4 AVRIL2007
TV favourite Robson Green has turned down the chance to relaunch his cheesy but ultra-successful Nineties pop career with a new sidekick, reported the Daily Express today.
Music bosses wanted the 43-year-old Geordie to team up with Mark Benton his small-screen partner from the Christmas Lights and City Lights series and record a single.
They thought the comedy pair could repeat the massive success which Green enjoyed when he and fellow Soldier Soldier star Jerome Flynn recorded hit cover versions of Unchained Melody and Up On The Roof, guided by X Factor judge Simon Cowell.
However, despite a very tempting offer to become a new pop double act, Green and Benton, 41, rejected the plan.
Portly Benton, who also stars as the nasty bank clerk in the Nationwide Building Society ads, says : " We happened to sing House Of Fun by Madness in our show. This got some record company people thinking that we should release it. They were telling us, 'You could have a Number One single with this', but Robson wasn't keen. He didn't want to go for it. "
Green jokes : " I have had lots of offers to record again but I don't think I need to help Simon Cowell make any more millions, do I ? " Indeed.
1er AVRIL 2007
TV stars Robson Green and Mark Benton are taking their success with a light touch. Following the hit comedy Northern Lights, they are to play their comedy heroes Laurel and Hardy on film.
Robson said : " There's a wonderful script going round called Anything For Laughs and it's about the early life of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in America. "
Cumbrian-born Stan emigrated to America in 1912. He made his first film appearance in 1917 in Nuts In May but he did not meet Oliver until they appeared, separately, in The Lucky Dog, in 1919. They were later to team up officially for the Second Hundred Years. In 1993 the pair made the comedy Block-Heads, a "buddy movie" about two First World War veterans many fans regards as one of their finest films.
Robson and Mark started thinking about Laurel and Hardy while filming the latest series of Northern Lights, now renamed City Lights.
In the six part series, their characters Colin and Howard witness a gang murder and find themselves living in London under police protection. Robson is the first to admit that they were influenced by the famous comics.
He says : " There's a lot of slapstick in City Lights and that's when we try to pay homage to Laurel and Hardy. "
" Mark and I are a similar size to Laurel and Hardy and we're also great fans. Because we love what they did so much we try to achieve what they did all those years ago but set against something modern and real. "
If the film does come off, Robson and Mark have the sort of bond that will help any comic partnership.
Robson, who has a four-year-old son, Taylor, with his wife Vanya Seager, said he would be taking a holiday when he finishes filming in a few weeks. And the star, who has taken a pyrotechnics course in real life, said he loved Christmas.
He revealed : " Christmas lights were a big thing when I was a kid, now my big thing is fireworks. This is just a real fun story. It's not about winning, it's about the price of happiness through material things. My character is just a big kid. he hasn't really grown up but he is an incredibly honest and humble man. "
Robson said the residents of Weeton barracks had made him feel very welcome, and they in return said it was great having the film crew around.
Tina Clegg, 38, whose husband Gary is director of music of the Kings Division Normandy Band, stationed at Weeton, said : " Its great, its dead exciting and it's a once in a lifetime experience. It's nice to be able to watch it all. "
Tina, who has met Robson herself, said : " He shook our hands and introduced himself. I nearly died ! He is very, very friendly, and just so down to earth. "
Tina said the couple's children, Natalie, 15, and Samantha, 11, were now the most popular girls at school.
The comedy drama is due to hit television screens at Christmas.
ROBSON'S VIEW AS NORTHERN LIGHTS GO OUT - 2 AOÛT 2006
Robson Green has spoken about the decision to move filming of his hit TV drama from Manchester to London.
Crew working on Northern Lights were angry at the switch, which began life as a hit one-off special Christmas Lights, with ITV1 bosses renaming the show City Lights.
A new six-part series was due to begin filming in Manchester this month. But Robson and co-star Mark Benton, who play brothers-in-law Colin and Howie, will now make London their TV home.
Leading man Robson told the M.E.N : " ITV are very happy with that. They like the notion of them being outside their environment. And that's all I'm saying. "
More than 100 members of Manchester-based crew and support staff were to be employed on the series until December. The first series regularly attracted audiences of six million.
Robson also spoke about the threat to TV drama from a "tsunami of reality television" and said he was glad to still be working in an "impossible" market.
