News

Ruth Madoc, star of sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, has died, aged 79.

The news was confirmed by her agent days after the actor went to hospital for surgery following a fall earlier this week.

Phil Belfield, from talent agency Belfield & Ward Ltd, said: “It is with much sadness that we have to announce the death of our dear and much loved client Ruth Madoc.”

He hailed Madoc as “one of a kind and a unique talent loved by many”, and described her as a “real legend of the British entertainment scene”.

Madoc was best known for playing Gladys Pugh in the BBC comedy sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, for which she received a BAFTA TV award nomination for Best Light Entertainment Performance.

She appeared in the show, which was set in the fictional 50s-type holiday camp Maplins, from 1980 to 1988. More recently, she appeared in the Matt Lucas and David Walliams sitcom Little Britain, playing the mother...

HBO Max has put in development The Last Of The Mohicans, a series based on the historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, from Emmy winner Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective), Watchmen director Nicole Kassell, Nick Osborne (Remember Me) and Paramount Television, where Fukunaga is under an overall deal, Deadline has confirmed. The project had been in development at Paramount TV since last April. Anonymous Content and Fukunaga’s Parliament of Owls are producing. Kassell will direct.

Written by Fukunaga and Osborne and directed by Kassell, The Last of the Mohicans series will be a retelling of Cooper’s French and Indian War novel that re-centers the classic tale on the unlikely romance between Uncas, a young Mohican, and Cora, the mixed-race daughter of a British colonel.

The Last of the Mohicans has a long history of both TV and film adaptions. There have been nine film adaptations, beginning with a 1912 version starring James Cruze.

Andrew Blair Sep 5, 2019

Andrew attempts to put his finger on those moments that make the Doctor incontrovertibly the Doctor...

This article contains spoilers for Doctor Who, including books and audioplays. It originally ran on Den of Geek UK.

You know the description "Doctor-ish," pertaining to the title character in the long-running BBC TV series Doctor Who? It feels slightly nebulous, defined circularly by virtue of literally anything they do potentially matching this description. Yet, I bet we all carry a vague notion of it, a gut feeling that certain acts and ways are Doctor-ish.

Rather than try to define this then find examples to support the definition, I’m going to list examples of behavior from each incarnation that I regard as Doctor-ish then leave everyone to come up with their own conclusions/reiterate their existing opinions. And so…

The First Doctor - The Aztecs - “Yes, I made some cocoa and got engaged.

Alex Westthorp Jun 17, 2019

Not every Time Lord on Doctor Who is as benevolent as our beloved Doctor, and The Master/Missy is only the start.

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

Fifty years ago this Summer, the landmark Doctor Who story The War Games was transmitted on BBC One. Notable for being the last adventure to star Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, the serial also introduced us to the Doctor's alien race: The Time Lords. We learn the Doctor is a renegade, albeit a benign one. To celebrate this anniversary, Den Of Geek looks at some of the other renegade Time Lords the Doctor has encountered over the years.

The War Lord

Played by: Philip Madoc

Appearance: The War Games (1969)

The War Lord is a sinister-looking bespectacled man, seemingly in control of the various war zones.

read more: Doctor Who Season 12 to Feature Judoon

This role was Philip...

Exclusive: In their first collaboration, Maniac, The Alienist and True Detective’s Cary Joji Fukunaga has teamed with Watchmen director Nicole Kassell to bring The Last Of The Mohicans to the small screen. A TV series based on the historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper is in development at Paramount Television, where Fukunaga has been under an overall deal. Anonymous Content and Fukunaga’s Parliament of Owls are producing.

Written by Fukunaga and Nicholas Osborne and directed by Kassell, The Last of the Mohicans series will be a retelling of Cooper’s French and Indian War novel that re-centers the classic tale on the unlikely romance between Uncas, a young Mohican, and Cora, the mixed-race daughter of a British colonel.

“The clash of civilizations during the Seven Years War, which frames the story of Last of the Mohicans, has been a long-time passion of mine,” said Fukunaga. “It was a...

