filming

WARNING: Contains spoilers about the Handcuffed final.

The sheer number of people who pulled out proves just how hard Channel 4’s Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing was: challenging 18 Brits to remain handcuffed to a total stranger. And not just any total stranger – one a team of producers have judged will create the most explosive TV possible.

Tonight, viewers saw Staffordshire porn star Rob, 32, and West Sussex homemaker Charlie, 44, make it all the way to the end, winning the show and a suitcase bulging with £100,000. Now, after the pre-recorded series, they explain whether they stayed in touch and just what they plan to do with the winnings.

The reality is quite sweet – with the pair very much in each other’s lives. Speaking about the moment they were uncuffed, Rob said: “It felt great! I just wanted to shout “FREEDOM” at the top of my lungs. It was a nice moment, but also a little sad moment knowing that my partner has now got to go.”

Charlie added: “It was a huge relief. We actually had to wait quite a long time! It wasn’t like we were instantly un-handcuffed. It was a crazy experience but a huge relief. It took a while to get used to doing things on my own, but that’s maybe because I was very overtired.”

But fans of the couple will be pleased to hear that they have stayed in touch in a major way. Charlie explained: “I’ve learned so much from Rob. He’s such a gentle giant and a kind person. It’s lovely now that we don’t have to keep our friendship secret.

“We can meet up and we’ve been texting a lot. He’s been chatting to my husband Simon! I’ve been chatting to his mum! He and his family are coming over to our house this Friday night to celebrate. I learned so much from walking beside him.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience. Rob was really keen that I didn’t put everyone else’s needs first and I’ve tried to implement that since. We talked about a lot of things! Rob is a very deep person and he’s a very good listener.”

Rob said: “One of the first things I’m going to do is a huge Costco run of food and drink and go out with Tilly to feed the homeless. I was very inspired watching what she did on the programme – I’d like to do a few acts of kindness. I’m also going travelling round South East Asia and investing in a new business. And then I’ll put the rest in savings for a rainy day.”

He added: “I learned a lot. I learned that money doesn’t always buy happiness. It’s important to spend a lot of time with your friends and family, and that I was putting work before everything. I was working too hard and not having an equal balance. And Charlie taught me how to make sourdough!”

Speaking about what they learnt about themselves during the programme, Rob said: “I learned that I need to take a little bit of a step back and prioritise different things in my life. And I want to get a bit more into baking and cooking.”

Charlie said: “That I can slow down, and be a bit more patient. And that I can take some time to rest and recharge, so then I can be my best for myself and others.”

Tonight viewers saw host Jonathan Ross taking the final pairings to Loch Lomond in Scotland to take part in a Mr & Mrs quiz to see who knew each other best. The final three – Charlie and Rob, Tilly and Anthony and Morag and Angie – all then competed in a handcuffed race from Scotland, to Wales and on to London.

Viewers saw Charlie and Rob scramble onto a bus where Jonathan was waiting with the key to unlock them – and a case full of the cash.

Episodes 3 and 4 of Ellis season 2 take DCI Ellis and DS Harper to the the fictional village of Elmsly – but where did filming take place in real life?

Channel 5‘s hugely popular detective drama Ellis returned for season 2 earlier this month.

The new series, like the first season, follows Sharon D Clarke in her role as DCI Ellis and Andrew Gower’s DS Harper as they continue to crack cases across the north of England.

Season two returned on Tuesday, March 10, with episodes one and two and saw the team head to the fictional and tiny village of Ashenham, where the body of respected local businessman, Peter Barron, was discovered.

Episodes three and four will air on Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18, and will take the team to the fictional village of Elmsly after university student Abi Marshall is found crushed beneath fallen scaffolding at Quinn Artisan Stone – a construction firm and the area’s economic powerhouse.

Both the stone works and Elmsly feature in the episodes extensively, so many might be wondering where the scenes were actually shot. As fans of Ellis will know, while the drama is set in the north of England, it’s actually filmed in Northern Ireland.

Teasing the beautiful scenes yet to come, Sharon D Clarke, who plays DCI Ellis, said: “We have more great locations coming up. That’s the beautiful thing about the show: it’s location-based, so you’re not in the same police station every week with the same colleagues. You get out and about and you see different people, and such beautiful, lovely creative talent have joined the Ellis family this year.”

The village of Elmsly was actually shot across two villages, Downpatrick and Drumaness.

Said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick, Channel 5 shot its police station scenes and the Quinn family home in Downpatrick, thanks to the village’s stunning Georgian brick buildings.

Meanwhile, Drumaness, which is a historical mill village, is where the broadcaster filmed Abi Marshall’s house and her memorial.

The stone works that feature in the penultimate episode, fictionally known as Quinn Heritage Stone, were filmed at a family run building supplies company on the outskirts of Belfast.

Speaking about filming in Northern Ireland, Andrew said: “It’s special. The landscape is amazing. It gives you everything you need. You’ve got the hills, the beaches, the industry, so it’s an amazing experience. I had never filmed in Northern Ireland or even been here before series one so it was a great experience for me to get to know not only the amazing infrastructure that they have for filming, but also to get to know Belfast and the beautiful landscapes of Northern Ireland.”

He added: “We’ve got a lot to be proud of when it comes to our scenery, and Northern Ireland really offers that. It gives each episode a real backdrop and palette to play with.”

Ellis S2 continuies Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 at 9pm on 5.

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A presenter and explorer had to move fast to avoid a potentially dangerous animal encounter

Steve Backshall had a “dangerously close encounter” as he filmed a series about hippos.

The naturalist and explorer got up close to the animals while making Hippo Watch with Steve Backshall, which can be viewed on Channel 5. But a clip shared on Instagram showed some of the hippos getting a bit too interested in the camera crew as they shot scenes in South Africa, with Steve exclaiming: “They’re coming our way!”

The clip, captioned “Dangerously close encounter with hippos”, showed Steve and his crew in the water, filming a group of hippos nearby.

“Even on waters where hippos are familiar with boats and people, beware of hippos who break away from their group,” the voiceover warned.

Looking over at the animals, Steve spotted some movement and told viewers: “Oh, he’s standing up and having a good close look at me. Look at that! Spy hopping right up out of the water.

“OK guys, keep a very close eye on him, yeah? Two of them are splintered off from the pod, and they’re looking right at me. Three. Three of them now. And definitely curious.”

As the hippos started to move through the water, he exclaimed: “I think those two are coming our way. No? Yeah, they are. Look, they’re coming our way!”

Someone in the film crew was then heard telling the team: “OK guys, they’re moving now, come on.”

Steve waded hastily back to the boat, admitting: “We’re getting very close.”

The voiceover noted that it was “definitely time to leave”, continuing: “You can never get complacent around these animals, and should always err on the side of caution.”

The Instagram caption said: “Wrong place. Wrong time. @backshall.steve finds himself dangerously close to a hippo that’s broken from the pack… One wrong move could be fatal.”

The series has gone down a storm with viewers, with one posting on Instagram: “Phenomenal documentary.” “Fantastic, thoroughly enjoyed this,” said someone else, as another said it was “incredible” viewing.

“Very interesting,” posted another impressed viewer. “Steve, you’re quite literally my childhood role model,” commented another fan, adding: “So awesome to see all of this content.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

Hippo Watch is available on Channel 5.