CHARLIE CONDOU - No.765

HERE WE GO!
#MILLIONPOUNDDROP

aslongasittakes: Here we go @JefficaHoons @Charliecondou #millionpounddrop #goodluck

Gatz77: @Charliecondou Have I missed you??

jayrayner1: Right. Over to watch @Charliecondou on sky+ million pound drop....

ainsleyem: @littlepigcaines OMG! Jessica Stevenson is bessie mates with Marcus the gay/non-gay one from corrie!! They're on the million pound drop!

scottm: O. M. Chuffin. G. @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou on the Million Pound Drop. #betterthanwimbledon

DanielJLeek: @Charliecondou woof to you on #millionpounddrop looking fit!

BexElrick: Aw @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou make such a cute team, good luck guys! #millionpounddrop

harrietmorley: Confused as to why Marcus from corrie is on million pound drop as a normal person

aslongasittakes: Amazing start! 2 questions down and £1million still in tact! Well done @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou #millionpounddrop

JennyGisbourne: Edge of my seat with the Wimbledon question @Charliecondouu

CareyLouisa: Bless @Charliecondou being so nervous on Million Pound Drop!

scottm: My god. @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou are doing SO well on #millionpounddrop. Their charity’s going to benefit so much from this

PatrickStrud: And I've got the hump with @Charliecondou for NEVER AGEING.

theemattmay: But @Charliecondou works on a soap. Surely #Cliffhangers? #millionpounddrop

scottm: I fear I may have just imposed a Cameron-like curse on @Charliecondou and @JefficaHoons… #millionpounddrop

teritweet_x: @Charliecondou is doing so well on @themillionpounddrop. Hope it don't JINX this! Hahaha

Ciarand96: Watching @Charliecondou do the business on #millionpounddrop woo!

ian262: If there are any questions about archery, @Charliecondou is sorted... #MillionPoundDrop

SisterJacqui: @Charliecondou Happy that you are doing well @the1mpounddrop . Cheering you on from her hospital bed!

mrbernay: @Charliecondou  Go Charlie - u and Jessica are doing great, and very "understated"....

MOP TO AISLE 5!
#MILLIONPOUNDDROP

tomdaylight: To be fair, it was a bizarre resignation letter for a politician. Bit of a trick question that @JefficaHoons @Charliecondou

bainser: @Charliecondou ahh hard luck Mr!

Gatz77: @Charliecondou gutted!!!

b2dac: @PatrickStrud @Charliecondou he aged on the £1m drop. Visibly!

joshxxxful: @Charliecondou ah thats a shame! Thought you would have known that one being a leftie luvie an all. It was in all the papers and twitter.

the1mpounddrop: Props to @JefficaHoons & @Charliecondou! But we'd still like to give @aslongasittakes £5,000.

alialifarn: @Charliecondou what a shame :( very hard questions though. Well done for having a go x

jenlahughes: @Charliecondou never mind charlie. I'm going to give some cash to action for children now to make up for it.

vantait: Awww gutted for @Charliecondou that question was a STINKER

aslongasittakes: Thank you so so much to @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou for taking part on @the1mpounddrop for Action for Children!

Markbristol: @Charliecondou that was harsh!! What was the charity? I'll donate and help out anyway! Post a link to the charity website :) x

Charliecondou: Arses

marius6: @Charliecondou bums

adz0576: @Charliecondou lovely arent they? X

quantick: @Charliecondou I'll be round in a second.

Charliecondou: @quantick ha

simonkaston: @Charliecondou whoops x

Charliecondou: You can all donate here though, if you'd like @aslongasittakes

Gatz77: @Charliecondou good effort. We would have lost the question before you! So well done.

Charliecondou: It was actually a lot of fun and @ThisisDavina is just fantastic

Wendy_Wason: @Charliecondou @ThisisDavina I can't find it! Is it on now?

Charliecondou: @Wendy_Wason @ThisisDavina about 2 hours ago

Wendy_Wason: @Charliecondou @ThisisDavina ah. Ok. Sorry. Bedtime for me now.....

ThisisDavina: @Charliecondou love you a lot

Charliecondou: @ThisisDavina likewise. Probably see you tomorrow somewhere

ShaunPerkins: @Charliecondou good lad, not made the move up north then. Beers mate? Beers!

