Latest news with #PhyllisLogan
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What is Murder Most Puzzling? Channel 5 launches Ludwig-style murder mystery show
There are few entirely new concepts in TV, so it's unsurprising that every so often a debut series feels like a déjà vu moment for viewers. Murder Most Puzzling might well spark that sense of familiarity in anyone settling down to watch Channel 5 on Thursday, 19 June as the murder mystery starring Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan follows a similar premise to Ludwig, a hit for the BBC in 2024. Both comedy-dramas feature an oddball cryptic puzzle writer who joins forces with the police to solve some head-scratching cases. Whether Logan's show can replicate the huge success of the David Mitchell starrer remains to be seen, but if you like quirky sleuths and mind-boggling clues, this could be the series for you. Here's all you need to know about Murder Most Puzzling as it begins on Channel 5. A cryptic crossword enthusiast at odds with social norms joins forces with the police to help solve a series of puzzling murders - no, it's not the second season of BBC's Ludwig, this is Channel 5 offering Murder Most Puzzling. This time, the cruciverbalist in question is Cora Felton, played by Phyllis Logan. She's a Bloody Mary-swilling, chain-smoking brain box who turns out to be a match for local detectives when she tries her hand at sleuthing. Ludwig fans might spot plenty of similarities in this three-part series, but it's actually based on the crime-thriller Puzzle Lady Mysteries novels by Parnell Hall which were published between 1999 and 2019. Hall is a US author, but the TV adaptation couldn't be more British, set in the village of Bakerbury where like Midsomer Murders, there is an unusually high ratio of suspicious deaths in the small community. Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan is the series star as Cora and she told This Morning on Thursday, 19 June what a fun time she'd had making the series. "It's so punchy and different," she said. "I know it's about murder, but if you can have a comedy side to murder then this is it. She likes a Bloody Mary before just great fun to play a character like that." Logan added: "Everybody can't get enough of (crime drama), and people can't get enough of making it either. But this has got a really lovely twist to it because it's not your straightforward, grisly old crime." Her co-stars include Charlotte Hope as Sherry Carter, Adam Best as DCI Hooper, and Nick Danan and Jack Weise as his police colleagues DS Sam Brody and PC Danny Finley. Logan also welcomed her husband Kevin McNally onto set for the second time in a year as they co-starred again after playing husband and wife in BBC's Miss Austen. She told This Morning: "We started the year last year working together playing Mr and Mrs Austen, and then we finished the year playing a kind of romantically-linked couple in Murder Most Puzzling. It's like bring your husband to work day!" Murder Most Puzzling begins on Channel 5 at 8pm on Thursday, 19 June.
Telegraph
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Sexual assault and drink driving – cosy crime but not as we know it
A puzzle-setter turns sleuth in a quirky British crime series. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before. Murder Most Puzzling is trying to be Ludwig, which was a hit for the BBC last year. But it's a pale imitation. While that one was a five-star treat starring David Mitchell, this one is a two-star rip-off starring Phyllis Logan. The missteps start as soon as we are introduced to her character, Cora Felton. Cora is The Puzzle Lady, a crossword compiler whose job has made her so famous that she has her own range of biscuits and TV adverts. Let's not pause to ponder how unlikely that is. She is called in to investigate the case of a young woman found murdered in a churchyard, with a mysterious crossword clue in her pocket. Unfortunately, Cora can't make head nor tail of the clue when she first sees it because she's still sozzled from the night before. When we first meet her, she is passed out at the wheel of her car after a spot of drink-driving. Drink-driving? Really? We're supposed to find this quirkily amusing, but it strikes the wrong tone right away. It's a sign that the show doesn't quite know what it's supposed to be. This is cosy crime, yet having someone at a town hall meeting ask if the murder victim was sexually assaulted belongs in a grittier police drama. At least the mystery is wrapped up in a feature-length episode rather than being dragged out. The show is based on a book series by Parnell Hall and the failings of the TV series are odd because its writer, Dominique Moloney is a veteran of Father Brown and The Sister Boniface Mysteries. Some bits do conform to the cosy crime template: jaunty music, a picturesque setting in the fictional market town of Bakerbury (it's Lisburn in Northern Ireland), and the odd silly character, such as the blustering mayor in a cravat who runs the local police force. The programme's saving graces are the three lead performances. Logan, best known as Mrs Hughes in Downton Abbey, is a safe pair of hands and does her best with the material. Charlotte Hope is a bright spot as Cara's niece and right-hand-woman, Sherry. And Adam Best is, well, the best thing here as DCI Derek Hooper, who has never worked a murder case before and reluctantly turns to Cora for help. There is a twist halfway through relating to Cora's job, and if you didn't see it coming then I'm afraid your sleuthing skills are a little below par.
