Lee Thompson

This is a really good piece by @adey70.bsky.social for The Big Issue. An accurate assessment of what to expect of Channel 5's new Play for Today, which mentions some of the less often trumpeted greats from the original strand, like Destiny (1978), Sorry (1981) &, actually, The Spongers (1978).

Happy Birthday Sophie. Hope you're having a brilliant day. And this thread resonates in a few different ways.

Play For Today is back. I've written Special Measures which is coming soon to Channel Five.

This is brilliant! I wanna go on holiday now.

These Portuguese islands offer respite for my neurodiverse family Kim Wiltshire and her children found peace and tranquility in the little-known Ria Formosa lagoon

Did this over the summer! www.independent.co.uk/travel/famil...

Had a brilliant night yesterday at the @laproductionsuk showcase of Play For Today with a Q&A afterwards. Amazing to see my script Special Measures brought to life by so many talented people. I feel so lucky and very excited for people to see it on screen. Coming soon to @channel5_tv

#PlayForToday

Great opportunity for fresh new writers and untapped talent here. It’ll be me, Steven Knight, Jack Thorne and I think we can get the Williams Brothers to do a few if they’re up for it

a man and a woman are standing next to each other Alt: Kleya

It’s also fun on rewatch to pay attention to characters like Kleya, who become much more prominent in s2, but are already fully formed here.

a man in a red uniform is screaming in front of a crowd of men . Alt: In the Andor season one finale, a man in a red uniform is screaming in front of a crowd of men .

Just finished Andor s1 rewatch. First 3 eps are still punishingly slow, and most of the supporting characters are more interesting than Cassian, but once the heist arc begins, it’s just brilliant.

Channel 5 revives Play For Today to 'help shape future of British drama' Play for Today is being revived on Channel 5, to give young writers, actors and producers from lower-income backgrounds a way into TV, helped by established talent

Delighted to have written an episode for this revival of Play For Today. Out later this year!

www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/c...

Wait. Chloe Kelly has scored the winner in two Euro Finals. Has any footballer ever done that?

Jimmy McGovern's life changed after builder noticed 'something wrong' The legendary writer spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about his incredible career and new TV drama Unforgivable

Not many writers have made more of a difference than Jimmy McGovern. It was an honour to interview him for @liverpoolecho.co.uk on drama, Unforgivable, the importance of putting Liverpool on screen and how a builder working on his house launched his TV career
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...

Channel 5 to launch 'Drama of the Week' strand - Televisual Channel 5 is set launch a new drama strand, under the working title 'Drama of the Week.'

Hurrah for #channel5. www.televisual.com/news/channel...

This is a brilliant recommendation Sophie, I've listened to about five episodes. I'm obsessed.

First I've heard of this but it sounds brilliant. I randomly saw Jimmy Mulville speak in Liverpool once and it was by far one of the best q&a sessions I've been too. Really funny and insightful.

Episode 1647 - Scott Frank — WTF with Marc Maron Podcast Scott Frank is one of Hollywood’s most prolific screenwriters but he still has perpetual anxiety about his job security. Scott and Marc talk about the impulse that keeps him grinding away, whether he’...

One for my filmmakers pals or any one interested in screenwriting.
The great Scott Frank adapted Get Shorty & Out of Sight and wrote & directed Godless & The Queen’s Gambit.
Smart guy with a lot of practical advice. Good chat about film noir, too.
www.wtfpod.com/podcast/epis...

The irony if Ange wins this of winning in a controlled style that many people thought he couldn’t manage.

I really liked big bits of the last one, but I do wonder if the make it up as we go, mission tells us where to go method that McQ and TC like, doesn't work that well for a two part film over five hours.

✨️I'm teaching a one-off online writing workshop on the evening of Monday 23rd June all about IDEAS.✨️

How do you have them on demand? How do you recognise a good one? And when you've had one, what the hell do you do next?

Sign up here! 🎟

www.eventbrite.com/e/ideas-writ...

An absolutely fantastic drama is being repeated tomorrow on BBC4. The Lakes by Jimmy McGovern. The first series is one of his absolute best. Well worth a watch. #JimmyMcGovern

screenshot of podcast listing. icon for premium scriptnotes. Label reads 682 the second season with tony gilroy date is march 31st 2025 running time is 55 minutes and 38 seconds

This week's Scriptnotes has Tony Gilroy (Andor, Michael Clayton) talking about the second season, and his shift from features to series. Already up in the premium feed. scriptnotes.net

Channel 5 launching Drama of the Week strand Channel 5 is set launch a new drama strand, under the working title Drama of the Week. Initially the strand will comprise of commissioning six, one-hour standal

Great move. Ideally something called Drama Of The Week would run for more than three weeks at a time, so I hope it does well enough for that to happen. LA Productions used to make Moving On for the BBC, so are experienced in low-budget standalone plays. www.advanced-television.com/2025/02/24/c...

Andor Season 2 Trailer: The Rebellion Sparks Revolution In Star Wars Drama Tony Gilroy's excellent Star Wars drama returns with a second and final season on Disney+. Watch the explosive trailer at Empire.

The #Andor Season 2 trailer has arrived – with the Rebellion sparking revolution across the galaxy.

Star Wars' acclaimed drama returns to Disney+ on 22 April.

Watch the trailer here: www.empireonline.com/tv/news/star...

Some sketches of Rock Hudson and Doris Day after watching Pillow Talk on BBC2 recently.

Oh so now proprietary material matters does it

FROM???!!!! FROM!!!! FROM!!!!!!! So £530.00 for 2? I’ve seen a lot of Checkov pal and I’ve been lost in the Barbican complex on countless occasions and even Cate Blanchett is incapable of elevating either thing to a £600 night out thanks, this nonsense must cease

In my old life I'd be gearing up for the Prince Harry phone hacking trial this week. I don't think people have clocked this is potentially the peak of20+ years of phone hacking cases.

So a quick thread of the issues (and if you're a broadcaster who needs someone to do a turn explaining this, DM.)

For me, the only thing that has ever hit the bullseye on many of these fronts re media/journalism is State of Play miniseries. Not the movie! It's bad! I WISH SoP was streaming anywhere in US, it is not, argh. Bill Nighy, Kelly Macdonald, McAvoy, David Morrissey, Polly Walker! it's a twisty delight.

Absolutely love this from @kathandersondesign.bsky.social and 'wound with cautious optimism' is a good way to head into any year.

Happy new year! Hope it's a good one but if not, there's always January 2nd.