Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2022-02-09T14:37:58.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: The ultimate survival guide to the Edinburgh Festivals
items: 10 TV faces to see at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018
items: Stay in Agatha Christie's Devonshire holiday home
items: Discover Beatrix Potter's beloved Lake District - and how she protected it
items: The Mercy: When Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz went to Teignmouth
items: Where is Broadchurch filmed? Our guide to the stunning Dorset locations in the ITV drama
items: Discover Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall
items: The T2 Trainspotting guide to Edinburgh - a nightclub, a car park and Harvey Nichols
items: Game of Thrones: Visit the real Braavos

The ultimate survival guide to the Edinburgh Festivals
type: item
date: 2018-08-23T15:53:33.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: TV
description: As this weekend Edinburgh’s festivals draw to a close, there’s still time to join in the fun
encoded: This weekend Edinburgh’s festivals draw to a close, but there’s still time to join in the fun. With over 50,000 performances in a single month, the Edinburgh Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world, but add to that the Tattoo, Book, International and Art Festivals and the whole city becomes a stage. From tavern cellars to concert halls, gothic churches and contemporary museums, there’s a venue for every type of performance. What better excuse for a weekend-long pub-crawl? “I had a job drilling holes for water – it was well boring” – the top 10 jokes of the Edinburgh Fringe Derry Girls claims Radio Times Comedy Champion title after epic battle with Inside No 9 Too white for comedy? There must be a place at the BBC for future Monty Pythons Here's Ali Wood's guide to a weekend of activities during Edinburgh's festival season... Friday 8pm: Charlotte Square Gardens, Book Festival Off the plane and straight into the Book Festival where the chilled folksy vibe of the Speigeltent whips into a maelstrom of sobering poetry. Before you can say ‘Sylvia Plath’ I'm confronted with themes of loss and death. Three exceptional poets, three lives stripped bare. The show’s description? Literary Cabaret! Tip: Expect the unexpected… and just go with it Saturday 10am: Royal Mile walking tour Saturday morning, and it’s the Royal Mile, the beating heart of the Fringe. Jugglers are prepping their batons and buskers tuning their violins. The choirs have started already and the smell of roasted coffee wafts from grand gilded tearooms. Just for fun, I squeeze in a two-hour walking tour through the wynds and closes of medieval Edinburgh, in preparation for a decadent day ahead. Tip: Take a walking tour to get your bearings. Free 2-hour tours at 144 High Street. 1pm: Chaos of Delight, Fringe Robin Ince of Radio 4’s Infinite Monkey Cage is first on the list. His job, he explains, is to wait till Brian Cox is turning listeners’ brains to mush, then lure them back with comedy. In other wo…

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10 TV faces to see at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018
type: item
date: 2018-06-07T11:58:07.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: Travel
subject: TV
description: BGT winner Lee Ridley, Humans' Katherine Parkinson and Julie Hesmondhalgh are performing this year
encoded: There’s nothing quite like getting up close and personal with your favourite TV stars, and nowhere is the atmosphere more electric than at the Edinburgh Fringe. The month-long performance-frenzy is the largest arts festival in the world, where fresh-faced newcomers tread the boards with the biggest names in entertainment. With over 3,500 shows to choose from at 317 venues, the hardest task is not deciding what to see, but how many flyers you can fit into your backpack, how many steps you can walk before being press-ganged into a pub cellar, and how many shows you can cram into 24 hours (whilst still finding time to eat, sleep and breathe). Here are some familiar faces to whet your appetite. Who's at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2018 11 plays to see this summer, starring The Crown's Vanessa Kirby, Aidan Turner, Laura Linney, Orlando Bloom and more 1. Katherine Parkinson She may have been in a synth love-triangle in Humans and a receptionist in Doc Martin, but to many Bafta-winning actress Katherine Parkinson will always be Jen Barber, Relationship Manager. The star of the IT Crowd makes her debut at the Fringe with her play Sitting, the tale of three models who sit weekly for portraits and end up sharing stories of love, longing and loss. 2. Ruby Wax The US comedian returns with her one-woman sell-out show Frazzled. A poster girl for mental illness; once crazy, now less so, Ruby Wax gives a tour of the mind – how to use it and not lose it, based on her bestselling book, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled. 3. Robert Bathurst Downton and Cold Feet actor Robert Bathurst teams up with Rebecca Johnson of The Trip in bittersweet tragicomedy The Song of Lunch. Set in a Soho Italian restaurant, the tale of a disastrous attempt to rekindle lost love is written by Costa Award-winning poet Christopher Reid. 4. Sue Pollard Hi-de-Hi! star Su Pollard goes solo in Harpy, a play commissioned especially for her. In her Edinburgh debut, Su portrays Birdie, a woman with …

