Brian Cox to star in ABC fantasy pilot 'Gotham'

Brian Cox has landed a role in ABC pilot Gotham.

The veteran actor will play the wise and secretive Alderman Morrill, according to Deadline.

Gotham will follow Annie Travers (Megan Ketch), an NYPD detective who discovers a magical world that exists within New York. Cox's character appears to be the owner of a simple clock shop, but is entrusted with maintaining order in the secret world.

The 65-year-old actor, acclaimed for his theatre work, has appeared in such films as 1986's Manhunter, 1998's Rushmore and last year's Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

He also recently signed up to star in BBC Four comedy Bob Servant Independent.

Other stars attached to Gotham include The Walking Dead actor Lennie James and former Hollyoaks star Barry Sloane.

The River's Michael Green has written the pilot, which will be helmed by I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence.

Source: Digital Spy 

Also reported by This is Fake DIY  and Science Fiction

Sean Connery to appear in 'Derek'

Ricky Gervais' new sitcom pilot will air next month on Channel 4.

The new show Derek will see Gervais play retirement home worker Derek Noakes, opposite longtime collaborator Karl Pilkington. But although the show had been tipped as a series, a BAFTA screening for set for March 27 lists it as a "one off comedy drama".

However, Channel 4 have commented: "Channel 4 is very excited to be working with Ricky Gervais on this new project and it's wrong to say we have rejected a series. The pilot will be on TV in April and then there'll be further discussions about the potential for a full series."

The BAFTA listing describes Noakes as "a tender, innocent man whose love for his job and the people he cares for shines through. He's 49 years old and loves animals, Rolf Harris, Jesus, Deal Or No Deal, Million Pound Drop and Britain's Got Talent - but his main hobby is autograph hunting.”

Pikington will play Noakes' employer Dougie, in what will be his first acting role, with Sean Connery reported to appear in the first episode. Gervais' character first appeared in a short at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival, when he was an aspiring stand-up living with his grandmother.

Source: NME

Defiance cast grows: Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jaime Murray join

Syfy has announced additional casting for its upcoming epic science fiction drama Defiance, inking Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jaime Murray to co-star in the first-ever series to unite television and MMO gaming. The pilot, slated to commence production this April in Toronto, is directed by Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest), and written/executive produced by Rockne O’Bannon (Farscape), Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica; Hellcats) & Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica). Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner.

Defiance is a visionary enterprise in collaboration with Trion Worlds, with the Syfy series and Trion’s multi-platform shooter MMO poised to debut simultaneously. Set in the near future, Defiance introduces a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Forced to co-habitate, the disparate group struggles to build a new society among the devastation. The dramatic tapestry of the series and the intense action of the game will exist in a single universe where their respective narratives will inform one another and evolve together into one overall story. Defiance is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

Benz portrays Amanda Rosewater, the idealistic mayor of a bustling mining boomtown, one of the world’s few oases of civility and inclusion. As the newly appointed mayor, she is determined to maintain peace in the community, an ambitious task in this deadly new world.

Leonidas plays Irisa, an exotically beautiful warrior who is part of an alien race called the Irathients. After Nolan (Bowler) killed her criminal father, he adopted the girl and raised her as his clever – and lethal – right-hand.

Curran will portray Datak Tarr, part of an elite alien race known as the Castithans. Datak grew up in the slums of his home planet, but despite being part of the under-privileged class, he schemed his way onto one of the alien arks, saving himself before his home planet was destroyed.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Curran rose to fame in the BBC series This Life. Since then, the actor has appeared in a number of major film and television roles including The Invisible Man, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Guillermo de Toro’s Blade II. Curran is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Source: Defiance Junkies

Also reported by Massively

Official site: Defiance

Ewan McGregor commits to HBO series

Ewan McGregor has explained his decision to change from making films to working in television.

The actor is to play troubled academic Chip in an HBO pilot The Corrections, which is adapted from Jonathan Franzen's novel.

He told Collider: "We shot the pilot in 15 days [and] I enjoyed it very much.

"If it goes, we'll go back in June and shoot the series for four months in New York."

The Scottish star admitted that initially he was wary about committing to a TV show.

He said: "I did have one week of [saying] 'Oh my God, it's TV... should I do TV?'.

