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NBC Nabs Jim Jefferies-Suzanne Martin Comedy From Hazy Mills As Put Pilot

EXCLUSIVE: NBC has handed a put pilot commitment to a multi-camera comedy starring stand-up comedian Jim Jefferies, from writer-producer Suzanne Martin, Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills and Universal TV, where Hazy Mills is based.

Your Complete Guide to Pilots and Straight-to-Series orders

Written by Jefferies and Martin, the untitled sitcom stars Jefferies as a fictionalized version of himself, offering his unique take on modern life and the complexity of relationships.

Jefferies and Martin executive produce with Hayes and Milliner for Hazy Mills, along with Tim Sarkes and Alex Murray for Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Universal TV is the studio.

Jefferies headlines his own late-night series The Jim Jefferies Show at Comedy Central, where he is under a deal.

The Jim Jefferies Show, which is currently airing its third season, is a weekly, topical show featuring the Australian comedian’s unapologetic, honest and international approach to culture and politics. Jefferies tackles the week’s top stories from behind the desk and travels the globe to far-off locations to provide unique looks at hypocrisy around the world.

Jefferies also co-created and starred in sitcom Legit which aired for two seasons on FX.

Martin created Hot in Cleveland, spinoff The Soul Man for TV Land and Crowded on NBC, all in previous collaborations with Hazy Mills. She most recently served as an executive producer on Will & Grace.

This is Hazy Mills second sale to NBC this development cycle. The company also has CIA drama The Translator’s Daughter, with writers Thomas Ian Griffith and Mary Page Keller, set at the network.

Jefferies is repped by UTA and Sarkes and Murray at Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

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Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is entertaining enough and dazzling to look at – The Sun

THOUGH entertaining enough and dazzling to look at, this is a film that answers a question no one was asking.

Angelina Jolie returns as the evil queen who is actually just a bit misunderstood, now facing her goddaughter’s impending marriage and the resulting union between rival kingdoms.

Livid about the wedding and battling empty-nest syndrome, she finds the prospect of smiling sweetly at King John (Robert Lindsay) and Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) too much to bear.

At an 11th-hour peacekeeping dinner, things unsurprisingly go south.

Maleficent finds herself exiled and relying on her ancestors from the moors for support.

Led by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ed Skrein, they declare war.

Caught up in the middle of all this is Elle Fanning’s Aurora, who just wants to get hitched but stumbles across a shocking conspiracy.

Honestly, though, I’ve made this sound more dramatic than it really is.

Despite all the bells and whistles, the digitised characters and stunning fairytale vistas, it feels like we’ve been here before.

Now we know Maleficent is not so evil after all, Jolie has little to do except ham it up looking like a body modification obsessive in Camden Town.

As the action descends into something like Flash Gordon in Thor’s Asgard, I was left wishing for more in the way of character development.

Michelle Pfeiffer channelling her contemptuous Catwoman from Batman Returns is proper good, though.

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Katie Price’s son Junior ‘refusing to go home’ to mum’s mucky mansion’ because he’s ’embarrassed about the mess’ – The Sun

KATIE Price's eldest son Junior is reportedly "so embarrassed" to return home to his mum's mucky mansion as it's too "messy."

Despite plans to renovate the Sussex property, the 14-year-old is refusing to stay overnight.

The mum of five is looking for somewhere to rent nearby as her crumbling home is currently being renovated.

But until then, Junior would rather stay with dad, Peter Andre.

A source told The Mirror: "He was so embarrassed by the mess and preferred Peter's cleaner house. He is like any teenage boy and embarrasses easily so he just didn't visit the house.

"He still saw his mum but wouldn't stay overnight because he just couldn't stand the mess.




"Junior also needed to get to school and Katie not driving meant it was more difficult to get around."

Katie, 41, recently abandoned the Sussex mansion in a bid to overhaul it before Christmas.

Despite the fact she is facing bankruptcy, Katie has big plans and brought in a team of builders to revamp the house in August.

However, it now appears the house won't be ready in time for the festive period as Katie starts to look for somewhere more permanent.



An insider told The Sun Online: "Katie's at her wits end with the house – it's a building site and nowhere near finished. She can't spend Christmas in there so is looking to rent somewhere locally and downsize.

"It'll be a fresh start and means she can fully clean out the house and carry on with the plans to turn it into a wedding venue.

"She wants to stay local for the kids and to stay near friends."

