MY PAP PICS: CARRIE GRANT: 'I get slated for my fashion sense, but I

Sunday Mirror, Jan 2, 2005 by Words: Julie Burniston.

Thighs the limit

How embarrassing. It's a vile shot - just look at those thighs. I'm so conscious of my bits being on show and I'd never show this much deliberately. I was at the premiere of The Italian Job, with Fame Academy's James Fox, though you can't see him here. I've seen him a lot since the series ended.

Say cheese

I love this picture. It's like Fame Academy does a toothpaste advert - we all have huge gleaming smiles, apart from Richard Parks, of course. I think it's hysterical how they've doctored everyone's picture except mine. I suppose it's because I already have red hair, so they must have thought, 'Oh well, she's already a joke!' This photo was actually made up of individual shots which were done for the first series of Fame Academy, and they've put them all together. Richard is the most charming man, but he does have a tough side and this picture just sums him up. Cat Deeley is brilliant. When I first met her, she was chatting to the sound guys and the cameramen. She has no airs and graces, and she's so easy to work with.

Family outing

As a rule we don't do press events with the kids, but the Garfield premiere was a nice chance for a day out. On the right is our daughter Olivia, now 10, and left, our childminder's daughter, Georgia. We never had much money growing up, but Mum always took me to the theatre and I found it so inspiring, so we take the kids to the cinema and theatre as much as possible.

Kids from Fame

This was at the TV Quick Awards - my husband, David, and I were presenting an award. It was a great night out because it was the first time Alex Parks, Peter Brame and Carolynne Good had been out of the Academy. Alex was shocked because people from EastEnders were fawning over her, Peter went nuts as usual, falling over and getting drunk, and Carolynne, who's a lovely singer, was just bewildered.

EastEnders sing-a-long

I was like a child in a sweet shop when I went to the Albert Square set for the EastEnders Christmas special. I'm there on the far right and I was gobsmacked by everything and everyone. It was mine and David's first time singing on television since Fame Academy, and we felt very vulnerable. After sitting there and judging the nation, now it was our turn to get up and sing Silent Night. I thought, 'Oh no, if I'm really crap it will be terrible!' It was freezing cold - that could explain why I look so miserable, but in fact I was having a fab time.

No regrets

I was slated for this dress. One magazine said it looked like I could line a tour bus with it, but I love it. I never regret anything in my fashion wardrobe. I do my own thing, and if people don't like it, well, that's their problem. We were at the premiere of Bad Boys II, but I don't know what David is doing. I'll be questioning him about who he's blowing that kiss to!

Panel of experts

Robin Gibb (far right) is a lovely man, but I think he found it quite hard to sit up there with us little dragons at the final of last year's Fame Academy and criticise people. Jonathan Ross was hysterical - it was great to have someone on the panel with such a brilliant sense of humour. He was a complete Alex Parks fan. I was very nervous, but excited when this picture was taken - I always am on the Fame Academy final night - but I did feel very glam in my dress. I only bought it that morning and had to get an emergency seamstress to take it in. It's a great dress - lifts it all up and holds it all in.

Mrs President

What is David looking at? It was quite scary meeting Mrs Blair. We're used to meeting people like Diana Ross, but royalty or politicians are not the sort of people we usually mix with. David and I are Honorary Vice Presidents of a group called 4Children - Cherie is the President. It's a children's network - it's great for working parents because their kids have somewhere safe to go before and after school. David and I were both latchkey kids, so it's something we really support. Cherie's a lovely lady actually, very normal and down- to-earth, and really chatty.

Mad hatter

This was the first-ever time Fame Academy dance coach Kevin Adams and I had been faced with banks of photographers. It was outside the Albert Hall for the National TV Awards, during the first series. Cat Deeley was a total professional as usual, though she looks like she's about to tell the paparazzi to go away in a not very polite fashion - it's not a good Cat pic. I'm wearing my mum's girdle which is 50 years old, a swimming top and a Philip Treacy hat. With clothes, I never conform, but even I have to admit this is a bizarre outfit.

Carrie and David Grant's show, Facing The Music, continues on BBC2 later this month