Small Screen: BBC Outlines Transformation Strategy, ‘Casting Of Two Weeks In August’ Gets Released
bbc
Broadcast: This past Monday, the BBC outlined its plan for 2025 and 2026 to adapt during financial challenges. The BBC's budget has decreased by £1 billion ($1.3 billion) over the past 15 years, leading to a focus on digital innovation and the loss of about 2,000 jobs.
Major projects include the return of The Night Manager and Doctor Who, along with the launch of four new music stations on BBC iPlayer. The BBC's commercial division aims for £1.5 billion ($1.95 billion) in returns by 2026/27, a 30% increase from before. The BBC is asking account holders for input on its future and wants to secure adequate funding and independence. With 95% of U.K. adults using its services monthly, the BBC is a leading news source, especially for those between the ages of 16 and 34.
According to the BBC’s annual plan, they are currently facing challenges regarding content funding for the upcoming year. The corporation noted that a decline in co-production partnerships with global streamers is a major factor contributing to this dilemma. If there aren't any changes, maintaining the current level of UK content may become a bigger problem.
To address this, the BBC plans to focus on more creative productions outside of London with the goal of better representation to reflect its audience.
The BBC emphasized its status as the leading producer of British content, with 64% of UK adults feeling that it well represents life in the UK, compared to 16% for Netflix. The report also stated that its viewership across TV channels and iPlayer surpasses that of Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ combined.
comedy central
Cable: Monday, July 9, 2025, marks the release date of the 27th season of Comedy Central's adult animated series, South Park. You can expect to see a commentary on Diddy and a battle against Canada. It's been a long two years since the last season of South Park. Parker and Stone, the creators of the series, mentioned that the break was purposeful, feeling that there wasn't much to say following the presidential elections. Additionally, Stone and Parker are currently working on a feature film with Kendrick Lamar, which is scheduled to be released in 2026 through Paramount.
Nicholas Pinnock - Lia Toby / Stringer
Streaming: The casting for BBC’s drama Two Weeks in August has officially been announced!
Nicholas Pinnock (The Book of Clarence) will play Solomon and Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor), will play his wife, Jess. Leila Farzad (I Hate Suzie), will play Nat, an old friend from university, alongside Hugh Skinner as Jacob. Additionally, Jessica Raine will play Zoe, with Damien Molony as her husband, Dan.
Produced by Various Artists, Two Weeks in August follows a woman who goes on vacation with her family and friends, and what begins as a fun vacation quickly turns into a nightmare. Nicholas Pinnock also stars in Peacock's new crime drama Long Bright River (2025) as (Truman Dawes) a former police officer searching for his missing sister. Antonia Thomas is known for her role as Alisha Daniels in the British superhero drama Misfits (2009), while Leila Farzad can be seen in the crime drama Better (2023) as Detective Lou Slack a tough police officer with the Leeds Crimes Unit.
Shondaland, founded by Shonda Rhimes and known for productions such as Scandal (2012) and How to Get Away with Murder (2014), has recently promoted three executives: Catherine Yan Lustro, Alyssa Schimel, and Seth Plattner. Catherine Yan Lustro has been appointed as the Senior Director of Global Merchandise Strategy and Experiences. She’s in charge of and oversees Shondaland's consumer product strategies and manages product development. Previously, Lustro served as the Engagement Director of Special Projects at Time Inc. (2017-2018) and as the Program Director at Vice Media (2017). Alyssa Schimel has taken on the role of Vice President of Global Content Marketing, Communications, and Talent Strategy. She will be responsible for managing marketing and communications for all of Shondaland's content. Seth Plattner is the new Senior Director of Digital Engagement and Content Strategy. His division will focus on all aspects of digital marketing, including social media.
Rhoyle Ivy King, who originally guest starred as Nathaniel Hardin on The CW’s All American: Homecoming as their first nonbinary character, has signed with Park Agency. King first joined the series as a recurring guest, but has since been promoted to a series regular. In addition to All American: Homecoming, King portrayed Don in Ryan Murphy's series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022) alongside Niecy Nash. Outside of television, King has appeared on Broadway's Sister Act: The Musical, Rent, portrayed the Tinman in The Wiz tour, and Chad Danforth in High School Musical.
