Our Greatest Team Rises

Look, it's Prince William!

I love blogging sometimes.

PR: Would you like to come to a Team GB gala event celebrating the British Olympic and Paralympic Teams?

Me: Yes.

PR: It's at the Royal Albert Hall...

Me: Yes please.

PR: You can meet Sir Steve Redgrave...

Me: YES PLEASE.

PR: There's entertainment too. It's hosted by Davina McCall and John Bishop and features performances by Gary Barlow, Will Young, Melanie C, Spellbound, Kimberley Walsh, Bear Grylls, The Feeling, The Noisettes, Alfie Boe...

Me: YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU

PR: Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be in attendance...

Me: You had me at 'Team GB', to be honest.

I was invited as a guest of BP, who last week launched their 'Our Greatest Team Legends Collection'. You can collect 12 medallions, each showing a charming image of a great British Olympian or Paralympian, from BP garages. All profits go to the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association. The first medallion in the series is my mate, Steve.

I had the honour of meeting our greatest Olympian, Sir Steve Redgrave. He was super to chat with, although I have to admit to feeling a little star-struck. The guy won five gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games (in case you didn't know).

On our way to the event we bumped into one of the presenters, the twinkly Dermot O'Leary. If I look a little flustered in this photograph it's because he had his arm round me for ages.

The event was teaming with Olympians past and present and, as promised, it was attended by royalty...

 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge eat their dinner whilst I say repeatedly to my 'date' for the evening, Carol, 'I can't believe we're in the same room as them'.

The amazing Will Young.

*Scream* it's Gary Barlow.

I could treat you to the video I made of Tony Hadley singing 'Gold', but nobody needs to hear Carol, Mrs GoonerJamie and I singing along.


Disclosure: I was given two tickets for the show and the PR bought us a glass of wine in the interval.

Our Greatest Team Rises

Sainsbury's Super Saturday

I was invited by Sainsbury's to attend Super Saturday. It was a family pop festival, held on Clapham Common, celebrating one year to go until the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

As well as the music, there were many Paralympians and Paralympic hopefuls there. There were demonstrations of sports and opportunities to have a go at some of the events. The athletes received a wonderful reception and there was a buzz of excitement with one year to go until London 2012.

My day started in the P&G tent where I, a few other bloggers and a lot of athletes and their mums, were treated to hair, make-up and bucks fizz. Lots of bucks fizz.

Photo credit

We also had an exclusive performance from the amazing Belinda Carlisle. I had a moment when she was performing. She was a favourite of my late brother and I wished he could have been there with me. I welled up a couple of times. I blame the bucks fizz.

I spent the rest of the day with Uju and Maria  flitting between the main stage and the VIP area. This was the place to be. The hospitality was superb and there were a few celebs milling around.

Some were lovely and friendly, like the taller-than-he-looks-on-the-telly Vincent Simone:

Others were not, here's Alex Reid:

and Michelle Heaton:

The Sugababes were gorgeous and tiny. Here's the current line-up (at the time of posting):

The main attraction for me was seeing the fabulous Will Young live on stage. I wasn't disappointed. Here he is, singing to me:

I wasn't that familiar with most of the pop acts on stage. In fact, if The Wanted lined up in front of me wearing T-shirts saying 'I'm in the popular pop combo The Wanted' I still wouldn't know who they were.

I think this is one of them (in the blue hat):

I have to say that I enjoyed watching The Wanted and Olly Murs and Pixie Lott. I may have even had a bop.

As the day went on, and my mojito count rose, I amused myself by trying to take comedy photographs of 'celebs'.

This is Dom Littlewood, walking away:

With Maria as my decoy, this is the woman who plays Heather (I think) in Eastenders:

Cheers!

Huge thanks to Sainsbury's and Beige and P&G and Hill & Knowlton for a fabulous day.




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Sainsbury's Super Saturday