Podcast giant Wondery has hired Spotify’s Chris Baughen, as it launches the paid-for Wondery+ service in the UK.
Baughen will be Head of Podcasts, Wondery UK, and report into Wondery’s Head of International Podcast Content, Jessica Radburn. Based on London, he will have strategic oversight of the podcast firm’s slate of UK originals and will work with local talent, producers and writers and diversify into new genres.
On Monday, April 29, Baughen will begin his new post, replacing Rich Knight, who recently left the company for BBC Studios.
He is currently Head of Studios UK and Ireland for Spotify, where he has worked on titles such as The Louis Theroux Podcast, Parenting Hell, JaackMaate and The Receipts. He was also Head of Podcast Production at UK audio firm Global and Managing Editor for the Global Player. At Global he created and commissioned shows such as My Therapist Ghosted Me,...
Baughen will be Head of Podcasts, Wondery UK, and report into Wondery’s Head of International Podcast Content, Jessica Radburn. Based on London, he will have strategic oversight of the podcast firm’s slate of UK originals and will work with local talent, producers and writers and diversify into new genres.
On Monday, April 29, Baughen will begin his new post, replacing Rich Knight, who recently left the company for BBC Studios.
He is currently Head of Studios UK and Ireland for Spotify, where he has worked on titles such as The Louis Theroux Podcast, Parenting Hell, JaackMaate and The Receipts. He was also Head of Podcast Production at UK audio firm Global and Managing Editor for the Global Player. At Global he created and commissioned shows such as My Therapist Ghosted Me,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Wondery, Amazon’s podcast studio and network, on Wednesday unveiled the launch of Wondery+, its curated podcast subscription service, in the U.K.
It touted “exclusive podcast content, ad-free listening as well as early access to new episodes of popular shows.” All in all, the service promises subscribers “dozens of exclusive podcasts, early access to more than 50 shows, and over 45,000 episodes all ad-free.” Wondery+ is available in the U.K. for £5.99 ($7.44) a month or £44.99 ($55.91) annually.
The news comes amid continued growth in podcasting in the U.S. and beyond.
“Our enhanced Wondery+ service is now available for U.K. audiences, with curated best-in-class local U.K. and global content from Wondery and our valued collaborators, with a premium, personalized and immersive listening experience,” said Wondery CEO Jen Sargent. “The Wondery+ U.K. launch extends our commitment to the U.K. market, building on our long-term strategy to work alongside brilliant...
It touted “exclusive podcast content, ad-free listening as well as early access to new episodes of popular shows.” All in all, the service promises subscribers “dozens of exclusive podcasts, early access to more than 50 shows, and over 45,000 episodes all ad-free.” Wondery+ is available in the U.K. for £5.99 ($7.44) a month or £44.99 ($55.91) annually.
The news comes amid continued growth in podcasting in the U.S. and beyond.
“Our enhanced Wondery+ service is now available for U.K. audiences, with curated best-in-class local U.K. and global content from Wondery and our valued collaborators, with a premium, personalized and immersive listening experience,” said Wondery CEO Jen Sargent. “The Wondery+ U.K. launch extends our commitment to the U.K. market, building on our long-term strategy to work alongside brilliant...
- 4/24/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wondery, an Amazon company, the global podcast studio and network responsible for over 55 #1 hit shows globally, today announces the launch of Wondery+, a curated subscription service for podcast fans in the UK.
The podcast subscription service, available now, offers subscribers exclusive podcast content, ad-free listening as well as early access to new episodes of popular shows. The revamped Wondery app provides a localised and curated experience for podcast fans to discover new, immersive content including:
The Price of Paradise: Hosted by Alice Levine, of British Scandal, this brand-new UK original limited series follows the tumultuous real-life story of a woman who swaps her life in suburban Hampshire to buy a private island in the Caribbean, sees all episodes available to Wondery+ subscribers to binge now.
The Bachelor of Buckingham Palace: From Vespucci UK, this podcast explores one of the world’s most unusual reality dating shows. Also from Vespucci, the previously released One Click,...
The podcast subscription service, available now, offers subscribers exclusive podcast content, ad-free listening as well as early access to new episodes of popular shows. The revamped Wondery app provides a localised and curated experience for podcast fans to discover new, immersive content including:
The Price of Paradise: Hosted by Alice Levine, of British Scandal, this brand-new UK original limited series follows the tumultuous real-life story of a woman who swaps her life in suburban Hampshire to buy a private island in the Caribbean, sees all episodes available to Wondery+ subscribers to binge now.
The Bachelor of Buckingham Palace: From Vespucci UK, this podcast explores one of the world’s most unusual reality dating shows. Also from Vespucci, the previously released One Click,...
- 4/24/2024
- Podnews.net
The Price of Paradise, the latest UK original limited series from Wondery and Forest Sounds, is the astonishing true-life story of two women; the Brit who buys her own private island on the stunning Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua and the local human rights lawyer who fights to protect it, triggering a tumultuous chain of events captured in a tale blending adventure, aspiration and true crime.
Hosted by Alice Levine, the story charts back to 2000 when Jayne Gaskin, a mother of three from Hampshire, stumbles across a new website called tropicalislands.com. One advert catches her eye – for a beautiful private island, just off the coast of Nicaragua, with a surprisingly affordable price. Jayne decides to take the plunge and follow her dream of freedom - trading her village home for an off-grid paradise, complete with swaying palm trees and crystal-clear waters.
It isn’t long before a production company joins them for the ride,...
Hosted by Alice Levine, the story charts back to 2000 when Jayne Gaskin, a mother of three from Hampshire, stumbles across a new website called tropicalislands.com. One advert catches her eye – for a beautiful private island, just off the coast of Nicaragua, with a surprisingly affordable price. Jayne decides to take the plunge and follow her dream of freedom - trading her village home for an off-grid paradise, complete with swaying palm trees and crystal-clear waters.
It isn’t long before a production company joins them for the ride,...
- 4/15/2024
- Podnews.net
A new seven-part original series hosted by Alice Levine charts the true story of two women’s battle over one island. The story dates back to 2000 when Jayne Gaskin, a mother of three from Hampshire, stumbled across a new website called tropicalislands.com. An advert for a private island just off the coast of Nicaragua, at a surprisingly affordable price, caught her eye.
- 4/11/2024
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
WME has hired Millie Webber as a digital agent, with a focus on creators and podcasting.
Webber has built a career specializing in representing digital talent and commercializing the podcasting industry. She has managed and closed deals for talent including Gemma Styles, Tom Felton, and James Buckley "In Sickness and In Health", as well as launching the F1 podcast “Pitstop.”
Webber will join WME from independent content production company Spirit Studios where she served as Head of Digital. She previously worked at talent agency Gleam Futures for six years where she was Talent Director and Podcast Lead. A member of the Global Academy Industry Board, Webber has consulted for talent agencies, providing strategic growth advice and training for entry- and senior-level agents.
Her start date will be April 8 and will be based in the agency’s London office.
WME’s digital department has had a presence in London for over...
Webber has built a career specializing in representing digital talent and commercializing the podcasting industry. She has managed and closed deals for talent including Gemma Styles, Tom Felton, and James Buckley "In Sickness and In Health", as well as launching the F1 podcast “Pitstop.”
Webber will join WME from independent content production company Spirit Studios where she served as Head of Digital. She previously worked at talent agency Gleam Futures for six years where she was Talent Director and Podcast Lead. A member of the Global Academy Industry Board, Webber has consulted for talent agencies, providing strategic growth advice and training for entry- and senior-level agents.
