Time for the Friday News Roundup!
Happy Friday folks! Here’s a look at a bunch of the stuff I thought was interesting in British entertainment news this week. We’ve got Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Harry Potter, and more. (But if you only look at one thing, please click the link about Jonathan Ross’ Halloween party that’s first up. The pictures are comedy gold.)
Popular TV and radio presenter Jonathan Ross had a Halloween party wherein many British celebs showed up in extremely ridiculous costumes. There’s a gallery here and it’s kind of amazing – highlights include Jimmy Car in a weird gorilla/cage thing, Benedict Cumberbatch as the Invisible Man complete with facial bandages and a great suit, Simon Pegg as some kind of bizarre skeleton, and Ross himself dressed as something I can’t quite determine posing with a giant Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Continuing with Cumberbatch news, he gets some love from Variety as one of the 10 Actors to Watch in 2011. And he has some interesting comments to make about how he’s “preparing” to play Smaug in The Hobbit by crawling around on the ground. I sincerely hope that he’s kidding about that, although I dearly want to see pictures if he's not.
Why these have been hidden away from us for so long is anyone’s guess, but the videos just now coming out from the wrap party surrounding David Tennant’s exit from Doctor Who are seriously incredible. (The one with the whole cast dancing to the Proclaimers song just makes me want to hug something.)
In more Who news, Karen Gillan told the Mirror that when Amy Pond exits the TARDIS for good, she wants the storyline set so that she can never come back. Apparently if that means killing her character off, she’s cool with it.
Bernard Cribbins, better known to many as Wilfred Mott, the loveable grandfather of Who Companion Donna Noble, was appointed an OBE by the Princess Royal this week.
Here’s a fairly adorable piece from the Daily Mail on Amanda Abbington (DI Louise Monroe from Case Histories) and her relationship with Sherlock’s Martin Freeman.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Shame, and Tyrannosaur lead the nominations for the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), with seven apiece. Among the acting award noms of interest (well, to me), include Gary Oldman and Michael Fassbender for Best Actor, as well as Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch in the Supporting Actor category.
The 23rd James Bond film has an official title, and it is Skyfall.
A tidbit for the Harry Potter lovers: J.K. Rowling seriously considered offing Ron Weasley at one point.
Audiophiles – the BBC is working on a new online radio archive, which will digitize nearly its entire library.
In case you missed it earlier, big news for Downton Abbey fans – the series has been renewed for a third series by ITV in the UK for another eight-episode run.
NPR’s Fresh Air interviews Page Eight (and my personal favorite Love Actually) star Bill Nighy about his role in the new Masterpiece Contemporary film, working with Ralph Fiennes, and how it feels to finally be a leading man.
