Entertainment

The Pembrokeshire Murders: Episode 3 review

Published

5 years ago

January 13, 2021

Andy Chandler

TONIGHT, Wednesday January 13, sees the third and final part of The Pembrokeshire Murders air.

From the opening scene, it’s clear that Wilkins needs to act fast to cage Cooper.

Pat’s death is described as natural from the get-go, but theories will no doubt talk about how ‘Cooper must have done it’. He didn’t.

Her passing weighs heavily on Wilkins’ shoulders, you see that when he breaks the news to Andrew and it could be argued that her passing gives the team that extra bit of energy to finally see Cooper caged for his crimes.
11 minutes into the final part, Wilkins gets his ‘Golden Nugget’, Peter Dixon’s blood is found on John’s bathers after the hem is unpicked, they also find a hair from the Dixon’s daughter.

They’ve got him.

Luke Evans’ restrained joy boils over as he gleefully tells the DNA expert that he bloody loves her and that moment of relief is palpable for Wilkins who can now see the end in sight.
Within 120 seconds, we see Cooper collared by police for his crimes and literally dragged off kicking, screaming and swearing as his scheming is finally brought to an end, although it wasn’t filmed in Letterston where it took place in reality.

Caroline Berry as Pat Cooper (L) and Oliver Ryan as Andrew Cooper (R)

The scene where they find Cooper has tooled himself back up to, we assume, kill again, felt a tad unbelievable, a stretch too far even.
I didn’t particularly enjoy how stupid it made the cunning, clever Cooper seem when the race had already been run and I wasn’t entirely sure it served much of a purpose besides showing us how close the writers think Cooper was to killing again. I didn’t believe this scene was based on fact, until I got told by a friend that it was! I couldn’t believe Cooper didn’t know when to call it a day, unless by that point he genuinely felt he had nothing to lose.

It does however set up the face-off between Wilkins and Cooper that we’ve been waiting for 2 days to see.
The battle of the fathers takes place with Wilkins barely saying a word for the first few questions, but his triumphant gaze at Cooper, who now clings to his ‘ask Adrian’ defence, tells you everything you need to know about the calmness of Wilkins character and Luke Evans, again, plays this scene subtley, Allen’s Cooper though is rebellious to the end.
The victims of the Nolton Hill Estate attack get their chance at closure, their dreadful experiences have been somewhat under-mentioned so it felt rewarding to see a human reaction to part of Cooper’s crimes that are easily overshadowed by the double murders, but shouldn’t be forgotten.
As we hurtle towards the end, we see Wilkins steeling Andrew Cooper up to testify at John’s trial by video-link in a scene that, once again, shows the two standout actors of this production at their very best.
A non-threatening but righteous Wilkins coaxes Andrew into doing the right thing in a touching scene where Andrew finally gets the support he’s been lacking, only this support comes from the Police, not his family as he so dearly craved.

Cooper trips himself up in spectacular fashion during the trial as he’s forced to either admit lying to the court previously, or lying to the court now.
That moment, for me, secured his conviction as he’s finally left speechless and, to be honest, a tad pathetic.
Allen nails Cooper’s outburst as he’s taken down and that anger kicks in as he swears at the judge and finally disappears from view to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
The Pembrokeshire Murders ends with Wilkins’ son deciding to become a Policeman like his dad and the battle of the fathers is over.
Andrew Cooper hated his dad and wanted to be nothing like him, Steve Wilkins son ends up deciding to be more like his father so Steve Wilkins wins the day. Bravo!

‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’ is a story we’ve seen on countless cop shows for years. A cold case, a disgruntled cop with a chequered past is brought in to find the truth, through the course of the story he discovers the truth and in doing so mends himself and the lives of those around him.
It’s nothing special.
Until you factor in the true story elements, the superb performances and, to be frank, the local setting. If this was called ‘The Lancashire Murders’ I dare say that maybe I wouldn’t be as forgiving with the misfires as I am with this.

A great adaptation of a meaty story that does what it can with a story seen a thousand times before, the performances of Luke Evans, Keith Allen, Alexandria Riley, Oliver Ryan and Caroline Berry bring real heart and soul and set this apart from the rest. 4/5

Check out this weeks Herald where we’ll be taking another look at a confusing local double murder some say bares all the hallmarks of John Cooper….

Entertainment

New appeal in search for missing Manic Street Preachers musician

Published

2 days ago

January 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Family and charity issue fresh appeal for information about guitarist 31 years on

THIRTY-ONE years after the disappearance of Richey Edwards, a new public appeal has been issued urging anyone with information to come forward.

Edwards, guitarist and lyricist with Manic Street Preachers, vanished on January 31, 1995, in a case that has become one of the most enduring mysteries in British music history.

