Countdown To The BAFTAs

What are the ingredients for an outstanding news report? From the conflict in Israel & Gaza, to the jungles of Myanmar, our panel of TV insiders look at the finest TV journalism of the past year.  Annabel Deegan produced Christiane Amanpour for CNN for many years - she tells Alex Zane why preparation is key to any field reporting. Presenter Sonali Shah worked on BBC's Newsround and e...

What do we gain from depicting true stories in fiction? And what challenges do our finest actors and actresses face bringing them to our screens? Alex Zane welcomes actor and producer Jo Hartley and TV & film critic Rhianna Dhillon to look at the nominees across this year's acting categories at the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. Plus, we're backstage at the BAFTA Television...

Which essential sound effect is added to Gary Oldman’s Slow Horses performance? And why could an eighties sitcom have inspired Succession? Alex Zane runs through the best dramas of the year with screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst and film and TV critic Rhianna Dhillon. The transcript of this episode will be available on the  BAFTA website .  In this episode we discuss the fol...

Escape the humdrum and discover the best entertainment shows and performances from the past year - from the presenters holding it all together and the new formats that bring out extraordinary stories from members of the public. Alex Zane is joined by entertainment exec Rina Dayalji and TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan to unpick the nominees across four categories from this year's BAFTA TV Awa...

Why are comic duos making a comeback? Can dying on stage lead to success on screen? Host Alex Zane is joined by guests TV critic Boyd Hilton and actress Susan Wokoma to talk all things scripted-comedy and tell us why dangling from a Ferris wheel isn't a commissioning dealbreaker. The transcript of this episode will be available on the  BAFTA website . Nominations discussed in this episode are...

What does the Spider-Man of Paris have in common with The Enfield Poltergeist? Alex Zane reveals the documentaries in contention for the BAFTA TV Awards 2024 with P&O Cruises. Find out as Alex is joined by TV exec Faraz Osman and foreign affairs journalist, documentary filmmaker and author Ramita Navai to discuss a challenging yet creatively ambitious year for factual production team...

From Eurovision in Liverpool to horse racing in Cheltenham... it’s all things live, as we look at the the biggest events and sporting-fixtures of the last year. Alex Zane is joined by Entertainment Editor at Heat Magazine Boyd Hilton and CEO and Exec Producer at television company Nine Lives, Cat Lewis. Find out how ending a live sports broadcast is even more important as the result, why actress H...

What does it take to be nominated for a BAFTA? In this new series we're looking at the nominees of the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards with P&O Cruises and Television Craft Awards - bringing together stars, industry insiders and expert voices to celebrate another incredible year in British television. In this episode, Alex Zane is joined by writer and 'Queen Of Soaps' Sharon Marshall and TV Critic and br...

Alex Zane returns for a new series of Countdown To The BAFTAs - this time, looking at the nominees for the BAFTA Television Awards 2024 with P&O Cruises, and the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. Follow the show now to get new episodes twice a week - and tune in on the 12th May on BBC One and iPlayer to discover the winners. A BAFTA production Host: Alex Zane Producer: Matt Hill at Rethink A...

Producer James Wilson talks with Alex Zane about the extensive research process they undertook to accurately depict the Höss family and their lives in the house next to Auschwitz; and the meticulous attention to detail in building the garden. The interview also reveals how Sandra Hüller was approached for the role of Hedwig, and how Christian Friedel, who played Nazi Commandant Rudolf Höss, sent a...

Pamela Koffler, one of the producers of Past Lives, talks to Alex Zane about her journey from discovering Celine Song’s script in the depth of the pandemic, to surmounting challenges in production: including coordinating travel visas and facing a flood on set. Pamela’s expertise in championing new directors and writers led her to Celine Song, whose journey from theatre to film led to interesting d...

Bradley Cooper produced, directed, wrote and performed in Maestro. In this conversation with Alex Zane, he reveals the writing process he undertook with Josh Singer, his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein, experiences with costar Carey Mulligan and the film's critical reception. However, one considerable challenge was the six-minute single shot performance at the Ely Cathedral. Executing this sce...

Producer Margot Robbie joins Alex Zane to discuss the making of Barbie - from the initial pitch to toy manufacturer Mattel, to the day she received the first script from Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach - and how decisions in the edit suite and test screenings shaped the movie we see today.  'Barbie' was longlisted for Best Film at the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2024. To discover who wins the trophy,...

Producers Sarah Harvey and Graham Broadbent reveal what it took to bring All Of Us Strangers to our screens. In conversation with Alex Zane, the producing pair describe how they came to film at writer-director Andrew Haigh’s childhood home - and how his very personal script brought the cast together. Along the way they discuss their favourite moment in the movie, shooting the one-take scene with a...

Producers Ed Guiney & Andrew Lowe discuss the making of ‘Poor Things’ - from the early concepts of the film, their relationship with director Yorgos Lanthimos, casting decisions that led to Emma Stone’s portrayal, and their relief at early audience feedback - all in conversation with host Alex Zane. Along the way, the producing pair reveal their ambition in creating the fantastical sets within...

Producers Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas reveal the production process behind the making of ‘Oppenheimer’ - from inception to the first screenings - via funding, casting, shooting and post production.  The pair recount how the movie significantly exceeded their box office expectations, recall the obstacles they encountered during filming - such as losing a key filming location - and how ha...

Starting with a chance call in the summer of 2020 when production had stalled, producer Daniel Lupi discusses with host Alex Zane how he brought Killers Of The Flower Moon to the big screen.  From Covid lockdowns and on-set tornados, to an unexpected knee injury for De Niro, Lupi reveals how they took pains to film in location-appropriate Oklahoma, working closely with the Osage community, wh...

How was ‘The Holdovers’ made? Producer Mark Johnson takes Alex Zane through the production to understand the decisions that led to the casting of Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa, the movie’s 1970s aesthetic, and how the film’s early screenings shaped the final cut. Along the way, Johnson reveals some of the curious moments in the shoot; including how the impromptu casting of...

It started with snow, a woman, a dog... and a piano. But how did writer-director Justine Triet bring Anatomy Of A Fall to the big screen? Producers Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion discuss the making of this courtroom drama with host Alex Zane. From casting lead Sandra Hüller to the performance of child actor Milo Machado Graner, and the double standing ovations in Cannes where the movie opened,...

Your definitive guide to the year in film. Host Alex Zane discovers the challenges and victories behind making some of the most revered movies of the year. With in-depth interviews with the producers of those in the running for Best Film at the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.