| Rownd a Rownd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Soap opera |
| Theme music composer | Jochen Eisentraut |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | Welsh |
| No. of series | 29 |
| No. of episodes | 1,920 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Bedwyr Rees |
| Producers | Alaw Roberts Manon Lewis Owen |
| Production locations | Menai Bridge Bangor Caernarfon Llangefni |
| Editors | Rhian Evans Geraint Williams |
| Running time | 30 minutes (inc. adverts) |
| Production companies | Ffilmiau'r Nant (1995–2008) Rondo Media (2008–) |
| Original release | |
| Network | S4C |
| Release | 11 September 1995 (1995-09-11) – present |
| Related | |
| Pobol y Cwm | |
Rownd a Rownd (English: "Round and Round") is a Welsh-language soap opera created by Rondo Media (formerly Ffilmiau’r Nant) and shown on S4C since 11 September 1995. It was claimed to be the first Celtic-related language soap specifically directed at a youth audience. It is set in the fictional harbour town of Glanrafon in Anglesey.
At its inception, the soap was targeted towards an adolescent and young adult audience. It has since broadened its appeal but the main focus remains on the younger characters. Beginning with a small cast of characters, the serial now has upwards of thirty cast members.
The soap is consistently in the top 20 most watched programmes of the week on S4C, the show currently averaging around twenty thousand viewers per episode. Two episodes are produced each week; since February 2020 these have been broadcast at 20:25 on Tuesdays and Thursdays (with the previous episode being repeated at 18:30). In addition, a weekly omnibus with in-vision English language subtitles airs on Sunday daytime. Every summer Rownd a Rownd takes a two-month seasonal break, finishing in mid-July and restarting in September to coincide with the new academic year.
Background
Rownd a Rownd was first broadcast in September 1995 and was originally based on young people who did a paper round (hence the programme's title, based on the wheels of a bicycle). It has since grown to include both their daily school life and their family life. Phil Redmond, creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks, acted as a consultant to the series on its launch in 1995, and again on its tenth anniversary. Rownd a Rownd also has a presence on social networking sites Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. In 2016, it celebrated its 21st birthday, with S4C broadcasting an anniversary special hosted by Tudur Owen.
The longest-serving cast member was Iestyn Garlick, who played Jim "Gym" Williams. A physical education teacher, he later became headmaster of the local high school. The character first appeared on-screen in September 1995 and left in July 2020 after 25 years. Since then, Angharad Lloyd (Sophie Roberts) has become the longest-serving regular, having appeared since 1997. The character's parents, Glenda Phillips (Elliw Haf) and Terry Phillips (John Glyn Owen) have also appeared since 1997 but are now recurring characters.
Production
The series is filmed in Menai Bridge, Llangefni, Anglesey and Caernarfon, North Wales, and is produced by Rondo Media (previously known as Ffilmiau Nant). When it began, the production company converted a disused garage in Dale Street (Welsh name: "Lôn Cilbedlam") in Menai Bridge into a fake row of shops, which includes a café, a hairdresser, a newsagent, a taxi firm, a pizza place and a bar. There is a sign outside this set informing the public that the shops are not real. School scenes are filmed in Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni and Ysgol David Hughes. Hospital scenes are often filmed in nearby Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, usually in one of the staff hostels. The soap also regularly makes use of incidental music; in keeping with the show's style, this usually consists of indie-pop or synth-pop music sung in Welsh.
On 18 March 2020 it was announced that filming for Rownd a Rownd would be suspended in the light of the spread of COVID-19. Filming resumed in August 2020 with social distancing guidelines in place. Two additional filming sites were also added to Rownd a Rownd's set in Menai Bridge in order to keep people sufficiently apart; these are located in the near-by towns of Caernarfon and Llangefni.
