Fife vintage firm’s CBB treat for key-mad William (4)

5th February 2016

Cupar vintage interiors and furniture specialists Scaramanga have given two of the antique padlocks and keys they supplied to Celebrity Big Brother to a key-mad boy after his mum tweeted about his love of them.

Weeks after the award-winning firm, whose PR is provided by Chamber member ASM Media & PR, saw similar padlocks used in Warner Brothers movie Pan, 200 of their vintage and antique iron padlocks were used to lock life’s luxuries away from the VIP housemates in the Celebrity Big Brother House as part of the Launch Night task.

Millions of viewers saw the celebrities, including Nancy Dell'Olio, Darren Day, Danniella Westbrook, Kristina Rihanoff and David Gest, enter the house to find all the comforts, including their suitcases, were locked away with the 'Mickey Mouse'-style iron padlocks.

On Day 2, housemates Stephanie, Jeremy and Scotty T were tasked to unlock all the rooms and their treats by finding the keys to unlock several boxes…in a bucket of 1,500 keys!

While watching their task in mum-of-four Katie Sleightholme (35) tweeted: “My 4yr old key obsessed son would like to offer a home to all the keys from the padlock task #cbb”.

That was spotted by the team at Scaramanga and they quickly moved to offer two of the padlocks and five of the keys to her son William.

He’s been obsessed with keys since the family moved home a year ago and has a vast collection all over the house. William:

  • Keeps a bunch on a lanyard round his neck whenever he can
  • Insists on wearing trousers with belt loops - to hang bunches of keys from
  • Asked Father Christmas for more keys (which he got!)
  • Has a board and a box for keeping his collection in
  • Puts keys in holes and pretends to lock doors

Mum Katie joked to friends William would have completed the key matching task quicker than the celebs. She also reckons the collecting bug is in the genes as she’s a Take That superfan who’s been collecting since 1991 and has been featured on ITV’s Daybreak, while her mum collects various things.

Talking about the unusual gift, Katie, of Wirral, said: “As soon as I saw the bucket full of keys I thought William would love that task.

“I was overwhelmed when Scaramanga offered to give William two of the actual antique padlocks used in the house as well as five antique keys for William’s collection. He was overjoyed when they arrived and has had them locked onto his belt hoops and wearing them everywhere even though they’re pulling his trousers down with the weight!”

Similar Scaramanga padlocks are featured in a dramatic scene in new Victorian drama Jericho, which stars Call The Midwife actress Jessica Raine and Clarke Peters (The Wire, Notting Hill).

Speaking about the unusual gift, Scaramanga owner Carl Morenikeji said: “I have two young children myself, so when I heard about William’s collection I knew instantly we had to give him two of the Celebrity Big Brother padlocks and some of the keys. I hope they become a treasured part of his collection.”

Scaramanga scored its Celebrity Big Brother deal when one of the show’s Task Team called them looking for no less than 200 large and extra-large vintage padlocks to be used in the Launch Night Task by the celebs. And she needed them the next day – so they could be used to secure everything around the House at Elstree Studios in readiness for the arrival of the celebrity housemates!

The VIP order was so large – it was 40% of their stock – and so urgent Scaramanga owner Carl Morenikeji directed all his staff to stop what they were doing to pack and dispatch the order, which took two hours. As with all their customers, they got it away on time and last night the team watched their padlocks being used on-screen to keep the celebs from their comforts and possessions.

Supplying TV shows and movies with hard-to-find authentic vintage items is a regular thing for the award-winning Fife firm. Hollywood customers include Disney fantasy Maleficent starring Angelia Jolie – they provided more than 100 medieval-looking pieces including decorated vintage trunks, chests and homewares – and the Lord of the Rings blockbuster The Hobbit - they supplied the antique brass padlocks in Bilbo’s house. The Fife firm also supplied one of their iconic leather bags to 2014 Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow, but it didn’t make it onto the big screen.

The company, which also sells its own-brand leather bags, satchels and homewares online and in its Cupar shop, has also been used as a supplier of vintage props for TV shows including Strictly Come Dancing and 60 Minute Makeover.

Vintage fans can see the full range of Scaramanga homewares on their website at scaramangashop.co.uk

They can also walk around its Cupar store in Google Street View® thanks to its Google Street View Trusted® tour. To visit it they should go to http://goo.gl/maps/GwxS5

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