ACTOR Griff Rhys Jones has paid a visit to Flintshire to shoot his new television series.
The Welsh comedian was at Greenfield Docks to film scenes for a new documentary series called Routes of Britain, in which he traces a medieval pilgrim trail from Holywell to St David’s in South Wales.
The presenter will stop at places of historical and religious interest along the way for the four-part series to air on BBC1.
Yesterday film crews captured Griff on a boat on the Dee Estuary before he travelled by foot to St Winefride’s Well, Holywell.
Greenfield historian John Jones, who undertook intensive research for the Greenfield Docks website, was there to see filming.
He told the Leader: “Griff was brilliant.
“He was absolutely wonderful and really down to earth.”
Cardiff-born Griff made his name as an actor alongside Rowan Atkinson and Pamela Stephenson in the comedy sketch show Not The Nine O’Clock News.
He has since trodden the boards in the theatre winning Olivier awards for best comedy performance in Charley’s Aunt and An Absolute Turkey.
In December 2009 he returned to live theatre as Fagin in Oliver! at Theatre Royal in London’s West End.
It was his production company Modern Television that contacted John three weeks ago to discover more about the docks in Flintshire.
John added is pleased that the programme will raise the profile of the docks.
“They were out their on two fishing boats – Griff on one and a film crew on another.
Then they came back to the docks and did some more filming.
“It’s good because it is putting Greenfield Dock on the map. Usually it is overlooked and the attention is on Greenfield Valley but without the docks then industry would not have existed in Greenfield.”
The series is expected to air around Christmas.