Got a TV Licence?

You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

Find out more
I don’t have a TV Licence.

Live Reporting

Genevieve Hassan, Victoria Lindrea and Mark Savage

All times stated are UK

Get involved

  1. That's all folks!

    Genevieve Hassan

    Entertainment reporter

    Another day, another surprise departure - this time in the form of Downton Abbey exiting ITV. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Join us again from 08:30 GMT to find out the latest entertainment and arts news.

    On the 10th anniversary of the new Doctor Who returning to BBC One, the latest Time Lord, Peter Capaldi, surprised fans at the Doctor Who Experience with a cake.

    We'll leave you with the Happy Birthday sing-along he led.

    Watch the video.

  2. Vote Soup Dragon!

    @bfirobin

    Robin Baker, head curator at the BFI's National Archive, tweets: "The Clangers talk politics: Rarely seen 'Vote for Froglet' newly digitised by @BFI and coming soon to @BFIPlayer."

    "It's very funny," he adds. "It was broadcast (to adults) on election night 10/10/74."

    BFI tweet
  3. Downton reaction

    Ed Brody tweets: "Downton is ending with S6, which means Fellows has got to cram WW2, the moon landing, Vietnam, and Zayn leaving 1D into a busy final series."

    Tracy tweets: "Haha! Downton Abbey, you are too late. I already quit you."

    Sam Rigby tweets: "Very wise decision by ITV to bring #Downton to an end. As much as its still enjoyable Sunday night TV, it is well past its prime."

    Ed Brody tweet
  4. 'Sparky and caustic'

    Neil Smith

    Arts reporter

    Jenna Augen in Bad Jews

    If you happen to live in London, you may have seen advertisements for controversial stage comedy Bad Jews plastered all over the Tube.

    Oh no, wait - you probably won't have done, after London Underground refused to allow them lest they cause "widespread or serious offence".

    The blanket ban didn't stop the likes of Lesley Joseph, Brian Conley and Gok Wan popping along to the Arts Theatre on Wednesday for the opening night of the play's West End run.

    We doubt they left seriously offended. But they were sure to be at least tickled by a waspish piece that picks apart what makes one member of a Jewish family "good" or "bad" in the eyes of a judgemental other.

    Previously seen at the Theatre Royal in Bath and at London's St James Theatre, Joshua Harmon's play shows three members of the aforementioned clan come to literal blows over a treasured family heirloom.

    The Evening Standard's Henry Hitchings praised the production for its "sparky performances" and the "spectacular war of words" initiated by Jenna Augen's "astonishingly caustic" character Daphna (pictured).

    Bad Jews continues at the Arts until 30 May.

  5. Biting satire

    BBC Arts

    The Gout, 1799

    Do politics and caricature make for the perfect union? To mark 200 years since the death of master caricaturist James Gillray, the Ashmolean in Oxford is presenting Love Bites, a new exhibition of his work.

    BBC Arts examines Gillray's influence and the modern age of political coalition.

    Read the full story.

  6. No age lock on music videos

    Ellie Goulding

    Vevo's Nic Jones has been talking to us about the age ratings on (British) music videos, which started to appear online today.

    At the moment viewers aren't being asked to prove their age, even if they try to access a 15-rated video like Ellie Goulding's Love Me Like You Do (pictured above).

    Nic says there "isn't a plan to restrict access" while the scheme is still in a pilot stage.

    "The aim isn't to make it harder to view music videos," he continued. "We want to give information to the public so that they can make a choice on viewing material based on that information."

  7. Downton cast gather

    As ITV announced the end of Downton Abbey, it also released photos of the cast at a read-through for the new series.

    It's been shot in black and white to mark the solemnity of this occasion.

    MICHELLE DOCKERY (Lady Mary Crawley), LAURA CARMICHAEL (Lady Edith Crawley) and PHYLLIS LOGAN (Mrs Hughes).

    Sharing a joke - Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary Crawley; Laura Carmichael, aka Lady Edith Crawley; and Phyllis Logan, who stars as Mrs Hughes.

