Wizards Vs Aliens Start Date Nears

Friday, 12 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

The new CBBC action adventure drama Wizard Vs Aliens is now scheduled to start during the week beginning Saturday 27th October with an adventure called Dawn Of The Nekross.

Two episodes will be shown each week in the 12-part series, which sees the alien Nekross bent on devouring all the magic on Earth and 16-year-old wizard Tom Clarke (Scott Haran), helped by his friend Benny Sherwood (Percelle Ascott), pictured right, standing in their way.

Also in the series - created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford - are Annette Badland as Tom's grandmother Ursula Crowe, Michael Higgs as Tom's dad Michael Clarke, Jefferson Hall as Varg, Gwendoline Christie as Lexi, Brian Blessed as the Nekross King, Dan Starkey as Randal Moon, Manpreet Bambra as Katie Lord, Connor Scarlett as Quinn Christopher, and Brian Miller as Old Mark, with Don Gilet and Nina Sosanya making guest appearances as Benny's parents. The writers include Clayton Hickman, Joseph Lidster, and Gareth Roberts.

The ultimate battle of magic versus science is about to commence. The Nekross are a race of aliens who feed on magic, and having travelled from planet to planet draining every drop they're now orbiting Earth to do battle with its wizards for the last remaining magic in the universe. And there's just one 16-year-old boy who can stop them.

Tom is a wizard. His family are wizards on his mum's side. He lives with his unenchanted dad Michael and his very enchanted grandma Ursula. Their magical powers are a secret of the highest order - as is the entrance to the family Chamber of Mysteries, helpfully disguised as the downstairs loo.

A secret, that is, until a school trip goes horribly wrong and Tom is forced to reveal his magic to Benny, the school science geek. Benny doesn't believe in magic. Tom doesn't believe in aliens. They are both wrong! They soon realise that together they make the perfect team and learn to combine their skills in magic and science in each battle against the Nekross.

Tom and Benny become best friends as they fight side by side to protect Tom's family and all of Earth's magic, with Tom also learning about his magic, his family, and the secrets of the universe.

In the newly-released BBC video below, Davies, Haran, and Ascott talk about the series.

In part one, Tom Clarke is hiding a secret – he's a schoolboy wizard! But when the magic-eating alien Nekross arrive on Earth, a battle for survival begins. Tom must use his magical powers to protect his family – but only the school geek, Benny, can help him against the plans of the terrifying Nekross King.

In part two, with his gran trapped in outer space, Tom and Benny must dare to go inside the mystical Chamber to ask the mysterious Randal Moon for help. But with time running out for Ursula and Tom's dad joining the fight, can even a magical hobgoblin fight an enemy from beyond Earth?

The dates and times of broadcast for the two episodes are yet to be confirmed.

Wizards Vs Aliens is produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and was filmed at BBC's Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff. The show is executive-produced by Russell T Davies, Bethan Jones, Gina Cronk, and Sue Nott for the BBC and Bob Higgins and Sander Schwartz for FME. The producer is Brian Minchin and co-producer Phil Ford.

FILTER: - CBBC - Wizards Vs Aliens

A Pertwee In Paradise

Tuesday, 9 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

Sean Pertwee is among the latest guest stars announced for the second series of Death In Paradise.

Also to appear in the BBC One crime drama/comedy, currently being filmed on Guadeloupe, are Hannah Spearritt and James Murray, reunited with their Primeval co-star Ben Miller, who plays the fish-out-of-water Detective Inspector Richard Poole.

Returning alongside Miller as regulars are Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf) as police officer Dwayne Myers, Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Sara Martins as Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey, and Gary Carr as police officer Fidel Best.

Singer-songwriter Jamelia has been signed up for a cameo in her first TV role, it was revealed in July. Other guest stars lined up for the eight-part series are Shaun Parkes, Cherie Lunghi, Lucy Davis, Mathew Horne, James Fleet, Neil Pearson, Ralf Little, and Lucien Lavisount, as well as Michael Brandon, Bryan Dick, Dexter Fletcher, Kelly Adams, Kenneth Cranham, Stephanie Beacham, Amanda Mealing, Tom Ward, Patrick Baladi, and Gemma Jones.

The series returns early next year.

FILTER: - Drama - Death In Paradise

Merlin Series 5 - The Return Of Uther Pendragon

Thursday, 4 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

Anthony Head returns as Uther Pendragon - King Arthur's father - in episode 3 of the new series of Merlin, the BBC revealed today.

It is a one-off appearance by the character, as previously reported.

