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The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Review, Karen Pirie, Fake or Fortune, The Couple Next Door
Much of the credit for that goes to Lauren Lyle in the title role. Playing Pirie like some sarky granddaughter of Taggart and cousin of Rebus, she dominates every scene she is in. No mean feat when you are up against James Cosmo. Cosmo played an oil tycoon whose daughter and grandson were kidnapped in 1984 and never seen again. Pirie, newly promoted to inspector, was assigned the case. Assisting her, as in the first series, were her secret boyfriend, DS Phil Parhatka, sidekick DC Jason Murray, also known as 'Mint', and Bel the blogger. The series is not above cliche, starting with moodily lit interrogation rooms (would never happen: see 24 Hours in Police Custody). Similarly, Pirie and her superior, DCS Simon Lees (Steve John Shepherd) retain the stereotypically surly maverick and shouty boss relationship. But the writing was tight and slyly funny, the plotting tight as a drum, and every member of the talented cast pulled their weight. The scenes between Sir Brodie and Pirie, the old lion with the still terrifying roar versus a squeak of a lassie, were alone worth another Bafta. In Lyle's more than capable hands, Pirie remains a mystery in her own right. The character is tough yet not above tears, empathetic yet cold, driven but for what reason? Who is she, really? Watch out Pirie, you're in danger of becoming a national treasure. There was a clash between Karen Pirie and The Narrow Road to the Deep North (BBC1, Sunday), but nothing iPlayer couldn't help with. If you are yet to catch up with this adaptation of Richard Flanagan's novel about a young Australian officer imprisoned by the Japanese, I'd urge you to do so quick as you can. On the evidence of the first episode this handsomely shot five-parter could be one of the year's best dramas - and the most harrowing, too. Jacob Elordi and Ciaran Hinds play the younger and older Dorrigo Evans, once a medical student heading off to war, now an ageing writer still imprisoned by the past. The three-stranded tale relies heavily on flashbacks, which would usually interrupt the flow of the story, but not here. The performances are outstanding, with Elordi a star in the making and Hinds, the elder statesman of the piece, his usual subtle self. The scene where he was being interviewed/lectured by a young journalist about the realities of war, was watch through the fingers fare. And of course, looming over everything is what we know is coming when Evans and his squad get to the PoW camp. Fiona Bruce, presenter of Fake or Fortune? (BBC1, Monday) earns between £410,000-£414,999 a year, the same as Nick Robinson but less than Alan Shearer. What's that got to do with a popular primetime docuseries about art, you ask? All will be revealed. The new run of Fake or Fortune? opened with a painting of a pretty summer scene, bought at an art fair for £140 by Barry, a carer. It was unsigned, but when Barry took it out of the frame (top tip), the inscription said it was a portrait of Clementine Churchill by her husband Winston, painted June 1916. With some works by Churchill fetching millions, this had the potential to be 'a right result', as they say in the art biz. But only if Bruce and her co-presenter, the art dealer Philip Mould, could prove its provenance. They made a stylish pair. He was dapper enough to get away with wearing a scarf, Monty Don-style, and Bruce had 'scarfed up' for the occasion with a groovy number of her own. Add a buttery soft biker jacket and jeans and she was good to go. That's the thing with Bruce, the BBC can send her anywhere and she will pass muster. She is this generation's Sue Lawley, posh but not too posh, and able to hold her own whether she is reading the news, anchoring Question Time, or doing lighter fare such as this and Antiques Roadshow. If you ask the high heid yins at the BBC, it takes a very special skill set to do all this, hence Bruce's big bucks salary. But is that actually the case, or could any competent presenter do it? Over tea in a palace, Barry filled Bruce in on his unsuccessful attempts to authenticate the painting. He wasn't taken seriously by the auction houses 'because of the way I speak, the way I dress, I just don't look like the typical art dealer'. I half hoped Bruce would launch a broadside at snooty auctioneers. Instead, she smiled and said: 'It's quite a rarefied world, isn't it, the grand auction houses?' Anyone looking for searing, insightful commentary about the art business would have to try the shop next door. She was much better when they visited the handwriting expert. In a programme that was full of people hedging their bets, Barry finally got a straight answer. He was so shocked he almost cried. Bruce was there instantly with a comforting arm around his shoulder. It could have been awkward or seemed patronising, but instead it was just a lovely human moment. The expert consensus was that only the auction houses could authenticate the painting. The auctioneers, in turn, said it was up to the experts. All the running around had been for nothing, albeit they got a programme out of it. Barry will have to wait for more answers. As for Bruce? I think the jury is still out on that one, too. The Couple Next Door (Channel Monday-Wednesday), a psychological thriller about suburban swingers, played out over six nights. If it was anything like the first series, it was going to be a long haul. But what do you know, all concerned had upped their game. While it was still a heap of weapons-grade silliness, it was a better-acted, better-plotted, better-directed heap of weapons-grade silliness. Instead of traffic cops and yoga instructors the protagonists this time were doctors and nurses. Lottie the heart surgeon (oh, the irony!) was married to Jacob, an anaesthetist. Lottie was so busy with her job and an ailing dad to look after she had to schedule sex with Jacob, a man