Sky News - Backstage

This week on Backstage, Stevie gives us the goss on what to catch at London Film Festival. We go through the dystopian drama Brave New World and are moved by a conversation with Jim Parsons and his feelings about new Netflix queer film The Boys In The Band.There is a little bit of escapism with Emily In Paris, and we ask two questions: Why is Fargo no longer set in Fargo? And are any of you tired of the Walking Dead yet? Welcome to Backstage. Enjoy! Please do subscribe if you like what you hear and do get in touch using backstage@sky.uk – we love emails!

This week, we have a quick chat about Emmy wins and what is worth watching in this quite upside down 2020.We talk about Amazon Prime's remake of 'Utopia' and change pace to the soapy-drama of BBC's 'Life'.Stevie finds out who exactly Grayson Perry is as he speeds across the United States in Channel 4's 'Grayson Perry's Big American Road Trip', as well as a lovely conversation about a league of royal spies for Disney Plus.Welcome to Backstage. Enjoy! Please do subscribe if you like what you hear and do get in touch using backstage@sky.uk – we love emails!

This week we have an emotional conversation with Paris Hilton about her new YouTube Originals documentary, ‘This Is Paris’.We get into it with the new Millie Bobby Brown produced Enola Holmes on Netflix, and we get closer to the Cuckoo’s Nest with Ryan Murphy’s Ratched.We also touch base with Ewan McGregor as he relays his passion for electric motorcycles since riding through Southern and Central America for Long Way Up, and we talk about Tom Hollander’s role as a beleaguered father in the BBC adaptation of David Nicholls’ ‘Us’. Enjoy! Please do subscribe if you like what you hear and do get in touch using backstage@sky.uk – we love emails!

This week, we get eerie with HBO/Sky collaboration The Third Day featuring Naomie Harris and Jude Law, as we heavily anticipate his live streaming to make it that much weirder.We question the colonial implications of ITV’s Sunday offering Singapore Grip as Claire speaks to actress Georgia Blizzard about her insufferable character in the show.We also head across the Channel to the controversial French film Cuties, while Stevie taps into his inner teen with Netflix’s Julie and the Phantoms… And no one knows what to do with the Duchess. Enjoy! Please do subscribe if you like what you hear and do get in touch using backstage@sky.uk – we love emails!

It’s one of Amazon’s most watched shows, and now The Boys is back for a second season. While Katie and Stevie couldn’t be any more excited, Bethany is reserving her judgement. With more graphic violence and gore than you can shake a stick at, it’s certainly not for the faint hearted.Netflix blasts into space with its ambitious space drama Away, starring Hilary Swank as a conflicted captain on a mission to Mars. The team have mixed reactions to some of the no-gravity scenes, achieved with the help of wires and some super slo-mo acting. One thing they do agree on is that space seems to get better phone reception than all of the WFH locations they’ve so far explored in their own flats.We go back to the roots of a popular Swedish detective in Young Wallander, also on Netflix. While the show doesn’t hold back on the torso shots (proving that lead actor Adam Palsson hasn’t been slacking in the gym), it’s Scandi-crime credentials are slightly less forthcoming. For those that don’t like subtitles though, this English

Teenagers doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award get a lot more than they bargained for in new Prime Video film Get Duked. While Stevie wonders if rabbit poo really has hallucinogenic properties, Claire’s been chatting to the cast about what it was like running around in the countryside together.Strike is returning to the BBC with Strike: Lethal White. It’s the latest detective drama based on one of JK Rowling’s books. The team wonder if the author’s recent comments will put people off watching and Katie isn’t sure lead character Cormoran Strike is a good influence on lazy boyfriends everywhere.Everyone’s favourite watch of the week is the compelling I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, which is coming to Sky Crime and Now TV. The true crime documentary mixes the hunt for a serial killer and rapist, with the personal story of a woman who became obsessed with solving the case – writing a book that the show is based on. There’s a lot going on but it manages to avoid being confusing or hard to follow. Katie’s been chatting to G

