Last Samurai Standing Returns for Season Two on Netflix

Image: Netflix Press

By Jon Donnis

Netflix has officially confirmed that Last Samurai Standing will return for a second season, following the remarkable global success of its debut run. The Japanese battle royale drama quickly became one of the platform's standout non English hits, capturing audiences at home and abroad with its ferocious action and striking characters.

Since launching, the series surged to number one on the Netflix Weekly Global Top 10 for Non English Series and placed in the Top 10 across 88 countries. In Japan, it dominated the charts for four consecutive weeks, cementing its status as a genuine cultural phenomenon. Viewer enthusiasm translated into marathon viewing sessions and sustained online demand for a continuation, momentum that has now led directly to the renewal.

The show also reached a historic milestone at the Critics' Choice Awards, becoming the first all Japanese production to earn a nomination for Best Foreign Language Series. The recognition marked a significant step forward for Japanese originals on the international stage, with the series finding favour among audiences, critics, and global media alike.

Led by Junichi Okada in the multiple roles of lead actor, producer, and action choreographer, and directed by Michihito Fujii, Last Samurai Standing brought together a high calibre creative team and cast. Their ambition helped demonstrate that a Japanese period action epic could travel far beyond domestic borders, setting the stage for an even more ambitious second season.

Okada has shared his excitement about returning, expressing pride in the show's global reception and enthusiasm about re entering its intense world with the same production team. He has promised that the next chapter will push the energy and action even further, inviting viewers to stay with the series as it charges into its next phase.

Director Fujii echoed that sentiment, describing both relief and excitement at the show's international impact and the confirmation of a second season. He praised the team led by Okada and hinted that the scale and intensity of what lies ahead will surpass the first season.

Further details about Last Samurai Standing Season Two are expected in due course. The series will return exclusively on Netflix.

Kelly Reilly and Rafe Spall Front Sky Original Under Salt Marsh as Trailer Drops

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky has unveiled the full trailer for its upcoming Sky Original drama Under Salt Marsh, led by Kelly Reilly and Rafe Spall. The six-part crime series will launch on Sky and NOW on 30 January 2026.

Set in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, the drama stars Kelly Reilly as Jackie Ellis and Rafe Spall as Detective Eric Bull. The story centres on a close-knit community pushed to breaking point by an unspeakable crime that refuses to stay buried.

Created, written and directed by Claire Oakley, Under Salt Marsh opens as a once-in-a-generation storm approaches from the sea. Jackie Ellis, a former detective now working as a teacher, makes a disturbing discovery that reopens a three-year-old cold case. It is a case that cost her both her career and the trust of her family.

Pulled back into the past, Jackie is forced to reunite with her estranged former police partner Eric Bull. Together, they return to an investigation that threatens to tear Morfa Halen apart, exposing long-held secrets and unresolved grief before the approaching storm destroys the remaining evidence.

Alongside Reilly and Spall, the series features a strong supporting cast including Naomi Yang, Jonathan Pryce, Dinita Gohil, Brian Gleeson, Kimberley Nixon and Harry Lawtey. The drama combines atmospheric crime storytelling with an intimate portrait of resilience and community.

Further cast members include Mark Stanley, Dino Fetscher, Lizzie Annis, Rhodri Meilir and Julian Lewis Jones.

Under Salt Marsh will premiere on Sky and the streaming service NOW on 30 January 2026.

Sky Sports Secures Multi-Year Extension as UK Home of the Masters

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky Sports and Augusta National Golf Club have confirmed a multi-year extension to their partnership, ensuring Sky Sports and NOW remain the exclusive broadcasters of the Masters Tournament in the UK and Ireland.

The renewed deal will deliver almost 20% more live coverage throughout the week from Augusta National. Fans can expect dedicated feeds from Amen Corner, Featured Groups, and Live on the Range, offering deeper insight into the action than ever before.

