Crystal Lake Heads to Sky This October With a Chilling New Chapter in the Friday the 13th Universe

Image: Sky TV

By Jon Donnis

Fans of the Friday the 13th franchise have plenty to look forward to this October as Crystal Lake arrives exclusively on Sky and streaming service NOW. Created, written and showrun by Brad Caleb Kane, the eight-part series from A24 serves as a prequel to one of horror's most recognisable franchises, exploring the events that shaped the legend long before the original film.

Leading the cast is Emmy-nominated actress Linda Cardellini as Pam Voorhees, a single mother still struggling with the devastating loss of her young son Jason, who drowned in the town lake almost a year earlier. When two strangers begin investigating her past, their arrival sparks a disturbing chain of events that leaves the residents of Crystal Lake questioning everything they thought they knew about Pam Voorhees.

William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins and Gwendolyn Sundstrom also star in the series, which expands the mythology of the Friday the 13th universe through a story centred on psychological suspense, mystery and emotional storytelling.

Crystal Lake will be available exclusively on Sky and streaming service NOW in October 2026.

Celebrity Hunted Returns With a New Cast Ready to Take on the Ultimate Game of Hide and Seek

Image: Ch4

By Jon Donnis

Celebrity Hunted is back for another thrilling run on Channel 4, once again raising money for Stand Up To Cancer, and the latest line-up promises plenty of entertainment as a fresh group of famous faces attempt to disappear without a trace.

Produced by Shine TV, part of Banijay UK, the factual entertainment thriller sends its celebrity fugitives into hiding across mainland Britain for 14 intense days. With no luxury hotels, no celebrity lifestyle to fall back on and every decision carrying real consequences, the challenge is as much about keeping calm under pressure as it is about staying one step ahead of the Hunters.

This year's celebrity line-up offers an entertaining mix of personalities from television, comedy, reality TV and dance. Strictly Come Dancing professionals Amy Dowden MBE and Carlos Gu will put their teamwork to the test, while Brian Conley joins forces with Lucy Conley. Love Island stars Chris Taylor and Toby Aromolaran also enter the challenge, alongside presenters JJ Chalmers and Sophie Morgan. Property experts and siblings Scarlette and Stuart Douglas bring their family bond into the competition, while comedians Jen Brister and Laura Smyth complete the line-up with what is sure to be plenty of humour, even under pressure.

Standing in their way is Ray Howard and his elite team of Hunters, drawn from policing, military and intelligence backgrounds. Armed with powerful investigative tools including CCTV, ANPR, facial recognition, helicopters, drones, search dogs, cyber investigations and media appeals, they have one goal. Find every fugitive before the clock runs out.

Part of the appeal of Celebrity Hunted has always been seeing familiar faces stripped of the advantages that fame usually brings. Instead of red carpets and television studios, contestants are forced to think on their feet, rely on trusted allies and constantly adapt as the Hunters close in. Every phone call, journey and unexpected encounter has the potential to expose their location.

With a varied celebrity cast and the Hunters once again equipped with an impressive range of resources, the new series looks set to deliver another tense and unpredictable chase. Whether any of the fugitives can evade capture for the full 14 days remains to be seen, but viewers can expect plenty of suspense, clever strategy and dramatic close calls when Celebrity Hunted returns to Channel 4.

COMPETITION: Win The Brokenwood Mysteries: Series 12 on DVD

New Zealand's deadliest detective drama, The Brokenwood Mysteries, is back for its entertaining 12th outing, arriving just in time for a summer of sleuthing with even more witty whodunnits, deadpan humour and heart. 

