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The Montpelier kitchen and the making of a viral BBC News dance video
Of course, if you are reading this then Bristol24/7 is your most trusted news source.
But we also recommend BBC News, and in times of crises like this, the music before the bulletins becomes a familiar part of the day – especially when stuck in quarantine.
During the coronavirus outbreak, this video has made a reappearance on social media – and there is a Bristol story behind it.
is needed now More than ever
The video features dancer Jessica Macdonald filmed by Matthew Austin, the co-director of Mayfest, in his kitchen in Montpelier back in 2013.
“I’d had a weird fascination with the BBC News theme for a while, particularly those 60- to 90-second countdowns on the News Channel,” Matthew told Bristol24/7.
“I can’t actually remember how we came up with the idea to do a dance to it, but one day we decided to. Jessica brought the mask round and the jumper is mine. The colour match to the BBC News logo is entirely accidental.”
The dance was improvised by Jessica, with the pair sharing in with a few friends before it was picked up by Radio One’s Greg James, who declared it the best thing on the internet.
The breakfast show presenter was later inspired to play the BBC News theme while DJing in Hereford.
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Read more: Historic Bristol church set to open as dance and events venue
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Jessica, who had borrowed the mask from a friend, added: “I think we’d both said it would be fun to dance to it. I certainly had a lot of fun doing it.
“I think you can tell in the video that I tried it a few times because I already have red marks on my skin from the thigh slaps.
“It wasn’t choreographed but I knew that there were certain things in there that I wanted to include, like the fall to the floor at the end. Silly innit?”
Main photo: Jessica Macdonald / YouTube
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