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Earlier in the year, Paramount+ UK & Ireland announced a new psychological thriller titled Little Disasters. The upcoming drama series was set to star Troy and Inglourious Basterds star, Diane Kruger, and For Her Sins actor, Jo Joyner, in the leading roles. Now, Paramount+ via Deadline, has released first look images of the upcoming drama which explores how one moment can fracture, and "nearly destroy entire families and friendships."...

Exclusive: Here are a couple of exclusive images of Inglourious Basterds star Diane Kruger in buzzy Paramount+ series Little Disasters.

Cannes Award-winning actor Kruger plays Jess in the adaptation of the Sarah Vaughan novel. When she takes her baby daughter to hospital with a head injury that she can’t explain, her close friend and on-duty A&e doctor Liz must make the excruciating decision of whether to call social services on her longtime friend. This decision sets in motion a chain of events that show how one moment can fracture and nearly destroy entire families and friendships. The show also stars Jo Joyner, Patrick Baladi (Ted Lasso), Shelley Conn, Emily Taaffe, JJ Feild, Ben Bailey Smith and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Diane Kruger and JJ Field in Little Disasters. Image: Roughcut / Paramount Global / Kristóf Galgóczi Németh

Kruger has had far more movie roles than TV but she did play Detective Sonya Cross in FX’s version of The Bridge last decade. The German actor, who broke out in 2004’s epic war film Troy, was described as an “intelligent and dynamic actress, whose sheer presence brings with it a unique quality that leaves you inspired” by Little Disasters director Eva Sigurdardottir.

“Attaching Diane allowed me to explore sides of Jess’ character in deeper ways than I had anticipated,” she added. “Little Disasters is a story of a warm and loving mother who is hiding a dark secret, and Diane navigated that character so elegantly, with relatable and warm performances, as well as truly haunting and thrilling moments.”

That relatability attracted Sigurdardottir to Little Disasters, she told us, along with a “tension and thriller engine rooted in very relatable and familiar domestic settings.”

“I am a filmmaker who is drawn to brutally real and gritty stories, and here we had a glamorous and aspirational setting, yet with a terrifying central conflict – a hurt child,” she added.

Marianna Abbotts is exec producing for Big Boys producer Roughcut TV, which has recently moved into drama. She said she “fell in love with” Vaughan’s novels after reading Anatomy of a Scandal. “Sarah often writes about professional women who are forced to make impossible decisions. At the heart of Little Disasters is a really difficult moral dilemma when one friend is forced to call social services on another,” she added.

To aid with tackling these sensitive topics, the Roughcut team worked closely with Vaughan along with multiple advisors. “We wanted to portray the issues in the book accurately and it was extremely important to get that right,” said Abbotts. “We consulted medical, police and social service advisers who guided us with accuracy and sensitivity while understanding the need to tell a dramatic story.”

Little Disasters is a six-part series for Paramount+ UK and Ireland. Ruth Fowler and Amanda Duke adapted the series for the screen with Roughcut Television EPs Ash Atalla, Alex Smith and Abbotts on board alongside Vaughan. Simon Judd EPs for Fremantle, Sigurdardottir is the director and Myf Hopkins serves as the producer. The series was commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell and Paul Testar and will premiere next year. Fremantle is handling global sales.

BBC Studios has announced the titles coming to BritBox in September 2024, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.

The September lineup features season two of the hit bomb squad drama Trigger Point, the fifth season of The Bay, and the third season of The Tower. True crime drama Des, starring BAFTA-winner David Tenant, will also be available.

Trigger Point Season 2

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television and culture, offering the most comprehensive, must-see collection of British entertainment all in one place. The service provides a pipeline of exceptional storytelling and showcases the depth and breadth of British creativity from across the UK.

BritBox curates a quality selection of classic titles and original commissions across various genres, including dramas, comedies, documentaries,...

Fremantle, part of media giant Bertelsmann’s Rtl Group, has struck a first-look drama development deal with Roughcut Television, the production firm co-founded by CEO Ash Atalla, the producer of the original British version of The Office and The It Crowd.

The agreement follows the companies’ recent team-up on Paramount+ U.K. & Ireland psychological thriller series Little Disasters, starring Diane Kruger (Troy, Inglourious Basterds) and Jo Joyner (The Wives, For Her Sins).

Roughcut, founded by Atalla and chief operating officer Tim Sealey, is mostly known for comedy shows, such as Big Boys, Stath Lets Flats, and Cuckoo but it has also had success with recent Channel 5 drama Coma, starring Jason Watkins.

“The first-look and drama development deal will see Fremantle become the primary home for Roughcut TV’s scripted drama projects, with the producer working closely with Fremantle’s acclaimed global drama and international distribution divisions,” the companies said.

BBC Studios has announced the titles coming to BritBox in July 2024, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.

The July lineup features the return of the multi-bafta-nominated The Responder, once again led by Martin Freeman, who won an International Emmy for his performance in the first season and written by former first responder Tony Schumacher. Told with brutal realism, season two follows Chris Carson (Freeman) and Rachel (Adelayo Adedayo) as they cope with the trauma of the night officer beat and try to rebuild their lives in their own ways.

On July 2, John Simm leads a new season of Grace, based on Peter James’ bestselling crime novels. This season features adaptations of Dead Man’s Time, Want You Dead, You Are Dead, and Love You Dead.

Diane Kruger and Jo Joyner will lead Paramount+ UK & Ireland’s latest drama series, Little Disasters.

