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Pobol y Cwm

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Pobol y Cwm
BERJAYA
GenreSoap opera
Created by
StarringPresent cast
Theme music composerEndaf Emlyn[1]
Country of originUnited Kingdom (Wales)
Original languageWelsh
No. of episodes8,000[2]
Production
Executive producerBranwen Williams
Producers
  • Elin Blake
  • Gareth Owen
Production locationsBroadcasting House, Llandaff (1974–2011)
Roath Lock, Cardiff (2011–present)
Running time20 minutes (excluding advertisements)
Production companyBBC Studios Continuing Drama Productions
Original release
Network
Release16 October 1974 (1974-10-16) –
present
Related
Rownd a Rownd

Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley; Welsh pronunciation: [ˈpɔbɔl ə ˈkʊm]) is a Welsh-language soap opera produced by the BBC since October 1974.[3] The longest-running television soap opera produced by the BBC, Pobol y Cwm was originally transmitted on BBC Cymru (now BBC One Wales) and later transferred to the Welsh-language station S4C when it opened in November 1982.[3]

The programme typically centres around the residents of Cwmderi – a fictional, Welsh speaking, agricultural community. Its original working title was Pentrefelin.[4]

Apart from rugby and football specials, Pobol y Cwm is consistently one of the most watched programmes of the week on S4C.[5] On 25 September 2019, the soap hit a significant broadcasting landmark when it aired its 8,000th episode.[2] On 16 October 2024, the show celebrated its 50th anniversary with an extended-length episode. In addition, the set was opened to the public with tours available around the studios and the main high street.[6]

Setting

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The setting for the show is the fictional village of Cwmderi, located in Gwendraeth Valley, which is between Carmarthen and Llanelli in south-west Wales. Whilst much of the show's early activity took place at a nursing home, storylines are currently centred on the village pub, Y Deri,[7] and its adjacent small businesses and houses. Other frequent settings for storylines include the comprehensive school, Tamed, and a local farm, Penrhewl among many other houses. There are two other fictional villages close to Cwmderi, named Llanarthur and Cwrtmynach.

Originally filmed at Broadcasting House, Cardiff, since 2011 the programme has been filmed at the BBC's drama studios at Roath Lock in Cardiff Bay, other than a few on-location shoots around Cardiff. The exterior outdoor high street of Cwmderi was recreated from scratch, while many interiors are shot inside the Roath Lock Studios. The old set, on the BBC site in Llandaff, was eventually dismantled in 2017.[8]

Broadcast

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Three episodes are produced each week, broadcast on S4C at 8pm on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays and uploaded to BBC iPlayer at 6am the same day.[9] In addition, a weekly omnibus with in-vision English subtitles airs on Sunday evenings.

The show previously aired five episodes a week, which was reduced to four in 2019. On 18 March 2020 it was announced that filming would be suspended in the light of the spread of COVID-19 until further notice. The number of episodes being broadcast would be also be reduced to two per week "so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy Pobol y Cwm in their homes for as long as possible." The episodes were shown on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the usual time slot.[10] In June 2020, it was announced that Pobol y Cwm would go on a transmission break following the broadcast on 16 June 2020. A behind-the-scenes show, Pobol y Cwm: Y Cymeriadau, aired in the show's place during the transmission break. Every episode featured an exclusive interview with the show's cast, with 12 episodes being shown. The soap also aired a repeat of "iconic" episodes from the past.

Five months later, it was confirmed that there were plans for a return to production. When production recommenced, social distancing measures were utilised and the cast were required to do their own hair and make-up, which is normally done by a make-up artist.[11] Filming recommenced on 10 August 2020, with new episodes airing twice a week from 8 September 2020. The show confirmed a new, permanent schedule of three weekly episodes from November 2021 onwards.[12]

Outside Wales

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For a brief period in 1992, the series was broadcast at a 7pm slot on Nederland 3, under the title De vallei (The Valley).[13] The British producers commissioned a promotional tape featuring facets of Welsh culture, preceding the first episode broadcast by the channel on 11 August 1992.[14]

In 1994, it was briefly shown across the rest of the United Kingdom on BBC Two with English subtitles.[15] This networked run started on 10 January 1994, in a daily afternoon slot four times a week from Monday to Thursday for about three months[16] on an "experimental basis".[17] The episodes were nine months behind the Welsh broadcast.[18] The run was preceded by an introductory programme about the series which was aired on 6 January.[19] The final episode to air on BBC Two was broadcast on 15 April.[20]

This had not been the first time it was shown outside of Wales as the programme was shown on BBC1 in England until 1982, ending a few months before the launch of S4C.

