³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s flagship film show Film 2010 is to return to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One this autumn, presented by Claudia Winkleman and new co-host, film journalist Danny Leigh.

Approaching its 40th anniversary, Film 2010 will also return with a new look, moving away from the previous monologue format to feature more discussion and debate than ever before.

Broadcasting live for the first time in its 40-year history, and with a longer running time of 40 minutes each week, Claudia and Danny will lead a range of topical debate and discussion on the latest news and releases from the world of film, joined in the studio by actors, filmmakers and well-known guest reviewers. The show will also feature regular reports on issues across the industry.

Alongside Claudia and Danny, regular contributors to the series will include Chris Hewitt, news editor of Empire magazine, and Antonia Quirke, novelist and journalist.

A film critic and journalist, Danny has written for a variety of newspapers and magazines, interviewing a range of actors and directors including Johnny Depp, Lars Von Trier and Samantha Morton. Since 2007, he has written a weekly online film column for The Guardian.

Danny said: "When I was a kid in the dim and distant Eighties, becoming ever more obsessed with movies, there were two places I could find out about them – my local fleapit cinema in Brighton and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s film programme with Barry Norman.

"Having been lucky enough to spend a chunk of the years since writing about film for a living, it entirely boggles my mind to have the chance to co-host the show now.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Claudia and we'll have something for everyone from the casual Wednesday night passer-by to the most well-informed and passionate film fanatic."

Claudia, who, alongside presenting a number of high-profile entertainment shows, also hosts a weekly arts show on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 2, said: "I'm completely over the moon about Danny joining the team. He's going to be a fantastic companion discussing all things film – from the latest Hollywood blockbuster to independent art-house cinema.

"We're even going to discuss the merits of Speed 2 at the weekends – I'm being perfectly serious."

The new live format will allow the show to tie into major events across the film calendar, with the new series launching to coincide with the 54th BFI London Film Festival.

The show will also offer viewers the chance to join in the debate through the show's Facebook page and Twitter.

Notes to Editors

Film 2010 is a ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Vision Production and is executive produced by Basil Comely.

The long-running ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One Film show started as Film 72. Previous presenters include Barry Norman, who was the host until 1998, and Jonathan Ross, who took over the 1999 series and hosted the show until earlier this year.

Antonia Quirke

Antonia Quirke has been a film critic for 15 years. Starting at the radical local freesheet The Camden New Journal, she went on to write about film for the Independent on Sunday and the Evening Standard, and presented film features for ITV and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four.

Her book about the film Jaws was one of the BFI's biggest-selling titles, and her memoir about life as a film critic suffering from an overwhelming obsession with various male movie stars, Madame Depardieu And The Beautiful Strangers, is currently being developed into a film by the team behind the Oscar-nominated and Bafta-winning An Education.

Currently, she writes about film for the Financial Times and is radio critic for the New Statesman. She also writes about actors for the Sunday Times Culture section and is a regular contributor to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 4's Front Row.

Chris Hewitt

Chris Hewitt is News Editor at Empire, the world's biggest-selling movie magazine. During his time at Empire, he's held a variety of posts, including a stint as West Coast editor, which brought the Northern Ireland native to Los Angeles, and co-editor of the award-winning Empire Online. During this time, he's cultivated a contacts book the envy of any reporter. He also writes and presents Empire's video diaries from the Cannes Film Festival, Comic-Con and the London Film Festival, with various on-set specials along the way.

RB