Ed pops question in stage spotlight

POPPING the question is always a nerve-racking experience – but this man decided to go one step further and do it on stage in front of 1,500 people.

Ed Barnett, 31, decided to use his moment in the spotlight to propose to his girlfriend of two years, Gemma Carro.

Ed was primary organiser of Ignite Cardiff Deluxe – a bi-monthly event where people are given five minutes to share their stories with the audience.

The stories can be about whatever the speaker is passionate about.

Usually it is held at The Glee Club in Cardiff Bay but on Wednesday the event went “deluxe” and was held at the Wales Millennium Centre.

Ed, who has been part of the Ignite team for five years, took the opportunity to propose to Gemma, who works for Blake Morgan.

He said he has been planning the proposal for about 10 months – and has been carrying the engagement ring around in his laptop bag for the last month.

He had roped Gemma’s friends and family in to test the water but she had no idea he was planning on popping the question.

Ed said: “I thought ‘If this is the only time I’m ever going to be on the stage at the WMC well then I had better take the opportunity.’”

He said the most nervous bit was doing his stint as compere during the event and stepping out for the first time in front of the audience.

“The hardest thing was coming out on stage first and sensing the audience. Once I’d done that I wasn’t nervous about asking but was nervous about crying. I did have a bit of a moment.”

Gemma, 36, said the night was a bit of a blur.

“I am still a bit shellshocked as I didn’t have a clue. People say they didn’t know but I genuinely didn’t.

“We’ve been planning a big holiday so I thought maybe he would ask then but not last night.

“It’s been a bit of a blur – it was only when he went down on one knee that I realised. I can’t remember going on the stage,” she said.

“I’m very, very, happy. I woke up with the biggest smile on my face.”

On the same night the team behind the event – James Davies, Miranda Bishop, Steve Dimmick, Mark Stevenson and James Harding – announced they wanted someone else to take over and that they would all stand down.

They said: “We’ve been running Ignite for five years and it’s something that over the years we have poured our hearts and souls into but as with anything in life our priorities have moved elsewhere.

“The concept is such a brilliant one and we feel it deserves some fresh blood and new people to come in and give it their heart and soul and probably take it in a different direction that we may not have thought about.”

The event has raised thousands of pounds for charities Ty Hafan, the Welsh Refugee Council, Wales Millennium Centre and Bullies Out. To find out more visit ignite.wales Webchat: page 34