[UK] E4 Skins

[Rappy Veteran]

The stars of Channel 4 show Skins have apparently been axed - because they are too expensive. It seems the show will return for a third series in 2009 - but with a cast of new faces because of the tight budget, reports the Daily Star. -->

Apparently April Pearson, 18, who plays Michelle and Mike Bailey, 19, who plays Sid, will not have their contracts renewed. Producers are hoping to persuade Nicholas Hoult, who plays Tony, to stay for more episodes by offering him the chance to direct.The 18-year-old - who shot to fame alongside Hugh Grant in About A Boy - has already directed mini-web episodes which are due to air online, alongside the second series this year but now bosses want him to take a directing part when the third series starts shooting in Bristol.Harry Enfield directed a quarter of the forthcoming second series, which starts next month.

[Elliot B.]

Getting too big for their boots :p

Fair enough, though! Sucks for the viewer but I'd do the same as them in their situation.

[Rappy Veteran]

I got sent a nice HQ still from the trailer so I shall link to my blog :p

[Rappy Veteran]

Promo Shots from Series 2

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

Very nice Rappy (Y)

[Rappy Veteran]

In time-honoured tradition, here are TEN things I can tell you about the new series of Skins:

1. Series two is set six months after the conclusion of the first. Tony is alive following his collision with a car, but he is now severely impaired: he can't write, he struggles to hold a fork and he remembers little about the world around him.

2. Episode one is all about Maxxie, who opens the new series with a slammin' dance routine in a church. We get the first look at his family life - he has a dad! And a mum! And a dog! - and the homophobia he suffers from the ASBO boys on his estate.

3. Cassie is now living in Scotland, but is keeping in contact with her boyfriend Sid by sending video tapes through the post. Only thing is, there are two Scottish boys dancing with her in her latest video. Sid, jealous? Never!

4. Guest starring this series is Bill Bailey (the one from Buzzcocks that looks like a caveman) as Maxxie's dad Walter. Expect to see him standing up for his son, falling out with his son... and performing a dance routine with a dog.

5. Things go from bad to worse for Chris this series as he is expelled and rendered homeless for getting up to something naughty in the Science corridor. But could his luck be about to change? I hear he ends up finding romance with a female character. And it's not Michelle.

6. Maxxie's getting some action! The toe-tapper has a filthy encounter in a forest with a very unlikely suspect.

7. Tony's troublesome sister Effy has a bigger role this series, while Michelle has a new, manipulative step-sister called Scarlett who has designs on one of her friends.

8. Episode two introduces the mysterious character of Sketch, who has been stalking one of the gang.

9. Prepare yourselves for a jaw-dropper. Two characters that you never thought would get together will, by around episode four. Any guesses?

10. The first five episodes focus on, in order: Tony and Maxxie (joint ep), Sketch, Sid, Michelle, Chris.

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

Hmmm some interesting spoilers there. Thanks Rappy.

So no date set yet? Just sometime in Feb?

[Rappy Veteran]

Just sometime in Feb I think its early Feb.

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

I read in the Daily Mail today that Skins Season 2 will air on Thursday 14th February :)

[Rappy Veteran]

I read in the Daily Mail today that Skins Season 2 will air on Thursday 14th February :)

Oh sweet thats pretty awesome.

[richardsim7]

:D Can't wait!!!! :happy:

-Rich-

[LightIdea]

Great... UK steals neighbours from us... but give us nothing in return...

:rofl: :p

[KitCh]

Can't wait for the new series to start. Absolutely loved the first series. Hope this one will be as good :)

[Rappy Veteran]

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

Great! Some footage!

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah I know Michelle and Maxxie kissing :o

[richardsim7]

ZOMG!! :D

-Rich-

[Rappy Veteran]

Sypnosis of the 5 episodes...I am sure theres more then 5 but I found these earlier of course it could be spoiler-tastic!

Episode 1: Tony and Maxxie

Written by Bryan Elsley

Directed by Aysha Rafaele

Tony is recovering from the massive head injury he sustained at the end of series one. Sid and Michelle are nowhere to be seen, caring for an invalid friend has just been too much for them. So Maxxie is looking after Tony for the day. But Maxxie has his own problems. He desperately wants to leave college and follow his dream to become a dancer, but his Dad Walter (new guest star Bill Bailey) is giving him hell about it. Tony wants to go back to college, but his parents (Harry Enfield, Morwenna Banks) won?t agree to that either. Their world has been rocked to its foundations and they just don?t know what to do with their son. So Maxxie wants out and Tony wants in and they?re going to have to help each other. That?s if the gay hating, ASBO boys on Maxxie?s estate don?t get them first. And all the while Maxxie has a strange feeling that someone else nearby is on his case too.

Also guest starring Fiona Allen and Geoffrey Hughes.

Episode 2: Sketch

Written by Jack Thorne

Directed by Aysha Rafaele

Maxxie has a creepy feeling that someone is watching him. Someone close by. A hot boy maybe? No such luck. New to the series, Sketch (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) is Maxxie?s stalker. A weird loner, she spends most days shut up in a poky flat looking after her disabled Mum. So her attentions turn to the fit blonde boy who lives on the estate. Soon everything in her life is about Maxxie ? If only he would even notice her, if only she wasn?t hopelessly in love with him, if only he wasn?t gay.

