Luvvies - A Life In Entertainment & Media

Elly Griffiths is the pen name of Dominica De Rosa, an accomplished author whose literary journey is marked by passion, resilience, and an indomitable spirit. As a proud member of the Society of Authors, she has recently taken a stand against Meta/Facebook, rallying against significant breaches of copyright. Alarmingly, the platform has reportedly appropriated 93 of Elly's works, pilfering the text without her consent or any form of compensation. This ongoing battle for artistic integrity is encapsulated in her campaign, aptly titled “Do The Right Thing.” Elly's determination to protect her creations resonates deeply with fellow writers and readers alike, reminding us of the value of original work in a digital world.Born to an Italian father and a British mother, Dominica De Rosa found her voice early on, penning her first book at the tender age of 11. This initial work, intriguingly titled “The Hair of The Dog,” was a reflection of her youthful naivety—an expression of creativity that would soon blossom into a burgeoning career. While at school, she was captivated by the crime-fighting duo Starsky & Hutch, creating stories that imbued a sense of adventure and justice. However, it wasn’t until she embraced her pen name, Elly Griffiths, that her literary career truly took flight. With the publication of her debut novel “The Italian Quarter” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1380279.The_Italian_Quarter ., she began to carve a niche for herself in the literary landscape.Her journey, though, was not without its hurdles. Elly grappled with self-doubt, often hesitating to label herself as a writer despite her impressive credentials. She had studied English at university, served as an editor at HarperCollins, and climbed the ranks to become a publishing director for children’s fiction. Yet, it took six publications before she felt confident enough to embrace the title of author. Her agent, Rebecca Carter, played a pivotal role in this transformation, championing Elly’s talents and helping to navigate the complexities of the publishing world https://www.rebeccacarterliterary.com/.Perhaps one of Elly's most beloved creations is the series featuring Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist whose intriguing adventures have captivated readers across the globe. To date, there are 15 novels in this series, each drawing inspiration from Elly's personal life, particularly her husband Andy, whose background as an archaeologist adds depth and authenticity to the narratives. Elly's penchant for weaving personal anecdotes into her storytelling extends to her Brighton Mysteries, inspired by her grandfather's life as a comedian, illustrating how the threads of her family history enrich her work.Elly has cultivated a disciplined writing routine, branding herself as a "Thousand Words a Day" author. This commitment to her craft is a testament to her focus and fluid approach. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed; her first crime writing accolade was the prestigious Dagger Award, followed by the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the best crime novel in the USA—an achievement that fills her with pride, even though she was unable to attend the ceremony due to the pandemic.Readers can discover Elly's extensive body of work in bookstores and online platforms, where her stories await to whisk them away on thrilling adventures. Each book is a window into her imagination, a blend of personal history, and the rich tapestry of human experiences. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to her world, Elly Griffiths invites you to delve into her narratives and share in the journey of her characters.

This podcast is sponsored by Ex-Job Recruitment and Ex- Job ServicesSimon began his life in blogging about 10 years ago when he launched a fake news website called Southend News Network. This unconventional venture was born out of a desire to entertain while simultaneously critiquing the absurdity of modern media. With a clever mix of satire and social commentary, Simon got people motivated, and to his astonishment, celebrities began mentioning the site. One standout moment was when Katie Hopkins, a prominent media figure known for her controversial views, announced that the M25 would be closed for a running race—a headline that quickly went viral. Another memorable incident involved a whimsical story about a child in a cow onesie being removed from a vegan children’s party. These absurd tales, all fake news crafted for humour, captured the public's imagination and highlighted the fine line between reality and satire in the digital age.Though he never intended to be malicious, as time passed, the satirical sites began to diminish, caught in the crossfire of an evolving media landscape that was increasingly wary of satire. Simon found himself in a unique position. While his peers sought to grow their influence on multiple platforms, he settled into a rhythm with Facebook, using it to carry out his day-to-day social media work. He has amassed an impressive 279k followers on his Facebook page, “Man Behaving Dadly,” where he shares relatable parenting anecdotes, humorous observations, and the occasional cheeky meme. Simon states that social media companies tweak their algorithms to ensure that there is a spend by contributors, a reality that many creators face as they navigate the often-unforgiving landscape of online engagement.Simon’s journey took an unexpected turn when he became involved in a campaign for Essex County Council. As a contracted social media strategist, he was tasked with driving viewers to the ECC social media platforms. His role was to transform the ever-changing messages from central government into digestible memes and posts for the public. This creative approach garnered attention, but it also labeled him as a prankster by the press. Anecdotes of Simon brainstorming with his team, bouncing ideas off each other over coffee, and laughing at the absurdity of their tasks often surface in conversations with friends. The thrill of taking complex governmental messages and distilling them into something both entertaining and informative was a challenge he relished.Simon had the opportunity to collaborate with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), but this was dismissed by Essex County Council on the basis that it had already been subject to scrutiny. Cllr Aidan McGuran, , and Cllr Mackrory have been scathing of Simon's work, yet, ironically, they frequently utilize his creations in their day-to-day operations. This duplicity highlights the often contradictory nature of political relationships, where those who criticize can also be reliant on the very creativity they disparage.In 2022, Simon was contacted by Meta (Facebook) and asked to attend a meeting at their HQ in King's Cross. There, he was given the unique opportunity to present his work to none other than King Charles. The experience was surreal, a moment that Simon had only dreamed of as a child watching television from his living room couch. Despite this recognition, Simon has found himself in a digital battleground, facing the vitriolic behaviour of individuals who hide behind fake accounts. These anonymous attackers hurl insults and misinformation, yet Simon remains steadfast, choosing to focus on the positive connections he has fostered within his community.

