The Woodmansterne card factory in in Watford, Hertfordshire, is set to be featured in BBC2’s hit series Inside the Factory Christmas Special. The show scheduled to be shown at 9pm on Wednesday December 22 will see presenter Gregg Wallace visit the company’s premises.
Managing director Seth Woodmansterne said: “We are delighted that the BBC were so excited to capture the work and wonder that goes into making Christmas cards. Visitors to our factory are always surprised at the range of processes and the level of intricacy, detail, and care that we apply when manufacturing our cards. It was lovely to share this with Gregg and viewers!
“Of course, distilling this into a short programme with an easy-to-understand story can lead to some interesting versions of reality; my knuckles have just about recovered from opening 20 times the side curtain of a paper delivery lorry for one scene – not a regular part of my day job! I’m really proud that the industry is being represented at Christmas (especially in these unusual times) and that the value of people connecting in meaningful ways with loved ones has been reinforced.”
So how did filming at the Woodmansterne card factory come about? Head of marketing Kate Leach said: “It all started with a phone call in autumn 2019 asking for information on our Caltime brand and ended up with us featuring in the short historical segment of the 2019 Christmas special, showcasing the production of our advent calendars.
“The team had a whale of a time and loved the factory, so we agreed to keep in touch with the prospect of future filming. Following many texts and calls between the producer and I over the months (and a short lived plan for 2020 filming!) we were finally able to invite the Voltage TV film crew back to site in early 2021 and the show was commissioned by the BBC in May ready for filming in June.
“I must admit to being overjoyed at having secured such a great showcase for our greeting cards on BBC2 primetime.”
Senior designer Amy Eastland added: “I was delighted…if not a little terrified when I learned that my card had been selected for Inside the factory, and as a result I would be responsible for walking Gregg through the design process.
“To say it was nerve-racking would be an understatement (I’m far more comfortable behind a computer screen) but Gregg totally put me at ease with many a Deer related joke and the filming flew. I look forward to seeing Christmas cards front and centre on the BBC just before the big day.”