The gang is back together on this week's Backstage, as Claire returns from sunning it up on the coast!And the excitement doesn't stop there - Billie Piper and Lucy Prebble's new Sky Atlantic show I Hate Suzie is very, very good. Claire chats with Daniel Ings, who plays Suzie's husband Cob, about the project. Less exciting, however, is Disney+'s new family film The One And Only Ivan. It's got a stellar cast, and some great CGI animals, but it might even be too boring for some of your kids, let alone the grown-ups!Not one, but two teen movies for you this week. Babyteeth is out in cinemas now, and Chemical Hearts is on Amazon Prime. One's great - the other, not so much.And it's the devil himself - or is it? Netflix's Lucifer is back for part one of its fifth season, but something isn't quite right with the Hellish prince. Something also isn't quite right with the acting.Plus, Katie got to speak to actual living legend, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, about his new art project, and there's a hint of some new music on

Two Russians agents release a miniature nuclear weapon in a 5-star London hotel. But former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko is not the only victim? For the full series, search 'Polonium & the Piano Player.'From Sky News StoryCast.

Hot...sweaty...no, we're not reviewing Little Birds again! It's just absolutely baking here in England, and Stevie can't believe Bethany and Katie don't have air conditioning.There's still plenty to talk about this week, despite the heat!Katie's favourite Bear Grylls is back with a new show on Amazon Prime which has the longest title known to humankind - World’s Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji. It has conches, medallions, and Bear back-flipping from a helicopter, but it's not enough to impress the team. Heartwarming new comedy Ted Lasso is available now on Apple TV+, which follows a pretty clueless American football coach as he tries to teach "soccer" (actual football) in England. Hear what Jason Sudeikis had to say about his time in the UK and his thoughts on our comedies. Creatures from hell and white supremacists are both here to terrify characters in the new HBO and Sky Atlantic series Lovecraft Country. With a unique, fresh take on sci-fi and horror, the team are thoroughly impressed. Listen to their r

While Claire is off on her jollies, Bethany Minelle is back - and she's just as excited about Black Is King as Katie and Stevie. The gang talk costumes, music, and whether anyone, really, can compare themselves to Beyonce.Series three of Netflix's real estate reality show Selling Sunset is out now - but the team aren't sold on it. Producer David is drafted in to defend the online hit - can he persuade them to watch more of it?No persuasion needed for the team to watch Mandy, which is written, directed by, and stars Diane Morgan. It has Doberman Pinschers, naked sushi, and tarantula bashing - what's not to love?And have you ever wanted pictures to be judged by photographer-to-the stars Rankin? Listen to find out how a new Sky Arts show might help you...Plus; the team discuss the BAFTA TV awards; Katie talks about her new favourite show that sees a journalist trying to avoid getting "shivved" in prison; Stevie pulls out a spectacular Valley Girl impression; and hear the aftermath of Bethany batting away a wasp.

The superhero siblings are back for a second season of Umbrella Academy and everyone agrees it’s an improvement on the first series. Plus Claire’s been chatting to stars Tom Hopper and Robert Sheehan about cult-leader costumes and how they’re not really famous.Ramy also returns for a second series following creator and lead actor Ramy Youssef’s Golden Globe win. This time the show comes with some star power in the form of Mahershala Ali, and Ramy explains to Backstage how the Oscar-winner came to be in the show.Sky Atlantic’s new adaptation Little Birds is described as erotic, and while it may not be that sexy, it’s definitely a great watch, and Stevie reckons lead actress Juno Temple is one to watch at the moment.The Emmy nominations have been revealed – find out which Brits have been nominated and why Netflix is celebrating.Plus there’s a whole new Taylor Swift album to discuss – Katie thinks it’s a bit too cable-knit but if it’s good enough for Bon Iver, it’s good enough for Claire.Please do subscribe if y

