Peter Hutley, 96: Entrepreneur and producer of popular Passion plays
A man known for his big ideas, the entrepreneur Peter Hutley surprised few people when he returned from a life-changing visit in 1989 to the Roman Catholic shrine at Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina to announce that he would write and stage the Christian Gospel stories.
While the performances in the barn of his 1,000-acre Surrey home Wintershall started out as Nativity plays which his creative wife Ann put together, they became so popular that he wrote the full Life of Christ and in 2010 transferred the Passion play to Trafalgar Square. There they have continued to be performed annually to about 20,000 people on Good Friday.
For the millennium, Peter wrote The Life of Christ, a five-hour open-air depiction of the Annunciation through to the
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Hollywood stars unrecognisable in 'masterpiece' Scottish period drama
Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan starred in the 2018 film Mary Queen of Scots This sweeping period drama has captivated audiences with its extraordinary impact on devotees of the genre, who continue to extol the "incredibly strong" performances delivered by its Hollywood stars. Unrecognisable in her transformation, Margot Robbie embodies Queen Elizabeth I in 'Mary Queen of Scots', the 2018 opulent historical spectacle that enthusiasts simply cannot praise enough. Sharing the screen as Mary, Queen Elizabeth's ill-fated cousin, is Saoirse Ronan whose performance as the contentious historical monarch was nothing short of "shone through". Adapted from the 2004 biographical work 'Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart' and interweaving fiction amid the facts, the film revisits the tumultuous bond between the two regal figures. Upon her return to Scotland from France to assert her legitimate claim to the throne as a Roman Catholic, Mary positions herself as a formidable adversary to the Protestant Queen of England, who strives to keep her in check. What truly resonated with viewers was the compelling depiction of these iconic women of history. Echoing the sentiments of film aficionados, one Rotten Tomatoes review says: "A very powerful look at women in power and women in politics at a time when women were even more 'under a rock' than they are (to a lesser extent) now, with incredibly strong performances from both Ronan and Robbie." They added: "I love how both queens' visceral qualities are displayed and that each woman is unabashed, fierce, and real. The parts of the movie that seem to be slower or less immersive than they perhaps should have been, are still engrossing because of the lead performances. The writing, makeup, music, directing and acting are all solid. I was captivated from start to finish, and I shall watch it again, for sure!", reports the Express. Mary Queen of Scots is renowned for being held captive for over 18 years before her execution after being convicted of treason, with claims she conspired to assassinate Elizabeth I, her cousin and the reigning Queen of England. Elizabeth's ultimate act of retaliation culminated in Mary's beheading at Fotheringhay Castle. The cinematic portrayal of this historical episode has enthusiasts mesmerised. A critique reflects: "Soairse is Fantastic! Love Margo but really think that Soirse was the one who shone through. really cool to see this story play out! love the history and he performances really brought the magnitude to the front of what took place! Well done!". While the narrative substance of the film captivates many, critics among the historically knowledgeable have pointed out discrepancies. They suggest the correspondences exchanged may have been the sole means of dialogue between Mary and Elizabeth, contending the two never actually encountered each other. A review said: "I enjoyed this one and the story it told about the battle among the Scots for the throne and alliance with England, especially between Mary & her brother & her cousin Elizabeth on the throne. Great cast helped deliver the story along with the time period and locations, even if not historically correct." Conversely, some aficionados of historical dramas have hailed the film as a work of art. A critic said: "I think time will look very favourably upon this misunderstood masterpiece. There is some incredible casting, some stunning acting performances, and as a whole, it is a beautiful feast for the eyes. Ronin is spectacular. Spellbinding. Lowden is amazing. A truly stunning film and one which lives with me and deserves so much more praise than it seems to get. Beautiful. I think it's excellent." The already impressive lineup includes Jack Lowden as Lord Darnley and Joe Alwyn in the role of Robert Dudley. The film also stars David Tennant from Doctor Who and Australian actor Guy Pearce, but it's Saoirse Ronan's portrayal that has been garnering rave reviews. A viewer said: "Soairse is fantastic! Love Margo, but really think that Soirse was the one who shone through. really cool to see this story play out! love the history, and her performances really brought the magnitude to the front of what took place! Well done!". For those eager to immerse themselves in the Tudor saga reimagined by a star-studded ensemble, Mary Queen of Scots is now available for rental on Amazon Prime.
