Film swordsman receives honorary degree for his work in the arts
A professional sword master who trains actors and appears in films has been recognised for his work in the arts.Andy Wilkinson, who lives in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has been made an honorary graduate of the Open University which is based in Milton Keynes.He has performed in films including Henry V starring Kenneth Branagh, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves featuring Kevin Costner.Wilkinson said the Master of University award was "humbling" and said: "This is the very first time in my career I have been acknowledged."
Wilkinson has used his skills in fencing and other weaponry to help him gain an Equity card.The card serves as proof of membership in the trade union for actors and creative practitioners.
After discovering he was good at teaching, Wilkinson went on to gain a range of qualifications in coaching, eventually becoming head coach of his fencing club.During 35 years in the business, he has featured in dozens of productions, as well as screenwriting, producing and directing.He was a writer, choreographer and director for Golden Swords, a play first performed at London's Globe Theatre.Wilkinson led the British Academy of Fencing team to victory in the World Artistic Fencing Championships. He is an honorary professor of theatrical fencing for the academy.Wilkinson has also written books on his own life in the industry.
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Loose Women CANCELLED as ITV panel bid farewell to viewers ahead of schedule shake-up set to leave fans livid
Friday's instalment of Loose Women has been cancelled in a schedule shake-up. Kaye Adams, 62, revealed the news at the end of Thursday's episode of the ITV show. Loose Women usually airs Monday to Friday from 12:30pm on ITV1. But at 1pm tomorrow (6 June 2025), ITV will air the racing, so viewers will enjoy the first Derby meeting from Epsom. After Kaye's co-stars Frankie Bridge, 36, Nadia Sawalha, 60, and Kelly Brook, 45, showed viewers how they sleep at night, Kaye said: 'Well thank God I'm going! That's it for today and this week sadly. 'We're off tomorrow for the racing. 'We've got a great line-up next week though, including Cheshire housewife Tanya Bardsley, 44, Atomic Kitten's Liz, 44. 'She shares a very personal health story. Plus Si King, 58, and Alison Hammond, 50, are here too. 'We will see you Monday. Have a great weekend!' Loose Women has been hitting headlines recently after it was revealed the chat show, along with Lorraine, has been axed for half the year. ITV announced the big shake up to its daytime schedule amid huge cuts last month. Loose Women will only air for 30 weeks of the year. Plus MailOnline recently revealed that ITV will axe a vital part of the show which viewers love in a desperate bid to save money. The series is scrapping their live studio audience when the programme airs with a reduced schedule of just 30 episodes next year. Bosses have got rid of the studio audience to save costs, with insiders revealing that it's an expensive feature due to being managed by an external company, who also provides security and a warmup person, but for the presenters, it's going to be a 'disaster.' A TV source told MailOnline: 'The panelists are really upset over the decision to axe the live studio audience from the show. 'It's what sets the series apart from the rest of ITV daytime and now there are massive fears that viewers will switch off completely. 'The only concern now is to cut costs and having a live studio audience can be expensive, with the added need for security and a warmup artist. 'Presenters already know how it feels to broadcast the show without an audience because that's what happened during the pandemic, and they all know it creates low mood and lack of atmosphere.' Meanwhile Kaye Adams has broken her silence on the brutal ITV cuts. She admitted that she's suffered 'sleepless nights' after her 'life imploded' and 'has no idea what's going to happen.' She told her How To Be 60 podcast co-host Karen MacKenzie: 'To be perfectly honest, we have no idea at this point, what's going to happen. 'I didn't anticipate it, which is probably stupid in retrospect. You get into a sort of rhythm of life. 'I had a couple of sleepless nights I have to say, because it's just like the rug's been pulled from under your feet – what has been familiar.' She continued: 'It's going to have an impact. Lots of people will lose their jobs completely which is terrible. It's a huge change.' Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 from 12:30pm and is available to stream on ITVX.
