A tribute to Gavin Blythe
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00We now come to a unique moment in tonight's ceremony with the award for Special Achievement.
00:07This recognises an outstanding contribution to a soap opera by someone working behind the scenes.
00:13Here to present the award is a young man who, despite his youth, has already made a big impact in Emmerdale through his portrayal of Aaron Livesey.
00:20Please welcome Danny Miller.
00:30This year's Special Achievement Award goes to a man who made an immense contribution to Emmerdale.
00:39The thoughtful, the passionate, the incomparable Gavin Blythe.
00:49Gavin joined the show in 2002 as a publicist, switching to become a storyliner before moving across to Coronation Street where he works as assistant producer and won the respect of cast, crew and writers.
01:00It wasn't long before Emmerdale made an offer he couldn't refuse, the chance to become series producer.
01:05He grabbed the opportunity with both hands, bringing confidence and huge enthusiasm to the role.
01:10He also brought a contemporary edge to Emmerdale and his vision is widely acknowledged as being the driving force behind the show's increased ratings.
01:16Sadly, Gavin died last year at the tragically young age of 41, but his dedication, skill and passion for the show has ensured that in Emmerdale, his legacy will continue.
01:27The Special Achievement Award goes to the much-missed Gavin Blythe.
01:32Now let's take a few moments as why we're honouring him this evening.
01:35Gav absolutely loved Emmerdale and he just knew it back to front. He knew the stories, he knew the characters.
01:40To be a series producer of a show like this, it has to be a cross between obsession and addiction, really.
01:47As his wife Susie, I'm sure, can testify, he was addicted to the show.
01:51Gavin was the captain of the ship. Everything that happened anywhere, in any scene, was down to Gavin.
01:58He created a team around him that made the show brilliant.
02:03He knew exactly what he wanted to do with Emmerdale. He saw all the flaws and he knew exactly how to put them right.
02:10So he was confident, which made us confident.
02:13Like, you couldn't call him the word boss, because it wasn't like that. He's like a friend, but that could fire you at any minute.
02:20You know, I was only here a year before Gavin took over.
02:24Calm down.
02:25I was calm until you started messing with my head.
02:27But he was just so trusting to give me a storyline, which was Arras struggling with his sexuality and didn't want to be gay.
02:32Is he your boyfriend?
02:33Shut up!
02:34He probably did bring a lot to my acting, because his voice would constantly be in my head whenever I was doing a scene.
02:39And there was always that comfort blanket that you could come off set and, you know, text him and just sort of say,
02:44I've got this scene next and I don't know how to play it. How would you?
02:47And he would always respond within five minutes and just say, do it like this and do it like that.
02:50And he was just...
02:52He was just...
02:54He did. He held me a lot.
02:55Wouldn't it be like this, Paddy?
02:58Gavin brought in the Bartons.
03:00He said that we'd lost a bit of the farming in Emmerdale and he wanted to bring that back.
03:04But in a modern way.
03:05This is Mouse.
03:06He cast us all and brought us all in together with this really tight, happy unit.
03:11Fancy a line.
03:12Are you joking?
03:12And then injected heroin into the family and just showed how one child's problems can tear the whole family apart.
03:19Gavin wanted it to be accurate and he wanted it to be respectful to people who have gone through this.
03:24It's alright.
03:25The storyline between Charles, Carl and Eve was just brilliant to play.
03:29It was a long-lasting storyline.
03:31Did you sleep with him in my bed?
03:35I'm sorry.
03:36Not good enough.
03:37And Gav trusted us with it and he honoured us with that Christmas Day storyline.
03:42Charles, I love you!
03:43Yeah, I agree.
03:44But I'll get over it.
03:46And I'm just devastated that he never got to see it.
03:49I think Gavin's impact on Emmerdale will be that he's taken the show to a place where it's never been before.
03:56It will be an era that we will always treasure and always remember.
03:59There's a lot of words that I can use to describe Gavin but I think the one that I would pick would be he was just brilliant.
04:05I don't know how I'll always remember Gavin because there was so, there's so many memories.
04:12A talented man, an honour to work for, a pleasure to have known.