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Stay in Agatha Christie's Devonshire holiday home
type: item
date: 2018-04-01T18:00:00.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: Travel
subject: TV
description: The author described her holiday home on the River Dart as "the loveliest place in the world" - and turned it into a crime scene
encoded: It’s not often you get to stay in a house where a murder took place. Two murders in fact: one in the boathouse, the other on the battery, and both solved by the renowned Monsieur Poirot. So it’s with some trepidation that I arrive late at Greenway, the Devon holiday home of Agatha Christie, which is now owned by the National Trust. It’s dark, there’s no wifi or mobile reception, and mine is the only human heart beating within a mile radius... or so I think. My apartment is on the top floor of the Georgian mansion overlooking the River Dart, and though it’s pitch-black, I can still appreciate the tranquillity that Agatha must have felt when she arrived here for the summer. In the distance I can make out the orange glow of the Ferryboat Inn across the river at Dittisham. I can’t wait to see it all in daylight as it’s described in Dead Man’s Folly: "white and beautiful in its setting of dark trees... A gracious house, beautifully proportioned." Book Greenway Lodge, South Lodge, Greenway Apartment or Ferry Cottage Discover the secrets of the National Trust in a historic cottage The magnolias are in bloom, and I can smell their fragrance as I walk down the driveway, their petals ghostly-white in the moonlight. Bats dart back and forth and as I reach for the key-lock, an owl screeches, making me jumble the numbers. View oEmbed on the source website Eventually I master the code, and climb the winding staircase, past a life-size portrait of Agatha Christie, gracious like her house in a flapper dress, shawl and pearls. The main house is closed off, and the apartment has a separate entrance. Just as I reach the top I hear a cough, then footsteps behind me, followed by the creak of a door. I freeze, my heart racing. I force myself to turn around. At the bottom of the stairs is a young woman with a cat entwined around her ankles. Given that she smiles at me and is wearing a National Trust fleece, I decide she’s neither ghost nor murderer. I’m not, after all, alone on the proper…

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Discover Beatrix Potter's beloved Lake District - and how she protected it
type: item
date: 2018-03-16T09:00:06.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: Movies
subject: Travel
description: As a denim-clad Peter Rabbit bounds into UK cinemas, Ali Wood learns that the children's author was a shrewd businesswoman and conservationist
encoded: Tucked deep into the folds of a Lakeland hamlet is a 17th century farmhouse that inspired some of the world’s best-loved children’s stories. Hill Top, once the home of Beatrix Potter, saw visitor numbers rocket after the release of Hollywood biopic Miss Potter. Now, over a decade later, the National Trust property is preparing for a new breed of Beatrix fans – the little and loud ones – following the release of Sony’s live-action animation Peter Rabbit. ‘The film is anarchic, and definitely a product of today," says Liz Hunter-MacFarlane of the National Trust. "Peter Rabbit wears a denim jacket and talks about things being 'awesome'. It’s not supposed to be an interpretation of the books, but if it brings people back to rediscover the originals, that’s fantastic." View oEmbed on the source website Sony’s wise-cracking bunny might be a departure from the mischievous rabbit penned in 1902, but the Cumbrian fells, lakes and sleepy slate villages that inspired Beatrix Potter have hardly changed at all. Arriving at Hill Top on a bitter February morning, snowflakes cling to the dormant wisteria, and a frost has gathered on the rhubarb. In the spring the garden will be a riot of lilac and yellow, but today it’s the house, with its low ceilings and crackling log fire, that beckons. Hill Top was Beatrix’s sanctuary; a place where she could grieve the death of her fiancée and escape the confines of her London life. She bought the farm with the royalties from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and used it as a setting for five more adventures. Stepping inside Hill Top feels oddly familiar – like visiting the home of an eccentric great aunt. As your eyes adjust to the darkness heirlooms emerge from dimly lit corners, instantly recognisable from the books. There’s the stove where Tom Kitten hides, and a dresser which Anna Maria scurries past – a rat in a pinny carrying a wodge of stolen dough. Crouch down and you’ll spot a mousehole and an oak table leg gnawed by tiny teeth. In the first…

