Last year I did some voice work for an animation, Everyday Life with IBS.
I discovered the final version last week, and here it is… A fascinating insight into the life of those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Many thanks to Dead Earnest Theatre, Fettle Animation, and University of Sheffield.
And cast mates Melanie Crawley and Nadia Emam.
There’s more voice work to come…. Another animation – and an audio soap! Stay tuned.
Thank you Radio Times for printing Cast Lists for shows!
Great to see my name in the RT again for next week’s episodes of Coronation St, playing Gordon, Wednesday and Friday, 12th and 14th of January.
It was lovely to be on the cobbles again, my 4th time, and to work with the legend that is Barbara Knox, the wonderful Julia Goulding and Sally-Ann Matthews – and the fab crew of course! Amazing lovely place to work.
The Coronation St Blog and Weatherfield Gazette have a spoiler previews for the episodes next week, check the Friday episode preview if you wonder what I’m up to.
Otherwise, just set your timers and alarms and tune in next Wednesday and Friday! Jan 12 and 14th.
I hope the New Year is treating you all well. I started the Prostate Cancer UK “RUN THE MONTH” Challenge to cover a marathon distance over the month of January.
All is going well so far, I’ve done just over 10 miles of brisk walking as of today, Jan 4th, and raised £215 so far.
If you’d like to chip in a few quid, it would be much appreciated, the Fundraiser Page is here. I’m doing it for a mate who was recently diagnosed.
Keep walking, stay safe – and watch Corrie next week!
Love ya!
Dave x
Hello there!
I hope you had a lovely Christmas. Covid impacted on many of us again, restricting gatherings. Thankfully technology helps keep us in touch.
So, it’s the final week of 2021. And looking forward to the New Year, I decided to start 2022 with a challenge. Run the Month: Marathon Edition
Earlier this year, I found out one of my oldest mates has Prostate Cancer.
It was discovered late and has spread.
That inspired me to try a bit of fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK.
In my mid 20’s I ran quite a lot, I did half marathons and 10k’s. I’m no longer that fit though. So – I’m going to be walking, jogging, or staggering, 26.2 miles throughout January to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
This will be distance covered just for this Challenge, not including my regular dog walks.
Prostate cancer now affects 1 in 8 men in the UK. That’s thousands of dads, partners, brothers, grandads, uncles and mates.
I’m raising money to help fund lifesaving research and support for men and their families affected by prostate cancer.
Please help me with a bit of Sponsorship at my page – Run the Month: Marathon Edition
I’ll check in again before 2021 ends… see you soon
D X
Hello m’darlings!
Just a quick update… Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been working with Flippin’Mental Theatre to provide the final video element to an online Drama Project, Drama For The Mind 2021.
The participants have developed their own work, and have then performed their monologues to camera. There’s 8 lovely pieces, funny, moving, emotional… a fantastic job by all involved.
I’ve assembled it all to in to a video to Premiere online this Saturday evening at 7pm (UK). Please drop by if you can. https://youtu.be/t72A6-RtVeo
Meanwhile Lockdown continues.
As does my Lockdown log. We’re now at Lockdown 3, Day 74 – can you believe it?
And still the bnuch of lying con artists we have in government continue. And now they are trying to stop us protesting. I see trouble ahead….
You can see my latest updates below….
As you can see from the updates, I’m building a garden bar, assembled from old pallets, in preparation for the March 29 Roadmap date for meeting another person in your garden – and the April 12 date for up to 6 people meeting in a garden.
Better stock up on the booze 🙂
Stay safe!
Dave X
Ey up from the Steel City!!! Hope you’re all doing okay, staying warm and staying safe.
I write this on the 39th day of Lockdown 3. It just goes on and on doesn’t it?
But, thankfully, I have something to tickle your funny bones on these cold nights.
I’m a member of Sketch Up! – a group of Actor’s, Writers and Voice Artists, that got together to record comedy sketches, directly from the mind and nimble fingers of Rachel E. Thorn
We were due to perform these LIVE!!! Yes, LIVE!!! with an audience, at the renowned Leicester Comedy Festival. But, alas, a Global Pandemic thwarted our bid for Global Sketch Comedy Stardom.
