I was lucky enough to be invited to the Welsh BAFTAS this year by my very good friend Teresa, I had my dress designed by Katie Smith a wonderful young designer who runs Ceridwen, it was gorgeous (I know I should have moved the dog basket!).
For the first time it was held at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, hosted by the gorgeous Gethin (Blue Peter) Jones and it was a wonderful night. It began with a champagne reception, it was there I accidentally touched Ruth (Nessa) Jones bum, she was very gracious and really lovely! then we went in to the beautiful auditorium to watch the award ceremony. Ioan Gruffuth won the Sian Phillips award and the amazing Glyn Houston was awarded the Special Bafta for his outstanding contribution. He joked as an 81 year old "Growing old is really not all that bad. Sometimes you put porridge in the tea pot and you always lose your comb and then find it in your hair. "But you can always do radio."
After the show we made our way downstairs to the tables that had been set out in the foyer below for dinner. I walked down the stairs with Ioan Gruffuth, Joanna Page and her mum, Ruth Jones, Eve Myles and her lovely fiance Brad Freeguard (who I knew from my days a Young Farmer) Mike Leigh and lots of lovely people.
I spoke to Suzanne Packer from Casualty who was a real sweetie, and by this point both of us had removed our shoes and were cooling our feet on the marble floor! We enjoyed a three course meal with lovely wines provided by Ballantynes and then moved to the Tides Bar at St Davids Hotel for a VIP party.
Teresa and I grabbed a drink and I spoke to Eve Myles (who I had never met before) she immediately grabbed my hand told me she was quite spiritual and wanted to know if people always asked me for advice or told me their problems, then she said that I was a very special person who was put here to make other people feel better.......this may have been the wine talking who knows?, but she told me to accept it, use it and not to be frightened of it as it was a gift. Then she asked me to look after her seat while she went to the loo! So I spoke to Rebecca Harris who plays Des in Belonging brilliantly and was a real sweetheart, I spoke to Eve and Rebecca for ages they were two of the loveliest people I have ever met.
I left the house at 3.30pm on Sunday, got home at 4.30am on Monday and a great night was had.
Keep smiling
Marmite xx
