Following the news that the licence fee will be frozen for two years, Robin Parker looks at where the BBC goes from here. It’s rapidly becoming less a tactic than a matter of policy: whenever they’re in for a kicking, this government initiates Operation Bash the Beeb....
There are a lot of problems facing traditional broadcaster. The first is the continual rise of streaming giants. Although, if I'm honest I'm talking solely about Netflix, as Apple TV+, Amazon and BritBox have yet to really pose any threat to the original behemoth....
More details have been announced about BritBox, the new streaming service that will see the BBC and ITV join forces. The service will launch in the UK between October and December of this year and will be priced at £5.99 a month for full access to ad-free HD content....
There's a lot made of Christmas listings, some people told me they watched less on TV this Christmas and more on catchup. A new report from the BBC outlines the most watched programmes over the festive period and highlights that Smart TV's that connect to BBC iPlayer...
The BBC have launched a new way to buy and keep your favourite BBC shows BBC Store makes it simpler for audiences to buy, watch and keep the BBC programmes they love. It’s the most comprehensive collection of BBC programmes ever with over 6,000 hours of recent...
From today audiences will now be given 30 days to catch-up with their favourite BBC TV programmes on iplayer. Since it launched in 2007, BBC iPlayer has offered viewers seven days to catch-up with their favourite BBC programmes. By increasing programme availability to...
Sam Bickley has been announced as Acting Channel Editor of BBC Three, taking over from Zai Bennett who departs the BBC next month. Currently Head of Commissioning for Documentaries and Features for BBC Three, Sam is also joint Head of BBC One Documentaries, a role...
The BBC have announced a major new upgrade for Iplayer app. The new look app features a new Home screen with a selection of curated programmes and the most popular programmes available on BBC iPlayer at the moment New Category pages, with a selection of curated...
The BBC have launched an upgraded Iplayer. Tony Hall, Director-General, BBC, commented: "This is an exciting day for us. BBC iPlayer is really popular, and new iPlayer will be even better. You’ll be able to find so many more programmes you might like – and I hope...
The BBC's iPlayer boss, Dan Taylor has written a blog post, calling 2013 "the year of the tablet". The news comes after the BBC have released a Christmas 2013's most requested iPlayer programmes. The list reads as follows Doctor Who - The Time of the...
BBC drama is being represented at the Golden Globe Awards. Our favourite here is Luther but we feel it's unlikely to bag the prestigious gong. Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama, says: "BBC Drama's 10 nominations in today's Golden Globes reinforces our...
The cover version of BBC2’s Getting On is an entertaining (and even moving) thirty minutes of television filtered through American lenses. Comedic actresses Alex Borstein and Niecy Nash co-star as Head Ward Nurse Dawn Forchette and Nurse Denise Ortley...
If you're a TV nerd (like us at thecustard) you can't help but feel a bit giddy when you get a first glance at the highlights at Christmas. While it's easy to sneer and get cynical about the offering, it's far more to fun to bask in the excitement of a new festive...
In our latest podcast we moan about The X Factor, slightly tire of I'm a Celebrity and praise the return of Him & Her! Download this episode
The BBC today unveiled its vision for the next generation BBC iPlayer, evolving its popular video on-demand service for audiences in the future. The new service will see it move from a broadcast TV catch-up service to the BBC’s primary digital entertainment...
The BBC have today announced plans to launch BBC News HD, BBC Three HD, BBC Four HD, CBeebies HD and CBBC HD in early 2014. The new channels will broadcast the same programmes as their standard definition equivalents in HD, giving viewers access to a...
According to The Hollywood Reporter BBC and British dramas are gaining huge popularity in China. The article states that "A new study from Beijing-based entertainment research firm Entgroup has revealed that China’s urban wealthy and well-educated...
The announcement of BBC1's new Saturday night entertainment comedy puppet show The Puppet Game Show caused me to sigh in sheer despair. I know it's wrong to pre-judge a programme months before it appears on television but seriously, is a celebrity puppet show the best...
The BBC has announced that BBC One Controller, Danny Cohen has been appointed as Director, BBC Television. Cohen’s appointment follows an open recruitment process and is the final addition to new Director-General Tony Hall’s senior management team. Cohen will sit on...
Jonas Armstrong (Robin Hood; The Street) is to star in The Whale ), a 1x90 film for BBC One and Discovery, written by Terry Cafolla (Holy Cross, Messiah), which will tell one of history’s greatest stories of survival at sea. Filming begins in Malta this week and...
Sunday night has long been the home of period drama on BBC One with recent examples being Upstairs Downstairs and Call the Midwife. This Sunday night is no exception as it sees the premiere of The Lady Vanishes. For most The Lady Vanishes will be best known as a 1938...
Welcome to another look back at what was an interesting week in UK TV. This week's major dramas all seemed to have the recurring theme of a tragic incident and how it affected a certain small community. In the case of ITV's Broadchurch it was the death of 11 year old...
Last night in London, in a building swarming with olives and cheese straws the BBC held an event to celebrate BBC drama. Speaking at the event for writers, actors, industry and press, Ben Stephenson set out his vision for BBC Drama, looked forward to new horizons...
As part of the BBC's blockbuster celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, David Bradley (the Harry Potter films) is set to play the first ever Doctor, the iconic William Hartnell, in the BBC Two drama, An Adventure In Space And Time. It will tell the...