On Thursday night this week (25th September), I watched a lovely program on BBC 2 with the title of this post. It turned out that the program was indeed marvellous and this post was duly inspired.
Normally at 9pm on a Thursday, I’d be watching “Who Do You Think You Are?”; in fact Reggie Yates was featured this week. This Thursday though, the one off, fact based drama about the life of Neil Baldwin was essential viewing.
If you are wondering why – well my Dad is Neil Baldwin (although he’s not the same one) and following a family naming tradition, my middle name is Neil too. How could I not tune in? Maybe this Neil is even family.
Here’s what “What’s On TV” printed by way of a review “ – a man with learning difficulties who has worked as a circus clown and a kit man for Stoke City (football club) and was awarded an honorary degree by Keele University in recognition of his contributions to campus life.”
And there’s another parallel, I spent a few good years of my life in Staffordshire; I didn’t go to Keele but I did study at Staffordshire University and lived in Stoke on Trent.
The role of Neil Baldwin was played by Toby Jones; he did a terrific job of portraying a simple soul that could have found life quite hard to manage but instead won people over, made friends everywhere he went and is something of a celebrity in his home town. Think Staffordshire’s very own Forrest Gump.
Watching Neil dealing with the challenges that his life threw at him and making his way in the world seemingly oblivious to his impairments, was truly heart-warming. He achieved some astonishing things when he set his mind to them.
The makers of the drama worked in some great appearances from the actual people the actors were playing – you saw Neil Baldwin talking to Toby Jones, Lou Macari (manager of Stoke City when Neil looked after the kit) talking to Tony Curran (who was playing the role of Lou), you even saw the real Neil Baldwin with the real Lou Macari. Potentially confusing but clever too.
The BBC has a micro site for the programme – the link to it is shared below; go visit if you are interested, there is an interview with Lou Macari and a piece written by Peter Bowker the chap that wrote the drama.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04jmx7l
Marvellous was a truly feel good programme, it is great that it got made, I am delighted I watched it. If you missed it, get to the BBC iplayer and catch up.
Neil Baldwin rocks! And it turns out I am not the only one who thinks so - check out this piece in the Potteries newspaper "The Sentinel" (when I lived in Stoke, it took me a while to realise that the local Sentinel hawker wasn't shouting "semi final").
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Campaign-launched-calling-Marvellous-star-Neil/story-23010996-detail/story.html
A Facebook campaign has been launched to get Neil a knighthood. How marvellous - I am going to vote in favour. Why don't you!
www.facebook.com/pages/Give-Neil-Baldwin-a-knighthood/1481899405423510
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Normally at 9pm on a Thursday, I’d be watching “Who Do You Think You Are?”; in fact Reggie Yates was featured this week. This Thursday though, the one off, fact based drama about the life of Neil Baldwin was essential viewing.
If you are wondering why – well my Dad is Neil Baldwin (although he’s not the same one) and following a family naming tradition, my middle name is Neil too. How could I not tune in? Maybe this Neil is even family.
Here’s what “What’s On TV” printed by way of a review “ – a man with learning difficulties who has worked as a circus clown and a kit man for Stoke City (football club) and was awarded an honorary degree by Keele University in recognition of his contributions to campus life.”
And there’s another parallel, I spent a few good years of my life in Staffordshire; I didn’t go to Keele but I did study at Staffordshire University and lived in Stoke on Trent.
The role of Neil Baldwin was played by Toby Jones; he did a terrific job of portraying a simple soul that could have found life quite hard to manage but instead won people over, made friends everywhere he went and is something of a celebrity in his home town. Think Staffordshire’s very own Forrest Gump.
Watching Neil dealing with the challenges that his life threw at him and making his way in the world seemingly oblivious to his impairments, was truly heart-warming. He achieved some astonishing things when he set his mind to them.
The makers of the drama worked in some great appearances from the actual people the actors were playing – you saw Neil Baldwin talking to Toby Jones, Lou Macari (manager of Stoke City when Neil looked after the kit) talking to Tony Curran (who was playing the role of Lou), you even saw the real Neil Baldwin with the real Lou Macari. Potentially confusing but clever too.
The BBC has a micro site for the programme – the link to it is shared below; go visit if you are interested, there is an interview with Lou Macari and a piece written by Peter Bowker the chap that wrote the drama.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04jmx7l
Marvellous was a truly feel good programme, it is great that it got made, I am delighted I watched it. If you missed it, get to the BBC iplayer and catch up.
Neil Baldwin rocks! And it turns out I am not the only one who thinks so - check out this piece in the Potteries newspaper "The Sentinel" (when I lived in Stoke, it took me a while to realise that the local Sentinel hawker wasn't shouting "semi final").
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Campaign-launched-calling-Marvellous-star-Neil/story-23010996-detail/story.html
A Facebook campaign has been launched to get Neil a knighthood. How marvellous - I am going to vote in favour. Why don't you!
www.facebook.com/pages/Give-Neil-Baldwin-a-knighthood/1481899405423510
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