Latest news with #Gavin&Stacey
Daily Mirror
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rob Brydon to reinvent himself as a 'fashion icon' in new £20million BBC show
The much-loved Gavin & Stacey star is going to be wearing dapper outfits that might provide clues about where in Europe the players might be As host of BBC1's new reality gameshow Destination X - rumoured to be costing £20million - Rob Brydon decided the time had come to reinvent himself. So grabbing himself a stylist and a whole new wardrobe, he says he has "gone for it". And Rob, best known for his roles on Would I Lie to You and Gavin & Stacey, says he is hoping to be considered 'a fashion icon' once the show airs. He laughed: 'I've been more experimental with my wardrobe than in the past, and I think that can only be a treat. And there are often clues in what I'm wearing. Sometimes it's sort of region appropriate, with little flourishes. 'I thought as the show is on such a grand scale, it would be fun to be a little less conservative than my normal TV wear. So, I had a wonderful stylist who suggested all sorts of different things. I've gone for it.' The TV star accompanies up to 13 players on the road around Europe in a blacked-out bus as they struggle to work out where they are, based on helpful clues but hampered by red herrings. Each episode, the player whose guess is the furthest away is eliminated. But at one point Rob feared he'd given away where they were next travelling to by putting his foot in it. 'You did have to be very careful,' he sighed. 'We were about to visit a lovely location and I was looking forward to it and I was chatting to some of the crew and I said out loud, 'I can't wait to get to… Swansea.' And it wasn't Swansea. 'And then I realised that just over there was one of the players and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Luckily, they didn't hear. I can be sure of that, because of what happened next.' He said that in the beginning all the players are supporting each other but that changes as the 10-part series progresses. 'Only one person can win the money, I think that's the crux of it. It really takes some turns, particularly as it gets closer and closer to the prize, there's some interesting behaviour.' Rob, who is there to help "dissolve the tension", says he loved turning Europe into a board game for the BBC1 series, which starts next Wednesday. 'No spoilers, but we do take over whole castles. We run a train on a public network, we take over cable car systems, the scale just goes up and up.' The presenter, who took inspiration from cloak-loving Traitors host Claudia Winkleman for the role, said he'd had a lovely time not sleeping on the bus like the rest of them. 'I did the journey. I mean, I wasn't on the bus, I wasn't sleeping in a bunk," he chuckled. "But yeah, I would follow them round and then I would greet them and it was great.' Executive producer Dan Adamson says that the series was shot over 32 days using a 190-strong crew and involved 7,000 hotel rooms in 25 different locations. During filming they travelled more than 11,000km while shooting over 2000 hours of footage, much of it caught by the 46 cameras on board the bus. They even had a toilet trailer following behind with 'a couple of portaloos' to allow the players to have comfort breaks in private. The TV funnyman says the lengths they went to in order to keep their location secret was extraordinary. 'I'd arrive at a new location and it was as if they'd built a new town," he gasped. "We would put the buses alongside each other. We would bring in a bathroom bus. We'd have a little glam bus. That would make a little rectangle courtyard. We'd put carpet down, a running machine, and they could sit outside without knowing where they were. The scale of it, it was quite remarkable.' But Rob, 60, claims he'd be a woeful player himself. 'I think I'd be terrible at it. If I got out and I saw the sun, that would tell me it's daytime.'
