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Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas
''Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas'' is a comedy sketch show written by and starring comedian Victoria Wood, broadcast on Christmas Eve 2009. The programme, Wood's first sketch show for nine years, was described by Wood as being "a whole night's telly crammed into one hour". The special featured a spoof documentary titled ''Beyond The Marigolds'', in which Wood's long-time collaborator Julie Walters reprised her role as "Bo Beaumont", the actress behind ''Acorn Antiques'' character "Mrs. Overall". ''Beyond The Marigolds'' saw Beaumont's foray into the world of celebrity programming such as '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'', ''Dancing on Ice'' and ''Strictly Come Dancing''. The sketch included special guest appearances from Delia Smith, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and Anton du Beke. Sylvestra Le Touzel, Dorothy Atkinson, Marcia Warren, Harriet Thorpe, Jason Watkins, Reece Shearsmith, Richard Lintern and Lorraine Ashbourne Lorraine Ashbourne (born 7 January ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greece: in Athenian democracy, the public opinion of voters was influenced by political satire performed by comic poets in Ancient Greek theatre, theaters. The theatrical genre of Greek comedy can be described as a dramatic performance pitting two groups, ages, genders, or societies against each other in an amusing ''agon'' or conflict. Northrop Frye depicted these two opposing sides as a "Society of Youth" and a "Society of the Old". A revised view characterizes the essential agon of comedy as a struggle between a relatively powerless youth and the societal conventions posing obstacles to his hopes. In this struggle, the youth then becomes constrained by his lack of social authority, and is left with little choice but to resort to ruses which e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I'm A Celebrity
''I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' is a reality television TV format, format in which a number of celebrities live together in a jungle environment for a number of weeks, competing to be crowned "King-" or "Queen of the Jungle". The show was originally created in the United Kingdom by Granada Television and produced by its subsidiary, ITV (TV network), ITV's then London franchise London Weekend Television (LWT) and developed by a team including James Allen, Natalka Znak, Brent Baker and Stewart Morris. The first episode was aired on 25 August 2002, hosted by Ant McPartlin, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, better known as Ant & Dec, Ant and Dec. It is now produced by ITV Studios and has been licensed globally to countries including the United States, Germany, France, Hungary, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Romania, Russia, Australia and India. Filming location The British, German and the 2003 American versions of the series take place in New South Wales, Au ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christmas Television Specials
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in literature and in music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptations of Christmas novels, in the forms of Christmas films, Santa Claus films, and Christmas television specials. It also includes animation, comics, and children's books, including ''A Charlie Brown Christmas'', ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'', and ''Frosty the Snowman''. Films Many Christmas stories have been adapted to movies and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on TV. Since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, their many editions are sold and re-sold every year during the holiday shopping season. Notable examples are the many versions of the ballet ''The Nutcracker'', the 1946 film '' It's a Wonderful Life'', and the similarly themed versions of Dickens' ''A Christmas Carol'', in which the elderly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Television Sketch Shows
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current state with its current name on New Year's Day 1927. The oldest and largest local and global broadcaster by stature and by number of employees, the BBC employs over 21,000 staff in total, of whom approximately 17,200 are in public-sector broadcasting. The BBC was established under a royal charter, and operates under an agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts or to use the BBC's streaming service, iPlayer. The fee is set by the British government, agreed by Parliament, and is used to fund the BBC's radio, T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lorraine Ashbourne
Lorraine Ashbourne (born 7 January 1961) is an English actress. Early life Ashbourne was born 7 January 1961, in Manchester, England. She attended Wilbraham High School, when living in Fallowfield. She joined Stretford Children's Theatre. She took part in the University of Manchester Stage Society and Manchester Youth Theatre. She joined the Webber Drama School on 19 April 1982. Career Ashbourne has appeared on British series and television films, including: '' Playing the Field'' (1998), '' Unforgotten'' (2017), ''Grantchester'' (2017), '' Maigret in Montmartre'' (2017), ''Midsomer Murders'' (2018), '' The Street'', and ''Jericho''. As a stage actor, Lorraine regularly appeared at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, portraying roles such as Kate Hardcastle in '' She Stoops to Conquer'' and Emilia in ''Othello'', acting in both of these alongside her husband Andy Serkis. In 2019, she starred as Barbara Castle in ''The Crown'' (2019), and from 2020, she starred as Mrs. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Lintern
Richard Charles Lintern (born 8 October 1962) is an English stage, voice and screen actor. Early life Lintern was born in Taunton, Somerset. He studied English Literature at Durham University. He subsequently won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Career Lintern has an extensive stage career, spending most professional time in the West End and the Royal National Theatre. He has appeared across the UK, including leading roles at the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Bristol Old Vic. and many others. Recent productions include ''Elephants'' at Hampstead Theatre, ''Jumpy'' at the Royal Court, ''Blue/Orange'' in Birmingham and ''Clybourne Park'' at the Park Theatre. Lintern has played leading roles in a wide range of television and film projects. Recent productions include ''Silent Witness'', ''Cell 8'', ''Nolly'', ''The Reckoning'', ''Young Wallander'', ''White House Farm'', ''The Cro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Watkins
