Exploring the World According to Grandpa

Channel 5 kids strand Milkshake! commissioned this live action show with 2D animation and puppet in October 2019 but we still needed to pull together the final finance package. 

We felt the project’s values, diverse cast and crew fitted perfectly into the core aims of the BFI-backed Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF) and at the same time wanted to pitch and make a Welsh language version for S4C with our production partners Boom Cymru. 

So this all came together. 

Having a second language commission from the outset was invaluable in designing the production process, which also boosted the show’s appeal to our distributor as we could offer two versions of the same show for tape sales, plus a format change option, should Spain, for example, want to re-make with a Spanish Abuelo and grandchildren. 

One year later, we were filming during a tight Greater Manchester lockdown, which of course threw up challenges we could never have dreamed of in October 2019. 

Our star Don Warrington was filming BBC1’s Death in Paradise (for which he plays Commissioner Selwyn Patterson) and got caught up in a 14-day quarantine on return from Guadeloupe. 

Death in Paradise producer Red Planet and Pact were so helpful on these processes and we were advised Don could travel and then work after being tested, within an extended quarantine bubble between his place of residence and work. 

Meanwhile, series producer Dominic MacDonald and director Alex Jacob’s daughter, Holly, produced an illustrated studio guide for the children, which explained the process and integrated the Covid-19 information, so that it became ‘How we make TV’ for the kids. 

Shaping the atmosphere 

We were so mindful that being surrounded by mask-wearing adults with so many rules in place could impact the performances of our child stars. 

It was therefore essential that we created a relaxed and fun atmosphere on set, and this was driven by Don on the sofa, who supported each child with their performance. 

“Director Alex had a seemingly inexhaustible supply of dad jokes (and dances) to keep the kids’ energy up”

Our puppeteer Julia Frost was also on board to keep them entertained with our rabbit puppet Halifax (voiced by Sally Lindsay) and director Alex had a seemingly inexhaustible supply of dad jokes (and dances) to keep their energy up. 

We also had full animatics to show to the children – from fire-breathing hamsters to rhubarb loving monsters, which made the world of Grandpa feel more real. 

We minimised the number of people on set and grouped the guys into cohorts with the sofa gang (Don, the kids, the puppeteers and Carol from hair/make-up/wardrobe) being the one close cohort who were allowed to be closer to each other than the rest. 

We provided a studio feed for those not on location, which quickly developed into a surprisingly focussed way of giving notes either from me in Manchester, story executive Kay Benbow in Buckinghamshire or creator Chris Heath in Greece. 

We could then easily share how we physically made the show with Boom Cymru, with no need to travel. 

Although there was a massive amount of planning that went into the shoot, we also had some luck. 

One of main puppet Halifax’s ears stopped working but this took place before our single dark day. 

So, Halifax was driven to the set of Spitting Image to be repaired by her creator Andy Heath from Talk to the Hand Puppets, during his lunch break.

All our usual drivers/ runners were busy, so we used a locally recommended driver, who coincidentally had 20 years close protection on his CV. I think we all liked the idea that Halifax had a bodyguard the single day she was out of our sight. 

Having wrapped, I had just finished a celebratory glass of fizz in the bath when Death in Paradise series producer Jim Poyser sent me a howler of a text: “Don has just told me your make-up team have dyed his hair permanently red. This won’t work for us”. 

Luckily, we sorted it, because that’s what we do in TV. And Don flew back to Guadeloupe as the Commissioner, no longer Grandpa.