Don’t miss the first episode of this new series being shown on Wednesday 1st February 2012 at 8.00pm on ITV1.

Gok Wan meets people with disabilities in "How to Look Good Naked...with a Difference"

Knebworth has provided the film location for many famous television series and movies. The latest is inspirational fashion show How to Look Good Naked. The presenter, Gok Wan, shows women how to look fantastic with their clothes on or off (no matter what their body shape) and all without a surgeon’s scalpel in sight.

The successful TV series is celebrating its sixth season by filming a three-part special. In “How to Look Good Naked…with a Difference” Gok meets three women with disabilities and pulls out every trick in the book, as well as learning some new ones, to boost their self-esteem.

The second episode of the mini-series, due to air on Channel 4 on 26th January, was filmed, in part, at Knebworth House. In this episode Gok meets Claire Smith, a 44-year-old mother of three children, who lost her leg 4 years ago in a motorbike accident. To conceal her prosthetic limb she hides under drab clothes. He taps into her love for cars to help her relax into a glam shot with a classic Jaguar and she looks a million dollars – but did Gok do enough to enable Claire to face the modelling runway at the end of the show?

This episode also discusses the issue of disability being under-represented in high street fashion and helps two of the ladies pull together a fashion ad campaign idea with a differnce. 29-year-old student John McFall also talks about his refusal to let amputation destroy his Olympic dream - he was just one of  11 incredible people to bare all in the banqueting hall in one of Gok’s legendary naked group photoshoots.

Visit the Channel 4 website for more information and don’t forget to watch “How to Look Good Naked…with a Difference” on Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday 26th January 2010. If you miss it catch up on 4OD.

The filming of the sequel, featuring Sarah Harding, Colin Firth and Rupert Everett, took place at Knebworth House over the summer.   The grounds provided a great back drop for the hockey games while the Tithe Barns were used for make-up and changing rooms for some 122 extras for two days.

The 2010 end of year Prom packages start from £17.50 per person for exclusive use of The Lodge & Manor Barns with a finger buffet for a 100 to 250 guests.   A sit down dinner and dance is available for £32.00 per person for 50 to 180 guests. For further details please call 01438 813 825.

St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold sees the schoolgirls start a new term amidst the usual chaos and excitement.  Rupert Everett returns as unconventional headmistress Camilla Fritton and Colin Firth as her old flame Geoffrey Twaites.  A rollercoaster-style treasure hunt for the legendary Fritton’s Gold ensues as they face their most fearsome establishment rivals yet, but the feisty and ever-resourceful girls of St Trinian’s are undeterred in their mission to outwit the villainous Pomfrey (David Tennant) and his sidekicks from the women-hating secret society known as AD1.

 The film, which aired on Sunday 3^rd January at 8pm, saw Poirot visit Cornwall to attend a dinner hosted by his friend, retired actor Sir Charles Cartwright (Shaw). When the amiable local Reverend chokes to death on his cocktail it seems nothing more than a tragic accident. However, when the deaths of two other key players follow Cartwright relishes the opportunity to assist Poirot with his investigations.   

Picture (c) Chorion and ITV Studios

Knebworth House was used as the film set for many interior scenes and the Banqueting Hall (previously known as the Meltford Abbey Dining Room) provided the backdrop for the crucial dining room setting. Other areas that could be spotted on screen were the Armoury, reception area and the library. One of our more spooky fixtures, a table that is believed to double as an ouiji board connecting to the spirit world, also made an appearance.  

Some exterior locations such as the road leading to the house and under the water tower were filmed. Martin Shaw and David Suchet were also seen walking through the grounds in the sunken garden. Of his time filming at Knebworth House Suchet says, “On Poirot we have the great privilege (on this series) of going to some of the finest locations in England. To go to Knebworth is like going back into another era.”

‘Three Act Tragedy’ was adapted by Nick Dear from the Agatha Christie novel of the same name which was first published in the UK in 1935. Television filming took place at Knebworth House over a four day period at the end of June and beginning of July 2009. The house and grounds have been used as locations for many famous films and TV programmes including Love Actually, Foyle’s War and, most recently, St Trinian’s 2: Legend of Fritton’s Gold.

Three Act Tragedy also stars Art Malik (Ben Hur), Kate Ashfield (Collision) and Tom Wisdom (The Boat that Rocked). The film can be viewed online on ITV Player until the end of January 2010 (http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=114924).