" There's too much reality TV. It's all over," he said. " Only Fools On Horses - what was that about? There would be a murder committed if I was on any of that stuff. "
The Geordie actor is back on screen next month in a new ITV1 series of Wire In The Blood, inspired by Stockport-based author Val McDermid's books.
He said his company, Coastal Productions, could not afford to make the thrillers without the income it got from also selling the series to more than 30 countries.
With ITV cutting its drama budget, he's now talking to German TV channel ZDF about becoming co-producers of Wire In The Blood. He added: "It's the No.1 show in Germany."
Robson will also be executive producer on a forthcoming film adaptation of another Val McDermid novel, A Place Of Execution.
3 JUIN 2006
A Manchester filmed hit TV drama starring Robson Green is to be moved to London, despite winning huge ratings, reported Manchester Evening News today.
Crew working on Northern Lights are angry at the shock decision by ITV1 bosses to switch production to the capital and re-name the show City Lights. A new six-part series was due to begin filming in Manchester in August, with exterior scenes again shot at Weeton Barracks, near Blackpool.
But Geordie actor Robson and co-star Mark Benton, who play brothers-in-law Colin and Howie, will now make London their TV home. One staff member at ITV Granada in Manchester, who did not wish to be named, said the move had caused a great deal of anger and bad feeling.
"It's upset a lot of people here as Northern Lights was doing very well. It was loved by viewers because it was northern, and if it moves to London it won't be. But the decision has been made. "
More than 100 members of Manchester based crew and support staff were due to be employed on the series until December.
"So much work has gone into this and then the rug is just pulled, " said the TV insider. "They've not given a second thought to the people who are being left behind. There's no logic to it. "
The comedy drama originally began life as the one-off 2004 festive film Christmas Lights, which was watched by more than 11 million viewers, making it one of the biggest TV hits of that year. It was then turned into a series, with the name changed to Northern Lights, and regularly attracted audiences of six million - even though it was up against Manchester and Stockport-based BBC1 hit Life On Mars.
Producer Hilary Martin said: "Series one gave us a group of characters that audiences took to their hearts. Part of its charm was how much they loved their lives in Manchester, however, to surprise and stimulate our audience, we wanted to keep the show fresh and bold. "
Producer Spencer Campbell : "I'm very excited to bring two fabulous characters, Colin and Howie, back in their own series. Northern Lights gives us the opportunity to explore the highs and lows of two mates who are the best of friends and the best of enemies."
Writer and Executive Producer Jeff Pope : " It is a rare occasion that you get two characters that have made such an immediate and special impact and it's a great pleasure to be able to have some more fun with them. "
Robson Green and Mark Benton proved uber-popular as warring brothers-in-law in last month's Christmas Lights, so ITV bosses have decided to bring them back.
Colin and Howard, and their long-suffering wives, will return to continue their rows in a full series. Benton tells us : " The idea is for them to take their competitiveness to new levels, moving away from lights to literally everything else. "
The 11 million viewers who tuned in to the first one will be thrilled.
1er MARS 2007
There's a familiar ring about the name when Robson Green takes on a new identity inspired by his Geordie roots, writes Ian Wylie in the Manchester Evening News today.
You'll remember he played Colin Armstrong in 2004 festive film Christmas Lights, which then turned into the hit Manchester-based series Northern Lights. Well, as I revealed in the M.E.N. last July, the new series has been re-named City Lights, with filming switched to London.
As viewers will see, brothers-in-law Colin and Howard (Mark Benton) are forced to move to the capital after being placed in a witness protection scheme. That also means a change of identity for both men, as well as Colin's wife Jackie, played by Rochdale-born Nicola Stephenson, and Howie's wife Pauline, portrayed by former Cutting It actress Sian Reeves.
You don't have to look very far to spot the inspiration for Newcastle United fan Robson's new ID, as Colin becomes Brad Shearer. If you're not a football fan, we're talking Toon legend Alan Shearer, now a pundit on Match of the Day.
And I make no comment about the decision to give "Howie" Scott the name Wayne Carr.
Crew working on Northern Lights were angry at the switch to London after the first series attracted audiences of six million.
The second series had been due to start filming in Manchester, with exterior scenes shot at Weeton Barracks, near Blackpool. But Robson told me that ITV were happy about the move. "They like the notion of them being outside their environment."
City Lights opens in the North before the action switches south, as the series moves into "thriller territory". An ITV spokeswoman told me: "Series one gave us a group of characters that audiences took to their hearts.
