Gower and the Doctor Who Connection

With the New Year 2024 comes a new Doctor Who, when the fifteenth Doctor will be inhabited by the wonderful actor – Ncuti Gatwa.

So at Bayview Oxwich we thought it a great time to put the focus on Gower’s – and Wales’ – connection to BBC’s highly successful Doctor Who series which has been running since 1963.

Firstly, since the series was regenerated in 2005 under wing of creative genius and Creative Director, Russell T. Davies, it has been filmed at many locations throughout Wales. Many of the locations are in the south of Wales (so easy to get to from Bayview), and one spectacular episode, ‘New Earth’ was filmed at Gower’s iconic Rhossili Bay, starring the tenth and fourteenth Doctor, David Tennant and his wonderful assistant, Rosie, played by Billie Piper.

Apparently, it was Russell T. Davies’ suggestion the episode be filmed at this iconic bay, with its stunning views, the backdrop of the tidal island of Worm’s Head, its shipwrecks, a haunted old rectory, surf, sweeping sands, and sunsets that are constantly voted the best in the UK. Viewers weren’t disappointed and neither are we at Bayview where we are proud to signpost our guests to this location where the Tardis was once in situ! And it’s only a 15-min drive.

Secondly, the connection between Gower and Doctor Who is with the writer himself. Russell T. Davies who is Swansea-born and now lives in the nearby Victorian seaside village of Mumbles (30-min drive from Bayview). It was great to see the BBC focus recently on our ‘national treasure’ in a Christmas special of ‘Arena’ entitled, ‘The Doctor and Me’ where Russell T. Davies bubbled with his infectious creativity and also flagged up the beauty of Mumbles and Swansea.

Another personal connection is that Bayview owner, Ellen Reilly’s claim to fame is that she went to the same school (Olchfa in Swansea) for sixth-form as Russell T. Davies himself at though unfortunately, that’s where the connection ends!

If you’re a Doctor Who fan and are interested in its filming locations in south Wales, there’s a great feature on www.visitwales.com written by freelance travel writer, David Atkinson.

If you missed the BBC’s ‘Imagine’ spotlight on Russell T. Davies, you can catch up with it on iPlayer for another eleven months.

If you’re visiting south Wales and Gower in search of the Tardis and the Time Lord’s locations, we’d love to welcome you to Bayview. For details of our luxury contemporary cottages, apartments and exclusive retreat, please call Wanda and the Team who’ll be happy to help.

Imagery: © Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown Copyright