Tassal half year results

The much-maligned Richard III finally gets the royal treatment in Stephen Frears’ The Lost King as amateur historian Philippa Langley unearths the monarch’s five-century-old remains in a parking lot in Leicester, England, in 2012. Two books and a documentary later, IFC Films presents the feature film version in 750+ theaters. “It took eight years from starting the search to cutting the tarmac. To see it telescoped into a hundred or so minutes made it really powerful for me,” Langley, who’s played in the film by Sally Hawkins, told Deadline. Richard III (1461-1483) is one of Shakespeare’s most malevolent villains, a deformed hunchback usurper and murderer. But historians have contested the portrayal of the last king of the House of York and Plantagenet dynasty, noting history is often (re)written by the victors, in this case the Tudors. A society of “Ricardians” at work for years to rehabilitate the monarch’s image, and other well-wishers, chipped in to fund a costly … [Read more...] about Philippa Langley On Digging Up ‘The Lost King’ Richard III After 500 Years – Specialty Preview

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC and PBS have set their latest landmark science series, an exploration of how modern humans came into being. In Human, which is in the process of crewing up, archaeology, travelog and reconstruction will be used to tell the story of the homo sapiens species that emerged around 300,000 years ago. There are no official records for the vast majority of this human history but the series will look to piece things together, using DNA sequencing and scientific tools, and showcasing fresh discoveries. BBC Studios Science Unit is producing Human, which is the latest factual landmark from the BBC and PBS following a long and fruitful relationship. The pair have combined in recent times on alien doc First Contact , BAFTA-nominated 8 Days: To The Moon and Back and The Planets. BBC Head of Science Tom Coveney said Human will “reveal the dramatic twists and turns of our species’ story, the secrets behind our success, and ultimately what makes us … [Read more...] about BBC & PBS To Explore How Modern Humans Came Into Being In Latest Landmark Science Doc

The BBC has suspended its plan to shutter the BBC Singers choir after a public outcry over the decision. A statement from the BBC revealed it was assessing alternative funding models for the choir after “a number of organisations” came forwards with proposals. “We have agreed with the Musicians’ Union that we will suspend the proposal to close BBC Singers, while we will actively explore these options,” added the BBC. “If viable, these alternative options would secure the future of the ensemble.” The public service network had previously announced plans to close the 100-year-old choir earlier this month as it looks to reduce costs in its classical music division and invest more money smaller groups around the country. The BBC needs to make £400M ($489M) in savings by 2027 due to a two-year freeze in the license fee. Around 20 roles would go if the choir closed in July, as planned. However, more than 140,000 people have signed a petition to stop the axing and BBC … [Read more...] about BBC Reverses Decision To Close Choir After Public Outcry

More than 300 leading figures from the French film and TV world have gotten behind a petition decrying controversial pension reforms spearheaded by the government of President Emmanuel Macron . French stars Juliette Binoche , Audrey Fleurot, Camille Cottin , Swann Arlaud, Jeanne Balibar, Bérenice Béjo, Laure Calamy, Camille Cottin, Pierre Deladonchamps and Noémie Merlant; directors Michel Hazanavicius , Alice Diop , Kim Chapiron, Maimouna Doucouré, Robert Guédiguian and Alain Guiraudie, as well as producer Saïd Ben Saïd were among the signatories. “It is high time to make our voices heard, because cinema, theater, culture, even if they sometimes offer dreams and a means of escape, above all speak of our world,” read an open letter to Macron accompanying the petition. The petition was launched under the banner of the Cinema Entertainment Collective on the Liberation newspaper website on Thursday afternoon, as a national strike brought public services to a … [Read more...] about French Film & TV Stars Get Behind Petition Decrying Macron Pension Reforms; King Charles State Visit Postponed Due To Unrest

Ben Whishaw and Ambika Mod , the stars of This is Going to Hurt , have scooped the top acting prizes at this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards , while Derry Girls picked up a double. This is Going to Hurt failed to even land a nomination in Best Drama Series, with that gong going to fellow BBC drama Sherwood, but Whishaw and Mod staved off competition from the likes of Anna Maxwell Martin, Leslie Manville and Gary Oldman to take the major prizes. Mod’s win will lead to more raised eyebrows at the BAFTA TV jury’s decision to eschew her from this week’s Best Actress nomination list in favor of the likes of Kate Winslet, Sarah Lancashire and Imelda Staunton. Whishaw picked up a BAFTA nod for Best Actor. Mod’s portrayal of struggling junior doctor Shruti won critics’ hearts, while Whishaw’s lead turn playing Adam has also won out for the Adam Kay-penned adaptation of Kay’s book. Meanwhile at the awards voted on by the UK’s media press, Lisa McGee’s … [Read more...] about ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Stars Win Big At Broadcasting Press Guild Awards