This month, The Sun Online told how things had got so bad that Katie's crumbling home has become impossible to live in.

The former Page 3 model and her whole family had been living in the ‘annexe’ while the builders moved in.

Although things then got even worse for the star this week, after she failed to pay off £12,000 a month to creditors following an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) 12 months ago.

Katie's mansion is located in Sussex, which she bought for £1.3 million in 2014.

It has a whopping nine-bedrooms, and the three-storey property home includes a two-bedroom annexe.

Katie Price and Peter Andre's reps had no comment when contacted by The Sun Online.

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His Dark Materials premiere photos reveal Book of Dust crossover

Adapting Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy as a television drama, executive producer Jane Tranter previously confirmed to EW that the series would tap into The Book of Dust novels. We just didn’t know how.

Since the multiverse-spanning drama had its world premiere in London earlier this week, new photos from the first episode arrived to answer that question.

His Dark Materials season 1 adapts the events of Pullman’s The Golden Compass, the first of the author’s Dark Materials books. The story takes place in a world parallel to our own where human souls exist outside the body as talking animals called daemons. It’s a reality where armored polar bear and flying witches dwell in the North, and it’s where the Magisterium exists as the reigning religious (and basically authoritarian) institution.

It’s also where we meet Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen), an orphan girl who, armed with a mystical truth-telling device called an alethiometer, is thrust on an international adventure to find kidnapped children and discover the mystery surrounding a blashemous particle called Dust.

The Book of Dust, Pullman’s latest book trilogy set within this same world, begins as a prequel to The Golden Compass, titled La Belle Sauvage. It’s this book from which Tranter and teleplay writer Jack Throne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) pull for the series’ opening scene.

HBO’s His Dark Materials opens as La Belle Sauvage ends: Lyra’s explorer uncle Lord Asriel (James McAvoy) and his snow leopard daemon ferry her off as an infant to live in safety at Jordan College in Oxford. Everything is flooded because it’s during a period referred to as The Great Flood, which is self-explanatory.

McAvoy told EW this constitutes about “a minute of extra material that comes from The Book of Dust” in the pilot episode.

“We did have to take a very clear line and say we’re adapting His Dark Materials, and if there’s anything in The Book of Dust that suggests that — perhaps the origin story is a little bit different than how it is in the pages of His Dark Materials — we’ll either go by that or we’ll just adapt what’s in His Dark Materials,” Tranter said.



His Dark Materials also stars The Affair‘s Ruth Wilson as the beguiling Mrs. Coulter, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby, Joe Tandberg as the voice of armored bear Iorek Byrnison, Ariyon Bakare as Mrs. Coulter’s cohort Lord Boreal, Kit Connor as the voice of Lyra’s daemon Pan, Ruta Gedmintas as witch Serafina Pekkala, and Lucian Msamati as leader of the Gyptians in London Lord Faa.

Fleabag‘s Andrew Scott was cast as John Parry in season 2, which is currently filming.

Season 1 will premiere on HBO in the U.S. this Nov. 4.

Related content:

  • His Dark Materials is definitely a better TV show than a movie
  • His Dark Materials star Ruth Wilson unpacks the beguiling Mrs. Coulter
  • New His Dark Materials trailer reveals the war ‘for the fate of more than this world’

His Dark Materials


type
  • TV Show
Genre
  • Fantasy,
  • Drama
Premiere
  • 11/04/19
Performers
  • Ruth Wilson,
  • Dafne Keen,
  • James McAvoy,
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda
Network
  • HBO
Complete Coverage
  • His Dark Materials

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Rachel Lindsay “Doesn’t Have Time” for Colton Underwood’s “Petty” Disses

Just when you thought that the ongoing feud between Rachel Lindsay and Colton Underwood would come to a close, think again, because it totally hasn’t…at least not yet. And if you’re just now tuning in, allow me to get you up to speed!

Rachel Lindsay went on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live and commented on her other mysterious feud with Raven Gates from The Bachelor. And alhough the feud had nothing to do with Colton directly, he commented, “Shocker, Rachel mad at another person…does she like anyone?” under an Us Weekly Instagram post about Rachel and Raven’s feud. And thus, the feud within a feud was born.


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'The Sinner' Season 3: Matt Bomer Loses Control in First Full Trailer (Video)

New installment of the crime drama anthology will premiere in 2020

USA released the first full trailer for the third season of its crime drama anthology “The Sinner,” revealing more about the case Bill Pullman will have to solve.

