Stuart Thomas - earnest saves Christmas

Following the news that someone from Brockley (Honor Oak, Southwark, wherever) has been charged in connection with the Nightstalker case (very James Ellroy), despairing Brockley Central readers have been compiling Brockley's litany of shameful episodes. But the darkest hour is just before the dawn and now, Brockley has produced a champion to save Christmas from ad campaigns that "are smug, stomach-churning and delighted by their own existence."

A while back, at reader Michael's request, we posted a casting call for a campaign for Asda, which was looking for a "real person" to star in its Christmas ads. As recent events have shown, nowhere keeps it more real than Brockley.

We're used to firing these things off in to the ether and hearing nothing more about it, but on this occasion, Michael had the courtesy to tell us what happened:

Just wanted to send out a huge thankyou to all of those who got in touch about the Asda commercial. There was a great response and I have to say that I met a really wonderful eclectic group of locals. What was evident was the wide range of creative people living in the area. I met everything from TV producers to writers to dancers. It was very interesting. I'd also like to say a huge thanks to everyone at The Broca for being so accommodating, it was really useful to have a good base at which to meet people.

In the end Brockley resident Stuart Thomas was selected to be in the commercial. He has already shot it and he says he had a great time. It should be on TV over the next month or so as part of Asda's Christmas campaign.

Sincerity is not easy to pull off. Creative Mums' Nicola still bitterly recalls wasted hours posing with frozen food for another Asda campaign that never saw the light of day.

Many are called, few are chosen - let us now celebrate Stuart's achievement.