Category Archives: Animals

Daphne is still signing books

Daphne Neville – May 2023

Although now 86, Daphne is still signing copies of her illustrated children’s book ‘Bee a Particular Otter’.

You can find large hardback first edition copies online here or asked for a personally dedicated and signed copy of the paperback by contacting us via the Comments section below. The paperbacks cost £7.99 + p&p.

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Hundreds came to meet Rudi the Otter in August & September 2022

Daphne Neville took Rudi the Otter to meet children at the Melplash Show near Bridport in Dorset, An Animal Sanctuary in Devon and at the Frampton on Severn Country Fair when she was interviewed by Miles Warde on ‘Open Country’

One supporter wrote to say, “This morning I was listening to the farming programme on BBC Radio 4 and when they announced that it was on the Frampton Fair, I wondered…. and there she was, I just knew she would be… the fabulous Daphne.  I was so thrilled to hear her sounding as passionate as ever about life and the otters… In this mad world, Daphne is still a beacon of hope and caring. “

Daphne Neville and Rudi meeting new friends

If you can’t get to the west of England, you can watch Rudi and Belinda the Otter on the movie Scottish Mussell staring Martin Compston, Joe Riley, Harry Enfield and Talulah Riley is currently on BBC iPlayer. You can watch the trailer here

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Daphne Neville appearing in the US magazine ‘All Creatures’

Daphne tells of her years of working with tame otters in the May/June 2020 issue of the US magazine ‘All Creatures – The Animals who share our lives.’

Daphne Neville appearing in 'All Creatures'

To read about Daphne appearing on ‘Come Dine With Me’ please click here

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May 22, 2020 · 9:57 am

Daphne Neville profiled in Country Life magazine with her tame otter

Daphne Neville at Bakers Mill near Cirencester in the Cotswolds with Rudi, her tame Asian short-clawed otter

~ Country Life magazine, 11th September 2019 ~

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September 11, 2019 · 2:07 pm

Meet Daphne Neville and Rudi the Otter in Gloucestershire this summer

Daphne Neville and Rudi the Otter, have been answering questions on conservation in the Cotswolds.

Animals from The Durrells

02/04/19. Picture: COPYRIGHT John Lawrence 07850 429934

Their last appearance was at the Frampton Country Fair, a traditional event held in September 2019 when there was lots to do and see.

Photo used in the Daily Mail 02/04/19.
COPYRIGHT John Lawrence 07850 429934

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A talk on Otters at Nature in Art

Picture: Daily Mail – COPYRIGHT John Lawrence 07850 429934

 

Daphne Neville and her otter Rudi have been busy meeting visitors to the Cotswolds. Nature in Art is a fabulous gallery celebrating wildlife art in any number of different guises. It can be found in Twigworth on the Tewkesbury road out of Gloucester. More info here

Animals from The Durrells

Picture: COPYRIGHT John Lawrence 07850 429934

Daphne has been a film and TV actress since 1969. Since the early 1980s she has combined her career with conservation work with otters. This occasion prooved a wonderful chance to actually meet an otter and find out about the thirteen different species of otter from one of their most enthusiastic champions.

Nature in Art is 2 miles north of Gloucester on A38 SatNav Postcode: GL2 9PG

To see what else is on a Nature in Art, please click here

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Baker’s Mill in the Cotswolds

Bakers Mill page 1

Daphne was interviewed recently about her home in the Cotswolds, which has often been used as a film location. After a number of television advertisements and drama serials such as Dark Secret and House of Elliot used the house, Daphne appeared in Cold Caller, an award-winning short film that made good use of the lake. You can read more about it here. 

Bakers Mill page 2

Rudi-the-Otter who lives in an enclosure above the converted mill, appeared in the movie Scottish Mussel. He played both himself and his mate in series two of The Durrells and featured in BBCTV’s Natural World Series where he was used to show how otters can smell underwater in the documentary entitled ‘Super-charged Otters’. You can see more photos of filming with the tame otters here.

Bakers milll page 3

Daphne is campaigning for ‘Animal alert’ whistles to be fitted onto vehicles. They prevent pets and wild animals from being run over. They can be obtained cheaply from Amazon.co here

Bakers Mill page 4

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Filed under Acting, Animals, British Film, Cotswolds, Film and TV, Otters, Uncategorized

Come Dine With Me

Come Dine With Me opening titles

Daphne Neville and Rudi the Otter appeared in five episodes of ‘Come Dine With Me’, first broadcast at on Chanel 4 in 2018 and repeated forever more.

