Julie Walters, Gemma Arterton and James Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli, were among the guests at the star-studded National Film & Television School Great British Women gala dinner on Tuesday night in London. Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc oversaw the night’s quiz and got in a few TV-related Brexit jokes: “If we can’t get into Spain, where the hell are we going to film Love Island? Skegness? What about The Jump? That’s filmed in Austria. Although with the amount of injuries in that, that alone should save the NHS £350million.”
Mel went on to suggest to Broccoli that the next Bond should be someone who “would banish all those glass ceiling issues of gender and ageism in one fell swoop”, putting on her best film trailer voice to intone: “Incredible in Moonbaker, unbelievable in Piefall, astonishing in The Spy Who Loved Lemon Drizzle Cake. Yes, Mary Berry returns as Bond in the new action packed film. Gold(iced)finger.”
But Mel drew the most applause when she asked the audience to think about hiring more women: “I implore each and everyone of of you here tonight, especially in light of last Friday’s news, no more apathy. Risk-averse culture begone. Executives, commissioners, it’s up to you. Hire more women. Funders, financiers why don’t you support childcare? Make it a budget line in your productions and please please let’s not be ageist. Give more acting roles to 48-year-old half-Lithuanians who just don’t want to be pigeon-holed as bakery presenters.” Pointing to herself she repeated: “48, half-Lithuanian and a woman. That’s three boxes ticked, think about it.”