    Joanna Froggat

    Joanne Froggatt joins in the laughter, suggesting her character, Anna, might finally get some relief from the misery of the last two series.

    Maggie Smith (Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham) and Jeremy Swift (Spratt).

    Dame Maggie Smith looks at the Dowager Countess's latest withering putdown, while Jeremy Swift, who plays her long-suffering butler, looks on.

    SOPHIE McSHERA (Daisy) and MICHAEL FOX (Andy).

    Sophie McShera, who plays assistant cook Daisy, and Michael Fox, who appears as footman Andy.

    Jim Carter

    Jim Carter, who plays head butler Mr Carson.

  8. Clarkson latest

    Jeremy Clarkson has just spoken to reporters outside his London home.

    He refused to answer when asked if he was worried about being arrested, following an earlier statement from North Yorkshire Police.

    However, he said: "All I would like to say is - I wish people would leave Ois[in Tymon] alone because none of this was his fault."

  9. Downton statement

    Downton Abbey

    Executive producer Gareth Neame says: "Millions of people around the world have followed the journey of the Crawley family and those who serve them for the last five years.

    "Inevitably there comes a time when all shows should end and Downton is no exception. We wanted to close the doors of Downton Abbey when it felt right.

    "We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up."

    The show's creator, Julian Fellowes added: "The Downton journey has been amazing for everyone aboard. People ask if we knew what was going to happen when we started to make the first series and the answer is that, of course, we had no idea.

    "Exactly why the series had such an impact and reached so many people around the world, all nationalities, all ages, all types, I cannot begin to explain.

    "But I do know how grateful we are to have been allowed this unique experience. I suspect the show will always be a principal marker in most of our careers as we set out from here, and if so, I consider that a blessing and a compliment."

  10. BreakingBreaking News

    Downton to end

    Carnival Films, the producer of Downton Abbey, and ITV have announced season six will be the final season of the worldwide hit TV drama.

  11. Don't you know who I am?

    James Corden billboard

    James Corden may be hosting a high-profile talk show in the US, but it seems he's not that well-known around town yet.

    Speaking to fellow chat show host Conan O'Brien, the star revealed security refused to let him back into the building when he forgot his ID card.

    Pointing at a billboard featuring his face, Corden said: "Is that not better than a pass? And he [the security guard] went, 'I don't see it man'.

    "One of our production staff had to come down."

    Watch the interview.

  12. Celebrity 1D reaction

    Celebrities have been tweeting their reaction and support over Zayn's departure from One Direction.

  13. North Yorkshire Police on Clarkson

    "Over the past few days, we have been contacted by concerned members of the public, who have seen media coverage about Jeremy Clarkson's actions at Simonstone Hall, and who want to know what action the police are taking.

    "No one who was present at the hotel during the incident came forward to report an offence to the police. Nonetheless, we have a duty to investigate where we believe an offence might have been committed, and that is what we have been doing with this case.

    "We'd like to reassure the public that the matter is in hand, and we dealing with it responsibly and proportionately."

    Read the full statement.

  14. Never Give Up on the Good Times

    One Direction

    Grieving One Direction fans swamped Spotify with requests to hear the band's music last night, as their tears splashed onto dog-eared pictures of Zayn's face.

    According to the company, the "spike of sadness" resulted in streams of One Direction songs increase by 1,900% in the UK.

    The most popular choice was Moments, the song Ed Sheeran wrote for the band's debut album in 2001.

    And yes, before you write in, we know there's no such thing as 1,900%. Basically, they mean people listened to One Direction a lot.

  15. Jeremy Clarkson - your views

    Email: entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk or tweet @BBCNewsEnts

    Mark Tillet emails: "It would be great if the very first episode of the new series of Top Gear, regardless of who's presenting, were to have Jeremy Clarkson as the star in the reasonably priced car.

    "It would kick start the new series with a ratings boost, would ensure the new presenter gets some support from the exiting custodian, would allow the audience to see Jeremy one last time, would allow him the chance to say farewell, get everything out in the open and would then put it all to bed - all in one effort."

