Ricky Ringers appear on the Paul O'Grady Show
Members of the Handbells team - Ricky Ringers - appeared on the Paul O'Grady show on Channel 4 Easter Monday, demonstrating their talents.
Hear about their experience...
On Monday morning 9th March my phone rang and the voice said, "This is Cheryl from the Paul O'Grady Show on Channel 4 Television. We are planning an Easter Special and our presenter, Alan Carr, has said that he has always wanted to have a go at ringing handbells. I have been told to go out and find some. I am visiting several groups and would like to come along to your next practice to talk to you all." I was a bit speechless but agreed that she should come along.
The following evening Cheryl turned up at the Church Centre, together with camera, to talk to us and hear us play.
We played whilst she filmed us, she asked us a few questions and I then explained to her how to ring handbells and she joined in. We rang Oranges and Lemons and Cheryl did very well. We wished she lived nearer!
We also rang Trumpet Voluntary (one of our favourite pieces) to show how we normally ring 'off the table', rather than 'in hand'. Cheryl filmed this as well.
She then went away saying she would talk to her producer and show him the films. She was also visiting another group the following evening so we thought that would be the end of it.
On Thursday morning the phone rang again to say that we were wanted and had to be in London by 9.00am on the Monday morning. As I was in Dorset by this time, Joan and Geoff set about sorting out the bells and music that would be needed.
At 7.45am on Monday morning, Joan, Geoff, Margaret, Carol, David and I were gathered in the church car part, together with all our equipment, waiting for cars to transport us to the Channel 4 studio in London as we were due 'on camera' at 10.00am.
We arrived at the London studios at 9.20am and were shown to our dressing room where we were to wait until we were called for a rehearsal. This was to iron out any problems so that the final filming later would run smoothly. After the run-through we returned to our dressing room for refreshments and to await the call for the show to be recorded.
We went backstage to sort out our bells and waited for Michael Ball to sing one of his latest recordings and for the next guest, who was Philip Glenister from the BBC series Ashes to Ashes. Whilst he was being interviewed we set up on stage and waited for our cue to start ringing. This time there was a live audience so it was a bit more scary.
We rang Trumpet Voluntary and then Alan Carr came over to talk and to join in the ringing with us. This time we range Oranges and Lemons.
At the end of our performance we were able to sit and relax and watch the rest of the show and eat further refreshments until the cars arrived to bring us back to Rickmansworth.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our day out. It was great fun and it was quite an experience to see how these television shows are put together.
This article was reproduced from the April 2009 edition of our church magazine, Link. Find out more about how you can get a copy of this publication each month.
Want to try ringing?
We had hoped to put a copy of the recording of the show on this site but technical gremlins are preventing this. Sorry.
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