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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 19, 2005 0:46:49 GMT
He has been asked that before and said it was stupid because Joe wasn't doing anyone any harm out there in Spain. He didn't do anything except autographs this time (though I was told he did a panel but that could have been a wind-up since Sunday was the day with all the gaps due to missing guests).
Mark Strickson was in the bar Friday night behind us and I pointed him out to Paul. He said he'd never have known it was him if he hadn't been told. He's got old that's for sure! LOL!
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Dec 5, 2005 23:03:24 GMT
Finally got round to scanning the other pics today. So here they are: Me & Maureen O'Brien  Me & Annette Badland and Alan David (they all came out with random black ink over them)  Me & Peter Davison  Patsy |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Dec 5, 2005 23:11:02 GMT
Oops. They're bigger than I thought and shof my horrible teeth too much!
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Dec 5, 2005 23:53:13 GMT
Great pics Pat. You look great as well.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Dec 6, 2005 1:13:37 GMT
Have to buy a new jacket. That one got ripped at the back somehow. Must have been one of the people I hugged I hadn't seen for ages or a guest did it. LOL! I look terrible. My teeth are horrible and I have a double chin. Still, at least I don't look as old as I am which is something.  Patsy |
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Post by Nick on Dec 6, 2005 17:37:56 GMT
Great pics Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Dec 6, 2005 20:17:15 GMT
Ta Nick. Patsy |
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Post by sallywebster on Dec 6, 2005 21:53:35 GMT
Have to buy a new jacket. That one got ripped at the back somehow. Must have been one of the people I hugged I hadn't seen for ages or a guest did it. LOL! I look terrible. My teeth are horrible and I have a double chin. Still, at least I don't look as old as I am which is something. Patsy Thats a shame. I think that jacket suits you. |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Dec 7, 2005 0:34:35 GMT
I like it. I bought it in Australia 4 years ago. Maybe I'll find something indestructable for conventions in future. LOL!
Paul McGann and Daphne Ashbrook already lined up for next November (subject to work commitments).
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 13, 2006 23:27:49 GMT
What a weekend that was! Despite the crap new series non-entities we still had a fantastic time. I'm coming down with flu thanks to that bloody hotel having not enough heat and too much freezing air-con. This morning it was so cold when we got up and the heat appeared at 9am shortly before we had to check out! I'll do a proper write up when I'm more with it because I must tell you about Graeme Harper trying to defend the new series (which he didn't actually) when me and Paul said it was crap. LOL! I'll also post pics.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 14, 2006 22:21:28 GMT
Right after sleeping most of the day I'm a bit more with it than last night. So let's start on Friday night. I had a text from Paul saying he thought Ian Fairbairn was on the train. I told him to ask! Turned out it was and they walked to the hotel together. He said Ian was barking. LOL! Paul went to the first quiz while he waited for me to arrive. Apparently the question were so shite and there was a total of about 90 to get but the highest was 33 or something. He ended up with Light Sabre Man who is care in the community and a pain in the bum because you couldn't do it alone but they came 2nd. He told me Colin Baker was the extra guest on Saturday. Great! I love Colin and that also meant we had 3 Doctors! Paul had never seen Colin or Sylvester before. Then we went to the Name That Tune quiz and still don't know who flipping won. We did ask Derek Hambly of 10th Planet on Saturday but he forgot the list and we forgot to ask him again. Wouldn't have been us anyway. After breakfast Saturday where restaurant manager BJ was clearly eyeing up Paul (I liked the cute young waiter) we went for Colin photos only to be told they'd done a swap with Myanna thingy and Rory whatsit so Colin was actually on stage! Grrr! Then we checked the revised itinery (not given to us but on a flipping screen) and found out Bruno Langley was another guest, obviously a replacement for whatshisface (Slitheen). That buggered up all our plans. We both chatted with Ian Fairbairn a while before the autographs started and he is barking but really funny and can still do high kicks at 75!  