David Tennant

The Thursday Club is based on the best-selling book from former Pointless star Richard Osman.

The Thursday Club is set to make its cinema debut this week with fans understandably excited thanks to the unbelievable cast.

Hype has been mounting for the premiere of the silver screen adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club for quite some time but now the wait is almost over.

The Pointless star’s best-selling 2020 novel revolves around four friends in a retirement home who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun.

However, things actually get real for them when a property developer is found dead and the gang find themselves in the middle of the murder investigation.

The Thursday Murder Club cast in full

Elizabeth Best – Helen Mirren

The one and only Helen Mirren is behind Elizabeth Best in this eagerly anticipated adaptation, an ex-spy and the founder of the Thursday Murder Club.

Mirren is renowned for starring in massive hits such as The Queen, Hitchcock, Age of Consent, Excalibur, Gosford Park and Calendar Girls.

Ron Ritchie – Pierce Brosnan

Fellow member of the Thursday Murder Club is Ron Ritchie, a former union activist.

Irish star Pierce Brosnan is globally best remembered for starring as James Bond in the iconic franchise but has also been in Mamma Mia! and most recently starred in Paramount+’s Mobland.

Ibrahim Arif – Sir Ben Kingsley

Ron and Elizabeth are joined by fellow retiree and ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim Arif.

Sir Ben Kingsley has featured in major blockbusters including Sexy Beast, Shutter Island, Jules, William Tell and Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi.

Joyce Meadowcroft – Celia Imrie

Actress Celia Imrie is a star of both TV and film, with projects like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Calendar Girls, Keeping Faith, The Diplomat and Patrick Melrose under her belt.

Imrie is behind former nurse and latest member of the club, Joyce Meadowcroft.

DCI Chris Hudson – Daniel Mays

Another recognisable star of British TV is actor Daniel Mays who is known for his work in Lin of Duty, Ashes to Ashes, White Lines, Des and Code 404.

He is behind DCI Chris Hudson who gets sucked into the workings of the Thursday Murder Club.

Donna de Freitas – Naomi Ackie

In Osman’s novel, Donna de Freitas is an eager policewoman who has just been transferred from South London.

Actress Naomi Ackie won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in Netflix ’s The End of the F*****g World, and has also been in BBC ’s Small Axe, Star Wars : Rise of Skywalker and portrayed Whitney Houston in the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Stephen Best – Jonathan Pryce

Welsh star Jonathan Pryce has featured in mega hits like The Age of Innocence, Pirates of the Caribbean, Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies and The Two Popes.

Pryce, who will play Elizabeth’s husband Stephen Best, also portrayed Prince Philip in the final two seasons of The Crown.

Ian Ventham – David Tennant

Scottish star David Tennant has featured in an abundance of exciting shows and films including Broadchurch, Good Omens, Deadwater Fell, Jessica Jones, the Harry Potter franchise, The Sandman and, of course, as the tenth Time Lord in Doctor Who.

In The Thursday Murder Club, Tennant portrays Ian Ventham, the dodgy owner of the retirement village Coopers Chase.

Bogdan Jankowski – Henry Lloyd-Hughes

Actor Henry Lloyd-Hughe is behind the Thursday Murder Club’s right-hand man, although how he becomes involved isn’t made clear.

Lloyd-Hughes has starred in The Irregulars, Indian Summers, Parade’s End and The Long Shadow but many may remember him best for playing bully Mark Donovan in The Inbetweeners.

Tony Curran – Geoff Bell

Actor Geoff Bell has starred in The Business, Once Upon a Time in London, Daylight Robbery and, most recently, Mobland, just to list a few.

He is behind Tony Curran, a builder and business partner at the retirement village.

Jason Ritchie – Tom Ellis

Jason Ritchie is Brosnan’s character Ron’s son who used to be a famous boxer who previously made some “shady deals”.

He is brought to life by the unforgettable Tom Ellis who starred as Lucifer himself in the titular drama, and also had roles in Miranda, Washington Black and Once Upon A Time.

Bobby Tanner – Richard E Grant

Also joining the cast is actor Richard E Grant who is playing a character called Bobby Tanner.

Grant is known for his roles in Saltburn, Waltlock, Death of a Unicorn, Dom Hemingway and Withnail and I.

John Grey – Paul Freeman

John Grey is a fellow resident at Coopers Chase and the husband of a friend of Elizabeth’s.

