Nails by Charlotte

Helen George has played Trixie Aylward throughout Call the Midwife, becoming one of the drama’s longest-serving and most recognisable cast members. In Series 15, Trixie remained closely involved with the work of Nonnatus House as the story moved into 1971 and explored another period of significant social and medical change.
The latest series brought issues including the Women’s Liberation movement, changes within the NHS and new challenges for midwifery. Trixie also faced uncertainty about the future of the profession, adding another personal dimension to her continuing story. Helen George remained part of the returning ensemble alongside Jenny Agutter, Linda Bassett and other familiar faces.
Series 15 concluded in March 2026, but the world of Call the Midwife is continuing to expand, with a further series, a prequel and a feature film in development. For many viewers, Trixie remains an important part of the programme’s long-running story, and George’s performance has helped keep the character familiar across more than a decade of television.

Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner spent years playing husband and wife in Outnumbered before eventually becoming a couple in real life.

As Pete and Sue Brockman, they portrayed parents trying to survive family life while dealing with the endless questions and arguments of their three children, Jake, Ben and Karen. The chemistry they developed on screen later took on a very different meaning away from the cameras.

By 2019, Skinner was openly talking about their relationship, describing it as an unexpected and wonderful surprise. The couple kept their personal life relatively private, particularly while protecting their families.

When Outnumbered returned for its 2024 Christmas special, Hugh and Claire once again played Pete and Sue — except this time they were also married in real life. Their grown-up screen children returned too, giving viewers a chance to see how the Brockman family had changed.

Hugh later joked that having Claire as both his fictional and real wife had one practical advantage, saying it made getting to set easier and even helped reduce the BBC’s transport costs.

Did you enjoy seeing Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner reunited in Outnumbered?

John Cleese has responded with his trademark humour after a member of the public reportedly submitted a Prevent referral over a series of his social media posts about Islam. The complaint, dated 22 September, argues that some of his comments go beyond criticism of religious ideas and could contribute to hostility towards Muslims.

Cleese has rejected accusations of Islamophobia, maintaining that his criticism is aimed at religious beliefs and practices rather than Muslims as a group. His response was characteristically theatrical, joking that he “can’t wait to be arrested” and describing the situation as a “real life sitcom”.

A Prevent referral is not an arrest, criminal charge or finding of wrongdoing. Under current government guidance, referrals are assessed to determine whether there is a genuine concern about radicalisation or terrorism, with cases potentially receiving no further Prevent action.

The controversy has reignited a wider debate about freedom of expression, criticism of religion and where the boundaries of comedy and public discussion should lie.

Do you think comedians should have greater freedom to challenge controversial subjects?

A year after her death, Dame Patricia Routledge remains one of the most memorable faces in British television. For millions, she will always be Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, with her candlelight suppers, white slimline telephone and unforgettable cries of “Richard!” turning the character into a sitcom classic.
But Routledge’s career stretched far beyond Hyacinth. She brought comedy and drama to roles including Kitty in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, Irene Ruddock in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads and amateur detective Hetty Wainthropp. She also enjoyed a remarkable stage career, winning a Tony Award on Broadway and later an Olivier Award.
Away from performing, Routledge was equally generous, supporting health, education, disability, poverty relief, young people and the arts through her charitable work. She also backed organisations including Kidney Research UK, the Royal Voluntary Service and Age UK Wirral, often giving quietly without seeking attention. Patricia Routledge died peacefully in her sleep on 3 October 2025, aged 96, leaving behind a remarkable body of work and many cherished television memories.

The Witchfinder follows Gideon Bannister, played by Tim Key, an ambitious but hopelessly inept witchfinder who sees a major trial as an opportunity to improve his career. His biggest problem is getting his suspect there, with Thomasine Gooch, played by Daisy May Cooper, proving anything but an obedient prisoner.
Set in East Anglia during the 1640s, the six-part comedy follows the pair as they travel through an England caught up in civil war and accusations of witchcraft. Thomasine has little patience for Gideon’s authority, while his growing frustration makes their journey an entertaining battle of personalities.
Written and directed by Neil and Rob Gibbons, the series also features Jessica Hynes and Reece Shearsmith. The Witchfinder combines historical settings with absurd situations and character-driven comedy, making the unlikely journey of Gideon and Thomasine the heart of the story.

