UR TV CAST

Jon Moulton may not be the nicest of men, but for all its tribulations, the British motor industry has always thrown up some remarkably awkward but powerful and gifted individuals, from William Lyons (founder of Jaguar) to William Morris to Alec Issigonis to Michael Edwardes Jon Moulton would have been a worthy successor. If BMW has to return to Alchemy, Moulton may still be able to play a role. As he says: “For years, Longbridge has been a bit like waiting for the next shell to fall” It is still waiting.. For fireman John Bellis, providing the voice for Thomas the Tank Engine in a £12m Hollywood blockbuster was a once in a lifetime chance. For fireman John Bellis, providing the voice for Thomas the Tank Engine in a £12m Hollywood blockbuster was a once in a lifetime chance.
Dreaming of starring alongside big name actors including Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda and Mara Wilson of Matilda and Mrs Doubtfire fame, Mr Bellis spent hours preparing for his audition.The Liverpudlian even beat off competition from the likes of Ewan MacGregor and Bob Hoskins to land the role alongside Merseyside actor Michael Angelis, of Liver Birds fame.But now the pair have been shunted into the sidings after audiences at test screenings on the other side of the Atlantic said they did not like their accents. The news was particularly heartbreaking for Mr Bellis, 35, who won the role when he gave the film’s producer, Britt Allcroft, a lift.

He was working as a taxi driver on the Isle of Man and gave her a guided tour while she was looking at film locations.As he dropped her off, Miss Allcroft, who owns the worldwide rights to Thomas the Tank Engine, told her colleagues: “I have just heard the voice of Thomas. The man is exactly how Thomas would sound”.Mr Bellis was whisked off to Toronto to begin voice testing for the part. But audiences said his rich Scouse accent simply seemed “wrong coming from the engine”.They also gave the thumbs down to Mr Angelis, who plays Percy and James, even though he already narrates many of the stories for British television.The pair were doubly baffled by the decision, as the Thomas series on British television was originally narrated by Ringo Starr in a broad Liverpudlian accent.Now, Miss Allcroft is trying to recast the voices of Thomas and his friends as a matter of urgency. A spokesman said it was likely they would remain English but more youthful.”Michael and John did very good work for us and we greatly admire them and are very grateful.

But in tests people all said that the voices should be different and we are listening to that,” the spokesman said.”It is not a question of the accent not being clear because they have wonderful voices. It seemed to boil down to them sounding too old.”Last night, Mr Bellis said he was “gutted”, but wished the film-makers well “It was supposed to be my big break,” he said. “But it hasn’t put me off and I am hoping something else will come along.”Alec Baldwin, who narrates the Thomas series in America, will star in the film as well as Easy Rider star Peter Fonda.Mr Bellis’ agent Bob Barr said the role would have earned the would-be star a small fortune, both from the film and syndication rights whenever his voice was used in Thomas the Tank Engine toys. “Imagine how much you’d make from the lead role in a movie with stars like Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda,” said Mr Barr, “Poor John is devastated But hopefully there will be other roles.”.

The future of Channel 4’s Big Breakfast show was uncertain yesterday after Liza Tarbuck told fans she will step down as co-host this summer. The programme is now looking for its fourth female presenter in less than three years. The future of Channel 4’s Big Breakfast show was uncertain yesterday after Liza Tarbuck told fans she will step down as co-host this summer. The programme is now looking for its fourth female presenter in less than three years.
The 34-year-old daughter of the Liverpudlian comedian Jimmy Tarbuck will leave the show at the end of August, she told fans in an online chat. A programme spokesman said: “Liza has done a year with the show, and she wants to get back into acting, as she said in her Web chat.” The spokesman could not confirm reports that she was leaving because of her growing weariness of the early morning starts or of a reported falling-out with show managers.But viewing figures have failed to reach the heights of its Chris Evans/Gaby Roslin days and are now less than half its GMTV rival. Analysts say the success of the show is “almost entirely” down to the chemistry between its presenters. The show rallied with the pairing of Johnny Vaughan and Denise Van Outen, but after she left for other projects there was a much-criticised stint with the model Kelly Brook.She was sacked, and Liza Tarbuck was widely considered a worthy sparring partner for Vaughan But she has failed to halt the programme’s decline.