It’s not every day you find yourself standing next to Ricky Gervais in the gents or arranging a kiss with David Walliams but that happened to me today.

K and I were in London for the Variety Club Showbiz Awards at Old Billingsgate. I’d never been in this venue before but I knew of it from all those river boat trips where the guides point out that it’s where Michael Caine used to work as a fish porter.

We were staying in the Lansdowne Club for the night, which is just off Berkley Square. This being November there was no sign of any Nightingales and even fewer taxis. After trying to get the doorman to flag a cab down for us we gave up and walked down to the Strand, then up The Ritz and onto Regent Street before we eventually found one who wasn’t about to run out of fuel, just on his way home or driving around with the light on and a fare in the back.

Like most things theatrical appearances are deceptive and a one hour TV show took almost five to record. Spread across that was a leisurely meal and some frantic bidding for special events. It’s odd seeing people who you “know” from the TV in real ife. Wendy Richards is considerably more petite than I’d imagined. Tarby looked a lot older but with the same twinkle in his eyes. Chico was as manic and smiley and Sharon Osbourne as down to earth.

After a while you ignore the paraphernalia of the TV crews (remembering to watch out for where the camera crane is before you stand up) and settle back to watch the awards and the stage show (Avenue Q). Admittedly the occasional re-take does make you wonder how much red wine you had or if this is deja vu moment.

The after show party wasn’t as star studded as we thought but after you’ve been kissed by David Walliams I guess the evening is hard to top. [1]

¹ K : “I’d really like to kiss him”- Me : “Well unless you do it now, he’s leaving” - K: “He’s lovely” - cue for me to walk across, waffle and watch as K gets her wish ….