Latest news with #SuchBraveGirls
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Will Only Work With Talent Who Sign Up To New Anti-Bullying Standards, Director General Reveals
The BBC will only work with top talent who sign up to a new set of anti-bullying standards in film and TV, according to the Director General, as he said the public 'no longer believes the people in power are acting in their interests.' Delivering a set-piece speech in Salford this morning, Tim Davie said drastic action is required as the corporation 'can no longer work with people where there are risks' of abuse. More from Deadline 'Celebrity Traitors UK': BBC Finally Unveils Lineup As Stephen Fry, Nick Mohammed, Paloma Faith & 16 Others Enter The Castle Gary Lineker Criticized Once Again After Re-posting Video Featuring Antisemitic Trope 'Such Brave Girls': Exclusive Images From Returning BBC & Hulu Comedy His proclamation came two weeks after the release of a review that found a small number of individuals' behavior was 'disproportionately' affecting the BBC's culture, morale and reputation. This review was sparked by disgraced news anchor Huw Edwards' guilty plea. The BBC will therefore only contract talent who sign up to the new standards from the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), which were unveiled several months back, Davie said. These standards focus on: 'Safe Working Environments', 'Inclusive Working Environments', 'Open and Accountable Reporting Mechanisms' and 'Responsive Learning Cultures'. Bullying and misconduct at the BBC had been under the microscope following a series of allegations made against top talent and senior figures including the likes of Russell Brand, Gregg Wallace and our own investigation into Breakfast boss Richard Frediani. The BBC is already giving funding to CIISA, which is yet to fully get off the ground, and Davie said its work is 'absolutely critical.' 'The acid test of a human being' Davie said the British public 'no longer believes the people in power are acting in their interests and in the worst cases that means an abuse of power.' 'The acid test of a human being is when they get power how they deploy it,' he added. 'In our industries you are particularly exposed to that dynamic in terms of people being seen as 'creative' or the presenter dynamic being a problem that has led to bad people being able to abuse power.' Davie stressed the corporation has 'made progress' and, 'although we are often weaponized,' he urged people to 'come in and see how we work, see the standards.' Those standards were put to the test yesterday when Match of the Day host Gary Lineker once again landed himself in hot water by re-posting an Instagram video featuring an antisemitic trope, which he then deleted. Questioned on Lineker's behavior today, Davie suggested the top-paid BBC presenter may have broken the corporation's social media rules. 'The BBC's reputation is helped by everyone and when someone makes a mistake it costs us,' he added. 'We need people to be exemplars of BBC values and to follow our social media policy. It's as simple as that.' Preserving British IP Meanwhile during the lengthy set-piece, Davie urged 'increased incentives' for UK TV production including tax credits to help resolve the funding crisis and 'preserve' intellectual property. The funding crisis has hit scripted TV especially this year due to the collapse of the American co-pro market but Davie went beyond scripted and said 'at-risk genres' need to be helped via government intervention, 'as well as incentivising public service media objectives like [shows made] out of London, telling local stories and preserving IP in the UK.' An improved high-end TV tax credit was recommended by a recent Culture, Media & Sport Committee report in order to help get more shows off the ground. Elsewhere, the BBC will work more closely with digital and social media creators, Davie said, as he promised to open up commercial arm BBC Studios to up-and-coming stars. 'We plan to open the doors of our studios to social media creators to be able to develop new work and know we have their best interests at heart,' he added. 'We want to champion work from bedroom to [Glastonbury's] Pyramid Stage.' With social in mind, the DG discussed wanting to 'go further against the culture wars' by 'dramatically increasing' BBC News' presence on YouTube and TikTok, 'to ensure we have a stronger position amid the noise.' While noting 'there is an obvious tension' between how much of its news the 100-year-old broadcaster should put on YouTube and TikTok, he said the answer is to 'incentivize people to say, 'There is more [of this] on [BBC] services'.' 'That prize of building BBC accounts and relationships is absolutely the main prize for us,' he added. Davie used his speech to inject plenty blue sky thinking into the future of TV. He called for a national plan for a switchover to internet-only TV in the next decade – an idea that he first floated in a set piece two and a half years back – and proposed a new streaming service with Freely aimed at helping audiences currently underserved by the digital revolution. Plans for the new streaming device are nascent, he told the Q&A session after the speech.'We want to draw on the full creative potential of every corner of the UK', and ensure that 'whoever you are and wherever you live, you have the chance to build your career in the UK with the BBC and others,' he said. Davie reaffirmed a commitment to working with the world's biggest tech companies on AI, as he posited 'the majority of BBC staff are using' the tech and it has become a big part of the process of 'getting content from camera to screen, mic to headphone.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker Criticized Once Again After Re-posting Video Featuring Antisemitic Trope
