When our colleague Tayyib Mahmood returned to our Perry Barr store from a four-month career break colleagues were shaken and stirred to find out what he'd been up to ... a dream work placement working on the new James Bond film No Time To Die!
Tayyib has worked part time at the store since 2017 while studying film production technology at university – and he's also working on his own short films.
He secured his place on the set at Pinewood Studios through the British Film Institute’s Future Skills initiative, which helps the next generation of moviemakers get into the industry.
He's now happily returned to his day job – and says everyone wants to hear about his adventures.
He said: "I am a massive James Bond fan so when I heard where I would be I nearly passed out!"
People manager Hamid Khan says everyone at the store is delighted for Tayyib.
Hamid said: "We are all really proud of him. It's really exciting – it's not every day you work with someone who's been on the James Bond set!
"It was a real surprise to us when he told us where he'd been.
"He is very humble and doesn't talk a lot about it but, but he has name-dropped a few times the stars he met such as Daniel Craig!
"Tayyib is a valuable member of the team and it's good to have him back."
Twenty-three-year-old Tayyib, who works part-time as a porter and checkouts operator, says it was an incredible experience working on the film set.
He said: "The team I was on helped to fix problems and find solutions for things on set. They were very long days – sometimes 12 to 13 hours. It was hard work, but it was worth it.
"I gained lots of valuable experience and I can't thank the BFI enough. It's hard to get a foot in the door in the film industry, but this has given me a good platform.
"I can't really say talk too much about what went on on set. Daniel Craig had a job to do and so did I. We are both professionals."
Tayyib fell in love with films after watching the classic Terminator 2: Judgement Day in 1991. It's still his favourite film, although sci-fi isn't his favourite genre.
"I'm just a massive horror fan," said Tayyib, who's already made a number of short films and continues to do in his spare time.
And he can't wait to see the finished James Bond film when it comes out in April.
