WE know him best as upstanding pillar of the community, the Earl of Grantham – but Hugh Bonneville’s new role couldn’t be further from his Downton Abbey days.
The actor has joined the cast of the second series of The Gentlemen as a new character yet to be confirmed by Netflix bosses.
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Though he’s a seriously dodgy figure in the sequel, he’s also said to bear a strong resemblance to legendary comic Ronnie Barker.
An insider said: “It was pretty obvious that Hugh’s new character plays a pivotal role in the story that runs through the drama’s second outing.
“Though it’s a bit of a surprise to see someone in a gangster thriller who’s used to playing wholesome figures in shows like Downton Abbey and the Paddington movies.
“But it’s fair to say with his giant head of grey hair and thick black glasses they’ve given him a very distinctive new look.”
Netflix ordered the follow-up from Snatch director Guy Ritchie after the first series became one of the platform’s most watched shows in 2024, with 77million views.
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Filming on the new instalment began last month and it’s expected to drop in early 2026.
Theo James, Ray Winstone and Vinnie Jones are all returning, alongside a number of new cast additions.
The shoot took place in a posh square in central London — a fitting backdrop for a drama about a family of aristocrats with deep ties to the criminal underworld.
Colson to plod back?
Colson Smith only recently waved goodbye to one policing role on Coronation Street, but he is already lining up another.
The actor, who played Corrie’s Craig Tinker, left the ITV soap in January, and his final scenes are set to play out on screen later on this year.
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But Colson revealed on his podcast On the Sofa – which he co-hosts with Corrie actors Ben Price and Jack P Shepherd – that he’s auditioned for a role as a cop on the BBC One crime comedy-drama Ludwig.
He said: “It was similar to Craig Tinker, the casting brief. It was cringey, likeable, I was going through it and it was grating – I find it very, very difficult to play a copper.
“I did it and I’ve not heard anything back.”
Laurie is most wanted
Hugh Laurie is to star as a powerful crime boss in a new Apple TV+ thriller.
The Wanted Man will see the British star of House and The Night Manager join forces with Bafta winner Thandiwe Newton, Dunkirk actor Fionn Whitehead and My Policeman’s Gina McKee later this year.
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The series will chart the rise and fall of Hugh’s Felix Carmichael, the elusive leader of a crime syndicate who, after being seemingly untouchable for two decades, is finally apprehended by the police.
While he’s being held in prison, it becomes clear he’s been betrayed by one of his own men.
Carmichael soon risks it all by planning a daring escape in order to take his revenge.
Say Nothing’s Hazel Doupe, Blitz’s Elliott Heffernan and Stephen Dillane, who played Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones, will also feature in the eight-part series.
Telly chef Heston Blumenthal will open up on his life-changing bipolar diagnosis in a BBC documentary.
It follows him for six months in the wake of experiencing hallucinations and suicidal thoughts, which saw him sectioned. Heston: My Life With Bipolar will air on June 19 on BBC Two.
Dannii’s got love bites
She’s already got a lot on her plate helping to pair up ten sizzling singles in I Kissed a Boy – but Dannii Minogue has revealed she also became a magnet for creepy crawlies.
The singer, who hosts the BBC game show, nearly had her glamorous looks ruined while filming in Italy.
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She said: “I got five spider bites – they love me!
“Thank goodness we had painkillers, ice packs and a great medic, but these huge itchy red bites were not what I had planned to accessorise with my couture!
“And a lightning storm didn’t get the memo that we had a Kiss Off – we all ended up having to take shelter.”
I Kissed a Boy returns Sunday at 9pm on BBC Three.
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