Category Archives: Film and TV

Remembering ‘Swallows and Amazons'(1974)

The original film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ is streaming on Amazon Prime and is often broadcast on Talking Pictures TV. Daphne Neville writes about working on the crew of this iconic feature film here.

~Daphne Neville with her daughter Sophie Neville on location in the Lake District, 1973~

The full story is now available as an audiobook and paperback and on Kindle.

‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons’ published by The Lutterworth Press contains numerous behind-the-scenes photographs taken on location by Daphne almost fifty years ago when she captured unique home movie footage later broadcast on Countryfile and Big Screen Britain.

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‘Swede Caroline’ is up for Best UK Feature at the Sundance Film Festival 2022

Swede Caroline

Daphne Neville plays Edna in the new British movie ‘Swede Caroline’ which is up for a prestigious award. Having been screened at the Sundance Film Festival, this mocumentary will be premiered at the Curzon cinema in Soho on 31st October. Made by Deadbeat Films, this debut movie has been nominated for ‘Best UK Feature.’ Set to poke a comedic carrot at the world of competitive vegetable growers, it is written by Brook Driver and stars Jo Hartley, Ray Fearon and Aisling Bea.

“There is nothing funnier than a British person on the edge of losing it.”

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Daphne Neville appearing in the new TV advert for BUPA

Daphne can be seen blowing out the candles on her Birthday cake in the new BUPA advert

You can read more about Daphne’s antics in the book ‘Funnily Enough’ available here

You can read more about BUPA’s  advertising campaign 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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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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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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