Weekend Spy: Job Spec – Michelle Welch

Each week we'll be asking people from all parts of the media industry - from channel controllers to catering staff, directors to digital technicians - to tell us about themselves and their job.

Name
Michelle Welch

Job Title
Production coordinator

Age
29

Lives
Liverpool/Manchester


In the role since
2001

Responsibilities
To assist the producer and line producer from pre-production through to the delivery of completed programmes to the Network. Arranging cast, crew, travel, accommodation, rehearsals, read-throughs and equipment, and ensuring the smooth running of the production office and associated paperwork on a day-to-day basis.

Best thing about your job
The interesting, colourful and yet somewhat random characters that you get to meet and work with always keeps me amused. But getting to be part of putting together an end product that people enjoy and remember is something to be proud of.

Worst thing about your job
Having to answer the phone: "Hello Bonkers, Michelle speaking", for 6 months!

First thing you do in the morning when you get in?
Check emails and that filming crew and cast are all set up for the day.

Any downsides to working in the media?
Media types, 12-hour days, night shoots and 6-day weeks are a bit of a killer on a long job.

First media or TV job
Materials assistant at Itel (now Granada International) in 2000. First production job was as the production secretary on BBC One’s Cutting It.

Biggest achievement to date
Working on Bonkers.

Anything you wish you'd done differently?
Wished I'd belted the last person that said: "We're not saving lives!” (when talking about working in TV).

Dream job/company/lifestyle
Executive producer in comedy or drama at the BBC or ITV.

Best media jolly you've ever attended
I'm usually the one helping to arrange them, rather than being invited to attend them. Was VIP at The Killers, and went to the Top of the Pops awards and danced next to Dannii Minogue!

Favourite comedy of all time?
Napoleon Dynamite, Mighty Boosh and The Golden Girls.

Who do you think will win Celebrity Big Brother?
I don't know whether I should be proud or ashamed to say I haven't watched this one.


Starring Liza Tarbuck and Mark Addy, and written by At Home With The Braithwaites creator Sally Wainwright, "suburbia and sex" comedy drama Bonkers begins on ITV1 on Thursday February 1 at 9pm. The six-part series is produced by Lime Pictures and Sparkhouse Productions.