so dull he could have put his patients spark out with his conversation alone. Lottie couldn't complain though. Life was good, if predictable. Then a nurse named Mia turned up at the hospital and moved in next door. With her heavy European accent and mysterious past, the beautiful Mia intrigued Lottie and flattered Duncan. Smouldering glances over a patient's open chest cavity soon became flirty conversations over glasses of wine, and before you know it our couple had become a throuple and clothes were being torn off all over the shop. The good times on the sofa and in Antwerp hotel rooms could not last, though. Lottie and Duncan's well-ordered life had been turned upside down. Regrets? They had more than a few. The Couple Next Door began life as the hit Dutch series, Nieuwe Buren ('New Neighbours'). Both are filmed in Belgium and the Netherlands, hence the slightly unusual houses on wide open streets that make the place look like America. Written by David Allison (Marcella, Trust Me), this series powered along, fuelled by plot twists that ranged from unlikely to flat-out bonkers. There was far more going on at the hospital than an on-off threesome. Frankly, it was a wonder anyone left the place alive, such was the carry on. Jacob Elordi, left, plays a young medic in The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Image: Curio Pictures/BBC/Sony Pictures Television) Annabel Scholey was a solid centre of credibility as Lottie (even if she did look disconcertingly like Kate, Princess of Wales). Plaudits go again to Hugh Dennis who scrubs up well as a serious actor. There was plenty to question (wouldn't the police be called in to investigate wrongdoing rather than leaving it to hospital administrators to play detective?), and more than a few cliches (particularly in the sex scenes). But if it was noirish nonsense you are after, The Couple Next Door supplied it by the bucket load.
STV News
7 days ago
- STV News
Inquiry to be held into death of landscape gardener hit by tree trunk
An inquiry is to be held into the death of a landscape gardener who died after being struck by a tree trunk. Andrew Pirie was working on June 25, 2020, when he was hit with a two-metre-long section of the tree. A Fatal Accident Inquiry is to be held into the 53-year-old's death as it occurred while he was in the course of his employment. The investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding Mr Pirie's death as well as what precautions could have been taken and could be implemented to prevent future accidents. Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame. A preliminary hearing is set for September 3, 2025, at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on death investigations for COPFS, said: 'The death of Andrew Pirie occurred while in the course of his employment and as such a Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory. 'The lodging of the First Notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff. 'Mr Pirie's family will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Karen Pirie, review: no second series nerves for TV tec
**** THIS is only the second series of Karen Pirie, but it feels like Val McDermid's creation has been a member of the Society of Maverick Detectives (Scottish Division) forever. Like some sarky granddaughter of Taggart or a gallus cousin to Rebus, the character is so well-written and performed she is instantly believable - even if she does look like she's off to the big school after summer. Possibly the worst-dressed television detective ever, Pirie (played by Lauren Lyle) is back with her polo shirts, badly cut suits, three for a pound sports socks and - the horror - bum bag. Not even Prada could make that last item fashionable, but with Pirie it's all about the practicalities. Where else would she keep her phone and a spare chip for her shoulder? One thing she can't complain about is career progression. She is now a DI, her second giant leap up the ladder. While in two minds about this rapid rise into management, she does like that title. With more power comes a high-profile case, the biggest there is on the books. In 1984, oil heiress Catriona Grant and her baby son were kidnapped at gunpoint in a case dubbed 'Scotland's John Paul Getty' by the media. (Really? Sounds naff even for the 1980s.) Mother and child were never seen again. When remains are discovered in a quarry the investigation is rebooted with Pirie in charge. She has a whole squad room of helpers, including secret boyfriend DS Phil Parhatka and sidekick DC Jason Murray, aka 'Mint'. Bel the blogger, who spent series one nipping at Pirie's ankles, is back too. By far the biggest obstacle in Pirie's path is Catriona's oil tycoon father, a man used to getting his own way. Played by James Cosmo, the scenes between 'Sir Broderick' and Pirie crackle with tension. The old lion with the still terrifying roar versus a squeak of a lassie. Not that Sir Brodie calls her any such thing: it is left to another character, later in the three-part series, to address the elephant in the room that is Pirie's youth and stature. With six hours to fill, lots of hares are sent running. Slick editing makes the time fly by, while local viewers can enjoy a game of spot the location (bags I the Barrowland doubling as a Kirkcaldy nightclub). The series is not above the odd cliche, starting with moodily lit interrogation rooms (see 24 Hours in Police Custody. Similarly, Pirie and her superior, DCS Simon Lees (Steve John Shepherd) retain the stereotypically surly maverick and shouty boss relationship. Secondary characters are given room to shine, with 'Mint' still the best of the packet as the target of Pirie's teasing. What is clever about Pirie's character, and Lyle's interpretation of her, is that she is surrounded by people yet remains a stranger. She's tough yet not above tears, empathetic yet cold, driven but for what reason? Who is she, really? It's a measure of this belter of a crime drama that we cannot wait to find out.
