Lucinda Everett

Tanya Reynolds discusses joining the fourth season of Ted Lasso as assistant coach Alice, a tough-seeming character who masks emotional complexity and tenderness. She describes the nerves of entering a popular series led by Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, learning to perform football coaching despite limited sporting expertise, and working in an improvisational, collaborative environment. The interview also covers her theatre work in 1536, including an emotional visit from Meryl Streep and Martin Short, her breakout role in Sex Education, upcoming film Dog Person, imposter syndrome and the importance of drama education. Reynolds says she is drawn to Ted Lasso’s optimism and female-empowerment storyline, especially amid exhaustion with screen violence against women.

A sharply written debut play follows three footballers competing for spots on Nigeria’s World Cup squad, exploring racism, identity and heritage through their personal histories and tensions around belonging. Strong performances, humour and inventive staging heighten the drama, culminating in a tense selection match that underscores the story’s moral ambiguity and emotional complexity.

A Thai courtroom thriller follows an unethical lawyer and a principled attorney drawn into a corrupt murder case, blending melodramatic elements with deeper themes of power, inequality and systemic injustice. Strong performances, dynamic pacing and inventive visual touches elevate an otherwise tonally uneven series that oscillates between gripping drama and exaggerated theatrics.

A two-hander musical in which a woman grieving her mother imagines guidance from a Nigella Lawson figure is praised for strong performances and heartfelt intentions but criticised for an underdeveloped central character, unclear emotional progression and limited use of its culinary premise. Energetic songs and a touching ending are noted, yet the production is seen as needing further refinement.

A Hampstead theatre production of Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss blends farce and metatheatrical romance as former lovers reunite while acting in a deliberately overwrought 1930s musical. Strong performances and effective comedy contrast with structural ambiguity that undermines the play’s emotional stakes, with set design offering inventive shifts between rehearsal and performance spaces.

Channel 4 highlights a documentary revisiting assaults linked to Martin Butler, focusing on the resilience of survivors Laura Hughes, Lauren Preston and Mary Sharp. Additional programme picks include Hannah Fry’s exploration of anti-ageing science, a challenging leg in Race Across the World, a sitcom episode of Amandaland centered on influencer mishaps, developments in Only Child involving family and life changes, and a BBC Three documentary in which Alex Batty retraces his abduction ordeal.

A set of short recommendations highlights the return of Amandaland with Lucy Punch, alongside features on shows including For the Love of Dogs, Surgeons: At the Edge of Life, A Taste for Murder, Salisbury Poisonings: The Untold Story and Only Child, each offering brief insight into their storylines and themes for the evening’s viewing.

An overview of the evening’s television highlights includes a celebratory documentary marking David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, a wildlife segment set in the Scottish Highlands, a charity edition of the Great Celebrity Bake Off, and new episodes of several dramas including Harry Wild, The Cage and Secret Service. A late-night film selection features the Israeli drama Here We Are, and the schedule is rounded out with Women’s Super League football fixtures.

A set of recommendations highlights new and returning television options, including the second season of St Denis Medical, a moving finale of Extraordinary Portraits, an Unreported World report from Puerto Rico, the final season of Hacks, a new episode of The Young Offenders, and TFI Friday Unplugged. A new adaptation of Wuthering Heights is featured as the film pick, noted for its gothic style and bold creative choices.

A selection of evening TV highlights includes the police thriller Prisoner, a scenic Canadian procedural, a comedic episode of Taskmaster, the flamboyant Indian adaptation of The Traitors, the concluding episodes of Big Mood, and the continuing US comedy The Miniature Wife. The listings highlight standout performances, stylistic elements, and tonal shifts across the programmes.

A roundup of evening television highlights includes Richard Gadd’s series Half Man, Michael Portillo’s Swedish travelogue, new challenges in Interior Design Masters, renovations in Our Welsh Chapel Dream, the latest MasterChef heat, and a double bill of Better Date Than Never. The film Small Things Like These is recommended on Netflix for its powerful depiction of the Magdalene laundries. Live Champions League coverage features PSG versus Bayern Munich.

A deft stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s The Waves at Jermyn Street Theatre focuses on six friends’ intertwined lives, using Rhoda as the narrative anchor. Strong chemistry among the cast and sensitive performances support a script that blends Woolf’s language with naturalistic dialogue. Direction is praised for guiding characters across life stages, while minor critiques note an underdeveloped set and subtle lighting. The production is celebrated for capturing the complexity and emotional breadth of human experience.

A roundup of evening television highlights features developments in Race Across the World as contestants travel from Turkey toward Tbilisi, alongside previews of Paul Merton’s rail journey in France, a new episode of Taskmaster, the ongoing comedy The Miniature Wife, a dramatic twist in Bergerac, and a double bill of Big Mood. Live Super League rugby coverage is also noted.

A roundup of evening television highlights features the French‑Canadian police drama Saint‑Pierre, a documentary on the craft of conducting, the concluding episode of a Michael Jackson documentary, Grayson Perry’s tech‑focused travel programme, ongoing episodes of The ’Burbs reboot and the mockumentary Twenty Twenty Six, alongside a late‑night film selection with The Man with Two Brains.

A set of TV recommendations highlights a new BBC documentary marking what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday, featuring contributions from Helen Mirren, David Attenborough and Barack Obama. Additional picks include nature programming, a royal-focused Antiques Roadshow episode, a crime drama finale and an emotional music series, alongside the film Despicable Me and major Premier League football matches.

A set of evening television recommendations highlights a new Minnie Driver crime drama, a Tanzanian trekking travelogue, a documentary featuring unseen photos of Queen Elizabeth II, and nature coverage from Dartmoor. Additional picks include luxury‑hotel explorations, an extended archive celebration of Black British music, film selections featuring high‑profile casts, and a full schedule of sports including snooker, football, rugby, and horse racing.

A selection of TV highlights includes the return of Big Mood with Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West, the final of The Apprentice, a continued documentary look inside HMP Barlinnie, a chaotic new episode of Taskmaster, the second instalment of The Miniature Wife, and the launch of a new Bergerac series featuring a murder investigation and police corruption.

A set of television recommendations highlights the debut of Your Song, an emotional Channel 4 talent show led by Alison Hammond, Paloma Faith and Sam Ryder. Additional viewing includes David Attenborough’s Secret Garden, the Olivier Awards, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer, a Pride & Prejudice spin‑off, the crime drama Savage River, and film selections including Blue Moon and Pixar’s Soul, alongside Premier League football coverage.

A selection of TV and film recommendations highlights a documentary on Paul McCartney’s missing Höfner bass alongside new comedy shorts, reality formats, crime drama and chat shows. Additional picks include new films featuring Keanu Reeves and Austin Butler, a classic espionage comedy, and a slate of live sports across major UK broadcasters.

Celebrity casting in UK theatre is increasingly common and widely debated, with critics arguing it harms opportunities for trained actors and smaller productions, while supporters note that well‑chosen stars can boost visibility, attract new audiences, and help ambitious works succeed. Examples range from questionable performances to acclaimed turns that elevate both productions and industry impact, with several high‑profile cases drawing new and younger audiences into theatres. The piece argues that while the trend has flaws, celebrities can play a constructive role when their involvement supports strong productions and broadens access to theatre.

A new musical exploring Claude Monet’s memories contrasts the painter’s artistic ambition with personal regret, centering on his early career and relationship with his first wife, Camille. Strong performances, especially from the younger Monet and fellow impressionists, combine with evocative staging and orchestration to highlight the movement’s emotional intensity. Although its scope sometimes leads to an unfocused narrative, the production delivers a visually rich and heartfelt experience.