A1 VOX Blog

2012-01-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

Grab hold of your mics and nail down your headphones……WE ARE BACK!

So I went off to become a Mrs (please see the couple of photos below as evidence of this) , and took the trip of a lifetime around Asia.

Sarah and Dom outside Leez Priory right after 'I Do'.

Sarah ecstatic that the big day has finally arrived and she can down champagne with much abandon!

All this was happening whilst you lot were at home cautiously twiddling your thumbs and chewing fingernails, awaiting news of the latest A1 VOX happenings.

Well wait no more fine followers!

You will be glad to hear that whilst I was away the A1 VOX ship was calmly sailed by Mr Tom Heath.

Under the watchful eye of Captain Nove, and First Mate Chris O’Conner, Tom steered us nicely into November and December – (Captain Francesco Schettino please take note of how it’s done!).

So we are still technically sound and very much afloat.

Well Done Tom and a big thank you from all at A1 for your hard graft and periless voyages into the depths of the vocal sea.

Here at A1 we aren’t just your run of the mill studio. In point of fact we pretty much turn our hand to anything with much gusto.

It was due to this A1 VOX joie de vivre that we were able to throw a lifeline to one of our Danish clients.

They had been recording Denmark’s Next Top Model (a spin off from the Tyra Banks’ franchise in good ole U S of A), and needed to get some recordings taken as a matter of fashionista urgency from their Danish presenter, Caroline Fleming.

There were however a few hurdles to cross in order to gain said revered lines - the biggest being Caroline’s schedule.

She was due to fly out on holiday the day of the recording, which meant that she was frantically finalising packing and unable to make it into the studio. This left her Danish Top Model counterparts pulling at their hair and making all sorts of guttural noises.

There was only one thing for it…If Muhammad can’t come to the mountain, …….then A1 VOX shall go instead!

So we sent our top man in the field Mr Chris O’Conner off to record Baroness Caroline Fleming in her very own home.

This was not going to be a mean feat as Caroline is a bit of a big deal and we had no idea what to expect.

Caroline pocketed a cool £400 million after splitting from multi-millionaire banker husband Rory Fleming – cousin to none other than James Bond creator Ian!

Seriously well connected people that aren’t short of a bob or two.

In fact Caroline is ‘so money’ that she became known as a reality star in her homeland when she filmed the rennovations to her family pile – Valdemars Castle.

You heard right people…..she owns her own castle. Stone the crows!

Since her divorce she has found happiness with Fellow Dane and Arsenal premier league ace, Nicklas Bendtner. So it is a case of Arsenal 1 Palace 1 for the gorgeous, stinking rich pair.

So Chris made his way to an undisclosed, extremely exclusive, neighbourhood.

It seems that this area is so ‘well to do’ that the mere presence of an unknown face causes the police to question anyone who doesn’t walk around with a chihuahua in their handbag and go by the first name of Darrrrrling.

Chris made it to Caroline’s modest abode where he had to wait in the hallway with the conceierge until she was ready to receive him.

Once in, the recording took a total of 5 minutes to complete. Chris said that Caroline was very professional, giving him two reads of the script before sending him out with a signed picture of herself.

Job Done!

Our Danish clients were delighted and said that Caroline must have been impressed with Chris and his lack of intrusion to her day, and her home, as she was very amenable towards him and told the client that all had gone very well….apparantly not everyone rings in such high praise.

So if you have a job….. and no one else can help…..maybe you should hire…The A1 Vox Team!!!!!!!!!

Back at A1 VOX Central this rugged Northern type by the name Ralph Ineson came in to offer up his rich Yorkshire accent.

Ralph is best known for playing the character of Chris Finch (aka Finchy) in The Office.

‘What’s the difference between a fox and a dog?.......About 8 pints of lager!!!!!!!!!!!!’

Classic Finch.

The travelling Sales Rep and David (Ricky Gervais’ character) were debauched partners in crime. His appearances in the office consisted of unprintable language and innuendo. He was, however, unfathomably successful with women.

‘So I get there, she’s aged 19, Ferrari chassis, fantastic set of shelves and legs up to her arse. Muchos tequilas later I’m in a cab with her’.

Ralph took a turn in Hollywood blockbusters First Knight and Jonny Depp’s From Hell. Most recently you may have seen him in Spooks and playing Amycus Carrow in the Harry Potter films.

'Eh By Gum' he were a lovely lad and a pleasure to have at the Towers.

Well that is all for this week folks.

It is an absolute pleasure to be back in the breach. I for one am looking forward to sharing 2012 behind the mic of Soho’s friendliest studio with everyone out there in the vocal stratosphere.

Till next time when Chris meets one of his all time idols and Ellie Howell features in our next ‘A1 VOX can do Anything – and More!’ special session report.

2011-10-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hello one and all and welcome to this weeks blog.

I have devised a slight twist on the normal format by calling this weeks Blog - Fact and Trivia, which does exactly as stated and gives facts and then trivia about each of our guests. So get reading people and find out what has been keeping A1 VOX ticking this week.

First up we would like to draw your attention to the New Bentley Continental GTC advert.

http://www.bentleymotors.com/models/new_continental_gtc/#

And why in the name of A1 VOX have I done this?

Dynamic style, and breathtaking performance - that’s why….. and no I am not talking about the iconic piece of machinery, but the man behind the wheel on the ad - our lovely guest voice artist Mr Al Convy.

He is the Brad Pitt of the voice over world and we are lucky as the main man visits us on a regular basis. Take a look at the ad and see for yourselves. Nice Brogues Al!

Al tells us that it was a tough day at the office - driving a Bentley around, filming in exotic locations, with a pretty hot looking female as his companion….all this and he got paid for the priviledge!!!! I have said it before and I will say it again – I am in the wrong job people.

So if you are looking for the enchantment of open-top motoring, there’s no better place to experience it than it the wheel of a Bentley….unfortunately Al does not come with the car so probably best to watch the advert ladies.

Ex Radio 1 DJ Dixie Peach joined us last week and what a jolly fellow he was.

Dixie played American style rock and funk and first hit the airwaves on Saturday nights in 1984. Great year – I bought my first ever vinyl single in 1984 - ‘Hey you the Rock Steady Crew’, an awesome track, but I digress.

On Dixie’s 2 ½ hour Midnight Runner show he featured artistes such as Bryan Adams, Nils Lofgren and Rick Springfield.

Dixie was also involved in the worlds most famous off shore radio station, which is still on air today – Radio Caroline.

Yes Dixie once rocked out on the water during what some class as Radio Caroline’s golden era.

This comment is from one avid listener of that time who comes all the way from California!!!!

"Chapter 10 of the series, treating the return of Radio Caroline in 1983, brought back some very happy memories. I vividly remember the days leading up to the first broadcast from the Ross, the test tones, the — usually incorrect! — media reports and the shock of hearing just how powerful the signal was. I'd never heard anything like it before. Nice to think about Dixie Peach, too. Have you ever met the guy? (yes I have actually!), I could never figure out if he was "high on life" or high on some of that famous Falls Head Herb — usually found in the Overdrive studio, so John Bennett tells me (vicous rumour!). Wonder where he is now? The late 1970's model of Radio Caroline is still my favourite, despite the fact they were on and off the air more than a partisan station in WW2."

Well I can tell you where Dixie was last week….. up at VOX Towers is where - reminiscing about his jock days. A lovely chap, with a warm smile and fond memories of Radio through the 70’s and 80’s – I could almost see myself in my green ra ra skirt, hair in a side pony and a bat wing jumper, roller skating at Roller City to Salt n Pepper as he spoke. Ah them be the good old days.

Our Dixie Peach trivia is that his real name is Bernie Michael, so no his parents weren’t just lovers of fried chicken and ripe juicy peaches….it just sounded cool.

Next up to join in the fun was Daniela Denby-Ashe.

Daniela appeared in sitcom My Family as daughter Janey for eleven years. Daniela says:

“I was really surprised by the success of the show. I don’t think anyone expected that”

Daniela got her big break in 1995 when she landed the role of Sarah Hills in Eastenders. She has since been in the BBC drama adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South, Torchwood and also the role of Saffy’s daughter in an episode of Absolutely Fabulous.

A little fact-bite about Daniela is that she speaks English, French and Polish. How tres Rozumny!!!

('Very Clever' for those of you out there that may not as well versed in these particular languages).

Lastly, but by no means least, the actor Bill Paterson joined us to record the voice over for a TV Commercial promoting the once derelict village of Polphail.

Polphail lies in Portavadie, Scotland, and was built to accommodate workers at a planned oil platform construction yard. The yard was never completed, and the village was never occupied.

One story from the time describes Portavadie as home to the world’s largest man-made hole, said to have been dug at a cost of £14 million or £4 million, for oil rig construction orders which never materialised. The figure given may be a typo, or simply result from different accounting practices used to produce alternative reports. Whatever the actual figure, it appears to have been a very expensive hole!

Bill’s brother lives in the area and so when he was approached to put his voice to the new development, (which has since been created to transform the eyesore into something exclusive and worthwhile), he jumped at the chance. It is good to see that this high profile actor is still in touch with his roots and willing to take on smaller projects that are close to his heart. What a guy.

Bill spent much of the 1970’s in John McGrath’s theatre company 7:84, touring the United Kingdom.

Bill’s career then took him into the world of the small box which included a turn in the 1978 BAFTA award winning drama Licking Hitler. He did not entirely neglect theatre however and in 1982 he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Schweyk in Schweik in the Second World War, at the National Theatre.

In the 1980’s Bill took the move to the big screen, including The Killing Fields, Comfort and Joy and A Private Function.

In later years he appeared in Truly, Madly, Deeply, Chaplin, Sir Ian McKellen’s Richard III, Bright Young Things, Miss Potter, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People and Creation.

Much of his later work has been for the BBC and since 2009, he has appeared as George Castle, the head of the CPS in Law & Order: UK.

A little trivia about Bill is that he broke the law whilst filming classic movie Comfort and Joy. The actor had to drive around Glasgow for the comedy about a DJ who finds himself in the middle of an ice-cream turf war.

He has now revealed he did not have a driving licence. Naughty Bill.

“I had done lessons and I could drive. I wasn’t a danger to others around me – which is just as well because I had Chris Menges, one of the best and most treasured cameramen around strapped to the bonnet of the car”

YIKES!

Our second piece of Bill Trivia also centres around Comfort and Joy:

“Of course there’s no shortage of people saying that it’s their favourite film – in fact Quentin Tarantino is a fan and has named it as one of the ‘coolest movies of all time’.

The director, Bill Forsyth, even jokingly wonders if Mr Bunny the ice-cream man (played by Alex Norton), influenced the Oscar-winning director’s naming of characters in Reservoir Dogs, who included Mr Pink and Mr Brown. Tres Interesujacy!

(Interesting)

So there you have it.

Fact – that is the end of this weeks Blog

Trivia – This is the 64^th blog that A1 VOX has published and we still love sharing our very unique little world with you all - so until next week, Keep it Audio-Tastic people.

2011-10-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Club Tropicana drinks are free………..fun and sunshine there’s enough for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh what a treat the last week has been. All the girls in Essex were going fake tan crazzzy and the boys of Old Compton Street were having a ‘body off’!

A1 NEWS

Charles was ‘the voice of the balls’ on Friday night and took the live performance, (as always), in his professional stride. Never have balls been in better hands!

Charles also commandeered the drive time slot on BBC Radio Oxford this week. You can catch him back on his ‘home from home’ this Monday and Tuesday early mornings, on BBC Radio 2.

Some of the A1 VOX team are off to watch Cool Hand Luke for the press night on Monday so I will be able to report back to you on how our Andy’s show is shaping up . Too excited for words!

So with Stephen Critchlow (39 Steps), and Andy Loudon (Cool Hand Luke), monopolising the West End for the boys I thought I would share the goss on Joan Walkers ‘treading of the London boards’ for the gals.

Joan can be seen in Sir John Vanbrugh’s The Provoked Wife, presented by Perfect Mayhem, at The Greenwich Playhouse from 12^th October – 6^th November.

Trapped in a bad marriage, Lady Brute contemplates her fate, her reputation and her options. Should she leave her abusive husband Sir John Brute, or take a lover. Joining this tragicomic rollercoaseter of a Restoration play are Lady Brute’s niece Belinda and the young love interests Heartfree and Constant firing off witty retorts between the florid conversational dialogue.

Serving up an extra slice of chaos, the cast of characters is topped off by the deluded Lady Fancyfull, played by the wonderfully fantastic, Joan Walker, and her pert French maid Mademoiselle.

Sir John Vanbrugh had a colourful career – the army, navy, political activism, theatre management, playwriting, architecture, a committed Whig and even imprisoned ostensibly for espionage! See, it just goes to show that you don’t always come out of uni or school and knowing exactly what it is you want to do - mix it up, that’s what I say.

As a playwright of his particular era, Sir John offended many people with the sexual explicitness of his plays and their then outrageous notions of women’s rights.

Perfect Mayhem is therefore warning people in advance, and apologising (though not very sincerely), for the content of the play and for jarring any conservative sensibilities. So basically leave any prudeness at the door and unleash your inner beast to embrace this frolicking, riotous romp which is sure to dazzle with much aplomb!!!!!!!

Trust Joan to pick another boring, conservative role eh!

Tickets can be purchased by calling 020 8858 9256 or by going to boxoffice@galleonthetheatre.co.uk

A1 VOX Guests

This week we had a very exciting guest to visit us at A1 VOX. Jodie Whittaker may not be a name or face that you would instantly recognise but you bet your bottom dollar that you have seen her both on TV and the big screen.

In her own words Jodie says ‘I love my chameleon face’ and it is this that helps her shun the celebrity lifestyle. Professionally, she is one hot and upcoming English actress.

Her big break came in 2006 when she made her movie debut as a tracksuited ugly-duckling-turned-swan in the film Venus. Jodie was just a 23-year-old-newbie when she was picked by Roger Michell, director of Notting Hill, to play a tenaged misfit opposite a veteran Peter O’Toole.

Fast forward a few years and Jodie appeared in the BBC1’s star-studded bonnet-saga Cranford, as well as alongside her pal Gemma Arteton in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, and starred in the two St Trinian’s films, as Rupert Everett’s blingtastic secretary Beverly.

‘Rupert was a right laugh, but then no-one is going to be in a bad mood on St Trinian’s are they?’ she says.

She was also drafted in at three hours notice to play the lead role of Nina in several performances of Chekhov’s The Seagull at London’s Royal Court after Carey Mulligan contracted appendicitis.

The list of work continues from Marchlands, to Abi Morgan’s, Royal Wedding, and Jimmy McGovern’s The Accused, and even in the recent aliens-verses-hoodies sci-fi comedy Attack the Block.

Jodie is often such a serious mournful screen presence, that on meeting her it is genuinely surprising that she is chatty, bright, funny and extremely down to earth, however, she says that this was not always the case at school:

‘I was the attention seeking child in class who needed everyone to look at meeee…..’ she laughs. But then perhaps her characters way of saying “Don’t look at me” is really a clever way of saying “Actually look at me”.