BBC

Doctor Who has a fine tradition of casting excellent guest stars right from the start. The black and white years were graced by high calibre thespians such as Julian Glover in The Crusade and well known actors such as Peter Butterworth as the Meddling Monk and Bernard Bresslaw as Varga the Ice Warrior. The colour years were also graced by some classy guest artists. Who could forget Philip Madoc’s Solon in The Brain of Morbius or Tony Bentley’s sublime Harrison Chase in The Seeds of Doom? Even when the show was regarded to be on its last legs, it could boast talent such as Ian Hogg, Honor Blackman, Pamela Salem and Sheila Hancock.

Since its revival, NuWho has managed to garner an even more impressive roster of talent. From Derek Jacobi’s one off Master, Hugh Bonneville’s pirate captain, Dougray Scott’s professor and Sarah Parish’s unforgettable Racnoss Queen,...

Digital Spy presents Doctor Who Week - seven days of special features celebrating the return of the world's favourite sci-fi series, and the arrival of a brand new Doctor on August 23.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Who."

Dr Who. Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 Ad (1966)

As far as odd surnames go, 'Who' has to be up there. But that's just one of many examples where the treatment of the subject matter differs between the two 1960s Doctor Who movie spinoffs and their original TV counterparts. Made to capitalise on the rampant 'Dalekmania' and starring Peter Cushing as the time traveller, a contemporary re-viewing provides a fascinating trip back to a comparatively innocent era where the draw of seeing "motorised dustbins" from Skaro in widescreen Technicolor was a big selling point.

William Hartnell's grouchy alien and his maladjusted granddaughter Susan from the BBC series have been replaced by...

Digital Spy presents Doctor Who Week - seven days of special features celebrating the return of the world's favourite sci-fi series, and the arrival of a brand new Doctor on August 23.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Who."

Dr Who. Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 Ad (1966)

As far as odd surnames go, 'Who' has to be up there. But that's just one of many examples where the treatment of the subject matter differs between the two 1960s Doctor Who movie spinoffs and their original TV counterparts. Made to capitalise on the rampant 'Dalekmania' and starring Peter Cushing as the time traveller, a contemporary re-viewing provides a fascinating trip back to a comparatively innocent era where the draw of seeing "motorised dustbins" from Skaro in widescreen Technicolor was a big selling point.

William Hartnell's grouchy alien and his maladjusted granddaughter Susan from the BBC series have been replaced by...

Top 10 Andrew Blair 13 Sep 2013 - 06:48

Andrew counts down Doctor Who's top 10 Dalek stories, from Invasion Earth to The Power of the Daleks...

A cosmos without the Daleks scarcely bears thinking about.

Without the mutated remnants of the seemingly indestructible planet Skaro, we don't know if Doctor Who would have survived. If Terry Nation had dreamt up the Voord to menace Barbara in the series fifth episode, Den of Geek may well be paying tribute to Doctor Who as an obscure cult concern, cherished by a few but forgotten by many. Instead, we do things like this.

This list is not limited to the television series, because Doctor Who isn't limited to the television series. And hey, why not use our Comments Section to add your own list or express disbelief that I've not included Evil of the Daleks in mine?

10. Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.

There's something eternally...

The Last of the Mohicans is to be adapted into a new television series.

Daniel Day-Lewis starred in an acclaimed 1992 film version of James Fenimore Cooper's novel, directed by Michael Mann.

Chris Crowe, who co-wrote the screenplay for the film - is now adapting Mohicans for cable network FX, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kerry McCluggage (Miami Vice) and Stephen Beck will also contribute to the script and take on producing roles alongside Crowe.

First published in 1826, The Last of the Mohicans has been adapted multiple times for film and for television, with the late Philip Madoc starring in a 1970s BBC TV adaptation.

Other drama projects currently in the works at FX include a small-screen version of the Coen Brothers movie Fargo and a Us remake of Sky1 series Mad Dogs.