Her start date will be April 8 and will be based in the agency’s London office.
WME’s digital department has had a presence in London for over...
- 4/5/2024
- Podnews.net
Exclusive: The WME division that reps the likes of Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger and Alice Levine has signed up a digital agent.
Millie Webber has joined WME’s London team and will rep clients across the digital space, with a focus on creators and podcasting.
Webber joins from Channel 4-backed Bamous producer Spirit Studios where she was Head of Digital, closing deals for talent including Harry Potter star Tom Felton, Harry Styles’ sister Gemma Styles and Inbetweeners’ James Buckley’s In Sickness and in Health podcast. She previously worked at talent agency Gleam Futures for six years where she was Talent Director and Podcast Lead. A member of the Global Academy Industry Board, Webber has also consulted for talent agencies in the past.
Starting next week, Webber will be based in WME’s London office.
The WME digital department in the English capital, which most recently brought in former TikTok exec Lola Oyewole,...
Millie Webber has joined WME’s London team and will rep clients across the digital space, with a focus on creators and podcasting.
Webber joins from Channel 4-backed Bamous producer Spirit Studios where she was Head of Digital, closing deals for talent including Harry Potter star Tom Felton, Harry Styles’ sister Gemma Styles and Inbetweeners’ James Buckley’s In Sickness and in Health podcast. She previously worked at talent agency Gleam Futures for six years where she was Talent Director and Podcast Lead. A member of the Global Academy Industry Board, Webber has also consulted for talent agencies in the past.
Starting next week, Webber will be based in WME’s London office.
The WME digital department in the English capital, which most recently brought in former TikTok exec Lola Oyewole,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
My Dad Wrote a Porno host Alice Levine and The News Agents producer Dino Sofos are launching a British podcast festival.
The Crossed Wires festival will take place in Sheffield from May 31 to June 2, featuring the likes of Katherine Ryan, Jon Ronson, comedian Adam Buxton and Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing.
It is being organized by Levine, Sofos and James O’Hara, the latter of whom co-founded the Tramlines Festival, which also takes place in Sheffield.
“Crossed Wires is set to be podcasting’s biggest party,” said the organizers. “This new festival will host the most exciting podcasting talent in Sheffield for three days, so expect to bump into the voices you always have in your headphones at one of the food pop-ups, or rub shoulders with your favourite presenters at one of the many after parties.”
In a similar vein to Tramlines, Crossed Wires said venues around the city...
The Crossed Wires festival will take place in Sheffield from May 31 to June 2, featuring the likes of Katherine Ryan, Jon Ronson, comedian Adam Buxton and Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing.
It is being organized by Levine, Sofos and James O’Hara, the latter of whom co-founded the Tramlines Festival, which also takes place in Sheffield.
“Crossed Wires is set to be podcasting’s biggest party,” said the organizers. “This new festival will host the most exciting podcasting talent in Sheffield for three days, so expect to bump into the voices you always have in your headphones at one of the food pop-ups, or rub shoulders with your favourite presenters at one of the many after parties.”
In a similar vein to Tramlines, Crossed Wires said venues around the city...
- 3/7/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
This Christmas, Channel 4 brings a unique festive flavor to the pottery studio with “The Festive Pottery Throw Down 2023.” Airing at 7:30 Pm on Monday, December 25, 2023, this special episode sees comedians Hugh Dennis, Sophie Duker, presenter Alice Levine, and actor Joe Swash diving into the world of pottery, determined to claim the title of Festive Pottery Champion.
Rolling up their sleeves, the celebrity contestants face the creative challenges set by judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller. From shaping holiday-themed masterpieces to crafting intricate festive designs, the competition promises both artistic ingenuity and entertaining moments.
For fans of craftsmanship and friendly competition, “The Festive Pottery Throw Down” is a must-watch this Christmas. Join Channel 4 at 7:30 Pm for an evening of laughter, creativity, and surprises as these familiar faces step out of their comfort zones and into the world of pottery.
Release Date & Time: 7:30 Pm Monday 25 December 2023 on Channel...
Rolling up their sleeves, the celebrity contestants face the creative challenges set by judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller. From shaping holiday-themed masterpieces to crafting intricate festive designs, the competition promises both artistic ingenuity and entertaining moments.
For fans of craftsmanship and friendly competition, “The Festive Pottery Throw Down” is a must-watch this Christmas. Join Channel 4 at 7:30 Pm for an evening of laughter, creativity, and surprises as these familiar faces step out of their comfort zones and into the world of pottery.
Release Date & Time: 7:30 Pm Monday 25 December 2023 on Channel...
- 12/19/2023
- by Posts UK
- TV Everyday
Exclusive: Insanity Group, the UK agency that represents stars including Love Island host Maya Jama, has apologized to former client Char Ellesse following a Zoom call about her social media output.
Ellesse recently quit Insanity as a result of the call on September 29. She said the company displayed a lack of understanding for the needs of Black and intersectional content creators when it requested that she increase the regularity of her social media updates.
Ellesse posted a 90-second edited excerpt from the hour-long video call on her Instagram account last month. An industry source brought it to the attention of Deadline, saying it had been the talk of the UK agency community in recent days.
Ellesse said she felt “bulldozed” and ambushed on the “unacceptable” call. She accused Insanity of “gaslighting” her over her belief that an Instagram algorithm tweak had reduced engagement for content creators from diverse backgrounds.
In...
Ellesse recently quit Insanity as a result of the call on September 29. She said the company displayed a lack of understanding for the needs of Black and intersectional content creators when it requested that she increase the regularity of her social media updates.
Ellesse posted a 90-second edited excerpt from the hour-long video call on her Instagram account last month. An industry source brought it to the attention of Deadline, saying it had been the talk of the UK agency community in recent days.
Ellesse said she felt “bulldozed” and ambushed on the “unacceptable” call. She accused Insanity of “gaslighting” her over her belief that an Instagram algorithm tweak had reduced engagement for content creators from diverse backgrounds.
In...
- 11/4/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
UK Agency Insanity Group Restructures Entertainment Team
UK agency Insanity Group, which represents the likes of Maya Jama and Alice Levine, has restructured its entertainment division. Helen Gleave has been promoted to Group Managing Director with responsibility for leading the entertainment team and wider business, while Issy Lloyd and Neil Ransome are also promoted. All three have been at the outfit for more than a decade. Founder andd CEO Andy Varley called the trio “exceptionally strategic and forward-thinking executives.” Insanity launched in 1997 and has offices in London and LA, with clients including Jama, Levine and Mollie King, along with musicians.
Eric Anthony Lopez Inks Deal Reload Management
Exclusive: Actor Eric Anthony Lopez has signed with Reload Management. Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is best known for starring in the Disney Studios pic Chang Can Dunk. He is also known for his work on stage. He made his Broadway...
UK agency Insanity Group, which represents the likes of Maya Jama and Alice Levine, has restructured its entertainment division. Helen Gleave has been promoted to Group Managing Director with responsibility for leading the entertainment team and wider business, while Issy Lloyd and Neil Ransome are also promoted. All three have been at the outfit for more than a decade. Founder andd CEO Andy Varley called the trio “exceptionally strategic and forward-thinking executives.” Insanity launched in 1997 and has offices in London and LA, with clients including Jama, Levine and Mollie King, along with musicians.
Eric Anthony Lopez Inks Deal Reload Management
Exclusive: Actor Eric Anthony Lopez has signed with Reload Management. Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is best known for starring in the Disney Studios pic Chang Can Dunk. He is also known for his work on stage. He made his Broadway...
- 8/7/2023
- by Max Goldbart and Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Imagine being someone who’s never seen Taskmaster. A virgin to joy. Someone whose eyes have never before drunk in the sight of a banana-Noel Fielding hiding in a fruit bowl, of Joe Wilkinson presenting the mayor of Chesham with 42 Calippo ice lollies, or of Charlotte Ritchie stumbling around a golf course blindfolded like an adorable Minion. What promise awaits! The prize tasks, the flashes of creative genius, the glorious failures… Alex Horne’s challenge-based comedy panel show is one of the most reliably entertaining TV programmes ever made.
If you’ve yet to have the pleasure, and would like a steer as to which series are the best of this show, then here’s our attempt to lead you though the highs and less-highs. Please note that this ranking was produced by democratic process, which means that even we don’t agree with it (the Daisy May Cooper...
If you’ve yet to have the pleasure, and would like a steer as to which series are the best of this show, then here’s our attempt to lead you though the highs and less-highs. Please note that this ranking was produced by democratic process, which means that even we don’t agree with it (the Daisy May Cooper...
- 6/5/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Some of the biggest names from the podcasting industry were at the first day of The Podcast Show. Taking place at The Business Design Centre in Islington, it’s the biggest international gathering of the podcast industry. Among the names attending were Katherine Ryan, Katie Price, Russell Tovey, Sam & Billie Faiers, Giovanna Fletcher, Jordan North, Alice Levine, Paul Chowdhry, Luisa Zissman, Sam Thompson, Pete Wicks, Roman Kemp and Candice Brathwaite.
- 5/25/2023
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
Louis Theroux is not comfortable with the disruptor moniker. He almost recoils at the notion, sitting back in his chair, chewing over the word and its literal, historical and symbolic connotations. “It has become a cliché; it’s definitely a cliché,” he eventually says.
But then comes one of the pensive expressions Theroux is famed for. His eyes fixed behind black-rimmed glasses. A man silently arguing with himself, jostling for clarity of thought. Suddenly, a revelation. Maybe he is a disruptor after all — or at least he once was.
“There’s a sense in which I came along in my presenting work and was a bit of a disruptor,” Theroux decides. “I took elements of conventional presenting and elements of classical vérité filmmaking and combined them.”
His talent in front of the camera was spotted by Michael Moore, who gave him a starring role in NBC’s TV Nation, interrogating...
But then comes one of the pensive expressions Theroux is famed for. His eyes fixed behind black-rimmed glasses. A man silently arguing with himself, jostling for clarity of thought. Suddenly, a revelation. Maybe he is a disruptor after all — or at least he once was.
“There’s a sense in which I came along in my presenting work and was a bit of a disruptor,” Theroux decides. “I took elements of conventional presenting and elements of classical vérité filmmaking and combined them.”
His talent in front of the camera was spotted by Michael Moore, who gave him a starring role in NBC’s TV Nation, interrogating...
- 5/20/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Thank goodness that when Jamie Morton discovered his dad had started writing embarrassingly bad erotica, he decided to share it with the world. This resulted in My Dad Wrote a Porno, a weekly podcast series in which he read a chapter of his father’s steamy Belinda Blinked novels aloud, capturing the hilarious reactions of his friends Alice Levine and James Cooper.
When it began in 2015, the podcast renaissance was only just beginning, and you could argue that My Dad Wrote a Porno’s runaway success – sparking world tours, a HBO special, and a whopping 430 million downloads – had a hand in bringing the podcasting industry to its current dizzying heights.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and after six wild seasons the show released its final episode in December 2022. For some, it remains unbeatable, but here are some excellent – and often equally cringey – comedy podcasts to fill...
When it began in 2015, the podcast renaissance was only just beginning, and you could argue that My Dad Wrote a Porno’s runaway success – sparking world tours, a HBO special, and a whopping 430 million downloads – had a hand in bringing the podcasting industry to its current dizzying heights.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and after six wild seasons the show released its final episode in December 2022. For some, it remains unbeatable, but here are some excellent – and often equally cringey – comedy podcasts to fill...
- 3/30/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
The Podcast Show 2023 has announced speakers including Adam Buxton, The News Agents, Nish Kumar, Alice Levine and more. In addition to previously announced official partners, new one joining the roster include Dolby, Tortoise Media, Simplecast, Adswizz, Sennheiser, Neumann, Bumper, Frequency, Musixmatch, Evergreen Podcasts and AudioPlus. This year the show has partnered with Ymu Entertainment (a division of leading global talent group Ymu), who will be taking part in the Preview Night, as well as taking over The Origin Theatre between 9.30am and 12.30pm on both show days.
- 3/15/2023
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
The Podcast Show, the biggest international festival for the business of podcasting, is back for a second year. This one-of-a-kind event is open to industry professionals, independent podcast creators, business leaders, emerging talent and fans alike, and will see the podcast community gather for two days at The Business Design Centre in Islington, London, on 24th & 25th May. Day and night, thousands of visitors are expected from around the world, with visitors from 25 countries already represented.
Headline partners for The Show this coming May are Acast and Amazon Music and Wondery. As well as bringing well-loved voices from its extensive network, Acast will offer podcasters and advertisers a "choose your own adventure"-style experience, to learn how the creator economy in podcasting can work for them. Amazon Music and Wondery will be hosting their own exclusive sessions across the two days as well as delivering, for the second year, an...
Headline partners for The Show this coming May are Acast and Amazon Music and Wondery. As well as bringing well-loved voices from its extensive network, Acast will offer podcasters and advertisers a "choose your own adventure"-style experience, to learn how the creator economy in podcasting can work for them. Amazon Music and Wondery will be hosting their own exclusive sessions across the two days as well as delivering, for the second year, an...
- 3/15/2023
- Podnews.net
The announcement, in October, that Maya Jama would be the new host of Love Island was met with elation from fans across the country.
“This is Perfect,” gushed one commenter. “They couldn’t have hired someone better!!!!!!” buzzed another. Many joked that Jama is so gorgeous, the ITV2 reality show’s contestants would want to dump their partners for her.
But the new job probably didn’t come as a huge surprise to the woman whose mother has videos of her, at the age of six, declaring she would be on TV one day.
Jama, now 28, has always been determined. In interviews, she’s variously described her teenage self as “fearless” and being “tunnel-vision focused”.
But back then, life was not without its complications.
Jama was born in Bristol, to a Swedish mother and Somali father, and spent many of her weekends up until the age of 10 visiting her father in prison.
“This is Perfect,” gushed one commenter. “They couldn’t have hired someone better!!!!!!” buzzed another. Many joked that Jama is so gorgeous, the ITV2 reality show’s contestants would want to dump their partners for her.
But the new job probably didn’t come as a huge surprise to the woman whose mother has videos of her, at the age of six, declaring she would be on TV one day.
Jama, now 28, has always been determined. In interviews, she’s variously described her teenage self as “fearless” and being “tunnel-vision focused”.
But back then, life was not without its complications.
Jama was born in Bristol, to a Swedish mother and Somali father, and spent many of her weekends up until the age of 10 visiting her father in prison.
- 1/14/2023
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
The announcement, in October, that Maya Jama would be the new host of Love Island was met with elation from fans across the country.