She managed to ditch the doom and gloom by playing Anne Hathaway’s best friend in current box office smash One Day. Well I say….they are some sharp shooting creditentials right there!

She can next be seen playing Dougray Scott’s abused lover in A Thousand Kisses Deep and then in Ashes, a film about a road trip, featuring a bloke with early onset Alzheimer’s. All that and playing an idealistic Nazi opposite Viggo Mortensen could have led me to cry out ‘we’re not worthy!’ but she was so darn nice that I felt I could open the door to the Green Room where in between voicing takes she would wander out and mix with all the A1 VOX crew. What a lege!

So from a movie star to a movie filmmaker.

Mr Kevin Brownlow is best known for his work documenting the history of the silent era. He has rescued many silent films and their history.

His interest in World War II prompted the creation of an alternative-history film, It Happened Here, in which the Nazis have conquered Britain, Brownlow began to collaborate with Andrew Mollo on the film which was completed in 1964 with the last-minute aid of Tony Richardson.

After this cinematic feat Brownlow began another project, Winstanley, about Gerrard Winstanley and the Diggers commune following the English Civil War.

On 13^th November last year Kevin Brownlow received an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement alongside Francis Ford Coppola. In his letter of nomination none other than Martin Scorsese declared that:

“Mr Brownlow is a giant among film historians and preservationists, known and justifiably respected throughoutthe world for his multiple achievements: as the author of The Parades Gone By, a definitive history of the silent era, and ..a biography of David Lean…and as the director with Andrew Mollo of two absolutely unique fiction films, Winstanley (1975) and It Happened Here (1964)…On a broader level, you might say that Mr Brownlow is film history”

This pretty much sums up the extraordinary record of a remarkable Englishman.

We at A1 VOX found him utterly charming and I think it is fair to say we have had a pretty epic week!

Till next week then my budding Voxers when I will be a year older (cringe), yet hopefully wiser, (every cloud!), and Daniela Denby Ash of My Family fame will be in to see us. Now go forth and catch the last rays of summer!

2011-09-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

A1 VOX NEWS

Dragline: He was smiling... That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker.

Ahhhhh – this is one of my fellas favourite films and demonstrates how some folks can keep getting back up on that horse, no matter how many times they have been whipped or ridiculed. An inspiring story, showing the strength of the human spirit.

Cool Hand Luke opened this weekend at the Aldwych Theatre London. It runs until 7^th January 2012 so I have given you plenty of warning to go see this beaut of a West end show, which has been directed by none other than our very own Mr Andrew Loudon. What a talented fellow he is!

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the tale, Cool Hand Luke is an American crime drama telling the story of Luke Jackson, a decorated World War II veteran who refuses to conform to life in a Florida prison camp and frequently tries to escape. The other inmates try to live vicariously through him. There's always one isn't there!

Starring Marc Warren (Hustle, Mad Dogs) as the charismatic rebel, Cool Hand Luke is the hard-hitting story of a true original. He'll play it real cool in the face of brutality. He'll always get back up after a beating. He'll eat fifty eggs in an hour, to win a bet. A man who won't conform no matter what it costs.

Marc is known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play, but he won't have any problem with the American accent since he was also part of the starry cast in Stephen Spielberg's Band of Brothers playing an American Marine.

As Andy has been extremely busy with the show I haven’t had a chance to touch base with him as yet, so I would just like to take this opportunity to say all the best for the run Andy – we are sure – Hands Down… it is gonna be a cool success.

A1 GUESTS

It has been a bit Corrie V’s Eastenders when it comes to our guests this week.

The bubbly and vivaciuous Sally Lindsay came bounding into the studio, like an excitable northern banshee. This Stockport lass is best known for playing Shelley Unwin in Coronation Street.

She has been bessie mates with Peter Kay since she was twenty four and they have subsequently appeared together in Phoenix Nights and the video for the comic relief single “Is this the way to Amarillo”.

If any of you read the blog last month you will have seen the piece on Mark Radcliffe, well in a weird twist of showbiz fate Sally was a regular guest, and contributor, to the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC Radio 2. Keep it Real, Keep it Northern eh.

As of this month Sally has joined the gaggle of women to become a permanent panelist on Loose Women, and she reckons she was born for the job:

‘I’m a mother, a step-mother, a sister – everything to do with being a woman, which is what Loose Women is all about’

Meanwhile Sally also reappears on our screens with another of her former Corrie buddies Angela Griffin in new series Mount Pleasant.

The show stars Sally as Mancunian lass Lisa and follows her as she navigates the highs and lows of life with her best friends and workmates. The show features an ensemble cast including Bobby Ball, Pauline Collins, Liza Tarbuck and Paula Wilcox. Sally says:

‘I’ll tell you why this show is new and different. Because you know what, it really isn’t grim up north….it seems to me the only portrayal we have ever seen is all flat caps and whippets and back-to-back terraces. I think this is a portrayal of life up North now, not for everyone, but life isn’t the same for everyone anywhere’

Hear, hear!

So it looks as though ‘our Sal’ is one busy lady at the mo, getting Loose, in a Pleasant way!

So from an Ex Corrie artist to an Ex Enders player.

Joel Beckett is probably best remembered for playing Jake Moon, Alfie Moons cousin. He ended up shooting his brother Danny dead (who was about to kill Phil and Grant), and left the series seven months later under very mysterious circumstances!

He also played Lee, Dawn’s fiancé, in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s The Office.

Jake says that one of his career highlights was hanging out with Tom Hanks while filming for HBO’s world war two series Band of Brothers (which in another spooky A1 twist ,featured Marc Warren as blogged above!):

‘Working with Tom Hanks was incredible….he was such a nice guy’

Tom wrote all the actors a personal letter after filming and Joel remembers sharing a joke with the famous actor over a cup of tea and thinking ‘I just made Tom Hanks laugh!’

Oh to mix with A-List gentry!

Next week I will be delving into the life and times of Kevin Brownlow - filmmaker, film historian, television documentary-maker, author, and Academy Award recipient!!!! Blooming Heck, now there’s a CV and a half. We will also be finding out the latest from A1 Queen of Sass - Ms Joan Walker.

Until then enjoy this reprieve of glorious September sunshine!!!!!

2011-09-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

An Autumnal good morrow to you all.

Let us bat away the putrid summer and embrace roaring fires, roast dinners and nestling into the sofa for DVD afternoons. May the cosy times begin!

I made it back in one piece from Estonia…..just - and truth be told it pretty much turned into a stag do with the my posse of ladies assuming the antler pose for many a piccie whilst yelling out the obligatory AWWOOOOGGGAAA. Essex and Slough girls on tour…not a pretty sight.

So back to your favourite studio - and as the children started trickling back to school this week it felt like a new term at A1 too.

With back to back bookings nearly every day, and a few new clients to welcome into the curriculum, it certainly feels like we have hit September running.

Long may it continue.

Maybe it is the fresh new outlook that is coming together to create the re-vamped A1 VOX premises.

This is me sitting in a now newly decorated and carpeted room. There are exciting times ahead and we will keep you updated with photos and information on A1 VOX’s version of Trinny and Susannah as we undergo our stylish transformation.

This week has seen a couple of beauties pass through the doors of A1.

First up was glamorous veteran actress Cherie Lunghi.

Cheri is probably familiar to some of you for Strictly Come Dancing, Casualty, Dalziel and Pascoe, Cutting It, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and the sexy Kenco Coffee ads to name but a few.

Cherie looks incredible for her age (59) and so it came as no surprise to see her raunchy scenes in Adventures of a Call Girl, where she plays high class call girl Belle de Jour’s (Billie Piper’s) agent.

In one scene she is even tied up in military uniform for a bondage scene, but then Cherie is no stranger to peeling off for the camera. She made her name on TV throughout 1989-90 in the Manageress, which sees her character Gabriella Benson take over a top-flight football team.

Further back than that she was involved in a particularly steamy scene in John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) in which she played Guinevere. Careful where you put that sword Lancelot!

Second to grace us with her natural flawless beauty was Zoe Lister.

Zoe’s first and only professional role to date has been the role of Zoe Carpenter in Hollyoaks. Yes folks she got to keep her own name to prevent her being a “moron” – her words not mine.

Zoe had more than her fair share of racy story lines during her stint with the teen angst soap, including falling for her best mate Sarah’s dad, Mike.

This relationship ended in tears though, after Zoe slept with Sarah following a drunken night out. Crikey!

Zoe then went on to fail her degree after using Mike’s work and passing it off as her own…..still with me?... and finally ended up in the slammer after Sarah’s girlfriend framed her for her murder.

Jeez Louise!

I can happily report that the real life Zoe is doing a lot better than her alter ego and even went on to win a British Soap Award in 2010 for the category of Spectacular Scene of the Year for “The Parachute Jump” in which poor Sarah looses her life.

She has also been nominated in the category of Sexiest Female and is indeed a very fair maiden to behold. We wish her luck with her career ‘post Hollyoaks’ and are sure that her Chester antics will put her in good stead for future roles.

A1 VOX NEWS

Mr Stephen Critchlow made a very welcome visit to A1 VOX this week.

He will be resuming his role in 39 Steps in October of this year so get yourselves down to The Criterion and see ‘our Critchy’ working his theatre-land magic! It doesn’t get better than this.

Lucy Petrie-Scott has been busy looking after her three boys throughout the summer, moving house and finalising architecture plans.

How does she do it all?!....I guess hubby Al Petrie is on hand….but wait.. ..no - she really is super mum, as Al has been racking up the acting credentials like Ralph Fiennes on speed dial.

Al will be playing the character of Felix Finch in the adaptation of the book, Cloud Atlas.

Cloud Atlas is a 2004 novel, and the third book by British author David Mitchell. It won the British Book Awards, Literary Fiction Award and the Richard and Judy Book of the Year award, and was short-listed for the 2004 Booker Prize, Nebula Award and Arthur C Clarke Award, amongst many others.

Sounds like a pretty nifty read I’d say.

The novel consists of six nested stories that take the reader from the remote South Pacific in the nineteenth century to a distant, post-apocalyptic future.

In 2009 it was announced that the Waschowski Siblings had bought the rights to the novel. Warner Bros will distribute the film in North America while Focus Features will handle international sales of the screen play written by writer/director Tom Tykwer.

On April 12, 2011 it was announced that Tom Hanks was to play the lead with Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, and Ben Whishaw included as supporting cast. The movie which began production in Germany this summer, has a budget of $100 million, making it one of the most expensive German films ever.

Al has two non speaking parts, and two speaking parts, with non other than Tom Hanks and Halle Berry!!!!!!. The lucky cad.

I guess this means Lucy will have to shake something spectacular out of her closet come red carpet time. OOO the little minx - and here was me starting to feel sorry for her being left home alone!

And that, (as they say), is a wrap.

2011-08-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome back intrepid A1 followers.

This week we have been somewhat taken over by Manchester City fans!

A1 Voxtraining mentor, Philippa Starns, came into the studio to carry out an interview with English broadcaster to the BBC, and one of Britain’s most recognised DJ’s, Mr Mark Radcliffe.

Mark has worked with the BBC since the 80’s and is an avid Manchester City Fan.

Although Chis Evans is held as the Man who saved Radio 1 he certainly owes a lot to Radcliffe. In the late 70’s when Radcliffe worked for worked for Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio Chris was also working there as a junior. Despite being very enthusiastic 'The Ginger One' managed to delete the tape containing an exclusive interview with Bob Geldof & he would have been sacked if Radcliffe hadn’t persuaded his boss to give Chris another chance. What a good chap.

Ironic then that in later years The White Room, which Mark presented, was dropped due to the success of Chris’ TFI Friday. In another twist of the Mark and Chris showbiz tale Mark became the person who filled in for Chris on the Radio 1 breakfast show when he was away. Hmmmmm – wonder if Mark wishes he had kept his mouth shut all those years ago!

Mark joined BBC Radio 1 in 1991, presenting the one-hour Monday evening show Out on Blue Six. In 1993 Mark presented Skyman, an odd show which he presented in character as a visiting alien, and all the records he played were space-related. Certainly different and though Mark may have come across as mad as a box of biscuits it seemed to work quite well. Go Figure!

His most famous work however was as part of the act Mark and Lard on Radio 1. (Lard is also a Man City supporter!).

In the late 70’s Mark Radcliffe moved to Radio 1 where he produced the sessions for the John Peel Show. As legend tells it was at one of these sessions that Mark Radcliffe and Lard first met.

Radcliffe eventually took Lard on as his sidekick and so the most important partnership since Lennon and McCartney was formed – though some people may disagree with me on that one, A1’s Chris certainly wouldn’t, as he admitted to me last week that for once in his capacity as studio manager he was a little bit star struck.

It seems young Chris grew up listening to the now infamous 10pm – midnight show, (otherwise known as The Graveyard Shift), that the duo began in 1993, and developed a bit of a DJ crush on the pair.

And why wouldn’t he!? – The show was unique for Radio 1 because it was based around non-playlist music and featured live music sessions, poetry readings and comedy. These sessions featured bizarre quizzes such as ‘Fish or Fowl’, and a play list that rivalled John Peel in terms of eclecticism.

The show also held some of the best sessions from up and coming and alternative bands of the time, including Throwing Muses, Moloko, Nick Cave, Pulp, Baby Bird, The Divine Comedy and Mice.

Some other stars weren’t so lucky however and were constantly ribbed by the terrible twosome – Arse Kelly, Manic Street Sweepers, and Alanis Nicorette to name but a few!

Radcliffe’s unique blend of great music, humour, quality items, and of course Lard, quickly built up a cult following. In the words of Mark and Lard their show was the ducks nuts!

Radcliffe left Radio 1 in March 2004 and moved to an evening slot on BBC Radio 2 in June of the same year, with Riley moving to BBC 6 Music.

In 2007 Radcliffe joined forces with Stuart Maconie to present a new show on BBC Radio 2 to much critical acclaim, including winning the prestigious Sony award for the best Radio show of 2009.

Just goes to show that it isn't just Madonna who can keep re-inventing herself and maintaining that all important finger on the consumer pulse, Mr Radcliffe has managed to keep a hold on the airwaves for decades and continues to do so.

And so to the third and final Man City FC supporter of the week – English writer, comedian, actor, radio and television presenter – Jason Manford.

Jason began his career in 1999, while working at the Buzz Comedy Club upstairs at the Southern Hotel in Chorlton, Manchester. Jason was collecting glasses when a performer didn’t arrive for an evening set, Jason, who was 17 at the time stepped in to fill the gap, an event which marked the beginning of his comedy career. Six gigs later he was crowned The City Life North West Comedian of the Year. Why did I never get the chance to showcase my comedic talents when working down the pig and whistle? Some guys have all the luck!

His first major television appearance was as a guest on the Channel 4 panel show 8 out of 10 cats presented by Jimmy Carr. He would eventually go on to become a team captain.

