KATE Middleton’s brother James must love being invited to Buckingham Palace and getting to hang out with the Queen’s corgis.
The self-confessed dog-mad businessman, whose sister is married to Prince William, is working on a new documentary series about his love for pooches.
James has teamed up with production company Fulwell 73, which is behind James Corden’s The Late Late Show, the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special and the now infamous BROS documentary.
I’m told the show, currently called James Middleton’s Super Dogs, will look at how his beloved pets saved him from depression.
It will also follow him as he meets others suffering with mental health issues and explore the effects the mutts have on them.
A source said: “Mental health is a topic very close to both James’ and his sister’s hearts, and he credits his dogs with helping him out of his darkest days.
"The show will follow him talking to others who are suffering and looking at how a dog can impact your mood and depression.”
The avid dog lover has nine pooches — Golden Retriever Mabel, a black Labrador, two Cocker Spaniels, and five black Spaniels called Rafa, Ella, Zulu, Inka and Luna.
He recently spoke candidly about his own battle with mental health, and said: “My own dogs played a vital role in my recovery from clinical depression.
“In light of this I want to celebrate the important role dogs play in our lives and the unconditional love and support they give us.”
As a massive dog lover myself, I couldn’t agree more.
Must watch
WHAT? The Windsors, Channel 4, 10pm.
WHY? Harry Enfield and Hugh Skinner return as Charles and Wills for a new series of the royal comedy.
The latest instalment sees the older Windsors go on strike.
Taking a Sheen to Tarrant
HE’S been Tony Blair and David Frost on the silver screen, so everyone expects Michael Sheen to deliver a stunning version of Chris Tarrant in upcoming TV drama Quiz.
But Matthew MacFadyen and Sian Clifford are just as convincing as the central characters, Major Charles Ingram and wife Diana.
For years we thought we knew how the couple came to cheat ITV’s biggest quiz show, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? in 2001.
But Quiz, set to air this spring, makes us reassess the crime they were guilty of in 2003.
And that’s partly down to some great performances from Spooks’ Matthew and Sian, who was been nominated for an Emmy and Critics’ Choice award after starring in Fleabag.
I can’t wait for this one.
Bizbit
ITV has commissioned four-part thriller Hollington Drive, written by Sophie Petzal, who was behind historical drama The Last Kingdom.
She said: “This is a darkly funny thriller following two sisters caught up in a toxic, deadly secret.”
D.O.I. Lisa Tinkers with size
CORONATION Street star Lisa George has dropped two dress sizes after months of training for Dancing On Ice.
The actress, who plays Beth Tinker on the ITV soap, was knocked out of the contest in Sunday’s skate-off against Paralympian Libby Clegg.
But the show has given Lisa a newfound confidence after she struggled for years with her weight and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Lisa said: “My body has changed since taking part in the show.
“I have actually put on weight, but I’ve dropped dress sizes. I’m more toned.
“When I weighed myself and saw I’m four pounds heavier, I was fuming.
“But when they gave me one of the dresses I was like, ‘Bloody hell! It’s two dress sizes smaller’.
“I used to be a size 16 and then, after the training, a size 14 would be comfortable and a little bit big.
"I actually just fit into a size 12. I think I had put on muscle.”
She added: “It was nice to feel glamorous as the hair, make-up and costumes were amazing.”
Murder hunters
IF you have not tuned in to BBC2 docu-series Murder 24/7: Essex, get on the case.
Tonight is the second of five episodes – after last night’s opener – following a series of murder hunts conducted by the county’s Major Crime team.
The show, on again tomorrow evening, then next Monday and Tuesday, takes viewers behind the scenes to show how police uncover evidence to find a suspect and eventually get a charge and conviction – which is achieved win each of the three cases profiled.
Bobby on the Beeb
BETWEEN The Office and Sherlock, Martin Freeman’s career was forged on the BBC – but he hasn’t been seen there for more than three years.
After pursuing a Hollywood film career and making ITV crime thriller A Confession, he’s back where it all started, only this time he’s playing a copper in Liverpool.
BBC2 drama The Responder sees Martin take the lead in the new six-part show from new writer Tony Schumacher, who’s based it on his own experience of working as a policeman.
The last time the actor was on the Beeb was three years ago as Doctor Watson in Sherlock, starring opposite Benedict Cumberbatch as the supersleuth.
But Martin said he was tempted back because Tony’s script “was like nothing that I’d read or seen”.
And that’s coming from a man who witnessed the David Brent Dance first-hand
Source: Read Full Article