Latest news with #YearsandYears
Metro
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Line of Duty star's new drama defended by fans after being branded 'snoozefest'
Fans of Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar have flocked to defend the new series of his crime drama after it was branded 'dull' by critical viewers. Ridley returned to screens tonight for a second series on ITV, having first aired in 2022. The British police drama follows Alex Ridley (Dunbar), a retired detective, and his former protégée, DI Carol Farman (Bronagh Waugh), with series 1 involving a complex murder case. Ridley, who retired early due to a nervous breakdown after the death of his wife and daughter in a house fire, is brought back to the force in a consultancy role after 18 months away, having spent the rest of his spare time performing in and co-owning a jazz club. As for series 2, it picks up with Farman at the helm of the investigations, joining forces with her former boss once more to get to the bottom of some complex crimes. After its launch in the Sunday 9pm slot, viewers took to X to express their thoughts, with some tempted to switch off after calling the episode 'truly awful'. @HinmanMark described the acting as 'clichéd' and the dialogue as 'stilted', adding: 'it's like someone decided it won't fit into the time so it has to be sped up.' @DarenMulvihill replied: 'I was looking forward to its return but find myself agreeing with you, terrible acting all round'. @HobsonDhobson22 admitted viewing was 'hard going', while @cannylad23 accused ITV's crime dramas of all being 'the same'. Comparing Ridley to Irish actor Dunbar's most successful programme, @BHACG blasted: 'Ain't no Line of Duty is it. A right snooze fest.' Others called the intermittent jazz performances from Dunbar 'annoying', as @KimBarrett8 claimed the music 'spoiled' the flow. However, it wasn't all negative, as plenty of users left glowing reviews, hailing it as 'perfect' Sunday night television. 'Sunday night, a cup of tea and a new series of #Ridley. Perfect!', tweeted @mrskmob1. @DavidJosephLaw2 further complimented the drama, saying it's of the same standard as fan favourites Vera and Karen Pirie, while @NickDentsBrain said they will 'watch anything [Dunbar] is in'. And while the performer's singing hit a bum note with some, for others, it was the highlight of the night. 'Adrian Dunbar has a fantastic voice!', said @TellyChat1. As well as Dunbar, 67, and Waugh, 42, Ridley's cast comprises Coronation Street's Terence Maynard, Call the Midwife actress Georgie Glen, Citizen Khan's Bhavna Limbachia, and George Bukhari of Years and Years. Other series 2 stars include Toby Hadoke, Julie Graham, Aidan McArdle, Suzanne Packer, Tareq Al-Jeddal, and Christine Bottomley. A synopsis published ahead of the second instalment said the team of cops would tackle 'new slate of mysteries, investigating crimes that will take them from the atmospheric British moors to the pulsating beats of an illegal rave'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video As for Ridley himself, he, too, faces 'formidable challenges, working tirelessly to solve the most intricate and perplexing cases'. While the fictional town where Ridley is set is called Framley, it was actually shot in Mossley, a town on the outskirts of Greater Manchester. 'We chose Mossley town as our location for Framley, as it fits our aesthetic well,' said producer Juliet Charlsworth. 'It's a proud industrial town nestled in a valley surrounded by the Pennines.' Other filming locations include Ashton-under-Lyne for a jewellery store heist, Bolton's famous Le Mans Crescent for the police station and jazz bar, and Watergrove Reservoir, Rochdale, for Ridley's house. While Ridley is a fictional drama in a fictitious town, Dunbar has revealed that a friend's tragedy is ultimately at the heart of the programme. Speaking to Radio Times, the Ted Hastings actor shared: 'I remembered there was someone I knew, whose daughter had died tragically in a car crash, and he never quite got over it. 'He never got over it to the extent that he didn't quite believe that she was dead, and that somehow he would turn a corner and she'd be there. It's a kind of strange reluctance of the mind to accept something. 'So I thought, when a young girl shows up at the start [of the first episode], why don't we try and let Ridley immediately project onto her? Because I know this person did this, he would meet a young woman who was so close to the attributes of his daughter, and it was almost like she had shown up.' 'These things can be disturbing,' he stated. 'So I thought, let's use that element. I didn't want to leave his grief behind.' More Trending He further said that it's 'important for audiences that there is an element of being able to move on from grief, because we have to, as humans.' However, he wants it to be portrayed in a 'gradual way'. 'And if we get another series, we'll be able to move him on further.' All episodes of Ridley are now available to stream on ITVX. 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. View More » MORE: Doctor Who star's show dropped from UK streaming service confirms ITV launch MORE: Maya Jama 'offered millions to stay on Love Island as Netflix tries to poach her' MORE: Comedian reveals he 'got cameraman sacked for filming up female colleague's skirt'
Rhyl Journal
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Miss Saigon to be shown at Venue Cymru in January 2026
