As promised, here’s the continuation of the Poldark preview screening at the BFI in London on the 23rd February 2015….Our story so far….had fun at our get together, met Aidan Turner, had a nice private short chat and posed for a photo with him, see previous post. Saw the Poldark preview and enjoyed the discussion and following audience Q & A. At the time we resume our story……everyone had left the stage, and I thought that was it, time to head back to our hotel…

I put all my cameras away and my jacket on and proceeded to try and find my friend and hotel roomie Uni but I couldn’t see her anywhere in the auditorium, so walked into the corridors, hoping she might be waiting outside, but still I couldn’t find her!? I carried on walking, back down the same steps I’d come up, still hoping I’d bump into Uni but instead came across Lulu and her friend Stephane, who had been at our get together, waiting around on the right hand side of the corridor. We chatted for a moment when I noticed a huge crowd of people over on the far left hand side of the same corridor, surrounding someone, and yes you guessed it, that someone was Aidan!

I looked at Lulu and said “lets go!” and took hold of her and as soon as we got close to the throng, I pushed Lulu through the crowd towards Aidan, making sure to protect her from being crushed or pushed out of the way, saying “Go Lulu, go on!” and she was able to get through and get his autograph. And she got a couple of great selfies with him. Aidan was holding her phone, taking the photos as I stood right behind the both of them, with my left hand on Aidans left shoulder and right hand on Lulu’s right shoulder, this time doing my best to protect them both from being pushed around too much. I don’t think Aidan even realized it was my hand on his back….but that’s okay!! LOL

After I’d made sure had Lulu gotten out safely from the throng, I was left standing right beside Aidan, with my brand new Ross Poldark book, which was given to everyone who attended the preview, in hand, hoping to get him to autograph it too, but I was being pushed from behind, up against him and the wall of the corridor! At that moment a woman appeared from a doorway to his left saying that he didn’t have time to do anymore but being right beside him I just handed him my book saying “time for one more at least” and he dutifully signed his name and I said “to Helen” so he wrote “Helen love Aidan”! As I moved out of the way, others continued to take photos, but was being pushed from all sides now, and in my 4 inch stiletto heeled boots, I was afraid of falling over and/or spraining my ankle! But luckily I managed to catch my balance and got clear of the crowd. I looked back and Aidan was still there, and I saw an opening went in and took a photo of him having his photo taken with some guy, and then backed off again. Soon after this, he was gone, and again I thought, that was it! And I still hadn’t found Uni!!

A few minutes later however, while checking my photos I’d taken of the evenings events, I finally found Uni, sitting on bench situated to the right hand side of the corridor just beyond the doorway that Aidan had disappeared into, looking very sad coz she hadn’t had a chance to meet Aidan, and thought she’d missed out, big aw! And so we sat there talking for about 5 minutes. And we weren’t the only ones hanging around, although most of the throng had gone by now, but there were still about 20 or so standing around talking. Then all of a sudden, Aidan walks right past us, exiting from a door to the left of the corridor, that I later found out was the greenroom and which is where Uni had disappeared to earlier to talk to Debbie Horsfield. Some of the crowd called out “Aidan” as he quickly walked past he says “I’ll be back in a few minutes” going towards a door on the opposite side of the corridor from where we were sitting. So we took him at his word and waited for about another 5 minutes.

He was true to his word, as sure enough when he came back out, he stopped and started to sign more autographs and posed for more photos and I got up, taking out my phone, my digital camera had died me in the middle of the Q & A otherwise I would have used that. After taking several photos, with my hotel roomie Uni beside me, I noticed Aidan was standing close enough for me to reach out and touch his arm, he looked at me and came closer as I kept my hand on his arm, he stepped towards myself and Uni, I said “I want to introduce you to my friend Uni” Aidan eyes moved from me to Uni and he said “We’ve met before!”. I quickly I get my phone at the ready as she replies “Yes, at the Barbican. You used to pull my hair before you went on stage.” Aidan grinned and remarked “That was really mean!” and threw his head back and laughed!! And I quickly took a shot of Aidan laughing. He noticed the Poldark book Uni had in her hand and took it from her, signed it and also signed the BFI tickets that she’d been using as a bookmark, with me taking photos the whole time. After he was done signing I suggested I’d take a photo of them together. So I took a few steps backwards, coz Aidan at this point was still standing quite close to me, so as to get them both in the frame, I took one photo and say I had better take a 2nd one just in case my hands were shaking too much during the 1st photo which Aidan found very funny and laughed while I was taking the 2nd photo.