“This is Perfect,” gushed one commenter. “They couldn’t have hired someone better!!!!!!” buzzed another. Many joked that Jama is so gorgeous, the ITV2 reality show’s contestants would want to dump their partners for her.
But the new job probably didn’t come as a huge surprise to the woman whose mother has videos of her, at the age of six, declaring she would be on TV one day.
Jama, now 28, has always been determined. In interviews, she’s variously described her teenage self as “fearless” and being “tunnel-vision focused”.
But back then, life was not without its complications.
Jama was born in Bristol, to a Swedish mother and Somali father, and spent many of her weekends up until the age of 10 visiting her father in prison.
“This is Perfect,” gushed one commenter. “They couldn’t have hired someone better!!!!!!” buzzed another. Many joked that Jama is so gorgeous, the ITV2 reality show’s contestants would want to dump their partners for her.
But the new job probably didn’t come as a huge surprise to the woman whose mother has videos of her, at the age of six, declaring she would be on TV one day.
Jama, now 28, has always been determined. In interviews, she’s variously described her teenage self as “fearless” and being “tunnel-vision focused”.
But back then, life was not without its complications.
Jama was born in Bristol, to a Swedish mother and Somali father, and spent many of her weekends up until the age of 10 visiting her father in prison.
- 1/12/2023
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
Nobody is more baffled by the success of My Dad Wrote a Porno than the people who made My Dad Wrote a Porno. Since the podcast was first released in 2015, its hosts Jamie Morton, James Cooper, and Alice Levine have done the seemingly impossible: turn a ludicrously daft, XXX-rated concept into one of the world’s most popular pods. They’ve carved out a new path for podcasting success, armed only with a book of bewildering smut, written by an author with a very loose grip on grammar. For the show’s legion of listeners, Cooper says, the joy has come from “watching how this silly idea, this ridiculous practical joke, has escalated over time… First, it was the book, then we did some UK tours that became a world tour. Then we played the biggest podcast show ever, then we did the HBO special and everyone’s like, ‘How did that become that?...
- 12/12/2022
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
Tom Cruise revived movie theaters with the blockbuster hit “Top Gun: Maverick,” Taylor Swift broke the internet (and Ticketmaster) with her “Midnights” album and “Eras” tour and Michelle Yeoh proved that Marvel wasn’t the only one with a multiverse up its sleeve with “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Here is what the Variety staff is thankful for in entertainment in 2022.
In a year when fabulous genre storytelling in general was everywhere on TV — “Stranger Things,” “Ms. Marvel,” “The Sandman,” “The Rings of Power,” “House of the Dragon” — I have been thankful for three sci-fi shows that have dazzled me the most. Apple TV+’s “Severance” vivisects office life through the prism of a paranoid thriller; Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” captures the old magic of “Star Trek” while feeling thrilling new; and Disney+’s “Andor” transforms “Star Wars” into a platform for some of the most trenchant...
In a year when fabulous genre storytelling in general was everywhere on TV — “Stranger Things,” “Ms. Marvel,” “The Sandman,” “The Rings of Power,” “House of the Dragon” — I have been thankful for three sci-fi shows that have dazzled me the most. Apple TV+’s “Severance” vivisects office life through the prism of a paranoid thriller; Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” captures the old magic of “Star Trek” while feeling thrilling new; and Disney+’s “Andor” transforms “Star Wars” into a platform for some of the most trenchant...
- 11/24/2022
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
PodPod hosts Rhianna Dhillon and Reem Makari discussed the iconic podcast coming to an end. Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper, hosts of the ground-breaking podcast My Dad Wrote A Porno, were the guests on yesterday’s episode of the podcast that delivers breaking industry news and insights. For the first time, Jamie, Alice and James hinted at what might be next for the trio and Belinda herself – reading between the lines, something ‘visual’ could be on the cards.
- 11/16/2022
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
Podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno with Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper is coming to an end in December. The show has three more episodes left before the series concludes after seven years.
Following a successful run, the hosts told BBC News that “it felt like the right time” en conclude the podcast as they “wanted to go out on a high.” However, despite the show ending, they assure fans that “it’s not the end of the brand.”
“We were all pretty emotional but it was satisfying to feel we’d done it proud,” Levine said.
My Dad Wrote a Porno was first released in October 2015 and has host Morton reading his father’s erotic novel to his friends Cooper and Levine.
“We have some news. All bad porn must come to an end,” read a statement on Instagram. “This show has been an absolute dream to...
Following a successful run, the hosts told BBC News that “it felt like the right time” en conclude the podcast as they “wanted to go out on a high.” However, despite the show ending, they assure fans that “it’s not the end of the brand.”
“We were all pretty emotional but it was satisfying to feel we’d done it proud,” Levine said.
My Dad Wrote a Porno was first released in October 2015 and has host Morton reading his father’s erotic novel to his friends Cooper and Levine.
“We have some news. All bad porn must come to an end,” read a statement on Instagram. “This show has been an absolute dream to...
- 11/14/2022
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The show will finish with some outrageous antics from Belinda and the gang in two final chapters. Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper are to release the final episodes of their ground-breaking comedy podcast, described by Acast as "the most successful podcast in British history". Listeners worldwide have enjoyed the taboo-breaking podcast which has spread a message of sex positivity, and has affected how fans talk about sex, porn, relationships, and female anatomy.
- 11/13/2022
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
Click here to read the full article.
My Dad Wrote a Porno, the hit Brit podcast, is set to end, bringing to a close one of the most successful, groundbreaking and comically x-rated podcasts of all time.
First launched by Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper in 2015, My Dad Wrote a Porno began its life when Morton discovered that his retired father, under the pen name Rocky Flintstone, had been secretly writing a series of adult novels entitled Belinda Blinked that focused on the sexual adventures of a 30-something woman called Belinda Blumenthal as she climbed her way up the exotic world of the pots and pans industry. Appalled with his find, which described wild orgies at work meetings, erotic trysts in motels and sex-filled international business trips, Morton brought his friends Levine and Cooper on board, with the three gathering around a kitchen table to read out chapters...
My Dad Wrote a Porno, the hit Brit podcast, is set to end, bringing to a close one of the most successful, groundbreaking and comically x-rated podcasts of all time.
First launched by Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper in 2015, My Dad Wrote a Porno began its life when Morton discovered that his retired father, under the pen name Rocky Flintstone, had been secretly writing a series of adult novels entitled Belinda Blinked that focused on the sexual adventures of a 30-something woman called Belinda Blumenthal as she climbed her way up the exotic world of the pots and pans industry. Appalled with his find, which described wild orgies at work meetings, erotic trysts in motels and sex-filled international business trips, Morton brought his friends Levine and Cooper on board, with the three gathering around a kitchen table to read out chapters...
- 11/13/2022
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Comedians Ricky Gervais, Nish Kumar and David Baddiel are among the celebrities to lead reactions to Liz Truss’s resignation after just six weeks as prime minister.
In a speech outside Downing Street on Thursday 20 October, Truss announced that her replacement would be found within the next week, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.
The politician’s resignation came after 15 Tory MPs publicly called for her to step down, following a chaotic six weeks that included a disastrous mini-budget, the firing of former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and the resignation of former home secretary Suella Braverman.
Reacting to the news, Gervais shared a picture of himself making a speech outside No 10, with the caption: “And it wouldn’t even be in the top 10 weirdest news stories of the year.”
Piers Morgan tweeted: “What an absolute shambles.”
Comedian Baddiel posted: “That speech contained the words ‘to take advantage of...
