Latest news with #Whovians
Wales Online
08-07-2025
- Wales Online
The ‘otherworldly beach' with romantic ruins that's just 40 minutes from Cardiff
The 'otherworldly beach' with romantic ruins that's just 40 minutes from Cardiff This fossil-rich beach is packed with rock pools and geological wonders, and it was designated as a part of the Heritage Coast in 1972. If this ethereal-looking beach looks familiar, it's because you may have spotted it on the beloved BBC series Doctor Who (Image: South Wales Echo ) Wales' craggy coastline is amongst the most beautiful in the world and has a vast range of sandy shores, secluded bays and pebble-strewn beaches with clear waters for swimming. From Pembrokeshire's golden sand beaches and tiny coves to the windswept Llŷn Peninsula and the Vale of Glamorgan's Jurassic coastline, you are truly spoiled for choice here. It's no surprise then that eight Welsh beaches have been crowned among the best in the UK in The Times' annual Best UK Beaches guide for 2025. The 17th edition of the highly anticipated list was compiled by chief travel writer Chris Haslam, who visited and inspected 756 beaches across the UK. The criteria encompassed water quality, cleanliness, accessibility, car parking facilities, lifeguard presence, hygiene standards at toilets and showers, and dog-friendliness. One of the Welsh beaches on the list is described as "otherworldly" and is just a 40-minute drive from Cardiff. Dunraven, a secluded fossil-rich beach in Southerndown, is packed with rock pools and geological wonders, and it was designated as a part of the Heritage Coast in 1972. Article continues below Located on the highly underrated Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which stretches from Aberthaw to Porthcawl, this 14-mile expanse offers an unspoilt coastline marked by Jurassic features and waymarked trails that meander through charming villages, rural farmland, and secluded bays. Haslam writes that this stretch of coastline "bears comparison with geological wonders such as the Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim and Lulworth Cove in Dorset — but without the crowds." (Image: Wales on Sunday ) Haslam writes that this stretch of coastline "bears comparison with geological wonders such as the Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim and Lulworth Cove in Dorset — but without the crowds." He adds, "at Dunraven Bay (also known as Southerndown beach) you'll find a millefeuille of carboniferous limestone and blue lias — layers of limestone and shale — overhanging a beach paved flatter than your patio." Dunraven Bay has a large car park and visitor facilities and is also designated a 'Seaside Award' beach. The Seaside Award is the national standard for the best beaches across the UK. If this ethereal-looking beach looks familiar, it's because you may have spotted it on the beloved BBC series Doctor Who. Whovians (Doctor Who fans) will likely know this spot as 'Bad Wolf Bay', as the beach played a starring role in several episodes. The most memorable scene was the tearful farewell between the Doctor (David Tennant) and companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) in Doomsday. It was also featured in the Time of Angels episode, featuring Matt Smith as the Doctor, Alex Kingston as River Song, and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond in a scene filmed at Southerndown. Doctor Who filming on the rocky beach of Southerndown,The Vale of Glamorgan (Image: Wales Online ) It's not just a scenic location, however. According to the Vale of Glamorgan website (VOG), the unique beach has a long history. People lived in and occupied Dunraven as far back as the Iron Age when the cliff-top location was thought to have been used as a trading post. Much later, the Romans built a fort here, which was later replaced by a manor house in the 1700s. Lastly, a residence known as Dunraven Castle was later transformed into a convalescent hospital during the two World Wars. Sadly, the 'castle' was demolished in 1963, and what remained of the site was the castle's walled garden, gatehouse and several other structures. Now part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, the romantic remains are designated Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, which curious tourists and locals can enjoy. To find out more about what Dunraven may have looked like as an Iron Age trading post or to take a tour of Dunraven Castle, download the VOG app and then visit Dunraven and watch sites come to life on your smartphone or tablet. For the latest Bridgend news, sign up to our newsletter here. Nearby, the Glamorgan Heritage Coast Centre has plenty of information about the local area. The interactive information stations allow you to learn more about the coastline, its geology, the history of Dunraven Park, and the flora and fauna unique to the Heritage Coast. The centre is open