MovieChat Forums > Bernard's Watch (1997) Discussion > I've been on the old one...

I've been on the old one...

posted 19 years ago by fantasyescapist
18 replies | jump to latest

In my old secondary school in Nottingham, me and my classmates were given the chance to go to Carlton Studios to be extras in Bernards Watch. It was quite a long time ago, in 2000, and I was 12 at the time. Unfortunately, the boy who played Bernard wasn't there, it was a girl that plays his cousin in the old Bernard's Watch - she acted OK, but I found her quite stuck-up. Me and my classmates were in an episode where this girl(I think her name's Lucy in the show) meets a boyband(not a real boyband, of course). I enjoyed it though, but I would prefer to be a main character or aometing, but I'm too old now...

[–] chobar 19 years ago

Hang on... You were in it? That's quite impressive! Do you know which series that was? I recently bought a video on eBay that has three episodes from the second series on it. I wonder if it was one of those...

[–] fantasyescapist 19 years ago

Sorry I haven't replied this thread since, Chobar - I've been busy. Yeah, I was in it, but I wouldn't get too excited, as I was just an extra in it - you'd be lucky if you even saw me there! The series, I think is the old ones, not the new ones that are just called 'Bernard' that came on CITV recently - I only know it was in 2000, and Bernard wasn't really in that episode, just his cousin Lucy or something I think her name is. Yeah, I think it is the second series - check the date on the back of the DVD/video you brought of Bernard's Watch to see. The episode was about Lucy meeting a boyband and I'm a funny-looking black girl with afro hair in buns on my head and I should look quite young there as I was only 13 in it - doubt you'll even spot me though...

'I love you, Hermione'Ron HBP

[–] chobar 17 years ago

Sorry I haven't replied in this thread since more than a year ago, sunnygirly2k4. I've been... rubbish at replying to things. Sorry.

Oh, but being an extra still sounds exciting to me! Just to get your face broadcast on national television is an achievement. So I'm still impressed. :)

I've got two Bernard's Watch videos now. One of them has all five episodes from the first series, and all of those episodes have Bernard (played by David Peachey) as the main character. The other has three episodes from the second series, and those have Bernard's friend Karen (played by Phoebe Allen) as the main character. Both videos have dates in the 1990s, though, so they're too early to have your episode on them.

The IMDb has a very incomplete episode list for Bernard's Watch, listing just two episodes:
* Series 4 Episode 3 - no title listed; dated 10 November 2000
* Series 10 Episode 5 - entitled "Clara"; dated 2006

But since it has an episode from the fourth series with the date 2000, I would guess that you were quite likely in the fourth series.

If I ever manage to see any of the fourth series, I will look out for you. :)

[–] fantasyescapist 17 years ago

That's alright Chobar. Don't they sell the DVDs of Bernard's Watch in the shops at all, cause I hate buying stuff online.

Be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of someone else

[–] chobar 17 years ago

I've searched for Bernard's Watch a few times, but have never come across a DVD. And the only videos I've come across are the three that between them cover the first two series.

Oh, but buying stuff online is great! :) I was worried about it at first, but I've got used to it. I've never had any problems with the security of my details. But if you really don't want to do it, you could try asking in your local video/DVD shops to see if they do searches for rare videos.

According to sendit.com, the first series (Bernard's Watch) was released on VHS on 16th Feb 1998, the first video of the second series (Bernard's Watch: Plenty of Time and Other Stories) was released on 12th Apr 1999, and the second video of the second series (Bernard's Watch: Time Travel and Other Stories) was released on 14th Jun 1999. However, it says that all three titles have been deleted in the UK since 29th Feb 2004, and it doesn't sell any of them now.

I suspect that "deleted" means that the master tapes have been wiped. So I doubt very much that either of the first two series will ever be released on DVD. I would also guess that the other series starring David Peachey - including the one you were in - would have been wiped at the same time, so I doubt they'll be released in any form at all. :(

Our best hope is that someone taped them off the television!

Did you tape the episode you were in? Oh, come on, you must have done, mustn't you? :)

[–] fantasyescapist 17 years ago

Awww, what a shame, as since primary school, I was a big fan of the programme. I could see if Youtube ha any episodes or clips, cause I've found some right jems of kids shows on there.

