Meet the Southsea pensioners who are appearing on TV shows and adverts across the world

A ONCE shy and retiring couple have thrown off the shackles and now rub shoulders with Hollywood stars and rock '˜n' roll legends as well as putting in appearances on hit television shows.Â
Edson and Angie Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3600)Edson and Angie Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3600)
Edson and Angie Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3600)

Southsea couple Edson and Angie Chace, aged 76 and 68 respectively, have embraced their retirement in a way not many others do '“ by appearing in Clint Eastwood films and on the set of EastEnders, as well as in national newspaper and television adverts, among other things.

The extent the bold couple have abandoned their shyness is reflected in their willingness to bare all in cheeky nude postcards and show their abilities on a Bollywood film set.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the happy-go-lucky duo have also demonstrated diversity to their modelling and acting prowess by showing a more serious side to their performances than shows with the likes of comedian Jack Whitehall and Lee Mack, for example. This has seen them appear on programs such as Watchdog, being the face of long-running AA, Tesco's and Post Office adverts, as well as educational films.

Edson, 76, and Angie, 68, Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3629)Edson, 76, and Angie, 68, Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3629)
Edson, 76, and Angie, 68, Chace from Southsea Picture: Sarah Standing (180708-3629)

They put their free-spiritedness down to the grind of having worked under straitjacket conditions in finance for much of their careers.

And now the couple, who have been married for 51 years, just want to have some fun. Angie said: '˜ We were both really shy when we were young. I used to hide under the table at school to get out of performing.

'˜It's hard to say why it changed but we like to just have fun now. We don't have children and don't get the chance to mix with young people very much so this is a bit of excitement for us.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Edson continued: '˜It's a great hobby for us and keeps us young. While we get paid for some roles, you can't make a living from it but it's not about that for us. Doing this stops us vegetating. 

'˜This is a great release after coming from my career in finance. After finishing our careers we joined some agencies and it just took off from there.'

After joining a talent agency Casting Collective more than a decade ago they have regularly found themselves inundated with work requests which has resulted in some remarkable stints. '˜Doing an advert for an Australian supermarket with the band Status Quo was great fun,' Angie said. 

'˜We all had to sing the words 'down, down, deeper and down...coals, mince, deeper and down', to the tune of their song.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Edson added: '˜We had a great jamming session after and good banter too.' 

Appearing as extras in a flop Clint Eastwood-directed film saw them meet superstar Matt Damon - with the actor even taking the liberty to affectionately move Angie out the way at one point. '˜He touched me but I had no idea who he was,' she said.

Edson recalled: '˜It was the strangest set we've ever been on. No one was allowed to speak - everything was directed by non-verbal communication.'

They have also been regular extras on soap EastEnders where they are often shown appearing in the background of market scenes. '˜I did get the opportunity to say five words once,' Edson said.