SERIES 7
PRODUCTION NOTES
***The informationattached is strictly embargoed from all press use, non commercial publication, or syndication until Wednesday 21st December 2011***
CONTENTS
Press Release Page 3-4
Lucy the Giraffe Press Release Page 5-6
Stephen Tompkinson Interview Page 7-9
Robert Bathurst interview Page 10-11
Hayley Mills interview Page 12-13
Lucy-Jo Hudson interview Page 14-16
Deon Stewardson interview Page 17-18
Olivia Scott-Taylor interview Page 19-20
Synopsis Page 21-25
Cast & Crew Page 26-29
WILD AT HEART RETURNS TO ITV1
WITH SOME FAMILIAR FACES
One of ITV’s most successful dramas of the last decade, Wild at Heart, is to return for a 7th series in the New Year.
Since its launch in 2006 Wild at Heart has remained in ITV1’s top four dramas. And more notably Wild at Heart has regularly pulled in audiences of over 8 million to ITV1 and it has never had an episode watched by fewer than 7 million viewers.
Series regulars Stephen Tompkinson, Dawn Steele, Hayley Mills and Deon Stewardson will be joined by new arrivals ROBERT BATHURST (Downton Abbey, Cold Feet) and JILL HALFPENNY (Waterloo Road, EastEnders). Also returning to the popular show is LUCY–JO HUDSON who reprises her role as Danny’s eldest daughter, the much loved, Rosie Trevanion.
Robert plays Ed Lynch, a talented veterinary surgeon, who also excels in business. When we first meet Ed he’s been working in South Africa for five years running a very successful animal park which he’s built up from nothing. Not afraid to make difficult decisions, he’s a dynamic new presence in the show, however he’s also Danny’s new boss. Sparks will fly when his veterinary ideology clashes with Danny’s. Ed Lynch will also never quite understand the chaotic Du Plessis.
Robert commented: “I’m very excited Ed is going to be shaking things up for Danny and Du Plessis. Wild at Heart is one of the most successful dramas of the last decade and I’m thoroughly looking forward to filming the new series and working with the rest of the cast.”
Jill Halfpenny joins the cast towards the end of the series intent to shake things up in Leopard’s Den as Ed Lynch’s feisty ex-Wife Fiona. A lost and lonely character we quickly discover that she’s the reason her husband, Ed is as sour, grumpy and emotionally in denial as he is! Fiona is a tremendous flirt and she’s also used to getting her own way, she left Ed for a younger model (which is something he’s unable to forgive her for) but now she’s intent on winning Ed back.
Jill commented: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of Wild at Heart in Africa. Fiona Lynch is certainly a fun and feisty character and will no doubt cause quite a few headaches for Ed and Danny, I can't wait!”
Created by Ashley Pharoah and produced by Company Pictures, the Wild At Heart production team began filming 10 new episodes of the successful family drama in South Africa this August for transmission on ITV1 in 2012.
Stephen Tompkinson co-executive produces Wild at Heart with executive producers Charles Pattinson, John Griffin, George Faber and Ashley Pharoah. Wild at Heart is produced in South Africa by Adam Friedlander, and series produced in the UK by Charlie Hampton.
The new series will open just a few weeks after Danny, Alice, Caroline and Du Plessis have lost Leopard’s Den. The mining company’s work has stalled following the corruption scandal Danny and Dup unearthed last series, and the family aren’t sure if they’ve lost their home forever. With the women back home in the UK, Danny and Dup set out to find a new place for everyone to live. It’s a fresh start for them, but will they find somewhere suitable for Danny and Alice to re-establish their veterinary practice and game reserve?
Equally, emotions are still running high as unscrupulous mining boss Peeters played by David Butler continues to create problems for the family. Significantly, Dup takes a decision which will rock the foundations of their relationship and Danny is put in the predicament of deciding whether he can support his friend and long-term business partner or whether they will have to go their separate ways. The repercussions of this situation will be lead to emotional turmoil in the life of Dup, Caroline and Danny.
