Latest news with #TimothySpall
Digital Trends
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Death Valley is one of 3 great Britbox shows you should watch in July 2025
If you're tired of American television and the lack of sophistication that stems from many U.S. shows, BritBox might be the answer to your prayers. While it's true that Brits are inherently more sophisticated than their American counterparts, their TV tends to be a bit more refined. If you have a BritBox subscription but aren't sure exactly what to do with it, we've got you covered. We've pulled together a list of three great shows that are the perfect entry point if you're looking for something great on BritBox: Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on HBO Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Death Valley (2025-) Although he might be best known to American audiences for playing Wormtail in the Harry Potter films, Timothy Spall's career is filled with proof that he is one of the best actors of his generation. In Death Valley, he plays a retired TV actor who once played a TV detective and has now been recruited to help a real-life detective solve a series of crimes. It's a goofy premise, but intentionally so, and Death Valley proves to be the kind of British cop show that lands on the lighter side of the genre. It may be about murders, but that doesn't mean that Death Valley has to be dour. You can watch Death Valley on BritBox. Towards Zero (2025) Adapting Agatha Christie is a tried and true well for the Brits to turn to, and Towards Zero is just the latest example. This adaptation follows two detectives who are called to investigate the death of a wealthy widow, only to discover the various tendrils that connect to the case and ultimately unveil a grander murder plot. Like all of Christie's stories, Towards Zero is plotted to perfection and features an excellent cast of young British actors who are all doing wonderful work in period garb. Matthew Rhys and Anjelica Huston are among the standouts, but truly, the entire cast is terrific. You can watch Towards Zero on BritBox. Death in Paradise (2011-) If you're sick of watching people hook up on the beach, Death in Paradise might be the show for you. The series follows a British detective who feels and acts like a fish out of water as he investigates crimes on the Caribbean island of Saint-Marie. Like any long-running procedural, the joy of Death in Paradise is its regular rhythm, which follows a particularly satisfying formula. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the show doubles as a travel showcase, offering up some of the most beautiful locations in the world on a regular basis. You can watch Death in Paradise on BritBox.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
ROLAND WHITE reviews last night's TV: It's split opinion, but this delightful whodunnit deserves a second series
Death Valley (BBC1) The final episode of the first series of Death Valley opened at a school reunion. 'It's so hard juggling the aromatherapy with being a mumfluencer,' moaned Rhiannon Hopkins to her former classmate. I can't have been the only viewer hoping Rhiannon would come to a sticky end. Perhaps not ending up as the actual corpse, but definitely getting locked away for a very long time. Mumfluencer indeed. Just the word should carry a five-year term. In the end, it was a mechanic called Dean who was battered to death in the boiler room with a spanner, which at least was another Cluedo weapon ticked off for pathologist Helen Baxter. 'God,' she sighed. 'I'd love a lead pipe killing — that's the hard one.' Death Valley has divided opinion. To call it quirky would be an understatement. Interviewing Dean's wife, DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) complained: 'It's quite hard to get what you're saying — maybe you could try speaking between sobs.' If you take your whodunnits very seriously, this is not for you. It's basically a delightfully gentle comedy with a bit of violent death thrown in. But it's cleverly written, with plenty of well-judged sad bits as contrast. And the characters have depth and back stories. The star turn is Timothy Spall. He plays retired actor John Chapel, who is best known for playing TV detective Charles Caesar. In the first episode, he helped Janie solve the murder of a property developer, and she's been his sidekick ever since. They bicker like an old married couple. If Chapel were 30 years younger, this would end in a romance that would probably be revealed in a tear-jerking Christmas special. As it is, one of the mysteries about widower Chapel is his love life. There is obviously somebody, but who? This was revealed right at the end. I won't ruin the surprise for catch-up viewers, but the result was more bickering between Chapel and Janie (named Jane, by the way, after Miss Marple and Mallowan after Agatha Christie's second husband). A lot of loose ends were tied up in last night's episode. Janie finally made it up with her boss, DCI Clarke, a worryguts whose main fear is that he's not up to the job. Played by Steffan Rhodri, he is just one of an excellent supporting cast. He told her that she's been promoted to inspector, and Chapel had been recruited as an official consultant. Oh, and the mysterious suicide of Janie's best friend, Sian, a constant theme through the series, was finally cleared up. You know what this means, don't you? The decks are now clear for a second series. Perhaps we might even get that Christmas special. Pathologist Helen might even get her perfect corpse — coshed by somebody called Colonel Mustard with a candlestick in the conservatory.
