Latest news with #BBC2
The National
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Woman sets up her tent to make sure working-class voices are heard
Rents of £7000 for one bedroom in a shared flat for a month has made Narin Özenci shell out for a tent so she can bring her one-woman show to the city. She told the Sunday National that she wasn't going to let the high costs put her off staging her show, Inner Child(ish), as she felt too many working-class voices were being forced out of the Fringe because of the expense. 'I don't know how anyone can justify £7000 for one room for a month,' said Özenci, who has autism. 'You hardly see any working-class people there now because of the costs. That has driven me to do it even more as I want to help represent the working class.' READ MORE: 'Completely unprecedented': BBC cuts live feed for Kneecap Glastonbury performance Özenci first appeared at the Fringe in 2014, creating a stir by performing her show in her car. 'I could only squeeze in four or five people at a time but it got good feedback and Mark Watson came to interview me for BBC2's Edinburgh Nights,' she said. As she no longer owns a car, she will have to lug her tent to Edinburgh via public transport. And while she has camped before, she admitted that living in a tent for a month would be a challenge. 'I've never camped for as long as a month so it is going to be intense,' she joked. 'I probably will get a bit grumpy. Fortunately, I have a good sense of humour so I am trying to look at it as a funny adventure. And I might try to find someone strong and sexy to help me put up the tent.' Born in Essex to a Turkish Cypriot family as a second-generation immigrant, Özenci was not screened for autism until she was at university where she also discovered the clowning group Ridiculusmus. Inspired, she entered a TV writing competition and won a place in the Edinburgh International TV Festival 2003. However, during a networking event, she was laughed at by a group of girls in the toilets for not wearing party clothes or make-up. After ranting about it to the comedian John Ryan, he advised her to try stand-up comedy. She took his advice and started gigging, integrating comedy into her degree and finally graduating from Aberystwyth University with a BA (Hons) in Performance with Film and TV. In 2016, she received her first major acting and writing credit for Girls Go Trolling (Channel 4 Online) and made guest appearances in Hooligan Legacy (2016), Finding Fatimah (2017) and Man Like Mobeen (2018). Özenci is making her welcome return to the Fringe this year with her new show which is a cross between stand-up and clowning. 'It's a satire but it comes from a place of truth as the whole show is an allegory for an autistic meltdown,' she said. 'I wanted to demonstrate what it is like to be in a meltdown and how I get out of it. 'I'm not actually having a meltdown – I am humourising it because that is the only way it does not have power over me. It's also to educate neurotypical people as to how we process information and what we do when we are in a mess.' In the show, Özenci's alter ego, Narin Oz, is a misbehaving, rule-breaking, prank-loving being who enjoys nothing more than taking reality and flipping it on its head. She likes challenging the status quo, messing with social order and enjoying the chaos. It's a relaxed performance for the whole month as she wants neurodivergent people as well as neurotypicals to come along. 'I want people to be able to own who they are as a person because being neurodivergent is nothing to be ashamed of,' Özenci said. As well as writing and performing in the show, she is in the process of developing clown workshops specifically for neurodivergent people to help them embrace their full, unmasked selves. In her spare time, she is practising putting up her tent. Narin Oz: Inner Child(ish) is on from July 31 until August 24 (not August 12) at the Just the Tonic Mash House.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EastEnders legend looks unrecognisable after making dramatic TV return
Early fans of BBC soap EastEnders may not have recognised an actor who returned decades later to star in a BBC2 series, with his social media also showing him in a different light EastEnders star Clair Norris has been told her contract will not be renewed, prompting the exit of her character Bernie Taylor after eight years. While viewers will say goodbye to Bernie, Oscar Branning is returning to Albert Square after an eight year absence, with actor Pierre Moullier taking over the role. Viewers who watched the soap from the start will remember a character brought to the fledgling soap by writers Tony Holland and Julia Smith to represent London's growing Turkish Cypriot community. Mehmet Osman was played by Haluk Bilginer, who spent three unforgettable years in Albert Square. Mehmet once duetted with his brother Ali Osman, played by Nejdet Salih, at The Queen Vic pub, where they performed the lively Turkish song Oy Oy Emine. In another scene at the Vic, he was struck by Mary the Punk after he attempted to kiss her. Sadly, both stars were abruptly written out of the goings-on in Albert Square when the writers exited the show. While Nejdet's acting career seemed to plateau after leaving EastEnders, Haluk's didn't. He continued acting and looked completely unrecognisable from his Walford days when he returned to TV in the starring role of The Turkish Detective. Stepping into the shoes of Detective Cetin Ikmen in the BBC2 