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

Synopsis:

Return to the rustic town of Brokenwood where behind the scenic splendour of small-town life, a web of deception, greed and dark secrets lurks in the shadows… 

 

Brokenwood’s best and brightest detectives are back as Mike Shepherd (Neill Rea – Go Girls, Auckward Love), Kristin Sims (Fern Sutherland – The Almighty Johnsons, A Mistake) and Daniel Chalmers (Jarod Rawiri – Boy, Shortland Street) continue to grapple with the tranquil town’s ever-growing murder rate. With the help of their eccentric pathologist, Dr. Gina Kadinsky (Cristina Ionda – Out of Season, Filthy Rich), and the trusty locals, they must employ all manner of unorthodox techniques to solve their most bizarre and macabre murder investigations to date.  

 

The new series features six new feature length mysteries, from attempted alien abductions to a surfing priest with a dark history and a masquerade ball masking a mysterious death. The formidable team also dig into the strange case of a dead bride found by the tracks of a historic railway, a killer ukulele and a stolen family heirloom that leaves blood on the hands of fan-favourite siblings Ray Neilson (Jason Hoyte – What We Do in the Shadows, Nothing Trivial) and Trudy Neilson (Tracy Lee Gray – Educators). 

 

For a delightful mix of retro detective drama, intriguing investigations, warmth, wit and small-town charm, crack open a new casebook of crimes from New Zealand’s most murderous town with The Brokenwood Mysteries Series 12. 

The Brokenwood Mysteries Series 12 is set to arrive on DVD and digital on 20 July 2026, following its run on U&Drama.

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

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who plays Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd in The Brokenwood Mysteries?

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

Quick Terms and conditions

1. Closing date 27-07-26

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.

Here We Go Returns for Fourth Series as Filming Begins on BBC Comedy

Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

Filming is underway on the fourth series of BBC comedy Here We Go, with the Jessop family set to return for another collection of chaotic family adventures.

Produced by BBC Studios Comedy for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, the new six-part series will once again be created by and star Tom Basden, with the acclaimed ensemble cast reprising their roles.

Returning for the new series are Jim Howick as Paul, Katherine Parkinson as Rachel, Alison Steadman as Sue, Freya Parks as Amy, Jude Morgan-Collie as Sam, Tori Allen-Martin as Cherry, Mica Ricketts as Mica, Ed Kear as Ed and Jon Furlong as Jon.

The fourth series will continue to follow the ups and downs of the Jessop family as they navigate a new set of challenges involving love, loss, jealousy, a graduation, a birthday celebration, a surprise snail allergy and an eventful fun run.

Rachel is preparing to graduate while taking her first uncertain steps into political protest, while Paul continues trying to cope with feeling undervalued as a policeman. He also finds himself taking on some messy painting and decorating projects.

Robin continues his entrepreneurial ambitions, including a campaign designed to impress Dragons' Den, while also purchasing a property he knows little about. Cherry is attempting to balance raising baby Atlas with developing her new skills as a make-up artist.

Amy is searching for a fresh start, a job and a way to gain some distance from her family, while Sue struggles with sleep but still finds time to create a potentially dangerous home-brew. Meanwhile, Sam continues documenting the family's various disasters and moments of chaos up close.

All previous episodes of Here We Go are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer, with further details about the fourth series to be announced in due course.

Creator Tom Basden, says: “Working with such an incredible comedy cast is a pleasure and a privilege so I’m thrilled to be bringing Here We Go back to the BBC for a fourth time. We’ve only just started shooting but it’s already shaping up to be the best series yet!”

Channel 4 Pilots Alex Horne's New Play-at-Home Gameshow Your Time Starts Now

Image: Ch4

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4 is piloting a new play-at-home gameshow, Your Time Starts Now (working title), created and developed by Alex Horne and Andy Devonshire. Set within the Taskmaster universe, the new format will see households across the UK competing against one another by completing a series of inventive tasks without ever leaving their homes.

Horne, the creator and host of the BAFTA and Rose d'Or-winning Taskmaster, reunites with Devonshire, the founding Series Director on shows including The Apprentice, The Great British Bake Off and Taskmaster, to bring the new concept to life.

