" EMMERDALE " 2001

On 31st January 1993, I was at the YTV studios in Leeds to be involved in my 33rd day of filming in an episode of " Emmerdale".
My first day of involvement had been on 14th June 1993, and in that 20 years and 6 months I have been to Yorkshire 95 times to be filmed either in the village or interior studio shots at two locations in Leeds and several originally at Farsley.
My most recent visit to the " Emmerdale " studios was on 27th September last year.

" HEARTBEAT " 1997 - " DALZIEL & PASCOE " 2003

On 30th January 1997 I was in Leeds to be in  my 4th episode of " Heartbeat ". From 5th March 1995 to 19th October 1999, I appeared in 9 episodes of " Heartbeat ". None of them were filmed in or near Goathland on the North York Moors, which was called Aidensfield in the series. Most of them were filmed in an unused Hospital in Otley near Leeds when I played a patient in a hospital ward along with Bill Maynard as Greengrass and Derek Fowldes as Oscar the police sergeant. Other scenes were filmed in a converted mill in Farsley, where interior scenes of the Aidensfield Arms were filmed.
My best part was as a magistrate, which was filmed in an old court house alongside Ripon Cathedral, in scenes that included Sylvia Sims, famous for her roles in major films including " Ice Cold in Alex ".

Four years later, in 2003, I was on location in Harborne, Birmingham, to be in my 13th episode of
" Dalziel & Pascoe " starring Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan. My first episode had been on 27th August 1996 and my final episode was on 8th July 2004, during which time I had appeared in 14 episodes.

" BAD COMPANY " 1993

On 29th January 1993, I was at the Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham to be in some scenes of a made for TV film called " Bad Company " starring Angus Deayton,  Jonny Lee Miller, Ken Stott, Mark Drewry and George Irving. I only remember the scenes where I was involved were with Ken Stott, other than that the day is a vague memory. My call time had been 8.30 am and the wrap was 7.30 pm, an 11  hour day.
The working title had been called " On Her Majesty's Pleasure " but was released as " Bad Company " later that year in 1993.

" DOCTORS " 2005

On 28th January 2005, I was in Birmingham to be in " Doctors", a BBC medical drama, set in the Midlands.
My first episode had been on 6th April 2004 and later, in 2005, I was to return for my third episode.
" Doctors " is still being produced by the BBC in Birmingham and my last visit to the studios was on 9th April 2008.
" Doctors " is currently being screened on BBC One at 2.15 pm. and I am informed that it has a very avid young audience.

" SCREAMING " 1992 - " THE BILL " 1993 & 1994 - "ANNIE'S BAR " 1996

On 26th January 1992, I was in a street in Hereford to be in a scene in " SCREAMING ", a BBC drama written by Carla Lane about three middle-aged women who share a friendship, none of them knowing that they also share the same man.
It starred Gwen Taylor, Penelope Wilton, Jill Baker and Anthony Barclay.
The 8 episode series was screened later in that year 1992.
On this same date the following year I was in South London to be in my 6th episode of the police drama
" The Bill ", also on this date the following year of 1994, I was at the same studios to be in my 7th episode and also later that same year for my 8th.
Two years later on this same date in 1996, I was at the Television centre in Teddington to be in my first episode of " Annie's Bar " , a political soap - shot only hours before transmission time to enable the scenes to contain up to the minute political issues.
I was playing the part of a Member of Parliament and on this episode we were joined by the real Member of Parliament for Grimsby - Austin Mitchell. He walked alon in front of those of us sitting on the front benches and commented on how authentic we all looked. A previous episode had included Edwina Currie.
I was later involved in a further two episodes filmed in February of that year and a further location shot in Henley in March 1996.
The studio at Teddington contained a mock up of the House of Commons and really looked like the real thing. " Annie's Bar "  was set in and around Annie's Bar - the legendary watering hole and gossip shop in the House of Commons.The series containde 10 episodes and was screened in 1996.

" CROSSROADS " 2001

Yesterday I recalled my involvement in the Central TV programme " Crossroads " in 2002, having been in my first 7 episodes between 1985 and 1988.
On 24th January 2001, I arrived at the Central TV studios in Lenton Lane, Nottingham to be in my 1st episode of the resurrected series of " Crossroads ". This was my first day of 4 during 2001, and yesterdays reference was regarding my final visit to those studios, in January 2002, was when I was on my 12th day of "Crossroads " ( 7 having been filmed in Birmingham and the final 5 in Nottingham).

