The Dorset twins who make the Back to the Future DeLorean fly
As Sooty and Sweep look down on the severed heads of Ant and Dec, a Cyberman gazes impassively at the glass case containing Paul Daniels' toupée.It sounds like a bizarre dream, but in fact it's an accurate depiction of the Twins FX HQ in Dorset.The twins are brothers Gary and Paul Hardy-Brown. Every shelf in their office is stuffed with masks, figurines, props and sci-fi memorabilia."We're real fans, massive collectors, massive geeks!" says Gary."It comes with the job. If you work in film and TV you get absorbed by it."
The twins' empire is based in Wareham, where a staff of 12 create special effects and scary creatures for film, TV and stage productions.Shrouded beneath plastic sheeting is a menagerie of giant rats, crocodiles and gorillas made for lavish pantomimes across the UK, which have been repainted and spruced up ready for the next season.Just back from Broadway is Doc Brown's time-travelling DeLorean from Back to the Future: The Musical.The twins developed a system for the car to fly and turn upside down over the audience in the thrilling climax to the show. They are now working on productions in Japan and Australia.
The brothers' fascination with special effects was sparked during the school summer holidays in 1979."Our dad worked in the location field for Doctor Who," says Paul."The BBC came to film at Hyde Pit, a sandpit near Wareham. They welcomed us and we watched them make the programme."One of the first things we saw was them blowing up Daleks. That was amazing to us as kids. It was a world of make-believe," he added.They also developed an interest in illusions and magic tricks and formed their own magic act, performing together around the world for 20 years.
Then, in 2008 they were asked to create a special effect for a pantomime at Southampton's Mayflower Theatre."We came up with a design to make Stefanie Powers, the Hollywood actress, fly out over the audience with no wires involved," says Paul."From there it just snowballed."Gary continues: "We were working out of our mum and dad's double garage and now we have six industrial units in Wareham. We've turned a very simple idea into a multimillion-pound company."Things came full circle when the twins were asked to build Daleks for a Doctor Who live arena tour, which was a dream come true for Paul.
Despite their global success, the twins have stayed loyal to their roots in Dorset and use local contractors and suppliers to help with their complex builds."We do get funny looks from clients sometimes," says Gary."They go 'You're in Dorset? Why not in London?' And we say, 'Well just get yourself on a train two hours down and you'll see why'.""We had the Japanese director and stage manager for Back to the Future come down here and they stayed for a week because they just loved it, visiting Studland and Kimmeridge."The Twins FX are now working on brand new special effects for the London Palladium's 2025 Christmas pantomime, as they continue to scare, surprise and delight audiences around the world.
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EastEnders star Jamie Foreman says soap isn't 'anywhere near the highlight of my career' as he accuses show bosses of breaking promises
Jamie Foreman has revealed that EastEnders is 'nowhere near the highlight' of his acting career as he accused show bosses of failing to keep promises made before he joined the soap. The actor, 67, played Derek Branning from November 2011 until the character's death in the dramatic Christmas Day episode of 2012. Despite his role in one of Walford's most infamous families, Jamie said he doesn't consider the part a standout moment in his career - even though it gave him the opportunity to work alongside icons like Dame Barbara Windsor. Speaking on the Lewis Nicholls show, Jamie admitted: 'I'm going to be a little bit controversial here. 'I don't see EastEnders as anywhere near the highlight of my career. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'It was a lovely job and I respect it. But for me… they'd asked me so many times before.' He went on to explain that producers promised him flexibility and favourable working conditions before he signed on. He continued: 'They said, "it's with the best family, it's full on, you can do as long as you want". I said, "I only want to do it for a year." 'I went and met with them and they made me all manner of promises that they never kept, like "you'll never work a Saturday". I did every Saturday. I was the first in, last out every day.' The BBC declined to comment, and Jamie's representative has also been approached. During his short tenure on the show, Derek Branning made a significant impact. He had an affair with Kat Slater, tormented Pat Butcher on her deathbed, and revealed the truth about Dennis Rickman to his son, Denny Watts. This isn't the first time Jamie has voiced criticism of his time on EastEnders. In a 2013 appearance on Daybreak, he said: 'I hated the scenes in the Queen Vic, I'm terribly sorry to everybody! 'I'm sure a lot of the cast will say the same thing - they're so long and laborious. 'You've got to stand there and wait for somebody over there to stop talking, so you're listening to that conversation, then it cuts to somebody else. You never shoot a scene quickly in there.' In 2020, Jamie revealed he suffered a heart attack, just like his character did in the BBC soap. Speaking to The Sun about his health scare, Jamie said: 'I had a massive heart attack a couple of years back and nearly pegged it. 