Category Archives: Irish Television

Negga in TRINITY’S TREASURES

Ruth Negga TRINITY TREASURES

Irish Television

Ruth Negga TRINITY TREASURES

Trinity College Dublin’s Old Library is stepping into the spotlight, and this time it’s not just for its centuries of literary treasures. As the historic building undergoes its first major renovation in over three hundred years, it takes centre stage alongside three celebrated alumni in a brand new RTÉ documentary, TRINITY’S TREASURES.

Oscar-nominated actor and producer Ruth Negga joins acclaimed singer-songwriter Eleanor McEvoy and retired senator and civil rights activist David Norris as they reconnect with the university that shaped them, sitting down with the librarians, archivists, curators and conservators who safeguard some of the most extraordinary manuscript, printed book and artefact collections in the world. Framed against the backdrop of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, the series offers a rare, intimate look at both the building’s storied past and its next chapter.

The opening episode follows Ruth Negga as she returns to campus for a conversation with Trinity’s Librarian and College Archivist, Helen Shenton, digging into the university’s remarkable literature, poetry and theatre holdings and uncovering the hidden gems tucked away within them. It’s a fitting tribute to a space that has quietly shaped Irish literary life for centuries, now getting the star treatment it deserves.

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Irish Television

MOBLAND S2 trailer released

MOBLAND S2 trailer released

Irish Television

MOBLAND S2 trailer released

Paramount+ has finally put an end to weeks of speculation by confirming the return date for MOBLAND Season 2, and while Tom Hardy’s on-again, off-again status with the show has dominated headlines, it’s Pierce Brosnan’s continued presence alongside Hardy and Helen Mirren that gives the series its real weight heading into the new run. MOBLAND Season 2 arrives on the streamer on Friday, September 18, bringing Brosnan back into the fold of a crime drama that has increasingly leaned on his gravitas to anchor its ensemble. Paramount+ also dropped a teaser for the new season, offering a glimpse of Hardy’s crime family fixer Harry Da Souza thrown straight back into the chaos, with Brosnan’s presence looming large over the fractured family dynamics that make the show tick.

The trailer opens with Da Souza admitting, “This hasn’t exactly been a wonderful 24 hours for me, yeah?” before noting he’s under considerable strain, a line that echoes the very real turbulence that surrounded the production behind the scenes. That turbulence began in late May, when reports surfaced that Hardy would not be returning for a MOBLAND third season, following on-set friction with executive producer Jez Butterworth, 101 Studios, and others involved in the production. Throughout that uncertainty, Brosnan’s involvement in the world of MOBLAND remained one of the steadying elements of the show’s future, a reminder of why his casting was considered such a coup in the first place.

By late June, the storm had passed. Hardy was confirmed to be returning for MOBLAND Season 3 after meeting with Butterworth and executive producer David Glasser in London, a sit-down that reportedly resolved the underlying issues and cleared the path for his comeback. With that resolved, all eyes now turn to September, when Brosnan, Hardy, and Mirren reunite on screen for what promises to be one of the streamer’s biggest returns of the fall. For a show built on family loyalty and betrayal, there’s something fitting about Brosnan holding steady at its center while the drama around him plays out both on screen and off

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Irish Television

Louis McCartney in HAMBURG DAYS

Louis McCartney in HAMBURG DAYS

Irish Television

Louis McCartney in HAMBURG DAYS

Northern Irish actor Louis McCartney has been cast as Ringo Starr in HAMBURG DAYS, the upcoming BBC drama that will chronicle The Beatles’ formative years in Germany. McCartney, who hails from Helen’s Bay in County Down, is best known to theatre audiences for his acclaimed portrayal of Henry Creel in the West End and Broadway productions of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW, and his casting marks another significant milestone for Irish talent on the international stage.

The six-part series takes audiences back to the early 1960s, when four young musicians from Liverpool were honing their craft in the clubs and bars of Hamburg — years before they would become the most iconic band in music history. It is a story of ambition, raw energy, and the making of a legend, and the BBC is assembling a cast worthy of the material.

Joining McCartney is Asa Butterfield, best known for SEX EDUCATION, who will take on the pivotal role of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who discovered The Beatles in 1961 and guided their rise until his untimely death in 1967. Jonny Lee Miller, whose career-defining turn in TRAINSPOTTING remains one of British cinema’s most enduring performances, will play Jim McCartney, Paul’s father, while Christine Tremarco, who recently drew widespread praise for her work in ADOLESCENCE, will portray Mimi Smith, the aunt and guardian who raised John Lennon.

With a compelling ensemble and a story at the very heart of modern music history, HAMBURG DAYS is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated BBC dramas in recent memory.

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Irish Television

I AM HELEN preview

I AM HELEN returns

Irish Television

I AM HELEN returns

Nicola Coughlan and Joe Cole have been photographed together for the first time on set in I AM HELEN, the latest instalment in Dominic Savage’s acclaimed I AM series for Channel 4. The images give us an early glimpse of the two actors in character, seated on a bed in what appears to be a tense, heated exchange between a couple — though Cole’s role officially remains under wraps for now.

Coughlan, best known internationally for BRIDGERTON, developed the story alongside Savage, who once again serves as writer and director on the project. Award-winning Me+You Productions returns as producer. The synopsis describes a drama told through a female lens, one that examines the pressures and expectations placed on women while confronting the realities of toxic masculinity and the damage it can cause in modern relationships — territory that feels both timely and personal to the series’ broader ambitions.

