Showbiz journalist Tina Campbell traded her microphone for a handgun as she underwent three hours of action-star training with four professionals who worked on the thriller Bad Day at the Office, starring John Hannah and Radha Mitchell.
The training session took place at Hybrid FMA, the North London training centre owned by stunt co-ordinator Ermar Alexander, who worked on Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Campbell was joined by two fellow trainees as she advanced in formation with handguns raised, attempting to channel her inner Dana Scully from The X-Files.
Learning Fight Choreography
Stunt performer Giedre Jackyte led the group through fight choreography alongside Alexander. Both teach martial arts at Hybrid FMA. Campbell admitted to accidentally kicking her training partner during the session, prompting a gentle reminder: "You're not supposed to kick them really!"
Jackyte, a two-time world champion in Filipino martial arts, explained that convincing fight scenes depend on trust rather than actually landing blows. "It's like ballroom dancing, if one person steps forward, you step back. It's just beautiful," she said.
Female Perspectives in Stunt Work
As the only female trainee, Campbell asked Jackyte about her experience in the male-dominated stunt industry. Jackyte's credits include Star Wars: The Acolyte, Avengers: Doomsday and Barbie, where she was Margot Robbie's hand double. She recalled arriving at Warner Bros and being given her own trailer, as well as getting to wear Robbie's iconic pink and white dress.
Jackyte said the men she has worked with have generally been supportive. "I feel like if I go there prepared, if I know what I'm talking about then the men just respect you," she explained. She noted that stunt work is often far from glam, recalling finishing a shoot at 5am, cold and covered in fake blood, before having to get into a river. She has escaped serious injury but has suffered bruises and accidental punches. "Every time you do like a stair fall, it still hurts," she said.
Firearms Training
The session moved on to tactical weapons handling with Ty Hopkins and Redd Nicholson, co-founders of Dark Roc. Hopkins, a film production supervisor and firearms specialist with Netflix and Disney+ credits, supervised action sequences and trained actors on the award-winning Son of the Soil.
Nicholson, one of the few women in the UK to hold Section 5 Trusted Servant status alongside active stunt credentials, was Priyanka Chopra's second stunt double in Heads of State, which also starred Idris Elba and John Cena. "Being one of the only women in the UK holding Section 5 status is something I'm incredibly proud of, but it definitely still turns a few heads when I rock up on set!" she said.
Nicholson challenged the misconception that firearms specialists must have a military background, arguing that dedication and research are just as important. Handing Campbell a rifle, she encouraged her to lean into it properly, explaining she tells women they should leave their makeup on the gun if they're doing it right.
Campbell concluded that being a badass heroine takes a lot more than looking the part, and the experience inspired her to sign up for karate lessons. Bad Day at the Office is in UK and Irish cinemas from October 30.
