Featuring exclusive bonus features – including a ‘making of’ documentary, commentaries, hilarious out-takes and deleted scenes – The Complete Fourth Series of BBC One’s Merlin is released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday 23rd January.

> Read our review.

To celebrate, we’ve got DVD and Blu-ray boxsets to give away to five of our Twitter followers!

For a chance to win, just follow CultBox on Twitter and tweet the following text:

_{Win #MerlinSeries4Boxsets @cultboxtv http://bit.ly/w8GXyG}

Starring Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Anthony Head and Richard Wilson with John Hurt as the voice of the dragon, Series 4 sees the most dramatic change yet in the fortunes of our heroes and is the most exciting series so far.

> Buy the Series 4 boxset on Amazon.

With a thrilling mix of action, adventure, pure magic and the arrival of the fearless Knights of Camelot, Series 4 includes guest appearances by Gemma Jones (Spooks), Phil Davis (Doctor Who) and Nathaniel Parker (Narnia).

Winners will be selected at midday on Thursday 9th February 2012.

Terms & Conditions:
You must be resident in the UK to enter. Employees and contributors of CultBox.co.uk and their families are not eligible to enter. Only one entry per person is permitted. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The prize may not be transferred to any other person. No cash alternative or alternative prize is available on entrant’s request, but in the event of the advertised competition prize being unavailable we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value. Entry in the competition implies acceptance of these rules. Prizes are 3 x DVD boxsets and 2 x Blu-ray boxsets.

Source: Cultbox.

Are you pleased with the response to Series 4 so far?

Johnny: “Yeah, we’re thrilled. Our audience figures are the highest they’ve ever been, so year on year we’ve built our audience which is terrific. Also the audience appreciation index, which is very important to the BBC, we’re getting into the 90s and anything above 85 is deemed superb.

“It’s really exciting that not only are we doing well audience figure wise, the people who are watching are also really enjoying it. As programme makers, it doesn’t really get better than that.”

Do you have a favourite episode of Series 4?

Julian: “So far I’d say Episode 3, the one where Uther died.”

Johnny: “I enjoyed Episode 7 with Gaius revealing Merlin’s identity, that was a great episode for me. But I also really enjoyed the dragon egg episode.”

Julian: “Also, this week’s episode is a favourite too.”

BMSESQ67 asks: Will Arthur and Gwen be bringing a Pendragon baby into Camelot in Series 5?

Johnny: “Blimey, I hadn’t thought about that, maybe Series 8!”

READ MORE @ Cult Box.

London, 17th November2011:  Principal photography is set to commence 21st November 2011 in London on pacey sports drama, “FAST GIRLS”, which charts the rollercoaster journey of a British female sprint relay team, and stars a trio of Britain’s hottest young stars: LENORA CRICHLOW (Being Human), LILY JAMES (Clash of the Titans 2) and BRADLEY JAMES (Merlin). Directed by award-winning young filmmaker REGAN HALL (3 Hours) and produced by DAMIAN JONES (The Iron Lady, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), “FAST GIRLS” is co-scripted by NOEL CLARKE (Adulthood, Kidulthood), JAY BASU and ROY WILLIAMS. CLARKE also heads the strong supporting cast line-up of, LORRAINE BURROUGHS (Dr Who), BAFTA nominee PHIL DAVIS (Vera Drake), RUPERT GRAVES (V For Vendetta) and newcomers LASHANA LYNCH, DOMINIQUE TIPPER and HANNAH FRANKSON.

When sassy streetwise Shania (Lenora Crichlow) meets ambitious, middle class Lisa (Lily James), their two worlds collide on the athletics track with explosive results. As the “FAST GIRLS” strive to qualify for a major world athletics championship, they battle adversity and rivalry on their dramatic, heartwarming and inspirational journey.

Financed by BFI FILM FUND, STUDIOCANAL and AEGIS and developed by the UK FILM COUNCIL, STUDIOCANAL will release “FAST GIRLS” in the UK on 8th June 2012. Produced by DAMIAN JONES for DJ FILMS, executive producers are DANNY PERKINS and JENNY BORGARS for STUDIOCANAL and PAUL BRETT and GRAEME LAW for AEGIS. EALING METRO is handling international sales on the project.

Source: Official Site.

It’s possible that U.K. operatives are trying to take out fangirls around the world by exporting recent shows with some of the isle’s fittest lads: “Robin Hood” Jonas Armstrong, “Merlin” and Arthur Colin Morgan and Bradley James and “Primeval” dinosaur geek Andrew-Lee Potts.

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Merlin’s second season has seen Bradley James’s Prince Arthur begin to question some of the decisions made by his father, King Uther, played by genre veteran Anthony Head. Taking a break from filming their climactic fight sequence in the eighth episode, Sins of the Father, the affection between the two is evident – even if, as Head points out, they’ll shortly “need to get back to beating each other into a pulp…” Words: Paul Simpson

This fight scene has taken nearly a whole day to film – is it usual to spend such a long time on a single scene?
Anthony Head: We’re covering the whole room, so it takes a while to relight. Each section we have to shoot both ways. We’re looking at both sides of the chamber, and from both ends.

Bradley James: Normally the fighting’s outdoors as well, so the camerawork isn’t as difficult. Here, the set is prohibiting.

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Merlin will return to BBC One next year for a third series, it has been announced.

The fantasy series, which stars Colin Morgan as a young mythical wizard, has been a Saturday night ratings success since its debut in 2008.

BBC controller of drama commissioning Ben Stephenson said of the show: “With its mix of magic, adventure and humour, Merlin is perfect Saturday evening family television, and we are thrilled that Shine Television will be creating a new series for BBC One.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures our popular young wizard, and his friends in Camelot, will go on in series three.”

The second series of Merlin launched earlier this year to a healthy 5.08 million viewers for BBC One and since averaged 5.15 million over its 10-episode run.

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How does he get them together?

“Alined gets his jester, Trickler, to put a spell on Arthur to make sure he fancies this hot princess. For insurance, he puts the spell on both of them and they fall head over heels for each other. That’s when it all starts to happen!”

So it’s up to Merlin to help?

“Yes, it’s all down to Merlin again to save the day. It’s not in the usual spell way – it’s more about using his head!”

What about poor Gwen?

“They’re not an item but there’s a covert understanding between them and lingering looks. They’re very fond of each other. I think it’s a surprise for her. There aren’t many women in Camelot and she’s had no competition before.”

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There will be Christmas magic in the air on Thursday November 12 when the cast of Merlin swap Camelot for Cardiff to turn on this year’s Christmas Lights at the Civic Centre on Thursday November 12 (from 5.30pm).

>Merlin stars, including Colin Morgan who plays Merlin, Bradley James who plays King Arthur Angel Coulby who plays Gwen , Katie McGrath who plays Morgana will join acclaimed British actor Anthony Head who plays Uther in switching on the lights and officially opening bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland.

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Join BAFTA at the London Children’s Film Festival for an afternoon dedicated to the magic of Merlin. We will be joined by cast members Collin Morgan (Merlin), Bradley James (Arthur) and Katie McGrath (Morgana) the original writers and creators for Shine Limited productions, plus many of the keep creative team involved across the production from stunts to make up.

We will be announcing more names so please check out the BAFTA website nearer the time.

We have a limited number of tickets available free to BAFTA members – to reserve your places please email events@bafta.org

Non members can book via londonchildrenfilm.org.uk

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