I HAD a great time at a celebrity preview screening of the bombastic new musical blockbuster, Sweeney Todd.

A fellow star of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, Margaret Heffernan, invited me along to this very exclusive RADA event at Warner Brothers’ head office in London.

Just 70 people were invited as their plush cinema, with its lovely armchair-like seats, only holds this number.

The place was teeming with familiar faces. Alan Rickman was the host with the most – he plays the judge in the movie.

With my civil partner Michael in tow, I strode up to Alan and introduced myself. He’s very cool and collected, with such a presence about him. “I’m Terry George,” I said. Alan replied: “I know who you are, I saw you on Secret Millionaire – my wife and I are such big fans of that show, we watched every episode!”

Wow, can you imagine that? I was surprised enough that Alan Rickman spends his evenings in front of the telly and not out at sophisticated parties, never mind watching me on it!

My ego was instantly the size of a house and I spent a while chatting to Alan about Morocco – he told some funny stories about being stranded there without any money as a teenage backpacker.

But most of all, he wanted to know about me and what I enjoyed most about being involved in Secret Millionaire.

I grilled him about the ins and outs of the film, though, and he told me that all the singing was recorded in a studio at the start. Then, when they were shooting the scenes, the actors were lip syncing.

He told me all about RADA and how exclusive it is. Apparently every year 2,000 applicants are chasing just 30 places. Students pay £3,000 a year and the whole organisation is forever fundraising. Most of the kids in the Harry Potter films came from RADA.

All this was fascinating to me as it was my ambition, as a kid, to go to RADA. I told the TV comedian Dick Emery this when I met him and he gave me a cheque for £30 and told me to get elocution lessons. I think I kept a fiver and my mum took the rest to pay the bills!

Anyway, I had a bit of an embarrassing moment when I asked Alan: “Why do you always play baddies? You ought to do a comedy,” and he said: “I’ve done loads of comedies!” I replied: “Sorry, I should have Googled you before I came here!” We both laughed...

Richard “I don’t belieeeeve it!” Wilson was there so I said hello. He’s helped me out as a judge before at the Mr Gay UK competition.

I thought it was a one-off because that time he was wearing suit trousers with big, white Nike trainers. Yet at this do he’d assembled the same sort of outfit – I dared not ask him why! I hope it’s for comfort and not because he thinks it’s a great look.

I also chatted to Timothy Spall who talked about the breadth of skills he’d learned at RADA, things you’d never imagine you would need in real life. But of course if you’re an actor who appears in period dramas you’ll need to know how to sniff snuff or carry a walking cane properly.

He did some great impressions of a German teacher he’d had.

The buffet was incredibly posh with tiny lamb pasties and high-end hors d'oeuvres. The film itself was great, too.

Michael isn’t that interested in celebrities, he’s quite happy to watch the world go by while I do all the nosy networking.

But somehow he doesn’t have to try, people are drawn to him like a magnet – especially women. The actress Sylvia Syms, who played the Queen Mother in The Queen, was no exception – she couldn’t leave him alone, hugging and cuddling him.

During the movie she kept squeezing his leg. It amused me that Michael had made such an impression on the Queen Mum.

She told us all about poor pregnant Helena Bonham-Carter’s morning sickness during the filming and how difficult it was for her to do the gruesome bits.

At the end of the film, like I always do at the cinema, I started to jump up straight away to head out – I didn’t realise that these luvvie types watch the whole credits right till the end and only give a round of applause once they’re over.

Argh, what a terrible faux pas! You see, if I’d been to RADA, they would have taught me that!

Next stop Hollywood for Mark!

HUDDERSFIELD policeman Mark Carter is the first Brit to be invited to take part in the Mr Gay International competition in Hollywood – he’s been training hard and adopted a new diet plan and fitness program.

I know because we go to the same gym!

Part of the experience for Mark will be a photo shoot and consultation with Charlie Lapson, a highly respected clothing designer who styled the first two years of the popular American Idol TV show and contributed to Will And Grace.

He is in high demand for his styling talent by celebrities of Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty.

There are 20 delegates in the contest, Mark will represent the UK, alongside bigger countries like Australia, USA, Canada.

Keep your fingers crossed for him!