Scottish Sun
02-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
I paid £70 for rare painting worth £8,000 at car boot sale – my three must-follow tips to find gems
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ANTIQUES lover Sally-Ann Cathcart can often be seen hunting for treasures at car boot sales - but one find has left her quids in. The 50-year-old antiques dealer from North Shropshire paid just £70 for a pair of paintings - and she's now been told they could sell for £8,000 at auction. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Sally-Ann Cathcart picked up these Percy Shakespeare paintings for £70 - but they've been valued at £8,000 Credit: Sally-Ann Cathcart 4 Another of Sally-Ann's finds is a vintage barometer from the 1700s Credit: Sally-Ann Cathcart 4 The antiques dealer also owns this photograph of a World War One soldier Credit: Sally-Ann Cathcart 4 The 50-year-old says she buys everything secondhand - including her clothes and homewares Credit: Sally-Ann Cathcart She was on one of her regular car boot sale trips in Bridgnorth when she spotted the paintings and immediately she knew she'd stumbled across something incredibly special. That's because the ultra-rare paintings were the work of one of the UK's most famous artists, Percy Shakespeare - and they were going for a bargain price. 'My eyes lit up when I saw them,' she told The Sun. 'I literally had that little heart flutter. I knew instantly what they were.' Sally-Ann said the man who sold her the paintings was a regular at car boot sales but 'clearly didn't know the value' of the art. The seller had got hold of the paintings while doing a house clearance for a lady. Unbelievably, they had been sat at the bottom of a trunk underneath a pile of old newspapers and magazines. The 1928 watercolour paintings show two children - a young boy and a girl - and Sally-Ann believes they may have been the children of the lady who owned the trunk. The paintings hadn't been in a frame or come with a plastic covering but Sally-Ann said they were in incredible condition as they had been kept inside the trunk for so long. She says she snapped them up immediately, and still has them 10 years on. Sally-Ann is a huge fan of Percy Shakespeare and is planning to keep hold of the paintings because she loves them so much. Antiques Roadshow guest is stunned by huge value of charity shop earrings bought for £5 But it was only recently that she decided to get them valued - and she was given a huge shock. An expert told her she could likely get £8,000 for the paintings if she took them to auction. 'I just have a second of thinking, 'have I heard you correctly?',' she said. 'I wanted to punch the air.' Other pieces of art from Percy Shakespeare that have gone to auction have sold for 10 times their estimated value, Sally-Ann says. If that came true for her, she could net herself a whopping £80,000 - although of course you never know what someone will pay at auction. The money might be tempting, but Sally-Ann says she plans to keep the paintings. 'I would only sell them if I absolutely really needed to because I just want to treasure them,' she says. The antiques dealer might be planning to keep hold of this rare find, but she's also made a small business out of buying and selling treasures from car boot sales and vintage fairs. Some of her clients include Cath Kidston, the National Trust and Pinewood Studios. 'Pinewood Studios is always fascinating because it could be like 'right we're doing a 1950s film and we need a petrol blue car'. 'Sometimes I'll be like, yeah, actually funnily enough, I've got one in the garage. Is this any good to you?' She's even sent an order to St James's Palace, where Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice live. Sally-Ann started out collecting antiques as a child when her grandma used to take her to Birmingham rag markets. 'I guess I've grown up with that old-fashioned rooting through, finding the best bargains,' she said. She bought her first antique - a 1920s art deco wallet - at around seven years old. 'I've always felt very comfortable in old places, old buildings,' she says. 'I love that whole old-fashioned mentality of let's make do and mend, which I think is perhaps coming back into fashion now. And then I've built a business out of it.' Now she'll often get requests from clients who ask her to search for specific items and she'll go on a hunt for them. Sally-Ann says she might for example be able to pick up a mirror for £5 and then sell it on for £120 to £150. Other memorable finds SALLY-ANN says she buys everything secondhand and her best finds end up staying with her. These are the ones she treasures the most… Vintage barometer The antiques dealer owns one of the oldest barometers produced by optician James Aitchison, who later went on to form optician chain Dollond & Aitchison in 1750. Sally-Ann says she picked up the antique for just £2 at a car boot sale last year. Photo album Another find is a photo album from the 1900s, which she snapped up for just £1. Sally-Ann says the photos inside show holidays and some sort of boating event. Photo of a World War One soldier Sally-Ann also picks out a photograph of a soldier from World War One. 