TV & Showbiz

Michelle Keegan shares behind-the-scenes photos of new BBC drama as she poses as 1950s nurse

The Stockport-born actress has been filming Down Under for the new drama.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 8th May 2023

Michelle Keegan has shown off her transformation into a 1950s nurse with a series of behind-the-scenes photos from a new BBC drama.

The Stockport-born actress is set to star in Ten Pound Poms, a new original series following a group of Brits leaving post-war Britain for the sunny shores of Australia.

It’s based on the historic Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, which allowed Brits to move across the world for just £10.

The six-part series has been written by BAFTA-winning Danny Brocklehurst, who also created Brassic, in which Michelle also stars.

She will play Kate, a young nurse who arrives in Australia without her fiancé, who will slowly reveal her devastating past and why she has such an emotional connection to the country.

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While we still have a week to wait for the premiere of Ten Pound Poms, Michelle has given us a little taste of things to come on her social media.

The 35-year-old beauty shared a series of photos from the set Down Under, showing off her 1950s wardrobe and a few of the filming locations.

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She wrote: “1 week to go before Ten Pound Poms takes you back to 1956.”

In the first photo, Michelle is posing in front of a row of houses wearing a midi-length purple shirt dress.

Then she posted a group photo of the cast together between takes, a snap of historic theme park Luna Park, and a photo of a sunset on set.

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Ten Pound Poms will also star Faye Marsay and Warren Brown as husband-and-wife Annie and Terry, Australian comedian Stephen Curry, David Field, Emma Hamilton and more.

Michelle said in a recent BBC interview: “Ten Pound Poms will definitely take the audience on a journey. I think for me and for the viewers, the script is like a history lesson.

“I didn’t know a lot about the Ten Pound Poms before being part of this project but I did a lot of research into it.

“Now I’ve talked to lots of people who say: “Yeah, my grandmother was a Ten Pound Pom and I have family in Australia” and that all stemmed from what happened in the 1950s.”

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Ten Pound Poms premieres on BBC on Sunday 14 May at 9pm.

Featured image: Instagram, @michkeegan

TV & Showbiz

Doctor Who fans left scratching their heads over new star following ‘surprise’ regeneration

Danny Jones Danny Jones Doctor Who regenerates into Billie Piper

Thousands of Doctor Who fans have been left scratching their heads following the most recent season finale and yet another regeneration that absolutely NO ONE was expecting.

Seriously, if you predicted this, then you’re just lying.

Following the series 15 conclusion – or rather the ‘second’ under the Disney+ umbrella – which saw Ncuti Gatwa vacate the moniker after just two series, showrunner Russell T Davies made his first real big splash since returning to the franchise.

If you’re looking for just one singular meme that sums up the general audience’s reaction to the episode, look no further:

Doctor Who remains one of the most iconic British TV shows of all time, but it’s fair to say it hasn’t been without its ups and downs over the years, and this latest turn has proved just as divisive.

After being first brought back from a 16-year hiatus following the sci-fi series’ original run from 1963 to 1989, the latest iteration is now two decades and six new Doctors in.

Or is that seven?…

Sex Education star Gatwa may be the 15th Doctor all told (with David Tennant’s own mini return marking number 14), but it looks like the latest might be former reboot star Rose Tyler herself, a.k.a. Billie Piper.

Remaining tight-lipped on social media, Billie has said little more than fans will have to “wait and see”, as well as her cryptic “a rose is a rose” post; as for the BBC themselves, they have only offered a press release, teasing that “just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen…”

In case you haven’t seen it yet, let’s all watch it together in real time, shall we?

What a surprise!

While there are plenty of clues and theories now being picked apart by so-called ‘Whovians’, we have little more evidence than the scene itself and the final line in the end credits of the episode, which read: “Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper”.

Plenty of fans are obviously over the moon to see the 42-year-old back on board, regardless of the circumstances, but it hasn’t stopped them from tying themselves up in knots of confusion, especially given the very obvious canon questions posed following the reveal.

For anyone not even remotely clued up on her connection to the show, Billie Piper previously played Rose Tyler – the first companion of the modern era, who has returned for a number of cameos in the past – but (no spoilers), having her return as not just a different character but THE Doctor seems rather complex.

Nevertheless, the speculation that has ensued online since the reveal has been enjoyable on both sides of the argument.

Since the recent rebrand to make the show more palatable to American and global viewers, there has been a noticeable increase in the community’s presence online.

One overseas fan wrote X: “It’s been 20 years and Rose Tyler is still my favourite companion, she was my first after all. In whatever incarceration Billie Piper shows up as, it just reminds me of being a teen again, being introduced to this wild British TV show on the SciFi channel.

As far as our opinion, we’re only casual Doctor Who fans, but we can’t lie, we’re pretty excited to see whatever they have in store.

What do you make of the whole thing? Is Billie Piper really going to become the new Doctor and, if so, are you on board, or are you in the camp of it’s a bit of opportunistic lip service for fans?

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Featured Images — BBC (press images/screenshot)

TV & Showbiz

Tribute paid to former Race Across the World star Sam Gardiner who died in a crash in Gatley

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sam Gardiner

The family of a former Race Across the World star who died following a collision last week have paid a touching tribute to him.

Sam Gardiner rose to public attention when he competed with his mother, Jo, in the second series of the BBC’s Race Across The World, but sadly, the 24-year-old lost his life during a collision in Gatley at the beginning of last week.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that Sam was the driver of a white VW Golf R estate that was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Monday 26 May.

The collision occurred on the A34 in Gatley, and Sam has since passed away from his injuries. 

Sam Gardiner and his mum Jo
Sam Gardiner and his mum Jo, who competed on BBC’s Race Across the World / Credit: GMP

At the time of his tragic death, Sam was working as landscape gardener and had been based on an isolated estate on the west coast of Scotland, but was home in Manchester for a family gathering. 

Sam was described by his parents as a ‘loyal, funny, and fiercely protective’ young man in the tribute paid to him.

Their tribute reads in full: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Sam in a terrible accident. Sam left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special.

“Sam was adored by his family. As a son, brother and nephew, he was loyal, funny and fiercely protective.

“He did Race Across The World in 2019, which opened his eyes to the wonder of adventure and travel. He was willing to go wherever the trail might lead and he touched everyone he met on the road. He found great happiness working as a landscape gardener on the west coast of Scotland.

“Sam brought warmth, laughter and a smattering of chaos wherever he went.

“He leaves behind a huge hole in our hearts. We will miss him endlessly, but we’ll also remember him with smiles, tall tales, and a depth of love that will never fade”.

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At this time, Sam’s family have asked for privacy whilst they begin to come to terms with the terrible loss, and are being supported by specialist GMP officers.

Featured Image – GMP / Family Handout

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