THX-E01-S3 THX-E01-S3 PAGEholidays 10 w w w. p l y m o u t h h e r a l d . c o. u k / w e e k e n d The Herald, Saturday December 21 2013 Theshowbiz Herald, Saturday December 21 2013 w w w. p l y m o u t h h e r a l d . c o. u k / w e e k e n d PAGE 11 Clouds with a Nostalgia in store Hot gossip REUNIONS always tend to make one feel wistful, especially when three decades have golden lining passed. “We were young and foolish, now we’re old and daft,” says Lynda Baron on reviving I WAS dubious about a seaside break in Open All Hours for a one-off Christmas early December – the clouds, the drizzle, special. the falling temperatures. “Speak for yourself,” retorts Sir David Jason, But I wasn’t just pleasantly surprised by who’s sitting by her side, grinning. my weekend stay in Newquay, I was ■ Sian It’s hard to believe that 28 years have passed absolutely astounded. since the pair last appeared in the sitcom, Not only did I have a fantastic time, we D av i e s Jason as shy shop assistant Granville, Baron spent two heavenly days eating amazing as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel. food, feeling utterly relaxed, and we even is very “I’ve been locked into so many other things, ■ DAME HELEN MIRREN has said she managed to do a bit of Christmas pleasantly Only Fools And Horses, The Darling Buds Of is “h o n o u re d ” by comparisons made shopping. The highlight of our weekend May, [A Touch Of] Frost,” says the now white- between her younger self and Hunger was definitely staying in the superb surprised haired Jason, explaining that this is the first Games star JENNIFER LAWRENCE. Headland Hotel. by a winter opportunity he’s had to return to the role. The Queen actress said she recognises Right next to Fistral Beach, the Headland is The 73-year-old’s looking dapper in an a flicker of a similarity between the pair a four-star hotel which has been re- weekend in immaculate blue suit, shirt and jumper, while but maintains the younger superstar is vamped over the last few years. N ew q u ay Baron, now 74, looks glamorous in a white far more attractive. Originally opened in 1900, the Headland top beneath a black jacket, her hair “She is the most gorgeous young thing has an interesting history, including royal voluminously coiffed. and a brilliant, brilliant actress,” the visitors, BBC broadcasts and a stint as an “When the special was first announced, you veteran movie star said. RAF hospital during the Second World War. some of the best local businesses from would’ve thought someone had invented the “I can see what he means although the inside a marquee looking over the sea. We wheel with all the fuss, so it was quite a The hotel even starred in the 1987 film The ■ photos he has been using are not the Witches, an adaptation of the classic Roald just went for a wander round, but ended up re s p o n s i b i l i t y, ” the actress notes. Three decades on, Arkwright’s corner store is reopening for a one-off correct ones, but when I was about Dahl tale. picking up some lovely Christmas gifts, The idea stemmed from a lunch Jason had Christmas special. Susan Griffin talks shop with the classic comedy’s stars Jennifer’s age I did look a little bit like The Headland has seen more than £30 had a mince pie (or two) and enjoyed some with the BBC’s head of comedy a couple of Sir David Jason and Lynda Baron, as they reunite for Still Open All Hours her. I was never as gorgeous as she is million of investment since the Armstrong of the paella that was on offer. years back. “He said it’d be nice to find but there was a small similarity and I am family bought the hotel in a very run-down On the Sunday for our festive, seaside something for me to do to come back to the very honoured that he should make that BBC, and during the conversation I style hasn’t changed. It’s like we’ve never some years before, Granville now runs it with association.” condition in 1979. weekend, we walked into the town centre gone away, if you like.” his son, Leroy, a cheerful, good-looking lad along the South West Coast Path from the happened to say that one of the things that ■ LUKE EVANS has joked that he got The indoor pool and spa, which has just re- mystified me was wondering whatever The street in the Doncaster suburbs, where with many female admirers. opened, is proof of this. The space is hotel to see the start of the Santa fun run. jobs for Welsh-accented actors in New happened to Granville.” they filmed the original series, has remained “We ’re enjoying a similar relationship that Zealand, because they were taken on beautifully designed, making it a lovely The weather was chilly but lovely and clear, the same too. place to spend time, with a pool, Jacuzzi, Jason approached original script writer Roy Ronnie and I had,” says Jason of his as his on-screen relatives in the Hobbit and the path made for beautiful views Clarke. “He said, ‘Funny enough, for years “It was quite emotional to return to the old partnership with young actor, James Baxter. sauna and steam room. across the bay. sequel. I’ve wondered what happened to Granville.’ haunting ground,” says London-born Jason. “And Leroy’s being treated exactly the same The Welsh actor admitted he didn’t The spa, offering a host of treatments and It was a nice, relaxing walk along the path, He put pen to paper straight away, and here “Lynda and I were so pleased the location a brand new gym, is a definite highlight of way I was treated by Uncle Arkwright. It’s have to lose his accent to star as Bard with a more direct route along the road for we are.” hadn’t changed. A lot of people came out to the hotel. I enjoyed a 50-minute intensive pecking order. I’m at the top and he’s at the the Bowman in PETER JACKSON’s those who favour time-saving over super That said, the BBC did take a little see us filming, but they were all very well- bottom, and that’s all there is to it.” second instalment of the big-screen muscle-release massage, which was views. behaved and nice, so it was very rewarding.” fantastic. convincing. “It’s a corporate system, so it Granville brought Leroy up after he arrived on trilogy, The Desolation Of Smaug. Masseuse Vikki was very friendly and the Around 100 Santa doppelgangers ran from wasn’t just a case of ‘do it’. It had to go It’s no secret that the special pays homage to the doorstep as the surprise result of a one- “They were filming me speaking before I through a process,” Jason says, explaining one very important person now missing from surroundings were lovely; I left feeling Towan beach to Lusty Glaze and back, night-stand in Blackpool 25 years ago. But did the scene so they heard my Welsh that research was conducted “to see if it was the credits – Granville’s beloved but miserly utterly relaxed. some with pushchairs and running with just as there was a certain ambiguity over the accent, and then when I did my screen dogs, raising around £1,500 for Cornwall an animal of its time”. Uncle Arkwright, played by the late comedy test, they asked me to try it in the Welsh The food was superb. We enjoyed an great Ronnie Barker. exact hereditary link between the uncle and excellent and varied breakfast in the dining Hospice Care. “But classic comedy’s classic comedy, and nephew, so there is between father and son. accent. I was like, ‘Wow, really?’. So room overlooking the sea, and we chose to We enjoyed a hearty lunch at The Breaks the strong public reaction helped influence “One felt quite a responsibility to try and that’s how it came to be – the accent the decision,” he adds. ensure it was as entertaining as Ronnie made “Yes, there is a question mark over where works with Bard,” he explained. go for the more informal option for dinner, on Tolcarnen Beach afterwards, which he’s come from, which irritates him,” says eating in the hotel’s Terrace restaurant. transforms from its usual laid-back surf The one-off follows a day in the life of the it,” admits Jason who, like the rest of the cast “What’s lovely is that Bard’s ancestors and crew, felt his presence. Jason, laughing. “But he’s been looked after Three and four-course dinners are available style in the summer to a cosy winter g ro c e r ’s shop in south Yorkshire. Little has now have a Welsh accent and anyone in changed in three decades. Baron admits she found it “quite upsetting” by all the women in the neighbourhood who Laketown whose ancestors are from in the dining room for those who prefer a hideaway, with woodburning stove and mother and care for him.” more formal meal, but the quality of the stunning sea views. “It’s as if people have just carried on,” says when she first walked on set: “It was weird, a Dale, the same as Bard’s, have a Welsh Baron who, since the original series, has had very strange feeling. Ronnie’s presence was “The show’s about ordinary people’s lives, it’s accent.” food, wherever we were eating, was first Their carvery of beef, chicken or gammon roles in shows like EastEnders and Doctors. so marvellous; that varnish, that history, is not filled with glitter,” says Baron. He added: “We employed a lot of class. was fantastic value for money – so much still there.” ■ Still Open All Hours airs on BBC One on