Festive season on the small screens is not only in full swing but has entered its last December part and after numerous new holiday movies
The series is now airing over at Hallmark
Hallmark has launched their new festive series TWELVE DATES TILL CHRISTMAS last night, December 5th with our dearest Julian Morris in the cast next to acting legends Jane Seymour and Nathaniel Parker and dashing Toby Sandeman with Mae Withman in the lead role.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
Talented Saville Row textile pattern designer Kate
(Whitman) lives in the quaint village of Blexford, England, next door to
her father Mac (Parker), who is long divorced from Kate’s mother
Delilah (Mary McDonnell), a globe trotting American always on an adventure.
When not at work, Kate looks after Mac, who’s recovering from a
motorbike accident and is inclined to spend his days sitting in his
recliner. Unbeknownst to Kate, her best friend Laura (Lucy Eaton) signs her
up for The 12 Dates of Christmas – a holiday themed matchmaking program
in the days leading up to the holiday featuring carefully curated,
yuletide dating experiences, in an attempt to get Kate out of her rut.
Lovingly coerced by Laura and longtime best friend Callum (Morris), a
reluctant Kate ultimately gets into the spirit of the program and is
caught off guard when she meets someone (Sandeman) who reinvigorates her
zest for life. But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep –
literally – Kate and Mac’s life and holiday season get upended.
Meanwhile, Mac may be embarking on his own romance with local Evelyn (Seymour), a widow who slowly helps him step outside the confines of his
house and open his heart. As Kate wends her way through the 12 dates,
she takes a circuitous route to romance while also making some important
discoveries about herself.
Our dearest Robert Buckley plays Weatherman Ted Cooper who loves Christmas, but the past three have been terrible. This year, Ted has made up
Ted Cooper arrives this Christmas
his mind that things will be different – this will be the Christmas things turn around for him. But Ted’s relentless optimism is about to be put to the test as he is faced with a litany of injuries and obstacles when he travels back to his hometown of Lackawanna, NY for the holidays. Within hours of arriving at his sister Kate’s house, he finds himself making a trip to Urgent Care after falling off a ladder while hanging decorations. While there, he runs into Ruth Mittens, his former high school science teacher who was always his cheerleader. He also reconnects with the charming Hope Miller (Kimberley Sustad), except now she’s Dr. Hope Miller, with whom he went to high school and quietly crushed on from afar. Ted is optimistic that this budding romance is the beginning of his Christmas comeback, but his looming holiday bad luck still has a few curveballs in store for him. The film is out October 25th.
THREE WISEST MEN
The
third part of Hallmark's most popular Christmas movie series ever THREE
WISEST MEN arrives November 15th with our dearest boys Andrew Walker,
Tyler Hynes and Paul Campbell returning as three delightful brothers. In
the third “Wise Men” movie, Luke (Walker) is expecting twins, Taylor
(Hynes) is debating a life-changing job, and Stephan (Campbell) is
planning for a wedding — all while their mom is planning to put the
family home up for sale.
A ROYAL MONTANA CHRISTMAS
Out October 18th it follows Princess Victoria of Zelarnia (Fiona Gubelmann) who, overwhelmed by her royal duties during the Christmas season, is ready for a change of pace. Looking to decompress in the days
A Royal Montana Christmas is out October
leading up to Christmas, she decides to take a vacation to Peaceful Pines Ranch in Montana where she celebrated Christmas as a child with her late father. Upon arrival, she meets her dashing guide Huntley Blaylock (Warren Christie) who presents her and the other guests at the ranch with a rustic experience that is far from the royal treatment. This Christmas, Huntley must decide if he wants to step into a leadership role and carry on the family ranch’s legacy as his parents, the owners, approach retirement. Unaware of her status as a princess, Huntley puts Victoria through the rigors of a Montana ranch experience. Victoria also plans to help Huntley revive the ranch’s Christmas Holly-Day Dance. Victoria finds herself charmed by both Huntley and this different pace of life. As the two start to fall for each other, things get complicated when Huntley discovers Victoria is a princess. As Christmas approaches and her time at the ranch comes to an end, Victoria must decide if she should return to her royal life or stay in Montana with Huntley and the ranch she has grown so fond of.
A KELLER CHRISTMAS VACATION
Out
November 9th, it stars Jonathan Bennett, Brandon Routh, Eden Sher as
the Keller family, who, including the parents and their three adult
children, decide to take a European river cruise touring the Christmas
Markets over the holidays, and each sibling is going through their own
life challenge.