Charliecondou: @ShaunPerkins yup

noboybands: @Charliecondou where did you get your top for #millionpoundrdrop? My husband would look lovely in that @rob_m_a_green

Charliecondou: @noboybands @rob_m_a_green the Kooples

GIG GUY

Eamonn_Forde: Ryan on Corrie really loves going to "gigs". #gigs

Charliecondou: @Eamonn_Forde isn't that what students do? Every night?

Eamonn_Forde: @Charliecondou They are always out at "gigs". #gigs

JudeClarke: @Eamonn_Forde @Charliecondou #gigs and being a #dj, on the #guestlist at happening Weatherfield #clubs

Eamonn_Forde: @JudeClarke @Charliecondou Maybe he could go to a #gig and Lloyd is the warm-up DJ playing loads of "rare" Northern soul.

JudeClarke: @Eamonn_Forde @Charliecondou Oh, does Lloyd like Northern soul? You'd think the writers would let you know. "Fill out" his character a bit.

TUNE INTO CHANNEL 4

aslongasittakes: 1 hour to go! Tune in to @Channel4 at 9pm and watch @Charliecondou & @JefficaHoons play #MillionPoundDrop for Action for Children

liamwaterloo: @Charliecondou Are you on the Million Pound Drop tonight, or did I mishear?

Charliecondou: @liamwaterloo I am indeed

liamwaterloo: @Charliecondou If you need to phone a friend....

IanMarber: @Charliecondou break a leg. Lets have a code word, extra cash if you use it twice!

Charliecondou: @IanMarber ok, goji berries?

IanMarber: @Charliecondou once will do! Which charity have you chosen?

Charliecondou: @IanMarber it's for @aslongasittakes

IanMarber: @Charliecondou @aslongasittakes I send a donation anyway :) Hope you do really well.

Channel4: Join @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou as they tackleThe #MillionPoundDrop Live, at 9pm. Play along online: http://ow.ly/mGvlX.

aslongasittakes: Good luck to @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou who are about to take on @the1mpounddrop in aid of Action for Children

TERROR STRIKES:
TIME FOR DEODORANT
#MILLIONPOUNDDROP

Charliecondou: Me and @JefficaHoons are on @the1mpounddrop tonight. It's safe to say I'm terrified

the1mpounddrop: RT @Charliecondou: Me and @JefficaHoons are on @the1mpounddrop tonight. It's safe to say I'm terrified

the1mpounddrop: @Charliecondou @JefficaHoons we believe in you Chessica!

Charliecondou: @the1mpounddrop @JefficaHoons ha!

Lindsayfrankel: @Charliecondou @JefficaHoons @the1mpounddrop good luck! My Greek bar doesn't have a live feed, amazingly #whatkindaplaceisthis

Charliecondou: @Lindsayfrankel @JefficaHoons @the1mpounddrop haha thanks x

vantait: @Charliecondou @JefficaHoons and you're with Tamar Price, yah? She's a friend from school, x x x

Charliecondou: @vantait @JefficaHoons ill say hi

vantait: @Charliecondou @JefficaHoons aw ta! Love you by the way Charlie, you're ace. Hpe you do well on the show

Charliecondou: I've already started to sweat. This doesn't bode well. @ThisisDavina has just lent me some deodorant so I feel we've bonded now

HoarePoppy: @Charliecondou ...you will be fine...:-) good luck:-)

AdrianLJames: @Charliecondou Good Luck #loadsofmoney

dappydebbie: @Charliecondou @ThisisDavina mmm someone smells nice x

ChasCondouFans: Good luck @Charliecondou on #MILLIONPOUNDDROP - May something like this be avoided:


DustandLove: You might see my missis with @JefficaHoons and @Charliecondou for @the1mpounddrop for @aslongasittakes http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/news/archive/2013/july/million-pound-drop-live?utm_source=TwitterAFC&utm_medium=tweet&utm_campaign=news …#Neglect

GreigChristie: @Charliecondou @ThisisDavina avoid those sweaty patches, take ur top off, simples.

glenrules: Good luck on #millionpounddrop  to @Charliecondou - however please do change out of that drab tank top before the show!

bainser: @Charliecondou good luck this eve Mr

designandbeyond: @Charliecondou quickly read the news, questions always appear about today's events.

Biggles365: @Charliecondou @JefficaHoons @the1mpounddrop  Best of luck, have a great show.

