Latest news with #ColdFeet
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘I'd rather you became a prostitute': The startling life advice from Fay Ripley's father
You might not recall the names of the characters played by Hermione Norris and Fay Ripley in Cold Feet, but you'll remember them as The Posh One and The Northern One. The twist in DNA Journey (ITV1) is that this gets turned on its head. It is Norris who discovers that she hails from humble County Durham mining stock, and Ripley whose background is London and well-to-do. Norris describes Ripley as 'much posher than me in real life'. Of course, every real northerner could have told you that Ripley's Cold Feet accent was made up and sounded like someone chewing a dry stone wall – she's actually a southerner – but still. The fun of DNA Journey is in the revelations and the way they are delivered. It's a jollier version of Who Do You Think You Are? with fewer tears, miserable tales of penury or hand-wringing over Empire, but with an equally impressive research team. It helps when the subjects get on like a house on fire and that seems to be the case with these two, who have known each other for more than 25 years. Ripley is very droll. Both approached the programme with some trepidation. 'There's that man, isn't there, that arrives on this programme. The Grim Reaper. He finds criminals and things. So if I see him we know we're in trouble,' says Norris, shortly before that man – his name is Paul – pops up to explain that Norris's great-great-grandmother worked in Soho in the 1870s. 'There were two main occupations that a young woman on her own could have in Soho. One was a seamstress, the other was a prostitute,' Paul explains cheerily, because cheeriness is the show's default setting. Being ITV1, there are commercial breaks, which allow the producers to throw in cliffhangers such as these. To her great relief, Norris heard that her ancestor was a dressmaker who eventually made it to the more salubrious environs of Regent's Park. Prostitution came into the conversation elsewhere: Ripley confided that, when she told her father she wanted to be an actress, he replied: 'I'd rather you be a prostitute, the going rate's better.' Ripley's history was a series of success stories. Her forebears, the Hardys, ran a company producing playing cards for customers including George IV. Her great-great-great-grandfather founded Deacon's Music Hall in London in the mid-19th century and later ran Sadler's Wells, which delighted Ripley because she had known nothing about her family's links to the performing arts. There was also a West End performer in her more recent history. Things were less triumphant for Norris, but even the revelation that another relative killed his best friend by accident didn't remain a sob story, ending with him providing for the widow and devoting himself to good works. The programme ended on a happy note, and I think I prefer it to Who Do You Think You Are?
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fay Ripley confesses a Traitors star played a huge part in her marriage
Cold Feet star Fay Ripley shared how she met her husband. Fay Ripley has revealed that she has The Traitors US host Alan Cumming to thank for her marriage. The 59-year-old Stretford Wives star opened up on The One Show this evening (June 12) about her journey on ITV's DNA Journey, but it was her personal anecdote about Alan that stole the show. Fay shared a charming tale of how Alan "gave" her a husband after a segment featuring the stage icon discussing his new children's musical. Host Alex Jones noted that Alan played "a key part" in Fay's life, prompting her to recount: "Alan gave me a husband!" Fay elaborated on her story, saying: "I was staying with Alan in his flat in New York because I couldn't afford to stay anywhere. "He was like, 'You can come stay with me,' we were old friends," reports Wales Online. She added with gratitude: "He introduced me to a friend of his and I married that friend, so thank you Alan!" The Cold Feet actress tied the knot with Australian actor Daniel Lapaine in October 2001 in a picturesque Tuscan ceremony. The couple have two children, Parker born in 2002, and Sonny born in 2006. Reflecting on her marriage in a 2010 interview with The Mirror, nearly a decade after they wed, Fay expressed: ""I still look at him and think, 'how lucky am I?'" She then quipped: "Not all the time, especially when he's standing in front of me in his thread-bare pyjamas. " Sharing the key to her successful relationship, she disclosed they have "no real secret," other than: "Apart from making sure that we're never apart for too long. I remember a friend of mine saying, 'three weeks is the cut-off point - up until then you still need each other'. "But once three weeks have passed, you get used to being on your own and can manage without the other person - then it gets dangerous. "So if we're ever apart for two weeks six days, I make sure we're together again by the time the clock strikes midnight!" The One Show airs weekdays from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: Who has the poshest ancestors? Cold Feet stars Fay Ripley and Hermione Norris find out
9pm, ITV1 It's a nostalgia-fest for Cold Feet fans, as Fay Ripley and Hermione Norris are the lively pair tracing their genealogy for this fascinating series. While Norris was one half of the hit 00s show's posh couple on screen, in reality it's Ripley who has the more high-class background, with her journey starting at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Norris, on the other hand, begins hers in the Butchers Arms in Durham, where a relative who was a miner died in shocking circumstances. Hollie Richardson 9pm, BBC One Expect more affecting and life-affirming emergencies in the latest instalment of the acclaimed documentary series. Despite a severe and possibly dangerous headache, Ronald is enviably sharp at 93, while Rebecca suffers an agonising injury on the London underground during a day trip. Hannah J Davies 9pm, BBC Two The constant background gasping, tutting and gossiping of Versailles that keeps this drama alive moves to the court this week, as Cardinal Rohan's trial begins. The queen secretly watches as the cardinal makes shocking claims about her. Will Marie try to take matters into her own hands? HR 9pm, Channel 5 It was London's first luxury hotel when it was built 136 years ago – and it changed the hospitality industry. This documentary tells the story of the Savoy, from the theatre impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte's controversial plans for it to the many famous faces it has hosted. HR 9pm, Sky Max Usually, Charlie Cale's race from her past keeps her on the side of the angels. But not this week. In an episode guest-starring Melanie Lynskey and John Cho, Charlie meets a group of con artists and becomes implicated in a job gone wrong. It's still big‑hearted fun, but Poker Face has an edge, too. Phil Harrison 10.05pm, Channel 4 The five comedians battle on in their quest to win a bust of Greg Davies. While Fatiha El-Ghorri reveals her seductive scent, Stevie Martin auditions for Downton Abbey, Rosie Ramsey displays her trotting skills, Jason Mantzoukas attempts to reel in a fisher and Mathew Baynton generally sacrifices what remains of his dignity. Meanwhile, Little Alex Horne's shoes meet a dairy-based demise. Ali Catterall