Jason has performed on many stand up on television progammes with his most high profile appearance being a full show on Live at the Apollo in 2008.

He began hosting a breakfast show on XFM Manchester and also presented his own shows on television. The first lone presenting job was in Premier League Allstars Extra Time which was a live show of slightly chaotic drunken interviews with former footballers, celebrities and fans who had just finished playing 6-a-side football. Interesting and potential car crash TV!

In 2010 Jason was announced as the new presenter of The One Show. He resigned in November 2010, following allegations surrounding his private life.

Jason is currently on his second National tour which runs until the end of 2011.

A1 VOX NEWS

Though I have seen some gorgeous photos from Mark and Willows wedding I haven’t managed to get one on line as yet. However, we were lucky enough to taste the gorgeous cakes that were made for their ‘wedding party in the park’…………

Aren’t they beautiful – they tasted bloody good too, though I am not taking anything away from our Cake Fairy or Eleanor Howell, (who made some exceptional banana bread for everyone at A1 this week). All this cake does not bode well for my dress fittings – naughty people!

This week we started the second phase of the big A1 make over. As I write this blog the builders are slaving away on a new floor and pristine walls in what was the old office. Good on them for giving up their bank holiday to get our studio looking ship shape - Bravo boys!

I am off to Estonia for my hen do this week. If I make it out of Tallinn in one piece I will fill you in on all the crazy antics in the following weeks blog.

Till then toodle pip everyone and Bon Voy-hen-do-age!

2011-08-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

Nessa: ' What’s Occurring?'

A1 Sarah: This week’s blog Nessa.

Nessa: ‘Oh.. Tidy’

A1 Sarah: It’s gonna be a real belter.

Nessa: ‘I know..…I feels it’

Yes… we have all been re-living those Gavin and Stacey days here at A1 VOX this week.

The gorgeous Joanna Page paid us a visit and the likeness between her and Stacey is uncanny. At points I had to stop myself from asking how Nessa, Gav and Smithy were doing.

Gavin:(On the phone) Babe, where are you. You just walked off? 

Stacey: I know, but there was this woman next to me in a veil, fiddling with her shoe and I thought "oh my god" terrorist. 

Gavin: Oh right so your just gonna leave me here to get bombed? 

Stacey: I know and I do feel bad but I was going to text you.

I’m sure Joanna wouldn’t do this to real life hubby and actor James Thornton of Emmerdale fame, so we will just say, that like her on-screen persona, Joanna is refreshingly childlike in her enthusiasm. We even got the occasional high-pitched giggle out of her.

Joanna graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 1998. She appeared in From Hell, Mine All Mine, Love Actually and Miss Julie as well as several productions at the Royal National Theatre. She even starred as Mark Owen’s love interest in his music video for “Making Out”. Take That!

But it was playing the role of ditzy, yet lovable, Welsh Stacey, that propelled her into the limelight.

“I’ve always been in work but I’ve never been famous. I’ve just carried on doing my job. So, you know, suddenly to reach this age and be famous, I can’t take it seriously”

Bless her little Welsh cottons.

Joanna’s next project is for Sky1 HD in a brand new six part comedy titled Gates. It aims to explore the funnier side of school life for parents and kids alike.

Keeping Joanna company are Sue Johnston (The Royale Family) and Tom Ellis (Miranda).

Gates casts an eye on how relationships with parents formed during fifteen minutes of a school drop off and pick up can so easily take over your life. Let’s face it those gates can be an unforgiving, socially exposed, and political minefield. Sign me up to the firing squad over that any day of the week!

Joanna says:

“I’m so excited to begin filming with such a fantastic cast on Gates. As soon as I read the scripts I could completely identify with my character Helen, and I’m looking forward to the world of the school run and the games and mayhem that go with it. Tom Ellis is a hunk of a husband to be working opposite and my maternal instincts are being brought out working with my adorable daughter”

Do we hear the tiny pitter patter of feet…..could life be imitating art??? If so I hope she doesn’t invite Nessa over to help bathe the bouncing baby:

Nessa (in bath): Oh Stace, will you do my back?

Stacey: Yes

Nessa: The razor's by the sink.

So from a popular female comedy icon to one of the male variety. Enter Mr Dean Lennox Kelly of Shameless fame, (Kev Ball the Gallaghers’ barman neighbour).

Dean has been mentioned on the blog before but we have never been able to grab a piccie of him as he is always flitting here, there and everywhere. This visit he actually took offense that we didn’t have a picture of him on our wall of fame, and hadn’t asked him for one before. Tsk…actors!

So here it is. A ‘do I look devastatingly handsome in this moustache’ shot. Answer – Yes, oh be still my beating heart!

The ‘tache’ is for his latest role, in which he has to age up to 20 years.

‘My paunch sag will help – I’ll slowly release my stomach muscles during the play to show the ageing process’ quips Dean.

Dean plays warm-hearted patriarch Frank Gibbons in a Peter Hall Company revival of Noel Coward’s This Happy Breed, a portrait of the playwright’s lower-class suburban origins between the wars.

Dean feels this is his most challenging role yet, since it was originally played by none other than Noel Coward himself, both on stage and screen. A daunting prospect I would proffer!

Dean says of the play:

“It’s like the original soap – it’s a slice of life. It’s moving and witty with real depth because everything has been influenced by the First World War”

Apart from his dramatics, Dean says that family is everything to him, but he’s done so many love scenes over the years that there have been plenty of opportunities for other women to inspect the chest rug that Eugenie (his wife) nicknames ‘the Forest of Dean’.

“Since having kids, I’m a bit more concerned about taking my clothes off and being crude”.

AHHH God damn it!!!!!

A1 VOX NEWS

Andy Stanson has run off to his second home in Crete for the school summer holidays - the lucky bugger. I received an e-mail from Andy last week telling me how much he was enjoying his extended holiday, which is often accompanied by an ice cold Mythos beer (Grrrrrrr).

However it isn’t all R and R for Mr Stanson as he has also been doing some volunteering with Archelon, a Greek conservation charity which is dedicated to preserving the endangered Loggerhead turtle.

He has been monitoring nests along the local beaches and even took part in a nest excavation one evening to help some baby turtles out to the sea which he says was fascinating and exceptionally moving. Esme, Andy’s daughter, absolutely loved it and gave them all names as they made their way down the beach. A memory she will never forget I am sure.

Charles has been gracing the airwaves on BBC Radio Oxford for the last week or so. You can catch him there until this Wednesday morning, though you will have to be an early bird to listen in as he starts at 5am and finishes at 7am! This along with A1 VOX and Radio 2 duties plus running the bus company mean Mr Nove is in somewhat of a weird funk right now. In his words:

“The bounce is definitely out of my bungee!”

He is a trooper and a first class broadcasting pro – we salute you Charles.

Lastly we would like to say a big Congrats to our very own Mark Straker and his gorgeous new wife Willow who after a successful wedding in Vienna spent this weekend with their nearest and dearest by having a party in the park. I am sure the champers was flowing and that kiddies and adults alike had a fab time – WELL DONE GUYS!

LONDON NEWS

Visit Sweden is transforming Soho Square into a little piece of Swedish heaven from 24^th August - 26^th August.

The three-day event will feature a picnic and pop up parlour serving Fika, the Swedish equivalent to high tea. However, instead of Earl Grey, special blend Lila coffee is served accompanied by 7 different flavoured cookies.

These will be served by world-famous chocolatier and pastry chef Jan Hedh, who will be aided by a team of traditionally dressed old ladies!

All sounds pretty bonkers to me but that is the beauty of Soho – Anything Goes!

So that pretty much wraps up another week at your favourite sunny studio. Join us next week for more fun and frolics as we all look forward to the final bank holiday of the year!

2011-08-12T01:31:00.000-07:00

Riots, looting, fire and brimstone – and that was just Charles before his morning cup of tea!

After all the drama that was unfolding outside the A1 VOX walls it was nice to be able to escape the madness and delve into the surreal world of voice over.

We had two very special guests at VOX Towers this week.

I will give you a clue to the first guest…

I'm hard yet soft, I am coloured yet clear, I am fruity and sweet, I am jelly... what am I?

Yes, the man behind the Scottish Guy character in Little Britain, Mr David Walliams, or should I say, ‘Williams’.

The funnyman had to change his name on discovering that there was already an actor of the same name in the trade union, Equity!

David is almost as well known for his incredible cross-Channel swim, which raised £1 million, as he is for co-creating and starring in Little Britain.

It was for his strong connection with Sport Relief that David found himself at A1 VOX recording an alternative speaking clock for BT, (who are one of the longest standing partners of Sport Relief).

Last year they were also the headline sponsor of The BT Sport Relief Million Pound Bike Ride.

David and the rest of his celeb fest team (Jimmy Carr, Fearne Cotton, Miranda Hart, Patrick Kielty, Davina Maccall and Russell Howard) all took part in a gruelling non-stop, four-day cycle relay from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

They raised over £1 million for Sport Relief which would see the money help transform the everyday existence of those living tough lives across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

David says of the excruciating but worthwhile ordeal:

“It wasn’t as much as fun as I’d imagined….I had this vision of us cycling around the country, stopping off for cream teas, but that didn’t happen. We’d cycle about 30 miles at a time and I fell off three times going up Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District – I just keeled over. I’ve been in incredible pain. My tendons are sore and I’m walking a bit funny. There was a lot of chafing!!!!”

Now a star of screens both big and small, as well as a published children’s author and recipient of a Sports Personality of the Year award – it seems there’s nothing David can’t turn his hand to.

Even the ‘is he… isn’t he’ rumour mill has been quashed with his marriage to Dutch model Lara Stone last year at London’s Claridge’s hotel.

As David arrived at A1 I think we had the most people ever to grace the studio. A film crew, photographer, numerous clients and David’s personal cameraman, all clamoured to get their piece of the Walliams pie.

David was professional and polite and not at all fazed by all the comings and goings around him, even though his infamous character Andy would have seen it as ‘a bit of a kerfuffle’.

‘Computer says no’…..but luckily David said ‘yes’ and we got not one, but two, cracking photos for the A1 archives.

Britain, Britain, Britain. We've had running water for over ten years, we have a tunnel connecting us to Peru, and we invented the cat. Yeah, but No, but Yeah????

So from the character Scottish Guy to an actual Scottish guy – please step forward Mr Gregor Fisher.

Gregor is one of television’s most recognizable actors. His television career has seen him appearing in 8 series of Rab C Nesbitt, Scotch and Wry, five series of BBC 2’s Naked Video, as well as dramas such as Blood Red Roses and The Tales of Para Handy.

He is still fondly remembered as ‘The Baldy Man’ in the photo booth, having a bad hair day in the hugely successful TV advert for Hamlet cigars in the late 80’s.

Myself, Charles and Jane had a quick squizz at The Baldy Man after Gregor’s visit and the bit where the photo booth chair collapses just as the bulb goes is comic genius – so simple, and let’s face it, all of us have had some sort of nightmare in those ruddy things!

His numerous theatre credits include As You Like It, The Cherry Orchard, Juno and The Paycock and The Homecoming.

His film credits include Another Time, Another Place, 1984 (brilliant, brilliant acting!), White Mischief, Richard Curtis’s Love Actually, Merchant of Venice and most recently the long heralded remake of Lassie for Charles Sturridge.

Rab C Nesbitt however remains the main jewel in Gregor’s crown.

The string-vested Glaswegian philosopher, is the most memorable comedy character Scotland has ever produced. His countrymen celebrated him as a shambling, boozy antihero. Fisher was constantly recognized in public, although, he says drily, one of the good things about playing Rab was that a lot of people were too shy to approach him ‘in case I gave them a Glasgow kiss’.

When I told Gregor that he was the second comedy actor we had, had in that week he talked about today’s comedy and Little Britain:

“I’d better say first, in bold capital letters, that I still liked the show, but the sketches with the old woman who’s always wetting herself….that was a bit raw!”

A1 NEWS

One of A1 Vox’s longest associates, Dian Perry, was headed for her homeland, the good ole U S of A, this week when low and behold who should be there soothing any flight phobias and calming the senses?????? This is what Dian posted whilst crossing the Atlantic…Over to you Dian:

“ Listening to the 'reassuring Scottish lilt' of Charles Nove on my British Airways flight while looking at his sweet little mugshot on my screen. I particularly appreciated his back announcement of Paper Airplane by Alison Krauss - 'Don't worry, we've got you a real one'. So good!”

I couldn’t agree more Dian – Pure Radio Genius.

Many more of you on long haul BA flights should check out Charles’ monthly show – BA Easy Listening.

It’s a 90 minute A1 VOX production of music and gentle quips to ease you on your way. Groovy!

So there end’ith another A1 round up of funny men and men that soothe the soul. Next week sees the turn of the comedy female – none other than girl from the valley, Joanna Page.

Till then.. Toodle Pip all.

2011-07-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Albatross, birdie, bogey………..

No… this blog has nothing to do with a nasally impaired bird, but everything to do with golf!

We do like to stretch our horizons here at A1 VOX and this week saw Mr Nove out on the fairway, sharing a cuppa with none other than footballing legend, Mr Jimmy Greaves.

Jimmy Greaves is considered to be one of the finest goalscorers of his generation.

In fact he is England’s third highest international goalscorer, the highest goalscorer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur football club and more recently a successful television pundit.

They certainly don’t make em like they used to, and I doubt people will be flocking to the theatre to watch Wayne Rooney in ‘an audience with’ 30 odd years after his football career is over!!

Many of you that aren’t football fans will still probably remember Jimmy’s partnership with Ian St. John. Together they hosted a popular Saturday lunchtime football show called Saint and Greavsie from 1985 – 1992.

Greaves worked frequently for TV-am as a TV critic as well as co-hosting the popular Saturday morning kids programme, The Saturday Show. He briefly had his own talk show and has been a columnist for The Sun newspaper for many years.

In 2002 Greaves was made an Inaugural Inductee to The English Football Hall of Fame. He released his autobiography, Greavsie in 2003 and is in demand as an after-dinner speaker.

For the past twelve years Jimmy has taken part in The Jimmy Greaves Theatre Show giving the punters an insight into football drama’s both on and off the pitch. It seems, from my sources, that Jimmy is a very funny man and sends his audiences into peals of laughter proving that the guy really is in a league of his own.

Charles left A1 early doors on Tuesday morning to ensure he arrived at The Notleys Golf Club, Cressing, Essex, in plenty of time.

In what has gone down as one of the wettest weeks in July the sun shone brightly for the entrity of Charles’ visit. He even messaged me at his astonishment in the change of weather from London, and I assured him that it is always sunny in good old Essex county.

We thought Charles was to meet Jimmy at the golf course so he could record his lines for The Daily Mirror and then get on with the serious business of 'clubbing and putting' the day away. Well as it turns out not only does he play at Notleys Golf Club….he bloody well owns it!

Ah the perks of a footballers wage.

