‘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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The rise of the comic book hero

A crowd of mourners gather as pallbearers carry in a black coffin and shroud it with a Canadian flag. Eulogies flow for James "Logan" Howlett, taken too soon. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2014-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'High Street Heroes' gear up for Small Business Saturday

Indie bookshops are gearing up to welcome shoppers with events and promotions tomorrow (6th December) to mark Small Business Saturday. The initiative is in its second year in the UK. It is supported by American Express (Amex), which will give its customers £5 back when they spend more than £10... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Play Store cyber sale offers discounted apps, movies, music, and books

The Google Play Store is joining in on the cyber week sale madness, offering some tempting deals on a variety of digital content.Click over to the Play Store to scroll through everything that is up for grabs. Some of the best deals are on entertainment, with Academy Award winner Her available... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Arlidge pens original audio drama for Audible

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jeff Smith, Billy Ireland Library Plan New Ohio Comics Show

The new show, Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, will launch with a two-day show in Columbus, Ohio in 2015 and transition to an annual four-day comics festival in Fall 2016. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Panel Mania: 'Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen' Gets Meta

Dylan Horrocks returns with another exploration of comics, creativity, and how they all fit into a world that doesn't seem to recognize or reward them. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google publishes free Android Lollipop how-to guide in Play Store

If you’re one of the few who actually reads instruction manuals, then you may want to grab a new ebook from Google.The Android Quick Start Guide is a free download on Google Play Books that outlines basic Android Lollipop features, such as connecting your Google account, setting up a security... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Create Like Nobody's Watching: How An Obscure Marvel Comic Became Disney's Next Big Hero (6)

Big Hero 6 was created when Marvel's top brass was focused on X-Men. A decade later, Disney is bringing it back to life.When it was announced last year that the first-ever Marvel property that Disney Animation was going to tackle as a feature film was Big Hero 6, there was collective... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mollet: EC's digital drive 'plays into hands of US platform companies'

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Top literary agent Andrew Wylie calls Amazon Isis-like distribution channel

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[ The Guardian | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google makes Play Books more student friendly

Google's latest Play Books update for Android makes the app a lot easier to use for reading non-fiction ebooks. See, Play Books is perfect if you're just reading something from cover to cover. But if you're using it to read text or reference books... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Play Jazzes Up E-book Nonfiction

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rylance to play BFG in Spielberg film

Actor Mark Rylance will play the title role in The BFG, Steven Spielberg's film of Roald Dahl's much-loved children's book about a "Big Friendly Giant". Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-10-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Martha Stewart Living magazines to be produced by Meredith

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[ Crains New York | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Legacy of Billy Graham: Grant Wacker

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Four Questions for...Amtrak Residency Judge Sam Nicholson

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Spiritualism and the Death of the Hero in the Internet Age

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Quest for Manhood: Talking with John and Sam Eldredge

Father and son John and Sam Eldredge talked about everything in weekly conversations after Sam graduated from college. These talks with his father eased Sam's transition to manhood, and now they are captured in a book for the benefit of other young men. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Free-to-Play Online Casino Brand Bets on Mobile

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[ Advertising Age | 2014-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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