Showing posts with label absolutely fabulous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label absolutely fabulous. Show all posts
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Absolutely Fabulous... the movie? Joanna Lumley confirms partner in comedy Jennifer Saunders IS penning a screenplay (MAIL ON LINE)
Absolutely Fabulous film due out 'in time for 2014 Oscars'
By DENI KIRKOVA
PUBLISHED: 13:31 EST, 25 January 2013 | UPDATED: 13:31 EST, 25 January 2013
'Is champers all right with you, Pats?', 'Lovely darling.'
The unmistakeably posh lexicon of hit TV series Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is set to return to screens as soon as next year, in the form of a feature film, it has been revealed.
The woman behind lead character Patsy Stone - a botox, champagne and drug addicted magazine editor - has confirmed an Ab Fab movie is on the way.
Joanna Lumley, 66, confirming the news reported in the Mail last year that a film was in the pipeline, told the Telegraph: 'We've talked about it, Jennifer [Saunders] is writing the film.
'Although yesterday the press were saying it's a musical now! But whatever it is, I'll be there.'
She also said while she's alive no-one but her will play Patsy, even if that means brushing up on her all but non-existent singing and dancing skills.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2268259/Absolutely-Fabulous--movie-Joanna-Lumley-confirms-Jennifer-Saunders-writing-screenplay.html#ixzz2J5vYKLjI
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
By DENI KIRKOVA
PUBLISHED: 13:31 EST, 25 January 2013 | UPDATED: 13:31 EST, 25 January 2013
'Is champers all right with you, Pats?', 'Lovely darling.'
The unmistakeably posh lexicon of hit TV series Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is set to return to screens as soon as next year, in the form of a feature film, it has been revealed.
The woman behind lead character Patsy Stone - a botox, champagne and drug addicted magazine editor - has confirmed an Ab Fab movie is on the way.
Joanna Lumley, 66, confirming the news reported in the Mail last year that a film was in the pipeline, told the Telegraph: 'We've talked about it, Jennifer [Saunders] is writing the film.
'Although yesterday the press were saying it's a musical now! But whatever it is, I'll be there.'
She also said while she's alive no-one but her will play Patsy, even if that means brushing up on her all but non-existent singing and dancing skills.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2268259/Absolutely-Fabulous--movie-Joanna-Lumley-confirms-Jennifer-Saunders-writing-screenplay.html#ixzz2J5vYKLjI
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Jennifer Saunders: 'I couldn't afford to have an ounce of cynicism' The Ab Fab star on writing her Spice Girls musical, why she loves playing Edina and the joy of being a granny Interview by Tim Adams (GUARDIAN)
‘I cried at the first full run of the show’: Jennifer Saunders at home with her dog, Olive. Photograph: Perou
You've written a lot of scripts but a full-scale musical is something different. How is Viva Forever! going?
It's going well I think. I saw a full run of the show yesterday for the first time. I didn't sleep a lot last night: a mixture of excitement and sheer terror. It is much more of a massive thing than anything I've done before, really. And there are large parts of it where I realise I have absolutely nothing to offer at all. Like choreography. Moving people around the stage. All that. I'm used to writing scripts that make frequent use of the words "cut to". But of course you can't do that here. I was hoping I might get away with "lights out" or "curtain down" or something but of course it turns out you can't do that because this actor has to be offstage and in the next scene in different clothes. I'm not good at logistics…
READ MORE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2012/nov/18/jennifer-saunders-spice-girls-interview
Sunday, October 21, 2012
YOU interview with Joanna Lumley: 'It’s for charity, schweedie!' By LIZ JONES (MAIL ON LINE)
‘I have all these clothes at home… I thought to myself, “Don’t be selfish”,' says Joanna
When you meet Joanna Lumley, it’s disconcerting. She’s so Patsy, the Absolutely Fabulous comic creation surely up there with Inspector Clouseau, Sybil Fawlty and Bridget Jones, and yet at the same time so not.
She arrives at the auction house in South London where her wardrobe – including her Ab Fab outfits – is about to go on sale, all long legs, thigh boots and poncho, and when she smiles hello she almost does that Patsy grimace: bared teeth accompanied by a wild snort.
