Encounters with celebrities

I've told this story before but here goes.

Late FIL did a lot of driving in London. He was on a very narrow road, no room to turn, and a driver coming towards him called, "I think I'd better reverse" and she obligingly did so for quite a distance, which did him an enormous favour. As he passed by and waved his thanks, the driver waved back and gave him a cheery smile. It was Katie Boyle. Dear FIL was a little bit in love with her ever since.

I met Gordon Ramsay a few years ago, and he was absolutely charming. I was quite weak at the knees!

As a teenager in the 1950's my DM worked as a silver service waitress in our town. One afternoon Frankie Vaughn, booked in at our theatre, ordered a fish dish, served by mum. Minutes later, he unfortunately got a fishbone stuck in his throat. Poor timid mum got screamed at by him blaming her for ruining his million dollar voice! She was so humiliated and sadly her unfortunate experience with this odious 'celebrity'.

Not an encounter as such, but Lynda la Plante used to live not a million miles from us, and we often saw her in an open topped car, with 2 great big dogs as passengers, sitting very upright. One was a standard poodle, can’t remember the other, both black though IIRC.

Her house was up for sale a few years ago - tucked well back down a private road, so not visible to passers-by - so of course we had a good old nose when it came up on Rightmove - gorgeous house and equally lovely large garden, IIRC priced at £5m….

Years ago I had a brief conversation with David Beckham in the Trafford Centre of all places, outside Next and made him laugh. He’s taller than I thought.

Martin Clunes was happy to chat and pose for selfies when we watched the filming of Doc Martin in Port Isaac.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Noel Fitzpatrick the super vet operated on my dog before he became known on TV.
Really kind and caring,he didnt mind my tears and upset,he carried my dog out to our car and gently laid her on the backseat and made her comfortable for the long journey home.
Beautiful eyes,gorgeous Irish accent,what isnt to like,I wish he was able to do my hip replacement for me,I would have it done with epidural so I could see him at work

Early one morning in the deserted city centre, as I made my way to school, I met Shirley Bassey and 2 minders. She looked very flamboyant in a leopardskin 3/4 length coat and glamorous jewellery. She stopped and spoke to me and asked what time the shops were due to open. She was lovely.

Reading these comments has confirmed exactly what is true about celebrities. If they are the ones who are more B list or trying to unsuccesfully make a name for themselves they can be very puffed up, even odious as NanKate says. Leonard Rossiter was awful. However,Dave Allen was wonderfully down to earth, kind and had time for everyone, as did others at the top of their profession.
I'm not talking about handshaking and a quick smile, but actually working alongside these people for months on end, eating a bag of fish and chips together during rehearsals, having a challenging day or going to parties where their love of their families was apparent.

In my youth I met Rudolph Nureyev who was charming.

Shook hands with Diana Rigg.

Jasper Carratt was at our hotel in Jersey about 20 years ago. He was odious IMO we were told not to speak to him as he was with his own clique of friends. He clearly thought he was a ‘cut above’

Passed a slow driving car and I peered in to see if it really was Ernie Wise. He smiled and waved to me. Now that was a true gent.

Living in London, i quite often see well known faces out and about. At last years Chelsea flower show I saw Matt Hancock ( ugh), Jeremy Clarkson and lots of TV presenters. My friend will often go up and chat to people - she stopped Nigel Slater and told him she liked his latest book, also Michael Palin was next to us in a cafe and she told him she loved his last film etc. As a teenager I collected autographs and had loads of groups like the Stones, Fleetwood Mac etc. I sold my autograph book a couple of years ago for ££££s.

Sheila Hancock drove past me in a sports car.
For you Scottish grans and/or art lovers I had a conversation with John Byrne (Tilda Swintond’s ex) about the merits of his new car.

grannypiper I never saw any of the celebrities you mentioned although I was aware they were local.
Marty Caine, Jeremy Paxman, Raymond Blanc,Getty with his detail were all regularly spotted at the local cheese shop!

Sago Tessa Peake-Jones ( Del Boy's wife) lived in the market town very close to your South Oxfordshire village, Michael Caine, Tim Henman and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber are very close by too.

Apparently, according to my late dad, as a child sat in the same train compartment as Sir Malcolm Sargent. As he died in 1967 it must have been before I was 10. It was dads claim to fame, so I guess he had a conversation with him as my dad certainly was not backward in coming forward!
Never met any other celebs but middle son works in filming in USA and has met lots.
Apparently Meryl Streep is delightful.

I realise now that Alan was not seen as a local celebrity but as a valuable and much loved member of the community.
That's lovely Sago, and we have to remember they are just people like the rest of us.

After out time in the Oxon surrounded by celebrities we gradually moved further and further north eventually ending up in the Yorkshire Dales.
We lived in the neighbouring village to Alan Bennet so we would see him most weekends.
His wonderful friend and once lover “Cafe Anne” had left London to live in the village after Bennet had taken her and her sons there for holidays.
She was as much a celebrity as Bennet but more conspicuous as she was very beautiful, never wore shoes and always dressed in black.
She had a cafe but couldn’t always be bothered to open and had been known to retire to the back and tell customers to help themselves!
When Anne sadly died of cancer Alan Bennet wrote and delivered the eulogy.
It was a sad time for Clapham.
When his name was mentioned earlier in the thread it bought back so many happy memories of our time there.
I realise now that Alan was not seen as a local celebrity but as a valuable and much loved member of the community.

I've mentioned this before but Tom Jones called me 'a bit if a one or a bit of a devil' when I asked him for two autographs. One for a friend.

At an airport far away, when we were returning from a holiday, there was a woman with what seemed like a bevy of admirers around her. I hadn’t a clue who she was, but she made a point of speaking to me and making a bit of a fuss of dds, who were still quite little.

Of course I responded politely but I could tell that I was supposed to recognise her, and possibly be a little bit effusive, or at least delighted with the attention.

It was only a little later, when we were actually on the plane, that someone told me she was the popular presenter of some TV programme - which I had never seen because we were living in the Middle East at the time!
I still can’t remember her name - it was ages ago though.

I’m also sure Paul young sat next to me in the sage Gateshead this year when van Morrison was playing!

We were in a curry house in ponteleand near where we live when Declan Donnelly came in. He was ushered to a corner table with his family nobody bothered him and we were just lucky to have seen him.

In 1970 I spent a couple of months working with the Moody Blues when they were opening a music shop. I wasn't particularly a fan so it was a bit of a waste. I catered an after show dinner for Dame Hilda Brackett who was an absolute delight. Before I was married I bumped into Peter Cook at the Festival Hall a couple of times. He was drop dead gorgeous.

Sir Leerie Constantine the Cricketer at the school speech day
Sat next to Sir Alec Douglas Hulme in Princess Street Gardens he just gave us a beaming smile.
I worked for Lady Glenammara and met her husband the late MP Ted Short and Harold Wilson's sister.

The best ever was twice in the same restaurant in Leeds .DH whispered we knew the chap on the next table, I recognised him and said shush, the chap turned and gave a big smile and asked if we were enjoying our meal as much as he was, it was the late Lord Harewood the Queen's Cousin. Then it happened again a few months later.
Had a meal at a friend's house sitting next to Professor Lord Walton[emminent medic at the time.]
DH met Princess Ann and Alan Johnston M.P at work and had to show them around.
My eldest DD worked in London in a famous shop but never told whom she met except Nigel Havers who she said was charm itself.

I envy you meeting Alan Bennett, Calendargirl. I’m a fan, too. I knew he was tall, which is surprising somehow.

The Coronation Street actor my son had no idea about was William Roache ( Ken Barlow). I’d have had no idea, either.