A new drama series from the creator of Happy Valley with “twists and turns aplenty” has been announced by the BBC.
Written and executive produced by Sally Wainwright, who is the BAFTA-winning writer of the smash-hit BBC series Happy Valley, and co-produced by the creative team behind another one of the BBC‘s hugely-successful series, Doctor Foster, comes “a celebration of women of a certain age” in the form of a new six-part drama series called Hot Flush.
The highly-anticipated new series was announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival last week.
📢 New Sally Wainwright drama alert!
Hot Flush centres on the lives of five women of a certain age who create a makeshift, butt-of-the-joke punk-rock band in order to enter a talent contest – and discover they have a lot more to say
Just like Happy Valley, Hot Flush is set in West Yorkshire – particularly in the popular picturesque town of Hebden Bridge.
Hot Flush centres on the lives of “five women of a certain age” who come together to create a “makeshift and butt-of-the-joke” punk-rock band so they can enter a talent contest, but when they rehearse together, they end up discovering that they acually have a lot more to say than they ever imagined.
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The story follows the women as they deal with everything from demanding jobs, and grown-up children who eat up their energy, to dependent parents, husbands who’ve let them down, and the menopause.
Hot Flush will be set in the West Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge / Credit: Flickr
The band, therefore, becomes “a catalyst for change in the women’s lives”, according to the BBC.
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As the story progresses, the five women find that “it’s more than music that binds them” as they discover a “deeply potent, long-buried secret” connects them, it’s a secret that could “tear everything apart”.
Sally Wainwright says she’s been wanting to write a series like this “for a long time”, and has admitted it’s her “personal homage” to those who “woke me up to what I wanted to do with my life when I was 13”.
The Director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, has called Hot Flush a “vital story”.
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The new six-part drama is written by Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright / Credit: BBC
“We’re so excited to have the magnificent Sally Wainwright back writing on the BBC, with the brilliant Drama Republic team producing,” Lindsay commented.
“Hot Flush is a sharply observed, vibrant and vital story of five very different women at the same stage in their lives, joined together by their love of music.
“But that’s just the start.
“As you’d expect from Sally – there are twists and turns aplenty to keep viewers enthralled.”
Hot Flush is set to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with official release dates set to be confirmed in due course.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
TV & Showbiz
Tyson and Paris Fury reveal baby name – and it’s a touching tribute
Daisy Jackson
Tyson Fury and his wife Paris have revealed the name they have given their newborn baby, and it’s a beautiful family tribute.
The beautiful baby boy, who was born 18 September, is their seventh child together.
Today, in an exclusive with OK! Magazine, Paris Fury confirmed that they’ve settled on a name for the tiny new addition.
He is called Prince Rico Paris Fury, but will be known as Rico.
His name is a tribute to Tyson’s cousin Rico Burton, who died after being stabbed outside a bar in Altrincham.
Heavyweight boxer Tyson said at the time that there needed to be higher sentences for knife crime after the death of his cousin, saying: “Life is very precious and it can be taken away very quick, enjoy every moment.”
The baby’s middle name is a tribute to his mum Paris, 32, who has become a national treasure through their Netflix series At Home With The Tysons.
Paris said of the photoshoot: “I love this photo of his beautiful newborn smile. Love all the photos from this shoot.”
At the time of Rico’s birth, a delighted Tyson wrote: “He’s here and he’s perfect @parisfury1.”
All of the Fury’s sons share the same first name of Prince, with Tyson saying: “I’m a king and they’re princes until they earn their rightful name.”
Their other children are Venezuala Lynda, 14; Prince John James, 11; Prince Tyson II, seven; Valencia Amber, five; Prince Adonis Amaziah, four; and Athena Amour, two.
Tyson Fury, originally from Wythenshawe, married Paris in 2018 after they met as teenagers.
Manc fiancés brave enough to have their wedding planned by amateurs wanted for new series
Emily Sergeant
Just got engaged recently? Reckon you’d be brave enough to hand the wedding planning reins over to an amateur to sort out on your behalf?
Well, it sounds like you could be exactly what the BBC‘s looking for.
Casting directors behind one of the broadcaster’s newest smash-hit reality competition shows, Ultimate Wedding Planner, are currently planning for the next series of the show – which is set to hit our screens in 2024 – and are calling on engaged couples from Greater Manchester to put themselves forward for taking part.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the series, Ultimate Wedding Planner sees eight aspiring wedding planners battle it out to become the best of the best.
Six of Britain’s bravest couples agree to let them take control of the biggest day of their lives.
Manc fiancés brave enough to have their wedding planned by amateurs wanted for new series / Credit: BBC
Working to a budget, and under the watchful eye of the three celebrity judges, Fred Sirieix, Sara Davies, and Raj Somaiya, the aspiring planners have to upscale the design and guest experience for six real-life weddings.
They’re tasked with everything from organising table designs, floral centrepieces, aisle runners, menus, and bespoke themed installation builds, to arranging firework displays, acrobatics, dance troops, and even light displays.
Each episode, the aspiring planners have just three days to make the couples’ wildest dreams become a reality, and ultimately, “supersize their wedding day to transform it from ordinary to extraordinary”.
So, if you’re getting married in the UK next year, the BBC wants to hear from you.
Those who are ready to hand over control, and are keen for their wedding to be considered, are urged to get in touch with the BBC to register their interest.
At the moment, with a second series of the show only potentially in the works and still yet to be confirmed, the BBC wants interested couples to know that subject to having registered their interest, an online application form to complete for consideration will be sent out in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
29th August 2023 