Really nice man. I'd got a pic taken at the autos of me and Ian by the steward (I was going to take one of Ian but the steward asked if I wanted to be in it) and after I got everyone else's autograph (including Nick's for Paul) while Paul and Ian chatted, Ian then took a photo of us! Daphne Ashbrook is so lovely. You get preconceptions about people but she's so down to earth like Louise Jameson. Later in the morning I ended up being dragged to the coffee club with Myanna and Rory seeing as Paul was a man on a mission and Bruno was added. Now you would never have recognised Rory from Tommy in that one with Maureen Lipman and I wasn't the only one to think he was actually a girl! You'll see what I mean in a mo when you see the pics. Anyway Bruno wasn't there. Paul was not happy. Myanna and Rory did do the teas and coffees for people though and it wasn't a bad hour in the end. We went to the hall at noon and it was announced Bruno would be in the photo studio for 15 mins. We looked at each other then Paul legged it, I ran after him and people laughed as we passed. Paul was impatient with the lift and kept pressing the button but there was only a short queue when we arrived. It was in and out. I got an arm around me and Paul was pleased he'd had Bruno's hand on his back! Then Bruno joined Myanna and Rory on stage. He was asked about the Todd spin off and said Daran wanted to do it but tellingly never said he did or was disappointed it never happened. After lunch we got our pics and got Bruno to sign them. I haven't scanned them yet. I will when I feel better. Paul mentioned a few things like he started the Bring Back Karl petition and Bruno said Chris Finch told him about it. Bruno showed me his loose tooth when I said I hated mine and I asked if he'd go back to Corrie. He said no because of the schedule. When I said I agreed with John Savident he nodded and said so did he. We also got Colin's autograph. Wasn't bothered about Rory and wasn't going to pay a tenner for Myanna! Then it was photos with Nick, Peter and Ian then the coffee club with just Nick and Peter as Ian hd to catch his train. That was funny. The steward asked Peter and Nick what they wanted to drink and Nick smiled at me when I said "He'll have a vodka". Come on. Everyone who's ever attended a convention where he's been a guest knows his love of the voddy! I never knew Roger Moore was a girl's blouse before Peter's anecdote. LOL! There was a twat who was pissed and didn't have a ticket. They didn't throw him out. Started moaning about smoking when Nick noticed ashtrays and said if he'd known he'd have taken his and I offered one of mine. He'll be dead before we are if he carries on boozing like that and Nick will be 77 three days after my birthday. Can't be that bad for you. LOL! We went to the closing ceremony then went to dinner. The downstairs restaurant is now a bar and it's dire. We decided to give the entertainment a miss and watched telly and talked instead. Sunday I went to the photos with Paul McGann and Daphne Ashbrook seeing as I missed out on one with Paul two years ago due to massive queues. They were big this year but I was about half way along. This little boy made his dad pay twice because rather than the joint one he intended, he wanted one on his own with them. Paul was at the panel with Eric Saward, Graeme Harper and Philip Hinchciffe. I joined him afterwards and got the feeling neither Eric or Philip liked the new series. We went to get Sylvester's autograph even though it wasn't our number and had been told by a jobsworth to go yet no one else was bothered. So we went to Derek and explained how Sylv was on stage at 12.15 and we had a coffee club. He told us to tell Wayne he said it was okay but he did that anyway. Jobswoth came along and told us to bugger off again even though we told him Derek said we had to tell Wayne it was okay! "He didn't tell me" he moaned then the woman told us to stay where we were. It was totally ridiculous as the same thing happened last year and there was no problem queue jumping. After that we went to Eric, Graeme and Philip's coffee club. This twatty steward stayed rather than bring them and bog off until it was the end. He monopolised it, started off talking about the new series of Robin Hood so a good half hour was wasted on that and production techniques compared to back then. When there was a bit of quiet I said to Eric he looked bored which got a laugh and he denied being bored. He just hardly said anything which was annoying. When I asked Philip and Eric what they really thought of the new series, Philip asked what I thought so I said crap. Then that steward jumped in. "I'm a teacher and 14-16 year olds think it's wonderful". Yeah only because they fancy Billie! So the question didn't get answered thanks to him. Anyway at 1.15 he said it was time for lunch but Graeme wanted to answer the question so me and Paul braced ourselves for his defence only there wasn't one! He defended RTD and asked US what we thought the character of the Doctor was about. That is totally irrelevant. While we stood our ground in our criticisms, even leading to the American woman next to me agreeing, his arguments were nothing. One of them was shot down in flames by Philip. So that delayed lunch. LOL! Not much doing in the afternoon. We eventually went to the autographs. The queue was enormous for Paul McGann and slightly smaller for Daphne. So while Paul stayed for Paul I went to Eric first. "Are you the one who doesn't like the new series?" he asked. I explained about people I know who never saw the original getting fed up with certain