Cast
Regular characters
| Character | Current actor | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sophie Roberts (née Phillips) | Angharad Llwyd | 1997– | Glenda's daughter. Biological daughter of Stephen King. Step-daughter to Terry. Nosy, quarrelsome character. Mother to Owain, Mair and Nansi. Wife to Dylan. Has been in numerous relationships including Martin, Elfyn, Vince, Gavin, Wyn and Mathew. Ex-wife to Eifion Davies (Owain's father). Used to run her own mobile hairdressing business, but lost her driving license after being caught drink driving following a collision with Arthur Thomas. Currently works in Sgram, the local café. |
| Kelvin Walsh | Kevin Williams | 1999– | Local builder. Only son of Ken and Kay. Ex-husband of Mari and Lowri, whom he both divorced following affairs. Father to Kate (born 2007) and Mia (born 2015), and adoptive father to Robbie. Jailed for 18 months in 2017 for unknowingly smuggling drugs after a lads' holiday in Spain. Dating Mel since March 2020. Works for K-Kabs and with Terry part-time. |
| Kenneth "Ken" Walsh | Idris Morris Jones | 1999– | Owner of the local taxi firm K-Kabs with his wife Kay. Father to Kelvin, Klaire and Kylie. A kind man who often finds himself apologising for his wife's actions. Has also served time in prison in the past. |
| Kay Walsh (née Williams) | Buddug Povey | 1999– | Ken's sharp-tongued wife and co-owner of K-Kabs. A chronic cheater, but eventually always goes back to Ken. Previously had an affair with her college lecturer Gareth Harries and family-friend Vince Barclay. Daughter of the late Ron. Sister to Meical and paternal half-sister to the late David. Mother to Kelvin, Klaire (who moved away to become a nurse) and Kylie (who's currently studying at Cardiff University). |
| Dani Keegan–Williams | Ffion Medi Jones | 2002– | The manager of the salon. Daughter of Michelle and the late Wyn Sr, who died on New Year's Eve 2020. Sister to Jonathan (who is living in Australia), maternal half-sister to Britney and paternal half-sister to Gruff, Sioned and Siwan. Maternal granddaughter to Madam Serena. Ex-girlfriend to Rhodri, Barry, David and Iolo. Married Jac Thomas in October 2019, but later separated in January 2020 after she was unfaithful. Mother to Wyn Jr, who is the son of Barry Hardy. Currently dating and living with Barry's brother Jason Hardy. |
| Jason Hardy | Iwan Fôn | 2005–2015, 2017– | Lived in Tŷ Pizza's flat, now lives with girlfriend Dani and her son and his nephew Wyn. Has a share in his brother Barry's pizza shop after winning £10,000 on a scratchcard in 2018, although he was often accused by his brother of not taking the business seriously. Used to be in a relationship with Angharad Thomas, Erin Richards and Anest Owen. Good friends with his workmates Caitlin and Cai, and with Arthur who is like a father to him. |
| Vincent "Vince" Barclay | Huw Llŷr | 2005– | Caretaker at the school. Former postman and taxi driver. Friend of the Ks. Father to Callum (with former partner Julie) and Mair Phillips. Adoptive father of Owain, though now separated from Sophie. Ex-boyfriend to Cathryn. Lives with Matthew and Iolo. Was previously in prison for burning his own warehouse for insurance money. Currently in a relationship with Gwenno and planning to move in with her. |
| Siân Richards (née Hughes) | Mari Wyn Roberts | Unknown | Detective Inspector at the local police station. Miscarried her first child in a car accident with Vince. Sister to Alwyn (the owner of the garage prior to her eventual husband) and aunt to Nel (who died on New Year's Eve 2015) and Dafydd. Viciously stalked by former co-worker Mark Harris in 2020, and was held captive before escaping. Widow of John Richards, whom she married in July 2019 until his death in April 2023. |
| Mathew Parry | Robin Ceiriog | 2006– | The oldest son of Phillip. Deputy headteacher and formerly a physical education teacher at the local school. Ex-fiancé to Siân, which ended as a result of an affair with fellow teacher Llio James. Ex-boyfriend to Sophie and Mel. Previously struggled from a gambling and prescription drug addiction. Had an affair with Anest which ended acrimoniously and destroyed her relationship with Jason. Father of Lea, a student at the school, through a one-night stand. |
| Ben Hardy | Gethin Morgan | 2006, 2017, 2024– | Abusive father to Barry, Jason and Dale Hardy, and Tammy Bentley. Returned to town in 2024 and works at Yr Iard. Pushed Tammy off the sea cliff to her death in April 2024. |
| Philip Parry | Maldwyn John | 2007– | Owner of the salon, shop and café which he bought against Terry and Glenda. Father of three boys, Mathew, Sion and Dewi (the last two of which now live in Spain with his ex-wife Alwena). His first marriage finished after his wife died of cancer. Husband to Lowri, to the initial surprise of the locals owing to their age difference. Nearly died of sepsis in February 2024 after falling on a knife in the café's dishwasher. |
