My new project starts...

I've just got back from the International Horse Show at Londons Olympia, where we've just shot the first two days on a project provisionally called 'Jennifer Saunders - Back In the Saddle' (ITV1/Spun Gold Productions) Jennifer needs no introduction, she is, as I mentioned before, comedy royalty, and I look forward to working more with her over the coming months. The director is my old friend Will Yapp, and on camera, another old friend, Giles Harvey and a new acquaintance, Richard Ranken, who'd just got back from a trip to Madagascar with Martin Clunes.

We'll be shooting with Jennifer over the next few months, as she revisits her childhood hobby of Show Jumping. Badminton here we come.... The film will air next year, in the weeks leading up to the Olympics.

My secret Afghan work finally hits the screen...

I spent week upon week in Afghanistan from November 2010 to March 2011, and the film has taken a long time to assemble, finally, it's here:

http://www.uaeafghanistan.ae/en/

It's good to see, if not a bit overdue! Those shoots were some of the hardest, most dangerous shoots I've ever done.

Run Away With The Circus update

It's now called 'Our Lives - The Circus' and will be shown early in the new year, so anyone scouring the TV listings looking for it, save yourself the bother, it won't be on in November like I originally thought.

The sun always come out in the end....

Well, after a couple of very quiet weeks, I had a phone call today I've been hoping for. A project I'd been in initial talks about has had the green light, and what a project it'll be, it's a 2 part documentary series with a woman who can only be described as British Comedy Royalty, I'll reveal who in the near future, but safe to say, I'm going to be pretty busy over the next few months. Not so busy that I can't do anything else though, so if you have any jobs you need me for, get in touch!

Doing my bit.....

A quiet week last week, with just a small job for the Media Trust, a production company who work in the charitable sector. This job was for a Princes Trust corporate, and we spent some time with a young entrepreneur in Leeds who makes exhibition stands, and is doing pretty well, thanks to the head start that  Princes Trust funding gave him. As anyone who's worked for the Media Trust knows, the rates aren't great, but they're a charity and do a lot of good work for other charitys, so it's worth taking a hit on my day rate for the warm feeling you get for helping people out.



Here's to a busier week next week.....

Slovenia here I come

Next week sees two firsts for me, my first visit to Slovenia, and my first job for Discovery Channel, I've been in TV for 20 years and somehow have never worked for Discovery before, well that's about to change!

Thanks to my old friend David Coward, a director I've worked with a lot in Afghanistan, I'm working on series two of 'X Machines' and we'll be watching some very clever people using some incredible machinery. Another old friend Tony Mewse is shooting it and it's going to be great, a chance to get all the toys out and make some great TV.

Where does the busy Sound Recordist go for a weekend off?

Guernsey, that's where...

I just spent an amazing few days there with my wife and our dog, it's a great place, go if you get chance, I recommend Le Petit Bistro in Saint Peter Port, good food and a very good Brouilly for £26 a bottle, that'll ding dang doo for me! It's always great to see the dog running on the beach, and he made the most of every bit of sand he saw.

Harrogate to Monaco and back in a day?

No, you're right, it's not possible, it took me a day and a half, and that was with a 3 hour interview in a beautiful apartment overlooking the harbour getting in the way!

For the record, the Nice Airport Novotel doesn't do food after midnight, so if you get the last BA flight from Heathrow, pack some butties!


 

The Three Amigos? No, me, Will and Justin in Vegas recently....

Justin Lee Collins in Las Vegas

I've just found out that my last big project (2 x 1 hour films following Justin Lee Collins as he tries to make his mark on Las Vegas) Will be broadcast on Channel 5, the first episode on August the 31st at 10PM, the second a week later.

I insist you watch it, I've seen some clips and it's the funniest thing I've seen for a long time, Justin at his best.

I've 'Run Away With The Circus'

This August has seen me in Newquay working with the wonderful Paulos Circus

They're one of the oldest family run circuses around and the show is amazing, with all the circus favourites, clowns, high wire, trapeze, and a very scary dare devil act to start the second half.

I'm here for the rest of the month, into September, I shall of course be the star of the show before I've finished here, I see no reason I can't do the dare devil act with my mixer and recorder strapped around my neck.....

We've been there for all the trials and tribulations of Circus life, though I must admit, the Director and I have been staying in a flat, not a caravan, well, I need 24 hour electricity to keep my batteries charged up, and on site the generator gets turned off at midnight. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it......

Big thanks must go to Pepito the clown, who is not only a very very funny clown, but as I found out last night, cooks an amazing paella too.