Danny Trevanion’s teenage stepdaughter Olivia played by Olivia Scott-Taylor and her boyfriend Thabo (Atandwa Kani) will also return to the series.
The cast and production team film for six months on location at Glen Afric on the borders of Gauteng Province and North West Province.
Wild at Heart has been recommissioned by ITV’s Drama commissioning team Laura Mackie, Sally Haynes and Steve November.
"I am delighted that Wild at Heart will be returning to ITV1 in 2012,” said Steve. “We can look forward to seeing our favourite characters in new and exciting situations and to seeing significant new characters join the mix.”
Wild at Heart writers include Ashley Pharoah, Jack Williams and Chris Murray. The lead Director will be Maurice Phillips.
Press contact: Tim West Tel: 0207 157 3040 or email
Picture contact: Patrick Smith Tel: 0207 157 3044 or email
Dramatic rescue behind the scenes of Wild at Heart
Filming WILD AT HEART under the unrelenting heat of the African sun can cause even the most professional of actors to seek out a place to cool down between takes. Unfortunately one of the larger, four legged stars took it one step too far…
The cast and crew were amazed to find 9 year old LUCY the Giraffe had broken in to the Leopard’s Den set and had accidentally fallen in the swimming pool.
Producer Adam Friedlander commented: “We are not 100% sure how she fell into the pool but we think she may have been drinking from it and with her head being too low became disorientated and fell in.”
He continues: “The animals on the reserve roam free and we are of course very mindful of their safety and try to interfere with their habitat as little as possible. However, accidents can happen and it appeared LUCY had managed to squeeze through the fence before falling into the pool.”
The crew had to work in to the night in a desperate attempt to free her. They first drained the pool and built steps out of sandbags in the hope she would walk up them but abandoned the idea amid concerns that LUCY would slip and fall over. Eventually the Fire Brigade had to be called out to help with the increasingly desperate situation.
The team then decided to dig a trench at one end of the pool hoping LUCY could be tempted out with some food. Eventually after three hours the rescue attempt finally succeeded and LUCY was able to safely walk out of the pool unscathed.
To add to the drama LUCY is 14 months pregnant. Before he'd been tragically killed by lightening last year, HAMLEY, the show’s hugely popular giraffe, had fathered LUCY'S offspring.
STEPHEN TOMPKINSON who plays Danny Trevanion on the show was on his way home when he was told about the situation and he returned immediately to help with the rescue: “It was such a bizarre sight – as soon I walked round the corner all I could see was this great neck sticking out of the pool! She remained really calm throughout the whole thing and after draining the pool and digging a trench for her to walk up she emerged, all be it awkwardly, out of the pool unharmed.”
WILD AT HEART returns to ITV1 in the New Year for a new 10 part series.
Photos of LUCY in the pool and with STEPHEN TOMPKINSON are available on the ITV picture centre http://www.itvpictures.co.uk/home/
A video of LUCY’s rescue is also available on request.
Press contact: Tim West Tel: 0207 157 3040 or email
Picture contact: Patrick Smith Tel: 0207 157 3044 or email
Stephen Tompkinson plays Danny Trevanion
Can you tell us what’s in store for Danny this season?
We join Danny and Dup only a matter of weeks since we saw them at the end of the last series. The rest of the family are back in the UK and Danny and Dup have stayed behind to find them a new place to live as they’ve lost Leopard’s Den to the mining company, Afrispec, who are planning to bulldoze the whole site.
They find themselves under the employment of an English vet called Ed Lynch played by the wonderful Robert Bathurst. He doesn’t really like the competition of having another English vet particularly one with Danny’s reputation. Consequently, they’re given menial jobs that are way below their skill set. The only hope on the horizon is the vacancy of Chief Vet at the National Park, which if Danny is successful will give them enough money to buy a house with decent land.
However, to add to Danny’s troubles he finds out Christian Peeters, who was responsible for them losing Leopard’s Den, is not only on the board at Big Five but also on the board at the National Park and he ensures Danny doesn’t get the job.