Welsh-accented people in New Zealand The Headland was beautifully decorated to we couldn’t eat it all. Jason adds: “When Roy originally wrote it, he wrote in a very whimsical manner and that Having inherited the shop from his uncle Boxing Day because of this movie.” herald the festive season, with Christmas We were given a mound of meat, perfect trees, log fires and candles burning in ■ LEA MICHELE has told how she is roast potatoes, enormous Yorkshires, trying to “make something positive” of lanterns dotted around the hotel. stuffing and gravy which was honestly one Santa even made an appearance on the her life following the death of her of the best roast dinners I’ve ever tasted. boyfriend CORY MONTEITH. Sunday as part of a Festive Family Fun We were almost too full to walk back up to Profile: Penelope Keith The actress told US talk show host Day. Running three times in December, the the road from the beach. free event includes musical entertainment Best known for: playing snobby women in a Executive Stress in 1986. No Job for a Lady ELLEN DEGENERES that her grief has and arts and crafts, along with an After a hearty Sunday dinner and a chilly variety of sitcoms. in which she played a rebellious Labour MP been with her every day since her Glee appearance from Father Christmas. walk along a beautiful beach, there is Early life: born Penelope Anne Constance and Next of Kin, in which she played a retired co-star and real-life love died from an The hotel’s surroundings makes these days nothing better than getting back to a warm Hatfield in Clapham, South London, on April woman coping with her estranged daughter’s accidental overdose in July, but that she feel even more Christmassy, and is a lovely hotel room, a fluffy dressing gown and 2, 1940; her father reportedly disappeared children, failed to make much of a mark. She is moving forwards with her life as he way to spend a time as a family. making your way down for a dip in the hot soon after she was born. She met him once, has since largely stayed away from TV, would have wanted. Not only did we manage to pick up some tub. during an outing, but did have a very close concentrating instead on the theatre, “Grief goes with you every day, Christmas gifts from the high street, a craft By the end of our weekend, we were so relationship with her mother and gardening and charity work. However, Keith whatever you’re doing,” said Lea. and food market meant we were able to reluctant to leave, the last hour of our stay grandmother. Unfortunately, she failed to did return to the small screen in 2003 in “Whether there’s great moments, when get some one-off finds. was spent discussing whether we could bond with her stepfather and still doesn’t like Margery and Gladys opposite June Brown, t h e re ’s hard moments, so I’d rather be The market, in Fore Street, showcased lock ourselves in the room and refuse to to talk about him. After deciding on acting as at work with the people that I love who and starred in a one-off To the Manor Born are going through the same.” leave, and how much trouble we might get a career, she attended London’s Webber Christmas Special in 2007. in. Douglas Academy, where Terence Stamp was The 27-year-old went on: “My mom has Trivia: happily married to former policeman experienced a lot of loss in her life, and I thoroughly recommend Newquay for a among her fellow students. After graduating, Rodney Timson since 1978. The couple have she worked in repertory theatre. she told me, ‘There is an empowerment wintery weekend stay, and the Headland two adopted sons. In 2002, she spent a year Career: Keith became a star on the small that comes with grief. At some point Hotel for making it such a fantastic as the High Sheriff of Surrey. you will find it’s very hard, but you will experience. screen in 1975, playing snooty Margo Leadbetter in BBC sitcom The Good Life. Quote: “I was very tall and very plain. I wasn’t find it.’ ■ To find out more or book a stay visit going to get very far on looks – so I thought “I’m just trying to do my best for him headlandhotel.co.uk More success followed with To the Manor Born, in which she played penniless aristocrat I’d better be the funny girl.” because I know that that’s what he ■ To find out what is going on in Are you looking for more holiday inspiration? Then don’t miss reader Audrey fforbes-Hamilton alongside Peter ■ Monday, December 23: The Good Life, would have wanted.” Newquay, download an events guide Bowles, with whom she was reunited in ITV’s BBC Two, 7.30pm. from newquaybid.co.uk. travel adverts every day in The Herald