Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 8 - Episode 11 - video Dailymotion

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Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 8 - Episode 11

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00:00:00In the natural world, as so often in our own, the maternal bond is a keystone to surviving and thriving.

00:00:08See here Maggie and Jessie and their beautiful three-week-old lambs.

00:00:13From the first nozzle, the ewe imprints a scent and sound on her newborn.

00:00:18Thus, the stage is set in securing the next generation of the flock.

00:00:24Happy Mothering Sunday. It's time for Love Your Weekend.

00:00:56Love Your Weekend.

00:01:02Nature. The gentlest mother, impatient of no child, the feeblest or the waywardest.

00:01:10Her admonition mild. In forest and the hill, by traveller it's heard, restraining rampant squirrel or too impetuous bird.

00:01:19Mother Nature there, by Emily Dickinson. The perfect poem for this Mothering Sunday.

00:01:26And we've a perfect show for you today.

00:01:28Coming up, she's the legend from Liverpool and everyone's favourite prime suspect.

00:01:34Linda LaPlante on her latest killer thriller, as we prepare to say farewell to anti-hero Jacques Wall.

00:01:41And he's thrilled us all in classic shows like Cutting It, McDonald and Dodds and Prime Evil.

00:01:47James Murray talks friendships, fishing and family life right here in Hampshire.

00:01:53Forrest Jonathan Moses here, with some innovative Mothering Sunday floral masterpieces, guaranteed to impress, as they always do.

00:02:02And mum's the word in today's Best of British.

00:02:04Drinks expert Andy Clark has the perfect alternative as he serves up the Mother's Day martinis, fit for this special

00:02:13day, including mum's the slurred and mother knows zest.

00:02:19Where does he get them from?

00:02:20Sure to be a memorable Mothering Sunday after a couple of those.

00:02:29The crime scene is set for today's guests.

00:02:32And when it comes to crimes, these two know a few things.

00:02:35From prime suspect, trial and retribution and the governor.

00:02:39Welcome Linda LaPlante with the spotty mug.

00:02:42And keeping the long arm of the law theme going, described as a pompous idiot, ruthless and slippery.

00:02:49His words, not mine, McDonald and Dodds, chief superintendent, John Houseman, James Murray.

00:02:55Welcome to you both.

00:02:56And because it's crime, I felt I had to read the most astonishing blurb come miniature little pracy of the

00:03:06plot of Linda's latest novel, Sacrifice.

00:03:08Now, listen to this.

00:03:09If this doesn't encourage you to read this.

00:03:11Detective Jack Wall leads Scotland Yard's fledgling art fraud unit.

00:03:16Its survival hinging on exposing a suspected forgery, a multi-million dollar masterpiece.

00:03:22When his informant, gallerist Esther Langton, is brutally murdered, Jack's hunt spirals into obsession.

00:03:28Clues point to Adam Borda, a reclusive genius, hiding in a decayed Sicilian villa, haunted by mafia ties and violent

00:03:36secrets.

00:03:37You've been watching Listen With Mother.

00:03:39Who writes that?

00:03:40Who writes that?

00:03:41Somebody at the publisher.

00:03:43It's unputdownable.

00:03:46Unputdownable.

00:03:46It's stuffed with drama and character and colour, darling.

00:03:49Oh, dear, dear, dear.

00:03:50Hasn't been commissioned for television yet?

00:03:51Oh, clobber them.

00:03:54Now then, Mothering Sunday.

00:03:57Yes.

00:03:58What were your traditions, Jim?

00:04:00I mean, you and I, well, all three of us, our mums are no longer with us, but so many

00:04:04happy memories.

00:04:05One of my earliest memories about Mothering Sunday, I said to my mother, what do you want for Mothering Sunday?

00:04:10Because no child, you know, it's much easier to be told what gift to give.

00:04:14And all my mother used to say, she was very stoic and very northern, she used to just say, I

00:04:19just want to visit Peace and Quiet.

00:04:21That's all she said.

00:04:22And, of course, I couldn't give her that.

00:04:24So it was an unruly quiet gift.

00:04:27The one failure, I have no Peace and Quiet to give.

00:04:28Peace and Quiet, that was it.

00:04:30What about you?

00:04:31Memories of your mum, Linda.

00:04:32Well, I've got this because it reminds me of my mother, and I saw it in a catalogue, and my

00:04:40son bought this for my Christmas present.

00:04:43And the reason is, my mother had this fur stole that she was so proud.

00:04:51She was a little bit, you know, oh, I'm just going to the golf club, but I'm wearing my mink

00:04:58stole, and she'd come down in this.

00:05:01It looked like this.

00:05:02It might have been squirrel, I don't know.

00:05:04But this wrap, and when I saw this, I thought, oh, that's my mother.

00:05:10She was so adorable.

00:05:12She just, I mean, she actually was sitting, watching TV, and she said, did you write Prime Suspect?

00:05:21So I said, yes, mother.

00:05:23All of it?

00:05:25I said, yes.

00:05:26She said, well, I don't know where you get it from.

00:05:28Oh, bless her.

00:05:29Yeah, that's presumably not mink.

00:05:32Yeah, what is this?

00:05:33No, it's fake.

00:05:33Fake fur.

00:05:34But it was in a catalogue, in the Daily Mail.

00:05:38And I said, I want that.

00:05:40But it's my, I feel like my mother.

00:05:44I look like her in this.

00:05:46But it's, you know, probably incredibly old-fashioned.

00:05:49No, it's lovely.

00:05:50It's very glamorous.

00:05:51I used to love, I remember years ago, which actually rather neatly leads me on to my next

00:05:56question.

00:05:57I remember seeing, when I was very young, the Martha Longhurst, Mindy Caldwell, and Eileen

00:06:02Sharples in Coronation Street.

00:06:04And they went out to an evening do, and they all had mink stoves on.

00:06:07And there they were wearing a berry and a little tweedy coat, you know.

00:06:12Now then, you were both in Corrie at some point.

00:06:14Yeah.

00:06:15Were you in Corrie?

00:06:16Yeah.

00:06:16I was in Corrie.

00:06:17But I don't remember.

00:06:18I don't know why I say that like that.

00:06:19I was very proud.

00:06:20What were you?

00:06:21Who were you?

00:06:23It was my first ever acting job.

00:06:25I was Sandy the barman in 19, way back, many, many years ago.

00:06:31And yes, I was Jack and Vera's barman for about three episodes.

00:06:35And it was a frightening experience.

00:06:37Were you no good at the job then?

00:06:38No good at the job.

00:06:40Literally.

00:06:41I mean, thankfully, I think I was contracted for three episodes.

00:06:44So I was done.

00:06:45I was in and out.

00:06:46But it was so frightening because Bill Tarmy, I think he played Jack.

00:06:51He was a wonderful man.

00:06:54You know how those shows are filmed.

00:06:56It's very quick.

00:06:57It's like a sausage factory.

00:06:58There's not much time for creative input from the actors, shall we say.

00:07:03You just stand on your mark and you say your line and we move on.

00:07:06And that was my first introduction into the world of acting, screen acting.

00:07:10And I walked into the Rovers and I was absolutely petrified.

00:07:14And the bright lights and I'd overlearned my lines.

00:07:17And, you know, I was just a mess.

00:07:19I was shaking and sweating.

00:07:21And I walked in and I said my line to Jack.

00:07:24Cut.

00:07:25And Jack just looked at me and he was polishing, or Bill looked at me and he was polishing the

00:07:29glass.

00:07:29And he went, you're shaking like a leaf, son.

00:07:31And I said, you know, and he said, either stop shaking or think of doing something else.

00:07:41And after that stint on Corrie, I said, no, I can't, you know, I don't want to be an actor.

00:07:46Or I don't want to be an actor like this because it was so frightening to me.

00:07:50It was being thrown into the lion's den, you know, first off.

00:07:54So I then went and did theatre and other things.

00:07:57But it was, you're never again.

00:07:59It was really fun.

00:08:00My hat goes off to the way they act in those shows because it's so quick.

00:08:04Linda, who were you?

00:08:06Who were you in Corrie?

00:08:07I can't really recall what I was doing in and out of Corrie very much at all.

00:08:13But I have no memory.

00:08:14And sometimes you've shown me some filmage and I have no idea what it was.

00:08:18But I'll tell you who I adored, and that was Pat Phoenix.

00:08:22I loved her so much.

00:08:25And even after she'd come out of Coronation Street, she played a character in a stage play I wrote.

00:08:35Oh, God, I love this woman.

00:08:37You'd be out with her and, you know, Joe Puppet would come up, I know who you are.

00:08:42You're Pat Phoenix, Coronation Street.

00:08:45You look a lot better on the screen than off, love.

00:08:48Oh.

00:08:49And Pat would just say, thank you, love.

00:08:52I remember seeing her in The Miracle Worker.

00:08:55Oh, yeah.

00:08:55Helen Keller, blind, deaf, dumb.

00:08:59Yeah.

00:08:59And she was playing, I've forgotten the name of the character, who taught her, sorry, I remember it vividly, Richmond

00:09:04Theatre, talk about holding a stage.

00:09:06She was the most brilliant, dramatic actress off screen.

00:09:09Did you work with her then on Corrie?

00:09:12No, I didn't.

00:09:13I think I drifted in and out.

00:09:14What did you do on Corrie?

00:09:16I think I had a dance with Cliff Richard, but I can't actually remember.

00:09:19In Coronation Street?

00:09:20Yeah.

00:09:21But I can't really remember.

00:09:22I don't remember Cliff having a part in Corrie.

00:09:24So you and Cliff had a part in Corrie?

00:09:26Yeah, but I can't remember.

00:09:27I need to dig this episode out.

00:09:29Who were the inspirations in your life, Jim?

00:09:31I'm looking, you know, because this is a time where you think of mums and people who've been important in

00:09:35your life.

00:09:36Inspiration to you?

00:09:37There is a man, sadly not with us anymore.

00:09:41He's an Icelandic gentleman called Ori Vigvarsson.

00:09:47And Ori Vigvarsson was a salmon conservationist.

00:09:51He understood that the reason why this species was falling off the edge of a cliff, numbers-wise, is because

00:09:58of netsmen.

00:10:00And it's very difficult to deregulate a commercial industry that jobs and people's livelihoods survive off.

00:10:09So he managed to persuade very wealthy individuals to club together, form a fund called the North Atlantic Salmon Fund,

00:10:18which still thrives today.

00:10:20And he incentivised commercial fisheries by giving them the money or the equivalent of what they were going to lose

00:10:26if they were going to stop.

00:10:27And in doing so, saved entire generations of salmon throughout the whole of Scandinavia.

00:10:33I see why he'd be an inspiration.

00:10:34Linda, what about you? Inspirations?

00:10:36Right now, my admiration for the forensic scientists just keeps on widening.

00:10:44There's a wonderful lady called Patricia Wiltshire.

00:10:49Unassuming.

00:10:51Very pretty woman.

00:10:53Very, very pretty woman.

00:10:54Who is a genius.

00:10:57Over and over again, this woman has investigated the most brutal, horrific murders and said, this is what you need.

00:11:07You are looking for a garden with two fires, one coal, one wood.

00:11:12You're looking for a garden that has an orchard.

00:11:15There's an apple tree.

00:11:16And she's got it.

00:11:19And she's a botanist.

00:11:21But her knowledge of the earth, to be able to get from a mark on her jeans worn by a

00:11:30killer to say, he knelt in this ground, this, and identifies the ground.

00:11:37She is remarkable.

00:11:39You know, I'm just in awe.

00:11:41You're a bit of an inspiration to him.

00:11:43Yes.

00:11:44Yes.

00:11:45He wouldn't say it.

00:11:45Go on, Jim.

00:11:45So, comics.

00:11:50You're, do you, of course, you know, remember comics.

00:11:52I know you've written so much.

00:11:53But comics, for me, I think it was early 90s, or at least when it made it to the screen.