MIKEYBUCKLEY: “@Charliecondou: Me and @JefficaHoons are on @the1mpounddrop tonight. It's safe to say I'm terrified” good luck

#FAIL

LiamLoanLack: You will be happier, healthier, wiser AND luckier if you follow: @JaneHillNews @Charliecondou @jakemed1 @jassyjeff1 @lynseyjade1 #FF

Charliecondou: @LiamLoanLack and yet you're not following me!

LiamLoanLack: @Charliecondou outrageous!! Consider my wrists slapped.

MASSIVE 
#FAIL

tweetasifind: George Osborne does Jonatton Yeah? face RT @tom_watson: George Osborne's record. Failure on growth...

Charliecondou: RT @tweetasifind: George Osborne does Jonatton Yeah? face RT @tom_watson: George Osborne's record. ... http://tmi.me/10Q4KU

HUUUGE!

Charliecondou: RT @sturdyAlex: Whoah. Too much sharing. >>RT @GaryLineker: Beautiful summer's day and a huge semi! Doesn't get much better. #wimbledon

CHARLIE WANTS TO GET THE MILLION DOLLAR DROP

Channel 4 at 9pm tonight sees Corrie’s Marcus – Charlie Condou – and Twenty Twelve’s Siobhan – Jessica Hynes – battling on behalf of Action For Children.

Celebrities compete against the drop in support of Action for Children

Friday, 5 July, Coronation Street actor Charlie Condou and our very own VIP Ambassador and comedy legend, Jessica Hynes, will compete in Channel 4’s infamous Million Pound Drop Live, all in aid of Action for Children. Alongside quiz master and host Davina McCall, Jessica and Charlie will be battling through eight multiple-choice questions to keep hold of £1 million. Using their knowledge, tactical skills and luck, they will place money on possible answers to each question, with correct answers retaining their funds. However, an incorrect answer will result in the ‘drop’, and our celebs will watch in horror as their notes disappear, forever, through a trap-door. Requiring nerves of steel, blind courage, and far too much obscure general knowledge, Charlie and Jessica will try to navigate the Million Pound Drop and avoid seeing thousands of pounds drop through the floor! Million Pound Drop Live is on Channel 4 at 9pm, and you can text DONATE to 70080 throughout the show and give £3 to Action for Children.

Text Costs £3.00 plus the standard network charge. Action for Children receives 100% of your donation. Please obtain bill payer’s permission. Customer care 08448479800. Registered Charity No 1097940/SC038092.


the1mpounddrop: How are you feeling @JefficaHoons & @Charliecondou? We can't wait to have you here! #millionpounddrop

Charliecondou: @the1mpounddrop @JefficaHoons terrified

the1mpounddrop: #millionpounddrop v @JefficaHoons & @Charliecondou. Which way will it go? Find out at 9pm on @Channel4!

HouseofHaughton: Good luck tonight @Charliecondou, I know you'll be fantastic!

simonkaston: @HouseofHaughton @Charliecondou to be honest I'm not convinced!

Charliecondou: @simonkaston @HouseofHaughton me either :-(

HouseofHaughton: @Charliecondou @simonkaston you were great on WWTBAM and I hear you've been on game show training!

LITTLE POCKETS

Charliecondou: One thing being a parent has taught me: my pockets are never deep enough. Metaphorically and literally

"COMING OUT"

IN TODAY'S WORLD

A college student video project made by Adam Owen and Charlotte Vernon on the struggles of coming out as a homosexual. It stars Charlie Condou (Marcus) from Coronation Street.

CHARLIE CONDOU'S

Q and A

FOR PINK PARENTING

Parenting_Hub: Charlie Condou talks Pink Parenting  http://bit.ly/1aH7Q8E

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE KIDS?

CC: Yes, I’ve wanted to be a father since the age of about 10, I don’t why, I’ve always been one of the people that always loved kids, or maybe it’s because I’m just one of life’s natural carers but I never really saw why being gay should be an obstacle to achieve that.

Certainly when I was growing up, I didn’t know of any other gay people that had children so I had no role model to look up to, which is partly why I decided to write a column in The Guardian, because even though I am very private person, and like to keep my family out of the limelight, it just seemed the politically right thing to do to open up about it.

If there are other LGBT people out there who sees a very visible out gay man who has a family and is willing to write about it on a regular basis, it might encourage them to find the confidence to start their own family.

ARE YOU SIMILAR IN ANY WAY TO YOUR TV CHARACTER MARCUS DENT?

