Acting Verses Presenting: A Conversation with Tyger Drew-Honey

UP ALL NIGHT sees the gang heading off for a holiday road trip together, which very quickly turns into a total nightmare, in more ways than one. Their van breaks down outside a creepy old mansion; there’s no phone signal and no alternative but to knock on the door and ask for help. Big mistake. Caleb and Clara, an oddly welcoming but sinister brother and sister who live there, are definitely hiding something. Turns out, what they’re hiding is that this creepy old mansion is haunted, and it’s about to be knocked down. The gang’s divided loyalties play havoc with their conscience – run away from their new oddball friends or pay back their kindness? They decide to do all they can to save the house with a special Friday Download music festival. Big mistake no 2. It seems the house has some secrets that suggest it would be best if it was knocked down after all…

Directed by JOHN HENDERSON (The Borrowers, Alice Through The Looking Glass), UP ALL NIGHT boasts a cast including the all-star presenters of hit CBBC show Friday Download: DIONNE BROMFIELD (Fast Girls), RICHARD WISKER (Dani’s Castle), SHANNON FLYNN (Dani’s Castle), GEORGE SEAR (Evermoor) and guest presenter BOBBY LOCKWOOD (Wolfblood); former Friday Download presenter TYGER DREW-HONEY (Cuckoo, Outnumbered); actress LOUISA CONNOLLY-BURNHAM (Wolfblood, House Of Anubis); and renowned comedians DAVID MITCHELL (Peep Show) and KEVIN ELDON (Hot Fuzz, Hugo). Cameo appearances include a special surprise appearance from British pop sensation and Radio 1 Teen Award’s ‘Best British Band’ THE VAMPS; Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent stars BARS AND MELODY; and BBC Radio 1’s Weekend Breakfast Show DJ DEV.

The Fan Carpet’s Katy Peakay had the pleasure of speaking to beloved Actor and Presenter Tyger drew-Honey for the Home Entertainment release of Friday Download Presents Up All Night.

He tells Katy about his Documentary series ‘Tyger Takes On’ as well as becoming Caleb and what it was like getting back with the Friday Download gang…

It’s quite scary for a kid’s film…

Yeah, I feel like we were try to create a balance of making it as scary as possible but still get a PG rating, but there’s definitely some creepy stuff.

You’re very busy at the moment, not just this film but also your ‘Tyger Takes On’ Documentaries, that’s quite a difference isn’t it; Acting and Presenting?

Yeah Presenting and Acting are completely different, not only is there different skills involved but the formats of the jobs are entirely different but I think with regards to ‘Tyger Takes On’ the new series coming out, we are looking at some topical issues reading sexism and sexuality.

It’s good for the public to get that insight into Tyger the person, not just Tyger the Actor, it’s nice to get a dimension on you like that…

Yeah, definitely, people can relate to it because I am the same age as the audience and I am experiencing these things at the same time as they are.

What’s been your favourite ‘Tyger Takes On’ project so far?

I don’t know to be honest, all of them have been so different, I don’t necessarily have one I enjoyed doing more than the others but ‘Tyger Takes On: Sexuality’ which is due to air next month.

If you had to choose, which avenue would you prefer; Acting or Presenting?

I would really hate to choose because I absolutely love both of them, but if I had to be one, I’d be an Actor.

So you done a lot of growing up on screen in Outnumbered and your parents being high profile through the 80s. Have you enjoyed growing up in the public eye. Has it had it struggles?

I’ve enjoyed my life up until this day definitely, I mean there have been struggles a long the way but I feel very, very lucky. I have nothing to compare it to, but I like the way things have gone.

I’m not at that level of fame where paparazzi are following me around all the time but I do think people shouldn’t be so shocked when they do see me walking down the street or home from a night out not looking all camera ready an skin perfect as ever as I don’t wear screen make up in everyday life. Sorry.

So in the film you play a ghost Caleb along with Carla and manage to harness a really creepy ora about the two of you and a great awkwardness through the lines. What inspiration/techniques did you draw on to get into character?

Well it was interesting because I was a part of friday Download, but haven’t been for a couple of years so everyone else was playing themselves, so as I was playing a character, I had to not be what they knew, I couldn’t be Tyger.

The character had to be a bit spooky, so I had to think about how my character was going to walk, how he was going to speak, how fast were his movements going to be, so I thought he would be rather ghost-like and quite spooky.

The house really did seem the perfect place to assume haunted did you feel any presence or fear whilst filming there?

Well I don’t believe in ghosts whats so ever, but I do think that if everyone was about to leave, I’d leave with them the place was just huge. To big to live in even if you were a rich person that could buy it, you wouldn’t want to live there.

In the film we see some awesome guest appearances for example David Mitchell, what was he like to work with?

He was awesome, very friendly, really down-to-earth.

Apart from few the cast was all quite young as it is aimed at young pre teen viewers. Was it a nice vibe on set between you all as many of you had worked together before?

Yeah definitely, it was definitely like you’re on set with your friends, were all human beings, so some get on better than others but everyone got on and it was nice being with a group of people your own age.

Out of all the Download presenters who would you say had the strangest pre camera routine?

No one really. If I’d had to pick anyone I’d say Dione.

Any divas amongst you guys?

No there all lovely.

Your quite a familiar face and a inspiration to many young actors. If you could give three top tips to aspiring actors that look up to you what would they be?

If you’re serious about Acting, what I would suggest you do is imagine totally random scenarios, and just act it, just really try to act it. Another one would be put yourself out there to as many places as you can, being in the right place at the right time definitely helps; I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t in the right place at the right time and enrol in your local Drama Schools and finally, I think practicing different accents; say you were offered a job and they suddenly ask if you can do a Scottish accent and you just pull it out, you’ve just impressed a tonne of people.

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FRIDAY DOWNLOAD PRESENTS UP ALL NIGHT IS OUT NOW ON DVD COURTESY OF GREAT POINT MEDIA AND SPIRIT ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED