WILD AT HEART 6
created by
Ashley Pharoah
Produced by Company Pictures
For ITV1
PRESS PACK
STRICTLY EMBARGOED
UNTIL 27 DECEMBER 2010
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WILD AT HEART 6
Contents
Page No
INTRODUCTION 3
HAMLEY THE GIRAFFE 4
PRODUCTION CREDITS 5-6
EPISODES 1 – 10 SYNOPSES & CAST LISTS 7 - 16
CAST INTERVIEWS
Stephen Tompkinson 17 - 18
Dawn Steele 19 - 20
Warren Clarke 21
Hayley Mills 22 - 23
Deon Stewardson 24
Olivia Scott-Taylor 25
Atandwa Kani 26 - 27
COMPANY PICTURES 28
For further information please contact Deborah Goodman Publicity
on 020 8959 9980 or publicity@dgpr.co.uk
For photography please contact Patrick Smith @ ITV Pictures
On 020 7 157 3044 or Patrick.smith@itv.com
Please register at www.readytoair.net to view WILD AT HEART 6 online
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WILD AT HEART 6
The sixth series of the hugely popular WILD AT HEART filmed against the dramatic
backdrop of South Africa returns for the New Year on ITV1. With ten new episodes,
the much loved characters and exciting wildlife face many adventures at Leopard‟s
Den.
In a series where the animals and stunning landscape share the screen with the
colourful cast headed by Stephen Tompkinson, it is a family drama that delivers on
all levels. Tompkinson plays Danny Trevanion, a British vet who emigrated with his
family to set up a veterinary hospital and game reserve in the South African bush.
A surprise location to start the series sees Danny back in London, on honeymoon
with his new wife fellow vet Alice (Dawn Steele). Danny certainly misses the call of
the wild, but Alice realises just how much she and her young daughter Charlotte have
missed Britain, which is a problem that can only grow as the series unfolds.
After their honeymoon is cut short, Robert, Danny‟s estranged father (Warren
Clarke), travels back with them to Leopard‟s Den and meets the extended family who
reside there including: gruff business partner Du Plessis (Deon Stewardson) and his
very dear wife Caroline (Hayley Mills), her rebellious teenage grand-daughter Olivia
(Olivia Scott-Taylor) and her secret boyfriend Thabo (Atandwa Kani) – and the
family‟s tame cheetah Jana.
Danny‟s aim to improve animal welfare in Africa inspires the government to appoint
him as State Vet, which sees him taking on the overall responsibility for all the
animals in the district, and immediately brings him into conflicts with humans. Life
hardly ever runs smoothly for humans or wildlife and this series sees: animal
poaching, a lion breeding programme, orphaned baby rhinos, smuggled wildlife, and
the local township being moved on by a mining company – which in turn could
jeopardise Leopard‟s Den….
Filmed on location at Glen Afric on the borders of Gauteng Province and North West
Province, the cast and production team settle in alongside their co-stars: the
unpredictable wildlife and glorious scenery.
WILD AT HEART is created by Ashley Pharoah and made by Company Pictures.
Produced in South Africa by Nick Goding, and series produced in the UK by Charlie
Hampton. Executive producers are Charles Pattinson, George Faber, John Griffin
and Ashley Pharoah; with co-executive producer Stephen Tompkinson. Series
writers include: Ashley Pharoah, Jack Williams and Chris Murray. Directors are: Paul
Harrison, Ian Barnes, Barry Berk and Maurice Phillips.
For further information and interviews please contact Deborah Goodman
on 020 8959 9980 or publicity@dgpr.co.uk
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WILD AT HEART 6
Hamley – The Giraffe
4 January 2004 – 5 November 2010
Hamley looked a long way down
At everything he knew,
His many friends were on the ground
His enemies were few.
He never hurt an earth-born soul
He walked beneath the stars.
Quixote fought his windmill wars
And Hamley fought the cars.
He squashed them two
He squashed them four
He squashed them down to flat
He didn‟t like the noisy things
They smelt bad, and that was that.
We‟ll miss you Hamley, lovely boy,
You were big but not so frightening,
A cosmic way you went out today,
A thunderbolt of lightening!
F.B
November 5 2010
This was written by Hayley Mills‟ partner Firdous Bamji the day Hamley
died.
Hamley was famous with the production team for regularly crushing the
crew‟s cars!
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WILD AT HEART 6
Production Credits
Writer Episode 1 ASHLEY PHAROAH
Writer Episode 2, 5, 6 & 10 CHRIS MURRAY
Writer Episode 3 & 7 JACK WILLIAMS
Writer Episode 4 & 8 NIALL LEONARD
Writer Episode 9 TOM GRIEVES
Created by ASHLEY PHAROAH
Director Episodes 1 - 3 PAUL HARRISON
Director Episodes 4 & 5 IAN BARNES
Director Episodes 6 & 7 BARRY BERK
Director Episodes 8 - 10 MAURICE PHILLIPS
Producer NICK GODING
Series Producer CHARLIE HAMPTON
Co-Executive Producer STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Executive Producers CHARLES PATTINSON
JOHN GRIFFIN
GEORGE FABER
ASHLEY PHAROAH
Music Composed by NORWELL & GREEN
Editors CAROLINE BLEAKLEY
NIGEL CATTLE
MELISSA PARRY
Director of Photography BUSTER REYNOLDS
Production Designer BOBBY CARDOSO
Production Manager DARREN CAMERON
Costume Designer NEIL MCCLEAN
Make-up Designer ANNI BARTELS
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SA Casting Director MOONYEENN LEE
UK Guest Casting Director (Ep 1) SOOKI MCSHANE CDG
Sound Recordist ARTHUR KOUNDOURIS
Script Editor ADRIAN BANYARD
Story Editor FAYE DORN
Location Manager ELLIOTT BORKUM
First Assistant Director‟s FERDIE BERGER
ADAM FRIEDLANDER
ANDRE WEAVIND
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 1
A bright blue sky but it‟s not South Africa it is London! Alice and Danny are on
honeymoon. Alice discovers that Danny has some final business to do before they
can return home to Africa. He‟s reluctantly arranged to meet his estranged father,
Robert, who has recently got back in touch (having been absent from Danny‟s life
since he left Danny‟s mother twenty years ago). Danny is still hostile towards his
father so Alice decides to try and improve their relationship by inviting him back to
Leopard‟s Den, much to Danny‟s chagrin.