" CROSSROADS " 2002

On 23rd January 2002 I was at the Central studios in Lenton Lane, Nottingham to be in an episode of
" Crossroads ". This turned out to be the last time I was to visit these studios, as they have now been demolished.
My first " Crossroads " had been on 11th July 1985, following my successful interview with Barbara Plant, the casting agent at the Central studios in Birmingham.
I appeared in 7 episodes in the years between 1985 to 1988 and when the series was resurrected in 2001, and had moved to studios in Nottingham , I appeared in a further 5 episodes between 2001 and 2003 until the series was terminated.

" CASUALTY " 1996

On 22nd January 1996, I was in Bristol for my 26th episode in " Casualty ". this was already my second day in those studios in this year and I was in 4 more episodes of " Casualty " also in 1996.
Over the next 8 years, up to 2004, I have appeared in 45 more episodes of " Casualty " making a grand total to date of 71 appearances, one of which was my only credited speaking role of a Boxing Referee/ M.C.in episode 23 of the 1997/98 series.
It is now 10 years since I have been involved in this TV medical drama which is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital.

" DANGERFIELD " 1997 - " EMMERDALE " 2004

On 21st January 1997, I was in Warwick city centre to be in a street scene of " Dangerfield ".
All I can remember about this uneventful day was standing around in a street for hours waiting to be filmed as a passer-by.
" Dangerfield " was a British TV drama series about a small town Doctor/police surgeon, ran for 6 series between 1995 and 1999. Originally Nigel Le Vaillant played the central role,but later left the series and the focus switched to his replacement played by Nigel Havers.
My first episode was filmed on 4th May 1994 and I appeared in 10 episodes between that date and my final episode was filmed on 5th August 1999.
On 21st January 2004, I was in Leeds to be involved in an episode of " Emmerdale ".
This day was my 48th day of involvement in this very popular story of village residents in the Yorkshire dales.

" THE REAL MCCOY " 1992 - "EMMERDALE " 1998 - " CASUALTY " 1999 - " EMMERDALE " 2005

On 19th January 1992, I had arrived at the BBC Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham to be in comedy scenes in " The Real McCoy ".
" The Real McCoy was a BBC TV comedy show that ran from 1991 to 1996 featuring an array of black and Asian comedy stars performing material aimed at an across-the-board black audience in a totally new sketch series.
Six years later I was in Leeds for my 8th day in an episode of  " Emmerdale ".
Another year later, I was in Bristol for my 40th day in an episode of " Casualty " and again on 19th January 2005, I was up in Leeds again for my 86th day on an episode of " Emmerdale ".
I would appear that the 19th January is a  profitable day in a month that is usually not a very productive month.
 However.within this month of January in 2014, I will have attended 6 Formal dinners and two Toastmaster quarterly meetings in London all of which will have been at my own expense with no paid jobs since 7th December 2013.

" CASUALTY " 1999 - Day 2 of 4

On 18th January 1999, I had stayed in a Hotel in Bristol, following my first day in episode 27 of
 " Casualty ",where I was involved in a three day shoot in Bristol followed by a further day on the " Holby City " set, for continuity, on 2nd February 1999 at the BBC studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
The first day on the 17th had been a 4 pm call for a "night-shoot " which wrapped at 4 am.
this second night on the 18th also required me to be at the studios in Bristol for 4 pm which wrapped at 3 am. The third day, which I shall recall tomorrow, also had an early morning wrap.
For the two nights that I stopped at a Hotel in Bristol, I was given the keys to the Hotel in order that I could let myself in and not wake up the proprietor at that late hour.
I shall be mentioning the " Holby City " visit, on this site when the anniversary of that date occurs in early February.
The episode was called " Love over Gold " and was screened on 6th March 1999.

