A celebrity trekkie confesses

Lorraine Kelly, sofa queen extraordinaire, has a dark secret, one that would have thousands of GMTV viewers choking on their Weetabix if only they knew. When she gets home from work of an afternoon, Kelly does not, as one might fondly imagine, whip up a broccoli and potato puree from her forthcoming Baby & Toddler Eating Plan. Nor does she pop on Figure It Out, her best-selling aerobics video, for a quick workout. No, Ms Kelly likes nothing better than to watch reruns of Star Trek on E4.

'What's really sad is that I actually own all of the original series on video, but watching those isn't the same as it being on TV - that makes it so much more exciting somehow.' It soon becomes clear that we're dealing with a hardcore fan. 'Oooh no, I don't do hardcore,' she giggles. Admit it, you're a trekkie. 'Oh no I'm not,' she protests, 'we like to be called Trekkers.'

Like thousands of fellow fans, Kelly will be mesmerised by a new exhibition, Star Trek: The Adventure, which opens in Hyde Park this week. Highlights include the original 'Beam Me Up, Scotty' communicator and an interactive tour of the Enterprise, as well as costumes, memorabilia and the chance to star in your own video episode of the show. There's a Starfleet Restaurant and stalls selling merchandise. And, just in time for the office party, alien make-up demonstration classes.

Like all addicts, Kelly can trace the beginning of her dependence back to childhood. Growing up in Glasgow, her father bought her a telescope. 'My dad was into science and astronomy and I became fascinated by space and galaxies. I started watching Star Trek when I was about five. Then, later, I must confess I had a terrible crush on Spock. I think you'll find that behind that cold exterior there are fires burning. I suppose the appeal is wanting to crack that very remote persona and find out what's underneath. And you know where you are with a Vulcan because they cannot lie. If he told you that he'd been out with the boys then you would have no doubt that it was the truth. Also, that Vulcan death grip where they pinch your neck, that's excellent.'

Er, whatever turns you on... 'No, I don't mean that! But it could come in handy in a tight situation.' Like on the GMTV sofa with a recalcitrant interviewee, perhaps? She doesn't elaborate but does admit that it's not really Leonard Nimoy that does it for her. 'I interviewed him once and I told him I used to be in love with him but I was disappointed - he's not as sexy when he's not being Spock. He needs to have the ears and the make-up. I realise most Trekkers do tend to be men but I can assure you I know plenty of women who get my Spock thing.'

Kelly may be a surprising candidate for geekdom but she insists that her unhealthy fixation with the Starship Enterprise is out in the open. Her husband, daughter Rosie and close friends are all well used to her passion for life beyond the galaxy. 'Anyone who's interested in science is just branded a nerd,' she sighs. 'The thing people don't appreciate is that Star Trek was way ahead of its time. When it was first made, man hadn't even landed on the moon. They had lots of technology that was only invented in real life much later, such as mobile phones.'

Debate rages among Trekkies, whoops Trekkers, as to which of the many incarnations of the show is best. Kelly's personal favourite is the original series (TOS as it's known to nerds), although she has of course watched all the spin-offs such as The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine and can quote episode details with alarming fluency. 'OK, so in the original the acting was hammy and the scenery was a bit wobbly but so what? The writing was excellent and the relationships between the characters were compelling.' And while most women's idea of a three-hankie weepie is something with Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart, Kelly confesses that when she feels in the mood for a good cry, she watches the second Star Trek movie. 'You know, the one where Spock dies and Scotty plays 'Amazing Grace' on the bagpipes.

It still makes me cry even though I've seen it a hundred times.'

She also points out that, right from the beginning, Star Trek was ahead of its time in its advancement of women. 'Apart from having to wear those ridiculous short skirts, the women all had high-powered Starship jobs.' This is true - Lieutenant Uhura was a skilled technician who held the post of Communications Officer. Kelly also recalls that in one episode, Uhura and Kirk have the first ever multiracial screen kiss on network TV when aliens use psychokinetic forces to make Uhura surrender to Kirk's amorous advances. More recently, Kim Cattrall (Samantha from Sex And The City) played a Vulcan who betrays Spock in the sixth Star Trek movie.

Although Kelly herself has never yet been to a convention, she understands the reasons why Star Trek inspires such extreme fandom. 'When it first came on it was basically meant to be cowboys in space, but it became so much more than that. It may be sci-fi, but it's an incredibly moral show, the good guys always win out.' Never much of one for going to celebrity premieres (she has to get up too early to present LK on GMTV), she nonetheless made an outing to the premiere for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. 'It was wonderful. Everybody was dressed up as Klingons - except me - and because of their armour, none of the men could sit down, so that meant the rest of us could get good seats.'