I’m delighted to have a voice part in this wonderful project – The story of The Bakewell Witches. A slice of history I hadn’t known before.
Download the app and you can take a real-life – or virtual – historic tour of Bakewell.
Search for the GeoStories app in your favourite app store!
Hello folks! Hope you’re all keeping well, despite the continuing rise in Covid infections. People seem to be falling like flies…. thankfully I haven’t succumbed, I am as fully vaccinated and boosted as I can be, and I continue to mask and avoid crowds. Stay safe m’dears!
Good news, the new Series I shot in Liverpool last year is released next week.
Compulsion premieres on Channel 5 on Tuesday, April 12th at 9 p.m.
Sarah Deane (Moving On, Clink) wrote the four-part thriller, which is directed by Noreen Kershaw (Call the Midwife, Pitching In, Our Girl). The series, which was filmed in Liverpool last year, will be stripped across the week, Tuesday-Friday.
ABOUT
Jenny, a paramedic who develops a gambling addiction while attempting to cope with PTSD after a catastrophic train collision, is played by Leanne Best (Young Wallander, Cold Feet). Sasha, a good Samaritan who provides Jenny a way out, is played by Anna Chancellor (Pennyworth, The Watch), while loan shark Connie Bertram is played by the legendary Hayley Mills. I play Connie’s sidekick, Jimmy – you’ll catch me in episodes 2 and 4. Also in the cast Krissi Bohn plays Ali, Ben Tavassoli plays Raj, and Danny Ashok plays Chris.
Colin McKeown, Executive Producer, LA Productions added: “We strive with all of our dramas to get the best cast, the best crew and the best script. With ‘Compulsion’ we believe we have achieved that.”
Days getting warmer, sunshine on my back as I walk,
I feel the heat through my fleece, like a warm hug.
I don’t usually listen to music as I walk, I generally like to hear the sounds around me, but a couple of days ago I pressed play on my EarPods and these are just a few of the songs that joined me for the walk, all with memories and feelings attached…
VIDEO PLAYLIST – I’ve put it together for this update, it’s only 6 songs.
PERFECT DAY – Lou Reed
The song that started when I pressed play… What a brilliant song this is. That warm hug from the sun on my back, this song in my ears, but meanwhile the world is in conflict and far from perfect for so many. A reminder that little things can make perfection. And a hope that conflict soon ends, and that, for those in turmoil, Perfect is eventually restored.
Let this lead you to Satellite of Love and more from Transformer album.
PATIO LANTERNS – Kim Mitchell
Summers in Canada. I remember playing this in my Radio days at CHMA, Sackville, New Brunswick. A song about youthful years and young love. ALSO – Check out this video – an older, balder Kim Mitchell talking about the difficult recording of this song.
A NEW ENGLAND – Billy Bragg
Another song about young love, but with a different slant. That line, “I saw two shooting stars last night, I wished on them but they were only satellites, Is it wrong to wish on space hardware, I wish, I wish, I wish you’d care.” Brilliant.
5:15 – The Who
Quadrophenia is my favourite who album, this song always gets me singing along. And this video created for it is excellent.
PRIVATE DANCER – Tina Turner
When this started I could hear only one voice, my dear friend Charlie Rhindress, who used to sing it in the dressing room (and did a great Tina impersonation) when we worked at Live Bait Theatre. Wonderful memories.
OBJECTS IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR MAY APPEAR CLOSER THAN THEY ARE – Meat Loaf
Sadly we’ve lost Meat Loaf recently, but this song, all about memories, seemed apt to my feelings when it started playing. And if life is just a highway, then the soul is just a car…
One final song – not on YouTube…
LET YOU GO – Alex Rhindress – SPOTIFY LINK
When this started playing, I couldn’t remember the artist, knew it must be someone famous… It’s Charlie’s daughter Alex. What a great song this is.
I think I’ll press PLAY whilst walking more often.
Have a super day!
Dave x
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.
Ey up Cupcakes!!!!
We’re almost finished January, and about to blast into February with a LIVE show!
That’s real LIVE people performing in front of a real LIVE audience!!!!
But Fear Not! There’s a LIVE STREAMING option those who aren’t yet ready to mingle.
