Fun and Games

Hello again, I hope all is good and that you have had an enjoyable couple of weeks. I have as ever been busy working on several different projects. While still finding the time to get out and enjoy myself. Well you have got to get the work life balance right haven’t you? That is very important I think. Luckily I love what I do so even when I am working a lot I am always enjoying myself, which means it does not actually feel like work at all. I did have a rather nice evening off the other Saturday at my Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Party. It was really nice to catch up with so many family members and friends and one thing is for sure. You can always rely on members of your family to help you keep your feet on the ground and make sure you stay grounded. I lost count of the number of times I was asked when I was going to get a proper job. I also bumped into the man who taught me to drive and promptly found out that he retired from the Driving Instructor game soon after teaching me. I am guessing he wanted a less dangerous occupation like lion taming or being Alan Sugar’s secretary.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

I am hoping to be working with the BBC on a new project over the next couple of months and have already had a couple of interesting meetings with them about it. As a result of this it enabled me to get a tour of New Broadcasting House a few weeks ago. It is a very impressive place. The equipment they have in there is space age. The radio studios are like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Just on the way into the building I actually walked past Nick Grimshaw and then on the way out as I was leaving  I walked past Greg James. So in one visit alone I spotted most of the Radio One main daily presenter line up.  I also got to have a look at the newsroom that you see in view behind the television newsreaders finding out the rules that are in place for people who work in that area. So they do not embarrass themselves or the station on national TV. Not sure if this is a big secret or not but they told me so I am telling you the One Show is going to be moving to a new studio there in the near future and it will be set up in such a way that you will actually be able to look in to the set from the outside, which means they are quite exposed. Which could make for some interesting viewing I would imagine.

On the way to BBC New Broadcasting House
On the way to BBC New Broadcasting House

I also got to have a good nose round the Radio Theatre which is pretty amazing when you think of the history of the place and all the great performers and singers who have played there. I was in the dressing room there the day after the Stereophonics had done a special one off concert for Radio 2 and I have to say they had left the place very tidy. Newsjack is also recorded there. So I got to see the place where my joke was delivered and received by the live audience, to go with my recording of the audiences reaction to my joke. Newsjack returns in September and I am looking forward to offering them more material for the new series of the show.

BBC Radio Theatre
BBC Radio Theatre

I am quite excited as I have managed to get some tickets to go and see the Strictly Come Dancing Premiere Show being recorded at the show’s new home for this series Elstree Studios. This is the show where we will see which celebrity’s are taking part this year and which professional dancers they will be partnered with. My only slight disappointment is that my favourite Aliona left at the end of the last series, so she will not be there. I’m not exactly sure when it will be shown on TV but I am guessing it will be the Saturday after the recording. But fear not I will let you know when I know, so you can try and spot my face on the TV. I hope I am sitting somewhere near the judges. As I think they will be good fun both during and in between the recording of the show. It will be interesting to see if I have met any of the celebrity’s before. Just like I had on last year’s show. And below is a picture of this meeting to prove it.

Neil Quigley with Olympic Gold Medal Cyclist Victoria Pendleton
Neil Quigley with Olympic Gold Medal Cyclist Victoria Pendleton

I have to confess that I did actually watch the first show of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother the other night. I was not going to but I then looked at Twitter and felt I needed to witness it and see for myself what was going on. I will be honest I consider that I am quite knowledgeable about famous people and keep up to date with the popular trends but I have to confess I had not actually heard of around a third of the people who entered the house. I was surprised to see Louis Spence and Carol Mcgiffin in there, but the producer’s seem to always like at least one Loose Women in the house. (Insert you own punch line here) Good to see Screech from Saved By the Bell back on TV. I did used to like that show as a kid. Mainly I think because if I was watching it in the morning it meant it was the school holidays. And finally fair play to Abs from Five when asked by the presenter Emma Willis what made him want to do Big Brother he answered “Well I need the money don’t I” I salute you sir and wish all the others taken part were as honest as him. Respect.

