Re Paula Ratcliffe Kittylester my school street cred went up immeasurably when she mentioned me in an article in the TES about teachers who had influenced her. I taught her French at Sharnbrook many years ago it seems although to my shame I can’t remember her at all. Those who know me in RL will appreciate the absurdity when I reminisce and say, “Of course Paula Ratcliffe remembers me and the seminal influence I was on her life” ?♂️ ?♂️
Paw remembered when Prince Charles had the misfortune to be at school with him Paw hated it too.
I was working as a dental receptionist when Seb Coe came for an appointment! And Paula Radcliffe whizzed past me once - I felt a bit like Dorothy in the tornado.
Going back several years, I was presenting an award to a famous sportsperson at an evening do (on behalf of CEO of a large charity). I was very nervous, not least because TV cameras were filming.
My time came up and I was introduced. All I had to do was go up on the stage. I stood up and started to move and bugger me I took the table cloth with me..........and the wine bottles, plates, glasses, you name it. I nearly died, and STILL had to present the bloody award.
I used to act in amateur dramatics. I was once the lead in Separate Tables. A few days after the play closed I was walking down the street when a lady came up to me and said "I saw you in the play the other night. I really enjoyed it." After thanking her I went on my way and had a spring in my step all day. It felt so lovely to be famous even for just a moment!!!
Ken Russell, the director, came to our secondary school in the late 50's to film a documentary called 'Dance Story' for the BBC program 'Monitor'. My school had ballroom dancing on the curriculum and our own formation dancing team. I appeared in a segment dancing the tango with our dance teacher. A few year's ago, I was watching a program called 'Dance Britannia' and there I was again. They had obviously extracted my segment for this program. Not that I am famous, but this is my only claim to fame!
I once shared a hymn book with Mark Charnock at a Christmas carol service. He seemed a nice guy and thanked me for sharing. It wasn't until afterwards that I found out he plays Marlon Dingle - but then I don't watch Emmerdale .
Redhead56, my daughter was at Bangor University doing her PhD and ran her trolley over Kate's foot in the same Waitrose branch on Anglesey. She just laughed graciously at the embarrassed apology and moved on - unlike her grandfather-in-law, it seems!
Quite a few celebrities are so busy that they don't bother or haven't had time to figure out technology. So that's why you don't see them around on forums, I suspect.
Lots of them seem to get Twitter, though - but if I were them I'd be worried that I'd be pulled up on spelling mistakes and the like.
My husband is not famous but once when boarding a Quantas flight from Cairns to Sydney the cabin crew guy thought he was. As we came up the stairs he did a double take and then said 'I didn't recognise you at first but it's an honour to have you aboard sir'. Once airborne he came down to us and said 'I know you're travelling incognito but I just wanted to tell you we are thrilled to have you aboard'.
I know a couple of relatively famous people, another one sadly died very suddenly a few weeks ago, not from Covid.She was in my book group and really missed.
Years ago I was mistaken for Helen Mirren, DH has been told many times he bears a strong resemblance to Harrison Ford. Does that make us a famous couple???
I'm related to the late wife of the late Hugh Foot of the Foot family of politicians, diplomats, etc, etc. Her name was Florence Sylvia Tod and was related to my dad's mother----who I never met as she died before I was born. An aunt who I knew until she died in the 90's, was the image of her ( photograph ) Florence became a baroness.