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The Mercy: When Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz went to Teignmouth
type: item
date: 2018-02-09T11:47:00.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: Movies
subject: Travel
description: Discover the delightful South Devon town with a starring role in a film about the ill-fated amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst
encoded: Teignmouth’s harbour store had never been so popular as during the filming of Donald Crowhurst biopic, The Mercy. The outbuilding, which doubled as a dressing room for Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, is a jumble of coiled ropes, reflective clothing and algae-covered channel buoys – an image that’s hard to reconcile with the Hollywood A-listers emerging from a Mercedes with blacked-out windows. "It’s true," says harbour assistant Fred Pierce. "They walked straight out of the car and into the harbour shed. Didn’t even say hello." He points to the spot where Colin Firth left behind a plastic juice bottle. "My neighbour, Pam, three doors down, she’s mad on Mr Darcy. I gave her the bottle and she kept it on her mantelpiece for a fortnight before selling it on eBay." Each time Fred turned up for work there’d be a bunch of women outside cheering as Colin Firth, dressed in vintage oilskins, climbed down a rusty ladder to the pontoon. From there he’d be towed out to his onscreen yacht, the Teignmouth Electron, which was moored by the pier. Firth was playing amateur yachtsman Donald Crowhurst, who gambled everything to take part in the first non-stop round-the-world yacht race, the Sunday Times Golden Globe. Unbeknown to his wife Claire, played by Rachel Weisz, Crowhurst falsified his position reports and fooled the world into thinking he was going to win. It was only when Teignmouth council put up the bunting for his return that his boat was found abandoned in the middle of Atlantic. "It was a very sad story," says harbourmaster Commander David Vaughan. "Quite a lot of effort went into Crowhurst’s return. Everyone was excited. It was a big thing at the time." Crowhurst spent several weeks in Teignmouth preparing for his departure. He held press conferences in local hotels, and had repairs done to the Electron at Giles boatyard, which is now a block of flats. He left on the very last day competition rules allowed, in a boat that wasn’t ready. Local yachtsman Peter Blythe saw hi…

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Where is Broadchurch filmed? Our guide to the stunning Dorset locations in the ITV drama
type: item
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: Travel
subject: TV
description: Ali Wood went in search of DI Hardy's blue chalet and the cast's favourite ice cream kiosk in West Bay
encoded: The show's writer, Chris Chibnall, describes Broadchurch as a "love letter to the scenery of the Jurassic Coast". The cliffs, the sea and the beach all play key roles in the story. Here's how to relive the drama while exploring Dorset's dramatic scenery. Bridport – where the cast stayed Most of the cast stayed in the arty market town of Bridport in a 16th century hotel called The Bull while filming series two, including David Tenant, Olivia Colman and – as I discovered from housekeeping – Will Mellor, who stayed in my very room (203). Matthew Gravelle, who played Joe Miller, stayed elsewhere: he couldn’t be seen in the same hotel as the cast, as people would realise he’d be returning for series two. The hotel hosted wrap parties in the ballroom, laid on early breakfasts and late-night deli boards for the cast, and fended off fans who snuck into the courtyard. While all the cast were approachable, and happy to share a drink with staff and guests, it was Olivia Colman who seemed to win everyone over. “She was so friendly, and just like her on-screen character,” said receptionist Katy Laver. “Ditsy in a way, but clever, too.” “They were all really nice,” added waitress Katherine. “Olivia was friendly, and so was David, although he tended to wear a cap and keep himself to himself a bit more.” One of the highlights of Dorset's social calendar is Bridport Carnival in August. Local Di Thomas explained that when the mayor dropped out of the evening torchlit procession, Olivia Colman jumped in, together with James D’Arcy, who played villain Lee Ashworth. The actors led thousands of people down from Bridport to West Bay, where they lit a bonfire to mark the end of the Bridport Carnival. “She was just wonderful. She loved it,” said Di. “None of us could believe it when we saw who was leading it.” Although the historical market town doesn’t actually feature in Broadchurch, writer Chris Chibnall is from Bridport, and has gone from being a likeable ordinary guy to a local hero (I…

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Discover Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall
type: item
date: 2017-06-09T08:00:00.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: Travel
description: As My Cousin Rachel arrives in cinemas, Ali Wood explores the charming little town where she lived and is entranced by the real Manderley
encoded: There’s a buzz of excitement in Fowey ahead of the release of My Cousin Rachel. The bookshop, run by du Maurier enthusiast Ann Willmore, is busier than normal, and its window is stacked with glossy new editions of the 1951 novel, featuring Rachel Weisz on the cover. "It’s been a very long time since anything of Daphne’s was made for the cinema," says Ann. "Some will be looking at the film with trepidation, but just think what it could do for her if people really love it." Sitting at the mouth of an estuary, Fowey is Daphne du Maurier’s hometown and has attracted her fans for years. Even Daphne’s husband, Major Frederick Browning, was drawn to the area after reading her debut novel, The Loving Spirit. He sailed the coast on his motorboat Ygdrasil until he found her, and three months later they were married at Lanteglos church. The countryside Daphne explored as a young woman features in many of her novels, at first with fictional names, like the boatyard in The Loving Spirit, but later with real names such as the farms in My Cousin Rachel. By the time Daphne wrote the House on the Strand – the book most people ask for in Fowey – the places are exactly as you find them today. Her world of mysterious creeks and wreckers’ coves, bleak moors and gothic mansions really exists, and has changed little over the years and makes south Cornwall an idyllic base for a family holiday. Fowey from above We visit with my three young children on the night of an electric storm so fierce it shakes our mobile home. We’re staying at Par Sands, a peaceful beach resort just west of Gribbin Head and the Menabilly estate, which appears as the Barton in My Cousin Rachel, and Manderley in Rebecca. By morning the storm’s blown away and when we head to Readymoney Cove, the sun’s shining and the water is calm enough for the kids to swim. During the Second World War, Daphne and her children spent a year here at Readymoney Cottage, the former coach house to Point Neptune, a grand 40-bed Italianate m…

