Channel 5 Polo Session

Right, for those who were not at polo tonight, I got an e-mail from a media company currently filming a show for Channel 5, and basically they want to get a game of polo going in Newcastle with one of the presenters.

They need to film on the 19th September so we need as many people as possible to come down, probably to the normal court and play a few games.

We were thinking of combining this with a beginners game and maybe inviting a few other teams from the north.

So, who is interested?

The e-mail:

Hi,

I am currently working on a series called Rory & Paddy’s Great British Adventure for Channel 5. We are in the middle of filming at the moment and as part of our series we had arranged for one of our presenters (Rory McGrath) who is a really keen cyclist to get involved in a bike Polo match near Glasgow.

Unfortunately there have been some pretty major shifts in our timetable and I am now trying to find somewhere in the North of England that Rory could play some bike polo next week! I was trawling the internet for some inspiration and came across your website.

I know this is all very short notice but I wondered if you would be able to help me find some people who play the game and might be interested in filming something where Rory learns about the game and has a go.

Preferably we would film next Saturday (19th September.)

If you are able to help it would be great to hear from you as soon as possible and we can discuss further.

Thank you for all your help.

Regards,
Martyn

as I wouldn't be there, I can only say good luck if it's on!

haha, mental ! what an email !

Pretty funny ain't it. As you know, I'm in. Guess we need firm numbers quickly - would be really good to get to ringers in from elsewhere. It's the day before the Great North Run so if anyone wanted to come up for that, would be a good opportunity to play. Worth posting a thread in the general polo section as well?

yeah, maybe wait and see if i get a reply from channel 5 first

Post this in the general polo section, there might be some players from London interested and Manchester wouldn't be too far to travel either.

Polo tourney?!

Would be good but we've only got just over a week and pretty limited places to crash. Mini tourney def on the cards though if people are up for it

So you gonna make a day of it and get a big BBQ going?

Update:

Had an e-mail back, hopefully get a call from them tomorrow. They wanna know roughly how many people we can get down to the courts so can we start a little list of who can defo come down?

1. Phil
   
2. Matt
   
3. Pete
   
4. Andrew
   
   

Will probs post this in the main forum after speaking to them tomorrow.

I can make it, be warned complete beginner like, only reason haven't made most tuesdays is work away most of them so sat would be good to meet up

cool, we were considering combining it with a beginners session too so perfect time to come.

They contacted use also (Manchester) and i spoke to that guy today. He didn't mention that he'd asked Newcastle too. I watched the show tonight, and I'm not convinced that it's an appropriate television program to represent polo. They'd just be exploiting us for cheap laughs. So we're out, still up for a tourney, but fuck Rory McGrath right off.

Worth knowing Chan. Thought it might give us a bit of leverage with the council - helping with lit courts etc. but on the other hand, no-one needs to look like a bell end on tv

Its not so much about looking like a bell end, i don't mind that, in fact I enjoy acting like a bell end. I personally feel that this would just be a misrepresentation of polo. It's up to you guys at the end of the day. Perhaps they've changed the format for this series, but i doubt it though.

They contacted use also (Manchester) and i spoke to that guy today. He didn't mention that he'd asked Newcastle too. I watched the show tonight, and I'm not convinced that it's an appropriate television program to represent polo. They'd just be exploiting us for cheap laughs. So we're out, still up for a tourney, but fuck Rory McGrath right off.

i don't really get what you mean by exploit or more i don't get what you think there *is *to exploit.

best case scenario: we get a load of people down to play polo on a saturday and be on telly.
worst case scenario: we get a load of people down play polo on a saturday and look a bit silly on some shitty program on channel 5.

seems like it could be a laugh if a little ridiculous but fuck it - why not?

edit: not having a go, mind - just re read that and it sounds a little aggressive, which it is not intended to be!

Its not so much about looking like a bell end, i don't mind that, in fact I enjoy acting like a bell end. I personally feel that this would just be a misrepresentation of polo. It's up to you guys at the end of the day. Perhaps they've changed the format for this series, but i doubt it though.

fair play, i guess i dont take polo very seriously and its more akin to playing kickabout in the park rather than a five aside league if you catch my drift.

shades of grey though i guess.

i don't really get what you mean by exploit or more i don't get what you think there *is *to exploit.

Have you seen this show yet? It's like a low brow 'eurotrash'

best case scenario: we get a load of people down to play polo on a saturday and be on telly.
worst case scenario: we get a load of people down play polo on a saturday and look a bit silly on some shitty program on channel 5.

seems like it could be a laugh if a little ridiculous but fuck it - why not?

You should do it if you want, there are probably a few in Manchester that are still up for it. But a few of us just aren't into it. Not trying to push any politics just speaking my mind.

another sport they have done on the series is welly tossing, and tonight it was toe wrestling in derby.

i don't think you'd get any new players from exposure on this programme. if anyone did come down it would be to laugh at you. once they realised that people take it seriously theyw ould be scared off and think you were even more of a tit.

polo players find polo.

Have you seen this show yet? It's like a low brow 'eurotrash'

i saw them throwing axes but i didn't watch a whole episode as such.

You should do it if you want, there are probably a few in Manchester that are still up for it. But a few of us just aren't into it. Not trying to push any politics just speaking my mind.

for sure man, i can totally see your point. just from my experience its a pretty low key and not too serious affair here in newcastle - fair play on the heads up though.

i just watched about 15 mins of the show after never seeing it before and i can see where you are coming from.

but also, isn't polo too normal for that show anyway? they seem to go for really dangerous or really random stuff.. kind of can't see them even wanting to use the footage

right, after seeing an episode from the first series i was slightly worried, but just been on the phone to the researcher for the show.

he says the second series is a slightly different format with less random and weird stuff, focusing more on small, lesser known sports.

sounds ok right?

so, another guy is gonna ring me back to arrange a meeting on monday, probably about 6, to discuss in more detail what will be happening on the day of filming.

obviously i'll be going but would be cool if some others were free to come along too?

might be working next sat but if not ill try and come down and drag sheep doggy dogg along with me.

is ali back from slimeing yet?

Are you back from your travels paul ?? Ali must be getting back this weekend ?!