How did you come up with the concept of Dream Team? The idea wasn't mine. David Hill, then Head of Sky Sports, came up with it back in 1994. We were producing a show for Sky One at the time called Gamesworld. He called me up and posed a question: what are the two types of programming most popular with Sky viewers? His answer was football (most Sky viewers at that time were buying dishes to get the Premiership) and 'soaps'. So why not make a soap about football. He intended it to be five nights a week. But at that point Sky simply didn't have the funds for such a venture. And then David left Sky to go to Fox in the US. But we loved the idea and had begun developing it, so we took it to Channel 4 who were looking for a new youth oriented soap. They chose HOLLYOAKS instead of us. Then we tried ITV, and had virtually sold it to ITV children's department as a short run drama, when things changed again at Sky and Elisabeth Murdoch took charge of programming, with a brief to commission more home grown shows. We had one meeting with her - introduced by the man who is our current boss at Sky, James Baker. She got the idea immediately and in that one meeting the deal was virtually done. And less than a year later, September 1997, we were on air twice weekly at 6.30.
Did you ever envisage in 1997 that Dream Team would be planning a ninth series? We certainly didn't think that far ahead. This was our first ever drama series and it was 64 half hours long. We had no idea when we were commissioned quite what we were letting ourselves in for. We were just concerned with surviving that first year and getting some decent shows out. But as they say in the TV world, the idea 'has legs'. Football is a world that has been with us for over 100 years, always catching the popular imagination, always changing and creating new stories, but always having at its heart the drama of a contest - win, lose or draw.
How did you get into production? I think I've answered that question above. I was very lucky that the person who had produced GAMESMASTER for me - Cameron McAllister - had gone off and trained up in drama at Mersey (producers of Brookside and Hollyoaks). So he'd picked up exactly the kind of experience of long running drama production we needed. He came back to us as the Series Producer of that first series of DREAM TEAM.
What is the hardest thing about producing Dream Team? For me the hardest thing is scripts. You start at the beginning of each series with a huge blank page. You have to summon up characters and stories out of nothing. And from there on you are juggling 17 - 20 characters and their stories, trying to keep those consistent and interesting, trying to devise the right incidents to fill an hour without going too fast or too slow, without becoming melodramatic or boring. And all this you have to do against a background of some characters inevitably not working as well as you hoped, so you're having to tear up plans and remake them as you go. And all the time you've got the production department breathing down your next, saying 'where is it, we're shooting in two weeks, we've got no time to prep.' There are people who have sat in front of their computers, charged with writing a script - and simply frozen under this kind of pressure, unable to think what to do next. It even happened to me over Christmas when I was supposed to have been writing Episode 22 of this series. Not enough time spent storylining it (ie mapping it out). So nothing would work. I hate that experience. You feel completely useless.
What has been the highlight working on Dream Team? It has been exciting to win awards - ten at the moment including two Broadcast Awards which are voted for by ones peers. Also exciting when the show gets sold. Selling it to Fox in the US was a thrilling moment. It's exciting to view a show where you actually get it right - like Episode 30 of Series 6 when Jamie Parker died. I had written that script and it was so satisfying to see it come out so well and on transmission to get such a great response from the audience. It will always be one of my best TV moments. But best of all are the people you get to work with. We have had marriages on DREAM TEAM and many great friendships. Last year the script department who worked so hard and became such great mates, bonded by the stress of it all, that we all ended up going to Madrid together to watch Real play Barcelona. The game was the weekend that the stories about David Beckham and Rebecca Loos came out. We even saw him go past in the team coach, with a face like thunder. It is a weekend none of us will ever forget.
Who have been your favourite characters and castings? It's a bit invidious to have favourites but I guess, like many fans, I loved Series 2 when we finally got into our stride. I liked the trio of Luis Amor Rodriguez (Martin Crewes), Lynda Block (Alison King) and Karl Fletcher (Terry Keily). I remember Ali came along to her casting in a little leopard print top looking extrordinarily beautiful and every inch a Premiership player's girlfriend and was cast virtually on the spot. Martin, who is a fine actor, was originally meant to be playing an East European called Georgiou. We were keen to reflect the trend for foreign players in the Premiership. But after the 1998 world cup and the conflict with Argentina, we decided to make the character an arrogant Argentinian for more controversy. He was supposed to be a real ladies' man and so I called him 'Amor'. Martin promptly went off to the Argentinian Embassy with his script and got someone to read out all the dialogue so he could get the accent exactly right. He was a real perfectionist. And as for the legend that is Terry Keily… what can I say? We are so proud to have been the people to develop him as an actor. It all started with his portfolio photo. Every woman I showed it to sat up and said 'Who the hell is that? ' You have to cast someone who gets that kind of response. And he has got better and better as an actor over the years. I also loved Abi, Pilar and Stoooart. But I also love all this season's cast and think they do a wonderful job.