Have you worked with Robert Bathurst before?
We’ve done a radio play together, one of my first jobs, in ’88, and I did a guest part in ‘My Dad’s a Prime Minister’ and as a result I’ve always been a fan of his. There are very few people like him. He’s in some respects a throw back to actors of a previous era. There’s a timeless quality about Robert which is really interesting. And in his role as Ed Lynch you’re not sure where your sympathies lie with him.
Has he adjusted well to the African lifestyle?
Absolutely, he’s thrown himself into it and is having a ball. He’s such a delightful addition to the cast. Jill Halfpenny has also joined which we’re all thrilled about. It’s a new injection of energy and it’s given this Wild at Heart a new feel as we’re not at Leopard’s Den; we’re not in familiar territory so we’re routing for them to try and get back where they belong.
What has it been like having Lucy Jo Hudson back?
It’s been delightful; it’s too good for words. She loves being here and is more energised and passionate than ever.
In the new series you get the chance to swim with a fully grown African elephant; can you tell us what that was like?
It was a storyline we were keen to do. We were approached by a father and son who run a small elephant sanctuary called Adventures with Elephants suggesting we visit.
In the story Danny has to get an elephant across the river to go back to the National Park to be with its family. We went for a paddle and when he got into deeper water there was no hope of swimming alongside him as he just wanted to get to the other side as the water was pretty cold in August. Seeing an elephant motor through the water is quite a sight. It completely takes you by surprise quite how fast they move. It’s like a large pick up van motoring along at 20 mph! There seems to be an awful lot packed into the episodes I’ve seen.
Would you say that was your favourite filmed scene so far?
I think so especially for me as there were three generations of Tompkinsons there. It was very special and was a once in a lifetime treat. I heartily recommend anyone going to visit that sanctuary to do so. It’s an education as well.
It’s great to be able to get such footage. I think that’s why people have enjoyed the show for so long. When you can see it’s the actors in there and not the stunt people it makes it more real.
What’s it been like filming without Hamley?
We think of him everyday when we drive in and see his spot. It’s lovely having Lucy around, she looks so similar to him and of course she’s carrying his baby.
Lucy had an accident, were you there to witness that?
I was on my way home when I was told about the situation and I returned immediately to help with the rescue. It was such a bizarre sight – as soon I walked round the corner all I could see was this great neck sticking out of the pool! She remained really calm throughout the whole thing and after draining the pool and digging a trench for her to walk up she emerged, all be it awkwardly, out of the pool unharmed.
Is there anything else truly British you really miss while you’re filming?
Watching the England Cricket team play live. I’ve missed most of the English summers over the last 7 years so I haven’t been able to follow my great passion which is watching England play Test Cricket.
What do you really love about South Africa?
The animals, they’re just so special. To get see them in the environment they’re supposed to be in and at such close quarters it’s something I never tire of. We’ve just had the rain and everything is so green and the mum’s are just about to give birth as there is plenty of food around. It’s a fascinating place to be. We’ve also had a lot of work with Monty the lion this year. He’s getting big now and if he wanted to attack we wouldn’t stand a chance. He’s on the cusp of knowing what he’s capable of. He tries to knock your legs from under you with a paw and leave you flat on your back. When they get to about three it’s quite difficult to work with them. That was great fun running up and down stairs being chased by him. Even though they’re fully trained, you’re still aware you’re being chased by a lion.
You see things just about every day you wouldn’t see anywhere else in the world. It’s very special.
Robert Bathurst plays Ed Lynch
How have you found filming with wild animals?
Well it is thrilling to be working with animals that could eat you at any moment! Although I’ve been in the business for a long time this has certainly been a first. It’s reassuring to have the animal handlers just out of shot with a fire extinguisher at the ready if things get a little hairy. I filmed a scene where I had to be in a cage with hyenas and just before I started Stephen Tompkinson very ‘generously’ reminded me that hyenas have the strongest bite of any animal in Africa!