In the third installment, Pullman plays Harry Ambrose, a detective who begins a routine investigation of a tragic car accident on the outskirts of Dorchester, in upstate New York but goes on to uncover a hidden crime that pulls him into the most dangerous and disturbing case of his career.

Matt Bomer also stars as one of the men involved in the accident, and Chris Messina plays his (extremely creepy) college friend.

The new season, which follows previous installments anchored by executive producer Jessica Biel and “The Leftovers” alum Carrie Coon, is set to debut on USA in 2020.

Derek Simonds returns as executive producer and showrunner for Season 3 of the UCP drama, with Biel and Michelle Purple executive producing through their Iron Ocean banner. Charlie Gogolak and Willie Reale are also executive producers.

Adam Bernstein (“Fargo,” “Breaking Bad”) is director and executive producer.

16 Hollywood Movies Banned in Other Countries, From 'Noah' to 'The Death of Stalin' (Photos)

  • After “Wonder Woman” was banned in Lebanon because Gal Gadot is an Israeli, TheWrap takes a look at other Hollywood movies banned in other countries in recent years.

  • “Zoolander” (2001)

    According to The Guardian, Ben Stiller’s movie was banned in Malaysia because of its plot to assassinate the country’s prime minister. The Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry Film Censorship Board said the film was “definitely unsuitable.” 

    Paramount

  • “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)

    The film about two gay cowboys starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger was banned in most Middle Eastern countries where same-sex love is criminalized and considered taboo. 

    Focus Features

  • “The Da Vinci Code” (2006)

    According to IndieWire, the Holy See condemned the film starring Tom Hanks as offensive and historically inaccurate. Protestors were seen outside of movie theaters, and soon, the film was banned in China, Egypt, parts of India, Jordan, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka and more. 

    Columbia

  • “Borat” (2006)

    In 2006, The Guardian reported that “Borat” was banned from every Arab country except Lebanon. It was banned in Kazakhstan because Borat spoofs the country’s culture and national anthem.  

    The Daily Mail then reported the foreign minister later thanked Sacha Baron Cohen for the film because it helped “attract tourists” and the “number of visas issues by Kazakhstan grew tenfold.”

    Fox

  • “300” (2006)

    According to RealClearPolitics, Iran banned the film because they believed it was “hurtful American propaganda.” IndieWire also reported that Tehran submitted a complaint citing that it misrepresented and hurt the country’s national identity and history. 

    Warner Bros.

  • “The Departed” (2006)

    According to Reuters, China banned “The Departed” because the filmmakers declined to change a plot line where the movie points out how Beijing wanted to buy advanced military computer hardware. 

    “The regulators just cannot understand why the movie wanted to involve China. They can talk about Iran or Iraq or whatever, but there’s no reason to get China in,” a source said. 

    Warner Bros.

  • “Bruno” (2009)

    Ukraine banned the film starring Sacha Baron Cohen as a gay Austrian man because the film contained “obscene language, homosexual scenes, and other scenes of offensive nature never shown in Ukraine.” The film also offended many members of the LGBTQ community.  

    Universal

  • “2012” (2009)

    North Korea banned the disaster film and vowed to prosecute anyone caught in possession of the film because it was considered “a grave provocation against the development of the state,” according to the Telegraph. In 2010, Kim Jong-il had said that 2012 will be the year that North Korea will “open the grand gates to becoming a rising superpower.” 

    Sony

  • “The Hunger Games” (2012)

    According to Business Insider, the dystopian film starring Jennifer Lawrence was banned in Vietnam because kids battling it out till their death was considered too extreme for local audiences.

    Lionsgate

  • “Noah” (2014)

    Darron Aronofsky’s biblical epic starring Russell Crowe was banned in several countries including Bahrain, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and China because they felt it violated Islamic law prohibiting the artistic portrayal of a prophet.

    Paramount

  • “The Interview” (2014)

    The comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen was banned in North Korea because the duo in the movie plans to assassinate the supreme leader. The country’s UN ambassador called the film “an act of war.” The impending release caused the “Guardians of Peace” to hack into Sony’s computers and also threaten terrorist attacks against cinemas that showed the movie. Sony then only released the movie online. 

    Sony

  • “Ghostbusters” (2016)

    China declined to screen Sony’s female-led reboot of the comedy, with commentators noting a long-standing objection by Chinse censors to depictions of ghosts and other supernatural phenomena.