In a speech outside Downing Street on Thursday 20 October, Truss announced that her replacement would be found within the next week, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.
The politician’s resignation came after 15 Tory MPs publicly called for her to step down, following a chaotic six weeks that included a disastrous mini-budget, the firing of former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and the resignation of former home secretary Suella Braverman.
Reacting to the news, Gervais shared a picture of himself making a speech outside No 10, with the caption: “And it wouldn’t even be in the top 10 weirdest news stories of the year.”
Piers Morgan tweeted: “What an absolute shambles.”
Comedian Baddiel posted: “That speech contained the words ‘to take advantage of...
- 10/20/2022
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
Dino Sofos might not be a household name in the same vein as Edinburgh TV Festival MacTaggart lecturer Emily Maitlis or former BBC North America Editor Jon Sopel, but he has had a mighty impact on the British broadcasting news landscape of late.
The creator of the hugely-popular Brexitcast, Americast and Newscast BBC Sounds podcast franchise exited the BBC after 15 years last November to set up his own production outfit, Persephonica, with Tom O’Hara, and has since had a hand in tempting BBC lifers Maitlis and Sopel away from the corporation, amidst a wider talent exodus that has left Broadcasting House bosses nervous.
Along with another ex-bbc heavyweight, Policy Editor Lewis Goodall, Persephonica is gearing up for the launch of Global podcast The News Agents, a daily audio show “holding power to account without fear or favor,” according to Sofos, who speaks to Deadline in the weeks before the launch.
The creator of the hugely-popular Brexitcast, Americast and Newscast BBC Sounds podcast franchise exited the BBC after 15 years last November to set up his own production outfit, Persephonica, with Tom O’Hara, and has since had a hand in tempting BBC lifers Maitlis and Sopel away from the corporation, amidst a wider talent exodus that has left Broadcasting House bosses nervous.
Along with another ex-bbc heavyweight, Policy Editor Lewis Goodall, Persephonica is gearing up for the launch of Global podcast The News Agents, a daily audio show “holding power to account without fear or favor,” according to Sofos, who speaks to Deadline in the weeks before the launch.
- 8/23/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Wondery is eyeing global growth, and has tapped former Audible executive Jessica Radburn to lead its push.
Radburn has been named head of international podcast content, and will lead original productions for both Wondery and its parent company Amazon Music, Deadline reports. Wondery, which is behind smash hits like Dear John and Dr. Death, was acquired by Amazon Music in Dec. 2020 for a reported $300 million.
Radburn will be based in Berlin and work in close collaboration with Wondery chief content officer Marshall Lewy. While Dr. Death has been translated into 11 languages, Wondery launched its first international podcast in April, the U.K.'s British Scandal, which is hosted by Alice Levine and Matt Forde, per Deadline, and will explore three scandals in U.K. history across three seasons.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Radburn has been named head of international podcast content, and will lead original productions for both Wondery and its parent company Amazon Music, Deadline reports. Wondery, which is behind smash hits like Dear John and Dr. Death, was acquired by Amazon Music in Dec. 2020 for a reported $300 million.
Radburn will be based in Berlin and work in close collaboration with Wondery chief content officer Marshall Lewy. While Dr. Death has been translated into 11 languages, Wondery launched its first international podcast in April, the U.K.'s British Scandal, which is hosted by Alice Levine and Matt Forde, per Deadline, and will explore three scandals in U.K. history across three seasons.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 11/19/2021
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Exclusive: Wondery is going global.
The company behind podcasts such as Dr. Death and The Shrink Next Door has hired Audible’s Jessica Radburn as Head of International Podcast Content, where she will lead the creative endeavors of international original production for Wondery and Amazon Music.
Radburn was previously Senior Director of Global Content Programming at Audible, which is also owned by Jeff Bezos’ firm.
Based in Berlin, she will work closely with Wondery’s Chief Content Officer Marshall Lewy and will build on series such as Dr. Death, which has been translated into 11 languages, Bunga Bunga about Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, and British Scandal hosted by Alice Levine and Matt Forde.
During her five-year tenure at Audible, she oversaw its multi-language global audio original program across content strategy, development, local language production and distribution, including Audible’s original to date, Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman 2020, which was released in six languages.
The company behind podcasts such as Dr. Death and The Shrink Next Door has hired Audible’s Jessica Radburn as Head of International Podcast Content, where she will lead the creative endeavors of international original production for Wondery and Amazon Music.
Radburn was previously Senior Director of Global Content Programming at Audible, which is also owned by Jeff Bezos’ firm.
Based in Berlin, she will work closely with Wondery’s Chief Content Officer Marshall Lewy and will build on series such as Dr. Death, which has been translated into 11 languages, Bunga Bunga about Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, and British Scandal hosted by Alice Levine and Matt Forde.
During her five-year tenure at Audible, she oversaw its multi-language global audio original program across content strategy, development, local language production and distribution, including Audible’s original to date, Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman 2020, which was released in six languages.
- 11/19/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Wondery Launches First UK Podcast
U.S. podcast publisher Wondery is launching its first international podcast in the shape of British Scandal, which will unpick famous UK scandals including the Cambridge Analytica data breach and the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning. Hosted by former BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine and impressionist Matt Forde, the show will run for three seasons, with each deep diving on a different crisis. Season 1 centers on Litvinenko, while the second season examines David Kelly, the British scientist and weapons expert who was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood in 2003. Cambridge Analytica will be the subject of Season 3. “British Scandal is a riveting journey through seismic crises, political outrage and public uproar, with questions, theories and themes from the scandals still resonating across the world today,” said Declan Moore, head of international for Wondery. Russell Finch is the producer and the podcast premieres on April 27.
ITV Renews...
U.S. podcast publisher Wondery is launching its first international podcast in the shape of British Scandal, which will unpick famous UK scandals including the Cambridge Analytica data breach and the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning. Hosted by former BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine and impressionist Matt Forde, the show will run for three seasons, with each deep diving on a different crisis. Season 1 centers on Litvinenko, while the second season examines David Kelly, the British scientist and weapons expert who was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood in 2003. Cambridge Analytica will be the subject of Season 3. “British Scandal is a riveting journey through seismic crises, political outrage and public uproar, with questions, theories and themes from the scandals still resonating across the world today,” said Declan Moore, head of international for Wondery. Russell Finch is the producer and the podcast premieres on April 27.
ITV Renews...
- 4/8/2021
- by Jake Kanter and Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s Global Bulletin, Vice Distribution announces its spring slate; Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson doc gets theatrical launch dates ahead of its Amazon Prime Video premiere; Channel 4 commissions Covid lockdown-inspired docu-series “Sex Odyssey” with Alice Levine; South African streamer Showmax commissions a local version of “Temptation Island” and Fremantle promotes several execs in Emea.
Distribution
Following its launch in summer 2020, Vice Distribution has announced its first slate of spring programming featuring 250 hours of new non-scripted programming from across Vice Media Group.
Upcoming true crime titles include in-house produced series “Criminal Planet,” a three-part series about Jack the Ripper, and, “Point Blank,” examining gun ownership in the Asia-Pacific region. Several pop culture and entertainment series will be coming this spring, including Crave-produced wrestling series “Dark Side of the Ring,” “Dark Side of (American) Football” from 44 Blue Productions, “Dark Side of the ‘90s” from Railsplitter Pictures and Insight Productions,...
