Review of the Year: November 2014
This was the month when Missy's identity was unveiled on Doctor Who, Nigel Farage was unmasked as a future Gogglebox guest - and Benedict Cumberbatch announced his engagement to the dismay of millions of his fans
November 2014 saw Doctor who fans find out exactly who Missy was. Yes, Michelle Gomez’s Mary Poppins-alike character was long-time villain The Master in a new body (although attentive fans had guessed this a while back).
Cumber-fans also got a bit more of a surprise with the news that The Sherlock star Benedict C was getting hitched. The actor placed a classified ad in The Times announcing his engagement to theatre director Sophie Hunter and his huge following didn’t do much to hide their upset.
There was even more disappointment for fans of Jamie Dornan who shared the tragic news that we wouldn’t be seeing his “todger" in the 50 Shades movie.
Still, there was plenty to cheer us up, not least the fact that Russell Brand’s Twitter followers had hit upon the jolly wheeze of tweeting the Blur refrain Parklife! after his every pronouncement. Sadly Russell was savvy enough to get in on the act and kill the prank stone dead.
Other funnies this month revolved around speculation that Madge Bishop was to make a Neighbours comeback as a ghost and claims that an Italian woman Gabriella Capra was to sue the producers of Peppa Pig. Gabriella Capra is the name given to Gabriella Goat in the Italian version. And Signora Capra was not amused.
The Paddington movie was released to generally good reviews and we also got our first look at acclaimed ITV drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
Elsewhere at ITV Towers, Hugh Bonneville got testy about claims that Lord Grantham’s Downton dog Isis was being killed because the mutt shared its name with the murderous political movement in the Middle East. And Cheryl Wassername got hot under the collar about people who don’t remember her new surname (yes, we know it’s Fernandez-Versini. Sorry Cheryl, pet, we're only teasing).
But The X Factor legend had the last laugh breaking the record as first British woman to get five number 1 singles.
November was also the month when Cheryl's fellow chanteuse Katie Melua revealed she had a spider living in her ear for a week.
And Doctor Who bosses were forced to defend an afterlife cremation scene in the series finale after viewers complained.
Downton Abbey would soon be having to do without snobby jokes from titled interlopers about Branson the chauffeur after Allen Leech announced he was to leave during the Christmas special. (Get the car will you, Allen).
We also said goodbye to Danny Pink and to West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin who retired from TV. It was also a case of bye bye Dapper Laughs in November.
And on a far more serious and sad note, this was also the month when we heard the awful news that the legendary actor Warren Clarke had died. RIP Warren.
Other disclosures included The I’m a Celeb camp mates line-up and a rather amusing story from Ben Miller. The Death in Paradise star revealed that he once lived it up in Ben Stiller’s luxury suite for three days after he was mistaken for the Night at the Museum and Zoolander actor at the Cannes film festival.
As always, RadioTimes.com was first with the news.
We revealed that Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi comedy Vicious would definitely be coming back.
And we also brought you the news that Channel 4 was making a prime-time drama inspired by Educating Yorkshire, Educating East London and Educating Essex.
Other exclusives included the disclosure that Julia Davis was to spoof breakfast television in a Channel 4 comedy and we revealed that Mr Turner star Timothy Spall was to narrate BBC1 drama Cider with Rosie.
We also left our rivals trailing in our wake with the bombshell revelation that Nigel Farage was going to film a special with Steph and Dom from Gogglebox in a booze-fuelled spectacular.
There’s a general election in about four months’ time. Wonder if we will be hearing any more of Mr Farage next year?
