James Blunt’s New Promo ‘Cold’ Reveals What Happened After He Jumped in ‘You’re Beautiful’

Ever wondered what happened to James Blunt after he threw himself into the ocean at the end of the iconic music video for ‘You’re Beautiful’? Great Guns director Calum Macdiarmid reveals just that in the visually-stunning promo for Blunt’s new single ‘Cold’, where the singer-songwriter re-joins the action 14 years later in a spiritual sequel to the original video.

Produced by Great Guns, the video picks up where ‘You’re Beautiful’ left off – a literal cliff hanger that saw him jumping into cold waters below after leaving most of his clothing and possessions on top of an icy mountain. All these years later, viewers are reunited with Blunt as he finally emerges from the ocean, washing up on a stony beach below a steep, rugged cliff face. True to its namesake, ‘Cold’ sees him embarking on a perilous climb up the mountain with his bare hands, fighting the elements to collect all his old clothing and possessions - many of which were the original pieces kept by Blunt after filming ’You’re Beautiful’. In a cathartic climax, Blunt is rescued by a helicopter, finally leaving the mountain behind.

Introducing a grittiness to the narrative that expertly mirrors the artists’ musical maturity, the new music video complements the lyrics with its powerful, cinematic style, whilst paying tribute to the initial iconic video. Director Calum Macdiarmid took production to the far north-west coast of Wales over two days in search of the perfect atmospheric, rugged landscapes.

Shooting a music video this dramatic was certainly not without its challenges, not least in the face of Blunt’s overwhelming dedication to the production. Speaking of his experience on location with the singer-songwriter, MacDiarmid says: “James Blunt - the man, the myth, the twitter legend - is a fucking lunatic. He’s extremely polite and utterly charming, but will do ANYTHING to get the shot. Every stunt you see is him, be it 50ft high on a vertical cliff or spending four hours in the freezing water.”

In an experience that won’t soon be forgotten by the director, he notes: “During the shoot, I have to admit I was intent on getting some ambitious shots, but James was even more gung-ho than me - cut to back-breaking hikes loaded with equipment into the mountain’s cloud layer, desperately trying to protect our equipment from torrential rain, and our DP’s first abseiling experience…all while holding a RED camera. I’m not sure how the others fared, but personally I couldn’t move for four days after the shoot! Props to producer Dale Healy and Great Guns for pulling everything together in just a few days.”