Do you remember the video for Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon”? You know the one, where the thief experiences karma after being found out and made to walk the plank? Well I thought that it was filmed on the Mississippi in the USA given the costumes and the paddle steamer. But it wasn’t, It was actually filmed on and around the man-made Desborough Island on the River Thames near Sunbury in Surrey in dear old Blighty! Apparently the shoot was anything but smooth sailing. The weather was generally overcast, some of the extras got lost, the paddle steamer broke down and the actor who played the pickpocket had lied on his application. It was only discovered that he couldn’t swim after he was made to walk the plank! Still the song did give Culture Club one of their biggest and most remembered hits, so it wasn’t all bad! If you were one of the extras on that shoot, especially the pickpocket I would love to interview you for this blog!
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 