South Wales Argus
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Channel 5 Murder Most Puzzling: Full cast list and TV times
Adapted from the best-selling The Puzzle Lady Mysteries book series from Parnell Hall, the first series will feature six episodes. It follows Cora Felton (Logan), a nationally syndicated crossword puzzle maker who finds herself solving murders in her sleepy market town. A synopsis on the Radio Times reads: "When a murder takes place in the sleepy market town of Bakerbury, the police are baffled by a crossword puzzle left on the body. Get comfy, get curious, and get ready for Murder Most Puzzling! 🔎 🩸 Murder Most Puzzling. Coming 19th June 8pm. Watch | Stream on 5#murdermostpuzzling #newshow #PhyllisLogan — Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) June 13, 2025 "With their case going nowhere, they turn reluctantly to Cora Felton, a recent arrival, whose fame as a newspaper puzzle writer suggests she can help DCI Hooper and the local police unravel the clue and solve the case." Discussing the show with the Radio Times, Logan described it as "a bit like Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple on steroids". Speaking of her character specifically, she said: "She's so refreshing. Cora is her own woman and that's what makes her intriguing – she wants a Bloody Mary for breakfast, so she has one, why not?! "Her niece despairs of her, and it's true that Cora does some things I shouldn't really laugh about, she's not PC at all, but she's a character that I absolutely believe. "Of course, she has a big secret too, which will be quite dangerous if it comes out…" Channel 5 Murder Most Puzzling full cast list Phyllis Logan as Cora Felton Charlotte Hope as Sherry Carter Alistair Brammer as Anton Grant Adam Best as DCI Hooper Nick Danan as DS Sam Brody Jack Weise as PC Danny Finley Yasmin Seky as Becky Badwan Richard Croxford as Major Firth Conor Sánchez as Jimmi Potter Amber Mendez-Martin as Katy Hooper Trevor Kaneswaran is Sunil Baidwan Simon Haines is Rod Reed Ashionye Michelle Raccah is Barbara 'Babs' Dufresne Lata Sharma is Irene Farrow Fiona Browne is Edith Potter Mukamajulé Michelo is Ellen Hooper Catherine Rees is Dr Nadia Burke Barney Taylor is Colin Sugar Conor Grimes is Mr Trotter David Crowley is Stuart Tanner Dearbháile Mckinney is Pamela Hawkins Conor Doran is Casey Roth Recommended reading: When will Channel 5's Murder Most Puzzling be on TV? The first episode of Murder Most Puzzling will air between 8pm and 10pm on Thursday, June 19, on Channel 5. After that, the remaining five episodes will air in the same timeslot in the following two weeks. These episodes will be available to watch on the Channel 5 player after they have been broadcast.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Channel 5 Murder Most Puzzling: Full cast list and TV times
It follows Cora Felton (Logan), a nationally syndicated crossword puzzle maker who finds herself solving murders in her sleepy market town. A synopsis on the Radio Times reads: "When a murder takes place in the sleepy market town of Bakerbury, the police are baffled by a crossword puzzle left on the body. Get comfy, get curious, and get ready for Murder Most Puzzling! 🔎 🩸 Murder Most Puzzling. Coming 19th June 8pm. Watch | Stream on 5#murdermostpuzzling #newshow #PhyllisLogan — Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) June 13, 2025 "With their case going nowhere, they turn reluctantly to Cora Felton, a recent arrival, whose fame as a newspaper puzzle writer suggests she can help DCI Hooper and the local police unravel the clue and solve the case." Discussing the show with the Radio Times, Logan described it as "a bit like Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple on steroids". Speaking of her character specifically, she said: "She's so refreshing. Cora is her own woman and that's what makes her intriguing – she wants a Bloody Mary for breakfast, so she has one, why not?! "Her niece despairs of her, and it's true that Cora does some things I shouldn't really laugh about, she's not PC at all, but she's a character that I absolutely believe. "Of course, she has a big secret too, which will be quite dangerous if it comes out…" Channel 5 Murder Most Puzzling full cast list Phyllis Logan as Cora Felton Charlotte Hope as Sherry Carter Alistair Brammer as Anton Grant Adam Best as DCI Hooper Nick Danan as DS Sam Brody Jack Weise as PC Danny Finley Yasmin Seky as Becky Badwan Richard Croxford as Major Firth Conor Sánchez as Jimmi Potter Amber Mendez-Martin as Katy Hooper Trevor Kaneswaran is Sunil Baidwan Simon Haines is Rod Reed Ashionye Michelle Raccah is Barbara 'Babs' Dufresne Lata Sharma is Irene Farrow Fiona Browne is Edith Potter Mukamajulé Michelo is Ellen Hooper Catherine Rees is Dr Nadia Burke Barney Taylor is Colin Sugar Conor Grimes is Mr Trotter David Crowley is Stuart Tanner Dearbháile Mckinney is Pamela Hawkins Conor Doran is Casey Roth Recommended reading: When will Channel 5's Murder Most Puzzling be on TV? The first episode of Murder Most Puzzling will air between 8pm and 10pm on Thursday, June 19, on Channel 5. After that, the remaining five episodes will air in the same timeslot in the following two weeks. These episodes will be available to watch on the Channel 5 player after they have been broadcast.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Downton Abbey star, 69, left with bag over head in graveyard for new show
