On song in the border battle’s second round

Aug 26 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

A MAN who has campaigned for a Northumberland town to be in Scotland is to make his views known to Gordon Brown in a TV musical.

Ex-policeman Michael Ross, 54, is to appear in Channel Four’s A1: The Road Musical singing an angry punk piece which tells the Prime Minister that Berwick should no longer be part of England.

Mr Ross, of Osborne Road, Tweedmouth, will be seen on the show singing ‘Your border’s out of order, Mr Brown. Go tell the slimy gits in Whitehall this is a Scottish town.’

He was chosen to take part by production company Endemol UK having led the campaign for Berwick to be in Scotland on the ITV Tonight programme earlier this year.

The born and bred ‘Berwicker’ was interviewed at the time by TV stations from Italy, France, Belgium, Russia, Denmark and other European countries.

Mr Ross said: “It is something I have felt in my heart for many a long year.

“I have always felt like an expat Scot rather than an Englishman.

“I would rather go to Murrayfield and watch Scotland lose than travel to Twickenham and watch England win.”

A1: The Road Musical travels the A1 from London to Edinburgh to tell the stories of people who live or work along the road, sung and spoken by the people themselves.

It takes its inspiration from an eclectic musical vista from jazz baroque to Gorecki and Noel Coward to The Clash.

Endemol’s researchers were referred to “the nutter from Berwick,” who does not profess to be able to sing or play an instrument, following his role in the border debate.

A meeting was arranged in May and the father of five wrote a few lines on the England/Scotland issue which he performed for the cameras.

He said: “I have got to the age of my life where something comes along I have not done before so I am up for it, doing things before you die.”

Mr Ross, a semi-retired photographer, met the show’s producer Benjamin Till and was asked to perform a solo.

He was sent lyrics for a number which he sang at a studio in Tweedmouth over a pre-recorded backing track.

Mr Ross went out with a film crew in Berwick and the Borders to lip-sync his words.

He said: “The great thing is it is going to put the town back on the map.

“The sun shone and when the sun gets on the pink sandstone, it does look a million dollars. It is a smashing place.”

:: A1: The Road Musical airs this Friday night.