Scotsman
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Who is in the cast of Death Valley? BBC cast
Timothy Spall leads the cast of Death Valley - but who else is in the BBC series? 🔍 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... Death Valley features Harry Potter stars in its cast. Timothy Spall plays one of the lead roles in the crime series. But who else is in the BBC drama? Death Valley will return for the final episode of its first series on the BBC. The crime drama - featuring an unlikely sleuthing duo - has captivated audiences since its debut last month. The six-part series is set and filmed in Wales and follows a retired TV actor helping a detective solve crimes around town. Timothy Spall leads the cast - but there are plenty of other familiar faces. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But where exactly do you recognise the actors in the show from? Here's all you need to know: What time is Death Valley on TV today? Timothy Spall (L) and Gwyneth Keyworth (R) in Death Valley | BBC The show will be airing its season one finale tonight (June 29) and it is set to take place in the gap between the Glastonbury coverage on BBC One. Following Rod Stewart, Death Valley is set to begin at 8.45pm and will continue until 9.30pm - with Olivia Rodrigo's performance coming afterwards . If you are wondering what to expect from the latest episode, the preview via Radio Times reads: 'John's role as a consultant with Mid Wales police is made official, and he and Janie are tasked with solving the murder of a mechanic during a reunion party at Janie's old school. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Links emerge to DC Chaudhry's recently unearthed cold case, concerning a body uncovered in a drain, and the suicide of Janie's teenage best friend 15 years previously.' Who is in the cast of Death Valley? The show features plenty of familiar faces and recognisable names beyond just Timothy Spall, of course. The BBC has confirmed the main and guest actors: Main cast Timothy Spall as John Chapel Gwyneth Keyworth as DS Janie Mallowan Steffan Rhodri as DCI Barry Clarke Alexandria Riley as Baxter Rithvik Andugula as DC Evan Chaudhry Guest actors Melanie Walters as Yvonne Patricia Hodge as Helena Remy Beasley as Rhiannon Mike Bubbins as Tony Sian Gibson as Wendy Amy Morgan as Sioned Steve Spiers as Lloyd Eryn Kelleher as Ava Nathan Foad as Owen Where do you know the cast of Death Valley? Like his character in the show, Timothy Spall is a national treasure and needs no introduction. However, just in case you may remember him from his award winning role as artist J.M.W Turner in the film Mr Turner - and he was also Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. Spall originally shot to fame as Barry Spencer Taylor in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. He was also part of the cast for The Sixth Commandment in 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The other lead actor in the show, Gwyneth Keyworth, may not have quite the same length of career as Timothy Spall but she has had some memorable roles. She played Clea in the fifth season of Game of Thrones, as well as appearing in shows like Defending the Guilty and Misfits. Gavin and Stacey fans will undoubtedly recognise Steffan Rhodri from his iconic turn as Dave Coaches in the legendary sitcom. He also appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1. Meanwhile, Alexandria Riley is best known for her role as DI Ella Richards in The Pembrokeshire Murders - for which she was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru award. She also had a role in season two of The End of the F***ing World and plays Camille Sims in the Apple TV show Silo - alongside Rebecca Ferguson. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
The Guardian
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: a powerful series marks 20 years since the 7/7 attacks
9pm, Sky Documentaries There are a few powerful new series marking 20 years since the biggest terror attack on UK soil – this one is a three-part documentary that attempts to dig deeper into the 'why?' As well as hearing devastating first-hand accounts from survivors and investigators, it opens by recalling the horrors of the day of the attack, alongside insight into how young men were being radicalised. Hollie Richardson 6.25pm, BBC One The final episode of the rebooted series centres on the lusotitan which, at 25 metres long, was one of the largest dinosaurs (and it's got the gangly neck to prove it). While not as impressive as it was in 1999, mixing CGI with real-life palaeontologists still leads to intriguing dino details. Hannah J Davies 7.15pm, BBC One 'I just wish they wouldn't call it the tea time slot,' 80-year-old Rod recently told the BBC. 'That sounds like pipe and slippers.' The crooner will try to prove them wrong as he takes to the Pyramid stage to deliver hits such as Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? and Maggie May. HR 8.45pm, BBC One DS Janie's mechanic is found murdered at a school reunion, in the series finale for the mismatched cop comedy-drama. Once again, Timothy Spall's retired actor uses Stanislavski methods to ferret out the truth, in a 'consultant' role. Or as he puts it, 'I'm very much here in a criminal psychologist capacity – don't mind me!' Ali Catterall 9pm, Channel 4 This two-parter follows DCI Katie Dounias's deeply unsettling investigation into the murder of a beloved 74-year-old woman. She uncovers disturbing details that shock even the experienced officers of Bedfordshire's Major Crime Unit. Ellen E Jones 10pm, Channel 4 It's the penultimate episode of Margaret Atwood's not-too-dystopian drama and, while this final season has been frustratingly dragged out, we're still on the edge of our seats. After Aunt Lydia let June go ahead with Mayday, night has fallen and the Handmaids have dispersed on the streets of Gilead armed with razors. HR Past Lives, 10pm, BBC Two With Celine Song's new film Materialists on the brink of release, now is the perfect time to revisit the film that put her on the map. Past Lives is an extraordinary piece of work about a woman forced to re-examine her entire sense of self when an old love reappears, long after she has moved on. It's a film that aches with longing. It's knotty with the mess of cultural identity. All three of its leads do tremendous, heartbreaking work, but Greta Lee deserved an Oscar for her outstanding central performance. That she didn't even receive a nomination is utterly baffling. Nevertheless, consider this an update to Brief Encounter, only with a less infuriatingly paternalistic ending. Stuart Heritage Motor racing: The Austrian Grand Prix, 1.55pm, Sky Sports F1 The 11th round of the season at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Women's International Football: England v Jamaica, 4.10pm, ITV1 England play their final match before Euro 2025 at Leicester.
Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Seven shows to watch after Death Valley
T he cosy, quirky crime drama Death Valley has been a new hit for the BBC in 2025, bringing in an overnight audience of 2.9 million for its opening episode in May and quickly growing a large and loyal fanbase. The murder mystery, written and created by Paul Doolan, is set and filmed in Wales, and achieved the largest audience for a BBC scripted comedy debut for more than five years. Starring Timothy Spall as a curmudgeonly retired actor who teams up with an eager young detective (Gwyneth Keyworth), the series follows the fortunes of the unlikely crimefighting pair as complex whodunnit capers unfold.