Britain’s culture secretary Oliver Dowden has denied a report that the government has asked right-wing commentator Charles Moore and former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre to fill two powerful UK media jobs. The Sunday Times reported that Moore has been tapped to be the next chair of the BBC , while Dacre is set to be installed as the new chair of UK media regulator Ofcom . The government is responsible for recruiting for both roles and the Sunday Times said prime minister Boris Johnson wants the pair, both ferocious critics of the BBC, to usher in a “revolution” in UK broadcasting. Senior government insiders told the newspaper that hiring Moore as a replacement for outgoing BBC chair David Clementi is a “done deal,” while Johnson “wooed” Dacre for the Ofcom job over drinks at Downing Street in February. But speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Dowden denied that any decisions have been made prior to the government launching a formal recruitment … [Read more...] about UK Government Denies Offering Powerful Media Jobs To Ferocious BBC Critics Paul Dacre & Charles Moore

World class climber Jimmy Chin met his future wife, filmmaker Chai Vasarhelyi , over a mountain – of footage. He had been working for a number of years on the documentary that would become Meru , the story of an attempt by Chin and his fellow alpinists and friends Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk to become the first to summit the perilous Shark’s Fin peak in the Himalayas. Perhaps because he was so close to the subject matter, the film wasn’t quite cohering. “I had submitted it to a few film festivals and got turned down,” Chin explained during an Artists & Auteurs conversation at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. He told moderator Thom Powers, TIFF’s documentary programmer and host of the Pure Nonfiction podcast, that while struggling over the film he crossed paths with Vasarhelyi at a conference. “I knew that she had quite an accomplished career as a filmmaker,” Chin said. “So, I asked her to screen what I had cut so far. She didn’t call me back for three months, but it … [Read more...] about Oscar-Winning Filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin On Love Stories – Their Own, And They One They Tell In ‘Wild Life’ – CPH:DOX

Succession is coming to an end and Brian Cox has made peace with it. “It’s the right ending for the show,” he told a Q&A at a London screening today, where the man who has wowed the world with his Logan Roy for the past five years opened the market at the London Stock Exchange. You can see a video of him preparing below. While Succession is commissioned by HBO, Cox said it is the British writing team led by Jesse Armstrong who understood that it was time to end. “These British writers have discipline and know that a show has a shelf life,” he added. “Most shows go past their sell by date but Jesse always knew he wanted to finish, although he was terrified about finishing it.” Speaking at Series Mania yesterday , Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max Content, said he would have taken more seasons of the show but it was Armstrong’s call to bring it to an end. “Generally speaking, that is the kind of thing you want to leave to the creator,” Bloys said. … [Read more...] about Brian Cox Says ‘Succession’ “Had A Shelf Life” & Reveals His Favorite Episode

On Sunday, The Young and the Restless will officially celebrate 50 years on CBS. For star Lauralee Bell , it’s more than just a celebration; it’s a tribute to the work of her dad William J. Bell , who created the No. 1 daytime drama with his wife, Lee, in 1973. It’s also a heady reminder that Bell — along with her brother Bradley, who’s the head writer on The Bold and the Beautiful — is one of daytime’s most important stewards. “We’re representing dad in such big way,” said Bell of her father, who died in 2005. Her mom passed in 2020. “I was getting ready to do an interview the other day and out of nowhere this huge, overwhelming feeling came over me. I wondered, did dad ever consider that he wouldn’t be here at one point and did it make him feel a little bit better knowing that Brad and I were all in? Did he ever have a moment where he was like, ‘it’s gonna be okay because my kids got me?'” Here, Bell — who has played Christine “Cricket” Blair on the soap since … [Read more...] about ‘The Young And The Restless’ at 50: Star Lauralee Bell Reflects On Her Dad’s Legacy, And The Future Of The CBS Soap

Getty Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are out on their latest would-be new home -- the couple has pulled the plug on yet another real estate deal ... and they're once again on the hunt. MLS Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ that Bennifer has fallen out of escrow on the $64 million Pacific Palisades mansion they seemed to have their sights set on earlier this month -- which was an absolute beauty that would've certainly accommodated their needs. It's unclear why they're bailing ... but we're hearing they're done with it, and are moving on. Getty/Backgrid Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's $55 Million Bel-Air Mansion Deal Falls Through Now, if you're keeping count -- this actually marks the third home they've fallen out of escrow on in the past year. There was a $55 million Bel-Air estate they were set to buy way back in April, but that sale fell through. They were also set to buy another PP palace last month -- … [Read more...] about Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez Drop Out of Escrow Again in $64 Million Home Sale