| Arthur Thomas | Gwyn Vaughan Jones | 2007– | A courier who is obsessed with trains. A comical and scheming man. Unknowingly had a daughter, Angharad, whom Terry and Glenda fostered before her parentage was revealed. Grandfather to Dewi, Angharad's son (to whom she had with Dyfan Llywelyn). Long-time partner to Iris, before her death in December 2021. Has an on-again/off-again relationship with Mel's mother, Gloria. Father-figure and friend to Jason. |
| Mair Phillips | Gwenno Llwyd Beech | 2009– | Previously innocuous daughter of Sophie and Vince. She has gone on to become troublesome due to exam pressure placed on her by Sophie. She took this out on former friend Anna in a bullying storyline in 2023, and pretended to be dating Cai in 2024. |
| Lowri Parry (née Roberts) | Lowri Gwynne | 2010– | Hard-working hairdresser and mother to Robbie and Mia. Good friends of Dani and Gwenno and often serves as an agony aunt to them. Married Kelvin in 2013 but separated in 2018. Their divorce was finalised in 2020. In a relationship with Philip, whom she married in 2023. |
| Iolo Davies | Tudur Lloyd Evans | 2013– | Philip's nephew and cousin to Mathew, Dewi and Sion. Worker at Yr Iard and former barman at Copa. Ex-boyfriend to Kim, Llio, Cathryn, Dani, and Anest. |
| Rhys Morgan-Richards | Meilir Rhys Williams | 2016– | Glanrafon's mechanic. Old friend of Barry. Openly gay. Son of John and Delyth Richards. Previously struggled from an exercise addiction when his boyfriend died in a car crash in September 2017. Husband to hair stylist Trystan Morgan, with whom he now lives in Tŷ Pizza's flat. |
| Dylan Roberts | Dafydd Rhys Evans | 2018– | ICT teacher from South Wales. Husband to Sophie, after a long on-and-off relationship. Well-liked by the locals, to the chagrin of fellow teacher Mathew. Father to his seven-year-old son, Llew, and newborn Nansi. Widower of Fflur, who died after a short battle with breast cancer in July 2020, whom he married only a month prior to her death. |
| Gwenno Owen | Elen Gwynne | 2018– | Former partner of Carwyn, helps out in the shop and supply teacher at the school. Cousin to Lowri. Mother to Anest and Iestyn, with whom she co-owned Yr Iard (which she sold fully to Anest and Iestyn in 2024). |
| Iestyn Owen | Josh Morgan | 2018– | The troublesome member of the Owen family. Suspended from his old school for selling drugs, which meant they had to move to the village. Previously a Bangor University student, but left after his first year. Found out that he is biologically not Carwyn's son. His real father Glenn Jones was discovered to have died prior to his knowledge. Proposed to Tammy shortly before she disappeared. |
| Elen Edwards | Catrin Mara | 2019– | Headteacher of Glanrafon, the local school. Tough upbringing, with both parents abusing drugs. Elen is strict but kindhearted. Separated from Llŷr, but has taken in his son Ioan. |
| Melanie "Mel" Roberts | Elain Lloyd | 2020– | Daughter of Gloria. Initially introduced as Mathew's one night stand, later girlfriend. Dating Kelvin since 2020. Works at the café. |
| Caitlin Collins | Manw Robin | 2021– | A homeless girl found by Siân living rough in a tent in the woods after stealing from Philip's shop. Fostered by Siân and the late John. Formerly in a relationship with Cai, close friend to Mali. Works as a mechanic at Rhys's garage. |
| Cai Harris | Noel Davies | 2022– | Student at Bangor University. Works occasionally at Tŷ Pizza and Parry's shop. Formerly dated Caitlin. |
| Trystan Morgan-Richards | Gethin Bickerton | 2023– | Hair stylist at Dal i Dorri. Loves travel and organizing parties. Was a victim of revenge porn committed by former boyfriend Sebastian. Husband to Rhys with whom he lives in Tŷ Pizza's flat. |
| Lea Jones | Mali Grigg | 2024– | Pupil at the local school. Originally from Cardiff, but moved to live with her aunt in North Wales after the death of her mother. |
Recurring and guest characters
| Character | Actor | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenda Prichard Phillips (née Owen) | Elliw Haf | 1997– | Local gossip. She is married to Terry and is the mother of four daughters; twin girls Manon and Menna, Lucy (who is living in Australia) and Sophie. Former school nurse. Known to the locals as 'Glenda BCG'. Worked at Sgram, the local café for almost twenty years, before leaving to set up her own cake business: 'Becws Cacennau Glenda'. Once a regular, she is now a recurring character. |
| Terry Phillips | John Glyn Owen | 1997– | Owner of construction company. Boss to Kelvin. Glenda's husband, adoptive father of Lucy and Sophie and biological father to Manon and Menna. Has fostered children over the years with his wife. Once a regular, he is now a recurring character. |
