STUDENTS from Belfast Metropolitan College on the Springfield Road are helping to bring back a much-loved TV show.
UTV chat show legend Gerry Kelly has started recording a new series of shows: 'Conversations with Gerry Kelly'.
The series will feature ten episodes, with Gerry doing what he does best by interviewing a range of entertainers and presenters in his relaxed yet probing style, including Eamonn Holmes, Charlie Lawson, Jimmy Cricket, Brian Kennedy, Barbara Dickson and Phil Coulter – all in front of an audience at Belfast Met's e3 campus.
The shows will be broadcast on NVTV, YouTube and on a Sky channel with whom discussions are ongoing about the transmission date and time.
The new show format differs from the Kelly Show – which attracted record-breaking audiences for 17 years on UTV – with a focus on intimate, entertaining and revealing one-on-one conversations rather than a range of guests.
Michael McAdam, a former vision mixer at UTV who now runs Movie House Cinemas, has teamed up with Linda Bryans, who runs the Belfast Met media course, to deliver the series.
"Last year, we did ‘Tonight with Gerry Kelly’ which was basically the old Kelly Show," Michael explained.
"It was very successful.This year, we decided to go for a more one-on-one format in an interview scenario with guests who have a special story to tell.
"Belfast Met have a wonderful facility here and working with the media students here has been fantastic.
"It is phenomenal experience for the students which will benefit them so much in the future.
"There is a market for local television and local people with their stories. We are working with NVTV and Sky to get it broadcast on television. It will be on YouTube as well."
Gerry Kelly said he's "delighted" to be back in front of the cameras.
"It is very special to have retired UTV colleagues working alongside the Belfast Met students on a real show," he added.
"It's great to be back in front of the cameras and we are delighted to be helping to bring on the next generation of media students.
"The new one-to-one style gives me more time to talk to the guest and get to know them more.
"Some of the guests we have are just fantastic."
One of the guests – world-famous musician Phil Coulter – was looking forward to talking to Gerry Kelly, ahead of the recording of his episode.
"I am delighted to be taking part," he said. "I remember the Kelly show with great affection and the standards were so high.
"Gerry is a good friend of mine. I certainly have a few stories to tell."
