Thursday, 7 August 2025

The Paper: Trailer Drops for New Mockumentary from Creators of The Office (US)

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

The official trailer for The Paper, a brand-new US mockumentary series, has landed ahead of its UK and Ireland premiere on Sky and NOW, set for 5 September.

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, the series takes a fresh look at the documentary crew who once captured life inside Dunder Mifflin in The Office (US). This time, they've turned their lens on a struggling Midwestern newspaper and the determined publisher trying to bring it back to life.

Leading the cast is Domhnall Gleeson (The Patient), joined by Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus), Chelsea Frei (The Moodys), Melvin Gregg (Nine Perfect Strangers), Gbemisola Ikumelo (Brain In Gear), Alex Edelman (Teenage Bounty Hunters), Ramona Young (Man Seeking Woman), Tim Key (The Ballad of Wallis Island) and Oscar Nuñez, who reprises his familiar comedic presence from The Office (US).

The show is written and executive produced by Daniels, under his Deedle-Dee Productions banner, and Koman, known for Nathan for You. The executive producing team also includes Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, and Banijay Americas. The series comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and was acquired for Sky by Katie Keenan and Lucy Criddle.

In a bonus for fans, Sky has confirmed that The Office (US) will remain available to stream on both Sky and NOW.

Wednesday, 6 August 2025

Filming Begins on Darkly Comic Thriller Sweetpea Season 2

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Filming is now underway in London for the second series of Sweetpea, Sky's critically praised thriller laced with dark comedy. Ella Purnell returns as Rhiannon Lewis, the seemingly quiet wallflower whose double life as a killer continues to spiral.

This new chapter finds Rhiannon juggling a complicated mix of personal and professional chaos. She's stepped into a promotion, fallen into a tempting rebound, and is still being tracked by the relentless Marina. Her sister is preparing to sell the family home, and worse still, a copycat killer has surfaced. With more blood on her hands and the walls starting to close in, Rhiannon begins to question if her ex AJ was right about her all along. Has she become the very thing she feared?

Joining the cast this time are Rish Shah as Gabriel, a new love interest for Rhiannon, and Tamsin Greig, playing Liv, the mother of AJ. Taj Atwal plays Freya, Rhiannon's strong-willed new boss at the Carnsham Gazette, while Jenny Walser appears as Daisy, an admiring new friend who might be getting too close for comfort.

The returning cast brings together Jon Pointing, Jeremy Swift, Leah Harvey, Ingrid Oliver, Nitin Ganatra and Alexandra Dowling, all helping to flesh out the twisted world of Carnsham once more.

Behind the scenes, the series continues under the guidance of Executive Producers Ella Purnell, Ella Jones and Patrick Walters. They've promised a season packed with new faces, sharp turns and deeper questions about morality. As Rhiannon's choices begin to catch up with her, the line between justice and destruction starts to blur.

Sky's Meghan Lyvers praised the show's unique tone and cast, saying fans can expect plenty of wit, dark humour and bold storytelling in the episodes ahead.

Adapted from the novel by C. J. Skuse, Sweetpea is produced by See-Saw Films and fanboy, with Sky Studios onboard. Writing credits go to Selina Lim, Emme Hoy, Anna Jordan and Laura Jayne Tunbridge. Directing duties are split between Ella Jones, who will take on episodes 1, 5 and 6, and Coky Giedroyc, who handles 2, 3 and 4.

With filming now in motion, Sweetpea Season 2 is shaping up to be just as chaotic, clever and brutal as its debut. Rhiannon's story isn't done yet. Her kill list may still be growing.

Tuesday, 5 August 2025

First Look at ITV’s New Heist Thriller Frauds

Frauds

Image: ITV Press

By Jon Donnis

ITV has released a first image from upcoming thriller Frauds, starring Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker as former friends with a shared past and unfinished business.

Set in Southern Spain, the series follows Bert (Jones), freshly released from prison, and Sam (Whittaker), who has built a quiet life after walking away from crime. But Bert has other plans.

She draws Sam back in with the promise of one final, high-stakes art heist. As the plan unfolds, old tensions resurface, and questions mount. Is Bert being honest? Can Sam trust her again? Or will their toxic friendship bring them both down?

Frauds will air on ITV1 and ITVX later this year.


Denise Van Outen Puts Budget Stores to the Test in Channel 4’s New Show

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4's new series The Big Pound Shop Swap sees Denise Van Outen take the lead on a bold consumer experiment. The idea is simple but revealing. Can picky shoppers ditch their favourite high-end supermarkets and live entirely off bargain store products for a full week?

Each episode focuses on a different discount retailer. A new family takes on the challenge of swapping everything they usually buy for cheaper alternatives, covering everything from groceries and toiletries to cleaning supplies and even home and garden bits. Nothing is off limits.