'He looks about 16, and it's a beautiful French photograph of him,' she says. 'It hangs in my house and it has done for about 25 years.' Sally-Ann's top tips for finding valuable antiques The antiques dealer says she's developed an eye for something valuable over the years, but it's always worth going along to a car boot sale and seeing what you can find. 'The key things for car boots are take plenty of change, take comfortable shoes, take lots of bags, get there early,' she says. But her biggest tip is to remember your manners when talking to sellers. 'People will expect you to haggle at a car boot. So, if somebody says the item is £2, it is absolutely fine to say, 'would you take £1, please? 'And if they say, no, I wouldn't, no problem, you just decide whether you want to pay the £2 or not.' Sally-Ann says that around 70% of the time sellers will take the lower price, so you shouldn't be afraid to haggle but 'just do it with politeness and courtesy'. Sally-Ann says she's seen people throwing items back down onto the seller's table after not getting a lower price - and that's not the way to go. Another of her tips is that if we see something you like, you shouldn't wait around. 'Because if you leave it, I promise you, when you go back it will be gone,' she says. Sally-Ann says it's easy to start buying and selling antiques. 'You haven't got to invest thousands of pounds. You can take £20 or even £10 in cash this weekend, go to the car boot sale and just see what you can get.'
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Inside Freddie Mercury's 'close and loving' bond with daughter he kept hidden
Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury's secret daughter, who he had a 'close' and 'loving' relationship with, has been revealed after being hidden from the world for decades Queen icon Freddie Mercury's secret daughter has been revealed, 34 years after his death at the age of 45. The iconic rockband's frontman had a daughter that was kept a secret from the public – however his closest circle of friends knew about his offspring. Freddie's daughter has been revealed in an upcoming book, titled Love, Freddie, which details how she was accidentally conceived during a fling with the wife of a close friend of the We Will Rock You singer in 1976. The daughter, known only as B, is now 48 and lives in Europe and works as a medical professional. Freddie's daughter also is now a mother – making Freddie a grandad. Freddie's nearest and dearest knew of B, including his parents, sister, bandmates as well as the love of his live, Mary Austin – however, his daughter was kept hidden from the public. Speaking out about her bond with her late father, who died from bronchial pneumonia caused by complications from AIDS, B opened up to rock biographer Lesley-Ann Jones. She has said she was raised by a loving family but always knew the Queen legend was her biological father. B penned a handwritten letter for the book, which discusses her bond with Freddie. It reads: " Freddie Mercury was and is my father. We had a very close and loving relationship from the moment I was born and throughout the final 15 years of his life." She added in the message, shared by the Daily Mail:"He adored me and was devoted to me. The circumstances of my birth may seem, by most people's standards, unusual and even outrageous. "That should come as no surprise. It never detracted from his commitment to love and look after me. He cherished me like a treasured possession." The rockstar was said to be a "hands-on devoted dad" and his secret daughter was the "greatest blessing of his life". Jones explained they decided B would live with her mother and her husband but Freddie would have his own room at their home. The three friends raised B together and Freddie spoke to his daughter everyday when he was on tour. Before his death, Freddie gave his daughter 17 volumes of his personal journals in a sweet gift. B had kept them a hidden away for a number of years but later gave them to rock biographer Lesley-Ann Jones. The journals form the basis of an upcoming book, which is set for release later this year. Jones said of being approached by B: "My instinct was to doubt everything, but I am absolutely sure she is not a fantasist." But, Freddie's daughter never asked for money and does not want recognition. She said B was not provided for through Freddie's will, but instead through a private legal arrangement so the secret would be kept. "His only child was conceived accidentally with the wife of one of his closest friends, while his friend was away on an extended business trip. For the Roman Catholic mother, abortion was out of the question," Jones told the publication.
