Saturday 30th November...
Overnight bus later, on the evening of the horrific events in Glasgow, I arrived in London early doors for the start of three days of fun. After some time in the Wetherspoons at Victoria, and some window shopping in Oxford Street, I wandered round to the Beeb, where I met up with James. I tend to get more excited about the celebs London collectors get every week, so I was well chuffed with the haul.
Celeb chef Rick Stein was the first to appear, happily signing and posing for a photo, while Poirot star David Suchet signed three for me but no photo with as he was hustled away by his PA. I was well excited about meeting Huey Morgan of Fun Lovin' Criminals fame, who was awesome. He came out for two smokes while we were there, and spent some time chatting about their upcoming tour in 2015 and gigs in Glasgow in the past. He also signed a card with "I'm the Fun Lovin' Criminal!" for me to auction. Olympian Gemma Gibbons came out and was happy to pose for a pic with and sign, and I got my pointless friend Richard Osman to do the same, although he wasn't so cheery. Gabrielle wasn't out of reach for us (see what I did there) and she signed three times for me as well as doing a pic. She was awesome, and signed for everyone there many times.
From there it was off to the Gielgud for Strangers on a Train, where cast member Nick Malinowski had arranged to meet me before the show started. He happily signed several trading cards from his Dr Who episode and took some items from me for the cast to sign (received earlier this week). Miranda Raison also added to the Dr Who cards and did a pic with me, while Boardwalk Empire star Jack Huston was awesome, even posing for a pic holding his Xmas Card. Also nabbed Laurence Fox, Christian McKay and Imogen Stubbs from the cast. From there, it was a dash to try and catch Lee Evans, which we did by a whisker, and he signed a few trading cards and did a pic with, despite being in a hurry to get in. Lovely bloke in every way. Headed to the Pinter, to see if we could sneak Rupert Grint on a smoking break, and managed him. He wasn't keen on a photo with as he was in costume for the show, but managed to persuade him, and he also signed three Xmas Cards for me. Game plan from there was to get Man United on their arrival at Euston, but with the bus inside the station on the platform it was a nightmare... Buttner and Fellaini signed for me but aside from a hello from Moyes and Woods, the rest blanked me. Rooney was a foot away and wouldn't sign even when I said the charity line to him. Bit of a **** really.
With the departure of James at this point, I went to the hotel to check in. Not the best shall we say, but a bed is a bed. Headed back into town for shows coming out and headed to try and get Jude Law. While waiting for him in the alley between Wyndhams and Coward, Sheila Hancock came out of Barking in Essex so I nabbed a pic with her and a signature on my DW trading card. As barriers went up at the Coward I took front row, and waited for Jude. Nabbed a pic with Noma Dumezweni and Ron Cook as they left for my Dr Who collection, before two cards from Jude. He wasn't doing posed photos, but I *nearly* pulled one off, before he turned away. Went to try and get some of Grint's costars, namely Ben Whishaw and Colin Morgan, but only managed to get told to f*** off by Brendan Coyle. Nipped into the pub across the road and found Alfie Boe, which was a bonus.
Late night ensued as I tried to get the stars of a Xmas Singalong event at Leicester Square Theatre, which ran two and a half hours late, but when I left at 2am I had managed Rob Brydon, Maureen Lipman, Richard Herring, Bill Oddie, Kiki Dee, Gary Osborne (one of Elton John's writing partners, for five years) - he was quite drunk, delighted to be recognised and did several cards with brilliant inscriptions, Harry Shearer (aka Mr Burns, Lenny, Kent Brockman, Rev Lovejoy and more...) Back in hotel for 4am.
Sunday 1st December...
Back on the hunt, meeting with James at the Beeb after I slept in and missed some people I was after, ach it was only Ed Balls and George Osborne. Got Chas & Dave, Sir Terry Wogan (what a guy! Cerys Matthews, Eliza (used to be Doolittle), and The Band Perry who were, shall we say, American and with an ego. Refusing to sign white cards, it took some work to get an Xmas Card done, but I managed. No pics with though, they were in a hurry to get all the way to Manchester. With a major comedy event in town, we wandered by but had other priorities, shame as we could have done well later on, but did get a pic with Harry Enfield. The Class of 92 premiere was vetoed by One Direction on the guest list, so we headed as planned to the Autosport Awards on Park Lane. A looooong night again, but worth it. Over many hours, managed Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi, Allan McNish, Jason Plato, Sir Stirling Moss (wow!!), John Surtees, Paul Hembery, Sam Bird, Kevin Magnussen, Amy Williams, Tony Jardine. Vettel was spotted arriving, but when he stopped to sign out the window, dealers ruined it and I didn't manage him. At 1am, I succeeded, with a charity vest signed as he left, one of six through the window. Tried David Beckham leaving a club (I even donned an England shirt) but he didn't even look up. Swung by Claridges on the way home, but it was dead.
Monday 2nd December
Beeb again, and got Eliza again, but only a better photo with as the light ruined the one before. Got Natalie Gumede, who was wandering around, Lizo Mzimba, Russell Howard, Zane Lowe, Emma Willis. Gutted to miss Fearne Cotton
We got wind of a Kate Moss signing event to mark her Playboy appearance, but turned out to be a PR stunt in Mayfair and she didn't sign. Nabbed a few copies of the limited issue Playboy ... only 800 printed and spread between NYC and Paris as well as London. Reaffirmed that Paps are tools! From there to ITV where a major target of mine was Paul O'Grady on my Dr Who script "The Stolen Earth". He seemed impressed that I asked him to sign it, and also did two pages from within it. Il Divo came out, minus one, and comedy ensued when David offered to go and get it, before faking the missing signature himself in the Xmas Card. Also got a cd cover signed by three who did show. Brendan O'Carroll and Jennifer Gibney were on the show, and both signed before leaving. Mrs Brown's Boys stuff always goes well, so very happy 
Tried the British Fashion Awards, but only saw Donna Air and she didn't sign. Huge guest list, but not a good one for signing. Spent hour or two wandering before closing off at Twelve Angry Men. Missed Robert Vaughn sadly, but did get Nick Moran and Jeff Fahey of Lost fame. Dashed by a few other theatres, got a bonus card from Ron Cook, before heading to Victoria and going home.
Believe that's it, well done if you followed it all.
Pics here >>> http://thelucky13challenge.wordpress.co ... -criminal/
Thanks to James for his company over the weekend, top man, can't wait to do it again!!
(Yes, this is IP, well done. No one reads the IP forum these days, and I would prefer members get the chance to see this feedback and know that there's a chance to get some awesome items signed out there... this is, after all, the purpose of the forum... to share, to help each other)
