Small radio station forced to go silent after ‘unbelievable’ theft of giant tower, which would cost over $100,000 to replace
An Alabama radio station has been forced to temporarily shut down after thieves stole a 200ft radio tower.
WJLX, a station in Jasper, Alabama, was ordered to go off air by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after thieves took the station’s AM tower last week, the Guardian first learned.
Continue reading...Investigation under way as unidentified worker dies after falling from the rafters at CBS Radford Studios
A crew member on the upcoming Marvel TV series Wonder Man has died following an on-set accident.
The unidentified worker, a rigger at CBS Radford Studios, died after falling from the rafters on Tuesday morning. The accident did not occur during filming, but the rigger was working on the set of the Marvel television series, which resumed production in January after several strike-related delays.
Continue reading...Network says role will be recast after Ukraine hit out over casting of Serbian for new season
The makers of hit TV show the White Lotus have dropped actor Miloš Biković from the upcoming series after criticism from Ukraine over the Serbian native’s ties to Russia.
Biković, who was cast for the third season of the award-winning dark comedy just weeks ago, has protested against HBO’s decision as “the triumph of absurdity and the defeat of art”.
Continue reading...First two episodes inaccessible to viewers in city, with some attributing censorship to umbrella protest scenes
Amazon’s big-ticket series Expats, set and filmed in Hong Kong, is not available for viewing in the city despite being billed as a worldwide release.
The first two episodes of the drama, starring Nicole Kidman and directed by The Farewell’s Lulu Wang, were released on Friday but listed as “currently unavailable” for viewers in Hong Kong. The series, based on a 2016 novel, The Expatriates, focuses on the lives of three American women in Hong Kong.
Continue reading...The artist once known as Jenny from the block is spearheading an animated feature about a Latino construction worker voiced by Anthony Ramos
Move over Barbie: the latest Mattel property set for cultural domination has been unveiled as Bob the Builder, the chirpy construction worker who debuted 25 years ago on CBBC and is being belatedly brought to the big screen by booty-shaking multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lopez.
In something of a spin on the original series, the film’s plot will see Roberto (AKA Bob) travel to Puerto Rico for a major construction job, where he “takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build”.
Continue reading...Announcement comes less than a week after Denmark’s longest serving monarch abdicated the throne
Having abdicated the Danish throne after 52 years on exactly the same date she became queen – and announced her surprise decision live on TV with just two weeks’ notice – there’s little doubt Margrethe II has a sense of drama.
After signing the abdication declaration last weekend, she left the room with tears in her eyes and the words: “God bless the king.”
Continue reading...TV presenter says he reported most recent threats ‘to harm you and your family’ to police
Chris Packham has been given a bodyguard while filming the latest series of BBC’s Winterwatch after “specific threats” were made against him.
The presenter has faced persistent abuse in recent years, including in 2011 an arson attack on his home.
Continue reading...Latest project from screenwriter of Netflix’s most watched non-English-language series revisits its most enigmatic character
After a busy few years chronicling fatal Balearic excess in White Lines and crafting the pulpy trafficking drama Sky Rojo, the Spanish screenwriter and producer Álex Pina is returning to one of his most famous criminal creations.
La Casa de Papel, known in English as Money Heist, grew into a global TV phenomenon after Netflix picked it up from the Spanish network Antena 3 in late 2017. By 2020, Pina’s pacey, violent and stylish series about a gang of red-overalled, Salvador Dalí-masked robbers who target the royal mint and then the Bank of Spain had become the platform’s most watched non-English-language series.
Continue reading...As the singer prepares to host the BBC’s new year special, it caps a stellar 2023 for the star who launched a meme phenomenon
Some may think: why is the BBC welcoming in 2024 with “Mr 1987”? Though that suggests they missed the memo about the spectacular revival of Rick Astley. On Sunday night, 1980s pop star Astley will host BBC One’s New Year’s Eve show from the Roundhouse in Camden, north-west London, following in the footsteps of Sam Ryder and Years & Years, fronted by Olly Alexander.
Stars come back. It’s what they do. But few manage to do it in a way that makes them look infinitely cooler than before. As Astley, 57, continues to ride the Rickrolling phenomenon (more of which anon), his 2023 has been stellar.
Continue reading...BBC showed nine out of 10 most popular shows, according to overnight data, with Strictly coming second and Doctor Who third
King Charles’s Christmas broadcast came top of the TV ratings on Christmas Day, with the BBC showing nine out of the 10 most watched shows.
