AS paparazzi hid in bushes battling to catch a glimpse of Cold Feet star John Thomson tying the knot, a West Moors teacher was inside filming the action.

By day Jeremy Payne works as an English and drama teacher at West Moors Middle School, but as his weekend business as a wedding film producer takes off he's been mingling with the stars.

His company Wicked Days Productions has won a prestigious award for Best Wedding Film for its coverage of a wedding in Christchurch Priory.

But the pinnacle of Jeremy's career came earlier this month when he and two colleagues (Chris Stone and James Ward) headed to Frome to film the wedding of John Thomson to Sam Sharp at Babington House and interview his guests. Photos from the elaborate wedding were sold exclusively to OK Magazine so access to the event was heavily restricted.

He said: "It was brilliant - there were paparazzi all over the place.

"We did what we normally do at weddings which is to interview the guests. We spoke to James Nesbitt, Robert Bathurst, Hermione Norris and Steve Coogan as well as actors from Eastenders and Corrie.

"John Thomson was very nice - very funny and was constantly breaking into impressions."

And they captured such memorable moments as Sam getting ready before the wedding and James Nesbitt serenading them at the reception with some Frank Sinatra renditions.

Wicked Day Productions, which Jeremy runs with his wife Hilary, who teaches at Muscliffe Primary School, is based at their home in Purewell. They hope this latest gig will be a springboard into more celebrity gigs.

He added: "We are bidding for Jordan and Peter Andre's wedding next.

"I don't make a big deal of the wedding films at school - as far as I'm concerned the teaching is the important job and completely separate to my work at the weekends.

"But the kids are excited and interested in what we do - particularly when it's celebrities. They wanted the gossip."

Had his students been around at the time, they would have caught a glimpse of Jeremy (or 'sir' as he's known in the classroom) as a child star in front of the camera instead of behind it in Peak Practice and a range of children's TV shows. Throughout his childhood he was a member of a prestigious drama group.

He told the Daily Echo: "I went into teaching to have something to fall back on but enjoyed it so much I've stuck with it."

The national award for Best Wedding Film from the Institute of Videography was presented by ITN news reader Fiona Armstrong at a gala dinner.

For more information about Jeremy's company visit www.wickeddays.com or contact him or Hilary on 0845 6440912.

First published: May 24