The film is taking shape

The film is beginning to take a much clearer shape in my mind now. There are several themes and strands in the film. One is the biographical story of Spike's life, as told by people who knew him, including show biz celebrities. Another is the contemporary story of Spike's family and what has happened since his death. A third is the story of his depression and what caused it and how it manifested in his life. The fourth is the archive - Spike's own home movies and audio tapes discovered by Jane in the house after he died. All of these strands will be interwoven to reveal a picture of Spike Milligan not seen before; a man more remarkable, surprising, brilliant and complex than I ever dared imagine.

Our first real shoot was in a theatre in Soho where the enormously famous comedian Eddie Izzard was performing. There, on a balcony overlooking the London night life, Eddie told us why he calls Spike 'the godfather'. He brought to life their brief meetings and connection through the town of Bexhill and talked about the enormous influence he has had on comedy and the world around him. It was both funny and sincere and clearly Eddie has a huge respect and affection for Spike. It was a brief but dazzling interview and we all celebrated in the bar afterwards, feeling like we'd got off to a good start.