# A bit of distraction?



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Just thought a light hearted thread might be needed so here goes

Things people might not know about me - 

I have been interviewed, live, on the radio twice.

I once bought a bag of horse food, for an underweight horse, and won a trip to Fiji to observe the work of World Horse Welfare.

Over to you


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yep Pat, I have been interviewed on Northampton local radio when we used to have the American RV show at Billing. Nothing came of them and no magic job offers.
I was in a big feature film as a 'head ' on a train in The Fourth Protocol. 

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I´m not sure if I have told you this before, but I used to be a call girl and was so good at it I instructed other females and males how to be call persons. >


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

My wife and her twin sister were Babysham and Cherry B girls at Olympia back in the 60s. One blonde and one dark.

Ray.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

raynipper said:


> My wife and her twin sister were Babysham and Cherry B girls at Olympia back in the 60s. One blonde and one dark.
> 
> Ray.


Ooh, is there a pic Ray??

I met the Queen, Prince Philip n Prince Charles - think it might have been Charles' first official outing. No conversation, just a handshake.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

There is one Jean but kinda buried till the next time she comes across it. They were in stripy sweaters as I remember.

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I hold an unofficial world record for the fastest row in a rowing boat from the west coast of Scotland to the East down the Caledonian Canal including Loch Ness (18 hours in the water). I also managed to get the Duke of Edinburgh to lose his rag and swear loudly.  (I will eek that one out if anyone is interested)


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

barryd said:


> I also managed to get the Duke of Edinburgh to lose his rag and swear loudly.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that very unusual Barry? (haha!!)


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

barryd said:


> I hold an unofficial world record for the fastest row in a rowing boat from the west coast of Scotland to the East down the Caledonian Canal including Loch Ness (18 hours in the water). I also managed to get the Duke of Edinburgh to lose his rag and swear loudly.  (I will eek that one out if anyone is interested)


Go on, look it out, gives you something to do.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

JanHank said:


> Go on, look it out, gives you something to do.


I have probably told the story before but ill try and keep it brief. Long story short I got invited to crew on a sigma 38 racing yacht in an international race at Cowes week. I think it was 1995. I stayed on the boat for a few days and had a great time but the day of the race we ended up racing neck and neck with the Duke for ages. At every buoy we would be nicking in just before him but it did seem like everyone was out to get him, boats carving him up on purpose, even spectator power boats.

He had a crew of 10 fit young Navy types and we had a crew of booze filled nutters but we had some pro sailors within those ranks and pretty much every time we had the edge until his frustration got the better of him and he tried to do a dangerous undertake right on top of a buoy. I was helming at that exact time and shouted across "WATER!" which basically means "can you just feck off old chap and get out of the way". he had to give way and lost the wind and his temper. You could hear him shouting and cursing as we raced away.

We never saw him again until the finish, he must have took the hump and taken a different route back to the finish line which was right where Britannia was moored. All the dignitaries and a few other Royals lined up on the deck to see Philip being pipped at the post by a bunch of pissed up louts. :lol: We never got invited aboard for drinks oddly but we did somehow come 7th out of 40 boats and were the second British boat over the line.

EDIT: Forgot to add. I think it was his last race, he packed up after that.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

What a wonderful life you have had Barry, you have probably notched up more spectacular memories than most of us.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

He hasn't finished yet Jan. Don't depress him.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I will reword it then.

What a wonderful life you have had Barry, you have probably notched up more spectacular memories than most of us.

Get off your arris and start planning the next adventure


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## bc109 (Sep 17, 2016)

barryd said:


> EDIT: Forgot to add. I think it was his last race, he packed up after that.


We sailors don't like louts in boats, so well done !
Bill


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

I had a date with one Andrew Newton many, many years ago. I was awaiting a second invitation when I opened a newspaper, saw his face splashed all over it as the man who had been hired to shoot Norman Scott (the Jeremy Thorpe saga) but shot his Great Dane instead. Lucky escape methinks! 
Also my GP last year informed me that I had contracted, in the past, Lyme Disease but had recovered from it. Still trying to work that one out. I don’t ever remember having any symptoms.
Linda


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Met lots of stars while hiring our RVs out to film location companies. But am reminded every day of Robert Wagner as he bought be a super leaving present from Tiffany's New York. It's a solid gold money clip in the shape of a large paper-clip.

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

JanHank said:


> What a wonderful life you have had Barry, you have probably notched up more spectacular memories than most of us.


And I left out the bit about drinking Pimms on the back of a boat with a young Katherine Zeta Jones in a bikini (her in the bikini, not me).