"[But] after I went over to meet the director and Jonathan Franzen and Scott Rudin, the producer, I was totally in. I just think it's a quality piece of work.

"Having the opportunity to play a character at that length will be really interesting. Over four years... I'll be exploring this guy Chip in that story - it'll be great."

McGregor also criticised the movie industry for focusing on ideas "that we already know".

He said: "Films about people in real situations - it's the [genre] that's taking the biggest kicking after the financial crisis.

"It just seems in the last three or four years that it's harder to find that kind of drama.

"The big-budget films are about superheroes or fairytales or [they're] kids' films - branding that we already know. I'm always interested in original stuff."

The Corrections follows the lives of a Midwestern couple and their three children from the 1950s to the millennium.
Source: STV

Also reported by Forbes

John Barrowman: TV pilot / TV appearance / charity support

Barrowman fronts ITV1 comedy pilot John Barrowman has fronted a comedy panel show for ITV1 based on his own life.

Celebrity teams led by Jason Manford and Myleene Klass answered him about events from his life.

The channel is hoping the non-TX pilot could see a different celebrity host the show each week.

Read more at Such Small Portions

 

New comedy duo 'snogged John Barrowman' on show 

New TV comedy duo Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver have revealed they were delighted when John Barrowman suggested that they needed to extend scenes in their sketch show in which he kisses them both.

The pair's sketch show Watson and Oliver, which begins on BBC2 this week, features a number of cameo appearances from celebrities, with the Torchwood actor appearing in the first show.

"We had to have a conference call with him while we were filming on location and I was worried Lorna was going to have a meltdown," Ingrid revealed. "And then when he suggested our screen kisses should be longer, well..."

Read more at What’s On TV

Behind the scenes of Watson & Oliver as the girls rehearse and film their end-of-show song with John Barrowman.
An exclusive interview with John Barrowman as he talks about his experiences onset.

Source BBC

 

Jackie Morwenna Sullivan and Lorraine Findlay (LCTF Trustee) met John Barrowman at the Glasgow Thistle Hogmany Dinner Dance. It would appear that Mr Barrowman has now acquired a new wristband for The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation. Well done ladies.

Source: The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation

John Barrowman: TV appearances and book signings

TV:
It's John Barrowman Day on UKTV on Friday 3 February 2012

Hustle
John's episode (series 8, episode 4) of Hustle will air on Friday 3 February 2012 on BBC1 at 9pm. He plays a character called Dr Dean Deville. There are spoilers for the whole series including John's episode on Cultbox site here.
Promotional photos in the gallery here

Chris Moyles Quiz Show
John won his round of Chris Moyles' Quiz Night and will now appear in the final of the series, competing against Alesha Dixon and boy-band JLS.
The show is at 10.30pm on Channel 4 on Friday, 3 February 2012. Right after Hustle!
Read more about the show here

All About Me Pilot Quiz Show
A comedy panel show which is hosted by, and all about, a different celebrity each week.
In the pilot episode, John Barrowman presents a series of rounds all based on his life for the two team captains, Jason Manford and Myleene Klass, who are joined by celebrity and comic guest panellists.
Free tickets to the recording can be bought here

Source: John Barrowman: The Official Site


Dallas
Channel Five has announced a number of new programmes in development, including a cookery show fronted by Marco Pierre White, a documentary presented by John Barrowman on the TV show Dallas
Source: The CMU website


Hollow Earth:
Torchwood star John Barrowman has written a children’s book inspired by his Scottish childhood. The star, who was born in Glasgow and moved to America when he was eight, wrote the book with his sister Carole. They are in talks to turn the novel into a TV series.

Hollow Earth, which is set on a Scottish island, is about 12-year-old twins with special powers. It comes out next month.
Source: Daily Record

John and Carole Barrowman's children's fantasy book is due out in February 2012 and available for pre-order from Amazon

Hollow Earth book signings are listed here

Radio interviews have now been confirmed for John and Carole Barrowman. See John's Official site for details.

More details of the book at Largs & Millport Weekly News and a booksigning at Waterstones in Bluewater shopping centre at 1pm on Saturday, February 4 is reported in the Dartford Messenger