***Missing for over 30 years: Richey Edwards***

The then 27-year-old was last seen at the Embassy Hotel Bayswater in west London, where he had been staying ahead of a promotional trip to the United States. He checked out of room 561 but never reached his destination.

Despite numerous reported sightings over the years, none have ever been confirmed. Edwards was officially declared presumed dead in 2008, though his family continue to mark the anniversary of his disappearance and keep hope alive that answers may still emerge.

Anniversary appeal

The charity Missing People has released a statement in collaboration with Edwards’ sister Rachel, asking the public to remember the case.

In a social media post, the organisation said: “It is 31 years since Richard went missing, please keep his family in your thoughts.”

They also repeated key identifying details from the time he vanished. Edwards was described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, slim, with brown eyes and a shaved head. He had several distinctive tattoos, including a rose with the words ‘Useless Generation’, the phrase ‘I’ll surf this beach’, and a scar on his lower left arm where he had scratched the words ‘4 REAL’.

Unanswered questions

His car was later found near the Severn Bridge services, close to the Welsh border, prompting widespread searches but yielding no firm clues about what happened next.

At the time of his disappearance, the band were on the brink of international success. Edwards’ intense, literate songwriting and striking image had already made him a defining figure in Welsh rock music. More than three decades later, fans still hold vigils, create murals and share tributes across Wales and beyond.

Police say the case remains open.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Service on 101 or use their online reporting service, quoting reference CONNECT REF 01/764429/24. Missing People also operates a free, confidential helpline on 116 000.

Entertainment

Turner and Constable brought to life on the big screen at the Torch Theatre

Published

3 days ago

January 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ART lovers in Pembrokeshire will have the chance to experience the lives and rivalries of two of Britain’s greatest painters when a new documentary, EOS: Turner & Constable, arrives at the Torch Theatre this March.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, the film explores the intertwined stories and enduring legacies of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable alongside Tate Britain’s major new exhibition. Exhibition on Screen has been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access, bringing their extraordinary art and personal histories vividly to the cinema screen.

Born just a year apart, Turner and Constable helped redefine landscape painting in Britain – and were fierce competitors. Both captured a nation in transition, yet their styles could not have been more different. Turner’s dramatic skies, blazing sunsets and atmospheric scenes from his travels contrasted sharply with Constable’s gentle, nostalgic portrayals of the English countryside and familiar rural life.

Their opposing visions divided critics and audiences alike, famously described at the time as a clash of “fire and water”.

The documentary offers rare, intimate access to sketchbooks, letters and personal artefacts, alongside insights from leading curators and art historians. It also ties in with Tate Britain’s landmark exhibition, running in London from November 2025 to April 2026, which reunites the two masters’ works side-by-side.

This cinematic event gives audiences the chance to see their masterpieces in stunning detail and discover unexpected sides to two artists whose rivalry shaped British art history.

Turner and Constable will be screened at the Torch Theatre on Sunday, March 15 at 4:30pm.

Tickets are £13. For bookings, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01646 695267.

Entertainment

Companies awarded funding as part of Made in Wales: Factual Entertainment project

Published

5 days ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Network and Creative Wales have awarded four Wales-based production companies funding to develop ideas for a new Factual Entertainment series

BBC CYMRU WALES, BBC Network, and Creative Wales announced the launch of a new development fund for a Factual Entertainment series at the Wales Media Summit last year.

Production companies with a substantive base in Wales were invited to pitch bold, original ideas that celebrate Welsh creativity while delivering unforgettable entertainment to audiences across the UK.

Boom, Curve Media, South Shore and Tŷ’r Ddraig have successfully been awarded funding to further develop their ideas for a new Factual Entertainment series. Each company will receive £10,000 of funding, with development starting in the coming weeks.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning BBC Cymru Wales, said: “We were really impressed by the variety and volume of the submissions we received – companies really responded to our call for ideas for an ambitious, returnable format, that surprises, unites, and captivates. We’re so excited to be working with the four successful companies, and we’re looking forward to seeing how their ideas develop further.”

Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, said: “Made in Wales is a collaboration to find a major new factual entertainment series that will harness the best of Welsh creativity and resonate across the UK. We are really looking forward to working with brilliant Welsh talent to come up with the next big thing.”

Joedi Langley, Interim Head of Creative Wales, said: “This announcement follows a recently published and updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Creative Wales and BBC, a commitment between the two organisations to work together to support the vibrant, diverse, world-class screen industries in Wales.

“This new development funding will do just that – create new opportunities for Welsh based production companies to develop exciting, original ideas for factual content. Congratulations to the indies, we look forward to seeing what comes next!”

The total funding of £40,000 has been provided by BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Network and the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.