04:17I just think he was almost like a second dad to me.
04:22I wish he was here tonight to see how much, how strongly people feel about him.
04:29We all do and we've lost one of the good guys.
04:34I'd now like to invite down Gavin's wife, please stay standing for Susie Blythe.
05:04I told Gavin we'd get some bloody awards this year.
05:19He just wouldn't wait as usual.
05:22I'm so incredibly proud of my husband.
05:25He was a fine man.
05:26I met him when I was 15 years old and fell madly, madly in love with his inspiration,
05:30his determination to get truth out there through his journalism and his press photography background
05:36and through to his television.
05:40A great man.
05:41Thank you all so very, very much.
05:51Our thanks to Danny Miller and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Gavin Blythe.
05:56And we'll take a break.
06:00We'll take a break.
06:30We'll take a break.
06:36What's that?
06:37I'll take a break.
06:40The truth.
06:42The whole truth.
06:45There's nothing but the truth.
06:47You know there's a film called All About Eve?
06:50Yeah.
06:51I don't know how many times.
06:53How?
06:53How?
06:54What's the matter with this?
06:55Don't.
06:56You wouldn't give me what I needed.
06:58Are you seriously telling me that you sold your body for drugs?
07:01Gavin was an amazing boss.
07:09You know the best you could hope for because at the same time he was like a really good
07:12mate and I remember him, maybe I took that a bit far sometimes, he told me off for jumping
07:17on the baggage claim at Leeds Bradford Airport at once when we were coming back from Aberdeen.
07:23I was friends with him for a very long time before he was producer.
07:26I was bigger friends with him.
07:27Yeah, well, yeah, no, I don't agree with that.
07:31He used to slag you off quite a bit.
07:34Who?
07:34Yeah.
07:34I sentence you to life in prison.
07:39You will serve a minimum of 21 years before being eligible for a lease on license.
07:44Go!
07:46Go!
07:48I'm not going anywhere.
07:51You are.
07:56No.
07:57I remember when I came back from return to leave and was obviously not used to being
08:06back at work or I was a bit nervous and saw Gav outside and he was like, I'd only been
08:12back about two weeks.
08:13He said, I've been watching some rushes of all your scenes, you know, thinking he was
08:17going to go, yeah, they're all right.
08:18You know, he said, have you forgotten how to act?
08:30Yeah, I mean, we've got a lot to thank Gav in for, especially the three of us, because
08:34he kind of brought us back, brought me and Emma back into the show, brought us all back
08:37together as a family and we love working together.
08:39The storylines that he gave us were just incredible and are still going on as we speak
08:44and he's sadly going to be missed by us all and really, Gav in for me was one of the
08:51boys, not a boss, just a very dear friend, as is Susie.
08:55And, yeah, just dig deep tonight and help as much as you possibly can.
09:00Yeah.
09:02Oh, good evening.
09:03Good evening.
09:04Sorry, start again.
09:05You have to be like it, is that me?
09:07Yeah.
09:07You have to go again?
09:08Yeah, the rubbish.
09:09Sorry.
09:10Sorry, guys.
09:10Listen, thank you so much in advance for any support you can give tonight for Macmillan
09:15and I can tell you that today's events, if you didn't know Gavin Blythe, I wish you had.
09:21He was my friend and a brilliant bloke, a brilliant boss and, yeah, thank you.
09:28Who's Macmillan?
09:34Macmillan Cancer Support, that's why we're here.
09:37Where?
09:39At the Dew.
09:40When he was a press officer, he went to this YTV costume sale and he came back and he said,
09:48Big T, Big T, just wait there, mate, I've spent a pound, I've got something absolutely
09:52brilliant, just wait there, wait there.
09:55And he went in and he came out with this huge yellow head on, this massive head called Mr.
10:00Popcorn Head.
10:01And he looked absolutely ludicrous and we've worn that head all over the place, that head's
10:06gone all over the world.
10:07Right, Big T, you're on.
10:08Right, I'd better go, something to do.
10:13We'll miss him forever and really glad that you're all here tonight.
10:17Please just give what you can and let's raise as much money as we can tonight.