I know that face!

Stood next to Peter Crouch in a shoe shop years ago. Apparently he was buying shoes for Abby Clancy. He's about 3 foot taller than me! Stood behind Terry Jones in a bookshop in London. Followed Sharon Small round Brent Cross shopping centre (by accident). Saw Paul Young having coffee there and Paul Gambaccini buying a newspaper at a railway station. Colin Welland came into a restaurant where we were helping out friends in the south of Ireland. I told him we were closed because of illness and he said, 'Oh that's why you looked surprised to see me'. No - it was because he had just won an Oscar and also used to teach in my home town. Lots of famous people around Manchester. The ubixitous Bamber Gascoigne with his very beautiful wife having a meal at the next table in a Chinese restaurant in Manchester.

I don't recognise people so only later did I realise. Firstly as a teenager I was chatted up outside Finsbury Park empire(?) by a couple of long haired boys, bit scruffy for those times, so turned my nose up . an hour later the Rolling Stones came onstage and I then recognised my admirers! Too late too late.
Another time I was applying to do a college course and got chatting to a nice lady, we spent the day together, she even took me out for lunch. We were constantly interrupted by people wanting to speak to her, but we carried on chatting and I made no mention of who she was, (because I wasn't sure and didn't want to make a mistake. Her name was Glenda, her voice was very distinctive , but because she was using her married surname I couldn't be sure.....she was of course Glenda Jackson, an actress I very much admired, yet I still wasn't sure. I am so relieved there's a name for this, its propagnosia I think. Has got me into some very embarrasing situations over the years, and unfortunately my daughters have the same problem.

My ex took me to the players' lounge at QPR (he knew the father of one of the players) when they played Blackburn Rovers. This was in the Rovers' glory days, and Alan Shearer played for them. I wanted to have my picture taken with him, but was too shy to go and ask, so my ex dragged me up to him as he was having an after match pint, tapped him on the shoulder and said ' Alan' (like they were best buddies - he always was a cheeky g*t, my ex!) 'do you mind if I take a photo of you with my wife?'. A grudging yes was the answer (Alan Shearer was a miserable g*t!) and I blushed from head to toe. Couldn't look at him, stared fixedly at the camera, then scuttled off in total embarrassment. Still, I'd got the picture - or so I thought, till I was looking at the camera in the car on the way back and realised there was no film in it!
My other claims to fame - taught Matt Lucas, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (star of the film Belle).

One encounter I'll always remember happened when I was about 12. I was on holiday in Italy with my parents and some of their friends. We took a boat trip to Capri and went to see Gracie Fields house. Then we got on a bus to go back to the port and there was Gracie herself on the bus! The adults all went and sat with her at the back and soon she was leading them in a rousing rendition of 'Sally, Pride of our Alley'. I, meanwhile, was sitting at the front cringing with embarrassment and pretending I wasn't with them!

Linbrikat, my Grandma lived next door to Gracie`s family in Molesworth Street in Rochdale in the late 1800s, she used to run errands for Gracie`s mother.
Juggernaut, I`m so JEALOUS that you knew Billy Fury, I thought he was lovely, and I itched to stroke back that lock of hair that hung over his forehead!

Apart from the encounter with Gracie Fields, do any of you think it may just have been somebody who looks like their famous counter part? It's easily done.

roses living in London and from various jobs I've had, over the years have met and seen many a famous person so usually quite blase about them and satisfied that it's the real deal!

In the mid-80s I was next to a woman in the queue at Harrods sale, childrens' dept .... she looked familiar; had long straggly, thin blonde hair and a spotty forehead. Can't be her I thought as I heard the Texas drawl - but I looked sideways as she wrote her cheque and in loopy flourishing handwriting was the name Jerry Hall!

Years ago,I spotted Paul Daniels getting into a very posh car outside our local branch of McDonald's. I don't know whether he had just been in to buy a Big Mac. More recently,I saw,or rather,heard,Dean Gaffney (Robbie Jackson from EastEnders), walk past the bus stop I was waiting at. I turned to my daughter and said 'I know that voice' and she enlightened me as to who it was.

In 1967 I met Hermans Hermits when I interviewed them for a magazine - full of fun and most obliging Then in 1978 I met my number one teenage (and beyond) crush - Scott Walker (real name Scott Engel) with John Walker (Maus) of the Walker Brothers when they played our local nightclub in the North East of England. Scott was very reserved but John more chatty and both totally gorgeous! I also met George Galloway on the platform at Newcastle railway station. I was dying to mention his Big Brother appearance but didn't dare. He was very polite and utterly stylish.

Remember walking down Wardour Street back in 60's and noticing young guy in brown leather trousers and thinking his legs look like two sticks of liquorice! When I looked closer realised it was Roger Daltry from the Who
Also saw Jayne Mainsfield making a film in London years ago she was very tall and lovely face sadly she was killed a little while later in car accident think this was last film she made before she died

I also saw Muhamed Ali in Birmingham when he came to open a boxing centre or something.

