The Weakest Link : Part Four
I have had residencies in my life - in fact through my whole career - and still have in fact, but never thought The Weakest Link would be one of them!
I hope some of you remember the first two Drag Queen Specials and my shameful walk off in the first round of the celebrity one. So, it was with some surprise that they rang me to appear for the fourth time for the special 1000th episode, where the contestants were picked by Anne Robinson from all previous programmes - so that’s a lot of people!
As delighted as I was, nerves set in as I was sooo bad on the last one. It’s not appearing, it’s being voted off early that bothers contestants most about being on the Weakest Link. However, they were so nice at the BBC I couldn’t say no and, between you and me, it is a great, fun day.
Of course I asked who was in it and the only other contestant that had been booked at that point was Basil Brush. Somewhat peculiar: a drag queen and a puppet - but, yes, I have seen stranger.
The line up ended up as myself, Vanessa Feltz, Jakki Degg (page 3), Basil Brush, Taffy (token Welsh), Herbert (camp hairdresser), Miss Evans a surgeon who is also known as the Dick Doctor, Kenzie and David, who was the first ever winner of the Weakest Link.
It is filmed at the beautiful Pinewood Studios and on the Drag Special I was dressing in the same room as Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise used in the film 'Eyes Wide Shut'. I am sure a lot went on in there!
On the day, Tamzin had threatened that if I came off first I would have to walk home - so no pressure then!
Safe to say I didn’t walk home.
It was a very lovely day which I thoroughly enjoyed. When we first did the Weakest Link we were stared at, and nobody really knew how to treat us. This time it was like coming home. All the staff, crew, researchers and everyone involved welcomed me back like a long lost friend.
When you do the show you get ready in your dressing room (which is like a honeymoon suite in comparison to what I am used to!) and then go to the green room for refreshments and that’s where friends can watch the filming. Then we are taken to the room where they run through the rules and do some filming of you talking all together before the show. I was especially pleased to see Vanessa Feltz again as when she had her morning show (before Trisha and Jeremy Kyle), Sandra and I had appeared as guests on an episode about drag queens and their parents.
The first thing she asked was how was my dad as she had danced with him in the programme. Sadly, I had to tell her that he had passed and that mum was in a home but this set us off talking about everything for the rest of the day.
Also, I found Kenzie very nice and he wasn’t fazed at all with the way I was dressed - which was gorgeous may I add. I picked these two out only as we had more time to chat but everyone was a delight.
The audience was made up of ex-contestants which kept us on our toes. Anne Robinson looked fantastic although one more face lift and she will have a goatie.
The episode was screened on 18th December and there are bound to be other opportunities to see it, including some of the blooper episodes celebrating the 1000th episode.
Entry written: Wednesday, December 20, 2006