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Draft Character Profile of Brian Binge

Brian Binge is 510, is 30 years old and dresses like an out-of-work trucker. He favoursleather jackets, distressed denim, designer stubble and faux-workmans boots. He thinks

that this gives him the air of a rock star but he looks more like an out-of-work trucker.

Brian Binge is the youngest of three children. He has an older brother, Alastair, who is a well-regarded academic at Oxford University. He also has an older sister, Rachel, who is a style

columnist for the Sunday Times magazine and is married to Rory Brooks, a suave architect

and designer who has won awards and is an occasional presenter of property and garden

shows on More4. They were born to average but driven middle class parents in southern

England, and all went to university: Alastair to Oxford, Rachel to Cambridge, and Brian to

Loughbrough. Although growing up he did not excel in the same way that his elder siblings

did, he received more attention than his timidly intellectual brother or savvier sister, which

led to his becoming extroverted and outspoken. He was educated at an independent school.

At his fathers insistence, he applied to study law at University College London, but failed his

A-Levels and managed to secure a place at Loughbrough through clearing where he obtaineda 2:1 in media studies on graduating in 2001.

Brian Binge initially wanted to become an actor, having become involved in the studentamateur dramatics society, and moved to London where he was signed by Bob Willis, a

talent agency. After landing bit part roles on shows like The Bill, Casualty, and in one

memorable episode of Midsomer Murders that has become a staple of bloopers and before

they were famous clip shows, he played a nude life model killed with a golf club by a jealous

husband. He never got beyond these type of roles, however, and by 2004 he had given up

acting and was working as a runner on the failed Channel 4 successor to the Big Breakfast,

Ri:Se. His personality and uncanny lack of shame impressed his bosses, who promoted him

to filling in when there was the absence of a regular presenter and occasionally he would doshort segments reviewing TV shows, video games and films. In 2006 this led to a job as a

regular reporter for GMTV and an occasional contributor to Richard & Judys tea-time show

on Channel 4. In 2008 he joined the One Show as a roving reporter. He is famous for his

somewhat unorthodox approach and outlandish pronouncements, which have sparked

debate as to whether he is being ironic or taking himself seriously. He famously confronted

an East European gangmaster about child labour for Watchdog which won him plaudits and

marked his first segue into serious journalism.

Brian Binge grew up at the end of Britpop, a scene that his elder sister lived through to thefull. Brians favourite bands are Coldplay and Kings of Leon, and he prides himself on having

been to Razorlights first ever gig in Camden while he was looking for his first media jobs. Hedoesnt read many books but he does occasionally buy Mens Health or FHM and goes to the

gym regularly. He also goes to the pub with friends and to a lot of media parties, where he is

often ignored by his brother-in-law, much to his chagrin. Brian Binge has admitted to

smoking in the past, but insists that he doesnt have time for that any more and especially

no cigarettes of the Jamaican variety! (Quoted in Man Talk in Nuts Magazine, 27th

September 2009)

Binge is single, and usually looking. He favours short-term flings over serious relationships;however he went out with his co-presenter on GMTV, Amanda McDonald, for three years

from 2006, splitting in 2009 for undisclosed reasons. He has been the victim of tabloid kiss-

and-tells in the past, further detracting from his credibility as a serious journalist rather thana media personality.

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Brian Binges occupation is probably best described as a television presenter and, given thathe often writes his own scripts, the sobriquet journalist might be applied, although his style

is resolutely that of the magazine show rather than engaging in any serious political

discussion; indeed, he once said that reporters on Newsnight were gimps and that he

would make Panorama more watchable were he to present it. (Quoted in Man Talk in NutsMagazine, 27

thSeptember 2009). He once described himself as Donal Macintyre with more

depth and a better sense of his own direction. (Quoted in Bizarre, The Sun, 10th

April 2010).

His latest role is as an investigative reporter for BBC3s Brian Binge Investigates(forthcoming, 6 episodes, 2011), which is an attempt to bring investigative journalism to the

younger demographic and to tackle subjects relevant to them. The series will follow a

number of extreme situations, beginning with the rise of the far right among the youth in

Britain. This is being produced by Loose Cannon Productions, a successful studio with a

strong track record in youth-oriented programming (such as Bricks, a comedy drama about

wild sixth form students in Southampton, and Quality, a social networking-inspired chat

show and music performance showcase presented by Frankie Goodrich, an electro-popsinger). The boss of Loose Cannon is Luther Young, a thrusting young executive of about 35

years of age whose mission statement is Fuck around, then film it. Despite his relaxed

attitude and his leftfield programming, he is a very shrewd businessman and obsessively

researches every aspect of his productions. He is a perfectionist and distrusts the feckless

Binge, but has been impressed with how well his previous pieces have gone in focus groups.

For his part, Brian Binge is a bit smitten with Luther Youngs charisma, persuasiveness and

his easy way with women but reacts egregiously, constantly trying to upstage him.

Brian Binges philosophy on life is that his talent gives him entitlement. He offsets hissiblings gravitas by seeing success through the prism of recognition and celebrity, equating

this with free-spiritedness in comparison to his learned siblings. He believes that he makesthe kind of programmes that people want to watch, and he believes that this is largely

because people enjoy watching Brian Binge. He confuses empathy with sympathy. He likes

to be thought of as a professional and assumes he is held in high regard by colleagues.

His best friend is his usual filmmaking partner, Keith Donald. The pair first worked togetheron GMTV and been reunited by Young to make documentaries for Loose Cannon. They have

a warm relationship, although professionally it is awkward, with each believing that they are

carrying the other: Binge with his unique talents and Keith with his technical grasp of

filmmaking. There is also some tension between the two over an incident in their past, which

Binge was responsible for but which cost Keith his job.

Other colleagues include Samantha Wainwright, Loose Cannons production co-ordinator,who is attached to the project as an overseer. Binge bitterly resents her, both because as a

beautiful, powerful woman, he is intimidated by her; and also because she regularly

overrules Binges more excessive schemes. Sophie Hart is the put-upon intern who acts as a

runner for the production team. She is the target for many cack-handed Binge attempts to

impress and seduce.