Here's what's got me talking this week...
2025 may only a few days in, but already there has been plenty to get me talking, from the return of The Traitors, a new Harlan Coben drama and more.
It's time to take a look back at the last 7 days and see what has got me talking and whilst 2025 may only be a few days in, it's already DELIVERING. From the return of The Traitors to some record-breaking ratings news and more.
Here are my 4 telly talking points of the week...
1
THE TRAITORS
Series 3 has launched and it's already INCREDIBLE
⚠︎ CONTAINS EPS 1-3 SPOILERS ⚠︎
The Traitors only returned on New Year's Day for its third series but already SO MUCH has happened. 5.1m of us tuned in to the opening episode in which Claudia Winkleman welcomed a new group of players to the Traitors castle in the Scottish Highlands, all hoping to win the potential prize fund of £120,000.
What I love about The Traitors is that if you have a game plan, the chances of playing it out exactly how you'd imagined, is highly unlikely. It all depends on who is chosen to be a Faithful and who's chosen to be a Traitor. Something you cannot know before going on. But before we'd even reached the castle this year we found out that three players would be lying their way through the game and three other players didn't even make it to the castle.
In the very first episode, whilst on the train to the castle, three players were asked to sacrifice themeselves and leave the game before it's even begun to add money to the eventual prize pot. Those players were Alexander, Fozia and Jack, but if the end of Friday's episode is anythig to go by, then that 'Rail Replacement' clip seems to suggest that they might be on their way to the castle after all.
As for the players already lying, 62-year-old Lisa has decided to hide the fact she's an Anglican Priest from her fellow players, 32-year-old Business Director Charlotte has decided to fake being Welsh, adopting a "trustworthy" Welsh accent for the duration of the game and 28-year-old former soldier Leanne has decided to keep her profession a secret, pretending to be a nail technician instead.
When the 22 players reached the castle, Claudia chose an all-female trio of Traitors, Armani, Linda and Minah, redressing the balance after the boys club of the 2024 series. So far there have been three murders, first to be murdered was 34-year-old Doctor of Communication Yin, then it was 65-year-old Window cleaner Keith who proved that yet again, spelling people's names correctly is one of the most challenging parts of the game.
Then there were the Round Tables. Three so far. The first player to be banished was 39-year-old Property Consultant Nathan, then it was 24-year-old Translator Elen, who departed after a VERY tearful Round Table and the best one yet on Friday saw a Traitor finally caught as Minah turned on Armani as did sister Maia who was 60% certain her sister was a Traitor.
With just two Traitors left in the game, can Minah or Linda make it all the way to the end? I think Minah, absolutely, she has all the makings of a winner. Linda on the other hand, is playing a terrible game, turning her head when Claudia says "Traitors" and replying to any suspsicion anyone has of her with "Well I think you're a Traitor'. So as it stands, I'll be very surprised if she goes all the way to the final, let alone win it. But stranger things have happened and she does seem to have survived the first week fairly unscathed.
As well as all the epic gameplay, the over the top bedtime VTs are back and so far we've been treated to Freddie in the shower, Maia running a bath and Charlotte reading 'Learn Welsh' in bed. Another huge part of the show is Claudia Winkleman, who's the PERFECT host because she clearly loves the show and is as invested in the game as we are at home. Not to mention her incredible fashion throughout the series. A highlight so far is her bespoke 'Mission' cape from episode two.
We're only three episodes in to series three, but already The Traitors is proving itself to be one of the strongest formats on television that I've no doubt will feel just as fresh 10 series in because you can go in there with a gameplan, but the game is so unpredictable that it'll be almost impossible to stick to it.
If you need me on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening in January, forget it. My diary is blocked out to watch The Traitors.
The Traitors continues Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9pm on BBC One
2
GAVIN & STACEY
The ratings are in and they're IMMENSE
On Christmas Day 2019, Gavin & Stacey returned after 10 years away and was watched by 11.6m viewers, rising to 18.5m after 28 days and became the most-watched TV comedy since current records began in 2002.
Fast-forward five years and Gavin & Stacey: The Finale is breaking its own records as 12.3m people tuned in on Christmas Day 2024 to find out if Smithy accepted Nessa's proposal and to see how James Corden and Ruth Jones would bring the show to an end after 17 years.