Sense and Sensibility arrived in UK cinemas in February 1996, bringing Jane Austen’s classic story to the big screen with Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood. Elinor is forced to deal with financial uncertainty after her father’s death while trying to protect her family, while her younger sister Marianne, played by Kate Winslet, approaches love and life very differently.
Directed by Ang Lee, the film featured Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars and combined romance, family pressures and beautifully crafted period settings across Devon and the English countryside. Thompson also wrote the screenplay, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film became a major international success, earning more than $134 million worldwide.
More than three decades later, Sense and Sensibility remains one of the most celebrated Jane Austen adaptations, remembered for its performances, writing, costumes and emotional storytelling. Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet brought the Dashwood sisters to life with very different personalities, while the film’s blend of romance and family drama helped make it a lasting favourite among period-drama audiences.

Lewis premiered on ITV in January 2006, bringing Kevin Whately back as Detective Inspector Robbie Lewis in a successful spin-off from the Inspector Morse franchise. The series returned to the academic world of Oxford, with Lewis taking on a new role following the death of his wife.
Laurence Fox joined Whately as Detective Sergeant James Hathaway, a highly intellectual former theology student whose approach contrasted with Lewis’s practical experience. Their differences became a central part of the series as the two detectives worked together to investigate complicated cases and unusual crimes across Oxford.
The series ran for nine series and 33 episodes before concluding in 2015, building a loyal Sunday evening audience along the way. Kevin Whately’s performance helped establish Robbie Lewis as a leading detective in his own right, while the partnership with Hathaway gave the drama its own identity within the wider Inspector Morse world.

Mr. Bean arrived on ITV in January 1990, introducing audiences to Rowan Atkinson’s unforgettable character and his chaotic approach to everyday life. Childish, selfish and completely lacking in social awareness, Bean could turn ordinary situations into wonderfully ridiculous disasters.
Much of the comedy relied on physical performance rather than dialogue, with Richard Curtis helping co-create the series. Bean’s knitted Teddy and battered lime-green Mini quickly became just as recognisable as the character himself, while the visual style helped the comedy connect with audiences around the world.
The original live-action series contained just 15 episodes, yet Mr. Bean became a huge international success, with audiences frequently exceeding 18 million viewers. Rowan Atkinson’s character went on to inspire successful films and an animated continuation, becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable comedy creations and a lasting part of global television culture.

Gosford Park arrived in UK cinemas in February 2002, bringing together an extraordinary ensemble for a murder mystery set during a 1930s country-house hunting weekend. Maggie Smith played Constance, Countess of Trentham, delivering the sharp, aristocratic observations that made the character so memorable, while Kelly Macdonald played her observant lady’s maid Mary Maceachran.
Directed by Robert Altman from Julian Fellowes’s screenplay, the film explored the sharp divide between the wealthy guests upstairs and the servants working below. Helen Mirren played the protective and secretive housekeeper Mrs Wilson, while the overlapping conversations and constantly moving camera helped create a busy, layered portrait of the house and the people inside it. As the weekend develops, the social gathering becomes a murder investigation that exposes long-hidden tensions and secrets.
Gosford Park won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, while Maggie Smith received an Oscar nomination for her performance. Its combination of period detail, mystery and class divisions later became closely associated with the world that Julian Fellowes would explore in Downton Abbey, giving the film an enduring place in British period-drama history.

Happy 51st birthday to Diane Morgan, the Bolton-born comedian who spent years working ordinary jobs and facing unsuccessful auditions before finding her place in British comedy. After training at East 15 Acting School, she worked as a dental nurse, telemarketer and even packed worming tablets in a factory before beginning stand-up in her thirties. The northern accent she was once encouraged to change eventually became one of her greatest comic strengths.
Her breakthrough came with Philomena Cunk, first introduced in Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe in 2013. Diane’s straight-faced delivery and wonderfully misguided questions turned Cunk into a major success, followed by Cunk on Britain, Cunk on Earth and Cunk on Life. She has also become a familiar face through Motherland, After Life and her own comedy Mandy, while earning BAFTA and Emmy recognition.
In 2026, Morgan added another unusual role with Ann Droid, playing Linda, an outdated robot who becomes a companion to a widowed woman played by Sue Johnston. Away from acting, Diane is also an artist and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bolton in 2023. Her career is a reminder that the qualities once seen as obstacles can sometimes become the very things that make a performer unforgettable.