This announcement follows Sky Sports' most comprehensive Masters coverage to date in 2025, which culminated in the most-watched day in the network's history. Rory McIlroy's triumph, claiming his maiden Green Jacket and becoming the first European to complete a career Grand Slam, drew a peak audience of 1.85 million viewers and captured 37% of total UK TV viewership.

Jonathan Licht, Sky Chief Sports Officer, said: "We're delighted to extend our long-standing partnership with the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, further cementing Sky Sports as the home of golf in the UK and Ireland. Rory McIlroy's win in April was a standout moment in 2025 and we look forward to bringing fans even more unmissable drama from Augusta National in the years ahead."

The new agreement will also see Sky Sports air the Masters Par 3 Contest and the Augusta National Women's Amateur, alongside the Latin America Amateur Championship and Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Sky Sports offers fans an extensive year-round golf calendar, including live coverage of all men's and women's Majors, the Solheim Cup, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, and Ladies European Tour. Coverage combines expert analysis with cutting-edge technology, including 3D Augmented Reality, the Trackman Golf Simulator, and golf's world-first Spidercam, which made its debut at The Open at Royal Portrush.

The 2026 Masters is scheduled for 6-12 April and will be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports and NOW. Fans can follow the latest news, results, and analysis via Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports News, the Sky Sports app, SkySports.com, and Sky Sports' social media channels.

Tommy and John Fury Settle In for a Battle of Words on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds

Image: BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

A different kind of heavyweight contest is heading to the BBC, as Tommy Fury and his father John Fury prepare to face off in a new visualised podcast titled What the Fury?!. Produced by All3Media's Optomen, the ten part series will land on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, promising sharp opinions, family friction, and plenty of outspoken debate.

Filmed inside the Holmes Chapel Boxing Club in Cheshire, the setting is a fitting one. This is familiar ground for the Furys, but instead of gloves and ring ropes, the action comes through conversation. Across ten thirty minute episodes, father and son will tackle subjects that have shifted dramatically over recent decades, from modern masculinity and parenting to relationships, artificial intelligence, and wider cultural change.

The format leans into their contrasting outlooks. John Fury brings a traditional, old school perspective shaped by a lifetime in boxing, while Tommy represents a younger, Gen Z voice with a very different take on the same issues. The result is positioned as a lively exchange of views, mixing humour with hard opinions and the occasional verbal sparring you would expect from the Fury name.

Speaking about the project, Tommy and John Fury said the podcast reflects how differently they see the world, describing it as a clash between old school and new school that naturally comes with plenty of fighting talk. Despite those differences, the series places their relationship at its centre, using it as a lens to explore bigger generational divides.

Kalpna Patel Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said audiences can expect the same energy and spirit associated with the Furys, carried over from their television appearances into this new visualised format. She added that viewers and listeners will have a front row seat as Tommy and John share their views on modern day topics in a way only they can.

With its mix of family dynamics, strong personalities, and topical debate, What the Fury?! aims to offer something a little louder and more confrontational than the average podcast, all without a single punch being thrown.

Doctor Who Heads to CBeebies as Blue Zoo Wins Landmark Animation Commission

Image: BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

British animation studio Blue Zoo has landed the contract to produce a brand new Doctor Who animated series for pre-school audiences, following a highly competitive pitch process run by BBC Children's and Education. The series will air on CBeebies and be available on BBC iPlayer, bringing the iconic franchise to its youngest viewers for the first time.

UK producers were invited to submit pitches in June 2025 as part of a fair and open commissioning process. From a strong and diverse range of proposals, Blue Zoo's concept emerged top after being assessed against the BBC's published criteria.

