Encounters with celebrities

Many years ago when Michael Crawford was at the height of his TV fame, he starred in the musical Billy. My sister then 15 was a big fan. I managed to bump into one of the dancers and he offered to introduce us to Michael. He was charming. We then went to the pub where we drank with the dancers, including Elaine Paige.
At the opera in Holland Park, I was checking the tennis results when Ian Wright asked me the score (between Nadal and Federer). He then chatted all things football with my husband.
Last week at the Athens' beach, our DiL recognised and introduced us all to an old uni friend. Turns out he was a bodyguard. After a bit of sleuthing, Liz Truss and family were spotted a few sunbeds along. Sadly her two daughters seemed pretty low. Given the past few weeks, they are facing a tough future with their friends!?!

Back in the 70s, I was struggling through town with bags of shopping when a very well dressed, neat looking woman came towards me. She smiled as she went past and I thought 'I bet you don't have to struggle with bags'. Then I realised it was Lulu!

I once shook hands with Princess Diana when she went walkabout somewhere - sadly I've forgotten exactly where!

Also met Boris Johnson in a lift in London. He and I were the only ones in it and he seemed very nice, said hello and asked how I was.

In the sixties we used to go to race meetings. Every Saturday to Sandown Park. Sid James was a regular and we exchanged tips. Once a year there was a meeting in aid of the Variety Club. I have an autograph album full of signatures. Burt Lancaster, Ted Ray, Virginia Mackenna and her husband Bill Travers Julie Andrews and many more. One Saturday when we were going into the Silver Ring the Queen Mother was coming out and she stopped and wished us a nice day.
When I was a child 1933 we were sitting on a bench in the V and A museum when a couple stopped to look at a painting in front of us. My mother remarked what lovely legs and stockings the woman was wearing. She turned round and thanked my mother. It was Marina, Duchess of Kent.
Not exactly a meeting but during the war I was cycling towards Windsor when the King’s car came speeding past and I landed in the ditch. He just looked back but didn’t stop!

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 !!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

He was a little taller I mean!

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!"

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.

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

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.

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!

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 !

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!