Actor Paul Freeman is remembered for starring in The Dogs of War and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Patrice de Freitas – Sarah Niles

Actress Sarah Niles is best known for starring as Dr Sharon Fieldstone in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso.

She is playing Patrice de Freitas, young police officer Donna’s mum.

Joanna Meadowcroft – Ingrid Oliver

Actress and comedian Ingrid Oliver, who was part of the double act Watson and Oliver and played Petronella Osgood in Doctor Who, is behind Joyce’s daughter Joanna Meadowcroft.

In real life, Oliver is also the wife of The Thursday Murder Club author Richard Osman.

The Thursday Murder Club premieres on Friday, August 22, in cinemas, and on Thursday, August 28, on Netflix.

Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett join the cast as Emily Atack says she loved playing sexy Sarah Stratton: ‘I am her. I’m a flawed woman’

When the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster Rivals hit screens last year, it quickly became Disney’s best performing TV drama. Now Rupert Everett and Hayley Attwell are to join the cast for the much-anticipated second series, playing lead character Rupert Campbell Black’s former showjumping boss and his bitter ex-wife – who are now married to each other.

Atwell, best known for her roles in the Marvel and Mission Impossible films, will be playing Helen Gordon, mother of Rupert’s two children, Marcus and Tabitha – who will also appear this time around.

Everett, who starred alongside Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding, takes on the role of her husband Malise Gordon, Campbell Black’s former show-jumping coach and mentor.

READ MORE: Expert for The Jury: Murder Trial believes second series reaches ‘wrong verdict’ next week

In Cooper’s original story Helen was treated badly by her ex-husband and remains very bitter towards him after their divorce. She is now married to the former chef d’équipe of the British showjumping team, Malise.

Speaking in a session at the Edinburgh TV Festival yesterday where the castings were announced, Emily Atack joked that her character Sarah Stratton, the regularly unfaithful wife of an MP, had not been much of a stretch. “I had to dig real deep,” she quipped.

But the actress, who found fame with hit series The Inbetweeners, said she had no qualms about playing a flawed temptress.. “I’ve been typecast my whole life and I’ve loved every minute,” she declared. ” I’ll carry on playing these sexy women for as long as I can.”

Emily said that shooting the infamous naked tennis scene alongside Alex Hassell as Rupert had been great fun. Alex said that many discussions had taken place over whether or not he should wear a prosthetic over his privates for the scene, but in the end he’d decided to go without.

Emily declared that she had had a bit of help for that particular scene. “I had a stick on muff,” she laughed. “A murkin, it’s called. A proper 80s bush – I felt like I had furry knickers on. It’s so jarring seeing yourself like that.”

But the actress said she’d soon got used to it. “I didn’t want to put my clothes back on! I did a couple of cartwheels.”

Emily, 35, said part of the appeal of playing Sarah, was that while she is flawed, she also also has vulnerabilities that were recognised. “These types of women are never written with nuance,” she said. “I am her, I am a flawed woman, I’ve made terrible decisions in my love life – so I wasn’t scared to identify with her. Her bad behaviour isn’t being celebrated, but it’s being understood.”

Bella McClean, whose character Taggie O’Hara found love with Rupert in the final episode of series one, revealed she was so pleased with her audition as Taggie – and chemistry with Alex – that she walked straight into a wall afterwards.

The actress she had enjoyed playing a character who was so wholesome and good, it had made her take a look at her own life and decisions. She loved the long, simmering build-up to the romance between Taggie and Rupert, saying: “They see though all the crap and just adore each other for who they are,” she explained. “It’s about their love.”

The show’s creator Dominic Treadwell-Collins said that Jilly Cooper had told him early on how she expected the male heroes of her 1980s books to behave. He said: “She told me ‘my men don’t cry’. My men are macho.”

Dominic added: “We are utterly thrilled to have Hayley and Rupert join us to play Jilly Cooper’s legendary characters Helen and Malise Gordon. Alongside our other new wonderful actors and truly brilliant returning cast, Rivals series two absolutely showcases the best of British and Irish talent. We can’t wait for everyone to see what’s next for the residents of Rutshire.”

Disney boss Lee Mason said he was also thrilled that Everett and Atwell were joining the cast. “They are a perfect match for the world of Rutshire, so lovingly created by Dame Jilly and the team at Happy Prince.”

Rivals is filming in the UK until February and is expected to return, for an extended season of twelve episodes, later in 2026.