The 13-part series, starring Colin Morgan as Merlin, with Bradley James as King Arthur, Angel Coulby as Gwen, Katie McGrath as Morgana, Richard Wilson as Gaius, and John Hurt as the voice of the Great Dragon, starts on BBC One on Saturday 6th October at 7.45pm. Returning as the Knights of the Round Table are Tom Hopper (Sir Percival), Rupert Young (Sir Leon), Eoin Macken (Sir Gwaine), and Adetomiwa Edun (Sir Elyan), as pictured below.

When a stranger gives Arthur the power to summon the dead, the king finds himself torn between head and heart.

Unable to resist temptation, he seizes the chance to speak to the person he misses most – his father, Uther Pendragon. But the spirit world is a dark and dangerous place, for little does Arthur realise that his decision comes at a terrible price. Against all odds, Merlin must put right Arthur's mistake before Camelot - and everything they have built - is destroyed forever.

Episode 3 is currently scheduled for 7.45pm on Saturday 20th October. Episode 2 has now been confirmed for 8.25pm on Saturday 13th October, having been moved from the 7.45pm slot that was provisionally announced by the BBC.

FILTER: - BBC - Merlin

Wolfblood Episode 13 Storyline

Thursday, 4 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

The synopsis for the 13th and final episode of CBBC series Wolfblood has been released by the BBC.

Shannon is worried about the wolves and their safety; now people know they exist, they may be hunted. She plans to inform the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs so it can protect the wolves but first needs proof that the wolves exist and she knows how to get it - Kyle's wolfbait.

Meanwhile, Rhydian is being tracked in the woods by his brother Bryn, who has just found out from his mother that he exists. Rhydian takes him to his foster parents' house, but it's the first time Bryn has ever been in a human house and he knocks over lots of things by mistake, meaning they have to run away.

Shannon and Tom find themselves in terrible danger in the woods as they are tracking a feral Ceri and Bryn with wolfbait. They are driven wild by the smell, and Maddy has to escape from her house to try to rescue her friends. She gets there just in time, but to save them she has to transform in front of them. The secret is out and life will never be the same again. What will become of Maddy, Rhydian, and her family?

It will air on Monday 22nd October at 5.15pm.

FILTER: - CBBC

Merlin Series 5 Pictures Released

Tuesday, 2 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

Pictures promoting the new series of Merlin have been released by the BBC.

The 13-part run starts on BBC One on Saturday 6th October at 7.45pm with the first episode of a two-part story called Arthur's Bane. Colin Morgan is Merlin, with Bradley James as King Arthur, Angel Coulby as Gwen, Katie McGrath as Morgana, Richard Wilson as Gaius, and John Hurt as the voice of the Great Dragon. Special guest stars in the new series will include Liam Cunningham as Ruadan, Sophie Rundle as Sefa, and Alex Vlahos as Mordred.

Mini-synopses of the two episodes are given below:

Three years on from the end of Series 4, Arthur has never felt stronger, with Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table at his side.

Camelot basks in the halcyon days of a new golden age. But even as she flowers, so the dark seeds of her destruction are being sown, for in the frozen wastelands of the north, men are disappearing without trace.

In search of answers, King Arthur and his Knights must undertake a dangerous mission to the unknown. As the sun sets on the icy plains, Merlin finds himself locked in a battle unlike any he has fought before - a battle with fate itself.

Episode 2 is currently scheduled for 7.45pm on Saturday 13th October.

Ancient prophecies of Mordred weigh heavy on Merlin, for not even he can sway Arthur from his chosen path.

As dawn breaks across the icy tundra, Merlin and Arthur are close to exhaustion. With each tortured step, the fortress of Ismere looms ever nearer and Merlin's fear intensifies. What game is Mordred playing? And what powerful secrets are Morgana and the druid Ruadan searching for amongst its twisted catacombs?

It seems like this time not even Merlin can stop Arthur from walking right into the lion's den. For in this bleak and transient wilderness, only one thing is certain: the great trial for Albion has finally begun.

FILTER: - BBC - Merlin

Red Dwarf X Clip: Lister's Lost Starbug!

Sunday, 30 September 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

With Red Dwarf blasting back on to our TV screens in just four days' time, the final teaser clip heralding the sci-fi comedy's return has been released by digital channel Dave.

In the clip, Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) discovers that Lister (Craig Charles) has lost Starbug in a card game - but there is an upside to it!

The six-part series - the cult show's tenth - begins on Dave on Thursday 4th October at 9pm with the episode Trojan and ends on Thursday 8th November with The Beginning. Each episode will also be available via catch-up on the Dave website for seven days following its transmission but only to people in the UK.

FILTER: - Red Dwarf - Online - Comedy - Dave

Previous 6 Stories

Wizards Vs Aliens Start Date Nears

A Pertwee In Paradise

Merlin Series 5 - The Return Of Uther Pendragon

Wolfblood Episode 13 Storyline

Merlin Series 5 Pictures Released

Red Dwarf X Clip: Lister's Lost Starbug!

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