NEWS

TV and radio presenter Dermot O’Leary filming in Ballycastle for the second series of ‘Dermot’s Taste of Ireland’. A major new television series showcasing Northern Ireland’s coastline is set to reach millions of viewers this weekend, as broadcaster Dermot O’Leary returns with a second series of his hit travel and food programme exploring the island of Ireland. The new series of ‘Dermot’s Taste of Ireland’ will begin airing on ITV1 and streaming platform ITVX on Saturday, 2 M

Blue Lights cast members Nathan Braniff, Siân Brooke and Katherine Devlin The cast of hit police drama Blue Lights have paused filming in Belfast to back a major BBC campaign celebrating the city’s growing influence in television, as a striking new installation transforms a key route through the city centre. Actors Siân Brooke, Nathan Braniff and Katherine Devlin stepped away from production on the show’s fourth series to visit a specially designed billboard on Great Victoria

Westlife are set to take centre stage on this week’s Late Late Show as the chart-topping group returns for the final episode of the season, marking a major moment in their 25th anniversary celebrations and a packed year ahead for fans across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne will lead the line-up with a performance of three of their biggest hits, alongside a surprise collaboration being kept tightly under wraps. The trio will also sit down w

A powerful new BBC documentary is set to expose the raw, high-risk reality of policing in Northern Ireland, revealing how officers face volatile crowds, drug-fuelled chaos and life-threatening situations — often making split-second decisions that can determine whether people live or die. Filmed over two years on the streets of Belfast, Peelers: The PSNI – For Real follows more than 30 officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland as they respond to real emergencies — f

Stonemason Julia Gebel, based in Tipperary A major new RTÉ documentary series is set to bring Ireland’s fading traditional crafts back into sharp focus, revealing the lives, pressures and passion behind skills that risk disappearing in a fast-moving, digital-first world. Launching on Monday, April 27 at 8:30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Masters: Keepers of Tradition explores six rare crafts through the personal stories of the people who have dedicated their lives to preservin

(L-R) Mervyn Whyte, Event Director, North West 200 and BBC Sport NI’s Stephen Watson BBC Sport NI will continue to bring the North West 200 to audiences worldwide until its historic centenary year after securing a new three-year broadcast extension with the Coleraine and District Motor Club. The agreement ensures that coverage of the Briggs Equipment North West 200 will remain on BBC platforms from 2027 through to 2029, a milestone year marking 100 years of one of Northern Ir

Actor Anna Maxwell Martin Appearing on ITV’s The Assembly ITV’s bold interview series The Assembly continues this week with two new episodes featuring actor Anna Maxwell Martin and rapper Aitch , as both stars describe the intensity, honesty and emotional impact of taking part in one of television’s most unfiltered formats. The acclaimed series, which sees a panel of autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled interviewers ask direct and deeply personal questions, airs at

Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn. (Image: Khara Pringle) A new BBC political thriller rooted in the shadowy world of government secrecy has been commissioned from Ballymena writer Declan Lawn and long-time collaborator Belfast man Adam Patterson , placing a little-known national security mechanism — the D-Notice — at the centre of a major primetime drama. The six-part series, titled D-Notice , will explore how the British state can quietly intervene in journalism by advising e

Ballymena man Colin Agnew reaches the Final of BBC NI’s Greatest Gardens A Ballymena gardener whose suburban home has been transformed into a hidden botanical wonderland has secured the fourth and last place in the upcoming final of BBC Northern Ireland’s Greatest Gardens, after impressing judges with a design described as full of “mystery and intrigue”. Colin Agnew, head gardener at Belfast’s Botanic Gardens , captured the attention of viewers and judges alike for his imagin

Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Anton Savage at Ravensdale, Co. Louth in RTÉ‘s latest series of Tracks & Trails Spring’s most soothing television watch is back this week as RTÉ’s much-loved walking series Tracks & Trails returns for its 13th season, bringing viewers across some of Ireland’s most spectacular landscapes — including a dedicated Northern Ireland episode featuring Belfast’s Cave Hill and Rathlin Island, Co Antrim. The new five-part series begins this Friday, 10 April, at

