Scarlett’s Report

{click on each image to see a larger pic.)

Nicola on the red carpet

Nicola on the red carpet

Where to begin!? I suppose at the beginning! I’m a HUGE spooks fan, HUGE Harry & Ruth fan, and HUGE Nicola Walker and Peter Firth fan. I will forever be grateful to Kudos for introducing me to these two brilliant and massively underrated (until now 😉 ) actors, who are finally getting some of the attention and recognition they deserve from the industry – not just their fans!

So … the Oliviers! Somewhat unbelievably (and annoyingly!) none of my friends are fans, they don’t even watch any of the shows Nicola and Peter are in! Nor do they have any interest in going to any shows or events they may be in or attending – so I have no outlet for my fangirl ravings 🙁 So, when it was announced Nicola was nominated for an Olivier award, I decided, what the hell – I’d go on my own! 🙂 There must be other fans there and hopefully I’d find them. Unfortunately I didn’t, but I did meet another nice girl who, like me, had gone on her own because her friends weren’t interested and thought the idea of waiting outside for hours was sheer madness. She also put up with my incessant ramblings about Nicola while we waited and didn’t complain once – quite unheard of! 😀

When I arrived there was already a big crowd gathered, but I found an unoccupied spot which I was instantly suspicious about (why was no one else standing there?). I checked with one of the security team if it was ok to stand there and they said yes, and other people then started gathering there too (one being the girl I became friends with fairly quickly as a result of this!). It very quickly emerged that no, we weren’t allowed to stand there and the crowd was at least 2 rows deep everywhere else by now! My heart literally sank. But thank goodness the same security man said to follow him and he’d let us through to stand against the barrier in the bit opposite the press *big sighs of relief and happy faces all round*. In the pic above, I stood opposite the lady in red in the top right hand corner.

Just a few short hours later 😉 (by which time we’d made friends with everyone in our little area, who knew which actors each person had come to see) the actors started arriving!! Firstly it was fairly easy to spot people, but then lots and lots of people started coming past us at the same time, some talking to the press opposite, some talking to us, some walking down the middle – & then suddenly my new friend said ‘it’s Nicola Walker!’

Then I saw her!

She was being hurried along by a team of people though, and had almost walked past us when she was stopped to have her picture taken by a group of photographers on the red carpet. I called out to her (panicking at this point she wouldn’t hear me or notice me) but she did!!!! 😀 She turned around and I held up and pointed to my Spooks DVD that I brought hoping to get her attention amongst the crowds of people. It worked! I could see her saying to the team pulling her along ‘it’s a Spooks fan can I..?’ (asking for permission to come over) and then she ran over and said ‘I had to check I was allowed to come over!’ (everyone wanted to speak to / interview her).

“Congratulations on your nomination!” I told Nicola.

“Thank you, I can’t believe it. I’m so nervous! I feel sick!” Nicola replied.

oliviersphoto1“I’m one of your biggest fans & loved Spooks.” I said to Nicola while she signed my Spooks season 4 DVD – next to the pic of Harry on the back! and put a kiss!! “I’m having massive Harry & Ruth withdrawals,” I complained to Nicola.

“I’m sure they’ll do something (else) with it, (meaning Spooks)”, Nicola thought.

“Do you still see any of the cast?” I asked. I only really wanted to know whether she still saw one particular man but didn’t want to seem obvious about it or force / limit her response. I needn’t have worried however – she didn’t disappoint me.

“Yes, I spoke to Peter Firth last week.” *Excited intake of breath from us all* She gave a satisfied little smirk / smile / nod (like a ‘yes I did!’ type nod).

“How is he?”

“Good, he’s very good, I’m going out for dinner with him next week! I’m sorry, I really have to run.” And with that, Nicola ran back to the team who then whisked her off for more photos. Sadly, I didn’t have time to have my photo taken with Nicola 🙁

Zaf defaced by Erin!

Zaf defaced by Erin!

But no matter. I was SO HAPPY!!! And then to make my day even better (if that was even possible!) Lara Pulver came over and stayed and chatted to us for ages! She took my Spooks DVD to sign, saw Nicola’s signature and said ‘Nicola’s nominated for an award!’ We said we knew rather excitedly, then she asked if she could doodle on Zaf’s face (and promptly drew on a beard, tash and eyebrows) signed it and told me I had to post it on Twitter to her and Raza* (this was the reason I finally set up a Twitter account!)

Then Rupert Penry-Jones came along!!! I held up my Spooks DVD again and it caught his eye and he came over. I told him we’d seen Nicola and Lara and he smiled (but failed to mention he was presenting the award to Nicola!) we had a little chat about Team Spooks, then he posed for a photo with me, signed some more autographs for the people around me and then went back to his wife, Dervla.

My signed Spooks DVD

My signed Spooks DVD

We then made our way to the main Piazza to watch the show (which was being broadcast to the crowd outside the Royal Opera House). When it was announced that RPJ would be presenting the award, we all went ‘OMG’ (thinking how perfect! – surely it’s a sign – it’s meant to be!). When Nicola’s name was announced as one of the nominees for Best Supporting Actress a big cheer went up – it was loudest out of all the nominations! Then SHE WON!!! And gave the most wonderful, funny, heartfelt speech. I was completely kicking myself I didn’t record it on my phone but stupidly thought ITV would show it and I had it taped at home. Thank goodness I see somebody else did. So so glad as it was such a great speech.#

And then Team curious went on to win another 6! Wooo

I had the most brilliant day!

Editor’s Notes

  • * As of April 2013, Lara Pulver is in a relationship with Raza Jaffrey. Although both Lara and Raza were in Spooks, they appeared in different seasons of the show.
  • # You can watch/hear Nicola’s acceptance speech on our Oliver Awards report page.
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