Radio Times

OUR COVER STAR this week, David Mitchell, is a man of many talents. Whether crossing comedy swords with Lee Mack on Would I Lie to You?, bringing Ben Elton’s world-weary Shakespeare to life in Upstart Crow or voicing Police Officer Panda in Peppa Pig, he always brings a slightly exasperated view of the world that is edging him closer to national treasure status. In Ginny Dougary’s revealing interview on page 12, he talks about the strange dichotomy that many comedians say shapes them: “In lots of ways I am a shy, introverted person. But I’m also a professional performer and that’s a very extrovert thing to do.” He also talks of his acting job as a puzzle-setting sleuth in the comedy drama Ludwig. It’s almost as if writer Mark Brotherhood…

1 TV Joan Sunday, Monday 9.00pm ITV1 Sophie Turner shines like the diamonds being stolen in this biodrama about real-life jewel thief Joan Hannington, whose drive to survive leads her to take big risks in 1980s London. FEATURE P18 ▶ 2 STREAMING Heartstopper Series 3 Thurs Netflix The themes may be darker, with Nick (Kit Connor, left) seen supporting boyfriend Charlie (Joe Locke, right) with his eating disorder, but writer Alice Oseman’s well-drawn depiction of teen life remains big-hearted and hopeful. READ OUR INTERVIEW NEXT WEEK! 3 TV The Search for Nicola Bulley Thurs 9.00pm BBC1 Documentary about the police investigation and social-media storm that occurred when the 45-year-old mortgage adviser went missing in early 2023. Contributors include her family, who are hoping to set the record straight. FEATURE P23…

The Hardacres is a classic fish out of water story — literally. The rags to riches tale, set in 1890s Yorkshire, follows three generations of the Hardacre family who are laid off after an accident at the herring docks where they are all employed. Enterprising matriarch Mary has the idea of starting her own fried fish stall and soon the family is bringing in more money than they could have dreamt of. After a smart investment comes good, a windfall allows them to upgrade to a huge manor house — but having only ever known working-class life, the Hardacres then have to learn about etiquette and rubbing shoulders with the aristocracy. What ensues is a drama full of heart, warmth and humour. Claire Cooper, who plays Mary, says, “Mary tries…

FIVE GO ALL NOSTALGIC Back in the 90s, Jemima Rooper starred as tomboy George in ITV’s adaptation of The Famous Five. Now, she’s rejoining Enid Blyton’s gang in the BBC revival of the children’s stories. Rooper is playing Angela Clutterbuck, a guest staying at a mysterious hotel, when the series returns for two new feature-length episodes. WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO KNOW? What’s the story in Balamory? Well, it’s that cameras are set to roll again on the Isle of Mull for the CBeebies show, two decades since it last graced our screens. The BBC is hoping that grown-up fans of the original show, which starred Miles Jupp, will introduce their own offspring to the colourful town and its characters when it airs in 2026. LATE KNIGHT VIEWING How does Peaky…

‘I probably pinch myself every 20 minutes in this job’NICHOLAS LYNDHURST As lovable “plonker” Rodney in Only Fools and Horses, Nicholas Lyndhurst reached comedy legend status in the UK. His star ascended further thanks to roles in sitcoms like Goodnight Sweetheart, The Two of Us and Butterflies, as well as turns in more serious fare like New Tricks and the comedy drama Rock & Chips. Now, the 63-year-old has traded Peckham for Hollywood, as he returns to play a slightly sozzled Brit abroad in series two of Frasier, the revival of the classic US sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer. From one classic sitcom to another — how did you end up working on Frasier? Kelsey and I worked together in Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum. He was sensational.…

US-born voice coach Rebecca Gausnell is an American-dialect specialist who trained at London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has coached actors on Emily in Paris, All the Light We Cannot See and the third series of BBC drama Industry, which begins this week. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT If you want to learn an accent, listen to a recording of a native speaker, steal a short phrase, replay it ten times and start to mimic it. Alternate between that “magic phrase” and lines of text. TALK “AMERICAN” TO ME The accent that comes up the most is called general American, but I’ve probably coached on all the US accents — Wyoming, New Orleans, California, Southern… The consonants “R” and “L” are the toughest to get right in American English,…