Ballymena is set for a major expansion in local broadcasting after Ofcom today ( Thursday, April 9) awarded a small-scale DAB multiplex licence for the area to NIDAB Limited, opening the door for a new generation of local, community and specialist digital radio services across the town and surrounding villages. The decision is a significant boost for local media in Mid and East Antrim and could pave the way for around ten stereo digital radio stations, with capacity for more

Stephen Fry on series 2 of ITV’s The Assembly Award-winning ITV interview series The Assembly is set to return this April for an extended second run, with Sir Stephen Fry and Nicola Sturgeon among a high-profile line-up facing what has become one of television’s most disarming and unpredictable interview formats. The RTS-winning and Bafta-nominated show, praised by critics as one of the most original programmes on television, will see a fresh group of well-known names take t

BBC announces the cast for the return of Balamory, featuring some familiar faces and some new! Images: Lion Television Scotland/BBC After more than two decades off screen, one of the BBC’s most beloved children’s programmes is set to return this month, as Balamory makes its long-awaited comeback on BBC’s CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. The brand-new series will launch on Monday 20 April at 5pm, with all episodes also becoming available on BBC iPlayer the same day, marking the first

950 drones were used to ‘recreate’ the RMS Titanic in Belfast harbour, beside the Titanic Slipways in reference to the BBC series Titanic Sinks Tonight Belfast harbour was transformed into a striking tribute to the city’s most famous ship this week as the BBC launched its Made Of Here campaign in Northern Ireland with a dramatic 950-drone recreation of RMS Titanic. The large-scale aerial display, staged on Monday 30 March using what the BBC described as a “flotilla” of almos

North Coast based lifeguard supervisor Michael Jess. (Photo credit: Nathan Williams) A familiar face on the North Coast is now telling the story of lives saved at sea, as the RNLI marks a major milestone with a new podcast — just as lifeguards return to local beaches ahead of the Easter break. Portrush-based lifeguard supervisor Michael Jess is the narrator of We Are Lifeguards , a five-part series launched this week to celebrate 25 years of RNLI lifeguarding across the UK a

Broadcaster Stephen Nolan in new BBC series Peelers: The PSNI – For Real A new BBC series promises to pull back the curtain on policing in Northern Ireland — with broadcaster Stephen Nolan embedded on the front line alongside officers tackling real-life incidents across Belfast. Peelers: The PSNI – For Real follows officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland as they respond to the pressures of modern policing — from street disorder and substance abuse to domestic vi

Presenter Stephen Watson, left, with Italy and Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola who is joining the BBC Sport NI team for coverage of Northern Ireland’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Italy. Northern Ireland’s World Cup dream takes centre stage this week — and one of football’s most iconic names will be there to witness it. Italian legend Gianfranco Zola is set to join BBC Sport NI’s live coverage as Michael O’Neill’s side face Italy in a crucial World Cup play-off semi-

L-R: Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler and Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in Dutton Ranch, episode 1, season 1, streaming on Paramount+, 2026. (Photo: Emerson Miller/Paramount+) A new chapter in the Yellowstone universe is set to unfold this spring, as fan-favourite characters Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler return in a brand-new series — and this time, the stakes are shifting far beyond Montana. Dutton Ranch will premiere globally on Paramount+ on Friday, May 15, launching with two episod

A new BBC Northern Ireland series sees Ronan Keating return to his roots, taking viewers on a personal and visually rich journey along Ireland’s iconic Wild Atlantic Coast. Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic blends travel, family, and heritage, offering audiences an intimate look at the places and experiences that have shaped the Irish star’s life. A personal journey along the west coast The series charts an ambitious route through some of Ireland’s most striking coastal counties

Wrightbus manufacturing facility in Ballymena A major boost for Ballymena’s manufacturing sector has been announced after global bus maker Wrightbus was ranked the number one supplier on a key UK public sector procurement platform. The recognition places the Ballymena-based company at the top of the list for operators and local authorities purchasing buses and coaches with 36 seats and above, reinforcing its growing reputation as a leader in both zero-emission and traditional