Gothic novel

UNLESS you live in South Yorkshire or have read Catherine Bailey’s book Black Diamonds, which tells the story of the property and the people who once owned it, chances are you have never heard of Wentworth Woodhouse.

It is one of Britain’s architectural gems and it seems one of the nation’s best-kept secrets.

That could all change after The Thirteenth Tale is shown. It is based on Diane Setterfield’s 2006 bestselling novel of the same name about Margaret Lea, who is commissioned to write a biography of Vida Winter, a legendary author whose health is failing.

Margaret quickly becomes involved in Vida’s tales of her early life. They involve long-kept secrets involving disturbing events that took place at Angelfield, her family home.

Much of the tale is told in flashbacks to the 1940s, when Vida was a child, and focuses on twins who share a private language, an incestuously close brother and sister and a scheming governess – pretty much all the ingredients needed for a classic gothic novel.

Actress-of-the-moment Olivia Colman stars as Margaret, with Vanessa Redgrave as Vida.

But Wentworth Woodhouse is another star as its facade dominates every scene it is in.

“The location aspect was one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole film,”

says Colman.

Working with Redgrave was another of the attractions. “That was a big part of it, but it is also a beautiful story – one that you read for the first time and want to reread it, to put in what you know into all the scenes you have enjoyed along the way. It was gripping,” says Colman.

The Oscar-winning actress lived up to all expectations. “The days running up to ‘the Big V’ coming in were quite exciting and she is an incredible, charismatic, very tall, very beautiful, very, very bright, quick woman,” she says.

“She is an extraordinary person and when you’re acting with her it is a really enjoyable experience.”

But Colman admits to finding the plot a little scary at times. “I love darkness in stories, but I am a bit of a chicken. I do remember watching Carrie as a child and being terrified, but loving it. I would rather go on the teapot ride than the rollercoaster.”

APPARENTLY, Gok Wan is not content with conquering the nation’s fashion needs.

No, this time, there are no baggy cardigan- wearing women crying out for an injection of colour and confidence, only avid panto fans screaming “he’s behind you”.

Wan is treading the boards for the first time in pantomime, as he appears in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and C4 has its cameras there to capture the fun. What many people will not realise is that his lifelong dream is to become a star of the stage, and as that dream nears becoming a reality, we follow him three weeks ahead of opening night as he rehearses his lines alongside John Partridge, Stephanie Beacham and Gary Wilmot.

But learning lines is the easy bit – he also has to master the art of flying through the theatre on a wire.

THERE was once a time when dog owners left the fur on their pooch to grow naturally, but not, it seems, these days.

Dog grooming is almost as big a business as its human equivalent.

It seems we are keen to have our fourlegged friends looking as good as we do, whether they enjoy the process or not.

The Doggy Styling documentary follows the fortunes of Su Eld-Weaver, who is going to the US to beat its dog-groomers at their own game. In the UK, the profession is still in its infancy, although it is growing up fast. By contrast, it is a fully fledged industry in the US, so much so that each year, Hershey, in Pennsylvania, hosts what has become known as the Olympics of competitive grooming.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes are crimped, pimped and dyed. Can Su and her trusty poodle Dobby win?