I, Jack Wright, U&Alibi, review: a homespun Succession with a dab of Dallas
Such theatrical set pieces might have fallen out of fashion but the tradition is revived in I, Jack Wright (U&Alibi). Set in motion by a minted mogul's last will and testament, this gripping family thriller is half-whodunit, half-soapy dynastic drama. A homespun Succession with a dab of Dallas and an Agatha Christie-esque mystery at its heart.
When the titular wealthy patriarch – Wright Snr (Trevor Eve) made his millions in the brick business and we don't mean Lego – died by what appeared to be suicide, his current wife and two eldest sons were outraged to learn they'd been left virtually nothing of his £100m fortune. As well-heeled hell broke loose, police investigated Jack's suspicious demise. Naturally, it turned out to be murder most foul.
Disinherited wife Sally (Nikki Amuka-Bird) launched a legal challenge. Dissolute son Gray (John Simm, sporting an earring, black eye and bloodied nose) was being pursued by loan sharks and badly needed the payday. His brother John (Daniel Rigby) had been groomed to take over as CEO of the brick business but suddenly found himself frozen out, to the fury of his Lady Macbeth-esque wife (Zoë Tapper).
Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis – as the daughter of Lorraine Ashbourne and Andy Serkis, the 26-year-old has impeccable acting genes – impressed as granddaughter Emily, an aspiring tech mogul with an agenda of her own. The dogged detective, DCI Hector Morgan (Harry Lloyd), was refreshingly free of gratuitous quirks, although I suspect his wife recently left him. The reasons will doubtless soon be revealed. He was also partial to a Columbo-style 'Just one more thing…' but who could blame him? Given half a chance, we'd all do it.
In a knowing flourish, episodes were bookended by interviews with key players for what appears to be a true-crime documentary. Flashing forward two years, some were in prison, others had fallen on hard times. Some were haunted by guilt, others defiantly unrepentant. The gimmick added momentum, seeded clues and left the plot intriguingly poised.
Production values were higher than one might expect from a second-tier channel. Action unfolded at country estates, swanky London offices and Parisian apartments. Interiors were enviably stylish, all gleaming parquet floors, chic lamps and designer kitchens. The cast was high-calibre, with the likes of Gemma Jones, Niamh Cusack and James Fleet adding heft in supporting roles.
Created by Unforgotten's Chris Lang, it was packed with treachery and plot twists. This was a propulsive tale of greed, mistrust and dysfunctional family feuds. The script was darkly comic, with teenagers nabbing the best lines – notably one about frozen peas in a bodily orifice which was bound to have set off alarm bells at Birds Eye HQ. The BBC part-funded the series, so one assume it will tip up on terrestrial TV next year. That would be welcome, because it deserves a wider audience.
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Scotsman
10 hours ago
- Scotsman
Efteling Grand Hotel review: Sheer opulence amid a brilliantly bonkers theme park
Expect the unexpected at Efteling where there are surprises around every corner and sheer opulence greets you at the Grand Hotel. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Stepping into Efteling was like walking straight into the pages of a childhood fairytale book with surprises around every corner leaving us amused, bemused and laughing our heads off at every turn. Taking inspiration from European fables and folklore this theme park is seriously bonkers. My family and I were invited for a sneak preview of the brand new Efteling Grand Hotel ahead of its official opening this month and we simply could not wait to find out what all the fuss was about. It became immediately obvious we should expect the unexpected at this place and that maxim was no less true when it came to the hotel, set directly in the grounds of the park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While outside you needed to watch out for giant puppets and coins flying from a donkey's backside, it was sheer splendor at the hotel with grandeur greeting you wherever you went. After a relatively chilled journey - flying into Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, hopping on a (double decker) train to 's-Hertogenbosch and taking a cab the short distance to the park - we were nonetheless grateful to arrive at Efteling to check out the place we would call home for the next couple of days. At the front gates we were welcomed by a friendly bellhop who immediately took our luggage and escorted us inside, our jaws dropping as we took in the impressive interior, reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel. There was no need for checking-in, I'd already done that on the handy app which activated our in-app key - buzzing us in with the same ease as Google Pay allows us to spend money. From the decor to the impeccably dressed staff, for whom nothing was too much trouble, this place felt rather like returning to a time when customers were treated as esteemed guests. As we entered our room, or more accurately, our suite, it was another in a long series of 'wow' moments. We stayed at the brand new Efteling Grand Hotel and it was pure luxury | Jamie Jones / National World Definitely more like an apartment than a hotel room, a short hallway led us through to a lounge complete with mini bar and views across the iconic entrance. With two separate bedrooms, one a double and the other housing two bunkbeds, there was plenty of space to stretch out. And don't get me started on the bathroom filled with divinely scented products and a bath so vast I was tempted to go for a swim. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After a short rest break the kids were champing at the bit to explore - and, if I'm honest, so was I. Passing through a private gate just for Grand Hotel guests, we had a short time to explore some of the 72 hectare site before our dinner reservation. As we meandered through the Fairytale Forest, surrounded by trees and greenery, we were all stopped in our tracks when a friendly-looking but ginormous head with great, staring eyes rose above the tree tops before taking a quick look around and disappearing back into the canopy. I did tell you to expect the unexpected. Dinner on our first night was at the Brasserie 7 which we were informed was the more informal option of the hotel's two restaurants - nevertheless it was still pretty fancy. More of that good old fashioned service was lavished upon us as we experienced a three course meal with a twist - incorporating seven magical ingredients including dragon's breath and fairy dust. And that wasn't the only magical moment during the meal - to keep young ones entertained between courses, the most adorable lift pixie joined our table, playing a quick game of noughts and crosses with my two children and making us all chuckle so much my six-year-old declared, 'my face hurts from smiling!' Absolutely pooped from a long day, we turned in for the night in the most comfortable bed known to man, but returned to Brasserie 7 the following morning for breakfast. There can surely be no better place to fill up ready for a day of adventure than this place, serving not only every breakfast food you can imagine but those you hadn't thought of as well. Continental and cooked breakfast options, you would need to stay at least a week if you wanted to sample all of the variety they have on offer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Jones / National World With a full day ahead of us we tried to cram in as much as possible, and cram we did with my 10-year-old telling me by the end it felt like we had passed days in the park since stepping out that morning. This is only made possible due to the short queues everywhere - forget lining up for hours for your favourite rides, we mostly waited no longer than 10 minutes, and a couple of times went straight back round to rejoin the end of the queue to experience a ride all over again. Ordering lunch from a kiosk using a QR code meant the children continued enjoying rides while we waited for our food which my husband collected when an alert went off on his phone. Not a minute wasted! With a young family, it was the more tame Max & Moritz rollercoaster which was a highlight and we all enjoyed a moment of tranquillity on the Gondoletta boats peacefully transporting us around a lake. The Stoomtrein (mini steam train) also gave our feet a break taking us to another area of the park in the most delightful way. However, there are some seriously big and scary rides we saw thundering past us, for anyone with older kids or who are braver than I am. We set aside some time that afternoon so we could head to the spa. Beneath the Efteling Grand Hotel lies more magic, an underground world with pool and spa that was the perfect spot to ease tired muscles after all that walking - families of all ages have been catered for there with a baby pool, just a few centimetres deep complete with floating toys, a toddler pool, deeper swimming pool and whirlpool. The spa offers a steam bath, sauna and ice cold shower, and has an extra room for massages too. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What made the experience even more enjoyable is the fluffy bathrobes and slippers in every room mean you can get ready for your swim there, taking the lift straight down to the spa, and when you're finished, there's no wrestling children out of soggy lycra in a small changing room, instead we simply donning the bathrobe and slippers once again and got dry and dressed in the comfort of our own suite. I find little things like this make all the difference when travelling with kids. After smartening ourselves for dinner, we headed for the refined Restaurant & Bar Mystique, and because no corner of Efteling is free from the strange and unusual, there we experienced an evening-long culinary journey quite unlike any other. First up, there isn't really a menu - you instead choose a selection of flavours by placing small stones on a slate found in the centre of the table and the chef just works with that. And if that's not strange and unusual enough for you, well, let's just say we buttered our bread using the [butter] candle which had just moments before been illuminating our table. While described as a three course meal, plate after plate of appetisers and palette cleansers were served, so many I eventually lost count. These small amuse bouche were as adorable as they were delicious, from tiny crispy tacos to sauces served