Blog posts by year and monthSeptember 2012
Posts (8)
Nigellissima: How we built the kitchen set
The essence of the new series Nigellissima is to show how easy it is to bring the spirit of Italy into the kitchen and onto the plate - using ingredients available in any English supermarket. As the series producer it's my job to pull all six programmes together and deliver them on time and ...
The Paradise: Bringing the set to life
BBC One's The Paradise is based on the classic French novel Au Bonheur des Dames by Émile Zola. Meet the team involved in creating the enchanting backdrop to the drama adapted by Bill Gallagher (Lark Rise To Candleford) and set in England's first department store in the 1870s.
Be Your Own Boss: See what it takes
I read recently there are only three questions in life worth asking oneself: 'Am I having sex? Do I have a family? Am I intellectually stimulated?' With three yeses you're basically in paradise, two will bring you happiness and one means you at least can survive. I personally have a fo...
Fake Or Fortune?: Five tips for art buyers
The new series of Fake Or Fortune? begins with Fiona Bruce, Bendor Grosvenor and myself investigating a small work said to have been painted by Degas. A massive name, a faker's favourite. To prove it would transform the fortunes of its owner Patrick Rice, who has devoted a large part of his ...
Dragons' Den: What's on Red Button?
I often describe myself as a storyteller. It's the reason I work as a TV exec producer - to find extraordinary people, and tell their extraordinary stories. As a Dad, I regularly read stories to my three kids (not regularly enough they would say!). But if I'm honest, I think I'm better ...
The Thick Of It: Need to know
With The Thick Of It back on our screens after a bit of a gap there may be more than a few confused viewers trying to remember who did what and needing a bit of a lie-down. So here's a rough guide to what the panicking politicians are doing in the new series. A long time ago (and given ...
China On Four Wheels: In celebration of the bread van
"Are you mad? Those vans won't go above 80kmph! And they break down after a few hundred miles. And you're planning to go how far?" My mission to rent a bread van wasn't going smoothly. The loaf-shaped car of the people is driven by millions throughout China - farmers and business people a...
Treasures Of Ancient Rome: Surprising and exquisite
Ever since studying it almost a decade ago I have noticed that people can be sniffy about Roman art. It's been like that for centuries. Some scholars have even questioned whether or not it existed at all. Most art historians don't go that far, but traditionally Roman art has presented the...