series last July, he sported a bushy, grey beard and starred alongside Yasemin Allen, who played Cetin's female counterpart, Detective Ayse Farsakoglu. Haluk's Instagram account also shows him in a completely different light to the young Mehmet from EastEnders. In one image, taken back in 2021, he has long, wild hair and the same grey beard, with a photo that he captioned: "IS BALLET A SPORT???" Another picture, taken just before Christmas last year, reveals him to be in New York, as he smilingly poses for a selfie on the streets with a group of people on the street. The Turkish Detective was created for TV by American film company Miramax, and inspired by English author Barbara Nadel's The Cetin Ikmen Crime Novels. While Nadel's version stretches across 24 novels, the tale was condensed into eight episodes for viewers. Ethan Kai, recognised for his portrayal of Kasim in Emmerdale from 2016 to 2017 and his stint in BBC's spy thriller Killing Eve, also joined the cast. Haluk's acting credentials after EastEnders are impressive. In 1992, he and his then-wife Zuhal Olcay secured roles in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. After moving back to his native Turkey and starring in a host of films there, they even set up their own theatre. Despite taking a break from English-language films for some time, Haluk made a comeback in 2009 with the American thriller The International, where he took on the role of high-tech missile guidance system dealer, Ahmet Sunay. He also featured as Dr Ranbir Sartain, the new psychiatrist of Michael Myers, in the 2018 horror sequel Halloween. In 2014, he clinched the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Winter Sleep, and in 2018, he bagged an Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor for his portrayal of Agah Beyoglu in the Turkish crime drama Sahsiyet (Persona).
Wales Online
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated
BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated The switch has left some fans furious with one describing it as 'a shambles' The BBC's Wimbledon coverage has undergone a big change (Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images ) The BBC has come under fire from tennis fans after it was revealed that their iconic Wimbledon highlights programme has been relegated to a graveyard slot ahead of this year's Championships. Today at Wimbledon - which shows highlights of each day's play at the tournament - has traditionally held a prime time slot on BBC2 during the competition, generally being aired at either 8pm or 9pm. However, it is now set to be moved back several hours in a change that has already upset viewers. During this year's Wimbledon, the programme will air at 11.55pm, with the Telegraph reporting that this is a change that will be in force for the majority of the tournament, rather than simply being a one-off. When the competition gets under way on Monday, the 8pm-10.30pm slot on BBC2 will instead feature repeats of Your Garden Made Perfect, The Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wild Year and David Mitchell's sitcom Upstart Crow. According to a BBC spokesperson, the Telegraph reports, Today at Wimbledon will still be shown at its traditional time on the BBC iPlayer, with the television broadcast labelled as a 'repeat'. However, it has been argued that the switch could still alienate viewers, including those in remote areas, who may not have access to the iPlayer or the BBC website to watch the highlights. Article continues below "What a farcical decision," wrote one viewer on X. "Not everyone can watch every hour and wish to have a easy to watch highlights show. "Not this pushed to the graveyard slot. Shambles @BBCSport and shouldn't be allowed by @Wimbledon". Another added: "What they have done to that programme is cultural vandalism," while a third wrote: "They have ruined that programme, which is sad." The BBC have defended their decision, with a statement from the broadcaster claiming it did not want its live coverage to clash with its highlights programme. The corporation also added that in the final week of Wimbledon, when earlier finishes are expected, Today at Wimbledon is set to return to its 8pm slot. 'Live Wimbledon coverage is scheduled to air on BBC One or BBC Two until 10pm in the first week, and until 9pm from the second week, when matches typically finish earlier," the statement to the Telegraph read. "We wouldn't show highlights on another channel during live play, so Today at Wimbledon will be available on BBC iPlayer and scheduled on BBC Two later in the evening, depending on when play ends. "It's currently set for 8pm from Tuesday 8th to Friday 11th July, when earlier finishes are expected.' The controversial move comes after the BBC were criticised for their coverage of the doubles competition at the Queen's Club earlier this month. Article continues below The broadcaster twice failed to show the partnership of Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in action at the tournament in West Kensington, showing old episodes of Homes Under The Hammer and Bargain Hunt instead of their win over Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu, and their quarter-final defeat to Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe. Viewers complained over the lack of coverage of the two British stars, with one taking to X to write: "You have the British women, one and two, playing together in doubles and you're not showing it? Make it make sense! So frustrating!"
