Saturday 29th December 2007
Lots of poses to be had!
We went back to the theatre and a security guard told us that our appointment was not until 1 o'clock (we spazzed a little, now assured our meet with our hero was really going to happen) and went to McDonald's to write out the card, re-doing make up and such before we went back, with butterflies and waited in the foyer until the security guard came over and ushered us into the auditorum.
I turn around. "Did Darren get his? Did he like it?" (Laura sent Darren & Tish their own TPTT at the beginning of Strictly and Stephen assured us they had been received. Tish smiles and tells me "He thought they were great!"
I manage to collapse against the arm of a seat in the stalls, just watching everyone. Then I utter the truth. "Oh my God, I'm.... starstuck!" Smiling, Tish reaches over and squeezes my hand. I then look over at Richie (whom we love immensely for organising this!) and mouth my thanks as he sits back and watches us like kids at Christmas, Couldn't have had a better present,
She asks us where we all travelled from and I remember my promise to Kelly to mention that she came the furthest, from Wales. (Kel isn't sure she'll be able to utter a word in front of her hero)
"Are you from Cardiff?" Tish turns to Richie. "Who do we know that's from Cardiff? Is it Hannah... Waterman?"
Give Kel a second for thought (she does know where she lives really!) and she manages to say "South Wales!"
Tish asks if we enjoyed the panto. "Didn't you see us last night?"
"Oh, you were fabulous!"
We start talking about Strictly and the tour. I ask if there's any liklihood it's coming to Cardiff, but Tish struggles to remember where the tour is pitching. Laa offers up the last venue!
"The O2?"
"Yeah, that's it, the O2!"
"I work there and I'm going to see you!"
"Do you really?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh, it's big isn't it?"
I mention how much we adored her paso. "We bow to it, it was fantastic!"
Tish tells us she's not allowed to do the paso on the tour because Darren Gough & Chris Parker are both doing it. "Do you like Chris?"
So Lottie comes out with the classic line. "No, he's a mong!" Tish giggles. "Sorry."
"Matt's doing it, do you like Matt?"
"Oh yes... awww bless him!"
"We could have got you through instead, but they weren't listening to us, we think Craig's up to something!"
"It would have killed me though, five dances! Are you glad Alesha won though?"
"Yeah... girl power!"
Lottie throws in a fraction of our financial dedication to Strictly! "I spent �70 getting you through Strictly Come Dancing!"
*Tish gasps and we all giggle* I just have to mention my love for the fabulous Darren Bennett.
"We're all absolutely in love with Darren. We were so pleased you were paired, it was like, oh my God!"
"He's a fantastic bloke!"
"I'm going to see him in May, with Lilia-"
"Are you?"
"Yeah and they're gonna sit down and talk about Strictly and you and Jill and it'll be brilliant"
"Well if you come on the tour, y'know, you can meet them all if you want..." (Uh, yes! I will have to hold you to that, Miss Dean!)
*Massive group "awwww" of thanks!*
"How are you gonna sort that, you won't be able to find us!"
"I can. I'll send somebody to come and find ya!"
Poor ticketless Shell! "I'm not even going, these have all got a ticket and I haven't!"
Ever generous Kel steps in! "I'll get you a ticket, I don't mind!"
"It hasn't sold out has it?"
"Probably not babe, I don't think it has!"
"I live ten minutes aw\ay from the O2 so I'll be up there everyday!"
"So have you all travelled from different places then?"
Praise Lottie for putting her straight! "We met on a website, It's All Letitia... your website!"
*Tish is gobsmacked* "No?!"
"Yeah! Laura runs the forum and I have a website!" (Go me, got my plug in there!)
"And Stephen... best person ever-"
*Tish giggles and the girls cheer*
"-found our sites and linked us! Did he get his top? We got him one as well seeing as he's your biggest fan-"
*Tish sounds confused* "Did he get his top?"
"We got him a top... we showed you!"
