One of my many favourite memories of Peter was how he took this staitlaced twenty two year old going on fifty five and transformed me into a fifty two year old going on twenty five. Peter's Peter Pan quality gave one a new outlook on life as Mame would say 'Life is a banquet and most poor buggers starve to death'. He also opened many new windows for me but I digress. Peter's competitiveness was legendary as anyone who had played a board game would attest. So when Treasure Hunt started both of us loved to watch it although over the years, Anneka Rice was becoming a bit of a pain. Peter often mentioned that he would like to take part as he would work through the clues and be considerably quicker than most contestants. Well one night after coming in late from a club I watched the latest episode of TH and at the end of the programme they were asking for contestants. So being a little bit merry and herbally relaxed, I called and applied for us. When I told him he was excited but at the same time did not think that we would get on the show. Well the applications arrived and I went round to Peter's and we sat there going through it the first page was standard. Personal details: Name, D.O.B, Address, Occupation, Hobbies etc. The second side was ten questions that no one (except Stephen Fry possibly ) would know off the top of their heads. So Peter and I headed down to the local library just off Leicester Square where for the next forty five minutes we spent running round like loons trying to find out the answers and as it was a library having to be quiet but gesticulating like mad in silence when we found one. After completing the ten questions we then had two blank pages which started with the line.. ' I would make a good contestant because.............' Well we both woffled for England, laughed and sent the applications off thinking that in no way would we be considered but we had had a lot of fun filling in the form and running around the library. Well imagine our surprise when two months later we both received a letter saying that they would like to invite us in for an interview, this was to take place at 9.30 AM on a Monday morning in South Kensington. I must point out that at this time we were both normally working or out on the town on a Sunday and did not normally see the light of day until the crack of Noon. So we ended up in a greasy spoon looking the worse for wear preparing to go for an interview at that ungodly hour. Well we arrived and one of the first things they told us was that they had whittled down the number of applicants from 20,000 to 250 couples, which was bit of a boost so we are in this hotel room with a woman in the bathroom being Anneka shouting out. "I am just getting out of the helicopter and running down the street what am I looking for". Whilst Peter and I were pouring over a big map laid out over one of the twin beds whilst another woman was pretending to be Kenneth Kendall. So two men who normally play women, with a woman who is playing a man and another in a bathroom shouting about running down streets looking for clues on a Monday morning with a viscous hangovers was totally surreal. When we left we thought that is it that is the end of our TH dream. Well another three months passed and we had all but forgotten about it when out of the blue another letter arrives for both of us saying that they would like to invite us in for a second interview. I must point out that at the first interview I was quite chatty but at the second one it was Peter who was the chatty one and I was virtually struck dumb and by this time they had reduced the number of applicants down to 20 couples ( but they only made 14 episodes per season)so afterwards we left feeling that this was definitely the end of our TH dream, especially as we had been scathing about Anneka who by this time was losing a lot of time for contestants as she became more famous. Thinking that we would not hear from them we consoled ourselves that we had made it to the final twenty. Two weeks later we both received a letter that meant the phones lines between us were red hot with joy as we found out that we were going to be contestants on TH. So after hot footing it to Peter's we called up to confirm and they asked us as we both wanted to come from home or stay at the Hotel. Well we decided that as part of the experience we should stay at the Hotel. Well the weekend arrives when we are going to film TH and we arrive at the Grafton Hotel on Tottenham Court Road. We present ourselves at the reception and say that we are Peter and John for Treasure Hunt. Well imagine our surprise when they say YOUR rooms are not ready. We looked at each other in surprise thinking that we have a room each. Well my room became ready after a few minutes so I head up to the first floor to find room 125 which is the number on the key. Well after ten minutes of walking up and down the corridor trying to find the room we are totally baffled as it does not seem to exist so we are both confused thinking what in heavens name is going on when we see a chamber maid and she points us to the room at the end of the corridor. Whilst going up and down the corridor we had seen this notice on the walls pointing to the room that we had been directed but did not think anything of it because it said the Churchill Suite, which turned out to be my room. At this point both Peter and I whooped for joy at the thought that we both had a suite. Well after we both had our suites we then had to make our way to the studio for a rehearsal where we got to meet Kenneth Kendall and Wincie Willis and see the set. Now the thing about Treasure Hunt is that in the show the contestants get 45 minutes which is totally true, if they have to relocate they take you off set into the Green Room and on TV it will be an ad break but the interesting thing is that the show is filmed in the morning, so when we went down in the afternoon we did a rehearsal version of what had been done live in the morning. This is to give Kenneth an idea of what the contestants are like whether they will immerse themselves and find the information or whether they would just stand around if it is the former he is likely to help. Well for the dress rehearsal we do the programme as though it would be going out. Well Kenneth starts by saying welcome and then proceeds to say that John and Peter are work colleagues from London and asks us what we do, at this moment a mischievous glint comes into Peter's eye as he thrust out his hand dropped his wrist and said "We're screaming Drag Queens" At this point the whole crew erupted into laughter, except for the director who was having kittens in the control room (and if Peter had known that he would have taken them home as he did love his cats). Well after everyone had been able to compose themselves, there were exchanges between the control room and the floor and after about twenty minutes we started again and they said that we could be Cabaret Artistes. Well that set Kenneth off who was adamant that that would not do as Cabaret was such a wishy washy generalization and we were very specific in what we did. So after much to-ing and fro-ing between the control room and Kenneth we eventually became Female Impersonators. The rehearsal went smoothly and we prepared for the following day. we were nervous but we came through (mainly down to Peter) and won with fifty two seconds to spare. At the end of the show they would not let us hear the bong though as we had won, which was a shame as we filmed this in the summer of 87 and it did not go out until 88. Of course when we found out that we were going to be contestants, Peter would often mention it in his shows especially at the RVT where he did Sunday School. After the filming we both had to keep the true result secret, which was hard but we both played it down brilliantly saying how we lost and blaming each other but made it so compelling that by the time it came out everyone was desperate to see it. When it came out, the Sunday school after the airing was riotous. For all those that wanted to take delight in our failure were thwarted and everyone else was entirely chuffed. He was a master of timing and misdirection as any great Magician and his Peter Pan quality will always give me a reason to smile Thank you Peter xxxxx