to groups by appointment only, and you can contact them to arrange. Hikers will also love this acclaimed beach and the surrounding coast paths along the Heritage Coast. (Image: John Myers / WalesOnline ) Hikers will also love this acclaimed beach and the surrounding coast paths along the Heritage Coast. Walkers can attempt to walk the entire Heritage Coastline or take on one of the shorter walks or loop trails. A series of marked and numbered Vale Trails takes you through coastal and countryside routes with the most scenic views and historical features. Many of the short walks in the Vale include various heritage and maritime points of interest, including the last manned lighthouse in Wales, a Neolithic Tinkinswood Burial Chamber, churches, and castles. The Vale Trail One takes walkers eight miles along the coast with highlights including Merthyr Mawr sand dunes, Ogmore Castle, Ogmore Down, and the Dunraven Castle and Walled Garden. As you trace the shoreline above Dunraven Bay, you'll have one of the best views along the entire Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Article continues below
Irish Times
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The days of families huddling around the Late Late Show or Glenroe are gone - and that's no bad thing
By the end of the latest season of Doctor Who , it was clear the BBC 's once high-flying franchise was on life support. Ratings had collapsed. Lead actor Ncuti Gatwa was keen to move on to Hollywood. Whatever the television equivalent of urgent medical attention is, the Doctor needed lots of it. The real surprise, though, was that the decline of the Doctor went largely unnoticed. There had been widespread speculation among hard-core Whovians that the BBC and its international partners in the franchise, Disney +, were considering pulling the plug on the Tardis (the eventual twist was far more shocking, with former Doctor's assistant Billie Piper revealed is to be the new custodian of the venerable blue police call box). What was most telling, however, was that, amid all the online chatter, nobody in the real world much cared. The entire saga of the Doctor's rumoured demise and the character's bombshell resurrection in the guise of the former Because We Want To chart-topper passed without comment – in contrast to the widespread anguish that had attended the cancelling of the series for the first time in 1989. Billie Piper in the final episode of Doctor Who. Photograph: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios Such has been the pattern in recent decades – and not just in the context of time-travelling British eccentrics. Contrast the present-day television landscape with that distant time when The Late Late Show on RTÉ ranked as unmissable viewing. Or what about Montrose's perpetually okay-ish soap opera Fair City, which once held the entire nation in its thrall - including when it aired Ireland's first on-screen kiss between two men in 1996. Or in November 2001, when 800,000 viewers tuned in to the soap to see abusive sociopath Billy Meehan beaten to death by the son of his partner, Carol. People were talking about it at the bus stop and in the pub (back when the pub was a place we frequented in numbers). Even if you wanted to, you couldn't get away from bad Billy and his bloody exit. READ MORE Those days are clearly long over. According to RTÉ, some 280,000 people watch Fair City each week (with more tuning in on RTÉ Player). But when last did you hear someone discuss a Fair City plotline – or even acknowledge its existence? It's still out there, and fans still enjoy it, but to the rest of us, it's gone with Billy in the grave. The fracturing of television audiences has long been a source of dismay to those who care about such matters. In 2019, Time Magazine fretted that the end of Game of Thrones would be 'the last water cooler TV show'. That same year, author Simon Reynolds despaired of the great geyser of streaming TV and how it had deprived us of unifying cultural milestones. With so much entertainment jetting into our eyeballs, how is it possible for any of us to hold dear any particular film or show? 'There is,' he wrote in the Guardian, 'always something new to watch… an endless, relentless wave of pleasures lined up in the infinite Netflix queue.' More recently, Stephen Bush wrote in the Financial Times that 'everywhere in the rich world, the era of truly 'popular culture' is over'. This, he posited, 'is bad news for modern states, which are held together to some extent by the sense that we are all part of a collective endeavour ... the decline of shared viewing is eroding shared cultural reference points'. The death of monoculture is generally presented as a negative. Weren't we all better off in the old days, when Biddy and Miley's first kiss in Glenroe held the nation transfixed, and the big reveal as to who shot JR was a global news event that