Distribution
Following its launch in summer 2020, Vice Distribution has announced its first slate of spring programming featuring 250 hours of new non-scripted programming from across Vice Media Group.
Upcoming true crime titles include in-house produced series “Criminal Planet,” a three-part series about Jack the Ripper, and, “Point Blank,” examining gun ownership in the Asia-Pacific region. Several pop culture and entertainment series will be coming this spring, including Crave-produced wrestling series “Dark Side of the Ring,” “Dark Side of (American) Football” from 44 Blue Productions, “Dark Side of the ‘90s” from Railsplitter Pictures and Insight Productions,...
- 2/17/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Former Big Brother host Emma Willis is to host the second season of Channel 4’s reality series The Circle. She is to replace Alice Levine and Maya Jama for the second run of the format, which is being remade by Netflix in the U.S. and in a number of other territories.
The social media based-show will also move from London to Manchester and will feature more live episodes than it did last year. The series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, is produced by All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox, and Motion Content Group, the Wpp-backed program funder.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a prize of around £75,000. They will live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with one another exclusively through...
The social media based-show will also move from London to Manchester and will feature more live episodes than it did last year. The series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, is produced by All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox, and Motion Content Group, the Wpp-backed program funder.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a prize of around £75,000. They will live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with one another exclusively through...
- 6/5/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
In 2015, Jamie Morton received an email from someone named Rocky Flintstone that told him to “enjoy” the first few chapters of “Belinda Blinked,” which, upon opening the attachment, Morton discovered, was a series of erotic novels his father had penned. Rocky Flintstone was his nom de plume.
“At first I thought, ‘Great, well done Dad’ for doing something productive with your retirement,” Morton tells Variety. After grappling “for all of about a day” with the fact that his father sent him his own erotica, Morton says he “rushed” to read it to James Cooper and Alice Levine, his longtime friends.
The trio eventually turned Flintstone’s “oeuvre” into a podcast, which to date as accumulated more than 150 million downloads, spawned a live stage version that visited the likes of the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall, and now a live special for HBO, which airs May 11.
“Belinda Blinked...
“At first I thought, ‘Great, well done Dad’ for doing something productive with your retirement,” Morton tells Variety. After grappling “for all of about a day” with the fact that his father sent him his own erotica, Morton says he “rushed” to read it to James Cooper and Alice Levine, his longtime friends.
The trio eventually turned Flintstone’s “oeuvre” into a podcast, which to date as accumulated more than 150 million downloads, spawned a live stage version that visited the likes of the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall, and now a live special for HBO, which airs May 11.
“Belinda Blinked...
- 5/10/2019
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
The team behind hit podcast-turned-cable special My Dad Wrote A Porno have lifted the lid on how they scored a deal with HBO and joked about how they were concerned about “leaving a mark” on the premium broadcaster’s exemplary record with their comedy adaptation.
HBO is to air the one-off special, which was filmed at London’s historic Camden Roundhouse venue earlier this year, on Saturday May 11 at 10pm.
Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine had been touring the podcast, which tells the story of saucy saucepan saleswoman Belinda Blumenthal, as a live special in the U.S. when HBO got in touch.
Morton, whose father had written the series of 50 Shades of Grey-style raunchy novels, under the pen name Rocky Flinstone that the podcast is based on, told Deadline, “HBO came to one of our shows in New York and go in touch pretty soon after. We...
HBO is to air the one-off special, which was filmed at London’s historic Camden Roundhouse venue earlier this year, on Saturday May 11 at 10pm.
Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine had been touring the podcast, which tells the story of saucy saucepan saleswoman Belinda Blumenthal, as a live special in the U.S. when HBO got in touch.
Morton, whose father had written the series of 50 Shades of Grey-style raunchy novels, under the pen name Rocky Flinstone that the podcast is based on, told Deadline, “HBO came to one of our shows in New York and go in touch pretty soon after. We...
- 5/10/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Yes, we’re all going to be busy saying goodbye to Game of Thrones this month. But May will also bring us an older HBO classic that’s back for a long-delayed proper wrap-up. (How we’ve missed you, Al Swearengen.) Meanwhile, the greatest athlete of the 20th century gets an essential two-part doc — and the Wu-Tang get a four-parter! — while Archer has one last parody-scenario up its sleeve and Jordan Klepper gets another shot at Comedy Central. Here’s what you need to set your DVR for over the next 30 days.
- 5/2/2019
- by Charles Bramesco
- Rollingstone.com
Congratulations! We made it through the first third of 2019. Now, like a garden born from the ashes left by a fire-breathing beast flying through an arbitrarily placed cloud, there are plenty of new shows looking to take their share of TV headlines.
Per tradition, we’ve collected some of the more notable series premieres for the month of May, stretching across cable, broadcast, and streaming. A good number listed below are also limited series, set to close out before we get too far into summer, so enjoy them while you can.
(We do this roundup of new shows pretty much every month — if you missed any of those previous picks, here are some notable TV premieres from February, March, and April.)
“The Spanish Princess”
After a pair of previous limited series rooted in 15th century Tudor history, this latest Starz outing looks at Catherine of Aragon and the union between two empires.
Per tradition, we’ve collected some of the more notable series premieres for the month of May, stretching across cable, broadcast, and streaming. A good number listed below are also limited series, set to close out before we get too far into summer, so enjoy them while you can.
(We do this roundup of new shows pretty much every month — if you missed any of those previous picks, here are some notable TV premieres from February, March, and April.)
“The Spanish Princess”
After a pair of previous limited series rooted in 15th century Tudor history, this latest Starz outing looks at Catherine of Aragon and the union between two empires.
- 4/30/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
When friends Jamie Morton, James Cooper, and Alice Levine first started to unpack the thorny, metaphor-drenched enigma that is “Belinda Blinked,” they probably didn’t think that it would lead to an event in a packed theater that would eventually be aired on HBO.
Yet, as the trailer below proves, that’s what ended up happening when the trio did a special live reading for fans at the Roundhouse in London early last month. As on the trio’s podcast, Morton reads selections from a series of erotic novels written by his real-life father under the pseudonym Rocky Flintstone. Levine and Cooper’s reactions help power the show, which has gained a high-profile set of listeners, prompting guest appearances from the likes of Hayley Atwell, Daisy Ridley, Michael Sheen, and others.
This March performance was far from the first time the three have taken their show on the road — “My...
Yet, as the trailer below proves, that’s what ended up happening when the trio did a special live reading for fans at the Roundhouse in London early last month. As on the trio’s podcast, Morton reads selections from a series of erotic novels written by his real-life father under the pseudonym Rocky Flintstone. Levine and Cooper’s reactions help power the show, which has gained a high-profile set of listeners, prompting guest appearances from the likes of Hayley Atwell, Daisy Ridley, Michael Sheen, and others.
This March performance was far from the first time the three have taken their show on the road — “My...
- 4/26/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Netflix is going French and Brazilian for British reality hit The Circle.
Earlier this year, the Svod service snapped up the international rights to Studio Lambert’s format, which was originally produced for the UK’s Channel 4, and announced it was remaking the show for the U.S. Deadline can now reveal that it is remaking the show with French and Brazilian contestants.
The series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, is produced by All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox, and Motion Content Group, the Wpp-backed programme funder. Deadline understands that Studio Lambert will use the London apartment block where it filmed the UK version for these international versions and will work with local production talent on the adaptations.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a...
