Heartbeat

Hello everybody,

Just in case some of you don't know, I have really got involved with knife throwing in a big way. I have started my own knife throwing club.

Via various entries about myself and throwing on the internet, I received an email from Yorkshire Television asking for a knife thrower for a forthcoming episode of Heartbeat.

After making sure that it was not a wind up ( !) I replied and an audition was set up at my knife throwing range. The director was duly impressed with my skills and I was hired.

The filming took place last Wednesday at Yeadon Town Hall, as the episode is based on a pantomime theme.

I arrived at 7.45am and was shown to wardrobe and makeup. After a hasty breakfast all the extras were taken to the Town Hall. I played the part of a circus knife thrower, throwing knives around a young lady. Then it was a case of hold on while we need you.

After a couple of hours sitting round my time came and I threw the knives. It took one take. Everyone was really impressed. I have to be honest and say a bit of trick photography is involved as I didn't really throw the knives around my glamorous assistant !

Then I did a bit of acting with the other extras and that was it. But we were all asked to stay until filming ended, just in case, which was at 6.15pm.

I filled a lot of the spare time by talking to cameramen, sound engineers, P.A's, lighting technicians, makeup, wardrobe ladies, etc., etc. It really opened my eyes as to how many people are involved. At one time in the Town Hall I counted 29 people either helping or waiting to help.

It was a very enjoyable day where I learned a lot, including one of the actors telling me I should have an agent as my skills would be like gold dust to them. We'll see about that.

The episode will be called " No laughing matter " and will be screened in May next year.