This Mark Donovan issue stopped me getting a key part and what Greg Davies was like off camera
Shane Heron appeared in one scene during the 2011 film as an extra
(Credit: Shane Heron / Film4)
A supporting actor who appeared as an extra on The Inbetweeners Movie has lifted the lid on his experience on set, revealing what happening off camera and strict rules they had to follow.
Shane Heron was lucky enough to be in a scene with Mr Gilbert star Greg Davies after he saw a callout for extras on E4’s social media pages.
Speaking to Heart Bingo Online, Shane, 38, reveals what the Taskmaster host was like when the cameras weren’t rolling – and reveals a funny moment they shared in the car park after filming.
He also explains how he nearly got a bigger part as one of Mark Donovan’s gang, but an issue with his height caused the director to rethink.
Speaking to Heart Bingo Online, Shane Heron shares:
How did you apply for the role? Have you heard of the show beforehand?
“I knew nothing about what the show was when it originally aired. One day, people mistook me for Blake Harrison (Neil Sutherland) during a family holiday because I was a tall, skinny guy – and back then, I had a similar spiky fringe. I went home, watched it, and fell in love with the show.
“In 2011, E4 put out an advert on their social media, as they were looking for extras to star in the new film. I filled out an application form as I had nothing to lose. A few weeks later they replied, and they were interested in me having a small part in the main assembly scene with Mr Gilbert. I thought it sounded amazing.”
I know you were meant to play Mark Donovan’s mate but were too tall – tell us what happened there?
“After the first reply from E4, they wrote to me again and said, ‘Oh, we’re quite interested in having you play Mark Donovan’s mate in one of the scenes.’ I thought, ‘This is good.’ They told me it was a non-speaking part. Unfortunately, I lost that part because I’m about 6’8. I’m a lot bigger than the character of Donovan, and they said that for the camera angles, it’d be quite hard to film. They kept me for the assembly scene.”
What was the atmosphere like on set?
“It was great. Everyone I spoke to was a fan of the show themselves. Some people couldn’t believe it. I remember looking around the set, and there were some empty chairs, and I thought, ‘Oh, is that where the main cast are going to sit?’ I felt lucky that I was only three rows behind the main cast in the assembly scene. To see them act that close was really great.”
What was Greg Davies like? Did you speak to him?
“I did meet Greg Davies in the car park after filming. We’re roughly the same height, so as I was passing, I said, ‘Oh, it’s really nice to meet you today and to work with you in a small way,’ and he said, ‘It’s really good to have an eye-to-eye conversation with somebody.’ We both laughed and went our separate ways.”
Did you have to follow any strict rules on set?
“We weren’t allowed to say anything about what happened on the day, and mobile phones had to be left in a locked room because that’s why there are no pictures from the set. They don’t want anything getting leaked. They wanted everyone to enjoy it as a full and completed project.”
When you watched the film in the cinema, were you happy with your part?
“A group of us went to the cinema to try and spot me in it. There’s a tiny glimpse of my head in one scene, and then there’s one part where I stand up and walk out at the end with everyone else. It was less than 30 seconds. I saw myself twice. I looked a lot younger then, but because I’m quite tall, you do stand out more. Even now, my friends will watch it, and I’ll get sent screenshots with them standing next to my face with their thumbs up. They couldn’t believe it.”
Who is your favourite Inbetweeners character?
“That’s a tough one, because they’re all favourites for so many different reasons. I’d have to say, Neil! Blake is a very good actor. I’m a big theatre fan, and I’ve seen him in a theatre show as well.”
How would you describe your overall experience?
“I had the best time. It was brilliant, and you get a little buzz for it and think, ‘Okay, what shall I apply for next?’ I’ve been very lucky to do some other things, but The Inbetweeners would always be my favourite because it was the first one I was ever a part of.”
What was a typical day like for you as an extra on The Inbetweeners Movie, from arriving on set to filming the scenes?
“We managed to get everything done all in one day. It was from 9am until 4pm in the afternoon. I travelled from Devon to London, where the assembly scene was being filmed. It took around six to seven hours to film it.
“I remember we were told to arrive in our costume, which was the basic uniform of a white button-up shirt, black shoes, black trousers, and then they would add other bits of costume like the blue sweatshirt, or just a tie. Everyone was different, but I didn’t get any makeup done or anything.”
The next Inbetweeners film has now been announced for Netflix – would you love to return either as an extra or as a bigger character?
“When I saw the little Netflix teaser that came out, I was so excited. It’s great it’s getting all rounded off. There’s been so much speculation, and now we’re finally going to find out. It’s such an iconic British comedy.
“If I were asked to apply to be in it again, my answer is automatically yes. It was my first ever role as an extra and my first experience on a film set. I love the series. I introduced my wife to The Inbetweeners, so if I could go back and be a part of the third film, I would jump at the chance.”
What were the main cast like when the cameras weren’t rolling – were they as funny and chaotic behind the scenes as their characters?
“Unfortunately, I didn’t speak to any of the main cast members, but I know a lot of people did. The way I saw it was that they were at work, and I was being paid to be at work, so I didn’t want to be a nuisance.”
