A round-up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output last week.
Doctor Who
This week Peter Capaldi announced he will stand down as Doctor Who at the end of the year.
Awards
In a week awash with awards we blogged about BBC wins at the Broadcast Awards; while Jack Ashton AKA Tom Hereward in Call The Midwife wrote about his experience behind-the-scenes at the National Television Awards.
Elsewhere, Bill Nighy and The Archers were amongst winners of BBC Audio Drama Awards 2017.
Appointments
Sarah Sands was appointed Editor of the Today programme.
Announcements and blogs
Drama
Details were revealed of The Replacementa three-part psychological thriller set in Glasgow. It was confirmed that Ardal O'Hanlon will join the cast of BBC One's Death in Paradise.
BBC One also announced special documentary on EastEnders’ June Brown to celebrate the star’s 90th birthday.
Nations
BBC's Welsh series Caniadaeth Y Cysegr, forerunner of Songs Of Praise, celebrates 75 years.
BBC Four
Documentary filmmakers have been offered new opportunity to ‘Listen To Britain’ with support of BBC and BFI.
Radio
BBC Radio 5 live has signed former England cricket captain Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff to host a new podcast as the station launches a series of podcast first programmes.
Elsewhere, BBC Radio 1 DJs are to host free sessions in Hull to kick-start and inspire the creative careers of young people. While BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking Festival 2017 will examine The Speed Of Life.
Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in after the death of BBC Radio 2 veteran Desmond Carrington.
iPlayer
It was announced that comedian Simon Amstell will bring his first feature-length film, Carnage to BBC iPlayer.
Comedy
Filming has commenced on series three of BBC Three's comedy, Murder In Successville. The network has also acquired new Irish comedy-drama series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope.
News
BBC and the News Media Association have announced that will move forward with major Licence Fee investment into local journalism sector.
Blogs
Blogs this week include Matthew Barraclough, Editor BBC Journalism Working Group on Local journalism partnership: BBC and local news partners move forward, another edition of our Radio Drama Company familiar faces pieces, this time with actors from the 1980s, and a picture blog remembering actor John Hurt.
Broadcast Highlights
Comedy from Tracey Ullman, here made up as Dame Judi Dench, as her sketch show returned for a second series
- Francis Bacon: A Brush With Violence, Saturday 28 January, BBC Two
- Aurora Leigh, Sunday 29 January, Radio 4
- Panorama: Mystery Of The Unknown Man, Monday 30 January, BBC One
- Silent Witness: Awakening, Tuesday 31 January, BBC One
- The Great Pottery Throw Down, Thursday 2 February, BBC Two
- Spy In The Wild: Meet The Spies, Friday 3 February, BBC One
- Tracey Ullman's Show, Friday 3 February, BBC One