I don't think the episode I was in, cause I was late coming home from school that day, so when I got home, the scenes I was in were showing and it was too late. I regret it now.

Be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of someone else

[–] chobar 17 years ago

Oh, that's a shame that you didn't get to keep your episode. :(

I think they should give out free videos to everyone who is involved in the making of a programme. That would be a nice gesture, wouldn't it? :)

I didn't even know about Bernard's Watch back in "your day". I only learnt about it because a girl I spoke to on another online forum was a fan of the programme. By the time I actually watched an episode, it had already morphed into just plain Bernard - the one that starred Ryan Watson, Ezrah Roberts-Grey, Rosie Day, and all those other new people.

I've only seen any of David Peachey's episodes at all because I managed to buy two of the videos from eBay.

So what gems of children's television have you found on YouTube? Any that I might like? :)

[–] fantasyescapist 17 years ago

Yeah, they should have, and it would be nice of them.

Oh, wow. I don't watch the new one just called Bernard anyway. I reckon they should repeat the old ones.

Thing is, I've heard alot bad things about eBay, so I'm not sure whether to buy from them or not, plus the whole issue of me not having a PayPal account.

Well, I've found episodes and clips of: Animals of Farthing Wood, Animaniacs, Spatz, Zzzap!, and some others I can't remember the names of. PM me if you want the links(assuming Youtube hasn't taken them down). It's nice to indule in nostalgia sometimes ...

Be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of someone else

[–] chobar 17 years ago

So have you not see any episodes of Bernard at all? You should watch at least one, just to compare!

They changed loads of details from the old version - such as making Bernard appear younger again, putting him in a completely different school with different teachers, and giving him a new best friend - but, more than that, the programme has a completely different feel to it. But still, I find the new episodes quite amusing, however sad it is to admit that!

As for the cast, I think Ryan Watson's good as Bernard. I think he's sweet. :) And Rosie Day is... well, her character (Nicolette) is quite obnoxious, but I'm quite an admirer of the actress. :) She's been in a few other programmes, but the only one I've seen is when she was playing Jenny the Boxer in a Big Train sketch. That was quite funny, I think. :) I'm hoping she'll go on to do more acting work...

It would be good if they could repeat the old ones, with David Peachey and co., but I bet they've deleted all the tapes... :(

[–] fantasyescapist 17 years ago

That would be good if they gave it to everyone involved. Wish they did.

It's good to hear someone out there is a fan of the old ones. I remember watching the first episode on CiTV when Bernard gets the watch from the postman, and I'd love to see it again. Don't watch the new one Bernard, although I've seen some episodes, but it doesn't just appeal to me.

Thing is, I've heard alot of bad things about eBay, so I'm doubtful as whether to buy from them, and also the matter of not having a PayPal account.

I've found loads of old clips from CiTV and CBBC from when I was a little kid. I even have a tape with stuff I want to upload, but the problem is I don't know how to transfer video tape to the computer to upload there. I know there's gotta be a way, and I so want to share it, so other people can see it. Considering the tapes over 10 years old, it still plays fine.

I've found: Animals of Farthing Wood, Animaniacs, Spatz, Zzzap!, Dreamstone and some others I can't remember. If you want links to some of the best, just PM me.

Be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of someone else

[–] chobar 17 years ago

I've bought quite a few things from eBay. I've had a few problems, but most were sorted out easily enough. There was a DVD that didn't work, but the seller replaced it for me, as soon as he'd received the faulty one back again. And there was a book whose cover was damaged, but the seller offered to send me another one, without me even having to send the first copy back! The biggest problem was with a plate that was supposed to be in perfect condition, but which arrived with a chip in it. The seller got quite nasty afterwards, and accused me of all sorts of foul play! But on the other hand, I've got things from eBay that I don't know if I'd have been able to get anywhere else. The Bernard's Watch videos are a good example. :)

And a lot of the time, sellers are quite flexible with how they accept payment: for example, accepting cheques through the post.

