AnnieB, this will be the first series of scd I've watched since
Mark Ramprakash was in it and won of course. He was so shy and nervous
but I thought he was brilliant. Wow that was a few years ago now and before
I discovered the lovely Lee on ADWD of course and believe it or not I didn't
start watching that until halfway through, I only wish I had had a computer
at that time as I would have been able to have kept up with all the news
from the forum if I had. Just think of all the lovely theatre visits,
concerts etc I would have missed if I hadn't eventually decided to watch
ADWD at the time.

I actually trained under Frank and Peggy Spencer who were very well
known dancers at the time and was asked to join their formation team dancers,
but I met my husband so gave the dancing up as it would have taken up
too much of my time, and he couldn't dance bless him. He was so worth
it though.

From her tweets, Denise is looking forward to meeting Chris Evans on The One Show tonight!

@denise_vanouten: "I'm looking forward to challenging Chris Evans on why he thinks I don't deserve a place on Strictly."

Should be interesting!

Oh I remember watching those formations teams Maggiemay, it was all about dresses with lots and lots of tulle in those days wasn't it (I must be getting old ). My mother loved watching those dancing programmes and I used to watch with her.

I remember 'Come Dancing' - they had teams of dancers representing different counties/regions. Each team danced in pairs, but they also had formation dances as well. If memory serves, the show was presented by Terry Wogan.

In other news, the ALW computer game is released today:-

LINKY THING

I wonder if Lee is one of the singers on it?

There is a lovely photo of Lee taken with a lovely young lady posted
on her twitter account @CaitlinChang_LH apparently taken 2 years ago.
She posted it on twitter page last night.

Yes, I came across that Maggiemay!

Here's the link for anyone who may be interested:

https://twitter.com/CaitlinChang_LH/status/246408223383490561/photo/1

And here's some more photos of Denise with Betsy from their recent holiday in Thailand.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2203204/Denise-Van-Outen-mini-daughter-hit-beach-matching-polka-dots-heading-home-Strictly.html

These were published today in the Daily Mail who apparently think that Denise popped out to Thailand yesterday - really? Between filming the Strictly launch on Wednesday and appearing live on The One Show today? Methinks the Mail needs better researchers!

Betsy is so cute! She's definitely a mini-Mead!

Thanks Greycat I like the blue better than the other colour,I agree Jo she certainly is a Mini Mead I reckon that is why Lee says he is going to pick Mini Mead up,we knew she was like Lee but until these pics in Thailand I didn't realise how like him she is with all his lovely curls

Daily Mirror interview with Denise:-

LINKY THING

The 'tabloid speak' is classic - Chris Evans' comment has become 'jibes' and Denise has 'hit back' rather than responded!

Prima Baby
This month I am really enjoying the back to work feeling.I had a really relaxing summer,and spent lots of time with Betsy,but it is quite nice to remember what I do for a living!I have a TV show coming up and a one woman theatre show next year,it has musical elements,all of which are written by Kylie's team, so it is going to sound amazing.
From now until Xmas my schedule is going to be flat out,but as long as I book time off to spend with Betsy,and I am able to keep her routine as regular as poossible,I will manage to keep the stress under control,I like to be organised and feel as though I am in conrol of things,and there's no one quite like a Mum for multi-tasking.
Betsy is just beginning to get an understanding of what Lee and I do.Sometimes when I say'Daddy is working'she will say 'oh Daddy singing Mummy?' I think she thinks all Dads sing for a living!Lee's great with Betsy and has endless patience for play.A bit too much sometimes.I've spent ages trying to scrub her painting table clean of the crayons and paints they got out this afternoon!
Betsy has a trip to the dentist soon.I am taking her with me when I next go so she can see what it is all about.I also like to buy her books about new situations,so she can read about her favourite characters doing something before she has a go at it.she is growing up every day.She has really gone off her milk,which I have suspected for sometime she has only been drinking for comfort.They grow up so fast.
I have just bought Betsy and myself a pair of Poca boots little sheepskin boots,Betsy is such a girl she loves tassles and detailing.
I am reading Topsy and Tim go to the dentist to Betsy so she won't feel nervous.The series is great for occasions like this.
Well I think that's it for now-have a great October!
Love Denise and Betsy xx

Thanks, Acer! Lovely read.

Pleasure PKP

Aww, cute! I love the idea of Lee and Betsy getting a bit too over-enthusiastic with the paints!

Thanks acer, as usual. It's lovely to have a little glimpse into the Mead's family life. Betsy is lucky to have such caring parents.

