BRITISH television star Tony Robinson will return to Launceston next month. The knighted actor, comedian and historian was last in Tasmania in 2013, when he filmed an episode of Time Walks - due to screen next week. Sir Tony is returning for five days from March 11 to film an episode of a new series called Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty. The show will explore "hidden histories and great little stories'' across 100 years of war service in Australia and New Zealand. Series director and producer Matthew Thomason arrived in Launceston yesterday for a two-day trip to check out potential locations and speak to prospective interview subjects. He said the ``nuts and bolts'' exercise made filming much easier. ``Sir Tony is very spontaneous in the way he tells his stories,'' Thomason said. ``Preparations done during these reconnaissance trips make putting the main event together later on much easier.'' Thomason said the most important element of the show was the personal connections locals have with their country's military history. ``This is a great opportunity to explore stories a lot of Australians wouldn't know about,'' Thomason said. ``There are some very well known stories we will be telling, but we look forward to finding unknown stories along the way.'' Thomason has sounded the call for Northerners to join Sir Tony for an Antiques Roadshow-style event with a military edge, which will be held on March 15. ``We want people to come along with wartime stories, diaries and memorabilia passed down through parents and grandparents,'' he said. ``We'd also love to see school projects or artwork local children are creating. It's always interesting to see how younger generations are commemorating war.'' The event's location will be confirmed closer to the date.
BRITISH television star Tony Robinson will return to Launceston next month.
The knighted actor, comedian and historian was last in Tasmania in 2013, when he filmed an episode of Time Walks - due to screen next week.
Sir Tony is returning for five days from March 11 to film an episode of a new series called Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty.
The show will explore "hidden histories and great little stories'' across 100 years of war service in Australia and New Zealand.
Series director and producer Matthew Thomason arrived in Launceston yesterday for a two-day trip to check out potential locations and speak to prospective interview subjects.
He said the ``nuts and bolts'' exercise made filming much easier.
``Sir Tony is very spontaneous in the way he tells his stories,'' Thomason said.
``Preparations done during these reconnaissance trips make putting the main event together later on much easier.''
Thomason said the most important element of the show was the personal connections locals have with their country's military history.
``This is a great opportunity to explore stories a lot of Australians wouldn't know about,'' Thomason said.
``There are some very well known stories we will be telling, but we look forward to finding unknown stories along the way.''
Thomason has sounded the call for Northerners to join Sir Tony for an Antiques Roadshow-style event with a military edge, which will be held on March 15.
``We want people to come along with wartime stories, diaries and memorabilia passed down through parents and grandparents,'' he said.
``We'd also love to see school projects or artwork local children are creating. It's always interesting to see how younger generations are commemorating war.''
The event's location will be confirmed closer to the date.
Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty series producer and director Matthew Thomason in Launceston yesterday, ahead of filming in March.