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
TV teen who needed French polisher in Yellow Pages ad unrecognisable 34 years on
One of the best-remembered ads for the Yellow Pages phone directory featured a floppy-haired teenager waking up to the aftermath of party he'd thrown while his parents were away Before the rise of the internet, we had the Yellow Pages, a comprehensive directory of local businesses – from advice centres to zoos – all vying for your custom, packaged in a hefty, distinctively coloured phone book. In the 1990s, the Reading-based company became famous for its unforgettable TV adverts, each new release bringing a buzz of anticipation akin to the unveiling of a new John Lewis Christmas advert today. These TV commercials even turned their stars into temporary celebrities, long before the era of reality TV, and gave birth to several catchphrases. Anyone around at the time will easily remember the Yellow Pages ad featuring elderly man searching for a book titled Fly Fishing by J R Hartley, with the surprising twist that it was Mr Hartley himself seeking his old publication. There was also the cheeky young lad standing on a stack of Yellow Pages to sneak a kiss under the Christmas mistletoe. And in 2003, Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt was enlisted to rejuvenate the brand, with the actor channelling his character Adam's hapless persona from the show, using the Yellow Pages to navigate tricky situations. But one of the most memorable adverts, first aired in 1991, featured a shaggy-haired teenager waking up on his living room floor after hosting a house party while his parents were away. Venturing into a bedroom, he stumbles upon a stranger on the bed, exclaiming: "Wake up! My parents fly back today," as a small group hastily tidies up the house. Then after his abject horror at noticing a scratch on a wooden table, he turns to the reliable Yellow Pages to find a solution. "Hello, French polishers?" he enquires over the phone, adding: "It's just possible you could save my life." The scratch is skilfully polished away in the nick of time and everything seems fine, until the final moment when the unfortunate lad realises that someone has doodled a beard and glasses onto a woman on one of the family's treasured paintings. The teenager in the advert was portrayed by Nottingham actor Simon Schatzberger, who later played Adrian Mole in a stage production in London's West End, and has since appeared as a Woody Allen-esque character in a stand-up comedy show. Now aged 57, he's also had a stint as David Klarfeld on the BBC soap Doctors and made appearances in EastEnders as a Rabbi, both in December 2018 and again in January 2019. His other television roles include Band Of Brothers, Daniel Deronda and Father Brown. In 2019, Yellow Pages announced it would cease printing its iconic directories, after more than half a century. The final editions of the once-indispensable guide were delivered in Brighton, the city where the directory's original copies were distributed. It boasted 104 editions, each customised to specific areas of the UK, with nearly 23 million copies circulated each year. And in 2023, a perfume was launched that even smelled like Yellow Pages, proving the brand lives on... sort of.
ITV News
03-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
James Nesbitt 'disappointed' at closure of 'iconic' Coleraine theatre where career began
Hollywood actor and Coleraine native James Nesbitt says he is 'disappointed' over a decision by Ulster University to close the Riverside Theatre. Nesbitt, who honed his craft at the venue and was Chancellor of the university for 10 years also expressed his sadness at the long term reduction in arts investment across the North West. Ulster University says the cost of running the theatre does not align with their academic goals and available funding stating the building would require significant capital investment to remain in use, with refurbishment works estimated to cost nearly £750,000, in addition to annual running costs of almost £500,000. The Riverside Theatre at Ulster University's Coleraine campus has been at the heart of performing arts in the town since it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II almost 50 years ago. Its stage has been graced by the likes of Liam Neeson and of course James Nesbitt. After hitting the stage in Coleraine, he went on to superstardom with hits including ITV's Cold Feet and the Hobbit movies. In January 2025, the university announced that it was looking into how the theatre was funded. In March it proposed Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council consider a lease agreement for the venue with a meeting expected to take place in June. However on 29 May the university announced the closure in August. Mr Nesbitt expressed his sadness at the closure: 'It's so disappointing that the university of which I was Chancellor for 10 years finds itself in the position that it feels it necessary to close this iconic arts venue which was the launch pad of my career. "However, I'm also disappointed in the long- term reduction in investment in the arts by the arts council, the NI Executive and the local authority in performing arts in the North West. "I think the agencies involved need to get together to invest in the future of the arts in this community. It will be sorely missed.' Mr Nesbitt is not the only one disappointed by the news of the theatres imminent closure. A protest outside Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council offices in Coleraine is planned while a petition to save the venue has got more than 3,500 signatures. In a statement Ulster University added: "We remain focused on the university's core purpose: to deliver high-quality teaching and impactful research across our multiple campuses; and in the face of unprecedented financial challenges, with the funding model in Northern Ireland acknowledged as unsustainable, it is more important than ever that we focus our resources on core academic activities. "Having supported and delivered this civic asset for 50 years, the building itself has now come to the end of its life and requires significant capital investment to remain in use. "This is estimated at £745,000 in the immediate term alone and is in addition to the annual running costs of £495,000. "While we appreciate that this news will come as a disappointment to many, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the artists, audiences, staff, and supporters who have made the Riverside Theatre such a special place for so many years." Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