The show is SKETCH UP! Written by the FABULOUS Rachel E Thorn, the Queen of Improv, and Witty Skit Writer Extraordinaire.
Playing Friday Feb 4 at the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Rachel’s comedy has been heard on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland and performed by impressionists including Rory Bremner, Alistair McGowan and Christina Bianco. Rachel also performs improvised comedy shows nationwide and is the winner of The Phoenix Remix Act Of The Year 2019.
Rachel has put together a group of fun professional performers for her Sketch Up Crew, and at her cry of “SKETCH UP ASSEMBLE!” we all fall into place. We’ve been recording and performing Rach’s sketches for a few years now (except the last two obvs) and its brilliant fun – mainly because they’re so well written and full of wonderful characters we’d never get asked to play otherwise!
On stage for this performance, besides our Wonder Woman Rachel, we have Melanie Crawley, Gerard Fletcher, and myself.
A fabulous voiceover artist, having narrated over 40 audiobooks including An Unknown Woman by Jane Davis and The River Through Rome by Nicholas Nicastro. She is Joy in The Age of Love, the podcast based on artist Pete McKee’s characters, and starred in the UK tour of Tannie & Tannie.
One of the best voiceover actors in the business. My favourite facts are that he presents Screwfix’s YouTube channel and he’s the on-hold voice of DPD, The National Trust and Halfords!
TV includes Sherwood, Get Even (BBC/Netflix – 5 EPs), Emmerdale, Happy Valley” and Girlfriends, where he and I first worked together, sharing a scene with Zoë Wanamaker and Miranda Richardson.
He has performed in radio dramas for BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra. His voice can be heard in ads on TV and most independent commercial radio stations worldwide and he’s narrated audio books and documentaries for BBC, ITV, Channel 5 Paramount and History Channel.
| Date: | Friday 4th Feb |
| Time: | 8pm |
| Venue: | The Big Difference, Leicester |
| Price: | £8 |
| Website: | Leicester Comedy Festival |
| LIVESTREAM DETAILS :
|
Sketch Up at Leicester Comedy Festival is being live-streamed by Next Up on Friday 4th February at 8pm. It should also be available to watch on demand afterwards. To watch, you’ll need a Next Up account, which is either £7 a month with no long-term commitment or £24 for a whole year’s subscription. This gives you access to a bajillion live comedy shows from the UK’s most famous comedians – and us too! As the artist, we take 50% of the revenue generated by people watching our show. Anyone who signs up for Sketch Up can watch Rachel’s dark comedy Sex, Lies & Improvisation on Friday 18th February at 9pm for no extra cost! Here’s the Link to sign-up! |
I loved my couple of Corrie episodes, Jan 12 & 14, what a treat to work on those famous cobbles. Here’s a clip of my scenes – NOTE ***SPOILER ALERT***
Here’s hoping Corrie ask Gordon back for more! Maybe send them a tweet if you want to see him return?
I’ve walked a lot throughout January – as part of the RUN THE MONTH Fundraiser for PROSTATE CANCER UK.
I covered 52.67 extra miles of brisk walking for the challenge, a double marathon.
My knees didn’t enjoy running, so I walked as fast as my legs would carry me.
And the good news? I raised £300 for Prostate Cancer UK.
My Fundraiser Page is still live, so please take a look if you would like to add a donation. And special thanks to all who have already given.
Right, this blog update, like the month of January, is almost done – Stay safe, stay warm, and hope to see you LIVE in Leicester, or streaming the show online!
D x
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
So, here we are, it’s almost New Year’s Eve as I write this on Thursday evening.
It’s been another odd year hasn’t it? Lockdowns, loss of people, loss of work.
New Year is always a time for reflection time for me anyway, my Dad died Dec 31, 2010, and I always feel his loss. This year it feels even more reflective.
So it’s back to New Year traditions to say farewell to the old and welcome the new. I’ve baked lots of tarts, jam and lemon curd. My Gran always cooked them for Christmas and New Year, and as a youngster I helped, cutting out the tarts, scooping the jam fillings. And making a jam turnover with the remaining pastry.
Tomorrow will be an evening at home with my Mum, a beer or two, nibbles…. some Pork Pie, Scotch Egg, Sausage Rolls, vol-au-vents… And this evening I’ve made Egg Nog for the first time, it’s now chilling ready to add to traditions tomorrow. I admit, my Brandy pouring hand may have been over zealous.