Jason Peter Watkins (born 28 October 1962) is an English stage, film and television actor. He played the lead role in the two-part drama ''The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies'', for which he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He has also played William Herrick (Being Human), William Herrick in ''Being Human (British TV series), Being Human'', Gavin Strong in ''Trollied'', Simon Harwood in ''W1A (TV series), W1A,'' Gordon Shakespeare in the film series ''Nativity (film series), Nativity'', British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Season 3 of ''The Crown (TV series), The Crown'' and Detective Sergeant Dodds in ''McDonald & Dodds''. Early life Watkins was born in 1962, in Windsor Road, Albrighton, east Shropshire, Albrighton, Shropshire, where he lived until the age of seven, when his parents moved to Wolverhampton. His father Alan was a metallurgist at Marston in Wolverhampton and his mother a teacher at Albrighton's primary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harriet Thorpe
Harriet Amelia Thorpe (born 8 June 1957) is an English actress. Thorpe trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. She is known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Brittas Empire'' (1991–1997) and ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992–2012), and has also starred in the West End musicals ''Cabaret'' (2006), ''Wicked'' (2008) and '' Mamma Mia!'' (2010). In 2023, she took over the role of Elaine Peacock in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Early life Harriet Amelia Thorpe was born on 8 June 1957 in Hampstead, London. She is the daughter of Gillian (née Freeman), a writer, and Edward Thorpe, an actor and writer. Her younger sister is the actress Matilda Thorpe. Thorpe studied dance at the Royal Ballet School and afterwards attended Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 1979. She is Jewish. Career Television She appeared in the 1990s British television sitcom '' The Brittas Empire'', playing Carole Parkinson, the receptionist who was prone to depressio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marcia Warren
Marcia Warren (born 26 November 1943) is an English stage, film and television actress. On stage, she appeared in '' Blithe Spirit'' as Madame Arcati and '' The Sea'' (2008) at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. In 2022 and 2023, she starred as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in seasons 5 and 6 of the Netflix historical drama series ''The Crown''. She is a two-time Olivier Award winner. Early life Warren trained as an actress at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 1963. From there on she took the path of many of her performing contemporaries, acting in repertory throughout the country, beginning as an assistant stage manager in ''David Copperfield'' in Salisbury. Career From 1983 to 1986 she played Vera in the BBC sitcom, '' No Place Like Home''. From 2013 to 2016, she played the role of Penelope in the ITV sitcom '' Vicious'' and also starred in the 2014 sitcom '' Edge of Heaven'' as Nanny Mo. She has also appeared in ''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dorothy Atkinson
Dorothy Caroline Atkinson (born 1966) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared in several plays by playwright Alan Ayckbourn and in films by Mike Leigh, including ''Topsy-Turvy'', '' All or Nothing'', and '' Mr. Turner'', which premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and for which she was nominated for the BIFA for Best Supporting Actress. In television, she has appeared as Zoe Parrish on ITV drama '' London's Burning'', Jane Sutton in the BBC One drama ''Call the Midwife'', Pauline in the BBC Two sitcom '' Mum'', Florence Scanwell in the ITV Encore drama '' Harlots'', and Mary Pennyworth in the Epix/HBO Max drama '' Pennyworth''. An April 2021 announcement stated that Atkinson would be joining the cast of the second series of '' All Creatures Great and Small'' as Diana Brompton. Personal life Atkinson is from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Her father was a bursar for a school in Nottinghamshire and she has one sister. Her nickname is "Dot". She is married to a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sylvestra Le Touzel
Sylvestra Le Touzel (born 20 October 1958) is an English actress. Known for her character work in television, radio, film and theatre, she began her career as a child actor before moving into adult roles. She is married to actor Owen Teale, with whom she has two children. Career Television work (1968–present) Le Touzel began her career at the age of ten, playing a child who bedevils the Second Doctor in the 1968 ''Doctor Who'' story ''The Mind Robber''. She later starred on the BBC's "Look and Read", appearing as Helen in their 1971 serial ''The Boy from Space''. An early adult role was her portrayal of Fanny Price in the BBC dramatisation of Jane Austen's ''Mansfield Park'' (1983). In 1985, Le Touzel co-starred with Bryan Pringle in a television advertisement for Heineken. A parody of the "Rain in Spain" scene from ''My Fair Lady'', it saw Pringle's character teaching a posh woman (Le Touzel) how to speak cockney by repeating: "The wa'er in Major'a don' taste like wot id ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strictly Come Dancing
''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of judges. The title of the show is a continuation of the long-running series ''Come Dancing''. The format has been exported to 60 other countries under the title ''Dancing with the Stars'', licensed by BBC Worldwide, and led to a modern dance-themed spin-off ''Strictly Dance Fever''. The ''Guinness World Records'' named ''Strictly'' as the world's most successful reality television format in 2010. The series is currently presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Bruce Forsyth co-presented the series with Daly until 2013, returning for special episodes until November 2015. The series has been broadcast on BBC One since 15 May 2004, typically on Saturday evenings with a following Sunday night results show. From series ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
