THE RETURN OF Cracker

> UK RELEASE FOR CRACKER 'NINE ELEVEN' DVD (Posted 12/10/06) 

Having now aired on TV in the UK, Cracker 'Nine Eleven' has been released on DVD in Region 2 format and is available to buy through all good retailers. The DVD also contains the 'Behind The Scenes' special that aired on ITV3. A 'Cracker Complete Box Set' is also due to for release on October 16th, and will include all 11 Cracker stories.

> US AIR DATE MONDAY OCTOBER 30TH 2006 (Posted 12/10/06) 

It has now been confirmed that the new special is due to air on BBC America on Monday 30th October 2006 and will be re-titled "Cracker: A New Terror".

> CRACKER's RETURN WATCHED BY 8.1M VIEWERS (Posted 12/10/06) 

The first new Cracker for a decade was a UK ratings winner for ITV1 on October 1st, with the feature-length episode pulling in 8.1 million viewers. For more info click HERE

> 'BEHIND THE SCENES' SPECIAL TO FOLLOW NEW CRACKER (Posted 24/09/06) 

UK viewers will be pleased to know that the new Cracker special, airing on ITV1 on Sunday 1st October at 9.00pm, will be followed directly by a 'Behind The Scenes' special on ITV3, from 11.05pm to 12.05am (many thanks to Ben for the info).

> ROBBIE COLTRANE IN 'SOUTH BANK SHOW' INTERVIEW (Posted 19/09/06) 

To coincide with the return of Cracker to UK television screens in October, Robbie Coltrane will be the focus of "The South Bank Show" next Sunday (24th September) on ITV1 from 11.10pm to 12.10am. Coltrane talks to Melvyn Bragg about his career and his return as Fitz, and contributors include John Byrne, Emma Thompson, Jimmy McGovern, John Sessions and JK Rowling. For more information and a possible podcast download of the interview click HERE.  

> UK AIR DATE NOW SUNDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2006 (Posted 15/09/06) 

According to an article in the Daily Mirror newspaper today, the new scheduled UK air date for the Cracker special will be Sunday 1st October 2006. This has also been confirmed by ITV. 

> GERMAN AIR DATE - SUNDAY 10th SEPTEMBER 2006 (Posted 03/09/06) 

Cracker 'Nine Eleven' will be broadcast in Germany on the German non-Pay-TV station "ZDF" on Sunday September 10th 2006 at 22:00 GMT+1. 

> AUSTRALIAN AIR DATE - FRIDAY 18TH AUGUST 2006 (Posted 12/08/06) 

The new special is set to air on Australia's Channel 7 on Friday 18th August 2006. 

> UK AIR DATE - SUNDAY 15TH OCTOBER 2006? (Posted 02/08/06) 

According to a national newspaper report on Monday, the new special is apparently set to finally air on Sunday 15th October 2006 on ITV1 (Thanks to Ben for the info). Edit: ITV have since confirmed that it's definitely scheduled to air in October, but the date of the 15th may be subject to change.

> COLTRANE & MCGOVERN PROMOTE NEW CRACKER IN USA (Posted 16/07/06) 

Robbie Coltrane & Jimmy McGovern attended the 2006 Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour in America last week to promote the new special which is being called 'Cracker: A New Terror' in the US. According to an article posted on JAM Showbiz, it is due to air on BBC America on October 30th 2006 and early 2007 on BBC Canada. You can view some images from the event HERE.

> DVD DUE FOR RELEASE IN OCTOBER (Posted 16/07/06) 

The new special will be available to buy on DVD on October 16th 2006 (region 2 format), a short while after it's scheduled screening in the UK. Special features on the DVD will include 'Behind The Scenes' footage and a commentary by Jimmy McGovern. It will also be included on a new box-set being released which will feature all 11 Cracker stories, released on the same day. 

> TRAILER NOW AVAILABLE ON-LINE! (Posted 02/06/06) 

We finally get to see the first glimpses of Fitz 10 years on courtesy of a 2½ minute trailer now available on-line at the Granada website - click HERE to view! (Windows Media Player required). 

> EARLY REPORTS On 'NINE ELEVEN' (Posted 11/04/06) 

Courtesy of the 'Manchester Online Film & TV News' Section:

Robbie Coltrane rocks in the first new Cracker film for 10 years. Preview clips of Fitz's return to Manchester reveal a sharp-edged updated look to the production and a story which promises to cause plenty of controversy. The two-hour ITV1 feature-length special, due to be shown in the autumn, has a score by New Order and links images of the modern post-IRA bomb Manchester to the war in Iraq. "Robbie absolutely loves this film," reveals ITV chief Andy Harries. "He just couldn't believe how good it was - it's moved on a bit. It's fabulous."