    Kit MaineCoon emails: "Despite being an avid fan of Top Gear and the team, the BBC's decision to drop Jeremy Clarkson was the correct and only thing they could do in light of his behaviour.

    "A sad day though but I'm sure the team will re-gather somewhere else to give us more of their unique oddball motoring passion. I for one, will be watching out for their new home."

    Santiago Surillo emails: "This is what you need to do about Jeremy Clarkson. He needs to come back as he Stig! Make him barely fit in the outfit, so its obvious its him. His legs and belly will give him away! Since the Stig can't talk on the show, make it even more agonising for Clarkson, show him trying to say something, but unable to."

  16. Eisenberg's Lex Luthor

    Entertainment Weekly

    Details on Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have been scarcer than Kryptonite. But now we have our first glimpse of Jesse Eisenberg as one of comics' greatest bad guys: Lex Luthor.

    "He's not any of the Lexes that you've seen, that's for sure," says Snyder, "other than him being a captain of industry and one person to the world and another person to himself. And bald, of course".

    Jesse Eisenberg

    Read the full story.

  17. Britney is back

    Britney Spears

    Britney Spears is gearing up to release a new single, featuring rapper-for-hire Iggy Azalea.

    Called Pretty Girls, the collaboration has been teased since last November. But Spears has now finally confirmed a 5 May release date to People magazine.

    It doesn't necessarily mean the singer has a new album imminent, as she's busy with her Las Vegas residency.

    Instead, Azalea has hinted the track will be the first single from her second album.

    She helpfully adds the "song isn't about booty". Good to have that cleared up.

  18. Arise, Dame Joan

    Dame Joan Collins and her daughter

    Actress Joan Collins has been made a dame at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace.

    "Not in a billion years did I think I would be made a dame, it never even crossed my mind," she said, after receiving the accolade from the Prince of Wales.

    "It wasn't anything I ever aspired to, I just wanted to be jobbing actress, a working actor and somebody who could still perform.

    "I do my one-woman show a lot, which I love doing - but I have a lot of irons in the fire, none of which I can talk about."

    Dame Joan was accompanied by her daughter, Tara Newley (pictured), and her husband, Percy Gibson, at the Buckingham Palace ceremony.

  19. Has Bean?

    LA Times

    Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean

    Mr Bean turns 25 this year. To celebrate, Rowan Atkinson has been reminiscing about the character with the LA Times.

    "I certainly always enjoyed the vindictive side of Bean," the comedian says. "Bean is a child trapped in a man's body, with all the selfishness and vindictiveness and potential nastiness of a child. That's probably the key to his success."

    But, despite a recent Comic Relief sketch, Atkinson says he's reluctant to resurrect the character.

    "I don't particularly want him to get old. I've always seen him as a rather timeless, ageless figure."

    Read the full interview.

  20. Top Gear host replacement - your views

    Tweet @BBCNewsEnts or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk

    We asked you earlier who you thought would make a good replacement for Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear. Here are some of your suggestions:

    Dan Owen tweets: "Guy Martin. Genuine enthusiasm, less scripted banter."

    DanglingThpider: "Sandy Toksvig. She's funny, intelligent and just brilliant."

    ForestFlyer: "Sabine Schmit. Brilliant lady driver, feisty and with a big personality. Also being female and German would shake it up."

    Kevos: "@BrianJohnson would be amazing. But you will have to wait until @acdc tour wraps up next year."

  21. Breaking Bad back on TV

    Breaking Bad

    Cult US drama Breaking Bad is to be broadcast in full on UK television for the first time.

    While FX and Five USA showed the first two series of the show, it was quietly dropped, leaving fans to hunt out DVD box sets to see the show's conclusion.

    But a new channel, Spike, promises to show the series in its entirety when it launches on Freeview, Freesat and Sky TV on 15 April.

    The channel, which already exists in the US, will also screen new episodes of The Walking Dead and US pop culture phenomenon Lip Sync Battle, hosted by LL Cool J.

