There’s a Spanish flavour to Surprise Surprise on Sunday (July 12, ITV, 8pm) when the show moves into the lively holiday resort of Benidorm. While there, the cast of the hit ITV comedy Benidorm took time out from filming next year’s series to help reunite a couple of friends who’ve not seen each other since 1974…
“It's really exciting for us in the Benidorm cast to do something special on Surprise Surprise for a fan of our show,” says Sherrie Hewson who plays Solana manageress Joyce Temple-Savage in Benidorm and springs the surprise along with the show's other stars Jake Canuso (Mateo), Kenneth (Tony Maudsley) and Les/Lesley (Tim Healy). ‘The fans have always been so loyal to Benidorm so we're always delighted to do what we can when the opportunity comes our way.”
The huge surprise was organised by 28-year-old Davina Grice, from Wakefield, who’d nominated her mother Mairwen Turton, 52, for continuously going above and beyond for her daughter and the elderly people she cares for. She knew too that Mairwen is a big fan of Benidorm so would be delighted to meet the cast.
Davina dearly wanted to reunite her mother with her childhood best friend Susan Hollossy who relocated to Canada in 1974 when she was 12. Sadly Mairwen hasn’t seen her former pal for 40 years, even though the pair were inseparable in the early 1970s.
So be prepared for a huge shock and big moments of joy when Mairwen (pictured above in glasses) and Susan (pictured above in front, third from left) finally meet around the pool on the Benidorm set in front of Mairwen's daughter Davina (pictured in black next to Jake Canuso) and the cast members. All were caught up in the emotions of the happy occasion.
“I do love Surprise Surprise,” says Sherrie. “It's such a great watch and it always gets to me emotionally. We're all delighted to be taking part.”