The Herald Scotland
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Karen Pirie star on pressures of hit Scottish crime drama
When ITV drama returns on July 20, nearly three years after the first series aired, the stakes are even higher for Lyle and Pirie. Read more: Pirie has been promoted to detective inspector and is responsible for an expanded team in a new adaptation of crime writer Val McDermid's best-selling series focusing on the character. In the new series, Pirie is thrust into a reopened investigation into an unsolved mystery involving one of Scotland's richest oil tycoons, played by veteran Scottish actor James Cosmo. Lauren Lyle plays recently-promoted detective inspector Karen Pirie in the ITV drama series. (Image: Mark Mainz) The case will take Pirie and her team back 40 years to the kidnapping oil heiress Catriona Grant and her son Adam outside a fish and chip shop in Fife, but are never seen again despite the sending of two chilling ransom notes. Meanwhile he is still struggling to win acceptance into what Lyle describes as 'the boys' club' within her police force, is unwilling to let her superiors know she has been in a relationship with a colleague for more than two years and seems prepared to bend the rules at work even more than before. Zach Wyatt and Lauren Lyle star in Karen Pirie. (Image: Mark Mainz) Although she had previously starred in Outlander and Vigil, Karen Pirie was the most high-profile role to date for Glasgow-born Lyle. Despite winning two BAFTA Scotland awards for her performance in that first series, which aired nearly three years ago, Lyle admitted she was 'worried' about returning to the role in the new series which was filmed across Scotland and also moves to Malta for an action-packed finale. James Cosmo stars in the new series of Karen Pirie. (Image: Mark Mainz) Taggart star John Michie is among the other special guests appearing in the new series, which sees the return of Zach Wyatt as detective sergeant Phil Parhataka, who is also Pirie's boyfriend, her series one sidekick, detective constable Jason 'Mint' Murray, played by Chris Jenks, and newcomer detective constable Isla Stark, played by Saskia Ashdown. Lyle said: 'Karen has a lot more power in this series. She is semi-in charge of everyone, which is really funny to play because she's so young. Saskia Ashdown, Lauren Lyle and Chris Jenks headed to Malta for filming part of the new series of Karen Pirie. (Image: Mark Mainz) 'There's this very funny balance we've got to try and strike where she is very good at her job, she is reliable and she gets results, but with very obscure methods. The bosses sort of hate that they have to deal with that. 'She is thrust into a huge case in this series and has a much bigger team, so it's a big step up for her. 'She does feel the pressure more. But she has got a bit more armour this time and is less afraid to break the rules than maybe she was the last time. 'There are definitely times in this series when she breaks the rules to get what she needs. I think she just thinks: 'Well, that works. Why would I not do that?' 'It feels like way more happens in this season. Every episode has way more hooks. A lot more people die and there are a lot more suspects.' Lyle got her TV breakthrough when she landed the recurring role of Marsali in time travel fantasy Outlander and went to appear in four episodes of the submarine thriller Vigil, starring alongside Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, Martin Compston and Gary Lewis. Lyle said she could easily relate to Pirie's efforts to handle the pressures and responsibilities of a taking on a bigger job. She added: 'It's funny, I compare it a bit to what I felt like when I did the first series. 'I had this thing of being like: 'Can I do it? Can I actually do this role? Can Karen do it?' It was huge what she cracked in the first season. 'The first series was my first time as number one on the call sheet, and it was quite overwhelming at times, but it was really exciting and thrilling. I just wanted to do the best job I could. "I honestly didn't know how the first series would go down with me being the face of the show, but not being Hollywood-star-famous. But people just jumped in and went with it. "I think it's to do with the fact that there are lots of crime shows on TV, but pretty much all of them are about men who have drinking problems who hate everything. It's crime by a cool young person that actually understands what people want to see on TV. 'I was worried coming back to this season that I couldn't do it again. 'I was like: 'Can I still be funny and likeable, and a bit sarcastic and rude? 'It was really satisfying at how I was able to slip straight back into who she was. I think that's sort of down to the foundation of the writing, what we made in the last season and the dynamic between the characters.' The new season, which has again been adapted by a McDermid novel by screenwriter Emer Kenny, sees Pirie struggle to cope being in a relationship at work that she insists on keeping from almost all of her colleagues. Wyatt said: 'Karen and Phil do come across some difficulties when their values as police officers come into play. It causes friction in their relationship. 