So Charles was thoroughly spoilt the whole time he was there. He said that Jimmy was incredibly nice and jovial, and that everyone at the golf club, far from being all toffee nosed and in a club clique, (as he had half expected), were very down to earth and made Charles feel at home.

In fact the only time that our Mr Nove felt threatened on his whole magical mystery tour of Essex, was when a bloke in a grey hoodie and tracksuit bottoms got on the train at Braintree, looking decidedly shifty and up to no good. Cliché much Charles?

Charles was worried for a split second as he had his laptop and recording equipment on him but the Essex guardian angels must have been looking down on him for he didn’t get mugged, no profanities came his way, and he wasn’t even spat it. A successful trip I’d say!

So the recording over Charles decided to make the most of the lovely sunshine and walk across the fields to Cressing Station. Jimmy was having none of it.

With one click of his fingers, and a nod of the head, Charles found himself on a golf buggy crusading across the green towards said station.

Now that I would have love to have seen and to quote Jimmy in his trademark catchphrase – “It’s a funny old game”

(You can catch Jimmy in his new upcoming tour with none other than Paul Gascoigne from June to November 2011. To book tickets go to www.GazzaShow.com or for VIP tickets http://www.a1sportingmemorabilia.co.uk/)

OTHER A1 NEWS

It has been a busy one and with Chris now on holiday we have the lovely Mr Ross Burman on hand to keep things ticking over in the studio.

Ross is so tall that he is officially categorised as a giant! No Joke! So if you are coming in to the studio this week make sure you go and say hello to a man that definitely knows if it's raining before anyone else does.

Until then make sure that you don't slip beneath par, and always strive to hit a hole in one.

That is me tee'ing off until next week folks.

2011-07-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

A1 VOX is a funny old place. You go weeks without a celebrity and then just like buses three or more come along at once.

This week saw the return of Paul Barber of Full Monty fame, Stephen Tompkinson (Wild at Heart), Ashley Jenson (Ugly Betty), Jeff Brazier (Jade Goody’s ex and presenter of numerous shows) and John Woodvine (An American Werewolf in London).

So to the lady of the pack – Ashley Jenson.

Having spent a lot of time in my previous administration editing Ricky Gervais’ Extras for DVD I am more than familiar with the role that shot Ashley into TV superstardom.

Her role as the socially inept Maggie Jacobs was pure genius and Ashley portrayed the character with sheer brilliance.

She managed to bring the right amount of honesty, dizziness and warmth to the role enabling the punters at home to recoil in horror at her faux pas, giggle at her ribbing and ‘putting her foot in her mouth moments’, with Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais’), and shed a tear as her friendship with Andy is tested and questioned. That is a mighty fine combo to pull off.

To prove this point Ashley has commented that she believes comic acting is more difficult than serious drama because with comic acting you have to look not only for the truth of a line, but for the comedy in a line. In drama you’re just finding the truth in the moment, within the relationship.

[Andy and Maggie, in costume as a German refugee and a Nazi soldier, are discussing her new boyfriend between takes]

Maggie Jacobs: [quietly, embarrassed] He likes to talk dirty on the phone. He'll call me up and he's coming out with all this filth.

Andy Millman: Why... would you tell me that?

[grinning]

Andy Millman: What does he say?

Maggie Jacobs: He calls up and says things like "Ooh... what are you doing?"

Andy Millman: What do you say?

Maggie Jacobs: Well I didn't know what was going on at first - I didn't realize - and I was just honest with him and I said "Oh, I'm just cleaning out the vegetable drawer to the fridge."

Ashley received best television comedy actress and newcomer awards for her role as Maggie at the 2005 British Comedy awards. In 2006 she received two comedy awards and a BAFTA nomination, and her role in the 2007 Christmas ‘Extras’ Special earned her an Emmy Award nomination.

Extras was imported to HBO shortly after airing in the UK and became just as much of a success over the pond as it had here in good ole Blighty.

This meant that unlike Geordie lass Cheryl Cole, Ashley was accepted by the American viewers, Scottish accent and all, and landed a role as “Mode” in-house seamstress Christina McKinney on the hour long Hollywood telenovela, Ugly Betty.

Ugly Betty quickly became a hit and remains one of Ashley’s high profile roles to date.

On arriving at A1 VOX we were greeted by a very smiley Ashley Jenson and a mini me version – her 20 month old son Frankie.

What a wee angel. He was ever so good as Ashley did her thang in the booth, and was intrigued to see mummy on the screen as he sat with Chris and pointed out various things in the room to us. A very wide vocab for one so small, and probably the up shot of having a verbally minded, famous mother!

You can catch Ashley as the frog in recently released film Gnomeo and Juliet also starring, Dame Maggie Smith, Emily Blunt, James McAvoy, Jason Statham, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings, Ozzy Osbourne, Sir Michael Caine, Sir Patrick Stewart and Stephen Merchant.

It seems this bonny lass from Dumfries has her feet firmly locked in A-List celebrity soil. But will she be polishing her Oscar anytime soon – watch this space people:

Maggie's Boyfriend: So all that stuff about your husband "polishing his Oscar", was that supposed to mean *******?

Kate Winslet: Yep.

Maggie's Boyfriend: And your basement meant?

Kate Winslet: My fanny.

Jeff Brazier cut a fine figure as he sauntered into A1 VOX suited and booted, with hair slicked to within an inch of its life.

He had been filming and presenting all day yet still made time to jump from the set to Vox Towers without seemingly breaking a sweat.

Jeff has been deeply embroiled with the world of reality celebrity. It was taking part in Channel 4 reality TV show Shipwrecked that brought the wannabe footballer into the bright lights of TV land in the first place.

His stay on a tropical island without any creature comforts was noted for a number of factional squabbles during which Jeff appeared to be an amiable and conciliatory figure. People seemed to like him and this brought presenting roles such as Simply the Best, Dirty Laundry, a reporter for OK! TV and even a Big Brother panto alongside June Sarpong.

In 2003 he appeared in Celebrity Wife Swap with his then girlfriend Jade Goody.

He and Jade had two gorgeous boys (Bobby and Freddy) whilst together and since Jade sadly lost her struggle with cervical cancer in 2009 Jeff has been raising both as a single parent.

He seems to be doing a damn good job of it too!

He has since taken the kids out of the limelight and says that his priority is to give them stability, love and plenty of time – the kind of paternal relationship he never had.

What many of you may not know is that Jeff’s own childhood was far from smooth. He never met his biological father Stephen Faldo, who was the skipper of the pleasure boat Marchioness, which sank on the River Thames in 1989 killing him and 50 others.

Jeff says:

“Through all these things that have not been ideal throughout my childhood, and certainly the incidents over the last couple of years, the way I take it is that it gives you something as a person: it makes you grow. It adds another link to your armour”.

Sounds like those two boys are very lucky indeed and will hopefully grow up grounded and much loved.

In 2006 Jeff joined the presenting team of ITV2’s I’m a Celebrity…Get me out of Here! alongside Kelly Osbourne and since 2006 to the present day he has been part of Simon Cowell's money making, winner spinner, The X Factor.

His stint on this ever popular programme has seen him reporting on final nights from the contestants homes including JLS’, as well as hosting The X Factor live tour.

He currently writes a column in the Daily Mirror every week and has regular stints on the daytime series This Morning.

So the boy from Romford done good!

So to A1 News.

This week sees Mr Stephen Critchlow opening in Loyalty at The Hampstead Theatre London starring Maxine Peake and Lloyd Owen.

Loyalty is the debut play from writer and journalist Sarah Helm, opponent of the war and wife of Tony Blair’s then Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell.

Drawing from her own experience, she has written a uniquely informed fictionalised memoir of what it was like to share a husband with the Prime Minister at key moments in the crisis.

Aren’t you going to tell him? Are you going to tell anyone? Is anyone going to tell anyone? 

Go and see our Critchy in what is sure to be a much publicised role, and controversial stage production.

For tickets, visit: http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I still haven’t managed to extract a quip of the week from Joan – I secrectly think she peaked too soon with her Fresian/P***/Thistle quote and needs time to think of something equally auspicious.

So instead we have a favourite quip from our very own Mr Nove –take it away boss:

“As much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition”

As Charles comments through watery eyes – “this just works on so many different levels”

Next week A1 VOX hits the road as we record legend Jimmy Greaves in his home town, which also happens to be spitting distance from my very own home, in Essex – The Motherland – good luck Charles, I know how travelling any further East of London than Shoreditch gives you a nose bleed!

2011-07-08T03:33:00.000-07:00

Okay so before I commence, you must be informed that the person behind the keyboard is not who you are expecting.. aka, this is not Sarah…. Is it a bird? IS IT A PLANE!? No.. it’s Emili (sorry to disappoint, a plane would have been much more exciting). Im here at A1 VOX doing the lovely task of experience of the work variety!!!!!!!! (work experience just in case you didn’t catch that, hehehe). Im here for a lovely total of 5 days and this is to be my 3rd.. right in the heart of Soho (EXCITEMENT MUCH!).

First off, lets just get it clear that A1 VOX is actually in the perfect location. Apart from being spot on for all manner of voice artists to drop in and record whilst filming or rehearsing in the neighbourhood, there are also exciting streets to wander around aimlessly, and plenty of mental hair cuts and piercings to secretly stare at without being noticed.

However, the wonders of A1 VOX are not sprawn across the world that is Soho, but hidden behind the cutest little blue door, and up the stairs where all the magic happens. The stairs are counter-acted by the charming welcome at the top by the wonderful Sarah, Charles, Chris and the in-house voices (all very wonderous, talented and lovely people may I add).

I’m not gonna lie, I was expecting everyone to speak as they do on the adverts, BIG and LOUD, a world of cartoon characters stuck in human bodies, and for my voice to be shunned by the professional speakers as being the only average one in the building, but so far, everybody seems pretty..… normal, believe it or not!

The familiar voices from TV suddenly appeared when I sat in on sessions with Chris in Studio A and with the in house team in Studio B, otherwise known as the small but perfectly formed, Voxbox (don’t forget that all good things come in small packages, darlings).

Whilst here I’ve been lucky enough to pin my ears back and listen to the voicing diversity that A1 VOX produces. From a strong spoken Irishman (Peter Macdonald) to the smooth, endearing voice of Beth Chalmers, and not forgetting the unmistakable talent that is Trailer Man – Mr Redd Pepper. The quality of the microphones shocked me, don’t think I’ve ever heard a northern accent so clearly!

So yesterday beheld an awesome experience for me; you might find it a bit weird.. but this is coming from a country girl who loves the city….. I was sent on a treasure hunt to………DRUM ROLE PLEEEEASE!........ Tesco’s (DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNN). yep.. that’s right, Tesco’s. It may not be the X on everyones map, but hey, anything to help out the team here at A1 VOX…. THEY’RE AWESOME. Im positive that my wisdom of all things A1 VOX can only grow over the rest of the week, so wish me luck! Farewell, best wishes, ADIOS AMIGOS! Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah – the lovely Emili – she is very young and has been the source of much jealousy amongst the A1 girls as we all take ourselves back to when we hadn’t even taken our GCSE’s, or the equivalent!!!!! – so thank you for making us feel so old Emili.

Joking aside she has done a grand job for someone who isn’t even old enough to vote so watch this space people as she could be the producer of the future.

So onto the A1 VOX round up.

Chris was holed up in the studio for most of last week recording a corporate piece in a multitude of languages.

After four hour stints of hard graft he would come downstairs to see the light of day, squinting and looking a little dazed and confused. On top of that he was also whisked away for an outside recording and returned to the studio to turn the project around in ball breaking time.

Well done Chris – a busy week, and as per usual, all done with good grace and a big smile. We salute you!

So just when you thought last week had exhausted the theme of ‘wedding’ another one leaps up and embraces you like a warm hug on a winters day.

This week saw the turn of Mr Mark Straker who wed the gorgeous Willow in Vienna, (which incidentally is where they first met) – AWWWWW.

This monumental occurance only happened on Thursday so hopefully we can lavish you with some decadent photos on their return. CONGRATULATIONS GUYS – may it be a wien-tastic experience!

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to nail Joan down to a ‘quip of the week’ so instead we thought we would show you a picture of Peg Leg Pru the one legged pigeon who lives outside my office window.

During a quick conflab one afternoon Peg Leg Pru had this to say about her unfortunate predicament:

“Being a pigeon in London can be a cut throat world Sarah. I have resided in Soho since I was a mere fledgling. Those heady days of my first London summer are but a distant memory now. That was when I could hop from one leg to another, balance on any wall I was to come across, and squat without fear of falling in my own feaces. Heady days indeed. Still, the benefits are pretty good, I mean look at my belly and shiny coat - beats having to peck around in the dirt all day to earn a crust!”

Straight talking, wonky walking, Pru there ladies and gentlemen.

LONDON NEWS

HARRY POTTER PREMIERE

Whether you are a follower of the books, films, both, or neither, there was no denying that last nights Harry Potter London premiere was more than a little bit special. Us Brits sure know how to pull out all the punches when it comes to auspicious occassions and this final show down was no exception.

More than eight thousand fans packed out Trafalgar Square to say goodbye to the most successful British film series of all time.

The rain held off as the cast walked the longest-ever red carpet, at nearly a mile, from Trafalgar Square up to Leicester Square.

This premiere marks the end of an era for the entire Harry Potter cast and emotions were clear to see on the night as Emma Watson and J.K Rowling shed a little tear together as they waved to the many fans who had staked out a spot to watch the action.

Film stars and celebs alike may now have seen the final instalment of the Harry Potter series, but eager fans still have a little longer to wait as the film kicks off in cinemas next Friday (July 15).

So there we have it.

I hope you all tuned in to Eastenders and caught the divine Tracy Wiles in her somewhat dour grey outfit, as Ronnie’s laywer and join me next week when I will attempt to dish the dirt from Felicity Duncan’s Wimbledon experience.

Tally-Ho!

2011-06-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hello out there. We are back after our two week summer break. Have you missed us?

I was lucky enough to get the gorgeous Miss Ellie Howell and trustworthy Mr Jamie Nove to fill in for me whilst I sunned myself in Majorca, and sweated in 36 degree heat in a bridesmaid outfit! A big shout out to you guys for stepping in and keeping the fort ticking over.

So the wedding was going very well. Having had my hair and makeup done in an air conditioned room, the photographers arrived, armed with weapons of mass destruction and evil plans to bake us within an inch of our lives. They made us stand in the midday sun, by the pool, with a silver light reflector sheet to take away the glare of the sun. Brilliant for the photos I’m sure, absolute hell on the eyes!

Still we all came away relatively unscathed and no-one was so dazed that they took a one way ticket into the pool , (thus shattering the illusion of bridesmaid perfection). Phew!

So this blog is a case of three weddings and a transvestite!

May we send out big congratulations to Trevor Nichols and family who gained a daughter in law this week. Hurrah!

If you read the last blog you will know that Nick Chambers also said ‘I Do’ recently.

