi faceted plots and some really excellent acting and casting. 'Intriguing plots. Would welcome another series. One of the better police series of recent times.' Another added: 'Excellent writing with well laid out red herrings and twists to keep audience guessing until the reveals. 'Superb acting from the leads.'; 'Fabulous writing, brilliant that each episode is individual. Excellent acting and cast. Cant wait for season 2 channel 5.' Holby City actress Sharon previously described how the 'brutal' weather conditions on set of Ellis affected her. 'I've got to be honest with you, the Belfast weather was brutal. Brutal. It continually rained. We had snow. My body couldn't cope with it,' she confessed. Reflecting on lighter moments during filming, she said: 'So on this beautiful sunny day, the scenes would go down, and Andy and I would turn the radio on and we'd sing at the top of our voices. 'And you had the radios in the car, and the crew who were in the other car could hear it. So there was like this big singalong going along the street. 'We had a lot of fun. It was an absolute pleasure, and a joy and a privilege to work with Andrew.' Full of yet more praise for her beloved co-star, she added: 'For me, the real gift of a job is when you take someone with you for life and Andrew is with me for life. That's the gift of Ellis for me, that I've come away with that friendship.' Ellis airs on Channel 5 and is available to stream on My5.