Danny, Alice and Robert return home to South Africa to discover the Leopard‟s Den
lions have fallen victim to a mystery virus which is wiping out the pride. Danny
desperately tries to save them.
Alice‟s plan to reconcile Danny and Robert seems to be backfiring – Danny clearly
doesn‟t want his father around.
Danny discovers that his step-daughter Olivia has been seeing her ex-boyfriend
Thabo in secret, and that Thabo needs a job or will have to go back to prison.
Despite all Danny‟s efforts he is unable to save the lions and has to euthanise the
remainder of the pride. This finally brings about a reconciliation between Danny and
Robert, and Danny suggests that Robert come to live with them at Leopard‟s Den.
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Robert WARREN CLARKE
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Buhle NAIMA MCLEAN
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Vanessa MARRY-ANNE BARLOW
David THABO RAMETSI
Cashile KAGISO LEGOADI
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 2
Danny is throwing himself into his work after the death of his father, and has applied
for the role of State Vet. However, Danny‟s attempts to involve Thabo in the first
phase of the Lion Breeding Project lead to Du Plessis feeling like an outsider in his
own home.
A young geologist, Jonas arrives to map the local area including Leopard‟s Den.
Petrified of animals, Jonas falls foul to Du Plessis‟s bad mood when (convinced
Jonas is prospecting for gold or oil) Du Plessis leaves him stranded in the bush.
Danny is livid with Du Plessis, pointing out that keeping Jonas happy might also help
Danny get the job of State Vet.
When Du Plessis is indirectly responsible for a baboon biting Alice on the hand, he
takes it as affirmation that he‟s no longer needed at Leopard‟s Den. However when
the baboon returns to wreak havoc on the animal hospital and hurts a lion cub,
injured Alice has to turn to Du Plessis for help. With Danny away at his interview,
Alice has to show Du Plessis how to operate and in doing so, he realises he might
not be so useless after all.
With the lionesses accustomed to the new males that Danny has brought in, it‟s time
to release the new pride of lions onto Leopard‟s Den land.
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Buhle NAIMA MCLEAN
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Cashile KAGISO LEGOADI
Junior SITHOKOMELE MAJOLA
Jonas Rittman BRYAN VAN NIEKERK
Cebile ABIGAIL KUBEKA
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 3
It is Danny‟s first day as State Vet and when he helps rescue some smuggled
animals he feels he‟s making a difference. However, he discovers the role isn‟t going
to be all plain sailing when it looks like one of the sick animals, a cheetah is going to
be put down because there are no rehabilitation centres in the province. Rather than
let that happen Danny brings her back to Leopard‟s Den for treatment. Danny is
horrified to discover that his neighbour Vanessa was going to buy the cheetah
illegally, even though she insists she didn‟t know it was smuggled. Against Alice‟s
advice, Danny decides to fine Vanessa – friend or not he has to be impartial, even
though she‟s struggling to keep Mara afloat.
Thabo is settling into Leopard‟s Den life well – he and Du Plessis are forging a strong
friendship and his relationship with Olivia is flourishing. However, the arrival of his
delinquent older brother, Lungile, could threaten everything Thabo has worked for.
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Buhle NAIMA MCLEAN
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Vanessa MARY-ANNE BARLOW
Matthew YONDA THOMAS
Richard ROBERT FINLAYSON
Lungile ANTHONY OSEYEMI
Police Officer MKHULU SKENJANA
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 4
Danny‟s first big project as State Vet is a major animal translocation, and he is
desperate to impress.
Whilst Alice is out in the bush treating an injured zebra, she is stalked by lions. She
just makes it back to her jeep in time but is badly shaken up.
Danny‟s first day of the translocation goes well, culminating in him discovering a rare
white-tailed mongoose which he brings back to Leopard‟s Den. Alice downplays her
near miss with the lions because she doesn‟t want him to worry – he has enough on
his plate.
Caroline and Du Plessis are taking some guests out for a camping trip into the bush.
Du Plessis is determined to show Caroline the „real Africa‟ and she‟s determined she
can rough it with the best of them…. but the novelty soon wears off!
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Vanessa MARY-ANNE BARLOW
Barry PIERRE BREYTENBACH
Mr. Patterson DAVID DENNIS
James MUTODI NESHEHE
Farmer TAU MASERUMULE
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 5
Alice is still suffering from a loss of nerve after her close shave with the lions and so
Danny tries to help her overcome her problems – the Leopard‟s Den lions have
produced their first cub and he needs Alice back in the saddle.
Danny‟s attention is divided when he discovers that distracted Olivia has failed her
exams.