Everything went to plan, the sun shone, and I am happy to share a few pictures of Nick, Amy and Isaac with you right here, right now:

The happy day took place in idyllic Beer in Devon with Amy’s mum and dad living almost next door to the church – no excuses for turning up late eh Amy!

The inside of the church looked fabulous, with a nautical theme of fishing nets, buoys, oars and even a boat – more than a nod to the celebration of the seaside.

Here are the happy couple during the service.

As soon as the ceremony was over it was off to the beach for champers.

Just to up the ante they even had celebrities attending!!!! Here is Lenny Henry posing for a piccie.

I think you will agree that it looks like a splendid time was had by all. Congratulations guys – you look like you enjoyed every minute and may we wish you all the happiness for your future life together. One, two, three.......AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Now for those of you out there who are wondering where on earth our Mr Nove is, I can now divulge that he is loitering, probably with intent, in deepest darkest Oxfordshire.

If you go to BBC Radio Oxfords website you can listen to Charles every morning from 10am – 12pm as he sits in for Malcolm Boyden.

The show is a veritable feast of Oxfordshire stories and people. I happened to catch a piece of the action today and had had a big grin on my face as Charles’ guest explained that he only eats raw food. This would be Charles’ idea of pure hell as he is a bona fide carnivore through and through.

Still - ever the professional, he quipped that the guy wouldn’t be converting him any time soon but that it all sounded marvellous especially considering it had cured the chaps chronic fatigue and depression. He followed this up with a rendition of the track ‘Hungry Eyes’ by Eric Carmen.

Intentional or not it was pure genius!

We look forward to having you back soon Charles and don’t worry Leon’s is still there for a meatball massacre on your return.

So to the racy section of this week’s Blog – Introducing Joan Walker, the sexy minx!

Last week Joan became part of soap history by treading the famous cobbles of Coronation Street.

Filming took place in the beautiful Salford Masonic Hall. Joan’s scenes were with Sue Nicholls (aka Audrey Roberts) and Andrew Hall (aka Marc/Marcia).

Audrey was introduced to Marc in the Rovers Return by rival hairdresser Claudia Colby (Rula Lenska of A1 VOX fame!).

It isn’t long before Audrey finds her head turned by the silver fox. However, as is the way in soap land, secrets never stay buried for long and soon enough the women find out about Marc’s alter-ego Marcia.

In Joan’s scene Audrey is persuaded by Marc to accompany him to a benefit-cum-fund raiser for “Cross Wires” which is a charity that supports transgender folks. It is there that they meet Joan’s character (Louise) and her husband (Phil/Phyllis). Audrey is impressed by how Louise handles the whole cross dressing issue with Louise stating that her only complaint is that she thinks 'Phyliss'“...dresses too tary. She’s worth more than that”. Otherwise Louise is as happy as a fish in water, or a man in tights!

So that is a summary of the scene itself but what tom foolery did our Joan get up to whilst the cameras weren’t rolling:

WARNING – you are now entering the world of back stage Corrie as seen through Miss Walkers eyes – If you have a dicky ticker it is probably best to skip to the end of the Blog! May I also point out that some of the names have been changed to protect....the not so innocent!

“So, the three of us get there from Granada studios in our chauffeur driven Merc. and trot to our Winnebago (honest!) then are called on set to be astonished by about 70 extras all of whom look absolutely pantomimically bizarre! My "husband", T, is a chick with a d***. He proudly told me he paid £6,000 for his boobs but still has his man bits. In real life he is gay and has a "husband" (his word) who's an electrician. T, makes porn for a living and earns lots of money. She likes to be called "her" and got very upset once at passport control when she was addressed as a man. I'd like to have witnessed that!

Some of the extras looked like Les Dawson in a frock with ill fitting wigs and badly applied make up. Others looked like a cross between Jordan and a burglar's dog in lipgloss”

Pure Genius - Our Joan does have a way with words!

Joan goes on to say that another guy/gal was proudly showing off his news breasts (well, he revealed one) that he'd just had done. This apparently was very strange to see and not remotely sexual to witness a lump of clinically placed flesh on a chest. He was happy though.

I do have to mention the last guy/gal that Joan met who was a biker in his early 60s, who rides a Harley Davidson, and belongs to PIL - Perverts in Leather!..oh and his gal name is........Dinah Rod! Just when you think you’ve heard it all eh!

I wish I could explain in more detail the stories relayed to me by Joan but both she and I would probably get into a lot of trouble so I will end it right there.

Needless to say Joan had a hilarious day. Thoroughly high spirited and enjoyable, and her and Sue Nicholls became good friends in a short space of time (TV love - bonkers, speedy world!)

Because she was on location Joan didn't get onto the cobbles but she did see a few of the regulars kicking around the green room and said that they were all lovely and chatty - Gail, Leanne, the woman who runs the factory, Roy Cropper, and Michelle Collins. Naming no names, (due to professional etiquette), but Joan did mention that one particular cast member had "a face like a Friesian licking p*** off a thistle". I'm sorry - I really am, but it was just too good to leave out! If you want to know more then you will just have to ask Joan.

The episode goes out on July 29th. Fingers crossed that all of Joan’s material is kept in as she says it was a very funny script by Jonathan Harvey.

So that concludes our round up of love, lust and leather.

Join us next week when normal service will be resumed, though I may ask Joan for a 'quip of the week' from now on, as the lady has a serious affinity with the English language!

2011-06-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ey up A1 VOX bloggers!! You’re in for a right treat this week as the blog has not been written by the lovely Sarah as normal, OH NO, this is….........................

..................................WORK EXPERIENCE JACQUI here!!

I will be telling you about the life that is A1 VOX from a fresh pair of eyes!

I’m afraid A1 VOX will be stuck with me for ten whole days, so let’s hope everybody, and everything, will still be in place when I leave!

Charles set me the task of writing part of the blog from my experience to date, so here goes…

I arrived at the A1 VOX Towers on the 25th May during the process of them moving to the new office downstairs – I have been informed that the move has been taking place over many months but will be finished soon! I think it will be smashing.

The first people I was to meet were of course Charles and Sarah who are just lovely! As my first day went on I got to meet many of the in-house voices here, they are all soooo friendly and have great voices, very talented – Jealous!!! And you can’t forget Mr. Chris doing all the hard graft in studio A. His editing skills are just, well… WOW!

As the days have gone by I have heard many funny stories of the shenanigans that have happened here! You can tell it’s a great place to work and have a laugh with everybody, as well as getting some seriously top notch recordings done!

But enough of what it is like working here…

You want to know what I have been doing, except make a mark in all your hearts that will never be forgotten – I joke!  Well I’ve been covered in dust from moving things, filed papers with Sarah, listened in on studio sessions with Chris, AND he even let me do some practice editing – brilliant! Also listened in on some of the voices doing their “thang” in the good ol’ Voxbox!

Unfortunately poor Sarah was ill during the week so Charles decided to throw me in at the deep end and have me in Sarah’s position booking clients via email and… yes …answering that dreaded ringing machine, also known as “THE PHONE!”

Scary business, but after a while I think I got the hang of it and I do apologise if I scared anyone down the line, I think I was lovely and polite, or hope so anyways! 

So far there have been some great moments here, like meeting Carrie Grant when she came in to do a voice over. Her hair is still as bright red as I remember from the TV. I loved how she was doing a piece linked to the city Leeds (my hometown) and the way she pronounced “Hull” in the proper southern, correct, way as opposed to us northerners saying “’ull”!

Another highlight was receiving a lovely picture from one of the voices – Andy Stanson’s daughter, that will definitely be going on my fridge at home!

All in all it’s been a great eight days and I know I will be fully entertained by everyone in my last two. I’ll leave A1VOX laughing and smiling…and who knows if I smile sweetly enough they might even let me back?!

So thank you for putting up with me … and back to Sarah with all the in house gossip here at A1VOX…tooodles! 

Why thank you Miss Jacqui – I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about my precious Blog being hijacked but I can breathe a sigh of relief as that was a blooming delightful ditty from the gorgeous Miss Ravensdale.

I have to say that Jacqui was an absolute asset to the team during her stay, and we all loved having her around. I will put her out of her misery by declaring live on the Blog that she did indeed smile sweetly enough (and what a pair of perfect knashers they are too), and she is more than welcome back – anytime!

So from a newbie of A1 VOX to A Comedy of Errors – Mr Nick Chambers.
Hee hee – Only a reference to Nick’s upcoming performance in the Shakespearean play. He will take on the part of both Dromio’s with the Oxford Shakespeare Company from July 2nd – August 26th and will perform in The Walled Gardens of Wadham College in Oxford.

He will also be playing Algernon (affectionately known as Algy) in Oscar Wildes, The Importance of Being Ernest which will be performed, in rep, alongside The Comedy of Errors.

Blimey oh Reilly sunshine, that is a lot of Quoths, thou hasts and ‘when one is in town one amuses one selves’, to learn in a matter of weeks!

Added to this folks the young chap gets hitched this weekend to the very beautiful Amy.

You can guarantee the performance he is most nervous about is his self penned soliloquy , otherwise known as The Bridegrooms Speech!

We are sure you will smash all three performances Nick and we really hope the sun shines for you this weekend on your very special day.

May it also continue to shine on that walled garden in Oxford throughout July and August. I would give you my word that it will Nick but in the words of Dromio:

“A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind, Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind”.

Point Taken!

For more information, or to book tickets to see Nick’s 2 for 1 performance please go to www.oxfordshakespearecompany.co.uk or http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/ticketsoxford/

I am off next week as I am jetting to sunny Majorca for a wedding – tis the season you know – so join me in a couple of weeks when another of our ladies hits a controversial part – no leather and whips this time but it does involve Joan Walker and a cross dressing silver fox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never a dull moment I tell ye!

We would just like to end by wishing Nick all the best for his big day – and I will leave you with a quote from Oscar Wildes’ Importance of being Ernest:

"I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing."

Knock em dead Nicko!

2011-05-27T03:36:00.000-07:00

What do a rabbit, Felicity Duncan, Tracy Wiles and Joan Walker have in common?

They all appear in this week’s A1 VOX blog is the answer!

It has been a busy few weeks with lots of people in and out of the studio.

Dervla Kirwan popped in to say a quick how’s ya father, looking as radiant as ever and speaking with her trademark chocolate voice. Johnny Ball made the hop and leap up the stairs and Brian Blessed made a most welcome return appearance.

However in this week’s blog I am mainly focusing on GIRL POWER!

That’s right – it will be the ladies of A1 VOX that are getting all the attention.

First up Felicity Duncan appeared as not one....not two...but nine different characters in a radio play that took place on the 20th May.

Written by David Morley and directed by Dirk Maggs for Perfectly Normal Productions, "The Death of Tom Inglis" was re-created for BBC Radio 4 starring Lesley Manville and Phil Daniels.

When 22 year old Tom Inglis falls out of the back of a moving ambulance and suffers terrible head injuries he is brain damaged and unable to communicate. His family struggle to cope with his disablement, and his mother believes he is in constant pain. Set against the doctors, she becomes increasingly desperate to relieve his suffering. She begins a journey that leads her to action no mother would ever want to contemplate.

Gritty stuff people!

Next up taking centre stage, or should I say, screen and TV, is Miss Tracy Wiles.

Tracy has just completed filming for DUH duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh.....Eastenders!

She will playing Catherine Kane, Ronnie Branning’s lawyer in the controversial baby swap storyline that will climax this month.

Viewers complained in their thousands when the troubled character, played by Samantha Womack, snatched Kat Moon’s newborn son when her own baby died.

According to The Sun, the 38-year-old actress brought filming to a halt during the scenes as she was so upset, and also "made it clear" to bosses that she thought the plot was wrong.

An EastEnders spokesman said: "The current storyline allows an exit for Ronnie Branning.

"Samantha Womack has been a major part of the shows success in recent years and she will continue to work with us until her departure later this year."

BBC Drama controller John Yorke said Womack was "a much-loved member of the cast".

He said: "When she leaves at the end of this storyline, she'll be much missed, and the door will be open for her return."

In a statement, programme chiefs acknowledged it was a "particularly emotive storyline" which was approached "with great care and attention", with the advice of experts.

The statement went on: "In her grief and desperation at the discovery that her much longed for baby has passed away, and finding herself in the exceptional circumstance of being alone with her neighbour's newborn son, Ronnie acted on impulse in the heat of the moment, without really knowing what she was doing, or considering the consequences or repercussions".

Well it looks like it is down to our woman on the ground Miss Wiles to see if she ends up behind bars or not! Tracy, you are now part of soap history – we salute you and your fancy pants hair lawyer ‘do’!

But that isn’t all that Tracy has been up to............

Now that is HOT STUFF!

I know what you may be thinking.....Before the 'Enders' gig poor Tracy had fallen on hard times and decided to make some of the green stuff in Soho by night.... rather than day.....Well if you do think that - YOU ARE WRONG!

In fact this is the garb that Tracy can be seen wearing in up coming flick Swinging with the Finkels.

That’s right all you voyeurs of A1 VOX, this is one savvy chick cashing in on her gorgeous frame and comedy acting skills for the big screen. We are so excited over here at Vox Towers that I may have to buy whips and rubber toys for the whole gang in support of Tracy’s character when we go and watch it at the cinema. Blooming Heck!

Swinging With The Finkels is written and directed by Jonathan Newman and is an adaptation of his own short film, 'Sex With The Finkels'.

Martin Freeman (Alvin) and Mandy Moore (Ellie) play a London couple whose relationship is fast disappearing down the gurgler, until the collapse of their friends' marriage inspires them to... well, the title should explain the rest.

Enter our own Miss Wiles as one half of a very saucy couple that Alvin and Ellie interview as potential candidates to swing with.

Tracy is absolutely hilarious and if you want to see for yourself then check out the trailer link below to get a sneak preview of Tracy the dominatrix in, A-hem, action!:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/showbiz/film-trailers/3540524/Swinging-With-The-Finkels.html

You can watch Tracy’s expertise in its entirety when the film comes out on June 17th. Go on....it isn’t every day you get to see one of our voice team sporting an outfit that Lady GaGa would be jealous of!

Bravo Tracy, we are literally LOVING your work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so to our last part of the A1 VOX lady sandwich.

Joan Walker recently recorded a comedy drama for BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

Once More with Feeling is being re-run on May 30th 10.45am and 7.45pm so get involved!

It is written by Kieran Prendiville and set in the no-prisoners world of northern social clubs.

Its protagonist is Les Bone, a plumber who once came within sniffing distance of the big time when his band Nuclear Dump went mega.....without him.

Les got fired the day before the band cut its first hit single. Which, like the album it came from, went platinum. Making it the most expensive sex of Les' life...being the price he paid for getting caught with the lead singer's girlfriend.

And now, twenty five years down the line, still unlucky in love, single-parent Les has been tossed a second chance. His kids have a boyband (even if one of them is a girl) and they're a boy short for an upcoming tour of south Yorkshire, one of the hardest enclaves in clubland.

Les and The Family Bone are to share a coach with a spangly jacketed blue nosed comic, a bad impressionist and a driver who can fart the 1812 overture...if anyone would let him.