On Friday, the BBC revealed that after just 8 days of consolidation, Gavin & Stacey: The Finale has already beaten 2019's 28 day number with 19.3m viewers and counting. Making it the most-watched scripted show across broadcasters and streamers since records began and well on the way to achieve over 20m viewers. Not bad for a show that launched with just over half a million viewers on BBC Three back in 2007.
Speaking about the ratings success of their finale, James Corden and Ruth Jones said "We are completely overwhelmed by the audience response to our show and to these astonishing viewing figures. Gavin & Stacey really does belong to the audience and we are beyond thrilled that so many people enjoyed watching it this Christmas. A huge thank you to Charlotte Moore and the BBC for backing us these past 17 years."
And they're right to call those numbers astonishing. They really are. Especially when you consider the constant decline in live viewing. It's proved that when the right show comes around, it really can be appointment view and deliver the numbers.
But can the BBC ever match or top those numbers again? I'm not sure... maybe only if they were to bring back Only Fools & Horses. Because I wanted to know what others thought, I asked the question to my followers on X and it's well worth a scroll with Miranda and Line of Duty seeming popular. See for yourself here and let me know which show you think could do it!
Gavin & Stacey is available now on BBC iPlayer
3
MISSING YOU
The perfect New Year's Day binge
If you cast your mind back to January 2024 and there were two huge dramas that the nation were obsessed. One was Mr Bates vs the Post Office and the other was Netflix's latest Harlan Coben adaptation, Fool Me Once.
Many called it the perfect binge for New Year's Day which is why Netflix decided to launch their next Harlan Coben adaptation, Missing You, on New Year's Day 2025. And yes, almost four hours after pressing play I had inhaled the lot and I have zero regrets.
Missing You stars Rosalind Eleazar (who puts in a superb performance, by the way) as Detective Kat Donovan whose fiancé Josh, played by Ashley Walters, disappeared 11 years ago and she hasn't heard from him since. But when she sees his face again on a dating app, her world explodes all over again as she dives back into the mystery surrounding her father’s murder, uncovering long-buried secrets from her past.
Whilst the series got off to what feels like a slow start, that's just so that Kat's world can be established. Once that's done, the twists, turns and thrills just keep on coming with an interconnecting web of storylines you come to expect from a Harlan Coben adaptation.
Not only was Rosalind superb in the leading role, but special mentions to Sir Lenny Henry and Steve Pemberton who excelled in their roles. As did newcomer Mary Malone, who I've named as one of my '9 TV Stars of Tomorrow for 2025' which you can read here.
If you need me, I'll be counting down to New Year's Day 2026, hoping that that's when Run Away, Harlan's next novel to be adapted, lands on Netflix.
Missing You is avalable now on Netflix
4
EASTENDERS
Look who's heading back to Walford...
2025 is a massive year for EastEnders as it celebrates its 40th anniversary in February and shortly after the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day, they announced the return of one the soap's most-loved characters... Grant!
That's right, in the coming weeks, Ross Kemp will return to our screens as Grant Mitchell returns to Walford for a short stint. He was last seen in Walford on 9th September 2016 and has been living in Portugal ever since.
Grant’s complex familial relationships has seen him at the forefront of some of the show’s most iconic and memorable storylines, and whilst the circumstances relating to his return currently remain under wraps, if his past stints are anything to go by, there is sure to be drama.
With brother Phil currently struggling, estranged best friend Nigel back on the Square, and ex-wife Sharon now dating his long lost cousin Teddy Mitchell, it’s safe to say that Grant’s return will be nothing short of explosive. Read all about his return, here.
With Nigel's surprise return over Christmas and Grant's imminent return, it got me thinking of who else I'd like to see back ahead of the 40th anniversary and top of my list would be Max Branning who could do with returning to support a pregnant Lauren who is battling a painkiller addiction and one of the suspects who could be unveiled as Cindy's Christmas Day attacker. And actually, for the same reason, why not bring Tanya back too!
I also think it's time Shirley returned and if there's a way of reuniting Zainab and Masood and bring them back, then I'll be here for it.
EastEnders continues Mondays to Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One with first look episodes available from 6am on BBC iPlayer
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