BBC

BBC announces major new investment in arts programming

BBC Director-General Tony Hall will unveil ambitious plans to place arts programming back at the heart of the Corporation with new investment, a new pan-BBC arts brand and more landmark commissions and partnerships.

As part of his forthcoming speech outlining his vision for the BBC, Tony Hall will demonstrate his commitment to making the BBC the world’s best arts and music broadcaster...

The Sound of Cinema: What has the nation voted as its favourite film soundtrack?

BBC Radio 3 will reveal the nation’s favourite soundtracks on Friday in a live orchestral countdown, with John Williams' Star Wars Main Theme coming in at number one.

With almost a quarter of the audience votes, John Williams’ Star Wars Theme topped a list that spans 64 years of cinema soundtrack history. Williams' soundtrack remains to this day the highest-grossing orchestral film...

Plymouth set for new TV channel

Plymouth may soon get a local television channel according to regulator Ofcom.

Locations across the UK including Plymouth and Barnstaple, are slated to gain independent channels making original programming.

Ofcom is inviting applications from independent studios to get a licence to found a new channel for a local audience.

11 more licences were announced today as...

Kylie Minogue, will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones confirmed as coaches for third series of The Voice UK

Kylie Minogue, will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones have been confirmed as coaches on series three of The Voice UK .

Grammy award-winner Kylie has had worldwide record sales of more than 68 million and was given an OBE for services to music. With ten world tours, 11 successful albums and over 50 hit singles internationally, Kylie is well placed to use her expertise to find and nurture new and...

Mark Gatiss to revive BBC's 'Ghost Story for Christmas'

Sacha Dhawan ( Last Tango In Halifax , Being Human ; The History Boys ), John Castle ( I, Claudius ), Louise Jameson ( Doctor Who , Doc Martin ) and Una Stubbs ( Sherlock , Til Death Do Us Part ) will star in The Tractate Middoth , a brand new drama for BBC Two this Christmas.

They will be joined in the cast by David Ryall ( The Village , Outnumbered ); Eleanor Bron ( Bedazzled , Women...

£300m Universal Credit welfare reform poor value, says financial watchdog

The Government's Universal Credit reform was "overly ambitious", "took risks to try to meet the short timescale" and "suffered from weak management". So concludes a report by the financial watchdog, the National Audit Office into the implementation of one of the Coalition's high profile welfare reform policies.

The National Audit Office has concluded that the Department for Work and...

BBC publishes findings of reports into executives' severance pay

The BBC has today (Wednesday 4 September) published two new reports into severance pay at the Corporation, commissioned by Director General, Tony Hall.

The reports come in the light of criticisms of the corporation for agreeing a number of deals that have seen senior executives receive walk away with large pay-offs.

Last week, the BBC's director of human resources, Lucy Adams...

Plymouth woman who woke up with a Chinese accent

A Plymouth woman who woke up one morning with a Chinese accent is the subject of a BBC documentary which airs tonight.

Sarah Colwill, 38, who began speaking in a Chinese accent two years ago, has been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an incredibly rare condition which has had only 62 recorded cases between 1941 and 2012.

The documentary which airs on BBC1 tonight,...

Veteran BBC broadcaster David Jacobs dies aged 87

The veteran BBC broadcaster David Jacobs has died at the age of 87.

Jacobs stepped down from his Radio 2 programme only last month due to ill health. He died at home "surrounded by his family", according to a BBC statement.

David Jacobs began his career at the BBC in 1945, enjoying a seven-decade career during which time he presented many classic and popular programmes,...

Plymouth's Civic Centre to be redeveloped as a hotel

Plymouth's Civic Centre is to be transformed into a four star hotel with commanding views of the city and its stunning waterfront as part of an exciting development that Plymouth City Council say will create hundreds of jobs.

Tired offices will be turned into a prestige hotel which will form the anchor development in a project that will seal the West End of Plymouth's role as a...

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