Latest news with #ThisIsGoingtoHurt
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Malpractice season two review – relentlessly tense TV that will leave you terrified
Two years ago, former NHS doctor Grace Ofori-Attah created the relentlessly tense first series of Malpractice, a tale of an A&E doctor whose errors under impossible pressure, combined with the inexperience and equal stresses of others, resulted in the death of a patient. Then things escalated. It took in topical medical subjects – primarily the creeping problem of opioid addiction – alongside social issues, including the manifold effects of the pandemic, the prevalence of burnout, the bureaucratic inefficiencies that hinder staff and patients, the institutional buck-passing and arse-covering that greet any type of mistake, and the potential for corruption that exists in any large organisation. It asked how much we should expect of people trapped in a system starved of resources, how much human fallibility we should tolerate in healthcare. It was fast and in every sense furious, written as leanly and cleanly by Ofori-Attah as only someone with direct experience of a particular environment can. Only one episode of the new series is available for review but it looks to be shaping up just as well as the first. Psychiatric doctor James Ford (Tom Hughes) needs to be in two places at once: doing an assessment on shaky new mother Rosie (Hannah McLean), whose GP Dr Sophia Hernandez (Am I Being Unreasonable's Selin Hizli), contacts him about as the on-call psychiatrist during Rosie's postnatal checkup, and attending the sectioning of a troubled, crack-addicted pregnant woman at her home where the police are already waiting and threatening to leave if they have to do so much longer. Ford does the assessment first. He asks all the necessary questions. Can we accurately judge if he is rushing things? If he is paying enough attention to the answers? To Rosie's body language? Can anyone? Hernandez is certainly annoyed he leaves it to her to go through the medications he prescribes Rosie, but surely this is a legitimate division of responsibility when he has another vital job to get to? Hernandez seems demanding and dislikable. How much does that colour how we evaluate their point of view? These seeds of doubt already sowed, we move on to the sectioning visit and the necessary savagery involved in removing someone from her home against her will. The patient, Toni (Seraphina Beh) is placed in psychiatric care, where Hernandez and Ford – both with Toni and her baby's best interests at heart – clash again over how to manage the pregnancy and delivery. The frequent lack of clear clinical pathways is where dramas like this – Cardiac Arrest, Bodies, This Is Going to Hurt – are most confronting and terrifying. We want to think doctors know everything. No one wants to admit that this is impossible or that what we are really doing is trusting them to be the best at weighing options and risks, but never able to banish the latter. But the meat of the thing is in the fate of Rosie. The lack of clarity around her medications leads to her being insufficiently sedated during an episode of postpartum psychosis and to – in a courageously quiet, underplayed scene – tragedy. Possibly one that could have been avoided if Ford hadn't massaged the truth about how long it would take him to get back her ward (he is supposed to live within half an hour of the hospital – he is staying with his sister 45 minutes away), but equally possibly not. And so we meet again doctors Norma Callahan and George Adjei (Helen Behan and Jordan Kouamé) from the Medical Investigations Unit as they launch a 'fitness to practice' inquiry against Ford and we come again to the questions of culpability and moral responsibility that suffused the first series. The closing scenes suggest that we will not be done out of the many twists and turns the original Malpractice so brilliantly delivered, complete with revelations about the characters that complicate their moral standing in our eyes, their motives, their decision-making processes, the capacity they have to be at their best at any given moment in jobs that demand constant perfection. The new series promises to be as addictive and unsettling as the last, with another good cast and Ofori-Attah still with plenty of material. Malpractice can surely run and run – which is great news for viewers, if less so for doctors and their patients out in the real world. Malpractice season two aired on ITV1 and is on ITVX now
The Guardian
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ambika Mod to play porn addict in ‘funny, unsettling and honest' play at the Royal Court
Ambika Mod is to star as an academic addicted to violent pornography in a new play at the Royal Court in London. Mod, best known for her screen performances in One Day and This Is Going to Hurt, will take on her highest profile theatre role to date in Porn Play, written by Sophia Chetin-Leuner and directed by Josie Rourke. Billed as 'funny, unsettling and honest', it opens in November at the Royal Court's smaller Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. Chetin-Leuner, whose play This Might Not Be It was set in a mental health unit and staged at the Bush last year, said: 'Ever since I was a teenager, going to see plays at the Royal Court has shaped my ideals and purpose of who I want to be as a writer – so it's a terrifying privilege to have Porn Play debuting here.' The play was shortlisted for Soho theatre's Verity Bargate award in 2022. Chetin-Leuner said she began writing it to explore the effects of pornography on women but that it has 'evolved into something much more delicate and intricate over the years'. Mod, who studied at the St Albans performing arts school Theatrix, is also an improv and sketch comedian. Last summer she appeared with the comedy troupe the Free Association at the Edinburgh fringe. Her stage productions have included Nassim Soleimanpour's White Rabbit Red Rabbit, a monologue which performers deliver sight unseen. Porn Play is one of four new premieres announced by the Royal Court. Deaf Republic, which opens in August, is adapted from the poems of Ukrainian-American author Ilya Kaminsky and will be staged by the company Dead Centre, collaborating with the poet Zoë