NEVER underestimate the tedium of making a TV drama series.
Most actors refer to it as: “Hurry up and wait.”
They spend half their lives hanging around for the cameras to capture just minutes of action a day.
By the time it gets to the screen, it looks like an exciting time was had by all.
But that’s after months of editing, with added lashings of music, effects and other TV stuff.
Former Shameless star Dean Lennox Kelly summed it up when I met him recently.
“I’m a bit worn out with showbiz,” he confessed.
“A bit worn out with someone stood outside your little caravan, going (sound effect of crackling walkie talkie), ‘Dean’s leaving his caravan.

‘Dean’s two minutes from set. Dean’s walking on set, Dean’s here, thank you.’
“It’s like being dogged by the CIA. Oh my God, it’s exhausting. How many cups of tea can you have in a day? You need a slice of the real life.
“My dad likes to say to me, ‘Dean, you don’t live in the real world.’ It’s kind of true. We don’t.”
Dean is currently starring as Hedley Huthwaite in BBC1 Thursday night series The Invisibles, which also features Anthony Head, Warren Clarke and Jenny Agutter.
You can read more about his role here.
Every one of the six episodes ends with Dean plus co-stars Anthony and Warren in the hot tub.
“It’s just the three boys, unfortunately,” smiled Dean.
“I asked the writer Billy Ivory, ‘Is there any chance you could put Jenny Agutter in there?’
“But no.”
Again, it’s never as glam as you might think.
“We filmed the hot tub scenes in two lots, three at a time
“Have you ever laid in a bath for too long? You get up…that’s what it’s like.
“Cold nights in Northern Ireland and hot Jacuzzi.
“Warren Clarke playing footsie with you…it’s quite intimidating after a while, especially when ‘stop it’ isn’t enough.”
Dean Lennox Kelly: Chatsworth Isn’t Mine Now