Claudia Winkleman Joins Channel 4 for Crufts 2026 Coverage

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Claudia Winkleman is set to become part of Channel 4's live coverage of Crufts when the world's best known dog show returns on Thursday 5th March. She will join Clare Balding and the established team for four days of broadcasts from Birmingham's NEC, with almost 20 hours of live television spread across Channel 4 and More4 for viewers who never tire of a good tail wag or a proud lap of the ring.

Much of the familiar line up remains in place. Radzi Chinyanganya returns as the show's regular reporter, while Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds is back for a second year, presenting features, conducting interviews and keeping up with the latest stories from inside the halls. Resident vet Dr Paul Manktelow will again offer practical advice on caring for dogs, and commentary throughout the event will be provided by Jim Rosenthal and Frank Kane.

From Thursday 5th March to Sunday 9th March, coverage will follow the most popular competitions, with top class dogs taking part in breed judging, agility, flyball and Heelwork to Music. The weekend builds towards the much anticipated Best in Show, where the standout dogs compete for the top prize. It is a packed schedule that captures the scale and energy of the biggest dog show in the world.

Winkleman said she absolutely loves dogs and could not think of anywhere else she would rather be. She added that she is excited to join the team and grateful to Channel 4 for the opportunity, joking that her pocket will be full of treats. Balding welcomed her as a fantastic addition, saying she brings fun, curiosity and style, along with a genuine affection for dogs.

Pete Andrews, Head of Sport at Channel 4, described Crufts as an event that holds a special place for viewers and said there is nothing quite like it. He added that it is a thrill to welcome Winkleman to the presenters and to continue celebrating everything about dogs.

Crufts is organised and hosted by The Royal Kennel Club, the UK's largest organisation devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Channel 4 has broadcast the show since 2010. Coverage is produced by Sunset and Vine, with Gary Franses as executive producer and Diana Keen as production manager. Viewers can watch across Channel 4, More4 and Channel 4 Streaming throughout the four day event.

COMPETITION: Win Mystery Road: Origin Series 2 on DVD

Acorn Media International has announced that Mystery Road: Origin Series 2 is set to arrive on DVD and digital on 16 February, following its run on the BBC.

And to celebrate we have a copy of Season 2 on DVD to give away!

Synopsis:

Series two continues to explore the rich and riveting early life of Jay Swan one of ‘Australia’s all-time greatest screen sleuths’ (The Guardian), played by the award-winning Mark Coles Smith. He is joined by a stellar cast including Tuuli Narkle (Territory, All My Friends Are Racist), Clarence Ryan (Territory, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Robyn Malcolm (After The Party, The Survivors), Geoff Morrell (The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power, Ice Road: Vengeance) and Nicholas Bell (Elvis, Bay of Fires).

Six months on from the previous series, the young detective is attempting to forge a new life with partner Mary (Narkle) in the fading town of Loch Iris, caring for Mary’s niece, Anya, and awaiting the birth of their first child. It doesn’t take long however, for the majesty of the tall trees in the brooding surrounding forests and the deep lake that shimmers at the edge of town to take on gothic dimensions…

When Jay begins to investigate the disappearance of a young girl and the drowning of a former nun, Loch Iris closes rank around him. As the pieces of the crime start to come together, the detective starts to realise the entire community has been hiding a shadowy past that haunts the town. As the long buried past ripples through to the present and the secret is unearthed, it threatens to tear Jay and Mary apart forever.

With a stunning new location, Mystery Road Origin: Series 2 opens up an immersive visual feast for the eyes set amongst the trees, dams and waterways of Western Australia.

For a captivating combination of rich characters, intricate backstories, powerful themes and scenic Australian landscapes, unearth the secrets of Mystery Road: Origin Series 2, the journey is only just beginning.

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/4qJ2dPX

Enter now for a chance to win.

What is the name of the charcter played by Mark Coles Smith in Mystery Roads Origin?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions

1. Closing date 23-02-26

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

The Miniature Wife Lands on Sky This April

Image: Sky TV

By Jon Donnis

Sky is adding a sharp new comedy drama to its spring line-up, with The Miniature Wife arriving in full on 9 April. All episodes will be available at once on Sky and the streaming service NOW across the UK and Ireland, making it an easy one to settle into in a single sitting.