McWhinney. It will be told through spoken English, sign language, creative captioning and puppetry, using an ensemble of deaf and hearing actors. That will be followed by a co-production with the National Theatre of Greece entitled Cow | Deer created by Katie Mitchell, Nina Segal and Melanie Wilson. A performance with no words, it will evoke the lives of the eponymous animals and is described by the trio as 'an experiment in recalibration … looking beyond the purely human into the more-than-human world'. Opening in October is a new play by Nick Payne, The Unbelievers, starring Nicola Walker who is currently in the throuple comedy Unicorn in the West End. The Unbelievers will be directed by Marianne Elliott who called it an 'honest exploration of motherhood'. The theatre also announced the return of Soleimanpour's Echo, which had a short run last summer, and a tour for Breach theatre's Section 28 musical After the Act, previously staged at the New Diorama in London when it was run by David Byrne, who took over at the Royal Court in 2024. It was also announced that Tife Kusoro, whose play G drew acclaim last year, will join the theatre on attachment for 18 months and write a new play.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BBC and ITV fined for freelancer cartel
Broadcasters including the BBC and ITV have been fined after they were found to have illegally fixed pay rates for freelancers. The BBC, ITV, BT and IMG have been ordered to pay a combined penalty of £4.2m by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after admitting to cartel-like behaviour in their sports coverage. Sky also admitted to breaking the law but avoided a fine after alerting the watchdog to its involvement before an investigation was launched. The case centred on the broadcasters' use of freelance workers, such as camera operators and sound technicians, for covering sports events such as major football matches and rugby tournaments. The CMA found 15 instances where at least two companies had illegally shared sensitive information about pay with each other, including daily rates and pay rises. The watchdog said in most cases the explicit aim was to fix how much to pay freelancers across the industry. In one instance, one broadcaster told another they had 'no intention of getting into a bidding war' but 'want to be aligned and benchmark the rates'. In another example, a company wanted to 'present a united front' with its competitor. Juliette Enser, of the CMA, said: 'Millions watch sports on TV each day, with production teams working behind the scenes to make this possible – and it is only right they are paid fairly. 'Labour markets are important for economic growth as a whole. Good recruitment and employment practices help people access the right jobs where they're paid appropriately and make it easier for businesses to expand and find the workers they need. 'Companies should set rates independently of each other so pay is competitive – not doing so could leave workers out of pocket. Employers must ensure those who hire staff know the rules and stick to them to prevent this happening in the future.' The fines were discounted after all four companies admitted to breaking the law and settled the case, while BT, IMG and ITV also received lower fines for cooperation. The watchdog separately dropped a broader investigation into collusion in freelancer contracts in non-sports programming, saying it was no longer a priority. That investigation covered a number of production companies including Derry Girls maker Hat Trick, Sherlock creator Hartswood Films and Sister Pictures, which was co-founded by Elisabeth Murdoch and is behind shows including This Is Going to Hurt. A BBC spokesman said: 'The BBC takes its competition law obligations seriously and has co-operated with the CMA throughout its investigation, which involved a number of sports broadcasters.' An ITV spokesman said: 'ITV is fully committed to complying with competition law and cooperated with the CMA throughout its investigation. In light of the CMA's investigation we have implemented further enhanced competition law compliance measures across the business.' A BT spokesman said: 'We take our competition law obligations seriously and co-operated with the CMA throughout this investigation. Having accepted the findings of this investigation, we have agreed to settle this case.' A Sky spokesman added: 'Sky takes compliance with competition law extremely seriously. As soon as we became aware of the issue, we proactively notified the CMA and cooperated fully with their investigation.' An IMG spokesman said: 'As previously reported, IMG was one of the subjects of a CMA investigation that began in 2022, and has fully cooperated with the CMA's enquiries. 'That investigation concluded today, 21 March 2025, and related to historical activity limited to the UK. This matter has now been resolved, and IMG has taken all necessary steps to address any prior compliance issues.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
21-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
BBC and ITV fined for freelancer cartel
Broadcasters including the BBC and ITV have been fined after they were found to have illegally fixed pay rates for freelancers. The BBC, ITV, BT and IMG have been ordered to pay a combined penalty of £4.2m by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after admitting to cartel-like behaviour in their sports coverage. Sky also admitted to breaking the law but avoided a fine after alerting the watchdog to its involvement before an investigation was launched. The case centred on the broadcasters' use of freelance workers, such as camera operators and sound technicians, for covering sports events such as major football matches and rugby tournaments. The CMA found 15 instances where at least two companies had illegally shared sensitive information about pay with each other, including daily rates and pay rises. The watchdog said in most cases the explicit aim was to fix how much to pay freelancers across the industry. In one instance, one broadcaster told another they had 'no intention of getting into a bidding war' but 'want to be aligned and benchmark the rates'. In another example, a company wanted to 'present a united front' with its competitor. Juliette Enser, of the CMA, said: 'Millions watch sports on TV each day, with production teams working behind the scenes to make this possible – and it is only right they are paid fairly. 