Strange things are occurring at Leopard‟s Den – a mirror cracks for no reason, some
animals are found miles away from their normal habitat and there are dead
crocodiles at both Leopard‟s Den and Mara. What can be causing these strange
phenomena?
Du Plessis is missing Caroline, who is visiting family in the UK, and in her absence
takes it upon himself to try and run the household. While he is tidying up, he finds a
pregnancy test…but to whom does it belong to?!
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Vanessa MARY-ANNE BARLOW
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
Junior SITHOKOMELE MAJOLA
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 6
In his role as State Vet, Danny works with wealthy conservationist, Anton Ziegler, to
catch a group of leopard hunters. We discover Ziegler is also buying a tiger from
Vanessa, who still struggling with her finances, desperately needs the money to
ensure Mara‟s future.
Du Plessis is distraught to discover that the mining company want to buy Leopard‟s
Den in order to build an access road through their land. They have also made an
offer for Mara, but Danny and Vanessa go to see Peeters and reject both the offers –
neither are for sale at any price.
However, when Danny learns that Vanessa‟s tiger died shortly after arriving at
Zeigler‟s, it looks like Vanessa might lose the much needed money from the sale,
putting her hopes of keeping Mara in jeopardy. And just how did the tiger die…..?
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Vanessa MARY-ANNE BARLOW
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 7
Du Plessis has started a one man campaign of vandalism against the new
neighbours at Mara; Peeters and the mining company.
When Peeters catches him on CCTV, Du Plessis is fined and given a restraining
order to keep him away from Mara. Danny is angry with Du Plessis, the fine means
they can‟t buy Liv the car she wanted for her 18 th birthday the next day. However,
Alice tries to mediate and suggests Du Plessis uses one of his contacts to get Liv a
car. So Du Plessis and Fatani go on a little adventure that could lose both Liv‟s new
car and their trousers!
Alice and Danny release an injured rooikat which Danny had tagged with a GPS
tracker when he was State Vet. When Peeters asks him to take a look at some of
the animals at Mara, Danny flatly refuses, he won‟t help his enemy. However, Alice
feels torn and on discovering a dead baby elephant savaged by hyenas on Mara
land, she realises that the environment is out of kilter and they must relocate some of
the hyena or risk other animals being attacked. When Danny discovers Alice has
gone behind his back, he‟s livid.
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 8
Du Plessis comes to meet Caroline‟s plane but he doesn‟t seem happy – he has
seen that the mining company have already started building the road which threatens
Leopard‟s Den.
With only a couple of days until the court case that will decide their fate, Caroline
wants to know what they can do to stop the mining company. Danny reveals that he
has applied for Leopard‟s Den to become a Protected Environment, which will
prevent any development of their land – and invites the National Parks assessor,
Leona Bloem, to Leopard‟s Den,
Privately Caroline and Du Plessis decide to take matters into their own hands.
Caroline decides to apply for the job of Peeters‟ PA. While undercover, she‟ll see
what she can find out about the mining company‟s plans. Du Plessis‟s attempts at
sabotaging the construction of the road by putting snakes in the JCBs which leads to
a sequence of unfortunate events – in the lead up to the court case!
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 9
The family are making arrangements to leave Leopard‟s Den, all except Du Plessis
who is steadfastly refusing to accept that he has lost his home. He won‟t use his
share of the money from the sale of the land to buy somewhere else - so Danny and
Alice have been unable to find somewhere new to live.
They all move into Fatani‟s bar temporarily and Danny reaches an agreement with
Peeters to set up a field hospital in the bush near to Leopard‟s Den, until all their
animals have been re-homed. Du Plessis takes this to mean that they are claiming
squatters‟ rights and he enthusiastically sets to work setting up camp.
Peeters calls Danny and Alice to deal with a black leopard that has been trapped by
Kane, Mara‟s head ranger. The animal has seriously injured itself and Danny and
Alice bring it to the field hospital for treatment.
Living at Fatani‟s isn‟t an ideal arrangement for anyone and when Jana the cheetah,
bites an overzealous customer a row sees the family moving out to join Du Plessis in
his camp out in the bush. As night falls, and the electricity generator suddenly fails –
danger is all around them in the bush……
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
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WILD AT HEART 6
Episode 10
The family have been squatting at Leopard‟s Den as they prepare to make their last
stand to prevent the bulldozers from destroying their home. Du Plessis and Fatani
bring elephants and a giraffe to dissuade the construction crew from moving in and a
stand off ensues - until Peeters arrives with an eviction order.
As the bulldozers start to crush the animal pens the family try and stop them. In the
ensuing chaos, Caroline is arrested by the police and Jana, the cheetah, rushes in to
protect her. The police react and to everyone‟s horror, they shoot Jana….
With rhino poachers out in force, Caroline‟s wounds infected and the distruction of
Leopard‟s Den imminent – is their perfect world falling apart…….
Will Danny realize he‟s still needed in Africa or will the family return to the UK……
Danny Trevanion STEPHEN TOMPKINSON
Alice Trevanion DAWN STEELE
Anders Du Plessis DEON STEWARDSON
Caroline HAYLEY MILLS
Olivia Adams OLIVIA SCOTT-TAYLOR
Fatani THAPELO MOKOENA
Nomsa NOMSA XABA
Charlotte TARRYN FAYE BRUMMAGE
Thabo ATANDWA KANI
Christian Peeters DAVID BUTLER
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WILD AT HEART 6
Stephen Tompkinson (Danny)
TELL US WHAT‟S IN STORE FOR DANNY THIS SEASON
Danny‟s now married to the love of his life Alice, and they are very solid in their
relationship. There‟s none of that will they won‟t they, everything is running very
smoothly for them and in the first episode we join them on honeymoon in London.