CC: Yes we are similar in a lot of ways, Marcus likes to look after people, he’s very practical, responsible, and I definitely have those traits, but he’s less moody than I am. Actually, the gay parenting storyline in Corrie went down really well and we got nothing but support from the viewers. The tabloids tried to slate us by saying that the storylines were becoming too gay and verging on the ridiculous, but in terms of the response from the general public, they were overwhelmingly supportive and positive.

Soap operas are a good forum for these kinds of storylines, as they are political in a low-key kind of way. They don’t ram anything down the viewer’s throat, they are just ordinary people going about their daily life. That way the public get used to it in a gentle way. Marcus’s situation is very different to mine, as the child in Corrie, is very much Sean’s son, even though Marcus is around to help Sean bring him up, and is actually in a lot of ways the better father figure. Marcus wants more than anything to be a father himself whereas I already am.

HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN TO YOUR BROOD THEY ARE IN A DIFFERENT FAMILY DYNAMIC?

CC: You realise that you have to prepare your child for every situation in life, granted mine is a unique situation, but it’s not that uncommon anymore. Georgia Mae is already well aware that she has a mummy and a daddy and also a ‘wawa’, which is what she calls my partner Cameron, as she can’t say papa. She also knows that not all kids have a ‘wawa’, but that some do and she is not on her own with having three parents. A lot of people that have step parents and parents are divorced and they have half brothers and sisters. These days the nuclear family seems to be the exception.

HOW HAS PARENTHOOD CHANGED YOU AND YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE?

CC: It’s made me more tired and more of a grown-up. It’s made me more responsible. When you become a parent you simply don’t have the option of putting yourself first. I think a lot of the time we do put ourselves first, particularly as gay men it can be, and I don’t mean this in a patronizing way at all, a very self obsessed lifestyle and that’s great.

I had wonderful time through my twenties and thirties not having that much responsibility, but when you have a child you suddenly realise that you generally have to put your child’s needs in front of your own. For example, it was important to make sure that Georgia had her lunch today and that meant that I did not have time to get anything to eat myself until now and its four o’clock, but that’s just the way it goes. You see that you are putting someone else first without question. It’s a really lovely thing to experience.

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A CHILD?

CC: I was a pretty good kid! I was loved and I always felt loved. I did not have this overwhelming desire to be a father because mine was absent or anything like that. I was very lucky! My mum and dad were divorced but I saw my dad regularly and I had a step dad who was around from the time I was 6 months old. I sort of paradox my family as I was brought up with a mum and two dads too. Basically I was a nice kid, fairly bright and responsible, a bit like I am now. I was never bullied, and realise how lucky I was.

WHAT QUALITIES AND SKILLS DO YOU THINK MAKE A GOOD PARENT?

CC: Patience and understanding for sure. It’s very easy as a parent to look at your child and project yourself on to them, but the secret is to realise early on that children are their own people. A friend gave me a good analogy about being a parent recently comparing it to pushing a snowball down a mountain, as it starts to gather momentum it gets bigger and bigger and all you can do is run along aside making sure that it doesn’t crash into trees, because the minute you stand in front of it to stop it, it’s just going to knock you over and keep going anyway.

All you can do is run alongside saying “Are you ok? Are you ok?” and to me that’s what being a good parent is, it’s about teaching them how to grow and hoping that when they get to the point that they go out in to the world that they have the tools to deal with it all.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A GAY COUPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE KIDS?

CC: It depends on how you go about it. I would say as gay people we have to work a lot harder at becoming parents because it’s never going to happen by accident. You have to plan it, and what’s really good about that is it makes you think really hard about what it is you want. My advice would be to go for it, because so many people that have said to me, “We really want to become parents but at the moment it’s difficult because of money” or “We’re not sure how to go about it”.

Just take the first step. If you want to use a surrogate start researching companies, or do you want to adopt? just make that first call to the adoption agency. If you have been discussing it with a friend, go out to dinner with that friend and have a serious conversation about it. But just make that first step because sometimes I think you can look at it from the position of not being a parent and think it’s huge and it’s so difficult to have a child as a gay man or woman and even think it’s too much for you to even contemplate. If you start slowly and take a step at a time before you know it, you’ve got a son or daughter on the way. That’s what we did; we just took a step at a time and have never looked back.

For more information on co-parenting and the legalities involved please visit our article on Co Parenting HERE

PICK UP LINE OF THE DAY

thanksdan: Stranger danger. My neighbour is on Grindr. Sent me a message "I want to fuck you". This is him from kitchen window


Charliecondou: @thanksdan GET ROUND THERE

thanksdan: @Charliecondou I think he's a "bear". Facially he looks like that porn star with the tattooed "hair"

Gatz77: @Charliecondou @thanksdan don't. He looks tubby.

