iconic

BBC One’s new Christmas drama Stuffed has been branded “iconic” by fans

A hidden treasure of a comedy on the BBC, hailed as “brilliant” by viewers, is set to air tonight.

Stuffed, starring Guz Khan and Morgana Robinson, is a comedy-drama that follows a family embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lapland.

Khan portrays Arslan Farooqi, who, after receiving an unexpected £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, decides to take his multi-faith family on this festive adventure.

Joined by his wife Hannah (played by Robinson), his two daughters, and brother-in-law Jamie, they trade Coventry for the enchantment of Christmas in Lapland.

However, their holiday soon descends into chaos when Arslan discovers that his bonus was given in error and needs to be returned, reports Wales Online.

The BBC’s synopsis teases: “Things go downhill fast when Arslan finds out the bonus was a mistake, and to make matters worse, they have already spent every penny of it.

“What ensues is one man’s quest to salvage a Christmas he doesn’t believe in, while ideally not losing his job, his family, and everything he has ever worked for. And surprise, surprise, it doesn’t go too smoothly.”

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The film can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and will also be broadcast on BBC One tonight at 9pm.

One enthusiastic fan recommended: “If you’ve not watched it yet, try Stuffed on the iPlayer. Brilliant new addition to the Christmas film list. Guz Khan is brilliant.”

Another viewer gushed: “Absolutely loved Stuffed on BBC iPlayer with my fav man @GuzKhanOfficial, him and Morgana are a dream team working together.”

Another viewer chimed in: “Loved it, hope some more will follow!” while a fourth echoed: “We need a regular series for this! Loved it made me laugh throughout.”

One enthusiastic fan declared: “This is iconic on tv I didn’t know what to watch during the Christmas holidays, same old home alone and polar express but this… is perhaps the best drama I’ve seen.”

Guz had previously shared his apprehensions about Stuffed’s release with The Guardian, saying: “You never know when you make something. I never thought we’d ever be in this kind of slot. There’s lots of things that come along with doing a Christmas special.”

He continued: “A lot of the work I get asked to do is like: ‘Come in and do your thing.’ I just did season two of The Gentlemen, and it was such a fun week. There’s no rules. You can go absolutely crazy.

“But this was a little bit different. You have to follow some guidelines. And so it was a really good challenge for me. Where I’d usually express myself with dialogue, I had to try and get the same feeling with an expression.”

Stuffed airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm and is available to watch on iPlayer.

THE Muppet Show is making a 50th birthday comeback — with pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter joining as a special guest. 

Disney has revealed Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the gang are back for a one-off special, more than four decades after the curtain came down on the beloved original series.

The show will stream on Disney+ from February 4, promising fans “music, comedy and a whole lot of chaos” from the original Muppet Theatre.

In a teaser clip, Kermit’s green arm can be seen turning on the lights of an old studio, before placing down a mug with his name on it.

The show originally ran from 1976 to 1981, with a generation of kids singing along to the theme tune: “It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights.”

The series became so popular that big name stars clamoured to be guests, including Sir Elton John, Johnny Cash, Diana Ross, John Cleese and Debbie Harry.

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It was broadcast in more than 100 countries and in 1978 Time magazine called the show “the most popular television entertainment now being produced on Earth”.

The series won a host of awards, including Emmy, Grammy and Bafta gongs.

Despite the lights going out on the main series, the Muppets Tonight talk show ran from 1996 to 1998.

Other short-lived TV projects followed, including a mockumentary series in 2015, the Muppets Now short form series in 2020 and The Muppets Mayhem musical comedy series in 2023.

A host of movies included The Great Muppet Caper in 1981 and The Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992.

The last film, Muppets Most Wanted, in 2014, starred British comedian Ricky Gervais.

Muppets creator Jim Henson died in 1990 and Disney bought the rights in 2004.

Sabrina, who has had four UK No1 singles and two UK No1 albums, is an executive producer for the new show, as is Canadian comedian and actor Seth Rogen, who was in the 2020 series.

LILY Allen hosted a glittering Christmas party last night at London’s most notorious nightspot Stringfellows – turning heads in a sexy Santa outfit.

The singer, 40, slipped into a figure-hugging red mini dress trimmed with fluffy white fur, complete with lace suspenders adorned with bows. 

The provocative look was teamed with a velvet red Santa cape as she embraced festive glamour.

Lily styled her hair in a Sixties-inspired blow-dry and accessorised with a classic Chanel handbag. 