Live comedy’s loss is, however, your gain…
Thanks to the power of T’interwebs, you can enjoy our sketches in the comfort of your very own home/car/van/tent/workplace/ears… via the Leicester Comedy Festival – until Feb 21.
We’ve already had a 4-STAR REVIEW (“a delight…with a bit of bite!”) and lots of lovely feedback which is great. Its free to listen (you bloody old misers) online – 45 comedy sketches – listen all in one go or individually.
They range from the surreal to the domestic and sometimes incorporate a bit of both but nowhere will you find even the vaguest reference to the dreaded pandemic!
Sketch Up! Comedy sketches written by Rachel E. Thorn, Produced by Gerard Fletcher & Melanie Crawley, Performed by Ali Mylon, Gerard Fletcher, Letty Butler, Melanie Crawley, myself, and Rachel E Thorn.
Here’s the Soundcloud link
Last weekend was a happy/sad one… My eldest son Benjamin turned 19. He lives just outside Blackpool, and with Lockdowns and Tiers, etc, we haven’t seen each other in person since last August.
Sadly Benjamin, my daughter Sophie and my youngest son, Joseph, lost their mum, my ex-wife Jane, to Covid just before Christmas. It’s such a difficult time for everyone. And it’s really hard not seeing my children, when all I want to do is hug them.
I posted a link to my Ko-Fi account in case anyone wanted to send Benjamin a bit of birthday love. And many of you did, thank you so very much! It made his day!
Benjamin has now created his own Ko-Fi Page, so if you’d like to check it out and send him the price of a a coffee, cake, or even more, the link is here….
Buy a coffee for Benjamin McClelland
All contributions are very much appreciated.
A reminder, I post daily Twitter and YouTube Lockdown Log updates, featuring 2 Minute 20 Second updates on the boring minutiae of my Lockdown life. Really selling that, aren’t I?
Here’s the YouTube Playlist…
Thanks for dropping by! Subscribe to this blog at the bottom of the page, or follow any/all of my socials, top of the right hand column!
Stay safe m’ducks!
Dave X
My first update of 2021, and we find ourselves in a situation even more dire than December.
New strains, more cases, sadly many more deaths,. No going out, no physical contact, no idea when any degree of normality will return. Not this year I fear.
On today’s No 10 Briefing, featuring the very evil, and the letter G incapable, Home Secretary, Priti Patel, a reporter asked the question – as people must be desperate for a holiday after all we’ve been through, can they think about booking a summer holiday?
BOOK A F**KING SUMMER HOLIDAY!!!! Are you mad?
Be grateful to still be breathing.
It will end when it ends, it will be safe when it is safe.
Remember that DISASTROUS “Eat Out To Help Out” cheap meal/mass-killing scheme.
Too early Rishi!
One good thing in the world is that that Orange Trump Stain has been removed! I watched the Biden/Harris Inauguration yesterday, hated much of the schmaltz and flag adoration, but loved Amanda Gorman and her wonderful poem – here’s Barack Obama’s link to it
One can only imagine the Big Orange Baby sulking in Florida.
Obviously life is quiet here. Good news is my Mum has had both Vaccine injections, so let’s hope she is safe(r). I await my turn.
Just before Christmas, I was lucky enough to have a small role in a TV ad, which is apparently airing so often that people keep telling me they saw me on the telly!
Here it is….
I’m happy to be working on an Audiobook narration at the moment, and loving the book. It’s called CRONIES, by Robert Craft. I’ll let you know when the audiobook version is finished and available.
If you fancy a bit of Audio Fun, I am co-host of Write Radio (Comedy edition) on Sheffield Live. The Christmas Day show was a special one, where yer old pal Dave goes full on Scrooge, so take a listen – Go to the SHEFFIELD LIVE site, and click on Dec 25, Hour 1 and Hour 2.
And that’s about it. I carry on with my Daily Lockdown logs, recording the dull monotony of Lockdown 3. Posted on my Twitter and Playlisted on YouTube (and below).
Stay safe you Beauties, I look forward to lifting a glass with you some time in the future! Contact me via form below if you fancy a video catchup!
Dave X
Over lockdown I’ve been helping out with an amazing project looking at Suicide and mental health. Something that many have struggled with over the course of this Pandemic.
The Suicide Monologues are a series of thirteen short films which present the testimonies of people who have been affected by suicide and attempted suicide.
