Templar's Night with the Stars!

Yes, we were there at The Specsavers National Book Awards last night!

Jonny Duddle and his lovely wife, Jane
Libby Hamilton - Jonny's editor
Tamlyn Francis - Jonny's agent
Mike McGrath - Templar's MD
Jayne Roscoe - Templar's Press Officer

looking dead glam in our posh frocks and smart suits  as we made our way into the Mandarin Oriental hotel on Knightsbridge.

The Pirate's Next Door was on the shortlist for best Children's Book.  We had a feeling that if David Walliams showed up then he was more than likely going to win this category (and he did show up and he did win!)

Tamlyn and Jonny - still standing

Before we got down to the serious business of the awards themselves, there were canapes and  fizzy stuff to be downed, celebrities to spot and photo's in the special spacelab to be done.   We're not quite sure what happened to Tamlyn and Libby in the last photo - rumour has it that they fell off the stool.

Libby and Jane Duddle

I had to go and tell Caitlin Moran that I loved her writing and have given her book to all my friends.  She let out a great whoop, gave me a huge hug and nearly fell off her amazing bright green stacked heels.

Jayne and Caitlin Moran

From then on it was a straight celeb fest!  Compared bakes with  Mary Berry - looking lovely in a gold sequin jacket, shared photo's with the lovely Liz Pichon and said hello to Ben Cort.  Saw Gok Wan tell the waitress serving mini-spring rolls that his dad made the best ones (Mr Wan snr looked delighted!).  Kathy Lette, Ian and Victoria Hislop were huddled in a corner whilst Miranda Hart and Clare Balding were seeing who was the tallest of the two.  Such fun.

Spotted our arch rival, David Walliams and asked if I could take his photo - and before I knew it, his pr had pushed me next to him and taken the photo.   He is very tall!

Then it was off into the ballroom for the actual awards ceremony - with cheers all round for each of the nominations and applause for the winners.  We then got down to the serious business of continuing the celebrations which went on to around midnight.  

Then it was time to go home - and as we spilled out into the cold night air something strange had happened, we all found ourselves wearing our Sponsor's products .....