Last week found me stuck in a studio rehearsing like a wild person, hour after hour. But what was I rehearsing for?... Something that I never thought I would be rehearsing for again since the days of entering talent shows at school - a dance routine!...

When I got a call asking me if I wanted to be dressed as a skeleton at this year's Glastonbury & dance behind Kate Nash during the skeleton song I squealed with delight, having been good friends with Kate for a couple of years I thought it was a genius plan of hers to ensure all her chums got to come to Glasto with her & had visions of us all jumping up  & down, skipping around the stage having the best fun, similar to what we do when we're at her gigs or dancing in her living room! BUT, I realised when I got to the rehearsal studio last week that I was in fact quite wrong and that we were expected to produce a seriously impressive dance routine!??? I quite frankly, shat myself.... At the end of the day, I don't mind shaking my thang at a disco, but not so hot on the whole structured '5,6,7,8' type of routine.

"Don't you dare back out, just focus and learn it" Said Kate when I rang and expressed my concerns.

So there I was Friday morning, one of my best friend's was getting ready to open the pyramid stage at Glastonbury. It felt like her wedding and we were the weird skeleton bridesmaids... The sense of fear had left me & was replaced with pride. I will admit I had a little tear when I saw the thousands of people that had got up to come to sing along at 10.30am (ish). By the time it was time for my skeleton dancing debut, I was thoroughly in the swing of things & giggled my way through a whole '5,6,7,8' routine, dressed in a white afro wig, top hat and skeleton jumpsuit. I'm so glad I didn't back out, it was sooooo much fun!

Xx

P.S I then got on the train back to London, did my Big Ears show, where I was astonished to be discussing Dennis spitting in Mo's face....& John McCririck was in the studio.... then I went home for some sleep & got back on the train to Glasto the next morning, to watch Amy Winehouse and Jay Z!!!!!!! - I've had an amazing weekend, my body is aching though.

Like it or not, everyone knows what Big Brother is! Nearly all of those people have an opinion & it is just now that I'm realising just how prominent it is in our culture.

'Big Brother, that means summer, that means having fun & fancying girls!' Said a friend of mine, whilst discussing what BB signifies after such a long standing run of 9 years. It's absolutely true, the minute that eye appears on our TV screens even if it's hailing outside you feel of sense of British summer time nostalgia. This summer I'm co-presenting Ch4's first ever live radio show called 'Big Ears' with the legend that is Iain Lee. We launched last Thurs an hour before the house mates of BB9 entered. It was an awesome experience, standing on the steps outside the house with Davina was like an unknown fantasy coming true. I cannot wait to get stuck in. Big Brother is as HILARIOUS (get it?) as it is interesting. In tribute to the summer and trying something new I've hunted down the best bits from BB1 (Davina looks pretty much the same!)! Enjoy...

10 Things I'm looking forward to this summer (in no particular order):

1. I've been asked to be a skeleton & dance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury! I'm not 100% sure that I'll be able to do it, but watch this space & I'll let you know!!!

2. Putting together a proper picnic in a basket with smoked salmon and fancy cheese.

3. Boys with their tops off.

4. Bite, Bite, Bite - this includes capturing my trends & watching what the other's get up too!

5. One of my goddesses is a singer from Dallas called Erykah Badu who performs in the UK only about once a year is playing in London at the end of June, can't wait!

6. Another one of my goddesses is a friend of mine called Bri, she is taking a one woman show to Edinburgh festival this year called Aphrojamm, I love, love Edinburgh festival and will pop up in between 'Big Brother's Big Ears' shows.

7. Wearing flimsy clothing, that I hardly think about.

8. Jerk chicken on the BBQ!

9. BIG BROTHER'S BIG EAR'S! This includes interviewing the latest evictee at Elstree studios every Friday night.

10. Enjoying getting out of bed in the morning!!!

Gemma xX

One of my bestest friend's lives in the old town part of Hastings in a small and perfectly placed flat above the town's most popular restaurant, Lathams Brasserie. Lucky for us, this meant mattressed accommodation was provided for free in her lounge and also that we had the most exquisite tour guide.

This resulted in a fascinating couple of days...

Giddyness of sea air mixed with Cava on our late arrival on Fri ended up in all night chit chat and cheer before leisurely strolling up the West Hill to watch the sunrise. On Saturday we were really in the spirit of things and ate fish, chips and mushy peas for breakfast (well, it was 2 o' clock in the afternoon after all!). We then manically hunted out some seriously fantasy worthy furniture in the many fantastic antique shops. My boyfriend found a brass nutcracker in the shape of a dog as gift for his dog-loving previous boss, (he was probably the most chuffed I've ever seen him), and I created an entire imaginary period home filled with antique trinkets, an Art Deco desk, an Edwardian four poster bed and giant golden frames adorning the walls..... Ahhhh one day....

After some whelk eating on the seafront and a siesta, our exquisite tour guide set about gently convincing us to go to an amazing party.

