Latest news with #WeekendEscapes
The Courier
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Behind the scenes as Robson Green and Carol Smillie trial ancient paddle boats on Loch Earn for BBC series
Actor Robson Green and presenter Carol Smillie trialled ancient paddle boards on Loch Earn in Perthshire for Robson Green's Weekend Escapes. Piotr Gudan, who runs Blairgowrie-based Outdoor Explore, introduced the pair to coracles for the third season of the BBC Two show. The unusual round-shaped boats were historically used for fishing and ferrying people and goods in Speyside. Robson Green's Weekend Escapes sees the English actor, 60, 'find wellbeing and adventure in wonderful places' with 'famous friends'. Previous episodes have seen Robson take on an assault course in North Yorkshire with Olympic champion boxer Nicola Adams, explore the Lake District with TV presenter Helen Skelton and go kayaking with former Strictly Come Dancing star Janette Manrara. Last month, Green was joined by presenter and Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers at Perth restaurant Brown & Blacks. The Soldier Soldier actor also visited Broughty Ferry for the show alongside Dundee-based Gladiators star Sheli McCoy. Piotr said he was approached by the production company looking for something 'rare and exciting' to do in rural Perthshire. He told The Courier: 'My favourite part was being able to take two lovely people out on the water, in crafts they would normally not come across. 'Passing on my love of the great outdoors, Scottish heritage, and the Perthshire countryside. 'He (Robson Green) is such a lovely person. 'It was a very relaxed atmosphere created by the whole amazing crew. 'It was fantastic to hear that Robson was already quite well familiar with Perthshire from his previous projects and visits. 'This place is amazing.' The TV stars explored Loch Earn and St Fillans with Piotr, who says he hopes to have passed on some of his knowledge of the area and ancient coracles. The boats he uses are built in Perthshire using willow framework in a round or pear shape. He said: 'Heritage crafts have always been something I have had a passion for. 'My storage is packed with some amazing gems. 'Coracles, however, have taken a special place amongst all those. 'I am sure the first one I sat on brought a huge smile to my face, testing my balancing and canoe paddling techniques. 'Now, introducing these crafts to many more folk over the years, I am pretty sure the coracles brought smiles to all faces of those who tried them.' Piotr added: 'Over the years, Outdoor Explore has had the pleasure of working with various production companies, for daytime TV shows, regional and national promotional filming and documentaries. 'All were always focused on the amazing countryside of Perthshire, Tayside and the east of Scotland. 'It's a privilege to become an ambassador for this lovely part of the world, which we help to look after and inspire others to explore with us.' The Courier has rounded up TV shows recently shot in Tayside, Fife and Stirling set to be broadcast in the near future.
The Courier
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Actor Robson Green films TV show in 'beautiful' Broughty Ferry with Gladiators star Sheli McCoy
Actor Robson Green has visited Broughty Ferry to film a new TV show with Gladiators star Sheli McCoy. The Soldier Soldier star went paddleboarding on the River Tay on Tuesday during filming for an episode of BBC Two series Robson Green's Weekend Escapes. The show, which sees Green travel across the country meeting famous faces along the way, is currently in its third season. The actor told The Courier that the episode will centre around activities 'that are good for your mental wellbeing', as recommended by Dundee-based gym owner McCoy. He said: 'We're here today filming BBC's Weekend Escapes, and we're taking roads less travelled to find hidden gems around the British countryside alongside a familiar, famous face. 'Today we were with Sheli McCoy. 'We go to places and see people who do activities that are good for your mental wellbeing. 'We met Lucy, who does paddle boarding around here on this beautiful and somewhat sunny day. 'There was, what you call up here, a haar, but it was joyous.' Green says he previously spent time in the area doing theatre productions in Kirkcaldy and has enjoyed fishing in Perthshire. However, he is less familiar with Dundee and Broughty Ferry. He added: 'The beauty about this area is you can come out of the city and in five minutes you're in the most idyllic countryside. 'This is an area I don't know that well and it is the guest (Sheli) who takes you to their favourite spots. 'When you're doing it with one of the Gladiators, you know it's going to be a bit of a workout. 'It was beautiful. I did fall in, but that's just me getting older. 'Sheli had her dog Alpha on the boards. 'It's always good to go out on the boards, especially on a day like this – it was great.' An exact date for the episode release has not been announced, but it is understood that it may not be on TV screens until early 2026. Green has most recently starred in Channel 5's new thriller The Game alongside Jason Watkins. He has also presented several series of the TV show Extreme Fishing, where he travels around the world in search of the best fishing locations. It comes after TV crews began filming for a new gameshow on a St Andrews beach this week. The Courier has also taken a look at five films shot in Tayside, Fife and Stirling that are set to be released.
