A Bassingbourn man who went blind after cancer and his wife are to appear on an ITV show this evening about couples tying the knot after overcoming some of life’s toughest challenges.
A Bassingbourn man who went blind after cancer and his wife are to appear on an ITV show this evening about couples tying the knot after overcoming some of life’s toughest challenges.
Nick Burr became ill with central nervous system lymphoma in 2013, he survived but lost his sight.
In 2015, a representative from production company Raw TV was in Cambridge looking for couples for a new show.
“They went into my mum’s bridal boutique to ask if she knew of anyone who could be put forward for the show, and she told them about me – and it went from there.
“We did six months of filming – they filmed me doing all the things I normally do, like play blind golf and goalball, me and Sophie out together, and progress with the wedding.”
Nick, 28, met Kettering-native Sophie seven years ago at Nottingham Trent University when they were both allocated the same halls of residence.
“It was only a week before we got together,” said Nick, who studied accounting and finance, while Sophie was a film student.
They finished their degrees and moved in together to a friend’s annex in Sandon. When Nick became ill they moved back in with his parents in Bassingbourn.
Six months of filming for the show started in 2015, Nick said they filmed a couple of times a month, and it was a good experience on the whole.
“Sophie wasn’t overly keen at first but she softened to it when she met the director and saw what the programme was about.”
A film crew even went along to Nick’s stag do in Benidorm.
“We met them in the hotel and said come out with us, but yeah we managed to ditch them for a bit,” he laughed.
Nick and Sophie, 26, have now settled into married life with their dog Beau, and Nick’s new guide dog Amber.
“We did the show because I wanted to raise awareness that you can be disabled and still do things,” he explained.
“I play golf, I got married – having a disability doesn’t matter.
“We have a different perspective now, and to be fair it is better, because we cherish what we have.”
You can see Nick and Sophie this evening in the first episode of Extraordinary Weddings at 9pm on ITV or catch up online at itv.com.
For more information on blind golf, visit blindgolf.co.uk, and for more on Nick’s mum Kim’s shop go to www.burrbridal.co.uk.
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