That Day We Sang: Q&A

Enid and Tubby (Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball)

“IT’S letting your dreams literally come true. Which is rather beautiful.

“Ordinary people being extraordinary.”

Imelda Staunton talking about the truly glorious That Day We Sang, written and directed by Victoria Wood.

A TV musical drama destined to become an instant classic.

Screened on BBC2 at 9pm on Boxing Day – Friday Dec 26.

It stars Imelda as “PA not secretary” Enid and Michael Ball as insurance salesman Tubby, two lonely middle-aged people who grab a second chance of life via the power of music.

These fictional characters meet in 1969 at a reunion of the Manchester Children’s Choir which made the iconic million selling recording of Nymphs and Shepherds with the Halle Orchestra 40 years before.

The film moving between events in the late 1960s and the story of a young Tubby, whose real name is Jimmy Baker, and his difficult home life in 1929.

With Harvey Chaisty as the young Jimmy and the always engaging Daniel Rigby as Mr Kirkby, the war veteran who helps him through.

Victoria Wood is also responsible for writing all of the music – Purcell’s Nymphs and Shepherds aside – in the 90-minute film.

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From There To Here: Q&A

“WE nearly died in there. Doesn’t it make you think?”

Daniel Cotton (Philip Glenister) asks the question of his father Samuel (Bernard Hill) in From There To Here.

The three part BBC1 drama, written by Peter Bowker, opens with the June 1996 Manchester bomb which destroyed a large part of the city centre.

But this is not a story about the IRA attack. It charts the ripples of that initial trigger on two families across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

Last night I attended a screening of episode one at BAFTA in London followed by a Q&A, including Phil and Pete.

You can read my full transcript below, edited very slightly to remove any major spoilers.

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Prey: Interviews

“IT was a very physical role, lots of running, hanging off bridges and climbing fences, hard work.

“But I must say I absolutely loved it.”

John Simm talking about his lead role as Det Sgt Marcus Farrow in Prey, a three-part ITV thriller written by Chris Lunt.

I spoke to John on location during filming on a cold and wet day at the start of January.

And again later when he had returned from making the first episodes of Intruders in Vancouver and was about to begin work on The Village 2.

While Chris and I chatted at ITV’s new Trafford / Media City HQ on January 6 – the official first day in that site’s history after the move from Quay Street in Manchester.

A fresh and exciting TV writer – currently bound for Hollywood – at the dawn of a new era for ITV in the North West.

You can read my interviews via the link to the ITV press pack / production notes below.

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Coronation Street Reveal: Sue Nicholls

“PEOPLE come, people go. And the Street goes on.

“The Street is the star. That’s how it should be.”

One of the other real stars of the Coronation Street Trafford Wharf reveal was another national treasure – Sue Nicholls.

The actress who has played Audrey since 1979 gave countless interviews to the media on the day and kept smiling in the face of hundreds of questions.

Looking much younger than the 70th birthday she had celebrated just six days before.

As is the way at these events, I waited patiently to speak to Sue as she was interviewed by yet another TV crew.

After a few minutes I was joined by one or two other media colleagues also wanting a word.

And by the time Sue was free to talk I had been joined by around a dozen others.

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Coronation Street 50th Anniversary Launch

A historic day on the Coronation Street cobbles.

The press launch yesterday marking the countdown to the 50th anniversary on December 9, complete with a very special Street Party.

I was among 235 guests who gathered in Studio 12 at ITV Granada in Manchester for the event.

Hosted in some style by Boyzone star Keith Duffy, who plays Rovers barman Ciaran McCarthy.

(Lots of audio / video further down this blog)

Before a party out on the cobbles and tours of the studio sets.

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Wonders Of The Solar System

SPELLBINDING is the word used to describe a TV series destined to live long in the memory.

If you’ve yet to catch up with Wonders Of The Solar System, now is the time to put that right.

It’s presented by a former long-haired keyboard player in DARE and D:Ream.

The latter of Labour election anthem Things Can Only Get Better fame.

By the time Tony Blair was walking into No 10 for the first time as prime minister, Oldham-born Brian was already Dr Brian.

With a first class honours degree in physics from the University of Manchester.

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