'Labour markets are important for economic growth as a whole. Good recruitment and employment practices help people access the right jobs where they're paid appropriately and make it easier for businesses to expand and find the workers they need. 'Companies should set rates independently of each other so pay is competitive – not doing so could leave workers out of pocket. Employers must ensure those who hire staff know the rules and stick to them to prevent this happening in the future.' The fines were discounted after all four companies admitted to breaking the law and settled the case, while BT, IMG and ITV also received lower fines for cooperation. The watchdog separately dropped a broader investigation into collusion in freelancer contracts in non-sports programming, saying it was no longer a priority. That investigation covered a number of production companies including Derry Girls maker Hat Trick, Sherlock creator Hartswood Films and Sister Pictures, which was co-founded by Elisabeth Murdoch and is behind shows including This Is Going to Hurt. A BBC spokesman said: 'The BBC takes its competition law obligations seriously and has co-operated with the CMA throughout its investigation, which involved a number of sports broadcasters.' An ITV spokesman said: 'ITV is fully committed to complying with competition law and cooperated with the CMA throughout its investigation. In light of the CMA's investigation we have implemented further enhanced competition law compliance measures across the business.' A BT spokesman said: 'We take our competition law obligations seriously and co-operated with the CMA throughout this investigation. Having accepted the findings of this investigation, we have agreed to settle this case.' A Sky spokesman added: 'Sky takes compliance with competition law extremely seriously. As soon as we became aware of the issue, we proactively notified the CMA and cooperated fully with their investigation.'
The Guardian
18-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK TV industry hit by ‘perfect storm', says Elisabeth Murdoch
The UK's television industry is being hit by a 'perfect storm' that risks leading to British stories disappearing from the small screen, Elisabeth Murdoch has said. Murdoch, co-founder of the production company Sister, said that a crisis within British television was leading to an exodus of production talent – as well as a danger that British stories were struggling to be told. It follows warnings that cash-strapped British broadcasters are targeting their resources at dramas with international appeal. She said: 'British producers are making excellent content for global platforms, with British talent, set in the UK – but those aren't the same stories that the BBC or Channel 4 seek out. Those stories, from all corners of the British Isles, are struggling to be made in today's economic reality. The BBC has projects that they have greenlit and provided foundational financing but the gap to budget remains unattainable.' Murdoch said that in less than a decade, the UK's television industry had changed from 'a relatively local market' to a global one. While it had created investment, she said it had brought 'real threats to creativity, entrepreneurialism and British culture'. Her comments come amid a lengthy work drought in the UK television industry, in which producers with decades of experience have either fallen out of the sector entirely or turned to entry-level jobs as they await a TV revival. The crisis is partly driven by a concentration on high-end dramas that can be sold overseas. Patrick Spence, executive producer of the huge ITV hit Mr Bates vs the Post Office told the Sunday Times: 'If you ask me if we'd make Mr Bates vs The Post Office today, the answer is 'absolutely not'.' Murdoch, whose production company is responsible for programmes including Black Doves, This Is Going to Hurt and Chernobyl, said TV was 'one of the great drivers of storytelling in our nation. We live in a complex and changing society, which needs to see itself reflected in culture. Content on [public service broadcaster] channels is 80% British; on streamers it is estimated to be 10%.' She said that the current crisis was partly cyclical. Too much programming was commissioned after the start of the Covid pandemic. She added, however, that a 'perfect storm' of factors had hit the industry. Audiences are now watching more on streaming services and digital platforms like YouTube, while the costs of making TV have spiralled. Advertising revenue for public service broadcasters (PSBs) has slumped, while the BBC's licence fee income has effectively fallen by about 30% since 2010. Some have suggested that tax breaks could be used to help the industry. Peter Kosminsky, the Bafta-winning television director behind Wolf Hall, has suggested a levy on the streamers to help fund local content. Murdoch believes all options should be carefully considered. She said: 'When you see the stats about the numbers of people out of work or leaving the industry, or the challenges faced by the PSBs and producers to fund budgets for scripted or high-end entertainment, it highlights the scale of the challenge and explains the loss of business confidence. Low confidence means less appetite for risk and we have built the industry on taking creative risks. It has given us Happy Valley, Shameless, Fleabag, Skins, Life on Mars, to name just a few. 'The question is how much will be addressed by allowing market forces to work and where intervention could and should positively intervene to support all that is great and valuable in the UK TV industry.' The Guardian revealed recently that some established TV figures were now working as high street shelf-stackers, car park attendants and in pubs, with others forced to sell their homes. Meanwhile, some of those remaining in work say they are having to do work that would previously have been carried out by several people. A BBC spokesperson said: 'While the competition of a global market is healthy, the BBC bangs the drum for British creativity and culturally relevant content in a way that the global streamers simply can't.'