Meanwhile, the sixth form college production of ?Osama: The Musical? is teetering towards disaster under the heavy-handed guidance of lecherous drama teacher Bruce (new guest star Shane Richie). But Sketch is prepared to do anything to get her leading man Maxxie, and if she can?t have him, she?s going to make sure nobody can ? and especially not his current leading lady Michelle. But reality strikes when Sketch finally comes face-to-face with the man she?s set her heart on. So it?s time for plan B, his best friend Anwar?

Also guest starring Bill Bailey and Maria Miles.

Episode 3: Sid

Written by Bryan Elsley

Directed by Simon Massey

Sid hasn?t coped at all well with the fact that his best friend Tony is a shadow of the man he was. And his ?girlfriend? Cassie moving away to Scotland hasn?t helped either, particularly when he catches her looking like she?s having the time of her life with a pair of tartan-clad boys. So his mood is not improved much when his Grandad, a notorious Glaswegian hard ****** (Maurice Ro?ves) arrives, dying of cancer, to say his final goodbyes. He has never liked his son and he likes his Grandson Sid even less. So his arrival makes Sid?s Dad?s (Peter Capaldi) life a misery too. Especially as he?s brought Sid?s Uncle Sandy (Michael Nardonne) and his two weird cousins along for good measure too. Multiply all this by ten when Sid?s estranged Mum (Josie Lawrence) joins in to play happy families. So it?s Jenkins family meltdown. And when Sid comes down for breakfast he ends up making a discovery that nothing could have prepared him for. Sometimes life is just too sudden, just too cruel. So Sid?s life crisis deepens into a chasm of despair, what he really needs now is his best mate, he needs Tony.

Also guest starring Kevin Eldon and a performance from new band Crystal Castles.

Episode 4: Michelle

Written by Sally Tatchell

Directed by Simon Massey

So Michelle?s Mum Anna (Arabella Weir) has gone and done it again. Married another new husband. And worse, Michelle has to move in with them into their poncey new house. But even worse, this time Michelle has to contend with a new big-titted, emotionally-manipulative step sister called Scarlett (Sia Berkeley). Before she knows what?s happening, Scarlett is invading her life, co-opting her friends and offering unwanted advice about what to do about her still incapacitated ex-boyfriend Tony. So when Scarlett inveigles herself onto Michelle?s birthday camping trip to the Gower and starts to move in on the emotionally fragile Sid, Michelle?s got to do something. Sid needs Michelle, he?s her friend, and he?s always had a thing for her anyway, so she does the only thing she knows. And it?s fantastic, and? hang on. How are they going to tell Tony? And who?s that arriving back from Scotland and full of hope for Sid? Now that is bad timing.

Also guest starring Morwenna Banks.

Episode 5: Chris

Written by Ben Schiffer

Directed by Harry Enfield

Chris? college career has been a long road full of tribulations; drugs, petty theft, non attendance and resounding failure. So when the CCTV cameras catch him shagging Buck Tooth in the Science corridor, the College Director calls time. Chris is out. And out of his college accommodation as well. Homeless, family-less, Chris is going down hill fast, until Jal steps in with a challenge. She?ll try to unwind a little so long as he gets his act together and gets some focus. So Chris gets a job, several jobs, in fact every time he?s fired he gets another one, and he moves into the smallest bed-sit in Bristol. So Jal?s got to chill out, and wow when she does she?s pretty gorgeous, and talented, and cool, and? Could Chris have had his eyes opened wider than any drug could do?

Also guest starring Harry Enfield, Siwan Morris and Stephen Critchlow

[RadishTM Veteran]

Loving the synopsis's (Y)

Radish?

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

Thanks Rappy! Sounds ace!

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

'Skins' to play out online first

E4 has confirmed that the first episode of Skins' second series will be made available on the web before they air on its linear TV channel.

The show's second series will debut in four parts on MySpaceTV starting on February 2. Segments two and three will go up on the site on February 7th and 8th respectively, and the final part will be made available on February 9. The following day, the entire first episode will be viewable on E4's website and it will then air on E4's TV channel at 10pm on February 11.

MySpace and E4's website will also screen a series of short specials titled Unseen Skins, featuring new young writers and directors. They will be made available online after each episode airs on E4 television, and the first one was directed by series star Nicholas Hoult.

"Getting programming out to where our viewers are is an ongoing and important part of E4's strategy," said E4 marketing manager Sarah Martin. "It's great that we're able to reward Skins fans by giving them the chance to watch it ahead of it being on the channel."

DigitalSpy

[Rappy Veteran]

^^

Yeah I hate watching stuff in parts would rather see the whole thing...lol

[trix]

Feb. 11th seems so long away :(

[Pretend]

I hate stuff in parts, I open all the parts let them buffer/load then click start, one finishes, the next is ready :)

[+Peewee210 Subscriber¹]

I hate stuff in parts, I open all the parts let them buffer/load then click start, one finishes, the next is ready :)

Yeah i will do the same.

Also its no longer the 14th Feb, its the 11th Feb it airs now :D