00:11:58Did you write it as a novel as well, or was it a screenplay only?

00:12:02Screenplay first, then novel.

00:12:03And then a novel.

00:12:04That TV show was, when I watched that, Channel 4, I think, which at the time was very avant-garde

00:12:10drama,

00:12:11and it didn't bow to the usual regulations of what we were seeing on the other three channels that we

00:12:17had at the time.

00:12:18And that was a huge inspiration for me, to be an actor.

00:12:21When I watched that, I went, I believe every single character, the story is fascinating.

00:12:27How can I be involved in this world of storytelling?

00:12:30Oh, wow.

00:12:31So, thank you.

00:12:32Much more from Linda and James coming up.

00:12:34And as it's Mothering Sunday, and as it's a very special day today, because it's Linda LaPlante's birthday,

00:12:42we have a birthday cake and three plates.

00:12:46And I'd say, well, you're too polite, really.

00:12:49Oh, wow.

00:12:50Linda LaPlante, here you are.

00:12:53Happy 83rd birthday today.

00:12:55Thank you very much.

00:12:57I'll cut Jim and I a piece in a minute.

00:12:59Coming up, some small fluffy clouds appears to be gathering here at the farm.

00:13:02And, oh, sorry, no, it's just these fleecy little fellows.

00:13:06Farmer Charlie Dodd introduces us to some three-week-old rare-breed lambs.

00:13:10Plus, are you ready for some unbelievably good tipples?

00:13:15Drinks expert Andy Clark sews up Mother's Day martinis in today's Best of British.

00:13:20And some things just go together.

00:13:23Tea and cake, James Murray and Atlantic salmon,

00:13:26me in a nice tweed jacket or gilet,

00:13:29and, of course, flowers and mothering Sunday.

00:13:31The florist Jonathan Mosley delves into the best blooms

00:13:34to celebrate the mums in your life.

00:13:37I'll see you with Jonathan and his magnificent blooms right after this.

00:13:42Here you are.

00:13:42Happy birthday, Linda.

00:13:43Thank you very much.

00:13:44There you are, Jim.

00:13:46Fresh baked.

00:13:47We don't know who by, but it's fresh baked.

00:13:49It's good.

00:13:51Oh, so good.

00:13:52Happy birthday.

00:13:53Happy birthday.

00:14:10By viewing nature, nature's handmade art

00:14:14makes mighty things from small beginnings grow.

00:14:19A quote from John Dryden,

00:14:20appointed the first ever poet laureate of England in 1667.

00:14:25And, of course, the beauty of our surroundings continues to exhilarate.

00:14:29Coming up, he's usually found sporting a pair of obligatory waders.

00:14:33Not today.

00:14:34Jim Murray on his continuing passion for fishing.

00:14:37And showcasing the many herbs favoured by the Elizabethans.

00:14:42And considering she was a consultant on tonight's Oscar favourite, Hamlet,

00:14:47we know we're in good hands.

00:14:49Herb specialist, Jekyll McVicker, serves up her herbal spring pick-me-ups.

00:14:53But first, Mothering Sunday's been celebrated in the UK since the 16th century,

00:14:59when people had journeyed to their mother church,

00:15:02the main church or cathedral of their area,

00:15:04for a special service,

00:15:06often demonstrating their devotion by taking flowers and offerings.

00:15:10Over the centuries,

00:15:11it's blossomed into a celebration of all mothers and mother figures.

00:15:15So if you're looking for a bouquet or a bunch,

00:15:18for a mother figure in your life,

00:15:21Jonathan Mosley has the arrangements that could tick the box.

00:15:24They're ticking just about everything.

00:15:26What a glorious rush of spring.

00:15:29Isn't spring wonderful, Alan?

00:15:30Isn't it?

00:15:31The colours, the fragrance, the energy, the vibrancy that it gives us.

00:15:35I love this time of year.

00:15:36Yeah.

00:15:37Absolutely wonderful.

00:15:38And giving flowers,

00:15:39it's just one of the nice things in life to do, isn't it?

00:15:42You know, years and years ago, working on Pebble Millet,

00:15:45the end of a run, I'd give little bunches out,

00:15:47and to the men as well, camera men and things.

00:15:51And the first time I did it, it was a bit hostile.

00:15:53I'm not sure about this.

00:15:54And then it was a few years ago,

00:15:56are we getting flowers again?

00:15:58I think flowers become addicted.

00:16:00Men like flowers.

00:16:00They do.

00:16:00We all like flowers.

00:16:01And it's good for us, Alan.

00:16:03And actually, it's good to give, isn't it?

00:16:05Yeah.

00:16:05I think the gesture of giving is one of the nicest things,

00:16:07and I think everybody can remember giving Mother's Day flowers.

00:16:11It's one of those things that's very British, isn't it?

00:16:14It is, and they don't have to be elaborate.

00:16:16Little posy.

00:16:17Simple posies, and just something like, you know,

00:16:19simple daffodils, Alan.

00:16:21They are such a wonderful thing.

00:16:23And just coming out in the gardens,

00:16:25aren't we getting lots of different varieties of daffodils now pushing through?

00:16:28They'll go right until May with those late ones.

00:16:30Really, you can stagger that series of blooms, can't you?

00:16:33So it's successional.

00:16:34But a flower that is really personal for me for Mother's Day, Alan,

00:16:38is freesia.

00:16:38Freesia.

00:16:39These were my mother's favourites.

00:16:41And back in my day, yeah,

00:16:43I can remember where freesia was one of those sort of on-trend flowers,

00:16:47and you could get wonderful bunches of freesia

00:16:50that were so succulently-centred.

00:16:52It's interesting, because apparently some people can't smell them.

00:16:55No, it's a bit like the asparagus thing, isn't it?

00:16:57Oh, yes.

00:16:58Well, we won't go there.

00:16:59We won't go there.

00:16:59Not until April.

00:17:02But, yeah, I can smell them.

00:17:03I can smell them, can't you?

00:17:03Don't get the cold, I can smell it.

00:17:05So, yeah, freesia's certainly one of my own mother's favourites.

00:17:08You see, if you're a florist on television, you've got to be able to do the bunch,

00:17:12put it together and talk at the same time.

00:17:15And Jonathan and Simon, they're past masters of this.

00:17:19Now, this is interesting, seeing how you make a bunch, actually.

00:17:22Yes, the construction of it.

00:17:23We'll go out to the garden, we'll get them, we'll stuff them in.

00:17:26And you make it in your hand.

00:17:28Yeah, we're tying it together in the hand.

00:17:29Your hand almost becomes like a pop-up vase, really.

00:17:32And it's holding your hand at that sort of aperture there,

00:17:35so you can feed the stems into it.

00:17:37Oh, you've got lovely paper wipes there as well.

00:17:39Yeah, they smell amazing, Alan.

00:17:41Just dive in, indulge in that sensational fragrance.

00:17:44I'm doing this on your behalf, OK?

00:17:46We need smelly vision.

00:17:48We do.

00:17:49There's a delicacy of spring flowers in their fragrance.

00:17:52There is, absolutely.

00:17:52And I think that's the nice thing about giving flowers for Mother's Day, Alan.

00:17:55If you can give something that's scented like paper wipes or cheerfulness or freesia,

00:18:01it's an added extra, isn't it?

00:18:03Because you're getting that buoyant fragrance, which fills a room as well.

00:18:06Well, it does.

00:18:07And when you come down in the morning and you open the door to the room,

00:18:10you go, oh, gosh, and they've been in there overnight.

00:18:12It just holds the scent, doesn't it?

00:18:14Something I always used to do as well at Mother's Day, Alan,

00:18:17because I've always enjoyed picking flowers and being creative.

00:18:20We used to always have a miscellany of old baskets at home in a shed.

00:18:25And I think they're still there at my father's, perhaps half of them.

00:18:27And I would take a basket and I would always get some ivy, some ivy trails.

00:18:32Oh, round it.

00:18:32And just wrap it around the basket.

00:18:34And I've done that one with flowers in there

00:18:36and arranged those just into chicken wire inside the basket.

00:18:39So what have you got holding the water?

00:18:41I've got a plastic tray in there inside the basket,

00:18:44which is just recycled from the kitchen.

00:18:46And I've got chicken wire in there.

00:18:48And I started off by popping some tree ivy in as the base foliage,

00:18:51but you could use any type of greenery you can get your hands on,

00:18:54and then arrange the flowers into there.

00:18:56Yeah. And do you, you know, as soon as one goes over,

00:18:58you'll replace it with another?

00:18:59You can pull them out, since that's the good thing about chicken wire, Alan.

00:19:02It's so easy to take one out, pop it back in, add a different one in.

00:19:06And once you've done that basket, you could change that

00:19:08and keep it going for a good couple of months.

00:19:10Yeah, yeah. Pussy willow.

00:19:12Pussy willow, yeah.

00:19:13Buying flowers, Alan.

00:19:14I think that's changed a lot, hasn't it?

00:19:16Because I can remember buying my Mother's Day flowers.

00:19:19It was from the greengrocers.

00:19:20Yes.

00:19:20And the village greengrocers, they would always put a good show on at Mother's Day,

00:19:24have a selection of flowers outside in buckets,

00:19:27and it was things like anemones.

00:19:29Yeah.

00:19:29Daffodils, certainly.

00:19:31Tulips in there, and freesia, as I mentioned.

00:19:34But we couldn't buy things like foliage, for example.

00:19:37You have to gather this yourself.

00:19:39There's eucalyptus.

00:19:40That's from the gardens.

00:19:41And if you're growing it in your garden, chop it right back down to the ground

00:19:43and you'll get fresh growth.

00:19:44Oh, it needs chopping back.

00:19:46It doesn't need chopping back.

00:19:47It can be a thug, can't it?

00:19:48But you've got this lovely broom here as well.

00:19:50Yes, some of this wonderfully scented broom.

00:19:53And just have a little smell of that, Alan.

00:19:55I love broom because it's got that sort of traily, open nature,

00:19:59and it gives lovely movement to a bouquet always.

00:20:02If you're doing that in a wedding, for example,

00:20:05you can get that gorgeous trail there.

00:20:06And of course, they used to use it as a broom for sweeping.

00:20:08A broom for sweeping brush, yeah.

00:20:10And it's a bit like gorse broom, isn't it?

00:20:12It flowers at different times as well.

00:20:14Oh, Percy Thoreau, that great gardener, always used to say to me,

00:20:17he said,

00:20:18Ah, when gorse is in bloom, kissing's in season.

00:20:22Gorse is never out of bloom, is it?

00:20:24It's never out of bloom, no.

00:20:25It's a prickly old beast, though, isn't it?

00:20:26Oh, it is.

00:20:27You wouldn't want to put it in that in your garden.

00:20:27We wouldn't want to gather that for an arrangement.

00:20:29Look, you see, you just made this enormous great bouquet

00:20:31while we've been witchering on.

00:20:33But this is obviously a larger bouquet, Alan,

00:20:35but you can do any bouquet.

00:20:36Sometimes I've got some small ones there with the hyacinths.

00:20:39Lovely old joy.

00:20:40I love the fact you keep all your containers.

00:20:42Oh, I'm terrible.

00:20:43No, you telling me, which I hadn't noticed,

00:20:46that different coloured hyacinths smell different to one another.

00:20:50Absolutely.

00:20:51These white ones, glorious.

00:20:52The white one is so sweetly scented,

00:20:54but sometimes, you know,

00:20:55I notice the blue ones,

00:20:57a little bit chemical, really, in the smell.

00:21:00And if you've got quite a lot together,

00:21:02a bit like lilies, really,

00:21:04they can become a bit too heady.

00:21:05Oppressive.

00:21:06And a bit oppressive.

00:21:06Yeah.

00:21:07But I love the white ones.

00:21:09I think they're absolutely gorgeous.

00:21:10I'm just going to take a little bit of this twine around here.

00:21:15Now, do you ever put this in the water?

00:21:16Yes, I do.