pushed trivialities such as the Cold War off the front pages? But is that such a loss? It's easy to look back with nostalgia, but the age of the monoculture was the era of having everyone else's tastes forced on you. Consider the great cultural tragedy that was Britpop, where lumbering, flag-waving Beatles cover acts became the dominant force in music. Liam Gallagher (left) and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. Photograph: Simon Emmett/Fear PR/PA Those bands never really went away, and some of them are back in force this summer – asking you to pay an arm-and-a-leg for the privilege of a ringside seat (or, indeed, a seat miles away). The difference is that today, you have the option of not participating. Instead of going to Oasis in Croke Park, I'll be in London watching the K-pop band Blackpink. Thanks to streaming and the general fracturing of popular culture, I can, moreover, essentially put my fingers in my ears and pretend Oasis doesn't exist. Thirty years ago, that option was not available. They were everywhere – in the summer of 1996, it felt as if Wonderwall was stalking us. But because mass entertainment has splintered, you no longer have to feel as if you are being followed around by Liam Gallagher every time you leave the house. It is also important to remember that the monoculture is still occasionally capable of making its presence felt. Let's go back to The Late Late Show, which, according to the latest statistics, is watched by about 400,000 people. That may be a long way off the annual Toy Show spectacular, which in 2024 drew 1.6 million viewers, but it remains a national talking point – every bit as much as Billy Meehan getting his just deserts. Adolescence. (L to R) Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, in Adolescence. Photograph: Netflix © 2024 The same effect can be seen in streaming. Granted, the extraordinary response to the Stephen Graham drama Adolescence , which streamed on Netflix earlier this year, was in some ways a product of a moral panic more than an epoch-defining cultural moment. But while the show had some astute points about misogyny in our schools, its depiction of what it's like to be a 13-year-old boy was painfully wide of the mark. Still, it did capture the public imagination. And maybe there will be a similar response to series three of Squid Game, which was released on Netflix this weekend. So it isn't as if we aren't capable of bonding over our favourite TV shows any more. It's just that such instances are far rarer than they used to be. But is that a bad thing? Nowadays, we are free to follow our own interests, rather than having someone else's forced on us. And when we do come together, that moment of shared excitement feels all the more precious. The water cooler is dead; long live the water cooler.
Geek Girl Authority
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
DOCTOR WHO: Our Favorite Season 2 Episodes
Doctor Who 's second season concluded with a bang in the form of a surprise regeneration a few weeks ago. It's not easy to say goodbye to Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. He poured his heart and soul into this role, and it shows. In fact, he's become one of my favorite Doctors. And like any Doctor, Gatwa has a host of strong episodes under his belt. Below, I've compiled a list of my favorite Doctor Who Season 2 episodes. Proceed at your peril. 'Lux' (Season 2 Episode 2) DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 2, 'Lux.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf 'Lux' incorporates vibrantly animated visuals, complemented by a versatile vocal performance from Alan Cumming as the titular villain. Gatwa continues to grow into his role as the Fifteenth Doctor as he squares off against another member of the Pantheon of Discord. Belinda Chandra is still a new companion here, but Varada Sethu turns in solid work and intriguing characterization. At this point, Belinda is more interested in going home than accompanying the Doctor on his adventures through time and space. The scene with the Doctor Who fans solidifies this outing as a favorite of the season. It's perfectly meta. This scene is also chock-full of Easter eggs from the series, from memorabilia adorning the bookshelves behind the trio of fans to their clothing. Russell T Davies even includes a cheeky, loving wink to Steven Moffat's 'Blink,' and how beloved it is among Whovians. RELATED: Doctor Who : Our Favorite Easter Eggs From 'Lux' 'The Well' (Season 2 Episode 3) DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 3, 'The Well.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf 'The Well' is a sequel to 'Midnight,' from Season 4 of RTD1 and during David Tennant's run. At the time, the Tenth Doctor encountered a mysterious and formidable alien unseen to the naked eye. 