While they‟re there his astranged father Robert, gets in touch - so that throws Danny
off kilter, and he‟s very mistrustful of him. Then Alice invites his Dad out to Africa!
Danny‟s also progressing in terms of his ambition because his confidence has grown
from living in Africa, so he wants to try to make a difference, and he goes up for the
job of State Vet, which would mean he could take his skills onto the next level.
HAVE YOU WORKED WITH WARREN CLARKE BEFORE?
We haven‟t delved into Danny‟s past before so it was nice to see a bit of back history
and absolutely delightful that it was dear Warren Clarke who got to play my dad!
The second TV series I ever did was called The Manageress with Cherie Lunghi
about the female manager of a top flight division football team and Warren was
playing the chairman of the football club and I was one of the footballers! Warren was
someone who was a great professional to learn from and he‟s a fabulous character
as well so I was delighted he was available to come and have a play with us.
WHAT‟S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE IN FILMING SO FAR THIS SEASON?
Actually one that we filmed yesterday (Ep 10). It‟s a scene between Dup and Danny
– and Danny‟s pushed over the edge with Dup‟s behaviour and he lets him have it
with both barrels – not cruelly. It was like a spat between Stan and Ollie so it was
great fun and the crew really enjoyed it and Deon and I were both behaving like
hysterical old women!
HOW DO YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH THE ANIMALS?
It‟s always such a treat to work with them, to get so up close and personal -
especially with the big cats. We had a lioness and they are just such magnificent
beasts, to put your hand on them while they‟re breathing is something that I never tire
of. Nor do I tire of the assistance of our animal wrangler Vicky Brooker and vet
advisor Paul Bartel, because they bring the magic to everything, guide me and have
given me a lot of confidence.
HAS THERE BEEN A SCENE THAT YOU REMEMBER PARTICULARLY WITH THE
ANIMALS THIS YEAR?
In episode 2 we had a geologist character, who‟s coming to do a survey of the area
but he‟s terrified of animals. Dup‟s abandoned him out in the bush so Danny goes to
rescue him and we find him up a tree. My only line was that “it‟s not the best escape
route from a giraffe”….. and Hamley the giraffe, just walked up and started licking his
knee caps and head, so we just started filming – it worked brilliantly! It was the first
scene that Warren came to visit and he said that isn‟t it a marvelous set because it‟s
so organic working with the animals and round the animals – but then again Hamley
always did take over...!
AND HAMLEY?
The cast got together to get t-shirts for everyone which say “We knew a giraffe called
Hamley” because everyone does feel like they knew Hamley. Every crew member
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has a story about him because he was just the most unique personable animal. I‟m
very fortunate that my dressing room has a balcony because every morning he would
just rest his head up there and I‟d pat him. We have all lost a friend.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
I think the remarkable almost miraculous turnaround in political and social history
since Nelson Mandela‟s release and the „positivity‟ and energy. The crew always
humbles me and inspires me to do my best because they work so hard - and that‟s
just the best. It‟s all our crews‟ energy: it‟s black, it‟s white and they consider
themselves South Africans, „new‟ South Africans so its been wonderful to be part of.
WHEN YOU‟RE BACK IN THE UK WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
The animals, I dream about them quite a lot. It‟s not like you take it for granted while
you‟re here. I think the more time you spend with them, the more immersed and
interested you get. So it‟s them more than anything and the fact that they‟ve been
there longer than man has. They only really make sense when they‟re in the
environment that they should be in - where these bizarre and amazing camouflages
all work…….I mean zebras, it‟s fascinating!
WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE UK?
Well I haven‟t had an English summer for the last 6 years or a birthday which is in
October, and Daisy‟s (his daughter) birthday I keep missing as well so that‟s tough.
So that‟s what I‟ve missed the most for the last 6 years…
DO FAMILY AND FRIENDS COME OUT TO VISIT YOU?
Oh yes, yes, yes, yes and you know Daisy has been out every year and grown up
with a lot of the animals so it‟s lovely.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
I have different favourites at different times. I think the elephants fascinate me the
most, just because of their size and their power and because there‟s something sort
of something quite Dinosaur-esk about them and they‟re just beautiful. I love
elephants.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY TIME AT WEEKENDS TO TRAVEL IN SOUTH AFRICA?
I did a couple of trips to Cape Town and a trip to Durban but usually it‟s only the one
day off and I try and hibernate as much as possible. It‟s a beautiful place to sit and
watch the world go by and recharge the batteries.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP TIP FOR SURVIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA?
A hat. Always wear a hat because of the sun. Deon‟s hat is my favourite hat – you
can always recognise him just by his hat!
HAVE YOU LEARNED ANY AFRICANS OR ANY OF THE LANGUAGES?
None that I could repeat because its all been taught by the crew - usually when
they‟re watching rugby!!!
Stephen will be starring in a new play Faith, from February 2011, at the Live
Theatre Newcastle.
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WILD AT HEART 6
Dawn Steele (Alice)
TELL US WHAT‟S IN STORE FOR ALICE THIS SEASON
Well we start off with Alice and Danny on their honeymoon – in London! So they‟ve
already married and are very settled. Then Alice has a crisis of confidence in her
veterinary skills so that‟s one of her major story lines this year.
YOU SEEM AMAZINGLY CONFIDENT WORKING WITH THE ANIMALS.
