99% of the time actors and actresses in our favorite British comedies become friends that we “interact” with each week. Like I Love Lucy, we feel like we are a customer at Grace Brothers each week, we live across the street from the Bucket’s, we’re a guest at Fawlty Towers, we have a weekly reservation at Le Chateau Anglais, we’re on the Dibley Town Council or we can’t wait to see if all the right people ultimately get together in As Time Goes By.

That said, we know virtually nothing about the actor or actress that plays our favorite character. We know them on a first name basis whether it’s Hyacinth, Basil, Rene, Lionel, Jean, Mr. Humphries or Mrs. Slocum. In many cases, we’ve been friends for twenty to thirty years. But, we know nothing about them beyond their television role. Every so often, a story comes along about the actor or actress which gives you a special insight into the person behind the character you know.

One such story involves Vicki Michelle, who played Yvette Carte-Blanche in the classic David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd series, Allo, Allo. As one of the waitress’ in love with Rene, Yvette split time entertaining the German officers upstairs in the cafe and stealing an embrace with Rene in the kitchen out of view of Rene’s wife, Edith.

In real life, Vicki Michelle was recently awarded the MBE by Her Majesty The Queen in her Birthday Honors List 2010 for years of service to charity. Here’s where the incredible story begins. This is the story of a special friendship between Vicki and Tom Edwards, a young man with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. It’s a great read that will give you some insight into a world outside Rene’s cafe.

Click here for full article. And, next time you watch Allo, Allo wherever you are, you’ll know a little more about your “friend”, Yvette.