from a teapot by a chef - the meal was totally weird and absolutely wonderful. The dining experience offered here is recommended for children aged 9+ - maybe due to the time it takes to move through all those plates of food - but the attention of even my youngest was held for the most part due to the anticipation of what was to come next. Both children gave most things a try, despite some of the combinations and flavours being, perhaps, for a more discerning palate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While they didn't clean every plate - which I absolutely did by the way - I was pleased they both got to try a range of food they probably wouldn't have chosen for themselves otherwise, opening their minds to different culinary possibilities in the future I hope. And they absolutely wolfed down their mains and desserts, everyone leaving the table stuffed and thoroughly entertained. This was a meal that got all of us talking and laughing together and was genuinely one of the most fun meals we've ever sat down to and - along with the delicious food - that is not something that should be overlooked. Our day finished in the most spectacular way, heading out to the Aquanura Water show. This show of water and light was akin to a fireworks display without the horrible bangs and was, in the truest sense of the word, awesome. A 14-minute musical journey through Efteling, it was the perfect way to wrap up our day at the park. Efteling theme park is brilliantly bonkers with a surprise around every corner offering memories that will last a lifetime | Jamie Jones / National World Staggered by quite how much we'd managed to cram into the previous 12 hours, we sunk into our beds and slept solidly until morning. We awoke to our final morning at Efteling, travelling home later that day, so we filled up again with a hearty breakfast and headed out. Making full use of our half-an-hour early access to the park, we headed for the Piraña - a rapid river ride which the day before had a 30-minute queue, and were able to go on twice before any crowds arrived. We laughed until our sides hurt - mostly at how wet my husband had managed to get on Piraña - and then went to get one last sweet treat before the journey home. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I couldn't leave before making one or two purchases in the luxury boutique store within the hotel where you can pick up many of the items you see around the hotel, one of those fluffy bath robes for example, along with jewellery and quality dressing up options for the children. I was unable to resist taking a little of my holiday home with me, picking up some of the shampoo and conditioner I had used in the spa following my swim, as well as an 'ambiance trigger' which is the exclusive fragrance made for and used at the hotel that you can spray around when you get home and imagine you are still there. Efteling really is bonkers, but it is brilliantly bonkers. Somewhere you can't help but enjoy, a place to make memories with the family full of laughter and nonsense. And with the new addition of the Efteling Grand Hotel, mums and dads, and grandparents too, can soak up a little luxury amid the madness. There was so much more we didn't have time to see and do there, the vastness of the place means you can fill your days and still not get around to everything, so, I guess that just means we'll have to go back. Sigh. In the meantime, fetch me that ambiance trigger… A premium deluxe room (standard room) is available from €585 (£508) and is based on a family of four (two adults and two children aged between 4 and 12). For more information and to book, visit the Efteling website.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Telegraph
Midlife style tips from Norfolk's most fashionable resident
'A lot of people probably think that my life is nice and neat and tidy and fragrant,' Paula Sutton, the style and home influencer turned cosy crime author, says from a sofa in her garden office in Norfolk. 'But I'm a whirlwind of chaos at times.' That may be so – but in Sutton's world, even the chaos is picturesque. Consider her outfit: a blue puff-sleeved Doen dress worn with pearl earrings, slicked-back hair and red lipstick. And then the items around her: a tower of frill-edged, blue-and-white striped cushions, piles of antique crockery (with more plates on the walls), baskets galore, stacks of interior books, a bowl of apples – a thousand and one ' cottagecore ' elements ready to be assembled into the kind of scene that makes people contemplate moving to the countryside. As the tastemaker behind Hill House Vintage on Instagram (@hillhousevintage), Sutton, 55, has for years inspired some 610,000 followers with laying an outdoor table, cutting tulips from her garden and other such scenes of rural bliss. Her life didn't always look this idyllic. Born in Croydon, Sutton recalls being 'mesmerised' as she flicked through the first issue of Elle UK with friends on the upper deck of a London bus. 