Cameraman based in Edinburgh, employed by ITN, working for ITV's Good Morning Britain covering stories all over the UK and the world. War Zones, World Cups, Royal Tours and many other less exciting assignments, like interviewing current and ex Prime Ministers have kept me busy over the years working in Breakfast Television since GMTV came on the scene back in '93 and regional TV before that. In 2009 I began to record what it is like to work, the often strange and long hours needed to bring the hard news, human interest and fluffy fun to the UK's TV screens in the morning, mostly broadcasting live.

Friday 9 October 2009

Now Then!! Vernon's Bro' Teases GMTV


Thursday 8th October


I collected my edit kit from Ravi's hotel and checked out of my hotel in Manchester.


I then had to kick my heels for a little while before going off to Bolton.


I would be shooting some brain teasers with Steven Kay the school teacher brother of the presenter of Family Fortunes Vernon Kay.


Here’s one for you that we didn’t use: What word of just one syllable can be made into a three syllable word by adding just one letter? 


The Teacher in the Classroom.

In the afternoon I met Steven at his school, a smart new primary on the edge  of a huge estate of  mixed housing.


He greeted me at the door of the school.


His shirt, with the tie slightly undone and the v neck sweater marked him out as a teacher.


His smiling open demeanour marked him out as one of the popular teachers.


I could well imagine the girls in the school being desperate to be in his class.


I am sure that the boys would be the same but for very different reasons.


Bit of a lad sprang to mind.


He was looking slightly harrasred when I arrived because he had been having a bit of a busy day away from school and had to rush to get back to meet me.


He Still Managed a Smile After Two Hours Brain Teasing for GMTV.


We had a look at a few locations for the brain teaser questions he was going to pose.


Once we'd agreed on the places I would shoot I started to rig my lights.


The head teacher popped into the classroom we were in and said hello.


Steven learned his lines.


I rolled the camera and off he went.


Now then! He delivered the questions and answers in a great Lancashire accent.


There were not too many retakes.


We used a few locations both inside and outside the school.


Steven changed as well.


We finished just in time before the cleaners kicked us out and locked the place up.


I had to head back down to Manchester.


The decision had been made that the tape needed to be fed to GMTV from Granada TV.


My hotel, the one I had checked out of earlier in the day was a ten minute walk from there.


The hotel I was booked into was about a thirty five minute drive back up to Bolton.


Did you get it?


The word is Are (one syllable)


Add an a


You get Area (three syllables)

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