By the end of the first episode #comedinewithme was trending on Twitter:

Daphne is what is great about Britain..cute polite nice classy positive welcoming….’

‘Daphne is lovely

The only reason I tuned into watch #comedinewithme this week was to watch the delightful and lovable Daphne Neville she is the perfect dinner guest, she’s welcome round mine anytime otter too lol aww she’s just lovely.

‘I’m watching how cute is that old lady Daphne!! Ahhh’

‘Yes and we love Daphne too!!

I could not love Daphne anymore than if she was my own Nan!’❤️

‘Aww I do love Daphne!!

‘We are only tuning in to watch daphne

‘Aww isn’t Daphne just the best!!

‘I love Daphne on #comedinewithme

‘Daphne the perfect dinner guest

I totally want to adopt Daphne!!

Oh I LOVE Daphne, I’d score her night a 10 even if the food was crap!

Daphne opened Episode 5, being ‘first off’, with a can of tomatoes.

Come Dine With Me in the kitchen

Daphne was interviewed in her kitchen and we met the guests as they came downstairs.

Come Dine With Me Group Standing

Every detail had been carefully planned. The wine was chilled, the table looked lovely and there was almost constant laughter. Viewers seemed to be engaged: ‘Go daphne!!

Come Dine With Me with Daphne Neville

Daphne prepared tomato and mushroom soup for her four guests, followed by wild salmon, only to find out that two of the guests disliked fish, which was a bit of a pity.

Viewers on Twitter were appalled: ‘So James wouldn’t eat Daphne’s main cause he doesn’t like fish but his starter is lobster?

Come Dine With Me at Daphne Neville's house

One of the guests, who was a stickler for good manners, became irritated by another member of the party and walked out before pudding, which was quite dramatic.

Come Dine With Me - lady leaving

She rather blew her own words out of the water although Daphne said Anne later wrote to apologise.

There was a roar from viewers on Twitter:

 ‘OMG how rude is Anne?! Lecturing the others on manners and then walking out on Daphne?! Bitch!’

Come Dine With Me - Daphne Neville

Suddenly there was one less. Daphne’s fans on Twitter were in uproar:

Poor Daphne, completely bemused!!

Daphne kept going and the evening became increasingly enjoyable, especially when Rudi the Otter was brought down to meet everyone.

Come Dine With Me featturing Rudi the Otter

In the end, Daphne was awarded 28 points by her four dinner guests

The Twitter-atary added their opinion:

‘Everyone needs to protect and look after Daphne, that woman is a legend!!

‘If Daphne doesn’t win I’m going to kill someone

‘Anyone see the water sossig on #comedinewithme ? (accompnaied with GIF of an ottter)

‘Daphne is our winner

Can we have Daphne on every week please!

Come Dine With Me score.jpg

You can watch this week’s episode on Channel 4 catch-up here

Come Dine With Me week 2

‘Absolutely love on . . . What a legend! I want to meet her and her otter 🙏🏻

You can! Daphne and Rudi the Otter will be appearing at the Frampton Country Fair in South Gloucestershire on Saturday 8th September 2019. All welcome! You can read about the antics of Daphne and her tame otters in ‘Funnily Enough’ by Sophie Neville available online  or to order at your local library.

Daphne and Rudi on TV

Daphne Neville appearing on come Dine With Me

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Filed under Animals, Cotswolds, Film and TV, Otters, Television, Uncategorized

Daphne’s hand-reared otter Rudi has become quite a TV star

Daphne has been busy filming with her tame otter Rudi starred in the BBC TV Natural World series ‘Suppercharged Otters’ with Charlie Hamilton James, who he is investigating in Mark Wheeler’s photograph above.  To read more about this, please click here or go to the Otters page on this website.

Rudi also appeared in the second series of ‘The Durrells’ as both the male otter Gerald Durrell captured on Corfu, and his mate. To read more about this, please click here.

Daphne Neville with Rudi the Otter in The Durrells

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A busy year for Daphne Neville

Daphne at 30th Frampton County Fair, Stroud News, Wed 16 Septem.jpg

Daphne has had another busy year, giving talks on otter conservation and appearing in a number of feature films including ‘Ab Fab’ the movie, and the new ‘Bridget Jones’ as well as ‘The Crown’ for Netflix. She is currently presenting ‘The Pensioners Guide to the UK’ produced by Rumpus Media for Channel 4.

Next week Daphne is off to BBC Manchester to appear in a new quiz programme, before flying off to film in Amsterdam.

Romsey Show

Romsey Agricultural and Horse Show. Pic: Daphne Neville with Rudi the Otter

 

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