'Midnight' is essentially a bottle episode that sees Ten go on a side quest without Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Now, the Doctor reunites with this creature in 'The Well,' 500,000 years into the future on a cold, brutal planet that used to be known as Midnight. Gatwa offers a compelling dramatic turn, truly conveying the terrifying nature of this alien and its objective to kill, well, everyone. 'The Well' effectively builds toward a jaw-dropping climax while never taking its foot off the gas. There's something spine-tingling about the horror you can't see — only the blood it spills and the havoc it wreaks. 'The Story & the Engine' (Season 2 Episode 5) DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 5, 'The Story & the Engine.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf Inua Ellams pens a beautifully poetic narrative in 'The Story & the Engine,' weaving together an homage to African folklore and culture and the importance of hair in the Black community. There's an inherent theatricality to the performances and Shakespearean flair to the dialogue, thanks to Ellams' experience as a playwright and poet. The creativity of this story breathes new life into the series. It's a testament to the power of storytelling and what happens when we elevate diverse voices — we get new, interesting stories. RELATED: Doctor Who : 5 Jaw-Dropping Moments From the Season 2 Finale Ariyon Bakare kills it as the Barber, delivering a nuanced, sympathetic performance. It's hard to hate his character, even after holding Omo (Sule Rimi) and the others hostage to accomplish his objective of destroying the gods. In the end, the Barber finds redemption. Perhaps the most surprising element of 'The Story & the Engine' is the cameo from Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor, first seen during the Thirteenth Doctor/Jodie Whittaker era. Personally, I'd love more stories with her as our eponymous Gallifreyan. 'The Interstellar Song Contest' (Season 2 Episode 6) DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 6, 'The Interstellar Song Contest.' Photo credit: Dan Fearon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf Who doesn't love a Eurovision -inspired Doctor Who episode set on a space station? 'The Interstellar Song Contest' boasts one of the most haunting visuals in the show's history — 100,000 competition attendees flying into space after the air shield collapses. It's enough to send shivers down your spine. RELATED: Doctor Who : 'The Interstellar Song Contest' Ending, Explained Admittedly, this episode is darker in tone as Gatwa gets his Time Lord Victorious moment as Fifteen. Kid (Freddie Fox) and Wynn's (Iona Anderson) mission to commit genocide and blame the Corporation triggers the Doctor, reminding him of Gallifrey's destruction. Thus, he tortures Kid. We'd never seen Fifteen deliver unrelenting punishment before this episode. Episode scribe Juno Dawson writes an impactful meditation on the devastating effects of genocide, which is quite timely. Additionally, we get a few brief appearances from Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter. Fifteen last spoke of her to Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) in Season 1. I was hoping we'd see her again in the two-part finale, but alas. The action culminates in a shocking reveal as we finally learn the identity of Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) … as she bi-generates. The Rani, played by Archie Panjabi, emerges. She relegates Mrs. Flood to a Rani, while she's the Rani. And who can forget the TARDIS exploding before said shocking reveal? 'The Interstellar Song Contest' delivers on all fronts and then some. RELATED: Read our Doctor Who recaps Doctor Who Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+. Farewell to the Fifteenth Doctor, the Most Joyful of Them All Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
The Guardian
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: the BBC opens a Billy Joel treasure trove
8.40pm, BBC TwoIt's basically a Billy Joel night for megafans to get lost in on BBC Two, with his 100th show at Madison Square Garden last year and a vintage recording from 1978 airing later in the evening. But first: a warm-up with these archive clips of Joel performing over the years, with the likes of Uptown Girl, Piano Man and Just the Way You Are, along with interviews and appearances. Hollie Richardson 7pm, BBC Three What a series ender – with Ncuti Gatwa saying goodbye to the Tardis and Billie Piper making a grand return. But for Whovians in need of more, the two stars join David Tennant and Karen Gillan in this documentary to celebrate the magic of making the Whoniverse come to life in Wales. HR 8.20pm, ITV1If you thought booking eight famous people for each edition of Pointless Celebrities was a big job, how about this? The charity version of Lee Mack's addictively unpredictable lateral-thinking quiz starts with 100 sports stars competing to see