Entertainment Features – Page 7
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Behind The ScenesRobot Wars, BBC2
As Sir Killalot, Matilda and the rest of the Robot Wars gang prepare for their TV comeback, Olly Grant visits the giant set where the souped-up veterans will take on the next generation
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The Broadcast InterviewCelia Taylor, Sky
Sky’s non-scripted boss talks to Peter White about flying dogs, why ‘funny factual’ is harder than it looks - and why she couldn’t turn down Renegade’s Don’t Tell The Bride
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FeaturesHot Picks: Drive
Top Gear has rarely been out of the news over the past 12 months, with multiple controversies, new hosts and a star-studded launch for international buyers at BBC Worldwide’s Showcase event (not to mention the former presenters’ rival show for Amazon) all making the front pages.
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FeaturesHot Picks: Spartan Race
NBC has ordered a series based on Spartan Race, a series of obstacle courses that vary from three miles and 20 obstacles to 26 miles and 60 obstacles.
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Behind The ScenesCan't Touch This, BBC1
Getting a commission turned out to be the easy bit - the real test was losing our location and having to build three new sets in a building with a leaky roof, says Stellify’s joint managing director Matthew Worthy
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FeaturesLight entertainment feels the squeeze
With the likely closure of Fountain Studios, shiny-floor shows could struggle to find space within the M25, but expansion elsewhere should ease the problem.
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FeaturesBest music programme: Four to the Floor
“A show that speaks directly to the audience in a way we haven’t seen for a long time,” was one judge’s verdict on a format that shook up perceptions of what a music show could be.
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FeaturesBest entertainment programme: Britain’s Got Talent
The Thames/Syco juggernaut continued to rumble on, steamrolling the competition to climax with a peak audience of 13.4 million viewers – and a whopping share of more than 50%.
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Behind The ScenesBehind the Scenes: risk and reward at The Jump
It may be known as the most dangerous show on the television, but there are some risks even The Jump won’t take.
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Behind The ScenesTen Pieces II, BBC2 / CBBC
For our cinematic take on orchestra performance, we shot ten music videos in two days, reveals Serena Cross
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Behind The ScenesThe Sound of Music Live, ITV
ITV’s live broadcast of the classic musical won’t shy away from drawing political parallels with today’s global crises, discovers Emily Norval
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FeaturesBring the Noise, Sky 1
Sky 1’s new comedy and music spectacular Bring The Noise breaks with panel show tradition by taking inspiration for its set from concert arenas
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The Broadcast InterviewWill Macdonald & David Granger, Monkey
Made In Chelsea indie bosses David Granger and Will Macdonald tell Peter White they have US primetime in their sights and are on the hunt for the next Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush.
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FeaturesThe Word: the genesis
Oxford-educated Charlie Parsons started his career as a reporter on local newspaper the Ealing Gazette before becoming a researcher at LWT, and then series editor of Channel 4’s groundbreaking factual show Network 7 and arts magazine show Club X.
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FeaturesThe Word: the launch
The show launched on 17 August 1990 with guests including Brookside actor Bill Dean, Bond girl Maryam D’Abo and music acts The Farm and Adamski. It ran for 11 episodes at 6pm, playing host to LL Cool J, Pixies and The Charlatans, before it was switched to 11pm on 9 ...
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FeaturesThe Word gets serious
In series one, items included a piece on ex-criminals in the evangelical Christian ministry Power Team. The storytelling side was important to Parsons.
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FeaturesThe Word: series two
Sebastian Scott became the series editor for the second series, having worked with Parsons on Network 7. Scott came from Janet Street Porter’s BBC2 youth strand Def II and worked alongside series producers Boland, Lux and Richard Godfrey.
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FeaturesThe Word: creation of Planet 24
After series two, Parsons was offered the opportunity to pitch for The Big Breakfast. He and Alli partnered with Bob Geldof and Tony Boland, father of Murray Boland, to create Planet 24 and the new company beat a host of rivals to win the five-day live breakfast show.
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FeaturesThe Word: the controversy
Series three’s eclectic guests included Peter Stringfellow, Bill Hicks, Pamela Anderson and the Marquis of Blandford.
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FeaturesThe Word: The Hopefuls
The Hopefuls, a segment in which people offered to do ‘anything to be on TV’, from snogging a granny to licking armpits, is one of the most vividly remembered parts of The Word. Created by Sebastian Scott, it was taken on by Paul Ross.