1. START: EXTERIOR, LAURA'S HOUSE. V/O

My day really started the night before, when I arrived at Laura's house at around 11pm, fully intending to go straight to bed in anticipation of a very early start. However, two mugs of hot chocolate and an in-depth discussion of 'Big Brother' later.........

2. CUT TO: INTERIOR< LAURA'S BEDROOM. 1AM

Shot of three girls in sleeping bags, rolling around the floor, laughing hysterically at bad Jackie Chan jokes.

3. CUT TO:

Same scene, but girls asleep. Alarm going off (showing time to be 4.45am).

SIAN: [vague groaning noise] Who's bloody idea *was* this?
AMY: Shut up and get out of bed, we're late.

4. FADE TO: CAMDEN TOWN TUBE STATION, 7.20AM.... V/O

After another hot chocolate and a mix-up at Edgware Road tube (the source of all evil....) We finally made it in time to meet up with Nick.

NICK: Does anyone know where this pub is?
AMY: I think we forgot our map...
SIAN: Don't worry about maps, I know where I'm going. Trust me......

That sentence, coupled with my appalling sense of direction, is enough to send shivers down people's spines.

5. FADE TO: A PUB IN CHALK FARM, 7.45AM. EXTERIOR

Surprisingly, we arrived with no major deviations from the planned route (not even I can get lost walking up a straight road)..... We were herded inside and asked to sign release forms (probably along the lines of "if you die, you agree it wasn't our fault. Honest!"). After which we were herded back outside again to give the crew a chance to set up without killing anyone.
While standing outside, there was some extras-bonding until Simon and Jess walked past and said hi to everyone before disappearing inside the pub. A few minutes later Simon reappeared to start a conversation about Festivals, drugs and getting off with dogs. Like you do.
Back inside.....

6. WHIP TO: FIRST SCENE BEING PREPARED. INTERIOR. AT BAR.

As all the extras were strategically placed to be out of shot, they were given half-empty glasses of evil smelling liquid to pretend to drink, and full ashtrays. The smoke machine was started to give it that authentic "pub on a Friday night" look. We had to act drunken and rowdy, yet silent..... Myself and someone called Ben were placed at the bar beside the two main actors who promptly asked us to try not to upstage them. It was a difficult task, that was only just about managed, especially as after the first take, Simon turned to us to give us our "motivation" for the scene.

SIMON: Right, Sian, you've just killed a tramp with a hammer, and chucked his body in a river. Ben is the first person you've told drunkenly and now you have to plot to kill him...
SIAN: Was it a small hammer or a big sledgehammer?
SIMON: Oh, a really big hammer, yeah.....

So I finally achieved my ambition of playing a hammer-wielding serial killer on telly, even if my stunning performance hits the editing suite floor.....

7. FADE TO: PUB INTERIOR. MID - MORNING.

The rest of the morning was spent with the extras sitting watching Simon and Jess filming their scenes together. It was fascinating to see how it was all done, and to see the first glimpses of what we'll actually be seeing when the series is finally screened. The chemistry between Jess and Simon was evident off-screen too, and we enjoyed their Big Brother contestant impressions, and "original" versions of the new Posh Spice solo song. However much they mucked about and made each other (and us) laugh between takes, they were incredibly professional and extremely talented when it came to the actual filming of the scenes. After a while, we were herded like the cattle we were to the nearby Safeway carpark for our lunch hour...

8. CUT TO: SAFEWAY'S CARPARK, 2PM. EXTERIOR

We turned up to find the catering coaches and trailers already prepared. After scoffing lunch, the cast (now including Nick Frost and Peter Serafinowicz) obliged with pictures, autographs and general chat with the drooling, psychotic list members....proving that every single one of them are actually as nice as we think they are!

9. FADE TO: THE MONARCH PUB, EXTERIOR. 3-7PM

An hour later we were outside the pub again while Simon and Jess carried on filming. Much chatting to total strangers went on, and it was great for so many names to be put to so many new faces. The crew brought out sandwiches and snacks to keep us amused all afternoon, and of course, favourite topic of conversation was.... Big Brother. Every so often cast members would appear on the street to talk about the aforementioned show, the Spice Girls or to tell an amusing anecdote about Nick Frost being raided by armed police.

10. WHIP RIGHT TO: BAR INTERIOR, 7PM

Another extras scene to be filmed, we were taken back inside and arranged into similar positions as earlier and were given more half-drinks and bombay mix. A good 12 hours into the day and the strain was really starting to show on some of the cast and crew, yet amazingly they still had time to be ultra-friendly to everyone. Everyone was beginning to get tired, and as Terri and I sat quietly at a table waiting for another take, Simon was stood next to us.

SIMON: Sian! Shhhhh! You're being too damn loud!
SIAN: Oh sorry. I've been nothing but trouble all day, haven't I? (Here, here - Ed)

When they were finally finished, we were thanked and told we could go home. After some goodbyes, some of us went home, and some to the pub. It was a fantastic day, and I left feeling quite awed that I'd got the chance to watch, and even participate in, the making of the show which we all love. And if what we witnessed yesterday is anything to go by, the second series is going to be even better than the first series......

CUT TO END CREDITS

Thank you to:

Jessica, Simon, Nick, Peter and Edgar for being so friendly and obliging. Nira for organising the extras. And all the other crew members for being so organised and helpful.

Thanks for letting us be a part of it all.