Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i Foxtel Magazine

Asher Keddie has been a staple on our screens since 1985, an award-winning actress known for bringing gravitas to every role. This month, the Love My Way and Offspring favourite makes her highly anticipated return to FOXTEL in the Foxtel Group-commissioned Strife – inspired by the memoir Work Strife Balance, by Mia Freedman – a project she not only stars in but executive produces alongside Emmy-winner Bruna Papandrea. You can read all about why Keddie was so drawn to this relatable character from page 8. Also this issue, with the festive season upon us, from baking shows to travelogues and arts and crafts galore, we take a look at the LifeStyle Yuletide specials you won’t want to miss. As Vigil returns for its second season, Suranne Jones reflects on her…

It’s not often that a show about male stripping can be described as heartwarming, but there’s just something about this search for the ‘Real Magic Mike’ that is truly endearing. With Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh executive producing, 10 men who feel they’ve lost their mojo are put through their paces for a chance at US$100,000 – and to perform on stage in Las Vegas with the Magic Mike Live cast. But it won’t be a walk in the park. Adam Rodriguez – who plays Tito in the first two Magic Mike movies – guides the men through the rigorous bootcamp, alongside choreographers Alison Faulk and Luke Broadlick, and Magic Mike Live executive producer Vincent Marini, who test their ability to dance and strip, their sexiness and their attitude. “We…

1 IT’S A PACY, TENSE You’ll be on the edge of your seat as Gabi Mosely (Shanola Hampton) of Mosely & Associates crisis management firm and her dedicated team move heaven and earth to locate the missing people of colour, the forgotten and the marginalised that the police have stopped looking for. 2 GABI’S DRIVEN BY HER CHILDHOOD TRAUMA At 16, Gabi was kidnapped and held captive for more than a year. Ultimately having to rescue herself, she knows what it is to be given up on. “Gabi Mosely is powerful, broken, complicated, fierce, traumatised, hurt and a childlike superhuman,” Hampton reflects. “She’s full of depth. And that’s the best character to play.” 3 SHE’S ALSO A SECRET VIGILANTE She may look sweet, but Gabi is anything but by-the-book. Unbeknownst…

JON (Matt Day) Evelyn is traversing a new normal with her estranged husband and father of her children, Jon, their split still raw when we meet them. “Matt is just fantastic and he was so wonderful to work with. I’m so glad he agreed to do it,” Keddie enthuses. GINNY (Tina Bursill) A complex relationship with mother Ginny is at the heart of Evelyn’s story. “There are so many layers of the past in that relationship that inform the way Evelyn is now and what decisions she makes, what choices she makes, whether they’re successful or not,” Keddie reveals. PETER (Jonathan LaPaglia) Evelyn’s former boss Peter is her polar opposite in many ways – focused and steady-tempered where she is forever questioning and reassessing her every move. His disloyalty to her when it…

At Christmas time, there are few things better than grabbing a hot chocolate and some shortbread biscuits, and plopping down on the couch to enjoy a bit of leisurely holiday viewing. With so many Yuletide specials airing this December, we’ve found the best LifeStyle shows for every taste. FESTIVE FEASTS The Chocolate Queen Christmas Special If there’s one ingredient that works overtime at Christmas, it’s chocolate. And if there’s one person who knows the best chocolate recipes out there, it’s our very own Kirsten Tibballs, aka the Chocolate Queen! Join this cocoa connoisseur for a one-hour special packed with her festive chocolate creations, along with some of her favourite chefs and bakers sharing their tips for a chocolate Christmas spread. Some recipes that will make your mouth water? Young Aussie…

SPEAK EASY Did you know that with your FOXTEL Voice Remote, you can simply press the microphone button and say ‘FOX CRICKET’ and you’ll be taken straight to the channel? If there was ever a time to feast on cricket, it’s this month. From the first ball of the men’s Big Bash League and the home international campaign to the Australian women’s tour of India, FOX CRICKET is the place to be. Playing a key role in the commentary is Mel Jones, the former Australian batter and Cricket Australia board member who now spends much of her time calling matches here and abroad. Jones agrees there’s no better time to be involved in cricket than heading into the holidays. “A lot of the excitement for me is the WBBL and…

WHO’S WHO OF GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE From new episodes airing daily to a very special festive treat no fan will want to miss, Gabby’s Dollhouse delivers the goods this month on DreamWorks. In A CAT-Tabulous Christmas, when Figgy the Elf tells Gabby and Pandy that Santa Kitty needs help in his workshop to finish getting the toys ready for Christmas, they don’t hesitate to spring into action! GABBY Each episode starts with the live-action Gabby playing in her bedroom, where she unboxes a dollhouse miniature that will set the scene for the adventure to come. With the help of her magical cat-ears headband – and her stuffed toy Pandy Paws – the 11-year-old shrinks down to doll size, ready to play. GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE Daily from 6am to 8.30am and 10.30am to…

