Encounters with celebrities

Back in the 80’s we heard that Phil Collins was appearing at his daughters school summer fair in Sussex. So me and my friend went and hunted it down, so yes I have a personally signed single cover! And photos. Way before mobile phones were around to have a selfie. And more recently I saw a film called Beautiful boy, and whilst in Leicester square there was a film premiere of this film and many of the actors were there, so Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet, (timothee was in dune, little women as well as beautiful boy), so have plenty of photos of these two. Also got up close to Aldo Zilli at a ideal home exhibition in London. I love to spot celebrities..

No matter what famous person I saw, I would never ask for an autograph or a picture. It seems so intrusive. Unless it was at a book signing where it is usual.
That's nowadays. Back in the 60s I've chased one or two down the street with my hysterical friends!

In the end 90's I travelled through Scotland. In Dunfermline Abbey there was filming going on and I met an actress in the public toilet fully dressed. I asked if I could take her photo, she said she was not important. Only years later when I looked through my old photo album did I realize it was Helen Baxendale playing Lady MacBeth

At a hotel opening I met Sherrie Hewson who entertained everyone by playing her Benidorm manageress for the guests. She made sure she was talking to everyone there and was just lovely. The other celebrity that came (a well known character from Coronation street) just walked through once, allowed some photos to be taken but did not engage at all with the guests and left again.

I also won tea with the "knitting Shreddies Nannies" and they came dressed just as they do in the adverts and they were two lovely lovely ladies. We had a great time and they were so funny!

I stood next david Essex in a manchester theatre once he's a very sexy looking man

Quite an eclectic mix for me from Ian Paisley, who was visiting a patient in the ward next to mine when I was a young nurse in Belfast, to Dave Alan at a garden fête. Had a photo taken with Dr Jesse Jackson at a Christian Aid Conference and Rowan Williams in Copenhagen when the Climate Change conference was there. I also , at a charity coffee morning, met and chatted to one of the actors who played Dr Who years ago but I'm afraid I can't remember his name!

I had a cheery hello from Duncan Goodhew (Swimmer) in London
I had a What you looking at? by Patsy Palmer as I was sat on a bench on Bond Street - just laughed at her.
I had a scowl from Wendi Peters (Cilla in Coronation Street) whilst on holiday in Kovalam, Kerala, India so told all the restaurateurs, hawkers, shop owners (I had a house there and well known) that she was a very famous actress in the UK and was not very nice - hope she got bothered a lot.

Cliff Richard on the plane
and he was one of the nicest people I have met

Ann Widdicombe presented the prizes at DD3's speech day. She was brilliant with the children and talked to us after about the glowing things the teachers had told her about DD. She said she made a point of finding out about the prize winners before she gave prizes.

I've bumped into quite a few. First one was Cary Grant. I was about 11. We were on holiday in New York and he lived in our hotel. My mother was all of a flutter for days.

Most recent was Simon Cowell. He is teeny weeny.

I live in London and see famous faces all the time but the idea of speaking to them or asking for an autograph makes me creep and somehow seems demeaning (for me, not them) that I should be so much in awe of them. However, I once lived very close to a TV studios that had a Sainsbury's nearby and when I took my mother in her wheelchair shopping, she would carry her autograph book and invariably spot someone she 'knew' from the screen, requiring me to guide her to that person whereupon I would feel embarrassed as she produced the autograph book. Somehow she always thought celebrities were more superior humans!! I have to say not one person refused to give her that little bit of time or offer a smile, so I guess that's something.

My son used to work in an hotel that was close to a golf-course. He rang me about 9o’clock one night and asked “Are you still an Alice Cooper fan?”. I said yes. He said well he’s drinking in the bar! So I gathered up my CDs (to be signed) and drove to the hotel. Vincent Furnier (his real name) turned to be a lovely chap. Happy to talk (especially about golf), sign CDs, and generally socialise. And I still love his music.