The new show, inspired by the long running Doctor Who universe, has been commissioned for 52 eleven minute episodes spread across two series. Production is scheduled to begin in 2026. The project marks the first expansion of the Whoniverse into animation created specifically for pre-school children, representing a significant new direction for the brand.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children's and Education, said the BBC is thrilled to welcome the Doctor to CBeebies, introducing a much loved family favourite to younger audiences in a completely new way. She added that the series reinforces the BBC's commitment to supporting the British animation sector by backing homegrown productions with global appeal. Hidalgo also praised the overall standard of submissions, noting that the bidding process was exceptionally competitive and that the shortlisted pitches were of outstanding quality.

First Look at After the Flood Season Two Promises Tension and Intrigue

Image: ITV Press

By Jon Donnis

ITV and BritBox have unveiled the first look images from the highly anticipated second season of After the Flood, giving fans a glimpse of the returning cast and the gripping drama to come. Sophie Rundle reprises her role as Jo Marshall, the newly promoted detective at the heart of the six-part thriller. She is joined by Olivier nominee Lorraine Ashbourne as her mother, Molly Marshall, Nicholas Gleaves as the morally ambiguous Sergeant Phil Mackie, Philip Glenister as Jack Radcliffe, and Matt Stokoe returning as Jo's husband, Pat Holman. The series is written, created, and executive produced by BAFTA-nominated writer and actor Mick Ford and produced by Manchester's Quay Street Productions, part of ITV Studios.

The expanded cast for this season includes Alun Armstrong, Jill Halfpenny, Ian Puleston-Davies, Matthew McNulty, and newcomers such as Anil Desai and Lola Brown. Faye McKeever, George Bukhari, Maui Connock, and Tripti Tripuraneni also return, alongside Jacqueline Boatswain, Leo Flanagan, and Heider Ali. The first-look images capture both the suspense and emotional depth of the series, showing tense confrontations between Sergeant Mackie and Jack Radcliffe, intimate mother-daughter moments between Molly and Jo, and the budding professional partnership between Jo and newcomer DS Sam Bradley as they investigate a new string of murders in Waterside.

Season two picks up with Jo navigating a complex murder investigation against the backdrop of rising moorland fires and the threat of flooding. A body is discovered under unusual circumstances, thrusting Jo into a perilous investigation that intersects with corruption in the town's police force and her own family history. Fans can expect a story that is as personal as it is suspenseful, as Jo operates in secret to expose longstanding wrongdoing.

Ted Returns with a Fresh Run of Chaos on Sky and NOW

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

All episodes of the live action comedic prequel Ted, now heading into its second season, will arrive on Sky and NOW in the UK and Ireland in March. The show continues to dig into the early days of the foul-mouthed bear from the Ted films, dropping us back into the '90s at a point where his fleeting brush with fame has already faded. He has retreated to life in Framingham, Massachusetts with his closest mate, seventeen year old John Bennett, played by Max Burkholder. They live with John's parents, Matty and Susan, played by Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach, along with cousin Blaire, played by Giorgia Whigham. Ted is still a terrible influence on John, yet his loyalty never really wavers, and he always finds a way to push himself a little too far for the sake of friendship.

Seth MacFarlane, who writes, directs, produces and voices Ted, offered a joint note with fellow EPs, writers and co showrunners Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh. They say they are excited to share a second batch of episodes that reflect the work of the writers, actors and visual effects artists who bring the bear to life. They describe the eight episodes as filthy, funny and oddly heartfelt, centred on a teenager, his talking teddy bear and a family that barely functions. They even joke that anyone who dislikes the series can seek revenge by letting the episodes run on every device in the house.

Season two sees MacFarlane return as EP, writer, director and co showrunner, working alongside Corrigan and Walsh. Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Jason Clark and Aimee Carlson from Fuzzy Door also serve as EPs. The regular cast remains led by MacFarlane, Burkholder, Ubach, Grimes and Whigham.

The series is produced by UCP, part of Universal Studio Group, along with Fuzzy Door and MRC, and it is distributed by NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution. Katie Keenan and Lucy Criddle acquired the new season for Sky.

Ted will make his return on Sky and NOW in March 2026.