Advent Heroes - Christmas Day

I racked my brains to think of a suitable advent hero for today, then it became blatantly obvious. It is, of course, Robert Powell, who played Jesus in the fabulous Jesus of Nazareth. It is still, in my opinion, the best version of the story of Christ, and had a stellar cast. It was much better than Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, but that may be because I like soft and fluffy Jesus better than dark and blood splattered Jesus.

Robert Powell never quite broke away from that role, but he also played a great Richard Hannay in a remake of The 39 Steps and is a fine actor. I think the only trouble I had was that it seemed a bit wrong to fancy Jesus (and still is).

So this is my chance to give Robert, the actor, his due. He has the most beautiful eyes (he had to learn not to blink to play Christ) and a lovely smile and has left us with a series that shows us how good television can be when things come together in the right way.

Merry Christmas from all the Pocketeers. We hope you've enjoyed sharing our heroes and that you have a fantastic day with the heroes in your life.

Advent Heroes - Day Twenty

I've often admitted that I started my writing career by writing fanfiction. And the character I wrote about most was Anton Meyer from Holby City, played by the criminally underrated George Irving. He was the hero of all my stories.

He may not be conventionally handsome, but as Anton Meyer he chewed scenery with stunning effects. Meyer might have been autocratic, and a holy terror at times, but if you were undergoing heart surgery, you'd want him there to save your life. I'm not the only woman who fell for his alpha male behaviour and it's because of George I met my best friends in the world. I started up a group called The Meyerieantonettes (I'm surprised I can still spell it) and met up with some of the members. That was in 1999 and we still holiday together once a year. To make things even better, a couple of years ago, we all went off to see George in The French Lieutenant's Woman, in which he was fantastic as 'The Writer'.

As my friend, Caroline and I were going back to the car park, who should we meet at the ticket machine but George! (Oh and he's just as gorgeous in real life!) I shook his hand and thanked him for bringing me my best friends. We went back to my friend's car, shut the doors and windows then just sat there squealing for about five minutes!

He's not on telly nearly enough nowadays, and I haven't watched Holby since he left, but he still holds a very special place in my heart.

Advent Heroes - Day Fifteen

Hugh Laurie as House (Chosen by Fay Cunningham)

It's the eyes, isn't it? The sort you drown in. And a certain vulnerability. He's damaged, but we know we can fix him. All he needs is love.

Don't ask me what he's holding. I really don't care.

Advent Heroes - Day Thirteen

Ray Stephenson (Pullo) and Kevin McKidd (Lucius)

Today on Advent Heroes, you get a twofer (2 for 1). Ray Stephenson and Kevin McKidd, or as I prefer to think of them, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus (or as I like to call him, Luscious Vorenus). One is dark, the other one fair, but they complimented each other so well in the excellent series, Rome that I find it impossible to separate them in terms of who is my favourite. Pullo was the wise-cracking anti-hero, always getting into fights and other mischief, yet at heart he was a good noble man who cares for his friends. Lucius epitomised the Stoic hero. He's quieter than Pullo, and thinks more about the consequences of his actions, but is still a tough guy who is hopelessly in love with his wife.

My favourite scene in the series was in the penultimate episode of Series 1, when Pullo is sent to the gladiator arena for killing someone. Because he feels guilty over the death of a slave, rather than the man he was arrested for killing, he decides to let them kill him. Just when it seems he won't fight back, the other gladiators disrespect his regiment. Then he goes all badass on them. Meanwhile, Lucius is watching from afar and as Pullo starts to struggle, Lucius runs into the ring and helps him. It's bloody and gory, and not for the faint-hearted, but it made me cry and perfectly illustrated their sometimes tempestuous friendship.

Advent Heroes - Day Ten

I must admit it took me a long time to get the Colin Firth thing. Ironically it was seeing him in Mamma Mia (where his character turned out to be gay) that made me realise just how yummy he is. I think it's because he's older now and I've always preferred a more seasoned hero. So I've been catching up on all his earlier work, including Pride and Prejudice (which I did watch at the time but not for Colin), and his Bridget Jones films. My favourite though is in Love Actually where he learns Portuguese just to ask the woman he loves to marry him. It's wonderful!

Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe is the perfect hero for any of my Regency stories. Many of my heroes are ex-soldiers but not usually fair. I even watch Sean's horror/grisly films I am so besotted. My latest Regency A Christmas at Hartford Hall is out now with Aurora/Musa.
Fenella Miller

Advent Hero - Day Three

Patrick Jane as Simon Baker - The Mentalist

Fay Cunningham shares her Advent Hero

Simon Baker, as he appears in The Mentalist, was the blueprint for my hero in my last pocket novel, called Dreaming of Love. Needless to say, the man on the cover illustration was nothing like him, but that didn't really matter. I like to have a picture in my head while I write, but the reader will also have her own idea, and that may not be the same as mine. Patrick Jane had the quiet but sexy persona that I needed. A man of few words, but gorgeous with it. I gave my hero the same wonderful hair (don't you just wish you could run your hands through it?) and the same bright blue eyes, so thank you, Patrick, for letting me borrow you.

Advent Heroes - Day One

Every day up to Christmas, we're going to be bringing you an 'advent hero'. We can't put them in your stockings or guarantee a piece of chocolate with every one, but we can make a few hearts flutter.

I'm going to start with a man, who through the film It's A Wonderful Life, has pretty much become the king of Christmas. James Stewart. He's not your normal alpha hero, but the characters that James Stewart played were often the epitome of a tortured hero. The dreamer, George Bailey, who longs to get out of Bedford Falls, but turns out to be the hero of the whole town. The young lawyer in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, who is torn between wanting to keep the law and wanting to punish the evil Liberty Valance. And finally the dark and tortured hero of several Hitchcock films, ending with the extremely dark tale of obsession, Vertigo.
My favourite romantic scene from all of Stewart's films is the telephone scene from It's A Wonderful Life, as he assures Mary he'll never get married...Ever! It makes my heart swell every time! Watch it below and let me know if you agree that it's one of the most romantic things you've ever seen.