Behind the Scenes with Declan Lowney on Peter Kay's New Warburtons Spot

After being behind the camera for two previous Warburtons campaigns, Another Film Company director Declan Lowney makes it a hat-trick of hilarious films for the brand with the new, Peter Kay-starring spot [above].

Here we talk to Lowney about working with one of Britain's most successful and well-loved comedians, shooting a series of Warburtons spots and how and old John Smith's commercial sneaked into the new film.

Declan Lowney on set with Peter Kay and actress Emma Connell

What did you think when you first saw the script?

DL: Well, I’ve now had a four-year association with Warburtons with the Stallone Deliverers [below] campaign and then the Muppet’s Giant Crumpet Show, and on the back of those two we knew we’d be doing a third commercial. This was probably a year in the making as we had a lot of iterations of the script aimed at different sorts of talent and the creatives eventually ended up on the format with Peter Kay as part of a period drama.

So, the script was something that evolved over quite a long time and then once Peter got involved the script changed quite a bit more because Peter had lots of ideas, and he’s such a brilliant comedian you’d be daft not to use some of those ideas.

And then I had some ideas, too. So, the script was a combination of a year’s work, with input from a number of different people but the creatives, Gina [Ramsden] and Freya [Harrison], honed that brilliantly and the best line in it, “he’s from Leeds”, is an original line of theirs.

Sylvester Stallone starred in The Deliverers, also directed by Lowney, in 2015

How excited were you at the prospect of working with Peter Kay and how does he compare to working with Sly Stallone and Kermit the Frog?

DL: I was thrilled. I’m a big fan of Peter Kay. I’d never met him before this project but I met with him a few times before the shoot. As for how he compared to Stallone and Kermit; well, I guess Kermit and Stallone more or less did what they were told.

They obviously had suggestions and input but Peter is a world away from that in a way because he has so many ideas of his own. So, as always in comedy it’s very collaborative and that’s just how it works. [Working with Peter] compared very favourably, I would say.

"As for how [Peter Kay] compared to Stallone and Kermit; well, I guess Kermit and Stallone more or less did what they were told."

Did Kay’s involvement see much ad-libbing or script additions?

DL: A lot of the ad-libbing was done in rehearsal rooms or in sessions before the shoot so those lines were incorporated into the script, but there were some funny ones he came up with on the day as well. I think my favourite one of those is when he pulls his horse to a stop outside the big country house and says “whoa, Kayleigh!” and Kayleigh is, of course, the other character in his show Car Share, and I thought that was a really nice little addition.

There’s a line in the script, where Kay kicks the hat and says “’ave it!”; is that a purposeful nod to his John Smiths spot [below] from a number of years back?

DL: Yes, that was one of Peter’s ideas. There’s a line from Pride and Prejudice that I thought would be nice at the end; “one word from you will silence me forever”, and Peter’s character comes back and says, “well here’s two. ‘Ave it!”. The John Smith’s reference was Peter’s idea and was massively embraced because it’s a very, very funny idea.

 Peter Kay homages his John Smith's commercial in the new ad for Warburtons

What was the most challenging part of the process for you?

DL: It was a huge amount to shoot in just four days, a huge variety of locations, period costumes, horses, weather; all of those things made it a tough shoot, but it was also a great shoot.

I remember when we were at that country house and we were shooting the wedding scene with a bit of a crowd of extras and a very big set-up and Peter was being made up in the house, and would be brought down from the house. Because it was a sunny day people were holding umbrellas above him to make sure his make-up didn’t get all sweaty in the heat.

I remember seeing Peter coming through the trees with this mini entourage of make-up and hairdressing people with him and ADs with walkie-talkies, but Peter was carrying a boom-box and playing some music very loud and you heard the music before you saw him and it was fantastic because Peter was brilliant at keeping the crew and extras entertained in his own inimitable way.

Lowney and Kay on location

And the most rewarding?

DL: The most rewarding part is always seeing the finished product. Though I’ve seen it so many times I still get such a kick out of watching it. I suppose, the most rewarding part for me is watching other people watching it and seeing their reaction because that’s always a joy for directors to see how it plays with an audience.