Set against the backdrop of the Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second run will see the return of the all-star cast including Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, Aidan Turner and David Tennant.

Next time around viewers will find that many careers, marriages and reputations hang in the balance as personal and professional lives collide in a world where secrets can’t stay hidden for long.

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The film is based on Richard Osman’s 2020 novel of the same name, but not everything has made it into the adaptation.

The Thursday Murder Club, which now has a full trailer, airs on Netflix on August 28 and fans of Richard Osman’s novel are desperate to see how it has been adapted for the small screen.

Boasting a star-studded cast, the movie follows four retirees who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but they end up with a real whodunit on their hands.

The film stars Helen Mirren as Elizabeth, Pierce Brosnan as Ron, Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim and Celia Imrie as Joyce, and it was directed by Chris Columbus.

Chris said of the film: “There’s a wonderful mystery at its core, so fans of detective and thriller films will not be disappointed.

READ MORE: Thursday Murder Club’s Celia Imrie drops news on adapting Richard Osman bookREAD MORE: Netflix makes huge Thursday Murder Club announcement and fans won’t want to miss it

“Thematically, I found it interesting that at the heart of the novel, there are four elderly people, living in a retirement community, who are obsessed with death and murder.

“They are in the last act of their lives, facing their own mortality, yet they are somehow obsessed with studying cold cases that deal with violent murders. I fell in love with that concept. It’s darkly comedic and deeply emotional.”

Translating the complex 350 page novel, which is full of plot twists, into a screenplay was actor and comedian Katy Brand’s responsibility.

“I remember thinking ‘there’s so much to play with here – it’s such an explosion of ideas.’ My immediate sense regarding adapting the book was that I wanted to draw out the emotion and Chris Columbus seemed to respond to that when we first met,” she said.

Chris opened up about how he initially became involved in the project, admitting the first scripts were not to his liking.

He said: “I was a fan of the books, but the initial scripts I read veered far from the novel. I felt that this was a mistake and I wanted to preserve what everyone loved about the book.

“When I first met with the writer, Katy Brand, I was convinced that she not only understood what made the novel so incredibly popular with readers around the world.

“But she also had the vision to write a film that was faithful to the source material. Katy’s draft was wonderful.

“And it was because of that draft that we were able to get so many British acting legends to commit to our film.”

The film also stars Naomi Ackie as PC Donna De Freitas, Daniel Mays as DCI Chris Hudson, Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie, Jonathan Pryce as Stephen Best and David Tennant as Ian Ventham.

The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28

The Thursday Murder Club is a British comedy-drama film based on the novel of the same name by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club, a thrilling new film based on Richard Osman’s 2020 novel, is set to hit cinemas and Netflix soon, with the creator himself, who is married to Ingrid Oliver, providing fans with an exciting update.

The film, which features a star-studded cast, follows a group of elderly amateur detectives as they try to crack a murder case.

Filming kicked off in 2024, with none other than Steven Spielberg serving as producer, and Osman has been keeping his followers informed about the latest happenings. Taking to Instagram, he reassured fans that the film would be available both in cinemas and on Netflix, addressing concerns that some might not be able to watch it.

READ MORE: Helen Mirren and Julie Walters star in ultimate cosy comfort-watch movie for free on BBCREAD MORE: Richard Osman offers rare update on ‘changes’ to Thursday Murder Club ahead of Netflix release

He announced: “Some very good news for everyone who wanted to see #TheThursdayMurderClub in UK cinemas. Netflix have listened to the clamour, and the film will now have a run in UK cinemas.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, cast and more.

When is The Thursday Murder Club out?

The Thursday Murder Club is set to premiere in UK cinemas on August 22.

It will then be available for streaming on Netflix from August 28, with a runtime of nearly two hours.

Who are the stars of The Thursday Murder Club?

The main four characters, Elizabeth Best, Ron Ritchie, Ibrahim Arif and Joyce Meadowcroft, will be played by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie.

Osman recently addressed the contentious casting of Ron, telling Empire: “You have to do something unusual and different and interesting.

“Here’s the key thing about Pierce Brosnan playing Ron: Pierce Brosnan is who Ron would choose to play Ron.”

Doctor Who legend David Tennant has also been signed up as Ian Ventham, alongside Jonathan Pryce who plays Elizabeth’s other half Stephen.

Naomi Ackie is set to portray PC Donna De Freitas, whilst Daniel Mays takes on DCI Chris Hudson and Henry Lloyd-Hughes stars as Bogdan.