Yeah it does surprise me. You think oh its fine, you know, I‟ve got a dog but the
reality is actually they‟re bigger than my dog – and wild! You just have to be really
confident with them. If you‟re nervous, I think they can sense that, and you just can‟t
be because you wouldn‟t be able to do play the scenes.
This season we‟ve had these tiny cats called genits who cut me to shreds! Then a
black leopard and baby crocodiles who were brilliant! I thought they‟d be like
snapping all over the place, but actually they were very sweet - at that size!
So every day is a different animal and a different challenge. I love all of the veterinary
work - I like doing all the operations and the stitches! Stephen hates doing the
stitching so I always end up doing the stitching in the scenes. I‟m actually totally
rubbish at it, it looks like a really bad patchwork, but you have to look very confident
because the camera is on you, and you‟ve got to look like “hey, I‟ve been stitching for
years”, when actually I know nothing about it! Sometimes we have to say quite big
veterinary terminology but it‟s nothing compared, to watching Greys Anatomy and I‟m
like how do they learn to speak all that and operate at the same time?!
WHATS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE THIS SEASON?
I really enjoyed doing episodes 4 and 5 as they are big episodes for my character so
you always enjoy the ones that you have a lot to do in! Alice gets a scare from a lion.
Before she‟s always been confident and strong so acting wise that was really great.
Alice is chased by lions, and I had to do all this action stuff. The camera was actually
on a quad bike and the director said to the crew just go as fast as you can on the
quad bike and Dawn will keep up with you! So I had to really belt it - which you would
if you were running away from lions! So then I jump in the jeep and a lion pounces on
top of the bonnet. The crew were all in a safety cage and I wasn‟t! I was in the jeep
on my own and they were throwing bits of meat onto the bonnet!!
ANY FUNNY SCENES WITH THE ANIMALS?
We did have a pig called Woogly that Atandwa (who plays Thabo) had to hold and it
did a massive pee on him! I must admit he was the noisiest animal we‟ve had and
very funny.
WHAT‟S YOU FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
It was Hamley and nothing will be quite like him. I really like the Warthogs especially
the baby ones, they are very, very small and very, very cute. I‟ve been working with
Selati, the leopard who I got to bottle feed last year and she‟s huge now – and she‟s
pretty extraordinary. She‟s just so beautiful.
WHAT‟S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
In every way it is big. The people, the food portions, the animals, the weather, the
extreme weather: it doesn‟t just rain, it RAINS – and the lightening. That lightening
storm, when Hamley died, really brought it home to me what this country is about.
You know it‟s a harsh, but amazing country and the people are fantastic. There are
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problems in the country but it really does have everything. Oh and where we film the
quietness and stillness of Africa.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
I love it out here. I‟ll miss all the crew, yeah, you‟re gonna make me cry!
WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE UK WHEN YOU‟RE HERE?
My dog for a start, that‟s one of the main things. I miss not being able to walk to the
shop and get a newspaper, just wee simple things that you take for granted at home
and especially in London with everything on your doorstep. After 6 months of being
here I miss the cold and it‟s so unlike me to say that because I‟m such a beach baby!
I look forward to going home and it being Christmas time and we‟ll have snow in
Scotland.
WHAT CAN‟T YOU LIVE WITHOUT WHILST IN SOUTH AFRICA?
This is going to sound really silly but there‟s a bar of exfoliating soap that I get from
Lush and its called Buffy the Backside Slayer - and I‟m kind of addicted to it! So
whenever I‟ve got visitors coming out, I get them to bring out a bar because it goes
quite quickly!
SO DO FAMILY AND FRIENDS COME OUT TO SOUTH AFRICA?
I‟ve been inundated with friends who have loved visiting - and I can‟t actually wait to
have a week on my own (laughs)! It‟s great having people out and being able to show
them where I work – and they are blown away by the country and the animals and
the people.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY TIME AT WEEKENDS TO TRAVEL IN SOUTH AFRICA?
I loved the Garden Route but it rained constantly. It was just like Scotland! I was
driving up the road thinking this is like driving up the A9 to the Highlands which I have
done many a time because of Monarch! But it‟s just these amazing huge green
forests. It was just gorgeous and a country of such contrasts.
WHATS YOUR TOP TIP FOR SURVIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA?
Take it easy. It ain‟t London, and it takes you a while to get into the way of life here.
But on set, we go at a pace like nobody‟s business! Just in general, the pace of life is
a lot slower, you don‟t worry about things as much as we do back at home.
Dawn will be on national tour in the Agatha Christie play The Verdict from 13
January 2011, opening at the Theatre Royal Windsor – www.kenwright.com
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WILD AT HEART 6
Warren Clarke (Robert) EPISODE ONE ONLY
WHAT CHARACTER DO YOU PLAY AND TELL US ABOUT HIM?
I play his dad Robert. We meet in London whilst Danny is on his honeymoon. They
haven‟t spoken for along time – not since he walked out on Danny‟s mum. He‟s a
retired doctor. But he desperately wants to start building relationship with his son
again.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE JOINING SUCH A WELL ESTABLISHED SERIES?
Lots of fun! I had a great time out in South Africa, it was absolutely brilliant. Sure
everyone says that but it was really fantastic! It was great being out there as I hadn‟t
been out there for a few years. Previously I‟d been on a holiday to Cape Town and I‟d
also made a movie in Zimbabwe Mandela. We couldn‟t film it in South Africa at the
time. I played Swannepool who was the horrible big chief in the police and Danny
Glover played Mandela.