00:21:18Now, there's different veins of thought

00:21:20about whether you should or shouldn't put flower food in the water.

00:21:23I'm a flower food in person.

00:21:25Yeah.

00:21:25Because it does make so much difference to the longevity.

00:21:29And it stops the water from getting impurities forming in there

00:21:32that travel up the stem.

00:21:34Yeah.

00:21:34And then you'll get the disease, which shortens the life cycle.

00:21:37So, I always put flower food in the water.

00:21:40If you've not got flower food yourself,

00:21:42then pop a little bit of lemonade in,

00:21:45a little spoonful of sugar,

00:21:46a tiny dash of bleach.

00:21:47That all helps as well.

00:21:49Right.

00:21:49Did you get that recipe?

00:21:51And put it on the boil for half an hour.

00:21:53That's astonishing.

00:21:54And it over it.

00:21:55I will give it back.

00:21:55Have a little look, Alan.

00:21:56Yeah, I'm eating the stems.

00:21:58That's just...

00:21:58Can you imagine,

00:21:59instead of something from the filling station,

00:22:02taking a bit longer

00:22:03and trying to get some out of your garden,

00:22:04if you look at the garden desk.

00:22:05Yes, and the foliage is from the garden, Alan.

00:22:07Isn't that beautiful?

00:22:08So, you could easily pump up some flowers

00:22:09by just gathering a little bit of greenery.

00:22:11Yeah.

00:22:12Adding to that.

00:22:12I'll give it back to you.

00:22:13Thank you, Alan, very, very much.

00:22:15Thank you, Jonathan.

00:22:16Always a pleasure.

00:22:17Still ahead.

00:22:18We shine a spotlight on the British winemakers,

00:22:21causing quite a stir

00:22:22and giving our French cousins a run for their money.

00:22:25Tony Asoba visits one urban winery,

00:22:28making award-winning wines in a 19th-century windmill.

00:22:32And from Colonel Neil Chick Harding in Masters of the Air

00:22:36to C.S. Houseman in MacDonald and Dodds

00:22:39to former boy band member Liam in Cutting It.

00:22:42He's had some rolls.

00:22:44And when he's not doing all that,

00:22:45he can often be found sitting on a riverbank.

00:22:48Jim Murray on the therapeutic value of fly fishing.

00:22:51I'll see you with Jim and more right after this.

00:23:07Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

00:23:09Coming up, she's mingled with the mafia in Sicily,

00:23:13shadowed private detectives in the mean streets of Los Angeles,

00:23:16and come face to face with not one but two serial killers.

00:23:19And always maintaining a joie de vie,

00:23:22Linda Laplante on her thrilling new crime novel, Sacrifice.

00:23:27And it would most definitely be a crime

00:23:29if you miss today's Best of British.

00:23:31Drinks expert Andy Clark

00:23:33serves up the Mother's Day martinis to lift the spirits,

00:23:36including a Mars cream-tini,

00:23:39did you get that,

00:23:41with Yorkshire whiskey,

00:23:41and a mother-nosed zest with rhubarb gin.

00:23:44But first, an idyllic, elite, private enclave

00:23:49in the heart of Surrey,

00:23:51hiding underlying darkness,

00:23:54toxic secrets, scandals, power struggles.

00:23:58And it also features my next guest

00:24:00as a wealthy, mysterious patriarch,

00:24:03often away on business.

00:24:05Ha! That old chestnut.

00:24:08Utterly compelling, utterly ruthless.

00:24:16Surprised you're up?

00:24:21You know, I was talking about this party on the estate.

00:24:25Turns out the house was gatecrashed by a gang,

00:24:28and they filmed it and put it online.

00:24:31Idiots.

00:24:33Tim sent an email.

00:24:35But if the estate isn't safe,

00:24:36why are we paying all this money on surveillance?

00:24:39Are you coming to my reading?

00:24:41I know you like to think I sit around all day doing nothing.

00:24:44I don't... I never said that.

00:24:54I'm lonely, Rave.

00:24:58You know what?

00:25:02I'm just...

00:25:04I'm not doing this.

00:25:05I'm not doing this.

00:25:09It's a quietly tense scene there.

00:25:11You can see the emotional distance between the characters there.

00:25:17Do you know, it's lovely in modern drama

00:25:19to see a scene

00:25:22that isn't rushed.

00:25:24You know, because it's so bish-posh-posh now.

00:25:27They let the pauses breathe.

00:25:29Yeah.

00:25:29Yeah, because time is money on telly.

00:25:31So the story of Wild Cherry was what?

00:25:33The story of Wild Cherry

00:25:35is about the dark underbelly

00:25:38of very overprivileged,

00:25:40wealthy,

00:25:42narcissistic

00:25:43types,

00:25:43and that when their daughters

00:25:46get into trouble

00:25:47at a very prestigious

00:25:49school, privileged public school,

00:25:51how they all rally together

00:25:53or not

00:25:54to try and save

00:25:55the family unit.

00:25:57So it's a sort of...

00:25:58It's a real prod

00:26:00at those

00:26:01people

00:26:02that we sometimes

00:26:03read about in magazines.

00:26:04But fundamentally speaking,

00:26:06it's just a crazy

00:26:08romp.

00:26:08It's, you know,

00:26:09it's a

00:26:10luscious,

00:26:12almost soap operatic

00:26:13romp

00:26:14about very rich people

00:26:15in Surrey.

00:26:16So it's a left-wing

00:26:17propaganda play.

00:26:18It's a left-wing

00:26:18propaganda piece,

00:26:19absolutely.

00:26:20And I play

00:26:21an ex-England of...

00:26:22Captain of England

00:26:23cricket

00:26:25guy

00:26:26who has spent

00:26:27his whole life

00:26:29being given

00:26:29what he wanted

00:26:30and now he's over the hill

00:26:31and he's a little bit jaded

00:26:32and insecure

00:26:34as men of a certain age

00:26:35can be.

00:26:36Feeling one knows all too well.

00:26:38And he manifests this

00:26:39in very bad ways

00:26:40as men on television

00:26:42often do these days.

00:26:43He's one of those.

00:26:45So, yeah,

00:26:46enjoy well, Cherry.

00:26:47If they offer you

00:26:48too many villains,

00:26:49though,

00:26:49do you begin to worry a bit?

00:26:50Yes.

00:26:51I'm in that worry phase

00:26:53right now.

00:26:54The last time I played

00:26:55someone who wasn't a villain,

00:26:56I can't remember,

00:26:57I don't think.

00:26:59Maybe Masters of the Air.

00:27:00That was a while ago then.

00:27:02A while ago now.

00:27:03Maybe it's because

00:27:04they think

00:27:05because you don't look evil,

00:27:07it's more evil

00:27:08when you play evil.

00:27:10Maybe.

00:27:10I will go with that.

00:27:13I think it's something

00:27:14to do with maybe

00:27:15my eyebrows,

00:27:16someone once told me.

00:27:17They've got quite severe eyebrows.

00:27:19And my sister growing up

00:27:21and still calls me

00:27:22evil as a nickname.

00:27:23So there's obviously

00:27:24something in there.

00:27:25Have you been in therapy

00:27:27for this, Jim?

00:27:27Yes, lots.

00:27:28And I billed her

00:27:29and she's yet to pay.

00:27:32But the bulk, it seems to me,

00:27:35of your life

00:27:36and energies now

00:27:39is spent,

00:27:40you know,

00:27:40you sort of do

00:27:41the acting bits

00:27:42but then you're off

00:27:44on particularly

00:27:46your passion

00:27:47for chalk streams.

00:27:48We're living, you know,

00:27:49near the test

00:27:50and near the itch

00:27:51and the most famous chalk streams

00:27:53in the world,

00:27:54certainly the most famous

00:27:55streams in the UK.

00:27:56And you're a passionate

00:27:57fly fisher.

00:27:58We know that

00:27:59and you've given me

00:28:00some casting lessons here

00:28:01which was great fun.

00:28:02But what, I mean,

00:28:03were you taken out

00:28:04as a boy doing it?

00:28:05But it's always been

00:28:06fly fishing with

00:28:07and not course fishing.

00:28:08Well, my fishing career,

00:28:12if you can call it that,

00:28:13started with

00:28:15mackerel fishing

00:28:16off the back

00:28:17of a horrible

00:28:18diesel-ridden tugboat

00:28:20in North Wales.

00:28:22My father used to insist

00:28:24we went out

00:28:24on lumpy August afternoons

00:28:26with him

00:28:26to catch mackerel

00:28:27for our tea

00:28:28but my grandfather

00:28:30saw that I wasn't

00:28:31enjoying that too much

00:28:33so took me fly fishing

00:28:34in the reservoirs

00:28:35around Macclesfield

00:28:36which is where I learnt

00:28:38where you'd catch

00:28:38stock trout

00:28:39and it went from there really.

00:28:41Now, tell me about

00:28:42your campaign

00:28:43because there's several

00:28:43campaigns you've got going.

00:28:45Yeah.

00:28:45You've got one called

00:28:46Project Whiteheart.

00:28:47Project Whiteheart

00:28:47which is the most important one

00:28:50and perhaps most apt

00:28:52in as much as we are

00:28:53as you said,

00:28:53we are in a chalk stream

00:28:55catchment here.

00:28:56Why is chalk streams

00:28:56important?

00:28:57Chalk streams are important

00:28:58because there are very,

00:28:59well, A, they're very rare.

00:29:00There are very few of them

00:29:01in the world.

00:29:02There are probably 200 or so,

00:29:0385% of those

00:29:04are in this country.

00:29:06The lion's share of them

00:29:07are down here

00:29:08in the south.

00:29:10Living in some of those

00:29:11chalk streams

00:29:12are chalk stream salmon

00:29:13and they are a very,

00:29:14very rare subspecies

00:29:15of Atlantic salmon.

00:29:16They're critically endangered.

00:29:17So what can we all do

00:29:20to do our bit,

00:29:21not just those of us

00:29:22who live around

00:29:22these chalk streams

00:29:23but...

00:29:23I think it's really

00:29:24important to spread the word,

00:29:27to tell the story

00:29:28of the salmon

00:29:28because it's such

00:29:29an interesting story.

00:29:30I liken it to

00:29:31Homer's Odyssey

00:29:32because it's all about

00:29:34this fish

00:29:34that spends half its life

00:29:37trying to get back

00:29:38to where it was born

00:29:39after spending

00:29:40the first half of its life

00:29:41getting out

00:29:42to the feeding grounds

00:29:43and doing battle

00:29:44with all the various

00:29:45predators

00:29:45and what happens

00:29:46out in the ocean.

00:29:46So it's a huge odyssey

00:29:48this story that it goes on

00:29:50and if people understood

00:29:52that they'd hopefully

00:29:53fall in love

00:29:53with the romance of it

00:29:54and if they understood

00:29:55how important it is

00:29:56to the rivers

00:29:57as a keystone species

00:29:58then they might just

00:30:00get the support

00:30:01that it so desperately needs.

00:30:03There would be some

00:30:03who would say

00:30:04you clearly feel passionate

00:30:05about this

00:30:06why then are you

00:30:07a fisherman?

00:30:08That's a good question.

00:30:08Why do you catch them?

00:30:09It's almost paradoxical

00:30:10isn't it?

