If you were skiving a day off work, then you may have seen my abode on 'Through The Keyhole' with Sir David Frost. It was a bit of fun really. Lisa Snowdon (lovely gal) came round with the crew to film my home and then Sir David had to pop over for tea at a later date because I couldn't make the studio day. My mom got quite giddy about that bit! He was a very lovely man and we had a great chat, with my mom offering endless cups of tea and cakes!
As I am writing this I am sitting on board a plane ( nothing new in that). However I am slightly jaded after returning from a 70's party in Holland - I think it will take me a week to recover. It is times like this that I realise that I’m not as sprightly as I used to be and my bounce is slightly deflated!! I am not really a drinker and I can't drink when I am working as my schedule is just too hectic, so my poor body gets giddy over a couple of glasses. Anyway it was fun at the time!
Recently I spent a few fabulous days in New York with my parents and my boyfriend. It was my Christmas present to them and a little bit to myself! I love to spend time with my folks: they are really funny and very relaxed so they make travel buddies and our Manhattan experience was over far too quickly. We had all been before so didn't do the obvious trips; we had those covered so we spent time at places that we had found and really liked over the years. What I am alluding to is that we ate our way around the big fat apple!
We began in Carmines at Times Square, a really typical New York eaterie with an atmosphere to match and we were looked after by a New Yorker who grew up in Greenwich Village. A few beers later and we were back to the hotel looking forward to a sleep, we arrived early evening so we were ready for some rest. My work schedule on the run up to the trip had been relentless, so I was shattered.
Energized though by the prospect of hanging out in New York we were up and away the next morning. The subway is the fastest way to get about and we found it so cheap and easy to use. We went to SoHo and had a long lunch at Balthaazar followed by the obvious bout of shopping!
Then we dined at Robert DeNiro's restaurant in Tribecca, which my dad particularly enjoyed. We laughed all day and all evening and I treasured every moment.
We took in the Gugenheim museum, lunch at the Boat House in Central Park, live music in Lower west Bronx, Grand Central Station and my favourite area, Greenwich Village. All that in three days and it was sheer bliss.
Twelve months after my trip to A & E because of a cycling accident with Jason whilst filming last year, I was back signing in to hospital because, yep, you guessed it, another cycling accident. We were racing, well, racing bikes, around Sandown Go-Karting track when Jase had a problem with his and went crashing into me. I, went flying up and over the handlebars... nice. We were thankfully wearing helmets and thank goodness because mine sported two very nasty dents after the crash which I am not certain my skull would have taken too kindly to. So off we hobbled like two old so and so's to get fixed up. Both of us are fine, just very battered and bruised and I have a light whiplash, but I think it might be the last time that Jase and I race bikes against each other on the show, and I’m quite happy about that!
Just when I thought the pain was over.... another accident. No need for panic, everyone is fine, but my legs are sporting some pretty spectacular bruises. We were on one of our wild challenges and I had a disagreement with a quad bike so it jumped on me, well sort of! I hit a couple of bumps and was thrown off and believe me quad bikes are heavy, especially when they are electric and lying on your leg! Luckily the only thing that smashed was the quad... says something about my legs I think!
We welcome a new face to the show. Dallas Campbell has joined the team. Poor Dallas was right behind me when I was thrown off the quad and he described it as the most terrifying thing he had ever seen... welcome to the show Dallas!
Jase and I spent the funniest day participating in a gadget sports day. We played table, Wii and robot football, horse riding simulators, rowing machines and swimming training aids. We then took to a golf course in our extra special golf buggies, Jase on a segway and me in a mini Californian roadster, dressed as caddies to help our golfing pro's with the use of gadgets! It's a funny show, I hope you like it.
We have been testing all kinds of kit on the show and the bosses have decided to add an extra 9 shows, so we are now on series 9, series 10 coming in the Autumn.
I have recently agreed to work with British-owned leathers manufacturer BKS - a prestigious premium leathers brand that was recently acquired by the Frank Thomas Group. The professionalism, British heritage and quality of BKS products have tempted me to become involved with this exclusive brand.
I will be collaborating with the design team to address fashion and practical matters for a ladies' range planned for 2009. The aim is to ensure that female riders are able to buy well-made, flattering British motorcycle clothing.
To be involved with this project at such an early stage of its development is really exciting for me. I was present at Claridges with James Toseland earlier this year, in which the Frank Thomas Group announced its plans for BKS, so I was able to witness the high levels of interest first-hand. I'm looking forward to being able to have an input into the design rather than just endorsing a finished product by wearing it. I’m also hoping that I will have a signature range that could include casual jackets for non-bikers
BKS is represented in racing by Britain's leading motorcycle racer James Toseland. The 27-year-old is the first professional motorcycle racer ever in the history of BKS to wear the company's leathers. He is also the only rider on the grid protected by a British brand.
As the only BKS-supported rider, the double World Superbike Champion has had a large amount of input into the fit and design aspects of his suit. I’m in good company.
My dear friend and godfather Melville Galley has sadly been diagnosed with cancer. As a child growing up 'Uncle Mel' was my guitar wielding hero. He played for a band called Trapeze and was managed by my father. He then played with Whitesnake in the 1980's. But Mel is more than a rock star: he is a gentle giant among men. When I first moved to London in the early 90's he already lived there and took care of me and introduced me to all his friends, I knew no-one and he looked out for me and made sure that I always knew what I was doing! He was the first person to help me make a showreel when Channel 4 were asking to see me in vision, we went to the top of Primrose Hill and tried to put something together. I wasn't successful that time, but it was the first time I had done any presenting to camera and Mel was the first to film me. In the early 90's he always wore the softest worn in Levi's, which I loved and by co-incidence they fitted me a treat, so I would buy him new jeans and he would pass on his old pairs to me, I thought I looked the bees knees!
Mels' guitar playing career was cut short by an accident when he was at the height of his fame in Whitesnake: he's a brilliant guitarist and a gorgeous person, a wonderful friend of our family and we all love him very much. He recently celebrated his 60th birthday in his home town of Cannock and friends Glenn Hughes and Chris Evans came to celebrate. All our love and thoughts are with Mel and his lovely wife Annette each day. xxx