HAVE YOU WORKED WITH ANY OF THE CAST BEFORE?
I have worked with Stephen before. We did The Manageress before. I was the
chairman of the club and he was a star player. Stephen then did an episode of
Dalziel & Pascoe. Hayley and I knew each other from way back socially, so it was
really nice and a lot of fun to work with her. When I was a young lad seeing her in the
movies and I used to think I would love to work with her one day and here we are out
in South Africa!
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SOUTH AFRICA?
It is an amazing place. Stunning scenery. It‟s just so big. Incredible: you just look out
of the car window. It really has been interesting for me to go back – but I wish I‟d
been filming out here while world cup was on - but we missed it by a month!
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE THING IN SOUTH AFRICA?
Meeting everyone‟s friend – Hamley. And then to find out that he had been killed was
devastating. He was just an amazing creature. Like a 25 foot dog following you
around! Putting his head through the window into the make-up room; and if you
ignored scratching his nose, his long black tongue would come out and lick you.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF GLEN AFRIC AND LEOPARD‟S DEN?
Glen Afric is a working farm / reserve. But it was one massive film set out in the bush!
All just so close to the elephants, zebra and lions, we were immersed in it every day.
It was a wonderful experience. Stephen took me to meet the elephants, Three
(named after the crate she arrived in!) and her babies Hannah and Marty. Then you
see the wonderful Leopard‟s Den, the set of the house is brilliant. It all puts you right
in the mood and was a wonderful experience.
WHAT WAS THE ONE THING YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU TO S AFRICA?
I always take photos of my wife and daughter so they are constantly with me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
It‟s got to be Hamley. It will always be Hamley.
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WILD AT HEART 6
Hayley Mills (Caroline)
TELL ME ABOUT CAROLINE THIS SEASON?
The relationship between Caroline and Dup has really developed. There‟s a lot of
humour and a lot of real affection. When Caroline first appeared in the series she
was not interested in animals, they were all rather smelly; and little by little this life
and experiences, and Dup, have broken her resistance down and now she totally
loves it!
WHAT‟S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE THIS SEASON?
We‟ve had some really good stuff to do. I do a lot of my scenes with Deon and he‟s
such fun to work with. He has tremendous energy and speaks his mind. We had a
scene where we go camping, when we have guests that Dup takes out on safari.
He‟s got a rather low opinion of Caroline‟s ability to rough it so that‟s a red rag to a
bull for her! So she joins him in the bush and he really tries to up the anti. So that
was fun sleeping out with just a blanket on the ground and rocks underneath us! It
was an all night shoot, which included walking through the bush with torches looking
for snakes. Luckily neither Caroline, nor myself, are frightened of snakes. I had to
pick up this huge python, you had to flex your muscles to pick it up!
HOW IS FILMING WITH THE WILD LIFE?
There are animals around us all the time. The other day we were filming in the
township and a warthog and her babies turned up. They were tiny, only a couple of
days old, just amazing.
But the main thing that really focused everyone‟s attention this year was the terrible
death of Hamley. That was really devastating, it effected everybody as he had made
contact with everybody because he was genuinely interested and curious.
You know, I never thought that I would adore a giraffe. He used to watch filming, he
used to stand behind the camera and watch. Then he‟d wander off in the middle of
your scene and you‟d feel really disappointed because you felt that you weren‟t
acting well, if you lost his attention!
He didn‟t like cars very much. Well, either he didn‟t like them or it amused him how
the humans behaved when he stamped on them and bent them!
He‟d always try and put his tongue up your trouser legs too – or at least mine!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
I love the land, the vast distances, the mountains and the sky – that is Africa. When I
go back London and to your little house and it‟s all so small, you feel like a little
mouse. And that‟s what I miss, the expanse of this gigantic sky. I mean it is
absolutely wonderful and to be working in a country of such great beauty and
struggle because life is a struggle here, whether you‟re a human being or an animal,
whether you‟re black or white. I don‟t want to get too philosophical but this country
has been through so much in its recent history, it‟s coming through so well. I care and
hope that it will continue to.
HOW DO YOU ENJOY FILMING WILD AT HEART?
This job is amazing. To come here 5 or 6 months a year to this beautiful place and
work with a lovely, lovely group of people and they become like a family. This is my
5th year, and you know the ropes, you know the routine. There‟s something about the
series, the story is the animals, and I think the writing has got great integrity. They‟re
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writing about real people with a lot of the stories based on real stories because
they‟ve talked our animal wrangler Vicky Brooker and to local vets.
WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE UK?
My family. My kids, their kids and if I could just transport them all, I‟d stay here
forever!
WHAT‟S YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
I have to say a giraffe. I really do because I actually fell in love with a giraffe –
Hamley.
I adore and admire lions and I still can‟t get over the awesome experience of actually
being close to a lion.
I‟ve witnessed a kill (and even for me, a vegetarian, it was stunning to behold). We
watched these lions, 2 males and 2 females, with our mouths‟ just hanging open. The
impala rushed at us which was amazing as they are so small and light and graceful
and they seemed to fly because they hit the ground so briefly, and they bounce as
though on trampolines. They just flew, maybe about 20 of them and this lioness was
crouched and just leapt as one of the impala flew by. It was dead in an instant.
WHAT‟S YOUR TOP TIP FOR SURVIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA?
Drink an enormous amount of water because if you don‟t you just dry up. You
dehydrate so quickly even if you‟re not in the sun - and it‟s good for you to drink a lot
of water anyway.
