Agency's retail chief recalls 'surreal' Jeff Goldblum encounter at Baftas
Harry KembleFred Olsen Travel’s retail director Paul Hardwick has recounted to TTG his and his colleagues’ "surreal" encounter with Hollywood superstar Jeff Goldbum at the Baftas at the weekend.
Hardwick was one of more than 100 agents invited by Baftas headline sponsor P&O Cruises to the prestigious awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday (12 May).
“I had never been to anything like that before,” Hardwick told TTG. “It was one of the most surreal days I’ve ever had. We were just mingling with the celebrities – it was so different from real life.”
Hardwick and colleagues Gemma Hopkins and Emily Jacobs, who both work in Fred Olsen Travel’s Felixstowe branch, approached Goldblum on the red carpet.
Hardwick said Goldblum, who earned Hollywood legend status for his roles in Independence Day and Jurassic Park, was “very approachable”. “I think all of us wanted to meet celebrities, but we got one of the top ones with Jeff – we were all trying to be respectful.”
Hardwick said his colleague Jacobs was particularly awe-struck as she often pays for a ticket to attend the National Television Awards in autumn.
Besides Goldblum, the Fred Olsen Travel group – which also included Go Cruise & Travel franchisees Jane Chadwick and Lizzy Johnson – saw actor David Tennant from afar.
Hardwick said he was “so pleased” to see Floella Benjamin accept her Bafta fellowship at the ceremony. “Her presenting Play School was my childhood in the 80s,” he added.
Advantage Travel Partnership’s senior commercial manager Jonny Peat and head of commercial John Sullivan joined the army of agents who attended the glitzy bash.
Elsewhere, Cathy Oldfield and Janet Whittingham from Travel Counsellors; Tui’s Dan Wishart and Jay Carson; and Cruise.co.uk’s Chloe Hughes and Nick Watts were also part of P&O Cruises group.
Rob Scott, P&O Cruises' sales and marketing vice-president, and the line's sales director Ruth Venn were pictured throughout the day alongside staff from agency partners.
Venn said: “We're incredibly proud of our partnership with the Baftas and we love inviting our agent partners to enjoy the experience with us.
"I spoke to lots of agents who were so excited to be there, it really is a money can't buy experience."
She added: "Being a member of Shine Rewards Club and engaging with our training will create opportunities like this for agents."
Last year. P&O Cruises announced its sponsorship of Baftas and revealed it would present a new award voted for by the public. The Memorable Moment Award – the only gong at the awards voted for by the public – is part of the line's multi-year deal with Baftas.
Harry Kemble
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