30th October

There are lots of new pictures in the Spooks Promo gallery, most of which are high resolution and extra large size. Press ‘original image’ in the bottom right corner and then click again on the picture to see the extra HUGE size. If you have visited thsi gallery recently, you may have to press F5 to refresh the screen if you cannot see the new pictures and/or page 5 of the gallery. There are 26 pictures for series 9 altogether – some may consider these mild spoilers.

 

29th October

Robin Hood in Hungary: series 2 starts this Sunday 31st October at 1.45pm on RTL Klub. Thanks to Marika for the email.

 

28th October

1. Some pictures from the Captain America movie have been released. One of the pictures shows Richard as Heinz Kruger in a submarine, but I’m afraid it’s not easy to see him! Pictures on ComicBookMovie.com.

2. The BBC One HD channel is being launched on 3rd November, which means that the last episode of Spooks series 9 will be broadcast on this channel on Monday 8 November at 9pm as well as BBC1. The programme will be upscaled to HD and I will be taking screencaps from this new HD channel so hopefully the quality of the pictures will be better than usual for this last episode.

3. Two new youtube videos have been embedded on to the Videos page with permission from the creator Elvira. They are both showreels demonstrating the range of Richard’s work. Enjoy! If you double-click a video it will open in youtube and you can leave a comment if you wish.

4. Four new promotional pictures for Spooks episode 7 are in the Spooks Promo gallery. Warning – some may consider these new pictures to be spoilerish! Press F5 to refresh the screen if you cannot see the new pictures.

5. Apologies if you’ve had difficulty leaving a guestbook message in the past. Previously registered users of this site may have encountered a problem with the guestbook but this is now fixed. (Registration on the site is now disabled as everything on this site is now available to all).

 

27th October

1. Peter Jackson explains his reasons for casting Richard as Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the company of dwarves in The Hobbit films on the EW Popwatch site. He says, “Thorin Oakenshield is a tough, heroic character, and he certainly should give Leggie and Aragorn a run for their money in the heartthrob stakes — despite being four feet tall”. Thanks to Martha for the email.

2. The Hobbit movies will be filmed in New Zealand. Reports now on BBC News and the TVNZ site.

3. Thanks to Ann for a scan from Australia’s Herald Sun newspaper. It gives a great review of Spooks series 8 episode 1 which is due to air this Saturday at 8.30pm on ABC1. Richard gets a lot of compliments in this article. Read it on the Spooks Reviews page.

4. Hedgeypig has been having fun imagining Richard as Thorin Oakenshield and has created 2 bits of artwork for us to enjoy. They are on the Artwork page. Click the pictures to enlarge.

5. There’s a new picture of Lucas North on the BBC Spooks site for episode 7. Do not click the link if you are avoiding spoilers as the episode synopsis is right next to the picture. The picture is also in our Spooks Promo gallery.

 

26th October

1. Screencaps for Spooks 9 episode 6 are now in the gallery and a download of all the screencaps can be obtained from the Spooks downloads page.

2. Reviews for Spooks 9 episode 6 as follows (all include episode spoilers):

• Vicky Frost in the Guardian – ‘he’s acting like a first-time internet user confronted with a Nigerian phishing scam’
• The Metro – ‘Once you get past the nonsense and melodrama, Spooks is still gripping’
• Den of Geek – ‘For the first time this series everything seems to be tying together’
• thisisleicestershire site – ‘You require a need for speed and a certain amount of intelligence to watch this superb spy drama.’
• Daemon’s TV site – ‘This episode was the least complicated of the series so far, and for good reason. Lucas’ turmoil more than made up for it’
• Unpopcult – ‘This was breakneck, heartstopping, utterly exhilarating stuff and I absolutely loved it.’
• Sam Wollaston of The Guardian – ‘The music’s so good too. If you had it for your ringtone would your life immediately become more exciting and glamorous?’

3. Ian Wylie has written a preview of Spooks episode 7 which contains the usual mild spoilers, some interesting teasers and reveals John’s last name.

4. Once again Spooks had excellent ratings last night peaking at 5.2 million viewers and beating ITV1′s Whitechapel. Details on the MediaTel site.

5. Richard gets another mention on the Digital Spy site today with regard to The Hobbit, which is apparently set to be the most expensive feature film ever made. The decision on where the filming will take place may be decided in the next 24-36 hours according to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, as reported on the BBC News site.