The enthusiasm is the same, the striding about, the air-kissing of everyone in the room. But of course Joanna Lumley is not Patsy. She tells me she only really becomes the character when her hair is up in that trademark beehive.
‘That’s all my own hair, you know,’ she says. ‘I’ve got good working hair. Backcombed, of course. Jennifer Saunders called it Mr Whippy. I never used a wig or a hairpiece.’ I tell her the key to the character is that she remains just this side of reality, that I know people who have worked in fashion for too long who are just like Patsy, syphoning up dregs from all the near empty wine glasses in a restaurant as they leave, nothing to live for but the next Chanel show.
‘It was Jennifer [Saunders] as Eddy who wore all the extreme stuff, putting on lots of different looks at the same time,’ says Joanna. ‘The Lacroix, the oversize hip-hop medallions, the denim boiler suits: the key was that Jen always wore something either two sizes too big, or too small. Patsy dressed exactly as a fashion editor would: the perfect Chanel jacket no one else has got. She dressed immaculately most of the time, in lovely neutrals – she always looked elegant. The mistake people make when they dress up as her is that they make her quite tarty, which she wasn’t. I was Jennifer’s foil, always plain and simple.’
Joanna is selling 16 lots, including some from Absolutely Fabulous, worn across the series from 1995 to 2011, the films Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther (1982 and 1983), and The New Avengers TV series (late 70s). There are also items from her personal wardrobe, such as the Pucci dress she wore to celebrate her opening night in La Bête on Broadway in 2010, and the ivory and gold lace Tatters dress she wore to collect her Bafta Special Award for The New Avengers in 2000, all to raise money for the Prince’s Trust.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2219050/Joanna-Lumley-Its-charity-schweedie.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Friday, July 13, 2012
Ab Fab snub Madonna ACCESS ALL AREAS, The West Australian July 13, 2012, 11:05 am
Jennifer Saunders has banned Madonna from appearing on her smash-hit comedy Absolutely Fabulous. Saunders, who writes and stars in the popular series with Joanna Lumley, has made no secret of her desire for Madonna to appear on the show over the last two decades but has now given up after the Material Girl has continued to snub her requests. "We have had loads of celebrities who have said no to us, but always Madonna. Madonna is the bane of our lives," Saunders said. "In fact even if she said yes now we would have to turn her down. Madonna has always said no - and so are we."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhwDGU4FNAY&feature=player_embedded
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
French and Saunders to reunite (HELLO!)
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are to reunite for a comedy special - set in rehab.
The Bafta-winning comic duo, who have not performed together since a Comic Relief sketch in 2009, are to star in a new instalment of The Comic Strip Presents, titled Five Go To Rehab.
"It's great that Dawn and Jennifer are back together again. Viewers have really missed them," an insider told the Sun.
Jennifer's husband Ade Emondson will also appear in the upcoming show - a spoof of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books - which will be filmed this month in Devon before being aired later this year on comedy channel Gold.
READ MORE: http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities-news-in-pics/02-07-2012/59667/
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Saffy’s back and Absolutely Fabulous By Rob Salem (TORONTO.COM)
Ignored, insulted, breastfed by strangers, sold into white slavery, exposed from atop the Eiffel Tower . . .
Julia Sawalha had finally had enough.
“When I was asked to do the 20th anniversary special, I was reticent about it,” confides the actress who has, as Safflower “Saffy” Monsoon, barely tolerated the antics of her fictional mom Edwina (Jennifer Saunders) and chain-smoking nemesis Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) in several seasons and specials of Absolutely Fabulous, the cult-hit Britcom about the rich and toasted.
“I felt I had put Saffy to ‘sleep’ and wasn’t sure if I could resurrect her,” she says. “It was kind of like she had turned into a ventriloquist’s dummy that was lying in a dusty old box, and if I got her out I would just be working her like a puppet.
“But as Jennifer emailed me a couple of ideas she had planned for Saffy, I immediately roared with laughter and everything sprang to life.”
