Robin Hood series 2 : In the Press

United Kingdom

The second series began on BBC One on 6th October 2007, and Richard Armitage was the focus of much of the publicity for the show in the week leading up to it.

This included an interview with Lorraine Kelly on GMTV on 3rd October (right), and interviews on BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio Solent and BBC Radio West Midlands on 2nd October.

He was also interviewed in many of the TV listings magazine, most notably in the Radio Times, where he and Keith Allen appeared on the cover. Inside was a feature on the two actors as the villains of the show, in which both were interviewed.

Other TV listings magazines which carried interviews with him (that week and later) included TV Choice, TV Quick, Inside Soap, What's on TV, Reveal and Now.

On TV, BBC Breakfast carried a two part report by Mike Bushell from the set of Robin Hood. Watch an excerpt from the report (or a smaller version for those with slower connections) in which reporter Mike Bushell is being held prisoner by Guy of Gisborne. UK visitors can see the first part of the report at the BBC website. And see Bushell's account of his visit to the set. The full interview that Richard gave to Mike Bushell can also be seen on the BBC website (UK visitors only)

The Daily Express ran a feature about the new series on the day it started, Saturday 6th October. BBC One's Points of View carried a report about the series the day after, which included a comment from Richard Armitage about Gisborne. See an extract from it here...

Australia

The ABC started showing the second series of Robin Hood on 3rd February 2008. TV Week had a preview of the new series that included some comments by Jonas Armstrong. The Sydney Morning Herald's The Guide (28th Jan-3rd Feb) was lukewarm, saying that the evil Sir Guy "looks more like an eccy [ecstasy] dealer". The Age's Green Guide also previewed it, commending its "fresh take" on the character of Robin Hood.

TV previewers were generally appreciative as the series progressed. In The Sydney Morning Herald's The Guide (11th-17th Feb) Conrad Walters gave it a thumbs up, commenting, "This updated series takes plenty of liberties, but in all the right places." And The Sun-Herald's Television Magazine (10th-16th Feb) called it "an enjoyable romp, perfectly pitched at a Sunday-night audience."

The Age's Green Guide on 14th February was less impressed, although it commended Marian for having "the good sense to be attracted to the devilishly good-looking factotum of evil, Sir Guy of Gisborne". But by 13th March, the Green Guide's previewer was enjoying the show, commenting on the "lingering unresolved sexual tension" between Marian ("less winsome maid than avenging angel") and "smouldering Sir Guy".

A preview of episode 6 on the City Search Sydney website liked the series, calling it "well-constructed... modern and likeable". It singled out Richard Armitage for praise; "Strongest of all among the cast is Richard Armitage as Sir Guy of Gisborne. There's no doubt Gisborne is the true villain of the piece, but Armitage doesn't overplay it. There's a burning menace to his character that elicits alarm by sheer presence."

Half way through the series, the previewer in The Sun-Herald's Television Magazine (16th-22nd March) was still positive about the show, saying "There really is something for everyone in Robin Hood. Feisty wenches and sword play for the men; romance and the leather-clad Guy of Gisborne for the ladies. There's shrewdly observed political content for the thoughtful viewer and cartoonish fight scenes for the action fans."

Previewing episode 8 in The Age's Green Guide (20th March) Fergus Shiel had some fun with Robin ("a portrait of the hero as numpty"), Sir Guy of Gisborne ("more eyeliner than Sir Max of Factor") and Marian ("the heavy artillery of tightly tucked turquoise bodice").

New Zealand

The second series started airing in New Zealand on 24th March 2008. A review in The New Zealand Herald the following day was less keen on the show than the Australian press has been, but conceded, "It's all good fun for the kids even if the do-gooder and his merry men look best suited to sitting round in the forest discussing their carbon footprints and why they've given up eating spit-roasts."