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC move iconic Wimbledon show to graveyard slot after Emma Raducanu snub
The BBC's Today at Wimbledon highlights programme has been shoved back to a graveyard slot with coverage airing at 11.55pm as the broadcaster defends its coverage The BBC has again come under fire after moving their iconic Today at Wimbledon programme to 11.55pm - the decision coming not long after they failed to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in action at Queen's. The traditional highlights programme for each day's play has generally aired at either 8pm or 9pm on BBC2, but it will now get shoved back several hours to a very unsociable time slot that will suit few viewers. Previously it had been in a prime time slot. The switch is not a one-off to suit their coverage with the Telegraph reporting that it has a new permanent home in the five to midnight slot. Next Monday's 8pm-10.30pm time slot will see them include repeats of Your Garden Made Perfect, The Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wild Year, and Upstart Crow. A BBC spokesperson claimed that Today at Wimbledon would still be shown at its traditional time on iPlayer, while describing the television broadcast as a 'repeat'. It will alienate viewers, especially those in remote areas, who may not have access to iPlayer or the BBC website. Today at Wimbledon has often been the only way some fans can catch up on that day's play. It comes after the broadcaster's tennis coverage came under fire when they twice failed to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in the doubles at Queen's. The British pair were beaten in the quarter-final against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe at the London-based tournament. However that match, as well as their earlier win, were not shown with BBC2 instead showing two-year-old editions of Homes Under The Hammer and Bargain Hunt. The majority of the match coverage wasn't even available on the website despite them receiving complaints for not showing their early win against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu. There will be a number of Brits in contention at Wimbledon, which will only heighten interest with fans potentially frustrated at BBC's coverage. Jack Draper has moved up the rankings after his showing at Queen's and is among the top four seeds, giving him an easier route to the semi-finals. Raducanu is again the British No 1 and will hope to embark on an impressive run in front of her home crowd. She's previously received huge backing at SW19 whilst Boulter too is in contention. Raducanu, winner of the US Open four years ago, has confirmed that she will continue working with Andy Murray 's former coach Mark Petchey as well as childhood coach Nick Cavaday.
Scottish Sun
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Shock exit for ANOTHER EastEnders character as he risks marriage to flee abroad
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EASTENDERS has waved goodbye to another character in a shock exit in today's episode. The BBC soap has only just seen returnee Zoe Slater leave three days after her comeback - and now another member of the family is off to find her. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 2 Alfie is off to track Zoe down without Kat knowing Credit: BBC 2 Kat is trusting Alfie to go to Australia - and she has no idea he's lying to her Credit: BBC With Stacey telling Alfie that Zoe has done a moonlight flit to Barcelona on her credit cards, he came up with a plan. Telling her not to cancel them, he said they could track where she was with it and find her to bring her home for a reunion with her mum Kat. But with Alfie unable to tell Kat where he was really going, instead he lied and claimed he was going to Australia to see his brother Spencer who was struggling. And it's EastEnders, it's likely that Kat will discover his lies and jump to the wrong conclusion, putting their marriage at risk. It comes just a day after Zoe fled to Barcelona, after her brief return scenes. The BBC soap has confirmed that Michelle will return later this summer for a permanent comeback. EastEnders new boss, Executive Producer Ben Wadey added: 'Before I even stepped into the role, Zoe Slater was on my wish-list of returnees as, although we haven't seen her on screen for twenty years, her character has transcended time due to her popular storylines.' Speaking on her return to the BBC soap, Michelle said: 'It feels like coming home. 'After doing my first few scenes, it was like I'd never been away. 'It all happened at the right time. EastEnders drops huge clue that Zoe Slater has a secret child before shock exit 'I'd already been thinking about a return because I'd met up with Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo) and Kim Medcalf (Sam Mitchell) and we were reminiscing our fond memories of the show, and I'd also joined social media and saw that there was still a lot of love for the character. 'It just so happened that at the same time, EastEnders had announced a new Exec who was keen to explore the potential of a return as he was such a massive fan of Zoe and the Slaters, so both of our worlds aligned at the right time, and I'm so excited to be back. 'When I was pitched the storylines, and when I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision.'