HOLIDAY TOUCHDOWN: BILLS LOVE STORY
Holiday Touchdown is out November
Out November 22nd this one stars Holland Roden and Matthew Daddario with cameos from numerous real life sports stars. Although pediatric doctor Morgan Quinn and the Bills’ VP of Stadium Development Gabe DeLuca have been lifelong friends — as have their families — he’s always wanted to be more. This holiday and football season, the pair work together to find out the mystery person who helped her family get by after her uncle was drafted decades before.
CHRISTMAS AT THE CATNIP CAFE
Out
November 30th with Erin Cahill and Paul Campbell. When a marketing
executive learns she’s short on the down payment for her dream condo,
she’s informed that her great aunt left her half of a cat café in
upstate New York. Hoping to sell it before the holidays, she then meets
Dr. Ben Kane, the veterinarian who owns the other half, and has no
intention of closing.
MELT MY HEART THIS CHRISTMAS
Out November 23rd! Holly James (Laura Vandervoort), a passionate glassblower striving to establish her artistic identity, dreams of showcasing her creations at the Fern Grove Fair. Despite previous rejections from Jack
Melt My Heart is out November
Dubois (Stephen Huszar), who oversees the entries, Holly finds an unexpected opportunity to assist legendary glassblower Bianca Bonhomme, to help Jack. Unfortunately, Bianca is struggling with a creative slump and needs help managing her booth. While Holly assists Bianca, she also secretly displays her own art under a pseudonym and her vibrant work becomes a surprise hit, overshadowing Bianca’s work and challenging the fair’s traditional norms. Holly does everything she can to help Bianca without giving away her identity while also growing closer to Jack, but unfortunately Walter, a news reporter, discovers the mystery and outs Holly, shattering her relationship with both Bianca and Jack. Holly is now forced to pick up the pieces and try to melt them back together.
CHRISTMAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS
Out
Saturday, November 8 it stars Erin Krakow and Tyler Hynes with her
playing a workaholic CEO who tries to skip Christmas but is haunted by
her past, present and future, and forced to confront the choices — and
her ex.
TWELVE DATES TILL CHRISTMAS
Out December 5th, it is a festive TV series not a film based on Jenni Bayliss’ book, starring Mae Whitman, Lucy Eaton, Mary McDonnell, Jane Seymour. Our dear boys Julian Morris, Toby Sandeman, Nathaniel Parker, take the male roles. The six-episode series follows a woman who, after being signed up for a Christmas-themed dating service, experiences 12 holiday dates designed to find her love.
Last week our most favourite (the whole day today is about some of our utterly favourite actors starring in new festive flicks) Julian Morris came officially out of the closet and admitted he has been with his boyfriend for 18 years now (no, sadly, it is not me, alas), but he will still be sharing his love with us as he is starring in A ROYAL QUEENS CHRISTMAS which airs on Hallmark this Saturday, December 11th. Also starring Megan Park, this royally romantic movie drama will see Julian Morris play a prince who finds his way to Queens during Christmas when a local woman enlists his help with a children’s Christmas show.
MISTLETOE IN MONTANA
WITH MELISSA JOAN HART
Mistletoe in Montanta arrives December 17th
Meanwhile, another of our favourites, Melissa Joan Hart will also visit our small screens during the holidays as she is starring in MISTLETOE IN MONTANA which arrives to Lifetime December 17th! In this festive romantic movie she appears as Merry Cartwright, a Big Sky wrangler who gets roped into an unexpected romance when a dashing single dad (played by NCIS' Duane Henry) and his kids (Hero Hunter and Mallian Butler) book a holiday stay at her dude ranch. The story of the film is inspired by the real life story of one of Melissa's cousins. This is the fifth year that she has been starring in Lifetime's festive movies at the end of the year.
THE HOLIDAY FIX UP
STARRING RYAN MCPARTLIN
Holiday Fix Up arrives December 11th
And yet another of our absolute favourites, lethally gorgeous Ryan McPartlin is the star of THE HOLIDAY FIX UP which will air on Lifetime December 11th. When Sam (Jana Kramer), the designer behind a popular home renovation show, returns to her hometown during the holidays to help renovate the Bell Harbor Inn, she gets paired with Coop (Ryan McPartlin) as her lead contractor. The only problem – he’s the guy who broke her heart and she’s the one who got away. Sparks fly as they work closely to get the renovations done in time for the inn’s annual Christmas Eve Harborfest. Will they be able to fix the mistakes of their past to build a future together? Maria Menounos also stars.