6. There is a huge spoiler in What’s On TV magazine about Lucas’s past which I wasn’t sure whether to put on the site, but after asking on twitter there seem to be enough people who want to read it. It’s a shame these magazines give it all away, ah well! I have put the scan on the Spooks Reviews page. Please do not click on the scan on that page unless you don’t mind spoilers – but this is a biggie! Thanks to Jen for the scan.

 

25th October

1. There’s a preview of tonight’s episode of Spooks in The Mirror and it is also one of tonight’s TV highlights in The Guardian. Do not read if you are avoiding spoilers.

2. The Hobbit parts 1 and 2 are now listed on Richard’s IMDB page.

3. Spooks series 8 starts in Australia this Saturday 30 October at 8.30pm on ABC1. Watch a preview on the ABC TV site and click here for program details.

4. The high viewing figures for Spooks series 9 was discussed on the BBC’s Points of View programme last night. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer if you are in the UK or watch the clip on the Spooks downloads page.

5. Reviews for Spooks 9 episode 6 as follows (all include episode spoilers).

• Vicky Frost in the Guardian – ‘he’s acting like a first-time internet user confronted with a Nigerian phishing scam’
• The Metro – ‘Once you get past the nonsense and melodrama, Spooks is still gripping’
• Den of Geek – ‘For the first time this series everything seems to be tying together’

 

24th October

1. An article in the Sunday Express today announces Richard’s involvement in The Hobbit film and with quotes taken from previous interviews… and a few odd comments from the journalist too! This article is now on The Hobbit career page. Thanks to Jen for the scan.

2. The Daily Mail Weekend magazine has chosen Spooks episode 6 as its Pick of the Day for tomorrow. There’s a scan (thanks to Jen) on the Spooks Reviews page.

3. Jen has also sent a scan from the letters page of the ‘TV Guide’ magazine, in which they say that Strike Back 2 is expected late next year – how The Hobbit news will affect this, however, is yet to be seen. Read it on the Strike Back reviews page.

 

23rd October

1. More details about the two Hobbit movies: filming is due to start in February 2011 although filming locations are still not confirmed, and both movies will be filmed in digital 3D. This information from the TimeWarner press release 15 Oct 2010. Further details about the location dispute are on the Variety site. The film producers are set to meet with the New Zealand prime minister and other government officials early next week to discuss the issue.

2. Although Richard’s United Agents page has not updated yet with Captain America or Hobbit information, the main page of the United Agents site has announced the news that Richard has been cast as Thorin.

 

22nd October

1. Hobbit news

Richard Armitage has been cast in The Hobbit! He will play Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon.

Director Peter Jackson says ‘Richard is one of the most exciting and dynamic actors working on screen today and we know he is going to make an amazing Thorin Oakenshield. We cannot wait to start this adventure with him and feel very lucky that one of the most beloved characters in Middle Earth is in such good hands’.

The film will be released in two parts in December 2012 and December 2013. Congratulations Richard! Thank you to all those who emailed me about this.

There are now hundreds of articles online – here’s a selection:

• Stuff.co.nz
• Entertainment Weekly
• Digital Spy and also In Pictures: Meet the ‘Hobbit’ cast
• Access Hollywood
• Hollywood Reporter
• BBC America – concentrating on Richard and Aidan Turner’s casting
• NZ Herald
• Deadline New York
• EOnline.com
• The Press Association (UK)
• Den of Geek
• indieLondon
• Monsters and Critics – with pictures of all the cast announced today
• Empire Online – ‘Richard Armitage appears to be on a hot streak’

BBC News site: reporting on the casting news, and the decisions still to be made about the filming location. New Zealand was the original choice, but co-creator Fran Walsh recently said that film producers ‘had people in the UK taking location photographs’.

There is now a career page for The Hobbit on this site where I will be collating all the news, links, pictures, etc as they arrive.

Articles in the British newspapers: The Guardian, The Mirror, Daily Express, The Telegraph, The Independent

Coventry Telegraph – with a couple of pictures of Richard as Guy of Gisborne

CBS News – reporting that shooting will start in February

2. Strike Back in Canada tonight: as reported below on 1st October, Strike Back episodes 1 and 2 will air on the Showcase channel today at 5pm then repeated again tonight at 10pm and Saturday at 2pm. Thanks to Marie for the email reminder.

 

21st October

1. There’s a picture of Lucas and a brief synopsis of Spooks episode 6 in What’s on TV magazine this week. Read it on the Spooks Reviews page – spoilers! Thanks to Jen for the scan.

2. The BBC Press office have released the synospis for the last episode of series 9 of Spooks. Huge spoiler warning on this one! If you don’t mind reading spoilers, then it’s here on the press office site.

