Sue Johnston (The Royle Family, Downton Abbey) has joined the cast of BBC One comedy Hold The Sunset for its second season, which has now started filming ahead of a 2019 premiere “I'm thrilled to be working with such a great cast of actors. Some are new friends and some are old friends - it is a joy to be joining them all”, Johnston said in a statement. 
BBC Studios is getting into business with Misfits indie Clerkwenwell Films and Anton Corp. The three companies have pacted together to develop and fund a slate of high-end, short-form drama and comedy projects. The announcement was made today by BBC Studios CEO Tim Davie at the IBC Conference in Amsterdam. Under the deal, Clerkenwell will produce the projects, with BBC Studios and Anton providing the funding. It will see the creation of premium, high volume, short-form content produced for digital and linear platforms, with additional funds set aside to self-commission. 
BBC Two has released two first look images of Richard Gere (Chicago, Pretty Woman), Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders, Harry Potter) and Billy Howle (Witness for the Prosecution, On Chesil Beach) from their upcoming eight episode drama series MotherFatherSon. 
George & George - the indie that was set up by Vicki Pepperdine and Joanna Scanlan to champion women’s voices in TV and film - has entered into a joint venture with Steve Coogan and Christine Langan’s Baby Cow Productions. Alongside that, the company has also inked a first look deal with BBC Studios. 
BBC One has greenlit Scarborough, a new comedy series from Benidorm creator Derren Litten; and handed out a pilot order to 'king Gary, a "working-class" sitcom from the team behind Murder In Successville. Both shows were announced today by the BBC's Director of Content Charlotte Moore at the Edinburgh TV Festival. 
A documentary about 17 year old racing driver Billy Monger and a UK adaptation of Lifetime's format The Rap Game were among the commissions announced today by BBC Three Controller Damian Kavanagh at his Meet The Controller session at the Edinburgh TV Festival. 
Several months after introducing a third editorial pillar - namely for content that qualifies as "feel-good, entertaining propositions" - BBC Three has commissioned their first two series under the expanded remit. Makeover series Glow Up, which is at its heart a competition to look for the next big make-up star of tomorrow, and relationship series Couples On The Couch have both been picked up at the online channel. Glow Up has received an order for eight episodes, while six episodes have been ordered for Couples On The Couch. 