Part of its charm was how much they loved their lives in Manchester.
"However, to surprise and stimulate our audience, we wanted to keep the show fresh and bold. Taking our characters out of their comfort zone seemed an ideal starting point for this. We're very excited about the bombshell our writer Jeff Pope has invented which catapults our families into new lives in London."
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST - 18 MARS 2004
Soldier Soldier star Robson Green has been on location in Lancashire filming a festive comedy drama.
The Geordie heartthrob, who first appeared on our screens as porter Jimmy in TV drama Casualty and went on to scoop three No 1 hits as one half of duo Robson & Jerome, has been in the village of Weeton, near Blackpool, filming his new project, Christmas Lights.
For the last week, Weeton Barracks, home to the First Battalion Royal Green Jackets, has been plunged into the festive season with fairy lights, neon signs and even state-of-the-art animatronic models.
Robson, who turns 40 this year, plays the character Colin Armstrong, who for years has been trying to out-do his competitive brother-in-law, and now their attention has turned to the all important Christmas decorations.
The star took time between takes to talk about his trip to Lancashire. Relaxing with a cigar, Robson said : " Everybody has been incredibly friendly. It's one of those simple tales about relationships – two friends who turn into enemies. "
Ce jour-là, Robson Green est l'invité spécial de l'émission de société quotidienne This Morning sur ITV1 pour présenter son nouveau film Christmas Lights avec une interview exclusive dans les coulisses du tournage :
12 FÉVRIER 2005
Warring neighbours Colin and Howard are to set up a business together, when ITV1's Christmas Lights is turned into a series. The one-off seasonal drama was a hit for ITV1 in December, and so a full series, titled Northern Lights.
The series, starring Robson Green and Mark Benton, will see Colin and Howard selling lighting for a living. One episode will show the neighbours being given the chance to become millionaires in a deal to light up Las Vegas.
" That episode will pay homage to Auf Wiedersehen Pet, in that it involves Geordie guys going abroad to make a living, " Green told The Mirror. " Auf Wiedersehen was classic TV and we'd like to think that one day we'd become the same. "
22 DÉCEMBRE 2004
A Staffordshire youngster had an early taste of stardom when she rubbed shoulders with TV heart-throb Robson Green.
Twelve-year-old Martha Cooper hit TV screens last night as an extra in Christmas Lights, a one-off 90-minute ITV drama special.
The festive comedy starred the former Soldier Soldier actor who has shot to fame in recent years, appearing in gritty dramas such as Wire in the Blood.
The talented youngster spent two days filming in Blackpool last February and has never looked back. Martha was seen on our screens enjoying a ride on a ferris wheel while the two main characters fought over whose Christmas decorations were the best.
She has also worked on children's TV series The Worst Witch where she played a musician in the school band.
Martha said she dreamed of being an actress and was hoping to join actors and dancers at Stafford Gatehouse theatre to work in future pantomimes and shows. " It was great fun, I made lots of friends but it was a bit annoying having to do so many different takes but it was worth it, " she said.
21 DÉCEMBRE 2004
Festive comedy drama Christmas Lights gave ITV an early ratings stocking filler last night, attracting more than 10 million viewers with its tale of two neighbours competing for the most garish house decorations.
Almost half the UK television audience tuned in last night for Robson Green's return in the 90-minute programme at 9pm, pulling in an audience share of 42.7% and was watched by an average of 10.5 million viewers.
The show also gave Robson, who played alongside Mark Benton as two friends, neighbours, workmates and brothers-in-law who fall out over a promotion and who has the best Christmas lights on their house, his biggest ratings hit for several years.
BBC One countered with a Hollywood blockbuster. Armageddon, starring Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck, started at 8.30pm and won a share of 21.4% and 5.4 million people on average tuned in.
The second half of the film, after the news at 10.35pm, was watched by 4.8 million people and won a 31% share.
Rivals to these yuletide prime time offerings included BBC Two's comedy night : Never Mind the Buzzcocks won 8.7% share and 2.2 million viewers, while The Smoking Room notched 1.4 million viewers and 5.6% share. The Keith Barret Show Christmas Special, at 10pm, notched an average audience of 1.4 million viewers – a share of 6%.
Meanwhile, Channel 4’s Bomber Crew at 9pm, which followed the fortunes of pilots training on former-World War Two bombers, attracted 1.6 million viewers and a 6.4% share of the audience. Five’s Greatest Soap TV Moments was the poor relation of the night with just 987,000 average audience and 4.4% share for its two-hour slot.
