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.
Author: ianwylie
SOME doubted it would work.
But the expansion of Shameless to 16 episodes a year proved a success.
Now the cameras are back on the Chatsworth estate to film series six of the award-winning Channel 4 drama.
Due on screen in 2009, the Gallaghers, Maguires and the rest of the estate’s characters will again feature in 16 episodes.
A Shameless spokesman says: “This series promises benefit fraud, brothels, stints in jail and stings gone wrong, with fake suicides, cold turkey, joyriding, lesbian romps, lingerie parties, revenge and a trip to the seaside to boot – all life affirming events in the world of this Manchester estate.
“Debbie (Rebecca Ryan) hits sweet sixteen and the Gallaghers are going to celebrate the only way they know how – a party!
“Frank (David Threlfall) suffers post natal depression with baby number nine – while Monica (Annabel Apsion) is busy re-decorating the house and regaining her womanhood.
“Micky Maguire (Ciaran Griffiths) goes to college and discovers a talent for porn, plus his ‘Madchester’ tours in his pink limo get him and brother Shane (Nicky Evans) into trouble.
THE Royle Family could be heading back to their TV sofa, the BBC confirmed this afternoon.
It was reported this morning that comedy star Caroline Aherne is writing a new script.
While there’s no confirmation of that, the BBC has just told me that The Royle Family may be returning.
“We are in early talks about a Royle Family special but nothing is confirmed,” they said.
If the project goes ahead, it will be filmed in Manchester.
The last one-off special of the award-winning Wythenshawe-set comedy was screened in October 2006.
Almost eight million viewers watched the hour-long film – The Queen of Sheba – which saw the death of Nana, played by Liz Smith.
The script was written by Caroline, who plays Denise, along with Heaton Norris co-star Craig Cash (Dave) and Phil Mealey.
REGULAR readers will know that covering TV awards is not in any way to be confused with glamour.
The British Soap Awards were recorded yesterday at BBC TV Centre in west London.
It was still sunny as I went through security and down to a windowless basement room just after 4pm.
Walking through the corridors, we were overtaken by a group of Olivers in High School Musical sports gear.
Sat in the press bunker, you could also hear the distant strain of the I’d Do Anything orchestra in a nearby studio.
By the time the awards had finished and the last interviews were done, the clock was ticking towards 11pm.
ITV1 will screen the British Soap Awards at 8pm this Wednesday and did a good job of bringing some of the winners and award presenters down to talk to us.
CORONATION Street star Michelle Keegan was still shaking when she came off stage after being voted Best Newcomer.
Clutching a glass of champagne in her left hand, the overwhelmed young actress said: “I just can’t believe it.
“It’s happened so fast. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.”
Having interviewed Michelle last week for Friday’s MEN awards preview, I was particularly pleased to see her win.
Although her character – teen rebel Tina McIntyre – has been on screen for just four months, Michelle has made a big impression.
“I didn’t expect to win. I thought the nomination would be it. It was just amazing being up for the nomination. So I had no expectations to win. It’s amazing,” she added, finally managing a sip of her bubbly.
A rover returned and there was barely a dry eye in the house.
Coronation Street’s Vera Duckworth always said she was related to the Queen.
Prince Charles dispelled any doubts when he confirmed Vera’s status as soap royalty last night.
Actress Liz Dawn, 68, was the undoubted star of the 10th British Soap Awards, where I was backstage to report for the MEN.
Many from the casts of Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Doctors were close to tears as she received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Even Steve McFadden – Albert Square’s tough guy Phil Mitchell – appeared to have something in his eye.
Kevin Kennedy, who played Vera’s lodger Curly Watts for so many years, read out the citation.
Dressed in black, Liz sat in the audience at BBC TV Centre in London between husband Don and former co-star Antony Cotton.
SHE’S already revealed her ambition to pull pints behind the bar of the Rovers Return.
Now Jodie Prenger has had a taste of a real life Queen Vic, alongside EastEnder Barbara Windsor.
The I’d Do Anything star also told me yesterday exactly what happened when boyfriend Steve proposed, just minutes after she sang live on TV.
As you’ll see on tonight’s show, the remaining seven contenders met up with Barbara and judge Denise Van Outen for their latest Nancy mission.
The venue? A pub in London’s East End, where their acting skills were put to the test in scenes from Blood Brothers and Lionel Bart’s Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be.
“It was brilliant, really good fun,” Jodie told me.
A few weeks back, viewers saw her produce a ring on screen and announce her engagement.
IT’S the British Soap Awards tomorrow night – and I’ll be backstage to report what happens.
Coronation Street’s Michelle Keegan is nominated as Best Newcomer, fully deserved even after just a few months on screen.
Teen rebel Tina McIntyre, played by Michelle, reminds many of a young Suranne Jones as Karen McDonald.
I spoke to Michelle earlier this week for a pre-awards feature in today’s MEN.
The online version is here.
It’s always refreshing to talk to young actors at the start of their careers.
As you’ll read in the TV feature, Salford-born actress Michelle didn’t know where to sit when she first went into the Green Room.
Rather sweetly, she even thought she had to ask to go to the toilet during her first photoshoot.
SOME of us blog on the world wide web.
Others go out into the wide world and make a difference.
Former MEN reporter Simon Spinks sounded a touch tired when I spoke to him on the phone in Kathmandu.
But then he had just come back from hosting the world’s highest teddy bears’ picnic – 18,000 feet up at Everest base camp.
The Olympic torch relay is due to make its ascent to the summit any day now for what the Chinese authorities view as the ultimate photo opportunity.
Until that happens, all other attempts on the Everest peak have been banned, to head off any high altitude pro-Tibet protests.
So Simon and his group – complete with furry friends – brought a smile to the faces of dozens of frustrated climbers, while also providing an alternative vision of international unity.
COULD Coronation Street be flooded?
That’s the question after an online revelation by former producer Steve Frost.
Watered down bitter in the Rovers will be the least of the regulars’ worries if the storyline goes ahead.
You can also take your pick of possible headlines, from Cor-row-nation Street to the Row-vers Return via Coronation Fleet.
Steve, who left the cobbles last month, told itv.com: “I would love to have flooded the Street.
“It would have been great to see a natural weather disaster on the Street.
“And we did speak about it. We keep touching on it, thinking, ‘Can we tank the whole street, can we fill it with water?’
“I really just fell in love at one point with the idea of somebody in a rowing boat coming round the corner by the Rovers, people climbing out of the top floor of the Rovers into rowing boats.
Life of Wylie 