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TELLY TRIUMPH
Tense telly thriller gets a second series after becoming an overnight ratings smash
NEW Idris Elba thriller Hijack is such a hit that Apple TV+ is already looking at a sequel.
I can reveal that talks are in place to tee up a second series of the drama, which is set on board a plane taken over by terrorists.
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Idris plays Sam Nelson, a trained corporate negotiator who ends up having to outsmart the bad guys while thousands of feet up in the air.
A TV insider said: “This is great news for Idris, who isn’t just the leading man of the show, he’s also one of the executive producers.
“So he has a great deal invested in the drama, which was reflected in just how enthusiastically he promoted it before it launched last month.
“The programme will help reframe Idris as an actor, making him known for more than playing the lead in BBC detective drama Luther.
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"And since he is now 50, he wants to more than just an action hero.
“He wants to be seen as an actor who can take on a greater range of roles.
"The streaming giant’s bosses are keen on him exploring this new chapter with them, which is why there are now discussions about delivering a second helping of Hijack.
“After all, it has turned out to be one of their most-watched shows and the reviews have generally been full of praise.”
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The seven-parter sees Sam on board Kingdom Airlines flight KA29 from Dubai to London as he returns to his estranged wife, but then the bad guys take over the plane.
It’s not clear how the creators could continue the story, though there is the suggestion it could involve a similar scenario or maybe a different mode of transport.
As anyone who watched Speed 2 will tell you, that’s a gamble — but it might just be one that pays off for Idris and Apple TV+.
AIDAN’S LESSONS IN VAIN
THE stars of Fifteen-Love have admitted their disappointment at failing to make it to Wimbledon.
To prepare for the Prime Video tennis series, which launches this Friday, Aidan Turner and Ella Lily Hyland took lessons from Brit ex-player Naomi Cavaday.
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But their hopes of taking their new-found skills to Centre Court were soon crushed.
Ella, who plays Justine Pearce, says: “I remember Naomi saying to us, ‘You don’t actually have to hit the ball, they are going to CGI it in’, but we were so competitive.
“We were like, ‘I want to be a pro’ and she was like, ‘But you’re not going to be’.
“Coming to terms with that . . . that was a journey.”
Aidan, who plays coach Glenn Lapthorne, adds: “I played badminton in school and thought, ‘This is going to be a breeze’, but it’s not . . . It’s really difficult.”
Fifteen-Love will be available to stream on Prime on Friday.
TV’S Supervet is returning to Channel 4 with a special edition focused on puppies.
Prof Noel Fitzpatrick will meet young dogs in need – including rough collie Merida, who needs life-changing surgery on her leg.
The Supervet: Puppy Special airs tomorrow night at 9pm.
BEN’S HIT BY HEIGHT
CHANNEL 4 host Ben Zand will try life as a male escort in a new episode of Untold.
He is put through his paces in an audition with Louise Bee – founder of companionship agency The Prince Xperience.
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But he fails to meet his princess when he’s turned away for being shorter than 6ft tall.
Ben reveals in Men For Sale – Life Of A Male Escort: “I met Louise at the Prince Xperience and went through the selection process.
"I think I’d be a reasonable male escort but the women that Louise caters for, they are high-earning women.
“I failed on every metric. Some I could change, like my conversational ability, but some I could not change, like my height – you have to be at least six foot.”
Men For Sale airs tonight at midnight on Channel 4.
HANNAH’S PLATTER
TOHEEB JIMOH has revealed how the Ted Lasso cast went bananas at The White House.
The stars of the hit Apple TV+ comedy-drama were invited as guests of President Joe Biden in March.
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But instead of enjoying the sandwiches provided, Hannah Waddingham made an unusual request that was met with a silver platter.
Toheeb told the Off Menu podcast: “We didn’t sit down and have a proper meal.
“We came in, we did our thing, we had sandwiches.
“Hannah asked for a banana. She was like, ‘Is there any fruit?’
“There’s a picture of her somewhere and this lovely person who works at the White House is holding the silver platter and underneath is one banana.
“I don’t think she expected it to be a big deal, and then somebody comes with this almighty banana.”
THE BBC is dedicating summer to cricket once again this year as The Hundred returns.
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Host Isa Guha will present the action, which follows eight champion teams going head-to-head across seven cities, for the third year running.
The Hundred returns to the BBC on all platforms next month.
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