The king’s message, which reflected on the “increasingly tragic conflict around the world”, attracted an average of 5.9 million viewers, according to overnight ratings.
Continue reading...The actor, who also starred in film and television for decades, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer
James McCaffrey, the actor who provided the voice of the titular character of the Max Payne video games, has died aged 65.
The actor died on Sunday at his home in Larchmont, New York, having been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, his wife, the actor Rochelle Boström confirmed.
Continue reading...The ex-Coronation Street actor grew and grew over the series, while her partner went one better than his runner-up placing last year
It was a night of high-quality hoofing, high scores and high camp but ultimately, the Strictly Come Dancing final went the way that bookmakers predicted. Odds-on favourite Ellie Leach and her professional partner, Vito Coppola, were crowned champions. As they lifted the glitter ball trophy and sparkly confetti fell, it made a fitting climax to another feelgood series.
Former Coronation Street actor Leach, 22, had blossomed before viewers’ eyes. Initially an unfancied contender, she visibly grew in confidence to become a pocket rocket performer.
Continue reading...Corporation halts production on world’s longest-running sport quiz after 53 years and says it is ‘not the final whistle’
The BBC is pulling Question of Sport, the world’s longest-running sport quiz, citing “funding difficulties”.
The show began in 1970 with David Vine as presenter, followed by David Coleman, Sue Barker and the current incumbent, Paddy McGuinness, who took over two years ago.
Continue reading...‘I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this “Larry David” persona and become the person God intended me to be,’ star says
After almost 25 years playing Larry David, Larry David has announced that his award-winning comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm is ending with the next season.
The Seinfeld co-creator has played a curmudgeonly version of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm since 2000, making it HBO’s longest-running comedy. Much like Seinfeld, the show draws on the humour in everyday life but the dialogue is mostly improvised around an outline written by David, who plays a semi-retired television writer.
Continue reading...Emmy-winning actor, who also starred in Homicide: Life on the Street, died at age 61
Andre Braugher died from lung cancer, a representative said on Thursday.
When the Emmy-winning actor who starred in the series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Homicide: Life on the Street died on Monday at age 61, his representatives said only that he had been through a brief illness, but his publicist Jennifer Allen gave the cause on Thursday.
Continue reading...The actor who played the deadpan Captain Raymond Holt and starred in Homicide: Life on the Street, has died after a brief illness
Andre Braugher, who starred as Captain Raymond Holt in the hit comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine and as Detective Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life on the Street, has died aged 61.
The actor died on Monday after a brief illness, his publicist confirmed.
Continue reading...In a recording in 2020, the actor made a case for giving ‘human beings true agency over their bodies at the end of life’
• Read more: ‘Push me over the edge’ – Diana Rigg’s daughter Rachael Stirling writes about her mother’s dying wishes
Diana Rigg made an impassioned case to legalise assisted dying in a message recorded shortly before her “truly awful” and “dehumanising” death from cancer three years ago.
The actor’s statement calling for a law that gives “human beings true agency over their own bodies at the end of life”, published today in the Observer, adds to the ongoing debate on assisted dying, with MPs expected to publish recommendations to the government within weeks.
Continue reading...Actor played Thelma Ferris, wife of Rodney Bewes’ Bob, in popular BBC1 sitcom that aired from 1973-74
Brigit Forsyth, who starred in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, has died at the age of 83, her agent has confirmed.
The Scottish actor played Thelma Ferris, the long-suffering wife of Rodney Bewes’ character, Bob, in the 70s BBC sitcom. She died “peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family” in the early hours of Friday morning, her agent, Mark Pemberton, confirmed.
Continue reading...Christmas alumni episode had one blind entrant and another who was neurodivergent, both of whom say they did not get help
The BBC has apologised and pulled a Christmas episode of University Challenge after two contestants complained about a lack of provision for their disabilities.
The festive spin-off from the BBC Two quiz show, hosted by Amol Rajan, features teams of distinguished alumni who compete on behalf of their former universities.
Continue reading...The conservationist compares ITV reality show to pursuits that are ‘the sad preserve of psychopathic criminals’
Chris Packham has written a letter to Ant and Dec, accusing I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! of exploiting animals.
In the missive, released on X (formerly Twitter), he states that this is not the first time he has tried to engage with the show’s presenters about animal welfare standards on the reality show, but that his previous “polite, reasonable and constructive” attempts were ignored so “this time I’ll be a little more frank and forthright”.
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