Filming


We filmed the pilot for Beat the Best in June 2001 at The Matrix skateboarding park in Maidenhead. 20 young skateboarders from all over the UK came to compete for a chance to get expert training from Neil and try to Beat the Best!. Here are some behind the scenes photos from the filming day...

The stage is set...All of the competitiors (and quite a few spectators!) gather at The Matrix as we prepare to start filming - can you spot Shaun the cameraman getting ready?

 It's The Matrix skateboarding park...So why aren't they skateboarding, then?


Ouch! That man's just fallen over - and hang on a minute, Timmy's got his leg stuck out!

Dan the Director (he's the one with the hat on!) talks over the next shot with Timmy and the kids.

Dan has worked on loads of TV programmes in the past - like Newsround, Short Change, Get Your Own Back and Take Two for BBC and Massive, Gamers and Bad Influence for ITV. As well as being a successful TV producer, Dan also runs a successful career in computer games. His computing career has led him to develop some of the most popular games and has taken him as far afield as China!


Here's Neil Urwin - our sporting star - having a sit down while he waits until he's next needed on camera. Also having a sit down is a knee - that has been working hard all day!

 If Neil's a champion skateboarder, why has he come on his bike?!


I think you're in the wrong park, Kate - there's no skateboarding ramps anywhere!

It's time for Kate's big running scene - where she has to show the viewers and competitors around the course...The camera crew can hardly keep up!

Here are the crew again - that's cameraman Shaun Goddard on the right, cameraman Graham Berry in the middle and sound man Andy Bell on the left. And look - Dan the Director has crept into the picture!

I think someone should tell they camera crew that they should be filming Timmy, not Dan the Director!


As we can see hear, Timmy is holding two lead weights in his hands

Timmy is amazed when, all kitted up, Neil shows off his skateboarding talents! He really is the best!

Kate and Neil prepare to commentate on the kids' attempts at qualifying for the final round - and look at the brilliant banner they are sitting above!

 Who are they looking at?

Ooops - That's not how you spell 'varial', Chris!

Chris the designer marks out the course which our competitors will have to skate on. Chris is from America and this is the first TV show he has worked on. Previously, though, he worked on the film Titanic! Wow!

Here's a few more pictures of just some of the behind the scenes crew that made the programme possible...

Crew: Dan the Director looking cool in his shades! Crew: Rod the Runner, but hang on - he's sitting, not running! Crew: Graham the Cameraman. But who's disembodied hand is that at the bottom left of the picture? Crew: Shaun the Cameraman, but where has everyone else gone? Crew: Andy the Soundman: He must be listening to some dead loud music with those headphones on! Crew: Katy the Runner, working hard...on her tan!

0% vague...100% cool!

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