A new science fiction, comic and gaming event is coming to the shores of north Wales this September with the announcement of Scifi Wales, North Wales’ Premier Science Fiction Event in support of the Alzheimer’s Society.

Held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, famous faces have already been lined up to appear, including Robert Llewellyn (Red Dwarf), John Challis (Doctor Who / Only Fools and Horses), Caitlin Blackwood (Doctor Who), Virginia Hey (Mad Max 2 / James Bond / Farscape), Brian Wheeler (Star Wars), Richard James (Space Precinct) plus many more.

Despite being in its first year, Scifi Wales is pleased to have secured many event exclusives including the only appearance in England & Wales in 2015 of Caitlin Blackwood who played the young Amelia Pond in BBC’s Doctor Who, and the worldwide exclusive book launch for Gerry Anderson’s Gemini Force One: Ghost Mine (Book two in the commissioned three-book series by author M.G. Harris).

Scifi Wales is being organised by UK Conventions Limited, a company formed in 2001 as a hobby by the current owner and long time sci-fi fan Robert Dyer.

Robert Dyer said: “Unbelievably, our first event was never going to be a full-blown convention, it was initially an ‘evening with’ event which drew so much attention from celebrities asking to be part of it, that we decided we needed to organise a much larger, mainstream event which we now know as Scifi Wales.”

“We also have the support of some great local businesses within Llandudno and the surrounding areas, many approaching us to see what they can do to help out with Scifi Wales.”

Robert said: “We love sci-fi and we hope everyone will support this new event. Llandudno is a little more than one hour away from locations such as Manchester, Staffordshire and Cheshire so is accessible to a lot of people, and with Llandudno being recently crowned best destination in Wales and third in the UK after London and Edinburgh, we truly hope Scifi Wales will appeal to the larger sci-fi, comic and gaming community from all over the UK.”

Scifi Wales takes place on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, North Wales.

Tickets start at just £10.00 and are available to purchase online here and by calling the Venue Cymru box office on 01492 872000.

News Source: Wales Online

The Penarth store which supplied ‘timeless’ ring for hit sci-fi show devastated by two raids in a month.

Doctor Who’s jewellers have spoken of their devastation after suffering a second burglary at their high street store in a month.
Rowley’s in Penarth made headlines last year when it was chosen to supply the Time Lord’s “timeless” ring as Peter Capaldi took over in the title role.
But the shop suffered the latest in a pair of recent break-ins on Monday night when the front window was shattered and five display watches taken.

 

The raiders didn’t get into the main shop on this occasion, unlike the previous month’s break-in when a number of items were stolen.
Owner Petra Barberini said: “It’s hard to survive for any retail business these days but incidents like this knock the stuffing out of you.

“We try to put a brave face on but it’s devastating.
“We have to keep things in perspective. Nobody has been hurt and when you see the tragedies around the world it pales into insignificance.

 

“As a family, we try to battle on as best we can and get business running as normally as possible.”
Following the latest crime, police arrived quickly on the scene to investigate.

After boarding up the window, the family was able to keep the shop open and trade as normal.
The incident is similar to a theft four weeks ago, when the Glebe Street store was burgled on May 18.

 

Petra added: “It has been a great help that so many local people have been so supportive.
“It’s times like this when we are dependent on shoppers voting with their feet.

“If they want local independent shops to survive, they need to support them through thick and thin.”
The incidents come almost a year after the store was selected by the BBC costume design department to make a ring for the iconic Doctor.

They created a double-banded gold piece with a green amber stone, which Time Lord Peter Capaldi wore during filming last summer.
At the time, Petra said: “What better recommendation can a business get? We are over the moon to be Doctor Who’s jewellers.”

South Wales Police confirmed they were investigating the burglaries. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

News Source: Wales Online

Veteran actor Sir John Hurt has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The 75-year-old, who was Oscar-nominated for his role in 1980’s The Elephant Man, said he would continue working despite the diagnosis.

“I am undergoing treatment and am more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome, as indeed is the medical team,” he told the Press Association.

Hurt, who starred as the War Doctor in Doctor Who in 2013, added he would continue with his professional work.

“I am continuing to focus on my professional commitments and will shortly be recording Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (one of life’s small ironies!) for BBC Radio 4,” he said

The actor said wanted to announce his diagnosis to the press because he had “always been open about the way in which I conduct my life and in that spirit I would like to make a statement”.

The prolific actor is due to be seen on the small screen in November in new Sky Atlantic drama The Last Panthers, opposite Samantha Morton.

He also has roles in some seven other projects, according to IMDB, including the upcoming Tarzan film, due for release next year.

Sir John was seen last year in the Dwayne Johnson film Hercules, and also appeared as The War Doctor in the iconic Day of the Doctor episode, for the show’s 50th anniversary in 2013.

His other best-known roles include 1978’s Midnight Express, for which he was also Oscar nominated and the 1975 TV sfilm The Naked Civil Servant, which earned him a Bafta TV award.

He was also Bafta nominated for his role in Ridley Scott’s Alien – the film which famously saw the creature of the title burst out of the actor’s stomach and has often been described as one of cinema’s most memorable moments.

But many consider Sir John’s performance as the deformed Joseph Merrick in The Elephant Man as his greatest role.

He was knighted earlier this year for his services to drama.

News Source: BBC