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

barryd said:


> And I left out the bit about drinking Pimms on the back of a boat with a young Katherine Zeta Jones in a bikini (her in the bikini, not me).


I loved her in Darlings Buds of May, I thought she could have done a lot better than Michael Douglas, you for instance >


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

I once dropped a fart so bad at a big business exhibition that it not only cleared my company stand but the 2 adjacent ones and one opposite.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

barryd said:


> I have probably told the story before but ill try and keep it brief. Long story short I got invited to crew on a sigma 38 racing yacht in an international race at Cowes week. I think it was 1995. I stayed on the boat for a few days and had a great time but the day of the race we ended up racing neck and neck with the Duke for ages. At every buoy we would be nicking in just before him but it did seem like everyone was out to get him, boats carving him up on purpose, even spectator power boats.
> 
> He had a crew of 10 fit young Navy types and we had a crew of booze filled nutters but we had some pro sailors within those ranks and pretty much every time we had the edge until his frustration got the better of him and he tried to do a dangerous undertake right on top of a buoy. I was helming at that exact time and shouted across "WATER!" which basically means "can you just feck off old chap and get out of the way". he had to give way and lost the wind and his temper. You could hear him shouting and cursing as we raced away.
> 
> ...


Crew of 10? What boat was he in - certainly not 'Bloodhound' which he was racing in our day.

Geoff


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

nicholsong said:


> Crew of 10? What boat was he in - certainly not 'Bloodhound' which he was racing in our day.
> 
> Geoff


It says the bloodhound was sold in 1969 so I don´t think it was that one, Barry was still in nappies.
Shows how old you are Geoff :grin2:

_In 1969 Bloodhound was sold by the royal family and Bloodhound then effectively retired from racing._


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> Crew of 10? What boat was he in - certainly not 'Bloodhound' which he was racing in our day.
> 
> Geoff


Well a Sigma 38 Geoff. It was the Sigma 38 class race.

Could well have been this one Yeoman. In fact now Ive seen that pic Im pretty sure it was green.

https://www.paimages.co.uk/image-details/2.21276890

The boat we were on was described to me by its manager as if it had been a car it would be Damien Hills F1. He was paid full time to look after it and think it won the fastnet in its class three years running or something. I did my night time RYA skippers certificate in it in the middle of the night after six pints of Stella. 

I met up with him in the Marina Bar at Hamble as I was the only one kipping on the yacht and we had a few beers. Right at the same time I was doing my skippers certificate at college and he became quite interested then and offered as a qualified yachtmaster to go out across to the Isle of wight to complete my four hour night time nav exam. I said yeah ok and off we went. The Solant at night is a scary place though in a small boat (Well it felt massive in the marina) and there were Sea Cats , Hovercrafts and huge ships looming everywhere and they dont half shift. I loved it and got my exam book signed off.


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Three years running we were invited down to the BBC outside broadcast for the Children in Need Night. Dressed as Batman and Robin on a ferry on the Mersey, Open All Hours at Manchester BBC on Oxford Road and as Little Britain Characters Andy and Lou on the North Pier Blackpool. Each time we were interviewed live.

Also appeared on The Late Late Breakfast Show as American Footballers attempting the Double Bed Challenge, a contestant on Red or Black with Ant & Dec.

Dave


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Many years ago when I still had legs shaped like Coke bottles and long blond hair, I was offered a job in a club as a gogo dancer. I declined- being an aspiring bank manager it would definitely have been a career limiting move!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Three deer just ran off our land this am and across the field. They surprised me as much as I surprised them.

Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I once got VERY close indeed to having a punch up with Ian Botham whilst I was escorting him on one of his charity walks. There was a huge queue of traffic behind him I wanted to clear, he refused point blank to stop and let them go telling me that I was only there to do what HE said!
An extremely obnoxious and arrogant individual (him not me) 
He didn’t get to do another walk through Dorset! 

Andy


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Mrplodd said:


> I once got VERY close indeed to having a punch up with Ian Botham whilst I was escorting him on one of his charity walks. There was a huge queue of traffic behind him I wanted to clear, he refused point blank to stop and let them go telling me that I was only there to do what HE said!
> An extremely obnoxious and arrogant individual (him not me)
> He didn't get to do another walk through Dorset!
> 
> Andy


Lives in the next village, used to see him in the pub a lot. your description is about spot on.


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## rws4711 (Mar 27, 2012)

Some years ago I was on an airplane with Ian Botham and another guy 1 row back. Both guys were totally pissed , swearing the whole time and talking very loudly.
As I am not much of a cricket fan I didn’t even know who he was until the person sitting next to me told me.
Certainly not a gentleman.


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