Gary Bellamy's first interview: an objective view
The first interview was a bit strange really, although not quite as strange as Gary's recollections of it ("tough questions"? Bit of the old bullshit-tinted spectacles I think there, mate!). I thought Gary might have had some sort of stroke, but in the end it turned out he'd just frozen, like a rabbit in the headlights, or a radio DJ trying to pass themselves off as a TV presenter. It was a bit embarrassing really- not really something you'd get with a proper presenter like Richard Hammond or Andrew Marr (who's a lovely chap, by the way). ÌýIf this was Gary losing his virginity there was nothing dignified and sensitive about it, it was awkward, fumbling and over before it had began. In the end, one of the clerics gave Gary a pound to get himself a cup of sweet tea, and he had a sit down in the corner whilst I did the interview.
We were going to put Gary's questions on as a voice-over in post-production, but Gary was having none of it, he felt the interview was raw and real and kept saying "remember Noddygate!". I argued that since he was in the building he was technically at the interview but everyone's a bit sensitive about that kind of stuff now, so it didn't make the show.
On the way back to the office I tried to make Gary feel better about it by telling him the same thing happened with Andrew Marr when we he was supposed to interview some Morris Dancers for the documentary I made last year. Obviously it was a lie, but it made him feel better, so I think it was the right thing to do. It's these kinds of tough decisions that you have to make as a director-it's what filmmaking's all about.
Ben Mycroft is the Director/Producer of Bellamy's People. Read more about the making of the show and watch exclusive clips on the Comedy Blog.
Comment number 1.
At 19th Dec 2009, Tom Peeper wrote:Take a look at my investigative journalism blog - www.thepeoplespeeper.com from the EU to electricity bills, and councils to cockroaches ... it all there - www.thepeoplespeeper.com
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