SUPER STORIES
“Superman“ star David Corenswet is trading his cape for a children’s book as he prepares to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story on July 11, the same day the film hits theaters. Corenswet will read Rachel Bright‘s “What Does Daddy Do?” a tale about young Daisy trying to figure out her father’s mysterious job. While her friends’ dads have clear professions – fireman, doctor – Daisy only knows her daddy climbs “mountains of paperwork,” has to “fly,” and reports to a dragon boss. Could he possibly be an “explorersuperknight?”
The bedtime story marks another star-studded addition to CBeebies’ roster, which has featured everyone from Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy to Harry Styles and the Spice Girls. The beloved children’s program, airing weekdays on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer, has been a family favorite since the channel’s 2002 launch.
With over 300 archived episodes available on BBC iPlayer, CBeebies Bedtime Story has achieved numerous milestones, including the first British Sign Language story and the first reading from space by astronaut Tim Peake. Now, as Corenswet takes on the most iconic superhero role in cinema, he’s adding storytime hero to his resume.
SOCCER SQUAD
The BBC has assembled a championship cast for “Dear England,” a four-part drama based on James Graham‘s Olivier-winning National Theatre play about Gareth Southgate and England’s soccer team. Joseph Fiennes reprises his stage role as the manager tasked with transforming the world’s worst penalty-taking team, while Jodie Whittaker joins as team psychologist Pippa Grange.
Left Bank Pictures is producing the series, which has begun filming in the south of England. The ensemble cast includes Jason Watkins (Greg Dyke), John Hodgkinson (Greg Clarke), Daniel Ryan (Steve Holland), Sam Spruell (Mike Webster), Adam Hugill (Harry Maguire), Josh Barrow (Jordan Pickford), Lewis Shepherd (Dele Alli), Will Antenbring (Harry Kane), Edem-Ita Duke (Marcus Rashford), Francis Lovehall (Raheem Sterling), Abdul Sessay (Bukayo Saka), Jacob Greenway (Jude Bellingham), David Shields (Jordan Henderson), Hamish Frew (Eric Dier), Alfie Middlemiss (Phil Foden), Riess Fennell (Jadon Sancho), Daniel Quincy Annoh (Ollie Watkins), Bobby Schofield (Wayne Rooney), Dom Rayner (Cole Palmer), and Alexander Parsons (Jesse Lingard).
The series will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in 2026.
SPORTS SUCCESSION
Ishan Chatterjee, currently chief business officer (sports) at Indian entertainment conglomerate JioStar, will take over from Sanjog Gupta as chief executive of sports. The transition comes as Gupta, who was CEO – sports and live experiences at JioStar, has been appointed as the new CEO of the International Cricket Council.
Chatterjee brings over 20 years of experience across business and revenue roles to his expanded leadership position. As chief business officer – sports revenue at JioStar, he leads overall monetization strategy and revenue growth for streamer JioHotstar, overseeing sports, small and medium businesses, and driving the creator ecosystem.
Before joining JioStar, Chatterjee served as managing director of YouTube India and held leadership roles across EMEA and APAC during his 13-year tenure at Google. His career includes strategic roles at McKinsey and Hindustan Unilever. He is an alumnus of The Wharton School and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.
GLOBAL GETAWAY
Nippon TV and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) are launching “Traveling with Snow Man,” a 10-episode travel reality series featuring the popular nine-member J-Pop boy band. The show premieres July 27 on Nippon TV, with an uncut version streaming globally on Disney+ immediately afterward.
The series follows Snow Man as they journey north from Okinawa to Hokkaido, meeting locals, savoring regional cuisine, and exploring Japan’s sights. An AI-style robot named “Tabi” joins as their 10th member, capturing candid moments throughout their adventures.
Centered around the theme “One for Snow Man, Snow Man for One,” the series showcases individual contributions to group betterment. According to producer/director Takashi Kato, the show captures the members’ “genuine personalities and heartfelt dedication” while highlighting their “deep passion for their work and the strong bond they share.”
The series marks the first-ever unscripted travel show from Japan to be released on Disney+.
WATER WARRIORS
Independent production company Finite Films & TV has launched an unscripted division with original celebrity competition series “Wings & Waves.” The 16-episode water sports format releases July 7 on the North Sails Kiteboarding YouTube channel.
The series features six Italian celebrities participating in kiteboarding and wingfoiling competitions, working with three world-class instructors. Contestants include activist Martina Ragozza, food blogger Matteo Pelusi, Olympic silver medallist Giacomo Gentili, content creators Gianmarco Millo and Samara Tramontana, and model Gioele Arreghini.
Executive producer Amy Gardner created the format, which she says “takes televised sports to a new level” by capturing both competition and “personal journeys and transformations.” The series is funded by North Sails, with Finite Films retaining global format rights.
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