Is Leabank Square not gritty enough for Mike Leigh?

Remember all those location scouts asking questions over the last few weeks? Well they were checking out Leabank Square for Mike Leigh's new 'bloke trying to eke out a living in the shadow of the giant Olympic development' movie.

But guess what?! They chose a location a few metres upstream.

Mike Leigh is famous for his gritty, working class, ordinary person, learn your lines - then forget them - kind of movies. Most are set in & around council estates in very deprived areas.

Some of us are very happy that Leabank Square doesn't look gritty enough - while some chatting in the Purple Garden last night - were quite upset that Mike Leigh rejected us. Sort of 'what's wrong with Leabank?!? Not gloomy enough for ya?'

Anyhow - look out for the crew all over the place. I almost cycled into this pink shirted actor in Broadway Market last night. They are shooting in many locations all around the Hackney border of the Olympic site - see how many of us can get into the backgrounds when the movie comes out!