00:30:11Because, well,

00:30:12A, I will say

00:30:14when I salmon fish

00:30:15and the majority

00:30:16of people who salmon fish

00:30:18now are absolutely

00:30:19practising catch and release

00:30:21so that's about

00:30:23fish handling

00:30:23keeping the fish

00:30:24in the water

00:30:25at all times

00:30:25not stressing it

00:30:27so they all survive

00:30:29I mean there is

00:30:30a small percentage

00:30:31of mortality

00:30:32but predominantly

00:30:33they survive

00:30:34but what anglers do

00:30:36is bring much needed

00:30:38financial resource

00:30:39and awareness

00:30:40to these rivers

00:30:40and riparian management

00:30:42and riparian management

00:30:43all that

00:30:44with very good news

00:30:45for the rivers

00:30:46if there weren't anglers

00:30:47then I would

00:30:49hazard a guess

00:30:50that the rivers

00:30:51would be even

00:30:51in worse condition

00:30:53than they are already

00:30:54and they do

00:30:55give you

00:30:56pleasure

00:30:57when you're working

00:30:58with them

00:30:58and they give us pleasure

00:30:59when we watch

00:30:59the likes of you

00:31:00and Robson Green

00:31:01here in Iceland

00:31:02Jim he's massive

00:31:07he's huge

00:31:13oh he's a beast

00:31:15he's a beast

00:31:19that's a big fish

00:31:21Jesus Christ

00:31:2582

00:31:26yes baby

00:31:30I'm so glad

00:31:31we came back

00:31:31to this beautiful lake

00:31:32this is the stuff

00:31:34fishing memories

00:31:34are made of

00:31:37it's been a once

00:31:38in a lifetime day

00:31:39and being this close

00:31:40to these ancient

00:31:41mythical fish

00:31:42makes me feel

00:31:43truly humbled

00:31:50well done mate

00:31:53we can enjoy

00:31:55ourselves now

00:31:56you see how much

00:31:57it means you

00:31:58and there's something

00:31:58sort of prehistoric

00:32:00isn't there

00:32:00about those

00:32:01I see exactly

00:32:02what you mean about

00:32:04you know

00:32:04and you and Robson

00:32:05share that passion

00:32:06they're wild animals

00:32:08and to connect

00:32:09that was a

00:32:09that was a trout

00:32:10from the Jurassic

00:32:12trout lake

00:32:12in Iceland

00:32:13so you're right

00:32:14that they are

00:32:14kind of prehistoric

00:32:15in as much as

00:32:16they've had

00:32:16millions of years

00:32:17to adapt

00:32:18but salmon

00:32:18exactly the same

00:32:20they're wild animals

00:32:21that have come

00:32:21from the sea

00:32:22and they're back

00:32:23in this freshwater

00:32:24habitat

00:32:24and you get the

00:32:25chance to get up

00:32:27close and personal

00:32:28giving us all

00:32:29a lot of knowledge

00:32:30about this

00:32:31a lot of knowledge

00:32:31in a short period

00:32:32of time

00:32:33not to digest

00:32:33let's take you back

00:32:34to the day job

00:32:37let's have a little

00:32:38clever view

00:32:38under the greenwood tree

00:32:39with the delightful

00:32:41keely hawes

00:32:43it's just too bad

00:32:44of you dick teary

00:32:47miss day

00:32:49my shirt please

00:32:50let me go on

00:32:51thinking it was

00:32:52mr shiner

00:32:52who saved my father

00:32:53when i now know

00:32:54that it was you

00:32:55it's of no importance

00:32:56it's of enormous importance

00:32:57and it could have had

00:32:58enormous repercussions

00:33:01my shirt

00:33:01miss day

00:33:07do you know

00:33:08what i said

00:33:08to mr shiner's

00:33:09offer of marriage

00:33:12i may have heard

00:33:12something

00:33:14what do you think

00:33:14about that

00:33:15mr teary

00:33:16i have no opinion

00:33:17of my betters miss

00:33:19are you going to

00:33:20give me my shirt

00:33:20miss day

00:33:22i haven't decided yet

00:33:27oh we just cut off

00:33:29at the vital moment

00:33:30it is jim murray's

00:33:31mr darcy moment

00:33:33was it as it

00:33:34dealing as peaceful

00:33:35as it looked

00:33:35working with keely

00:33:36there

00:33:36yes it was

00:33:37we shot that

00:33:39on jersey

00:33:41many years ago

00:33:42and you can see

00:33:43i was very red

00:33:44that wasn't makeup

00:33:45i was sunburned

00:33:46but we figured

00:33:47or i figured

00:33:48we'd get away with it

00:33:49because normally

00:33:50when you get sunburned

00:33:51they'll kick you

00:33:52and make up

00:33:52so it doesn't kick off

00:33:53off the lens

00:33:54but we figured

00:33:56that that character

00:33:58back in the day

00:33:59would have got sunburned

00:34:00there's no sunscreen

00:34:01in those days

00:34:02so yeah

00:34:03we went with it

00:34:03now since we last

00:34:05spoke on this program

00:34:07yes

00:34:07you and your wife

00:34:08sarah sarah parish

00:34:09you've both been

00:34:11awarded the mbe

00:34:11for which huge

00:34:12congratulations

00:34:13thank you very much

00:34:14for this astonishing work

00:34:15you do

00:34:16for the murray parish trust

00:34:17you've now raised

00:34:18over five million pounds

00:34:20for paediatric care

00:34:22in this part of the world

00:34:23and equipment

00:34:24i mean

00:34:25well done you

00:34:26it's not raised

00:34:28without a heck of a lot

00:34:29of hard graft

00:34:30is it

00:34:31it's not

00:34:32and since then

00:34:33we actually

00:34:35last summer

00:34:36we rebranded

00:34:37and went national

00:34:38and now we're called

00:34:39imagine this

00:34:40because what we

00:34:41are raising funds for

00:34:43now

00:34:43we realised

00:34:45when we were

00:34:46the murray parish trust

00:34:47that there was a huge need

00:34:48being overlooked

00:34:49for the mental well-being

00:34:50of seriously ill children

00:34:51and their families

00:34:52we were obviously

00:34:53one of those people

00:34:54when Ella Jane

00:34:55our first daughter

00:34:56who passed away

00:34:58she was in hospital

00:34:59for a long time

00:35:00we were the family

00:35:02and of course

00:35:04your mental health suffers

00:35:05because who's

00:35:06looking after you

00:35:07who's helping you

00:35:08process all this

00:35:10life-changing information

00:35:11that's coming at you

00:35:12at a rate of knots

00:35:13so we are raising funds

00:35:15now

00:35:15using all sorts

00:35:17of creative therapies

00:35:19we're using drama therapy

00:35:20art therapy

00:35:21as well as

00:35:22more traditional

00:35:23talking therapy

00:35:24dance therapy

00:35:25to help these kids

00:35:27you know

00:35:27have a better sense

00:35:28of balance

00:35:29when it comes to

00:35:29their mental well-being

00:35:30and therefore

00:35:31hopefully get better

00:35:32because there's

00:35:33a real need for it

00:35:34so that's

00:35:34that's the

00:35:35that's what we're using

00:35:36as

00:35:37we're standing

00:35:38on the shoulders

00:35:38of the murray parish trust

00:35:39and the funds

00:35:40and the awareness

00:35:41and the story we built there

00:35:43with this new endeavor

00:35:44and making a difference

00:35:45making a difference

00:35:46so that

00:35:47I think for us

00:35:49the way this

00:35:50whole story came about

00:35:51was

00:35:52and it does for so many people

00:35:53who lose children

00:35:55or who lose loved ones

00:35:58giving back

00:35:59is a real tonic

00:36:01you know

00:36:02it's a real therapy

00:36:02and for us it was

00:36:03and we had no idea

00:36:04or no ambition

00:36:05to create this

00:36:07legacy for her

00:36:09which has snowballed

00:36:10into something

00:36:11huge

00:36:12and what can we expect

00:36:13more villains

00:36:14or what

00:36:15what's coming up

00:36:16the next one

00:36:17yeah

00:36:17I think so

00:36:18sadly yes

00:36:19I'm beginning to give you

00:36:20this impression

00:36:20I know

00:36:21let's hope the casting directors

00:36:23aren't watching

00:36:24I did a show

00:36:26I filmed a show last year

00:36:27for ITV called

00:36:28Adultery

00:36:28so you know what that's about

00:36:30and sure enough

00:36:32I play an adulterer

00:36:34but it's

00:36:35it's an interesting piece

00:36:36this one

00:36:37it's not like Wild Cherry

00:36:38it's based in the north

00:36:40it's written by Danny Brocklehurst

00:36:41who's a fabulous voice

00:36:42for the north

00:36:43very funny

00:36:44well if you ever get to the place

00:36:45and the time

00:36:46where you need a bit of coaching

00:36:48in the York

00:36:48oh it's okay

00:36:49I've already got it there mate

00:36:50I'm from there

00:36:50are you already?

00:36:51yeah I'm from Manchester

00:36:52yeah but you talk posh now

00:36:53I do yes

00:36:54well only on shows like this

00:36:55me too

00:36:58always nice to have you here

00:36:59thank you

00:37:00now as Clark Gable

00:37:01was heard to say

00:37:02the great thing about the movies

00:37:04is you're giving people

00:37:05little tiny pieces of time

00:37:07that they never forget

00:37:09pretty much like the one

00:37:11we just had with Jim

00:37:11I think

00:37:12we'll remember things about the salmon

00:37:13well the same can be said

00:37:15for the glorious pictures

00:37:16you send us

00:37:17from your daily strolls

00:37:19it's time

00:37:20to walk on the wild side

00:37:50for the

00:37:52can be if it's

00:38:00the 3D

00:38:01yeah

00:38:01the

00:38:02I

00:38:03yeah

00:38:05yeah

00:38:06yeah

00:38:07yeah

00:38:08yeah

00:38:09yeah

00:38:11yeah

00:42:04Thank you, Philip.

00:42:06Take on a whole new meaning for farmers across the country.

00:42:09During a period of joy, but also very little sleep and bleary eyes, we're hugely grateful

00:42:16to welcome back Merist Wood farm manager, Charlie Dodd, her sheep, Jessie and Maggie and four

00:42:22rather gorgeous lambs.

00:42:24And these are rather special ones, Charlie.

00:42:26I mean, they're darker for a start.

00:42:28What are they?

00:42:29So, these are called, you can hear them said lots of different ways.

00:42:32I go for the pronunciation of Zwartbel.

00:42:35Zwartbel.

00:42:36Zwartbel.

00:42:36Zwartbel, but I have heard it said so many different ways, so I'm sure I'm butchering

00:42:41how you would say it for the Dutch, but it basically translates to black and blazed.

00:42:46So, black with a white blazed.

00:42:48Exactly.

00:42:49So, there's lots of different things that they have to have on them in order to be registered

00:42:52as the breed.

00:42:53So, they have to have this beautiful stripe that goes straight down their face.

00:42:57Like a badger.

00:42:57Exactly.

00:42:58They then have to have no more than half a tail with white on it.

00:43:03So, you can see hers beautifully there.

00:43:05You can see the end.

00:43:05We normally get a bottom to camera.

00:43:07We always get a nice bottom to camera, don't we?

00:43:10A light end to the tail, yeah.

00:43:11And then they also have to have at least two white socks.

00:43:15So, you can see they've got, Maggie's got two white socks.

00:43:19At the back, yeah.

00:43:20And a third, actually.

00:43:21I can see she's got it sneaking through between the mud at the moment.

00:43:24If they've only got two white socks, then it has to be the back legs.

00:43:28Right.

00:43:29But they can have all four white socks, all three, if they want to feel special.

00:43:34Zvartable will get that.

00:43:35And the blaze being, you know, black with a white blaze.

00:43:38Exactly that.

00:43:39So, underneath all of this, they are jet black.

00:43:42I was going to say, because the lambs are black, these browns.

00:43:45Are we talking sunburn here?

00:43:47Exactly.

00:43:48Well, not sunburn, sun bleached.

00:43:50We like to call it their highlights at the moment.

00:43:52So, when you're showing them, so we used to show them a very long time ago, you would

00:43:57basically card them out and trim them out.

00:43:59So, you would have this gorgeous jet black fleece to them, because it makes them look

00:44:03spectacular, to be honest with you.

00:44:05We like our sheep living outside.

00:44:07So, they're always going to get this sort of bleaching on top of them.

00:44:10Yeah.

00:44:11When you show them, that's why you sort of trim it away, so that you can be true to the

00:44:14breed.