> Daniel Day-Lewis: 'It's hard to imagine doing anything after Lincoln'

Watch Daniel Day-Lewis in the trailer...

Philip Madoc in A Mind to Kill. Acorn Media DVD

Kieran Kinsella

The late Philip Madoc was a fantastically talented actor who specialized in playing dark and brooding characters. A familiar face on British TV, Madoc appeared in everything from Doctor Who to Dad’s Army but he saved his best performances for the crime drama A Mind to Kill. Two versions of the series were made with one being in English and the other in Madoc’s native Welsh tongue.

Madoc’s character was Detective Chief Inspector Noel Bain – an old-school detective who unhappily faces up to the fact that the world is a darker and scarier place than it was when he first walked his beat. Much to his chagrin, his daughter Hannah, (Ffion Wilkins) eventually decides to follow in his footsteps and become a police officer. The duo have a difficult relationship away from the office and...

2012. It's as if you came and went in the blink of an eye. But very few years have been quite as quintessentially British as 2012 – it'll probably be mentioned in years to come in the same way that ageing, craggy-faced football pundits look back on 1966 with a tear in the eye and a sigh of nostalgia. Whether Mrs Maj pretended to look interested at the Take That man's aggregation of pop stars and comedians; whether countless medals were achieved at the Olympics; or whether the country had maybe one week of glorious sunshine, 2012 would probably boom “Britain. Britain. Britain.” Big Tom-style.

And one typically British aspect still made its presence felt this year. 2012 has been a bit of a mixed bag for Who aficionados – new episodes, new companions, but then goodbyes to past companions, both in the series and in the real world. Add in an ex Doctor attempting gangsta rapping...

Time's a healer, so they say. Well whoever “they” are, “they” must have got their facts wrong, since time is anything but a benign presence. Time brings two spectres of evil: Old age, with its saggy, wrinkly skin, creaking bones and chilblains. And of course, death. It's inevitable of course, but that still doesn't make a loss of life any easier for that person's friends and family.

Between them, Halliday, Chinnery and Madoc have graced many iconic TV programmes for the past 50 years, whether it's A For Andromeda, The Champions, The Avengers, The Goodies or Casualty. They were the sort of actors who turn up in these programmes and you'd go “Oh yeah, it's that guy again...” So of course, it's no real surprise that their CVs contained Doctor Who. I actually read an obituary for Madoc the other day which snootily said something along the lines of 'Madoc appeared...

Welsh actor Philip Madoc has died, aged 77.

The TV star passed away on Monday at a hospital in Hertfordshire, England after battling illness since January, according to his agent, Michael Hallet.

He tells the BBC, "He will be greatly missed by all."

Madoc was best known for his roles in British TV shows including Dad's Army, Dr Who, Porridge and detective series A Mind to Kill, while his film career included Operation Crossbow (1965), The Quiller Memorandum (1966) and Operation Daybreak (1975).

Actor Philip Madoc has died, aged 77. The Welsh star passed away on Monday morning in a Hertfordshire hospital following a short illness, his agent confirmed. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales on July 5, 1934, Madoc made his screen debut in the 1961 BBC Sunday-Night Play 'Cross of Iron'. His notable credits throughout the '60s and '70s included guest stints on The Avengers, Z-Cars and UFO. He further appeared in 1969 World War II serial Manhunt (1969), starred in a 1971 adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans and played the U Boat Captain in classic Dad's Army episode 'The Deadly Attachment'. (more)...

The Celebrity line-up has been announced for this month's Winter Memorabilia Show at the NEC, near Birmingham.

Movie stars, TV personalities and sporting legends will be meeting fans and giving autographs at the UK convention.

Game of Thrones actors Finn Jones, Roxanne McKee, James Cosmo (above), Miltos Yerolemou (below) and Spencer Wilding will be among those in attendance - and they're bringing the hit fantasy series' iconic Iron Throne along with them.

