Diving, Drizzle and Noisy Gardeners.

Thursday 15th October

Wish I’d thought of the catch phrase, “Today I’ll mostly be ....”.

 

In today's case it would be “Driving.”

At least the first part of the day would not be a schlep.

The four of us, Charlotte, Kim Ian and I only had a short trip from our impressive old hotel.

Lumley Castle is one of best places to stay in the north east of England.

That is not because it is the ultimate in luxury or the food is very good but because it has an atmosphere all of its own.

The conversion to an hotel has not ruined the real feeling of history that oozes out of every inch of the stone work around the place.

The view from my hotel room window.

Nicola lived in a small flat on a small estate in Chester Le Street.

She was our big winner having won £25000.

She was lovely with a great geordie twang and broad happy smile.

I filmed her interview in front of the fire in her little lounge.

I wanted it to look as relaxed and warm as I could to emphasise her open and warm demeanour.

Nicola by her fire.

Who said you could get comfy as well Kim?

We then went outside to film her with the giant GMTV cheque.

Thankfully although still a bit grey the rain had stopped.

That was great for us to film but also the sign for the local gardeners to start up their grass cutting machines.

There was one earnestly pushing a big petrol mower with his mate rampaging around with a big strimmer.

The sound of the Ride of “The Valkeries” would not have been out of place as like the helicopter scene from “Apocalypse Now “, fifty yards away two huge lawn mowers appeared in formation from behind some parked cars.

They headed to the large areas of  grass to do their stuff.

Kim worked her southern charm on the burley workers and got them to stop whist we recorded.

The next location was a two and a half hours drive south to Bridlington.

Sadly we did not see the North Yorkshire Moors at their best because the weather was grey and horrible.

The picturesque fishing town of Whitby, where we stopped for a quick coffee was not much better in the cold damp drizzle.

Carol the winner of a holiday to Australia was as welcoming as all our other grateful winners.

I filmed her interview in the large spotless kitchen of her smart modern house and the stuff with the cheque in her large well tended garden.

Carol beside the cheque and my camera.

That was the end of the shoot but by no means the end of the day.

Before Ian and I parted company with Kim and Charlotte we had a late lunch in a nearby pub.

Then the girls headed on their five hour journey back to London and Ian and I set off on our five hour journey to Edinburgh.