00:44:15Because, obviously, you would much rather have a sheep outside than one that's not

00:44:18going out into the sunlight.

00:44:19So, what you can't see that I can see is the expression on this lamb in your lap, which

00:44:26is, I really, I'd really rather like it here.

00:44:29I mean, look at this, it's amazing.

00:44:31So, our students, as I'm sure you can imagine, have been giving the lambs lots of cuddles

00:44:35at the moment.

00:44:35So, they're very used to having just a nice little snuggle.

00:44:39It is.

00:44:39I think I've had a bit too much milk.

00:44:42It's, they are amazing.

00:44:44So, these are how old, the lambs?

00:44:46These are about three weeks old.

00:44:47So, they're actually cross-bred to our Wensleydale ram, so that we could play around with a

00:44:51few different fleeces.

00:44:52So, the Wensleydales are known for having a fantastically long, luster fleece.

00:44:57And, as a result, we like to play around with a few different breeds to try and get the

00:45:01best out of them.

00:45:02I've had quite a few Wensleydales swinds in my time.

00:45:04Not quite as steel wool-like as Herdwick, which is really like a Brillo pad, isn't it?

00:45:09Very much so.

00:45:10It's a bit softer kind of thing, isn't it?

00:45:12Yeah, yeah.

00:45:12So, we've got the cross-breds here.

00:45:15Your svartbulls, however, are fantastic milk sheep, basically.

00:45:19So, going way back, they were bred with the milk sheep.

00:45:23So, Jessie, for example, has actually reared triplets four years in a row.

00:45:27This year, she's having a little break with her twins, though.

00:45:30What a slam for us.

00:45:31Oh, gosh.

00:45:32And every year, the numbers grow, which is fantastic to see.

00:45:35So, is the svartbull a breed you would have if you had a small holding?

00:45:39Could you have, you know, two or three?

00:45:40Absolutely. So, where they're a very friendly breed, they're very used to people, they're fairly easygoing, they look after their

00:45:46lambs, they're brilliant, then lots of people would go for them.

00:45:50They're also quite striking in the fact that they're not your typical white sheep.

00:45:53So, because of the striking appearance, that's what actually drew us to them, is they look different, they're slightly more

00:45:58special in a field.

00:46:00They want to be your best friend, so they come running over, and they're brilliant.

00:46:04How do they compare with the Jacob, which is another variety that people may see, which has got dark fleece

00:46:08and mottled fleeces, too?

00:46:09So, absolutely. Your Jacobs have obviously got the horns instead.

00:46:12Yes.

00:46:12So, that puts off some small holders if they don't want them around children.

00:46:15Jacobs are lovely as well.

00:46:18These guys are slightly bigger, and they grow quicker.

00:46:20So, for those that are going for meat, obviously, because they're able to go off much quicker, in a small

00:46:25holding, that's perfect.

00:46:27Before your grass stops growing and the rain starts coming, you can get rid of the lambs.

00:46:30So, from birth to meat is how long?

00:46:32You can do it roughly in five months, and you'll normally finish the lambs out at about 40, 45 kilos.

00:46:38So, they're very fast growing.

00:46:39And a breed, as you say, with no horns?

00:46:41No horns, exactly.

00:46:42So, they're what we call a polled breed, which means that they're born without any horns.

00:46:46You bring so many different animals here, so many different varieties of livestock.

00:46:52What are your own personal favourites?

00:46:54So, I keep the Wednesdaydale sheep.

00:46:56Yeah.

00:46:56So, the Wednesdaydales definitely have to be my favourite, but then I'd say a close second would be the Zvart

00:47:01Bull.

00:47:02Yeah.

00:47:02Is that, because they're quite rare, these now, aren't they?

00:47:05So, the Zvart Bulls now aren't.

00:47:06They used to be a rare breed back in the day, but now they're very, very popular.

00:47:10You'll often see them at country shows and things, with lots of young handlers taking their favourite sheep into the

00:47:16ring.

00:47:17But now there's quite a few of the Zvart Bulls hanging around.

00:47:20Which shows that people knew they needed building up.

00:47:23Do you find that happens?

00:47:24Are people quite willing, as soon as they're informed that a breed is on the endangered list, that somebody will

00:47:29come along?

00:47:30People will come and say, right, we'll have those, we'll keep the breed going.

00:47:33So, it's finding their niche market.

00:47:34Yes.

00:47:34What can they actually give us that's different to just your plain old white sheep?

00:47:38What's different about them?

00:47:40And so, it's finding where they sort of fit in.

00:47:42And once you find that niche, that's when your numbers will soar in the breed themselves.

00:47:46But also vital that we keep a broad gene pool going, isn't it, really?

00:47:49If something slips off, it may well have a particular characteristic that you want to breed back in further down

00:47:55the line of resistance to disease or whatever.

00:47:57So, they're doing lots of research at the moment, the Rare Breed Survival Trust, into looking at actually what our

00:48:03specific British breeds can give us.

00:48:05Whether back in the day there was something that we're missing that possibly is going to come back up.

00:48:10So, they're doing lots of work with the genetics to try and make sure that they're protected in case we

00:48:14can use them in however many years' time to, who knows, cure a disease.

00:48:19You never know.

00:48:20So, do you send a lot of yours out?

00:48:22Do you sell them on?

00:48:24Yes.

00:48:25Yes.

00:48:26So, actually, when we pure breeders of art bulls, they always go to homes.

00:48:31Lots of the others will go into the food chain, to be honest with you, like our crossbreds and things.

00:48:35We want to be honest in the fact that we do a sort of field-to-fork situation.

00:48:41Yeah, yeah.

00:48:41And it's amazing for our students to actually learn that sort of your meat just doesn't come from Tesco's or

00:48:47Waitrose or wherever.

00:48:48You can actually get it from the farmer direct, which is what all of our farmers are trying to say.

00:48:53Let's kind of go to our farmer's direct.

00:48:55You know exactly where your meat is coming from.

00:48:57You know it's had a good life.

00:48:58Exactly.

00:48:59And, I mean, frankly, you've got the life of Riley, haven't you?

00:49:03I can see. I think I want to come back as a svarple if I come back.

00:49:07But it's so good to have you with us.

00:49:09It always is, Charlie. We learn such a lot.

00:49:11And also your reminders that more young people are coming into farming and keeping it going because we most certainly

00:49:17need it.

00:49:18Thanks very much, Charlie.

00:49:25Now they're the iconic short-lived blooms representing the fleeting nature of life,

00:49:31typically lasting only one to two weeks in spring.

00:49:35Here's Leslie Joseph and everything you need to know about cherry blossom.

00:49:41Good morning, Alan.

00:49:42Oh, it's nearly time.

00:49:44I can barely contain myself.

00:49:46There's a moment, just a moment, when the light turns pearly,

00:49:50the air softens and suddenly my favourite trees slip into frothy pink frocks,

00:49:56blushing from branch to tip.

00:50:00Cherry blossom has arrived and subtlety is overrated, darling.

00:50:05Each flower only lasts a week or two.

00:50:08Brief.

00:50:09Dazzling.

00:50:11Gone.

00:50:12Honestly, it's the limited edition handbag of the horticultural world

00:50:16and rather like a good blow-dry, timing is everything.

00:50:20A cold winter, followed by rising spring temperatures, triggers those buds to open.

00:50:27They need a winter chill first, a proper beauty sleep before they're ready for their close-up.

00:50:33In the UK, flowering typically begins in the south in March

00:50:37and gradually moves northwards through April.

00:50:41It's like a pink wave travelling up Britain.

00:50:44Now, of course, cherry blossom isn't just about looking fabulous.

00:50:48Those golden stamens at the centre of each flower are dusted with pollen.

00:50:53An early-seasoned feast for bees and other pollinators just getting back to work.

00:50:58It's generous as well as gorgeous.

00:51:02The magic of cherry blossom lies in its brevity.

00:51:05Wind or rain can sweep it away in days.

00:51:07A gust!

00:51:08And the petals drift down like pink snow.

00:51:12And just like that, the moment passes.

00:51:14But perhaps that's the point.

00:51:16It's not meant to last.

00:51:17Nothing lasts forever.

00:51:20Oh, I'm going all sentimental.

00:51:24Cherry blossom doesn't whisper that spring is here.

00:51:26It throws open the doors, fluffs its petals and declares,

00:51:30Darling, I've arrived.

00:51:33Much like you on a Sunday morning, Alan.

00:51:37Till next time.

00:51:40Ah, the beauty of cherry blossom, a feast for the eyes and the soul

00:51:45as they briefly appear to dance in the sunlight.

00:51:48And then the petals fall in a great cloud,

00:51:53symbolising the transient nature of life.

00:51:56Don't be so miserable, Alan.

00:51:58Thank you, Leslie.

00:51:59Coming up, rosemary, that's for remembrance.

00:52:02Then there are pansies, they're for thoughts, and lavender.

00:52:06Well, that was the perfect way to disguise the Elizabethan odours.

00:52:09I'll say no more.

00:52:11Fresh from offering her expertise on Oscar's favourite hamnet,

00:52:15Jeca McVicca's back to showcase the ways

00:52:18our favourite herbs were used in the Elizabethan era.

00:52:21I'll be back with Jeca and more.

00:52:23Right on to this.

00:52:39Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

00:52:41While mums should be celebrated every day of the year,

00:52:45Mothering Sunday allows us to show them just how much we care.

00:52:49Andy Clark will be bringing the love and the cocktails

00:52:52with his selection of Mother's Day martinis,

00:52:55including a rhubarb and lemon martini.

00:52:58But first, I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

00:53:03where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

00:53:06quite ur-canopied with luscious woodbine,

00:53:10with sweet musk roses and with egg lint.

00:53:13I've lost Gemta.

00:53:14Never mind, Midsummer Night's Dream.

00:53:16Words of Shakespeare,

00:53:17who fondly nods to the herbs and botanicals

00:53:21favoured in his work.

00:53:22So, who better to help us explore

00:53:25the Elizabethan taste for herbs

00:53:27than our very own Jeca McVicca,

00:53:29who, since she was last year,

00:53:31has been very busy as a herb consultant

00:53:34on the movie that everyone's talking about,

00:53:38Hamnet.

00:53:40I have no talent for waiting.

00:53:45A woman in my family see things.

00:53:48What do you see?

00:53:52I see a landscape.

00:53:55Oceans.

00:53:56You're having twins, my girl.

00:53:58Undiscovered countries.

00:54:00What do you wish to do, Hamnet?

00:54:02I shall be one of father's players.

00:54:05Will you be brave?

00:54:06Yes.

00:54:07Will you be brave?

00:54:08Please!

00:54:10When shall we three meet again?

00:54:12Our children's hearts beat.

00:54:15They smile.

00:54:17Play.

00:54:19Never forget for a moment.

00:54:24Gosh.

00:54:25They're all waiting with bated breath

00:54:27for the Oscars tonight.

00:54:28We shall see.

00:54:29Did you have fun working on it

00:54:31with your herbs?

00:54:31I'll put him down there.

00:54:32It was amazing.

00:54:33This wonderful woman called Amanda

00:54:36came to my farm with her team

00:54:38and she does all the flower arranging and sets.

00:54:42I mean, when you actually look at how many times

00:54:44flowers are used in films,

00:54:46so they wanted to know from me

00:54:48how the plants grew,

00:54:50so they came and looked at the herb garden.

00:54:52But then also I took them down the lane

00:54:53where I showed them how the herbs were growing

00:54:56and they bought a lot,

00:54:57which is very jolly,

00:54:58because they were planting

00:55:01the apothecary that is used.

00:55:03Because everybody knew about herbs in those days.

00:55:08And what's fascinating

00:55:09when you get into Shakespeare

00:55:10is how the audience would have known

00:55:12exactly what he was talking about

00:55:14when he was talking about meadow sweet.

00:55:16Like we would know what paracetamol was.

00:55:18Did you see?

00:55:19Yeah.

00:55:20But we've lost that connection.

