Latest news with #Spall
The Herald Scotland
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Death Valley: does it deserve a welcome in the hillsides?
** I can imagine the pitch meeting only too well. 'So, what do you have for us?' 'A murder mystery.' 'Sounds quirky. Always risky, quirky, when dealing with death. Unless it's Only Murders in the Building, that's genius. Is it like Only Murders in the Building?' 'Well, the central character is a retired actor who used to play a detective on TV, and he solves cases with a kooky young woman Detective Sergeant, so it is a bit like Only Murders.' 'Kooky. That's as bad as quirky. Where's it set?' 'Vale of Glamorgan, hence Death Valley. Plenty of local actors involved, including Steffan Rhodri, aka Dave Coaches from Gavin and Stacey, and Gwen from Gavin and Stacey plays the mum of the young woman DS.' 'Gavin and Stacey, eh? That's more promising, but I still think it would be more at home in a sleepy afternoon slot rather than Sunday evening. So sorry, it's a no.' 'Did I mention we've got Timothy Spall, bona fide national treasure, lined up to play the retired telly detective?' 'Talk about burying the lead, mate! We'll have six episodes and don't stint on the scenery.' Given the series' reliance on Spall, the first episode takes too long to introduce his character. Police have been called to the home of a property developer who appears to have shot himself. As forensics officers gather evidence, there's a telly on in the background showing old re-runs of Caesar, starring John Chapel (Spall) as the crime-cracking supremo with a literary bent. Turns out Chapel lives in the village, and the officer in charge of the shooting investigation, DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth), is his number one fan. But Chapel is a recluse and doesn't want to help. Then he does want to help, but now Mallowan has cooled on the idea of having a civilian involved. In short, a monumental amount of faffing goes on before we can get down to business, by which time the Janie character has become seriously annoying. It is a pity because under other circumstances, Kirstie Allsopp-lookalike Keyworth would be a likeable sort. And perhaps the gentle humour would land better. Are jokes about star signs still a thing? Spall is incapable of a duff performance, and his delightfully hammy Chapel/Caesar is reason enough to keep watching. But national treasure or not, the national patience has its limits. With the full series on iPlayer now, the better news for writer Paul Doolan is that Death Valley settles down and starts to grow on you, and a couple of starry guest appearances liven things up no end. This, however, was a patchy start. One of the highlights of the weekend (apart from the Bob Servant night on BBC4 on Saturday), was the documentary Liza: a Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story. The 101-minute film lived up to its title, with the standout turn Mia Farrow passing judgment on all who had crossed Minnelli's path, for good and ill. A portrait of Farrow next, please.
The Herald Scotland
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Timothy Spall begins VE Day celebrations with Winston Churchill speech
Standing in front of the statue of the Second World War leader in Parliament Square, Spall, 68, said: 'My dear friends, this is your hour. 'This is not victory of a party or of any class. 'It's a victory of the Great British nation as a whole. Members of the Household Cavalry, Life Guards front, followed by the Blues and Royals ride along The Mall (Henry Nicholls/PA) 'We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny.' 'Every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. 'When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of men and women fail? 'I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island, but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we have done and they will say: 'Do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be unconquered'.'
The Independent
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Timothy Spall reveals he thought he ‘might not make it' after leukaemia diagnosis
Actor Timothy Spall thought he 'might not make it' after being diagnosed with leukaemia. The award-winning star, 68, who is known for playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter film series and starring in 2014 film Mr Turner, said the thought of leaving his family behind was 'unbearable'. Speaking to Saga Magazine, the actor spoke about his leukaemia diagnosis, which he received in 1996, and the 'horror' of what dying would do to his family. He said: 'I was 39 and we had three kids, and out of the blue I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called acute myeloid leukaemia. When I was told I had it, I got down on my knees and asked God to spare me for my family. 'There was a time when they thought I might not make it. The only really unbearable thing was what my family would do if I went? I wouldn't be there to look after them, and that was my job as a husband and father. 'The pain and the horror of what me dying would do to the people I loved was the only unbearable side of it. The rest I could take. 'One day, between treatments, the doctors had done tests and they thought I'd relapsed. A massive mushroom-type thing had grown in my lung. I was about to go and have full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant knowing there were things in my body that'd potentially kill me. That morning, I woke up and thought, sod this, I'm not going to die.' Spall is married to writer Shane Spall and has three children named Rafe, Pascale, and Mercedes. He added: 'We've been married for 44 years and are inseparable. Joined at the hip. We got married four months after we met. I think there is a lot to be said for marrying someone you don't know. I was just in love with her. She is also my best mate.' The English actor won the Bafta for Leading Actor in 2024 for his role of Peter Farquhar in the true crime series, The Sixth Commandment, beating Succession star Brian Cox. He also portrayed the Duke of Norfolk in the hit BBC Two series Wolf Hall, following the life of Thomas Cromwell, the principal adviser to Henry VIII. Spall said: 'I thought it was a shoo-in for Brian Cox because Succession was such a popular show, and he was brilliant. 'It was my sixth Bafta nomination, and I got used to doing the 'smile', so I thought it was going to be another one of those. 'When I won it, I was genuinely surprised.'
