A few weeks ago I saw a post here on Tumblr that Allen Leech and Rob James Collier were going to be at the Apple Store on Regent Street in London on 31st October. I remember completely fangirling and freaking out, partly because of this and partly because new pictures of Tom Hiddleston at the BFI Film Awards had been released. That was a good day.
As some of you Downtonians may remember i made a fanbook for the Downton cast last January and got to give it to Allen and Sophie (McShera) at the National Televison Awards. One of the best nights of my life!!
As soon as i found out that there could be a possibility of meeting Allen again and Rob James Collier i immediately text my friend Becky asking if she wanted to go as she had been meaning to watch Downton for a while but had never got around to it. She said yes and the Monday before the 31st we had a Downton Marathon from the beginning of series 1. We got to episode 7 of series 1 before she had to go so i demanded that she take them with her and watch them before Wednesday.
When Wednesday came i was so excited and met Becky on the train where we took the two hour train journey to London. On the train she informed me that we would have to get the 7.40 train home so therefore couldnt stay for all of the Q&A or to meet Allen and Rob afterwards which i was a little sad about but not as sad as i would have been if i hadnt met him back in January although i did wish to get a proper pic as my camera didnt work when i met him back then. I was however just glad that i got to be in the same room as two of the most hottest actors from the show. We later found out that Rob couldnt stay to sign autographs as he had to go and record Alan Carr. Watching the interview he done on the following Friday was funny having been in the same room as him only a few hours before, and ofcourse you can imagine i fangirled alot when i saw both Rob and Sophie together as id met them both in the space of a year!
Once arriving in London we got on the tube to Oxford Circus and finally found the Apple Store after about twenty minutes of walking(we took the wrong exist from the tube so ended up the other side and therefore had to walk a while looking at shop numbers until we finally stumbled on it.)
We finally found it and went inside. Wow it was massive. A whole two story store full of Apple Mac products ranging from Apple Mac`s,Ipads,Ipods and Iphones!
From talking to other Downtonians who went to the Hugh Bonneville and Joanne Froggatt Q&A the week before( i was gutted i couldnt go as i had to attend a coure in the morning and didnt think id get there in time, turned out i would have) we got told that the Q&A would be upstairs at the back of the shop where there would be seats and a stage with tv screens set out.
When we arrived at about 2 o clock we went straight upstairs to see if there was anyone waiting. There wasnt. Instead i suggested we went shopping and then came back. We went and got some lunch and browsed round Hamley`s for an hour(such big kids we are).
At around 3 o clock we went back, there was still no one queing instead there were presentations and demenstrations going on throughtout the day before the Downton Q&A at 6.30.
We wasted 3 hours in the Apple Store watching Downton interviews and browsing Tumblr(we i was anyway, Becky was watching Daisy and William fanvideos) on the ipads. I love them and wouldnt mind one myself but thats presides the point.
At 6 o clock we realised that people had started queing so we went and stood in the que, good job we qued when we did otherwise we wouldnt have got a seat. I got talking to a couple of Downton fans in the que, one who was wearing her You can always go to Downton t shirt which was awesome and carrying a little Sylvanian Family of Michelle since the success of Dollshouse Downton which she told me had already met Phylis Logan and Lesley Nicol at The Chelternham Literary Festival the weekend before.
By now the que was starting to get longer and we was lucky enough to just get a seat at the side so we could get out when we had to leave.
Luckily enough the girl sitting next to me had to leave around the same time as me and Becky as she was going to see Singin in the Rain on the West End. I got talking to her and found out that she was from America and had literally come here for the Q&A and because she was studying in London. We talked about the show and our favourite characters and about what we thought they would both be wearing. I also told her that i had met Allen and Sophie back in January which her and her friend freaked out i over, i showed her the video and she freaked out over the wink and ofcourse everytime i watch it i fangirl too so we spent the morjoraity of five minutes fangirling.
A few minutes later at about 6:30 the interviewer came out and said that Rob and Allen would be out in a few minutes. Before they came out they showed the trailer for series 3 to catch up.
At 6.45 Allen and Rob came out Rob dressed in dark jeans, trainers and a blue denim shirt and Allen dressed in jeans and a blazer with brown shoes. Both looked absolutely gorgeous as always.
They each shook the interviewers hand and sat down. We got the best few of Rob rather than Allen although i did get a few good pics of Allen too.
The Q&A started with them talking about the show and both of their characters with Rob being funny as hell making the audience being constantly in fits of giggles, especially with his impression of Dame Maggie Smith. Allen was equally funny doing an impression of the tweets he got from fangirls after the dreaded event that happened in episode six saying in his gorgeous irish accent “I cant, i just cant. Branson why, my ship” was brilliant!
They then showed some clips of the show and Rob and Allen looked at each other,jumped off the stage and sat in the front row and watched the clips with us.
I love there Bromance!
Once the clips had been shown both continued answering questions and at around 7.10 the questions were open to the floor at this point we unfortunately had to take our leave and go and get the train.
I came out of the Apple Store on such a high that night, still not beleiving that i`d been in the same room as both Rob James Collier and Allen Leech!
An amazing night which just makes me realise that I would love to be the one up there intervewing them!
Looking forward to hearing the full podcast to see what other questions they got asked.
<3