She added extra height with a pair of skyscraper white heels, which featured a matching fur embellishment.

Never one to take herself too seriously, the cheeky star was spotted sticking out her tongue as she posed and mingled with guests.

Lily took to the dancefloor with a host of celebrity pals including pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo. 

She also shared a playful moment dancing with the London Gay Men’s Chorus, who attended the bash. 

Fellow singer Ella Raye was among the guests too, wowing in a sheer red stocking dress as she joined Lily for a photo.

Bono’s daughter, Jordan Hewson, was seen at the star-studded event, lounging on a sofa with Lily.

The party took place at Stringfellows, the legendary gentlemen’s club founded by Peter Stringfellow in the 1970s. 

Originally opening in Soho before moving to Covent Garden, Stringfellows quickly became synonymous with celebrity excess, glamour and late-night debauchery. 

Over the decades, it has welcomed everyone from Hollywood stars to rock royalty, cementing its status as one of London’s most infamous nightlife institutions.

The Christmas bash comes during a significant year for Lily, who has launched new music widely described as a “revenge” album following her split from husband David Harbour. 

The record draws on heartbreak and betrayal after Lily publicly accused the actor of cheating. 

Fans have praised the project for its raw honesty and cutting lyrics, marking a bold new chapter in her career.

FROM snowy countrysides to festive city spots, Christmas movies have taken inspiration from a variety of UK locations.

And while the North Pole may be far out of the way, you can get into the spirit by visiting these iconic film spots a little closer to home.

Before you snuggle up to watch your go-to Christmas classics, why not go one step further and visit the exact spot where it was filmed this festive season?

A variety of festive favourites were shot on-site here in the UK, from the star-studded Love Actually to Christmas comedy Nativity!

If you find yourself near any of these famous film locations, celebrate the Christmas season by stepping into the shoes of your favourite festive characters.

Shere, Surrey

This picturesque village hit the big screen when it was featured in The Holiday back in 2006.

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The quaint area consists of historic timber-framed buildings and medieval charm, nestled in the idyllic Tillingbourne Valley.

It played home to Kate Winslet’s Iris who famously swaps homes with Los Angeles resident Amanda, played by Cameron Diaz.

Shere provides the romantic backdrop for Diaz as she finds love with Jude Law during her festive getaway.

And the village also featured in the Bridget Jones franchise, which is often considered another Christmas classic for Brits.

Snowshill, Cotswolds

The quintessential Cotswolds village also featured in Bridget Jones Diary, the first installment of the hit series.

In fact, the film and the entire franchise opens with with Bridget turning up at her parent’s house in Snowshill on a wintry New Year’s Day.

And it is in the same town where the quirky protagonist has her first on-screen encounter with her eventual husband Mark Darcy.

Due to the film’s success and the idyllic scenery, many people now stop for a photo outside the village church or one of the quaint houses that appear in the film.

As a result, Snowshill has established itself as one of Britain’s most popular Christmas film locations.

Brighton Pier

While the iconic seaside attraction may be associated with summer fun, it also has ties to the festive season.

Fans of the animated film The Snowman may recognise the historic pier from the famous Walking In The Air scene.

The main characters can be seen flying over the historic pier as they make their way to the North Pole.

While the sequence may be brief, it is perhaps one of the most famous associated with the beloved classic.

Hogwarts Great Hall

Another children’s classic is of course Harry Potter, a film series often associated with and watched around Christmas.

And while witches and wizards may be akin Halloween characters, the cosy grounds of Hogwarts are perhaps the most enticing when they are decked out for the festive season.

Now fans of the film can step into the magic by visiting the Warner Brothers Studio in Watford.

A quick trip from London, this studio tour offers a stunningly detailed look into the making of the movies, and what better time to visit than in the lead up to Christmas when the Great Hall set is adorned with decorations?

Covent Garden

And in the heart of London is of course the famous Covent Garden, which many argue is the home to the city’s best Christmas tree.

While it is already on most tourist lists, the festive season marks the best time to visit this popular spot.

With a famous Christmas market and choir performances, there’s plenty to get you in the spirit at this time of year.

And fans of the 2019 rom-com Last Christmas are sure to spot many filming spots inside this famous square, which feature heavily in the film.

Emilia Clarke’s Kate works as an Elf in a fictional year-round Christmas shop at this location, while the famous karaoke scene was shot at nearby pub The Harp.

St Luke’s Mews, Notting Hill

And if you’re a fan of Christmas rom-coms, you’ll want to pop over to Notting Hill too.

The beautiful cobbled street of St Luke’s Mews plays the backdrop to arguably the most famous scene from the festive flick Love Actually.

Whether you lap up Mark’s (Andrew Lincoln) cue card love confession to his friend’s new wife, played by Kiera Knightly, or cringe at the iconic scene, you’re sure to recognise this famous street.

While this street it located just off Portobello Road, home to the world’s largest antique market, it is still a residential area so remember to be respectful when visiting.

Coventry Cathedral Ruins

Another British Christmas classic is of course Nativity!, which primary school teacher Mr Maddens, played by Martin Freeman, as he attempts to stage a production of the Nativity.

After telling a white lie to impress his ex, Maddens soon finds himself in the midst of a media storm surrounding the school play.

The mayor even allows the class to perform the highly-anticipated show at the historic ruins of Coventry cathedral in an atmospheric climax to the film.

Paddington Station

And who can talk about beloved British festive flicks without mentioning Paddington?

The iconic bear famously made his way from Peru to the Paddington area of London, after which he was named.

Visitors can visit a statue of the bear at his namesake station, which provided the backdrop for one of the most important scenes in the 2014 film.

Elm Hill, Norwich

The picturesque area of Elm Hill in Norwich features heavily in Netflix’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.

Snowy scenery provides a backdrop for the adventure of an old toy maker and his granddaughter.

The cobbled streets, multi-coloured houses, and quaint shops of the town provide the perfect setting for movie magic.

And they also ensure the perfect shot on Instagram, whether you’re a fan of the film or not.

Birdsall House

And finally, this Malton mansion plays home to the Christmas family in 2021’s Father Christmas Is Back.

Kelsey Grammer plays James, the father of Joanna, played by Elizabeth Hurley, who he abandoned years ago.

The festive family flick follows them as they attempt to navigate Christmas together, with many scenes set at the stunning Birdsall House.

This beautiful country house is surrounded by glorious Yorkshire countryside and is a popular wedding venue, with private guided tours of the property are available.

IN one of my encounters with Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, he cast his mind back to his first dealings with the “crazy diamond”.

This would have been late 1964, early ’65, when the band still called themselves The Tea Set because they rehearsed in a basement tearoom at Regent Street Polytechnic in London.

The drummer recalled with great affection the addition to their ranks of Syd Barrett with his mop of dark curls and pop star good looks.

Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright had found themselves not just a singer and a guitarist but a charismatic frontman, all set to “shine on”.

“Syd was the most delightful man, absolutely charming,” Mason told me. “He wrote wonderful, whimsical, pastoral English music.”

Barrett, a childhood friend of Waters in Cambridge, came up with Floyd’s first single, the eyebrow-raising Arnold Layne, about a pervert whose hobby was stealing women’s underwear from washing lines.

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He composed the top ten follow-up, See Emily Play, a classic slice of Sixties psychedelia, and most of the debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

But then, fuelled by psychoactive drugs, most notably LSD, Barrett’s world fell apart.

Before the second album, A Saucerful Of Secrets, was even completed, the troubled star had no choice but to leave and guitarist David Gilmour was already in place.

“It’s still not entirely clear what happened with Syd,” Mason continued. “There is a belief that maybe he didn’t want to be a pop star. You have to know that, in 1967, the rest of us DID want to be on Top Of The Pops.

“Maybe Syd realised it wasn’t what he wanted, but didn’t know how to get out of it.”

As students of Pink Floyd know, the band crossed paths with Barrett several years later in haunting, uncomfortable circumstances.

On June 5, 1975, a shambling figure — shaven-headed, overweight, largely incoherent and clutching a plastic shopping bag — pitched up at EMI Studios (Abbey Road), stomping ground not just of The Beatles but also Floyd.

Years later, keyboard player Wright described the scene: “I remember going in and Roger was already in the studio working.

“I came in and sat next to Roger. After ten minutes, Roger said to me, ‘Do you know who that guy is?’

“I said: ‘I have no idea. I assumed it was a friend of yours.’ Suddenly I realised it was Syd!”

Art director Storm Thorgerson, responsible with Aubrey “Po” Powell for the band’s iconic album covers, also witnessed the scene.

“Two or three people cried,” he said. “Syd sat around and talked for a bit, but he wasn’t really there.”

On that very day, the band were mixing their nine-part, 26-minute homage to Barrett, Shine On You Crazy Diamond.

To many, it ranks as the band’s greatest single composition, matching Gilmour’s elegant, fluid guitar, Wright’s serene keyboards and Mason’s perfectly weighted drumming to some of Waters’ most touching lyrics.

“You were caught in the crossfire of childhood and stardom. Blown on the steel breeze.”

The song would be split into two sections, Parts 1-5 and Parts 6-9, to bookend Wish You Were Here, the follow-up to a cultural phenomenon, The Dark Side Of The Moon.

Now, to mark its 50th anniversary, the album is appearing in expanded formats, adding alternate takes to the original release.

Poet Laureate and Floyd superfan Simon Armitage has written a stream-of-consciousness love letter to the band and, in particular, Wish You Were Here.

I’m very sad about Syd. I wasn’t for years. For years, I suppose he was a threat because of all that was written about him and us

Roger Waters

It has no capital letters or punctuation, but these lines give you the drift: “it’s the forty four minute five second guide to eternity — it’s infinity measured in five songs.”

And for the first time, Shine On You Crazy Diamond is also presented as one continuous piece thanks to a new remix by James Guthrie.

It stands as an emotional remembrance of Barrett, who died a recluse in 2006, aged 60, at his home in Cambridge.

Poignantly, as the track fades to nothing, you hear strains of the See Emily Play keyboard melody.

Waters once reflected: “I’m very sad about Syd. I wasn’t for years. For years, I suppose he was a threat because of all that was written about him and us.

“Of course, he was very important and the band would never have started without him but, on the other hand, it couldn’t go on with him.”

As for Shine On, he added: “It is not really about Syd. He’s just a symbol for the extremes of absence some people have to indulge in because the only way they can cope with how sad it is — modern life — is to withdraw completely.”

On the song’s scale in musical terms, Mason likened it to another lengthy set piece, Echoes, from 1971’s Meddle album. “Echoes,” he said, “was Shine On’s grandfather.”

Now let’s rewind to 1974 when Pink Floyd set about devising an album in the wake of the juggernaut that The Dark Side Of The Moon had already become.

Their initial attempt, using everyday objects as instruments, was not very encouraging, to say the least.

When I reminded Mason of it, he replied: “Some things I’ve been trying to obliterate from my brain — and I’m afraid you just brought that one up!

“The problem was that we ended up spending an awful lot of time grinding away, developing the sounds.

“We hadn’t even got any real music. Things like plucking rubber bands slowed down to quarter-speed.”

He added: “It was a fantastically fruitless exercise, really a way of putting off the ghastly business of what the hell were we going to do next.”

So, did the whole band buy into the daft idea? I ventured.

“We did,” Mason sighed. “If only two people at least had had the gumption to go, ‘F*** this! Let’s work on a record’.”

One of the extra Wish You Were Here tracks, Wine Glasses, offers listeners a taste of the project that became known as Household Objects.

And, as Mason reported, “The wine glasses did make it on to the beginning of Shine On.” (Listen carefully and you’ll hear the tinkling sound.)

So what about the three tracks, further exploring themes of absence and alienation, which were sandwiched between Shine On’s lengthy sections?

Synthesiser-heavy Welcome To The Machine was a product of Floyd’s infatuation with latest technology, and the others came with fascinating back stories.

If Barrett had been a surprise visitor to the Abbey Road sessions, so were two virtuoso violinists just as Floyd were recording the album’s title track, Wish You Were Here.

Mason picked up the story: “If someone was down the hall recording at Abbey Road, it was OK to pop in and say, ‘Hello’.

“Suddenly the door opened and Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli were standing there, going, ‘Hello boys’.”

Menuhin, an American-born Brit, was widely regarded as one of the greatest 20th Century classical violinists. Grappelli, a French jazz violinist, was noted for an intuitive, more improvisational approach.

Mason added with English understatement: “By ’75, we were reasonably well known and Grappelli being French would have heard about us because we always had a standing in France.

“I think we invited them both to play with us. Menuhin wanted to but wasn’t comfortable improvising, whereas Grappelli could do it like stepping off a log.”

So the Frenchman went up to one of Pink Floyd’s mics and added gorgeous violin flourishes to a take of the acoustic guitar-led Wish You Were Here.

Ultimately, his contribution didn’t make the finished album, but it can be heard on the expanded editions.

Mason said: “I’m really astonished by it. We thought it had been recorded over, that we’d lost it for ever. I don’t know why we didn’t use it — it would have enhanced the record, but maybe it sounded too folky.

“Or maybe, in a pre-Euro world, we thought, ‘It’s a bloody Frenchman and he shouldn’t have anything to do with it!’”

Grappelli was paid £300 (a princely sum in those days), but went to his death in 1997 oblivious to this unlikely footnote to the Wish You Were Here story.

People did say to us: ‘Which one’s Pink?’ They thought Pink Floyd was the lead singer!

David Gilmour

Another outsider at the sessions — Floyd’s friend, folk-rock troubadour Roy Harper — felt “hard done by” when it came to payment for his lead vocals on Have A Cigar.

After numerous failed attempts by Waters to nail his withering put-down of music industry executives “on the gravy train”, he turned to a singer who loaded his delivery with the perfect sneering tone.

“Roy was recording in the studio anyway,” remembered Waters, “and was in and out all the time. I can’t remember who suggested it, maybe I did, probably hoping everybody would go, ‘Oh no Rog, you do it’, but they didn’t!

“They all went, ‘Oh yeah that’s a good idea’. And he did it and everybody went, ‘Oh, terrific!’ So that was that.”

We know how single-minded Waters can be and he still gave it one final go — but to no avail.

Tape engineer John Leckie recalled Waters saying to Harper that they should reward him for his efforts.

“And Roy said: ‘Just get me a season ticket for life at Lord’s.’ He kept prompting Roger, but it never came.”

Many years later in 2013, when Harper released his comeback album Man & Myth, I met him for coffee near Lord’s, just before the avid cricket fan watched England play Australia for The Ashes.

Best known for When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease, he bemoaned his lack of payment for Have A Cigar but talked about his close ties to three of Britain’s biggest rock bands.

“I was an interloper really,” he said. “I was the one who didn’t have a band. I drifted between Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Who basically.

“At the time, they were big and here was this strange interloper moving between all three.

“One thing I never did, for which I deserve credit, was to transfer what one said about the other. Keep it discreet!”

On the recording Have A Cigar, he said: “I listened to the song at home for a night. I came back the following day and didn’t quite nail it. But then, on the day after that, I did — and they had a song.”

The track’s most memorable line is, “Oh by the way, which one’s Pink?”

Gilmour once admitted: “People did say to us: ‘Which one’s Pink?’ They thought Pink Floyd was the lead singer!”

As you may have gathered, Wish You Were Here comes with a rich history and timeless, captivating music.

Emerging as it did from the mighty shadow cast by The Dark Side Of The Moon, it still shines on 50 years later.

PINK FLOYD
Wish You Were Here
50th Anniversary

★★★★☆

Simon Cowell’s new Netflix show sees the music mogul go on the hunt for his next big boyband.

Simon Cowell’s latest Netflix series is almost ready to launch, unveiling the genuine story behind one of One Direction’s most memorable tracks.

The legendary music mogul and Britain’s Got Talent supremo returns to television tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, on the streaming giant.

This fresh venture allows viewers to witness the entire process from its inception, as Simon conducts auditions and brings hopeful band members to America to compete for their spot in the group.

To assist in assembling the new boyband, the 66-year-old recruited some of his most reliable collaborators, including former Pop Idol panellist Peter Waterman and singer-songwriter Kamille.

However, it’s the involvement of songwriter and producer Savan Koetcha that truly captures audiences’ interest, having amassed over 102 billion streams throughout his career.

“Simon gave me my first big break as a songwriter”, Savan revealed.

“And so, since then, we’ve worked very closely on a lot of stuff.”

Simon remarked: “And also you gave us the first hit for One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful.”

Revealing the track’s origins, Savan then disclosed: “It was written about my wife. So there you go. True story.”

Savan has been wed to Anna Gustavsson since 2009, with whom he has two sons, and has previously spoken openly about her serving as the muse for the beloved One Direction anthem.

Two years ago, Savan took to Instagram to share his joy, stating: “I figured I would write a little something in celebration of What makes you beautiful hitting a billion streams on Spotify.”

He expressed his gratitude, saying: “In the past, I may have taken something like this for granted, but I (thankfully) don’t anymore. This song means so much to me for several reasons.”

Savan continued: “My two boys know this song is about their mother. It makes me so emotional to know that they can see/feel/hear millions (now billions) of people listen to a song about how beautiful and wonderful their mom is. I think she’s starting to like it now too.”

Simon Cowell : The Next Act will premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, December 10.