elements of it. Then Philip, telling him the same thing. I also asked if the old woman at the panel in front of us was telling him off. He didn't understand what she was saying. Neither did I! She didn't even know his name even though I told her umpteen times. LOL! Then it was Graeme. That would be interesting. LOL! He was actually really nice and I explained to him too, even telling him about taking some stories down to my friend when I visited her and she preferred them. When it came to signing, I said my name then troublemaker. He laughed and said he liked that so in brackets he put "Trouble Maker!". LOL! Paul found out later as we'd suspected he was working on the next series. He told Paul he would pass the comments onto RTD. I'd love to know if he did. Not that he'd care anyway. I joined Paul in the Paul McGann queue but just as we were so close my friend Jo (who I met at my first convention in 1998) asked if she could jump in as she's got health problems and can't stand for ages these days. Paul was lovely as usual. The queue was impossible though so Paul went along it to sign which got through it quicker. We went to the rest of the panel with Sylvester and Lisa Bowerman. This little boy asked what the names of their horses were in Survival. "Bastard" said Sylv. LOL! A little girl asked who his favourite villain was and he said Anthony Ainley. LOL! It was amazing how many more kids there were this year and all interested in the older series people. Later when we went back upstairs, Paul McGann was waiting by the lift on our floor. "Bye Paul," I said. "Goodbye, darling," he replied. *swoon* After it was all over they had an extra signing with Sylvester so people who hadn't got an autograph could. So that was the weekend. Derek told us next year will be in Newcastle. I wonder if it's because the Swallow Hotel group is in administration and they don't want to take any chances? An excellent weekend in spite of the new series non-entities. Roll on 2007! Now the pics. Patsy |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 14, 2006 22:29:56 GMT
Me and Ian Fairbairn (The Macra Terror, The Invasion and Inferno)  Peter Halliday  Daphne Ashbrook  Can I do it again, Nick? You're eyes are closed  They're not this time!  Rory Jennings and Myanna Buring  Guess whose bum  Yes Bruno!   Colin Baker still wearing slimming black  Nick and Peter at the coffee club  Sylvester McCoy  Eric Saward (writer and script editor for those who don't know)  Philip Hinchcliffe (Tom Baker's producer) not wanting the flash in his eyes  Graeme Harper (director)  Paul McGann  Patsy |
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Post by Nick on Nov 14, 2006 23:42:43 GMT
Good grief has it really been a year since you last went Pats...dosen't it come round quickly ??...great pics by the way
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 15, 2006 0:10:07 GMT
I know. Shocking, isn't it? That was my 14th (unless I've forgotten anything) plus a Longleat DW day and Lis at Wookey Hole in 2000. But I'm still a beginner compared to some. LOL!
I'll scan the photo studio pics later and add them. I forgot the bit about Daphne in the lift with us on Sunday. She got in, rummaged in her bag, pulled out a tiny lipstick, said "I've gotta do my lips", looked in the lift mirror and did them then said bye as she got out. LOL!
Patsy
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Post by eileengrimshaw on Nov 15, 2006 0:20:14 GMT
Very good photos Patsy. Sounds as if you & your friend had an interesting & eventful weekend |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 15, 2006 16:09:06 GMT
We certainly did, Eileen, and Ian Fairbairn fancied the arse off him. Patsy |
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Post by pearly queen on Nov 15, 2006 20:24:59 GMT
Nice pics - I've always quite fancied Paul Mcgann! He never seems to look older!
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Post by sallywebster on Nov 15, 2006 21:31:44 GMT
Nice pics Patsy. Glad you had a good weekend.
I agree Pearly, Payl McGann is very good looking.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 16, 2006 16:22:34 GMT
Paul is tiny! Last time I only saw him sat down so it was a bit of a shock when I was waiting for Paul to get the rest of his autographs and when Paul M came down the queue just how small he is in height and build.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 26, 2006 13:22:56 GMT
Now I've fully recovered from flu, I've scanned the others and I see Photobucket deleted the wrong photo so I'll have to re-add Eric Saward above. Grrr!    Patsy |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 7, 2007 1:05:32 GMT
Yes this weekend in the back end of beyond forcing me to use the extorionate train it's that time of year again. Interesting guest list this year, favouring the original series for a change! Though to be fair, while some new series non-entities have made us groan just at the name, they have surprised us. Paul and I are sure the guest list isn't complete so we'll have to see if they have any surprise guests in store as they have for the past few years. Be able to tell you Monday!
