Who is the most interesting person you have ever met

Tony Benn.

Enjoyed his dairies Tegan - found Ken Livingstone to be very interesting and likeable. Michael Winner who died today was nothing like his public personna, a nice man.. cheelu maybe, who the least interesting person? I've heard a few give speeches where the best thing was the bet amongst the table on the exact length of the speech

The least interesting person for me Sel wassorry but it was my MIL

fell bad saying MIL but wanted to be honest

Strange, public and private personna [if that's the right word]. Went to a talk given by the Hamiltons [who I should loathe] but they were very funny; reminded me of Fanny and Johnny Craddock. And yet Gary Lineker [who I've never met] is supposedly a real grump. I stood next to Robin Cook at Newbury once and didn't have the courage to speak to him. A political hero of mine; have regretted it ever since .

Hey cheelu I never had a MIL, that must have been difficult. I strive to be a good one myself. Robin Cook Tegan - a man of principle, wish there were some like him now. I sat next to Joan Bakewell once (if that counts) and she was lovely. My OH travels a lot and often sits next to well known people - one of the worse, in his opinion was Jeremy Clarkson, one of the best, Mel Gibson. Maybe it's just catching people on good or bad day. i was a bit miffed when he told me how lovely Sharon Stone was

Tegan dont regret it ..I had the courage to say hello to two celebs that I liked one of them being Graham Norton and they were both rude!!so you may have saved yourself from an un pleasant experience...

I'm sure that you are a brilliant MIL Sel, defently...

Oh no, Graham Norton is rude cheelu? I do think he does a great show and now you tell me this? I just won't sleep. Maybe you just caught him on a bad day!

Odd this one but it was a 'tramp' who I used to speak to and sit with when I was in my 20's in Leicester.

He was such a lovely man and frightened the arse off of some people. I used to take him a drink and food and he always accepted them because I was never patronising, just interested in what he had to say. It took a long time to gain his trust.

He would spit and twitch and liked to 'rest' in a shop doorway near the clock tower. He told me of his family and when his child died he and his wife were distraught and his wife committed suicide. He couldn't cope after that and although he had many jobs he never loved another woman. He had been a carpenter and his last job was a window fitter. He told me of all the places he had been and how he loved being a merchant seaman. His tails were magical and he repeated the same stories a lot so I beleive he was not spinning me a yarn.

Sadly I never found out what happened to him after 2 years, he just vanished. The gentleman never asked for money or help, he was utterly happy with his lot and I remember he had the softest blue eyes I have ever seen in my life. He never told me his name in all that time!!

An inspirational story POGS It's so sad how someone could end up a 'tramp' I always think, there's someone's son, brother and what is their story? Sometimes things like that can be very haunting.

That is pretty much impossible to say as people are interesting for all sorts of reasons. Was the stage designer who worked for the best theatres and opera houses in Europe more interesting than the astronomer and were either of them more interesting than the fascinating elderly dog walker I used to chat to in the local park in the mornings? What about the wonderful aristocratic woman who worked as a nurse during World War I or my own mother-in-law who was an Aycliffe Angel in World war II? Some famous, some known only to family and friends but all interesting.

Lucian Freud.

It must be very tedious to be approached by complete strangers in restaurants, on trains, in supermarkets or wherever just because you're an actor, radio presenter, television newsreader, etc. It also seems terribly impolite to me. Of course, if someone is just a celebrity – famous for being famous – well that would be their bread and butter but only if you have something to offer, such as magazine coverage, and are more than a mere member of the public.

I agree. I wouldn't speak to a famous person just to be able to say I'd spoken to them. DH1 has admired a certain Dutch harpsichord player all his life. He once found himself waiting for the same train in Amsterdam. He refrained from introducing himself because he felt it would be intrusive. He has spoken to the man after recitals when there was special time set aside for that.

As for interesting people I've met, well, my Dad comes very high up the list.

pogs Lovely story - we have our own village 'loner' who lives in the cemetery.

Ludovic Kennedy. He was on the same flight and staying in the same hotel for a week in Tenerife. He was becoming quite frail, but sat on his balcony tapping out his latest book on an ancient portable typewriter until lunchtime and then tottered down in an ancient pair of bathing trunks for a swim and joined us from thereon each day. Had some lovely dinners with him as he recounted stories of his past. He became very bolshy if the wine didn't arrive on time and at the correct temperature! He appeared one day clutching his trousers - the belt had broken so we measured him and went off on a belt shopping trip, for which he was very grateful. On the return flight he was in a wheelchair so we pushed him and got early boarding for our trouble! Some months later he was doing a signing (for the book he was writing on holiday) in Waterstones, so we pitched up and he niticed us, called us over and handed over a signed copy. His wife , Moira Shearer was, sadly by then, in a nursing home, hence his solo holiday. Lovely man.

absent Even more tedious if its an ancient mariner at a wedding!

POGS your story was very moving. I can understand how your world can collapse around you when you lose a child, surely the worst pain possible. I wonder where he went and what happened to him.

Nelliemoser You just have to hope that you're not the one of three.

My headmistress in Kenya. A fellow Scot, from the far north of Caithness, she was universally respected by staff and students alike. The sort of head teacher who didn't need to be a stern disciplinarian because nobody willingly risked her disapproval. She was learned, very well read, perceptive but kind and generous. Few people I have met merit the adjective 'charismatic', but she did. Back in Britain, when she reached the age of 80, we, former colleagues, gave a big party for her, attended by the Kenya High Commissioner, one of our 'old girls', with greetings from the Kenya Government and the biggest bouquet of orchids imaginable.

Anyone hear Prince Harry's interview? An insight into how well known people might feel about being in the public eye! I think it's tricky as a member of the public when you encounter a famous person unless it's socially like Gally and Ludovic Kennedy. I'm with absent on that one but I always feel a bit guilty about not saying how much I enjoy(ed) their work, if that's the case.

Maurice Bejart. He actually came up and talked to me about such a variety of things on a few occassions. The man was a genius and I felt very privelidged. I don't suppose many of you have heard of him but nearly every French person will know of him.

Top-notch actors and very famous people must get fed-up with being approached, especially as they also have the paparazzi to contend with, but lower down the scale actors delight in a bit of recognition!

I know and have met a few jobbing actors and they love to be remembered

Celebrities do vary in the reception they give to joe public. Trouble is, being really good at their job is no guarantee. They may be shy. A lot of performers are, off stage.