The internal studio team here at Bovingdon Airfield Studios is vital; experienced industry professionals, incredibly hardworking, and a pleasure to work with. They’re always ready to help, pitching in wherever and whenever needed to support productions and their colleagues.
That’s why we wanted to launch a little spotlight series on our in-house team at Bovingdon – the stars of our show - showing you what they do, why they love working here, and what excites them about the studio’s future.
First up: Lloyd Kissiedu – our Lead Security Officer.
Lloyd has been leading the security team for the past five years and is the first and last face most people see on site each day (until the night shift kicks in!). Everyone here knows and loves Lloyd – he’s a friendly, familiar face, always on hand to help throughout the day, every day. Davina McCall even once jumped out of her car to give him a hug, praising his amazing energy!
Lloyd – what's your role at Bovingdon Airfield Studios?
I’m the gatekeeper – literally! I make sure everyone coming on site is meant to be here and help direct them to where they need to be, depending on which part of the site their production is using. I also make sure they’re up to speed on the site rules – and yes, one of them is also about speeding.
There’s a lot to the role – I wear many hats and take care of many different things for the studio. No two days are the same, and I’m lucky to have a brilliant team alongside me – Harvey, Kirstie, Jo, Jordan, and everyone else.
How many people are usually on site at any one time?
It depends on the productions we’ve got in. Right now, we’re extremely busy, with lots of people coming and going – and when a shoot’s in full swing, there can be hundreds and hundreds on site. The studio spans 100 acres, so you can imagine how many we could accommodate if needed. One thing’s for sure – parking’s never an issue. We’ve got plenty of space for any number of people and vehicles.
What inspired you to work here, and in the film and TV industry?
Years ago, I worked on a lot of film premieres and with some of the big 90s boy and girl bands – Take That, Spice Girls, Damage, Eternal, Let Loose. I was also involved in the opening of Planet Hollywood. After that, I spent 16 years working in the prison service. Then the opportunity at Bovingdon Airfield Studios came up – I started out with ITV Studios Bovingdon, as ITV have a big studio space within the site, and eventually took on managing security for the entire site.
What does a typical day look like?
That’s a hard question to answer – there’s no such thing as a typical day! I start my shift at 6am and I’m on it straight away – busy from the moment my feet touch the ground right until the night staff take over.
All the departments start arriving – usually locations, props, and construction first, then production staff and actors on shoot days. We get deliveries constantly throughout the day, with everything the productions need – it could be anything from a crucial tin of paint to the largest prop you’ve ever seen. Food and provisions... concrete! Anything you can imagine.
People are coming and going all day – it’s always busy and full of activity.
What skills do you need for the job?
You must be able to retain loads of information – who’s on site, where they need to be – and communicate clearly with everyone. I do have a good memory, I can pretty much remember people’s number plates. Faces, everything. I know who they are, where they need to go, and which production they’re part of. You definitely need to have many strings to your bow.
What's the best part of your job?
I love communicating with the crew – everyone, no matter their role or department. I really enjoy chatting to people, helping them find where they need to be and what they need to do their job.
Connecting with people across all those roles is something I really enjoy. It also makes my job easier – they know me, trust me, and we all work together to keep things running smoothly. Everyone knows who I am – and there’s a lot more to the role than people often realise.
There are so many people involved in filming, and every role plays a part in bringing it all together – from accounts and catering to production, cleaning, construction, locations, and acting.
What’s been your most memorable moment so far?
I think the time I shouted at Chris Eubank because he was driving quite fast down the runway! People sometimes want to speed because we’ve got runways, but safety comes first. He got out of the car and apologised in front of a live audience waiting to see a show – and I thought, oh no, I’ve just shouted at a world champion boxer!
Another great moment I’ll never forget was when Davina McCall stopped her vehicle. I never knew which celebrity was in the back, being driven in and out each day, as I only ever speak with the drivers. But then one day she made a point of getting out and saying she wanted to give me a hug because she loved my energy. She said, “You’ve got such amazing energy – I want some!”
Olly Murs was also great – he took pictures with people. And what’s always fun is the excitement of the audience members when they arrive on site. They’re so thrilled to see their favourite show, and that’s lovely to see.
What are you most excited about in relation to the studio?
I think it’s how big it’s become – and how much bigger it’s going to get. I’ve seen it grow from just the ITV stage to all the incredible facilities that we have now. It’s now one of the UK’s largest filming sites, and it’s been a privilege to be part of that journey.
I also love when crew members return and are amazed at how much the studio has changed – with so many new facilities, it’s unrecognisable from even just a few years ago.
It’s incredible to see the kinds of productions filming here – some of the biggest films and TV shows on screens right now. It’s been fascinating to watch the transformation over the past few years.
What are the most exciting things you've seen being built and filmed here?
The 2019 version of A Christmas Carol (starring David Hardware and directed by Marc Hamill) was incredible – they built Scrooge’s whole street here, with full house fronts running along it. The 3D art on the buildings was amazing, with artists painstakingly painting every detail by hand.
I’ve seen so many impressive sets - The Conjuring: Last Rites, Rings of Power series 2, and even Downing Street for The Crown. It looked just like the real thing, the only thing missing was the cat. Masters of the Air built a huge concentration camp set… and then set it on fire. These sets can take months to build, and then they’re sometimes destroyed in a matter of moments.
Britannia was also really impressive. The scale of what’s created here is incredible. There’s the space here for it, for sure.
What last thing would you say about working here?
It’s a bit like Forrest Gump opening up the box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. Every day is different, every production brings something new, and that’s what makes it exciting. You turn up each morning and wonder – what will happen today? It could be a massive delivery, a celebrity you didn’t expect to see, a brand-new set going up (or being blown up), or a lovely conversation with someone on site. That unpredictability is part of what I love about working here.
