A talented North Wales sculptor making a bust of a surgeon was surprised to meet comedian and art lover Bill Bailey. Nick Elphick had been invited to sculpt surgeon Martin Griffiths and they met at a posh house in London.

In walked Bill Bailey as it was his house and he was helping make a BBC programme about the project, revealed Mr Elphick. The Llandudno artist has made a host of stunning statues including of the late Queen Elizabeth II, Lemmy from Motorhead and a punk during his remarkable career.

He is sculpting the surgeon for a BBC series about the 75th anniversary of the founding of the NHS. Called Extraordinary Portraits, Bill pairs up NHS workers with celebrated artists.

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In episode one, Bill introduces Martin Griffiths, a trauma surgeon at one of London's busiest hospitals with Mr Elphick. Martin operates on the victims of two stabbings a day and two shootings a week on average.

He also leads an anti-violence scheme which has helped cut patients' re-admissions to hospital with a stab wound from 45 per cent to about four per cent. Nick and five other artists are being challenged with turning the personal and powerful experiences of doctors, surgeons, nurses and porters into compelling portraits or sculptures.

Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick worked on his sculpture of trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (right) for a BBC documentary.
Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick worked on his sculpture of trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (right) for a BBC documentary.

Nick told North Wales Live: "I watch the show (Extraordinary Portraits) but I never thought I'd be asked to be in it. I was completely shocked. The artists that they ask to be on it are incredible."

Nick said he had to do an interview on Zoom. "They were umm-ing and ahh-ing about having a sculptor. But they loved the idea and basically said Yes, and I'm in the first episode!"

Nick has an affection for the NHS after being treated many times at North Wales medics after mishaps in his Llandudno studio where he lived for 12 years. "I was always standing on things and cutting arteries and being treated at the local hospital," he said.

But when he got to London to meet surgeon Martin he was astonished to find out who was hosting the show. He said: "I went to this beautiful house in London and Bill Bailey walks in to interview me!"

Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick taking preparatory photographs of trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (right) for a portrait sculpture for a BBC documentary.
Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick taking preparatory photographs of trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (right) for a portrait sculpture for a BBC documentary.

But Nick was also thrilled to have Martin as a subject. "It's OK as long as I have a connection with my subject and straight away I had that with Martin.

"He has a stutter and I have dyslexia. I felt an instant rapport - and he has saved so many lives."

Nick says the hard work began though as he squeezed five months of work into five or six weeks. "I had two hours sleep a night!"

* Viewers can see the finished product on the Extraordinary Portraits programme on the BBC on Monday, July 17 at 8.30pm.