The day I Accosted Simon Cowell

This week's events brought it all back! I went with a friend on Tuesday to the Opera House in Blackpool to watch a live recording of Britain's Got Talent. We spent tha majority of the day squashed up and penned in amongst thousands of people getting drenched by the incessant rain. If you want to read about the experience there is an article appearing in the February edition of Gridlock Magazine - www.gridlockmagazine.com.

The last time the show came to Blackpool was in 2008. My granddaughter who was eight at the time was very excited about the possibility of meeting Simon Cowell and co. Her parents - who are song writers - were away working so we planned our day with precision to optimise our chances!

We hardly slept the night before because we were buzzing with excitement - yes I am quite capable of being an eight-year-old or any other age that takes my fancy. I'm not known for acting my age!

We jumped out of bed as soon as the alarm went and got ready for our 'adventure'.and arrived at the Winter Gardens at 6.30 am. Well? the early bird and all that..............

It was cold, miserable and damp due to the continual fine rain, the sort that wets you through, as Peter Kay observes. Exactly the same weather as we had on Tuesday this week.

I mentioned earlier that my daughter and son-in-law are song writers, they earn their living 'gigging' up and down the country but their dream is to be professional song writers. Not one to miss an opportunity I was armed with three CD's of their songs. The judges that year were Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden, hence three CD's.

Strangely there were no barriers up that time and - as far as I can remember, no crowds outside. In fact when Simon Cowell eventually arrived I think there were about twenty people there - although the numbers quickly swelled as word got around.

We waited for hours, not venturing far from the front doors of of the Winter Gardens in case we lost our vantage point! I think it was around eleven o'clock when Piers Morgan arrived - I walked straight up to him, shoved a CD in his pocket (They all had my daughter's contact details on in case I didn't have time to explain) and said 'There's a present for you' He looked a bit surprised  and said 'Oh Thank you'. My next target was Amanda Holden who arrived about thirty minutes later. She smiled and looked genuinely delighted when I gave her the CD but again, didn't have time to explain as TV camera's were honing in on the celebrities as they arrived.

We then waited with Tony Adkins, Simon Cowell's then body gaurd. He was a very pleasant man and made my granddaughter's day regaling her with stories about how he felt sorry for the  contestants - especially the children - who had their dreams dashed. He said he didn't think it was fair to put children through that level of rejection at such a tender age. He would break off to talk into his walkie talkie every so often trying to establish when his boss was going to arrive as he was already about an hour and a half late. Tony assured us that he would get Mr Cowell to stop and pose for a photograph with my granddaughter when he arrived. She was unbelievably excited! Mr Adkins made the wait worthwhile, it's not every day you get an introduction to Simon Cowell.

Simon Cowell's limo eventually drew up at around 2.30. Tony Adkins stuck his head in and had a conversation then Simon emerged shaking his head at his body guard and marched past the small crowd that had gathered ignoring calls from the crowd - including mine and headed straight for the door where a TV camera was waiting.

Well, you know those moments in your life when you see red? I had one of those! Could you blame me after standing in the cold and rain for seven hours with a small, excited child? I walked straight over to Mr Cowell who, I think, was being interviewed on camera, tapped him on the shoulder and stuck a CD in his pocket. 'There's a present for you' I announced as he turned round looking a little surprised.

'Oh thank you very much' he oozed, now the camera was on him! One of the security staff called my disappointed granddaughter over and told her to go down and see him at the tower the following week and he would get Simon Cowell's autograph for her. I took her down and he had kept his promise. She was delighted.

My daughter never heard from any of the judges about the songs but.....it was worth a try!

Here are links to a few of the songs on the CD. Have a listen and see what you think.



Jenny Cox - Would you run broadjam.com/artists/songs.

When She Cries http://www.broadjam.com/artists/songs.php?artistID=33439&mediaID=447766

 

FIRST WIN OF 2012

You probably know this by now but in case you don't - I like entering competitions. I enter quite a lot which is presumably why I've started winning a few. I opened my emails on 12th January to find an email beginning with the word Congratulations. I like emails that start with that word. Anyway, it turns out I've won a spa break for a family of four - or four adults - at Alton Towers including overnight stay, bed, breakfast and Evening meal. It's a first prize and my second spa break prize! The only trouble is it has to be taken by March so I don't think I'll be able to go.

I sold the last spa break I won so when it arrives I'm hoping to do the same (depending on the terms and conditions) The point is I'm still winning so it looks like the wins I had last year weren't a 'fluke' as I thought.

Now, I've seen a competition that ends in three days and the prize is a brand new fitted kitchen worth £20,000 including planning, fitting and top of the range appliances. I AM going to win this prize - watch this space. It involves writing a hundred and fifty words about your dream kitchen. Sounds easy enough doesn't it? Trouble is I've been thinking about it for three days now and haven't come up with fifteen words, never mind a hundred and fifty. I love competitions that involve writing and I've put in some pretty fantastic entries - at least I thought they were fantastic - sadly the judges didn't agree.

I was certain I was going to win that BMW in December. You should have seen what I wrote, it was genious.....mmmm I wonder who's driving round in that car! Maybe I should change tactics and write an X Factor type sob story......

I always get excited when competitions involve writing something because it isn't down to luck. Maybe I'm fooling myself because I've only won the ones involving luck so far. I did once win a National Writing competition, yes, I won the  Gold Award. I was mighty impressed with myself until the prize arrived. Call me ungrateful - go on, I can't hear you - they sent me a certificate stating I was a Gold Award winner and a pen set containing a smart looking pen that didn't work. You wonder why I'm bitter and twisted!


When I win a major prize you'll be the first to hear about it unless it's majorly major in which case I may be too busy laying on a sunny beach somewhere to be bothered writing my blog.

Now, I really must go and write about my dream kitchen. All that stands between me and that kitchen is a few inspired sentences.............