Viewers get a front-row seat to how these families cope with the change. Some are excited by the potential savings, others aren't so convinced at first. But with expert insights throughout, the series digs into how these discount chains are trying to compete with the bigger supermarkets by offering more than just low prices.

Some of the products even go through proper scientific testing to compare quality against their more expensive counterparts. And there are tips sprinkled throughout to help all of us get better value for money.

Expect honest reactions, a few surprises, and plenty of strong opinions. For many of the families involved, the results shift their entire approach to shopping.

So the big question stands: Could we all live off the discount stores if we really tried?

The Big Pound Shop Swap airs on Channel 4 from Tuesday, 12 August at 8pm. You can also catch it on demand.

Roman Kemp Joins Sky Sports for New Daily Football Show

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

As the 2025/26 Premier League season kicks off on Friday 15 August, Sky Sports is launching a new daily football programme called The Premier League Show. Airing every weekday from 5pm to 7pm on Sky Sports News, the show promises to bring fans the latest headlines, in-depth features, and expert analysis.

Running Monday to Friday, it's set to become a key part of Sky's football coverage throughout the season. From team news to transfers and pre-match build-up, the programme aims to give viewers a full picture of what's happening across the league each day.

Broadcaster Roman Kemp joins Sky Sports as the face of Premier League Friday, a special Friday edition of the show. He'll host it live each week from the studio, helping fans gear up for the weekend's action. Kemp said: "Football means more to me than anything. To be a part of a show like this building up to the biggest games in world football is a real privilege. I can't wait to get going and as a fan, do this show justice."

From Monday to Thursday, the main show will be hosted by Julian Warren and Emma Paton, alternating throughout the week. Each episode will include a dedicated reporter and pundit to help unpack the day's biggest Premier League stories.

The first episode of Premier League Friday, hosted by Kemp, airs on 15 August across Sky Sports News, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. It leads into Sky's live coverage of the opening match of the season: Liverpool v Bournemouth. Kick-off coverage starts at 6:30pm on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.

This new show is part of a wider expansion by Sky Sports to bring fans closer to the action across broadcast, digital and social platforms. With a minimum of 215 Premier League games shown live on Sky this season, The Premier League Show will give fans daily insight and build-up like never before.

Watch The Premier League Show Monday to Thursday, and Premier League Friday with Roman Kemp, from 5pm on Sky Sports News.

Sunday, 3 August 2025

Nicki Shields Announced as New Lead Presenter for ITV’s BTCC Coverage

BTCC

By Jon Donnis

ITV has confirmed that Nicki Shields will take over as the lead presenter for its British Touring Car Championship coverage, starting with the Knockhill round on 17 August. She will also present the final three events of the 2025 season and will continue as the face of the coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Nicki steps into the role following the retirement of long-time presenter Steve Rider, who recently ended a broadcasting career spanning nearly five decades. Oli Bell will present the upcoming Croft round on 3 August as a one-off guest. Speaking about her new role, Nicki said she's honoured to follow in Steve Rider's footsteps and is looking forward to bringing the sport to fans across the country.

ITV's Holden Stein praised Nicki as a "tremendous broadcaster," while BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow welcomed the announcement, highlighting her motorsport experience and looking forward to a strong future collaboration.

The remaining 2025 BTCC calendar on ITV includes:

2nd–3rd August: Croft

16th–17th August: Knockhill

30th–31st August: Donington Park GP

20th–21st September: Silverstone

4th–5th October: Brands Hatch GP

Friday, 1 August 2025

First Look at Atomic: Sky’s Explosive New Action Series Drops This August

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky has just unveiled the first teaser and images for its upcoming original series Atomic, set to launch Thursday 28 August on Sky and streaming service NOW.


Starring Alfie Allen (SAS: Rogue Heroes, Game of Thrones), Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery, What's Love Got To Do With It) and Samira Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale, Orange is the New Black), Atomic promises a fast-paced, globe-trotting action-adventure packed with tension, twists and unexpected alliances.


The series follows Max, a carefree drug smuggler played by Allen, whose world collides with JJ (Latif), a mysterious figure on the run. 


Thrown together by chance, the pair are pulled into a high-stakes mission to traffic highly enriched uranium across North Africa and the Middle East. What starts as a botched escape quickly spirals into a dangerous game involving multiple intelligence agencies and powerful forces with competing agendas.


Hot on their trail is Cassie Elliott (Wiley), a sharp and determined CIA operative working under Non-Official Cover. She's convinced Max and JJ are linked to extremists, but the deeper she digs, the murkier the truth becomes.


As the chase intensifies, Atomic veers into something more than just survival. With covert agents, cartels, and secrets at every turn, Max and JJ are forced to confront not only the chaos around them, but the baggage they've been running from.

Atomic lands Thursday 28 August on Sky and NOW.