The first of those ideas, and the starting point for the first of two half-hour AbFab specials airing on Vision TV this Thursday and July 5: Saffy has just spent two years in prison on fraud charges.
Sawalha, like Saffy, takes these things in stride. “I don’t have a reaction to storylines, as we have quite a thin grasp of the text/plot when we first start,” she says. “I never get attached to certain lines or plots, as things get cut and changed right up to the last minute.
“Though you can get a recurring joke that pops up in the next script, then gets cut again, that always makes me laugh.”
Laughter sets the tone on the AbFab set. “There is an awful lot of laughing that goes on during rehearsals . . . what I really love is seeing Jennifer laugh; it is very infectious. Also, when she is laughing, of course it is going to be at something very funny.”
Memories of those days made the decision to come back a no-brainer. “Jennifer’s enthusiasm to work with us all came across very clearly,” she says.
“I thought, ‘Are you crazy, Julia? You love working with the girls, Go have some fun.’
READ MORE:http://www.toronto.com/article/734561--saffy-s-back-and-absolutely-fabulous
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
BAFTA nominated comedy Twenty Twelve starring Hugh Bonneville and Olivia Coleman is to air on BBC America. (ATV)
PRESS RELEASE:
The BAFTA nominated docu-comedy series Twenty Twelve, starring BAFTA nominee Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), joins BBC AMERICA’s Ministry of Laughs comedy block just in time for the Summer Games. From executive producer Jon Plowman (The Office, Extras, Absolutely Fabulous) and writer John Morton (People Like Us), the series follows the team responsible for delivering the biggest show on earth: the London Olympics. Twenty Twelve premieres with three back-to-back episodes on Thursday, June 28, 9:00pm ET, then moves to its regular time slot on Saturday, June 30, midnight ET as part of the Ministry of Laughs comedy block. The first season will be immediately followed by season two.
Bringing together actors and creators of some of Britain’s most iconic comedies – Twenty Twelve’s cast includes BAFTA nominee Olivia Colman (Peep Show), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Amelia Bullmore (I’m Alan Partridge), Vincent Franklin (The Thick of It) and Karl Theobald (Green Wing), and is narrated by David Tennant (The Spies of Warsaw, Doctor Who).
Twenty Twelve deals with such hot topics as how to phase the traffic lights across London to get people from west to east, which celebrities should be approached to carry the Torch and what to do when protesters leave large quantities of horse dung on the doorstep in protest at the equestrian events. From how to cope with athletes who want to help but are just too dull, to getting a busload of non-English speaking Brazilians from A to B, this crack team of experts is paddling hard beneath the water to make the Olympics happen in London in 2012. With £9 billion to spend and plenty of time before the deadline, what can possibly go wrong?
READ MORE: http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/twenty-twelve-coming-to-bbc-america45234/
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
BBC America to show raft of Brit shows for Summer of London (TELEVISUAL)
BBC America is running a season of British programming this Summer, from The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June through the London Olympics in August, live event coverage will be accompanied by a raft of comedies, documentaries, dramas and special features across all of BBC America’s branded platforms under the umbrella - BBC America’s Summer of London.
Programming will include live coverage of both the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant for Her Majesty The Queen and Jubilee Day, including Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
As a tribute to the London Olympics, the channel will air the long-awaited Olympic themed Absolutely Fabulous special starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley and Doctor Who’s Matt Smith stars in the drama Going for Gold – The ’48 Games.
The channel will premiere The Brit List, a series of specials hosted by BBC America’s pop culture correspondent Asha Leo, as well as a series of Asha Leo hosted short-form pieces featuring insider highlights of the upcoming summer activities.
The last great British culture invasion will be celebrated with a slate of Beatles programming, including the premiere of the documentary Discovering Lennon and the entire series of The Tudors.
Perry Simon, general manager of BBC America, said, “It feels like we’re in the midst of a new British cultural invasion and this coming summer offers a non-stop series of events and stories that will put London front and centre on the world stage. If you can’t experience it in person, we want to make BBC America the next best place for Americans to celebrate this historic Summer of London.”
