'Intensely uncomfortable' scenario on Work Experience

Rhod Gilbert has been held at gunpoint during filming on his new TV series.

But it was just an exercise, part of a safety training course he underwent as he sampled the life of a BBC journalist.

Nevertheless, he described the scenario as 'intensely uncomfortable'.

'I was heading to a simulated war zone, as a simulated journalist to interview some simulated refugees,' admits Rhod. 'Role-play always makes me acutely embarrassed and I was struggling to take it seriously. But it gave me some insights into aspects of the news industry that I hadn’t given much thought to.'

The training came as he joined the team of BBC Wales Today for an episode of Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience, in which he tries out various jobs. As part of his reporter training, he also had to do a shift at the  Carmarthen Journal, where he was abandoned in a deserted car park in Lampeter, and told to get back to the office with a front-page story before the afternoon deadline.
 
The show begins its sixth series on BBC One Wales next Tuesday, and previously won Gilbert a Welsh Bafta  for the episode  in which he trained to be an RAF fighter pilot 

'I think the series has really found its audience,' said Rhod, 'and we really enjoy making it. We’re such a small team and we know the programme inside out - and it’s still great fun.'
 
The comedian will also try his hand as a paranormal investigator, a rugby coach and a miner in the rest of the series, which produced by South Wales-based Zipline Creative.

Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience will also be shown later in the year on BBC Two nationally.
 

Published: 8 Feb 2016