Meeting Omar

Many moons ago I was recording a play for the BBC. There were three of us in the cast - the late, very great, Colin Blakely, the wonderful Annette Crosbie and myself.

I was awe-struck to be working with the two of them, but they were kindness itself.
We rehearsed in North Acton, in a colourless block fondly known as the Acton Hilton.

All BBC plays and light entertainment programmes were rehearsed here, it was truly a creative hub and you never knew who would be there.

This was back in the days of Play for Today - wow, new one-off dramas every week - and there were actual weeks of rehearsal, unheard of now for television.

So there the three of us were and there, across the canteen at lunchtime, was Omar Sharif. He was rehearsing another play.

To our astonishment, Annette got up, smiled and went off and lunched with Omar and continued to do so every day. After a couple of days of just the two of us lunching alone, Colin decided that he and I should join Omar and Annette and so we did.

Omar Sharif, brilliant actor and obviously gorgeous but still, nothing had prepared for me for his wide, welcoming smile and penetrating eyes.

I was blown away by the sheer force of his presence. I’ve never experienced that with anyone, before or since. Not smooth, not flash, just naturally charming.

And to me, young, star-struck, nervous, he was warm and inclusive and kind. We crashed his lunch table every day for the following week or so and of course, I totally fell for him. Heady days.

A few months ago there was a memorial for another stunning man, Peter O’Toole, organised by his beautiful daughter Kate. Seats were assigned. I was on my own.

I went into the auditorium early and found one other person in my row, sitting in the aisle seat, right next to mine. Omar Sharif.

I stood for a moment, just looking, before I moved forward to sit down.

He said he remembered me but really I don’t think he did. It didn’t matter.

Although he was ill and his memory was not good, he was still able to talk about his movies, and working with his great friend Peter.

And of course, he was still beautiful and still charming.

“Dahling” he said, “You sit, I will tell you when you have to stand” So when anyone came to pass into our row he went to me “ Up, up!” And then “ Sit. You sit. Relax. I am in charge!”

Beautiful, gentle, wicked smile.

And of course, that afternoon I fell for him all over again.