‘Spring’ reminds me of needing a wee while on TV!
The story of my life part 1
Many moons ago when I was just 13yrs of age I was picked to appear in a period drama for what was then called Central Television. It was the February episode of ‘A Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady’.
My ‘audition’, if you can call it this, consisted of me saying very emphatically ‘NO!’.
I was hired.
I knew I was hired before the audition though.
My school had connections with Central TV and they often came to us when they needed children to appear on TV. For this particular series I recall the Director eating with us in the dining room. I observed him scanning our faces for a ’star’ (I didn’t know what the role was yet).
I saw his gaze linger on me. “Picked” thought I.
At this time I was wearing my anorak hood up despite being indoors. I appeared a poor wee thing, skinny, short, boyish with lank mousy brown hair and innocent with big wide eyes. ” Why me?”
Later I was called to the school office with a few other ‘poor’ looking children and auditioned.
My role was that of a young girl with measles, a limp and a very poor mum who couldn’t care for me while I was unwell hence I was sent to live for a while with Edith Holden, author of the famous ‘Country Diary’.
Based on my brief audition and the part I was able to deduce I was picked due to my unfortunate appearance at that time.
Flattered? No.
What has this to do with Spring?
My part involved a stroll through the country with Edith after declaring to Edith “Oh look miss Spring is here”.
Spring on TV, involved a few pre-take plants being swiftly bedded into the ground, a few camer men imitating birds tweeting and me forgetting which leg I was supposed to limp on and needing a wee.
We were on location and the nearest loo was miles away. Filming had to come to a grinding halt so I could disappear behind a tree.
I can’t think of Spring now without hearing those fictitious birds tweeting and uttering the words ‘Oh look miss, Spring is here’.
That’s an interesting little story.
Ian
03/04/2009