3. There’s a new poll on the left-hand side asking whether you are reading the Spooks spoilers that are on the BBC press site (see #2 above) and in magazines. Thanks for voting. Here are the results of the previous poll.

 

20th October

1. The latest pictures promoting episode 6 of Spooks are now in the Spooks Promo gallery.

2. There’s an interview with Richard in this week’s Woman’s Weekly magazine, conducted whilst he was filming Spooks a few months ago. Similar answers that we’ve read before with just a couple of new bits of information. I’ve put a scan on the Interviews page. Thanks to JJ for the email.

19th October

1. Screencaps for Spooks 9 episode 5 are now in the gallery and a download of all the screencaps can be obtained from the Spooks downloads page.

2. Reviews for Spooks 9 episode 5 as follows (all include episode spoilers). The episode is repeated on Sunday 24th October at 11.25pm on BBC1.

• Den of Geek – ‘For all its tense situation, race against time and fast-paced action, this episode was essentially a filler’
• Vicky Frost in the Guardian – ‘it’s a Spooks twist I totally didn’t see coming, and one that makes next week’s episode look pretty exciting’
• Metro – ‘it retains all the gloss and thrill that makes it so watchable’
• Independent – ‘it is done with terrific verve, and…there is at least a kernel of realism in the storylines’
• Pauseliveaction – ‘The episode benefited hugely from not having too much of the Lucas/John stuff in it’
• Daemon’s TV – ‘Overall, a good episode, if a little confusing yet predictable. The highlight of the entire thing had to be the end’
• Unpopcult – ‘A rather sombre, earnest episode this week’

3. There are two scans from today’s Radio Times magazine which features Spooks as its Pick of the Day for Monday 25 October. Read them on the Spooks Reviews page. Spoiler warning.

4. Read a preview of Spooks episode 6, light on spoilers, at Ian Wylie’s Life of Wylie blog. Three new pictures of Lucas too!

5. More people watched Spooks than Whitechapel last night, according to Digital Spy.

 

18th October

The Mirror has a review of Spooks episode 5, which is on BBC1 at 9pm tonight. There are spoilers in the article though. For a fairly spoiler-free review, read Ian Wylie’s Life of Wylie blog.

 

17th October

Richard on BBC1 today: Lost Land of the Tiger episode 2, which Richard narrated, at 5.10pm and Spooks series 9 episode 4 at 11.25pm.

 

16th October

Richard is interviewed in the Leicester Mercury newspaper today, which concentrates mostly on Spooks. Agenoria has kindly provided a scan of the interview. Read it on the Interviews page.

 

14th October

1. The BBC Press office has posted a synopsis for episode 7 of Spooks. Spoiler warning!

2. All news for September 2010 has been archived here.

 

12th October

1. Screencaps for Spooks 9 episode 4 are now in the gallery. All Spooks screencap downloads are on the Spooks downloads page.

2. Reviews for Spooks 9 episode 4 as follows (all include episode spoilers). The episode is repeated on Sunday 17th October at 11.25pm on BBC1.

• Pauseliveaction – ‘This was just the kind of Spooks epsiode I like’
• Vicky Frost in the Guardian – ‘I suspect this instalment will get a rather better reception’
• Daily Express – ‘it’s impossible to watch Spooks without hoping that at least one of them is going to cop it’
• Daemon’s TV – ‘Lucas North, how little we know thee.’
• Unpopcult – ‘this eventually turned into a thrilling and, at times, unexpectedly hilarious episode of Spooks’

3. The ratings for last night’s Spooks are interesting. Whitechapel on ITV1 starring ex-spook Rupert Penry-Jones started with more viewers at 9pm but then lost out to BBC1 after 9.30pm, according to Mediatel.

4. New poll on the left asking if you will go and see Captain America next year. Thanks for voting. In the previous poll, The Lords of the North was voted as your favourite audiobook read by Richard – results here.

5. What’s on TV magazine has a couple of scans about Spooks episode 5, with one quote from a fan that ‘Richard Armitage is very dishy’. Is he? I hadn’t noticed Thanks to Jen for the scans.

6. Ian Wylie has written another ‘mild spoilers only’ preview of the next episode of Spooks. Read it on his Life of Wylie blog.

 

11th October

1. There is now a Captain America career page on this site, which has a summary of all the news relating to Richard’s involvement in this movie.

2. Spooks episode 4 is on at 9pm tonight BBC1. The BBC have posted this picture on their TV page to advertise the programme:

 

10th October

Richard is now listed as Heinz Kruger on the Captain America IMDB page.