00:55:21And I mean, the herbs they used,

00:55:24and the herbs, everything was about this time of year.

00:55:27Yes.

00:55:27And so sage, for example,

00:55:29and thyme, I've got two times there,

00:55:31and fennel.

00:55:32And this, this is a classic.

00:55:36This is a sweet marjoram

00:55:38and it's actually a perennial one

00:55:40which grows in my garden,

00:55:41which I picked this morning.

00:55:42And that was used by the rich.

00:55:47A gentleman like yourself

00:55:48would have used it as a snuff.

00:55:51Oh, really?

00:55:52What, dried?

00:55:53Yes.

00:55:53And used it as a snuff.

00:55:55And the women would have put it

00:55:56as in tussie-mussies, you know,

00:55:58because everyone slopped out in the road.

00:56:00Yeah, it smelt.

00:56:01It smelt horrendous.

00:56:02Stick this in your nose.

00:56:03And that wasn't eaten as a culinary herb

00:56:05until we went on package holidays

00:56:07and ate pizza.

00:56:09Goodness me!

00:56:10Whereas here,

00:56:11if they'd been foraging,

00:56:12they would have picked the wild oregano,

00:56:15which is quite often called pot marjoram,

00:56:18because it went in the one pot.

00:56:21Yes.

00:56:21And, I mean,

00:56:22I find it fascinating,

00:56:23because all of these,

00:56:24mint there was there,

00:56:25sorrel,

00:56:26rosemary,

00:56:27salibonet.

00:56:27Well, you've got a lovely blue flowered rosemary.

00:56:29Is that your particular strain of rosemary?

00:56:31Is that Jecker's blue?

00:56:32It is, yes.

00:56:32You're too embarrassed to say,

00:56:33but I won't.

00:56:34It's a glorious,

00:56:35really blue flowered form of rosemary.

00:56:37It's been since December.

00:56:38Ah.

00:56:38And it gives petrol joy.

00:56:41But I really want to show you what they had in those days.

00:56:45They had no Solanaceae family.

00:56:47So there's no tomatoes,

00:56:48no potatoes.

00:56:49No potatoes.

00:56:50Because Walter Raleigh would have come later with that.

00:56:53Yes, he did.

00:56:53And so what they had was turnips, carrots.

00:56:58Underrated vegetable, the turnip.

00:57:00Totally.

00:57:01If you grow them small,

00:57:03literally no bigger than that,

00:57:04and boil them,

00:57:06and butter and pepper them.

00:57:07I love turnips.

00:57:08Well, turnips and parsnips.

00:57:09But did you know,

00:57:10carrots were white or purple in those days?

00:57:13Were they?

00:57:13Not orange.

00:57:14Hence the heritage varieties, Richard.

00:57:16And leeks.

00:57:17So, and this is what they had.

00:57:20This is one of the one-dish pots.

00:57:22Because everyone cooked over an open fire in one pot.

00:57:27Hence pot herb.

00:57:29Aha.

00:57:30So if it's called a pot herb,

00:57:31like pot marjoram, pot marigold,

00:57:34or you would say this is a pot herb,

00:57:36it's because it went in the pot.

00:57:38It smells absolutely good.

00:57:38So this is called a potage.

00:57:41And it's a form of cooking.

00:57:42And I have made you...

00:57:45Look at this.

00:57:46It is literally...

00:57:47It is those ingredients.

00:57:49And that is all.

00:57:51Wonderful.

00:57:52Let me have a taste.

00:57:52Have a taste.

00:57:53See what you think.

00:57:55I've got to be kind here, haven't I?

00:57:56No.

00:57:58And it's thickened.

00:57:59Oh, it's gorgeous.

00:58:00And it's thickened with porridge.

00:58:03With porridge.

00:58:03Because they didn't have flour.

00:58:05There's something herby in here.

00:58:07Well, there's...

00:58:08All those.

00:58:08Yeah, whatever I fancied putting in.

00:58:10So there was thyme,

00:58:11a bit of sage.

00:58:12Oh, I can't tell you.

00:58:13This is so gorgeous.

00:58:14And it's very, very good for you.

00:58:16Totally healthy.

00:58:17And no cholesterols.

00:58:19So I've done that.

00:58:20And then this is something else

00:58:22that they would have had.

00:58:23Sorry, I'm eating too much.

00:58:25I'm sorry.

00:58:25That's quite all right.

00:58:26I can give you some more to have for...

00:58:27What have you got now?

00:58:27This, I think it's amazing.

00:58:31At this time of year,

00:58:32the wild garlic looks like this.

00:58:36Yeah.

00:58:37And this is the perfect, perfect size.

00:58:39Oh, that's amazing.

00:58:40And they didn't have bread in poor houses.

00:58:43So there's oat cakes.

00:58:44Yeah.

00:58:45And they literally had,

00:58:47they had cheese

00:58:49and they would have,

00:58:50this is what they would have also had with...

00:58:53So you've mixed the wild garlic with soft cheese.

00:58:57That's it.

00:58:58Gorgeous.

00:58:58Isn't that superb?

00:59:00And then the other thing,

00:59:01of course, they had a lot of,

00:59:03I hope this is hot enough, yes,

00:59:05is they would have steeped things like thyme.

00:59:09Yeah.

00:59:10Now, if you're going to make a herb tea,

00:59:12please do not add the kettle boiling to the herb.

00:59:19Because then all the essential oils boil off.

00:59:22So you put that in there.

00:59:23So it's just hot water, but not boiling water.

00:59:25Exactly.

00:59:26Hot, hot.

00:59:26Mushing it round a bit.

00:59:27Mushing it round.

00:59:29You're meant to let it steep for a little bit.

00:59:31And then, because you have a cough and a cold,

00:59:34I'll let that...

00:59:35Okay.

00:59:35I'm trying to cover it up.

00:59:37It's the usual.

00:59:38Yes, it is.

00:59:39I bought you some of our honey.

00:59:41Oh, I smell that.

00:59:41Absolutely superb.

00:59:43Oh, that's a richness to it, isn't there?

00:59:45And they always say you should...

00:59:46And they had honey in Elizabethan times.

00:59:49And local honey, too.

00:59:50Yes.

00:59:50Because they didn't have sugar.

00:59:52No, of course.

00:59:53Yeah.

00:59:54Yeah, I mean, when you start going through that

00:59:57and go back to what they had and what they cooked with.

01:00:00Oh, it's very exciting.

01:00:01Is that going in now?

01:00:01No, no, it's going into a mug for you.

01:00:03You've got a posh mug.

01:00:04Oh, I have Elizabethan mug.

01:00:07Genuine.

01:00:09There we go.

01:00:10Mashing it up a bit.

01:00:11Yes, because I'm afraid this will be a little weak.

01:00:15We could have given it a little bit longer.

01:00:16We could have done, but there we go.

01:00:17So that's going to melt the honey.

01:00:18Yeah, it'll melt the honey, which will soothe your throat.

01:00:21You're very...

01:00:23But if ever you have a cough or a cold,

01:00:26this last thing at night is really, really good,

01:00:29especially for coughs, because it lines your throat.

01:00:32Did the Elizabethans have whiskey?

01:00:35I don't know.

01:00:36I think you need to do your research there.

01:00:38I'll come and help you research.

01:00:40Will you?

01:00:40I wonder if they did.

01:00:42We could go on the road, couldn't we?

01:00:43We could go on the road.

01:00:45Alan and Jecker's whiskey trip with herbs.

01:00:49Fantastic.

01:00:49I could get you to eat wild, then.

01:00:52Yeah.

01:00:53But tasting all these things just reminds you

01:00:56how, you know, really full of flavour and good for you they are.

01:00:59And also shows you the knowledge of plants.

01:01:04It doesn't matter which way you go.

01:01:06It really keeps you young and keeps you going

01:01:09because there's always something new to learn.

01:01:12Was it revolting?

01:01:13No, it's delicious, actually.

01:01:14Oh, good.

01:01:14And this woman is a prime example of herbs keeping you young.

01:01:17She's 236.

01:01:18Yes.

01:01:19Isn't it astonishing?

01:01:20And a dear mate for a long time.

01:01:22For a long, long time.

01:01:23That was fab.

01:01:24All fab.

01:01:25And a reminder to us.

01:01:26Good ingredients.

01:01:27Good herbs.

01:01:28Simple.

01:01:29Simple herbs.

01:01:30Good veg.

01:01:31Seasonal.

01:01:31Yes.

01:01:32Yeah.

01:01:32Important.

01:01:33And grow your own.

01:01:35Absolutely.

01:01:35And you can catch all the Oscar coverage tonight

01:01:38on ITV1 at 10.15.

01:01:41We wish Jekka and Hamnet the very best of luck.

01:01:45Now, Chesterton Mill has been standing tall since 1847.

01:01:50And for over a century, its sales and milling stones turn grain into flour for the surrounding

01:01:57Cambridge bakeries.

01:01:58Today, well, the mill may have lost its sales and ceased grinding, but it still creates something

01:02:04rather magnificent and unexpected as Manor Farm's wine connoisseur, Toni Oshoma found out when

01:02:11she decided to pay them a visit.

01:02:22Once seen as a laughing stock, English wines are now amongst the most dynamic in the world.

01:02:28Thanks to changing climates, chalky soils and a new wave of winemakers, England is producing

01:02:34really high quality, sparkling and still wines, proving that with a bit of patience and a

01:02:41bit of skill, even the most unexpected places can produce the most wonderful of things.

01:02:47I've been to a lot of wineries, but never one in a windmill.

01:02:53Hi, Toni.

01:02:54Welcome.

01:02:55Hi, Chris.

01:02:55Thank you for having me in your underground operation.

01:02:58So tell us, what got you into wine?

01:03:00So my background's actually in music journalism.

01:03:03From then, I sort of scratched the itch a little bit and ended up enrolling at Agriculture

01:03:07College to do a Bachelor of Science degree, three years in viticulture and enology, and

01:03:12from there I set up an urban winery back in 2020.

01:03:16So a lot of people associate wineries with the countryside, but urban wineries are a little

01:03:21bit different, aren't they?

01:03:22We make the wine here like you would in any normal winery, but we don't grow the grapes.

01:03:26So the South East is known for perfect grape growing conditions because of things like the

01:03:30chalk soils.

01:03:31Do you get your grapes locally?

01:03:32So I'm very fortunate to be based here in Cambridge because the hotspot for grape growing

01:03:36for still wines is Essex, and particularly the Crouch Valley, which is only 35 miles from

01:03:41here.

01:03:41But we source grapes from all over the country, from Oxfordshire to Kent and further south

01:03:45as well.

01:03:45So there aren't many wine miles involved.

01:03:47It means that we can pick first thing in the morning and by lunchtime the wine is on

01:03:51its journey.

01:03:52But even in the cold of winter, there's still so much work to be done.

01:03:56And Chris does every single bit on his own.

01:03:59So Chris, this is the wine thief, isn't it?

01:04:01I love that name.

01:04:02This is the time of year when I'm testing each of the barrels to make sure I know where

01:04:06the wine is at and when it might be released.

01:04:08So you've got to make sure the wines come out perfect at this stage.

01:04:11Exactly.

01:04:11So they went through fermentation in the autumn.

01:04:14We're now winter, but these will be released in the spring.

01:04:17So it's a crucial time to taste the wines and find out what they're doing.

01:04:20So we've got Bacchus here, which is known to be one of the most widely grown white grapes

01:04:24in the UK, and it's known for its aromatic notes, isn't it, and citrus, a bit of green

01:04:28notes as well.

01:04:29And I can smell it already.

01:04:34Wow.

01:04:35Really fresh and bright acidity.

01:04:37Yeah, exactly what I'm looking for at this stage.

01:04:40This will be another sort of six to eight weeks in barrel before being bottled.

01:04:43And in that time, I think it will get a little bit more weight to it.

01:04:46But it's got that lovely freshness at the moment, which I'm really happy about.