  • “Suicide Squad” (2016)

    Warner Bros.’ R-rated superhero movie also failed to win clearance in China due to its dark tone and extreme violence. (The country also passed on the R-rated “Deadpool” as well.)

  • “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)

    The live-action “Beauty and the Beast” was banned in several countries including Malaysia and Kuwait (and received an age restriction in Russia) because of a “gay moment” in the movie. 

    Disney

  • “Wonder Woman” (2017) 

    “Wonder Woman” was banned in Lebanon because its lead actress, Gal Gadot, is an Israeli and was a soldier in the Israeli Army. 

    Lebanon is at war with Israel and has a law that spans decades, boycotting Israeli products and barring Lebanese citizens from traveling or having contact with Israelis.

    Warner Bros.

  • “The Death of Stalin” (2018) 

    Russia’s Culture Ministry announced that it had banned “Veep” creator Paul Ianucci’s satirical film about the final days of Josef Stalin and the power struggle after his death, citing “extremist” content.

    IFC Films

In recent years, films were banned for religious and cultural reasons — but sometimes, certain lines in movies angered officials

After “Wonder Woman” was banned in Lebanon because Gal Gadot is an Israeli, TheWrap takes a look at other Hollywood movies banned in other countries in recent years.

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Coronation Street spoilers: Weatherfield shaken by Rovers Return tragedy – is everyone ok?

Coronation Street fans may be forced to say goodbye to a particular area of the cobbles after behind-the-scenes pictures suggest there could be an explosion in Weatherfield this Christmas. Fiz Brown star Jennie McAlpine previously hinted a death at Christmas time and these latest pictures give an insight into what viewers can expect over the festive period.

Spoiler pictures imply fans should prepare for Weatherfield to be rocked by a Christmas disaster. 

Smoke could be seen rising over the ITV soap set in Media City, Salford.

Pictures show a funfair will be arriving on the Street in upcoming scenes but festivities will take a tragic turn.

It has been suggested a gas canister is set to leak outside the Rovers Return.

Read more: Coronation Street spoilers: David Platt kills Josh after attack?

READ MORE

  • Coronation Street spoilers: Change to Gail Platt’s return revealed

This could cause an explosion and potentially change the face of the Street as fans know it?

Express.co.uk has contacted ITV for a comment on the possible storyline. 

Ahead of the festive period, Coronation Street star Jennie hinted some characters may not get to see the New Year.

She told the Daily Star: “I’ve read the script for Christmas Eve. It’s quite dramatic.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be getting any turkey this year.

“Fiz is going to be quite busy!”

She continued: “I can’t say if anyone dies. If I told someone that, I’d have to kill them!

“It’s not all mist and jingle bells,” the ITV soap star added.

Will the huge explosion claim the lives of any Weatherfield residents in a sinister twist?

DON’T MISS…

Emmerdale spoilers: Cain Dingle ‘explodes’ at Faith Dingle’s news

Emmerdale spoilers: Belle heartbroken over Ellis’ death?

Charley Webb: Emmerdale star hits back at questions about son

Elsewhere, a face from Ken Barlow’s (played by William Roache) past could make an appearance on the cobbles.

The stalwart’s son has been struggling ever since he discovered his wife, Sinead Tinker (Katie McGlynn) doesn’t have long left to live.

Ken has been the one to offer Daniel (Rob Mallard) some well needed support while his mother, Denise Osbourne (Denise Black) has remained absent from the Street.

Denise left the cobbles in 1997 but has made several returns since, and executive producer Iain MacLeod recently explained why Daniel’s mother has been missing.

READ MORE

  • Alan Halsall: Corrie’s Tyrone on Tisha Merry ‘She thinks I’m a toy”

He told Digital Spy: “We’ve thought about it but I think the direction we wanted to go was focussing on the characters that we already have.

“I also felt that there is enough emotional complexity for Daniel just in the simplicity in what we’ve done, and adding in a while layer of mother mummy issues probably would’ve muddied the waters.”

However Iain teased: “But never say never. That’s certainly an interesting background relationship that has been so informative.

“That whole relationship is so formative for that character, so it’s certainly not out of the question.”

Coronation Street continues Friday at 7.30pm on ITV.

