Telly Talk news


Homeland – Telly Talk

Several moons ago Damian Lewis made his name playing Major Dick Winters in the TV series Band of Brothers.


BBC goes full throttle with Upstairs Downstairs revival

As the battle of the master-servant themed period dramas hots up between ITV and BBC, the Beeb has gone full throttle with its revival of the 1970s hit series Upstairs Downstairs.


Telly Talk: Wonderland: The Real Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines

After watching Becky McDonald jetting off for a new life away from Coronation Street last night I found some far more uplifting viewing over on the other side with the latest instalment of BBC2’s Wonderland series.


The Great Sport Relief Bake Off – Telly Talk

Since when did cooking walnut cake in a rush become a sport?


Benidorm ER – Telly Talk

Years ago, there used to be a children’s television programme called Why Don’t You? with a theme song featuring the line ‘why don’t you just switch off your television set and go out and do do something less boring instead’, or words to that effect.


Telly Talk: The Mystery of Edwin Drood

“Beautifully set, wonderfully lit and stuffed full with top rate actors, old and new” – Peter Rhodes reviews The Mystery of Edwin Drood.


How to cook like Heston – Telly Talk

With the excess of the festive period finally over and the remnants of the turkey tightly sealed in a bin bag, I’m sure we’re all thinking the same thing – it’s time to dust off the vat of liquid nitrogen that’s been sitting in the garage for ages and start cooking the Heston Blumenthal way.


Russell Howard is good news

Comedians have sort of taken over the world in recent years.


Attenborough warms a Frozen Planet

It is difficult to imagine a world without Sir David Attenborough. The broadcaster has been a mainstay on our television sets for more than 50 years, bringing all four corners of our planet to the living room.


James May’s Man Lab – not just for blokes

As an unashamed purveyor of all things blokey, Top Gear’s James May is the perfect host for Man Lab, a show that aims to reclaim lost masculine skills for the modern male.


It’s The Strictly-Come-X-Factor-Dancing Blog

Blog: Oh, the injustice. A heartbroken Rory Bremner was booted off Strictly Come Dancing last night as the public voted to keep watching bane of the ballroom Nancy Dell’Olio.


Operation Jericho

How on earth could telly manage without the Second World War?


You’ll have to make do with Kirstie

What with the property market in the doldrums, the fragrant Kirstie Allsop of Location Location Location-fame has surely found she’s got some time on her hands.


The antidote to body farms and stolen babies

Is it just me, or is the BBC gradually getting more depressing each evening?


Zoe Ball fills Claudia Winkleman’s eyeliner well

Zoe Ball had some very big stilettos to fill.


Running out of Secret Millionaires?

This is a show that must be on borrowed time, given the fact that those “surprised” by the Secret Millionaire must have an inkling not everything is as it seems.


Joanna’s Greek jaunt was no celebrity jolly

I have to admit I had my reservations about watching actress Joanna Lumley jet off on her jollies to sunnier climes.


All Roads Lead Home (and to Sue Perkins)

The forthcoming BBC cuts to save £670m a year from their budget will apparently mean more repeats and fewer entertainment shows. And they’re not kidding if last night’s viewing is anything to go by. Just please, don’t bring back Dad’s Army.


Can Gok create stunners on a budget?

The pretext of Gok’s Clothes Roadshow: Get The Look For Less was simple. He would visit Brummigem and convert three middle-aged women into stunning catwalk beauties.


Dispatches was rubbish – but in a very good way

It’s an issue that we all have an opinion on. Rubbish.


Stephen Fry – in a word the perfect TV host

With his infectious enthusiasm for life, Stephen Fry is the perfect host for a show that in someone else’s hands may have been hard going.


After twenty years, the hunt for Ben Needham goes on

Long before the disappearance of Madeleine McCann from a Portuguese holiday apartment in 2007 rocked the world and its media, Sheffield-born baby Ben Needham disappeared from the Greek island of Kos.


Rab’s back, and I still cannot understand him

Editing pages for a newspaper involves a lot of reading. A lot of reading.


Transplant – a really life-affirming programme

Every so often a reviewer wheels out the phrase ‘life affirming’ when it’s least appropriate.


Doctor Who: The Wedding of River Song review

It’s interesting that the finale of Doctor Who series six dealt with alternative realities. I imagine that somewhere out there, in some far-off universe, series six ended with a truly satisfying story that appealed to both fans and casual viewers.


Spooks will be sadly missed in my house

There is a running joke in our house – just before I settle down to watch Spooks on Sunday night the wife will take a sarcastic guess at the about-to-unfold storyline.


Marvellous Mrs Beeton and slightly weird Sophie Dahl

You’ll think I’m weird, but this is just between you and me, right? Good. Then here goes . . .


Lorraine is Delia’s heir

If the saintly Delia is Queen of the TV chefs then Lorraine Pascale is clearly the heir to the throne.


Torchwood: Miracle Day conclusion

Ummm…So what exactly was the point of Torchwood, then?


Little England offers us a glimpse of what could be

There’s nothing like battening down the hatches on a blustery evening, slipping into your jim jams, grabbing a blanket and a brew and settling down in front of the telly.

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