Phyllis Logan is set to leave her genteel image behind in the quirky new crime series, Murder Most Puzzling. Playing Cora, she lives in an opulent home with niece Sherry (Charlotte Hope), forming an unexpected pillar of strength after Sherry's traumatic break up. The tie between them is complicated but warm-hearted. "It's sweet," Phyllis Logan comments. "Even though Sherry gets very frustrated with Cora, they adore each other. Cora didn't have kids, but she and her niece are a real family unit. Cora just wants Sherry to get over her divorce." READ MORE: Emmerdale legend 'to return' 29 years after debut as new owner of Wishing Well Barn READ MORE: Love Island fans are just realising where they've seen Sophie Lee before They uproot from London to Bakerbury, a quaint town where the stillness hides murky secrets and murder victims are found with baffling riddles. Enter Cora, known as the Puzzle Lady, whose knack for solving puzzles lands her in hot water with the local constabulary. "She really interferes with the investigation," Phyllis remarks. "I mean, who the hell does she think she is? But it's so nice to have a woman of a certain age challenging the system." Cora isn't one to shy away from peril, as Phyllis teases a particularly risky moment for her character. Recalling the experience, Phyllis divulges, "I was on my knees with a plastic bag over my head. I did that in the middle of the night in a graveyard with a smoke machine. It was very atmospheric." Despite being game for the action, Phyllis didn't perform her own stunts. "There were lots of stunts, like people falling into graves," she shares, "I had a fall so we had a stunt double for that. They were a great team." Best recognised for her sophisticated roles as Downton Abbey's Mrs Hughes and Lovejoy's Lady Jane Felsham, the 69 year old actress is ditching the corset – and lighting up a cigarette. In this six-part series, Phyllis portrays Cora Felton, a sharp-tongued crossword aficionado with a wild side. "She's a wonderful breath of fresh air," Phyllis enthuses. "I love the way she drinks Bloody Marys for breakfast and smokes like a chimney. She's pleasant enough, but she really doesn't give a toss. That's what I aspire to be – but not necessarily smoking and drinking vodka." Cora's been married – and divorced – multiple times, but Phyllis found the chaos exhilarating. "She has this vibrant backdrop to her life," she explains, "Her marriages have all ended in divorce but she'll enter another one. She's still a bit of a romantic. She hasn't turned into an old cynic." Although seemingly set in the Yorkshire Dales, the show was actually filmed in Northern Ireland, making full use of the atmospheric scenery. "We used some countryside which could be anywhere," Phyllis reveals, "But it was lovely filming there. It's a great place, and we had a great time." And there was a personal connection, too. "We filmed in a place outside Belfast called Ballymena," she recalls, "It's where my maternal grandparents were born. They left to go to Scotland." Co-star Adam Best, who plays lead detective DCI Hooper, was ready to aid her in a personal quest. "He said he'd drive around the area to see if we could find out more about my grandparents," shares Phyllis, "But we never really got the chance to do it." With hectic schedules, filming for 10-to 12-hour days, there was hardly any time for Phyllis to unwind. "I didn't get a chance to do much socialising," she admits, "I was working most of the time." Nevertheless, Phyllis cherished the relationships she developed on set with Charlie – known offscreen as Charlotte – and Alistair Brammer, who brings young journalist Anton Grant to life. "Charlotte would go home when she wasn't working," Phyllis reveals. The camaraderie on set was undeniable. "But we had such a nice time on set. When were waiting for scenes to change around, we'd set up in the green room, which was in somebody's house. She'd be on the bed and I would be at the end of the bed, using it as my office. We were a right trio with Alistair!" They exchanged everything from tales to treats. "I'm the old granny of the team," Phyllis says in jest. Originally presented with the option of a flat, Phyllis opted for hotel living and reflects on the choice fondly. "I'd open the curtains and the river would be just there. I found it so soothing and relaxing. I'd sit at the table, order a room service soup and a glass of wine." Phyllis admitted she enjoys a good brain-teaser when the cameras stop rolling, sharing, "I like doing the cryptic crossword puzzles," and confessing, "It feels so good when it's actually done" – making her the perfect fit to portray the UK's most bizarre detective on screen. Murder Most Puzzling serves up a delightful blend of mystery with its unique flair and puzzling plot twists that echo the essence of Miss Marple, channelled through Ludwig, all while encapsulated in the character of Cora. She's delightfully disordered, forthright and hell-bent on cracking cases – whether you're on board or not.