Earlier this year, the Svod service snapped up the international rights to Studio Lambert’s format, which was originally produced for the UK’s Channel 4, and announced it was remaking the show for the U.S. Deadline can now reveal that it is remaking the show with French and Brazilian contestants.
The series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, is produced by All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox, and Motion Content Group, the Wpp-backed programme funder. Deadline understands that Studio Lambert will use the London apartment block where it filmed the UK version for these international versions and will work with local production talent on the adaptations.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a...
- 12/18/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is remaking British reality hit The Circle in three international markets including the U.S., marking one of its biggest non-scripted entertainment bets since Ultimate Beastmaster.
The Svod platform has struck a major deal for the series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, with All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox.
The announcement comes as the show finishes its debut season on Channel 4 in the UK this evening.
Created by Studio Lambert Creative Director Tim Harcourt, Netflix will remake the show initially in the U.S. with two other international adaptations to follow, a similar model to the obstacle course competition.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a prize of around £50,000. They will all live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with...
The Svod platform has struck a major deal for the series, which is essentially Big Brother-meets-Catfish for a social media-obsessed audience, with All3Media’s Studio Lambert, producer of Undercover Boss and Gogglebox.
The announcement comes as the show finishes its debut season on Channel 4 in the UK this evening.
Created by Studio Lambert Creative Director Tim Harcourt, Netflix will remake the show initially in the U.S. with two other international adaptations to follow, a similar model to the obstacle course competition.
The Circle features a range of individuals from all walks of life competing in a popularity contest to win a prize of around £50,000. They will all live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with...
- 10/8/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Anyone can be anyone in The Circle… Channel 4 has given audiences the first glimpse of the latest reality series from Undercover Boss and Gogglebox producer Studio Lambert.
The Circle is, essentially, Big Brother for a social media age; where individuals from all walks of life will compete in a popularity contest to win up to £50,000. They will all live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with one another exclusively through a bespoke voice-activated social media platform called The Circle.
In the show, the contestants will chat, make friends, argue and maybe even fall in love, while building their own profiles as well as forming cliques and private allegiances. They must avoid being judged least popular by the rest of The Circle.
The show, which is co-produced by Motion Content Group, which in involved in breakout reality series Love Island, is presented by My Dad...
The Circle is, essentially, Big Brother for a social media age; where individuals from all walks of life will compete in a popularity contest to win up to £50,000. They will all live in one modern block but separately in individual apartments, interacting with one another exclusively through a bespoke voice-activated social media platform called The Circle.
In the show, the contestants will chat, make friends, argue and maybe even fall in love, while building their own profiles as well as forming cliques and private allegiances. They must avoid being judged least popular by the rest of The Circle.
The show, which is co-produced by Motion Content Group, which in involved in breakout reality series Love Island, is presented by My Dad...
- 8/29/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
My Dad Wrote A Porno co-creator James Cooper revealed Sunday at the Edinburgh International Television Festival that a deal was imminent to bring the hit British podcast to U.S. television and today comes word that it will premiere on HBO as a comedy special in 2019. HBO announced the deal Monday.
Hosted by Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine, My Dad Wrote A Porno features Morton reading a chapter from the “Belinda Blinked” series of “erotic” novels, written by his real-life father under the nom de plume Rocky Flintstone, with his friends Cooper and Levine providing uproarious commentary. The podcast has been downloaded more than 100 million times since its launch in 2015.
“My Dad Wrote A Porno shows the extent of just how embarrassing dads can be, in the best possible way,” said Nina Rosenstein, executive vice president, HBO Programming. “James, Jamie and Alice transformed a very awkward situation into...
Hosted by Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine, My Dad Wrote A Porno features Morton reading a chapter from the “Belinda Blinked” series of “erotic” novels, written by his real-life father under the nom de plume Rocky Flintstone, with his friends Cooper and Levine providing uproarious commentary. The podcast has been downloaded more than 100 million times since its launch in 2015.
“My Dad Wrote A Porno shows the extent of just how embarrassing dads can be, in the best possible way,” said Nina Rosenstein, executive vice president, HBO Programming. “James, Jamie and Alice transformed a very awkward situation into...
- 8/27/2018
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
My Dad Wrote a Porno, the sexually explicit British podcast that has become a cult hit on both sides of the Atlantic, is heading to TV via an HBO comedy special of its live show due to land in 2019.
The podcast, which has amassed in excess of 100 million downloads, sees Jamie Morton reading a chapter from the “Belinda Blinked” series of adult novels, written by his real-life father under the nom de plume Rocky Flintstone, with his friends James Cooper and Alice Levine providing commentary. The books follow the sexual adventures of an enthusiastic 30-something woman called Belinda ...
The podcast, which has amassed in excess of 100 million downloads, sees Jamie Morton reading a chapter from the “Belinda Blinked” series of adult novels, written by his real-life father under the nom de plume Rocky Flintstone, with his friends James Cooper and Alice Levine providing commentary. The books follow the sexual adventures of an enthusiastic 30-something woman called Belinda ...
- 8/27/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
My Dad Wrote A Porno, the breakout British podcast, is finally set to be adapted for U.S. television with co-creator James Cooper revealing that a deal for the show is imminent.
The podcast sees Cooper, Jamie Morton and Alice Levine read extracts of a self-published porno written by Morton’s mild-mannered father. Having discovered his dad had written a series of “50 Colors of Grey”-style raunchy novels, under the pen name Rocky Flinstone, and the three of them read out excerpts of the adventures of saucy saucepan saleswoman Belinda Blumenthal, who takes on a new job and has a lot of sex along the way.
Cooper, speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, said that its U.S. conversations, which began last year, have finally borne fruit. “We’re doing something for TV in the U.S.,” he said. Cooper revealed that it had previously attempted to a pilot based on the podcast,...
The podcast sees Cooper, Jamie Morton and Alice Levine read extracts of a self-published porno written by Morton’s mild-mannered father. Having discovered his dad had written a series of “50 Colors of Grey”-style raunchy novels, under the pen name Rocky Flinstone, and the three of them read out excerpts of the adventures of saucy saucepan saleswoman Belinda Blumenthal, who takes on a new job and has a lot of sex along the way.
Cooper, speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, said that its U.S. conversations, which began last year, have finally borne fruit. “We’re doing something for TV in the U.S.,” he said. Cooper revealed that it had previously attempted to a pilot based on the podcast,...
- 8/26/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
What’s a fellow to do when he discovers his dear old dad’s been privately writing erotica out in the garden shed? For Jamie Morton, the answer was obvious: Read it aloud while his two best friends make fun of it and record it for a podcast. What Morton, nor his trusty sidekicks Alice Levine and James Cooper, could never have predicted was that their little passion project would turn into a comedy podcast with a massive cult following, boasting such illustrious fans as Elijah Wood, Michael Sheen, and Daisy Ridley, capable of filling venues as venerable as London’s Royal Albert Hall.
It’s called “My Dad Wrote a Porno,” and it’s one of the most addictive and instantly engaging offerings on the comedy podcast market, which is flooded with projects from aspiring to established comedians.
The format is simple: Morton reads aloud a chapter from “Belinda Blinked,...
It’s called “My Dad Wrote a Porno,” and it’s one of the most addictive and instantly engaging offerings on the comedy podcast market, which is flooded with projects from aspiring to established comedians.
The format is simple: Morton reads aloud a chapter from “Belinda Blinked,...
- 3/21/2018
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Kirsten Howard Feb 22, 2018
In news that should delight Taskmaster fans across the land, there are now officially four new series of the hit show on the horizon...