" DALZIEL & PASCOE " 1988 - " CASUALTY " 1999 - " EMMERDALE " 2000

The 17th January 1998 was my third consecutive day on " Dalziel & Pascoe " filming in Lichfield Cathedral.
The second day had included my experience of  being lifted up into towards the ceiling of the Cathedral in a
 " Cherry - picker " when I was a stand in for Warren Clarke's character Dalziel.
This third day was the shortest day of the three, the first being from 9 am to 5pm, the second 8.30 am to 8.10 pm and this final day from 8.30 am to 2 pm.

On this same date the following year, I was in Bristol for my 40th appearance in an episode of " Casualty ".
This  was the first of 6 days where I appeared in an episode of Casualty  in 1999.

The same date in 2000, continued a sequence of filming on a Television programme into a third year, as I was in Leeds for my 26th day on a episode of " Emmerdale ".

Since 2004, " Emmerdale " has been the only television work that I have been involved with, other than
" Doctors " in 2005 and 2008 and " City Lights " in 2006, until 2012, when I was in the Cameron Mackintosh production of " Les Miserables " and an episode of " Midsomer Murders ".

Last year , 2013, saw a further expansion of work when I played a shop-keeper in an episode of
 " WPC 56", which will be screened next month and a new film about Stephen Hawkin called
" The Theory of Everything ", where I play a Cambridge University professor, which is still being filmed with the expected release date of 2015.

" DALZIEL & PASCOE " 1988 - day 2 of 3

On 16th January 1988, I returned to Lichfield Cathedral to continue my role as Herod, in a passion play scene in an episode of  " Dalziel and Pascoe" starring Warren Clarke & Colin Buchanan.
I had stayed at my son Chris's house in Erdington, Birmingham, rather than travel the 120 mile round trip for three days, and therefore did not have too far to travel to the location.
Yesterday, I mentioned about standing in for Warren Clarke on the " cherry picker " and being raised up near to the top of the Cathedral while the stunt man performed the fall from the height very close to where I had been positioned. I can only remember being sent up to the roof on that one occasion but cannot remember which of the first two days that I underwent that experience.
This date is the only day that I have ever worked on 16th January in any year since 1985.

" DALZIEL & PASCOE " 1998 - " CASUALTY " 1996 - " CROSSROADS " 2001

On 15th January 1998, I was in Lichfield Cathedral to be in an episode of " Dalziel & Pascoe " starring Warren Clarke & Colin Buchanan.
The 1st Assistant Director was William Hartley, who I had worked with on quite a few other programmes  up to this point.
The episode was about a passion play being performed in the Cathedral and Warren Clarke was playing the part of God. I was supposed to be Herod and dressed in similar white robes.
This was my first day of three consecutive days and therefore I stayed overnight in the outskirts of Birmingham. Towards the end of one of the days following many hours of filming, the Director called for a scene to be shot where one of the cast jumps from the roof of the Cathedral and commits suicide. This required Warren Clarke to be in shot, standing on a "cherry-picker " as the character falls past him onto the floor. Warren had returned to his hotel for the night, and because I was dressed similar to him, William Hartley asked me o go in the "cherry- picker " and stand in for the actor. \the shot would only show me from the neck down and I was sent up on this open cage "cherry- picker, to near the top of the cathedral.
A stunt man, dressed as a woman, jumped from above me onto cardboard and mattresses below as I held onto the rail of the crane.
I heard someone shout " God " and thought that the shot had gone wrong, but when I realised that I was supposed to be Warren , playing the part of God, I then understood that he meant me.
" When we do this shot again, can you hold your arms out like a priest " was the direction, and on the second take, the stunt man dropped past me as I held my arms out and was quite concerned trying to keep my balance on this wobbling crane.
I was quite relieved when I was brought back to ground level and immediately asked to be made up to "Walk On 2 ", but William agreed to give me " Special Skills " for agreeing to being sent up on the " cherry-picker ".
Two years earlier, on this same day, I was in Bristol for the first day of a two day shoot for " Casualty ".
My second day was a week later and therefore was required to look and dress exactly the same as this previous week, for continuity purposes. This first day in 1996, was my 25th day of involvement in
 " Casualty " and, during that year, I returned to be in 5 more episodes.
On 15th January 2001, I arrived at the Central Studios in Lenton Lane, Nottingham, to be in an episode of
 " Crossroads ". The production team had moved from Birmingham to Nottingham after Central TV brought back " Crossroads for a second series.
In 2001 I was in 4 episodes and on 23rd January 2002, I was in my final episode following my first one l  in 1985. A total of 15 episodes, 7 in Birmingham and 8 in Nottingham.