Seann Miley Moore will reprise his role as The Engineer in the stage musical, appearing at the venue as part of a UK tour from Tuesday, January 6, to Saturday, January 10. Moore's previous performances have seen him perform across Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Miley Moore will reprise his role as The Engineer (Image: Miss Saigon) In Australia, he was awarded the Critics' Choice Award for Best Performance in a Musical at the inaugural Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Awards. Julianne Pundan will make her professional debut as Kim, having recently graduated from the Brit School. Jack Kane, known for his roles in Dragonheart Vengeance and BBC's Years and Years, will play Pundan will make her professional debut as Kim(Image: Miss Saigon) Dom Hartley-Harris, recently seen as George Washington in Hamilton, will take on the role of John. Emily Langham, known for her performances in Singin' in the Rain International Tour and Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium, will play Ellen. Cameron Mackintosh, the show's producer, said: "Since we first announced this new production, I have been genuinely delighted at the enthusiasm of the public determined not to miss Saigon, with tickets flying out of the box office and several of the announced cities already nearly sold Hartley-Harris will take on the role of John(Image: Miss Saigon) "We have now completed our search for a really fantastic cast, full of exciting discoveries, that will bring Boublil and Schönberg's extraordinary, powerful musical back to thrilling life. "I can't wait to see Miss Saigon reborn again." The production is directed by Jean-Pierre Van der Spuy, with Chrissie Cartwright and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille as co-choreographers. The show's set and costumes are designed by Andrew D Edwards, with lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Adam Fisher, and video design by George Reeve. The classic musical, which first premiered in London in 1989, tells the tale of 17-year-old Kim, who is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a character known as The Engineer. There, she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. The show follows Kim on her three-year journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who is unaware he has a son. Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh's original production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's epic musical Miss Saigon has become one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of Miss Saigon opened on April 11, 1991, and played for nearly ten years with its 4,097 performances attended by more than 6.3 million people. This is part of a larger UK and Ireland tour, with other locations including Newcastle's Theatre Royal, Edinburgh Playhouse, and Manchester's Palace Theatre. Tickets are now available from the Venue Cymru website.
North Wales Chronicle
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Miss Saigon to be shown at Venue Cymru in January 2026
Seann Miley Moore will reprise his role as The Engineer in the stage musical, appearing at the venue as part of a UK tour from Tuesday, January 6, to Saturday, January 10. Moore's previous performances have seen him perform across Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Miley Moore will reprise his role as The Engineer (Image: Miss Saigon) In Australia, he was awarded the Critics' Choice Award for Best Performance in a Musical at the inaugural Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Awards. Julianne Pundan will make her professional debut as Kim, having recently graduated from the Brit School. Jack Kane, known for his roles in Dragonheart Vengeance and BBC's Years and Years, will play Pundan will make her professional debut as Kim(Image: Miss Saigon) Dom Hartley-Harris, recently seen as George Washington in Hamilton, will take on the role of John. Emily Langham, known for her performances in Singin' in the Rain International Tour and Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium, will play Ellen. Cameron Mackintosh, the show's producer, said: "Since we first announced this new production, I have been genuinely delighted at the enthusiasm of the public determined not to miss Saigon, with tickets flying out of the box office and several of the announced cities already nearly sold Hartley-Harris will take on the role of John(Image: Miss Saigon) "We have now completed our search for a really fantastic cast, full of exciting discoveries, that will bring Boublil and Schönberg's extraordinary, powerful musical back to thrilling life. "I can't wait to see Miss Saigon reborn again." The production is directed by Jean-Pierre Van der Spuy, with Chrissie Cartwright and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille as co-choreographers. The show's set and costumes are designed by Andrew D Edwards, with lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Adam Fisher, and video design by George Reeve. The classic musical, which first premiered in London in 1989, tells the tale of 17-year-old Kim, who is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a character known as The Engineer. There, she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. The show follows Kim on her three-year journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who is unaware he has a son. Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh's original production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's epic musical Miss Saigon has become one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of Miss Saigon opened on April 11, 1991, and played for nearly ten years with its 4,097 performances attended by more than 6.3 million people. This is part of a larger UK and Ireland tour, with other locations including Newcastle's Theatre Royal, Edinburgh Playhouse, and Manchester's Palace Theatre. Tickets are now available from the Venue Cymru website.