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WILD AT HEART 6
Deon Stewardson (Dup)
SO HOW HAVE THE PAST 6 YEARS BEEN FOR YOU?
Completely life changing. It‟s like a dream come true. When you act every day for
half a year you learn to be a lot bloody better - I find it much easier now! This is
exactly the kind of thing one needs to improve you as an actor but also for financial
stability – so, on many levels I‟m grateful
TELL US WHAT‟S IN STORE FOR ANDERS DU PLESSIS THIS SEASON
Well, same old same old Dup you know he just struggles on in between what‟s going
on! It‟s great playing him. When we first started the series I thought very carefully
about Dup. I‟d done a play called Softer than Rock and the character was just like
Dup except he was a racist so I just took that racism out of the character and worked
on Dup from there. Dup‟s a straight forward Afrikaner - and Afrikaners have
principals. You‟re allowed to steal from the bank but you don‟t steal from each other!
There are very definite rules and I‟ve tried to be very true to him.
He‟s crazy about Caroline (Hayley Mills). I mean he never thought he‟d find anybody
else again. You know Dup is either all or nothing - and it‟s all for him, he will do
anything for her, he‟d go to the ends of the earth, no problem you know.
HOW IS FILMING AT GLEN AFRIC FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR?
I bring my girlfriend, Mariana, my dog Oliver, my cat Madison, everything! I‟ve got the
most fabulous dog in the world - and it makes a big difference when you can come
home each night and everyone‟s there!
WHAT‟S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE FILMING THIS SEASON
A very, very funny scene because Stephen‟s character Danny screams and shouts at
me and Stephen is so funny on set, you can‟t not laugh. I kept laughing. (This is also
the same scene that Stephen picks as his favourite in his interview!).
TELL US ABOUT HAMLEY?
Hamley killed us all, he was always our buddy. I can cry right now - we‟ve known him
for 6 years man. One morning, I woke up at Glen Afric where I was staying in one of
the cottages by the water and there‟s Hamley. He just walks over to where I‟m
standing taking in the scenery and he puts his head on my shoulder! I mean I‟m
standing with a giraffe‟s head on my shoulder... this is the ridiculous person he was!
WHAT‟S YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH
I think the elephant must be pretty close. An elephant if he opens its mouth, offer it
an orange and you squeeze it all over its tongue and you can just see him getting all
that flavour and see him going yum! You must touch an elephants tongue; it‟s the
softest, softest thing!
WHERE DO YOU LIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA?
I‟ve moved out and I live in the middle of the desert in a place called Aberdeen on the
Eastern Cape. It‟s beautiful; I‟ve got a B&B there, which I haven‟t opened yet. I don‟t
want somebody else running it because you want to create an atmosphere and build
up a cliental. So that‟s my plan for the future, when Wild At Heart is finished I‟ll open
it – my retirement plan!
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WILD AT HEART 6
Olivia Scott-Taylor (Olivia)
TELL US ABOUT OLIVIA THIS SEASON.
This series it‟s more about what‟s happening to the family as a whole. Last season
she had a bit of a rough time settling in. But this time she‟s much more settled - and
has a boyfriend, Thabo, which is great! Atandwa (Kani) and I get on really well so it
makes working with him very easy. Olivia‟s doing her A level exams which have gone
really badly for her. So she‟s going through all those typical teenage angsts really. It‟s
kind of what I‟ve been going through in my life too – well the A levels anyway! Luckily
I did better in my results than Olivia my character did! It‟s quite confusing having the
same name as my character!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE?
Ooh that‟s a tough one. I liked her birthday scenes they were fun to do. I‟ve just
turned 19 in October, and my character Olivia turned 18. And we actually filmed
these birthday scenes on my real birthday! And so everyone was saying “Happy
Birthday” to my character, and I was saying “it really is my birthday too!” At least I got
a cake – even though it had the wrong age on!
WHAT‟S IT LIKE WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH THE ANIMALS?
I love working with the animals. Jana the cheetah is lovely (who‟s called Bovril in real
life – and is actually a boy – and Jana is supposed to be a girl!). It‟s been so hot he
hasn‟t wanted to cooperate in some of the scenes. As soon as he sees the shade he
just goes and lies down – which is absolutely right! This one scene, the animal
wranglers just couldn‟t get him to sit down or play ball! So we went for a take, and I
just scratched Jana, and he settled down in my lap and rested on me. It was perfect
and made the scene – I was so proud!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
I love the warthogs, they have such amazing personalities. And, of course, Hamley,
he was the most incredible animal and such a part of the show.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
The weather and the people are so lovely. I love everything about the country. I
basically love Wild At Heart!
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT THE UK WHEN YOU ARE OUT HERE?
I miss shopping! I miss my friends and miss my dogs! And the one thing I bring out is
Weetabix - the cereal just isn‟t the same out in South Africa!
DO YOUR FAMILY VISIT YOU?
My mum‟s been here the whole time this season, and my dad has managed to visit
too. Last year I was underage so legally needed someone, but this year my mum
was able to come out which was lovely. Getting up at 4am and filming 13 hour days,
it‟s so good to come home to mum, it gives you a balance.
TOP TIP SURVIVINBG SOUTH AFRICA?
Drink lots of water when working out in the sun. Oh and don‟t wear open shoes! A lot
of my costumes are open sandals and I‟m constantly getting covered in scratches
and tripping up in the bush – I‟ve made that part of my character now though!