Hastings is one of those places, that is not in yer face, but a definate underground and bohemiam lifestyle is easily accessible to those 'in the know' (e.g my friend that we were staying with)! So like two lost scruffy London foxes we got into taxi with her to a nearby area called St. Leonards to a 'surrealism' themed party taking place in a masonic hall. We arrived in a mind bogglingly quiet street where some giant white pillars marked the entrance to the hall, looming on outside steps were some visually extreme party goers dressed in a array of very thought out costumes that included a human red curtain, a sexy purple octopus complete with purple stockings to match, a naked 'Adam' (of Adam & Eve fame) wrapped in ivy and sporting a Chinese style parasol to shield his dangly bits from the non-existant sun and a very distant looking vintage bride. It was completely random to say the least and world's away from any kind of tacky costume shop attire, everything seemed to have a deeper artistic meaning and slightly eerier undertones to match. Inside, live poets performed amongst art instillations and people of all ages chatted in corners. In honesty, it took a while to 'get into the groove' yet it was compelling at the same time, just when I was feeling like Alice in Wonderland, I looked up to see a familiar face chuggin' on a fag on the steps outside. It was none other than Tom Chaplin (lead singer of Keane)??!! Fancy that? In a party so secret that that I wasn't allowed to take any pictures or film (trust me I tried my hardest to share this experience with you!). He then proceeded to play Oasis classics on the piano whilst everyone, including the purple octopus & red curtain sang along until the bar closed at 2am? Surreal to say the least. We retreated back home startled by our evening but glad to have experienced something utterly out of the ordinary.

Hastings is a wonderful place.

Oh and talking of new jobs.. Please check out mine...

www.channel4.com/bigbrother/news

Gemma xX

I write this blog sneakily in the corner of a studio where I am working on a three day photo shoot. We have eight models coming in a day to get their hair completely transformed by a team of super, serious hairdressers, who have traveled from popular
a popular Scottish chain of hairdresser's based in Glasgow called Rainbow Room International. It is my job, to make sure their outfits specifically fit the coiffure criteria. Rainbow Room International are competing in this year's prestigious 'British hairdressing awards' and every shot taken on this shoot is a potential entry to a specific award, e.g 'Best Scottish Hairdresser' or 'Best Colourist' etc... Therefore each shot is 100 percent hair-tastically crucial. I'm not sure I've ever seen such precision in curling, cutting, colouring and back - combing in my entire life (bearing in mind I've worked on a few photo shoots in my time)... It's quite fascinating. I just witnessed one model perch herself in front of the lense looking like Farah Fawcett after a few 'urmmms' & 'arrghhs' by the gurus with the brushes, the decision was made to volumise the look, within literal seconds she'd become Dolly Parton. Oh & how weird is this... I just sneakily text Laura to see whether she knew the 'Rainbow Room' in Glasgow .... She only gets her hair cut there! Another 'Bite' coincidence!?

Really got to get back to work now...another day, another garment.

Gemma
Xx

This is one of the models, waiting for her official turn in front of the camera blissfully unaware, she's texting away on a sofa in the corner of the studio...

Here she is again, on set...& I popped in there too, to show you how bloomin tall she is! If you look closely enough you'll spot the clip sticking out the back that I had used to pull it in about for the pictures (secret trick of the trade)!

I went to give a load of clothes to the Mystery Jets yesterday, they are currently on tour & needed some togs, urgently. 'Put it this way Kai has been living out the bottom of my suitcase for the past twelve days' said Blaine.... Arms laden with plastic bags from Beyond Retro, a few freebies from Lyle & Scott and this wicked new old skool leisure wear label that I've recently discovered called Farah, I came to the
rescue. Can I just say that they're new album is my current addiction. They're first two singles released from it 'Young Love' (featuring the lovely Laura Marling) & 'Two doors Down' are such fun, jig along, & wiggle your bum tracks.
Plus their latest video is jokes! Someone described it to me as the kind of video that at first your like, 'god this looks annoying...But then all of a sudden you're in hysterics & want to purchase a pastel suit!'...

Gem Xx

P.S Massive congratulations to both Zena & Ami, who will both be getting married this year!! Errr wow!... What a strange coincidence, I'm at that age where you kinda twiddle your thumbs, waiting for someone you know to be brave enough and be a 'proper' grown up & actually walk down the aisle for real (My friend's Laura & Kate did get married at Glastonbury last year, but that doesn't count). Now I know two people at once! I can't imagine getting married for like a squillion years, well maybe at Glastonbury actually?

Doggie paddling with my head just about above water in the deep end, I’ve found my life upturned and unexpectedly landed the role as the brand new ‘bite’ Girl! I usually spend my time salivating at a computer writing up a feature for Phamous69, an online mag I write for, or frantically unzipping a suitcase full of various designer clothes that I’ve tracked down to dress a mystified musician or two, because I also work as a fashion stylist, or occasionally, ambitiously organising a party (for both business & pleasure purposes). I’m a proud ‘work’ juggler in that sense & although it’s chaotic, and often financially terrifying I have fully accepted the fact that it’s in my nature to be drawn to extreme and sometimes quite ridiculous situations… After all life is living, isn’t it?

Nothing quite like a hot tub party in to get you in the mood for that is there!? To find out more, watch this week’s Bite…

Oh &… I hung out with my little sis, Laura this weekend, (well actually, she’s 19 now, so not that little).. We came across this funny pic of us when we were little! It makes me laugh, she got mosquito bites all over her face that holiday!...
Goodbye for now...

Gem Xx