Perth Now
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Olly Alexander 'wants to take his foot off the gas' as a musician
Olly Alexander doesn't enjoy the "intensity" of the music business. The 34-year-old singer has put his music career on hold in recent months, in order to focus on acting, and Olly admits that the industry has been overwhelming at times. The Years and Years star told the BBC: "With music, there's an intensity to the way I've been working and putting albums out, promoting and touring. "I definitely want to take the foot off the gas in terms of that intensity." Olly announced his departure from his record label earlier this year, and the singer is currently preparing to star in a West End production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. Olly is relishing the stability that acting has given him. He said: "I spent a lot of my previous years moving around, touring, which is so fun and amazing. But I also very much appreciate staying in one place now. "Having a home in London with my partner, my cats, just trotting off to the theatre every night - that just sounds like the most wonderful existence." Meanwhile, Olly previously revealed that he turned to Sir Elton John and Kylie Minogue for advice on how to deal with fame. The pop star - who has also enjoyed significant success as an actor - told the Evening Standard newspaper: "Working with Elton and even Kylie, two of the most iconic legends, they both told me how they've struggled as an artist to feel like at times they knew what they were doing, feeling really dark. "Elton talks a lot about how depressed he was and how difficult things got for him and hearing them talk about that you just go 'wow'." Olly actually found their advice to be really reassuring. The award-winning star said: "I'm someone who is constantly questioning why the hell I'm here and doing what I'm doing like 'oh my God' - I'm totally that person. But to hear that from people I really, really respect that it's normal and you just get through it somehow. That was good advice and good to hear."
Perth Now
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Olly Alexander bemoans music industry's 'antiquated' approach
Olly Alexander thinks the music industry has "not kept pace with the times". The 34-year-old star - who is best-known as the lead singer of Years and Years - feels the music industry is using a "very antiquated" business model. He told the BBC: "A lot of the reason I think the industry has changed so much is that it's set on this model which is very antiquated now, and it's not kept pace with the times. "Lots of artists have this direct link with their audience via social media. They want their music out quickly. The whole model of promoting it - three singles into an album, then you tour the album, then move onto the next one - it's not really working like it did." Olly observed that record labels used to be able to make an album successful by pouring "a lot of money into something". He continued: "They just can't do that now. Everything has changed. But I think that is exciting for lots of reasons, and it is an exciting place for artists, even though it's harder to break through." Olly is currently focusing on his acting career. However, if he does decide to return to the music business, he won't allow himself to be dictated to by record executives. The 'Sanctify' hitmaker explained: "If I go back into it, it'll be because I think it's fun and something I want to do, and not think too much about how it's going to perform. "That's pretty much how I try to always feel, but you're in an environment where you have a lot of other stakeholders, and people telling you it needs to be this or that, and there's always that tension." Olly recently parted ways with his record label, and is set to star in London's West End later this year, when he'll appear in the National Theatre's production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. Looking forward to the challenge, Olly said: "I'd recently been thinking that I'd love to act again. "I'd come to the end of my record contract, and I have a bit more breathing space to try a few different things and not feel, oh, well I have to deliver an album to my record label."
