Mum as a Model

Modelling or working as a model, sounds synonymous with glitz and glamour. My mother doesn't care if this is not, exactly, the case.

It has ever been thus. No one can constrain her. She flew to the Netherlands to appear in this advertisement:

Mum loves being in front of the camera and loves being paid for it.Here she is appearing as a cross person in the magazine Take a Break:

This was a commercial for Estrella Crisps. She looks dangerous.

At one time she kept popping up as a psalmist on a TV advert. Did you ever see it?

I do like this photo taken on a shoot advertising a new kind of Mars Bar. It's the one that rings true as honest and natural.

Mum on German television

Daphne Neville (left) appearing as Emma in 'Die Rose von Kerrymore'

Angela Howard-Bent, CEO of Dashwood Film Productions, became well known for her enthusiasm to adapt Rosamunde Pilcher's bestselling romantic novels. In the year 2000 she co-produced The Rose of Kerrymore as a dual language production with German television. To the delight of the cast and crew this was shot on location in Dorset, featuring some of the most beautiful scenery in England .

My mother played Emma the housekeeper, enjoying the opportunity to see around the historic churches and interesting country estate where the story was set. She was the only member of the cast who was not German.

Matthias Zahlbaum, (above) known for Drunter und Druber, Das Schlob meins Vaters and Zwei Manner am Herd played Dr Tom Winter. Jenny Jurgens played Sally, the girl who fell in love with him, while Dietmar Schonherr had the role of grumpy old Lord Kerrymore. Mum was thrilled to be acting as his housekeeper.

When the series was broadcast in 2001, Matthias Zahlbaum wrote enthusiastically from Hamburg, saying that 6 million people had watched the ninety minute drama. He was very pleased with the viewing figures. We rang to congratulate Angela Howard-Bent, who had worked so hard on the project.

While Die Rose von Kerrymore was directed by Axel de Roche, who only had time to direct one further episode, the screenplay was written by Marlies Ewald, who went on to adapt many more well-loved Rosamunde Pilcher novels for the screen. It proved a hugely successful series, running for years. ZDF produced more than 100 of her stories for German television viewers.

Distributed by ZDF Enterprises, Die Rose von Kerrymore was a co-production with Steamship Films, FFP Media Entertainment, Zweiters Deutsches Fernsehen, Osterreichischer Rundfunk, MediaTrade, Videx International and Mainostelvisio (MTV3)

Daphne Neville is a leading character in Funnily Enough, the true story, recently serialised in eleven issues of iBelieve magazine.

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Mum on Television

It can be rather a shock. There we are, innocently watching television and Mum appears - with George Cole. 

In 'Minder' with George Cole 

Then my friends ring to ask if it was true. 

'Is she working as a receptionist now?'

'Not, exactly. She was just playing the part of a receptionist on 'London's Burning'.'

or 

'We saw your mother in tears, terribly upset!'

'Oh, dear, have they been repeating 'Prime Suspect'?'

'Yes! That's what is was. Helen Mirren was the detective.'

It was a bit confusing when Mum appeared as a Magistrate when she was one in real life. 

Chariman of the bench in 'Close Relations' for BBC TV

She was rather shocked to see herself with a Mrs Thatcher hair-do but I told her that it would probably lead to another part. Instead she ended up wearing this curly wig. Theatrical wigs tend to be terribly itchy.

Playing the Headmistress in 'House of Elliott' for BBC
with Louise Lombard and Stella Gonet

She loves climbing into a costume but would rather wear a hat.

On location with Gregor Fisher filming 'Rab C.Nesbitt'

With Roderick Smith in 'Dangerfield'

Filming 'To The Manor Born' one chilly day

And to give her her due, she gets to meet interesting people in interesting places. She readily admits that appearing on television is her hobby as well being her job. She loves it. We just have to be stoic viewers.

Playing Laura's Mum in 'Secret Smile' for Granada
with David Tennant

To see more about Daphne Neville's work in film and television please click here.