Sounds hilarious?...it is - so tune in folks and listen to our Joan as she rips it up with her usual Northern tenacity. Blooming Marvellous!

A1 VOX MYSTERIES

Occasionally there are weird and wonderful things that crop up at A1 VOX that not even Charles Nove himself has the answers to..........................................

Please enter the A1 VOX rabbit that lives in the VoxBox and has conquered all to remain firmly set since the sands of time......(or at least since A1 VOX started at number 20).
Isn’t it strange how you see something every day but don’t actually register it, or stop to think, “why the dukes is there a porcelain rabbit residing in our sound studio?”

Plenty of people have passed through the booth over the years and sometimes it is as if they haven’t even seen Bunty the Bunny as they voice, pull faces and sometimes even swear over fumblings of the vocal kind. Bunty has lived and listened through it all.

As we move into our refurbishment stage I am sure other such anomalies will crop up. We will of course bring you news of such oddities through the number 1 grapevine that is, the A1 VOX blog.

Next week will be the turn of the Voxington lads. Gawd – I hope none of them have been turning out in rubber and PVC lately!!!!!??? Silent Prayer!

2011-04-21T04:46:00.000-07:00

Deary me it seems an age since I last put pen to paper or brain to blog.

I trust you all had very Happy Easters and celebrated the Royal wedding with much pomp and patriotism or just celebrated the fact that we all had an extra day off work!

Before Easter we had another pleasant run in with the Cake Fairy.

Yes, Jill spoilt us once more and this time it was with delicious chocolate brownies that were so scrummy that the whole lot was scoffed within two days. Send out for the chocolate police, I think I may have eaten more than my fair share!

Two other people who wanted to express their heartfelt delight at our Easter treats were In-House Voices Mark Straker, pictured here manically shoving a piece of brownie in his usually professional tool otherwise known as ‘the gob’...........

......and Eleanor Howell who is doing her best ‘Dartford Tunnel eating brownie’ impression.

Thanks again Jill – you may come and sprinkle your luscious cake dust at VOX Towers whenever the fancy takes you.

So we had our Easter Chocs but what of bunnies , chicks and other such festive connotations?

Sadly we don’t get many bunnies or fluffy baby chicks hopping around Soho but what we do have in abundance are the scurvy of the London skyline, the plague of the city pavements, the half witted grey winged beasts of the bins – Pigeons!

A while back I posted a picture of two little eggs sat neatly outside our building on the ventilation roof. Unfortunately we aren't sure what actually happened to those particular new beginnings but fear they may have become Eggs Benedict for a predator pigeon who was sick of eating Macdonald’s and fancied some haute cuisine (and who can blame him!).

It looks like the canny mother to be may have had a second bash as recently Charles discovered that if you poked your head outside the bottom floor window and turned a sharp right you can see two little furry beings staring at you with beady eyes from a cleverly positioned nest.

The landlord has even put roof building repairs on hold until the birds have literally flown the nest – and who says city folk don’t have a heart for nature!

So there you have it - the current pets of A1 VOX – may they turn out to be respected pillars of the community, and if they have any sense, migrate further afield to the suburbs where the rich pickings are to be had and all pigeons are adorned with shiny coats.

James Buckley of The Inbetweeners and Rock and Chips fame returned to the fourth floor last week looking slightly worse for wear it has to be said. I believe he may have been out partying the night before following the announcement that he had been nominated for a Bafta for his role as Jay Cartwright in The Inbetweeners.

Still he soldiered on and recorded his lines with consummate professionalism. I do not know, neither do I care to find out, if he did in fact hurl following completion of said session.

James is currently filming for the The Inbetweeners movie out in Malia, Crete and the release date for the funny extravaganza is set for August of this year. So get all your Bus W***** signs at the ready as the boys hit the red carpet this summer. I can’t blooming wait.

The week before 'the wedding' we had the honour of welcoming in none other than ‘gravelly voice extraordinaire’ herself.....Mariella Frostrup.

Mariella is a Norwegian-born journalist and television presenter, well known on British TV and radio, mainly for arts programmes. Research to find 'the perfect voice' has indicated that Frostrup's voice is one of the best and also deemed one of the sexiest. Her voice is often used on TV commercials.

She writes for The Guardian, The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, Harpers & Queen and the New Statesman. She is also an art critic and has been on the judging panels for the Man Booker Prize, the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Evening Standard British Film Awards.

She also chaired a question-and-answer session in 2007 with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth, Dorset.

This is one quick thinking dame. Sharp yet Sexy – me likey!

However Mariella can also poke fun at herself as her roles in Absolutely Fabulous and Coupling clearly show.

On arriving at VOX Towers Mariella apologised profusely for having turned up in her gym gear and arriving all hot and sweaty after cycling straight from the gym to see us.

She kept asking if there would be any clients attending the session. On being told that it would only be us simple folk at A1 VOX seeing her Lycra clad wares, she visibly relaxed and chatted freely about escaping the Royal Wedding madness in London and heading off to the sanctity of Scotland. Uch Aye the No Wedding Noo!

I therefore didn't think it appropriate to ask her to pose for the blog, but what I did get for you lucky, lucky people out there is the lipstick stained coffee cup that Mariella was drinking from.

Aren't I good to you!

So we have had a few names put forward for the office plant.

Iain from Real Radio Scotland would like us to name the plant after a fellow green leafed friend that once adorned and oxygenated his office but went the way of the bin once the baby bio stopped working and there was nothing anyone could do – so Flemming may yet live on vicariously through one of the new A1 VOX plants. Thank you Iain and I hope this goes some way to healing the gaping hole in your soiled heart.

So endeth another round up of comings and goings at A1 VOX.

Tune in next week to see why Will Mellor's shorts are jangling (!) and get hot off the press updates on Pigeon-Gate.

Ta Ra for now.....Ta Ra!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-04-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Ello, ello to all you Foxy Voxingtons out there.

They say that 3 of the most stressful things in life are changing jobs, having a baby and moving.

Well, I definitely agree on the last point!

As the sun blazed down on Soho last Saturday, myself, Chris, Charles and Jess were busy shifting, pulling apart and re-building A1 VOX.

It is now rising like a phoenix out of the ashes – or it will be once we are done - but at least the first phase of moving the office is now complete.

I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new swivel chair, keyboard and mouse, and have more room than I know what to do with.

Next week we will buying an office plant and will be asking all you folk out there to name it for us. That’s right people, a little piece of A1 could be named by you, or indeed after you.....oh the kudos!

The stationery cupboard was a particularly tricky customer to move. With stainless steel innards and rolling doors, this was one heavy duty customer.

Chris and I managed to transport the desks and filing cabinets down with a little bit of ‘from me to you’ but this cupboard had us beat. By the end of Friday Chris and I wanted to push it down the stairs, probably taking out the whole staircase in the process and maybe one of us too! So we waited until Saturday when the brawn and tenacity of Chris coupled with the brains and strategic thinking of Mr Nove came into perfect play.

It was like watching an episode of the crystal maze where you had to work out how to unassemble and then reassemble said cupboard within the ticking of sand. However, there was no bald crazy man with a stopwatch and the only prize at the end of it was a sweaty and relieved Chris and Charles and a happy clapping Jess and Sarah.

Chris actually ended up lying in the cupboard at one point to get the door runners in place and as you can see from this picture, Charles nearly succumbed to madness by emanating Jack Nicholson in The Shining!

So A1 VOX is about to get a re-vamp and don’t worry cause all you loyal supporters out there will be the first to hear of our re-launch as and when it happens.

So everything has been a bit crazzzy to say the least this week with new systems in place and me being a whole floor down from my usual spot.

We still played host to a number of familiar faces including Redd Pepper, Andrew Scott, Simon Lowe and Jayne Sharpe.

Another familiar face that we haven’t seen at A1 for a little while was Shelley Longworth.

Shelley is a British comedy actress and voiceover artist. More recently appearing in ITV's hit romcom Benidorm, she has appeared in the comedy sketch shows Tittybangbang on BBC Three and Angelo's on Five, voiced characters in the children's TV show Fimbles and filmed her own comedy series with her brother Adam Longworth, It's Adam and Shelley, which was broadcast on BBC Three in 2007. Seems this is a lady of many talents.

Shelley has been coming to A1 VOX for many a year so we were absolutely delighted to hear she had landed the role of Sam in Benidorm.

Her character is from up North, near Doncaster. Most people would probably identify with seeing someone like Sam on the street. But Benidorm being Benidorm Shelley had to wear some pretty risqué costumes. Think see-through tops, lacy bras and hideous swimming costumes:

“I had to get over all my body hang-ups and just say, 'I am this character and I'm pretty damn hot right now'. My boyfriend actually asked if I could keep one of the swimming costumes!"

So it seems the mental compliments to ones self paid off Miss Longworth.

“She’s got it...yeah baby she’s got it.....I’m your Venus...I’m your fire...your desire”

So can you guess who Shelley met whilst filming in sunny Benidorm..................

Only Blooming Bop-tastic - Bananarama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am too jealous for words.

I remember sitting cross legged in front of the telly with my finger poised on the ‘record’ button as the big hairy cornflake (Dave Lee Travis) introduced them.... and then out they came, big hair and attitude flying with enough Elnett hairspray to kill a field of wheat, wearing teeny tiny crop tops that just about covered their upper lady parts. Pure Pop Genius.

But enough of my jaunts down memory lane, let’s get back to our featured artist Shelley.

So you met Bananarama – tell us all......

“Yes! We did a scene together in Neptunes and then we went out for a meal together. They were great together those girls. Unfortunately I didn't meet Cilla Black, but everyone else said that she was a treat and really up for it. She wasn't worried about the script or anything like that. And Denise Welch as well, I did a scene with her and went out for a few drinks as well. She was great fun."

So it seems this is one hot gig if you pardon the pun. Learning lines on the beach with your fellow cast mates, singing karaoke in the evenings and wining and dining with all the other celebrities coming on to cameo for the show. Well done Shelley, it seems you have your flip flops firmly in the sand with this one.

London News:

So you may have heard about a certain wedding that takes place in London this year?

Yes mine is coming up as is Mr Nick Chambers, Mr Mark Strakers and Eleanor Howell who's planning her nuptials for this time next year.

But as much as all four of us are planning our perfect days, none of us will be having the marching band of the Ministry of Defence playing as we arrive at the church, large screens in Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square will not be showing every moment of our big day from Auntie Sue ripping her tights (whilst being a little OTT on welcome drinkies) to tragic dad dancing of the male variety, and we certainly will not have the likes the Archbishop of Canterbury marrying any one of us!

I am sure that by the time August comes round we will all be sick of the sight of bunting and the colours red, white and blue but until then let’s engross ourselves in British Patriotism as we become part of something that is sure to have the whole world looking to London.

Go get em Wills and Kate. May you have much fun, friendship and flipping good times!

So please don’t forget any plant names will be kindly received and if you aren’t lucky in naming our oxygen giving friend then maybe we could erect a placard on a drawer of the filing cabinet in your honour instead.

So this week has been a case of Blood, Sweat and Tears, but not a leg warmer I sight – till next time ladies and gentleman.

2011-04-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

I am sooooo sorry people. It seems I didn’t post my Blog last week – what a doofus! You will now have to put up with a quick fire round of the last two weeks in one hit – can you handle it!?

The ball of fire that shoots down Vitamin D disappeared last week and I felt I had spoken too soon about Spring being...well...sprung!

It also seemed that those nasty ruddy bugs were still doing the rounds too as Miranda Hart, who was due at our studio, had to call in sick. So no sun, and no fun – what a depressing way to begin the week.

Ah well, things can only get better right?!

You can always rely on Mr Stephen Critchlow to put smiles back on faces.

I received an e-mail from him announcing the opening of his show (as featured in the Blog a couple of weeks ago) at The Salisbury Playhouse – The Game of Love and Chance, last Thursday.

Quick Overview of the Play:

Silvia’s father, Mr Prowde, is keen to marry her off – and has invited an eligible young bachelor to the family home for the weekend. However, Dorant, the beau in question, has decided that he’d like to take a look at his intended in disguise – and so swaps places with his manservant. Unbeknownst to him, though, Silvia has had a similar idea – and exchanges clothes with her maid.

And so begins a Sixties house party where nothing – and no-one – is to be taken at face value.

Critch tells me that it’s been fun rehearsing with lots of chases. Plus he is doing a dance curtain call where he looks like Frankenstein trying to dance....why?....quite simply because he’s rubbish at it. So if you fancy a giggle with Critch, and at his expense, check out the link below for info on ticket purchases.

http://www.salisburyplayhouse.com/index.php?plid=165&show=info

Last week we had another of Charles’ Radio 2 chums in at A1.

Richard Allinson is passionate about radio. His first broadcasts were at university, the perfect distraction from his Honours degree in Law. After establishing himself at Capital Radio Richard could also be heard overseas on BBC World Service and BFBS and actually seen on VH-1.

Radio 2 then invited him along for the Sony Award-winning Late Show and the record-breaking Saturday afternoon sequence. Richard’s new Saturday and Sunday shows for Radio 2 alongside ‘Allinson’s Albums’ for BBC regional radio ensures he now enjoys very short weekends.

Richard also went down a storm when he covered Chris Evans’ breakfast show.

One listener said: 'Richard Allinson's show was quite superb this morning. No shouting, no gimmicks, just great music selection and light chat and banter. The guy breezes in and delivers a show that makes the slot sound like his own.'

Another added: 'It is a great way to start the day - gentle wake up instead of the discordant rousting’.

Well, well – it seems Mr Allinson caused quite the scandal!

Mr Keith Barron was the next likely lad up the stairs at VOX towers. In an uncanny coincidence he is godfather to our very own Joan Walkers other half, Ben! Small showbiz world eh!

Keith couldn’t be more Yorkshire if he tried – thank goodness we had the full strength Yorkshire tea on hand to dish out to him on his arrival.

Keith has played leads and supporting leads in a number of British films and television shows. He got his start on the stage after honing his craft at the Sheffield Playhouse.

His major breakthrough was as Nigel Barton, an avatar of the writer Dennis Potter in his plays Stand Up, Nigel Barton and Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton in BBC1’s The Wednesday Play anthology series. He made many one-off television appearances, from Redcap and Z Cars in the mid 60s, to Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), The New Avengers and The Professionals.

On the big screen, he appeared in Baby Love (1968) and the David Puttnam film Melody (1971) as Mr Latimer. One of his best-loved and best-remembered roles was in the 1980s sitcom Duty Free.

Well we can see why Ben turned out to be a keeper Joan. If Keith had anything to do with his growing up then he would have had a good, solid, no nonsense role model to look up to – by ‘eck they don’t make em like they used to!

This week we must give a big shout out and huge CONGRATULATIONS to one of A1 VOX’s firm friends and guest voice artists - Mr David McFetridge. David has become a dad for the first time.

Is it a boy? or is it a girl?....it’s only one of each - the greedy so and so! Ah, the luck of the Irish.

