tv and film – Page 2

Seven odd things that happened on the way to the forum

Like Arthur Ransome, I have ‘lived many lives in one.’ He also wrote, ‘Memory picks and choses’. Here are a few unusual ones:

A photograph of Sophie Neville photoshopped to look like Charlotte Rampling for ‘Broadchurch’

This gave me a fright: I was watching the ITV police series Broadchurch when I saw a photograph of me, aged seventeen, featured on screen. Only it wasn’t me. My face had been photo-shopped to look like a young Charlotte Rampling. Above is a screenshot. Here is the original:

No one had asked my permission, but what can I do but take it as a compliment?

Around this time I was briefly involved in the HTV series Kidnapped. I played a boy. But opposite David McCallum (The Man From U.N.C.L.E), so who was I to argue. And I was paid.

I got the part in an odd way. They had forgotten to cast anybody for the role, but the producer had previously cast my sister in Arthur of the Britons and knew we lived only a few miles from the location. I agreed on the morning the scene was shot.

Sophie Neville in 'Kidnapped' — Appearing as a messenger boy in ‘Kidnapped’ produced by Patrick Dromgoole for HTV. What did they do to my hair?

I later stood in for the little boy who played Gerald Durrell in the first BBC drama series of My Family and Other Animals. Brian Blessed thought it hilarious. I was working behind the camera by that time but was skinny enough to squeeze into the costume.

Sophie Neville standing in for the little boy playing Gerald Durrell getting a kiss from Brian Blessed who played Spiro — Sophie Neville standing in for the boy playing Gerald Durrell getting a kiss from Brian Blessed who played Spiro

I was once on a train when the director of Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners asked if I could get to Gloucestershire to clear out my mother’s attic. I ended up filming with him for the next three or four days. It was exhausting – and unpaid – but a lot of de-cluttering got done. Check the apron from Seville. I’d bought it on honeymoon.

Sophie Neville filming in Gloucestershire with Betty TV

Piratøen – is the title for Swallows and Amazons in Danish – seen here on a flier that I only came across recently. I’d just had my DNA analyzed to discover I am 3% Danish due to admixture a few generations back. Do I look Danish?

Although I’ve worked on over 100 films and tv programmes, I have mostly been behind the camera, so don’t expect anyone to know who I am. They don’t. The marketing executive at StudioCanal had not, at first, wanted me to help promote the remastered DVD of ‘Swallows and Amazons’, which is understandable as Dame Virginia McKenna has the star billing. Then she must have watched the ‘filmen for hele familien’. I ended up giving Q&As at twelve cinemas. Some had audiences of 250 and the screenings were so popular that customers were being turned away.

Sophie Neville speaking about Swallows and Amazons at Kendal cinema — Sophie Neville giving a Q&A in Kendal

And yet when a friend of mine told a lady that I was in ‘Swallows and Amazons’ she smiled apologetically and said she’d keep ‘an eye out for me.’

‘Why are you here?’ I was asked at Windermere Jetty in Cumbria. We had gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the release of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ in cinemas. How should I have answered that question? I replied saying, ‘I’ve been asked to give talk.’

Sophie Neville appearing on BBC TV at Windermere Jetty in Cumbria

You can now listen to the story of how the original film of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ was made on Audible.

The HTV series ‘Kidnapped’ (1978) is available on YouTube. Blink and you miss me, but the music is wonderful. I’ve written about it on an earlier post, here.

New finds relating to the original movie ‘Swallows and Amazons'(1974)

Having been released in cinemas in April 1974, the original movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ was not accompanied by computer games but by puzzels, jigsaws and competitions. Here are a couple found recently whilst clearing out my mother’s house. You can see more on a post added to this website here.

Few films are set in 1929, and yet it was that period, nearly a hundred years ago that gave the first film adaptation a certain style.

Graham Potter wrote saying: “I have just finished a DVD of S & A and found how much easier it is to see the details on the TV than in a cinema having to look from side to side. I was surprised to see how little sailing was shown and how the Amazons were not seen much. I think you were 12 or 13 at the time but looked younger. I have to to admit to enjoying the glimpses of the navy blue knickers in the opening scenes.”

