Highland League referee Harry Bruce on set as extra in Peaky Blinders
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A POLICEMAN by trade and a Highland League referee in his spare time, Harry Bruce has plenty of interesting local stories to tell.
However, perhaps one of his most unique will be from last week – when he was one of a lucky few to work as an extra in Peaky Blinders as it filmed in the north-east.
Harry, from Elgin, admits he is a "big fan" of the show, which was filming for its sixth season in Portsoy for five days last week.
He was on set for three of those days, working as a local industrial worker in several scenes.
Harry said: "I saw an article looking for locals and I never really followed it up.
"But a guy I work with told me the agency he is signed up with was looking for locals and asked if I'd fancy trying it.
"A couple weeks later I got the news back that I was one of the lucky chosen few.
"I've been quite a big fan of the show and there was one scene where you were given an area to work in and Thomas Shelby was just over your shoulder.
"It was quite surreal seeing the cast up close and seeing them doing their job.
"Fingers crossed you can spot me in the scenes, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Portsoy looks on tele as a French village."
While refereeing has at least given Harry some exposure to cameras and a touch of limelight – he said there are few similarities with extra work.
"It was something completely different for me," he said.
"Refereeing you are always concentrating, whereas this was 12 or 13 hours a day with a lot of waiting about and following instructions.
"But it was a really good experience to see it from behind the camera lens."
The Highland League whistler was one of a number of locals working as an extra, with others from around Moray also getting their first taste of being on a set for the filming.
All involved with the production were tested regularly for Covid-19 – with Harry himself being tested three times during the week, including at 5.30am in temperatures as low as -12 degrees celsius.
Unfortunately, there was little time for interaction with Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby, or any of the show's stars.
"As soon as the call for cut came in they were straight inside," he added.
"We got the odd hello but during the breaks the make up and designers were all over them and when filming was finished they were straight into their cars and away.
"There were a lot of extras involved, with folk from Elgin, Lossiemouth, Dufftown and Lhanbryde all in the same situation as me.
"Everyone roped together and did really well."
