November Newsletter!
Welcome to the November Newsletter, and we have plenty of news to tell you all!
In this months Newsletter,
- Brand new Series 2 “Quotations” T-shirt and mug finally revealed!
- We congratulate the winner of our Series 2 “Quotations” T-shirt Competition!
- We’ve one or two messages from the people who brought Auf Wiedersehen, Pet to your screens: Writers Ian la Frenais, Dick Clement and Stan Hey plus Executive Producer Martin Mckeand!
- Auf Wiedersehen, Pet celebrates it's 32nd birthday!
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Thanks so much for the thousands of Series 2 “quotations” and ‘one liners’ we received via twitter, Facebook and our official competition entry form. We were literally blown away by your enthusiasm!
It was a tough task wading through every entry, but thanks to you we believe we've captured everything you love about Series 2 in this exclusive brand new official design for 2016! Each T-shirt is digitally screen printed for a crisp, quality, vibrant image on heavy cotton and includes the names of our Magnificent Seven in bold red along with numerous immortal quotes and one-liners from your favourite comedy/drama show. We've also included the official logo on the sleeve for that extra touch of class. Take a look for yourself and see if your suggestion made the final design! aufwiedersehenpet.co.uk
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But that’s not all! Check out our official matching mug to perfectly complement your new threads! Each robust, chunky mug includes a selection of the very best quotes, characters and locations from Series 2 . Pre-order now and make your very own ‘Brickies Brew’! aufwiedersehenpet.co.uk
And the winner is...
We’re pleased to announce the winner of the very first T-Shirt hot off the production line is.... Keith Parsons! Congratulations Keith, if you’re reading this get in touch via our contacts page.... we need your address NOW!
Pre-order your Series 2 T-shirt and mug now whilst stocks last for guaranteed dispatch before Christmas and check out some of our testimonials here!
Please note: expected dispatch on pre-orders: 1st December 2015.
10% of proceeds go to ‘The Sunday for Sammy Trust’.
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The Best British TV Drama of all time?
Earlier in September, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet not only triumphed in the Evening Chronicle poll to find the North East's favourite TV show, but also beat stiff competition from shows such as Coronation Street, The X Factor and Downton Abbey to become ITV's favourite TV show of the past 60 years. This huge win, reaffirms the quality of the writing, acting and production of the show.
To celebrate this success, we asked Writers Ian la Frenais, Dick Clement, Stan Hey and Executive Producer Martin McKeand to tell us what it was like to win ITV's favourite ever show. Here’s what they had to say...
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Ian la Frenais & Dick Clement
Thanks to all of you who helped make Auf Wiedersehen, Pet ITV's top show of all time. We're really chuffed and it's great to know we have such enduring support!
Many, many thanks
Dick and Ian.
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Stan Hey
Like Dick and Ian, I was very surprised that Auf Wiedersehen, Pet won this poll. Not that I doubted how good the series was, it's just that with the passage of time, your work recedes from the collective memory of the nation. The first series went out 32 years ago, so I figured that the only people who would remember it would be in their 50's and beyond. Not so, apparently, as so many younger viewers seem to have caught up with the series way after it went out first time round.
Big thanks here go to Lee, Andy, Tim, the website team, for keeping the 'flame alive'. And the cross-generational appreciation of the show is what really makes me feel chuffed. The show has lasted because it was about cheerfulness when under pressure, workers forced abroad to keep their families going. It was true back then, and the same dilemma exists now, the equivalent of the German building site being the zero-hours contract or the 'McJob'. Yet people in these situations can be resilient and funny at the same time, and that's why Auf Wiedersehen, Pet still appeals, I'm sure. There is also - and I bang on about this - the fact that this is the greatest cast put together for any drama ever!
Stan Hey
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Martin McKeand
I was hugely delighted to hear that Auf Wiedersehen, Pet had been voted best ITV programme ever in the Radio Times poll, and apparently, by a wide margin, over several very strong contenders. I had thought we were in with a chance, but wasn't expecting such a resounding result.
It's wonderful to think that a programme that first appeared thirty years ago is still so popular.Unfortunately there does not seem to be any Oscar-like Awards ceremony (or any money!) to go with the victory. If there was, and I had to make an acceptance speech, I would remind people that the programme was the result of many people's efforts, notably Franc Roddam who originated the idea, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais, and Stan Hey who wrote the wonderful scripts, Roger Bamford the lead director, with whom I cast and set up the first two series, and of course our terrific main cast, plus the many other fine supporting actors.
When I meet people for the first time and the subject of AWP comes up, they often say: "Ah yes, Jimmy Nail" but in fact everybody was a star and most have gone on to do great things. It was a wild ride, and I'm very grateful to have been part of it. My own personal thanks to my friend the late Allan McKeown (Executive Producer),and Dick and Ian for asking me to produce the show. And finally, many thanks to the Auf Wiedersehen, Pet website for bringing the vote to people's attention, and to you for voting for us. Best wishes to you all. Time for a celebratory drink, I think.
Martin McKeand
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Happy Birthday, Pet!
This week Auf Wiedersehen, Pet celebrated its 32nd birthday. On November 11th 1983 at 9pm, If I Were A Carpenter first aired.
As usual, the fansite used social media to celebrate and share this milestone. Below we have chosen several comments from fans on how Auf Wiedersehen, Pet came into their lives and what it still means to them today.
Julie Dillon - Facebook Page
"Watched every episode best Geordie series ever! I didn't even miss it even after I had just given birth to my son! Watched it in the TV room in hospital! Happy days!..."
Richard Whtid Armani - Facebook Page
"When TV was worth staying in for on a Friday night!..."
Neil Roberts - Twitter
"Yep 32 years ago we met these guys for the 1st time #DestinedForGreatness still a pleasure to watch 'em!..."
Derek Mead - Facebook Group
"As it was a Friday night, l was out with the boys. When l got home my wife told me she had recorded a programme about some Geordie bricklayers going to work in Germany. I said that l had read about it in the paper but it did not appeal to me. She told me to watch it as l will enjoy it. So next morning, l watched it and suddenly became addicted to it. Greatest series ever shown British television...."
To join in on all the action, Like our Facebook Page, join our Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter!
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Yours till the next point of interest, Lee, Tim & Andy.
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