Jodie Comer in Killing Eve, which is returning to the BBC for a second series
A round up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output from the last week.
New series of Killing Eve and Blue Planet
The BBC has acquired the second series of the critically acclaimed female-led spy thriller Killing Eve, while across a week in March, 2019, Blue Planet Live will broadcast from the east coast of the USA, the Bahamas and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Birthday documentary on Prince Charles
Filmed during the past 12 months, Prince, Son And Heir: Charles At 70 will air in November to mark his 70th birthday and features those who know him best, including HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, and his sons, the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex.
BBC has delivered a third of £800 million savings target
An efficiency review finds the BBC has delivered a third of the £800 million of savings needed by 2021/22, but warns it has become increasingly difficult to make more savings without further impacting services.
Announcements and blogs
Drama
Academy award-winner Helen Hunt will lead a stellar cast in Peter Bowker’s epic Second World War drama World On Fire, for BBC One. Starting on 16 October, There She Goes is a BBC Four comedy-drama starring David Tennant as the father of about a severely learning disabled nine year-old girl, based on the real-life experience of writer Shaun Pye.
Entertainment
Sir Lenny Henry, Tracey Ullman and Kit Harington are also to star in an animated BBC One adaptation of much-loved children's story Zog, coming this Christmas. For Facts Sake, presented by Mrs Brown’s Boys creator and star Brendan O’Carroll, is a new celebrity quiz show coming soon for BBC One. Love in the Countryside, presented by Sara Cox, also returns to BBC Two for a second series.
Comedy
Award-winning comedy hit Two Doors Down is on the up with a fourth series under way for transmission next year on BBC Two.
Sport
BBC One will bring audiences coverage of this year’s Invictus Games taking place in Sydney.
Factual
A second series of Family Cooking Showdown will be broadcast on BBC Two, while a one-off special of Autumnwatch will be live from the heart of one of the greatest autumnal spectacles on earth, the American Fall, in the heart of New England: Squam Lake in New Hampshire.
Music
A new landmark film, David Bowie: The First Five Years, is coming to BBC Two in 2019 and BBC Four will broadcast David Bowie at Glastonbury 2000 in October 2018. Our Classical Century celebrates the past hundred years of classical music, 1918-2018, across BBC channels starting starting next month and continuing until the Proms next year, while BBC Northern Ireland School Choir Of The Year is set to return in 2019.
Radio
BBC Radio 2 will reveal the UK's biggest-selling albums of all time on National Album Day (13 October), with other features on Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 3, Radio 4, 6 Music and BBC Four including a special on The Beatles’ The White Album presented by Martin Freeman and a Radio 4 Mastertapes episode with Elvis Costello.
The 1975, Rita Ora, Twenty One Pilots and Mumford & Sons among the 2018 line-up for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Month.
BBC media mentoring
Get In To Media is a new scheme is for young people in Years 12 and 13 (sixth form) to improve opportunities for sixth form students from diverse backgrounds interested in the BBC and media industry.
Blogs
This weeks' blogs were: Why we broadcast what Jamal Khashoggi told us three days before he disappeared; App around the world with BBC Learning English; BBC Films at BFI London Film Festival 2018; and the BBC iPlayer Highlights (13-19 October 2018).
Broadcast highlights
Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor Who
- Doctor Who, Sunday 7 October, BBC ONE and BBC iPlayer
- Mediterranean with Simon Reeve, Sunday 7 October, BBC TWO and BBC iPlayer
- This Country: The Aftermath, Wednesday 10 October, BBC THREE and BBC iPlayer
- Armchair Britain, Monday 8 October, BBC ONE and BBC iPlayer
- The Republicans, Saturday 6 October, BBC RADIO 4 and BBC iPlayer Radio
- Spike Lee's 6 Music Playlist, Sunday 6 October, BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC and BBC iPlayer Radio
- Heart And Soul: Journey To Ashkenaz, Sunday 7 October, BBC WORLD SERVICE and BBC iPlayer Radio
- Top Brass, Tuesday 9 October, BBC RADIO 2 and BBC iPlayer Radio