On June 5th, the celebration carries on with live Jubilee Day coverage including the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, together with other members of the Royal family, will attend a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, which will be followed by a formal carriage procession.
READ MORE: http://www.televisual.com/news-detail/BBC-America-to-show-raft-of-Brit-shows-for-Summer-of-London_nid-1611.html
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
BBC America Celebrates Summer of London Categories: Network TV Press Releases Written By Amanda Kondolojy May 9th, 2012 (TV BY THE NUMBERS)
via press release:
BBC AMERICA CELEBRATES THE SUMMER OF LONDON
Live Coverage of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
US Premiere Comedies: Twenty Twelve and Absolutely Fabulous
World Premiere Specials: The Brit List hosted by Asha Leo
US Premiere Documentaries: The Diamond Queen and Discovering Lennon
US Premiere Drama: Going For Gold – The ’48 Games
Entire Series Marathon: The Tudors
Multi-platform Summer of London countdown hosted by Asha Leo
The channel announced today BBC AMERICA’s Summer of London programming will include live coverage of both the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant for Her Majesty The Queen and Jubilee Day, including Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, as well as the US premiere of the landmark documentary The Diamond Queen.
As a tribute to the London Olympics, the channel will air highly acclaimed comedy Twenty Twelve starring Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, an Olympic themed Absolutely Fabulous special starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley and Doctor Who’s Matt Smith stars in the uplifting drama Going for Gold – The ’48 Games.
On the pop culture front, the channel will premiere The Brit List, a series of specials hosted by BBC AMERICA’s pop culture correspondent Asha Leo, as well as a series of Asha Leo hosted short-form pieces featuring insider highlights of the upcoming summer activities.
The last great British culture invasion will be celebrated with a slate of Beatles programming, including the premiere of the documentary Discovering Lennon, plus BBC AMERICA will get into the royal spirit with a marathon of the entire series of The Tudors.
Perry Simon, General Manager of BBC AMERICA, said: “It feels like we’re in the midst of a new British cultural invasion and this coming summer offers a non-stop series of events and stories that will put London front and center on the world stage. If you can’t experience it in person, we want to make BBC AMERICA the next best place for Americans to celebrate this historic Summer of London.”
READ EVERYTHING: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/09/bbc-america-celebrates-summer-of-london/133164/
Sunday, April 8, 2012
BBC’s very own “Downton Abbey” - Fermanagh-filmed “Nick Nickleby” set for big success - VIDEOS North's attracting top flight projects due to pristine locations and talented film crews By ANTOINETTE KELLY, IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Crom Castle
It's already being dubbed the new Downton Abbey, but the fact is that the BBC's new period comedy Blandings has a better writer: P.G. Wodehouse.
It's the latest top flight project that will be filmed in the north or Ireland, with a cast that includes Absolutely Fabulous' Jennifer Saunder and Harry Potter star Timothy Spall. Blandings will be filmed in the imposing surroundings of Crom Castle, in County Fermanagh, and is sure to highlight the north's pristine landscapes and the talent of their world class film crews.
Tourism Minister Arlene Foster told the Belfast Telegraph: 'The fact that Crom Castle was selected as the venue to film the PG Wodehouse Blandings stories is a real coup for Fermanagh. It was great to meet the cast and crew, and to see at first hand the program being filmed.'
Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/BBCs-very-own-Downton-Abbey---Fermanagh-filmed-Nick-Nickleby-set-for-big-success---VIDEOS-146528595.html
Friday, March 23, 2012
Jennifer Saunders: Kate Moss is least precious guest star
Jennifer Saunders says Kate Moss is the "least precious" guest star 'Absolutely Fabulous' has ever had because she doesn't care about her looks.
The 38-year-old supermodel will appear alongside comediennes Jennifer and Joanna Lumley in a one-off special of the BBC One show in aid of Sport Relief tomorrow night (23.03.12) and Jennifer revealed Kate threw herself into her cameo and wasn't worried about her appearance.
Jennifer - who is the face of the new Choccy Philly campaign - exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "We've got Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and David Gandy. We've done French and Saunders stuff with Kate before and she's been wonderful so it was great to work with her again.