DAVID OAKES AND JULIAN MORRIS TO OTTOMAN EMPIRE GREECE
David Oakes will play Hassan Ottoman commander
Gender identity is definitely a very hot topic these days, and Rika Ohara plans to discus it from a 19th century angle! She is currently preparing a movie project based on Lord Byron's famous 1813 poem THE GIAOUR in which harem slave Leila is drowned as an adulteress and her lover the Giaour ("infidel") kills her master Hassan in revenge, and is cursed to become a vampire!
THE GIAOUR
which has two boys whom we couldn't really adore more even if we tried - David Oakes and
Julian Morris in the cast, with the story set during the Ottoman Empire in
Greece, will follow ten year-old Laertes who is saved by Ottoman
commander Hassan (David Oakes). Baba the Nubian eunuch puts Laertes in
girls' clothes and calls him Leila. Protected by Hassan and Baba,
Julian Morris is to play a character named David
Leila
grows to love Hassan but the world judges them master and "harem slave" —
which is the story Byron chose to tell in his poem.
In the 200 years since its publication, THE GIAOUR spawned the vampire gothic genre and came to symbolize the lethal conflict between the East and the West as represented by its two male protagonists: one Muslim, the other, Christian – the giaour. Yet Leila, at the centre of all this passion, is entirely silent and strangely bloodless – until we consider a new, queer reading of the poem that unlocks her true identity.
Love, blood, karmic retribution – in THE GIAOUR Leila ceases to be a silent victim of "Oriental" violence against women, and Hassan emerges as a gay Muslim romantic hero. Alex Hassell from The Miniaturist, will play the leader of the Janissaries with Charles Lane as Baba.
A treat for you today from BBC - first trailer for their small screen adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN which will air in three episodes 26th, 27th and 28th December during Christmas holidays!
The spy's verdict after seeing the series: watchable, but mostly uninspired with lack of any original spark and mostly weak performances from the young female cast. The unique and cheerful music is what saves it from being a fully mediocre affair.
THE STORY OF LITTLE WOMEN
based on Louisa May Alcott’s novel,
is set in 1862 against the backdrop of a country divided, and follows
the four March sisters: Meg (Willa Fitzgerald),
The series will hit the small screens on PBS in USA sometime next May
Jo (Maya Hawke), Beth (Annes Elwy), and Amy (Kathryn Newton) on their journey from childhood to adulthood while their father (Dylan Baker)
The new mini series will air in three evenings over Christmas holidays
is away at war.
Under the guidance of their mother Marmee (Emily Watson), the
girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from gender
Julian Morris plays Laurie's tutor in the new version of Little Women
roles to
sibling rivalry, first love, loss and marriage. Accompanied by the
charming boy next door Laurie Laurence (Jonah Hauer-King), their
The series comes from Call the Midwife creator
cantankerous wealthy Aunt March (Angela Lansbury) and benevolent neighbour Mr. Laurence (Michael Gambon),
LITTLE WOMEN is a coming-
Ethan's daughter Maya Hawke is Jo in the series
of-age story that is as relevant and engaging
today as it was on its original publication in 1868. Alongside
Laurie
is
his
young
tutor
John
Brooke,
played
by
Julian
Morris!
As I've informed you before, the second season of Italy's English language epic saga MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE is shooting till late December and now the news is that Beta Film will co-produce it and they're releasing new photos next week (you can see first two today)!
Now titled MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE: THE MAGNIFI- CENT, the new
season will be set in 15th century Florence, following the drama of the
infamous Medici family, whose political and economic scheming helped
shape European and world history. It will revolve this time on Lorenzo
de' Medici (Daniel Sharman), a
Netflix airs the series around the world!
young son forced to take over the family
business following an attempt on the life of his father, Piero de Medici
(who was the son of Richard Madden's Cosimo in the first season).
Lorenzo wants to abandons the cynical politics of the past and usher in a
new era of political freedom and creative expression
Daniel Sharman takes over the lead role from Richard Madden
but his attempt
puts him on a collision course with the head of Florence’s other
powerful banking family, Jacopo Pazzi (Sean Bean)! Bradley James is
Lorenzo's brother, Giuliano with Sarah Parish, Alessandra Mastronardi,
Raoul Bova and Julian Sands also in the cast.