Thanks AnnieB,she certainly is a lucky little girl,and she sounds as though she is a lovely little girl

Thanks for your monthly update Acer!

Much appreciated

Ditto from me too

Thank you ladies,it is no trouble

Thanks Acer. My little grandson is the same age as Betsy. hey are so entertaining at that age. It passes so quicky.

Panto launch....White shirt with billowy sleeves, tight black trousers! Have died and gone to heaven!!

I think that merits a thread of its own, Cassie!

You are right Liz. Too good to be hidden away!

Just catching up on the forum tonight so thanks for the Prima Baby article acer.

Thank you for the Betsy updates, Acer, I love reading those!

I just had some amazing feedback on the 'Love Songs' CD which really made my day. I had the car picked up by Kwikfit this morning to get it MOT'ed and the guy who brought it back said that he loved the CD! (I always have Lee on in the car, and at the moment it's LS) He wanted to know all about it and kept saying how great it is. Which, of course, we all know. But it's nice to hear it from somebody else. And a man, no less! He's off now to see if he can buy it anywhere. Fingers crossed.

Asher, I think Love Songs is only available to buy on-line. Certainly Amazon still have it in stock. I hope your mechanic manages to find a copy - always nice to hear of a new convert

Thank acer, its nice to keep hearing about Betsy. I'm imagining Lee on the floor while she is drawing at her desk, aw I bed he's a lovely dad.

LOL Asher, well done! Go back and tell him to look on Amazon

I see Lee has won a blog poll for 'Favourite Wicked London Fiyero':

@TheToniHeath: "@leemeadofficial wins your favourite @wickedlondon Fiyero with 64%. @MarkHEvans comes 2nd & @mattjwillis finishes 3rd."

I know these polls don't mean much (the blogger puts them up to increase hits on his site) but congrats to Lee anyway!

I just came across this article with Denise (there's a lot about due to her involvement in SCD!):

http://www.parentdish.co.uk/celebrity/denise-van-outen-i-was-selfish-before-i-became-a-mum/

There's a little mention of how Lee keeps in touch with Betsy while in LA: "She misses him but has chats on Skype with him regularly. Although it's hard explaining that suddenly daddy isn't in the computer anymore when we switch him off!"

Thanks Greycat that is something else I wouldn't have seen if you hadn't posted it,much appreciated

This is very OT, but I thought it worth posting as the strangest news story of the day!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2212535/Sarah-Brightman-outbids-NASA-join-space-expedition.html

Sarah Brightman in space! I can't believe anyone would pay £30 million for a trip into space - doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm not the adventurous type

Well, she did lose her heart to a Starship Trooper!

She is welcome,does not appeal to me at all

The phrase 'more money than sense' springs to mind.

The phrase 'more money than sense' springs to mind!

Does anyone know if the twitter page @LeeMeadFans has been closed only
I tried to click onto it but a message came up that there was a problem.
Only it had quite a few followers.

Thanks maggiemay

That account seems to be gone, Maggie. Unless they've changed the name.

I rarely venture into Facebook so don't really know my way around there but I did come across this cute pic of Lee today - everybody esle has no doubt already seen it!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=106908946133725&set=a.106908942800392.12246.100004438600486&type=1&theater

Taken, I think, during the photo shoot on the Embankment for 'Love Songs' .

That is a cute photo!

From someone not on Facebook, thank you, Greycat - a lovely fun pic. I wonder what else is out there ......

The pic makes me think of Basil Fawlty! But with shorter legs

I am sorry to say I haven't got a report about Betsy this month as Denise has not done her article,now whether she has finished with PB will have to wait and see what happens next month

Thanks for letting us know acer. Maybe she's taking a break from PB while she is involved with Strictly.

Thanks LynneD that is what I was thinking

I came across this montage of Highlights from the Broadway production of 'Chaplin' - I'd love to see Lee cast as Charlie if the show comes across to the West End:-

LINKY THING

Really? I can't see him as Charlie Chaplin at all, but it does look like an interesting show.

From Twitter, I see that Lee was on the radio this morning:

@TheBreeze_107: "David here! The show is a cake tin full of goodies today including Strictly star Lisa Riley, and Leading man Lee Mead!" http://ow.ly/i/12piF

Presumably a recorded interview since he's in New Year at the moment. Anyone catch it?

It appears that Craig Chalmers, former 'touring' Joseph, has decided to take his career in a new direction:

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/former-joseph-star-dropped-from-panto-over-secret-life-as-porn-actor-1-2595238

I'm saying nothing