I AM HELEN marks a first in the show’s history, stretching its story across two episodes rather than the single-episode format that has defined previous instalments. The series has built a remarkable track record since its debut, with Vicky McClure, Samantha Morton, Gemma Chan, Suranne Jones, Letitia Wright and Lesley Manville each having taken the lead in earlier episodes. The most recent entry, I AM RUTH, starred Kate Winslet and aired in 2022 to widespread acclaim.

Both episodes of I AM HELEN are set to air on Channel 4 later this year.

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Irish Television

RIVALS renewed for Season 3

RIVALS renewed for Season 3

Irish Television

RIVALS renewed for Season 3

Great news for fans of the show that has become one of Disney+’s most talked-about period comedies — RIVALS is officially coming back for a third season.

Disney+ has confirmed the renewal ahead of the second volume of RIVALS‘ sophomore season, which doesn’t arrive until November. It’s a vote of confidence that speaks volumes, and given the jaw-dropping twists already delivered in the first volume of season two, the excitement building around this show is entirely justified.

For the uninitiated, RIVALS is based on Jilly Cooper’s beloved Rutshire Chronicles, brought to life by a stellar ensemble that includes David Tennant, Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer in a world of scandal, seduction and spectacular bad behaviour. If season two has already raised the temperature considerably, the official logline for season three promises things are about to get even more combustible. As the dust settles on the shocking revelations of the current run, stakes will be higher, alliances more fragile, and nothing — absolutely nothing — will stay buried for long. New romances, rekindled old flames and secrets that demand to be spilled are all on the way, pushing everyone’s favourite rivalries to an entirely new level.

Production company Happy Prince welcomed the news warmly, expressing both delight and some tenderness in the same breath. The renewal comes with a bittersweet note — Jilly Cooper passed away before she could witness the extraordinary audience response to season two. Her collaborators were quick to honour her memory, noting that she remains very much present in spirit, and that she would have been thrilled to see her world carry on. They also promised to dive deeper into her work as the series continues.

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Irish Television

Coughlan cast in ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Coughlan cast in ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Irish Television

Coughlan cast in ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Nicola Coughlan is heading to London — and she’s bringing her mystery-solving instincts with her. The DERRY GIRLS and BRIDGERTON star has officially joined the cast of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING for its highly anticipated sixth season, and it’s the kind of casting news that feels almost too good to be true.

Coughlan is one of several major new additions to the show’s ensemble, joining a frankly staggering lineup of British and Irish talent that includes David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Jim Broadbent, Richard Ayoade, Adrian Lukis, and Kathryn Hunter. The show’s official social media account broke the news in typically playful fashion, urging followers to keep calm and update the case file — which, honestly, is exactly the energy we needed.

For anyone new to the series, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING follows three amateur true-crime obsessives — played by Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short — who investigate murders connected to their upscale New York apartment building while documenting everything for their podcast. Season 6 marks a significant first for the show, as production has relocated to the UK, with the trio’s investigations taking them across the Atlantic to London. It’s the first time the series has filmed outside the United States, and with a cast of this calibre waiting for them on the other side, the move feels more than justified.

No official release date has been confirmed just yet, but all ten episodes of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING Season 6 will be available on Disney+ in Ireland and internationally when it arrives.

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Irish Television

THE AGENCY S2 prems Jun 21

THE AGENCY S2 prems Jun 21

Irish Television

THE AGENCY S2 prems Jun 21

Paramount+ is bringing some serious firepower to screens this week, with three very different titles landing on the platform in the days ahead. Leading the charge is the return of one of television’s most gripping espionage dramas, while a beloved animated favourite and a cinematic classic round out what is shaping up to be a strong week for the streaming service.

Michael Fassbender is back as CIA officer Martian in Season 2 of THE AGENCY, which arrives on Paramount+ on June 21. This time, Martian goes undercover for MI6 and relocates with his partner Sami, played by the always compelling Jodie Turner-Smith, to a black site in Sudan. When Sami’s safety is threatened, Martian must navigate a dangerous web of global intrigue to reach her, all while paranoia and betrayal tighten their grip around him. If the first season set the bar high, the second looks set to raise it further.

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Irish Television

Farrell teases SUGAR S2

Farrell teases SUGAR Season Two

Irish Television

Farrell teases SUGAR Season Two

Colin Farrell is back as the enigmatic John Sugar, and if his recent chat with Extra is anything to go by, Season 2 of SUGAR is shaping up to be a serious step up from an already bold debut. The Apple TV+ series — which blends noir mystery with science fiction in a way few shows have dared to attempt — returns on June 19th, and Farrell is clearly excited about where things are headed.

Speaking about what viewers can expect, Farrell teased a more emotionally layered outing for his alien protagonist, with romance firmly on the cards and a deeper exploration of the human experiences that define John Sugar’s world. A major highlight, by the sound of it, will be the arrival of Laura Donnelly, whose presence Farrell praised warmly, pointing to the sensuality and easy, natural breeziness she brings to the show. High praise from a man who doesn’t tend to dish it out lightly.

For those still processing the extraterrestrial reveal that turned Season 1 on its head in its closing moments, there’s good news — Season 2 promises to fill in the gaps, offering greater context around John’s backstory and the journey that brought him to where we first found him. It sounds like the pieces are finally coming together.

SUGAR Season 2 premieres June 19th on Apple TV+.

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Irish Television