'LITTLE WOMEN' MINI SERIES
BBC RELEASES FIRST PHOTO!
There's also the very first photo from BBC's latest mini series adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN which shows Maya Hawke as Jo, Willa Fitzgerald as Meg, Annes Elwy as Beth and Kathryn Newton as Amy. The three part
PBS Masterpiece will air the mini series in USA
saga follows their lives in the Civil War America with Emily Watson, Angela Lansbury, Michael Gambon, Mark Stanley and our dearest Julian Morris also in the cast.
Although his gig in BBC's Man in an Orange Shirt ends this Monday, our dearest Julian Morris is staying on BBC as he has just been cast to star in their new three part series on LITTLE WOMEN! He joins Angela Lansbury (as the great aunt), Emily Watson (as the mother) and
Julian played Prince Phillip in Once Upon A Time
Michael Gambon (as their benevolent neighbour Mr. Laurence) in the story set against the backdrop of the Civil War about four sisters (Maya Hawke, Willa Fitzgerald, Annes Elwy and Kathryn Newton) on their journey from childhood to adulthood. With the help of their mother Marmee, while their father is away at war, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman. Jonah Hauer King will play Laurie Laurence, the charming boy next door, while Julian Morris will be his earnest and intelligent tutor. Dylan Baker has been cast as Mr March, the army chaplain who’s called away to war, but is a doting father to the girls. Dickensian's Mark Stanley will
Mark Stanley starred in Dickensian, The Collection and Game of Thrones
play Professor Bhaer, a sensitive literary man caring for his two orphaned nephews. The series, which is shooting in Ireland, will air on Masterpiece in USA.
'GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN'
NEW TRAILER RELEASED
Anew trailer has also been released for the movie about the man who invented Winnie the Pooh GOODBYE, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN! Directed by always brilliant filmmaker Simon Curtis who gave us
The movie arrives this September
lovely Cranford and My Week with Marilyn, it will arrive into cinemas this Autumn, September 29th! It gives us a behind the scenes look at the life of author A.A. Milne
and the creation of the Winnie the Pooh stories inspired by his son
C.R. Milne. This year also marks the 40 years of the release of Disney's
animated classic.
GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN offers a rare glimpse into the
relationship between beloved children's author A. A. Milne (Domhnall
Gleeson) and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical
world of Winnie the Pooh. Along with his mother Daphne (Margot Robbie),
and his nanny Olive (Kelly
This year also marks 40th anniversary of Disney's animated classic
MacDonald), Christopher Robin and his family
are swept up in the international success of the books; the enchanting
tales bringing hope and comfort to England after the First World War.
But with the eyes of the world on Christopher Robin, what will the cost
be to the family? Nico Mirallegro also stars.
Gay friendly news from BBC today! They've change the name of their period set series Shibden Hall into GENTLEMAN JACK who will be played by Suranne Jones in the eight part series about a 19th century lady who lived like a man!
The protagonist is Anne Lister, the remarkable landowner who - after
years of exotic travel and social climbing - returns to Halifax, West
Yorkshire in 1832, determined to transform the fate of her faded
ancestral home, Shibden Hall. To restore it to its former glory, Anne
must re-open her coal mines and marry well. But charismatic, single
minded, swashbuckling Anne Lister - who dressed head to foot in black
and charmed her way into high society - has no intention of marrying a
man. True to her own nature, she plans to marry a woman. And not just
any woman: the
Suranne Jones stared in Crimson Fields WW1 series for BBC
woman Anne Lister marries must be seriously wealthy.
Every part of Anne’s story was recorded in her diaries that contain the
most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is
now broken.
'MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT'
BBC MINI SERIES GETS A TRAILER
Meanwhile, BBC has also finally released a trailer for their gay, also period set, series MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT, a two part mini to be launched Monday July 31st within BBC's Gay Britannia summer
The two gay couples set 60 years apart
programme! Bestselling British novelist Patrick Gale wrote two love stories set 60 years apart, linked by family and a painting, with a
Oliver Jackson Cohen and James McArdle play gay lovers
secret that echoes down the generations. It charts the challenges and huge changes to gay lives from the Second World War to the present day. Two of our dearest hunks Julian Morris and Oliver Jackson Cohen lead the cast!
BEING GAY THROUGH DECADES In 1944, British Army Captain Michael Berryman (Oliver Jackson Cohen)
meets war artist Thomas March (James McArdle) in
Julian Morris plays Flora's gay grandson!
