NEWS

Pictured with Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Borough, Councillor Jackson Minford are local musicians Rodney Beggs and ‘Lacey’. Ballymena is preparing to celebrate a landmark moment in its history as the town marks 400 years since the foundations of the modern settlement were established. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has now unveiled a major programme of Ballymena 400 events for 2026, with organisers promising a year of community celebration, local history, family entertain

Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+ The next chapter in the Yellowstone universe is officially underway, with Paramount+ unveiling the first full trailer for Dutton Ranch — the highly anticipated spin-off centred on Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. The new Paramount+ Original Series premieres globally on Friday, May 15 with two launch episodes, transporting the fan-favourite couple from the mountains of Montana to the dangerous and unforgiving landscape of South Texas. Set in

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

Young Dunloy woman Lasairfhíona Nic Ruairí A 20-year-old musician from Dunloy is set to take to one of Belfast’s biggest stages this summer, as a new large-scale traditional music production aims to attract thousands of visitors to the city. Lasairfhíona Nic Ruairí will perform on both harp and fiddle in Celtic Heart, a brand new “destination” stage show commissioned by the Waterfront Hall. The production will run from April through to September, offering audiences a live sho

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

Music inspired by the land, the seasons and the lived experiences of Northern Ireland’s farming community is set to take centre stage in Ballymena later this month as Farmers’ Choir NI prepares for its upcoming Spring Concert at The Braid Arts Centre. The choir has announced that the special performance will take place on Wednesday 29th April at 8:00pm , promising an uplifting evening of music and storytelling rooted in the heart of rural life. Set in one of Ballymena’s best-

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

Families across Antrim and Glengormley are set for a treat this Easter as Bluey — the global children’s TV sensation — arrives on the big screen with a special cinema event designed to delight audiences of all ages. Landing in local cinemas on Friday 27 March, Bluey at the Cinema: Playdates with Friends Collection offers an hour-long experience packed with laughter, imagination and heart, just in time for the school holidays. A big-screen celebration of play, friendship and f

Global superstar Niall Horan is set to return to Belfast for a major arena show in 2026, with the chart-topping singer confirming the final date of his UK and European tour will take place at the SSE Arena on Sunday 15 November. The highly anticipated performance will mark the closing night of his newly announced Dinner Party tour, named after his upcoming album, and is expected to draw huge demand from fans across Northern Ireland and beyond. Tickets and key details Tickets

Patrick Connor (standing) with Musical Director Andrew Robinson. A Ballymena performer is set to shine under the spotlight next month as one of the standout voices in a major musical theatre showcase on the North Coast. Patrick Connor, from Buckna , will take centre stage in Ballywillan Drama Group’s upcoming production, The Best of Broadway and the West End 3 , running at Portrush Town Hall from April 14–18. The award-winning group is already deep in rehearsals for the hi

Randalstown YFC who will perform at the Farmers’ Choir NI Arts Festival Showcase in Ballymena Music, drama and laughter will take centre stage in Ballymena later this month as Farmers’ Choir Northern Ireland prepares to host a special Arts Festival Showcase celebrating the creativity and talent of young people from rural communities. The event will take place on Thursday 19 March at 8:00pm at Ballymena Academy and will feature performances by members of Finvoy, Garvagh and R

Ireland’s Highest Bar and Restaurant has stepped into the global spotlight. The Ponderosa, perched high in the Sperrin Mountains, has appeared in Lisa McGee’s new Netflix drama How To Get To Heaven From Belfast — placing one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable rural landmarks centre stage in a major television production. Eagle-eyed viewers tuning into the new series may have spotted the local pub in the penultimate episode. In episode seven, as the dark comedy’s storylin

Ballymena comedian Gary Pollock pictured at The Braid auditorium where he will host his debit solo show in May. Ballymena-born comedian Gary Pollock is set to return home for the biggest performance of his career to date, with his debut solo show Bucket List already reaching almost half capacity at The Braid Arts Centre—four months ahead of the curtain rising. The much-anticipated hometown show will take place on Friday 22 May 2026, and with close to 200 tickets already sold,

Farmers’ Choir members who participated in the Life Beyond Service. The past year has proved to be both memorable and deeply fulfilling for the Farmers’ Choir, as its 55 members came together through music, friendship and a shared commitment to supporting rural communities across Northern Ireland. Under the leadership of Musical Director Barkley Thompson, the choir enjoyed a packed programme of concerts, community events and media appearances, reinforcing its role as an impor

The Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty Patrick Kielty is set to lead a spectacular live countdown into 2026 as The Late Late Show rounds off 2025 with a star-studded New Year’s Eve special, packed with music, laughter and reflection. Broadcast live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, the much-loved annual programme promises an unforgettable night of entertainment, combining standout musical performances, surprise collaborations and lively studio conversations — before culminating in a

UK television audiences continued to make their voices heard in 2025, with Ofcom receiving almost 50,000 complaints about broadcast and on-demand content over the course of the year, according to newly published figures from the media regulator. The complaints related to more than 8,000 television, radio and on-demand programmes, a level of engagement which Ofcom said demonstrates how strongly viewers and listeners feel about the standards of the content they consume. “Every