One of the set of four jigsaw puzzles made when ‘Swallows & Amazons’
was released in cinemas in 1974, along with a Puffin paperback

Graham goes on to say, “I was surprised to see how you carried all the exciting scenes: left alone on the island, finding the secret harbour , dealing with leading lights , capturing and hiding Amazon, dealing with Mother’s visit during the night sailing, giving Captain Flint a good telling off for blaming John for firework and not listening to his warning about potential theft at his houseboat. Then the great finale when you are able to present him with his stolen life’s work in the trunk. Perhaps it was planned that you didn’t have too many lines to remember, as it enabled a very young girl to contribute such a lot to the film.”

This is very kind but I believe the film was made by the fact that Simon West who played John and Kit Seymour who played Nancy were good sailors. You can tell when they are sitting in a moored boat. While Claude Whatham was an exceptional director, ahead of his time stylistically, the director of photography uplifted the film by insisting we waited for clouds to pass. What else? – a hardworking and talented crew put together by Nevill Thompson. Simple costumes that never dated. Natural, well cut hair and a lack of make up – all the facets of filmmaking that you are not meant to notice.

Maybe our spiritedness as children carries the original film on. We are all in our sixties now, but the characters we played have become imaginary friends to many. As Shakespeare wrote, ‘Our revels now are ended. These our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits and are melted into air, into thin air.’ The Tempest Would Ransome have agreed? I only know he discussed Shakespeare with Karl Radek.

I came across an essay in one of my school exercise books that I must have written aged twelve whilst on location. I was trying to explain that only about three minutes of what will be the finished film are captured during a long day’s filming on location. The piece is not well written.

We went on to learn about the Spanish Main, which may have been requested by Claude Whatham, the director of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ so that I would know what Titty was talking about. On 1st June 1973, I was on location in the Lake District filming in the capture of the Amazon in Secret Harbour on Peel Island.

Perhaps I should add these remenants to a future edition of ‘The Making of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974)’. You can order the illustrated paperback from libraries, find it for sale online, or listen to the audiobook:

The audiobook of 'The Making of Swallows and Amazons' — The audiobook published by The Lutterworth Press

‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons (1974)’ – a book review

Chloe Williams has just written from Ontario in Canada, to say, “Some books entertain. Some enlighten. And some, like The Making of Swallows and Amazons and The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons, manage to bottle something impossibly rare: the feeling of looking back through a child’s eyes and realizing it was all real; the lake, the sails, the laughter and somehow, you were part of it.”

“These aren’t just behind-the-scenes diaries. They’re sun-dappled time machines. Your voice, both in memory and in your original childhood notes, is a miracle of tone: witty, observant, buoyant, and deeply human.”

Of the original movie, she wrote: “What A Christmas Story is to snowglobes and childhood winters, Swallows and Amazons (1974) is to summers on the water and you’ve preserved that magic with charm, heart, and astonishing detail.

“What makes these books unforgettable isn’t just nostalgia. It’s how alive they are. We feel the smell of old sails and camera tape, the blur of location shoots, the uncertainty and excitement of being a child caught in a grown-up world of filmmaking yet utterly at home in it. We meet legends like Virginia McKenna not as distant stars, but as fellow travelers in the adventure. And it’s a joy.”

The Making of Swallows and Amazons seems to resonate with:

Readers of nostalgic memoirs that celebrate childhood, nature, and storytelling
Adults who are captivated by the lake-country magic of Arthur Ransome
Film lovers who cherish insider views of filmmaking
Educators and parents seeking real-life adventure stories for young readers
Fans of Call the Midwife, The Durrells, and 84, Charing Cross Road

“The joy and authenticity in your books mirror exactly why Swallows & Amazons (1974) still has such a hold on people’s hearts. The memoirs don’t just tell the story of making the film, they recreate it, letting readers smell the lake air and see the magic unfold through a child’s eyes.”

I’m hoping the audiobook will also amuse readers. It’s now available on all the online platforms including Audible, where isis being offered for free on their membership trial.

Ten tips on filming boats

Simon West as John Walker studying the chart before the voyage.

1. It’s good to begin a film with establishing shots that explain what is happening. This could be a chart, a poster, a yacht club, a moored boat or the landscape. Then tell the story, introducing the characters and different boats.

