Ioan Gruffudd, left, and Joanne Froggatt participate in the "Liar" panel during the AMC and Sundance TV Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, July 29, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --
Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd say they relish playing against type in their new TV series, "Liar."
The contemporary psychological thriller debuts on SundanceTV on Sept. 27.
The miniseries follows Froggatt as Laura and Gruffudd's Andrew, who go on a first date that leads to violent accusations. The six-part drama looks at both sides of the story before revealing the truth of what happened.
Froggatt told a TV critics' meeting Saturday that said she loved playing the kind-hearted Anna in "Downton Abbey," but said "it's nice to play the baddie sometimes, too."
Gruffudd said the role is "an incredible opportunity" because he's been itching to play a character like Andrew for years.
Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.
The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.
The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.
DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.
"While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.
The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.
The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.
DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More
