Robert Jackman

If the BBC’s constant tension with various Conservative ministers weren’t enough, now it has another name on its list of critics. This weekend veteran playwright Sir David Hare launched an attack on the corporation for refusing to broadcast his Covid play – and for shunning dramas about the pandemic more generally. ‘It strikes me as so derelict,’ the long-term grandee of the National Theatre vented to the Observer. Does it now?

It’s Succession week, as the inaugural episode of season three finally lands (available, in the UK, via Sky’s NOW service). Generally considered to be the sharpest and most scathing comedy on television, the Emmy-winning epic known for its globe-trotting locations is actually the brainchild of a Brit: Shropshire-born Jesse Armstrong. A former collaborator of both Armando Ianucci and Chris Morris (and, interestingly, a former parliamentary researcher), Armstrong is one of the creative minds behind some of the most successful British comedies: although he’s succeeded, on the whole, at keeping his profile more low key than some of his contemporaries.

Thinking of purchasing a new streaming service this autumn, or rejigging your existing subscriptions? As well as crunching the numbers on costs, we’ve compared the upcoming content, so you can get the best bang for your buck. Netflix (£9.99 per month) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htqXL94Rza4 Still very much the granddaddy of the streaming services, Netflix continues to reliably do the numbers when it comes to subscriptions - with a recent surge into the 'silver surfer' (that is, viewers over 65) market, although its overall market share has reduced significantly over the last year with the arrival of competitors like Disney Plus and the growth of Amazon Prime.

Veteran comic Steve Martin has returned to our screens, this time taking aim at that most prolific of podcast genres: the true crime documentary. In his new Hulu show, Only Murders in the Building, the former star of The Jerk plays a washed-up TV actor and true crime obsessive who, along with two other misfits, sets out to turn a neighbourhood homicide into the new great American podcast a la Serial. The first episodes of Martin’s sitcom are funny enough, managing to skew the pretentiousness and ego of the wannabe sleuths.

After the usual slow summer, the West End will return to action this autumn - as several more theatres reopen their doors. Here’s our pick of shows to book ahead for: The Shark is BrokenAmbassadors Theatre, 9 October - 15 JanuaryIan Shaw (Image: Nick Driftwood) A smash hit at the Edinburgh Festival back in 2019, The Shark is Broken goes behind the scenes during the filming of Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws, revealing how the timeless blockbuster nearly never got made in the first place. Based on first-hand accounts from those who were there at the time, the play is also written by Ian Shaw - whose late father, Robert, starred in the film as shark-hunter Quint. Given the reviews from its Edinburgh run, there’s a serious buzz around this one already.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s turn as Greville Wynne - the British engineer who helped MI6 smuggle secret intel out of Soviet Russia - in The Courier has shone a light on London's Cold War past. While the USSR and KGB might be gone, our capital still has a few souvenirs from the era - not to mention plenty of modern Russian culture and cuisine to boot. If you’re feeling inspired by The Courier, here's the guide to throwing the ultimate Russian-themed weekend in London: Where to eat and drinkMari Vana, Kensington While the old Soviet bloc wasn't exactly famed for its cuisine, London's eastern Europe and Slavic food has come on leaps and bounds since the days of Perestroika (as you might hope).

As the nights start to draw in, it will be up to the likes of Netflix to provide that lazy autumn entertainment. Here’s our pick of what’s coming up on the streaming service over the next few months: Bruised, 24 NovemberImage: Netflix Two decades on from her star turn as a Bond Girl in Die Another Day, Halle Berry makes her debut in the director’s seat with her first feature film. Bruised tells the story of a scandalised cage fighter on a mission to restore her name and rebuild a relationship with the son she abandoned years earlier. Not content with just calling the shots, Berry also stars in the film too: managing to break two ribs in the process. Last year, she told one interviewer she had been pushing through the pain to get the project finished on time.

When it comes to source material for decent drama, police archives have a track record for delivering the goods. If you've binge-watched all the best true crime documentaries already, here are eight of the best fictional adaptations to keep you on the edge of your seat: The Salisbury Poisonings iPlayer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekoW6g_wg7A Televised back in spring 2020, this portrayal of the shocking events in Salisbury came with uncomfortable topical parallels: not least a frazzled public health official trying to identify and contain a mysterious deadly pathogen. Screenwriters Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn wisely choose to eschew the geopolitical intrigue and instead focus on the everyday Brits whose lives were turned upside down by the state-sponsored attack.

At first glance, it could be a scene from any classic opera. A grieving lover tearfully lamenting her murdered partner, vowing to bring his killers to justice. But rather than a scene from 19th century Italian literature, what’s taking place on stage has its roots in more recent events: north London in late 2006. The woman in question is very much still alive - and still active too. Marina Litvinenko was in her early 30s, when she moved to London to live in exile with her husband - the man she calls Sasha. How does she describe her husband's murder? 'A tragedy,' she says, putting it rather mildly.