  22. Leave Zayn alone!

    Popjustice

    Zayn Malik

    Renowned pop website Popjustice has written a piece in defence of Zayn Malik, following his decision to leave One Direction.

    "We simply do not understand what it's like to have spent five years at (or slightly to the right of) the epicentre of the modern fame industry," says Peter Robinson.

    "Underneath the beautiful hair there is a human being who is often deeply unhappy. And being in the public eye when you're deeply unhappy is desperate and dangerous."

    Read the full piece (but beware of the strong language).

  23. Brick by brick

    The Hollywood Reporter

    The Lego Movie

    Not content with two spin-offs and one sequel to The Lego Movie, Warner Bros has disclosed plans for a further Lego film.

    The Billion Brick Race will be written and directed by Jason Segel, who helped Disney revive The Muppets in 2011, and Drew Pearce, the brain behind Iron Man 3.

    It has no release date, and the story is still in an embryonic stage. But we're sure they'll mini-figure it out.

    Read more on this story.

  24. Wheeling out a new chapter

    The Bookseller

    Sir Chris Hoy

    Olympic medal-winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy is writing a series of children's books about a boy and his bicycle.

    The Flying Fergus is about eight-year-old Fergus, who desperately wants a bike for his ninth birthday. The model he wants is too expensive, so he inherits his Dad's old rust-ridden clanger instead.

    However, when he takes it to the park, he discovers there may be more to the bike than meets the eye.

    Co-written by Joanna Nadin and aimed at readers aged five to eight, the first two books will be published in March next year.

    Read the full story (subscription site).

  25. Clarkson 2.0

    No Clarkson here

    The BBC has confirmed Top Gear will be back in 2016 - which means the hunt is on for someone to replace Jeremy Clarkson.

    Candidates must possess high-waisted jeans, the ability to offend other countries and punctuating... your speech... with unnecessary... pauses.

    Take a look at some of the frontrunners we've put together - but we want to hear your suggestions too.

    Tweets us on @BBCNewsEnts or ping an email to entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

  26. Dion returns to Vegas

    Celine Dion

    After announcing last August she was putting her career on hold "indefinitely" for health and family reasons, Celine Dion has decided she just can't stay away from Las Vegas.

    She originally said she was taking the break to care for her husband, allow her inflamed throat muscles to heal and spend time with her three children.

    But the singer has now confirmed she will return to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace from 27 August, with 40 shows planned up until January 2016.

    "It was [my husband] Rene's wish that I come back. While my family will always be my priority, my fans are just as important to me," she said.

    Read the full story.

  27. Rihanna unveils new single

    Rihanna

    Pop star Rihanna has unveiled her new single, but you can only hear it if you're prepared to download an app first.

    Titled (ahem) Bitch Better Get My Money, the song is available as a series of snippets on Dubsmash - which allows you to video yourself lip-syncing to popular tracks.

    So far, the lyrics reference 17th Century French monarch Louis XIII and see Rihanna warning competitors they're "kamikaze if you think you're gonna knock me off the top".

    The star has posted details of how to access the song on her Facebook page.

  28. Harris rails against 'daft and dangerous' app

    BBC Radio 4 Today

    Joanne Harris

    Novelist Joanne Harris has explained why she objects to a new app called Clean Reader that allows readers to exchange swear words in their e-books with sanitised alternatives.

    The Chocolat author has been leading the charge against the app, posting a robustly worded post on her blog this week that would definitely be altered were it to be subjected to its filtering software.

    "Either you want to read the book and the words the author has used in it or you don't," she told BBC Radio Four's Today programme. "I think it's daft, but it's also quite dangerous.

    "I don't see how it can do any good to the world of fiction by having a word replaced by another word."

    Harris also called into question the legality of the application, saying it resulted in "alternative versions being brought out without the consent of the author".

    "Authors think very hard about the words they use and don't want them replaced by a mimsy Americanism."

    Listen to the full interview.

