The Friday News Roundup: Happy Diamond Jubilee Queen Elizabeth Edition
Anyway, since it's Friday, that means it's News Roundup Time! Click through for tidbits from around the British entertainment industry this week, including Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Absolutely Fabulous, several new American takes on British series, and more!
Steven Moffat drops potential hints about the next Doctor Who Companion. Meanwhile, fans vote on who their ideal Time Lord sidekick would be.
More in Who news, it’s confirmed that Toby Whithouse (best known for being the guy behind Being Human) and Chris Chibnall (best known for being the guy behind showrunning Torchwood) will both be returning to write episodes for Series 7.
First day of Series 7 Who filming will be February 20. Moffat says that Karen Gillan and Companion Amy Pond will have a “heartbreaking” finale.
ABC is apparently making an American version of British series White Van Man, it will star Kyle Bornheimer (it’s only a pilot at this stage, so we’ll have to see what happens).
As mentioned above, Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee has begun. Watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Message or take a look at this neat “Sixty Photographs for Sixty Years” feature. God save the Queen. :) Want more info? Check out Her Majesty's Official Diamond Jubilee site.
The line-up has been announced for the Diamond Jubliee Concert that’s set to take place in front of Buckingham Palace. Performers include Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Dame Shirley Bassey and more – with additional names set to be released later on.
NBC set to remake British comedy Friday Night Dinner, Allison Janney and Tony Shalhoub are set to star.
Steven Moffat says that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock rivals Sean Connery’s Bond. Thoughts? (I have no objectivity whatsoever on this issue, so I ask you lot.)
Two minute sneak peek at the second Absolutely Fabulous anniversary special, airing this weekend on BBC America. (If you saw this on Logo already – how was it?)
Billy Connelly joins the cast of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit as dwarf Dain Ironfoot
Apparently we’re all part of the “cool kids” because we love Downton Abbey?
UGO offers some of their picks for the Best British Shows Available on Netflix Streaming.
Star Trek star Chris Pine has a lot of lovely things about new co-star Benedict Cumberbatch.
An interesting bit of British social media news – the BBC is clamping down on journalists’ use of Twitter, says they aren’t to tweet “breaking news” from their handles. Their argument is that tweeting slows down the process of getting newsworthy stories into the newsroom. I thought this was an interesting and somewhat strange decision – what do those of you who are big Twitter users think?
Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley) appeared on both The View and the Late Show with David Letterman this week!
An awesome feature from Paper Magazine that compares photos of the real-life Downton Abbey stars with their fictional counterparts. (Personal fave: Carson on a bike!)
And, in case you missed it, the hilarious Downton parody from last weekend’s Saturday Night Live
The success of BBC’s Sherlock in the UK has caused sales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novels to double. [BIG WARNING for a very large and completely unnecessary Series 2 spoiler included in the last two paragraphs at the very end of this article.]
Promo images of former Doctor Who Companion and fabulous funny lady Catherine Tate’s return to The Office.
BBC One has decided not to renew Garrow’s Law for a fourth series.
