Jessy has done it again. I load the site thinking I will just give peeps an update now that I have finished shooting A Midsomer Murders, and I see the poster for T.I.M. I had no idea it was coming to Netflix, or when it was due to be released. Thank goodness for Jessy!
I do hope you all enjoy it.
As for Midsomer, well, honestly I was slightly reluctant to do it, but I am SO glad I did. As you know I haven't done much filming over the last couple of years, and something about having been a detective and then going on detective shows is a bit strange for me. Always has been, and Lewis, as fun as it was, is a good example of that. (Mind you Laurence Bloody Fox made the whole thing pretty weird anyway) I am sure you all see that, but as I say, I really enjoyed myself. Neil and Nick are lovely hosts, and my co-stars were all rather amazing. Helen Lederer I haven't seen for years and is an old pal of my sister's. so that was a huge plus, and Corey Johnson is great to work with.
We've known each other for a while and done bits and bobs together. Such a HUGE depth of knowledge on the screen front and so interested in life. Those I hadn't worked with before like Julie Graham, well, can't say too much. In her prime, working her socks off, very funny and damn good! Melissa Johns I didn't work with much, just yesterday, my last day. She is a force of nature. Again, working more than one job at a time, and determined and deserving of all her plaudits. She is striving to make this world a better place. Eve Austin played my daughter. Maybe I should do a book of all my screen children. Eve, Jodie Comer, Keira Knightly to name but a few. Actually that's about all of them, but pretty illustrious.
Eve is a name and a face you will hear much more about over the coming few years. She's terrific. Such a sweet and kind person, and clear and positive in her talent. Fabulous. But then so was the director, Leon Lopez.
It's a really tough job in some ways doing something like this, because you have to fit your programme into a system, a routine, but at the same time get the best out of them. Sounds easy, point camera, and ACTION. But it is tough and very important to keep things on an even keel. He does that with grace and humour and is an absolute delight to work with. I would love to work with him again. The whole crew were top class!
A quick flick back to the marvellous Nick Hendrix, who plays DS Winter. Love him. What a great energy and such a sweet chap. I recognise his dilemma. He is a lot better than he often gets a chance to show in this series, but he doesn't let that frustration show, he is generous and giving and funny and a great foil for Neil. Neil. So good to work with him again, after 35 years!!!!! 35 years. If you want a laugh go find the tapes of A Piece Of Cake, and see how we have changed. It warmed my heart to work with him again. I have HUGE respect for this man. He is a terrific actor and his facility on set... Jeez. A Lot more lines than I ever had as Thomas Lynley. And he is on top of them and it in a way I am not sure I ever was. Without being coy, I really think I should have done Lynley better, but hindsight is SOOOOO boring. So I will just say, give me a shot at something like that again, and I will be!
Back now to producing. This week has been impossible to do anything. The Chilterns, where we were filming, is just outside London, but bloody useless for phone and interweb.
I hope you are all well, and getting through the climate change consequences we are all facing. Horrible isn't it.