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rob Brydon reveals behind-the-scenes blunder nearly ruined new BBC show
The Gavin & Stacey actor is presenting a new reality competition, Destination X. Rob Brydon has disclosed the moment his mistake nearly wrecked filming for a fresh BBC competition. The Gavin & Stacey actor, 60, is hosting a brand new reality show, Destination X. It features 13 strangers embarking on a secretive road trip across Europe, combining elements of The Traitors and Race Across The World. The participants are journeying on a coach with sensory deprivation, unable to see their location or track their distance travelled. Daily, they're challenged with working out their possible whereabouts after receiving a selection of peculiar clues for assistance. Only the cleverest will manage to distinguish the false leads from the genuine hints, with players gradually eliminated until one winner emerges (claiming a £100,000 prize) as they guess locations, whilst the participant furthest from their actual position gets knocked out. "It's the adventure of a lifetime, with one simple question at its heart: where in the world am I? Rob Brydon masterminds the high-stakes competition where nothing is as it seems...," the synopsis reveals, reports Wales Online. The intense series naturally only functions if contestants can genuinely participate without receiving any hints about the external world during their journey. Despite numerous production safeguards being implemented to guarantee this, Rob almost sabotaged everything. Discussing the show before its debut, the presenter confessed that although he was "very careful", he encountered one mishap. He said: "I won't say where we were, but we we're on a hillside, that's all I'll say, and we were about to visit a lovely location, and I was looking forward to where we were going next. "I was chatting to some of the crew and I said out loud, 'I can't wait to get to [the place]' and then I realised that just over there was one of the players and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Luckily they didn't hear, and I can be sure of that because of what happened next which told me that they'd not heard. That was the only one but it was a constant fear." Rob deliberately avoided revealing any specifics since, in an unusual twist, audiences can participate alongside the contestants, with their whereabouts remaining secret until each episode concludes. Executive producer Dan Adamson then revealed additional hazards the production team encountered and outside elements that nearly exposed the secret. He said: "We crossed a lot of borders and there was always a chance that we were going to have officials trying to board the bus, and so we had to have plan Bs, which we had fake uniforms that we would then do a second boarding of the bus to try and pretend it was just part of the room." Destination X was filmed across 32 days, demanding 190 crew members who required 7,000 hotel rooms spanning 30 hotels, whilst they journeyed 11,000 km throughout Europe. The coach itself contained 7km of wiring, featuring 46 cameras and over 40 support vehicles. Speaking about the grandeur of the show, Dan elaborated: "We had the chance to turn Europe into a board game, so we immediately thought that the way we bring scale to the challenges is we just get incredible locations and we take over whole castles, we run a train on a public network, we take over cable car systems, the scale just goes up and up and it's like, actually, what fun can we have with those toys? And how do we then lay clues through that? And obviously that was partly about the adventure and partly it's about thinking, how will then that drive the story? "It's rare you get a chance to turn the whole of Europe into a boardgame," he added. "We love the wanderlust of it, and we loved the play-along, the audience will genuinely play this game." Destination X premieres on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday, July 30.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rob Brydon wants to channel Claudia Winkleman on huge new BBC1 adventure show
Gavin & Stacey star Rob Brydon says he admires The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman's "lightness of touch" on the hit BBC show as he prepares to front a new programme for the Beeb Rob Brydon jumped at the chance to host new BBC1 adventure reality show Destination X - because he thinks it will be a big hit like The Traitors. And the comedy star admitted he has even tried to emulate Claudia Winkleman 's 'lightness of touch' when it comes to his role as host. In the show, 13 players set off to travel around Europe on a blacked out bus and are given clues and challenges to help work out where they are - along with red herrings. Each time the bus stops, they must guess their location, and the person furthest away is eliminated. The last one standing wins a cash prize of £100,000. Rob, 60 said he greatly admired the way Claudia conducts herself on The Traitors. 'I think she judges it just right. She doesn't force herself to the front, she is there as a conduit, as a bridge for the viewer and you feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world. 'I wanted to avoid going, 'Hey, here I am, I'm going to do my thing now'. I wanted to be a nice pleasant way to bring people into the show with a nice comment here and there. You sometimes need to remind yourself not to dominate, but they are very strong characters. The relationships developed as they went along and you don't want to get in the way of that.' Dad-of-five Rob watched TheTraitors with wife Claire and their two teenage sons Tom, 17, and 14-year-old George, but said he didn't think he'd be a fan. 