The Secret Millionaire

[kittya]

Flipping heck, Ive never cried so much in ages!

ah april, if you'd read the tv preview in the newsletter you would have known that i'd already seen it a fortnight ago, i could have told you that it was a lovely show. what a shame, i could have saved you a bit of heartache there... still, glad it's all sorted now.

Awitch, REALLY!!! Damn it! We knew that it had gone out to the press but werent allowed to see any of it other than the clips on C4. Thankfully we are still in contact with the director and he was able to put Chris's mind at ease, but still not the same as actually seeing it.

We are off to see the Talbot House crew next month as we are up that way. Really looking forward to meeting Bernie. Have spoken to her on the phone and she is lovely. We have regular letters from Oscar with updates and The Mustard Tree also phone from time to time. We are currently waiting on the Xmas present list :o

oh that is lovely, you both came across beautifully, i thought, and your wee baby is edible. how does Chris feel about the show? it put him through some pretty personal stuff i thought.

Can I just ask, without spoiling anything, but how much of it is engineered? I like to know the ins and outs of shows!! Did Chris get have a rough idea of the places he was going to visit before hand? and do the people really not have a clue who they are meeting? I just wonder about it because its been on for afew years now. You would expect people to have an inkling.

I have to say, Ive seen them all and this was my favourite one. Thats why I started the post!!

When Chris left here he had no idea where in the country he was going. He found out when he was over half way there!

He had no idea what charities he would be visiting although they had been researched along with others as they dont always know which are the ones they will use. They may visit 6 or so in total. It is down to the SM to decide who they wish to give money to and how much. There is a minimum level which i think is £40k but it really is totally up to them as to what they give.

The charities will know something but i guess it depends on what the research team have told them, if that makes sense. I dont want to say too much as to how they set it up as it might take away from it a little. All i will say is that a lot of time and i mean months, is spent researching an area/charities.

I think some do have an inkling and iirc one that Chris saw thought it might be SM so they didnt go back!!

So, on that basis, if a charity has someone come in and they think it might be the SM crew then DONT say anything or you could ruin your chances of some much needed cash :o

thats what I thought, especially when the SM does charity work with the people, you cant do that without a CRB check and that takes months to go through.

Well, Im pleased its not that set up, obviously it has to be partly.

Which area was that of Manchester? I was thinking Crumpsall.

Well done to you all, Ive never seen it written up so much in the tv guide, usually theres some sarky comment about it but not last weeks!!

I think he went to Moston...

The charities really dont have any idea that the person coming in is form the SM. Bernie said she was so shocked that he was a M as he wsa so SIMPLE.... PMSL :o She did later say that she meant in the way he dressed etc etc

I sent him off with pretty much an entire Primark wardrobe :). His coat was £6 in the sale and his tops were either primark or on special offer from burtons. His watch was a £5'er from argos. Not that he has a designer wardrobe, as neither of us do! We go to the states every year and stock up in the outlets and go to Abercrombie to get a few nice bits and pieces because its cheaper than here!

Things are a lot calmer in the house now that its been aired and we are now looking forward to staying in contact with the charities. Chris has been asked to become a patron of Talbot House :o

April, Chris was fantastic. I sobbed as usual.

I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I'd like to contact Oscar. I've got some bikes that the childern have outgrown & I thought Oscar (or another charity) could make use of them. Better than sending them to the tip. Any idea's?