television

Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health (Copyright BBC)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Prince William’s commitment to raise awareness of mental health issues is commendable

May 23 2020

Horizon: What's the Matter with Tony Slattery? (Copyright BBC)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Documentary goes to root of vulnerable Tony Slattery’s issues

May 16 2020

Eddie Marsan in Isolation Stories (Copyright ITV).

Sheridan Smith, Robert Glenister, Tom Glenister, Darren Boyd, Angela Griffin, David Threlfall, Eddie Marsan and his sons Blue and Bodie, will appear in new ITV commission, ISOLATION STORIES, a series of four short dramas depicting life in lockdown

Produced by Oscar nominated writer and producer Jeff Pope, and his factual drama label at ITV Studios, each episode will be 15 minutes in duration and will reflect what families are going through after weeks of isolation.

Assembled in conditions the production company has never faced before and written and directed by an award-winning team, the series will air during the UKÕs lockdown period and feature moments that are funny, sad, heartwarming and poignant.

Commented Sheridan Smith: ÒI am heavily pregnant and have been isolating at home so I jumped at the chance to make a drama about the massive drama going on all around us right now. I think it's really important to try and reflect what's happening to us whilst it is still actually happening.Ó

Karen

Eddie Marsan, his sons Blu and Bodhi, and David Threlfall star in Karen written by Neil McKay and directed by David Blair (The Block). A grandad (David Threlfall) resolves to bring his broken family together by...being a grandad. Able to pass by his son-in-lawÕs house on the way to the grocery store, he stops off outside their window to lark about and make his grandkids smile. But his son-in-law (Eddie Marsan), still suffering after his wife Karen left him, doesnÕt welcome these daily visits.

Jeff Pope (Philomena, Stan & Ollie, A Confession, Little Boy Blue) is executive producing the series along with Tom Dunbar (A Confession) and has also written one of the episodes.

The series will be filmed observing the strict rules of lockdown with actors and their families filming the scenes themselves watched remotely by the directors. Each of the directors - Paul Whittington, Paul Andrew Williams, Louise Hooper and David Blair - will be watching footage via their mobile phones and giving advice to the actors and their family members about camera positioning, scene composition and lighting as they record the scenes.

The dramas will be produced by Matthew Bird, Ken Horn, Menzies Kennedy and Tom Dunbar.

Isolation Stories will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios.

For more information: sarah.gaffney@itv.com

For pictures: Patrick.smith@itv.com

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Isolation Stories will be worth a watch, given the talent involved

May 2 2020

Normal People (Copyright BBC)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Normal People is a beautiful drama about adolescent shyness and self-discovery

April 25 2020

BBC Documentary Priest School.

BBC documentary goes behind the scenes at the 404-year old Scots College in Rome

April 18 2020

Ant and Dec (Ian West/PA)

Ant and Dec to release new book marking 30 years in spotlight

April 1 2020

Scandal and Beauty: Mark Gatiss on Aubrey Beardsley (Copyright BBC)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Scandal and Beauty: Mark Gatiss on Aubrey Beardsley has unsurprising Stephen Fry encounter

March 28 2020

Putin: A Russian Spy Story (Copyright Channel 4)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Vladimir Putin emerges as dull and humourless in new series

March 22 2020

Paul and Prue, Noel and Sandi with Ovie, Jenny, Russell and Louis.

TellyBox: Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer

March 14 2020

Kate & Koji (Copyright ITV)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Kate & Koji, a traditional sitcom filmed in front of a studio audience, will annoy

March 14 2020

Miriam's Big Fat Adventure (Copyright BBC)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Morbidly obese Miriam come to terms with her weight in her Big Fat Adventure

March 7 2020

Kevin Clifton and Stacey Dooley (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Kevin Clifton announces Strictly Come Dancing departure

March 6 2020

The Trouble with Maggie Cole (Copyright ITV).

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Dawn French stars in likeable comedy-drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole

February 29 2020

Inside No. 9 (Copyright BBC).

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Reece Shearsmith indulges his passion for magic in Inside No. 9

February 22 2020

Michael Barrymore.

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Michael Barrymore absent in documentary on Stuart Lubbock death

February 2 2020

The Goes Wrong Show, Episode: Harper's Locket. Pictures: Dennis (JONATHAN SAYER), Max (DAVE HEARN), Sandra (CHARLIE RUSSELL).

TellyBox: Goes Wrong Show and SAS: Who Dares Wins

January 25 2020

Nigel Farage.

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Nigel Farage is a sad, petulant, thin-skinned opportunist in hilarious documentary

January 25 2020

Diamond Dealers and Cockney Geezers (Copyright Channel 4)

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Diamond Dealers and Cockney Geezers feels like a pilot for a series

January 18 2020

Davina McCall opens up about ’emotional turmoil’ of divorce (Ian West/PA)

Davina McCall opens up about ’emotional turmoil’ of divorce

January 5 2020

Contestants (from left) Siobhan, Saoirse, Dylan, Nicola and Jamie-Lee (Channel 4/PA)

Derry Girls special of The Great British Bake Off crowns winner

January 1 2020

Bradley Walsh with Erin Grant and John Curran.

Dundee couple have audience in stitches in BBC Christmas special with Holly Willoughby and Bradley Walsh

December 24 2019

Hugh Grant.

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Self-deprecating Hugh Grant on good form in A Life on Screen

December 22 2019

The Dirty War on the NHS (copyright ITV).

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: John Pilger’s NHS documentary sadly buried in the post-election graveyard

December 14 2019

Courtney and brother NJ in Growing Up Poor: Britain's Breadline Kids.

Paul Whitelaw reviews

TV PREVIEW: Growing Up Poor: Britain’s Breadline Kids

November 30 2019

Jeanette Pratt talks to Sasha and Jeremy after hearing the judge’s decision.

TellyBox: Murder, Mystery and My Family

November 30 2019