New British series Adolescence has shot right to the top of Netflix’s most-watched TV charts after more than 24 million people tune in.
Hitting the streaming platform just last Thursday, Adolescence is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates, with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.
This truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.
Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented?
Co-created and written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, with Graham starring alongside an ensemble cast of accomplished actors such as Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty, as well as screen newcomer Owen Cooper as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside.
“We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser,” Stephen Graham said ahead of the show‘s release.
“Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, ‘My God, this could be happening to us.’ And what’s happening here is an ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”
Adolescence has topped Netflix’s most-watched TV charts with more than 24 million views / Credit: Netflix
Over the course of the four intense one-shot episodes, the show shines a uncomfortable spotlight on and examines key themes such as male rage, the dangers of social media, cyberbullying, incel culture, and more.
The latest viewing figures show that Adolescence undoubtedly has been a runaway hit, with a whopping 24.3 million views amassed in its first four days of availability, making it the streaming platform’s top show for the week of 10-16 March.
As the show continues to garner universal acclaim, standing at 98% on notable critic website Rotten Tomatoes, those viewing figures are set to clock up thick and fast as the days go on.
While Adolescence and Jamie’s story isn’t based on a real person or event specifically, Graham, Thorne, and director Philip Barantini have confirmed that the idea for the series did spring from reports that co-creator Graham had heard about on the news of young boys being involved in knife crimes – particularly the shocking 2021 murder of Ava White in Liverpool.
Much of Adolescence was filmed in Pontefract in West Yorkshire, with the casting of Cooper in the role of Jamie ultimately influencing where the show was shot.
“We knew it was going to be set somewhere in the North of England, and we also knew it would be from somewhere around wherever our Jamie was from – in this case near Warrington – because it would have been unfair to make him do an accent,” explained director Philip Barantini.
All four episodes of Adolescence are now available to stream on Netflix.
Featured Image – Netflix
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Classic gameshow Wheel of Fortune is looking for Mancs to take part in next reboot series
Emily Sergeant
Classic gameshow Wheel of Fortune is looking for Mancs to take part in the next series of the popular reboot.
In case you missed it, Wheel of Fortune returned to ITV for eight hour-long episodes – which included two celebrity specials – back in 2024, with beloved and seasoned BAFTA-winning TV host Graham Norton fronting the revival, and just like the original run, the reboot proved to be very popular with audiences.
Not familiar with the show?
Based on the successful global brand, and modelled on the still-ongoing American show of the same name, the original British version of Wheel of Fortune first aired all the way back 1988, and went on to run for a whopping 14 series and 746 episodes before ending 2001.
Classic gameshow Wheel of Fortune is looking for Mancs to take part in the next reboot series / Credit: ITV / ITVX
The show’s premise is basically based around a giant carnival wheel that the contestants have to spin to win themselves a life-changing cash prize.
Just like the original, the reboot is also a ‘thrilling game of skill and luck’.
In each episode, the turn of the wheel secures contestants a cash value before they pick a letter to help them solve the puzzle, where, for every correct letter they reveal in the puzzle, they win multiples of that amount.
A casting call for the upcoming series on the ITV website reads: “We’re looking for contestants to take part in this brand-new series of the classic gameshow, Wheel of Fortune. If you love solving word puzzles and would like a chance to spin the wheel and win big cash prizes, then please apply now.”
Fancy it then? You’ll just need to be over 18 years old and a legal resident of the UK to apply, so if you reckon you’ve got what it takes, then you can find out more and stick an application in before the closing date of 19 September 2025.
Walkers launches TWO new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades
Emily Sergeant
Walkers has launched two new crisp flavours to its permanent lineup for the first time in decades.
We all know the legendary crisp manufacturers have been no strangers to bringing out weird and wonderful concoctions and collaborations over the years – with Marmite, spicy tomato ketchup, fish and chips, steak and ale pie, and even Christmas pudding being just some of the foods turned into crisp form by the company over the years.
These limited-edition Walkers flavours usually have shoppers flocking to their nearest supermarket to stock up before they sell out.
But this time, there’s no need to dash, as these two new flavours are staying for good.
Walkers has launched two new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades / Credit: The Manc Group | Mustafa Bashari (via Unsplash)
It’s been a long time – decades, in fact – since Walkers announced permanent crisp flavours that would be stocked on UK shop shelves for years to come, but all that’s set to change, and we have a feeling they’re going to be pretty well-received.
Inspired by the authentic flavours of Japan and India, the two new Walkers crisp flavours are Sticky Teryaki and Chicken Masala.
These new additions come following a year of ‘rigorous’ testing of 63 different potentials, and Walkers said its research and development team finally landed on two flavours that are ‘so delicious’, they simply ‘had to be added’ to the permanent lineup.
The new Sticky Teriyaki flavour provides a balance between sweet and tangy, and it’s sure to hit your senses with an array of flavours from Japan.
The new Masala Chicken, on the other hand, packs a punch of flavour and provides the rich and spicy taste that makes Tikka Masala a firm favourite dish in the UK.
“Our development team has been on a mission for the past year to find two new flavours that meet the highest standards,” commented Wayne Newton, who is the Senior Marketing Director at Walkers, ahead of the crisps being launched.
“After thousands of crisps crunched, flavours tested, and bags rustled, we’re pleased to bring something entirely new to the table”.
Emily Sergeant -
19th March 2025 