In a watershed moment for modern history, the Pentagon’s long-awaited report on UFOs landed last week. And it will no doubt send parts of the internet into overdrive. Officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said there were 'no clear indications' that the sightings in the report could be linked to non-terrestrial origins but that the data available was not sufficient to form a clear explanation for the various phenomena observed. If you're amongst the millions fascinated by mysterious flying objects, here are eight films you may enjoy: The Phenomenon Amazon - to rent https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Forget the sausage war; could the real Brexit battle be over streaming services? After all, surely even hardened Remainers will have been appalled by the European Commission's plan to make it more difficult to stream British shows on the continent. Will it happen? Only time will tell. But here are eight shows that are a hit on the continent and that European viewers will really miss: Chernobyl Sky Atlantic/Now TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8 Keenly watched pretty much everywhere, Sky’s superlative disaster drama is amongst the biggest British televisual exports to the EU (another accolade to add to its various Baftas, Emmys and Golden Globes). What's more, Chernobyl is one drama that really went out of its way to ensure cultural accuracy.

There's a little fact about Frank Skinner that you might have heard before. That before his big television break, the future comic and Three Lions scribe had a rather different vocation: as an English teacher in an FE college. Throughout his time in the spotlight, it's been one of those things that gets brought up every now and then as trivia. An interesting titbit on an otherwise familiar CV. Then, at the beginning of last year, Skinner decided to go back to his educational roots: and launch a poetry podcast. Okay, it isn’t quite a full return to the classroom. But it isn’t far off either - at least not in the way Skinner does it. Who else, other than English teachers, spends their time gently working through poetry, patiently explaining the concepts and imagery?

It’s all eyes on Cornwall today as the G7 summit kicks off, bringing the leaders of the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan to Britain.  The various heads of government, having spent months in lockdown, will no doubt be brushing up on their small talk ahead of their various diplomatic meetings, with leaders' spouses set to mingle under the watch of newly wed Carrie Johnson.  Should the policy debates prove too fraught here's everything they'll need to know to navigate the (somewhat) safer subject of their better halves and children: The Bidens, USA First Lady Dr Jill Biden will sit down to tea with Carrie Johnson ahead of the G7 summit.

Musical fans will be hyped for the film release of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s In The Heights, set to land in cinemas here on 25 June (seven years after its UK stage premiere at the lovely Southwark Playhouse). Of course the Dominican smash is far from the first big musical to make its way to Hollywood. Here are seven other classics - and one notorious flop - to enjoy: Chicago, Amazon (to rent) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EpaMmF9WVU Rapidly approaching the 50th (!) anniversary of its stage premiere, the Oscar-winning crime caper has lost none of its pizzazz. And looking at the cast it’s not hard to see why.

Is Chris Addison a famous face? The honest answer, he admits, is it depends where he is. In mainstream Britain, he enjoys a decent enough profile as an affable comic and actor. Over in America, where he’s been making it as a director, he’s less recognisable. But in one London postcode, he’s a veritable A-lister. ‘It was like being in a Hollywood movie,’ he laughs, as he recalls a walk across Westminster shortly after starring in the first season of The Thick Of It as the hapless junior SpAD Ollie. ‘Everywhere I went people were going “it’s him! It’s him!” - much more than anywhere else I’d been.’ That cult fame has followed him ever since - at least in SW1. You can see why.

After a miserable year for would-be globetrotters, international travel is finally returning - albeit slowly - with the unveiling of the (rather short) green list. What better time, then, to stoke up your wanderlust by listening to one of these excellent travel podcasts: The Trip Former TIME foreign editor Nathan Thornburgh has a pretty cushy gig: flying across the world to imbibe the local toast with what he succinctly describes as ‘exceptional people’. Whether it’s sipping mezcal with former cartel fixers in Tijuana or dishing the dirt with corruption-busters in Kensington (over knock-off Russian vodka), The Trip is the perfect podcast for the raffish and adventurous.

Kate Winslet’s latest drama, Mare of Easttown, has been winning praise from critics and viewers alike. The seven-part series, currently available on Sky Atlantic, is a reminder that - in a world of sprawling box-sets - the old-fashioned crime mini-series still packs a serious punch. Here are eight others worth a watch: Your Honor, Sky Atlantic/NowTV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TINh07o1rQ There is a class of actor who can sell a new show on their face alone. And judging by the promo campaign for Your Honor - which features little more than the pensive mug of its star - we can safely assume that Bryan Cranston has now reached its level. First the obvious point: Your Honor isn’t Breaking Bad.

The news that Australia’s borders could remain closed until 2024 will be a blow to anyone hoping for a trip down under after lockdown. If you can’t wait that long (and fingers crossed you won’t have to) here’s our guide to having an Australian themed weekend here in London. Where to eatBrunch at Daisy Green Though London’s Aussie population has shrunk in recent years, the standard of Antipodean cuisine has been very much on the rise - not that we’re alleging any correlation there, of course. Leading the charge has been Daisy Green, a collection of Australian-run restaurants managing to gain a foothold in London’s already crowded brunch market with their inspired take on Melbourne and Sydney cafe culture.

The National Theatre’s made-for-screen production of Romeo and Juliet (currently available on Sky Arts) has been delighting theatre-starved Shakespeare fans over the past week. Starring Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley this intimately shot film version of the Shakespeare play makes for perfect viewing for an audience starved of both social contact and theatre.  If you’re in the mood for more of the Bard, and can’t wait until theatres reopen, here’s our pick of the best film adaptations. A Midsummer’s Night Dream (2016), BritBox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb8Ku8-MBRA With a judicious trim of the text, the ever-wonderful Russell T Davies turns Shakespere’s classic comedy into the perfect prime time romp.