The Swallows on their voyage to Wildcat Island

2. Once you begin filming boats the most important thing is to keep the horizon horizontal.

Simon West and Sophie Neville bring Swallow into the Secret Harbour on Wildcat Island

Alternatively, tilt your camera at a dramatically acute angle – but don’t use compromised shots like the one above.

Dame Virginia McKenna bids the Swallows farewell — Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies – can you spot the safety officer?

3. When you pan – side to side – first plan and rehearse the shot with good opening and ending frames. Hold for a beat on these – it gives you a transition to the next shot in the same way as a comma or full stop.

Simon West, Suzanna Hamilton, Sophie Neville and Sten Grendon in 'Swallows and Amazons' (1974) — Simon West, Suzanna Hamilton, Sophie Neville and Sten Grendon in ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974)

Pans look better if the shot moves from left to right, as that is how westeners read.

A pan works best if it’s ‘motivated’ ie follows action. Only pan from right to left if you are following a subject, then let it pass out of shot.

Avoid panning from left to right and back again. Don’t wave the camera around.

Simon West as Captain John sailing Swallow . Sten Grendon plays the Boy Roger

4. Avoid using the zoom unless it is motivated. Tilting the camera works better eg: open on a shot of a boat’s name and tilt up to find the skipper.

5. A general rule is: If the subject is stationary you can move the shot. If the subject is moving, keep the shot still.

6. Low angle shots are atmospheric – try filming at chair height, especially if you are tall.

Suzanna Hamilton as Susan with Sophie Neville as Titty busy writing the ship’s log

7. Close ups and detail are good, especially if there is some movement. eg: burgee flying in the wind.

A montage of close-ups works well to explain what is happening and explain a passage of time.

8. People do well in front of the camera if you give them something intricate to do or look at. Show what they are doing, possibly from a different angle.

9. You will need to film one boat from another. We were lashed to a camera boat to achieve these shots.

Sophie Neville, Suzanna Hamilton and Simon West sailing Swallow in 1973

10. Make sure your lens is kept clean – or use water droplets for effect. Don’t let your camera get wet but capture the excitement.

Simon West and Suzanna Hamilton at the helm of Swallow with Stephen Grendon

You can read about the adventures had in ‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons’ with further explanations in the DVD Extras of the 40th Anniversary DVD of the 1974 film.

Stills from the original film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974) can be purchased from StudioCanal’s website.

Did the original film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ change the course of your life?

I continue to hear amazing stories about how the 1974 film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ has influenced people’s lives. Someone wrote to say, ‘This was my favourite movie growing up in Australia and the main reason I ended up moving to the UK!’

Rob Boden talking to Rupert Maas on BBC Antiques Roadshow.

There has been quite a bit in the popular press about what Rupert Maas, the expert on paintings, said of the movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974) which he saw aged 14. “It’s fair to say it got me into sailing. Just watching the romantic lives of these children in this wonderful summer. It never seemed to rain, the sun was always out…” He ended up crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Simon West as Captain John in Swallows and Amazons 1974

Marc Grimston writes, “I was read the books as bedtime stories when I was too young to read them myself… but when I was taken to see the film, the stories became alive to me. I had not seen the Lake District at that point and the film changed everything. I could visualise the landscape every time I read one of the books, that was due to the film. The characters in the stories now had faces I could recognise in my head from that point on. When I read the books now, the characters are still the same 51 years on. The books, the film and the TV series of Coot Club and The Bix Six gave me a love of boats, camping, the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads.

Krista French “Those books were my part of my childhood escape toolkit.”

Simon Leach saw a poster of the 1974 film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ and said that when it came out, “my family was living in South Australia. After watching this, my parents were so homesick, that we returned to the UK.”

Others comment on how it has given them solace during difficult times. One man wrote to say that he watches ‘Swallows and Amazons'(1974) every week.

Fiona Ring said, “It literally shaped my childhood, that was me, I was Titty, the adventures the love for the outdoors. I read and watched it over and over and now it’s even better that I’m reliving it all again with my girls. Travelling up to the lakes each year to find all your secret spots. It’s amazing. Kayaking to wild cat island with our girls in April was a dream come true.”

Sophie Neville as Titty with Suzanna Hamilton as Susan — Sophie Neville with Suzanna Hamilton

Andy Stuart loved Arthur Ransome’s simple book illustrations. “And equally perfect were the the actors in the 1974 film. If I think of the Swallows and Amazons, those are the faces I see when I read the novels in which their characters feature, and my mind’s eye visions of the Norfolk children and the D’s are conjured from who I imagine would have fitted in alongside the original cast. You were all wonderful, Sophie Neville!”