Your Time Starts Now builds on ideas first explored in Horne's earlier projects, including The Button, which aired on the BBC in 2018, and HomeTasking, the online series created to entertain audiences during the 2020 lockdown. The new gameshow challenges five teams of friends and families from around the UK to put their creativity, teamwork, speed, lateral thinking and general knowledge to the test as they take on Horne's typically devious tasks from their own homes.

The format follows the critical success of The Button, which received praise for its original approach to the gameshow genre. Reviewers described it as a genuinely interesting new concept, with others highlighting its addictive nature and the way it found originality by transforming ordinary living rooms into the setting for the competition.

HomeTasking also attracted a global audience, receiving more than six million views on YouTube. The series was watched in 125 countries, reaching viewers from the UK and the US to Moldova and Mongolia.

Your Time Starts Now continues Alex Horne's exploration of home-based entertainment, with five teams of friends and families competing through a series of creative challenges that test their speed, teamwork, knowledge and lateral thinking without ever leaving their homes.

Alex Horne, creator and host, said: "I've had the pleasure of being in the room while countless comedians have tried and usually failed on Taskmaster and I've learnt that for the most part, that lot are sneaky loveable idiots. With Your Time Starts Now, I'm now excited and intrigued to see how the rest of the country can cope doing simple things under the pressure of time-constraints, dogged rivals and my own snarky gaze. Good luck people of the UK. I shall be watching."

BBC Announces New Comedy Drama Ann Droid Starring Sue Johnston And Diane Morgan

Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

BBC One is set to air Ann Droid, a new comedy series exploring friendship, grief and the growing role of artificial intelligence in everyday life.

The series follows Sue, a grieving widow, and Linda, her outdated care robot who regularly gets things wrong and creates chaos, but ultimately helps Sue rediscover how to enjoy life again.

Set in a world where AI is becoming an increasingly present part of daily life, Ann Droid explores the question of what can truly be replaced and what cannot. The series combines comedy with a more emotional story about an unlikely friendship between a human and a machine.

Sue Johnston stars as Sue, while Diane Morgan plays Linda, a social humanoid robot designed to provide companionship for elderly people while also monitoring their health.

Through their unexpected relationship, Ann Droid examines the connections people form, the challenges of change, and the ways technology can affect human lives.

Ann Droid will air weekly on BBC One from Friday 17 July at 9.30pm, subject to confirmation, and will launch on BBC iPlayer at 6am on the same day.

BBC Announces Evolution, A Journey Through Four Billion Years Of Life On Earth

Image: BBC Studios/Freddie Claire

By Jon Donnis

BBC Studios is set to explore the incredible history of life on Earth with Evolution, a new five-part science series presented by Chris Packham.

The series will reveal how life has transformed over more than four billion years, using the latest scientific discoveries and immersive visual effects to uncover the evolutionary breakthroughs that shaped every living thing found on the planet today.

Rather than following a straightforward timeline, Evolution will take a different approach by focusing each episode on the deep evolutionary story of one iconic modern animal. Through these journeys, the series will explore how survival, chance, innovation and partnerships between species have helped create the extraordinary variety of life we see around us.

The ambitious production has been supported by the work of more than 600 scientists from around the world, who contributed their knowledge and expertise to the storytelling, scripts and visual effects. The series also received guidance from Series Academic Consultant Professor Peter Holland FRS, alongside a long-standing collaboration with The Open University.

At the centre of Evolution are its immersive visual effects sequences, created to take viewers billions of years into the past and introduce the creatures and moments that helped shape the evolution of life on Earth. The production team worked with award-winning VFX producer Moonraker to bring these ancient worlds and their inhabitants to life.

The series features 79 minutes of photoreal visual effects, made up of 242 individual shots. More than 20 different creatures have been recreated through CGI, with a total of 118,629 individual CGI frames used throughout the production.

Evolution is a BBC Studios Science Unit production made in partnership with The Open University.