 

8th October

1. Interesting interview in the Financial Times with Richard about money. Also on the Interviews page.

2. Interview from Marie Claire about Richard’s favourite telly. Man has impeccable taste – Blackadder is my favourite too Thanks to Man Wah and Margaret. Also on the Interviews page.

3. Another scan from Best. Interview with Laila Rouass with mentions of Richard. Thanks to Jen for this one. There’s a big SPOILER on this. Apologies I didn’t put that before.

 

7th October

1. The BBC Press Office has released the programme info for Spooks Episode 6. SPOILER ALERT as usual.

2. ABC TV in Australia have a Preview of Spooks here. Thanks to Jenny for the info

3. Woman’s Own have an interview and some pics with Richard about Spooks. It’s running off my photobucket account whilst Ali is off jaunting but will be uploaded upon her return. Thanks to ladyjuliana for the scan. Ali is back – it’s on the Spooks Reviews page.

 

6th October

1. You can now order the unabridged audiobook of The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell here on the AudioGo website, rather than telephoning their customer service number. This audiobook is currently leading our poll for favourite audiobook read by Richard and is therefore highly recommended. Cost is £22.99 plus postage & packing. Thanks to Kaprekar for the email.

2. Miss Marple: Ordeal by Innocence will be shown on October 24th at 10.25pm on CTV Czech TV. Programme listing here and further details with a picture of cardigan-wearing Richard here. Thanks to Jonia for the email.

3. The Sun is reporting today that Spooks will be shown in Russia starting with series 7, the series that introduced Lucas North of course. There is also a quote from Richard in the article. We do not know yet when it will be broadcast.

4. There’s an interesting article in The Independent today about Spooks’ death rate, and yet ‘the pace of these episodes is audacious, relentless, unhinged. You don’t have time to grieve’.

5. Added two new promo pictures of Lucas in the Spooks Promo gallery. If you cannot see the ones numbered promo05 & promo06 then press F5 to refresh your screen.

6. The documentary Lost Land of the Tiger which Richard recently narrated, is repeated on BBC1 for the next three Sundays starting this Sunday 10th October at 5.05pm.

 

5th October

1. Screencaps for Spooks 9 episode 3 are now in the gallery.

2. Reviews for Spooks 9 episode 3 shown last night at 9pm on BBC1. The episode is repeated on Sunday 10th October at 11.25pm on BBC1.

• Pauseliveaction – ‘It’s time Lucas changed his route home, as Vaughn seems to be able to pop up with alarming regularity’
• Daemon’s TV – ‘a decent enough episode but nowhere near the greatness of episodes 1 and 2′
• Den of Geek – ‘once again, gripping stuff’
• Vicky Frost in the Guardian – ‘This week’s Spooks hits the perfect balance of action, suspense and Harry pursing his lips – no wonder David Cameron’s a fan’
• Metro.co.uk – ‘Spooks insulted our intelligence’ Oh dear

3. Previews of Spooks episode 4 in What’s on TV magazine and the Radio Times on the Spooks Reviews page (spoilers).

4. Sound clip from episode 3 if anyone wants it for their phone  Closeyoureyes.mp3 (right click to save it or Ctrl-click on a Mac).

5. Preview of Spooks 9 episode 4 on Ian Wylie’s Life of Wylie blog. Mild spoilers. New picture of Lucas too:

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6. IndieLondon.co.uk has just released an interview with Max Brown who plays Dimitri in Spooks. He discusses working on the show and Richard: ‘he’s so professional. His head is always in the game and he always knows what’s going on.’

 

4th October

1. Vicky Frost’s review of Spooks episode 3 is now on the Guardian online site.

2. Spooks episode 3 is on BBC1 tonight at 9pm. It’s been listed as a ‘TV highlight’ in The Guardian, The Telegraph, Metro.co.uk and in The Mirror.

 

3rd October

David Stephenson, TV Editor for the Sunday Express has just announced on Twitter that Spooks series 10 will be commissioned, confirmed by the head of drama at the BBC. View his tweet here. Excellent news!

 

1st October

1. Spooks series 8 in Australia: Good news for Spooks fans. The eighth series will start on Saturday 30th October at 8.30pm on ABC1. Thanks to Ann for the email.

2. Strike Back in Canada: Strike Back will be shown on the Showcase channel in Canada on Friday 22nd October at 10.00pm, according to a spokesperson for the channel. This page on the Showcase site suggests that it is on this evening, but thanks to an email from Susmita, the channel have indicated that this is not the case.

New picture of Richard, Orla Brady and Andrew Lincoln on the Showcase site: