2024 Television

Moonflower Murders BBC One Premiere 16 November

Great News that Moonflower Murders premieres on Saturday 16 November on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 21:15 and Episode 2 follows at 22:20. Tune in Saturday evenings as the series continues to episode 6.

Daniel Mays returns as Chubb/Locke in this Magpie Murders sequel.

The six-part series is written by Anrthony Horowitz, directed by Rebecca Gatward (Bad Sisters), series produced by Suzanne McAuley (Magpie Murders) and executive produced by Jill Green, Eleventh Hour Films. Moonflower Murders is a sequel to the acclaimed Magpie Murders which launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer earlier this year to 6.4 million viewers.

Returning in the lead roles they originated in Magpie Murders, are Academy Award-nominee Lesley Manville (The Crown, Phantom Thread, Mum) as book editor turned sleuth Susan Ryeland and Timothy McMullan (Patrick Melrose, The Crown) as famous literary detective Atticus Pünd.

Alongside Manville and McMullan, returning members of the Magpie Murders cast include Alexandros Logothetis (The Island, Exelixi) as Andreas, Daniel Mays (Des, The Long Shadow) as Locke/Chubb, Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood, Wilderness) as Kate, Conleth Hill (The Power of Parker, Game of Thrones) as Alan Conway, Matthew Beard (Vienna Blood, Dracula) as James, and Sanjeev Kohli (River City, Dog Squad) as Sajid Khan.

New cast members include Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Nolly) as Parris/Berlin, Rosalie Craig (Anatomy of A Scandal, The Queen’s Gambit) as Lisa/Melissa, Pippa Bennett-Warner (A Bit of Light, Gangs of London) as Madeline and Adrian Rawlins (Slow Horses, Living) as Lawrence/Lance.

Anthony Horowitz says: “I’ve been watching the filming of Moonflower Murders with joy. We’re back with the same cast, including Lesley Manville, Tim McMullan and Danny Mays – but this time we’ve got a whole new box of tricks to present as literary editor Susan Ryeland untangles another book within a book and another series of unfathomable murders. I can’t wait to show it to our audience.”

Moonflower Murders is the second novel in Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland series. Published in 2020, it was lauded as “a richly plotted, head-spinning novel” by the New York Times and picks up where Magpie Murders left off.

Susan has left publishing and is living in Crete with her long-time boyfriend, Andreas. But her idyll is disturbed by the shadow of a murder committed at a British country hotel eight years ago. Alan Conway visited the hotel and wrote a novel based on what happened there. Cecily Treherne, the young woman who helps run the hotel, read the book and believed the wrong man had been arrested. Now she has disappeared.

Can Susan uncover the secret hidden in the book and find Cecily before it is too late? 

Filming on Moonflower Murders took place in Dublin and Crete. Moonflower Murders will be available to stream in the US on PBS.org, the PBS App and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel. In the UK, the series will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 

Moonflower Murders is a co-Production of Eleventh Hour Films for MASTERPIECE and BBC in association with Salt Films. It is distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Television and PBS Distribution in North America.

You can catch up with Magpie Murders on iPlayer.

Follow Daniel Mays on and Instagram @danielmays9, Threads @danielmays9, and Twitter @DanielMays9 

©DanielMays.co.uk

Moonflower Murders – Trailer & US Premiere

PBS/Masterpiece announced today that Moonflowers Murders will premiere in the US on September 15th. Daniel Mays returns as DCI Chubb/Locke!

Moonflower Murders: The second of Anthony Horowitz’s adaptation of his own bestselling Susan Ryeland/Atticus Pünd series, Moonflower Murders picks up in the aftermath of Magpie Murder’s riveting finale, as book editor-turned-sleuth (turned hotelier) Susan Ryeland is living in Crete with her longtime boyfriend, Andreas. But her idyll is disturbed by the shadow of a murder committed at a British country hotel eight years ago. Alan Conway, Susan’s prima donna former author, visited the hotel and wrote a novel based on what happened there—a novel that later led Cecily Treherne, who helps run the hotel, to believe that the wrong man is behind bars. Now Cecily has disappeared. Can Susan uncover the secret hidden in the book and find Cecily before it’s too late?

Returning to their Magpie Murders lead roles are Lesley Manville (World on Fire, The Crown, Phantom Thread) as smart and feisty amateur sleuth Susan Ryeland and Timothy McMullan (Patrick Melrose, The Crown) as famous literary detective Atticus Pünd. Viewers will recognize, returning to their single or dual roles, Alexandros Logothetis as Andreas, Daniel Mays (Franklin) as Locke/Chubb, Claire Rushbrook (Home Fires) as Kate, Conleth Hill (Game of Thrones) as Alan Conway, Matthew Beard (Funny Woman, Vienna Blood) as James, and Sanjeev Kohli as Sajid Khan.

New cast members include Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Nolly) as Parris/Berlin, Rosalie Craig (Anatomy of a Scandal, The Queen’s Gambit) as Lisa/Melissa, Pippa Bennett-Warner (Roadkill, Gangs of London) as Madeline, and Adrian Rawlins (Mary & George, Slow Horses) as Lawrence/Lance.

Check back for updates a we get closer to the US premiere as well as for information on the UK premiere on BBC.

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram @danielmays9 and Threads @danielmays9

©DanielMays.co.uk

Franklin – Now Streaming on Apple TV

Apple TV’s sweeping and epic drama Franklin is now available to stream worldwide! The first 3 episodes are available now with new episodes released every Friday through 17 May.

Daniel Mays stars as Edward Bancroft.

Franklin a new limited series starring and executive produced by Academy, Emmy and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Douglas, will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 12, followed by one new episode every Friday through May 17, 2024.

Based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff’s book, “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,” “Franklin” explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when — as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance — he embarks on a secret mission to France.

At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783. The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The drama also stars Noah Jupe (“A Quiet Place”) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (“Call My Agent!”) as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (“Line of Duty”) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (“Lupin”) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (“Call My Agent!”) as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (“Irma Vep”) as Madame Helvetius and Theodore Pellerin (“There’s Someone Inside Your House”) as Marquis de Lafayette.

In addition to Douglas, the creative team includes Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis, and Emmy, WGA and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder. Emmy and DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten serves as director and executive producer. Richard Plepler executive produces through EDEN Productions, Tony Krantz through Flame Ventures, and Philippe Maigret and Mark Mostyn also executive produce. Stacy Schiff also serves as co-executive producer. “Franklin” is a coproduction between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram @danielmays9 and Threads @danielmays9

Franklin: Press and Appearances

We are gearing up for the Apple TV premiere of Franklin on 12 April.

Daniel Mays will have press and appearances to be on the lookout for:

TV: BBC Breakfast – Danny’s interview begins at the 2 hour 50 minute mark.

Radio: Saturday 30 March at 6:15PM BBC Radio 4 – Loose Ends

Saturday 6 April at 10AM BBC Radio 2 with Anita Rani

Friday 19 April: BBC 5 Headliners with Gordon Smart

Interviews:

Guardian ‘I was always able to get away with things’: Daniel Mays on playing bent coppers, acting opposite Michael Douglas, and working-class bias

Deadline – Breaking Baz

Telegraph – Culture and the arts should never be for the privileged few

Check back for updates!

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram @danielmays9 and Threads @danielmays9

Franklin – Trailer

Apple TV has released the first trailer for Franklin:

Franklin a new limited series starring and executive produced by Academy, Emmy and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Douglas, will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 12, followed by one new episode every Friday through May 17, 2024.

Based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff’s book, “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,” “Franklin” explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when — as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance — he embarks on a secret mission to France.

At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783. The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The drama also stars Noah Jupe (“A Quiet Place”) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (“Call My Agent!”) as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (“Line of Duty”) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (“Lupin”) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (“Call My Agent!”) as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (“Irma Vep”) as Madame Helvetius and Theodore Pellerin (“There’s Someone Inside Your House”) as Marquis de Lafayette.

In addition to Douglas, the creative team includes Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis, and Emmy, WGA and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder. Emmy and DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten serves as director and executive producer. Richard Plepler executive produces through EDEN Productions, Tony Krantz through Flame Ventures, and Philippe Maigret and Mark Mostyn also executive produce. Stacy Schiff also serves as co-executive producer. “Franklin” is a coproduction between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.

Check back for more news as we get closer to the worldwide premiere on 12 April.

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram @danielmays9 and Threads @danielmays9

Franklin – Apple TV Premiere Friday 12 April

Apple announced today at the Winter TCA’s that Franklin will premiere worldwide on Friday, 12 April! Daniel Mays co-stars in this exciting series as Edward Bancroft. A first look at the series is included in the above video.

Franklin a new limited series starring and executive produced by Academy, Emmy and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Douglas, will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 12, followed by one new episode every Friday through May 17, 2024.

Based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff’s book, “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,” “Franklin” explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when — as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance — he embarks on a secret mission to France.

At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783. The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.

The drama also stars Noah Jupe (“A Quiet Place”) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (“Call My Agent!”) as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (“Line of Duty”) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (“Lupin”) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (“Call My Agent!”) as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (“Irma Vep”) as Madame Helvetius and Theodore Pellerin (“There’s Someone Inside Your House”) as Marquis de Lafayette.

In addition to Douglas, the creative team includes Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis, and Emmy, WGA and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder. Emmy and DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten serves as director and executive producer. Richard Plepler executive produces through EDEN Productions, Tony Krantz through Flame Ventures, and Philippe Maigret and Mark Mostyn also executive produce. Stacy Schiff also serves as co-executive producer. “Franklin” is a coproduction between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.

Check back for more news on this exciting new series!

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram @danielmays9 and Threads @danielmays9

©DanielMays.co.uk