The pair will play friends Jess and Liz in the “tense and compelling” six-part psychological thriller, which also stars Shelley Conn and Emily Taaffe. It is adapted from Anatomy of a Scandal writer Sarah Vaughan’s novel of the same name and billed as an exploration of female friendships and motherhood.

The four actresses play four friends who were thrown together while expectant mothers with little in common apart from their due dates. When Jess takes her baby daughter to hospital with a head injury she can’t explain, close friend and on-duty A&e doctor Liz is forced to make the excruciating decision as to whether to call social services on her friend. The decision sets...

Exclusive: Masterpiece has dropped the trailer for season 4 of All Creatures Great and Small, returning Jan. 7 to PBS.

Season 4 sees Nicholas Ralph reprise his role as young country vet James Herriot, now happily married to Helen Herriot, played by Rachel Shenton (For Her Sins). Samuel West (Slow Horses) returns as James’ erratic mentor Siegfried Farnon while Anna Madeley (Patrick Melrose) continues as Mrs. Hall, matriarch of Skeldale House. Patricia Hodge (A Very English Scandal) also reprises her role as the eccentric Mrs. Pumphrey, and Derek as her Pekingese Tricki.

It’s Spring 1940 and with Europe at war, the community in Darrowby are pulling together more than ever before. With Tristan away serving, Siegfried and James bring in some extra hands to help around the practice: highly efficient bookkeeper Miss Harbottle, and student vet Richard Carmody. Happily married Helen and James begin to think about their future despite the looming possibility...

Gaumont UK Lands Latest Channel 5 Thriller

Locked In producer Gaumont UK is making The Wives for Paramount UK network Channel 5, a six-part mystery drama about the unravelling of a family. The Wives follows four sisters-in-law and their families who escape to their Maltese holiday apartments, as they’ve done every summer for 15 years, but things go awry. Cast will be revealed shortly and show is filming in Malta early next year, airing later in 2024. Gaumont UK is producing in association with Banijay Rights, which is selling around the world. Run by Alison Jackson, Gaumont UK has already produced For Her Sins for Channel 5 along with Netflix double Locked In and Obsession. “The Wives is set to bring layers of mystery and intrigue which is guaranteed to keep the Channel 5 audience guessing,” said Sebastian Cardwell, Deputy Chief Content Officer for Paramount UK.

Juno Dawson Developing Eliza Clark Adaptation

Juno Dawson...

Stars: Mãdãlina Ghenea, Ibrahima Gueye, Ed Westwick, Macarena Gómez, Stany Coppet, John-Paul Pace, Shane Rowe | Written by Robert Capelli Jr., Sophia Eptamenitis | Directed by Marcus Adams

Deep Fear, not to be confused with last year’s film about monsters under the streets of Paris (which is probably why they added the “Sharks vs Narcs” subtitle to the film for its digital release), is a call back to the shark films of the past. Not to Jaws or its imitators but to something earlier, like Shark!, Shark’s Treasure, and The Deep where the sharks were a secondary plot element, an added threat for the protagonists to face in addition to other humans.

In the case of Deep Fear that would be Naomi whom we first see showing her co-worker Barney how easily a reef shark can be steered away from people. When she surfaces her partner Jackson that he’s booked another tour.

Masterpiece is offering a sneak peek of All Creatures Great and Small, which returns January 7, 2024.

Season 4 sees Nicholas Ralph reprise his role as young country vet James Herriot, now happily married to Helen Herriot, played by Rachel Shenton (For Her Sins). Samuel West (Slow Horses) returns as James’ capricious and erratic mentor Siegfried Farnon while Anna Madeley (Patrick Melrose) continues as Mrs. Hall, matriarch of Skeldale House. Patricia Hodge (A Very English Scandal) also reprises her role as the wonderfully eccentric Mrs. Pumphrey, and Derek as her adored and pampered Pekingese Tricki.

All Creatures Great and Small is a Playground production for Channel 5 and Masterpiece in association with All3Media International. It returns on the same night as Miss Scarlet and The Duke, which will also begin its fourth season.

The new episodes of Miss Scarlet and The Duke have Eliza (Kate Phillips) taking over the business of Nash & Sons...

Neve McIntosh (“Shetland”) and James Anthony-Rose are joining the seven-episode fourth season of Masterpiece on PBS’ “All Creatures Great and Small.”

The drama, based on a collection of stories by best-selling author James Herriot that have sold 60 million copies internationally, is currently filming on location in Yorkshire and will air on the network in early 2024 and Channel 5 in the UK this fall.

Season 4 will return to Yorkshire Dales, picking up in 1940 as Churchill takes office and Europe is under serious threat. With Tristan away serving in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) and James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) bring in some extra hands to help around the practice.

McIntosh will play the highly efficient bookkeeper Miss Harbottle, while Anthony-Rose will play undergraduate vet student Richard Carmody who arrives at Skeldale as part of his placement under the guidance of James.

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Too many shows have popped up in recent times where woman-on-woman violence or presenting women as spiteful and unstable revenge-seekers has become a common theme. In times when social media is replete with memes that sport the caption “Women (teacup emoji),” shows and movies like For Her Sins only contribute to the trope that women are hysterical and unhinged. Airing on Channel 5, the 4-episode show leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, not just for the multiple plot holes that make the series stink but also for how unbelievably gullible the protagonist is. Starring Jo Joyner and Rachel Shenton as Laura and Emily, respectively, this is one ‘psychological thriller’ you won’t regret missing out on. Here’s a brief recap of For Her Sins.

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