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 7, 2007 21:54:55 GMT
Saturday's Guests
Elisabeth Sladen
(Sarah Jane)
Marcus Gilbert
(Ancelyn)
Angela Bruce
(Brigadier Bambera)
Anthony Flanagan
(Orin Scannell)
John Levene
(SGT Benson)
Katy Manning
(Jo Grant)
Graham Cole
(The Melkur)
Sunday's Guests
Colin Baker
(The 6th Doctor)
Nicola Bryant
(Peri)
Lynda Bellingham
(The Inquisitor)
Honor Blackman
(Professor Lasky)
John Levene
(SGT Benson)
Katy Manning
(Jo Grant)
Glen McCoy
(Timelash Writer)
Also in attendance is Anneke Wills who appears sponsored by her publishing company Hirst Books. We will announce at least two more guests before the event takes place we are just waiting on confirmations.
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I hope that doesn't mean people have to buy her book to get an autograph. Paul's never met her before.
"Sergeant Benson". LOL!
Should be good though. Wonder who the other two are?
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 8, 2007 20:40:49 GMT
Latest guest additions are a couple of SJA kids (yawn!) and Geoffrey Hughes!!!!! It really will be a Trial Of A Time Lord Reunion. ;D I did wonder that before Michael Jayston pulled out but with Honor Blackman and now Geoff added in the past two days it should be a good panel even though Lynda Bellingham has also pulled out.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 12, 2007 19:54:47 GMT
Back after one of the best conventions I've been to since I started this malarkey in 1998. I reminded Jo last night that next year we'll have known each other 10 years! It's so sad about Jo. Because she suffers asthma badly and has nearly died a couple of times she said back then at Panopticon 98 in Coventry she was on borrowed time and it's awful watching her slowly deterioriating. She was back in the wheelchair this weekend and smoking spliffs (naughty!) to ease her pains. This was the first convention I've know her not to even have one drink and have early nights. She's such a worry! Anyway I'm going to do this review different to the previous ones. So the back-end of beyond - Washington, Tyne & Wear. What a crap hole! We found out they'd moved from the Swallow in Stockton because the manager had got a new job at the Holiday Inn. I worked out on the train this morning this was my 15th (unless I forgot something), not including Longleat DW Day and Lis Sladen at Wookey Hole (both in 2000). Paul is now a veteren with 4 under his belt. Well as there's no direct anything it had to be to Chester-le-Street which has got to be worse than Washington. Now anyone who's read my ramblings knows I hate trains. Cost too much and are often late so you miss connections. But in this case the coach wasn't a viable option due to the timings. Paul, it turned out, HAD reserved seats when he booked but the tickets came with 'No Seat'. Half of his were the same. The train arrived at Southampton late to start with from just Bournemouth. I was lucky to find an unreserved seat at all and some had been double booked. By the time we got to Birmingham New Street it was 57 mins late! But I passed the tedium up to then chatting to a man about his various travels while he was a construction worker and moaning about political correctness. One of his daughter's is a teacher and told me a few things I didn't know about the namby-pamby way they have to treat the pupils today in case the little darlings get upset. Can't even play hopscotch either. Anyway the new crew seemed on the button and reduced the delay so when I got to Newcastle we were only 22 mins late. Our other train was already there but once we got to Chester-le-Street everything was shut. There was no taxis and we had to keep asking locals where to find any. After quite a walk we found some - hooray! We got to the hotel later than we should have and checked in. Despite Paul asking for a smoking twin room, we got a non-smoking double!  Well at least I knew I was safe. LOL! We also had a reasonable view:   And here is what I nicknamed Lepers Corner:  I had some chats with Anneke Wills out there and she showed those of us freezing one time that night photos of her book launch. We caught up with Martin and Sharon who last year had split up and tolerated each other so we were delighted they'd sorted their differences out. They brought with them James, a 21 year old Morrisons trolley collector who fancied me! Yes, in less than 2 months I'd gone from a 50 year old to a 21 year old. Scary to think when I left school he was still in the womb. LOL! Martin had gone on about this £10 buffet they were holding so we paid our money and went along. What a load of crap! Lukewarm bucks fizz and shitty things on biscuits and cucumber and some bacon on sticks. He felt so bad about it. LOL! We found out in the morning it was advertised wrongly and was a gala reception. Only 3 of the guests were there, Marcus Gilbert, John Levene and Anneke Wills. That was so crap we went to get something proper in the restaurant. Now at Dimensions they have a convention menu only this time the prices were ridiculous. We spotted Lis Sladen having dinner in the corner with Yasmin Paige from the Sarah Jane Adventures while Marcus ate with the 10th Planet guys. Then it was time to hit the bar!!!! Bloody hell. These bar prices were ridiculous too! Martin and Sharon had been at it since they arrived mid-afternoon and by 10pm things got a little wacky. Martin and Paul started mucking about after Martin sat on Paul's lap.   