Hopefully it will be worth a watch.

Neil has been a long term friend since i started uni in 1999 and his story is, well marvellous.

In no way the story made up, in fact it probably doesnt go far enough. This guy would get a lift home from matches with premiership football players, invite himself into royalties houses for tea and has even stayed with the director and his wife in their house when in london rather than stopping in a Hotel.

I tried so hard to get him his honoury degree but the VC at the time, Janet Finch would have none of it, when she went the Sabbs in the SU got their way and he was nominated. The rest is just detail.

I was his football team secretary, not through choice i must say!

Bit of background here

Have set Sky+. Looks good from the previews. Hope it doesn’t make me cry 😥

That was fantastic.

Great article in the guardian about it earlier in the week. Never heard of him, I”ve recorded it to savour. Sounds like a fantastic life story, heartwarming.

here.

Balls, completely forgot that.

It was a fantastic program and a brilliantly well pitched performance by Toby Jones.

What a great story

That was fab 🙂

It took me back to my first day at Keele when he introduced himself to me just as the film showed. As I was very involved in the chapel I saw a lot of him. None of us could work out how he seemed to know all the people he did, but I remember him knowing forthcoming CofE appointments long before they were published. Plus his ability to sniff out free food was legendary!!

“I always wanted to be happy, so I decided I would be”
Hope it‘s on iplayer, missed the first half.

Damn I missed it. Fingers crossed for iPlayer.

That was an excellent bit of TV and what a character the man is.

Excellent, one of the best programmes this year. So well written, directed and acted, worth every penny of the licence fee.

A mate of mine worked on the sets for Marvellous. Good job he reminded me to watch last night or I would have missed it.
It was one of the best pieces of telly I’ve seen in a long time.
Maybe a if few more of us could decide to be happy the world would be a much better place.

He was a very proud man last night!

In true Nello style, he got a pint out of me, invited himself round for a curry and told me I could be his agent! Nothing changes.

Great to watch it with him.

Keep your eyes peeled next week on BBC1 as they were filming a documentary on him last night, short notice thing but it seems to have taken the nation by storm, was even trending 1st on twitter last night.

Sounds brilliant. Our Friday night viewing sorted!

Was absolutely brilliant, me and the missus spent almost the entire program with tears in our eyes from laughing or crying.
If you missed it it is on iPlayer here.
RM.

I grew up living with an uncle with ‘learning difficulties’ (more severe than Nello’s sadly) – what a blessing I now realise that was. Some truly LOL memories. He would regularly describe my mates as ‘a big gay lad’, meaning good fun – but a fair few of them took it badly. He had his childish sense of fun until he died as an octogenarian.

We watched this last night on iPlayer. Brilliant film. What a legend.

Is his nickname ‘Nello’? The lead singer in my band was posting stuff about him on facebook all week, seems that he was a family friend or something. Sounds like the programme may be worth a watch. What is the programme actually about then? Is it a documentary?

Will be watching this later.
Thanks for the heads up.

Inspirational man – excellent film and a new found respect for Lou macari.

watched this yesterday – absolutely amazing, one of the best bits of television I’ve ever seen

what a legend!

Wiping tears of laughter from my eyes and sure the world is a better place with people like Neil in it…

Not seen it yet as I’m away but will catch up when home. Went to Keele so quite familiar with the story.

Me & the missus watched it on the iplayer. Very glad I did.

Wasn’t bothered about seeing it and was doing something else in the lounge when it started & Mrs p had it on. Was sat watching it avidly at the end. Great story beautifully told.

So it seems there are at least 5 of us on STW who went to Keele and were touched by this story to some degree. 😀

Mark (class of 89!)

I never went to Keele but went there often ’93 – ’96 as a good friend was there. I don’t know how I missed Neil but am now gutted I did…

Just watched on iplayer. That was marvellous!!

Watched this the other night and really enjoyed it.
Film Neil: “Is that really how it happened?”
Real Neil: “No”
Brilliant.

So, judging by Bland’s photo up there, the chap sat on the wall with Neil who said “I’m never nervous” was the real Neil?
[edit]oh yeah. obvious now 🙂

Excellent – just watched it on the iPlayer. If this doesn’t win awards I don’t know what will

Agree with what everybody has said, well worth watching , it was marvellous.

Just watched it on iplayer. Best tv in ages. What an amazing life story. Laughed and cried.

What a lovely film. Watched it last night with the missus. Best thing I’ve seen for a while and keep thinking back to it 🙂

On again this evening!
BBC2, 11pm.
A perfect end to Christmas Day!

Tony Curran is great as Lou Macari , He used to hire stuff from me when I worked in Kilburn. Great TV.

Excellent film.
Toby jones plays a blinder

Some more amusing Baldwin antics for yousome award ceremony