'I heard about The Traitors and thought, 'Oh, that's not for me'. And then we were away on holiday and we gave it a try and we devoured it. I loved it. It was one of the big reasons I wanted to do Destination X because I could see similarities.' Filming on the big-budget, 10-part series for BBC1 took place across the whole of Europe for 32 days and involved an army of nearly 200 people who were responsible for driving the main bus, a toilet bus and a sleeping bus to the various destinations, plus keeping the contestants in the dark. Rob, best known for playing Uncle Bryn in comedy Gavin & Stacey and for hosting panel-show Would I Lie to You, said he equally enjoys his different roles as actor and presenter. 'I genuinely love the variety of my career, I enjoy having the opportunity to do different things. Some people who act wouldn't be comfortable presenting - you'd be surprised how many actors wouldn't like it if you told them they were going to do something without a script. 'But I consider myself hugely fortunate to be given opportunities. Ultimately, having a live audience is my favourite. And sometimes with Destination X I'd say a funny line and they'd laugh and that's an audience. But you don't want to dominate and do too much.' He says another reason for signing up was because he thought his teenage sons might just watch it. 'What I love about this show is that it's for the family. I love shows that you can sit and watch together, it is a thing to persuade your teenage sons to spend time in your company, which is no mean feat. 'I hope this becomes appointment viewing for a family. If you're anything like me as a parent, you're desperate for the stuff that can get the kids to spend time with you." The format originated in Belgium and now the gameshow has enjoyed three hit series there, and has also been a a big success in Denmark and the Netherlands. As with The Traitors, the British version was filmed at the same time as a US version, for NBC. Rob said the two shows felt quite different. 'A lot of the contestants on the American one are familiar reality faces and they are a lot more sure of themselves. They are performers in their own way and I'm told they were playing the game from the off, to win. That's a very different vibe. With ours they start saying, 'We're a team' - which can't last. Ours is quintessentially British.' But Rob said if he had to work out where in Europe he was based on clues and his directional skills he wouldn't know where to start. 'I'd struggle,' he admitted. 'I don't think I'd have a clue working out where we were.' And his biggest challenge was deciding how to hold himself after years of sitting behind a desk on Would I Lie to You. "That first scene, walking into the airport, I'm thinking, 'Right, OK, how am I going to be?' he chuckled. "Because I've got a horrible walk - I walk like an ape. Not with my knuckles on the ground but I walk side to side. So I'm thinking, 'Try not to walk like an idiot'."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gogglebox star 'bullied by abusive dad' in horror admission
Larry Lamb has opened up about his tough upbringing at the hands of a father who 'bullied him' - but admits proudly as he chats candidly with son George that he has 'broken the cycle'... Larry Lamb may be best known as level-headed dad Mick in Gavin & Stacey, but the actor says his own path to fatherhood hasn't been so simple. Born in Middlesex, the 77-year-old had a turbulent childhood, raised by a verbally abusive father – previously admitting that he 'lived in fear' growing up. Sitting down with OK! for an exclusive chat alongside his son George, 45, with whom he has been an armchair critic on Gogglebox, Larry says he was worried about his abilities to raise children before he finally 'broke the cycle'. 'If you are not fathered well, you're not going to be a good father yourself. You're just not. So, of course that was a worry,' says Larry. As well as George he also has three daughters – Vanessa, 56, who he isn't in contact with, and Eloise, 26, and Eva, 22, whose mother is Clare Burt, who he split up with in 2014. Crediting George's mum Linda Martin, who he split up with in 1996, for his ability to become a great father to his three youngest children, Larry says, 'She cut the cycle because my poor old dad was bullied by his dad and was passing it on to me. So, she realised that was not going to allow George and me to flourish – and she stepped in. So, big points to Linda. She broke the cycle and made sure it didn't happen again.' George adds, 'My mum did a lot of the heavy lifting when I was little. She was the disciplinarian. So that meant that me and my dad got to be friends, you know? While that was tough on Mum, the good news is, me and Dad got to be mates, despite it all – and that was quite beautiful.' Clearly enjoying a close relationship, Larry and George say they've both taken life lessons from one another. 'I feel loved unconditionally by my dad and that's a really nice feeling, says George. 'It feels very grounding, very safe.' Larry adds, 'That's it. Too often, love is transactional, but there's no transaction between me and George or any of our family.' Chatty and relaxed as we talk, the duo crack jokes with each other like it's second nature. But Larry admits he hasn't always been so happy-go-lucky. It was only when he hit 60, he says, that he let go of some heavy emotional baggage. 