9 NOVEMBRE 2004
Granada is hopeful its new comedy drama Christmas Lights, starring Robson Green and Mark Benton as competitive brothers-in-law, will be turned into a series reported Liz Thomas of The Stage Online.
The hour-long programme is to be aired on December 20, but Granada has already made six one-hour episodes also written by Jeff Pope and Bob Mills and featuring the original main cast, including Clocking Off actresses Nicola Stephenson and Maxine Peak as sisters.
If given the go-ahead, the series would be called Northern Lights, continuing the story of the two families, who are also next-door neighbours and who live in the North East.
Producer Spencer Campbell said : " We've sent the productions to the ITV network and they like them, but they'll wait to see what happens when we broadcast the show next month. Hopefully there will be a series but we won't know for definite until Christmas. "
The cast are also optimistic but concede it will come down to viewing figures.
Touching Evil and Reckless star Robson Green said : " I would love it to work. The writers Jeff and Bob have set in stone a beautiful set of relationships and characters that we all like and care about, which is a rarity. "
15 MARS 2004
It might be nearer Easter than Christmas but the Fylde's army camp will be ablaze with fairy lights this week, reported the Blackpool Gazette.
But soldiers have not got their seasons mixed up – the camp is to be the venue for the filming of actor Robson Green's latest comedy drama.
A television crew from Granada will be at the Weeton base, home to the First Battalion of the Royal Green Jackets, on Wednesday to film Robson for a new show called Christmas Lights.
Also starring Mark Benton, the comedy revolves around two competitive brothers-in-law whose rivalry culminates in them battling to festoon their homes in more and more lights to celebrate Christmas.
The programme's producers chose to go on location at Weeton camp because the service houses are so typical of the type of estate the characters would live on.
A spokeswoman for Granada said : " We are doing the interior filming in Manchester but chose Weeton for the exterior shots because we thought the housing was so typical of the type of suburban estate our characters would live on. But once all the Christmas lights are up it will be more like Blackpool Illuminations ! "
The comedy, which will be aired next Christmas, depicts lifelong pals Colin, played by Robson Green, and Howie, played by Mark Benton, who have always tried to get one over on each other. They marry sisters, live in the same street and even work for the same parcel freight depot.
One December, when Colin buys a few Christmas lights for the outside of his house, he plans to make sure his home outshines the in-laws' just down the street. Of course, Howie has to respond with a few of his own – only his are even bigger and brighter than Colin's.
Nothing – not the money it is costing, the damage it is doing to their marriages, or even a family tragedy – seems able to bring them to their senses.
Executive producer Andy Harries said : " Christmas Lights is a drama about what can happen when families forget what the festive season is really all about, but it is also ultimately a heart-warming tale of love and friendship. "
ARTICLE TV TIMES - 6 MARS 2004
Robson Green is dropping his serious face to star in a major new ITV1 comedy-drama, TV Times Insider can reveal.
The 39-year-old actor has recently been seen as brooding clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill in the gritty drama Wire in the Blood, but now he's lined up to display his comedy skills in Christmas Lights, a one-off to be shown later this year. Robson plays Colin Armstrong, a van driver who challenges his brother-in-law Howard ('Booze Cruise' star Mark Benton) - who lives three doors away - to outshine his display of Christmas lights.
It quickly becomes a tit-for-tat battle, with both men putting up more and more extravagant displays, much to the embarrassment of their wives, played by 'Holby City' actress Nicola Stephenson and 'Shameless' star Maxine Peake.
" We're really pleased with Christmas Lights because it's an excellent script and a fantastic cast. "
26 FÉVRIER 2004
Mark Benton co-stars with Robson and filming is due to begin in Manchester next month. It is due for broadcast on ITV1 in December 2004.
Christmas Lights focuses on two rival workmates who also happen to be neighbours. Everything steps up a notch when Christmas approaches and the outside lights and decorations go up. They are soon caught in a battle to compete with each other for the biggest and best decorations !
Robson said: "It's a beautiful story about two best friends who become enemies. They decorate their houses with Christmas lights and it turns into this Tom Sharpe farce. It's just a divine life-affirming story. "
En cliquant sur les titres et les séries concernés vous trouverez comment a germé l'idée des scénarios, des interviews de Robson ainsi que divers articles parus dans la presse à l'époque, etc...
