There Is No Escape: December 2013

And so to bed ....

The past few months have been taken up with work - on a rather over-the-top scale. I've been line-producing for a new Channel 5 series called "Suspects" which is due on screen early next year. Look out for the trails from mid-January - with Fay Ripley, Damien Molony and Clare-Hope Ashitey.

Some of the Suspects team

And so the year comes to an end. Congratulations to all the parents and new babies - and also Carol and Matt who have had books published this year. And to all the friends, from home and abroad, that I've managed to see - still not enough but planning ahead for next year (Susan and Carol especially be afraid!).

It's been a tough year for so many of my friends and their families - rather too much sickness and death. It reminds me how much we are touched by people along the way - especially on jobs where you spend so much time with your team and then move on. This year has seen many wander off into the sunset - from Michael Ritchie and Tony Rowe - we all worked together on "The Precious Blood" - who both died earlier in the year to John Fortune who died today.

So looking ahead, hoping that 2014 raises its game and brings fun, laughter, happiness and its own magic.

Mx

Fifty ....

So - the BIG birthday weekend - and lots of social things on the cards. Many of you know that I'm not one for being told what to do (!) and being told to celebrate (birthdays, new year etc) is not on my to do list.

Which meant organising those things that I did want to do. So mum arrived on the Friday night and we went along to St Martin in the Fields and listened to a concert. The conductor wanted to experiment in the second half and moved around the configuration of the orchestra to see if the sound felt different.

The highlight of the weekend was an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea. Lots of yummyness - no chocolate on mine and a rather impressive sugar high!

Pea shoots with marshmallow mushrooms

Meringue carrot

Chocolate cup with chocolate mousse filling

Pineapple, cola, pear and strawberry jellies

Two lots of theatre and then the morning at the Sebastião Salgado exhibition at the Natural History Museum which I really loved. The theme was things (people, tribes, places) that are nearing extinction - and shot in black and white.

Letter to Mark

Dear Mark (Bemrose)

You may not remember me, but we were at West Pinchbeck Voluntary Controlled Primary School in the late sixties and early seventies.

I, however, remember you.  When we played "kiss chase" and you were playing we stopped running away and, if possible, stood still..... There was a boy hierarchy - you, then Richard Seymour and then Paul Coddington and then every other boy. But enough of that!!

So, when the infamous Mark B dared me to read Willard Price's "Cannibal Adventure", what was a girl to do?! I took it home and read it in one sitting and was immediately addicted.

That same year, 1973 or '74, we had a school trip. London Zoo. I don't remember much about the trip except for stopping at Baldock for a toilet break, the bus ride (probably the longest journey I had ever been on, a lengthy one hundred miles) and I stood feet away from an adult tiger as it was being sedated.

I went along to the travel company in town and asked how much a two week safari in Africa would cost and remember being told it was £450 (which was more expensive than our home!). This was not very encouraging for a girl from West Pinchbeck.

Forty years later - and my job takes me to Tanzania and I decided that I should arrange a three day trip before I return to the rather cold and rainy UK. (The Kiswahili for journey is "safari"). Nowadays they are much less expensive than a house.

Below is a selection of wildlife - some of it was rather close ...

I like this one because he looks like he's playing hide and seek!

I could hear him squealing before I could see him!

And then, about half a mile later, the zebras were crossing the road ...

This is a buffalo spider

They are not this cute really .....

A baobab tree

Cambodia

So on to Cambodia.

It is safe to say that the job didn't live up to expectations. It's called The Last Reel and is due for festivals and release in 2014. Let's move on from that.

Socially, the first port of call was to KMF - the production company that Matthew Robinson set up at the end of "Taste of Life". The building is purpose-built in the heart of Phnom Penh, a stone's throw from the riverside. Floors of dedicated office, studio and edit space, along with Matthew's home and a rather impressive roof terrace with games and the possibility of parties! I met several of the old team and also Matthew who showed me around.

I haven't seen the old team for several years and many things had changed. There are babies - lots of babies - Millan, Kiri, Tom, little Daniya - all have young children. As you would expect, there wasn't too much time to socialise. Nimol was over from Melbourne, and we did manage a night out with the gang - a new restaurant (Tom, as usual, delivering good food) and a long distance call to Channa in Sydney so that he could join in with the food and drink!

Below - some of the team, all grown up.