'That put everything in perspective. All the years and energy I'd spent stressing about work and now I think "I've been there, done that".' Jamie has had an illustrious film and TV career, starring in movies such as Layer Cake, Oliver Twist and Nil By Mouth. Despite his successful career, he has been candid about the challenges he's faced in finding work. He told the Business & Money supplement in The Sunday Times: 'I've been sort of struggling on the work front. 'I wasn't terribly well a few years ago and it made me really reappraise things, so I'm in a transitional period. I'm only working if something nice comes in. 'My wife and I set up a little fashion business, Jules Boutique, in Surrey a while ago, which is her shop really and it's still burgeoning.' Jamie was previously married to EastEnders actress Carol Harrison, who played Louise Raymond. They share a son, Alfie.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Iconic Doctor Who pair set to sensationally REUNITE for huge special after Ncuti Gatwa flop
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DOCTOR Who's most popular pair could be coming back for a final turn in the Tardis. Insiders say Billie Piper's shock return to the show was understood to be teeing up a comeback for David Tennant as the Time Lord for a one-off special. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 David Tennant and Billie Piper will make a return to Doctor Who Credit: check copyright 3 The duo were iconic in the 2000s Credit: BBC 3 Billie teased as the 16th Doctor in the series finale Credit: PA A source said: '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. '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. 'When David's Doctor bi-generated in the 60th anniversary special, his 'half' of the Doctor went on to live a normal life in an alternative universe. 'While Ncuti Gatwa, who carried on the mantle, carried on as the Time Lord. It wouldn't be beyond the realms of imagination for him to return with Rose for a one-off special to celebrate not only their partnership but the anniversary of BBC bringing back Doctor Who.' David, 54, played the tenth version of the Time Lord for five years until 2010. In a twist, he then returned as the 14th Doctor for three specials before handing the role over to Ncuti. The Sun revealed last month that Gatwa, 31, was leaving the Tardis. It was confirmed last Saturday when he surprisingly regenerated into Billie, 42, at the end of the series finale. After the episode, Ncuti said: 'I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. David Tennant tells Doctor Who haters to 'f--k off' in hilarious new The Assembly trailer as he gets a grilling "I'll truly miss it, and be grateful to it, Doctor Who's future is still undecided, with the BBC waiting to see if Disney+ — who pumped millions of pounds into the show — will renew their deal. Ratings for the sci-fi staple have plummeted since Tennant left, with overnight peak viewing figures dropping as low as 1.6million. Many fans of the show complained that it had gone 'woke'. Meanwhile, Whovians are waiting to see if Piper is really the 16th Doctor or is sidekick Rose again.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Iconic Doctor Who pair set to sensationally REUNITE for huge special after Ncuti Gatwa flop
DOCTOR Who's most popular pair could be coming back for a final turn in the Tardis. Insiders say Billie Piper's shock return to the show was understood to be teeing up a comeback for David Tennant as the Time Lord for a one-off special. 3 3 3 A source said: '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. '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. 'When David's Doctor bi-generated in the 60th anniversary special, his 'half' of the Doctor went on to live a normal life in an alternative universe. 'While Ncuti Gatwa, who carried on the mantle, carried on as the Time Lord. It wouldn't be beyond the realms of imagination for him to return with Rose for a one-off special to celebrate not only their partnership but the anniversary of BBC bringing back Doctor Who.' David, 54, played the tenth version of the Time Lord for five years until 2010. In a twist, he then returned as the 14th Doctor for three specials before handing the role over to Ncuti. The Sun revealed last month that Gatwa, 31, was leaving the Tardis. It was confirmed last Saturday when he surprisingly regenerated into Billie, 42, at the end of the series finale. After the episode, Ncuti said: 'I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. David Tennant tells Doctor Who haters to 'f--k off' in hilarious new The Assembly trailer as he gets a grilling "I'll truly miss it, and be grateful to it, Doctor Who's future is still undecided, with the BBC waiting to see if Disney+ — who pumped millions of pounds into the show — will renew their deal. Ratings for the sci-fi staple have plummeted since Tennant left, with overnight peak viewing figures dropping as low as 1.6million. Many fans of the show complained that it had gone 'woke'. Meanwhile, Whovians are waiting to see if Piper is really the 16th Doctor or is sidekick Rose again.
