Pauline McLynn (Shameless), Karen Taylor (I’m Karen Taylor) Michael Smiley (Luther), Dermot Crowley (Bleak House), Tim Downie (The King’s Speech), David Reed, Margaret Cabourn-Smith and Peter Serafinowicz have joined the cast of BBC One’s upcoming six episode comedy series Father Figure. They join previously announced main cast member Jason Byrne.
Stephanie Leonidas, who is currently a series regular on Syfy’s recently renewed drama series Defiance, has joined the cast of Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Dead Man’s Folly, the final episode to be produced in ITV’s Poirot series.
The third season of Ridiculousness will receive its UK premiere on MTV on Monday June 24th at 10pm, it has been announced.
EXCLUSIVE: BBC Two’s drama series Line of Duty – which was just recently forced to recast a key role for season 2, with Robert Lindsay exiting the series and Mark Bonnar now assuming the role – has booked a pair of guest stars for its six episode second season, which is currently in production in Northern Ireland. According to my sources, both Claire Hackett (Holby City) and Steve Toussaint (Doctors) have landed roles on the show. Created by Jed Mercurio, Line of Duty follows anti-corruption unit AC-12 as they carry out a multi-stranded investigation into the conduct of police officers. The show’s second season opens with the ambush of a police convoy in which three police officers are killed and a protected witness is seriously injured. The sole surviving police officer is Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton (Keeley Hawes). Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden takes personal charge, assigning AC-12 to the case. Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Detective Constable Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) are joined by newly-appointed Detective Constable Georgia Trotman (Jessica Raine) to investigate a complex case rich in unexpected twists and turns. Initially AC-12’s most valuable witness, the suspicion soon arises that DI Denton could be their prime suspect. The drama series is produced by World Productions, with Peter Norris serving as the series producer. Douglas MacKinnon and Daniel Nettheim are directing.
BBC Two’s The Fall continues to post significant ratings gains when consolidated figures (live+7) are factored in.
ITV has ordered a new celebrity entertainment series titled Your Face Sounds Familiar. Based on Endemol’s hit format, with adaptations having been sold to over 20 countries, Your Face Sounds Familiar is set to launch on ITV this Summer.
EXCLUSIVE: It’s hard not to be impressed with the cast that BBC Two and Heyday Films have assembled for their upcoming 90 minute one-off drama The Thirteenth Tale. I’ve just learned that Broadchurch alum Olivia Colman has been cast in the drama in a leading role. According to my sources, Colman has been cast as Margaret Lea, the biographer to whom ageing novelist Vida Winter recounts her life story. The news of Colman’s casting comes after TVWise previously broke the news that Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave, Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Gordon Winter (Friday Night Dinner), Antonia Clarke (Lightfields) and Robert Pugh (Game of Thrones) have all been cast in the drama.
It had been rumoured for months, but now it’s official. Matt Smith is exiting Doctor Who after four years in the lead role. He will continue to appear in the role of the Doctor in the series’ upcoming 50th Anniversary and Christmas Specials. Smith’s tenure as the Doctor has seen his performance reach over 30 million unique UK viewers and his incarnation has seen the show go truly global. He was also the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA in the role. The BBC will now begin the casting process, looking for a replacement for Smith in the role.