She's really good, she's really professional and she looks amazing. "She comes in, lets the hair and make-up people do whatever they want, she isn't precious about her appearance at all but I suppose when you look like that you don't need to. You can put anything on her face and she'll look good. She is honestly probably the least precious person we've had on. I suppose because she doesn't have all those hang ups about her looks like other people. She just threw herself into it and was wonderful."
READ MORE: http://www.list.co.uk/article/41191-jennifer-saunders-kate-moss-is-least-precious-guest-star/
Monday, March 19, 2012
Kate Moss is Absolutely Fabulous in new role (THE SUN)
She was praised for her guest performance on an Absolutely Fabulous sketch by Joanna Lumley, who plays the show's Patsy Stone.
The special instalment of the cult comedy will be shown during an evening of programmes on BBC1 in aid of charity Sport Relief 2012 this Friday.
Appearing as herself, Kate will join Essex model David Gandy and designer Stella McCartney for a meeting with boozy fashion director boss Patsy. Meanwhile, Jennifer Saunders' character, barmy PR boss Edina "Eddy" Monsoon, will be joined by former Spice Girl Emma Bunton as she takes to the gym to work out for Sport Relief with celebrity trainers Linford Christie and Colin Jackson.
READ MORE: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4203455/Kate-Mosss-Ab-Fab-role.html
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Actress Joanna Lumley braves danger in search of Noah’s ark in Iran Joanna Lumley, the actress, will defy Foreign Office advice and travel to Iran to film a documentary about Noah's ark.(THE TELEGRAPH)
By Richard Eden7:30
AM GMT 18 Mar 2012
Joanna Lumley has campaigned on animal welfare issues, fought for the rights of Gurkhas, and even attempted to win membership of the all-male Garrick Club.
Now, however, the actress is planning her most daunting mission yet. The star of Absolutely Fabulous tells Mandrake that she is to defy Foreign Office advice and journey into Iran, in search of Noah’s ark. “I’m going to have to get my hard hat on and my bulletproof vest,” she says.
“I’ve got a new documentary to make for the end of the year, where I’m going to try and find Noah’s ark. They’ve found the ruins of something that looks like a big ship in the hills.”
READ MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9150497/Actress-Joanna-Lumley-braves-danger-in-search-of-Noahs-ark-in-Iran.html
Thursday, January 19, 2012
'Absolutely Fabulous': Second 20th Anniversary Special Gets Premiere Date On Logo (Huff Post)
Posted: 1/18/12 12:14 PM ET
Sweetie, darling! Edina and her pill-popping friend Patsy are back! Jennifer Saunders (Edina) and Joanna Lumley (Patsy) return for an all-new, second "Absolutely Fabulous" 20th Anniversary special on Logo.
This is the second of three planned TV specials. The "Absolutely Fabulous 20th Anniversary Special" aired earlier this month, to stellar reviews, on both Logo and BBC America.
Here's how Logo describes the second "Ab Fab" special:
In the newest special, titled “Job,” Edina (Saunders) takes on a celebrity client who wants to sing. When Edina discovers how awful her client’s voice really is, she'll need to recruit some help from her other clients, Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls and Lulu, to help prepare the client for her upcoming debut.The second "Absolutely Fabulous 20th Anniversary Special" airs Mon., Feb. 6 at 10:30 p.m. EST on BBC America and Logo. Below, check out some of TV's "Ab Fab" women, past and present, who have Eddy and Pasty to thank.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/08/absolutely-fabulous-tv-inspirations_n_1192588.html
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Downton Abbey most watched Christmas Day show (Radio Times)
Consolidated ratings help ITV1's period drama overtake EastEnders
It may be set almost a century in the past, but period drama Downton Abbey has modern technology to thank for making it the most-watched Christmas Day programme of 2011.
Following the release of initial overnight viewing figures, EastEnders was pronounced the winner of the battle of 25 December telly, having beaten Downton in the 9pm slot by almost 2 million viewers.
But consolidated ratings - including viewers who recorded the show on set-top boxes and watched it in the seven days after it was broadcast - added a further 3.5 million to the ITV1 drama’s original tally of 8.1 million.
