Lurkers' Week: Have you ever met a famous person?

We once had Dawn French and Lenny Henry staying with Lucy Gannon the script writer, who was my sister in laws neighbour a few years ago. Simon Shepard and several of the cast from the Tv Soaps of the time also used to visit, they were very friendly and would often chat briefly when walking their dogs up the Lane where they lived. My step brother is also friendly with some members of the Royal family, he has an OBE, and has acted as host and security for Horse events.

When my daughter lived in London, we found a car parked in my daughters car parking space, in her garden!
When we pulled up after being out, we parked behind the car blocking it in, my daughter then took the GCs to the park , half an hour later a well know comedienne knocked on the door and asked me to move our car, saying that she only had been doing a bit of shopping...I told her that DD had taken the keys with her and so she would have to wait. An unhappy lady, who then said to me ‘ don’t you know who I am’ yes I did and I wasn’t impressed

I used to work in a well known, up market, department store in Manchester city centre. A lot of the cast members from Coronation Street came into the store on a regular basis. Some of the ones who were friendly and "just ordinary" were Betty Driver, Sue Nicholls, William Roache and many others. We didn't approach Pat Phoenix, Lynn Perrie and Julie Goodyear.

Chewbacca Pat Phoenix opened a department in our local Debenhams,( I think it was still called Edwin Jones )back in the 1960’s ,
I was surprised that she was so tiny, compared with how she looked on the TV.

I used to live in Oxford and I was once strolling up the High Street on a lovely sunny day and encountered Bill Clinton who was accompanied by two security men but was otherwise smiling and saying hello to people he met. His bright blue eyes were striking and his smile seemed very genuine. You wouldn't get the President of the US doing that now!

This would have been the early 1990s.

I was in a library in kent looking at books on a bottom shelf, lost my balance and fell on my bum, as i struggled to get up with handbag and books a very tall man reached down to help, when i was stood up and regained my balance i turned to thank the man and was gobsmacked to realise it was Paul Merton, im only 5ft1 and he was so tall

Stephane Grappelli. I poured him a whisky back stage at a jazz
festival.

Johnny Dankworth. At a jazz festival. No whisky.

George Melly. His daughter and my elder daughter were friends.

Stephen Fry. At a book festival.

Salman Rushdie. He helped me lift shopping into my car.

Prince Charles.

Mel Gibson. I stepped on his foot and he apologised!

I looked after David Dimbleby in hospital and me this wife and son too - can’t enlarge on this one though because it wouldn’t be right.
I met Dame Judy Dench and Michael Williams and their daughter Finty many times as I used to live in the same village. Dame Judy was a lovely villager, always joining in with things, very approachable. Michael could be seen driving his blue Jaguar.
I’ve met Prince Andrew ( not sure whether that’s a good thing or not these days ! )

Too many to mention

Not "met" exactly, but my husband and I saw John Cleese in a large Manchester bookshop several years ago. He was browsing in a corner and saw us looking at him. (We are big Python and Basil fans and were a bit gobsmacked!) He looked a bit worried (perhaps he thought we were going to accost him.) We just smiled and he half smiled back and we went on our way.

I've been fortunate by chance. I met and interviewed Roger Moore when he was making a film. Charming man. Michael Caine was also there.
Another time I met Eartha Kitt, I was 'stage decoration with others' for one of her shows. Didn't speak to her.
And best of all, myself and a couple of others - were sent to meet Mike Todd - he was looking for talent for his next film.
We were in their Dorchester Hotel suite when who walked in from the bedroom. Elizabeth. OMG how beautiful she was. She was pregnant and had just had a nap. She was in her negligee, no makeup and ruffled hair and was a sweetie pie. "Excuse the state of me but how great to meet you all.' She was my all time favourite start from before that so I was certainly star struck.
Myself, never made it.

Due to a job I had when younger, I met many "pop stars/bands" in the early '80s.
Most were very polite but one or two...rude, arrogant and dismissive.
A couple of others that really stick out were actors, Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Irons and Eric Stoltz who were absolutely lovely....Derek made me several cups of tea!

I was a student nurse at The General Infirmary at Leeds ( to give the hospital its proper title!) in the late 1960’s when I met Alan Whicker. He was visiting a friend on a private ward in what was known as The Brotherton Wing. I remember asking him not to perch on the patients bed and brought him a chair instead. He was funny and very charming.

I passed lovely Roger whatsisname in a street once, He played 007..
At Wimbledon in the car park the actress Sue whatsername cut me up in the rush to get out.
Princess Diana drove her little white car next to mine for a mile or two on a motorway
Never met anyone famous though.

Oh, it was Roger Moore! Thank you Notright.

Anniebach, I'd love to know how you came to step on Mel Gibson's foot! I used to be a huge fan of Mel until his unfortunate behaviours a few years ago - but he seems to have sorted himself out now. He is a fabulous actor.

My DH and I were in California visiting an airfield and Bruce Dickinson needed more flying hours for his commercial licence and took us up in his plane. So charming and very educated English!

I had a lovely smoochy dance with David Jason at the end of film party of Porterhouse Blue, I am quite a tall busty girl and his face was nuzzled in my ample cleavage, I felt just like nurse Gladys LOL! Such a lovely genuine bloke always buying rounds of drinks for the film crew. Spent a weekend working on the alien drop ship at pinewood studios for the film 'Aliens' with James Cameron, lovely down to earth guy mucking in with the film crews to get the models finished for the deadline. Billy Connelly came into a restaurant where I worked in Windsor once, sat at the back where staff usually eat their breaks, to escape from tiresome celeb hunters so he could eat in peace with his son.

We arrived at a (popular for golfing people) hotel in Scotland and there was a rumour that Hugh Grant was also staying there. The next morning we came out of our room and turned to lock the door, and walking towards us was a man wearing very dark sunglasses. It was Hugh Grant, I was so gobsmacked I couldn't even say good morning. What a numpty Instantly recognisable even with the sunglasses!

I met Denis waterman and his partner Rula in a store in London. He was really nice she wasn't, she made me feel like I was something unpleasant that she had stepped in! I hadn't approached them, they actually came at me and got in my path, he was very apologetic she just pushed past me nearly knocking me over.

Many years ago I ended up in Barbara Dickson's dressing room after one of her concerts and she gave us Welsh cakes whilst chatting to us. Really wonderful lady.
Michael Ball is always one to sign autographs and pose for photos....real trouper.
Bonnie Langford is also a real star and lady as well as being very approachable.
Younger stars/celebrities only want to do these paid Meet & Greets now.

played in a beat group who Too many to mention because my DH

I was at college in Newcastle at the same time as Liam Neeson. Little did we know then how his career would take off.

I’m in a photo with Diana and another with Prince Charles and one where I’m seated in the presence of the Queen Mother. I appeared on the new with Maggie Thatcher. Encountered Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Dennis Waterman.