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The T2 Trainspotting guide to Edinburgh - a nightclub, a car park and Harvey Nichols
type: item
date: 2017-06-05T12:50:00.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: Travel
description: As the sequel to Trainspotting is released on DVD, Ali Wood takes a tour of the Scottish capital's lesser known sights
encoded: The dance floor is like a Rubik’s Cube: all flashing coloured squares arranged around a silver DJ booth. I imagine it’s changed a bit since the Queen danced here in the 40s, though I wonder if her heels stuck to the floor, too. I feel far too old to be in a nightclub, but this isn’t just any club. This is the Cav; Edinburgh’s largest nightclub, which stars in T2 Trainspotting. I’m here for an alternative tour of the city that inspired Irvine Welsh. T2 is an adaptation of his book Porno and the follow-up to Trainspotting. Edinburgh features in both films, but plays a much bigger role in T2, with over 50 locations filmed over a three-month period. Of all the locations, it was the Cav that attracted the most attention. The club was used for the dance floor flashback to the Trainspotting cast in their youth. Thousands of people queued in the rain to be extras, and those that made it were coached by the director himself, Danny Boyle. "He was like a big, friendly headmaster", says the Cav’s general manager Mark Cameron. "They couldn’t get the second verse of Radio Gaga, even though we had the words on the screen. Danny got on the microphone and said 'Is this really the best you can do? Come on guys, this is forever. You’ll be showing this to your grandkids.'” My hotel beckons, but before I go there’s one more location to visit – one that made it to cinema billboards across the globe... the toilets! The inspiration for the official T2 Trainspotting poster, and the scene where Begbie recognises Renton’s voice. They’re possibly the most famous toilets in cinema. Begbie and Renton enjoy a reunion in the Cav's toilets As I leave the Cav, I think back to the original Trainspotting where Renton gets a cab home with Diane. Imagine my surprise when I return to the literary-themed Hotel Indigo to find that very scene printed on the wallpaper above my bed. "Where are you going, Diane?" asks Renton. "I’m going home," she replies. "Where’s that?" "It’s where I live." These are the las…

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Game of Thrones: Visit the real Braavos
type: item
date: 2016-07-02T09:00:00.000Z
creator: Ali Wood
subject: News
subject: Travel
subject: TV
description: The Spanish city of Girona had some spectacular cameos in season six of the hit HBO drama
encoded: Girona has become one of Spain’s hottest destinations since appearing in season six of Game of Thrones. This historic walled city of cathedrals, churches, winding alleyways, and towering arches has changed little over the centuries, and proved the perfect backdrop for Braavos. With regular budget flights from the UK, Girona is also an easy weekend getaway if you'd like to follow in Arya Stark's footsteps. Girona Cathedral – Jaime Lannister braved its staircase on horseback Girona is now in negotiations with HBO about the possibility of filming season seven in the city, though Councillor for Culture, Carles Ribas, says nothing has been agreed yet. The Girona Film Office has already attracted other offers since the city's Game of Thrones debut and you can certainly see why. Below is our guide to Arya's new home. Be warned: there are spoilers! Episode 1 In episode one, we see Arya Stark, now blind, begging in the streets of Braavos and being attacked by the Waif. She's in the Medieval Quarter, behind Girona Cathedral, on a street called Bisbe Cartaña, near the atmospheric Jardins de la Francesa. During filming, Arya’s stunt-double was reported to be seen running away from a knife-wielding waif on the Sant Marti Steps, so it looks like her persecution is set to continue. What to do in Girona (after you've found all the Game of Thrones locations) Episode 2 In this episode, the Waif returns to attack Arya, then Jaquen H'gar appears to test her. "If a girl says her name the man will give her her eyes back," he says. "A girl has no name," replies Arya. It seems this is the right answer as Arya follows him through an archway and when she reaches for her bowl he tells her "A girl is not a beggar anymore." Again, Arya is in Calle del Bisbe Cartaña. Local tour guide Carles Pongiluppi explains: "When you see Arya fighting with sticks, you see clearly the cathedral in the background, or the frame of a door leading into a garden, or some steps with a few market stalls and a net ov…

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