‘If you can’t hold it, you don’t own it’: why media fans want to escape algorithms with CDs, DVDs and vinyl
People describe their return to physical media – whether to protect data, support artists, or retain control of one’s choices For some, it is the security of knowing they have a physical copy of their favourite films and music, free from algorithms,…
The Celebrity Traitors review – Ross Kemp really needs to get a grip
The most hotly anticipated TV show of the year is here! And a number of the stars – ahem Grant Mitchell – are struggling already …Warning: this article contains spoilers for episode one of The Celebrity Traitors.So – have they managed to capture…
Smashing glass ceilings, Strictly and a courageous final sign-off: Esther Rantzen’s 10 best TV moments
Rantzen was one of the most powerful women in British television. From making vegetable innuendos to changing lives and bestowing her own medals on brilliant people – here are her finest small-screen moments• Dame Esther Rantzen obituary• Esther Rantzen:…
East of Eden review – Florence Pugh in soapy Steinbeck adaptation is brilliant, compelling TV
This take on the 1952 novel is lavishly shot and full of excellent performances. It lacks the heft to be a full examination of human nature, but it’s a high-quality family sagaIt is rarely difficult to distinguish between a John Steinbeck novel and…
Winter review – Richard Armitage’s new cop drama is as ferociously watchable as it is daft
Sometimes you want prestige drama that roils with nuance and complexity. And sometimes you want Armitage shouting in a cagouleDr Ethan Winter is a maverick, a wildcard, a lone wolf who won’t play by the rules. “Winter!” gasps DI Lauren Bell as the…
From Childline to changing TV for ever: Esther Rantzen’s revolutionary life
Be it her pioneering approach to consumer injustice or her extraordinary tackling of systemic social issues, the broadcaster was at the forefront of what television could beEsther Rantzen, TV presenter and Childline founder, dies aged 86Esther Rantzen:…
Esther Rantzen, TV presenter and Childline founder, dies aged 86
Rantzen announced lung cancer diagnosis in 2023 and became a vocal assisted-dying campaigner• From Childline to changing TV for ever: Esther Rantzen’s revolutionary life• Esther Rantzen: from That’s Life! to Childline – in picturesEsther Rantzen, the…
Blue Lights review – TV’s most thrilling cop show turns up the heat
This Northern Ireland-set police drama has never felt like this before … Race riots, organised crime and institutional politics bring it bang up to dateBlue Lights has always been a very modern cop drama. Its tales of everyday callouts, fractious office…
Michael Palin in the Philippines review – who else could cause such a weird moment with the president?
From ‘recycled chicken’ being sold on a stall to Bongbong fanboying over the Fish-Slapping Dance, Palin’s travel shows always explore fascinating things that others don’t. It is a reminder that his work is increasingly precious There is a moment in…
What if the Seven Up! series started today? | Letter
Gordon McDougall recalls finding the original children to feature in the documentary strand that started in 1964In your editorial on the Up series (20 September), your point is well made that exposing seven‑year-olds on television…