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Strictly’s Katya Jones in awe of heartfelt message from Chernobyl children’s charity

Strictly's Katya Jones has received an Instagram message from a woman who works with a children's charity in Chernobyl and the 30-year-old dancer has said that the moving message makes "everything worth it". In the note, the unnamed woman revealed just how much the children she looks after admire Katya and her impressive dance skills, adding that they've even been taking Katya's wardrobe advice! Before sharing the message, Katya wrote: "The following makes me so happy, I can't even tell you. It makes everything worth it."

Katya then shared the note written to her by a charity worker. It read as follows: "Hi Katya! After working for the Chernobyl children's charity this summer and hosting two 12-year-old girls, we took your advice and learnt to make headbands out of tights and an old dress, so each girl went home with a new wardrobe of clothes and two packs of tights for headbands. Every Sunday they have an allocated internet time and we FaceTime/message and I sent them your dance of the week and they have asked me to tell you how much they love you!

Katya shared the sweet message on Instagram 

"You truly inspire their entire class in Belarus and each week the teacher lets them recreate some of the dance moves and it's their favourite time of the week. This morning I woke up to a parcel including a new headband from the girls and of course I've had to wear it to Uni. Thank you so much for everything and good luck for Saturday night."

MORE: Susanna Reid address Strictly fix claims after shock elimination

Katya shared the sweet message on Instagram 

MORE: Strictly star Oti Mabuse up against sister Motsi Mabuse – details

Katya is known for her fashion hacks. In July, the Strictly star revealed that she recycled her old tights to create headbands. Katya first cuts the top section off two pairs of tights then sews the ends together on her sewing machine. She then makes a twist at the top – a big trend right now – folds the remaining ends to the back and sews them. Impressive!

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Hidden recordings show what Strictly couples were saying on the dancefloor

When the Strictly Come Dancing couples do their routines, they're always talking to each other throughout.

But over the loud music and audience applause, viewers at home have never been able to hear what they've been saying – until now.

The official Strictly Instagram account has shared a video of the hidden microphone recordings made through last week's routines.

Karen Hauer can be heard saying "we got this baby" to Chris Ramsey when their dance begins, before shouting "come on baby!" when it picked up the pace.

Aljaz Skorjanec says "Hello, shall we?" to Emma Weymouth as their jive routine to Kids In America starts.


Dev Griffin and Dianne Buswell say "hey!" and "ha!" as they do their different moves, seemingly helping the remember the steps.

Neil Jones was giving Alex Scott instructions about which way to turn, saying: "Right, me, you, hey!"

Katya Jones also gives instructions, telling Mike Bushell: "Heel, toe, toe, heel."

At the end of their triumphant quickstep, a sobbing Katya tells him: "I'm so proud of you!"

Janette Manrara sings the words to their song to Will Bayley as they dance.

Johannes Radebe sassily shouts "hey!" to help Catherine Tydlesley keep in time.


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Game of Thrones’ Bran Stark actor snubs Jon Snow as he admits he’d be ‘gutted’ if he didn’t beat him to throne – The Sun

GAME of Thrones actor Isaac Hempstead Wright doesn’t rate Jon Snow as a potential monarch.

The actor, best known for playing Bran Stark on the hit fantasy drama, attended last night’s Q Awards alongside a host of other stars.

He spoke about how he would feel if George RR Martin’s series of novels, ended differently to the TV series, where Bran ended up as king.

“I will be a bit gutted I think,” he confessed, clearly on board with the idea that Bran’s wisdom made him an obvious pick.

However, he admitted the fate of his character in the Song of Ice & Fire saga was still up in the air.

“What’s nice is the fact the books and the show were able to evolve as their own thing,” he continued.

“So George has no obligations to end it in any of the same ways we did,” he added to Metro Online.

“That’s quite cool, you’re going to get two alternative endings to Game of Thrones.”

Alas, when he was asked about the prospect of Jon Snow ruling over Westeros, he was less than enthusiastic, simply replying: “Urrmm…”

Don’t sound too enthusiastic there, Isaac.


Still, Bran has also come under fire for his ruling skills, with Melisandre actress Carice van Houten previously comparing him to ‘dumbo’ and calling the conclusions ‘silly’.

The finale of Game of Thrones saw the beloved Stark family split up as they embarked on very different paths.

Sansa decided to rule over an independent North, while Arya sailed of to uncharted lands to the west for adventure.

Isaac's comments come after Kit Harington urged co-star Sophie Turner to 'shush' after she leaked a series of behind-the-scenes secrets.

Elsewhere, more of the cast for spin-off prequel series Bloodmoon were announced.

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