Then Paul took this blurry pic of me and Martin  Sharon kept losing her poppy so Martin put it in her hair and called her Ermintrude. What a rat!  John Levene came over on his way to bed while Martin had disappeared and kissed Sharon on the forehead. I said, "Don't I get one as well?" so he kissed me on the cheek. When I was telling Martin, I said, "Paul was disappointed John didn't kiss him" just as John walked past! We all burst out laughing but Paul didn't get the joke so I explained it to him later. So getting on for midnight me and Paul called it a night as we had an early start on the morning. |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Nov 12, 2007 20:33:08 GMT
Saturday morning when we went to breakfast poor Sharon was so upset. Something had disagreed with her at the so-called buffet and she was sick all over herself, the electric buggy and the carpet. The hotel staff were marvellous though and washed her clothes for her. The head waiter was a Sylvester McCoy look-a-like but with less hair. LOL! As usual with these things so many things clash so we decided to go for 4 coffee clubs and loitered until the desk opened though with Wayne on ticket duty we got them before the time. I was glad Robin was back doing the photos but this year as well as the £15, they were charging an extra £3 per other guest in there. Rip off!!! They would definitely be a stand-by this year. Also Lis Sladen and Honor Blackman were only signing one autograph rather than the usual two. You want another it cost a fiver. Rip off!!!! Well we went to the autographs first. Paul had never met Lis before and I was curious as to whether she remembered me after 5 years. But to get there we had a Greatest Show In The Galaxy experience...     All you needed was the Ragnarok! Yes the 10th Planet Tent as it was nicknamed by the guys, though they hotel preferred the term marquee. It was dreadful and you could smell the vehicle fumes from the A1M. Also the further forward you were the colder it was. Not very good in that wind either. The autograph room was behind the part meant to be the main hall and also a tent. Well we got to Lis. She did recognise me but forgot my name! At the coffee club she said she thought I'd come from the north and I said it's always been Southampton. Silly cow.  We caught most of the panel with Angela Bruce and Marcus Gilbert. As my foot was still hurting from whatever I did to it on Oriana I couldn't get pics like I normally do so asked Paul to. First one was too far away and this one is too dark!  Marcus now looks like Anthony Head. More wrinkles than he had in Battlefield but God still sexy! Angela was telling about being in Corrie. She said they were like a family and she introduced herself when she joined and they treated her well. But someone who had a small part said she wasn't going to do that and they ignored her completely. She also said Doris Speed was stone deaf so lip-read and there were moments she would tell new directors how to do their job. Next up was coffee club with Anneke Wills who plugged her book mercilessly. Annie (as she lets us call her) really is a lovely woman and so down to earth. She said Angela Douglas isn't talking to her after they edited her forward and countless others aren't talking to her now either.  We stayed on our bums as we had another coffee club with Angela and Marcus. Unfortunately only 3 of us actually bothered but we had a great 45 minute natter about all sorts of subjects. Angela and Marcus despise political correctness. Marcus is married to a Pakistani so also knows first hand about racism and all this PC bullshit. We also all discussed the state of the country and especially the crime. Angela told us of one of her experiences on a bus in London when a gang were after the mobile of a lad who was terrified. Considering they had no idea what to do in the coffee club it turned out well. As we made our way to the room to dump our stuff we passed Lis in the draughty corridor who smiled and waved but look harrassed. No wonder if what I heard about Andrew Beech last night (or Dame Andrew Beech I was told he's referred to among organisation circles) is true.  