Ruth returns to her roots
Glynneath actress Ruth Madoc is still one of the unless I’d done Little Britain, in which I had to
UK’s most popular TV stars 15 years after she last swear an awful lot. It was the same guy producing
played Hi De Hi’s Gladys Pugh. This month she is both shows.
returning to our screens in new comedy called Big
Top. She tells Ed Gleave about her latest role.
You’re starring alongside some well-loved
faces. What was that like?
What the premise of Big Top?
Tony Robinson is in it and he’s brilliant. There’s
It’s a circus that tours around the Midlands. also John Thomson and Bruce Mackinnon, who I
There are six episodes and there’s a different loved working with. We all had great fun with this.
story in each one about this travelling circus. It’s
interesting because it’s about getting to know the
It also stars Amanda Holden. Was it fun
characters; that’s what sitcoms are about.
working with her?
What’s your character like?
I had met Amanda socially, but it was lovely to
Ruth returns to her sitcom roots
My character Georgie is the grand dame of the
actually work with her. She’s a very nice girl.
circus. She’s seen it all and done it all; she’s been
Anybody that’s worked with her says this; she’s
bit expensive to repeat because of all the extras
around the block of circus life for many years. Like
really normal, there’s nothing wrong with her.
we had. But Big Top has a similar format because
Gladys Pugh in Hi De Hi, when you do a character
She’s been around the business and she knows
it’s so colourful and the characters matter.
you have to know the background yourself, even
what she’s talking about, which is why they’ve got
if it’s never said. I concocted that Georgie had ran
her as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent.
Would you say you’re going back to your
away from the Valleys when she was about 15
The poor girl; her schedule is enormous. How she
sitcom roots with this role?
and joined the circus.
manages it I do not know.
Oh definitely! I have very fond memories of Hi De
What made you want to work on the show?
What makes this show different?
Hi, especially the year when Simon Cadell was
The show’s very funny, the script’s great. in it. He was a lovely actor as well. I owe a lot to
Hopefully it’ll get another series, to let it settle.
The show addresses things that people complain the writers for writing that part for me. I will be
There aren’t any expletives in it. I prefer that,
about in entertainment on TV. People ask me if eternally grateful to them. It was iconic. Comedy’s
although I probably wouldn’t have got Big Top
they could bring Hi De Hi back, but it would be a different now. It’s far more edgy.
DON’T
The gathering Swansea
light International
MISS
A touch of glass at the National Waterfront
Fringe
Museum
Festival 2009
Dress to impress at the Fringe Festival 2009
Some of the world’s top female glass artists are
exhibiting their work in Swansea to celebrate the
20th anniversary of the Women’s International
Glass Workshop and the 75th anniversary of the
Welsh School of Architectural Glass at Swansea
Shoot Swansea: the Swansea
Metropolitan University. The exhibition, entitled
Gathering Light, opened at the National Waterfront
Life 2010 Calendar Shoot Museum, Swansea, on Saturday, October 10,
November 15, Oceana
and it will run until Sunday, January 24, following
critically-acclaimed showings in Liverpool and
October 30 to November 14
We are holding auditions to feature in the
Paris. Venue: Elysium Artspace, 41 High
Swansea Life 2010 Calendar. The event
Street, Swansea
The 20 exhibitors come from as far afield as
is invite-only, but if you fancy an excellent
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the US and Artists films from all over earth will
night out or want to audition, get in touch. Canada. There are also exhibitors from Wales,
feature, including Penny Hallas
England, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria and
'Encounters' and Barrie J Davies
Iceland.
(drawings & paintings).
48 swansealife November 2009
WhatsOn_Nov.indd 48 19/10/2009 18:52:27
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