That puts Downton top of the pile, with a total of 11.6 million against 11.3 million for EastEnders, which added just 1.5 million after so-called “time-shift viewing”.
But why might viewers have opted to record Downton and watch EastEnders? Big soap storylines are, by their very nature, event TV, and catching up with drama that continues to unfold across a week is potentially more difficult than watching a stand-alone episode like Downton later on.
Downton’s two-hour running time asked viewers to sacrifice a considerable chunk of Christmas Day, too. And complaints that the last series featured an excessive amount of adverts suggest people might have recorded it so they could skip through the commercials.
Whatever the reason, the boost the consolidated figures provided for Downton also came at a cost for ITV. The Christmas Day episode of Coronation Street - ranked second based on the overnight figures - was pushed into fourth place thanks to Downton and Doctor Who, the latter gaining almost 2 million viewers from time-shift viewing, giving it a consolidated total of 10.8 million and making it the third most-watched Christmas Day programme.
Meanwhile, Absolutely Fabulous swapped places with the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, adding 1.5 million further viewers after time-shift viewing was taken into account, for a total of 9.1 million.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas Roadshow and The Gruffalo's Child, both on BBC1, leapfrogged ITV1's Emmerdale when consolidated figures were compared with overnights, with the Queen's address to the nation on BBC1 completing the top ten programmes based on consolidated ratings.
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-01-04/downton-abbey-most-watched-christmas-day-show
Following the release of initial overnight viewing figures, EastEnders was pronounced the winner of the battle of 25 December telly, having beaten Downton in the 9pm slot by almost 2 million viewers.
But consolidated ratings - including viewers who recorded the show on set-top boxes and watched it in the seven days after it was broadcast - added a further 3.5 million to the ITV1 drama’s original tally of 8.1 million.
That puts Downton top of the pile, with a total of 11.6 million against 11.3 million for EastEnders, which added just 1.5 million after so-called “time-shift viewing”.
But why might viewers have opted to record Downton and watch EastEnders? Big soap storylines are, by their very nature, event TV, and catching up with drama that continues to unfold across a week is potentially more difficult than watching a stand-alone episode like Downton later on.
Downton’s two-hour running time asked viewers to sacrifice a considerable chunk of Christmas Day, too. And complaints that the last series featured an excessive amount of adverts suggest people might have recorded it so they could skip through the commercials.
Whatever the reason, the boost the consolidated figures provided for Downton also came at a cost for ITV. The Christmas Day episode of Coronation Street - ranked second based on the overnight figures - was pushed into fourth place thanks to Downton and Doctor Who, the latter gaining almost 2 million viewers from time-shift viewing, giving it a consolidated total of 10.8 million and making it the third most-watched Christmas Day programme.
Meanwhile, Absolutely Fabulous swapped places with the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, adding 1.5 million further viewers after time-shift viewing was taken into account, for a total of 9.1 million.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas Roadshow and The Gruffalo's Child, both on BBC1, leapfrogged ITV1's Emmerdale when consolidated figures were compared with overnights, with the Queen's address to the nation on BBC1 completing the top ten programmes based on consolidated ratings.
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-01-04/downton-abbey-most-watched-christmas-day-show
Sunday, January 1, 2012
FESTIVE DOWNTON ABBEY A WINNER (spoilers) (Express.co)
Matthew (Dan Stevens) and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) finally find happiness
NOT SINCE Del Boy and Rodders got lucky with that £6million watch in their Peckham lock-up has there been such an uplifting Christmas special.
Writer Julian Fellowes couldn’t have crammed more festive cheer into this crowd-pleasing, feature-length episode of Downton Abbey (ITV1, Christmas Day) if he had promised a yule log and a fireside chat with Lord Grantham to every viewer.
Downton just had it all and seemed especially gift-wrapped for the season.
It even resolved (for now) several plotlines that have kept us hooked, with added period flummery along the way.
We had an engagement, a nasty cad, a flirty bit, a dognapping, much business with a ouija board, a shooting party and finally a fist fight. carson even received that spiffing present from his Lordship, a book about european royalty, a real must-have. “i will certainly be enjoying that m’lord!” he chuntered. Hilarious.