But if you're not comfortable with it, never mind. Have you tried asking your local video shops if they do searches for hard-to-find items?

That would be brilliant if you could transfer old programmes to your computer. I've got lots of tapes that I'd like to do that with, too, although none that are very old. I've recently got a new computer (okay, to be honest, it belongs to someone else in the house) that apparently has a TV card in it, although I haven't tried it out yet. Once I've confirmed that's working, I'll have to work out how to attach a video recorder, and then get whatever software I need to do the actual converting. It all sounds quite daunting, and given my track record for putting things off, my tapes might be ten years old by the time I actually get round to converting any of them. ;)

Of the programmes you mention, I quite liked Animaniacs. If The Dreamstone is the one I'm thinking of, I didn't like it at all! I have a memory of a programme where the "goodies" were really gormless and devoid of character, and there was a clever "baddie" who was coming up with fiendishly complicated plans to defeat them, and I was thinking, well, it wouldn't be any great loss. ;) I don't know if that's the same programme, though.

I'd like to get hold of some of the other children's programmes written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen - the same people who wrote the episodes in the first series of Bernard's Watch. Woof and Aquila spring to mind. I think there was at least one video of Woof, but I haven't heard of Aquila being released. Aquila was good, though. :) Did you see it?

[–] fantasyescapist 17 years ago

Hi Chobar. I've changed my ID as you can see - I was getting grief on The Sandbox for a pic of myself I stupidly posted, and a user was going on and on about how ugly I was.

Anyway, sorry I haven't replied this sooner. eBay seems alright from your experience that you've said.

I've found some videos on Amazon but they are a bit pricey. I'll try video shops.

I would love to share all my old videos and I'd have to get one of the convertor-thingys so I could do it once and for all.

Animaniacs was cool. Dreamstone was so good - give it another watch as their's a DVD available(which I plan to get) on Amazon.co.uk and it's going cheap. One of the best shows on CiTV taht I remember from my childhood.

I loved Woof. Another gem, where a boy turns into a dog. Wasn't Aquila the series with the flying spaceship thing? If so, I loved it.

"What're you all looking at? Never seen a guy who slept with a fish before?"-Splash

[–] chobar 17 years ago

Thanks for the reply. And I like the new name! :) Don't worry about not replying earlier. I'm the worst person in the world at putting off replying to things, so I can't really complain about other people doing it.

Okay, perhaps I should give The Dreamstone another go, as you like it so much. You seem to like quite a few things that I like, too, so maybe I just haven't given it enough of a chance.

And yes, Aquila was about two boys who found an alien spaceship that had been buried since Roman times, and the adventures they had with it. I thought it was one of the best children's television programmes I'd ever seen. There's nothing wrong with an adult liking children's television programmes, is there? :)

I ended up waffling again when composing this message - my experience of buying a toy smurf on eBay, and so on - but I think it's going too far off-topic, and I don't even know if you want to hear any more. Let me know if you do, and I'll PM you.

[–] SpiraMirabilis 16 years ago

Even being an extra in Bernard's Watch must be exciting. It means that you exist in that magic, alternate world.

$h0ndr€ll@ @v€ry r0ck$ my w0rld!!!

[–] fantasyescapist 16 years ago

Yeah, it was a good experience and that Calton Studios in Nottingham has closed down as I read somewhere. The episode I was an extra in was called Autograph Time and it was part of Series 4 in 2000. Found that out from Wikipedia. I dunno why I wrote nearly 3 years ago I would've preferred a leading part as I would be crap at acting - whether it's a young people's show or children's show.

I wish I did exist in a magic, alternate world!

"Jean Louise. Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passing." - Rev. Sykes

[–] Jack94 15 years ago

Series 5 (with David Peachy) of bernards watch was recently repeated on the CITV channel. The David Peachy episodes are being repeated again later in the year apparently.

Most of the David Peachy episodes are on the bernardswatchfan youtube page anyway.

Keshi Heads!

[–] ethansconn 10 years ago

This must have been the one you were in. You were very lucky being a extra in it, used to watch it all the time when I was growing up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c6PuWbkP7U

[–] Uberhamster 9 years ago

Did you by any chance keep copies of those??