National TV Awards 2014

It's been a bit of a mental week for me, so apologies for the lack of reviews! But here we go...
Wednesday 22nd January - The National Television Awards. Only this time, I wasn't just watching in front of the TV. For the second year running I had the opportunity to work as part of the production team.

NTA Rehearsals

This year saw me step-up from being a runner and work as a Production Assistant, taking charge of the endless amount of seat-fillers needed to ensure that the floor looks full on camera. It makes it a bit tricky when Coronation Street win an award and leave over 30 seats free for me to fill with elegantly-clad, members of the public. I felt quite sorry for all those that had to listen to my voice all night, shouting over the arena noise, to instruct them on where to go and what to do. I couldn't hear a thing on the radio for the same reason, but what a great night! Full of all the adrenaline that comes with live shows!

Ant & Dec's Landmark Award Selfie

This year, I was responsible for all those entering on stage right, which gave me quite the view! Perhaps the best view, was for the Landmark Award when everything had calmed down a bit and I had got into my stride, co-ordinating those going in and out. And who can forget the view of that glorious selfie from Ant & Dec after 25yrs in the industry?! Even I was a little choked when they were struggling to hold it together! What a highlight!

Camera Rehearsals

Although this was my second year, this time I was in the Arena all day and got a chance to learn even more from all the rehearsals. I sat among an array of happy heads (celeb faces on sticks) for the purposes of camera line-ups for all the nominees and pretend winners. I even got a chance to rehearse my future NTA acceptance speech a few times, when filling in for celebs during the rehearsal. Might have to wait a while for my own though!

I have to admit, the day was made even better by the hug I got from the lovely Dermot! ;) And he is...lovely. He made sure to speak to every one of the choir from Educating Yorkshire, banter with the cameramen and runners and just generally make rehearsals a delight. Not demanding, not rude just...lovely! WHERE'S HIS AWARD?!

Musharaf: 'YES, YES, YES'

A massive moment for me was when Educating Yorkshire won 'Best Documentary Series' -rightfully so! Mr Burton ironically quite speechless managed to needlessly bend to the mic and mutter in a very Wallace & Gromit-esque way...'this is crackers', whilst Mr Mitchell thanked all of the hard-working teachers across the country that don't get the recognition that they deserve. That moment however, we were all waiting for, came right on cue. Musharaf, that timid stammering boy who found it hard to even tell people his name, strode forward to the mic with confidence and simply shouted 'YES, YES, YES'. Our Educating Yorkshire experience was made complete by that moment! TwoFour truly found a killer cast and couldn't have hoped for a better story than Musharaf!

Watching back the programme, I feel we needed a hundred more seat-fillers, for when too many of our gracious winners hit the bar early. However, with an event so huge, that has been and gone in two days as if they were never there, what a show to behold. Sam Bailey is lovely too I might add, having a bit of banter with us all about her absolute need to meet Danny Dyer. She has an amazing voice too! As does Michael Bolton, whose tone echoed around the arena effortlessly, and melted us all to the ground.

I feel the NTAs are a nice reminder of who want to be like in the industry. I want to be like Sam, like Dermot, Ant and Dec and like all those who gave gracious speeches and meant it. I will always have time for the people around me, and it's nice to know that the majority of celebrities share that too. Yes alright, there are a lot of drama queens who don't and who refuse to be held back by runners telling them they can't walk across the shot but I was a little overwhelmed with the job we'd done and those I found myself among. Strolling around the after-show party was surreal last year and it certainly didn't get any less so this year!

Massive shout out of the show though, goes to 'Call the Midwife' who totally should have got an award. Aside from that, the last thing anyone wants to do at a party is pose for a photo with a randomer but Helen George was lovely when I told her I've never really had a programme to sit down happily with my mum and my grandma to watch. Call the Midwife has become that for me. So, especially for my mum and my grandma, here's a massive shout out from myself and Helen!

The NTAs are always full of new challenges for the production team and I've loved it for the past two years! Here's (hopefully) to next year, when maybe Coronation Street will spare a thought for everyone else when they decide to sweep all the awards!!!!


Huge thanks to Indigo TV also!