" INSPECTOR LYNDLEY" 2002 ; " CITY LIGHTS" 2006;

On 5th November 2002 , I was at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, for an episode of " Inspector Lyndley", a British crime investigation series based around aristodratic, Oxford educated Detective Inspector Thomas Lyndley, played by Nathanial Parker, and his working class assistant Barbara Havers, played by Sharon Small.  The scene I was involved with was shot inside one of the rooms in Knebworth House where much of the interior had been designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and in 1913-1914, was leased by Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia and his wife Natalia Brasova.

On 5th November 2006, I was in Acton, North London, for an episode of " City Lights". I was involved in a scene with Robson Green and Mark Benton. The series was a sequel  to " Northern Lights" and also a spin off of the 2004 "Christmas Lights" and was broadcast in 2007.

As an addition, I recall 5th November 1963, exactly 50 years ago, when I had been successful in reaching the semi-finals of the  "People" National Talent Contest. I was appearing at the Queens Theatre on the North Pier and sang one of my own compositions and playing the guitar. We had been through the rehearsals the day before and I had qualified to appear by winning a weekly heat earlier that year at the Ocean Hotel at Saltdean near Brighton.
I had returned to the Ocean Hotel in September and won the Hotel Finals. The judges on that night were had been John Barry( James Bond  theme composer) Norman Newell( Shirley Bassey's manager) Jimmy Carr( composer of South of the Border & Hang out your washing on the seifried line) Mike Reagan( Russ Conway's manager) and Tony Lewis( owner of London's Top Talent Agency).
I was offered a recording test at E.M.I. studios at Abbey Road (where the Beatles recorded most of their hit records.) At the time that I was in Blackpool for this semi- final, I had not yet been to London for that recording test.
After my performance, Jimmy Tarbuck, who had been in the audience, came up to me and said that he liked my song and that it ought to be recorded. I told him that I hoped to be able to do that before the end of the year.
I was one of twelve acts to perform that evening, and there were another 12 acts who were on theSouth of England final being held at Cliftonville, Margate during the same week, but was not in the final six who were selected to perform in the Final, which was held at the Victoria Palace, London in January 1964.