Why's Kevin on Marsden beach?
MARSDEN beach was in the spotlight as Geordie actor Kevin Whately took to the sands to shoot a new television drama.
The 59-year-old was joined by co-star Angela Lonsdale in shooting scenes for Joe Maddison's War.
Dozens of spectators lined the beach as Kevin, best known for playing Lewis in Inspector Morse and bricklayer Neville in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, and former Coronation Street actress Angela, filmed the ITV1 drama which is due to air at the end of the year.
Jarrow-born writer Alan Plater has penned the script for the war drama, also starring Robson Green, about the Home Guard in Newcastle, and filming began last week.
Plater, who received the Dennis Potter Bafta Award in 2005, said: "My family background is strictly Tyneside – the earlier generations worked in and around the shipyards, my favourite uncle was in the Home Guard, and my head is still full of family anecdotes from the period.
"Joe Maddison's War splices three elements: solid historical research (the Home Guard in the North East was one of the few to engage in direct contact with the enemy, mainly anti-aircraft and rocket batteries); half-remembered family folklore and gossip; and a lot of simple old–fashioned invention.
"Add them together and it's a love letter to a remarkable generation of ordinary folk – the good, the bad and the gorblimey – who proved their amazing ability to be extraordinary and heroic. I owe them everything."
Plater's TV writing credits go back almost half a century and include Z Cars, The Beiderbecke Affair, Fortunes of War, A Very British Coup and The Last of the Blonde Bombshells.
It's the first time Kevin has performed alongside fellow Geordie legend Robson Green.
The tale follows the story of shipyard worker Joe, played by Whately, who feels past his prime when he's too old to serve in the war and his wife leaves him for a younger naval officer.
Needing a new challenge, Joe and his friend Harry, played by Green, reluctantly volunteer to join the Home Guard but he learns lessons of heroism and finds friendship and love.
Robson Green said: "We've filmed in South Shields and all along the coastline and it's been brilliant."
He added: "I was asked if I wanted to be in a film with Kevin, who's a great guy, but when they said the script was by Alan Plater, I didn't need to read it."
Joe Maddison's War has been commissioned for ITV by drama commissioners Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes.
Haynes said: "We're delighted Alan Plater has written this very personal piece for ITV. It's a poignant and witty script and it's fantastic to bring Kevin and Robson together onscreen for the first time."
Executive producer Damien Timmer said: "Joe Maddison's War is a beautiful script, full of comedy, sadness and joy – it's Alan Plater at the top of his game."
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Weather for Jarrow
Thursday 09 February 2012
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