Last weekend I went along to a free music concert that was put on in the centre of Aylesbury called Hobble on the Cobbles. Now in the past I have organised and hosted several big entertainment events there. So it was actually really nice to go along and just enjoy the event without any of the other pressures that are around if it is all your responsibility. It was great to catch up with some friends and also the stage crew from Class Act, who I have worked with myself on many occasions in the past. It was nice to see so many local and talented bands and singers performing and that so many people came out to watch and support them. The headline act were The Searchers, who I have seen before and who were absolutely brilliant. Such a tight and talented band with a great stage presence and a nice style when talking to the crowd to. Their current drummer of three and a half years service is Scott Ottaway who is from Aylesbury. So it was a really nice home coming gig for him. Both the crowd and the band seemed to equally enjoy themselves. And well done also to my mates Dez Kay and Andy Holmes for their hosting duties on the day.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

Filming has been delayed once again due to other commitments for my appearance in the short film “Behind The Painted Smile”. It is now looking like this will be running on in to September, but I have spoken to the producers and they still hope to have it released by the end of the year.

One of the things I am currently working on is a new idea for a musical. It is something I do not believe has actually been done anywhere in the world before. This project is in the very early stages of planning currently. I have so far just written a very basic outline of the plot. I will be doing some more research first and then speaking to friends of mine who work in the musical world to help give me some guidance with it. I am not a song writer so rest assured it would be a musical that uses already existing songs. Which can work well as We Will Rock You and Mama Mia have proved.

Neil Quigley Doing Some Filming
Neil Quigley Doing Some Filming

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

November Quebec – Neil Quigley

Hi there, how is it going? I hope you have had a great couple of weeks. Mine have been pretty full on as ever. And they have included me doing something that I have not done for six years. Which I will tell you about shortly. Unfortunately the Radio Rocks event that I was due to be helping to host last Sunday in aid of Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio was postponed until December. At this stage we are working on dates but I am not sure if I will be available to appear at the re-arranged concert or not at the moment.  The weather has been good though still. So nobody can complain that we did not have a summer this year. Talking of which well done to the England Cricket team on winning the Ashes. It just adds to what has already been a great summer of sport for the United Kingdom.

Neil Quigley Presenter
Neil Quigley Presenter

Before last Tuesday the last film I had seen at the cinema was The Simpson’s Movie back in the summer of 2007. Which I  actually went and saw one afternoon all by myself when I was on holiday. Just for the record I did really enjoy it and kept the cost of the visit down by not having any Pick ‘n’ Mix. On Tuesday evening I went and watched Alan Partridge – Alpha Papa with a friend of mine, weirdly at the same cinema as my last visit. And despite it being announced as the number one selling film of the week in the UK on that day, there were only actually about ten people in the showing watching it. Which meant we had a whole row to ourselves with nobody sitting anywhere near us. Now I am not saying I was excited about seeing the film but I made sure we were in our seats even before the pre-film adverts started. To be honest it was a film I really wanted to see because I am a big fan of the broadcaster that is Alan Partridge and also with me working in radio it is something I know a lot about and wanted to see how they dealt with it on the big screen. It is a very funny film brilliantly written, produced and directed. Although the focus is a parody of a radio station used very much for comedy effect. It is strange and possibly slightly worrying how much of it is very close to what can and sometimes does happen in those situations in real life radio stations. I am not sure who helps advise Steve Coogan and the team but it is clearly somebody who knows the radio industry very well. It is the best British comedy of year. So I would definitely recommend you see it if you get chance. If you like the TV show’s you will love the film. Classic Partridge. So bad, he is good!

At the cinema for Partridge
At the cinema for Partridge

I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of amazing people over the years working in the media and I always like to see people I know doing well. I first met Ben Langley when I was working at a radio station in Somerset and he was starring in the Pantomime in Yeovil. Which he did for most of the year’s that I was there working.  So we would see each other pretty much every Christmas. He would help us turn on the Christmas Lights in town,  come in for interviews about the shows and we would always have a good laugh and enjoy a few drinks after the Panto press launch night. He then came to the local theatre with a new show that he had written himself. Which he also performed in with a great cast of actors that I also knew. Well now I am delighted to announce that next month that show is about to embark on a big national tour starring Joe Pasquale, Ben Langley himself and Andrew Fettes. “Ha Ha Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles” will be at a theatre near you soon including at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on the 9th & 10th September, The Wycombe Swan on the 14th September and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on the 16th November. If you get chance go and long and see it.  It is madcap fun with a great cast and will have you laughing out loud. Good luck to Ben and the team, go and get them mate! http://www.hahaholmes.com/

Sometimes I wonder if I am too competitive for my own good although in my defence I do come from a very competitive family, as this story proves. Last weekend I took advantage of the good weather and went to a BBQ at my Uncle’s house. It was really good to catch up with everyone, the food was excellent and we were enjoying a few relaxing drinks in the sun. But then I find out that my uncle has a table tennis table at the top of his garden. So within minutes we are up there just having a friendly knockabout between us. Which then suddenly becomes more serious as we both discover with are both not bad at it. Then before you know it we are joined by the rest of the guests and we are in the process of drawing the first round of the table tennis competition, that is about to start. So then everything else is completely forgotten about and it is game on. Cue about two hours of shouting, arguing, laughing and aggression. As we all play each other to find out who is the best. With plenty of rows starting along the way as wives beats husbands and as sisters beat bothers. Finally it was down to me and the Uncle whose house and table it was in the final and disappointingly I lost. Which then completely spoiled what would have been a lovely relaxing afternoon and turned it into the day I was runner up in the table tennis competition, not the day I went to a family party. Fear not I will practice and come back stronger for next year’s rematch.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

One of my best mate’s is getting married later this year. So over the last couple of week’s with his guidance we have been putting together the plans for his Stag Do. Which is going to be a really fun and nice day by all accounts, as they should be. He basically just wanted it to include football, food and comedy.  Which are three of my favourite things in the world.  So I am very much looking forward to it. I am also impressed by how organised we are as the event itself does not even happen until October. But we know exactly what the plan is for the whole day to the second already. Although let us just put that down to my skills as a top producer shall we.

I am still doing some work with the FA at Wembley Stadium assisting with their Tour Operation. The place really does come alive when there are big events on. With the Community Shield last weekend and the England against Scotland game this week just gone. The way they dress and change the whole internal look and feel of the stadium for every match is fantastic. As is the speed in which they do it. There is also something a little bit magical standing in the England Dressing Room the morning after a big game when you know all the biggest names in football would have been there the night before. Great fun.

Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium

In other news I am still waiting to confirm the exact date I will be filming my cameo appearance in the short film I will be appearing in but it is expected that it will be by the end of this month or early next month at the latest. As soon as it has been done I will bring you the behind the scene photos of the shoot. Despite the delays to this project it is still hoped that the film will be released before the end of year.

Neil Quigley with Behind the Painted Smile Team
Neil Quigley with Behind the Painted Smile Team

All the best to my mates Dez Kay and Andy Holmes who are hosting the Hobble on The Cobble music event with The Searchers headlining in Aylesbury on Sunday 25th August. I saw The Searchers live last year and they were brilliant, still a class act. I am planning on going along to this event myself to watch some of the bands in action.

And finally the football season starts again this weekend and as a Spurs fan the pre season has been interesting to say the least. We are still no nearer knowing if Gareth Bale will start the season in North London or Madrid yet. I am just hoping for a good year where we win more games than we lose and win a trophy. I have no expectations as I have made that mistake before and it is the hope that destroys you ultimately. Good luck Tottenham.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

On The Box

Hello again, I hope all is good and that you have had an enjoyable couple of weeks. Mine have been busy as ever with lots of exciting things going on. Since we spoke last we have had the arrival of the new Royal Baby. An event which somehow led to lots of people all camping outside a hospital waiting for the baby to arrive. I know of occasions in the past when even the dad has not been there for the birth let alone a couple of hundred people outside, who do not even know the couple personally. Congratulations to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge and welcome to the world Prince George. I must admit I did wonder if they might include Spencer somewhere in all the middle names as a tribute to Diana but I think that there is a special list of Royal names you have to use and that one would not have been on the list I guess. Finally I have got a lot of respect for the way they both came out and spoke to the media, while waving to the people also waiting outside the hospital.  I thought they spent a lot longer doing that than they needed to. And fair play to Prince William for fitting the car seat in the back and then driving his wife and new born home to the Palace himself.

Neil Quigley Going Somewhere
Neil Quigley Going Somewhere

I had a rare day off the other Sunday and as the weather was good me and a friend went and spent the afternoon in Marlow. I always like to go there during the summer. It is great to walk along the river and it is usually busy with lots going on. We did take a football with us. So I had a bit of a kick around in the park down by the river and got to show off some of my football skills that I perfected as a kid. For the record I have still got it. Overlooking the park where I go, there is the statue of Marlow’s five times Olympic Gold Medal Winner Sir Steve Redgrave, depicting him holding an oar and in all his rowing gear. It looks great but personally I hope that if I am ever lucky enough to have a statue of me somewhere, that I am not wearing Lycra. It works for him but I am not sure it would be such a good a look for me. I was lucky enough to meet and help interview Sir Steve Redgrave with a colleague once at the Judges Lodgings in Aylesbury at a Buckinghamshire Sports Awards night. He was absolutely lovely and a very inspirational person to talk to.  And just in case you are wondering he is very much a giant in real life in every sense of the word.