'As you get older, you don't take things for granted any more,' he says. 'That's what went on in my life – if good things came along, I was taking them for granted. Now, I realise that I'm actually very fortunate if things are going well for me.' He doesn't look back on his past with regret, however. 'It's a big enough deal to realise that you've not done things as sensibly as you might have, so there's no point in having regrets,' says Larry. 'You've just got to get on with it and arm yourself with that knowledge, make yourself a better person.' George has noticed a shift in his dad, saying he has become softer with age. 'I've got little sisters who are 20 years younger than me and their dad and my dad are different. Even though he was the same person, he was a very different dad,' he explains, saying his siblings got a 'lighter' version of Larry. But in many ways, the pair seem alike and with such similar personalities, it's no surprise that George ended up following his father into showbiz. Fronting shows such as The Bank Job and Big Brother 's Little Brother, George was one of TV 's rising stars. But the former TV and radio presenter – who, laughing, admits people approach him in the street to ask how 'Mick' is doing – did quite the 360 in recent years, turning his sights towards regenerative farming. He now co-owns food and farming company Wildfarmed and clearly has no regrets about ducking out of the limelight. 'I had lots of amazing experiences in showbusiness, but a lot of the time I didn't know why I was doing what I was doing,' he says. 'Now, I get up every day and understand my purpose. With Wildfarmed, we're trying to grow food in a way that works in harmony with nature rather than against it. So, it makes me feel good every day. I feel blessed.' 'George has changed now,' Larry interjects proudly. 'He's got a real sense of value knowing what he's doing and why. It's a joy to see him in his mid-forties and a new man compared to when he was working in showbiz. He's hit something that's clearly driving him.' George and Larry evidently enjoy each other's company and are working alongside National Rail on its 36 Questions To Connect campaign, designed to encourage travellers to get to know friends and family they're taking train journeys with better. While they may have thought they already knew each other well, they say they learned even more through the questions during a recent journey. 'You know what's baffling about my dad?' George asks. 'He's been on Earth for a long time and he's lived a very full life so, even though you think you've heard all his stories a thousand times, every time we hang out I'm like, 'Wow, this is a new bit.'' With one of the questions asking for one quality they admire in each other, Larry told George on their train trip that it was his honesty. 'He does give me some hard truths!' says Larry. 'Whether you like it or not, you'll get honesty from George. But I'm fortunate that I've got somebody who does that – you need it.' George adds, 'I'm always honest – I don't want surface- level relationships. There's enough of that in the world and I certainly don't want that with my loved ones – and someone has to keep my dad in check!'
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Rob Brydon's huge new Traitors-style travel reality show as Gavin and Stacey star reveals major struggle
WHEN Rob Brydon reached his 60th birthday with two of TV's biggest hits under his belt, he could have easily put his feet up. Instead, the star of Would I Lie To You? and Gavin & Stacey hit the road and is taking a risk by fronting the Advertisement 7 Rob Brydon is set to present the BBC's new travel challenge show, Destination X Credit: BBC 7 Brydon says he is excited about the challenge and enjoys how varied his career has become Credit: PA And he relishes the challenge — as it might give him the chance to show he's not just Some people know me for Would I Lie To You? But I've never done anything like this. 'Having something new and exciting and different is just a delight. I'm taking a chance on something I haven't done before.' Advertisement READ MORE ON ROB BRYDON After 18 years as Uncle Bryn and 16 years hosting the BBC quiz show, it's no surprise Rob was keen to get his teeth into something new. His latest project Destination X is a promising cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World, which each command six million viewers. But there was one hitch. Rob is so used to being seated on his quiz show and playing a character on Gavin & Stacey that he had forgotten how he walks as himself. Recalling walking on to the set of Advertisement Most read in News TV 'Because I've got a horrible walk. I walk like an ape. I walk side to side. So I'm thinking, 'Try not to walk like an idiot'. 'It even occurred to me that I won't be sat behind a desk. I had to think, 'How am I going to hold myself?'' Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon admits he was 'moved to tears' after getting first glimpse at script for final ever episode But Rob swiftly found his feet on the thrilling new show, which travels the length and breadth of Europe. Destination X introduces a group of travellers to each other at an airport before they are blindfolded and taken on a disorientating helicopter ride. Advertisement They then board a blacked-out bus that travels to a few hotspots where the travellers take on challenges to try to win clues. 