| IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW, THE NEW-ISH CONTENT BOSS TALKS 'DOCTOR WHO' FUTURE & U.S. COMEDY DEVELOPMENTS |
For Zai Bennett, 2026 is “the year of delivery.”
The BBC Studios production chief, who has a new job title, has been in post for just over 12 months and while it’s been something of a rocky ride (Disney killed its c0-pro deal for Doctor Who and the BBC lost Strictly Come Dancing's presenters), he certainly can’t be accused of twiddling his thumbs. He's about to merge BBC Studios' content and sales units in a bid to birth the next generation of hits.
“I look around my top table and I’m pretty happy,” the executive tells Deadline in his first interview since joining BBC Studios from Sky. “So now it’s about delivery. This is the year of getting our nose to the grindstone, getting some commissions and converting those developments into orders.” >>>Telling Holistic Story
Related: ExclusiveBBC Studios Developing U.S. Version Of Sleeper Hit Comedy ‘Here We Go’ With Universal Television & Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite |
Deadline Exclusives & Originals |
Lance Armstrong Rides Again - Austin Butler is attached to star in a movie about infamous cyclist Lance Armstrong, with Edward Berger on board to direct. Insiders say that Scott Stuber has been working for some time to get Armstrong’s life rights. >>> Bidding War
Super Bowl Halftime Show Review - Under the last vestiges of the California afternoon sun, a phalanx of dancers, fruit vendors, piragua sellers, power line repairmen, that trademark Concho toad, a string section and a real-life bride and groom, global superstar Bad Bunny made plain his mantra of the day: that “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.” >>> VIP Cameos
Related:
Donald Trump Attacks Super Bowl Halftime Show As A “Slap In The Face To Our Country”
In Defense Of The 45-Day Window - Joseph M. Singer has been involved in over 120 major studio feature films. This is a follow-up to his December 19 guest column arguing why no massive media company should be allowed to acquire Warner Bros Discovery. >>> Guest Column
Super Bowl Dampens B.O. - while it’s not the lowest weekend of the year, it came close with all movies doing $61.6M (per ComScore) versus the $55.1M till two weekends ago when 400 multiplexes turned off the lights due to snow and ice. >>> Full Analysis |
BET's hit Tyler Perry series Sistas is currently in its 10th season, a new era for the series with Courtney Glaude, the show’s new writer and producer, at the helm. With the new gig, Glaude saw an opportunity to mix things up, and he did so in a major way, with the help of director Armani Ortiz.
For starters, the show said goodbye to Ebony Obsidian and Novi Brown, who played hair salon owner Karen Mott and bank supervisor Sabrina Hollins, respectively. The characters’ absence was explained in the premiere episode: Karen moved away to Seattle, and Sabrina is in a coma following an accident.
Find out what’s ahead for Madison and the rest of the characters in our interview with Glaude and longtime Tyler Perry collaborator, Ortiz. >>>Q&A |
ExclusiveWe’ll be seeing more of Teen Akilah in Showtime's Yellowjackets. Nia Sondaya, who has recurred as Teen Akilah since Season 2, has been promoted to series regular for the fourth and final season.
Exclusive Ernie Hudson has signed on to star alongside Alexander Ludwig and Emma Roberts in Hal, an indie drama based on a true story.
ExclusiveFollowing the conclusion of Stranger Things, Natalia Dyer has found her first new project in Goodbye Girl, the Amazon MGM Studios rom-com we revealed this week starring Kiernan Shipka and Cole Sprouse. |
QUOTABLE "There's no excuse" - 'Bones' EP Barry Josephson apologizing for the emails he exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein |
MORE NEWS
🗣️ Prince William and Kate Middleton have made clear that they have been “deeply concerned” by revelations in U.S. Department of Justice files on Jeffrey Epstein. The 20-word statement is their first significant comment on the subject.
🏆 Paul Thomas Anderson won the top film prize on Saturday at the 78th DGA Awards for Warner Bros' One Battle After Another, another victory on the film's awards journey this season.
👍 Donald Trump gave his endorsement to Nexstar’s proposed merger with Tegna, a transaction that would create a broadcast giant reaching 80% of TV households.
🗞️ Will Lewis, the CEO and publisher of The Washington Post, announced his resignation on Saturday, days after the publication announced a devastating round of job cuts of 1/3 of its staff.
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BY THE NUMBERS 21.4M - Number of viewers for NBCU's coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony |
| OBITUARIES
🕯️ Frederick King Keller, a prolific TV director and producer whose credits include more than 200 hours of episodic television for such series as The Pretender, Blue Bloods, New York Undercover, House, 24 and CSI: Miami, died peacefully January 26 in Los Angeles following a catastrophic brain injury. He was 75. 🕯️ Brad Arnold , the 3 Doors Down lead singer and founding member, has died following news of his kidney cancer diagnosis. He was 47. 🕯️ 2026 Deaths Photo Gallery |
| ON THE RADAR
Mon - SAG-AMPTP negotiations begin; Ghislaine Maxwell appears before Congressional committee
Wed - Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni expected in court
Thu - Berlin FF & EFM begin
Sun - Last Week Tonight returns; NBA All-Star Game |
Trophy Time - Maria Taylor interviews Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and MVP running back Kenneth Walker III as they celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LX. |
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