Downton just had it all and seemed especially gift-wrapped for the season.
It even resolved (for now) several plotlines that have kept us hooked, with added period flummery along the way.
We had an engagement, a nasty cad, a flirty bit, a dognapping, much business with a ouija board, a shooting party and finally a fist fight. carson even received that spiffing present from his Lordship, a book about european royalty, a real must-have. “i will certainly be enjoying that m’lord!” he chuntered. Hilarious.
I defy anyone not to have been entertained by this episode, even if they were sleeping off Christmas.
Downton brought a warmth to the room.
We even caught sight of a christmas pudding, although we missed out on seeing the entire christmas table. Mrs Patmore must have had an attack of the vapours.
So what of the engagement?
Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary, in true Mills and Boon style, finally had an impediment to their happiness removed: a nasty newspaper baron.
Downton brought a warmth to the room.
We even caught sight of a christmas pudding, although we missed out on seeing the entire christmas table. Mrs Patmore must have had an attack of the vapours.
So what of the engagement?
Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary, in true Mills and Boon style, finally had an impediment to their happiness removed: a nasty newspaper baron.
With Iain Glen’s sir Richard Carlisle off the scene, Matthew did the decent thing and forgave Lady Mary for her dalliance with turkish diplomat Mr Pamuk.
We don’t wish to hear about that again, thank you.
Ever the gentleman, but with prompting, Matthew went down on bended knee in the fake snow to ask for her hand in marriage.
Before she said yes, we expected Mrs Patmore to rush out and declare her buns were on fire or that Lavinia had suddenly been found alive in the pantry.
As it turned out, nothing happened to spoil themoment. However, this was far from the highlight of the episode.ere are precious few punches thrown on television nowadays (unless it’s in eastenders) so the sight of two gentlemen “duking it out” on primetime TV in the Downton Abbey drawing room was a delight.
For some reason (important research), I’ve caught two John Wayne films recently and Matthew crawley wouldn’t have been out of place in the shootist. the poor dear even broke the skin on his knuckles. Bless. the only thing that would have topped this was a gentlemen’s duel on the front lawn with pistols. next series, please, Mr Fellowes.
THERE was much to applaud in Great Expectations (BBC1, Tuesday).
This new adaptation over three nights comes to the small screen with the long shadow cast from David Lean’s wonderful film still with us.
Although that film first aired on Boxing Day 1946, it is impossible to forget the image of John Mills as Pip.
It also chills me when the BBc says it is going to remake a classic using the words “bold” and “visceral” in the same sentence.
There was no need for concern, however, as the BBC treated us to the most atmospheric Dickens for many years.
there were some splendid performances too from both Pips in the first episode but the BAFtA- nudging turn came from Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. she was mad, intriguing, devilish and creepy; pure Havisham.
Ray Winstone’s Magwitch, too, was like a grease monkey who had been dragged backwards through a car engine. His scenes with Pip on the marshes were chilling and tormenting.However, it was the very words of Dickens that shone brightly through the mists of the marshes.
“If you can’t beat a boy at Christmas, when can you?” barked Pumblechook excitedly.
We all cheered for the seasonal return of corporal punishment or for Estella’s coldness to innocent Pip: “I suppose you don’t have time for the modern wonders of the world.”
There is nothing more enjoyably manipulative than a well-turned Dickens at Christmas.
When is a sitcom dead? Happily, we can report that there seemed to be much life left in Absolutely Fabulous (Christmas Day, BBC1). Indeed, the older the characters get, the funnier it becomes.
Jennifer Saunders’s writing is better than ever with pretty much a gag a line in this rollicking 30 minutes of comedy.
It is hard to believe that Ab Fab has been around since 1994. There were great performances too from Saunders, Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha (who had successfully escaped from the post office in Candleford).
Jane Horrocks also did a marvellous cameo, mocking Pippa Middleton’s walk down the aisle at the Royal Wedding. However, it was the topical gags which made the episode so funny, not least the new disease called “the Kardashians, multiplying before our eyes”.
