‘Cheers’ to get a British sitcom makeover

For long-time readers of Tellyspotting, many have come to know that I’m not the biggest fan of remakes, reboots or sequels. While there are certainly cases that directly counter my feelings (All Creatures Great and Small, Poldark, Upstairs Downstairs), the streets are littered with failed American remakes of highly successful British comedies and there are […]

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Post-‘Poldark’, Aidan Turner hits the tennis court in ‘Fifteen-Love’

Best known for his 5-year stint in PBS’ Poldark where, as Captain Ross Poldark, he returned from the American War of Independence to his home of Nampara in Cornwall after three years in the army only to find his estate is in ruins and in considerable debt, Aidan Turner is now seemingly on much safer ground as a tennis coach in Fifteen-Love. The […]

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Could ‘Being Human’ ever rise up again for a one-off special?

When you think about it, just the idea of ‘being human’ is hard enough for the average individual. Imagine how difficult it is for your average vampire, ghost and/or werewolf. Now, put them all in a flat in Wales and it becomes almost ‘humanly’ impossible to imagine. If you’re not familiar with Being Human, it’s […]

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Corduroy’s, Tweeds, Overalls & ‘what would Tricki Woo wear’: ‘Masterpiece’ Q&A with ‘ACG&S’ Costume Designer, Ros Little

There are certain series such as Poldark, Downton Abbey and Sanditon where the costumes should be considered as important to the storyline as the supporting cast. Just like scenic locations (i.e. the Cornwall countryside or Port Isacc), costumes can be equally as important as a strong ensemble cast. This is never more evident than with the latest adaptation of All […]

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Having survived ‘Midsomer Murders’, it’s on to Highclere Castle and Chavenage House!

With new found confidence after surviving our time in the small English village of Dorchester-on-Thames touring several Midsomer Murder locations and living to tell about it, the Transcendent Travel/KERA Great British Telly Tour continued safely on to Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) and Chavenage House (Poldark) on Wednesday. Being able to experience the more than familiar locations used […]

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Tellyspotting survives small English village with a day in ‘Midsomer’

For fans of Midsomer Murders and Father Brown, you know how difficult it is to survive life in a small English village. With a overall body count expected to rise about 400 during filming of the 25th series of the extraordinarily popular British drama, Dorchester-on-Thames was the next stop on the KERA British Telly Tour this week. Fortunately, I […]

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‘Tom Jones’, the mother of all Rom-coms, headed to PBS

Long considered to be one of the earliest novels in the English language, Henry Fielding’s The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling will be adapted and reimagined for television by PBS Masterpiece. The story follows the growth and misadventures of the title character, played in this new adaptation by the young actor Solly McLeod (The Rising), who stars opposite Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me) as the heroine, Sophia Western.

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Remembering Midsomer Murders’ Sykes and other 4-legged screen pets on National Love Your Pet Day 2021!

No self-respecting animal lover will ever forget Isis and Pharoah, the two 4-legged companions that were forever by Lord Grantham’s side in Downton Abbey or the majestic visual of Seamus riding up and down the Cornish coast in Poldark with Captain Ross Poldark at the helm or Queen Victoria’s beloved Dash, always at the young Queen’s side in Victoria. To celebrate National Love Your Pet Day, my thoughts immediately turned to the fictional English county of Midsomer and one of its most recognized residents, Sykes. It was a sad day back in September 2016 when one of the most beloved TV dogs since Lassie announced his retirement from Midsomer Murders. Sykes, John Barnaby’s beloved pet dog, hung up his lead following series 15 and retired after five years with the show.

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Remembering Michael Gwynn, a.k.a. Lord Melbury in ‘Fawlty Towers’

With a TOH to John Cleese, we remember Michael Gwynn who momentarily fulfilled Basil’s wishes of improving the class of guest that stayed at Fawlty Towers. Gwynn was one of a long line of talented actors who paid a visit to Fawlty Towers over the course of the 12 episodes (yes, there were only 12). Gwynn passed away on 29 January 1976 at the age of 59.

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Happy 45th, ‘Poldark’!

Looking at the calendar, it’s hard to believe it is already October. Can someone tell me what happened to March through September?? It’s also hard to believe that yesterday, Monday, October 5th, marked the 45th anniversary of the UK premiere of Poldark. It was such a treat to open an email yesterday morning and spend time reading how Robin Ellis, the original Captain Ross Poldark, marked the anniversary.

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