This podcast is sponsored by Ex-Job Recruitment and Ex- Job Services Ian Moore, a respected stand-up comedian and author, made a life-altering decision to relocate his entire family to the serene environs of rural France. His bustling schedule demanded frequent commutes to the UK, where he performed at prestigious comedy venues. A favourite destination for Ian was the iconic  ⁨@comedystorelondon⁩  and  ⁨@thegleeclub4149⁩ .Ian's venture into writing was a natural progression from his comedic career. Frustrated by the crowded streets of his noisy town and lack of parking, he crafted a plan to move with his wife and young son to the peaceful Loire Valley in search of space and tranquillity.Years down the line, Ian finds himself navigating life with bilingual children, an array of animals, and a challenging foreign language. He's faced with the antics of feral cats, promiscuous horses, and an ever-growing collection of livestock, all while maintaining his urban fashion sense. Discover more about his journey. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mod-So-Calle...Ian has transitioned into crime writing with remarkable success. His works include the acclaimed Follet Valley Mysteries series and gripping tales of Judge Lombard's hard crime investigations. Explore his crime novels here. https://amzn.eu/d/3A5GRpi His website can be found here https://www.ianmoore.info/

This episode is brought to you by Ex-Job Recruitment - Ex-Job utilise the skills of former police and military personnel Elliott Moore was born into the hospitality business, his dad supplied catering to Elliott's beloved Brighton & Hove Albion. He attended Brighton Catering College where he got his grounding. At the conclusion of college, he went to work at Thistle Hotels and he was the “New” boy. It was a learning curve that he enjoyed, and it gave him a good start. After 2 years Elliot took on his 1st managerial role and went to work at the Kensington Palace Hotel. At 3am On 31st August 1997 Elliot was duty manager covering nights when he was woken with an unexpected phone call from the General Manager. Elliot was informed that Princess Diana had just died, and the worlds press would be descending on the hotel. When he got downstairs he was greeted by every network was in attendance. Elliott had to work out a price for the attendees and they paid!Jim Crouch took Elliott to Earls Court Exhibition Centre as the events manager. Vodaphone and the Brit Awards hired the premises for their special evenings. Feeding up to 12k attendees was an experience Elliott will never forget. After 3 years Elliott returned to his home in Brighton and worked in a hotel and went onto work at Brighton Pier where the setup and catering process was completely different. The management of Brighton pier were keen to use local suppliers and some of these companies were made by these contracts.Hello Consulting is Elliott's new business and supports companies, stadiums and clients and will support any aspect of food and hospitality including tendering and efficiencies#amex #emirates #westham #arsenal #wembley #LS185 #oval #surreycricket #DNC #compass #MLB #baseball #hospitality ‪@westhamunited‬ ‪@officialbhafc‬ ‪@surreycricket‬ ‪@MLB‬ ‪@emirates‬ ‪@arsenal‬

