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Cocktails with Obi Wan

06 March 2005

After last night's show, the drinks flowed as the remaining students were treated to a cocktail party in the lounge.

The mood relaxed and conversation turned to what each student's middle name was with some amusing results.

'Mine is Ann,' announced Dawn to raucous laughter.

'Like royalty,' laughed Reggie.

'Ooh, you're Ann and I'm Charles,' joked Adrian.

Kim revealed hers was Louise and Edith's was Eleanor after her mother. Then Debra announced hers was Lee, 'as in L E E,' she said, spelling it out.

Gina got in on the regal line too: 'My name is the Nigerian equivalent of royalty,' she claimed.

'I've got three more names on my birth certificate but can't remember them! When you're born, other families all give names to the child so you end up with a birth certificate like a novel.'

So what was her middle name?

'Obi dapo,' she said and the whole group broke into fits of laughter as they attempted to pronounce it.

'I'll just call you Yabba Dabba Doo,' decided Nick.

'It sounds more like Bobby Davro,' laughed Adrian.

'No, no it's like Obi Wan Kanobe,' giggled Edith.

Nick also had a rather interesting name. 'I'm Nicholas Simon Augustin Knowles,' he said proudly. 'My father was Edwin Marvin Othello.'

Reggie piped up: 'I don't have a middle name. My official title is Reginald Yates'.

Adrian thought for a minute, then said: 'I'll just call you Sweet Jesus or, even better, The Man With No Name!'

They decided that for the rest of the night they'd only refer to each other by these names, which had the boys in hysterics especially when the girls headed to bed.

'Goodnight Eleanor, Lee, Louise, Ann and Bobby Davro!' they shouted.'

'Bye Charles, Othello and Man With No Name!' the girls called back.

'I'd much prefer to be just Gina,' the comedienne mumbled as she closed the door on the boys who were still rolling about on the sofas in stitches.

Aaah, the simple things in life.

Don't forget RND

What would we do without Adrian? The world would be a duller place, that's for sure.

Even when he's on his own the comic lives up to his reputation, but today he's been keen to get over a serious message as well. Yes he really has, honest!

After rehearsals Adrian retired to the kitchen for a much-needed cuppa. 'Oh God, I've got the shakes,' he muttered.

He sat down for a bit and then addressed the nation: 'General Public of Britain, remember it's Red Nose Day and if you are watching this, vote for someone. Make sure everyone votes.'

After a brief pause he laughed: 'Give us yer cash!' He must have remembered Bob Geldof's impassioned plea for Live Aid all those years ago.

He hummed Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You for a bit in preparation for tonight's show and then tried Edith's harmonica again. But was clearly a bit restless, so off he wandered down the stairs, yodelling as he went.

'It's all getting a bit stir-crazy,' he drawled with his face right up to the camera. 'We're all going mad.'

'Tell you what,' he said to no one in particular, 'I feel better for not jumping up and down today. I've got my legs back.'

A brief bout of hide and seek with the camera and Ade disappeared with a parting message: 'Good game, good game. Hope you all played it at home.'

Sunday lounge lizards

There's a lazy Sunday morning air around the Academy today as the students prepare for Swing Night with some mellow rhythms and tunes.

That doesn't mean to say they got a lie-in, of course - there is work to be done after all.

Carrie took the boys off to practise their number, Beyond The Sea, while the girls were running through Every Time We Say Goodbye with David. It's probably a good job they're singing it as a group otherwise there could be more tears!

In the boys' rehearsal, fingers were clicking, Rat Pack poses were struck and Adrian chipped in with 'You kill me, guys!' in his best cheesy lounge lizard voice.

Carrie loved it and set the boys a challenge: 'I want a comment from each of you for that last bit of music.'

Carrie wasn't entirely happy though, complaining she hadn't received a card from any of them.

'What a way to celebrate Mother's Day,' she moaned as she sent the boys packing to see Kevin. 'Thanks very much!'

However, she soon recovered her sense of humour once they reached the dance studio and found the girls waiting for them.

The boys regrouped back in the studio and certainly got in the swing of things laughing and joking. Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr had nothing on these guys!

Reggie gets new family

The chilled Sunday atmosphere has taken over the students and they enjoyed a musical lunch on the settees.

The boys were first in the kitchen area after a rehearsal with Carrie and were delighted to find a traditional Sunday dinner waiting for them.

"My calves have stopped hurting," Adrian remarked, while Reggie said that for the first time he was excited about the show and not nervous.

Once the girls had joined the boys, the students were instructed to gather round the plasma screen where they would watch some messages.

Messages from their families were screened for the students and some of them were moved with Edith wiping away tears while Adrian had something else on his mind.

"How do you fancy becoming my son-in-law or what's it called, stepson," continued Adrian.

After they had eaten, it was time for an impromptu sing-along. The boys ran through Beyond The Sea, complete with clicky finger accompaniment.

They drew rapturous applause from the girls who then returned the compliment and sang Every Time We Say Goodbye.