At midnight I’ll sing Auld Lang Syne, I’ll go out and come in again to First Foot, I’ll phone and message friends near and far, then to bed and 2022.
I’m hoping work continues next year as it ended in 2021. I ended up quite busy over the last couple of months. An episode of Doctors for BBC1, two episodes of an upcoming series, Compulsion, for Channel 5. And most recently I shot two episodes of Coronation St, airing mid-January on ITV.
To end the year tomorrow, you can hear me doing some radio. As I’ve mentioned before, I co-host the monthly Comedy Show on Write Radio on Sheffield Live. Tomorrow’s show is a year-end special, a murder mystery featuring all the hosts of Write Radio, put together by our amazing producer Andrew Tildesley. It’s fun, so listen in, either live, or catch up on the link later. Write Radio airs Friday afternoons, 1-3pm.
And remember, during January I will be taking part in the Run The Month Challenge for Prostate Cancer UK.
So my dears, I bid you all the very best for the coming year.
Be kind to yourself, spread the love, and stay safe and healthy during these dark days and testing times.
If you can find a test.
See you next year!
Dave X
Christmas Eve 2021
Greetings from Plague Island this Christmas Eve.
I hope you are well, and stay well, as you celebrate the season with those you hold dear.
Here is my 2021 version of A Visit from St. Nicholas (‘Twas the night before Christmas), by Clement Clarke Moore.
Watch for me on your telly in January… some Coronation St coming up 🙂
And here’s the link to my recent episode of Doctors.
Wishing you love, health and happiness.
And the tories out in 2022.
Dave x
Hi folks! I hope you’re keeping safe and well as we head into a higher alert level and possible restrictions as we head towards Christmas. It goes on and on doesn’t it?
I’m glad to have had my Booster, please get yours.
Some good news for me though – I’m going to be on your Telly! So, if you’re stuck working from home again, why not give this a watch this week?
A lovely episode titled “Christmas Cheer.” My scenes are with the Legend that is Shaun Prendergast. We also share a scene with Nurse Luca McIntyre (Ross McLaren) & Dr Zara Carmichael (Elisabeth Dermot Walsh). Directed by the amazing Niall Fraser.
“Luca finds himself chasing after a patient who is struggling with his demons at Christmas.” – I may be one of those demons……
So, pop an E-180 in the VCR and set your timer! Hope you enjoy it!
And special thanks to my agent, CiekaBailey Associates, for making it happen!
A couple of episodes of CORONATION ST!!!!
Very excited to play a lovely character on the cobbles with some of your favourite Weatherfield residents. More on that after Christmas.
I wish you all peace and love, and may your Christmas dreams come true.
Dave XXX
Happy Wednesday m’dears!
An upcoming event to plug to you! I’m on stage this Friday evening (Oct 22nd/2021) in two pieces of new writing for Next Left.
Next Left is a political theatre project based in Sheffield, assembling immediate responses to current events.
The show: TEST•TRACK•TRACE – Brave New World? is on Friday 22nd October 2021 at Theatre Deli in Sheffield. You can get your tickets here.
The evening features new work from writers Bryony Lavery, Ella Hardy, Melanie Hopkins, Paul Kenny, Rachel E. Thorn, Ray Castleton, and John Hunter.
Performed by Ali Mylon, Beatrice Comins, Claire Dean, Connor Gale, Maria Sims, Eleanor May Blackburn, Ashleigh Cordery, Lisa Armytage, Ray Castleton, Ross Cawton, Kate Rutter, Sean Corey, Melanie Crawley, and myself.
Directed by Olwen May, Kate Rutter, James Stone and Neil Sissons.
I’m in – “Back to the New Normal‘ – Written by Rachel E Thorn, performed by Rowe David McClelland, Ali Mylon and Melanie Crawley, directed by James Stone.
And – “Variety Shitshow” – Written by Ella Hardy, performed by Eleanor May Blackburn, Sean Corey and Rowe David McClelland, directed by Hassun El-Zafar.
I’m going to be on your telly box!
Not once, not twice, but THRICE!!! Just got a smasher of a new gig today….
Details to come soon.
Stay safe
Dave x
