Latest news with #Shaftesbury


Geek Tyrant
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Alicia Silverstone Uncovers Dark Family Secrets in Trailer for IRISH BLOOD — GeekTyrant
Acorn TV has released the first trailer for Alicia Silverstone's Irish Blood , which dives deep into family drama and buried secrets. Silverstone stars as Fiona Sharpe, a divorce lawyer whose life takes an unexpected turn when she receives a message from the father who abandoned her on her 10th birthday. That message pulls her to Ireland, where the truth is far murkier—and more dangerous—than she ever imagined. The synopsis reads: "Divorce lawyer Fiona Sharpe (starring Alicia Silverstone) receives a message from her estranged father, embarking on a journey to Ireland. 'There she learns key truths about her father as well as a family that doesn't know she exists, and, moreover, the story of abandonment that has shaped her entire life – was a lie. A lie intended to protect her and her mother from her father's shady business dealings. Fiona resolves to uncover the full truth about her father and reconnect with the parent she only thought she knew..." The six-episode series comes from creators John Krizanc and Christina Ray, with episodes directed by Molly McGlynn and produced by Deadpan Pictures and Shaftesbury. The cast also includes Jason O'Mara, Wendy Crewson, and Ruth Codd, and it's all shot on location in Ireland, which looks stunning. Silverstone teased, " Irish Blood is the story of a woman discovering herself and confronting her past after traveling abroad unexpectedly. I love how unpredictable the storytelling feels and the combination of drama, humor, and suspense my character experiences." The series will be released on August 11, 2025


BBC News
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Shaftesbury snail trail launched ahead of fringe festival
An art trail featuring illustrations of snails has returned to Snail Trail features 40 pictures hidden around Shaftesbury ahead of the town's fringe snails have been designed by local cartoonist Sue Burleigh who originally came up with the idea three years festival starts on 18 July, but the snails have already been hidden, with people encouraged to find as many as they can. The competition will end on 21 July and whoever has collected the most will win a prize, Ms Burleigh to Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast host Steve Harris, she said she likes to use snails for the trail because they can be hidden anywhere."You can put them sideways, upside down, anywhere around doors. I honestly don't remember where the idea first came from it just seemed like a good idea at the time," Ms Burleigh said. Havign run the trail previously, Ms Burleigh said she tries to recycle a few of her pieces, but there are usually a few new creations each year."I do lose them and have to make more, so they're not always the same snails and not in the same place. I try and adapt them too, so a snail with bandages might be in the hospital, they have characters," she snails have been hidden around the town and inside local businesses, with owners able to put them wherever they see fit during the Burleigh added: "It [the festival] covers the whole of the town and it's different venues, music, art, comedy, street performers. "It's quite a diverse time and the whole town gets into it, it's quite a thing for Shaftesbury." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.


Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Britain's historic airfields make for a thrilling day out
This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, when – for three and a half months, between July 10 and October 31 1940 – the skies above the UK whirred with the throaty roar of Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes, defending the country from the German Luftwaffe. There could, then, hardly be a better moment for Britain's airfields to be thriving as they currently are, with many rebranding themselves as the country's new premier heritage family day out. Leading the charge with his revamp of Compton Abbas airfield in Dorset is director Guy Ritchie – but he's not the only one: from West Sussex to Bedfordshire, these bastions of aviation 's Golden Age offer the chance to see (and even fly – or jump out of) planes – both vintage and modern – soak up a bit of history, and enjoy a slap-up meal. Tempted? Here are the best of the bunch, and everything you need to know to plan your visit. Compton Abbas Airfield, Dorset Close to the pretty town of Shaftesbury, Guy Ritchie 's airfield offers visitors the opportunity to observe double-formation take-offs and spectacular airborne loops, then sit down to a lunch of smoked pork belly or beef brisket at the Lore of the Sky, sister restaurant to his London pub, the Lore of the Land. According to Jason Hammond, the ex-military veteran at the helm of Compton Abbas Airfield, Ritchie has a 'definite bent for nostalgia', and 'tends to have a low-key pint at the converted horse box bar or an ice cream at the Smoking Barrels snack bar' when he visits. If spectating offers insufficient excitement, opt for Aero Legends' 40-minute 'Needles' experience (from £4,250 per person), during which you'll go up in a Spitfire and soar over the Isle of Wight. Alternatively, you can fly in a Tiger Moth for 15 minutes (from £179 per person), or in a bright yellow American T-6 Texan (from £519). If you're based in the South East, note that Aero Legends also offer flying experiences from the North Weald airfield in Epping, one of the Battle of Britain's key fighter bases, and from the Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent. Where to stay: The King John Inn in nearby Tollard Royal is a dog-friendly Victorian country inn with eight en-suite rooms, costing from £110 per night. Sandown Airport, Isle of Wight Billed as the UK's 'premier destination airfield', Sandown Airport offers helicopter flights with Flydays (from £99 for an 18-mile scenic route) and even skydives over the island's spectacular rolling countryside, as well as wood-fired pizzas and barbecues at its popular Island Bistro. The site is also home to the Wight Aviation Museum, located in a disused hangar (open Friday-Tuesday until the end of October), where you'll find a full scale replica of the Black Arrow rocket, a British satellite carrier developed during the 1960s, among other exhibits. The airport, which served as a training airfield during the Second World War, makes a wonderful local day out for those holidaying on the eastern side of the island, where you're also within easy reach of Brading Roman Villa, Dinosaur Isle and several dog-friendly beaches. Details: Where to stay: Haven Hall is a five-star country house hotel in nearby Shanklin with views over Sandown bay and rooms from £352 per night. Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex Known as RAF Westhampnett during the Second World War, today the aerodrome draws pilots and passengers alike with its promise of bird's-eye views over the Solent and Isle of Wight. While the flying experiences offered here by The Spitfire Academy are eye-wateringly expensive (from £3,250 for 30 minutes in the air), those in the modern Cessna, one of the most popular training aircraft in the world, are a good deal more reasonable, at £185 for 30 minutes, or £525 with an aerobatic pilot in a two-seater stunt aircraft. If a helicopter ride is more your speed, opt instead for a 17-mile tour of the 11,000-acre Goodwood Estate (from £75 per person) before heading for the estate's excellent farm-to-fork restaurant, Farmer, Butcher, Chef, for a hearty meal of beef, pork or lamb reared at the Goodwood Home Farm. Where to stay: The Goodwood Hotel, a smart, comfortable four-star on the edge of the South Downs National Park, has rooms from £225 per night. Old Warden Aerodrome, Bedfordshire This privately owned airfield is home to a stunning Regency-era garden, a woodland sculpture trail, 875 acres of lakeside parklands – and the superlative Shuttleworth Collection, a treasure trove of vintage aircraft, cars, motorcycles and agricultural vehicles. There are seven action-packed air shows each season, including the Summer Air Show on July 26; Flying Proms (expect fireworks and aerobatic pyrotechnics) on August 16; and a Best of British Air Show on August 30. Make time, too, for a stop at the delightful Runway Café, which serves seasonal dishes. Details: Where to stay: The Keeper's Cottage, a model cottage tucked away in the woods of the estate, is available through the Landmark Trust from £412 per night. Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire No selection of Britain's homages to vintage aircraft would be complete without mention of Duxford, home of the country's largest aviation museum. The aerodrome, built during the First World War, was one of the earliest Royal Air Force stations and now houses galleries depicting the personal stories of lives impacted by conflict, a permanent Battle of Britain exhibition and an American Air Museum with a giant B-52 Stratofortress (an American long-range subsonic jet-powered strategic bomber) and commemorations for those who served in Afghanistan. A packed calendar of events includes a Battle of Britain Air Show (September 6-7) and the well-loved Duxford Dash – a 'family mile', 5k or 10k run – on October 26. Details: Where to stay: Cambridge Lodge is a two-bedroom holiday cottage at nearby Audley End House and Gardens, an English Heritage property, from £515 per night (sleeps four). Dunkeswell Aerodrome, Devon The village of Dunkeswell – set deep in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, close to the Somerset border – is home to the highest licensed aerodrome in the UK. Built in 1943, it was occupied by the USAAF 479th Anti Submarine Squadron and, later, the US Navy. In fact, post-March 1944, Dunkeswell was the only US Navy base in all of Europe. Today, the terrace of the Aviator Coffee Bar and Restaurant is a wonderful spot from which to take in uninterrupted views of various aviation activities. If you prefer to get in on the action, a 30-minute Spitfire flight over Exeter and Torbay will set you back £3,400; while skydiving and wing-walking (not for the faint-hearted) are also on offer, as are thrilling microlight and helicopter flights. There's also a heritage centre, where visitors can browse memorabilia and archive photography.