The dream sequence involving the star of gritty Danish drama The Killing was inspired. Could there be scope for a new series? We hope so.
Finally, Laurence Fox was allowed out of Oxford and away from Lewis for Fast Freddie, The Widow And Me (ITV1, Tuesday), the made-to-order Christmas weepie.
You know that if a child walks into a hospice in the first five minutes you are not in comedy-drama territory.
Despite the bizarreness of the idea, in which millionaire Fox “hired a family” for the dying teenager, you kept watching and wondering when Freddie would twig. He did, eventually, and the nasty posh car salesman (Fox) was redeemed.
Expect a sequel in which he gives a Bentley to a starving tribe in Africa.
We don’t wish to hear about that again, thank you.
Ever the gentleman, but with prompting, Matthew went down on bended knee in the fake snow to ask for her hand in marriage.
Before she said yes, we expected Mrs Patmore to rush out and declare her buns were on fire or that Lavinia had suddenly been found alive in the pantry.
As it turned out, nothing happened to spoil themoment. However, this was far from the highlight of the episode.ere are precious few punches thrown on television nowadays (unless it’s in eastenders) so the sight of two gentlemen “duking it out” on primetime TV in the Downton Abbey drawing room was a delight.
For some reason (important research), I’ve caught two John Wayne films recently and Matthew crawley wouldn’t have been out of place in the shootist. the poor dear even broke the skin on his knuckles. Bless. the only thing that would have topped this was a gentlemen’s duel on the front lawn with pistols. next series, please, Mr Fellowes.
THERE was much to applaud in Great Expectations (BBC1, Tuesday).
This new adaptation over three nights comes to the small screen with the long shadow cast from David Lean’s wonderful film still with us.
Although that film first aired on Boxing Day 1946, it is impossible to forget the image of John Mills as Pip.
It also chills me when the BBc says it is going to remake a classic using the words “bold” and “visceral” in the same sentence.
There was no need for concern, however, as the BBC treated us to the most atmospheric Dickens for many years.
there were some splendid performances too from both Pips in the first episode but the BAFtA- nudging turn came from Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. she was mad, intriguing, devilish and creepy; pure Havisham.
Ray Winstone’s Magwitch, too, was like a grease monkey who had been dragged backwards through a car engine. His scenes with Pip on the marshes were chilling and tormenting.However, it was the very words of Dickens that shone brightly through the mists of the marshes.
“If you can’t beat a boy at Christmas, when can you?” barked Pumblechook excitedly.
We all cheered for the seasonal return of corporal punishment or for Estella’s coldness to innocent Pip: “I suppose you don’t have time for the modern wonders of the world.”
There is nothing more enjoyably manipulative than a well-turned Dickens at Christmas.
When is a sitcom dead? Happily, we can report that there seemed to be much life left in Absolutely Fabulous (Christmas Day, BBC1). Indeed, the older the characters get, the funnier it becomes.
Jennifer Saunders’s writing is better than ever with pretty much a gag a line in this rollicking 30 minutes of comedy.
It is hard to believe that Ab Fab has been around since 1994. There were great performances too from Saunders, Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha (who had successfully escaped from the post office in Candleford).
Jane Horrocks also did a marvellous cameo, mocking Pippa Middleton’s walk down the aisle at the Royal Wedding. However, it was the topical gags which made the episode so funny, not least the new disease called “the Kardashians, multiplying before our eyes”.
The dream sequence involving the star of gritty Danish drama The Killing was inspired. Could there be scope for a new series? We hope so.
Finally, Laurence Fox was allowed out of Oxford and away from Lewis for Fast Freddie, The Widow And Me (ITV1, Tuesday), the made-to-order Christmas weepie.
You know that if a child walks into a hospice in the first five minutes you are not in comedy-drama territory.
Despite the bizarreness of the idea, in which millionaire Fox “hired a family” for the dying teenager, you kept watching and wondering when Freddie would twig. He did, eventually, and the nasty posh car salesman (Fox) was redeemed.
Expect a sequel in which he gives a Bentley to a starving tribe in Africa.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)