The films will be streamed this Saturday, and will be subsequently available to view online.
The project is a collaboration between Kathryn Littlewood, Penny Capper, Charlie Barnes, Brendan Stone, myself, and others. It was funded by the University of Sheffield, and supported by the mental health charity Sheffield Flourish.
The monologues are the true stories of a diverse group of people which are voiced in the films by a range of actors including Julian Richings, Cathy Shipton, Ian Reddington, Alice Barlow, Blue Merrick, Andy Whittaker, Janelle Thompson, Rachael McAllister, and Deepak Verma.
The aim of The Suicide Monologues is to challenge stigma around this complex subject, increase understanding, and create discussion.
You’ll be able to view the films at this link on Saturday 19th September at 19.00. Please feel free to share this message, but please note that some viewers may find these films distressing.
Festival of the Mind brings together University academics and professionals from Sheffield’s cultural, creative and digital industries to bring our research to life in exciting, entertaining and innovative ways.
Christmas is almost here!
We’ve had the first dusting of snow on the Sheffield hills, my cards are sent, presents mostly bought, now I’m making lists for food shopping for the big day.
I’ve also been busy on the business side, getting new actor headshot pics and making a new video to share with you, so lots to tell you about in this update….
I usually record a video each Christmas of me reading A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS (‘Twas the night…). I used to read it to my children on Christmas eve in the pre-divorce days, but I never see them to read it now, so I started recording it for them.
This year I decided to record an audio version for them and put a bit more into the production side, with sound effects and such. I’m very pleased with the results.
I’ve put it on YouTube with some family photos and videos under the audio, here it is….
If you’d like the original audio version in it’s full glory, it’s here to listen or download…. or buy if you wish to send me money.
I’m going to be in your house in January!
Earlier this year I recorded a lovely episode of GIRLFRIENDS, Kay Mellor’s new drama for ITV. A couple of nice scenes with Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker. The series begins Weds January 3rd. I’m in Episode 3. It’s a lovely cast, please watch.
Here’s some of the new pics of the new slimmer me (over 80lbs lost now) – and with new glasses too. I’m hoping the new slimmer look leads to more TV work as directors move me from the obese to hunky casting category 😁
And here’s a final Christmassy treat for you, the first Yorkshire Teabaggers video. Our parody take on one of the most popular of Christmas songs.
What a lot of Christmas goodies eh?
So, now I’ve unloaded my sack on you, I will bid you a Very Merry Christmas and the Happiest New Year.
Stay warm, stay safe, help others, spread the love and be good to yourself.
Love always,
Dave x
Hello folks! Quick update and some new pics….
Since the last update I had a great day on a new ITV drama, GIRLFRIENDS, written and directed by the lovely Kay Mellor. Had a lovely scene with Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker.
Had a couple of meaty auditions for a lovely soap stint and a new musical tour, but no luck on either. Sad Dave. But keeping busy with Showreel updates, so if you’re an actor looking for a new reel, or want to refresh the one you have, give me a shout!
Had a nice photo session yesterday with an up and coming photographer, Samantha Devine, and I’m including a few below. Click to full-size them….
The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice there is less of me to feast your eyes upon…
I’m delighted to say my weight-loss routine is going well, I’ve lost over 50lbs since this time last year. Feeling great and buying new clothes to fit the new me.
And finally, coming up, a BBC animated sitcom, STICKY, starring Tom Hardy. More on that when I get the details. You’ll have my voice and an animated version of me!
Stay tuned!
Dave x
As mentioned in a couple of recent posts, I have been in agony with sciatica as a result of some gardening work, I could barely move a month ago and wasn’t sleeping at all.
The NHS Doctor gave me painkillers but they did very little relief of the pain and nothing to get me mobile again.
So, I visited the local Chinese Doctor for Massage and Acupuncture. Two sessions and advice on where to self-massage with a tennis ball was the start to recovery and today I walked in (pain-free) to see him and offer my thanks.
For anyone else in back-pain agony, I can strongly recommend massage and acupuncture, it worked for me.
If you live in Sheffield, I went to The Chinese Doctor in the Hillsborough Shopping Centre. Great friendly place and it’s covered by many medical insurance schemes (Westfield, etc)
Thanks Doc!
D
You must be logged in to post a comment.