Award-hoarding Dave comedy Taskmaster is here to stay for a while, UKTV has announced today. It's ordered four (four!) new series of the smash hit show, which will consist of ten new 60-minute episodes a pop.
See related Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 6 review: Human Is Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 5 review: Real Life Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 4 review: Crazy Diamond
Greg Davies will be back as the omnipotent Taskmaster, alongside assistant Alex Horne, for all four runs, it's also been confirmed.
The sixth series, set to air in the spring, will welcome Alice Levine (My Dad Wrote A Porno), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing), Liza Tarbuck (Upstart Crow), Russell Howard (The Russell Howard Hour...
In news that should delight Taskmaster fans across the land, there are now officially four new series of the hit show on the horizon...
Award-hoarding Dave comedy Taskmaster is here to stay for a while, UKTV has announced today. It's ordered four (four!) new series of the smash hit show, which will consist of ten new 60-minute episodes a pop.
See related Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 6 review: Human Is Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 5 review: Real Life Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode 4 review: Crazy Diamond
Greg Davies will be back as the omnipotent Taskmaster, alongside assistant Alex Horne, for all four runs, it's also been confirmed.
The sixth series, set to air in the spring, will welcome Alice Levine (My Dad Wrote A Porno), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing), Liza Tarbuck (Upstart Crow), Russell Howard (The Russell Howard Hour...
- 2/22/2018
- Den of Geek
Kayti Burt Feb 2, 2018
My Dad Wrote A Porno could be becoming a film or television show, as its creators reveal they've had offers...
My Dad Wrote A Porno, the comedy podcast centered around Belinda Blinked, the series of erotica books one of the hosts' father's penned, is a huge hit. The podcast, which started in 2015, has over 100 million downloads and has had guests like Elijah Wood, Daisy Ridley, Michael Sheen, Thomas Middleditch, and Mara Wilson come on the show.
The podcast has gone on tours across the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia, and will be hitting the U.S. starting later this month, but the news doesn't stop there. There's also talk of a potential TV show or film adaptation. According to Deadline, the podcast creators are entertaining offers to turn My Dad Wrote a Porno into a TV show or film.
A number of the podcast's actorly guests...
My Dad Wrote A Porno could be becoming a film or television show, as its creators reveal they've had offers...
My Dad Wrote A Porno, the comedy podcast centered around Belinda Blinked, the series of erotica books one of the hosts' father's penned, is a huge hit. The podcast, which started in 2015, has over 100 million downloads and has had guests like Elijah Wood, Daisy Ridley, Michael Sheen, Thomas Middleditch, and Mara Wilson come on the show.
The podcast has gone on tours across the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia, and will be hitting the U.S. starting later this month, but the news doesn't stop there. There's also talk of a potential TV show or film adaptation. According to Deadline, the podcast creators are entertaining offers to turn My Dad Wrote a Porno into a TV show or film.
A number of the podcast's actorly guests...
- 2/1/2018
- Den of Geek
Sweet and savory breakfasts aren't everyone's cup of tea. In support of Magic Breakfast, which provides healthy school breakfasts to hungry and malnourished children in disadvantaged areas of the U.K., iNews asked Pippa Middleton and eight other famous foodies—Miguel Barclay, Will Beckett, Joel Braham, Laura Jackson, Jeremy Lee, Alice Levine, Naved Nasir and Jamie Oliver—to each reveal their breakfast preferences. Middleton, who published a party planning book in 2012, won't eat one famously American meal in the morning. "Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup—that certainly doesn't do it for me," she said. But Middleton "always" eats breakfast. "I can't start the...
- 1/5/2018
- E! Online
With a highly searchable subject matter, there are a plethora of podcasts exploring the great unknown of human sexuality. Just type “sex” into the Apple Store search bar, and a slew of eyebrow raising titles come up, like “Sex Talk With My Mom” to “The Manwhore Podcast.” But how is one to choose, with only so much time on the morning commute or treadmill? For every engaging, funny, and informative sex podcast out there, there are twice as many skippable duds. Which is why we’ve searched the audio waves to bring you the very best sex-talk the podcast world has to offer.
Ranging from the hilarious and outrageous to the nerdy and informative, with a lot of overlap in between, these eight podcasts represent a diverse array of perspectives. We prioritized entertainment value, non-judgmental approaches, and feminist perspectives to deliver an enjoyable crash course in human sexuality. From long-running...
Ranging from the hilarious and outrageous to the nerdy and informative, with a lot of overlap in between, these eight podcasts represent a diverse array of perspectives. We prioritized entertainment value, non-judgmental approaches, and feminist perspectives to deliver an enjoyable crash course in human sexuality. From long-running...
- 8/31/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
From the live grand finale of Celebrity Big Brother to Strictly Come Dancing's first live show of 2015, here are Digital Spy's top TV picks over the next seven days.
Monday: Girls Can Code, 9pm on BBC Three
In a bid to inspire more girls to take up computer coding, this BBC Three two-part series combines the science of Tomorrow's World with the competitive chaos of The Apprentice. Five young women more accustomed to selfie snapping than website servers take on the male-dominated digital world.
BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine (best known for Big Brother's Bit on the Side) hosts as the girls attempt to pitch their prototypes to the UK tech industry. No doubt leaving us viewers feeling old, but engrossed.
Tuesday: The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone, 9pm on BBC Two
He's already formed singing groups out of military wives, random celebrities and kids, and now he's looking...
Monday: Girls Can Code, 9pm on BBC Three
In a bid to inspire more girls to take up computer coding, this BBC Three two-part series combines the science of Tomorrow's World with the competitive chaos of The Apprentice. Five young women more accustomed to selfie snapping than website servers take on the male-dominated digital world.
BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine (best known for Big Brother's Bit on the Side) hosts as the girls attempt to pitch their prototypes to the UK tech industry. No doubt leaving us viewers feeling old, but engrossed.
Tuesday: The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone, 9pm on BBC Two
He's already formed singing groups out of military wives, random celebrities and kids, and now he's looking...
- 9/20/2015
- Digital Spy
The BBC has announced details of its inaugural Music Awards event.
BBC One, Radio 1 and Radio 2 will team up for a simultaneous live broadcast of the ceremony, celebrating the best in popular music over the past 12 months.
Coldplay, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris, Clean Bandit and Paloma Faith will be among the artists to perform during the event on Thursday, December 11.
Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton will host the main event live from Earls Court on BBC One, Radio 1 and Radio 2 from 8pm to 10pm.
Along with live performances and surprise collaborations, the night will also review and celebrate the past 12 months in music.
Three awards will be presented during the night as well, with British Artist and International Artist of the Year to be decided by a BBC Music panel and leading music journalists. The Song of the Year prize will be voted for by members of the public.
BBC One, Radio 1 and Radio 2 will team up for a simultaneous live broadcast of the ceremony, celebrating the best in popular music over the past 12 months.
Coldplay, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris, Clean Bandit and Paloma Faith will be among the artists to perform during the event on Thursday, December 11.
Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton will host the main event live from Earls Court on BBC One, Radio 1 and Radio 2 from 8pm to 10pm.
Along with live performances and surprise collaborations, the night will also review and celebrate the past 12 months in music.
Three awards will be presented during the night as well, with British Artist and International Artist of the Year to be decided by a BBC Music panel and leading music journalists. The Song of the Year prize will be voted for by members of the public.
- 11/18/2014
- Digital Spy
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