Present characters

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Regular characters

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Character Actor Years
Megan Harries (née Owen)Lisabeth Miles1974–1996, 2002–2003, 2011–
David 'Dai' AshurstEmyr Wyn1978–1984, 2001–2020, 2022–
Ieuan GriffithsIestyn Jones1988–1992, 1995–1997, 2000–2011, 2019–
Eileen Probert (née Walters)Sera Cracroft1989–1996, 1998, 2007–
Melanie GriffithsSioned Saunders1990, 1992, 1995–1996, 1999–2001, 2010, 2026–
Hywel LlywelynAndrew Teilo1990–
Cassie Morris (née Nicholas)Sue Roderick1991–2004, 2018–
Sioned ReesEmily Tucker1993–1996, 2007–
Mark JonesArwyn Davies1993–
Kathleen 'Kath' JonesSiw Hughes1993–2007, 2014, 2017–
Cai RossiterRhys ap William1996–1997, 2002–2005, 2007–2012, 2021–
Rhys LlywelynJack Quick1997–2001, 2006–2015, 2018–
Diane Ashurst (née Hopkins)Victoria Plucknett1998–2020, 2022–
Anita Griffiths (née Evans)Nia Caron1999–
Indeg GriffithsJemima Nicholas2000–2001, 2010–2011, 2025–
Garry MonkRichard Lynch2002–
Britt Evans (née Monk)Donna Edwards2002–
Iolo WhiteDyfan Rees2002–2005, 2007, 2009–
Siôn WhiteJeremi Cockram2002–
Kelly EvansLauren Phillips2003–2005, 2007, 2009, 2015–
Owain "Ows" WilsonDominic Francis2004, 2026–
Ffion Llywelyn (née Roberts)Bethan Ellis Owen2004–
Huw "Jinx" JenkinsMark Flanagan2005–2015, 2021–
Dani ThomasElin Harries2007–
Gaynor LlywelynSharon Roberts2007–
Colin EvansJonathan Nefydd2008–
Lleucu RossiterEfa Grug2008–2009, 2022, 2024–
Liv DaviesCatherine Burns2009, 2017–2018, 2025–
Gwern MonkKeogh Kiernan2010–
Mathew PriceMark Stuart Roberts2016–
Howard OwenEndaf Eynon Davies2018–2019, 2021–
Brynmor RichardsWilliam Thomas2019, 2021–
Eleri BeynonSara Gregory2024–
Tom HumphriesRhys ap Trefor2024–
Siwsi DaviesLily Beau2025–

Recurring and guest characters

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Character Actor(s) Duration
Arwen WhiteNel Hannah2012–
Esther LlywelynRosie Ekenna2016–
Greta Davies-WhiteElyssa Stevens2017–
Huwi-John ProbertEvan Salter2018–
Gabriel ThomasRory Crouch2021–
Lily AshurstUncredited2024–
Jac AshurstUncredited2024–

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Pobol y Cwm: 40 facts to mark 40 years of the soap on its 40th birthday". WalesOnline. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  2. 1 2 "TV Show directory - Pobol Y Cwm". Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Menna, Baines; Lynch, Peredur I., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 688. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
  4. ↑ Emma Towner (9 October 2024). "Celebrating 50 years of Pobol y Cwm". National Library of Wales. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "Amdanom ni | S4C". www.s4c.cymru. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  6. ↑ "Pobol y Cwm unveils 50th anniversary celebratory tours". Visit Cardiff. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Outdoor filming for the pub used to take place at The Sportsman's Rest Inn Peterston-super-Ely.
  8. ↑ "Hwyl fawr i'r hen Gwm!" [Goodbye to the old Valley!]. BBC Cymru Fyw (in Welsh). 18 July 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  9. ↑ "S4C introduces an exciting change to the way fans of Pobol y Cwm and Rownd a Rownd can watch". S4C Press. 29 December 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "Filming on EastEnders, Casualty, Doctors and more postponed". Wales Online. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. ↑ "Coronavirus: S4C's Pobol y Cwm and Rownd a Rownd back on TV". BBC News. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "One episode of Pobol y Cwm a week to be axed over Covid costs". Nation.Cymru. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Gids Voor TV en Radio". Leidse Courant. 4 September 1992. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  14. ↑ "Pobol y Cwm Dutch promo Tape". 28 November 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2024 – via YouTube.
  15. ↑ Welsh BBC adds to drama output, The Independent, 9 February 1993
  16. ↑ Lewis, Caroline (1995). "Welsh soap: "Pobol Y Cwm" and Welsh national identity". Critical Survey. 7 (2). Berghahn Books: 152–157. JSTOR 41555909.
  17. ↑ McCrum, Kirstie (10 October 2014). "40 Pobol y Cwm facts to mark 40 years of the S4C and BBC soap". The Western Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "BBC Two England – 10 January 1994". BBC Genome. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  19. ↑ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 6 January 1994. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  20. ↑ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 15 April 1994. Retrieved 16 October 2024.[dead link]
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