‘She was an unsung hero’: Billie Piper on playing producer Sam McAlister in a new drama about Prince Andrew’s Newsnight fiasco

In Scoop, the story behind the prince’s disastrous TV appearance, Piper plays McAlister, the woman who landed the interview. They discuss their unlikely alliance, the pitfalls of fame and the extent of Andrew’s delusionsThe Netflix film Scoop, which retells the story of how Newsnight landed its infamous, eye-popping 2019 interview with Prince Andrew, has a strong Working Girl vibe, which may be one reason why I enjoyed it (I’m talking about the Oscar-winning 1988 movie, in which Melanie Griffith plays a girl from Staten Island who dreams of climbing the corporate ladder). In part, this is thanks to the blond wig worn by one of Scoop’s stars, Billie Piper, which comes with a powerful whiff of the late 1980s. Mostly, though, it’s because Peter Moffat’s screenplay pitches Piper’s character, Sam McAlister, as a plucky outsider surrounded by somewhat toffee-nosed types who only finally begin to take her seriously when she lands the TV exclusive to end them all. One minute, her lip is trembling with the unfairness of it all. Why do her bosses disdain all her brilliant ideas? The next, she’s at Buckingham Palace telling the queen’s favourite son to his face that his brand is distinctly grubby and could do with a generous spin in the Newsnight washing machine.Was it really like this? When I meet Piper and the real life McAlister at Netflix HQ in the weeks before Scoop has its premiere, I hope vaguely to get to the bottom of some of the gossip that trails it; there’s talk, for... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-03-31 06:00:30 UTC ]
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School textbooks are on the way out – and pupils will lose so much with them | Sam Leith

Now Pearson is moving to digital-only, new generations will miss the memories bound up with the sight and smell of booksThe world’s largest publisher of textbooks is preparing to throw in the towel on print and paper: Pearson has announced a digital-first strategy for its US market. New books... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-16 15:56:37 UTC ]
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Attenborough and Thunberg to feature in Nosy Crow’s ‘Earth Heroes’

Nosy Crow will this autumn publish a book about climate change activists such as David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-15 09:27:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david attenborough #greta thunberg #nosy crow #autumn publish


W&N scoops Dame Julie Andrews' Hollywood memoir

Weidenfeld & Nicholson has scooped Dame Julie Andrews’ "funny, heartrending and inspiring" account of her film career, charting the star’s meteoric rise with "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-04 18:44:33 UTC ]
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'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite' is available to play a day early

Niantic's Harry Potter: Wizards Unite officially debuts on June 21st, but you won't have to wait until then to play if you live in the right country. The location-based game is already available for would-be Android and iOS spellcasters in the US an... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2019-06-20 16:42:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2019: Who Is Your Hero?

Heroes aren’t just characters in books—they’re also real-life people who blaze trails, do amazing things, and put others’ needs before their own. Their superpowers include kindness, bravery, self-reliance, love, and plain-old awesomeness. We asked BookCon authors to tell us who they look to for... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2019: Epic Heroes

We talked to Tomi Adeyemi, Leigh Bardugo, Soman Chainani, and Cassandra Clare about what makes someone an epic hero in 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-06-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Karl Marlantes Unearths True Heroes

Karl Marlantes, the much-decorated war veteran and Rhodes Scholar, made his name in publishing writing about war. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Moby Cancels Public Appearances Amid Natalie Portman Drama

The singer has been embroiled in a controversy with the actress after making claims that they dated in his new memoir, "Then It Fell Apart." Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2019-05-30 01:16:02 UTC ]
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Dino expands Football Heroes series with four new titles

Dino, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has expanded its Football Heroes series with four new titles - Kirby, Marta, Morgan and Smith – ahead of the Fifa Women’s World Cup  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-22 09:04:19 UTC ]
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'Level the playing field': BA urges Treasury Select Committee to reform business rates

Booksellers Association m.d. Meryl Halls has urged the Treasury Select Committee to "level the playing field" and reform business rates.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-21 22:14:38 UTC ]
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Star Watch: Keeping Up with Andrew Eliopulos

Since he was the top Star Watch honoree in 2016 HarperCollins Children’s Book editor Andrew Eliopulos has continued to focus on bringing diverse voices to readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Second Canadian printer confirms it produced some of former Baltimore mayor's 'Healthy Holly' books

When FBI agents raided Baltimore City Hall, one of the dozens of items they seized was a UPS envelope containing a printer’s proof for a “Healthy Holly” book and an invoice from Premier Printing. The document was the first indication that additional copies of former Mayor Catherine Pugh’s... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2019-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Val McDermid to play Glastonbury with Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers

The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers will play at Glastonbury, in what lead singer Val McDermid described as “a bit like a fairy story”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Julie Andrews to publish second memoir this fall

Julie Andrews, the legendary singer, actress and star of "Mary Poppins," "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music," is writing a memoir that will detail her experiences in Hollywood, People magazine reports. "Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years," co-written with Andrews' daughter, Emma Walton... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Datebook: Roy Dowell’s hypnotic plays on pattern

An L.A. painter’s hypnotic patterns and a photography show that documents the rise of hip-hop. Here are six exhibitions and events to check out in the coming week. Roy Dowell, “New and Recent Paintings (and a Sculpture),” at as-is.la. The Los Angeles-based painter whose pattern-filled works buzz... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Prince’s unfinished memoir set for October release

Random House will publish an unfinished memoir by the late pop superstar Prince this fall, the Associated Press reported Monday. The publisher is set to release "The Beautiful Ones," which shares its title with a song on Prince's 1984 album "Purple Rain," on Oct. 29. The news of the book's... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cassell bags book from England bowling hero Jimmy Anderson

Octopus imprint Cassell has bagged a revealing new book from England’s "greatest ever bowler" Jimmy Anderson. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Essential Arts: LACMA, LACMA, LACMA. The museum’s redesign is all drama

Friends, Romans, readers of great books: The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has landed on Coachella weekend and there will be too much do in El Lay this weekend beyond the return of “Game of Thrones.” I’m Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at The Times, with your weekly dose of cultural... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wilde’s Happy Prince among UN book club’s poverty picks

The launch titles of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Book Club were revealed at Bologna, all of which explore the topic of poverty. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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We need another hero: Feminist takes on fairytales gain traction

The market for updating fairytales, myths and legends for a contemporary readership has swelled, with a slew of new Rebel Girls as protagonists. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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