Fast Cars, Film Sets and Lots of Fun With Red Letter Days

Whether I was interested in joining Red Letter Days for a day of fast cars and being on a film set. Such a hard question to answer… Not! Red Letter Days, known for their experience gifts, invited me to join them for a day in the stunningly beautiful New Forest during a day of filming for a potential new TV series. That already would have been more than enough for me to say ‘yes’, but they added the promise to drive me around in a brand new Ferrari Calafornia T (care of RLD with car kindly on loan from bespokes.co.uk). Well, I was sold!

We started the slightly chilly but promising day at the quay in Lymington, where the film crew was already working hard on filming a scene for their TV series. Andy from Red Letter Days welcomed me and introduced me to all the cast and crew. Another surprise for me when I was introduced to the Oscar-winning producer who led the production. If you know me a bit better, you know that I am not only obsessed with everything that involves theatre, but I also love everything that has to do with Television (I almost applied for a Master’s in Theatre and Television Sciences in Utrecht believe it or not!). So this was such a special day for me! I have always wanted to be on a film set to see how this all works. A dream came true for real.

I cannot give too much away about the production that they were filming, but what I can say is that it involves food and fast cars. These fast cars were also present on the set and I was invited by brand new TV hosts Tom and Paul to join them for a ride. I can only say: I now know how it feels when everyone is staring at you. When we were driving these beauties of cars through the stunning landscape of the New Forest people almost literally stopped and gazed.

Not long after we had departed from Lymington, we filmed another scene of the cars driving by – and I was actually still in the car when they were filming this! We needed to re-do it a few times, and we were able to communicate with the crew over the radio, so that they knew exactly when they should start filming.

Our next stop was the prestigious The Kitchen Cookery School, part of the five star Chewton Glen Hotel. With guest Chef James Martin, ambitious students can take a cookery course here with the master himself. We enjoyed a delicious lunch here with the cast and crew, and then made our way to the beautiful hotel itself to film a scene there. Not only indoor shots were taken here, but some drone-shots of the grounds of the hotel as well. I cannot wait to see those! The hotel was absolutely mesmerizing. They even have luxurious tree houses on the grounds where you can stay for the night. One day… 🙂

The cars were a real attraction, even at such a luxurious hotel as Chewton Glen. The Ferrari was taken out for a few rides with some staff members of the hotel. But then finally it was my time to be taken for a spin in the amazing car. En route to our final stop of the day, my ‘personal driver’ Andy showed me exactly what this car was all about. Feeling the wind in my hair, the power of the car and driving through such amazing nature was a great experience.

Our last stop of the day was a trout farm in another stunning part of the New Forest. This was also the place where the day finished for me. I left the cast and crew who were still filming some interview material with the trout farmer, as it really was time for me to make my way back to London. In style of course, with Andy driving me in the Ferrari to the train station.

An experience never to forget!

I would again like to take the opportunity to thank all the cast and crew, and in particular Tom and Paul, for showing me a glimpse of this fantastic project. A special thanks of course to Red Letter Days, and specifically to Issy and Andy for inviting me and for organising everything for me.