Monsal Dale Survivors filming locations back on TV screens

Tony Robinson’s Channel 4 show Walking Through History is the latest documentary series to revisit the Monsal Dale filming locations used in the classic third series Survivors episode Mad Dog.

New episode ‘King John’s Ruin: Peak District‘ sees Robinson visiting Monsal Dale to discuss the king’s troubled reign with historian Lauren Johnson. The episode includes impressive aerial views of the viaduct and valley.

Monsal Dale also featured in recent installments of BBC Four’s Tales from the National Parks and BBC Two’s Ian Hislop’s Olden Days.

All of these appearances are illustrated on the news pages of the Survivors Mad Dog site.

Monsal Dale - as seen in Walking Through History

Big Finish third series of Survivors audios now available for pre-order

The third series of Big Finish Survivors audio adventures can now be pre-ordered from the Big Finish site. Scheduled for release in November 2015, series three will be available in both CD and digital download formats.

The second series of Survivors adventures will be released five months earlier, in June 2015. Series two is still available for pre-order in both formats; as is the audiobook of the 1976 Survivors novel, voiced by Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant) and scheduled for release next month (December 2014).

Still available for purchase is the critically acclaimed first series of Survivors audio adventures (released in June of this year).

Survivors - audio book of Terry Nation's novel

Big Finish podcast includes Survivors audiobook trailer… and musical musings

The November #04 Big Finish podcast includes the (previously promised but previously omitted) trailer for the forthcoming audiobook of the Survivors novel (voiced by Carolyn Seymour [Abby Grant], and due for release in just a few weeks).

“It is brilliant,” declares host Nick Briggs. “And read brilliantly by Carolyn Seymour.”



 

The podcast team briefly discuss (without, it should be stressed, a hint of seriousness) the idea of a musical version of Survivors! “We’re all dying of a horrible disease!”, sings Nick Briggs. “That’s the beginning, when everyone else dies,” he explains. This opener could be followed by the more inspiring survivors’ song “We’re alive! We’re alive!”. Amidst much laughter, the team conclude that the answer to this suggestion “is probably ‘no'”…

Survivors - Terry Nation - Big Finish - audiobook
Survivors – Terry Nation – Big Finish – audiobook

Big Finish talk Survivors at the London Film and Comic Con

Members of the Big Finish production team discussed the reception of the first series of Survivors audio dramas at the recent London Film and Comic Con.

Producer David Richardson reveals: “Survivors has been selling very well […] it’s had really great reviews; people have really started buying into it and it’s been a great success for us.”

Script editor Matt Fitton adds: “People are picking it up without having seen the TV series, and also fans of the TV series are picking it up and saying that it really is in keeping with it; that it’s part of that world. So it works both ways… Quite a few have come in, listened to it, and then gone and bought the DVDs of the 1975 series.”

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Denis Lill helps centre for adults with learning difficulties celebrate anniversary

The Western Gazette – Sherborne (8 November) reports on a recent visit by Survivors star Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan) to a local centre for adults with learning difficulties celebrating its fourth birthday.

Only Fools and Horses star visits Sherborne

ACTOR Denis Lill best known for his role in Only Fools and Horses recently visited Sherborne.

Mr Lill starred in the classic British sitcom as Rodney Trotter’s father-in-law. He was in the town to help The Green Shed celebrate its fourth birthday.

The Green Shed, based in Castle Gardens, provides work for adults with learning difficulties. They are employed to produce kindling, plant troughs and other items using recycled materials.

Mr Lill spent the morning regaling people with anecdotes from his six decade film and television career.

Coordinator of the Green Shed, Barry Watts, said: “We were delighted to have Denis along to celebrate our anniversary with us and we are very grateful to him for spending time talking to our service users.

Denis Lill visits Sherborne - Western Gazette (Sherborne)
“A lot of laughs were had and it was fascinating to hear his anecdotes about filming Only Fools and Horses, The Royal and the 1975 television series Survivors.

The Green Shed was opened in October 2010 after the Whitehouse Resource Centre in Sherborne closed. It is operated by Dorset County Council and was part-funded by Chalk and Cheese.

Western Gazette Sherborne. “Only Fools and Horses star visits Sherborne”, Western Gazette Sherborne, 8 November 2014. http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/Fools-Horses-star-visits-Sherborne/story-24440634-detail/story.html

The Day of the Triffids – 1981 BBC series repeat on BBC Four

The very wonderful 1981 BBC screen adaptation of the John Wyndham classic The Day of the Triffids is enjoying a repeat broadcast on BBC Four in November and December, as part of the BBC’s Science Fiction Season. The first two episodes of this six part series were shown on BBC Four at 20:00 and 20:30 this evening (23 November), with episodes three and four to follow at the same time next Sunday, and the two concluding episodes wrapping the story up the following week. All of the episodes will be available (after transmission) through the BBC iPlayer until 23 December 2014.

The Day of the Triffids - BBC series - 1981

The Day of the Triffids - BBC series - 1981
The Day of the Triffids – BBC series – 1981

Big Finish Survivors series two front cover revealed

Big Finish have today published a sneak-preview of the front cover of the second series of new Survivors audio adventures, scheduled for release in June 2015.

The cover features returning characters Jackie Burchall (played by Louise Jameson) and Daniel Connor (played by John Banks), alongside two new characters Ridley (Bernard Holley) and Molly (Fiona Sheehan), in a striking dark woodland setting. The design is the work of Big Finish regular Tom Webster.

Series two is available for pre-order (in CD and digital download formats) from the Big Finish site.

Big Finish - Survivors series two - front cover
Big Finish – Survivors series two – front cover

Ian McCulloch joins Big Finish at Dimensions 2014

Ian McCulloch - Big Finish - Dimensions - 2014
Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) appears fleetingly in the Big Finish video trailer of the company’s appearance at the Dimensions 2014 convention. More Big Finish content from the event will be added to the Big Finish YouTube channel soon.