Ryan Carter is from Adelaide South Australia and lived in a town called Cobdogla . His parents were missionaries and as a family they travelled overseas to work in communities, Aged 18 Ryan travelled to Russia to work as a missionary. His grandfather passed away whilst Ryan was travelling and when he returned home he found out that he had been bequeathed a canon film camera. This was the start of his love of photography. His camera was ever present, but his life changed in 2014 when he visited the Democratic Republic Of The Congo. He was living in Sweden and met a Congolese man called Pappy. Pappy had witnessed some of the worst aspects of humanity including the prospect of becoming a child soldier. He the invited Ryan to the DRC and armed with his camera Ryan documented his visit with his brilliant photographs. He would have been the first white person that the community would have seen.Ryan is funded by organisations who commission him to tell their story. This hasn’t always been the case. He has often paid to carry out the work.In 2016 Ryan and his family moved with his family to Ukraine he was there up until the war commenced. However, Ryan has been back to Ukraine where he has photographed a project in Donetsk for Children New Generation Food Distribution and World Food Organisation. Ryan has travelled to Nepal where he witnessed firsthand the devastation following an earthquake and the rebuilding following a landslide where the occupants of a village perished. There is a significant amount of planning that takes place for his trips. Batteries and power must be conserved to ensure that the capturing of the story takes place. Ryans equipment of choice is a Nikon camera with a 24 – 70 lens.There have only been a handful of occasions where Ryan has felt vulnerable. He was questioned by the authorities in the DRC and was 200m from an airstrike in Ukraine. The future has lot to offer and Ryan he  is shortly off to Philippines to cover the issues regarding plastics.Ryan is available for commissions and can be contacted via his email or telephone number belowhttps://www.ryancarterimages.com/ email: ryan@ryancarterimages.com Phone/WhatsApp: +61 474 364 226#Ukraine #Russia #Photography #Nikon #canon #camera #congo #childsoldier #aid #humanitarian #storytelling #storyteller #rmwilliqams #australia #aboriginal #firstnation #adelaide

Amy Trigg is an award-winning actress. She was born with spina bifida and ultimately, she became a wheelchair user, this resulted in her using her imagination as child as a form of escapism. School wasn’t an easy time for Amy she was subjected to bullying and was often questioned about her ability to take part in activities and her friends were formed from drama and theatre clubs.Having concluded her secondary education at Rickstones School in Witham, Amy went to mount view academy of theatre arts and had the distinction of being the first wheelchair user on a performance course. Amy chose her pathway and applied for several stage schools. An inspiration for Amy was a teacher called Anne May. She prepared Amy with Shakespeare monologues’ so she could deliver at auditions.Amy was cast from her show reel for her very first role but her first audition was for Sweeney Todd. She recalls the audition vividly!Amy discusses how the entertainment industry has changed considerably since she started and cites George Robinson from Sex Education regarding his acting abilities and how the industry has moved on. However, there is room for improvement. Amy has written a play called “Reasons You Shouldn’t Love Me”. Amy has won the new comedian of the year award but is reluctant to call herself as a comedian as she feels she hasn’t done the hard slog. Amy won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her part in the fabulous Little Big Things. Amy regals her time at the Royal Albert Hall when she collected her award. Having her mum and dad there was a significant highlight and made the ceremony even more special for Amy. The irony is that her parents had purchased tickets for the Olivier Awards as a 16th birthday present.Amy cites Tina Fay and Amy Poehler as being inspirational. She would love to work with any one in Severance and Succession both on Apple TV. Duncan McMillan Chris Bush and Nick Payne are her favourite writers.The production of Little Big Things turned out to be her dream job. Amy was recommended to attend a workshop by actor Emma Kingston, Amy attended and was duly signed to the role. She has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company which was another highlight in her acting career.Theatre: The Little Big Things (West End - 2024 Olivier award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical), Medea (West End), Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me (Kiln Theatre and tour, Paines Plough), The Taming of the Shrew (RSC), Measure for Measure (RSC), Goth Weekend (The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough/Live Theatre, Newcastle), The Who's Tommy (Tour), The Glass Menagerie (Nottingham Playhouse), Shakespeare Within The Abbey (Westminster Abbey with Shakespeare's The Couple Next Door (Season 2, Channel 4), Such Brave Girls (season 1 and 2, BBC), Amandaland (BBC), Death Valley (BBC), Grace (ITV), Father Brown Stella (Sky One) and Doctors (BBC).​Film: Luther: The Fallen Sun (Netflix) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again​‪@theRSC‬ #entertainment #podcast #luther #idriselber #actor #actorslife