BAFTA award for Lowestoft TV producer

A TELEVISION producer who grew up in Lowestoft admitted he was 'chuffed to bits' after winning a prestigious Children's BAFTA award for the second year running.

Rob Hyde, a former Denes High School pupil, won the best entertainment category at the 2011 British Academy Children's Awards for his CBBC show Trapped, in which youngsters battle it out to escape a dark fairytale tower.

It was the second time Mr Hyde has been honoured with a BAFTA – last year he scooped the best children's entertainment programme prize for the CBBC series Relic: Guardians of the Museum.

Mr Hyde, 35, lived in Lowestoft from the age of seven until he moved to London aged 18 to study at the Italia Conti theatre school. His grandmother Phyllis Scott lives in Oulton Broad.

Now living and working in London, he has previously said it was his time with the Lowestoft Players that inspired him to carve a career in the entertainment industry.

Actor Martin Kemp presented Mr Hyde, producer Catherine Patterson, and director James Morgan with the BAFTA award at a London awards ceremony.

Reflecting on the ceremony, he said: 'It is mental, absolutely crazy. We went along to the night and we did not really think that we were going to win but we did. I am just chuffed to bits and really excited. It was an amazing surprise.

'I feel incredibly honoured to have won again,' he added.

Trapped, now in its fourth series, was up against the shows Friday Download, The Slammer and The Big Performance in this year's awards.

Mr Hyde said: 'Trapped is an adventure game show set in a dark, gothic, fairytale world. Six children are locked at the top of the tower and they have to work together to complete challenges to escape, but in each challenge one of them is the saboteur stopping the others completing the challenge.'

Mr Hyde joined the Lowestoft Players at the age of 12 – four years before he should have been allowed – to become part of the chorus of Aladdin and remained with them until just before he left the town. During his time with the group, his roles included Chino in West Side Story and the Prince in Snow White.

He said he was really inspired by his time with the Players, particularly by director and choreographer Shirley Hurren. After his time at the Italia Conti theatre school, Mr Hyde did some television presenting before deciding to move behind the camera, working first as a runner before becoming a cameraman, director and now producer.

He is currently working on a new comedy for the BBC called The Ministry of Curious Stuff due out early next year starring Vic Reeves and Dan Skinner, who plays Angelos in Shooting Stars.

• emma.knights@archant.co.uk