01:04:49Lovely.

01:04:49It tastes really clean as well.

01:04:50I love it.

01:04:52So, Chris, this is yet another thing that you do all by yourself.

01:04:56Roughly, how many bottles do you do a year?

01:04:58Well, most of the bottles are waxed.

01:05:00And this cellar, even though it's small, has got capacity for a sort of 6,000 bottle.

01:05:05And it's quite an ancient practice, isn't it?

01:05:07So why do you actually do this?

01:05:09Yes, so they would have been waxing bottles of wine well before they would have had aluminium

01:05:13or different types of foil on top.

01:05:15I primarily do it for aesthetics, really.

01:05:17It helps with the look and feel of the end product.

01:05:22So here we've got a Chardonnay, which is the most widely grown white grape in the world.

01:05:26Absolutely.

01:05:27And in England, we can now make premium Chardonnays that are world-beating.

01:05:32That is delicious.

01:05:33That is so good.

01:05:34I'm getting really nice zesty notes.

01:05:36So a bit of lemon peel, a bit of orange as well.

01:05:39And so, Chris, why has Chardonnay become so easy to grow in the UK?

01:05:43Well, the climate's changing.

01:05:44It's a little bit warmer, which helps to get that ripeness.

01:05:46But also, the people who are planting and growing the grapes have got levels of expertise that previously weren't in

01:05:51the UK industry.

01:05:52So we're really learning from other areas.

01:05:54And the proof is in the wine.

01:05:56The future's bright for English wines.

01:05:58And who'd have thought it?

01:05:59You can even get a bright and bold Sauvignon Blanc made and grown right here in the UK.

01:06:06Cheers.

01:06:12Oh, thank you, Tony.

01:06:13Somebody had to do it, didn't they?

01:06:15Coming up, she's a titan of the literary world, a writing legend, with countless bestsellers and a specialist in the

01:06:23killer thriller.

01:06:24Linda Laplount, telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

01:06:28I'll see you with Linda for some gentle interrogation right after this.

01:06:33Go nowhere.

01:06:48Welcome back.

01:06:49Coming up, it's the quintessential cocktail.

01:06:51But for a recipe that usually involves just two ingredients, the debate over its correct preparation is endless.

01:06:59Drinks King, Andy Clark, sets the record straight with his perfect martini, alongside several other Moorish Mothering Sunday recipes,

01:07:08including his rhubarb and limoncello, and a cream tea martini mixed with cream and maple syrup.

01:07:14Oh, but first, she's the woman responsible for some of our most popular dramas, most of which I watch on

01:07:22a regular basis with Mrs. T and a nice G in tea.

01:07:26Here's a taster of a night in at Titchmarsh Towers.

01:07:30Open up, it's the police!

01:07:32We're investigating the brutal, sadistic murder of a young woman.

01:07:36I killed them both.

01:07:37Do you have a relationship with James Lelton?

01:07:39Promise me you'll leave Commander Blake out of this.

01:07:41Just keep it as low profile as possible.

01:07:43Yes, Commander.

01:07:45There is no whole truth. Do you know who told me that?

01:07:47You've impressed a lot of people, and if you get promoted, Mike gets the booted in.

01:07:51I'm just doing my job.

01:07:52There are repercussions.

01:07:54Be careful how you come and go.

01:07:56From now on, this place will be headquarters.

01:07:58Linda?

01:08:01Now's your chance, love.

01:08:03In or out.

01:08:13Good girl.

01:08:14A perfect example there of Laplante trademark gritty, compelling drama.

01:08:19I so miss the 80s hair.

01:08:21I really...

01:08:21Well, there you are.

01:08:23I don't know.

01:08:23I'm still here.

01:08:25Before we do anything else, happy 83rd birthday today.

01:08:30I know.

01:08:30Oh, I love it.

01:08:32It's very hard to actually realise that you're 83.

01:08:38Don't give in to it.

01:08:39Oh, I know.

01:08:40The thing is, though, I keep looking at people in zoomer frames and thinking, how old are they?

01:08:47No, not yet.

01:08:50The reality is it's all luck.

01:08:52Yeah.

01:08:53You know.

01:08:53And also, the ability to keep being fascinated, I think, by, particularly in your case, by crime.

01:09:03You know, we saw that, you know, widows, prime suspects.

01:09:06It's amazing catalogue over all those years.

01:09:11Clearly, every time something new comes along and captures your imagination.

01:09:16And the latest, the final, Jack War, Sacrifice, the final one.

01:09:23Is this rather like killing off Poirot for Agatha Christie?

01:09:26Is it the same sort of...

01:09:27Yeah, it is.

01:09:28Did you feel like that when you were doing it?

01:09:30Should I do this?

01:09:31Well, there comes a point.

01:09:33I had carefully constructed through all the Jack War novels that there is a danger element.

01:09:40He's a risk.

01:09:42Yeah.

01:09:42He may be lovely.

01:09:43You may like him.

01:09:44And I want you to like him.

01:09:46But there's a risk.

01:09:48And I think the moment he learnt his father was Harry Rawlins, all the way back to widows,

01:10:00that he knew there was a darkness inside him.

01:10:04And it has come out slowly.

01:10:07But...

01:10:08You obviously knew all that then right at the beginning.

01:10:11Did you know it was going to come out?

01:10:12Or did it sort of...

01:10:13No, I knew.

01:10:14You did know.

01:10:15Reality is, I wish I hadn't.

01:10:17I wish I hadn't wanted...

01:10:20It happens.

01:10:21Things like...

01:10:22It happened to me.

01:10:23I'm at an event and a woman stands up on the Q&A and she says,

01:10:28What happened to Harry Rawlins' baby that he had when the series Widows was on?

01:10:34And I said, well, you know, I never thought.

01:10:37And then I got home and I thought, where did he go?

01:10:40Yeah.

01:10:40He's dead.

01:10:41He was murdered by Dolly.

01:10:43Oh, I've got a long time.

01:10:46He could be a police officer.

01:10:48Wallop.

01:10:49In I go.

01:10:50Jack Waugh is born.

01:10:52And I loved him.

01:10:56But there comes a point where I am morally, I don't want you to back a police officer that

01:11:07is going bad.

01:11:09And so I knew time was going to come.

01:11:13Oh, now that's difficult then for you, isn't it, really?

01:11:15Because, yeah, you've got to...

01:11:17He's got to go.

01:11:18Yeah, you've got to exert your own justice on you.

01:11:20And it's awful.

01:11:20Is it?

01:11:21It's awful.

01:11:21When I started fiction, Rosamund Pilcher said to me once, I rang her up when I finished

01:11:25my first novel and shit, oh, she said, you've just said goodbye to all your friends.

01:11:29And I thought, oh, yeah, there is a sense of bereavement about it, isn't it?

01:11:34Yeah, you love him.

01:11:35Yeah.

01:11:35I couldn't kill him off.

01:11:38I just, I was weaving and moving and making this huge plot and this dynamic storyline

01:11:46to keep you turning the pages.

01:11:48And all the time I knew something bad was going to really happen.

01:11:53And so, you know, eventually you think, better find a new one, get another one, which I'm

01:12:01working on already.

01:12:03It's evident whenever I talk to you that you've begun your life as an actress, which

01:12:07is, you know, wonderful fun because you can bring to your stories and to your storytelling

01:12:11of them, all the talents of a thesp.

01:12:15Yeah.

01:12:15Now tell me about Educating Marmalade.

01:12:17Oh, it was just one, you know, when you're a working actress, you would very much like

01:12:24to do Edgar Blatt.

01:12:26Of course.

01:12:27You know, you've got to go where the money is to earn a living.

01:12:31But I love this because John Byrd, who was an adorable man, lovely comedic actor, and one

01:12:39day we were filming and he came and he said, he was in costume, a suit, he said, I just

01:12:46got

01:12:46to nip off, he's got a problem with the family, I'll be back, I'll be back in time for afternoon

01:12:51shoot, nobody panic.

01:12:53When he came back and he had a tie around here and he said, sorry, sorry I'm late, I've been

01:13:02with the RSPCA.

01:13:03And he said, what's happened, what's happened, he said, I lost one of my wallabies.

01:13:09And he goes, how did you get the wallaby John?

01:13:14And he said, well, I've got two, and it's like you're looking at somebody, two wallabies

01:13:23in a Wimbledon garden, and he didn't notice that one had hopped and hopped over because

01:13:31they hopped so fast back and forth.

01:13:32And he'd been over the hedges to get his wallaby back, lovely, that was the joy of working

01:13:40in those days.

01:13:41That's okay, well here we are, educating Marmalade, not a wallaby.

01:13:45What's this woman on about?

01:13:47I think I understand.

01:13:49What you're saying is, we should send our little girl to some scruffy day school, where

01:13:54she would be bullied, robbed and generally tortured by huge working class louts.

01:14:00Is that what you're saying?

01:14:03Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.

01:14:08Well yes, yes, that is what I'm saying.

01:14:12Oh I think that's an excellent idea.

01:14:14First class.

01:14:15Marmalade!

01:14:16You call cop.

01:14:18Ah!

01:14:20Marmalade dear, you're going to go to Cringe Hill Comprehensive.

01:14:25Love the accent there.

01:14:26It was the wig.

01:14:28Why aren't you, I'm looking similar now.

01:14:29No, no, no.

01:14:30You've been paid supreme compliments over the years and quite right too, for the quality

01:14:34of your writing, the extent of your writing.

01:14:36How extensively do you plot, or do you let it take its own course?

01:14:40Heavily.

01:14:41Heavily plotted.

01:14:41Heavily.

01:14:42Heavily.

01:14:43Because I always encourage other writers to go to source, because you can get anything

01:14:49off the computer, anything you want, but it's flatline.

01:14:53You get the netty gritty and the good stuff when you interview somebody.

01:15:00And that's been, I mean, my major, you know, I wave the flag face to face.

01:15:06You can't beat it.

01:15:08You can't beat it.

01:15:08And I'm very, because I do a podcast, and all the scientists that give me their time,

01:15:14you know, I interview them.

01:15:15And I just say to writers, listen, I'm asking questions that every writer wants to know about.

01:15:22And listen to how they feed it back.

01:15:25They're all brilliant.

01:15:26Brilliant people.

01:15:27And the advance of scientific knowledge now, from forensic, if you think they are discovering

01:15:37a 40-year-old murder case, a cold case, the familiar DNA tracking to families and picking up.

01:15:50It's like you have to kill very, very carefully.

01:15:57Carefully.

01:15:58Yeah.

01:15:59They leave a trace.

01:16:00There's a trace everywhere.

01:16:02And it's hard to believe these traces.

01:16:05You know, I'm leaving traces all over the place here.

01:16:10My boots, a suede on my boots.

01:16:13Yes, and the mud you brought in here when you came up.

01:16:16Linda, a delight as ever.

01:16:18Bless you.

01:16:19Good luck with sacrifice.

01:16:21Thank you very much.

01:16:22Oh, dear.

01:16:23And I'm sorry for your loss.

01:16:27Right, a moment of calm now, for all that excitement.

01:16:30Sit back, relax, and unwind.

01:16:33It's time for today's Ode to Joy.

01:16:36Bye.

01:16:57Well, I hope, for now.

01:18:29Yeah, and James. They're already primed and primed-suspected, ready to go.

01:18:35Save one for me. We'll be back with the martinis very shortly.

01:18:55Now, it's undoubtedly one of the most iconic cocktails of all time.

01:18:59People have been drinking it for a century, and there's certainly no cocktail with so many variations as the martini.

01:19:06And with so many options, it means there's a martini for everyone, or shall I say, for every mum.

01:19:12Here to serve up his ultimate Mother's Day martini cocktails, Manor Farm's very own James Bond, shaken and often stirred,

01:19:21drinks expert Andy Clark.

01:19:23And Linda and James have joined me at our Manor Farm bar.

01:19:26You've got a head start on me. I hope there's still something in your glasses.