Additional big names joining the production include Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles and Ingrid Oliver.

Is there a trailer for The Thursday Murder Club?

Viewers get a sneak peek at Cooper’s Chase, the retirement community where the central characters live.

When a killing occurs nearby, Joyce is eager for the group to get involved and crack a fresh case.

Supporters flocked to the comments section to share their enthusiasm, with one posting: “The perfect cast, I am sooooo looking forward to seeing this film, love all the books, get ready to snuggle in and be totally enthralled.”

Someone else commented: “Totally didn’t expect this book series to be adapted by Netflix, really looking forward to this. I hope it’s good. And man this cast is stacked!”.

The Thursday Murder Club will hit UK cinemas on August 22. It will subsequently become available to stream on Netflix from August 28.

Billie Piper will be the next Doctor after it was revealed in the finale episode of the latest series last weekend – but she accidentally ‘shared’ the news weeks before

Actress Billie Piper appeared to let slip she was returning to Doctor Who weeks before it was revealed. The 42-year-old will become the second female Doctor in the next series. So far, Jodie Whittaker is the only female to take on the iconic role.

It comes after Ncuti Gatwa’s shock exit during the finale of the latest series when his character regenerated into Billie in his final episode, which aired on the BBC on Saturday, May 31.

Speaking in BBC Three’s Doctor Who: Unleashed to mark the 20 years since the show was revived, Billie dropped a huge hint she was returning to the show for the third time, following her original appearance as Rose Tyler from 2005 to 2006 and a cameo in 2010.

Asked if she would ever make a comeback in the interview filmed weeks before the news was officially announced, she said: “Yeah I would… I would come back. What’s funny is that I never feel like I’ve left Doctor Who, because there is this huge Doctor Who afterlife.”

READ MORE: Billie Piper packs on the PDA with ex-boyfriend at gig after ‘rekindling romance’

She continued: “Obviously people still really want to talk about it, it’s a massive fandom, so we do conventions and we meet lots of the fans, and there’s always features. It’s always on the TV on some channel, and a new generation pick it up, so it never feels like it’s over, like it does with all the other jobs I’ve done.”

Billie then accidentally blurted out: “So coming back is really good fun.” Quickly correcting herself, she added: “So I would do it, but I still feel like I’m in it. Just a lot older.”

Now cat is out the bag, Billie has since said it was too good of an opportunity to turn down. In a statement, she shared: “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse, as I have some of my best memories there. So to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse.”

Now it is rumoured that the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, could also return to the show alongside Billie 20 years after they first appeared on screen together. Though if Billie is the new Doctor, it’s unclear what role David would take on.

A source told The Sun: “The BBC brought Doctor Who back in 2005 and there is talk about a possible one-off project to celebrate the 20th anniversary. David and Billie were a hugely popular partnership and he brought in a golden age of Doctor Who.

“With the anniversary of the reboot this year there have been some ideas floated about, with the thought of maybe bringing David and Billie back together for one last hurrah. When David’s Doctor bi-generated in the 60th anniversary special, his ‘half’ went on to live a normal life in an alternative universe while Ncuti Gatwa’s carried on as the Time Lord.

“It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of imagination for him to return with Billie as Rose for a one-off special to celebrate not only their partnership, but the anniversary of BBC bringing back Doctor Who.”

David, 54, played the 10th Doctor from 2005 to 2010 and appeared in three specials returning as the 14th Doctor before handing the role over to 32-year-old Sex Education star Ncuti.

Speaking about his exit from the show after just one season, Ncuti told fans: “You know when you get cast, at some point, you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. This journey has been one that I will never forget and a role that will be part of me forever.

“I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.”

Explaining his reasons for leaving, he added: “It’s a role that demands a lot of you physically and emotionally and mentally. The actors playing the Doctor are only actors playing the Doctor. Unfortunately, we are mere mortals. I would love to have the energy and the youth to be able to do this full time for the rest of my life, but my knees are telling me it’s time.”

However, die-hard fans think there may be another reason behind his exit. Taking to X, a fan named Mr Tardis wrote: “In October 2024, Ncuti Gatwa was on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ saying he was going to be filming another series of DW next year. In June 2025, he officially leaves the show and regenerates. This was never the plan. What a shame. He deserved so much better.”

But the BBC were quick to shut down those claims. A spokesperson said: “Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been ‘axed’ is pure fiction.”

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