" THE ONE GAME " 1988 - " GLAN HAFREN " 1995

On 12th January 1988, I was in Coventry again for my second day on filming an episode of " The One Game ". this second day involved shooting more scenes of the mediaeval banquet , where I was playing one of the guests. During these two days of filming I met two people from Coventry who were to become good friend over the ensuing years, John & Sheila, who have been very eager member of the Coventry branch of Equity over the past few years. Sheila Payne was the Secretary for many years until her retirement from that offices two years ago.
Seven years later, on the same date, I arrived in Cardiff to be in an episode of " Glan Hafren ", a Welsh Medical Drama.
" Glan Hafren " was produced by HTV and this has been my only involvement in the third series which was shown between 1994 and 1995. It was all performed in Welsh and therefore this has been the only programme that I have appeared in that has been in a foreign language.
If I recall correctly, the episodes were Welsh versions of " Casualty ", because the episode that I was involved with, was the same story line of an episode that I was involved with in " Casualty " in Bristol, a few years before.

" THE ONE GAME " 1988 - " CASUALTY " 2002

On 11th January 1988, I travelled to Coventry to be on my first day of two in " The One Game ", a four part British television drama serial produced by Central Independent Television and broadcast on ITV from 4th June 1988 to 25th June 1988.
Set and filmed in Birmingham, it starred Patrick Malahide, Stephen Dillane and Pippa Haywood.
My scenes were actually filmed in a Banqueting Hall in Coventry and were filmed over a two day period, this was the first day which involved us attending a mediaval banquet.
The following day was spent filming further scenes of the same banquet and obviously we were only pretending to eat the cold chicken from the day before.
On the same date in 2002, I was in Bristol to be in my second day of my 58th episode of " Casualty ", which I mentioned yesterday. I had stayed at a Hotel in Bristol and returned to the studio this following morning, rather than travelling the 260 mile round trip to home and back, for my call time at 7.30 am.

" THE BILL " 1992 - " CASUALTY " 2002

On 10th January 1992, I had arrived at South Wimbledon by train and walked to the studio in Merton, South London, to be in my third episode of " The Bill ". My first involvement in " The Bill " had been on 16th July 1991, and having also travelled by car, via the M25 and the A3, had deduced that the quickest way to get to that studio was to travel by train and the London Underground system to South Wimbledon and walk the remaining 3 miles to the studio in Merton.
From that first day in 1991 to 7th December 1996, I have appeared in only 10 episodes of " The Bill "

On this same day in 2002, I arrived in Bristol to be in my 58th episode of  " Casualty ", which, to date, has been the only programme that I have appeared in as a Character, and fully credited, role.
I have played several minor speaking parts over the 16 year period from my first episode on 5th April 1988 to 23rd September 2004.
 Since the " Casualty " studio has moved to Cardiff, it is not feasible to travel down to South Wales and return in the same day with the added mileage on top of a full working day being required when only playing the role of a Supporting Artiste.

" BOON " 1986 - " CASUALTY " 1997

On 8th January 1986, I arrived in Birmingham for my first day on an episode of " Boon " starring Michael Elphick as Ken Boon and Neil Morrissey as Rocky, David Daker as Harry.
This would be my 7th day of filming on a national  channel since my first ever job on 3th August 1985 which was " Marjorie and Men " starring Patricia Routledge. My first day in any studio, other than my first Television audition for " Lunch Box " presented by Noel Gordon in the 1960's, was for a Kodak Training Film, filmed at Eastwood studios near Nottingham on 15th February 1985.
Between 3rd August 1985 and 25th August 1992, I appeared in 13 episodes of " Boon ".
on 8th January in 1997, I arrived at Bristol to be in my 35th episode of " Casualty ", my first episode having been on 5th April 1988 and my 61st episode on 11th September 2002.
During that 14 year period, I played a few roles speaking dialogue as a Security Guard, A Press Photographer, a drunken party guest plus, my first credited role as a Boxing Master of Ceremonies.
" Casualty " is still running and is now filmed at new BBC studios in Cardiff.