01:19:30Martinis. That's not how you make a martini. That's the most often said remark, isn't it?

01:19:34It is. There are many different versions of a martini in many different ways to make them.

01:19:39So don't let anybody judge the way you enjoy or you make your martinis, okay?

01:19:43So we've got a few ones here that maybe aren't traditional martinis, but we're going to have a bit of

01:19:47fun, okay?

01:19:48So we're going to start with a bit of a classic dry martini with a twist.

01:19:52I'm calling this one Mum's the Slurd, okay?

01:19:55Oh, dear.

01:19:55So, yeah, because they're quite strong. So be warned, all of these are quite strong because the martinis are strong.

01:20:00So this is made with Boat Yard double gin from Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.

01:20:06This is one wonderful, wonderful gin.

01:20:08They were the first B Corp distillery in the whole of the island of Ireland, and it's so smooth.

01:20:13This is one gin that I would have neat.

01:20:16It's absolutely beautiful, and I've mixed that with a little bit of Schofield's Dry White Vermouth by Astorley Brothers,

01:20:22made in London, a fortified, aromatised wine, and then I've expressed the oils of a lemon rind on the top.

01:20:28That is a proper martini.

01:20:30Yeah, it's smooth.

01:20:31It's on the table.

01:20:32I know, but look, there's five of them.

01:20:33Yes, I know, but sip.

01:20:35It is smooth.

01:20:36I know that if I had a few of these, I would be very piddly because I think it's exceedingly

01:20:46strong.

01:20:47Do you ever drink martini?

01:20:48I mean, I'm going to have a sip.

01:20:49Do you ever drink martini?

01:20:51Never.

01:20:52Never?

01:20:52Never, never, never.

01:20:54So, Andy has introduced a little kind of martini.

01:20:57You're introducing me to get paralytic very quickly.

01:20:59It is very strong, but oh my goodness me.

01:21:02My line is always...

01:21:03Very nice.

01:21:04P.G. Woodhouse called a stiffener.

01:21:06Absolutely.

01:21:07Liner.

01:21:07You chose to do a gin one to start then, rather than a vodka one.

01:21:10Absolutely.

01:21:11We're going to move on to vodka later on, and I've got a few twists on the alcohol front as

01:21:14well.

01:21:14Now, this one is called Pommie Dearest.

01:21:18So, it's basically, as you can probably tell by the colour, it's got a little bit of pomegranate in it.

01:21:22And the gin in here is Spirit of Bristol Slowberry Gin.

01:21:26A lovely man, known as Random Pete, once bought a pub, bought more pubs, made his own distillery, and now

01:21:32handpicks slowberries, which are then frozen so the skin cracks.

01:21:37And you know when you freeze fruit, berries, and then you taste them once they've defrost, and they're even jammier

01:21:42than before?

01:21:43And I've put that Slowberry Gin with pomegranate juice to make a really fruity, fruity martini.

01:21:49It's like cherry brandy.

01:21:51It's good.

01:21:52Isn't that funny?

01:21:53Because there's no cherries in it, but it's got a cinnamon.

01:21:55Cinnamon.

01:21:55Yeah, because of the botanicals in here, there is a hint of spice to that Slowberry Gin, and I think

01:22:01it's wonderful.

01:22:01I love everything from the bottle to the product, and it's literally just pomegranate juice and the Slowberry Gin.

01:22:09And I've put little jewels of pomegranate swimming in the bottom there, just so, don't choke on them, but they

01:22:14look pretty.

01:22:15It's quite nice, actually.

01:22:17Nice.

01:22:17Quite nice.

01:22:19It is sweet.

01:22:19It would slip down very, very easily.

01:22:21Well, you could, if you wanted to put a squeeze of lime or a squeeze of lemon in there, you

01:22:25could if you wanted to zing it up a bit.

01:22:27But I think, hopefully, as we head into spring, we can hopefully, yeah, enjoy the fruits as we're smelling the

01:22:33flowers out in the garden.

01:22:34Gorgeous.

01:22:35I'm glad you like.

01:22:35Okay, now, the next martini, give this one a swirl because there is lemon juice in here.

01:22:40This is mother-nose zest, okay?

01:22:42I love a lemon twist on a martini, and what I've done here is used a limoncello from Hove near

01:22:49Brighton.

01:22:50It's Madame Jennifer Limoncello, tiny distillery in Poets' Corner, and I absolutely love it.

01:22:55But to go with the lemon, I have added Warner's Rhubarb Gin from Northamptonshire.

01:23:01Tom and Tina have 16 acres of farm where they grow the botanicals.

01:23:04A third of this full-strength gin is rhubarb juice.

01:23:08And the lemon and the rhubarb with a dash of lemon juice is what I'm calling my mother's note zest.

01:23:13Well, a bit of lemon in rhubarb crumble works, doesn't it?

01:23:15Well, it's like having that zest of lemon over the top of your, yeah, the top of the crumble.

01:23:19I think you get that lovely English flavour of the rhubarb, the little hint of the limoncello, and then it's

01:23:26balanced out with the lemon juice.

01:23:27It's lovely.

01:23:28I think a lot of rhubarb and ginger gin.

01:23:31Yeah, yeah, absolutely, yes.

01:23:33And you can have that with the ginger ale, it's always nice.

01:23:35Yeah, so you could, if you wanted to add your favourite ginger ale or tonic to this to make a

01:23:40longer drink, it's not traditional, but some people don't do the very strong martinis, so you could do that.

01:23:45Linda, are we enjoying?

01:23:47Yes, very much so.

01:23:49Three good ones so far.

01:23:50Good.

01:23:50Now, this one may divide the barn, because I quite like a savoury cocktail, okay, and this is what I'm

01:23:58calling mum's in a pickle.

01:23:59So before you sip this, in front of you, you have a couple of bowls, you have some little silver

01:24:04skin onions, and you have some little cornichons.

01:24:07If you wanted to have a little bite, a little taster, and also the crisps are pickle and dill crisps.

01:24:12So, basically, if you go from savoury to sweet, or from sweet to savoury, adjust your palate, because the first

01:24:18sip will taste a bit strange.

01:24:19So, go in for it, get yourself acclimatised.

01:24:23Mmm.

01:24:23Yep.

01:24:24We've had this conversation before about pickled onions sometimes can make other things taste a bit funny.

01:24:28Mmm.

01:24:29So, anyway, mum's in a pickle.

01:24:30This is based on a Gibson.

01:24:32A Gibson is a dry martini where you would garnish with a cocktail or a silver skin onion.

01:24:37So, I have used Witchmark Distillery from Wiltshire, a barley vodka made on an estate in the middle of acres

01:24:44of beautiful land.

01:24:44It's filled to bottle on the estate.

01:24:47And with that, because it's actually quite a cereal and saline vodka, it's got a savoury edge to it.

01:24:53So, I've put with it the Pickle House Pickle Juice.

01:24:56Now, this is made in Suffolk at the Founders' Grandmother's Farm.

01:24:59And this is apple cider vinegar, which is infused with cucumber, celery, fennel, and dill.

01:25:05So, there's a hint of savoury about it.

01:25:07That's a completely different taste to that person.

01:25:10Much more preferable, isn't it?

01:25:11I love it.

01:25:12I'm not sure.

01:25:13I mean, I love it.

01:25:14It's so savoury.

01:25:15See, I like a Bloody Mary.

01:25:16And actually, they make a tomato juice, which is spiced, and they put the pickle juice in it for that,

01:25:21almost like it's a Virgin Mary, but it tastes like a Bloody Mary.

01:25:24And getting pear drops.

01:25:26Yeah.

01:25:26Yeah, you get that with pear drops.

01:25:27You know the pear drops you get, and they eventually take the skin off the roof of your mouth after

01:25:31about two minutes.

01:25:32There's a hint of acetone, whatever it is.

01:25:34You've got a vegetal note, which goes into a slight bit of stone fruit, if that makes sense.

01:25:39Right.

01:25:39Right, what's our last?

01:25:40What's our Grand Cherni?

01:25:40The final cocktail.

01:25:41So, if you're thinking on Mothering Sunday, you've had a nice Sunday roast.

01:25:44Maybe you haven't got room for dessert, but you know me, Alan.

01:25:46I like making my own cream liqueurs.

01:25:48So, this is Mars Creamtini.

01:25:51So, this, you'll see there's a little digestive biscuit half rim.

01:25:56You can choose whether you go biscuit rim or not biscuit rim.

01:25:58Oh, I've done both.

01:25:59So, it is single malt whisky.

01:26:00It is cold tea.

01:26:02It is double cream and a dash of golden syrup.

01:26:05Okay?

01:26:06So, the whisky is Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, Filey Bay, flagship single malt, made on the coast of North Yorkshire.

01:26:13The first single malt to be made in Yorkshire.

01:26:15You know, when I stayed at Butlins in Filey when I was a boy, they didn't have this and there

01:26:19and then.

01:26:19Otherwise, I might never have left.

01:26:22A single malt from Yorkshire.

01:26:24Yeah.

01:26:25Like, this neat, I'm a bit of a whisky fan.

01:26:28That neat is divine.

01:26:30You get vanilla, you get a bit of...

01:26:31There we go.

01:26:32Go for your life, love.

01:26:34But you can make a cream liqueur really easily.

01:26:37And what I did, because it's got tea in it, because I'm a bit of a tea fan, I've used

01:26:40cold tea,

01:26:41and I just thought I'm going to put a little bit of digestive around the edge

01:26:43to give that afternoon dunking biscuits in tea vibe.

01:26:47One, two, three.

01:26:48Do you like it?

01:26:49I do.

01:26:49I couldn't have more than one.

01:26:52Yeah.

01:26:53Well, yeah, certainly not after the other four.

01:26:55No.

01:26:56It is, Richard, but you don't want...

01:26:57You actually sort of need the texture of the cream to balance out the alcoholic nature.

01:27:03There's quite a lot of whisky in there, but I think the dairy masks how much is in it.

01:27:07But you don't want it too sweet.

01:27:08Linda, is that hitting the spot or not?

01:27:10Yes, because I do drink whisky.

01:27:13Quite a lot.

01:27:15I like a hot toddy.

01:27:17Yeah.

01:27:17And these actually, this could come at night for me quite nicely.

01:27:21It's a lovely finisher to a meal or to an evening.

01:27:25There's a great roundness to it as a drink.

01:27:27I'm going to try this at home.

01:27:29Have a go.

01:27:30She says as she falls off her stool.

01:27:32I'm going to try this too.

01:27:34Just black tea and then chilled in, just leave it in the mug, pour it in.

01:27:39Black tea.

01:27:40Black tea, just an English breakfast tea, really.

01:27:42And then, I love it.

01:27:44You could do coffee if you wanted to.

01:27:45I'd just like to think we've given you a good day out.

01:27:48Yes.

01:27:48Courtesy of Andy, really.

01:27:50Thank you very much, all three.

01:27:51That's it for today.

01:27:52Thanks to Linda, to James, and to Andy, particularly.

01:27:56And, of course, our gorgeous ewes and lambs.

01:27:59We'll be back next week for some more barnside banter.

01:28:02Fletcher's Family Farms next, but I'll leave you with these words from Lee Marvin, no less.

01:28:08Ah, stardom.

01:28:09They put your name on a star in the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard,

01:28:14and you walk down and find a pile of dog manure on it.

01:28:17That tells the whole story, baby.

01:28:22Funnily enough, all my old American actors, impersonations, sound the same.

01:28:26Clark Gable was very similar.

01:28:27Clark Gable was very similar to Lee Marvin.

01:28:32Happy Oscars to all those of you.

01:28:35And happy Mothering Sunday from all of us here.

01:28:38Cheers.

01:28:39Cheers.

01:28:39Cheers, everyone.

01:28:48Cheers.

01:28:50Cheers.

01:28:52Cheers.

01:29:03Cheers.

01:29:05Cheers.

Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 8 - Episode 11

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