> AUTUMN SCREENING FOR CRACKER ON ITV1 (Posted 13/03/06) 

Early indications are that 'Nine Eleven' will now most definitely be part of ITV1's Autumn schedule and will probably hit UK screens around September/October time.

> NEW ORDER MEMBERS TO PEN SOUNDTRACK (Posted 13/03/06) 

Drummer Stephen Morris and his wife, keyboard and guitar player Gillian of Manchester band New Order will be writing the soundtrack for the new one-off special. "I was a fan when Cracker was last on TV so it's great to be doing the music for the new series," Stephen says "The writer Jimmy McGovern asked us to do it. It also means we'll be two of the first people to see it". You can read the full article at 'ManchesterOnline' HERE.

> IMDB CAST UPDATED - nO PENHALIGON  (Posted 25/01/06) 

The Internet Movie Database has finally added a new page for the forthcoming Cracker, although it makes confusing reading with regards to Geraldine Somerville's inclusion in the project. Despite earlier reports, and Jimmy McGovern's interview with IC Liverpool in which he confirmed that Penhaligon would re-appear, she's not listed. So very sadly, I can only presume that this means for whatever reason she isn't in it now. Another actress, Stefanie Wilmore, looks to have taken on the role of Katy Fitzgerald as well.

> ROBBIE COLTRANE SPEAKS ABOUT FITZ'S RETURN (Posted 29/12/05) 

Robbie Coltrane has been speaking to 'ManchesterOnline' on the set of the new Cracker about Fitz's imminent return - click HERE for the full article

> New episode titled 'Nine eleven' (Posted 15/11/05) 

According to a new article posted on the 'ManchesterOnline' website, the new episode will be titled 'Nine Eleven' and the crime story will centre around an ex-soldier haunted by his tours of duty in Northern Ireland. Interestingly as well, it reveals that the new episode will see Fitz returning to Manchester after having spent nearly a decade living in Australia with wife Judith and son, James. The full article is available to read HERE.  

> Actor Richard Coyle playing Fitz's new boss (Posted 14/11/05) 

Further details have now begun to emerge about the new one-off special which has just started filming in Manchester, with 'MediaGuardian' reporting that former 'Coupling' actor Richard Coyle is playing Fitz's new boss, DI Walters. 

> Jimmy McGovern speaks about the new Cracker (Posted 25/10/05) 

Jimmy McGovern has spoken to 'ICLiverpool' about the long and eagerly awaited return of Cracker in 2006. In the interview Jimmy drops a slight hint with regards to the crime story, comments on how "it's interesting to go back to Fitz to see how much he's changed" and further confirms the return of Judith and Penhaligon. Filming of the one-off special is set to begin in November and is likely to hit UK screens early next year. To read the full article click HERE

> Cracker definitely returning in 2006 (Posted 14/10/05) 

With thanks to Jimmy McGovern, I can happily confirm that Cracker is now most certainly on it's way back to our TV screens after a lengthy nine year break. The new one-off special, which has been written by McGovern, is now currently in pre-production and is set to be directed by Antonia Bird (who previously directed McGovern's film 'Priest'). It is due to be screened on ITV in 2006, and along with Fitz we can also expect to see the return of Penhaligon, Judith, Mark and Katy.

> Cracker to finally return? (Posted 28/03/04) 

It has been a long time since Cracker last graced our TV screens with the 'White Ghost' special but now FINALLY it really looks like it's on it's way back! Previously Robbie Coltrane stated that he would only be willing to return to the role of Fitz provided the script was written by the show's original creator, Jimmy McGovern. McGovern has always claimed he would never write another one, but very recently has since gone back on this after claiming he had an idea for a new story. In a interview posted on the website icLiverpool McGovern said in an article titled "If The Face Fitz":

"There could be a new Cracker. It would depend on Robbie's availability, but I have found an interesting story - a modern, post 9/11 story. If it happens, it would be a one-off, two-hour special - and very different from previous Cracker stories. Robbie has said he'd do another one if I wrote it, but I kept saying I had nothing I wanted to write about. Robbie plays Hagrid in the Harry Potter films and is a much in-demand actor, but I think he'll say yes - schedule permitting."

Now ITV have confirmed that Robbie Coltrane has agreed to play Fitz again and that Jimmy McGovern is writing the script and if the one off special is a success then there might even be a new series. ITV head of drama Nick Elliott has said that the plot is still under wraps, but added: "We're thrilled that Robbie has agreed to play Cracker again, and that Jimmy is writing the script. When we brought back Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren last year the audience loved it and I'm certain viewers will be just as excited about this!". 

Sky News Article - Robbie Coltrane Back As Cracker (April 2005)

Daily Mirror Article - "Cracker Back"

The Unofficial Guide To Cracker 1999-2006

(http://www.crackertv.co.uk)