Sky: This year’s SFX Expo in London’s Docklands was a chance for sci-fi fans from all over the country to get up close and personal with some of their favourite television actors and maybe grab the odd autograph or photo.

Interviewer: You’ve just been cuddled by the very lovely Michael Rosenbaum. How was it?

Woman: Ah, words can’t describe it, he’s just beautiful! (She fans herself enthusiastically)

Sky background music: Moby’s “We are all made of stars”

Sky: One of the main selling points of these conventions is the opportunity to grill these actors in a question and answer session although for a lot of people it was a chance to also grab a cheeky hug and just have fun with the stars. The screen shows an audience member asking a question and audience members getting (normal) hugs from Michael.

Michael Rosenbaum: Such a handsome crowd…

Sky background music: “Beautiful freak”.

Michael Rosenbaum is shown in slow motion being leapt on by fan.

Michael Rosenbaum: Help me! This guy’s attacking me! (Audience laughs)

Michael Shanks is shown in slow motion doing the puff and ruffle for a laughing Anna-Louise Plowman.

Audience member: You said you wanted a script for a cross-dressing aromatherapist, you still interested?

Michael Shanks: (laughs) Have you got it? This is what I’ve been waiting my whole life for.

Audience member: Yes, yes I’ve got one. (Hands over the script.)

Michael Shanks: The Tale of a Cross-Dressing Aromatherapist. Woo!

Anna-Louise Plowman: I think we should read something from this.

Sky: We caught up with some of the stars to find out what they thought of the whole experience.

Cut to Michael Shanks being interviewed privately during the Saturday session at SFX: The Event.

Michael Shanks: They’re great, I mean, the fans are what the whole show’s all about; you know, if nobody’s watching it, it kind of defeats the purpose of doing something like Stargate (laughs). But um, they’ve been great, I mean they enquire a lot about the past and future of the show and  they wanna know a little bit about your personal life as much as they wanna know about what’s gonna be around the corner for the characters and whatever.

Anna-Louise Plowman: It was kind of extraordinary, I don’t know what I expected but people were so excited and warm and I had a great time out there

Michael Shanks: Note to self: no more hugs at science fiction conventions, too much bum grabbing, too much bum grabbing. [Michael has stopped looking at the camera and is scratching the back of his neck in an embarrassed fashion].

Sky: The highlight of the weekend was the SFX Awards of 2003. Hosted by Tomb Raider’s Chris Barrie, the awards were voted for by the readers of SFX, with Sky One’s Buffy winning the lion’s share of the tv prizes.

Sky background music: Moby’s “We are all made of stars”

Chris Barrie: Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the SFX Readers Awards 2003! (Audience cheers)

A number of presenters are shown announcing winners, and they show a clip of John Shea doing a pratfall down the stairs. They show a few funny moments [aka screw ups]

Sky:  From the world of film, it was Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers which took the readers vote.

Michael Rosenbaum: Two Towers.

Sky: The event was rounded off by the customary Lifetime Achievement Award. Beam me up Scotty.

Walter Koenig: It is with inordinate pride that I pronounce the name: James Doohan.

[Audience cheers as award is handed over]

Sky: You can catch all the adventures in Buffy, Angel, Stargate SG-1 and Mutant X on Sky One.

Chris Barrie: Thank you very much, hope you enjoyed the evening, it’s still young, goodnight!

Cut to SFX The Event logo.

Thanks to Sally for the transcript.

© 2003, Sky News.

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