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Malcolm 'Woody' Woodcock
How did you get involved in Faking It?
I got a phone call out of the blue. They had been phoning round London couriers, mountain bikers and BMXers. Then they started going through the Manchester yellow pages and they got me.
What were the biggest obstacles that you had to overcome?
Everything. Riding a horse, the rules, the lifestyle, acting like I knew what I was talking about. I'd never even seen a horse close up before. You learn to ride, then someone throws you a stick and says you've got to let go with one hand!
What was the lowest point in the four weeks?
Worst was when I did my back in. I tore all the muscle sections in the bottom of my back. I couldn't cough without almost crying, but I still had to get on a horse everyday.
Were you sad to lose your hair?
I knew what to expect of Faking It, so it wasn't that bad. I had a problem with wearing a pink shirt.
How hard was riding bare back?
It hurt like you wouldn't believe. Imagine someone constantly kicking you up the backside when you've got a bad back. Pure pain.
Was the first match a big turning point?
It was. I was absolutely dreading pretending I knew what I was doing when everyone around me had much more experience. I was terrible. At one point I was trying to go as quickly as possible but the captain just sailed past me at warp speed, giving me an angry look.
Did you feel that you changed at all as a person during the four weeks of filming?
Yeah, I'm more chatty. I sometimes used to get a bit aloof with people I didn't know. But I was forced to go up to groups of people. Now if I see someone I just think 'sod it' and get talking.
What changes have you taken with you?
I had to get back to my job because everyday I'm not working I'm losing money. In central Manchester there's not much opportunity to live a polo-influenced lifestyle. I still like going for a curry and going to rock clubs. My lifestyle hasn't really changed.
What did you think of the Faking It experience?
It was amazing. I wouldn't change it for the world.
Caspar West
What's the biggest difficulty learning to be a polo player?
The main difficulty is mastering a horse. You can be a very good sportsman, but until you can control a horse you are stuck.
Before you started the challenge, how hard did you think it was going to be?
We thought it was going to be tough. Since doing it, we have found a number of polo stables turned down Faking It because they thought it was just too difficult. We did it because at the Beaufort we are very keen to promote the game to a wider audience.
What were your thoughts when you first clapped eyes on Woody?
Having seen a few Faking Its, we knew we weren't going to get a regular Joe. The initial things we saw were the tattoos and the metalwork, then we saw the big pony tail. But it is like whatever floats your boat. It wasn't a big deal.
What was the biggest crisis during the four weeks?
There were three.
1. The torture on his muscles. The physio saw him and said he needed to rest for two weeks. That just wasn't an option for us.
2. After two weeks, Claire and I felt he should be grafting harder. It wasn't just physical stuff. We'd given him a Jilly Cooper book and he hadn't got round to reading it.
3. The day before his first proper match, when he went out and got drunk. I was really annoyed with him that day.
Were you surprised how unambitious Woody was?
I suppose so. He's got a great talent for art and he's got to be dedicated to cycle all day for a living. Maybe he's just at a lull in his life and he's working out what the next thing he is going to do is.
Were you justified getting angry, or was that just the stress of the situation?
A lot of it was heat of the moment. But you had to get up Woody to get a reaction. It was never anything against him, I was just desperately hoping that we would do it.
How confident were you immediately before the test?
Not hugely. We'd had a tough week with a lot of rain. We hadn't been able to train properly. But Woody had really pulled his finger out, further than any of us had thought possible. I was praying that the stooges had a shocker.
Do you think you could Fake It as a bicycle courier?
The two big things would be getting the fitness and getting to know the place. Overall I think learning polo is harder than learning to be a courier. But I think I'd struggle to get the look. I wouldn't be up for plastering myself in tattoos.
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