'I thought, 'I would love to be part of this world.'' She ended up working at Elle as bookings director for 'some of the best years of my life'. Meanwhile she and her husband, a classic car dealer, spent weekends with her in-laws in Norfolk. Once they had children, she says: 'I craved that peace and quiet and feeling of space.' They moved to a Georgian house in West Norfolk in 2010; she started a blog documenting her renovation and DIY vintage furniture upcycling shortly after. The first post was a picture of the house 'looking like a doll house in the middle of its garden'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paula Sutton (@hillhousevintage) The blog gathered momentum gradually before 'going crazy' during the Covid-19 lockdown. It helped that her imagery encapsulated the newly aspirational mode of country living that came to be known as 'cottagecore'. Never mind that the woman the press dubbed 'the queen of cottagecore' hadn't heard of the trend. 'It was news to me,' she says. 'I've always been inspired by the past and loved vintage style and pretty dresses. But it wasn't contrived – I was trying to pursue happiness, doing the things that brought me joy, and it all came across as very pastoral and bucolic.' Her style 'definitely evolved' when she moved to Norfolk. When she was younger and working at Elle, she followed runway trends. 'Now I'm not swayed by the shows or trends. I have a distinctive sort of vintage-inspired style that I know suits me and that I'm comfortable with. If something happens to be in fashion and aligns with my style, then that's fantastic.' Sutton estimates that 40 per cent of her wardrobe consists of true vintage, 20 per cent is things she's had for years ('it's my own vintage') and the remaining 40 per cent is new. 'But it will always have an essence of classic style.' Her dream wardrobe would be everything Grace Kelly wears in High Society. Some of her favourite pieces right now are her Ralph Lauren jodhpurs ('They remind me of Grace Kelly in the 1950s'), a Thierry Coulson striped empire line dress ('It speaks of history to me') and a trove of vintage suits from the 1940s that she adores wearing in the autumn. Summer is all about Doen and O Pioneers dresses. Last year she added another string to her bow, as a fiction author. Her debut, now in paperback, The Potting Shed Murder, is a cosy mystery set in a fictional village in (where else?) rural Norfolk. Heroine Daphne Brewster 'is very much me, but far more adventurous and brave and nosy'. But not, one imagines, with such a dreamy wardrobe. Five personal style rules Know the shapes that suit you. I always look at the silhouette of a dress and can tell if it will work. Be kind to your feet! For me that means never wearing a pair of shoes over 7cm in the heel. Dress to make yourself happy. That's my number-one rule. I don't dress to be sexy or with regard to what anyone else thinks. I 100 per cent dress for me. Match your shoes to your bag in some way. I like that put-together, matchy-matchy look. When in doubt, opt for a red lip. It's not just to look glamorous. It's also a confidence booster.
The Herald Scotland
16 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Sex and the City reboot is given its marching orders - what happened?
Just as the revolution was moving along nicely, along came the abrupt end of And Just Like That (Sky Comedy, Friday). And just like that, an entire female cast was packed into a minivan and driven off a cliff, Thelma & Louise-style (figuratively speaking, of course). What happened? Showrunner Michael Patrick King said the third series of the Sex and the City reboot felt like a 'wonderful place to stop'. More than that, he did not say, but who would have blamed him if he had added 'and because I am sick to death of all the carping'? Trouble dogged AJLT - even the abbreviation is clunky - from the opening episode when Big met his end on an exercise bike. The shame of it. No Big and no Samantha (save for one blink and you'll miss it appearance) made for a much duller show. The new characters were either boring, annoying or, in the case of Che, Miranda's unlikely lover and the world's unfunniest stand-up comedian, plain unbearable. In the history of poorly received characters, poor Che made Jar Jar Binks seem like Brad Pitt. Read more Aidan returned in a bid to summon some of the old magic, but that simple country boy schtick of his was now as tiresome as the family he was forever running home to. By far the biggest gripe was the characters' appearances. Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte had had the nerve to grow older and look like what they were - women in their fifties. Never mind that these older, wiser, more vulnerable versions were far more interesting, and self-deprecatingly funnier, than their sharp-elbowed younger selves. I also warmed to Seema (Sarita Choudhury), the estate agent with a Working Girl head for business and a body for sin. Plus, the wardrobe had improved enormously, with a return to high fashion and seriously sexy home interiors. As new characters entered the mix and a couple of promising plots began to unfold, it seemed like foundations were being laid for the future, but it was not to be. Back to square one, sisters. In Flight (Channel 4, Tuesday-Thursday) was the latest up in the air nailbiter after Idris Elba's Hijack and Red Eye. Created and written by Mike Walden (Marcella) and Adam Randall (Slow Horses) the six-parter was just the kind of muscular thriller to power you through mid week - familiar but not predictable, twisty but not impenetrable, and it had the good fortune of Katherine Kelly in the lead