ITV has shared the first images of its upcoming new series about the Yorkshire Ripper, and has revealed the all-star cast.
The gritty true crime drama, titled The Long Shadow, is set to air on ITV1 and ITVX next month.
Written by revered screenwriter, George Kay, and solely directed by BAFTA-winning director, Lewis Arnold, the new seven-part drama is described as being the “definitive depiction” of the desperate five-year hunt for serial killer Peter Sutcliffe – who was more commonly-known as the ‘Yorkshire Ripper‘ -and is set to “sensitively focus” on the lives of the victims who crossed his path, and the officers at the heart of the police investigation.
With the victims, their families, and the survivors “at the heart”, ITV says the series “brings a new perspective” to what is already a well-documented story.
ITV has shared the first images of its new Yorkshire Ripper drama series / Credit: ITV
Based on Michael Bilton’s critically-acclaimed account of the case, Wicked Beyond Belief, producers say the series has been “meticulously researched” and draws upon the “most extensive archive” of the investigation – with hundreds of case files, interview transcripts, and police reports all forming part of the storyline.
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Celebrated stars of the TV screen feature as part of the cast unveiled this week – with Coronation Street‘s Katherine Kelly leading the pack, alongside other famous names such as Toby Jones, David Morrissey, Lee Ingleby, Jill Halfpenny, Jasmine Lee-Jones, Liz White, and Daniel Mays.
Some of the other recognisable names in the cast include Shaun Dooley, Ruth Madely, Daisy Waterstone, and Marcella Claxton.
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Toby Jones, David Morrissey, Katherine Kelly, Lee Ingleby, Jill Halfpenny, Jasmine Lee-Jones, Liz White and Daniel Mays star in true crime drama, The Long Shadow produced by New Pictures and written by George Kay, coming to ITV1 and ITVX next month. Details >… pic.twitter.com/DlgRSfLFS2
A synopsis for the new series on the ITV website reads: “One murder has the power to cast a long shadow and this case plunged a whole society into darkness.
“For every victim, there were friends and loved ones. For every police officer, there was the burden of failure and the knowledge that as they failed to find their man, more women continued to suffer.
“The impact on the lives of those who live on after the death of their loved one remains to this day. Those who cannot escape what happened, who must sit with their incomprehensible trauma for decades after, enduring their own life sentences.”
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The all-star cast has also been revealed / Credit: ITV
ITV says The Long Shadow will “speak to the societal issues of the past”.
But while it takes a look back, the series will also be aiming to highlight the “alarming parallels” between the terrible crimes and tragic events of the past to those in our more-recent history, and will also touch on how people today are “holding to account the institutional foundations that foster misogyny, racism, and violence against women”.
The Long Shadow is set to air on ITV1 and ITVX next month.
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
Jane McDonald announces huge new arena tour, with gig in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
National treasure Jane McDonald has just announced a brand-new arena tour, including a show here in Manchester.
The singing sensation has shared details of a new UK tour and album for 2026, with the Living The Dream tour hitting 19 stages.
Jane McDonald, star of stage and screen, will be performing at the AO Arena in Manchester next September, following the release of her new album in the spring.
Living The Dream is her 11th studio album, and boasts nine original songs plus four re-workings of country classics.
Jane has been a British icon ever since she appeared in the BBC docusoap The Cruise back in 1998.
Since then she’s sold out some of the world’s most iconic venues, including the Royal Albert Hall and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
As well as her singing and stage career, she’s known for her TV work including the BAFTA Award-winning Channel 5 series Cruising with Jane McDonald, Celebrity Gogglebox with best friend Sue Ravey on Celebrity Gogglebox, and her starring position on Loose Women.
She’s also recently launched her sold-out cruise charter, Cruise with Jane McDonald, with a seven-night round-trip for 1,400 fans planned for next October.
Before heading out on tour, TV audiences will also see Jane undertaking an ocean expedition for Jane McDonald: From Pole to Pole, where she’ll be travelling from the Antarctic to the Arctic.
In May 2026 Jane will headline the main stage at Mighty Hoopla festival in London in her first ever festival headline appearance.
Making the announcement, Jane said: “It’s true, I am officially Living The Dream so what better way to celebrate that than with a new album and a new tour.
“I love Country music and I love partying with you so I want to bring that together by bringing you some exciting new music along with the songs you know and love.
“We had brilliant fun on the last tour and we’re stepping it up a notch this time to visit even bigger venues so buckle up and let’s make even more memories together.”
Jane McDonald will play the AO Arena in Manchester on Thursday 10 September.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 28 November HERE, but you can pre-order Jane’s album HERE for access to the pre-sale.
Bongo’s Bingo is hosting a series of special ‘Christmas Cracker’ and New Year’s shows
Danny Jones
Britain’s beloved Bongo’s Bingo is hosting a series of massive end-of-season specials to ring in the new year, announcing a number of their famous ‘Christmas Cracker’ and festive parties.
They’re also holding a ‘Big Fat Bingo of the Year’ (we don’t see any trademark issues whatsoever…), including one for NYE.
As one of the best nights out, not just in the North but in the country, they’re hoping to send you into 2026 singing, dancing, laughing, and hopefully with some lasting memories and maybe a prize or two.
Confirming the latest raft of shows starting this month, you can expect all the usual Bongo’s madness and more, plus all the bells and whistles, as well as plenty of tinsel and holiday cheer.
We’d love a new hoover for Christmas, to be fair. (Credit: Press shot)
Returning to Albert Hall as it regularly does throughout the rest of the calendar, Bongo’s Bingo is promising to give Manchester a Christmas and New Year’s period they’ll never forget.
As they put it, the hosts will be “transporting everyone back to the time when coloured tree lights and flammable tinsel ruled supreme, because the halcyon days of turkey with all the trimmings, mini bottles of Babycham and not a naughty elf in sight are BACK big time at Bongo’s Bingo.”
Bloomin’ ‘eck, they don’t half know how to get a crowd fired up even before they’re in the room, do they?
Set to deliver all the best festive tunes, “dodgy Santa Clauses” – their words, not ours – as well as plenty of foil hats fresh from the Christmas cracker, they’ll be partying with us Mancs multiple times throughout December, not to mention a bonus show at the end of November as we fully swap autumn for winter.
As for the ‘Twixmas’/’Christmas gooch’ period (again, not our words…), the format will then switch to the Big Fat Bingo of the Year, with quiz elements featuring all the biggest memes, tunes and cultural moments of 2025.
You can see the full list of Bongo’s Bingo festive dates for 2025 down below:
Bongo’s Bingo Christmas Cracker and Big Fat Bingo of the Year dates
Christmas Cracker
November – Fri, 28
December – Sat 6 Dec (day and night), Sat 20 Dec, Sun 21 (day), Mon 22 and Tues 23
Big Fat Bingo Of The Year
Sat, 27 Dec (day and night), Sun 28 (day) and NYE 2025
If you’re interested in booking onto Bongo’s Bingo this Christmas and/or New Year’s, you can find out more information and grab your tickets right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
9th August 2023 