Molly and Finn were bought into the world in February and for all those doubting the good powers of the mother in law...think again,...especially if conceiving twins, as David says they would be more than a little stuffed without his good wife’s mother on hand to feed and bottom wipe. Move over Supernanny we’ve got Supergran on the case. I get the distinct impression that David is never going to let her leave!

We had another visitor this week in the form of the Cake Fairy.

No I haven’t gone completely bonkers. Jill, friend of A1 VOX, regular reader of our blog, and herself from renowned London institution The Royal Society, dropped on by proffering cakes from a meeting where, shock, horror, baked goods had been left over.

Not ones to leave a destitute welsh cake to a probable destiny of black bin liners and stale coffee, we offered to help put them in a good home. A lovely ‘end of day’ treat Jill. You know where we are if you ever need to re-house any other golden fluffies!

So as we end this weeks blog the sun is starting to get friendly with us all again and new exciting times are afoot at A1 as we expand our VOX-tastic Empire and take hold of the third floor.

This weekend will see us heaving and cajoling furniture, so look out for more details and photographic evidence in next week’s Blog as we aim to take over the vocal world. MWAH MWAH MWAH.

LONDON NEWS

Ghost, the tragic love story starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, tugged at a million tear ducts when it appeared on the big screen 21 years ago....that's right folks...21 years ago!

Now it has become the latest cinema hit to be recreated on stage. But can it recapture the magic?

It is one of Hollywood's classic weepies - a young couple are in the full flush of love and start a life together, with a raunchy pottery-making session along the way. Arts and Crafts never looked so good!

Then he is killed, becomes a ghost and has to find a way to communicate with his beloved from the other side. This is where Whoopi Goldberg’s character comes in to play as the hapless psychic begrudgingly helping the couple bring justice for Sam's murder.

The stage version of Sam and Molly's story received its world premiere in Manchester last Monday, where it will be seen before transferring to London's West End in June.

Bruce Joel Rubin has adapted his script for the theatre, while Eurythmics star Dave Stewart has co-written the songs.

Stewart admits he was "a bit put off" by the glossy Hollywood production when the film came out. But he has since been won over by the story's emotional strength.

"I've seen it a few times and every time I see it, everybody cries. Everybody," the musician says. "I haven't seen one person not cry when they've seen it. Well, we make that 10 times worse on the stage."

‘Oh....... my love...my darling...I’ve hungered for.... your touch’...I’m welling up already!

Bruce Joel Rubin says:

“Most musicals that I've seen recently don't work for me - they don't seem to require the music”

Adapting films for the stage is far from a novelty. The Lion King and Billy Elliot are among those that have hit a winning formula, while a long list of others - from Dirty Dancing and Legally Blonde to Shrek and The Wedding Singer - have entertained fans. But many more have struggled to make the leap.

Rubin, used Billy Elliot as a template when translating Ghost for the stage, and cites Hairspray and Wicked as examples of shows that did not work so well.

"Not everything needs to be sung," he says. "Most musicals that I've seen recently don't work for me. They don't seem to require the music. There is music, but why bother?

"But when somebody can't speak the words, or the emotion is so profound that words don't do it justice, song and melody become the only way to get it out."

I for one have to admit that I bloody loved this film and am more than a little intrigued to see how the stage version is received.

Ghost opens at Manchester Opera House before moving to the Piccadilly Theatre in London on 22 June.

So there we have it gang – babies, Frankenstein, a ghost and fairy cakes. Another magical whirlwind of A1 VOX sparkly dust.

Join us next week when we will probably be up to our eyeballs in actual dust after the big move – so wish us well and join us next week.

2011-03-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Are my eyes deceiving me or has Spring finally sprung?!

We can all nurse ourselves back to health and let our bodies reach out, like plants towards the natural vitamin D – a.k.a The Sun. I know, I know, you had all forgotten what that crazy ball of yellow in the sky looked like, but rest assured, times.....they are a-changing. YIPEE!

Keeping on the theme of the sun who was it that coined this famous phrase:

“When the sun comes up I have morals again”

I will give you some clues – Eight marriages, 50 movies, two Oscars, 100 operations, a fortune of £360m – The one and only Elizabeth the Great!

We couldn't let the moment of Elizabeth Taylor’s sad departure from this world pass us by. Love her or hate her she was a last living piece of the Golden Hollywood era and bygone age.

A child star who managed to make the transition to adult roles, she won two Oscars – for Butterfield 8 and Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? However, her 50-strong list of film credits tends to be overshadowed by her list of seven husbands, most notably Richard Burton, whom she married and divorced twice.

In 1963 Taylor filmed Cleopatra, a historical epic so long-drawn-out and horrendously expensive that it would come near to bankrupting its producers. She was paid a then record-breaking $1m for her role, and who can blame her for accepting? In her own words:

“If someone’s dumb enough to offer me a million dollars to make a picture, I’m certainly not dumb enough to turn it down”

In 2000, she was thrilled to become Dame Elizabeth Taylor in recognition of her services to film.

She once described herself as a 'living example of what people can go through and survive'.

And survive she did - She had both hips replaced and beat skin cancer, a brain tumour, diabetes, seizures and a stroke. She endured an estimated 70 illnesses and had 100 operations, 20 of them major surgery.

Our own Trevor Nichols has his own Liz Taylor story.

Trevor’s wife Maggie is a nurse and spent one assignment looking after Richard Burton whilst he was with Liz in their hotel suite.

Richard Burton was renowned for his alcoholism and foul temper and Maggie was subjected to both. Burton didn't understand why he needed a nurse maid and took all his aggression and bad behaviour out on poor old Maggie.

However, Maggie wasn't going to stand for Burton's childish antics and after one a particularly aggressive outburst Maggie staunchly replied:

"What do you expect for £10 a night....Raquel Welch!?"

Liz fully approved of Maggie's gun ho attitude and the fact that Burton didn't scare her one little bit. Bravo Maggie....Bravo!

According to Maggie, Dame Liz was a lovely person and very down to earth for all her fame and fortune.

“When people say ‘she’s got everything’ I've got one answer – I haven’t had tomorrow”

So the woman with everything now has no tomorrows left, though wherever she has gone on to I am sure you can hear her, and I’ll bet she’s hooked up with that Burton fella again.

So from one siren to another this time in the guise of Joanna Lumley.

Joanna has been featured on our blog before and I was lucky enough to get a snap taken with her. This time round Felicity Duncan was the lucky gal to be forever pictured with one of her idols.

Flick was bowled over that on being introduced, Joanna knew that the name Felicity means ‘Happiness’ which couldn't have made Felicity....well......happier!

I have a fantastic Aunt called Felicity, or Listy for short, and she makes me happy so I guess it must be true!

After her session I presented Joanna with a gift that had been left at the studio earlier that day. It was a batch of war veteran poetry books and a framed picture of her Radio Times cover!

Rather than just grabbing it from us and leaving without so much as a ‘how’s ya father’ she looked to myself, Chris and Flick and said almost conspiratorially “Shall we see what it is?”

So there we all are huddled around a Liberties bag with Joanna Lumley! Every day has a different twist at Vox Towers I tell ye.

Next week we have funny woman Miranda Hart coming into the studio who has now officially been labelled the Queen of Comedy. Does this mean no eye contact, only speak to her when spoken to and back out of the room once you have seated her in the voice booth? We will find out next week.

Soho News:

Well guys it has been a while so I thought I would treat you to more namby pamby Soho food delights.

Just this week a new branch of LEON opened on our very own Old Compton Street.

Leon is an award winning fast food outlet selling natural, good food, from spicy lamb wraps to mezze. The food is of a high standard and is served with the same efficiency as the big fast food chains. They also have an eat-in section at the back, and are open for lunch and dinner.

There's always a buzz at their restaurants, and it only goes to show how popular they have become with a varying group of people, from businessmen to students to anyone who wants a simple but delicious meal.

Breakfast favourites could include the hot sausage in a wholemeal bap or organic porridge spiked with Valrhona chocolate. Choose from main dishes such as a Thai style chicken curry, Moroccan meatballs or chilli chicken with garlic and yoghurt sauce served with rice. Don't miss their intense chocolate brownie for dessert. YUMMY!

Mr Mark Straker gave me a call last week and said that though pigs weren’t falling from the sky, they were handing out free food from Leons (prioir to it opening).

Wee taster sessions wouldn’t you know.

I made a mad dash down there to eat for free in Soho – a modern miracle. Typically for me just as I got there they closed the door in my face. Hence, I cannot give you a bone fide critique of the food itself so just listen to one reviewer who visited the Carnaby Street branch – over to you Dave:

Dave (15 June 2010)

It was a Friday in June - pole-vaulting season. The weather was disappointing yet warm. A colleague and I had just ordered our second meal of the week from Leon. After silently ploughing our way through an eclectic cacophony of fresh peas, free range chicken, broccoli and mackerel all smothered together in lashings of deliciously concocted dressing we had to embrace each other and cry. That’s when we realised we would never eat in another restaurant again. The End.

So until next week folks – keep it successful, just like the late, great, Liz Taylor, and maybe you too will come up smelling of roses, for in the words of the lady herself:

“Success is a great deodorant. It takes away all your past smells” Nice!

2011-03-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

This week you find me writing to all you merry folk with a packet of Sudafed by my side and a handkerchief surgically attached to my mitts!

It seems that half of us at VOX Towers have been struck down by the lurgy and it ain’t a pretty sight. My nose is so raw I could challenge Rudolph to a schnozzle-off!

The good news is that none of you can catch our nasty little germs whilst reading the Blog from the comfort of your PC.

On the bad side I am going to have to keep it short and sweet so that I don’t infect my keyboard with snot and grot!

We had one of our favourite regulars in this week.... Mr Nick Holder.

Nick is a man of many talents but is more commonly known for using his voice as a fantastic, tongue-tastic, device.

Amongst other works Nick has played The Engineer in Miss Saigon at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre in the West End, Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar at The Lyceum Theatre - West End, Richard III & The Music Man at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and L'Assommoir & Wolfpit at The National Theatre.

But apart from big scale, well known musical productions, Nick likes to diversify into the musical macabre.In June 2010 Nick starred in Stephen Sondheim’s firebrand musical Assassins staged and directed by Michael Strassen.

Assassins uses the premise of a murderous carnival game to produce a revue-style portrayal of men and women who attempted (successfully or otherwise) to assassinate Presidents of the United States.

Assassins first opened at Playwrights Horizons during the 1991 Gulf War, to packed houses, of which the audience either embraced the subject matter or rejected it depending on their political slant to the then current President and the war itself. In many ways the shows real subject matter was hijacked, as Assassins isn't so much about political murder but lost and angry individuals, those who fall off the American dream machine.

Nick drew every ounce of humour as well as anguish from his brilliantly realistic characterisation of Sam Byck, a bankrupt salesman in a Santa Claus suit who initiated a plot to fly a 747 into the Reagan White House.

He got rave reviews for his performances, with Time Out, who claimed the show as Critics Choice and show of the week quoting:

"There is a tendency for more flippant characters to overwhelm those with real political motivations. But this doesn't detract from performances like that of Nick Holder - best of all - as a raspy Samuel Byck. Plump as a Thanksgiving turkey and greasy as a McNugget, his perfectly-paced tape-recorded rant to Lenny Bernstein conveys a furious cynicism born of long-term, dee-seated injustice".

It was such a success that Nick was nominated for best male performance in the Off-West End Awards (affectionaltely known as the 'Offies') and who can blame them when his performance was described by Classical source.com as:

‘A tour de force of brutal acting and of inhabiting a part with such conviction, that his bogeyman presence is palpably chilling...'

BLIMEY let’s hope we don’t meet you in a dark alley dressed as Santa Claus Nick! All I want for Christmas is to be left alone you mad person you!!!!!

Nick is currently rehearsing for his next twist on the stanger side of musical theatre, in the National’s - London Road, opening April 2011.

This experimental musical from Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork, directed by Rufus Norris, has a doubly daring premise. First, it's all about the murder of five women in 2006 by convicted serial killer Steve Wright - a story which brought a media storm to the quiet rural town of Ipswich, not least because the victims were all sex workers.

Second, its songs are all modelled upon the speech patterns of local residents. Blythe, who won a Time Out award for her first play, 'Come Out Eli', back in 2003, conducted interviews with the people of Ipswich, members of the press and others who found themselves caught up in the tragedy.

Then Adam Cork, who has written the music and collaborated with Blythe on the lyrics, took inspiration from the melodic and rhythmic speech patterns she had recorded.

Nick says this is the hardest piece of musical theatre he has ever encountered but believes it will be (in his words) “bloody brilliant”.

The Daily Mail, apparently, has already been firmly informed that 'London Road' will not be 'sensationalist in any way'. But exactly what it will be is more open to speculation - though its creators hope to reveal 'the ways in which even the darkest experiences can engender a greater sense of our mutual dependence'. Deep Man.

Nick hopes that his performance will be judged on just that ......his performance.... and that he won’t be embroiled into some sort of political and high brow condemnation of the risqué production.

OOOOO – he’s just like Johnny Depp – taking on all those strange, darker roles and not saying boo to a goose if people don’t like it. We think he is gonna go down a storm in this powerful and thought-provoking piece that is above all sensitive to the vitims’ humanity. Gritty Stuff People, Gritty Stuff.

A1 / LONDON NEWS

Well I thought I would share a bit of A1 Vox frivolity with you which also mixes nicely with our regular gad about London town feature.

There’s a Rumble in the Jumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That wiley, sassy Miss Tracy Wiles and slam dunkin', Felicity D took it upon themselves to set up a stall at the oh so trendy Wills Moody Rock N Roll Vintage Jumble Sale in Euston this month.

This is the new take on retail therapy.

The recession means that fashionista’s are having to tighten their Gucci belts and resist from handing over credit cards to cover some shiny but unusable item bought on a whim.

I know...It’s so depressing we are crying into our Prada purses. So what to do when the going gets tough, and the urge to splurge, tougher?

Think outside the box ladies and gentleman. Or put another way – think ‘outside’ the shop.

Yes, grab your imitation, (bought at the local market), Vuitton shopper, collect your coppers and coins, and embrace the humble jumble sale.

Things have come a long way from grannies pouring tea whilst selling a load of knitted goods. With an open bar, a DJ spinning smooth Brazilian jazz in the corner, and all the homemade cake you can eat, the Wills Moody Rock n' Roll Jumble Sale – started by a London-based arts group - certainly lives up to its title. It also kicks off at a very hangover-friendly 2pm, so you can squeeze in a lie-in and a pub roast before heading down. Blooming Marvellous!

As Tracy and Flick will attest, it’s not all charming tat. Tracy had many a pair of designer shoes, some of which had only been worn once, on the offing. Confessions of a Shopaholic.... eat your jumble heart out.

Some familiar A1 faces went along to show their support including the Scot with the Lot, Jane MacFarlane, and the Man with the Plan, Mr Andy Loudon.