Swallows and Amazons 1974 - Simon West, Sophie Neville, Suzanna Hamilton and Sten Grendon in Secret Harbour — Simon West, Sophie Neville, Suzanna Hamilton and Sten Grendon in Secret Harbour

The author Duncan Hall says, “I can’t remember if I read the books or saw the film first. I don’t remember picturing the Swallows and Amazons differently so I maybe saw the film first? But would have been at a similar time. It sparked a lifetime obsession with the Lakes, boats and stories.”

Lesley Bennett and Kit Seymour as the Amazon pirates dancing with rage on Peel Island — Lesley Bennett and Kit Seymour as the Amazon pirates dancing on Peel Island

Rob Twycross said, “I saw myself in the children in the film. We lived our childhood like that, going off exploring, discovering and learning. Halcyon days that I fear are gone now. It’s lovely to watch it again now and feel young again, if only in my head and heart for a little while!”

Sophie Neville in Swallow — Sophie Neville as Able seaman Titty in Swallow

You can now listen to the story of how the 1974 film was made on location in the Lake District on any of the audio-book platforms, including Audible.

Letters from the film set – written whilst filming ‘Swallows and Amazons’ in the Lake District in 1973

I’ve been asked to post the hand-written letters that my mother wrote on location while we were making the original film of ‘Swallows and Amazons’. It is amazing they have survived. This was sent to my great aunt who lived on the Solent and knew Buckler’s Hard where Arthur Ransome once moored.

Letter written about the filming of 'Swallows and Amazons'

Mum mentions Claude Whatham, the director, David Blagden our ‘sailing teacher’ who played Sammy the Policeman and Dame Virginia McKenna, the star of the movie who played my mother, Mary Walker.

This must be the cutting from the Daily Mail that I hadn’t seen for more than fifty years and yet remember the photos as being over-exposed. Mum marked me with an X, as in ‘X marks the spot.’

You can find other letters on my previous post.

‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons’, narrated by Sophie Neville, is now available as an audiobook on all platforms, along with Audible where you can listen to a free sample.

Letters from the Lake District written whilst making the movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974) that was broadcast on RTE over Easter and is now streaming on Amazon Prime

Whilst clearing out my mother’s house recently we found a few letters written by my parents to my great aunt in June 1973. They report on the progress of making the original EMI movie of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ in the Lake District.

Sophie Neville as Titty Walker with Stephen Grendon as the Boy Roger and Simon West playing Captain John Walker on Derwentwater — Stephen Grendon as the Boy Roger, Sophie Neville as Able-seaman Titty and Simon West playing Captain John Walker beside Derwentwater in 1973 ~ photo: Daphne Neville

My mother had been given headed writing paper designed for members of the production to use on location by Brian Doyle, who managed the film publicity.

It looks as if my father used his children’s felt pens.

It is interesting to learn how much my sisters earned as film extras when they appeared in the scenes shot at Rio (Bowness on Windermere).

Kit Seymour and Jane Grendon watch the filming on the jetty whilst Tamzin and Perry Neville eat ice creams with the one man in Cumbria willing to have a short-back-and-sides. You can just see the period cars parked in the background

They made £5 a day, which was the same amount as the green parrot. I calculated that those of us with leading parts, who he describes as ‘the 6 children’ earned £7.50 a day. This was probably because we were only meant to be on set for a couple of hours. As Dad mentions, I effectively worked twelve-hour days but seemed to be thriving.

Until reading this letter, I didn’t know that the movie (or ‘picture’ as Mum called it) was originally due to be released in time for the Christmas holidays. It was launched in ABC Cinemas but not until April. You can read about the film’s release and premiere at what was then the ABC in Shaftesbury Avenue on my website here.

You can read more in ‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons (1974)’, which is now available in paperback, as an ebook and audiobook narrated by me, Sophie Neville.

The Doctor Who story ‘Vengeance on Varos’ at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith

On Sunday 9th February 2025, I was invited to join the Projections in Time panel since I worked on ‘Doctor Who’ in the summer of 1984 .