Southern Italy while
chaos reigns all around them. Despite having a young fiancé, Flora
(Joanna Vanderham), waiting at home for him,
Joanna Vanderham played younger Redgrave in The Go Between too
straight laced Michael
finds himself falling for Thomas’ bohemian charms. In 2017, an ageing
Flora (Vanessa Redgrave) looks on as her grandson, Adam (Julian Morris),
tentatively forms a relationship
The mini series will air in two episodes from July 31st
with his client Steve (David Gyasi) in
a more accepting world. But while the external obstacles have fallen
away, a minefield of internalised issues and dangerous temptations still
line the road to happiness.
Well if this isn't the most delicious treat BBC has ever given us, I don't know what is: they've cast two of television's hottest hunks in the history of hunkiness, our most beloved Julian Morris (whom we wish happy 34th birthday today) and Oliver Jackson Cohen as gay leads in their new two hour mini series MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT! It will tell two inter connected gay love stories, set sixty years apart, linked by a painting that holds a secret that echoes down the generations. The first love story set in the 1940's is made impossible by pressures from society, while the second, present day one, is nearly derailed by the long term fall-out from the 1940s story.
DUTY OR LOVE? Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave will play Flora, whose fiancé Michael
fell in love with another man in 1944 and now in 2017 she sees a similar
situation arise with her grandson Adam played by Julian Morris!
Containment's David Gyasi has been cast as Steve, who forms a tentative
gay relationship with Adam! Joanna Vanderham will play the younger Flora
from the 1940s after she already played her younger version in The Go
Between TV drama! Meanwhile, our dear Oliver Jackson Cohen is going to
be British Army Captain Michael Berryman, Flora’s fiancé who falls for
war artist Thomas March in Southern Italy in 1944 (James McArdle will
play March). Julian Sands also stars!
CATE BLANCHETT PLAYS 13
PEOPLE IN 'MANIFESTO' TRAILER
Yet another treat for you today is the first trailer for artistic experimental movie MANIFESTO in which greatest living actress Cate Blanchett plays 13 different characters! The whole movie is basically made out of famous proclamations from our history, including Karl Marx' Communist Manifesto, delivered by a different character in a different setting. As you can see Blanchett narrates them as a news anchor, as a teacher, as a worker, as a punk, as a homeless man, as a diva. Directed by German artist Julian Rosefeldt MANIFESTOwas originally envisioned as a multi gallery exhibit but has now been turned into a whole movie. It will air next week at Sundance Film Festival!
work, Kate looks after Mac, who’s recovering from a
motorbike accident and is inclined to spend his days sitting in his
recliner. Unbeknownst to Kate, her best friend Laura (Lucy Eaton) signs her
up for The 12 Dates of Christmas – a holiday themed matchmaking program
in the days leading up to the holiday
featuring carefully curated,
yuletide dating experiences, in an attempt to get Kate out of her rut.
Lovingly coerced by Laura and longtime best friend Callum (Morris), a
reluctant Kate ultimately gets into the spirit of the program and is
caught off guard when she meets someone (Sandeman) who
reinvigorates her
zest for life. But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep –
literally – Kate and Mac’s life and holiday season get upended.
Meanwhile, Mac may be embarking on his own romance with local Evelyn
(Seymour), a widow who slowly helps him step outside the confines of his
house and open his heart. As Kate wends her way through the 12 dates,
she takes a circuitous route to romance while also making some important
discoveries about herself. 
work, Kate looks after Mac, who’s recovering from a
motorbike accident and is inclined to spend his days sitting in his
recliner. Unbeknownst to Kate, her best friend Laura (Lucy Eaton) signs her
up for The 12 Dates of Christmas – a holiday themed matchmaking program
in the days leading up to the holiday
featuring carefully curated,
yuletide dating experiences, in an attempt to get Kate out of her rut.
Lovingly coerced by Laura and longtime best friend Callum (Morris), a
reluctant Kate ultimately gets into the spirit of the program and is
caught off guard when she meets someone (Sandeman) who
reinvigorates her
zest for life. But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep –
literally – Kate and Mac’s life and holiday season get upended.
Meanwhile, Mac may be embarking on his own romance with local Evelyn
(Seymour), a widow who slowly helps him step outside the confines of his
house and open his heart. As Kate wends her way through the 12 dates,
she takes a circuitous route to romance while also making some important
discoveries about herself. 
