I went to ‘An Audience With Coronation Street’ yesterday, having rather luckily been invited by ITV. On arrival there’s a red carpet. When I’ve done it before I’ve normally walked round the back, yet as I was with the MSG, they all started shouting her name to ask for a picture; something she’s much more used to than me. There were about ten paparazzi either side (think a cut down version of leaving the Big Brother house).
We stood there together and had our shots taken, me grimacing uncomfortably while trying to work out how to smile (give me a TV camera and I’m comfortable, but still pictures…. horrid) and the MSG looking gorgeous, polished and professional. Then they wanted ‘fashion pics’ of her on the way in, something we weren’t that keen on, we just wanted to go in. So as they call out “let’s ‘ave her by herself”, my reply was “sorry guys, we’re going in now”. After that I felt like I’d just told them to go screw themselves. A couple made not nice comments with one even shouting out, “Jon wasn’t like that.”
Let me put that comment in context. Jon is Jon Culshaw, the impressionist, a lovely chap and a friend of the MSG’s. They used to go to events together, much like I did with my friend Barbara, the former Five newsreader. Obviously this photographer had assumed he was the MSG’s ex-boyfriend and had decided this should therefore be thrown in my face as we’d had the temerity not to do more photos. Actually it wasn’t a problem, but what had we done to deserve such nastiness? We’d stood there, posed for pictures when they asked, and then walked in.
Anyway, enough of that, the event itself was lots of fun. I had the MSG on my right and the hilarious Alison Hammond who I used to work with on This Morning on my left (remind me to write one day about what she did to me on a plane!) The row behind was full of former Coronation Street cast members. It was eye opening to hear their reactions to things. The funniest moment was when the chap who plays Les Battersby was asked, “what do you like to do after a hard day’s filming???? His first answer was “drink”, but then went on to explain how the real answer was write and garden. The people behind were wetting themselves during that, so I turned and asked why….. let’s just say they believed his original answer to be much nearer the mark!
Then onto the after show party. Lots of celebs, which is rather strange when you’re a F-lister like me in the corner. So we did what I always do, huddled together at the side with all the newsy people I know best. This time it was Nina (Hossain) from ITV news, looking very glam. She’d brought one of the Directors from ITV news to treat him as he’s Coronation Street obsessed (it’s he who kindly took the photo on my phone of the three of us (below)). The only strange thing was seeing all the cast of Corrie with their children, there as real parents not pretend ones.
Was there any gossip? No not really, it was a Sunday night, and I left relatively early to get a good night’s sleep before the Wright Stuff, having got a goodie bag (from a MoneySaver working there who loves the email Tip!) as you do at these things.
The MSG, me and Nina Hossain
