DAVID MITCHELL and Robert Webb have begun filming new BBC2 series Our Men in the UK and Turkey.

Set in the fictional central Asian republic of Tazbekistan, Mitchell plays newly-arrived British ambassador Keith Davies and Robert Webb is his seasoned second-incommand, deputy head of mission Neil Tilly.

They are a team under constant, competing pressures – from London keen to ensure UK PLC doesn’t miss out on lucrative business contracts in an emerging oil-rich nation; from their under-funded, under-resourced embassy struggling to maintain an image of Britain as an important global political heavyweight; and pressure to maintain good relations with a rigid, autocratic local regime with a dubious human rights record.

The cast also includes Keeley Hawes as the ambassador’s wife, Jennifer, and Yigal Naor playing Karzak, the president of Tazbekistan.

Guest actors include Tom Hollander as Prince Mark, a minor royal and trade envoy on a key mission to help secure an important oil contract for Britain, and Elliot Cowan as Stephen Pembridge, a selfimportant actor flown in to celebrate the Best of British Festival in Tazbekistan.

IN a first for the world’s longest-running children’s TV show, the next presenter to join the Blue Peter team will compete through challengebased heats to reach a final, where the winner will be chosen by the CBBC audience.

Double Bafta-winning presenting team Dick and Dom will bring their much-loved mix of humour, energy and insights to the series So You Think You Can Be A Blue Peter Presenter.

They will be joined by a panel of judges, who will choose which Blue Peter hopefuls make it through each elimination stage, but the ultimate winner is in the hands of the CBBC audience.

Before filming starts, the audience can go online and vote for one of the challenges that the Blue Peter hopefuls will have to rise to.

So You Think You Can Be A Blue Peter Presenter will come to CBBC in the summers summer. To apply, email bppresentersearch@bbc.co.uk CBEEBIES has announced new shows Swashbuckle and Time For School alongside returning favourites.

Swashbuckle is a pirate adventure game show, while Time For School is all about preparing the young audience as they get ready to start school for the first time.

Swashbuckle will be fronted by former CBBC presenter Gemma Hunt, who will endeavour to keep naughty pirates Cook, Line and Captain Sinker in order.

The trio of mischievous and playful pirates have taken precious jewels and in each episode it’s the job of four young Swashbucklers to work as a team and win back the treasure by playing physical games, designed to incorporate the physical development goals that children would experience in KS1 activities at school including co-ordination, speed, balance and aim.

Time for School is a fly-onthe- wall pre-school series following the ups and downs of reception children as they start school.

It will begin filming in the autumn at two schools, one in the Midlands and one in the North-East, and will be shown on CBeebies in the winter next year.

Justin Fletcher will return in a third series of the comedy sketch show Gigglebiz, which will start filming in May for transmission on CBeebies in the autumn.

Nina And The Neurons: Earth Explorers sees Nina (Katrina Bryan) discover more about Earth and the spectacular solar system.

The series will look at how mountains are formed, why astronauts float in space and why we have night and day.

The series is being filmed over the summer for showing on CBeebies this autumn.