FROM SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW 

- IN OZ -

 A HEALTHY BODY OF WORK

JohnnyVegasReal: Oh dear!

Confidential_CC: @JohnnyVegasReal ... from that TV series WHEN BELLY BUTTONS ATTACK?

JohnnyVegasReal: @Confidential_CC Embarrassing bodies #thenextdaybankholidayspecial

Confidential_CC: @JohnnyVegasReal shall I call @DoctorChristian he needs bodies for his show....even famous ones!

Confidential_CC: @JohnnyVegasReal second thoughts best not . . . lol x

JohnnyVegasReal: @Confidential_CC @DoctorChristian If only my embarrassment finished with the body ;-)

DoctorChristian: @JohnnyVegasReal @Confidential_CC there ain't nothing embarrassing about you, Vegas!! X

JohnnyVegasReal: @DoctorChristian @Confidential_CC It's official.....yes! Cheers Doc. Now about reattaching my big toe..........

Supermark69: @JohnnyVegasReal @DoctorChristian @Confidential_CC Yes, something went wrong there!

JohnnyVegasReal: @Supermark69 @DoctorChristian @Confidential_CC The downside to laser eye surgery #IEXPECTYOUTODIEMRBOND

Confidential_CC: @JohnnyVegasReal you realise @DoctorChristian wants you on the show. He's heard the rumours about your big ___ erm, ....and wants to see it for himself

JohnnyVegasReal: @Confidential_CC @DoctorChristian The show needs one punter giving genuine public related feedback? I'd happily sit in studio shouting "Noo!"

A SLIM BODY OF WORK

Confidential_CC: OMG the RECESSION impacts on UK economy! Madame Tussaud's Museum can't afford enough wax to finish their model of Adele. #theysettleforTHINversion

POSSIBLE CURE FOR H.I.V.

ChasCondouFans: Hint To A HIV Cure? 

Two Men Remain HIV Free After Bone Marrow Transplants

  http://onforb.es/1cQlOSh

MOUSEMAN 

ChasCondouFans: Inventor of the humble computer mouse dies
Click your mouse HERE to read story

THERE WAS A CROOKED HOUSE

marcyeats: My favourites in Maccelsfield @adshackleford @ArtinMacc @PianosCheshire @PianosCheshire for all round good eggs, oh, and fab pianos, too x

Confidential_CC: @marcyeats One of my Jewish ancestors was born in Macclesfield then became a Presbyterian when he moved to Oz but his Evans family were originally from Wales! 

marcyeats: @Confidential_CC I was up there for concerts of my music and exhibition of my paintings. Nice place :)

Confidential_CC: @marcyeats It certainly is a nice place! We had a visit to Little Moreton Hall which was near where other rellies were born - lovely!

Confidential_CC: @marcyeats btw we did family research at Macclesfield & we met a UK born librarian who had lived in Brisbane Oz for 30 years but got sick of the heat and had left her family in Oz to work back in cool damp Macclesfield!

JEST A MINUTE

ShaunDellenty: Beautiful speech by @MichaelCa tonight at the

Confidential_CC: @ShaunDellenty @MichaelCa ... IS THIS A GUESSING COMP ...I choose Wembley Stadium!

HOW TO BREAK UP A GAY RELATIONSHIP!

ASHSMASH89: drewdriverxxx's photo http://instagram.com/p/bW70dqu551/

ChasCondouFans: @ASHSMASH89 you throwing yourself at @drewdriverxxx ..... It won't work he's secretly into older straight men ... won't mention names (me) x

ASHSMASH89: @ChasCondouFans @drewdriverxxx haha it will work

drewdriverxxx: “@ASHSMASH89: @ChasCondouFans @drewdriverxxx haha it will work” he's the love of my life, love him to bits ! Ash wins !!

ChasCondouFans: @drewdriverxxx @ASHSMASH89 I expect our slang Aussie word for disbelief is inappropriate here, but it's all I got ..... BUGGER

NOT THE 4.50 FROM PADDINGTON!

JohnnyVegasReal: I need a random conversation topic to help pass the journey time plus freak Bev out for my own twisted amusement. Any suggestions?

Confidential_CC: @JohnnyVegasReal Vegemite!

JohnnyVegasReal: @Confidential_CC We'd covered that by a406 ;-)