After lunch was another coffee club with Graham Cole from The Bill who had been in 8 stories uncredited in various monster consumes. He told me to sit next to him then he'd have a woman either side. Another nice person but he did like talking about The Bill a lot. LOL!  Bums firmly on seats again as it was Lis and Yasmin next where they talked about the Sarah Jane Adventures.  Now at these things you're supposed to get a free autograph. Morning sessions had obliged. Graham's hadn't as it ran late but Dame rushed Lis and Yasmin off. Lis then left the building. We went to get Graham Cole's autograph and the steward remembered we hadn't got the extra one so that was sorted. He was also signing his Bill fancard. Then we succumbed and bought Annie's book. Bit steep for £11.99 (and Tim gave us no change from £12) but I told her she was a good saleswoman. She asked if we'd met before and I said in Lepers Corner the night before. LOL! Like Katy Manning, blind as a bat without her glasses. My friend Linda and her mum Verna popped over from Whitley Bay. I haven't seen either of them for 5 years either. At Panopticon 2000 in Manchester Verna adopted me, Jo and Graham who I used to go with. Graham is hated by them now though. LOL! me and Paul went to dinner then said goodbye to them at 9pm. During dinner John Levene came over to us and thought we were a couple, saying we looked good together. Then he cracked us up with a rather filthy story I can't repeat here. After finishing dinner, I nearly collided with Geoffrey Hughes. I pushed my chair out as he was walking past but he was too busy nattering to Katy Manning to notice. LOL! We went to the tail end of the charity auction then it was the usual comedians Charlie Ross (who now has a TV contract) and Sandy Nelson doing the same old jokes they've done for the past 3 years. Derek, get new entertainment!!!! Then it was a quiz. Fans verses stars. Well stars was misleading as only Annie was. LOL!  The stars enlisted the help of a little kid so ended up winning. LOL! They had a disco but we didn't stay for that. But we saw this as we left:  Had a few drinks with Sharon, Martin, James and Tim then called it a night. |
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Really nice man. I'd got a pic taken at the autos of me and Ian by the steward (I was going to take one of Ian but the steward asked if I wanted to be in it) and after I got everyone else's autograph (including Nick's for Paul) while Paul and Ian chatted, Ian then took a photo of us! Daphne Ashbrook is so lovely. You get preconceptions about people but she's so down to earth like Louise Jameson. Later in the morning I ended up being dragged to the coffee club with Myanna and Rory seeing as Paul was a man on a mission and Bruno was added. Now you would never have recognised Rory from Tommy in that one with Maureen Lipman and I wasn't the only one to think he was actually a girl! You'll see what I mean in a mo when you see the pics. Anyway Bruno wasn't there. Paul was not happy. Myanna and Rory did do the teas and coffees for people though and it wasn't a bad hour in the end. We went to the hall at noon and it was announced Bruno would be in the photo studio for 15 mins. We looked at each other then Paul legged it, I ran after him and people laughed as we passed. Paul was impatient with the lift and kept pressing the button but there was only a short queue when we arrived. It was in and out. I got an arm around me and Paul was pleased he'd had Bruno's hand on his back! Then Bruno joined Myanna and Rory on stage. He was asked about the Todd spin off and said Daran wanted to do it but tellingly never said he did or was disappointed it never happened. After lunch we got our pics and got Bruno to sign them. I haven't scanned them yet. I will when I feel better. Paul mentioned a few things like he started the Bring Back Karl petition and Bruno said Chris Finch told him about it. Bruno showed me his loose tooth when I said I hated mine and I asked if he'd go back to Corrie. He said no because of the schedule. When I said I agreed with John Savident he nodded and said so did he. We also got Colin's autograph. Wasn't bothered about Rory and wasn't going to pay a tenner for Myanna! Then it was photos with Nick, Peter and Ian then the coffee club with just Nick and Peter as Ian hd to catch his train. That was funny. The steward asked Peter and Nick what they wanted to drink and Nick smiled at me when I said "He'll have a vodka". Come on. Everyone who's ever attended a convention where he's been a guest knows his love of the voddy! I never knew Roger Moore was a girl's blouse before Peter's anecdote. LOL! There was a twat who was pissed and didn't have a ticket. They didn't throw him out. Started moaning about smoking when Nick noticed ashtrays and said if he'd known he'd have taken his and I offered one of mine. He'll be dead before we are if he carries on boozing like that and Nick will be 77 three days after my