Growing up in central London have seen quite a few celebs. In my teens, my friend and I were walked home one night by two of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates band. Cliff Richard came to our youth club when I was fourteen, I was a big fan then. Used to see Danny La Rue at my local shopping street, Jimmy Saville lived in a camper van right by our house. He used to come into the cafe my friends and I frequented as teenagers and chatted to us all. (horrified to find what would happen in later years!!) Saw Georgie Best in a club, John Conteh in a wine bar. Met Robert Beatty through my mother. Saw Andrea from loose Women in my local chemist, David Essex coming out of my local newsagent with his leg in plaster, Brian Rix in my local newsagent. I worked in a private rehab facility and saw many celebs of who I will not name here.

PS About two months ago my son and I were in Carluccios and Roy Hodgson ex England Manager was sitting at the next table

My favourite!!!!!

That was Clapton .

I was on a flight to Aberdeen last year when someone I recognised also boarded. I didn't get a chance then to speak to her but I knew she was either one of the doctors' receptionists or she worked in a local shop. When we arrived, I spotted her again and realised it was actually Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall! The previous year, prince Edward's wife and children were on the same flight as us.

Dd1 flew as an Unaccompanied Minor to New York when she was 12yo. She kept bumping into Sean Connery at the airport and on board. He was very nice to her!

We saw David Hasselhoff in a party goods store in LA and saw Arnold Swartzenegger in his Hummer on an LA freeway. That was a bit embarrassing as it was heavy traffic and we kept passing him, then he'd pass us and so on, and really, there are only so many times you can wave at someone.

I saw Nick Knowles shopping in Windsor last year on 23rd Dec with his wife and child. He was laden down with bags - last minute panic buying!

My red letter day, though, has to be the one when I met Emma Thompson, Phyllida Law, Greg Wise and the swooningly gorgeous Alan Rickman. I'm still so sad about him, what a loss.

Don't know if this counts but went to one of the queens garden parties a few years ago with my daughter and the Queen was so near to me could hear what she was saying to some people from a charity, her skin is so perfect and she had an amazing smile.

I was at the same theatre as Bill,Hilary and Chelsea Clinton in London Afterwards my sister and I were waiting with others to see them come out and when they did Bill went around shaking hands with everyone and greeting each one as if he knew them. Whilst we were waiting for the Clintons to come out Terry Wogan was standing in the road on his mobile phone, waiting for his car to arrive. Bill Clinton gaze is absolutely mesmerising.

Had lunch with George Carey, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, then tea with Rowan Williams, ABC too, and finally coffee with Justin Welby, present ABC

Had tea at Buck House... Lady Baden Powell had tea in our kitchen, saw Ben Kingsley having a tantrum at Heathrow Airport.

(Is this a showoff thing? )

Saw Princess Margaret at close range at the Ideal Home Exhibition once (she was tiny). We saw John Cleese in Selfridges once, didn't like to speak to him but DH regretted not telling him how much he loves his work. Also, DH was in a lift with Chris Tarrant, but didn't realise who he was until later. We saw Sam Kelly in. Tea shop in Southwold and I saw Sharon Small on a tube once.

Sheilasue I went to a garden party at the palace too - I felt so posh! (I'm not, incidentally)

We went to a royal garden party too. The wettest day of the decade. . We needed Noah's Ark to get out.
What a sight, rain bouncing off teaspoons, soggy fascinators, mud up to our eyeballs. Lots of very upset older ladies trying to reach the portaloos and only a glimpse of the queen., she is so tiny. No contingency plans or help for the pleas amongst us. An awful day so well anticipated and planned for...enough said. Sorry to moan.

Being on the fringes of the horsey world and with a dd who likes Eventing we have quite often seen Princess Anne and Zara at the bigger events. Saw Princess Anne at Chatsworth when she was pregnant with her first child.
Nicest moment was at Burghley horse trials a few years ago; Princess Anne was presenting the prizes; when she got to Zara, who was in the top ten placings, Zara leaned down from her horse and gave her mum a hug and a kiss.
Have also seen Prince Philip going round the cross country course on foot at a carriage driving event.

Saw the Queen flash past in a car when she visited my home town in about 1957! We'd all been given the day off school to line her route and wave.

Saw Geoffrey Palmer on the platform at Great Missenden railway station in 1972.

I'm afraid that most modern 'celebrities' could walk smack into me and I wouldn't have a clue who they were...

Many years ago before he was so famous we stood next to Martin Clunes waiting to collect our luggage after a flight. We did recognise him but decided after a long flight he probably just wanted to get home and relax so didn't speak to him. Also several years ago we were on holiday in Tenerife when we spotted a man walking arm in arm to two younger men. I immediately recognised him (Danny La Rue) but my husband said loudly to our friends "I think that's what's his name" To which Danny turned round and said "Yes it is".

lullydully We had torrential rain on the day we went to the garden party too. It had to be abandoned half way through. We saw the Queen close up though and up until the heavens opened (and boy did they open). I loved it. Being served those posh sandwiches, listening to the bands and exploring the garden. They even served us little pots of ice cream. Then all hell broke loose weather-wise. There were lots of soggy hats and skirts stuck to our legs, tables being blown about but they let us into the Palace to shelter.