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WILD AT HEART 6
Atandwa Kani (Thabo)
WHAT‟S HAPPENING TO THABO THIS SEASON
We saw Thabo in a young offenders prison last season and he visited Leopard‟s Den
on a day release. He‟s a young guy who is misunderstood, who tried impress the
wrong people and turned the wrong way. He‟s not really that bad boy and we see a
soft and kind guy this season. But Thabo‟s brother comes on the scene and that is
totally bad news.
This season Thabo starts working near Leopard‟s Den and so meets up with Olivia
(Olivia Scott-Taylor) again, and immediately all those sparks come back! And goes
for a job on the farm as a sort of apprentice to Danny. So their relationship is tested,
but it could be that Thabo becomes part of the family!! He wants to build up their trust
in him.
WHAT‟S IT LIKE WORKING ON WILD AT HEART?
I‟ve always watched Wild at Heart at home and I‟ve always wondered how it would
feel to be there as there is a real sense of family. So when I came here it was just
really nerve wracking because everybody had that solid bond, but everyone
welcomed me with open arms. It‟s really warm - you feel there‟s a sense of the father
(Stephen) and the mother (Dawn) not literally but there‟s that real family - and then
there‟s the grandfather (Deon)! It was really easy!
IS YOUR HAIR YOUR OWN?!
This is my own real hair! Yes it is it‟s all mine (laughs)! I‟ve been growing it for 6
years!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SCENE THIS YEAR?
Wow, you can‟t really plug it down! It‟s really been exciting. I thought my favourite
was the first episode when I come back and meet Olivia, and then it was the third
episode when I had a brother, and then it just carries on every episode there‟s
something new happening and my list just gets bigger and bigger and bigger….but
umm all the kissing scenes are nice, I‟ve got to say that (laughs)!
Olivia and I get on brilliantly in real life too. She‟s a great person, she‟s so funny
which I really like in people. I like people who can make me laugh because I often act
the clown and make other people laugh! She is a wonderful person and we joke
around a lot so it makes it easier when we have sort of really emotional hectic
scenes.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY FUN SCENES WITH THE ANIMALS?
I loved working with a piglet, a tiny little pig called Woogly. And Dawn knows him as
we did a scene together – he‟s the cutest, cutest thing, makes the loudest, loudest
noise! He‟s a little black pig, and you scratch its‟ belly to keep it calm and that‟s what
we did and fed him a lot of milk and he‟s brilliant during the scene. He was a very
good actor that Woogly – even if he did wee on me!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA?
My favourite thing is the landscape. It‟s weird, people from overseas think that we are
used to the landscape because we live here! Getting to set in the morning and seeing
the sunrise and the sunset just always takes my breath away.
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH?
Growing up it‟s always been a lion. But now: a silverback gorilla. They are majestic,
huge with a lot of power but very gentle and agile.
WHAT IS YOUR TOP TIP FOR SURVIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA?
Just be open to any possibilities - and it‟s usually good stuff. Especially on set don‟t
be scared to try new things!
YOU COME FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN ACTING DYNASTY?
My father in John Kani. We have a great relationship and established it so there‟s a
point where it‟s father / son or actor / actor. So at home, I‟m the son who is obeying
the father, and he‟s the father and the husband. We worked together for the first time
on The Tempest, and every time we were in the building, he couldn‟t step over his
boundary – until we got to the parking lot, and he‟d throw the keys at me and like
ahhhhh finally I get to tell you what to do - drive the car home! A lot of people ask
how it is in the shadow of such a great legend but I say “why am I so special as to be
singled out”? Every young actor is in the shadow of this giant, and we want to be
where he‟s at – he just happens to be my dad.
WHAT‟S NEXT FOR YOU?
Working with a friend of mine, Nathaniel Ramabulana, we‟ve got two shows that
we‟ve written and we‟ve started performing. One is called ID Pending and the other
one‟s called Hayani. We are taking them on tour round South Africa in 2011 and
hopefully overseas. I am also in the South African series Soul Buddies which is very
popular out here.
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WILD AT HEART 6
Company Pictures
Company Pictures is one of the UK‟s largest independent film and television drama
production companies.
Established in 1998 television production highlights include Elizabeth I (winner of
three Golden Globes), all eight series of Shameless (Channel 4: BAFTA and RTS
Awards), Wild at Heart six series (ITV), Skins four series for E4/ Channel 4,Talk to
Me, Mansfield Park, The Palace for ITV1and this, the fourth series of Inspector
George Gently for BBC1. Recent Company productions include: The Take (Sky
One), Einstein and Eddington starring David Tennant (BBC1/ HBO), Generation Kill
(HBO), The Devil’s Whore (Channel 4).
In the past Company Pictures productions include: The Lakes by Jimmy McGovern,
A Young Person’s Guide to Being a Rock Star (RTS award Best Serial) for Channel 4
and Warner Bros, North Square (Channel 4: winner Best Series Press Guild), Not
Only But Always (Channel 4: BAFTA winner for Rhys Ifans Best Actor), The Rotters’
Club (BBC), and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (HBO: winner of two Golden
Globe Awards for Best TV Movie, Best Actor for Geoffrey Rush and 15 Emmies).
Company has made five feature films with some of the UK‟s leading directing talent
including films by Roger Michell, Stephen Hopkins, Penny Woolcock, Shane
Meadows and Lynne Ramsay.
Among its numerous awards, Company Pictures won Best Independent Production
Company at the 2005 and 2008 Broadcast Awards and the European Producers of
the Year Award at the 2004 Monte Carlo Awards.
Since October 2004 Company Pictures has been a part of the All3 Media group.
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