Freefall for Watford: Can This Town Be the New Hollywood?

Now, alright. We've got Borehamwood. But all the filming goes on in the studio. Since when have we seen a gun fight outside the Borehamwood retail park, or a car chase in Tesco's car park in a block busting film? Or anything outside the big brother house?

No. Watford is the place to be, I say. I myself have been involved with the new film on Ian Dury's life, filmed at the Watford Palace theatre. Watford's Market Street and the old Natwest was the backdrop for the town Gasforth in THE THIN BLUE LINE. And recently, the most poignant and alarmingly tv film of our time did the homour of setting its story in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Freefall, set in 2007, features the story of the downfall of Britain's finance system on three angles; the selfish sales man, the vain stockbroker, and the duped customer. Shown on tuesday 14th july 2009, I was stuned to find myself recognising certain parts of my own town!

The housing eastates of north Watford as the salesman drive throuhg the opening credits. The overbridge to the WWC when his girlfreinds finds out he has been unfaithful. The siding of the street market when the customergets sacked from his job. The overpass in The Parade - Upper High Street as the customer drowns his sorrows.

Whilst the town only plays a small part, it does show Watford's chance of fame and conmipoliatship. I wouldn't mind seeing a few tourist round here. It might get the council to tody up our foul smelling pond!

And I do urge everyone to have a look at freefall next time it gets repeated on BBC THREE or shown on BBC I Player. It should be due to an award!