Bramcote residents Allan and Christine Ward had the surprise of their lives this week when their favourite television personality Martin Kemp arrived to install the couple’s new television service from Virgin Media.
Mrs Ward opened their front door to find the soap star and music legend, complete with a one-off, specially created, golden Virgin Media TiVo set-top box. The surprise was arranged to celebrate Virgin Media reaching a landmark one million customers of its TiVo service, the fastest growing pay TV service in the UK.
Bringing together broadcast television, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best of the web in a single box, Virgin Media TiVo boasts a TV guide that goes back as well as forward in time and an unbeatable ability to record three shows simultaneously while watching another recorded earlier.
In homage to Martin Kemp’s biggest 80s music hit with Spandau Ballet, ‘Gold’, the Wards were delighted with their celebrity surprise and thought their glistening new gold TiVo box was a “winner”.
Mrs Christine Ward, age 60 of Eastcote Avenue, said: “I’d been nagging Allan for ages to get TiVo but little did I know it would come complete with Martin Kemp! I’ve been a huge fan of Martin for years now so to have him arrive on my doorstep was incredible – it has been an amazing day! We feel very lucky with our new TV and can’t wait to get to get watching and using all the TiVo services.”
Martin Kemp, the multi-award winning actor famous for his portrayal of EastEnders villain Steve Owen, said: “Being here to surprise the Wards was a great way to brighten up the start to the week and I hope they are delighted with their new TiVo service – it was a pleasure to meet both!”
As well as their new TiVo service, Mr and Mrs Ward were treated to a full-scale red carpet surprise, with Kemp arriving in a limo rather than the usual engineer’s van, ready to get to work installing TiVo. The couple were also spoilt with a new HD Ready 3D TV so they can enjoy the full range of leading services from Virgin Media.
Cindy Rose, Virgin Media’s executive director of digital entertainment, said; “Reaching one million customers for our TiVo service in such a short time is a huge milestone for Virgin Media and celebrating it with our customers felt right. Being able to present Mr and Mrs Ward with a golden TiVo box and their favourite TV personality as well as a new television was a real pleasure. With Virgin Media TiVo, Christine need never miss anything Martin Kemp ever appears in ever again! We hope they had as much fun as we did in planning the surprise and seeing their reaction.”
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company’s cable network – the result of multi-billion pound private investment – delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 120Mb, as well as market leading connectivity to thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.
Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of British households.
The world’s first virtual mobile network was launched by Virgin Media and it is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
Virgin Media is a part of Liberty Global plc, the world’s largest broadband communications group. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 25 million customers across 14 countries, helping connect people to the digital world and enabling them to discover and experience its endless possibilities.