Welsh wails
- Publication: TV & Satellite Week
- Date: 2024-05-25
- Author:
- Page: 7
- Language: English
The Doctor and Ruby face a sinister terror lurking in a coastal village
SCI-FI
Doctor Who
Saturday, 6.50pm, BBC1
After last week's near-fatal encounter with a landmine on Kastarion 3, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) could be forgiven for wanting a quiet break back on Earth to recharge their batteries. But when the TARDIS drops them on the coast of Wales in this week's story, 73 Yards, it's clear that this latest destination is no safe haven.
As the pair seek shelter from the rain in a village pub, Y Pren Marw (Welsh for 'the dead wood'), they meet locals who are fearful of ancient legends coming to life — and wise woman Enid Meadows (Dame Sian Phillips) warns them of an entity known as 'the Spiteful One', believed to haunt the area.
'This is unlike any episode of Doctor Who ever before: says showrunner Russell T. Davies. 'The TARDIS lands on the Welsh coast, and then you're stepping into Welsh folk horror. There are secrets, and there's a huge mystery for Ruby to solve:
Despite a stage and screen career spanning more than 60 years, this episode marks Phillips' first appearance in Doctor Who, and she was delighted to finally join the Whoniverse.
'I was absolutely thrilled', says Phillips. 'This show is such a loved British drama, and it means so much to so many people. To be able to be part of it is wonderful:
Although 73 Yards is the fourth episode of this series, it was actually the first to be filmed. And with Gatwa temporarily busy on another job, Gibson found herself holding the fort at the beginning of the shoot.
'All the crew on set were looking to me because I was the only one on the job at the time', recalls Gibson. 'That was weird in itself, and it didn't feel like Doctor Who because Ncuti wasn't there at first — it just felt like I was doing a really cold drama on top of a cliff in Tenby!'
Caption: What will the pair discover?
Caption: Dame Sian Phillips (left) plays Enid
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- APA 6th ed.: (2024-05-25). Welsh wails. TV & Satellite Week p. 7.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Welsh wails." TV & Satellite Week [add city] 2024-05-25, 7. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Welsh wails." TV & Satellite Week, edition, sec., 2024-05-25
- Turabian: "Welsh wails." TV & Satellite Week, 2024-05-25, section, 7 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Welsh wails | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Welsh_wails | work=TV & Satellite Week | pages=7 | date=2024-05-25 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Welsh wails | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Welsh_wails | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025}}</ref>