'Karen and Phil are both strong-willed and stubborn. They have very different ways of working. Phil is very much a straight-laced cop who wants to abide by the book. It's very important to him to move up the ranks in the right way and not skip any steps. 'The bottom line in Karen is a more talented police officer and is much more creative than Phil. I think that challenges Phil's ambition a bit and pushes him to be better, but they definitely butt heads.' Lyle said: "Karen and Phil's relationship is a couple of years down the line now, but it's still a secret at work. 'Phil really wants things to be exposed, but she is still quite nervous about that. She has never been able to be part of the boys' club. She is always having to prove herself. To jeopardise that for love feels like too much of a risk for her. 'I think Karen's under the impression that, as a woman, you can only have one or the other – a career or a home life. She's misguided in thinking she can't have both. 'Phil's a good, smart man who's willing to support her, but Karen thinks she has to choose her career to keep getting ahead. Her career gives her a sense of worth, but it can damage her love life. 'I think she's right to protect Phil because he's really good for her. It's important to have meaningful relationships, and that's what makes Karen a layered character.' More light relief is on offer from the character of Mint, who is described as "a bit of a prima donna" by Jencks. The actor said: "He is a bit more ambitious in this series. "His deluded dream is that he wants to work for MI5, so he is putting in the steps to try to make that happen. He has got ideas based on what he has seen on TV and in the movies. He thinks he should be involved in high-profile cases. "It was good for him to step up a bit and show that he can lead things and take the initiative – but I think Karen's a bit alarmed by it." Lyle added: 'Karen is blunt and direct, and I love that about her. She's not overly concerned about how she's perceived, which sometimes gets her into trouble. 'It's refreshing to play someone who says what she thinks. I also love how funny she is. There aren't many roles for women my age that balance humour, depth, and action. "Karen also gets these epic, high-stakes moments - big arrests, chase sequences, and dramatic reveals. It's rare to get to do all that in one role. As an actor, it's the dream.'
Sydney Morning Herald
02-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
The home of Australia's No.1 pinot noir is also ‘Tasmania's Kakadu'
It's the granite mountain range they call the Hazards, glowing pink in the right light, that dominate the distant view as you wander into Devil's Corner Winery on Tasmania's east coast. First, you're struck by the winery's architecture, then the neat rows of vines, then the water, and then those remarkable rocky peaks. Each of those components has a story, though. Take the water, also known as Moulting Lagoon for the black swans who do so well here, especially in moulting season. The locals call it 'Tasmania's Kakadu' due to the abundant birdlife. It is an internationally recognised wetland, with more than 100 bird species recorded, including the eastern curlew, a mighty little flyer that commutes 25,000 kilometres from here to the Arctic and back in its breeding and life cycle. The vast waters of the lagoon and Great Oyster Bay beyond are also perfect for oyster growing. Join the Moulting Lagoon Adventure, and you'll find yourself touring through the vines below Devil's Corner to stop down by the lagoon's shores, and there, at the back of his ute, a local oyster farmer is shucking them from their shells and handing them over, to be savoured alongside a glass of sparkling or riesling. About the only way you'll get them fresher is if you hop on the farm boat or don waders and make your way out to take the oysters from the racks. The oysters are sublime and salty, delivering you straight to the sea with their flavour. Back up at the winery, there's lunch and a wine tasting to come. And it's quite the winery, with indoor and outdoor spaces for drinking and eating and vast lawns. When they created the winery here at Devil's Corner, its owners, Victoria's Brown Family Wine Group, expected maybe 60,000 visitors annually. They're getting triple that and then some, with local outlets cooking up a lively menu of seafood, pizza and platters for visitors. And there is, of course, the wine for the tasting. And there's another story. Well over a decade ago, the Browns recognised the impact of global warming, not least on their vines in Victoria's alpine valleys – grapes were ripening a few days earlier each year. Even if some sceptics stood their ground, the grapes knew the climate was changing. So the family looked south to maintain their stake in premium, cool-climate grapes and in 2010 bought the Tasmanian wine holdings of a timber enterprise called Gunns. With that came the vineyards here and in the state's north at Tamar Ridge and labels including Pirie – legendary in Tasmania for its premium sparkling wine – and Devil's Corner and Tamar Ridge, with their pinot noirs and white wines – riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay.
