Waterloo Road: Robson Green

Robson Green as Rob Scotcher

ROBSON Green went to school just up the road from me. He was at Seaton Burn High just after I left my Sixth Form to embark on a career in journalism.

I met up again with Robson recently and asked him if he had ever gone back to his old school.

“No. I think there’s always something wrong about that. It’s just weird,” he replied.

“When I was there, you’d get guys and girls who had left and they’d hang around the gates, for some unknown reason.

“I couldn’t think of a worse thing to do, other than being invited and talk to the kids. But not to hang around. Definitely not.”

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Red Or Black: Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell flanked by Ant and Dec at today's press conference

SIMON Cowell was his usual polite self at this afternoon’s launch for one of ITV’s biggest events of 2011.

Thanking us for taking the time to turn up, and revealing that he still worries no-one will.

There was no chance of that, even though the invites to the London event only went out some 24 hours before.

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Exile: Jim Broadbent

Jim Broadbent as Sam Ronstadt

“I couldn’t have a better time than I’m having now.”

Jim Broadbent was nominated for another BAFTA TV Award this week, for his role in Any Human Heart.

I met up with him again back in January to talk about his latest TV project – BBC1’s Exile.

Our round table chat included a look back at his career and his next part, alongside Meryl Streep.

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Exile: John Simm Extras

John Simm as Tom Ronstadt

“WHO invented this?”

Tom Ronstadt, played by John Simm, is in a pub, unimpressed with the world of karaoke.

“Have you any Smiths, Leonard Cohen?” he asks his screen sister Nancy (Olivia Colman), perusing the songbook in three-part BBC1 thriller Exile.

Who then proceeds to treat the locals to her version of Britney Spears’ Toxic.

There is much to love about Danny Brocklehurst’s drama, with a script as fresh as the day Morrissey first waved gladioli on Top Of The Pops while singing This Charming Man.

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United: Extra Time

Duncan Edwards (Sam Claflin) and Mark Jones (Thomas Howes)

“THE following story is based on real events.”

It was a freezing cold day in January when I visited the cast and production team on their final day of filming for BBC2 drama United.

The location was Seven Kings Park in Ilford, east London, which contains a number of relatively isolated football pitches.

Plus a small sports pavilion, including changing rooms, straight out of the 1950s.

It was here, in the space of one day, that many of the training scenes (both before and after the crash) featured in United were filmed.

With the production wrapping just before the fading afternoon winter light turned to darkness.

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Exile: John Simm

Jim Broadbent (Sam) and John Simm (Tom)

“DON’T measure me against him. He’s won an Oscar,” smiles John Simm.

We’re sat in a conference room at BBC TV Centre in west London, where a few days before I’d also interviewed Jim Broadbent.

John and Jim co-star in superb new BBC1 drama Exile, to be screened over three consecutive nights from Sunday May 1.

Relaxed in a grey V-neck jumper, white T-shirt and blue jeans, an unshaven John was in good spirits during the small round table chat back in January.

Where the conversation ranged from Hamlet to Harry and Paul via Exile, Doctor Who and Sam Tyler.

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The Suspicions Of Peter Capaldi

Peter Capaldi as Samuel Kent

DOES Peter Capaldi watch himself on TV?

“I don’t really have a hard and fast rule about it,” he replied.

“I’m always disappointed, anyway. I always look much worse.”

We met in March for a small round table interview high above the South Bank in London.

When Peter was both charming and gracious.

Which just goes to show what a good actor he is when tackling roles like The Thick Of It’s Malcolm Tucker.

He stars this Easter weekend in a new two-hour ITV1 drama.

My feature is in today’s Manchester Evening News and below, along with a few extras.

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United: David Tennant

Jimmy Murphy (David Tennant) and Bobby Charlton (Jack O'Connell)

“ME and Jimmy here, we’re men of grass and boots and beauty.”

Manchester United manager Matt Busby (Dougray Scott) is sitting next to his assistant Jimmy Murphy (David Tennant).

Leaving Football League Secretary Alan Hardaker (Neil Dudgeon) in absolutely no doubt as to who is the boss.

You don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate BBC2 drama United, which tells the story of the Busby Babes, the Munich Air Crash and the months that followed.

My second feature on the film is in today’s Manchester Evening News – and below – ahead of a preview screening at The Lowry in Salford tonight.

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