  29. Taylor-Johnson leaves Fifty Shades

    Sam Taylor-Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson and EL James

    Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson has confirmed she will not be directing the next two planned sequels in the franchise.

    The artist and film-maker had previously said the relationship between her and the book's author EL James "was definitely not an easy process", so her departure is not a surprise for some.

    Taylor-Johnson said she was "hugely grateful" to have adapted the first Fifty Shades book and wished "nothing but success" for whoever takes on the "challenges of films two and three".

    Read more on this story.

  30. On his bike

    Jeremy Clarkson

    Jeremy Clarkson was first seen after his sacking late Wednesday night at his London home.

    Leaving on his bicycle, he dodged reporters' questions, saying: "I'm off out, sorry," before riding away.

  31. Clarkson return?

    Jeremy Clarkson

    Jeremy Clarkson's contract may not have been renewed, but the BBC's creative director Alan Yentob has said he wouldn't rule out the presenter's return to the corporation in the future.

    He added Top Gear may continue if fellow presenters James May and Richard Hammond quit, but "it would be a disappointment to us obviously, to put it mildly, if that happened."

    Read more on this story.

  32. Jeremy Clarkson - your views

    Email: entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk or tweet @BBCNewsEnts

    Lots of reaction still coming in from you on Jeremy Clarkson's sacking.

    David Frost emails: "If it is acceptable for the deputy prime minister of this country to punch someone in the face on camera and face no sanction whatsoever, then why aren't the same standards applied here?

    "Secondly the BBC is complicit in encouraging Clarkson's demeanour by not editing any so-called offensive words or actions in the same way they bleep out swear words etc. I will not watch any replacement programme on BBC but look forward to Clarkson's new show on Sky or ITV or wherever."

    Frederick & Patricia Cohn: "As an American viewer, I won't watch BBC Top Gear without Mr Clarkson. The only other show of yours we enjoy is Sherlock, and that is only a few episodes. Make him give an obscene amount of money to a worthy cause and bring him back. Some of the greatest entertainers were not politically correct. Remember George Carlin and Richard Pryor?"

    Arlan Colton emails: "No Top Gear means no crying need for BBC America for me any more. And in other news, who is Zayn Malik and why should I care? Clearly I must be an over 50 troglodyte...."

  33. Mad Max on the Croisette

    Tom Hardy in Max Max: Fury Road

    After a long delay in filming thanks to heavy rain, Mad Max: Fury Road is finally going to be hitting cinemas in a couple of months.

    The film will be shown out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival on 14 May, a day before premiering in the UK and US.

    After a 30-year break from the franchise, director George Miller returns with Tom Hardy in the lead role of Max Rockatansky - originally made famous by Mel Gibson.

    Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult also star - both with considerably less hair than usual.

    Nicholas Hoult and Charlize Theron in Max Max: Fury Road
  34. Music video ratings

    Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud

    Music videos by British artists on YouTube and Vevo will come with cinema-style age certificates from today.

    Ratings will be decided by the British Board of Film Classification and it is thought roughly 20% of all videos will receive a 12, 15 or 18 certificate.

    Among the ratings given so far include a U for Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud, a 15 for Ellie Goulding's Love Me Like You Do - which features clips from Fifty Shades of Grey - and an 18 for Dizzee Rascal's Couple of Stacks for "strong bloody violence" and "very strong language".

    Read more on this story.

  35. Get involved

    Victoria Lindrea

    Arts and entertainment reporter

    Who would you like to see replace Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear? Can Top Gear continue without Clarkson? And are you (or the younger members of your family) sobbing into their cornflakes this morning at Zayn's decision to quit One Direction?

    Get in touch and let us know - email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk or tweet @BBCNewsEnts.

  36. The morning after

    Genevieve Hassan

    Entertainment reporter

    After a busy afternoon yesterday with news of two departures, today we'll bring you more reaction on all things Jeremy Clarkson and One Direction's Zayn Malik.

    Plus lots more from the world of arts and entertainment, so keep this page handy for the latest updates.