Ye Havnae Heard The Last of Shughie McFee

My Dear Princess and Dear Fellow,

It is the three-day Waitangi weekend here in Aotearoa. I started the day with high ambitions to edit a podcast but then reality happened and I have accomplished eff all. 

There's always tomorrow.

Actually, it has been a very nice and relaxing day. I just came in to write this blip, having spent ten minutes sitting in the driveway with DG and her friend Smokey the Cat from next door*.

Caro and I also spent a portion of the day watching the tv show Nolly. Caro heard about it on an Instagram account she follows called "Camperama" which should tell you the flavour of the show. I learned about it independently while Googling something recommended by Fat Pete.

"Nolly" tells the story of actress Noele Gordon, who you may remember played Meg Mortimer in the erstwhile soap "Crossroads". A show more famous for being cr*p than for anything else. 

My nan LOVED that show. She would sit, cigarette in hand, and complain about everyone in it. So it is more correct to say that my nan loved hating that show. I remember watching it with her - the big dramatic cliffhangers at the end, where someone would deliver a big dramatic line, then the music would soar and everyone would blink at the camera until the adverts came on. 

As well as Meg Mortimer, there were other memorable characters on "Crossroads" that I came to know through my nan. There was the kindly Miss Diane, the kindly but stern Miss Luke, the bounder Adam Chance and Benny with his woolly hat. 

But my favourite was comedy Scottish chef Shughie McFee who was always waving his spatula around and raging about the lack of fresh ingredients, while wearing a massive comedy chef's hat.

Hence: "Camperama".

So "Nolly" was quite a nostalgic watch for me. Caro did not really remember the show but she really enjoyed Helena Bonham-Carter as Nolly. It really was campy and funny and touching. Nolly herself came across as a lovely character, a strong and talented woman brought down by insecure men. 

What I didn't know was how loved she was by everyone who worked with her. I always assumed she was some horrific diva because weren't they all? 

But in fact her on-screen family referred to her as "mum" off camera as well, and there were stories of how kind she was to the crew and extras. She was also great pals with Larry Grayson (as played by Mark Gatiss). 

I would thoroughly recommend "Nolly" is what I'm saying. 

But my FAVOURITE part of the show was the appearance of Shugie McFee who gets to flounce in, wearing his HUGE chef's hat and announce, "Ye havnae heard the last of Shughie McFee!"

Ah, the programme was worth it for that moment alone.

S.

* Smokey may be DG's friend, but he is Jasper's ARCH-NEMESIS. Jasper, who is pretty mellow with most cats, HATES Smokey with a passion. We do not know why.