BBC News
31 minutes ago
- BBC News
Beverley Knight's 'heart full' after hometown Wolverhampton shows
Acclaimed soul singer Beverley Knight has said her "heart is full" after a week of shows in her starred in Marie & Rosetta at Wolverhampton Grand last month, 40 years after performing on the same stage with the city's youth theatre at 12 years said the singer "gave back to the community in bucket-loads" by inviting students who had never visited a theatre before and singing for visitors with visiting a mural of herself in the city for the first time, Knight wrote on Instagram: "I don't know if I will ever find the words to explain how much being at home in Wolverhampton meant to me." Knight invited 20 students from her old school, Highfields, while 20 others came from Star King Solomon Academy in Birmingham, 90% of whom had never been to a Bird, the theatre's head of marketing, said the singer performed at the Grand's Memory Café for people living with dementia, and assisted blind and partially-sighted audience members on to the stage to get closer to props and costumes. "Wolverhampton is so blessed to have Beverley Knight, a proud Wulfrunian, so visibly championing the city," he added."The audience response to her Grand Theatre debut in Marie & Rosetta was proof of the appreciation the local community have for her." The singer's mural, on Victoria Passage just off Skinner Street, was painted on the side of a shop last September by Wolverhampton-based creator Jack Sankson, also known as paid for the artwork out of his own pocket and said he appreciated Knight taking the time to look at it."It is also great to be recognised by her," he added. Knight said being recognised with the mural and a plaque at the theatre was "just beautiful".She added: "More than anything, [to] the audiences that just kept coming and coming and coming, I can't thank you all enough."My heart's full, it's full." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mark Wright plugs axed family show which was scrapped after one season - despite the series including the most iconic moment on reality TV
Mark Wright shared a video from his axed family TV show which was scrapped after one series despite including a moment of television gold. The Wrights were dealt a blow that their BBC travel show will not be returning for a second series last year, but the one series is still available to watch on iPlayer. A clip from the show posted by Mark showed himself, his dad Mark Snr and his brother Josh bickering over directions in the car. Despite being the driver of the vehicle, Mark Snr hilariously argued that it should have been Josh keeping an eye on the sat nav and telling him where to go. A Wright Family Holiday aired summer 2023 and followed the TOWIE star, his footballer brother Josh and dad Mark Snr as they travelled from Scotland to Cornwall. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Yet despite healthy viewing figures and a good response from audiences, the programme was not recommissioned. While the Wright family may be disappointed with the outcome they can rejoice in knowing they have created one of the most iconic moments on reality TV. The family went viral with a clip of Mark Snr, 66, passing out during a 130ft bungee jump while his oblivious sons called out to him from the viewing platform. As Mark dangled in the air like a swinging pendulum, Mark, 37, was seen repeatedly shouting 'how do ya feel?' to his unresponsive father, seemingly unfazed by the lack of response. In a bid to spend some quality time together, Mark, his brother Josh, 34, and their dad had set out on a road trip across Britain which they peppered with a few white-knuckle activities. Upon discovering that they would be flinging themselves off a bridge, Mark Sr explained: 'Josh has chosen this activity to get one over on Mark, but he don't realise that I am in the middle of it all. I could throttle him at the moment, I really could!' He was then heard asking the instructor if it was 'dangerous', before adding: 'Mark is in bits, it won't surprise me if he don't do it... or I don't do it. But when I get up there, if I don't fancy it, I just won't do it.' Yet determined to set an example for his boys, Mark Snr confidently threw himself off the platform and into the abyss... with shocking consequences. Last year the family went viral with a clip of Mark Snr, 66, passing out during a 130ft bungee jump while his oblivious sons called out to him from the viewing platform In a bid to spend some quality time together, Mark, his brother Josh, 34, and their dad had set out on a road trip across Britain which they peppered with a few white-knuckle activities The intense fall caused Mark Snr's blood pressure to fall and heart rate to decrease, causing him to instantly pass out. While he flopped around upside down in his harness, Mark Jnr and Josh were none the wiser as they called out to him. 'Yes dad! Go on dad! How do you feel? Dad how do you feel?' Mark questioned, but with met by silence from his father. 'Dad, how do ya feel?' Josh mirrored. While the brothers seemed oblivious to the potential medical emergency unfolding 130 feet below them, the instructor sprang into action as he was heard on the radio asking: 'Is Mark okay? He's stopped moving.' Thankfully, Mark Snr soon regained consciousness and as if nothing had happened at all he triumphantly threw his fist into the air as he was hoisted back up onto the platform. Unfazed by his experience, he told his sons, 'That was amazing but terrifying, that was terrifying!' Still not having twigged that his father had lost consciousness, Josh said: 'You weren't answering us, were you shouting back when we asked if you were ok?' Mark Snr then cleared up the matter by explaining: 'I think I blacked out. 'All I can remember is that I went into a swing and that was that. 'Every thing else was a blur!' while Mark Jnr responded: 'You frightened the life out of me not shouting back.' Despite the scenes going viral, the Wright family won't be returning for a second season of their travel show. A TV insider told The Sun that the series was 'always going to be a suck-it-and-see job' however it 'wasn't meant to be'. 'If it went down well with audiences and got healthy viewing figures, the BBC would have been tempted to maybe explore another series,' the insider revealed. 'The Wrights would have been up for it, but it wasn't to be.' The source added though that a consolation for the Essex family is that the BBC is 'still keen to work with them' so another show could be on the cards. A BBC Spokesperson said: 'A Wright Family Holiday was commissioned as a one off and has not been axed.'