Gary Lineker is in hot water once again with less than a fortnight to go until he leaves the BBC's Match of the Day. Earlier today, Lineker shared a now-deleted Instagram video from the Palestine Lobby account that overlaid a cartoon rat emoji on top of an explainer about the Israel-Gaza war. More from Deadline Israeli Eurovision Singer Says She Has Been Rehearsing With Booing Sounds In Anticipation Of Backlash Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, David Cronenberg & Javier Bardem Join 380 Cinema Figures In Open Letter Condemning Silence Over Gaza - Cannes 'Such Brave Girls': Exclusive Images From Returning BBC & Hulu Comedy While Lineker has frequently shared content on social media that has fallen within the scope of the BBC's new social media guidelines, the image of the cartoon rat – an antisemitic trope that harks back to 1930s Nazi Germany – has been heavily criticized. Lineker has since deleted the post. The BBC declined comment. Lineker's reps have been contacted for comment. Screenshots posted by the Daily Mail of the video, which featured commentary from Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu, showed it being flagged up on X as hate speech. Danny Cohen, who used to run BBC TV but has in recent months been a vehement critic of the corporation, said: 'Gary Lineker appears to have shared content about the Jewish state which echoes 1930's Nazi propaganda. This is utterly grim. The BBC's Director General Tim Davie has a simple question to answer: 'Does he tolerate the BBC's flagship presenters sharing content that has historically been used as an anti-Semitic slur?'.' A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism added: 'We will be submitting a complaint to the BBC over this latest post. Having looked the other way until now, at this point, it is clear that Mr Lineker's continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go.' The controversial post comes more than two years after a tweet by Lineker criticizing the government's policy on small boats led to a mini BBC presenter strike and an eventual change in the guidelines around presenters and social media. Lineker's posts have since been the subject of intense scrutiny. He has also announced his exit from Match of the Day after 25 years and only has two more eps until the end of the season. Lineker, who is the BBC's highest-paid presenter, will remain with the corporation next year hosting coverage of high-profile soccer tournaments. Last month, Lineker suggested in a tell-all interview that the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Jessica Raine, Damien Molony, Nicholas Pinnock, Antonia Thomas, Leila Farzad and Hugh Skinner to star in hot new drama Two Weeks in August
The BBC has announced casting for Two Weeks in August, a witty and painfully relatable eight-part drama series for BBC iPlayer and BBC One that follows a group of friends reuniting for a summer holiday. Made by the multi-award-winning Various Artists Limited (I May Destroy You, Such Brave Girls), filming is now underway in Malta. Written and created by Catherine Shepherd (Sally4Ever, The Shrink Next Door), Two Weeks in August is a story about friends who reconnect and uncover more about themselves and each other than they ever expected. Jessica Raine (The Devil's Hour, Patrick Melrose) stars as Zoe, a woman pulled in every direction and hoping this holiday will be the tonic she and her family need. She is joined by Damien Molony (Bergerac, Brassic) as her troubled husband Dan. The cast also includes Nicholas Pinnock (For Life, The Book of Clarence) as their old friend Solomon and Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor, Still Up) as his new wife Jess, alongside Leila Farzad (Kaos, I Hate Suzie) and Hugh Skinner (Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, Fleabag) as uni friends Nat and Jacob. Additional cast confirmed are Dolly Wells (Dracula), Tom Goodman-Hill (Baby Reindeer), Dylan Brady (Mary & George), Maria Almeida (The Strays), Khalil Gharbia (The Lost Boys), Florence Banks (The New Look), Sonny Poon Tip (Industry), Cassius Hackforth (Doctor Who), and introducing Eliza and Anthony Lambon as Zoe's children Eve and Theo, and Joe Dixon as Solomon and Jess' son Henry. Set in Greece, Two Weeks in August tells the story of a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends to rediscover joy in her life. But, here in paradise, what starts with an illicit kiss quickly turns the dream vacation into a nightmare. Zoe (Jessica Raine) begins to act on her deepest desires and the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up. When they discover they are trapped on the island, and become faced with real life-or-death situations, the group soon turn on each other to find out who is to blame. Is Zoe responsible for the drama and destruction around her or, as heaven turns to hell, are bigger forces at play? We are in Greece after all, the land of the ancient Gods… Jessica Raine says: 'Catherine's scripts reeled me in from the first page. Epic and nuanced. Funny and tragic. I'm honoured to be playing Zoe in this simply brilliant story.' Roberto Troni and Kat Reynolds from Various Artists Limited and Catherine Shepherd said: 'Individually, these actors have such range and brilliance in everything they do. We feel so lucky to have them with us in the Med as they are dynamite together. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking – the real heart of the show.' Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, says: "There is no better cast to bring Catherine's Two Weeks in August to life. You might not want to find yourselves on holiday with this group of characters, but watching their reunion unfold across eight sun-soaked episodes will be irresistible." Two Weeks in August's lead director is Tom George (This Country, Sherwood) who is directing episodes 1-4. Matthew Moore (The Great, Colin from Accounts) will direct episodes 5-8. Two Weeks in August is currently being shot in Malta and Gozo with the help of local production company Pellikola. Two Weeks in August is a Various Artists Limited production and was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. Catherine Shepherd and Tom George serve as executive producers alongside Roberto Troni and Kat Reynolds for Various Artists Limited, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Rhonda Smith (The Pursuit of Love, The Flatshare) will produce. Casting is by Julie Harkin and Nathan Toth. Episodes 1-4 and 6-8 are written by Catherine Shepherd and episode 5 is written by Georgia Christou. Two Weeks in August is produced in association with and distributed by ITV Studios. SJP
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC announces new drama Two Weeks in August
The BBC has commissioned Two Weeks in August from Various Artists Limited (I May Destroy You, Such Brave Girls). Written and created by Catherine Shepherd (Sally4Ever, The Shrink Next Door) for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, Two Weeks in August is an original eight-part drama series. Set in Greece, Two Weeks in August tells the story of a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends to rediscover joy in her life. But here in paradise, what starts with an illicit kiss, quickly turns the dream holiday into a nightmare. Zoe begins to act on her deepest desires and the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up. When they discover they are trapped on the island, and become faced with real life-or-death situations, the group soon turn on each other to find out who is to blame. Is Zoe responsible for the drama and destruction around her or, as heaven turns to hell, are bigger forces at play? We are in Greece after all, the land of the ancient Gods… Roberto Troni and Kat Reynolds from Various Artists Limited say: 'Two Weeks in August is Catherine Shepherd's painfully funny and heartbreakingly original show that focuses on a group of friends who reconnect on a summer holiday and discover more about themselves and each other than they could have imagined. Catherine's writing is both intimate and epic and we're delighted that her exceptional scripts are gathering a supremely talented cast and creative team, with the incredible support of the BBC and ITV Studios. The emotional struggles of her characters speak to how so many of us feel about trying to live life to the fullest, whilst the world around us burns. Sometimes, literally. We think audiences are in for a real treat.' Catherine Shepherd says: 'I am so excited to be bringing this story to the screen and very grateful for the unwavering support and nurture I've been shown at VAL while writing the scripts and to the BBC and ITV Studios for their belief and commitment. I'm also delighted to be working with kindred spirits, Tom George and Matthew Moore as directors, who share a vision for the show. This is a story about what it's like to try and be happy in a very anxious and confusing world and at its core, about a woman struggling to play all the roles she's been given by life. How do you enjoy yourself for two weeks in August when the world appears to be falling apart around you? I hope it will be as funny and sad, as thrilling, beautiful, ridiculous and heartbreaking as real relationships between humans are.' Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, says: 'We could not be happier to have Two Weeks in August to look forward to! Catherine's writing is razor sharp and hilarious, but ultimately full of compassion and humanity, and it's an honour to join forces with her and VAL to bring her first original drama series to the BBC.' Two Weeks in August's lead director is Tom George (This Country, Sherwood) who will direct episodes 1-4. Matthew Moore (The Great, Colin from Accounts) will direct episodes 5-8. Two Weeks in August goes into production soon and will be shot in Malta and Gozo with the help of local production company Pellikola. Two Weeks in August is a Various Artists Limited production and was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. Catherine Shepherd and Tom George serve as executive producers alongside Roberto Troni and Kat Reynolds for Various Artists Limited, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Rhonda Smith will produce. Two Weeks in August is produced in association with, and distributed by ITV Studios. SJP