An email arrived with this wonderful invitation:

“Over the last few years, I have been part of a team at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, organising screenings based around a number of television series, but the most popular and regular of these events have been based around Doctor Who.”

“In conjunction with the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, the next event at will be a screening celebrating Vengeance on Varos, a Doctor Who story made in the studio at BBC Television Centre.

The story will be shown, followed by Q&As, as well as a photo studio session, in which fans can have a photo with the guests, and an autograph session. So far, Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Nabil Shaban, Gerladine Alexander, Stephen Yardley and Forbes Collins will be joining us. You can buy tickets here.

“I always do my best to include crew at these events as I think they have more of an overall impression.” Apparently those on the production team have been very popular and do well at the autograph table. I’ve been thinking up some stories.

Sophie Neville working on the Doctor Who episodes 'Vengeance on Varos' — Sophie Neville working on the set of Doctor Who in TC6 with Nibil Shaban, Martin Jarvis and Forbes Collins

Below is a plan of the day after, lunch for the guests, with two panels of guests.

“At the autograph table we’ll provide photos to sign, although attendees normally bring their own items. There are normally a handful of posters of the event, which we ask all of the guests to sign, which are then sold for charity.”

The story was recently re-released on a Bluray – with studio footage.

In 1983, I worked for the director Andrew Morgan on the BBC adaptation of Arthur Ransome’s books ‘Coot Club’ and ‘The Big Six’ that was screened under the title ‘Swallows and Amazons Forever!’ and is now available on DVD.

Swallows And Amazons Forever! (Coot Club & The Big Six) SPECIAL EDITION [DVD]

Andrew cast Colin Baker as Doctor Dudgeon. I had found Henry Dimbleby to play his son Tom Dudgeon, the hero of the story.

Colin Baker as Doctor Dudgeon in ‘Coot Club’ – photo Sophie Neville

I also took this photo, below, of Patrick Troughton who played Harry Bangate the eel man in in ‘The Big Six’.

Patrick Troughton playing Harry Bangate the eel man in ‘The Big Six’ – photo Sophie Neville

Many of those working on our crew worked on episodes of Doctor Who at some stage, including Di Brookes, Liz Mace and the sound recordist Colin March. I have written about the Doctor Who connection here. Having read Andrew Morgan’s memoir, I remember that Colin found out that he’d been offered the part of The Doctor while he was with us on location in Norfolk. He was thrilled.

Assistant Make-up Designer Penny Fergusson with John Woodvine who played PC Tedder in ‘Coot Club’, having appeared in ‘Doctor Who’

If we could promise a big enough audience, I could ask if Riverside Studios would host a similar event celebrating ‘Swallows and Amazons Forever!’ Please let me know if you’d be interested in coming in the comments below. I’ll ask Colin Baker if he could come when I see him on 9th February.

Those who played Time Lords had other incarnations. As a researcher, I invited Peter Davidson to sing on the chat show Russell Harty’s Christmas Party, which was fun, and appeared with Tom Baker in Sherlock Holmes. He was brilliant in that role. I wore rather a tight corset.

Sophie Neville with Tom Baker in ‘Sherlock Holmes’

You can read more about the adventures I had working in film and television in ‘Funnily Enough’, now also available on audible.

Funnily Enough – the paperback with black and white illustrations

A Writer’s Year – Highlights of 2024

I’m posting this collection of images with immense gratitude for all the help, support and encouragement I received in 2024.

I was unwell for the first six months of the year with one chest infection after another, but whilst languishing in bed I managed to improve a couple of screenplays I’ve been working on and the novels that accompany them.

My biopic on Freddie Mercury’s teenage adventures in Zanzibar won about ten international script awards and was selected for many more including the Best Feature Screenplay at the Berlin Art Film Festival

My WWII story set in East Africa, Burma and Japan won about seventeen awards including the Page Turner Award for Best True Story.

Sadly, I contracted Covid quite badly and couldn’t get to more than one awards ceremony but did make it to a Hollywood party in London.

Fundraiser Caroline Dolby with Sophie Nevillle.

This story was well received in Europe, particularly in Germany.

Florence Film Award for Best Feature Script won by Sophie Neville

I proudly loaded some of the laurels I was sent on my website here.