SAY YES TO THE DRESS WITH TAN FRANCE Starts December 20, Wednesdays at 7.30pm on TLC [123] and watch On Demand Queer Eye fashionista Tan France helms this latest Say Yes to the Dress series, in which he uses his sartorial expertise to help British brides find the dress of their dreams they’ll be proud to walk down the aisle in. LAW & ORDER (s21-22) Starts November 21, Tuesdays at 8.30pm on Foxtel One [101] and watch On Demand Get set for a blast from the past as Anthony Anderson and Sam Waterston (pictured from left) reprise their characters Senior Detective Kevin Bernard and District Attorney Jack McCoy, respectively, as the 21st season of this iconic police procedural kicks off.…

Even celebrated chefs like Alex Guarnaschelli can suffer accidents in the kitchen. But with the cameras rolling, as they were during season two of Alex vs America when she cut off the tip of her finger with a mandoline, the decision was made to keep filming. “It’s hard to have that happen,” she admits. “Could we have edited around it and not even showed it? Sure… We all have that moment in our field of work. And I would say, for me, you know, it’s a make-or-break moment.” Each week, Guarnaschelli goes head-to-head with three chefs from around the US, all of whom are experts in one particular field. Over two rounds, they’ll produce dishes which are judged blind. The person whose dish impresses the least is eliminated. The popular…

THE CROWN: THE FINAL SEASON (M) Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Dodi Fayed’s (Khalid Abdalla) romance ends in tragedy. Then, on her Golden Jubilee, the Queen (Imelda Staunton, pictured) looks to the monarchy’s future as Charles (Dominic West) and Camilla (Olivia Williams) marry, and William (Ed McVey) courts Kate (Meg Bellamy). Part 1 now streaming; Part 2 premieres Thursday December 14 * REQUIRES INTERNET-CONNECTED IQ3, IQ4 OR IQ5 AND NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTION CANDY CANE LANE (CTC) Determined to win his neighbourhood Christmas home decorating contest, doting dad Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) makes a deal with a mischievous elf (Jillian Bell) that sees his ornaments come to life and wreak havoc on the town. Can some holiday magic help him take back control and save Christmas? Premieres Friday December 1 ≠ REQUIRES…

FAST X Saturday December 23 at 8.30pm and watch On Demand Foxtel Movies Premiere [401] Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, Dame Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Brie Larson, Jordana Brewster, Pete Davidson… The ensemble cast of Fast X is one of the most star-studded in movie history. The 10th instalment in the story of Dom Toretto (Diesel) and his car-loving friends and family is the first of two films that will wrap up the beloved franchise, setting the scene with a great metal ball of fire hurtling through Rome, headed straight for the Vatican. When FOXTEL magazine sat down with director Louis Leterrier and the incredible cast, even they were starstruck. What were the challenges when it came to balancing the action and the characters? LETERRIER: The…

NBA BOXING DAY MARATHON LIVE Tuesday December 26 from 4am ESPN [509] While last year’s NBL Christmas Day game may have marked the first time in 50 years an Australian professional sport has hosted a fixture on December 25, in the US, the NBA has featured marquee festive clashes since 1947, just one year after the league was founded. These games are a highlight on the NBA calendar, usually featuring blockbuster match-ups between the hottest teams and traditional rivals. The 2023-2024 season is the 76th year of Christmas Day action, and the 16th year that fans will be treated to five games back-to-back since scheduling was expanded in 2008. The Christmas Day marathon – which airs from 2.30am on Boxing Day in Australia – features more than 12 hours of hoops and…

VIGIL (s2) Watch the complete season On Demand from Monday December 11 Coming soon to BBC First [119] [I come from] a happy, working-class background. Friday nights, me and my brother [Gary] got a Fry’s Peppermint Cream, picked a video from the video shop. My brother was older, very bright. He went to university. I wasn’t academically bright – maybe at first, when I was little, but it was lost. I started doing a drama workshop and got really into it, then I did a BTEC [national diploma] in performing arts and started to work. I left home at 16, toured [with regional musicals], did some theatre education in schools. I would get home for little moments, to drop in, get my clothes washed, then go again. I’ve been acting since I was eight, but…

When it comes to Call the Midwife’s Christmas specials, Stephen McGann, who plays Dr Patrick Turner, declares them a highlight of filming: “The Christmas special is always so different to the usual episode and that is the joy of it. I can guarantee that, every year when we film it [in spring], the sun comes out and we bake with five layers on. And this year was no different!” But the spring sunshine doesn’t mean audiences will be short-changed by a lack of snow. Sure, it may well be the fake variety, but it’s still enough of a white Christmas for the Turner kids to enjoy a snowball fight. Writer Heidi Thomas, who is married to McGann, promises “laughter, joy and family, with perhaps a tissue or two”. CALL THE…

NBL: TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS vs SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX LIVE Monday December 25 at 5.30pm NBL: SYDNEY KINGS vs ILLAWARRA HAWKS LIVE Monday December 25 at 7.30pm ESPN [509] Looking for something to watch with the family on Christmas Day once lunch has been consumed and the final present opened? Well look no further, as the NBL is coming in hot this year with a double dose of holiday hoops. After last year’s history-making clash between the Sydney Kings and Melbourne United, the NBL is upping the ante in 2023 with not one, but two huge competitions being played this Christmas Day public holiday, with the Tasmania JackJumpers hosting South East Melbourne Phoenix, before defending champions the Kings match up at home against the Illawarra Hawks. Can’t make it to the games? Don’t worry…