The Independent
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Timothy Spall thought he ‘might not make it' after leukaemia diagnosis
Actor Timothy Spall thought he 'might not make it' after being diagnosed with leukaemia. The award-winning star, 68, who is known for playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter film series and starring in 2014 film Mr Turner, said the thought of leaving his family behind was 'unbearable'. Speaking to Saga Magazine, the actor spoke about his leukaemia diagnosis, which he received in 1996, and the 'horror' of what dying would do to his family. He said: 'I was 39 and we had three kids, and out of the blue I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called acute myeloid leukaemia. When I was told I had it, I got down on my knees and asked God to spare me for my family. 'There was a time when they thought I might not make it. The only really unbearable thing was what my family would do if I went? I wouldn't be there to look after them, and that was my job as a husband and father. 'The pain and the horror of what me dying would do to the people I loved was the only unbearable side of it. The rest I could take. 'One day, between treatments, the doctors had done tests and they thought I'd relapsed. A massive mushroom-type thing had grown in my lung. I was about to go and have full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant knowing there were things in my body that'd potentially kill me. That morning, I woke up and thought, sod this, I'm not going to die.' Spall is married to writer Shane Spall and has three children named Rafe, Pascale, and Mercedes. He added: 'We've been married for 44 years and are inseparable. Joined at the hip. We got married four months after we met. I think there is a lot to be said for marrying someone you don't know. I was just in love with her. She is also my best mate.' The English actor won the Bafta for Leading Actor in 2024 for his role of Peter Farquhar in the true crime series, The Sixth Commandment, beating Succession star Brian Cox. He also portrayed the Duke of Norfolk in the hit BBC Two series Wolf Hall, following the life of Thomas Cromwell, the principal adviser to Henry VIII. Spall said: 'I thought it was a shoo-in for Brian Cox because Succession was such a popular show, and he was brilliant. 'It was my sixth Bafta nomination, and I got used to doing the 'smile', so I thought it was going to be another one of those. 'When I won it, I was genuinely surprised.'
RTÉ News
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Timothy Spall thought he 'might not make it' after leukaemia diagnosis
Actor Timothy Spall thought he "might not make it" after being diagnosed with leukaemia. The award-winning star, 68, who is known for playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter film series and starring in 2014 film Mr Turner, said the thought of leaving his family behind was "unbearable". Speaking to Saga Magazine, the actor spoke about his leukaemia diagnosis, which he received in 1996, and the "horror" of what dying would do to his family. He said: "I was 39 and we had three kids, and out of the blue I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called acute myeloid leukaemia. When I was told I had it, I got down on my knees and asked God to spare me for my family. "There was a time when they thought I might not make it. The only really unbearable thing was what my family would do if I went? I wouldn't be there to look after them, and that was my job as a husband and father. "The pain and the horror of what me dying would do to the people I loved was the only unbearable side of it. The rest I could take. "One day, between treatments, the doctors had done tests and they thought I'd relapsed. A massive mushroom-type thing had grown in my lung. I was about to go and have full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant knowing there were things in my body that'd potentially kill me. That morning, I woke up and thought, sod this, I'm not going to die." Spall is married to writer Shane Spall and has three children named Rafe, Pascale, and Mercedes. He added: "We've been married for 44 years and are inseparable. Joined at the hip. We got married four months after we met. I think there is a lot to be said for marrying someone you don't know. I was just in love with her. She is also my best mate." The English actor won the Bafta for Leading Actor in 2024 for his role of Peter Farquhar in the true crime series, The Sixth Commandment, beating Succession star Brian Cox. Spall said: "I thought it was a shoo-in for Brian Cox because Succession was such a popular show, and he was brilliant. "It was my sixth Bafta nomination, and I got used to doing the 'smile', so I thought it was going to be another one of those. "When I won it, I was genuinely surprised."
