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- Author, Catherine Lyst
- Role, BBC Scotland
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James Lacey had been working as a bricklayer on construction sites for almost 30 years when he found himself building the set of a BBC TV show.
In the early 2000s, with River City in the pipeline, James and his workmates began creating the exterior of Shieldinch’s houses and The Tall Ship pub.
But James, 67, from Dumbarton, who was diagnosed with cancer this year, is soon to appear in the drama as an extra – after his son, also called James, organised it as an early Christmas present.
During filming on the set in Dumbarton, James reminisced about his unusual work offer back in 2001.
“We got a phone call to come here,” he told BBC Scotland. “I didn’t know what it was going to be.
“It was very unusual and the only one [set] we’ve done.
“It feels strange coming back because I’ve seen it on the telly quite a few times but it’s different than when you remember it.”
James revealed how the first construction work they did had to be taken down as the buildings were red brick and too new – it transpired it was meant to look like the properties had been built in the 1930s.
“All of a sudden there was a lady, Pat, she was in charge of everybody in here. She came out shouting at us ‘stop, stop’,” James said.
“I’m like ‘what’s the matter?’ She says ‘I don’t want that. I want something that’s been built in the 1930s’.
“So the work we’d done had to get pulled down.”
In the end, the red bricks were flipped to the reverse side which was black and made them look older.
During the building work, James and his workmates were told to avoid a snack bar in the far corner.
“We were told never to go near it because that’s where all the actors were,” he said.
Speaking about his handiwork, he added: “It’s quite strange when you see all this, all the lights were never on it. It was never like this when we saw it.
“I was a wee bit nervous earlier on but I settled into it and it’s been quite good.”
After the workers finished the building, they were taken on a tour and went into the interior Tall Ship set hoping to get a pint.
“We all thought it was real beer but obviously it wasn’t,” James said.
“They told us in those days they put lemon in it so when you drank it, you made the right sort of face. So we drank a pint but we were just drinking water.”
James said he had enjoyed his acting debut.
“It felt funny but it was quite good actually. I enjoyed it,” he said.
He had only expected to be in the background in the scenes in The Tall Ship but he and his son also had some walk-on scenes.
“It’s strange because you can’t make a noise,” he said. “You’re just moving your lips and obviously you don’t know what the other person’s saying to you and they don’t know what you’re saying to them.
“I don’t know how they [the actors]could remember their lines. I thought they’d be perfect but it’s been cut quite a few times. That was a wee bit surprising to be honest.”
James also gave his thoughts on the scrapping of River City.
“When you see this set out there, you think you are in a city or something.
“It’s a shame it’s finishing because it’s a good Scottish programme. There’s not many Scottish programmes left and I know a lot of folks still keep watching it.
“It’s been great coming back. The staff and everybody have been fantastic.
“It brings back a lot of memories. Good memories.”
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