Thanks to PG for the pic
On Sunday I attended the BAFTA ceremony for Television.
For a couple of month's my Armitage Army website has been sending visitors to vote for The Vicar of Dibley in the Pioneer Audience Award. Last week they emailed to say we were the highest referring fan site and that Richard Armitage would be appearing at the BAFTAS. A couple of days later they gave me tickets to offere as a competition prize.
The competition was massively successful with 1,409 entries and in the end was won by a girl who turned out to be LG on the RA Forum. After she had recovered from the shock, she contacted me to say she wanted to take me as her guest as a thanks for the website. I was so touched, and it was lovely the amount of people who agreed with her and would have done the same.
There then followed 2 days of mayhem, and frantic worrying about what to wear. Finally w I chose a long champagne coloured grecian style dress. The most glam thing I've worn in my life.
Sunday dawned sunny and warm and I got up at 8am having not slept well, and doing my best impression of a zombie. The mood on the RA forum was one of great excitement, even at 8am! There were already RA girls at the viewing area outside the Palladium, PG and Milton, Soule and Sue would join them later. In between curling and cosmetics, I would keep checking the board where things were reaching fever pitch. The phone never stopped and I was thrilled to get a call from Beate in Germany. Beate has met Richard before. Looking back that must have been my lucky phone call.
At 3.10pm the cab came (it was late) and off I went to central London. Its was busy up town and LG had already arrived and was frantically texting to find out where I was. We had to drop off a little way from the hotel where the champagne reception was held. As I walked along, trying not to trip over my dress I realised one half of my dress was lower than the other. I looked down and one strap had snapped! Typical, thought it was going a bit too well. At the hotel met LG who looked very glam and stunning. She asked reception for a sowing kit, and they turned up with a shaving kit - trying to tell us something! Luckily I managed to hide between the nearest pot plant and reattach the strap.
We went to the Reception and had some champagne. It was full of guests of Pioneer, and we got chatting to Gary and David, Gary was from Sky. They were great fun and we had a lovely chat. At 5pm, we were told it was time to walk the red carpet. So nervewracking. Just as we left the hotel PG called and said Richard is on the red carpet. Cue me and rebecca trying to get along the road as fast as possible, not easy in heels and a long dress. We had to wait and PG said he'd moved on from them. So gutted, then she said he's coming back this way. I said try and get him again, and I could hear her shouting "Richard, Richard", then I heard "can you say hello to Eli from the Armitage Army". Next thing I heard was a voice I know so well in my ear "Hello Eli" said Richard, and me the master of conversation said "Hello Richard", my mind just went blank.
We then went onto the red carpet. It was mayhem, people shouting, photographers shouting, trying to dodge the TV cameramen walking up and down. We saw the girls in the crowd and did our red carpet poses for them while they took photos. It was just madness. Could hear I photographer shouting over here and turn round. It was only when I saw the photos I realised he was shouting at us. he obviously thought we were someone, because of people taking photos. How disappointd he must have been when we turned round.
Richard was just in front of us signing autographs. he looked absolutely gorgeous. Guy of Gisborne wedding hair plus tuxedo. Nice combo. We walked down the red carpet past him and to the door of the Upper Circle. Security was telling everyone to go inside, but we stood for a while as I was really warm. Then Richard came near us, so I said to Rebecca can you get him, so of she went, nearly taking out a cameraman on the way. She stopped him, and I wandered over.
LG introduced me as Eli, webmistress of the Armitage Army. Richard said "Really" gave me a great big smile and held his hand out. Shook hands and he said he was really pleased to meet me. We then had a chat about how we were there, and when I told him the AA was the highest referrer he thought that was great, so I said, well you might know what your fans are like, and he smiled. he told us to have a lovely evening as there was loads of champagne (am now concerned RA thinks I am a lush).then he was whisked away to do more photos. He was absolutely lovely, very softly spoken, and gives you his full attention with those lovely blue eyes of his. he really made LG and my night, as well as the girls from the AA who stood for hours.
Messages were being relayed by PG in the crowd to Tonia on the RA forum, and when the news broke on the forum, we'd met him it was absolute mayhem. The girls on the RA Forum were so excited about it, bless them.
We took our seats and settled down, with another glass of champagne. We could see Richard Hammond, Stephen Fry, Zoe from Any Dream will Do, and Janet Street Porter (we knew it was her because of the outfit). There were two young girls sitting next to us, and one of them was out of it, drink, drugs don't know what but next minute, she threw up, including on the poor lady in front. They took her away and we were allowed to move seats, so we went and joined Gary and David, and had a great time sitting with them and chatting throughout when our favourites did or didn't win.
Graham Norton was presenting. Love Graham Norton, another celeb I've met previously and who is lovely in real life too. He was very funny, but I gather some stuff was a bit too risque for the BBC and got cut. Shame! About an hour in Richard presented the award for Best Serial Drama, alongside actress Victoria Smurfitt. He was very composed and did a great job, especially when none of the winners seemed to get their act together to take the award from him. Vicar of Dibley sadly didn't win, but was beaten by Life on Mars which got a massive cheer, it having been robbed in the best drama series category by The Street (whatever that is). Could cope with VOD being beaten by LOM as it's an excellent programme and one of my favourites. Final award was the BAFTA Fellowship to Richard Curtis, presented by Stephen Fry who was as always very funny. There was a video tribute too, with Dawn French, Colin Firth and others which was a scream.
At last it was all over and done with. All the winners were gathered on stage for photos and champagne, and we made our way outside. PG and the girls had gone to wait outside The Natural History Museum where the after party was being held. We grabbed a cab and made our way there to meet them. Richard had already arrived and they had another chat with him which was great.
The cab pulled up and all these security ran up to open the door and tried to usher us onto the party, so we had to get out of that. Met up with PG and the girls, and had a chat. Stephen Fry then arrived right next to us, said hello and he said hello back. Then Mitchell and Webb arrived, Robert Webb was clutching his BAFTA so PG said well done and he smiled and said Thank you.
After a while, we left and made our way home. When I got in it ws still mayhem on the forum, so I sat up until 2.30am telling everyone about the night. Hedgeypig had screencapped the show, and PG had posted some of her red carpet pics of Richard which were gorgeous.
Had an amazing night, and so pleased I got a chance to meet Richard.
