The Sunday Times

Rather tragically, as a child I used to put on shows on my own in a shed. I had a crazy upbringing; there are swathes of it that I don’t remember because it was so traumatic. [In his autobiography Cumming revealed the emotional and physical violence his father inflicted on …

The Crown is one of the original global streaming hits. Peter Morgan’s fictionalised drama based on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II became the poster child for Netflix in 2016, showing that the streamer could make big-budget drama and in doing so attract a broader traditional TV-viewing audience to the …

I would like to say an unknown band called Blur in a tiny tent at Reading in 1994, but I accidentally took my first and very much last acid tab off an apprentice plumber called Tony from Swansea and watched the The on the big stage instead. It was all …

Since the very earliest days of cinema, film-makers have been telling the true stories of people with lives less ordinary. With Ridley Scott’s epic take on the life of Napoleon about to hit cinema screens, we have compiled 20 of our favourite biopics, taking in an eclectic range of subjects. …

Inside Hill House founder Nell Diamond's pared-back, New York family home.

After 25 years as a solo artist and a record-breaking, chart-topping career, Robbie Williams is the subject of a new four-part Netflix documentary (out on Wednesday) in which he looks back at his life and career from Take That to the present day. Robbie narrates the story of his rise …

The James Bond franchise is about to enter a new era with the launch of 007: The Road to a Million (Friday, Prime Video), a new high-concept game show reality challenge that pits nine duos against each other to win a million-pound prize. In true 007 style, the contestants travel …

The best presenters are the ones that can relax you. People like Terry Wogan, Steve Wright and Tony Blackburn really had an impact on my presenting style. Experimental stuff by Chris Morris was always essential listening. I’m dipping into Vernon Kay on Radio 2. He’s filling that space comfortably. I …

Halloween is just around the corner, and while it’s true that horror films tend to take centre stage at this time of year, television does a decent line in spooky series too. To get you in the mood for things that go bump in the night we have collected some …

What’s the best TV literary adaptation of all time? We’ve gathered a jury of experts to compile a list of 15 of the best. On the panel are Andrew Davies, the acclaimed scriptwriter and king of costume drama; Jack Thorne, writer behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the …

On October 16, 1923, two brothers set up a company that changed the world. The Walt Disney Company, then known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, was founded in the back of a small office occupied by Holly-Vermont Realty in Los Angeles. From that small office, a global empire was …

What was once called All4 is now called Channel 4, which is a confusing name for a streaming service as it’s the same as the broadcast channel. However, Channel 4 (streaming) has a fantastic collection of television shows for you to enjoy — and what’s more, it’s free to use. …

First concert I attended One of the first was a concert my father put on at Hampstead Theatre about the history of Hampstead. But a memorable concert as a teenager was seeing the Rolling Stones. I had a real crush on Mick Jagger. I wasn’t one of the screaming girls, …

Sometimes you meet people and you realise everyone’s just human. I recall meeting Shirley Bassey at Elton John’s party. She hugged me and told me that Michael Jackson had just died. It was quite overwhelming. Writing the lyrics to the Spice Girls song Too Much. I was in the back …

In 2022 ITVX replaced ITV Hub as the broadcaster’s free streaming service, and not only offers the catch-up TV from all the ITV channels that you would expect, but also an impressive selection of classic and acquired content. Our selection of the best content includes some of the best shows …

I’ve always relied on books. With a book you’re never alone. My mother would read me the Meg and Mog series, written by Helen Nicoll and illustrated by Jan Pienkowski. The series made me fall in love with books as a concept and made me want to become an author. …

Documentary film-makers are often drawn to celebrities as their subjects. Whether from the world of music, film, politics or sport, there is always a desire to understand more about their private lives, their motivations and the drive behind famous faces. And although in the age of streaming it’s sometimes hard …

True crime has long been a subject that has attracted TV producers for its fascinating stories and dark questions about the motivations of humans to lie, cheat and kill. In recent years there has been a boom in the genre driven by more channels and streaming services than ever looking …

First film I saw My father banned us from going to the cinema. I’m from an immigrant background and had lots of friends from similar backgrounds who also didn’t go to the cinema, which meant I never felt left out. College introduced me to boys and a world outside of …

Why did you decide to go into acting? When I was younger, television was my everything. We still have lots of home videos of me, sitting in front of the TV in our home in Salford. I was obsessed with performing in front of my family, and very confident at …

Whether you have a satellite dish on your wall and the full Sky package or use the streaming platform Now to access your content, there is a wealth of box sets here. Beyond its well-known live sport and movies offering, Sky is especially good for British TV fans who want …

Whether you have a satellite dish on your wall and the full Sky package or use the streaming platform Now to access your content, there is a wealth of box sets here. Beyond its well-known live sport and movies offering, Sky is especially good for British TV fans who want …

There are so many streaming services these days competing for our business that it is sometimes easy to forget what a goldmine of television is available on BBC iPlayer at no extra cost. Although once a relatively short-term repository of the latest broadcast shows for catch-up, the streaming service has …

I watched a lot of male comedians with my dad, who was a Polish-Lithuanian civil engineer. We loved Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise and The Two Ronnies. One day I joined our lodgers upstairs to watch Not the Nine O’Clock News and that blew my mind. Then the women who …

Despite Bridget Jones’s Diary centring on a thirtysomething in London, I related to it as a 16-year-old growing up in Auckland, New Zealand. It’s a comfort watch, it calms me down. I’ve seen every Richard Curtis film. If you’re making a rom-com set in London, like I did with my …

Once you have immersed yourself in the second season of the epic drama The Wheel of Time, starring Rosamund Pike, out from September 1 on Prime Video, where next for your fantasy fix? Here we highlight 17 of the best fantasy TV shows for your next big adventure. What’s your …

It would take almost six days — about 140 hours — to watch every Star Wars film and television series made since the original space opera began 45 years ago. Here are the best 18 Star Wars shows and films ranked, from worst to best (all available to watch on …

Costume dramas have been a mainstay of television for generations, and among their number are some of the most well-loved and memorable programmes. From adaptations of Dickens novels to new creations such as Downton Abbey, there are certainly plenty of gems to choose from, all skilfully bringing alive past eras. …

I went to gigs when I was very young because my dad, John Byrne, was a drummer and blues musician. My first concert was Sting in Dublin when I was about six. Two years later it was Van Morrison. I channelled my dad’s interests, clearly. JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit because …

As hip-hop turns 50 this summer, we pick the songs that define a music genre that changed the world. Our expert panel includes Romesh Ranganathan, comedian; Nick Grimshaw, radio presenter; rapper Stefflon Don; Kenny Allstar, host of the Radio 1 Rap Show; M1llionz, Birmingham rapper; Big Narstie, British MC and …