Trevor Jackson, a former star of Grown-ish, is making his debut on ABC’s long-running drama series, Grey’s Anatomy. Jackson will appear for the first time in season 21, episode 17, which is set to air on Thursday, May 8, 2025. While it is unclear whether his character will be an intern or a resident, he’s described as someone who is handsome and intelligent but also very arrogant. You can look forward to seeing Jackson in the season finale, with the possibility of him becoming a series regular if the show is renewed for a 22nd season, which may be announced later this week.
Jackson is known for his role as Aaron Jackson in Grown-ish, the spinoff of black-ish, where he served as a series regular throughout its six-season run. He is represented by Independent Artist Group, Entertainment 360, and Myman Greenspan Fox.
Fadia Abboud, the director behind the film House of Gods (2024), is releasing a new project: a sci-fi film titled 2 Moons. This film explores a group of characters, each written to reflect the experiences within underrepresented communities throughout Australia. The film draws inspiration from the backgrounds of its writers, ensuring a true representation. 2 Moons is being developed as a collaborative project between Powerhouse and the non-profit, Co-Curious; two organizations committed to inclusive storytelling. Abboud is also credited with Four Years Later (2024), and Hardball (2019).
I Will Find You, is Netflix's latest series based on the novel of the same name by Harlan Coben. The cast includes Logan Browning, (Dear White People), alongside Britt Lower, Erin Richards, and Milo Ventimiglia. The series is the latest of Coben's work to be made for viewing, following the Argentinian series Caught and the Polish series Just One Look. I Will Find You follows David Burroughs, a father falsely imprisoned for the murder of his son, only to discover that his son is in fact still alive. Determined, Burroughs creates a plan to escape prison and uncover the truth. Browning (Sarah Greer), an FBI agent on the Fugitive Task Force, career becomes threatened due to Burroughs case.
Will Trent (2023), the police drama based on Karin Slaughter's book series, was renewed for its fourth season on ABC. The series features Ramon Rodriguez in the title role as Special Agent Will Trent. Despite his troubled past and being abandoned as a baby, Trent has developed acute skills and resources that he utilizes to get justice. Additionally, ABC announced the renewal of several other popular shows: Abbott Elementary, a comedy revolving around teachers in an underfunded school starring Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams, will return for its fifth season. Long-running medical drama, Grey's Anatomy will continue with its twenty-second season. The Rookie, which follows a middle-aged man's journey as a rookie police officer in Los Angeles, will come back for its eighth season.
9-1-1, the hit drama series starring Angela Bassett as Athena Grant, has officially been renewed for its ninth season! Since its debut, 9-1-1 has consistently captivated audiences, earning the ranking as the second most-watched series and claiming the top spot in live plus same-day ratings for viewers ages 18 to 49. The series follows the lives of Los Angeles' first responders, including paramedics, firefighters, dispatchers, and police officers, and the risky situations they encounter while also delving into their personal lives, emphasizing the emotional and psychological challenges that come with their professions. Originally launched in 2018 on FOX, 9-1-1 initially gained significant attention but faced cancellation after six seasons. However, the series was later picked up by ABC in 2024. In addition to the core series, the upcoming season will introduce a spinoff, 9-1-1: Nashville, which is set to premiere this September.
You may know Jason Momoa as Aquaman (2018), or from his drama series See (2019). He, along with Apple TV+ has set a premiere date for his newest series, a historical drama, Chief of War. This nine-episode series will be released on Friday, August 1, 2025, with new episodes airing weekly until Friday, September 19, 2025. Co-created with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, one of the writers from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), the series is based on real events and follows Ka’iana, played by Momoa as he attempts to unite the islands before the influence of Western colonization. This will be the first time Momoa has written for television, as he has co-wrote, directed, and starred in the action thriller film Road to Paloma (2014).
