TUE 3.9.21: Meghan & Harry set UK 2021 ratings high

Emma Corrin to play Lady Chatterley / PGA, DGA, BAFTA noms are out / SONY TV gets new leader

Sean McNulty

Mar 9, 2021

Mornin! Here’s the Hollywood + MediaBiz news to know on TUESDAY March 9, 2021.

Where the BAFTA Award noms are out at 9am EST. They should be here on the BAFTA site. But you know how I am with accents… so my chances aren’t great. Crickey!

Also here are the DGA TV and Documentary nominations (winners announced April 10th) and the PGA Movie & TV nominations (winners announced March 24th).

🎧 MUSIC TO READ BY

BEBE REXHA - “Sacrifice” New club dance tune from Ms. Rexha. YouTube / Spotify

For new tunes to add to your playlist:

THE WAKEUP Spotify playlist

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

Emma Corrin to play the lead in “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” remake

Set up at Elizabeth Gabler’s 3000 PRODUCTIONS, whose deal is at SONY. David Magee (“Life of Pi”) wrote the script. /Deadline

ALSO IN MOVIES

HBOMAX accidentally played the new “Justice League” for people who tried to watch “Tom & Jerry” on the service yesterday, a week+ before the JL premiere 🤦‍♂️. /THR

📺 THE TV SET

CBS Oprah “Meghan & Harry” special gets (at least) 17 million viewers

Final numbers come out today, so may still increase. “60 Minutes” lead-in had about 10 million.

Outside of NFL games, it’s the 2nd largest TV audience this year behind “The Equilizer” Post-Super Bowl premiere. /THR

ITV’s UK airing last night was also that country’s highest rated of 2021 at 11.3 million, save for Boris Johnson’s Covid shutdown address. /Deadline

But crafty Brits who found a way to watch the CBS broadcast were apparently appalled by all of the ads for drugs. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! /Mashable

APPLE TV+ signs Malala Yousafzai to a production deal

Multi-year deal will span various genres, but no execs or projects announced with the deal. /Variety

ALSO IN TV

Looks like no foreign visitors for the Summer OLYMPICS in Tokyo. TBD Crowds will be Japan residents only. /YahooNews
USA NETWORK ending “Queen of the South” after its 5th Season as it winds down its scripted programming overall. Season 5 premieres April 7th. /THR
“The Queens Gambit” stage musical rights sold to LEVEL FORWARD. Rights deal is for the source book, not the TV series - NETFLIX and Scott Frank are not involved (currently). No other plans announced. /Variety
EXECUTIVE SUITE:
- SONY has a new Global TV Head - Ravi Ahuja, former DISNEY TV President. Begins March 15, reports into SPE Chairman Tony Vinciquerra. /THR
- CONDE NAST ENTERTAINMENT names film producer Helen Eastbrook as the new Head of TV & Film scripted development, reports into CNE President Agnes Chu.
- NBC NEWS International Prez Deborah Turness departing. She’s heading back to the UK’s ITV Network as CEO. She came to NBC News from ITV back in 2013. /Variety
- CAA promotes 13 people to Agent across various departments 👏. /Variety

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

APPLE PODCASTS changing “Subscribe” to “Follow” in the app

They’re now “following” SPOTIFY’s lead here (ok who wrote that 🧐), thus eliminating any confusion for newbies that Subscribe means you need to pay for it.

Currently in beta, will likely roll out in new iOS 14.5 software update.

ALSO IN MEDIA

If you use T-MOBILE for your phone service, they’re gonna start selling your web browsing habits to advertisers starting in about a month (unless you opt out). /WSJ

🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

HBOMAX docu “LFG” teaser trailer. From CNN FILMS, about the US Women’s Soccer Team battle for equal pay. No premiere date given. (oh uh, LFG = Let’s Fucking Go)

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

OWN - “Delilah” legal thriller Series Premiere at 9pm.

That's your Tuesday Morning roundup - if ya dig the newsletter and don’t yet subscribe - it’s free! (wait what’s my business model again?). And here’s a button to help. Delivered weekdays by 830a EST.

Until tomorrow!

-Sean McNulty