One of the breakout stars of Netflix’s Bridgerton has landed himself a new role following the success of the smash-hit series.
Actor Regé-Jean Page achieved worldwide fame after starring as Simon Basset, aka ‘The Duke of Hastings’, in the 2020 multi award-nominated Netflix period drama Bridgerton – which is set in the Regency era, and tells the story eight close-knit siblings looking for love and happiness in London high society – but despite the show racking up viewing figures of 82 million and becoming the most-watched original series on the platform at the time of its premiere, it was announced that Page would not be appearing in any upcoming seasons.
Since the announcement that The Duke would no longer be a featured character, Page has been cast in several other film and TV projects, but his newest gig is something a little different.
This time round, he won’t be seen in front of the camera.
Instead, Netflix has announced this week that he has been chosen to narrate new nature documentary Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale, which is directed by Matt Meech (Planet Earth II) and Renée Godfrey (Human Planet).
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Here’s your first look at SURVIVING PARADISE: A FAMILY TALE. Narrated by @regejean, this new nature documentary comes to Netflix on March 3. pic.twitter.com/o9QQ0oAgLb
The 78-minute feature will focus on the Okavango Delta, which is described as “a vast oasis, isolated from the rest of the world by unforgiving desert”.
The official synopsis for the documentary, as described by Netflix, reads: “It’s also a refuge, built and maintained daily by its inhabitants; in return, it caters for their every need. Big cats may appear to reign here, but in reality, the fate of every creature, great and small, is intertwined.
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“This film explores the blueprints for building the perfect world, managing it sustainably, and maintaining it – despite extremes of drought, famine, and flood.”
Regé-Jean Page achieved worldwide fame after starring as The Duke of Hastings’ in Netflix’s Bridgerton / Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland
The documentary – which is executive produced by James Honeyborne (Africa, Blue Planet II) – is also said to be geared up to champion those who are “passing the secret formula on” to those who come after them, which will most likely be the ones “who will find it harder than ever before to keep their Eden intact”.
Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale is set to premiere on Netflix on 3 March 2022.
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If you can’t wait until then though, or you just fancy rewatching the show that made him a star, the full first season of Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix now.
Featured Image – Netflix UK & Ireland
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Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
Sir Patrick Stewart’s farewell performance will be in Avengers: Doomsday, which is being released in UK cinemas on 18 December 2026
Featured Image – Gage Skidmore (via Flickr)
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Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Bonfire Night may be loved by us humans for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that come along with it… but sadly, the November holiday isn’t quite so fun for our four-legged friends.
Loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives are just some of the reasons why fireworks are frightening to pets.
Not only that, but with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays across this time of year, pets are rarely able to pinpoint when and where the booming explosions are coming from, therefore creating even more anxiety around this time of year.
Classic FM will play calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks / Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST (via Unsplash)
Which is why, for the ninth year running now, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA for two Pet Classics programmes packed with ‘the most soothing and comforting classical music’.
The music has been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
A survey by the RSPCA revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Presenters Dan Walker, Aled Jones, and Dawn O’Porter will each host a night of the specially created programme to help keep the nation’s pets calm through the whizzes and bangs.
Dan will present the first programme on Bonfire Night itself (Thursday 5 November), and then as celebrations continue throughout the weekend, Aled will be on hand to bring some peace to Friday 6 November, and Dawn picks up the baton on Saturday 7 November.
Emily Sergeant -
8th February 2022 
