Radio 1's Screen Time

Joe Cornish - podcasting legend of Adam And Joe fame, and director extraordinaire behind Attack The Block and The Kid Who Would Be King - is back with Lockwood & Co, a TV show about gifted teenage paranormal investigators that currently happens to be the number one most watched show on Netflix in a number of countries, thanks for asking. In this episode of Radio 1's Screen Time, Joe tells Ali about finding his excellent cast (Ruby Stokes as Lucy Carlyle, Cameron Chapman as Anthony Lockwood, Ali Hadji-Heshmati as George Kari), his memories of '70s super spookery The Ghost Hunters and what ever happened to his once-announced-now-disappeared 'Snow Crash' sci-fi film project.

The incredibly talented and incredibly charming Russell T Davies (Queer As Folk, A Very English Scandal, Years And Years and It's A Sin) spoke to Ali this week in honour of his new ITV (and ITVX) drama Nolly, all about Noele Gordon, the '70s and early '80s soap superstar who played the indomitable Meg Richardson in Crossroads, and how her seemingly unstoppable small screen success suddenly... stopped. Oh, and it should be mentioned: Helena Bonham Carter plays Noele. Yep, it's a good 'un. And with RTD (as no-one calls him) also the man behind the 2005 revival of Doctor Who - and soon to return to the beloved franchise - that topic may up as well, if only just a little bit.

Darren Aronofsky and Brendan Fraser talk to Ali this week about their critically-acclaimed drama The Whale, as well as The Mummy bumper stickers, screentesting, Stephen Sommers' incredible directorial tips and much, much more. Forgive Ali for being particularly smitten with Brendan on this one, he's a big fan.

The Fabelmans finally arrives on British shores this weekend, with Steven Spielberg's latest enjoying the awards nominations as a not-so-little boost to remind you that yes, yes indeed, Spielberg has made another motion picture, and this one is about... him. That's right, this is a semi-autobiographical film starring the likes of Michelle Williams (who you'll hear from on this podcast), Paul Dano, Judd Hirsch and newcomer Gabriel LaBelle (again, also on this podcast!). Here you hear from Michelle and Gabe (as he prefers to be called) about the honour of bringing Spielberg's young life to, um, life.

There's a lot of big telly coming your way in 2023, so friend of the show - and all-round TV expert - Scott Bryan dropped by the Radio 1 studios to chat to Ali about what to look forward to, from Nolly to The Last Of Us to Loki to The Mandalorian to... The list goes on and on. As you'll hear!

Damien Chazelle is just 37 years old but he's already given us Whiplash, La La Land, First Man and now his 1920s Hollywood epic, Babylon. He's an outrageous talent. There, it's been said. Here he talks to Ali about his story so far, with some of his stars - including one Ms. Margot Robbie - chipping in here and there.

The Last Of Us TV show is finally with us, on HBO in the US and here in the UK through Sky Atlantic / NOW. At long, long last - so to speak - The Last Of Us is here. At last. In 2013 the first game came out on PS3 - remember that? - and now, a decade later, Naughty Dog's critically-adored post-apocalyptic zombie heartbreaker has finally been adapted for the small screen, and by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin no less, so that's how you know it'll be a laugh riot. Ahem. Talking to TLOU superfan Ali we have Craig himself, as well as our Joel and Ellie, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, not forgetting game co-creator Neil Druckmann and, well, quite a few others as it goes.

There are "unbelievable stories", then there's the tale they're telling with Welcome To Chippendales, the latest Hulu drama to make its way over to the UK and land on Disney+ (alongside Welcome To Wrexham and, um, the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie), inspired by a book that says a lot just in the title: 'Deadly Dance: The Chippendales Murders'. Best to say not too much more, eh? But! Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett play the two key figures in the incredible tale of how the all-male dancing revue took over the world, and how good ol' power does so love to corrupt.

Gillian Anderson needs no introduction, but with this being the introduction part of the podcast, an introduction is what she shall have. An Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild (the list goes on and on, and quite rightly) award winner, Anderson is a veteran of the X-Files series - but of course - as well as, more recently, The Crown and Sex Education, not forgetting Bleak House, American Gods, Great Expectations and much, much more. Here she talks to a very chilly Ali over Zoom in honour of her latest, the Netflix detective mystery thriller The Pale Blue Eye. No spoilers here, we promise!

2023 is here! And with it, Radio 1's Screen Time interview specials for you to listen to, you lucky, lucky things. First up is Blake Harrison, most recently seen in the second series of I Hate Suzie on Sky, but also in the likes of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (a must watch if you're a David Cross fan), The Great, A Very English Scandal and some thing called - checks notes - The Inbetweeners, where of course he played the legendary Neil. Here Blake talks to Ali about all of the above and more, even coming up with a whole new word in the process...