7 Brydon says he had to try and figure out his presenting identity in order to lead the new show Credit: At the end of each episode they are asked one simple question: Where in the world are we? The straightforward premise has helped the show become a huge hit in the US and Belgium. Advertisement Rob is in charge of the jaunt and has revelled in the role. He said: 'I genuinely love the variety of my career. I like it all. "It's possible some people who act wouldn't be comfortable presenting. 'You would be surprised how many actors wouldn't like it if you told them that they were go- ing to do something with no script. Advertisement 'But I love all those things. 'Ultimately, having a live audience is my favourite. 'Sometimes with Destination X I would say a funny line and they would laugh and that's an audience. 'I wanted to have the interaction with the players. Advertisement 'That's something I looked forward to.' Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. You feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world It is perhaps unsurprising that given the similarities of the show to She has made a huge success of the murder mystery game — and Destination X contains the same elements of strategy and manipulation. Rob said: 'I watched the Belgian version and I thought, with some tweaks, I could see myself in that role. I was intrigued. Advertisement 'Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. She doesn't force herself to the front. "She is there as a conduit, as a bridge with the viewer and you feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world. "I wanted to be a pleasant way to bring people into the show with a nice comment here and there. 'The Traitors was one of the big reasons I wanted to do Destination X. I could see similarities.' Advertisement Just like the cast at the heart of The Traitors and Race Across The World, normal folk are the stars. 7 Brydon says he took inspiration from Claudia Winkleman presenting The Traitors Credit: BBC 7 Comic Brydon says he hopes the new show will be a big hit with family viewers Credit: BBC 'Strong characters' Guessing along with the contestants as they gather clues — and red herrings — is irresistible. Advertisement Rob, who begins the show in a suave pilot's uniform, clearly took to one of the contestants, wisecracking London cabbie Darren. He said: 'Darren mentions his wife — you hear quite a bit about her. "Bless him, he gets quite choked up when he talks about her. He was really missing her. It was genuine. It wasn't forced. Rob added: 'They are all very strong characters. They developed as they went along, the relationships. Advertisement 'You enjoy seeing people come out of their shell and then the distrust starts. They start saying, 'We're a team'. But that can't last.' At the end of each episode, the players lock themselves in the bus's map room where they have to plant an X on a map to log their guess. In the first episode alone, the hunches vary wildly despite them all being fed the same information. The person whose guess is furthest from the true destination is booted off the bus and sent home. Rob said: 'Throughout the series they'll think they're somewhere and then they'll talk themselves out of it. Advertisement 'The map room bits were so enjoyable. 'We were round the monitors watching them make the decisions. Certain shows have become valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. That's what was special about the Gavin & Stacey Xmas special "Doubt would enter their mind. Sometimes it was a tiny amount. 'Someone will have gone out because they were 3km out!' Advertisement Rob is aware he is stepping out of his comfort zone and might end up with his first flop. But he's hopeful the pure heart of the show will win through and land fans among families. He said: 'You never know with any TV show, with any theatre show, film, how it's going to do. 'You'd have to be detached from reality to now have your fingers crossed and hope that people respond to it. Advertisement 7 Brydon says he had to learn how to be himself after playing a character on Gavin and Stacey Credit: PA 'For the family' 'You have to have word of mouth. If you hear enough, you might go, 'I'll give it a try'. 'What I love about this show is that it's for the family. I love shows that you can sit and watch, like we watch The Traitors as a family. 'It's the same with Race Across The World. We think, 'Yeah, let's all watch it together'. That's why I'm proud of Would I Lie To You? Advertisement 'The humour is sharp and clever but you can watch it with your family. 'I hope Destination X becomes appointment viewing for a family and everyone will be chipping in and arguing about it.' Rob, who is a dad of five, added: 'If you're anything like me as a parent, you're desperate for the stuff that can get the kids to watch something with you. 'Those shows have become very valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. Advertisement 'The kids get older and everybody is told, 'Oh, they're not going to want to be with you'. 'You think, 'We'll be different'. But sure enough, that happens. 'That's what was special about the "Getting people to all sit down and watch the same show is so hard to do.' Advertisement It is clear the programme has all the ingredients to become Rob's third hit — and he is already hopeful of a second series or perhaps a celebrity spin-off. But he has one condition for BBC bosses. Rob added with a laugh: 'I've said I'll only do it if we go to Wales.' Barry Island, presumably? 7 Brydon says he wants Destination X to become appointment viewing for families Credit: BBC Advertisement