| Edwin Lloyd | Phylip Hughes | 1998– | Resident of Glanrafon for many years. Respectable chapel organist. Known as 'Mr Lloyd' and rarely called by his first name. Widower of Lena, who died in 2014. Retired driving instructor. Once a regular, he is now a recurring character. |
| Mia Walsh | Erin Fflur Owen | 2015– | Young daughter of Lowri and Kelvin. |
| Anna Edwards | Gwenlli Dafydd | 2019– | Second daughter of Elen. Maternal half-sister to Mali. Her father died in 2019. Normally a happy-go-lucky, straight-A student, both her schooling and self esteem suffered when former friend Mair bullied her in 2023. Close friends with Ioan. |
| Llew Stevens | Gwion Llwyd | 2019– | Young son of Dylan and the late Fflur, as a result of an affair - Fflur was married to another man at the time. His mother died in July 2020 after learning her cancer was terminal. |
| Ioan Hopkins | Macsen Stevens | 2022– | Initially troubled due to missing his imprisoned mother Emma, he went to live with her for a while in Aberystwyth. However this ultimately did not work out, and he returned to Glanrafon, but happier than before. Very troubled by father Llyr and brother Efan's crimes surrounding the death of John. |
| Nansi Roberts | Cadi Fôn Booth | 2022– | Newborn daughter of Sophie and Dylan. |
| Beca | Chenai Chikanza | 2023– | School friend of Anna and Mair. First appeared in the spin-off series Copsan in 2022. |
| Wyn Hardy | Lennie Taylor | 2023– | Newborn son of Dani and Barry. |
| Lili Richards | Heledd Grug | 2023– | Newborn daughter of Erin. Granddaughter to John. |
Buildings
| Building | Information |
|---|---|
| Bridge | Kebab house |
| Copa | Bar (originally Bob Beics, a bike shop, then Q's, a youth centre) |
| Dal i Dorri | Salon (formerly called Crib Goch, Nikki's and Dani) |
| Ho Wah | Chinese take-away |
| Bythol Wyrdd | Shop, now closed and in transition (formerly BJ Cabs and Kay Kabs; originally Bryn Jones, a funeral director's) |
| Llys Menai | Retirement home |
| Menai Bridge | Suspension bridge |
| Menai Bridge Post Office | Post office |
| Parry's | General store (formerly called Mortons) |
| Penrallt | Church |
| Richards' | Garage (formerly Alwyn Hughes a'i Ferch) |
| Sgram | Café |
| Tŷ Pizza | Pizza take-out restaurant (originally Print Man, a print shop, then Fanna, a jewellery and crockery shop) |
| Ysgol Glanrafon | Comprehensive secondary school |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Glanrafon | Primary school |
| Yr Iard | Shop for nautical supplies and kayaks for rent |
Copsan
| Rownd a Rownd | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Soap opera |
| Written by | Greta Sion |
| Country of origin | Wales |
| Original language | Welsh |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Bedwyr Rees |
| Producer | Will Clowes |
| Production locations | Menai Bridge Bangor Caernarfon Llangefni |
| Editor | Geraint Williams |
| Running time | 9–18 minutes |
| Production company | Rondo Media |
| Original release | |
| Network | S4C |
| Release | 9 February 2022 (2022-02-09) – present |
In 2022, a spin-off series called Copsan was uploaded to Clic and BBC iPlayer. This was a three-part series chronicling an eventful and comical detention session at Glanrafon high school. It featured several regular characters such as Vince, Dylan and Cai, as well as some new characters not seen in the regular show.
A second series was broadcast in 2023. This was a six-part series about a group of 16-year-old Glanrafon students on an adventure weekend school trip, though none of the characters appear in Rownd a Rownd. Dylan is the only regular character to appear, doing so briefly in the first episode.
Episodes
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| Series 1 | 3 | 9 February 2022 (2022-02-09) | ||
| Series 2 | 6 | 1 May 2023 (2023-05-01) | ||
See also
References
- "Theme music composer". Jochen Eisentraut. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- "Viewing Figures Archive". S4C. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- "Four-screen dashboard". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
- "Pen-blwydd Rownd a Rownd", BBC Cymru Fyw (in Welsh), 9 September 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- "Coronafeirws: gohirio ffilmio 'Pobol y Cwm' a 'Rownd a Rownd'". Golwg (in Welsh). 18 March 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- "Coronavirus: S4C's Pobol y Cwm and Rownd a Rownd back on TV". BBC News. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
External links
Media related to Rownd a Rownd at Wikimedia Commons- Rownd a Rownd at IMDb
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- S4C original programming
- Television shows set in Wales
- 1995 British television series debuts
- 1990s Welsh television series
- 2000s Welsh television series
- 2010s Welsh television series
- 2020s Welsh television series
- 1990s British television soap operas
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- Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic