Bradley Morgan... uhm... James and Colin Morgan - GayTimes 10/2009 [scan]
Fantabulous print article [published October 2009] in the Fashion Issue 2009 GT of GAYTIMES.CO.UK. Read about the best typo ever, what piece of wardrobe Vivienne Westwood designed and who's the fashionista on set.
WARNING: mildest spoilers for episodes 02.08 and 02.09, blink and you'll miss them.
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GT stalks the corridors - and wardrobes - at Camelot as we go behind the scenes on Merlin
by Darren Scott | http://www.gaytimes.co.uk
It's eerily silent and I'm lost. In the distance I can see a large medieval frock.
Naturally I start towards it but I'm distracted by a noise. I stick my head round and arch and quickly freeze.
There's a sword fight going on between Prince Arthur and King Uther. I'm most definitely not supposed to be here.
Thankfully, being the slight and nimble journo that I am, I've not ruined the take as GT go behind the scenes - and into the wardrobe department - of the BBC One fantasy drama Merlin. I'm a little down-hearted. Yes, I'll hold my hand up. I did actually think that the interior scenes of Merlin - or parts of it at least - were filmed in a real castle.
So it's no surprise that the sets are quite incredibly detailed. I have a nose around Merlin's living quarters. It even smells authentically ancient, maybe because some of the weighty tomes on the shelves are over 100 years old.
I move on to Arthur's chambers and his servant, the boy wizard himself - the almost-too-hot-to-look-at Colin Morgan - pops in for a chat. He's in full costume (think peasant boy nips into Top Man) and immediately I've clocked the footwear.
"I haven't mentioned that in an interview but actually these boots are Vivienne Westwood," he says with a cheeky look. "Someone did pick up on the scarves being a bit of a fashion icon. What's with us getting trendy?"
Never mind getting trendy, what about getting jiggy? He talks about the 'relationship between Arthur and Merlin' (the line "We can't be together!" delivered by Arthur to Merlin is supposed to be about the Prince's upcoming romantic dalliance with servant girl Gwen, but illicit laughs at a preview screening for the wrong reason). And he mentions "a bit of a love interest for Merlin", but sadly the two are not one and the same and there are children on the set so I can't "go there" regarding the blatant homoeroticism of the show.
That, or the fact that Bradley Morgan, who plays Arthur, seems to get his top off a bit more in this series. And that he's buffed up. The BBC publicist takes great delight in pointing out over lunch that I've just missed him topless. Dammit! The best I get is him doing flips in a very tight black vest. That'll keep me (and possibly you) going through the cold winter nights…
We're not the only ones to notice though - I'm told that MTV recently voted him "Hottie of the Week".
"It has very little effect on my life," he ponders of the accolade. "It was very flattering. I look like my Mum - so I said 'Mum, there you go, the gene pool is top trumps'."
So being as toned as he is - did I mention that? - it's no surprise that Bradley likes the more athletic elements of working on Merlin. He's not so fond of the costumes though.
"Wearing this chain-mail is ridiculous," he says, pointing to his chest. "The next job I do, I want to be a surfer who wears shorts and that's about it. At a beach."
Can someone please arrange that? But there must be something that they'd take away from the wardrobe department for some warlock chick on a night out?
Colin's got his eye on some of the guest stars clobber. "I'd quite like the hat that Charles Dance wears. he looks cool…" he says.
"Somehow a pair of chaps have made their way into Arthur's wardrobe," Bradley frowns. "I would happily see them burned, they're ridiculous. I don't know how medieval came to be but I do have a 'Thriller' jacket that I would wear out. I think they pulled it after a couple of episodes because I was making too many [makes Thriller video dance move]." Colin bursts out laughing.
So what do they favour when the vibe is more catwalk than Camelot?
"I'm a big fan of Fat Face," Colin says. "But whatever feels comfortable wearing I guess."
Bradley thinks this is a hard one. "I don't think I actually have a sense of fashion. I hate shopping and tend to walk around if I'm in need of something and grab something if I like the look of it. I'm not educated enough in the fashion world - Colin's the fashion one!"
But before I let Bradley get back to wielding his sword and grant Colin his wizard's leave (geddit?!), I hear there's been some strange gifts from fans…
"We've received some interesting vegetables," Colin laughs. "We went to one of the conventions and they were giving out - I'm not sure if it was a butternut squash or a pumpkin, and they'd written on it things that were about Merlin, and me, and yeah it was definitely a treasure to behold…"
"No, I got the butternut squash," Bradley corrects. "He got the courgette."
*****
Bradley Morgan
BEST! TYPO! EVER!
"I don't think I actually have a sense of fashion.
Bradley, your lack of fashion sense is the most endearing thing EVER! I actually like your way of not-styling, it's much more authentic anyway. ♥