Famous people that you’ve met: What were they like?

I was a hairdresser many years ago in what was a large East Sussex salon. I did Judy Cornwall’s hair (actress and no nonsense lady), Katie Boyle (absolutely lovely lady), Gracie Fields (extremely nice lady), she actually sat under the hairdryer and sung to us one evening when most of the clients had gone home and there was just a few of us girls left, that was so lovely! I’ve also done Vera Lynns hair a few times, she was a lovely lovely lady. A couple of ‘Ladies’ that used to travel down from London for me to do their hair but I can’t remember their names now, yes it was fun looking back. The only one I refused to do and made one of the other girls do her hair was Shirley Bassey, as I didn’t know if the rumours about her being difficult were true.

I've met Cliff Richard several times as I used to live in Weybridge. Very pleasant - but oh so short! My friend met Tom Jones and he signed her hand - she didn't wash for weeks - he also was friendly.

My daughter met Anne Robinson - she was a model on a show AR was on. She was a complete nightmare - the young models were told not to look at her directly!

Forgot another one, Steve Backshall. Took GS to a show he was doing, GS loved his TV series about animals. He was brilliant with the children, sat and chatted to them at the end of the show, he'd told them at the end of the show that he would see them in the reception area after the show for selfies and autographs.

Vic Reeves was very tall, well dressed and very loud

I’ve also met Nureyev, twice. If you can call getting his autograph and a brief chat a meeting. He was dressed in an ankle length fur coat and woolly hat the first time. Well it was winter and he’d just come off stage. I thought he was delightful.
Have met a few at the stage door at the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford where a friend and I regularly went to cheap matinee performances. They were mostly very chatty and friendly.
Prunella Scales nicked our breakfast table at the University Arms Hotel (?) in Cambridge. Not realising who she was I politely said she was at our table. My bag and jacket were in situ and I’d gone to the buffet. She got up and walked off without a word. Only on the way out did I notice the poster in the foyer advertising a play with her and Timothy West at the local theatre.
Have been to a party at Kriss Akabusi’s house when he was doing some charity work with my then husband. He’s been to our place a few times. This was in the late 90s.

Queued with Lenny Henry at the supermarket, he was very nice. Met Dennis Waterman at stagedoor, he was also very nice.

Worked for a police force, got back from lunch one day and the station was packed, lots going on. Went into my office and said hello to the man sitting at my desk. He was a murderer and they were waiting for an interview room to be freed for an interview. It is very true that you can't tell what someone has done by looking at them, he was polite and apologised when he realised he was in my seat. I was surprised when I was told who he was when he had been taken off for his interview. I can't remember his name and I probably shouldn't say even if I could.

Many decades ago, when I was a young volunteer Samaritan in London, Chad Varah, the founder, came done into the crypt and asked for someone who could take dictation. I wasn't a secretary, and never have been since, but I had spent two years learning Pitmans and typing at evening classes. Of course, I volunteered for my hero! He was very sweet to me (not to everyone, I think) but he did look at me in a puzzled way and say I was rather slow. I never let on, but this was the only time I ever took dictation.

I forgot to add that my famous client was really nice!

Derek Jacobi - we had a cup of tea together and he was absolutely lovely.
I also spoke to Jeremy Irons once via telephone....long story!, again really warm and very polite.

Lots of snooker players and darts players and i have to say Eric Bristow was vile.

not met as 'was introduced" but quite a list as I used to shop in Chelsea and Kensington in Waitrose and Marks and also used to Fly Virgin Upper (DH's business) In both cases I saw and sometimes spoke to celebs and minor royals going about their business...don't ever remember any of them as being other than just like every other shopper/traveller. In those circs, people were used to it and respected privacy. The only one I particularly remember was one evening there was a mixed group of american and british strangers drinking in our local pub which was in a sidestreet behind the King's Road. One of them really looked like John Wayne and we remarked on it (quietly)....they stood up to leave and it was!

Ages ago I was at some outdoor event and my watch had stopped so I went up to someone and politely asked them the time. Got dismissed with a hand signal and a couple of words to match the hand signal. It was Paul Daniels. Never liked him since.
Another nicer one... A knock on my door and a couple from the local Jesus Christ and the latter day Saints church on my doorstep. Nice chat lovely people, one of them was Donny Osmond's son! Shame dad wasn't with him.
And finally.. the first visitor my Mum had after I was born was David Nixon (remember him?), obviously I don't remember meeting him, but by all accounts a lovely man. Shame the other magician I mentioned wasn't as nice.
Great thread

I became a hypnotherapist and one of my clients was a member of a famous musical Devon group. I stopped him smoking!

I recently met Adam Zindani from the Stereophonics. He's charming and unassuming and a lovely dad to his boys.

Nice to hear that the gorgeous Simon Reeve is as lovely as he appears to be on TV.

Well my ex hubby used to be in army and at time we lived in Germany. We were attending a fun family day. Me I talk to anyone. So I’m standing chatting to this woman lovely she was. Having a good old chin wag. After I left I was talking to someone else asking who her hubby was because she was lovely polite woman. All in group were laughing loud and said she not military she’s Gill dando I still didn’t have a clue who she was lol my then hubby explained. Didn’t think anymore about until she hit the news of her death. I always remember how nice she was. Met many other famous ppl but she’s the only one I didn’t know. We never asked for auto

I went on a "do" with my ex husband's work about 20 years ago and there was a celeb at each table. Barbara Windsor was an absolute sweetheart, Bob Holeness a saint as he was asked all night for a "P Bob," but I found Chris Eubank to be the most oddest man out of them all and he was the one at our table. I also remember all the ladies were chasing after James Martin to get a photo taken with him, me included. A lot of swooning went on that night.

Many years ago I joined a line to get a CD signed by the Irish folk group The Fury’s really wish I hadn’t, they were rude, disinterested and never once looked up at the people buying their cds

We met Simon Reeve on my birthday and he was utterly delightful & full of fun.
We also bumped into Andre Kanchelskis (ex Everton football player) in a hotel & he spent the evening chatting about his career with my hubby.

Sir Ian mcKellen walked towards and past me in london once. I resisted the temptation to say” you shall not pass”.

Oh I wish you had! Hilarious

Brian May was giving a concert at the church attached to my workplace. He popped his head round my door two or three times to ask where the Green room was. He was shorter in real life - are famous people always short - with masses of grey curly hair. I attended the concert and he was brilliant. Lord Nicholas Windsor (youngest child of Duke and Duchess of Kent) also popped his head round my door a few times. He had a room where I worked although he attended a different college. He had lots of curly hair but is baldish now.

FannyCornforth

Ooh Lucca , Dave was very good looking

Yup. He directed quite a few of the Morse programmes by the way.

Sir Ian mcKellen walked towards and past me in london once. I resisted the temptation to say” you shall not pass”.

I briefly met Eddie Izzard when he was just becoming famous. He was very shy and very awkward.
Mind you, my mate and I were two very good looking girls in our early 20s, looking back I think that he was probably a bit intimidated

* Stephenson !

Does having breakfast in the same hotel as Billy Connolly count ! Glasgow Holiday Inn late 80s or early 90s. He was not in the breakfast room but Pamela Stephens and his (then ) young daughters were there. Later that day he got into the same lift as I and my two children. I felt I should say something but was tongue tied. Think I made some inane remark which, fortunately, I have forgotten !