who's the smartest. Can anyone win £100,000 for a good cause? Jack Seale 9pm, BBC Four'In five days, we will go back to being an investigation team. But we will make the most of those five days.' Kramer and her exhausted squad hit day 100 of the Stefanie Berghoff investigation in the final double bill of the German true-crime drama. Then a breakthrough links the murder weapon to a specific truck. Ali Catterall 9.30pm, BBC OneIt's time for creepy Mr Finch to get his comeuppance – that is, if we don't count the breadboard incident. So Sophie and Veronika concoct a plan to prove their theory about Enigma's parentage. The annual family party could provide the perfect cover for this ruse. There's certainly enough underlying tension to keep everyone distracted. Ellen E Jones 10.30pm, ITV1We finally see things from dodgy Joe's perspective in this dating-app-disaster drama. Surprise, surprise: he's been telling a few fibs, including another girlfriend who he's in couples counselling with, and a wife for whom he refuses to sign divorce papers. HR Piggy (Carlota Pereda, 2022), midnight, Film4 Small-town Spanish teenager Sara (Laura Galán) is nicknamed 'Cerdita' (Piggy) by her mocking peers, being overweight and the daughter of the local butcher. Their bullying reaches a peak at the outdoor swimming pool but, fatefully for them, a stranger (Richard Holmes) witnesses it and makes them pay. Carlota Pereda's smart horror thriller teases a common cause – even a twisted desire – between Sara and the malevolent mystery man as kids go missing, the community descends into panic and Sara painfully discovers her inner fighter. Simon Wardell Women's Challenge Cup Rugby League: St Helens v Wigan Warriors, 11.15am, BBC TwoThe final at Wembley. Followed by the men's final, Warrington v Hull KR, at 2pm on BBC One. Racing: The Derby, 12.45pm, ITV1At Epsom, with the Derby at 3.30pm. Tennis: French Open, 2pm, TNT Sports 1The women's singles final. The men's final is on Sun at 2pm. Premiership Rugby Union: Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks, 2.45pm, TNT Sports 2The second semi-final. Men's World Cup Football: Andorra v England, 4.15pm, ITV1Harry Kane captains the visitors in a qualifier in Barcelona, followed by a friendly in Nottingham against Senegal on Tue, 7pm, ITV1. Plus on Monday, Liechtenstein v Scotland is at 4.45pm on BBC Two; Belgium v Wales at 7.30pm on BBC One.
Daily Mirror
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Doctor Who's Billie Piper and David Tennant 'to reunite' for special episode
Just days after it was revealed that Billie Piper was returning to Doctor Who, replacing Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, another legendary name has been tipped to make a comeback Doctor Who fans may be in for another huge surprise, as another fan favourite is rumoured to return to the series. Fans are still recovering from the news of Billie Piper's return - and now show legend David Tennant has now been tipped reunite with her onscreen for "one last hurrah". David, who played the role of the Doctor between from 2005 to 2010, is rumoured to be in talks to star in a one off special with co-star Billie. The actress previously appeared as Rose Tyler, companion to the doctor between 2005 and 2006. The pair recently reunited for the BBC special, Doctor Who: Unleashed, 20 Years in Wales where they reflected on their time together. In a sneak preview, Billie and David gushed over how much fun they had on set. Now, it looks like they could be having even more fun - by reuniting for a special anniversary episode. 'The BBC brought Doctor Who back in 2005 and there is talk about a possible one-off project to celebrate the 20th anniversary. David and Billie were a hugely popular partnership and he brought in the golden age of Doctor Who," a source told The Sun. "With the anniversary of the reboot this year there have been some ideas floated about with the idea of maybe bringing David and Billie back together for one last hurrah." It's not the first time David would be making a shock return. In November 2023, he was officially revealed as the Fourteenth Doctor before handing the role over to Ncuti Gatwa. Recently, Doctor Who fans were left stunned when it was announced Billie Piper had replaced Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, with the character regenerating during the finale of science-fiction series Doctor Who. Speaking about her return, Billie said: "It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse." In a statement released by the BBC, Ncuti Gatwa said: "You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. "This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe. "The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show, and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in and making this such a touching experience. "I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor."