James Cosmo (Braveheart, Highlander) plays Jeor Mormont, the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and the estranged father of Ser Jorah, while Roxanne McKee (Hollyoaks) plays Doreah, a handmaid and companion of Daenerys Targaryen who schools the young princess in the art of love.

Attending Memorabilia on November 19 only, Finn Jones plays the handsome Ser Loras Tyrell, a champion jouster known as the Knight of Flowers.

Miltos Yerolemou plays Syrio Forel, former First Sword of the Sealord of Braavos,...

Must try harder. I’ve never liked that phrase. It’s a quasi-patronising way of saying that you’ve fallen from grace. School grades. Exams. Even the results of the World Cup 2010 - yeah, Capello, you and your team should have tried harder.

And then there’s poor Robert Holmes, and in particular, The Power Of Kroll, the Key To Time’s giant monster tale, in which the good Doctor gets caught in the crossfire between a group of gormless nutbars spray-painted green and a small choir of shouting angry men. Unfortunately, The Power Of Kroll has had something of a bad press. Well, not even interesting enough to be called bad - just lukewarm.

The root of all this is Robert Holmes’ track record, which in the 1970s, was as good as it gets. Talons Of Weng-Chiang. Deadly Assassin. Ribos Operation. Strikes don’t get much higher than that,...

DVD Playhouse September 2010

By

Allen Gardner

The Girl Who Played With Fire (Music Box Films) Follow up to the hit The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo finds Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) and Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) joining forces once again as Blomkvist is about to break a story on Sweden’s sex trade, which leads unexpectedly to a dark secret from Elizabeth’s past. Starts off well, then quickly nose-dives into sensationalism and downright silliness, with a pair of villains who are straight out of a Roger Moore-era James Bond film. A real letdown for those of us who felt Dragon Tattoo had finally breathed life into the cinema’s long-stagnant genre of the thriller. Bonuses: English language track; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.

The Killer Inside Me (IFC Films) Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Jim Thompson’s classic, and notorious, novel about the psychotic mind of a small town sheriff (Casey Affleck,...

This chilling and unforgettable post-apocalyptic 1970's series, Survivors, is based on a novel by Terry Nation (who also wrote for Doctor Who).

In the TV show, a deadly virus has destroyed most of the world's population. A small and random selection of survivors are the "lucky ones" who must confront a new world filled with danger. They join together and utilize their talents, learn new skills and begin the process of rebuilding civilization. The survivors lack power, water, and food supplies. They confront ghost cities, empty fields, and the most frightening question of all -- can they all be trusted?

Main actors in the Survivors TV show are Ian McCullock, Lucy Fleming, Carolyn Seymour, Denis Lill, Joh Abineri, Celia Gregory, Lorna Lewis, Stephen Dudley and Tanya Ronder. Notable guest stars include Patrick Troughton, Peter Jeffrey, Brian Blessed, George Baker, Philip Madoc Bryan Pringle Ian...

DVD Playhouse—January 2010

By

Allen Gardner

The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment) Absorbing character study follows the leader (Jeremy Renner) of a bomb squad unit in Iraq and his growing addiction to the adrenaline-fueled life and death edge that he and his men must walk on a daily basis. Director Kathryn Bigelow, an unheralded great filmmaker for nearly two decades, has finally hit paydirt with this gut-wrenching examination of war as drug, as opposed to hell. That said, The Hurt Locker is 2/3 of a great movie that takes a wild left turn in a subplot involving Renner’s character and that of a local boy to whom he takes a shine, and never quite recovers its momentum. In spite of that hiccup, it remains one of the best films of 2009 and, thus far, the finest cinematic exploration of America’s war in the Middle East. Also available on Blu-ray disc, in...

Saturday 19th to Sunday 20th September saw the Regenerations event held in Swansea - a huge beast of a Doctor Who convention with a myriad of guests including ex-Doctors, companions and crew, not to mention those involved with various spin-off media such as some of the chaps from Big Finish, Over 200 people turned up to meet Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred (Ace), Philip Madoc (several roles in particular The Brain of Morbius' Mehendri Solon) and in a very rare appearance, the...