Less slog more blog

So it's only been 18 months since my last post.....how ridiculous.
So long in fact that probably nobody reads this anymore anyway, but hey ho, I've got a spare 5 mins so may as well post an update.

The last part of the year has been amazingly busy.

Since the Kevin Bishop Show and Star Stories, I've been non-stop.

Delighted, and privileged to be working mostly in Comedy, I am working on a brand new sketch show Horne & Corden, for the BBC, staring Mat Horne and James Corden, not surprisingly, and it's proving to be a brilliant show.
It's a real joy to be able to work with such great talent on and off screen.

I'm also getting ready for the next series of Top Gear, which I'm sure will be every bit as good as the last, if not better.....a show that just seems to grow every series.

I'm also slipping in a new show for Jamie Oliver, which is very exciting, and quite unique in it's set up....more to follow.

Plus my annual trip up to Glasgow for BBC Scotland's Children in Need, which is always a really nice job to do, with a superb bunch of people.

Then I'm on to a brand new comedy series called FM, which I'm very excited about, and this takes me through until Xmas.

As ever, I'm very thankful that I'm able to work on such great shows, with great people....and if anybody is even remotely interested, I shall try to post more often.

JPG

Roman's Empire

Fresh with a renewed vigour to contribute to my blog more often, I have started a new blog site for the show I was involved with at the beginning of the year, Roman's Empire.

Follow the link above and check it out. I've only just started it, so please bear with me...

Another few months go by....

Shocking lack of blog posts yet again...hopefully that'll change for a while as I'm not quite so busy.

I've just finished a long stint filming a brand new show called Roman's Empire. (more details to follow soon hopefully).

Suffice is to say, it was a brilliant job with one of the best cast and crews I've ever worked with.

Everything just seemed to come together perfectly to create what will hopefully turn out to be a truly excellent show.

I was very fortunate to have been able to give the show a really strong visual look, which I hope adds to the fantastic scripts and performances.

It was six long hard weeks of filming, and hopefully now I'll have a little down time to catch up on other things.
Stay tuned for more news and pictures prior to broadcast in April.

Next I'm on to a new show staring Ben Elton, called Get a Grip, and sorting out the final of the Great British Menu.

I'm also sorting out a few bits for the every brilliant Top Gear, and then I'm on to another series that I worked on last year (news to follow soon), plus another series of the excellent and lovely to be involved with, Q.i.

To the one or two people that still read this blog (!), my apologies for lack of posting, but hopefully I'll have some nice new piccies to post soon, so you can see what I've been up to.

All the best,

JPG (or as I was referred to on the last job...... JPEG)

New work

Wow...has it really been that long since my last post?

I'm probably writing to nobody now, as the readers slowly drift away from my all but dormant blog.

Anyway, for those of you that still subscribe, it's been an unbelievably busy time since Top Gear (get well soon Hammond!)

Hopefully some of you have been watching Star Stories, the fab new comedy on Channel 4, Friday nights. That was most of my summer, and what a glorious way to spend it!

Then I worked on a pilot with the brilliant and multi-talented Fay Rusling & Oriane Messina, (and Susie Donkin and Charlotte McDougall) which sadly didn't get a series (I'm guessing because there's just so much good stuff on the telly already!) but we had fun making it anyway.

I've also designed a brand new quiz show for the BBC called 1 Versus 100, which starts this Saturday night on BBC1.

A fairly mammoth show to build, and a great one to watch.

I've also done a small overhaul of Ready Steady Cook, new series starts soon, and then another series of Mock The Week, the excellent topical news comedy on BBC 2, which is filming now at TV Centre.
It's a really great show to see live, so search the web for free tickets...only 3 more shows though so better hurry!

I'm also doing a new series (series 7 I think?) down at The Comedy Store, called rather aptly 'The Comedy Store'.

I'm pretty sure there's still some tickets for that (Monday nights at Leicester Square) although I might be wrong.

I get to put the set in and spend the day and night watching fantastic stand-up comedy. What a job!

Anyway, if any readers happen to get down to see one of my shows being recorded, look out for me and say 'Hi'.

....and I'll try very hard to keep posting....sorry....not enough hours in the day!

Top Gear...before and after

Two photos of the hangar at Dunsfold before and after...

Top Gear

Here are some photos of the newly re-designed Hangar for BBC's excellent Top Gear.

Pictures show the balancing cars, the airfix panels with real car parts the cog wheel stage and the painted Hangar Door with Stig banner

The Dragons of Canalot

Not strictly set design, but I was filming on location in Kensal Road the other day, which gave me my first opportunity to photograph one of my first sculpture commissions.

It's certainly the only one I know of that's on display in public, and I made these back in 1987, when I was 22.

If you'd like to see these in the flesh, they adourn the walls of Canalot Studios, 222 Kensal Road, London, W10