The series spins a strange and funny twist on married life. Elizabeth Banks plays a woman who is unexpectedly shrunk during a technological mishap, a development that leaves her husband, played by Matthew Macfadyen, reeling. What follows is not gentle domestic chaos but something much sharper. Everyday routines turn into a sly and escalating struggle for control between two people who suddenly feel even more mismatched than before.

Banks, an Emmy nominee, and BAFTA winner Macfadyen lead a busy ensemble. Zoe Lister-Jones, O-T Fagbenle, Sian Clifford and Sofia Rosinsky appear as regulars, while Ronny Chieng, Aasif Mandvi, Rong Fu and Tricia Black take on recurring roles that round out the world around the central couple. It is a cast packed with familiar faces, each adding a different edge to the humour.

The show is based on a short story by Manuel Gonzales and has been created by Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, who also serve as showrunners and executive producers. Greg Mottola directs episodes one, two, seven and eight, and is also on board as an executive producer. Banks and Macfadyen share producing duties with Michael Aguilar, Suzanne Heathcote, Michael Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer.

Produced by Media Res Studio and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, The Miniature Wife comes to Sky through a deal negotiated by Katie Keenan and Facundo Bailez for Sky UK and Europe. From its offbeat premise to its sharp tone, it looks set to turn a simple marriage story into something far more unpredictable.

Patience Set for Third Series After Strong Ratings Success

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4's detective drama Patience is heading back into production for a third series, with Eagle Eye Drama confirming filming will begin in March across Belgium and York. The show, which has steadily built a loyal following, has become the channel's most watched programme of the year so far when both traditional broadcasts and streaming are counted, a sign that its quiet, character driven approach has struck a chord.

The second series opened to an average audience of 4.2 million across a 28 day window on all screens. Its first week big screen share reached 16 per cent, marking an 18 per cent rise compared with the launch of the first series. Those figures helped cement its place as one of Channel 4's standout performers.

The new run will stretch to ten episodes, giving more room for the story to breathe. Ella Maisy Purvis returns as Patience, the autistic criminal records archivist whose sharp instincts continue to aid the City of York Police on complex cases. Jessica Hynes is back as DI Frankie Monroe, once a reluctant partner and now a trusted friend, their earlier clashes giving way to a close working bond.

Series three widens the focus beyond the day job. Patience takes a step forward in her romantic life while also confronting unfinished family matters. She begins to build a relationship with her estranged half sister Joy and starts looking into her father's death, questioning whether the car crash that killed him was truly accidental or something more troubling.

Nathan Welsh, Mark Benton, Adrian Rawlins, Tom Lewis, Ali Ariaie and Liza Sadovy all reprise their roles alongside the central pair. Behind the scenes, Maarten Moerkerke returns to direct, joined by Jan Matthys, with Jen Burnet producing and Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino serving as executive producers.

Polly Scates, Head of Acquisitions at Channel 4, said the series has clearly connected with viewers and that the team is eager to see where Patience's investigations lead next in York. Jo McGrath, Chief Creative Officer at Eagle Eye Drama, noted the show's strong performance in the UK and overseas, pointing to its place as the eighth most streamed programme across all platforms midway through its previous run, and credited the cast and production team for that success.

Originally adapted from the French series Astrid & Raphaëlle, Patience is produced by Eagle Eye Drama, part of ITV Studios, in association with Happy Duck Films and supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter. The new episodes are written by Matt Baker, Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers. Beta Film handles worldwide distribution, while PBS Distribution holds the North American rights.

Billie Eilish’s Stolen Land Contradiction

By Jon Donnis

Billie Eilish has built a reputation on blunt, slogan friendly activism. When she declared that "no one is illegal on stolen land," the line travelled fast, clipped, quoted and celebrated across social media. It sounded bold and morally certain, the kind of phrase designed to cut through the noise. For a moment, it positioned her as the fearless voice in the room, calling out history and power in one clean sentence.

Then the details caught up. Eilish reportedly owns a multi million dollar mansion in the Los Angeles area, a property sitting on land that historically belonged to the Gabrielino/Tongva Tribe, often described as the original inhabitants of the region. By the same logic she used on stage, that ground is part of the very story she condemns. The idea of "stolen land" stops being theoretical when your own front door is planted on it.

That is where the criticism sharpens. It is easy to speak in sweeping moral language when it costs nothing. It is harder when the principle points straight back at your own lifestyle. Living comfortably in a luxury home while framing the country itself as illegitimate land makes the message feel selective, almost convenient. If the system is fundamentally unjust, then benefiting from it without question looks less like courage and more like performance.