role. The actor formerly known as Becky the barmaid from Coronation Street, among many other roles, played Jo, a flight attendant and mother to Sonny, 19. Sonny had gone to Bulgaria for a holiday and got into a bar fight. Charged with murder, he turned to mum to bring him home. But with the cost of his defence spiralling, Jo was fast running out of money and hope. With perfect timing, along came a stranger with an impossible-to-refuse offer. Unless Jo brought three kilos of heroin into the country for a gang of wrong 'uns, her son would not get out of jail alive. In Flight was a hostage drama and a drug thriller rolled into one, which would be chewy enough, but Walden and Randall managed to squeeze more out of the story. For all that Jo seemed terrified, she was also coolly transactional with her 'handler', looking for any little thing that would give her an edge over him. Kelly was terrific as the mum on the edge of a breakdown, still clip-clopping her way into work every day, pretending everything was normal. Ditto Harry Cadby as her son. At first terrified, Sonny was soon proving to be as resilient as his mother. The last time most of us saw Kelly, she was part of the UK-wide acting ensemble in Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Closer to home, she was also in The Field of Blood, the 2011-13 adaptation of Denise Mina's novel. Fun fact: the tale of a cub reporter, Paddy Meehan (played by Jayd Johnson) was filmed in The Herald's old offices in Albion Street, Glasgow. For reasons I cannot fathom, none of us was plucked out of the subbing pool for stardom. And so to Nicola Sturgeon: the Interview (STV, Monday), because we've not quite heard enough from Scotland's former First Minister lately, have we? Now she's even found her way into the ruddy TV review. I can only apologise and say that normal service, whatever that is, will resume next week. The interviewer was class act Julie Etchingham. We like her. When the famously buttoned-up Theresa May admitted running through fields of wheat as a girl, it was to Julie she confessed. Prime Ministers, presidents, princes, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie - the ITV News anchor has sat knee to knee with them all. But how would the golden gal of British broadcasting fare against the big brass neck of Scottish politics? While 'the' interview suggested something special, filming took place in Dunure, Ayrshire, more than a week ago. Since then, Ms Sturgeon has been all over the media, her book picked cleaner than a turkey on Boxing Day. This, however, was the first broadcast interview, which meant the first chance to see Ms Sturgeon becoming 'emotional', as television folk coyly call it when someone cries on camera. Etchingham had dressed in cool neutrals for the occasion, with Sturgeon opting for a scarlet jacket. Perhaps she was trying to channel her inner Butlin's Redcoat to jolly things past the difficult stuff. It didn't work. Certainly, there was no May-like confession to stealing from the pick n mix in Woolworths. She was rude about Nigel Farage ('odious'), but who isn't? When she did get into difficulty it was all her own doing, as when Etchingham brought up the rapist Isla Bryson. You might have thought it impossible for Sturgeon to make even more of a pig's ear out of this subject, but boy, did she ever. Etchingham began looking at the former First Minister as if she was trying to argue that the Earth was flat. Personally, I turned the same shade as Sturgeon's jacket. Someone had to shoulder the embarrassment, and it was not going to be our Nicola. There was some moistening around the eye area when she spoke of Alex Salmond's passing. She still misses him 'in some way' - a quote up there with Charles's 'whatever love means' - for half-baked sincerity. The only time her voice truly faltered was when she was talking about herself and what she had been through. As for her new love life, her lips were sealed. 'I'm enjoying being my own person for a while,' she burbled, sounding for all the world like some Real Housewife of Montecito. Etchingham had a go at holding her to account on domestic policy, but she needed longer than the half hour allotted. The running time and the 7pm slot told their own story. If there had been anything juicy the programme would have been on at 9pm, not just before Emmerdale. Upstaged by sheep. It shouldn't happen to a vet, or a former FM, but it did. The toe-curling was not quite over - there was still the matter of Nic's first tattoo. 'Midlife crisis alert,' she joked. You said it, dear. It was an infinity symbol she designed herself, something about strength and resilience and moving forward. In short, your basic woo-woo BS. Come to think of it, that would have been a better title for her book. Finally, a mention for Smoke (Apple TV+), which had its series finale this week. Written by Dennis Lehane and starring Taron Egerton as a fire investigator and wannabe thriller writer, and Rafe Spall as a police captain, the often brilliant Smoke has been one of the year's best dramas. Yet it is one that millions will have missed because it's on a streaming channel (and one of the dearer ones at that). If, like the Sex and the City ladies of yesteryear, you have been holding out for the right one before taking the plunge on a streamer, consider Smoke 'it'.
