Alexandra Bastedo interview

Various film credits for the actress have ranged from Casino Royale, with Orson Welles, Peter Sellers and David Niven, to appearing in Batman Begins. Her favourite film was Draw, with Kirk Douglas and James Coburn.

Stage work has always been a major interest for Alexandra and she has appeared alongside a variety of performers during her career including: Roy Castle, Leslie Grantham, Harry Secombe and Simon Ward.

Alexandra is very passionate about animal welfare and runs the ABC (Alexandra Bastedo Champions) Animal Sanctuary, which is based at her home in Sussex. The actress also supports a variety of animal organisations whose goals match her own.

In this interview, Alexandra primarily recalls the various action TV series that she made at Elstree Studios.

Paul: What memories do you have of working on The Saint, with Roger Moore (now Sir Roger Moore)?

Alexandra: I remember that filming on the two episodes I made (Crime of the Century and The Counterfeit Countess) was a very pleasant experience. Roger Moore was a very charming actor to work with.

Paul: You appeared in an episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), which was made at Elstree Studios, called Who Ever Heard of a Ghost Dying? What recollections do you have of working on this episode?

Alexandra: I remember forming a friendship with Annette Andre, who played Jeannie Hopkirk in the series, and I kept in touch for a long while afterwards until life got in the way and we gradually lost touch.

Paul: What do you recall of appearing in an episode of Department S called The Man Who Got a New Face?

Alexandra: I really enjoyed working with Peter Wyngarde, as he is both a fascinating and an interesting actor.

Paul: Despite all of your various theatre, film & TV credits, you are probably best known for playing Sharon Macready in the TV series, The Champions. What recollections do you have of working on this classic series?

Alexandra: I remember clearly the film test that I did for The Champions with both Stuart Damon and William Gaunt. I remember being really pleased when I found out that all three of us had got the lead roles.

I also remember that my flat mate at the time (whose name I won't mention as she still lives in London) also did a film test for the role of Sharon Macready, and for a while I felt a bit uncomfortable that I had got the part and she hadn't. Fortunately she auditioned successfully for a role in a play in the West End of London shortly afterwards, so that made things easier.

I also recall that we had very good lighting cameraman on the series, which is why it looked so wonderful.

Paul: What are your personal favourite episodes from The Champions?

Alexandra: I really enjoyed working on an episode which, I think, was entitled Shadow of a Panther. The episode featured Donald Sutherland. He was amazing actor with great charisma.

I also enjoyed working with Jeremy Brett on an episode called Desert Journey as I was a great fan of his.

Paul: Are you still in touch with Stuart Damon and William Gaunt, who played secret agents Craig Sterling (a code breaker) and Richard Barrett (a pilot) in The Champions?

Alexandra: I have kept more in touch with William Gaunt, as he lives in this country. Bill actually came to the launch of my autobiography. I learnt a lot from William when we were making The Champions. He taught me a great deal about close ups and acting in general.

Stuart Damon now lives in America so I haven't been able to keep in touch with him. But it was very nice to see him again at the recent reunion for The Champions.

Paul: Have you kept in touch with any of the other cast members that you worked with on The Champions?

Alexandra: Yes, the actress Kate O'Mara appeared in one of the episodes and we became good friends after that.

Paul: On the whole, did you enjoy working on The Champions?

Alexandra: Yes, it was a pleasant experience and we were treated very well but it was hard work. We made a total of thirty episodes and the schedule was pretty relentless. Often we would work up to six days a week from 7.30am and not be home and finished much before 8.30pm. But I did learn a great deal from working in the series.

Paul: I noticed that, like other series made by ITC, The Champions featured a great deal of back projection. Did they ever consider filming major scenes with the characters on location?

Alexandra: We hardly ever left Elstree Studios as there was not enough time or budget to do location work.

Paul: How would you sum up the time you spent working on The Champions?

Alexandra: There is a saying which goes that: "One should be happy at the time and not in retrospect." I was only 20 at the time that we made The Champions and I took it for granted as it had been so early on in my life. I would have preferred to have had a more gradual rise in my career before I experienced the kind of exposure that appearing in The Champions brought.

I still receive fan mail for the series and I think that unless I appear regularly in another high-profile weekly series I will always be remembered as the lady from The Champions.

Paul: You returned to Borehamwood in 2008 to film two episodes of EastEnders at BBC Elstree (formerly ATV Centre). Did it feel strange to be back filming in the town again?

Alexandra: Yes, but there is still a great feeling about filming there. And, like working on The Champions at Elstree Studios across the road, it was a very pleasant experience and I was treated very well.

My special thanks go to Alexandra Bastedo for her time and help and for taking part in this interview.

Alexandra Bastedo - Official Website: For more information on Alexandra Bastedo, and to buy personally signed photos and books etc. which are available in return for a donation to her animal sanctuary (Alexandra Bastedo Champions Animal Sanctuary), please visit her office website by clicking onto the link abve right.

ABC Animal Sanctuary: Alexandra Bastedo, who is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary, is passionate about animal welfare. She is patron of Compassion in World Farming, Wild-life Aid, The Animal Welfare Trust, Greyhounds in Need and Naturewatch. She is also president of Chichester Cat and Rabbit Rescue, vice president of the Brent Lodge Hospital and patron of Paws Animal Recue and Findon Cat Rescue, Gibraltar. Recently she resigned as president of her local R.S.P.C.A. branch, Mount Noddy, as she felt she wanted to devote more time to her own expanding rescue operation.

Alexandra has run an animal sanctuary for the last 30 years. Her first animal rescue was a donkey and it just grew and grew. However, since moving out of the flood plain near Chichester five years ago and buying a small house with a much bigger acreage for the animals on a hill in Pulborough in West Sussex, the numbers at the sanctuary have quadrupled and it is now home to over 150 creatures, including donkeys, ponies, miniature shetlands, cats, poultry and sheep.

Many of her animals are elderly, have health problems or specific dietary needs. Often owners have died or gone into sheltered accommodation and can no longer care for their pets. At the sanctuary these animals are guaranteed care for life.

For more information about the ABC Animal Sanctuary, including how you can make a donation and the various animal adoption schemes Alexandra has available, please click onto the link above right.

Alexandra is planning to hold an open weekend at the sanctuary in June of 2009. Please keep watching the news pages on her websites for more details.

To visit Paul Burton's unofficial website which is dedicated to Elstree Studios, please use the following link: www.elstreecalling.co.uk