As I was putting my phone back into my bag, Uni walked away coz she said she had to get something, I didn’t know what, out of her rucksack which she’d left on the bench we’d been sitting on, and Aidan and I were left alone, in a manner of speaking, coz there were still a handful people about and we looked at each other and I had this sudden impulse and I might have asked him before hand, but again I don’t rightly remember, that would it be okay if I gave him a hug, to which he said okay, coz I took a step towards him and he takes one towards me and before I knew quite what was happening we were hugging and I kissed him on his cheek, which felt cool, soft and prickly, coz of his scruff, against my lips. And it wasn’t just a quick peck, I gave him a good full on pursed lips moist kiss! And he didn’t seem to mind one bit!! LOL And I most definitely heard an audible “aw” from the handful of people around us! I’m still looking for photo me and Aidan hugging! I’m almost certain someone must have taken at least one photo. I wanna see the expression on Aidans face!! And I can still feel Aidan’s cool, soft, prickly cheek on my lips…..

I pulled away, not wanting to hog his attention and let others get their photos and autographs with Aidan. I took some photos of him giving her his autograph as well as Stephane, Lulu’s friend, who finally got to have his photo taken with Aidan. I was sitting on the bench again by this time and just automatically said, coz I was happy for him, “Yay, Stephane you got a photo too!” and I don’t think I even said it very loud but Aidan obviously heard me coz stares right at me, and gives me this “LOOK”, which stops me in my tracks and holds my gaze for a split second, until I look away, my shyness getting the better of me again! Uni, I think was still trying to find something out of her rucksack and I finally asked her what it was she was looking for, “chocolates for Aidan” she says!

Aidan ended up spending about an hour hanging out with those of us who had remained behind after the main throng of autograph/photo hunters had long gone. And towards the end, he was gradually moving towards the greenroom. He stopped to talk to a few more people who took photos and asked for autographs, so I decided to take a few more photos myself, knowing this time I wouldn’t get knocked or pushed out of the way. Soon the person he had been talking to walked away and Aidan and I were again left alone for a few seconds. Now if I’d had my wits about me, would have asked to take another photo with him or, or just something!?! And Aidan himself was unusually quiet, one might even say a little tongue-tied, as he just stood there, looking down at the floor and fiddling with a pen he had in his hands then looks up and gives me a couple of furtive glances, while I stood there smiling back at him. But I did feel the need to at least reassure him and said “you’re being so patient and generous with us all!” and Aidan takes a step towards me and leans forward and caresses my arm with his left hand just above the elbow and thanked me with the sweetest smile on his face. And I just smile and blink back at him like a deer caught in headlights!

Uni finally turns up with 2 boxes of chocolates, and I sigh with relief as I just get to stand there and admire his loveliness, without it being too weird, while Uni explains that they’re home made chocolates that she and her daughter Sapphire had made at which Aidan seems amazed.

Finally Aidan thanks Uni for the chocolates, we say our goodbyes and he goes back into the greenroom, although they leave the door open, and we go back to sit on the bench and making ready to go. After putting away my phone and I look up and saw Aidan taking a long swig out of a bottle of beer, well deserved I thought and that was my one last glimpse of him before we headed out into the cool night with Lulu and Stephane in tow, coz after the night’s excitements, it was time for us to stagger back to our hotel in Paddington via Waterloo station. And happy in the fact that I’d gotten to meet, talk, and have my photo taken with, hugged and kissed and basically got to hang out with the man of my dreams!