"Yeah... oh is that the one I thought was mine?" (Bless her, she thought we were gonna send her a wardrobe's worth!) It was probably the pink Cinderella gift bag that confused everyone!)
*Girls all giggle*
"Oh, it's for him, OK!" (Never mind Tish, nick Darren's if you want more than one!"
"We couldn't help the pink bag, it was Cinderella and we thought that was good!"
"It's the one we showed you at the front!"
"Oh right, yeah!"
"Did you like the card?"
"Oh it was beautiful, thank you! I just love your little fairy wings, they're better than mine look!"
"Awww, we want your dress!"
"Where did you get these from?"
(I've never been so proud of wanting to come to this panto dressed as a fairy!) "eBay! eBay!"
*We all laugh and Tish looks over at Richie*
"That's where we're going next year - eBay!"
"We got her wings from Claire's Accessories, �3.99!"
*Laura is gobsmacked* "Really? Oh wow!"
"No expense spared here!"
"Only the best for you my darlin'!"
"Awww, we love her, we all love her!"
"We worked together last year-!"
"At the Deco!"
"We were there! We actually met you a year ago today!"
"Oh right!"
"I'm the girl from the West Country!"
"Long way away isn't it?"
"Oh, you're worth it!"
"Awwww!"
"Oh my Gosh!"
"When are you all shooting off then, you gonna-?"
"We're gonna leave straight away cos it was Hell getting here yesterday, it took us 8 hours to get here!"
*Tish sounds pained by the sound of it* "Yeah!"
"But we just didn't wanna leave without seeing you!"
*Tish "awwwws" and girls giggle*
"We'll come a bit closer next time, I've always wanted to go to Bristol actually!"
"Yes, please! Bristol or Cardiff! Bristol's fantastic! I met Joe... Joe Pasquale a couple of days after meeting you."
"Oh yeah... lovely fella isn't he?"
"Yep! I'm gonna be really cheeky now, can we have a photo please?"
"Yep, course you can, c'mon!"
"We're dying for this!"
*Lottie takes off her tiara* "This tiara's really hurting my head!"
"Girls, you'll have to excuse the glasses-" *lifts them up* "-but I have no make-up on!"
Shelley puts the beautiful Miss Dean right* "You look gorgeous without make-up!"
*Girls root for cameras but Tish takes charge and hands someone's camera to the security guy*
"You take it, we'll have a big group one!"
*Richie tries to disappear into the stalls, Sarah stops him*
"Awww, no, c'mon you've gotta be in it too!"
"You are the best person ever, we adore you!"
*Tish giggles*
*Lottie then throws in what we were all thinking before we strike that pose*
"God, you are short i'n't ya?"
*Richie decides to make the point* "And she's got heels on!"
*Tish giggles* "Yeah!"
"I have a question for you, I'm not sure you're gonna answer-"
"Right, OK..."
"But when you did the It Takes Two interview on the phone, you said something hurt, what did Darren do?"
"Oh we were messing about, cos I kept saying that he used to torture me!"
*Girls giggle*
"I had to ask that!"
*Lots of kerfuffle as we have the photos taken*
*Tish hugs us all goodbye and says to me:* "Thank you for all your support!"
I hug her tight and assure her: "It'll carry on forever!"
*Lottie and Laura remind Richie and Tish they're coming back on the 5th and they both smile*
"You haven't got your hair curled!"
"No, I have to go and put my curlers in girls... what will they think of Princess Twinkle Toes?"
*We cheer and Tish gives us all a backward wave as she walks down the aisle towards the stage*
"Thank you Richie, thank you so much!"
*Tish calls out to us again* "Thanks for all your support! See you later guys!"
"We're going for a drink now to celebrate, we'll see you in the pub! Thank you so much!"
*Then we all leapt out into the foyer, screaming happily as we leapt into a celebratory group hug - except poor Shell who'd run off to have a cry she was so overwhelmed*
From left: Lottie, Laa, Letitia, Shell, Richie, Sarah, me & Kel at the front!