It looks like a lot of fun was had by all and what a very forward thinking way of making a few extra bucks on the side. Well done ladies - you Rock N Jumble!

So if you have a yen for all things vintage, second hand or simply like rooting through the remnants of someone else's house, all while listening to cool music, and contemplating your next purchase from the bar, then Wills Moody Jumble Sale is for you. If you're really lucky you may even get to see our gorgeous duo Tracy and Flick selling their wares - OO ER!

That is all for this week folks. I am off to blow my nose for the umpteenth time and smear Vicks vapour rub onto any exposed area that can handle it. I don't know about Rock N Jumble, I feel more Snot and Grumble, so come join us next week when I'm sure we will all be fighting fit again and ready to roll with the vocal punches. Toodle pip!

2011-03-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome back A1 followers. "And what news from our favourite sunny studio this week", I hear you cry.

Well..... we have had a very busy week. At some points all phone lines were ringing off the hook and the answer machine had to kick in, much to the surprise of some of our regular callers who are used to the one ring and pick up system.

Some calls we get are those highly irritating sales pitches for completely irrelevant services. However, the most interesting calls we get are those that think they are calling for a job at a fast food restaurant or attempting to book a cruise ship holiday.

The numbers to both places must be one digit different to A1 which causes all sorts of problems for the hapless job seeker and pensioner cruisers!

Charles and I often have a giggle about these calls as some of them are like a dog with a bone and are adamant that it is us that are in the wrong and not them.

One of my particular favourites was when a well spoken, elderly lady called trying to book a cruise down the Nile. I explained that whilst I had been there myself, and had a lovely time, I couldn't help her with her booking as I was a Sound Studio Manager and knew nothing of the early bird saver scheme! Finally, after conceding that I wasn’t part of the travel bureau, the lady said:

“Well do you have the number for the travel agent then?”

The absolute gem comes from a conversation Charles had with yet another elderly dear, this time a gentleman, trying to book a holiday to some other far flung destination.

To this day Charles bases his ‘Dithery Old Man’ voice on this very episode.

After much stumbling of words, greying of hair and general confusion, the gentleman in question finally cottoned on that he had called the wrong number. However, rather than apologising and hanging up the man paused dramatically and then said.....................................

“Well you shouldn't have answered if it’s not for you!”

For once this left Our Nove totally speechless. I mean what do you say to that folks?

And so to our first guest of the week – Miss Keavy Lynch.

She once beguiled us with tons of denim and innocent pop ditties such as C’est La Vie and Rollercoaster as one fourth of 90’s girl band B*witched. The group were the first international girl band to score 4 consecutive Number 1 singles with their releases in the UK. One of her fellow band members was twin sister Edele. The ladies also have a famous bro in the form of Shane Lynch from Boyzone. Blimey singing round the piano at Christmas time must be something that picture postcards are made of!

Both girls have now grown-up physically, come of age musically and are stomping back onto the music scene dressed in leather bodices and fishnets in the guise of new band Barbarellas.

Barbarellas made their debut public appearance in September 2010 at the prestigious Miss Ireland award ceremony where they performed 3 of their new songs. Although the venue was swarming with Ireland’s greatest beauties, all eyes were on the Barbarellas who, quite literally, brought the audience to a standing ovation of cheers and shrieks as they performed tracks from their forthcoming debut album, Night Mode.

As Barbarellas, the Lynch sisters have finally returned and stand ready to inject fresh excitement into the pop world. 2011…get ready for the almighty Barbarellas!

Having finished her session at A1, myself and Charles grabbed Keavy for a quick picture and a chat. Keavy had her hair up whilst voicing but all she had to do was untie it, shake it about a couple of times, and voila, she was picture perfect with tumbling tresses that could have been teased by Vidal Sassoon himself!

Charles asked her if she had her fair share of fruit cakes following her and it seems that Keavy does indeed have quite a following. One fan was even outraged that Keavy’s family knew something of her whereabouts before their fan base did. It resulted in a discussion about how some intense fans of celebrity actually think they own the star – I guess it can all get pretty scary, though being a humble Essex girl with a mere Disco Dancing Championship title to my name (that’s right folks – 1989!), I wouldn’t have the foggiest how it actually feels to have people wanting to know your every move.

Charles then regaled us with the tale of his 90 year old fan that turned up at the radio station very late at night with a face full of red lipstick cunningly applied on a bus driving at warp speed. Poor old dear only wanted to make sure that she had enough left to smear over Charles as well. ‘Kiss me Quick’ never rung so true eh Charles!

So we left Keavy to continue her busy day.....her next stop...off to buy some wigs! Oh I love hearing about how these celeb types spend their days.

Second up the stairs to VOX Towers was sexy Manchurian Dean Lennox Kelly.

Dean is best known for his role playing bed-hopping barman Kev Ball in hit Chanel 4 show Shameless. Much of the series saw him romping naked with sexy blonde Veronica. Oh how I miss those days – "Cheeky Dean".

Dean revealed that it's taken him years to shake off the Shameless character of lovable Kev despite starring in some major TV dramas.

He said: "I loved that show and it changed my life but it was worrying that for quite a while after I left I'd still see Kev peering back at me whenever I looked in the mirror. He just wouldn't leave me alone."

The difficulty has been shared by viewers who still frequently refer to him as "that bloke from Shameless" despite recent roles in dramas like classic Cranford, crime caper The Invisibles and last autumn's ITV drama Collision about the harrowing effect of a major road crash.

Dean said: "It's difficult because when you're in something as good as Shameless not a lot of people want you to try different roles. They still want you to be that guy in that show. But as an actor you want to move on."

So having a laugh and asking Dean if he fancies a pint at The Jockey and a quickie in the bogs, probably wouldn’t go down too well then!

A few of the A1 boys have also been flaunting their wares this week......calm down we haven’t had a case of 'All Vox and No Jocks' but they have been practicing their trade away from A1.

First up Mr Mark Straker took a three day leave of absence so that he could go and film for Law and Order. Here he is in all his finery.

Mark plays nasty defence barrister Morgan Braithe. He looks like he could sentence you with one raise of an eyebrow!!!! Down boy, down!

Second up is Mr Stephen Critchlow who has upped sticks and taken himself off to Salisbury. He is in a play called The Game of Love and Chance at the Salisbury Playhouse until April 23rd.

In it he plays Randy the Cow Poke, a brooding enigmatic drifter who arrives at a small trading outpost in the mid west and all the women fall in love with him.

Not really. He plays the dad!

So if you happen to be catching a breath of fresh air somewhere in the vicinity check it out.

LONDON NEWS:

"Commuters give thumbs down to phone proposal"

A WHOPPING three quarters of Londoners have given the thumbs down to plans to have a mobile network on the underground.

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei want to install the system in time for the London Olympics in 2012. Yet in a new poll of 1,094 Londoners by comparison site GoodMobilePhones.co.uk only 24 per cent want the scheme to go ahead.

Of the 76 per cent opposed to the underground cellular network, a third said they were worried about the threat from muggers or thieves for those passengers brandishing mobiles on the tube. 16 per cent feared their mobile phone bills would increase.

Further criticism has come from security experts who suggest terrorists could use the network to set off explosive devices remotely using their mobile phones.

It's not known what percentage of Londoners simply dread the sound of their fellow commuters droning on endlessly about business deals, boyfriends and football!!!!.

I don't know.... this age of technology is marvellous in its own way but downright annoying and confusing in another - C'est La Vie. I myself like nothing better than a letter penned quietly and taken to its destination by carrier pigeon. Now who can I call about a once in a lifetime trip to Katmandu?.............

Till next week gang - Keep it quietly vocal and on the right number.

2011-02-23T03:22:00.000-08:00

Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it's Brian Blessed!!!!!!!!

As promised I got my picture with one of this countries most treasured celebs - HURRAH!!!

Brian had plenty to chat about on arrival to our studio and never fails to impress with his gun ho attitude. He really is larger than life and a fountain of fascinating yarns.

This week he has a hot tip for anybody out there that has a thing for the film War and Peace. Brian says to forget all other versions and get on board with the Russian epic. On wandering over to our studio he took a quick pit stop at a shop on our corner and to his booming delight he found not one but two copies of the film he has been seeking for quite a while. Glad coming to A1 steered you on such a successful path Brian!

In relating Tolstoy's complex tale of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Director Sergei Bondarchuk made some of the most graphic battle scenes ever seen, one of which runs nearly 45 minutes. According to the Guinness Book of Records, its cast of 120,000 people is a record.

Brian, much to our delight, re-enacted one of the war scenes, and got overly enthusiastic explaining that the sight of so many real soviet soldiers marching forth en masse, with no need for CGI special effects, is phenomenal. He also says that the acting is out of this world. Well you can't get a better recommendation than Blessed himself - Check it Out People.

Boisterous Brit Brian Blessed is known for his hearty, king-sized portrayals on film and TV. A giant of a man accompanied by an eloquent wit and booming, operatic voice. At a young age he displayed an acute talent for acting in school productions, but also had a penchant for boxing.

Luckily for us the boxing was taken out with one swift blow, and Brian, who managed to bag a spot at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic, was off and running. He has lent his musical talents to several productions - from playing Old Deuteronomy in Cats to The Baron in the more recent Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In the 1970s he began appearing more and more on-camera with both classical and contemporary performances.

In costumed TV movies he has played Porthos in The Three Musketeers and The Further Adventures of the Three Musketeers, Augustus in I Claudius, and Long John Silver in Treasure Island. He has also been a part of various TV re-enactments, including Catherine the Great, Lady Chatterley, The Hound of the Baskervilles and Kidnapped. On film he's appeared in robust support in several William Shakespeare adaptations including Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet and Macbeth. More recently he appeared in Oliver Stone's epic-scale Alexander and in Kenneth Branagh's film version of Shakespeare's As you Like it.

One of his famous, 'clean', quotes relates to Shakespeare: "The blue planet has had its author. It would be greedy to want another."

In much the same way I feel we have had the Booming Voice of the 20th Century and it would be greedy to hanker after another. Gawd Bless Blessed.

But not all is plain sailing for our Brian.

As a child he and his friends used to play at Flash Gordon, inspired by the Buster Crabbe TV serials. In these childhood games Brian would always play Vultan, leader of the Hawkmen. In the 1980 film Flash Gordon he played the same role as he had in childhood with his now infamous cry of “Gordon’s Alive”.

It seems to this day the film strikes a special chord into the heart of the big man and so it was that Brian Blessed allegedly 'throttled' a Savoy diner and stormed out of his speaking engagement after being told Flash Gordon was 'c**p'.

Don’t mess with the Vultan seems to be the message here and let’s be honest, Blessed is known for his straight talking. When asked whether he was looking forward to co-starring with Pamela Anderson in the pantomime Aladdin last year, he replied: ‘Pamela ****ing Anderson? I wouldn’t touch her with yours. I’ve starred alongside Sophia Loren.’

And that just about sums up this meaty, mouthy, mountain explorer who’s best friend is Patrick Stewart and thinks Ben Kingsley is a ....well I can’t repeat that particular fact I’m afraid!

A very tanned and sickeningly healthy looking Simon Greenall visited us at VOX Towers this week.
Comedy actor Simon, is probably best known for starring as Alan Partridge's Geordie friend Michael in I’m Alan Partridge.

Greenall, played a handyman working in Partridge's roadside hotel in series one and as the server in the local petrol station in the second. Alan takes a liking to Michael even though he..... canny understand a word he says like!

Simon has appeared in a wide variety of roles in television, film, radio and the theatre, and is probably best known, not only for his role as Michael, but also as the voice of headmaster Iqbal in Bromwell High.

He has also appeared in the TV series The Bill, Holby City,Harry Enfield and Chums, Monkey Dust (voice only), People Like Us, Doc Martin, and Time Gentlemen Please. His film credits include Wimbledon. He wrote for and appeared in Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show. He has also contributed his voice to the video games Dragon Quest VIII and Tomb Raider II, among several others.

What you may not realise is that Simon is the voice of Aleksandr the Meerkat, star of the series of ads for comparethemarket.com. His voice has helped increase hits on the site by 80 per cent since January. Nice work if you can get it – SIMPLES!

Next bounding her way up the stairs was the vivacious Natalie Casey. She is as bouncy and lively as her barnet of brunette curls. She wasn’t shy about coming forward and started throwing rude boy shapes around the studio when we asked for a picture. She is a live wire and let there be no mistaking!
Natalie Casey is an English actress, television presenter and singer. She is best known for her long running roles in the TV series Hollyoaks and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. She has also appeared on stage and worked as a television presenter for MTV, Channel 4 and the BBC.
At the age of three her single "Chick Chick Chicken" reached number 72 in the UK Singles Chart in 1984. This made her the youngest person ever to have a recording in the UK chart. At this time, she appeared on the BBC's Saturday Superstore and asked Boy George to take her to the toilet. Cheeky little Manchester tyke.

In the summer of 2007, Casey played "Serena Katz" in a hit run of the musical, Fame, at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and in February 2008 she began playing the role "Julia" in the pre-West End UK tour of The Wedding Singer. Her other stage credits include The Vagina Monologues, Hobson's Choice (Watermill Theatre opposite her sister Anna-Jane Casey),Flint Street Nativity, Well at the Trafalgar Studios, and the Apollo Theatre, opposite Sarah Miles and most recently "Ado Annie" in Oklahoma! at the Chichester Festival Theatre where the Telegraph reviewed her performance as a wonderfully skittish, perkily contrary Ado Annie who shines brightest and best. I guess our Natalie has the X Factor!

Natalie , is sometimes more commonly known as 'Chatty Natty', and boy can we see why, but she was lost for words as Huey Morgan, front man for the Fun Lovin' Criminals, pounced on her unannounced with a long lingering kiss in the middle of an interview on air.
Never fear for Natalie was soon back up on her MTV feet brandishing a Cheshire sized grin and completing the interview with much-a-gusto and fresh fire in her loins – OO ER!

SOHO/LONDON NEWS

SANYO PULL THE PLUG AND CHANGE LONDONS SKYLINE FOREVER!!!!

Yes it is a sad day folks, Piccadilly Circus is to get a new advertiser on its famous brightly-lit hoardings after Sanyo decided to quit.

Land Securities, are now on the look out for a big name brand to fill the gap soon to be left by the Japanese electronics giant.

Any would-be buyer is likely to have to shell out tens of millions a year to secure the spot, especially as top London tourists sites are soon likely to get more exposure than usual thanks to the London Olympics in 2012.

"This really is a very rare opportunity for a brand to become part of the London landscape," said Tim Allibone, asset manager for the London Portfolio at Land Securities.

Sanyo has been one of the main brand names on Piccadilly Circus since 1978. It is the last of the major advertisers at the Circus to stay loyal to neon as other brands have switched to LED in recent years.

So long San Friend, It will be strange not to see those famous four letters as a shining beacon but life and advertising opportunity must go on and in the words of the one and only ‘Vultan’ Blessed – who wants to live forever – DIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Till next week intrepid A1 Blog followers.