This week’s episode kicks off with a discussion about new film Saint Frances which is actually coming out in cinemas – with Tenet getting pushed back indefinitely will smaller independent pictures be enough to tempt audiences back in to theatres? Plus hear an interview with the movie’s star and writer Kelly O’Sullivan.The BBC are breaking new ground with upcoming series A Suitable Boy – their first historical drama with no white characters. Claire thinks it’s perfect Sunday night viewing, and explains why that isn’t a bad thing.Prodigal Son is coming out on Sky One in the UK. The show about a police profiler and his serial killer Dad has already aired in the U.S and been given a second series, and while Katie’s doing her best to defend it, the team are divided on whether it warrants more episodes.The Kissing Booth is back and Stevie has got the full low-down on why the teen drama matters to Netflix, and why it might seem a little dated in the context of their other YA films.And Comic-Con returns – virtually a

It’s not the biggest week for new releases but the Backstage crew rise to the challenge with this new episode that includes Idris Elba interview clips, an explanation of what’s going on with cinemas at the moment, and a discussion about sharks. Yes, really.Cursed is Netflix’s new re-telling of the sword in the stone legend, and while Stevie has a lot of love for its star Katherine Langford, the show itself isn’t getting such favourable reviews.Idris Elba’s semi-autobiographical comedy In The Long Run is back on Sky One and while Katie and Claire insist it’s a sweet, gentle rom-com, it’s the only show that Stevie has ever seemingly ditched after the first episode. Find out what Idris and his co-star Bill Bailey have to say about The Wire actor taking on the comedic role, plus there’s a little treat for fans of Luther.A celebration of all things shark is happening on National Geographic and the team ponder whether the over-the-top narration is strictly necessary and why sharks are seen as such villains on TV an

This episode of Backstage kicks off with HBO and Sky Atlantic's new drama The Plot Against America. It shows us an alternative history of the US through the eyes of a working-class Jewish family, who see their country turn to fascism. It's got Winona Ryder and great costumes, so Katie's sold - but what about the rest of the gang?Light, fluffy, and incredibly earnest - the team discuss new Apple TV+ songwriter drama Little Voice. Is the music any good? And how exactly is the main character, Bess, able to afford a storage unit in New York on such a small salary?Also on Apple TV+, hero of the hour Tom Hanks' new war film Greyhound is available to watch. Stevie found the trailer incredibly intense, but could it be an Oscar winner?Over on Netflix, Charlize Theron is giving it her all in The Old Guard. It's got a great cast, a female director who doesn't usually do action movies, and an interest romantic storyline. But is it actually worth watching?And Claire chats to Jason Isaacs about his new role as Dick Dastard

Stevie kicks off this week with a tough, but incredibly impressive documentary. Storyville’s Welcome To Chechnya on BBC 4 tells the true story of the purging of LGBT people in Chechnya, and the organisations striving to help. Hanna is back for a second season on Prime Video and Claire’s been chatting with the star Esme Creed-Miles and writer David Farr. The new series sees Hanna learning more about the other teenage girls who have been trained to be killing machines, but is this the last we’ll see of the show?Hamilton is perfect for now, and just about any time really. The team rave about the filmed version of the Broadway show which is out on Disney Plus. There’s a new comic-book based show on Netflix, and as Katie explains Warrior Nun does what it says on the tin. There’s a kick-ass young nun, loads of dodgy accents and more action than could possibly be expected. It’s definitely not boring, but it definitely is bizarre.Plus find out what the team are watching when they’re not watching TV for the podcast…

Will Ferrell’s take on Eurovision has arrived with new Netflix film ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’. It’s got the songs, performances and costumes you’d expect but will it appeal to people who aren’t fans of the competition? There’s a new political comedy movie available on demand – ‘Irresistible’ stars Steve Carell and Rose Byrne as political nemeses vying to get their candidate elected in a small-town mayoral race. It’s from comedian Jon Stewart and it’s definitely got some interesting things to say about American politics, but Stevie wonders if it could have had some more detail. Plus hear from Rose Byrne about what it was like licking Steve Carell’s face.New Hulu show Love Victor (only available in the US at the moment – boo) is set in the same Universe as the cult film Love Simon but Victor’s experience is very different to Simon’s. It’s a great teen story and gets the thumbs up from the team.Dark is back on Netflix for a third series and it’s completely beyond Claire. Hear Stevie despe