birthday. Can't be that bad for you. LOL! We went to the closing ceremony then went to dinner. The downstairs restaurant is now a bar and it's dire. We decided to give the entertainment a miss and watched telly and talked instead. Sunday I went to the photos with Paul McGann and Daphne Ashbrook seeing as I missed out on one with Paul two years ago due to massive queues. They were big this year but I was about half way along. This little boy made his dad pay twice because rather than the joint one he intended, he wanted one on his own with them. Paul was at the panel with Eric Saward, Graeme Harper and Philip Hinchciffe. I joined him afterwards and got the feeling neither Eric or Philip liked the new series. We went to get Sylvester's autograph even though it wasn't our number and had been told by a jobsworth to go yet no one else was bothered. So we went to Derek and explained how Sylv was on stage at 12.15 and we had a coffee club. He told us to tell Wayne he said it was okay but he did that anyway. Jobswoth came along and told us to bugger off again even though we told him Derek said we had to tell Wayne it was okay! "He didn't tell me" he moaned then the woman told us to stay where we were. It was totally ridiculous as the same thing happened last year and there was no problem queue jumping. After that we went to Eric, Graeme and Philip's coffee club. This twatty steward stayed rather than bring them and bog off until it was the end. He monopolised it, started off talking about the new series of Robin Hood so a good half hour was wasted on that and production techniques compared to back then. When there was a bit of quiet I said to Eric he looked bored which got a laugh and he denied being bored. He just hardly said anything which was annoying. When I asked Philip and Eric what they really thought of the new series, Philip asked what I thought so I said crap. Then that steward jumped in. "I'm a teacher and 14-16 year olds think it's wonderful". Yeah only because they fancy Billie! So the question didn't get answered thanks to him. Anyway at 1.15 he said it was time for lunch but Graeme wanted to answer the question so me and Paul braced ourselves for his defence only there wasn't one! He defended RTD and asked US what we thought the character of the Doctor was about. That is totally irrelevant. While we stood our ground in our criticisms, even leading to the American woman next to me agreeing, his arguments were nothing. One of them was shot down in flames by Philip. So that delayed lunch. LOL! Not much doing in the afternoon. We eventually went to the autographs. The queue was enormous for Paul McGann and slightly smaller for Daphne. So while Paul stayed for Paul I went to Eric first. "Are you the one who doesn't like the new series?" he asked. I explained about people I know who never saw the original getting fed up with certain elements of it. Then Philip, telling him the same thing. I also asked if the old woman at the panel in front of us was telling him off. He didn't understand what she was saying. Neither did I! She didn't even know his name even though I told her umpteen times. LOL! Then it was Graeme. That would be interesting. LOL! He was actually really nice and I explained to him too, even telling him about taking some stories down to my friend when I visited her and she preferred them. When it came to signing, I said my name then troublemaker. He laughed and said he liked that so in brackets he put "Trouble Maker!". LOL! Paul found out later as we'd suspected he was working on the next series. He told Paul he would pass the comments onto RTD. I'd love to know if he did. Not that he'd care anyway. I joined Paul in the Paul McGann queue but just as we were so close my friend Jo (who I met at my first convention in 1998) asked if she could jump in as she's got health problems and can't stand for ages these days. Paul was lovely as usual. The queue was impossible though so Paul went along it to sign which got through it quicker. We went to the rest of the panel with Sylvester and Lisa Bowerman. This little boy asked what the names of their horses were in Survival. "Bastard" said Sylv. LOL! A little girl asked who his favourite villain was and he said Anthony Ainley. LOL! It was amazing how many more kids there were this year and all interested in the older series people. Later when we went back upstairs, Paul McGann was waiting by the lift on our floor. "Bye Paul," I said. "Goodbye, darling," he replied. *swoon* After it was all over they had an extra signing with Sylvester so people who hadn't got an autograph could. So that was the weekend. Derek told us next year will be in Newcastle. I wonder if it's because the Swallow Hotel group is in administration and they don't want to take any chances? An excellent weekend in spite of the new series non-entities. Roll on 2007! Now the pics.
