1,000 want to become extras on Burnley sit-com

A CROWD of 1,000 hopefuls flocked to the set of a new Burnley sit-com.

After the Burnley Express revealed programme-makers of “Wake Up England” were looking for extras to appear in the pilot show, co-scriptwriter Mel Moon was flooded with emails from would-be actors.

On the first day of filming 60 Burnley people got the chance to appear in the programme along big names such as “Casualty” and “Hollyoaks” star James Redmond and Ewen MacIntosh from “The Office”, with a further five set to take part in the next round of filming this weekend.

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Mel said: “We had an overwhelming response. Thank you so much to everybody who came down. The extras will be credited. We didn’t expect that. Everything comes through to my Blackberry and the emails just didn’t stop, they were coming through at 4-30 a.m.

“The first day of filming went so well and they were the best supporting cast I’ve ever worked with. It was freezing but they did Burnley proud. They absolutely nailed it.”

“Wake Up England” is a satire which follows the story of celebrity couple Dave (James Redmond) and Danni (Mel Moon) whose daytime television show “Wake Up England” was once a national sensation with advertisers, the public and TV stations all clamouring for their attention until their audience turned on them and their ratings plummeted. Eight years later the couple find themselves running their own B&B in a quiet northern town and looking to reclaim their reputation and television careers.

Burnley businesses are being sought to sponsor the show. Their advertising will appear at the beginning and the end of the programme which is due to air in late summer.

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Mel said the show would be an ideal opportunity for companies to have their name on television, and because it is a pilot, the costs would be kept to a minimum.

“It just goes to show that when you do something you are passionate about in your home town, people will get behind it. Everyone wants something to look forward to. These people have been magnificent.”

Businesses interested in sponsorship should email [email protected].

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