Merlin: Secrets and Magic

Welcome to Secrets & Magic,

the show that goes behind the scenes to reveal how Merlin's made.

Coming up, we speak to this clown.

I have a little bit of a cabaret floor show that I have to do

to keep everybody a-laughing and a-grinning.

We go backstage to see some fooling around in the boudoir.

My love. Always, forever.

I KNEW it! I don't believe it.

She falls madly in love with Arthur, whilst still being a spoilt brat,

but becomes very excitable and joyous about life.

'Tis as if he's been sculpted by the gods themselves.

Plus, find out what fun the cast have

when the film cameras stop rolling.

All this and more on Merlin: Secrets & Magic.

Once again, the cast and crew of Merlin are back in France

to film another magical episode.

And today it's a busy time behind the scenes of Camelot

as the heads of the kingdoms are on set to strike a peace deal.

Alined, you are most welcome on this momentous occasion.

Momentous? Let us hope so.

I play a character called King Alined

and, uh, together with a few other kings, we're getting together

to try and sign a peace treaty between ourselves.

So we will make preparations for the signing ceremony immediately.

I am pleased, friends. Very pleased.

As are we all!

'I have a very underhand motivation,'

I want there to be war, not peace at all.

So, together with my trusty jester Trickler - who's also a magician -

we try to make things a little difficult for everybody.

So, who exactly is the tricky Trickler? Time to meet this joker.

I'm playing the romantic lead in this particular episode.

I come into the castle dressed like this

and, obviously, all the beautiful women fall for me.

I'm in love!

How wonderful!

With me?

Ha-ha-ha! Oh.

But, truthfully, I'm playing assistant/jester

to one of the visiting kings.

Has anyone offended you, sire?

Not yet. Just say the word and I will singe his beard.

APPLAUSE

The scene I'm filming today is, it's not long since I and my master

have turned up here at this lovely castle,

and there's just a little bit of downtime

and there's a bit of a banquet, a few goose and partridge,

and some fruits put on for vegetarians

and I have a little bit of a cabaret floor show that I have to do

with some magic tricks to keep everybody a-laughing and a-grinning.

Kevin's a tremendous guy to work with.

He's very, very inventive and I'm glad to say

that he makes me laugh a lot, which is great when we're off the set.

On the set, it's a little more difficult

because I'm not really meant to be finding him that funny on the set,

so I have to keep control of myself.

APPLAUSE

It is not enough just to please the gentlemen of the court.

Now, I have a spectacle for the ladies.

Through the magic of magic, they'll actually be producing images

that are not actually present in the real physical world

that I'm inhabiting now.

In the magic world of television, where everything is true,

there'll be all kinds of fire and butterflies happening.

Probably in that order. I hope they don't mix together.

Oh, disaster! The insect people will go mad.

But what is this? Lady Vivian.

It has mistaken you for a beautiful flower.

'This one I was looking forward to,'

just from the point of view, it's quite technically complex.

And, with all his fooling around, it's the jester that later leads

the young prince into some particularly funny scenes.

It was time to just shake it up a bit

and let's have some fun in Camelot,

and we wanted to do a sort of romantic comedy

and we looked at lots of Shakespeare plays

and there's those great Midsummer Night's Dream with the love potion,

with people confusing, thinking somebody else is somebody else,

so all of those great kind of romantic comedy plot devices,

we thought, "Well, let's get some of those and have some fun with it

"and see Arthur enchanted and falling in love

"with completely the wrong person."

42, 31. Take one.

Set...

and action!

Who is it?

It is destiny, my love.

Destiny and chicken.

What a beautiful combination, eh?

The great thing about Bradley is that he has a great comedy timing.

He's a real comedy genius,

even though I shouldn't say that cos he'll start getting bigheaded.

Beans are a little cold but the meat is very good.

Go away. My love, what have I done to offend you?

Your love? Not now, not ever.

Come, now.

My father will kill you if he finds you here.

Your father doesn't worry me.

You won't be saying that when he's running at you

with a knife in his hand. I've seen it before. Really? Yes.

I play Lady Vivian who is a bit of a spoilt brat.

And she turns up and is sort of disinterested in everything.

Especially Arthur, not even on her radar.

And then she gets put under a spell, by Trickler,

and she falls madly in love with Arthur,

whilst still being a spoilt brat.

But become very excitable and joyous about life.