Neil Quigley playing Football in the Park
Neil Quigley playing Football in the Park

So the Ashes series continues with England two test’s up and trying to hopefully win the whole series with two matches still left to play, which would be a fantastic achievement if they can manage to pull it off. Now I will be honest I am not a big cricketer myself but I did actually play in a Celebrity Cricket Match once. When I was working at a radio station in Somerset. The team featured me, the local bishop, the MP Oliver Letwin, a Mick Jagger lookalike called Mick Jogger and our team captain the celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Some of the highlights of the afternoon included the right honourable Oliver Letwin offering to let me borrow his box while I was in bat. I politely declined his very kind offer though. Hugh and I sharing cream teas together, which was a little awkward as they did not have any spoons, so we both had to use the butter knife to put sugar in our tea’s and stir them. Fair play to Mick Jogger as he stayed in character the whole time and even came out to bat wearing his sunglasses. If I am honest I did not really contribute too much towards the teams performance.  I didn’t score any runs, didn’t bowl any overs, nor did I take any catches either. I stayed in bat for just three overs and one of them was from the organisers fourteen year old daughter. Hugh I have to say is an excellent cricketer. He scored runs as a batsman and took wickets as a bowler.  My team did win the match. Although that was largely due to the former West Indies Under  21 international we had playing for us. He was amazing. At the end of the game you could see the gulf in celebrity status between me and Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall. He was filming a TV series at the time and had something important to do early the next day up the other end of the country.  So before the game had even finished a helicopter landed in the field next door and Hugh ran straight from the field of play and got in it. He then flew off, circling us once so he could give us a final wave. I finished the game stayed for a drink and got a lift home with my boss in the radio station outside broadcast Land Rover, that we were using to cover the event during the afternoon. It was a good fun day out and have to say I really did enjoy it. But it is fair and accurate to say I have not played cricket since.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in Cricket Action
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in Cricket Action

Here is a link for the pre game paper report http://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/archive/2006/07/19/839720.Celebrities_stump_up_charity_cash/

Here is a link for the post game paper report http://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/archive/2006/07/26/849356.I_m_a_celebrity__don_t_get_me_out_of_here_/

Here is a link for the game with some added pictures  http://www.kaaboom.com/cricket/

Charity Cricket Match 2006
Charity Cricket Match 2006

I was watching This Morning last Friday when I was delighted to see the brilliant Nigel Mitchell hosting the Hub section of the show. I have been for a drink with him as he is really good mates with one of my former radio colleagues. He is a really nice guy and very good at his job. So it was great to see him presenting on ITV with Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton. He used to present the Disney Club and work for Nickelodeon TV.  So as you can imagine he has some fantastic stories about some of the bands and singers he has interviewed over they years. Do keep an eye out for him popping up again on your TV screens again soon.

Talking of TV Presenters if you ever go to Windsor keep an eye out for a very special phone box opposite Windsor Castle that has been painted by Timmy Mallett. He painted it last year for the Jubilee celebrations and it features the Queen, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge but this week in the pram behind the Princess he added the new addition to the family Prince George. It is a really clever piece of work and a good fun tourist attraction  Timmy is a very talented artist. He has sold lots of his paintings and holds regular exhibitions. I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of occasions. And he is exactly the same as he is on the television and how you would expect him to be lively and excitable but so friendly and a really fantastic guy to talk to. A really top fella.

Neil Quigley doing Stand Up
Neil Quigley doing Stand Up

Due to other commitments there has been a slight delay to the short film project I am involved with. However the good news is that this month I should be finally filming my cameo appearance for it. I have learnt all my lines and I am completely ready for it. I am just waiting to find out what day I will be required on set. It is still hoped that it will be released by the end of the year. I am also working on another couple of potential appearances in other TV and film projects including a comedy written by a former Eastender! As always I will tell you more, when I know more about it myself.

Neil Quigley Doing Some Filming
Neil Quigley Doing Some Filming

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.