Celebrities often trade in big statements because they travel well. But big statements invite close inspection. In Eilish's case, the contrast between the rhetoric and the reality has turned what should have been a triumphant soundbite into a quiet lesson about hypocrisy. When you claim the moral high ground, people expect you to stand on it properly, not just pose there when the cameras are rolling.

The Great Celebrity Bake Off Returns with Fresh Faces and a New Judge

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer is back on Channel 4 this spring, bringing another run of familiar faces into the famous white tent. The tone stays light, the ovens stay hot, and the stakes feel just a little higher, with each bake helping to support an important cause. A new line-up of stars are ready to swap their day jobs for mixing bowls and piping bags, all hoping they can hold their nerve when the pressure kicks in.

This year's celebrity bakers include JoJo Siwa, Molly-Mae Hague, Vicky Pattison, Scott Mills, Rag'n'Bone Man, Emmett J Scanlan, Aston Merrygold, Edith Bowman, Ralf Little, Richard Herring, Joe Wilkinson, Babatunde Aleshe, Rose Matafeo, Judi Love, Tom Davis, Mark Wright, Nella Rose, Mutya Buena, Jon Richardson, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Sam Thompson, Roisin Conaty, Alex Brooker and Ambika Mod. It is a lively mix of pop stars, presenters, actors, comedians and broadcasters, which usually means big personalities, a few kitchen disasters, and the occasional surprise triumph.

Each episode follows the familiar rhythm. The bakers tackle the Signature, then wrestle with the Technical, before throwing everything they have into the Showstopper. Flour flies, timers beep, and someone inevitably worries about a soggy bottom. By the end, only one contestant earns the Star Baker title, a small victory that tends to feel huge in the heat of the tent.

Paul Hollywood returns to the judging table, this time joined by Bake Off: The Professionals judge Cherish Finden. An internationally renowned pastry chef, she is known for her precision and high standards, with a sharp eye for detail in every layer and finish. Together, Paul and Cherish will taste, test and deliver their verdicts across these special Stand Up To Cancer episodes, deciding which creations rise and which crumble.

With a new judge, a fresh cast and the same familiar challenges, the series promises plenty of laughs, a bit of chaos, and a lot of baking, all in support of a cause that matters. The tent is open again. Time to preheat the ovens.

PREVIEW: Peaky Blinders: The Real Story

By Jon Donnis

Smoke clings to the cobbled streets of early 20th century Birmingham as Peaky Blinders: The Real Story heads back to where it all began, digging into the truth behind one of Britain's most iconic crime legends and the television phenomenon it inspired.

Robin Bextor's new feature documentary arrives on digital on 23 February through Reel2Reel Films, offering a detailed look at both the real life gang and the cultural force that grew from their name. It moves between history and modern screen legacy with ease, tracing the path from notorious outlaws to a drama series that reshaped popular culture.

The film revisits the origins of the actual Peaky Blinders, separating myth from record through historical documents and expert voices. Among them is crime historian Carl Chinn, described as the world expert on the gang and a descendant of member Edward Derrick. His perspective anchors the story, peeling back the gang's reputation to reveal the people and events that formed the backbone of the legend.

From there, the focus shifts to the small screen. In September 2013, Peaky Blinders debuted on BBC Two as a bold period crime drama set in the aftermath of the First World War. Its portrait of a Birmingham crime family, paired with striking visuals, a gritty tone and a standout cast led by Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill and Helen McCrory, quickly caught attention. What started as an ambitious new series soon became something much bigger.

Across six series, the show's influence spread well beyond television. Fashion, haircuts, hats and even baby names began to echo its style. Awards followed, along with famous admirers including David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and Snoop Dogg. Step by step, it climbed into the ranks of Britain's most loved dramas.

Interviews with creator Stephen Knight add a personal layer, exploring his connections to the real criminal history that sparked the idea. Production designer Grant Montgomery and film and TV critic Michael Hogan examine how the show made the leap from concept to screen and how its storytelling, music choices and memorable characters helped redefine the genre.

Blending fact, reflection and behind the scenes insight, Peaky Blinders: The Real Story sets out to honour both the history and the hit series that carried it into the modern age. For anyone curious about what was real, what was dramatized and how it all became a cultural landmark, this documentary promises a clear and compelling answer.

Peaky Blinders: The Real Story lands on digital on 23 February from Reel2Reel Films.