Went to college with Liam Neeson …-an amazing talent at such a young age .
Also Sting around @ the same time
Recently saw King Charles .. yes he is not tall !
Felicity Kendall
Melvin Bragg
Liam Gallagher ( Hampstead high St )
Jeff beck in our local .. my husband came home said there’s some old rocker in the pub .. I said yes he is an old rocker & lives down the rd !

Fleurpepper

Prunella Scales and Timothy West and family, several times.
Neil Kinnock and wife.
Diana Rigg and George Lazenby (what on earth have I done with their autographs?)
Singer from Dire Straits (his name escapes me).
ShowWaddy Waddy (sp)
Kasabian
The Dallas Boys
David Gower
Beautiful South group
Charles Aznavour

Singer from Dire Straits is Mark Knopfler, I also met him and the rest of the band at an aftershow party. Also Philip Scofield at a Take That concert!

Rolf Harris in the Golden Egg, Portsmouth ….. I sat opposite Judy Dench on the train from London to Rugby. Pete Townsend in Cornwall. Harold Wilson.

I saw DJ Mike Read leaving the hotel I worked at.

He also left his toenails in the ashtray and on the floor of the room he had stayed in…

Ugh! I should have sent them back to him via the BBC or Top of the Pops

When I was about 13 I used to baby sit for a manager of a group called Fleetwood Mac I didn’t have a clue who they were as I was heavily into David Cassidy at the time. I did get a lift home with them one night when the manager got in a lot later than was expected & insisted there driver dropped me home. I thought they looked very scary. My career in banking in central London exposed me to a lot of well known celebrities over the years, some lovely & some full of their own self importance.

It was nearly 50 years ago, I took my small daughter to a park in Marlow, there was one mother with child at the swings, I asked her if her son would like to go on the see saw with my daughter, and then did. We chatted but she had to go, I hd recognised her as Tessa Watts, ten Tony Blackburns wife. After she had gone, a lady came up to see "do you know who you were talking to?" she asked. "yes" I said, "It was a mother with her son!"

He was a little taller I mean!

King Charles was at least 5’10 a few years ago when I met. I’m 5’9 and was a little taller. Obviously he could well have shrunk an inch or so due to getting older.

No, I don't know anyone famous. I do have a cousin though, who has met several people. He's a sculptor living in Monterrey, California and working in Carmel. Reese Witherspoon played with his (late) pup in his studio. He's also met Clint Eastwood and President Jimmy Carter and the First lady. I guess this is what they mean by 6 degrees of seperation.

Waiting on car park outside hotel in Scotland for my other half, about 5 years ago, a car pulled up alongside and out got Billy Connolly. I was so much in awe that although we chatted for 5 or 10 minutes I never thought to ask for a photo/selfie! Bitterley regretted such a missed opportunity. Lovely guy.

I had a summer job with Clarksons Travel Agents in London 1966 when John Profumo and his beautiful wife Valerie Hobson came in to collect their travel tickets. He was charming.

Saw Judy Dench and daughter in M&S Tunbridge Wells many years ago. Also stood next to Cliff Richard at baggage reclaim Heathrow. Was really surprised he was collecting his own luggage but even more surprised at how unassuming he appeared, stood there very quietly without any of the 'look at me' attitude many stars have. A prime example of 'look at me' is David Hasselhoff, saw him walking through Heathrow a real show off.

Yes, several people. I have had lunch with the Queen and was at the palace with DH for his investiture, King Charles was doing the honours.
As a nurse I met quite a few well known people including musicians.
On a plane to Nice, sat next to an Olympic athlete and most of the rest of the plane had actors going to Cannes for the film festival.

I'm not great at recognising celebs. Bumped full into Roy Marsden at Hampton Court & ended up in his arms didn't realise who it was until my friend told me.
My most amusing though for my kids is that years ago I won VIP tickets to a Watford football match. Spent the whole match chatting to a nice looking, really friendly guy who was sitting next to me, afterwards I saw lots of people asking for his autograph so asked someone who is was & was told it was the X Factor winner,Coronation St actor Shane Ward !!!