Brace yourself - it’s a raunchy old week for the Backstage podcast this time around.Katie, Stevie and Bethany step back into 18th century Russia with Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult for miniseries The Great.Written by The Favourite co-creator Tony McNamara, the anti-historical romp through the court of Catherine the Great is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.The Politician gets a second season on Netflix, as Ben Platt and Gwyneth Paltrow are joined by Bette Midler and Judith Light in the latest outing of the musical comedy.Perry Mason steps back onto our screens in yet another reincarnation, this time with Matthew Rhys at the helm.The legendary criminal defence lawyer takes on a gruesome case in Hollywood’s Golden era in the dark and brooding Sky Atlantic drama.There’s a change of gear as Jurassic Park actress Bryce Dallas Howard steps behind the camera for Apple TV + Father’s Day documentary Dads.With celebrity contributors including Jimmy Fallon, Will Smith and Jimmy Kimmel, it celebrates par

In a crazy week for new releases, the team pack in as many shows as possible, and invite Bethany Minelle back to help spread the entertainment love.They kick-off with Spike Lee’s prescient Netflix movie Da 5 Bloods, about four Vietnam veterans returning to the field to exorcise some memories and while they’re at it, dig up some treasure too.Stevie’s been catching up with tattooed Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson, and finds out how he’s doing after making the very personal movie The King Of Staten Island with director Judd Apatow, streaming now.Katie isn’t convinced by David Tennant and Michael Sheen’s latest show – lockdown project Staged on the BBC iPlayer – despite the hair extensions and peek into their private lives it offers.Bethany catches up with Frozen star Josh Gad in her kitchen (she’s in her kitchen, he’s not) and finds out all about the Disney adaptation of much-loved kids book Artemis Fowl. She also does her best to find out if we can expect Frozen 3 soon… With limited success.There’s a

It’s a strong week for new releases, but the team start by chatting about a movie which has been dominating the U.S box office for weeks – sure there might not be a lot of competition at the moment, but Stevie reckons The Wretched is well worth a watch and he’s been chatting to its directors Brett and Drew Pierce.Claire is loving new teen spy drama Alex Rider on Prime Video, and it turns out that it’s not just aimed at a youth audience, so that’s a relief.It may not sound like their usual cup of tea, but everyone is liking a show about the Fifa-gate scandal – it helps that El Presidente, which is also on Prime Video, is very funny, even if the subtitles are a bit of a minefield.Queer Eye is back on Netflix… Need we say more? You know the format by now and the fab five are perfect viewing for when you need a pick me up. Stevie reckons he should be on the next series but Claire and Katie aren’t so sure.HBO Max is confusing, though Katie’s a fan of Anna Kendrick’s new show on there, Cannes definitely isn’t happe

In what seems like an excellent bit of planning, but could well have been total coincidence, the team are reviewing three comedies on this week’s show…New Netflix series Space Force seems great on paper with an all-star cast led by Steve Carrell, but it seems to have a problem living up to its description as a comedy.BBC Two’s The First Team is the latest offering from the creators of The Inbetweeners and definitely has the lad bants that you would expect from the creators of the bus w*&ker.Hannah Gadsby’s new stand-up show on Netflix is named after her dog Douglas but is about so much more, it’s very funny and Hannah gets the dubious honour of being Stevie’s Unicorn for this week.Claire’s been chatting to the cast of Universal’s new rom-com The High Note and not only did she broach the subject of famous parentage with Tracee Ellis Ross but also managed to get Dakota Johnson to reveal her biggest diva demands… If you don’t stan Dakota after this week’s episode, you never will.There’s a sequel in the works