What have been your favourite episodes and your favourite series? Series 2, onwards except for the first half of Series 7. And favourite episodes would be too numerous to mention. But as I said above, I felt we did a good job on Episode 30 of Series 6 and I was also very proud of Episode 22, Series 7 (11 Angry Men) which my son Harry wrote, the first full script he ever did. This series I liked Clyde's suicide and the one after - cried buckets. Oh and the two trial episodes with Lynda and Fletch in Series 5… and I hope you're going to like the last three in the current series.
What is your biggest regret in the last 8 years? The Boyles. Although we got Dean out of it and I think he's been a good character for us.
Would you ever consider a Dream Team spin off for example one based on the youth team? We have already done the Youth Team alongside the first team in Series 2. As it happens we have been asked to consider a short run spin off. They wanted a DREAM TEAM NIGHTS like HOLLYOAKS MOVING ON, but I didn't think it would work to do a late night version of our brand. It's a family show and if you want swearing, sex and nudity you can get it on FOOTBALLERS WIVES. Instead we have offered them DREAM TEAM RETRO, where Harchester players of the past could be seen pitting their skills against the like of George Best, or Kevin Keegan. Problem is, period dramas are expensive, so I don't know whether Sky will want to spend the kind of money involved. There is also the possibility of a Christmas movie length episode this coming series. And a documentary for those of you who think our plots are far fetched, showing that everything that happens on DT has happened somewhere in the world of football for real. It is to be called DREAM TEAM - STRANGER THAN FICTION.
What has been the best and worst season ending in your opinion? I personally liked the shooting at the Cup Final at Wembley at the end of season 2. I also liked ' Who shot Prash?' I guess the outcome of Phil's lottery and the Boyle saga make the Season 6 ending look weak but I actually liked the shot of Phil walking away into the anonymity of the crowd with the music over. I hope you will like this season's finale although some of you will be very very angry.
Have there been any characters that you have been disappointed with? The Boyles (see above). And many others I'm sure, but you tend to forget the ones who don't work out.
What are the time scales and steps involved in the making of an episode from first ideas to on screen? We are working right now on Series 9 which will be on air in October so that shows how far ahead you need to begin planning. Scripts need to be finished a minimum of two weeks before shooting so various departments can prepare. There are then six weeks from the start of shooting to the completed edit and Sky like to have the episode delivered several weeks before transmission, particularly at the start of a series so they can show it to press and get some publicity.
What advice would you give to aspiring script writers/producers? I think that would take too long in a questionnaire like this. But one thing I will say, as New Zealander, I am constantly amazed by the British attitude that one should not apply for something because one won't get it. How do you know? Why not let the employer be the one to judge that? Rejection is a part of life. It's not that bad. If you believe in things and want them enough, they will happen. Look how many times DREAM TEAM got rejected before someone saw the point and it got made. You just can't give up.
Do you keep in contact with previous cast members? A few. John Salthouse, who played Frank Patcham for two series then went on to become Series Producer. And Ali King and Martin Crewes. And the Legend that is Ansah rang from LA the other day, where he is making a movie with Tarantino!! I hope one day he will return to Harchester.
Who would be your dream casting for Dream Team? I don't have a dream casting. I like the fact that we discover actors who haven't necessarily worked in this country before. Or are fresh out of drama school. I never know who we are going to see on a casting tape. That's part of the fun.
Do you get feedback from people in the football industry regarding the show? Yes and it is generally favourable. We have a fair bit of credibility within the industry. A lot of the feedback comes to us via Andy Ansah who has contacts at every level in the game.
How easy is it to get real footballers guesting in the show? It's all subject to money and availability but generally we have had no problems. A lot of people like to come on and do a turn. Charlton have been exceptionally good to us over the years, granting us a terrific level of access to the manager and the players. West Ham have been especially generous this series. And individual players take their appearances very seriously. Mario Melchiot took acting classes and we thought did really well in his appearance. Perhaps there's a career there after football. Certainly a lot more players think that way since the media successes of people like Vinny Jones and Gary Lineker.
How much further would you like to see Dream Team go? Can you see it lasting another 8 years? Fingers crossed!
Have you had ideas of how you would end Dream Team if the show were to finish? That's something I would think about when the time came. Right now I'm just focussed on how to go forward.
Finally can you give us an insight in to how you would like series 9 to go? Do you have any plans and future storylines? I'm delighted that Ben Harris, who worked on the show since Series 4 and was joint producer last year, is coming back to Exec series 9. He is a class act and one of the best writers we've ever had. He created the character of Jaws who is one of your favourites. And I'm sure he has more new characters up his sleeve. But I can't tell you our thinking, without revealing too much of the end of Series 8. Sorry. You'll just have to keep watching.
Finally can I say a huge thanks to all our fans out there. The website is fantastic. It is heart warming to have such enthusiastic feedback week by week and very useful to have the criticism too when you don't like something. As they say of real life football fans, you truly are the 'twelfth man'. You are part of the process and part of the show. Family.
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