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Robson Green: ‘Four hours' sleep is enough for me'
How do famous names spend their precious downtime? In our weekly My Saturday column, celebrities reveal their weekend virtues and vices. This week: Robson Green 4.30am I think: Thank God, I'm alive. Friends my age are dropping like flies. I'm surrounded by birdsong in Northumberland and that really cheers me up. The first words I utter are: Are you awake?, which wakes up my partner Zoila. I have a cold shower, which I've been doing for 25 years. (I have a warm one later.) You get a wonderful sensation of blood flow through your body. I moisturise with L'Oréal Power Age. If my skin feels great, I feel healthy. I don't drink or smoke any more. I have two flat whites with extra shots and turn on Sky News. 5.30am Breakfast is berries with plain yogurt and a boiled egg. Once it's light, I go out and survey the garden for half an hour. I've had 15,000 daffodils this year. 7am I love my job so I go to my office, or The Shrine as I call it because it's full of pictures of my work. I always make plans of what the aim is in each job. I'm writing a script for a BBC factual project at the moment, where I'll be going round the world. I enjoy the energy changes between performing in drama, such as Grantchester [available on ITVX], and factual entertainment like Weekend Escapes [available on BBC iPlayer]. 11am I take Mum out two or three times a week. She is 88 and suffers from dementia. We drive around and play music from the years she can remember; she loves Engelbert Humperdinck. We go to Whitley Bay and reminisce about where she met my father. There's a wonderful ice-cream shop in Blyth, Ciccarelli's, where Mum has cherry flavour and I have rum and raisin. 1.30pm A favourite haunt is The View on Tynemouth Sands because it looks over the ocean. I have seafood linguine or grilled fish. All the ingredients are locally sourced. If I'm on my own, I chat to people I know or read. 3pm I go fishing in the Tyne, either outside my house or at Dilston or Devil's Water. I often go alone but Zoila sometimes comes, or my son Taylor [from Green's second marriage], who works in film production. Fishing has been my road to Damascus. It gives me a sense of belonging and calm. For casting practise, I target salmon, but it's illegal to keep them. Otherwise, I catch sea trout, chubb or, if I'm lucky, pike. Some days I meet my brother and Uncle Matheson and we go sea fishing for cod, ling and haddock with guys who run a fishing boat out of North Shields. I once saw a super-pod of dolphins, which was spectacular. Off Newcastle – that's nuts! 6pm I love cooking. I especially like making salt-and-pepper prawns, a Rick Stein recipe that has tons of crushed garlic. If I've caught a sea trout, I barbecue it with a tiny bit of lemon juice, with new potatoes, carrots or broccoli that I grow myself. I like the latest kitchen gadgets and was fortunate to be given a selection of high-class pans by the chef Chris Baber. 8pm I walk along the river for two to six miles. If there's a Premier League football match to catch up on, I watch that. I'm a mad Newcastle United fan. Or I watch a box set. I've just finished Shogun and I'm really into [South Korean] K-dramas. If it's still light, I sit on the balcony, watch kingfishers and otters on the river and the sunset over the Cheviot Hills. 12am My guilty pleasure is eating gruyère cheese in bed while watching Family Guy or reading. My current book is Fatherland by Robert Harris. Four hours' sleep is usually enough for me. I get good-quality sleep where I live – in the middle of nowhere.
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Pretty UK seaside village frozen in time where tourists keep visiting
This Northumberland village transports travellers to different era, home to a historic smokehouse with world-class kippers and the remains of an imposing cliff-top fortress There is one part of the UK's marvellous coastline that is perfect for anyone looking to unplug. While mobile phone service is improving, it's still a bit hit or miss in some of Britain's most rural spots - but that only adds to the timeless feel and charm of this Northumberland destination. The village of Craster is less than an hour's drive from Newcastle and just a few miles from Alnwick. According to ChronicleLive, those that stumble upon this petite fishing village are able to enjoy stunning greenery and incredible seafood. Craster's fishing heritage plays a significant role in every facet of local life and, for tourists, the most well-known aspect of this hidden gem is its 'best in the world' fish. That famous fish is the humble kipper. L Robson & Sons is the home of Craster's world-famous kippers - smoked herrings typically eaten for breakfast or brunch. Established in 1856, this family business has exported its wares over the world, and rumour has it that these kippers are particularly popular with the British Royal Family. L Robson & Sons have been curing herring in its original smokehouses for 170 years and according to travellers on TripAdvisor, they have perfected their craft. One reviewer writes that the kippers in Craster offer "a real taste of Northumberland to take home with you". For its exceptional product, the smokehouse has earned a listed status from English Heritage and, as the company itself says, it has seen its reputation enhanced "by its endorsement on numerous television programmes and the approval of many of the county's top chefs." One of the reasons that smokeries have such a storied history in the village is because, centuries ago, herring was plentiful and very easy to catch in the area. Thus, it became a staple part of the local diet along the length of the coast. Today, the Craster business produces a million kippers a year. But kippers are not the only thing that has put Craster on travellers' radars. The village has been featured on television in a variety of ways, most recently on World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys. The show highlighted the village during a scenic train trip from York to Edinburgh, saying that here, "time seems to have stood still and ancient traditions continue.' The village's distinctly timeless look and feel has made it a beloved scouting location over the years. Craster has a whole host of credits to its name including Vera; Alibi's The Red King; Villages by the Sea and Robson Green's Weekend Escapes. But those who journey to see the village in-person will be rewarded with an immersive historical experience. The best place to bask in the area's rich history is at the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. While only a portion of the castle stands today, it marks the spot where a grand fortress once stood. Visitors will be able to see the remains of the huge gatehouse and the Egyncleugh Tower, which overlooks Queen Margaret's Cove. The process of building the castle began in 1313 and historians have concluded that its incredible grandeur was due to the Earl Thomas of Lancaster's desire to assert authority over King Edward II. If castles are of strong interest, you can also take the 30-minute drive from Craster to Bamburgh castle. Or if you enjoyed the lovely cliff-top walk up to Dunstanburgh Castle and want to see more of the area's natural beauty, you can head to the Arnold Memorial Nature Reserve. This reserve, owned by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, is a must-visit spot for avid birdwatchers. There is a reason this stretch of coast is a source of inspiration for artists and nature-lovers alike. While the cell service has improved over time, the ruins of an ancient castle, the rolling hills and the charcoal scent from the smokehouse will transport you to a different time.