Metro
30-06-2025
- Metro
‘Heroes' pull men from smoking wreckage of BMW that flipped in Piccadilly Circus
Two men were rescued by 'heroic' Londoners who dragged them from their smoking BMW after it ploughed into the fountain at Piccadilly Circus. One of the occupants, aged 22, was taken to the major trauma hospital after the crash in the early hours of Sunday. Before ambulances could arrive, a dozen passers-by ran to the wreckage of the car and worked together to pull out the two men. They managed to pull out the injured driver and passenger, not knowing if the vehicle would catch fire or fall on them as they struggled to free them, witnesses said. Dramatic footage shows the selfless 'heroes' lifting up a limp man wearing jeans and a hoodie from the chaotic crash. A lamp post and a security bollard had been ripped out of the ground by the black BMW. A club worker who saw the rescue told Metro: 'There was a group around the wreckage. 'There was smoke coming out. They were heroes to dive in like that. The car was badly beaten up. It could have caught fire or anything.' Piccadilly Circus is one of London's busiest roundabouts – connecting multiple roads to the West End and attracting upwards of 100,000,000 visitors each year. The Eros statue and the fountain itself weren't damaged. One of the men was originally on the critical list but is now not in a life-threatening condition, police said. A Metropolitan Police statement said: 'We were called at 5.28 am after a single vehicle collision. 'A black BMW had overturned, ending up next to the Eros fountain. Two men, both aged 22 and both occupants of the vehicle, were taken to the hospital. 'No pedestrians were injured and no other vehicles are believed to be involved.' More Trending No arrests have been made. Major roads near the crash – Regent Street, Piccadilly Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, and Coventry Street were closed as emergency services swooped in. The fountain into which the car crashed is known as the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, also called Eros. It was unveiled in 1892, and its iconic silhouette is known as the logo of the Evening Standard newspaper. MORE: Air India families 'need answers' with sabotage 'not ruled out' MORE: Map shows where UK set to reach 34C in record temperatures this week MORE: VR gave me a grim insight into what women experience on trains


Sunday World
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Trailer released of new US crime drama Irish Blood starring Alicia Silverstone
The series is set to premiere in August The trailer for the brand new US crime drama Irish Blood has been released ahead of its premiere on Acorn TV on August 11. Irish Blood is a six-part murder mystery and will follow divorce lawyer Fiona Sharpe, played by Clueless star Alicia Silverstone, as she receives a message from her estranged father, sending her on a journey to Ireland where she uncovers the truth about his dark past. The trailer shows glimpses of filming locations in Wicklow such as the Sugarloaf Mountain, Bray Seafront and Enniskerry Village. Silverstone, who is also an executive producer, stars alongside Jason O'Mara, Wendy Crewson, Dearbhla Molloy, Simone Kirby, Ruth Codd and Leonardo Taiwo. 'Irish Blood' is the story of a woman discovering herself and confronting her past after traveling abroad unexpectedly,' Silverstone said of the project. 'I love how unpredictable the storytelling feels and the combination of drama, humor and suspense my character experiences.' Produced by Shaftesbury and Deadpan Pictures in association with AMC studios, the show will air in the U.S and Canada with new episodes on Mondays.