Meeting someone who makes you laugh on the telly doesn’t always translate to meeting them in person.
But news of a celebrity heading to Dundee this weekend jogged my memory that sometimes, they can be even better than you imagined.
It was the summer of 2021. A third lockdown had passed but nothing was yet normal.
When suddenly, in my little life, a glimmer of excitement arrived – in the form of an invitation to a glamorous event.
It was last minute. Floella Benjamin had pulled out of presenting an award at Pride of Scotland and organisers wondered if I could step in.
It was surreal but they had me at ‘glass of fizz on arrival’ and more, I could bring a pal – for a bona fide dress-up, Spanx-pants-on night out with other actual people, after months of masks and sanitising everything to an inch of its life.
The night arrived and we took our seats – realising our table only had three places at it – for me, my pal Sally and someone else.
An organiser explained only three ‘bubbles’ were allowed at a table.
While some tables had many more seats, they had three or four in the same household bubble allowed to mix with another family.
Sally and I looked at each other. This could be awkward. What would we talk about? Holidays? No one had been away.
What if our giddiness bored them?
“I marvelled at the comedy of the situation”
I titled my head to see the name on the name at the empty place. Gavin Mitchell. Was that not….?
I looked up and our dreams came true, for Boabby the barman from Still Game was our missing guest.
And something quite magical happened – we slipped into conversation like we’d been on a bus together with a few warm up tinnies and had known each other for years.
Being a huge Still Fan game, I marvelled at the comedy of the situation.
Sally had never seen the show but found Gavin hilarious in any case – and was in her element spotting Love Island contestants.
I said to Gavin: “Are you presenting an award?”
He said: “Yes.”
Apparently there were twenty awards. It was imperative, I told him, that we found out where on the list our awards were.
“Why?” He asked.
“Because we need to work out how much we can drink – if we’re on last and go for it, we’ll be too hovered to announce the winner.”
He laughed like a drain. We found out we were presenting in the first half and tucked in, the waiter thrilled to be serving Boabby and filling our huge tumblers with wine.
We have thankfully remained pals.
Boabby is the best of the best
Like I said, meeting people you love on screen does not always mean they’ll fill your heart with joy in real life.
Once, a group of showbiz reporters, including myself, wrote an open letter in the various newspapers we worked for, to Hugh Grant. To tell him how rude he was.
He had attended a press party to promote the latest Bridget Jones movie.
It was literally his (very well paid) job to chat to the media that night.
And yet, he ignored questions, skulked around a cheese plant and refused to talk to us.
I think he harbours a media grudge after being exposed many years ago in a compromising position in a car with a lady of the night. Remember that all the way back in 1995?
But in an intervening 29 years and for a multi million pound pay check, I reckon most people could get over it.
Back to the here and now, on Saturday DISC and the Wellgate will host two separate events.
Attic Conventions and Media Events (ACME) is behind the event at DISC, which will feature guests including Gavin.
Other guests appearing at that event are James Mackenzie, best known for playing Raven in the CBBC show of the same name, and Marc Silk, a voice actor who has worked on Star Wars, Scooby Do and Chicken Run.
A fruity mix I guarantee won’t be using cheese plants to hide. If you’re going, you’re in for a treat.
And hurray for two great venues being used well.
Boabby is the best of the best. If you meet him, offer him a pint. And tell him I joyfully await our next sojourn.
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