'My Week With Marilyn' and my trip to Pinewood Studios

I was really thrilled recently to be asked to film a segment for 'The One Show', for the BBC. I was even more excited when I discovered that the filming would take place at Pinewood Studios, home to many, many wonderful films but of course the biggest one for me being 'The Prince and the Showgirl' with Marilyn Monroe.

I travelled to and from Pinewood in a mixture of train and chauffeur driven Mercedes (I could get used to that!) and once at the studios, I was presented with a map to try and find the TV building, which is where I was filming.

Pinewood Studios is like a huge industrial estate and to say I was confused by the map would be an understatement. I wandered around, trying to follow the hand-drawn directions, but it was no use. I eventually had to phone for help but not before I stumbled across a large castle and a medieval soldier; both of which were for the new Snow White film that is currently being shot there. Now when I see the film at the cinema, it will be my claim to fame to say I saw the castle before anyone else did!

I arrived at the TV building and was hurried into a dressing room where the interview was to take place. I brought a handful of Marilyn books with me and after spreading them out it was time for the questions to begin.

I was asked various things about Marilyn, such as the usual - was she a dumb blonde, through to could she act and everything in between. Eventually I was asked what I thought of the Colin Clark diaries which were the basis for the new movie, 'My Week with Marilyn'. I explained that the research I have done over the past 16 years doesn't necessarily correspond with Clark's book and that I had dedicated a huge amount of time to researching Marilyn's trip to England and the events that took place during the time. I always try and be diplomatic with my answers so began as so:

"Whether or not they are true or if he embellished them we'll never know, but..." I then went on to explain about my research once again. Unfortunately on the night of the broadcast, the last part of my answer was cut so that my answer only went up to the words 'we'll never know'.

I was a little disappointed to be edited this way, but the producers only had a few moments to include my comments, so maybe it was to be expected. I do hope though that viewers could see how very passionate I am about Marilyn and her contribution to this world. I have had very positive comments so far, so hopefully that did come across.

Incidentally, while I did say 'we'll never know', in regards Colin and Marilyn's friendship, I didn't mean we'll never know if they had an affair, because I whole-heartedly believe they did not. I don't even think they had a flirtation, based on the research I've done. What I did mean was that we'll never know the extent of the relationship - i.e. if they were friends; if they ever spoke in great detail to each other; etc. etc. I do believe that comes across in my answer; and thankfully have had some very positive comments from viewers in this regard.

I haven't seen the movie yet, so will reserve my judgement on that until I have. In the meantime, I would like to say that I did offer my research to the producers of the movie before it went into production, but never received a reply....