The cast of 'Swallows and Amazons' (1974) gathered for the 50th Anniversary - photo Lee Pressman of the Cinema Museum — The cast of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974) gathered for the 50th Anniversary – photo Lee Pressman of the Cinema Museum

One of the highlights of the year was celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the release of the movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’. The original cast and screenwriter David Wood gathered at the Cinema Museum in London for a Q&A with Brian Sibley when I was invited to read out a message from Virginia McKenna. You can watch a recording of the often hilarious event here and David Wood’s interview here.

I wrote an article about appearing in the film for Hampshire Life magazine.

and was interviewed by the Church Times.

Fred Pilbrow then invited me to speak about his father, Richard Pilbrow, who had produced the film. After a debriefing at his studio in London

I spoke on stage at the National Theatre after Julie Andrews and before Sir Richard Eyre, grateful for the support of leading theatre technicians.

Sophie Neville with the Puffin copy of 'Swallows and Amazons' brought out to accompany the 1974 film — The Puffin copy of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ brought out to accompany the 1974 film

I then received a message out of the blue from someone I’d never met:

“I was so excited tonight. Your episode of Antiques Roadshow came up. I had to down tools to watch you! Loved all your memorabilia.” Suzie Eisfelder in Australia.

This took me by surprise but there I was on BBC One being interviewd by Marc Allum on the shores of Windermere.

The repeat was covered by OK! magazine and the Daily Mail Online where is accrued numerous shares.

GRUMPYBUG from North Yorkshire commented,’Most actors just take a bit of something for a memento. She nicked half the props.’ The truth was that Richard Pilbrow had sent me the flags from America. The exciting news was that Swallow and Amazon, the dinghies used in the film, have survived and are being renovated for anyone to sail from Hunters Yard on the Norfolk Broads where we made the BBC serial ‘Swallows and Amazons Forever!’ back in 1983.

The broadcast coincided with an online Q&A with the writer David Wood OBE and top Hollywood make up designer Peter Robb-King. All this was great pre-publicity for 50th Anniversary celebrations of the film in Cumbria when I met film fans, signed copies of my books, gave a couple of talks and was interviewed by John Sergeant, president of The Arthur Ransome Society who hosted the two-day event.

A good account of the weekend was featured in Flip the Media. It was covered by BBC News, there was an item on Look North, North West News and BBC Breakfast television.

Sophie Neville, Suzanna Hamilton and Kit Seymour on BBC Breakfast

After chatting on BBC Radio Cumbria I was interviewed by Luke on CalonFM radio.

I returned from the north to write a Foreword to Dr Anthony Mitchell’s book ‘From Dust to Trust’, which describes life around Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya.

I then helped Paddy Heron to raise funds to help a little boy called Max get medical treatment in Germany by auctioning two signed copies of my books and later auctioned another book for BBC Children in Need.

As an ambassador for the UK charity Schoolreaders I was invited to an amazing event at the House of Commons hosted by Giles Brandreth and gave three talks on Zoom.

Sophie Neville is an ambassador for Schoolreaders

Having spoken at the Royal Thames and Army & Navy clubs in London, Arnside Sailing Club in Morecambe Bay and Royal Southern Yacht Club earlier in the year, I gave an illustrated talk at Yarmouth Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight before going on a trip the Galapagos Islands.

I returned to news that my mother had collapsed and focused on aspects of life that weigh-lay us all: hospital visits, repairs and redecorating, general admin and clearing out my mother’s house. She’s made a remarkable recovery. I’m left exhausted but am looking towards the year ahead with hope.

A signed and dedicated first edition hardback of ‘The secrets of filming Swallows & Amazons’ sold for £86 with funds going directly to BBC Children in Need, 2024

An original hardback copy of my book on how we made the 1974 film of Swallows and Amazons was sold in Paddy Heron’s online auction for £86 to raise funds for BBC Children in Need 2024.

It exceeded bids for the autobiographies of Theresa May, Michael Ball, Charles Spencer, Tim Peake, Lynda La Plante, Father Alex Frost and a number of amazing biographies.

An unframed print of a portrait of her playing Titty executed by C. Assheton was also sold in the online charity auction, which raised a total of £14,705 – which is fantastic.

Paperback and ebook editions of my same story are also available at Waterstones and online from all the usual stockists including Amazon

You can find readers’s reviews on my website here