Years ago as a courier in London was pulling out from Lots Road onto Cheyney Walk, big Daimler limo in front with Mick Jagger in the back, gave him the thumbs up and he flicked the V's and mouthed pi55 off. Charming 🙂
Also had Jimmy Corkhill from Brookie ask me for directions in Fouberts Place weirdly he was right outside where he was trying to find.
Met Pat Sharp in a bar in London one evening when he was DJing. Seemed like quite a nice chap, but obviously struggling to cope with playing music _and_ the slightly drunk Fun House fan. Still got his autograph though.
tall bloke from my family and the bt ads - was at an event on his lonesome but just ignored everyone and spent all his time prancing about on his phone
richard dawkins - at the oxford uni computing centre, he ignored a friend of mine who had a viable academic question, and instead spent his time trying to chat up the spanish girl on help desk
nicest public figure ive met is simon armitage the poet, sound as a pound
This is going to age me.
Several years ago we were in a cafe on Sark and Cliff Richard sat down a few tables away. My sister rushed over to ask for his autograph and came back a minute or two later very disgruntled. He'd asked for 2/-6 to sign her menu - several weeks pocket money. (I guess he was sick of being pestered by people while on holiday).
I had a photo shoot with Linda Lusardi at a duathlon in the 1980s albeit she was fully clothed!
That's about it.
Funnily enough I saw Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall about 12 years ago in Richmond Park - all of us on bikes - they were very friendly, said hello and commented that it was a nice day to be on bikes.
Not exactly bumped into, but met James Kelman at a couple of his readings. Seemed a nice bloke.
Bumped into Gary Fisher while riding in Marin once, seemed nice also.
Also got dirty looks from Ewan McGregor at a film premiere.
Met Boy George whilst he was DJing in Cream once, seemed like a really friendly guy and very chatty.
Met Prince Naseem in a club in Sheffield in the late 90's and he was a complete T1t, All look at me I've got loadsa money!! I think he got schooled by Barrera soon afterwards which made me smile.
I've met Tony Slattery a couple of times as my mum used to work with his sister & we'd bump into them every now & again. He was very nice, but always seemed a bit awkward.
My Dad used to be a black cabbie in London & had Sean Connery in the back of his cab once. Apparently he was one of the rudest people he'd ever had in his cab, which disappointed me somewhat.
Just remembered seeing John Parrot in a restaurant in Wembley after he'd just been knocked out of the the Snooker World Champs. He obviously just wanted to eat his meal, but said hello to us all as we left & seemed very friendly.
I have seen Stuart 'Psycho' Pierce naked.
"Excuse me fella" I said, "where's the $hitter"
"Down there on the left" came his reply.
True story.
Oh, and I saw Brad Wiggins and his Mrs in Wagamama in Manchester a couple of weeks ater last year's Tour.
I shook his hand, said congratulations, he'd made a lot of people very proud. He said thanks very much, seemed like a nice chap.
bumped into dean macey on saturday whilst out riding... Nice guy...
Noel Gallagher in Harrods last week trying not to be recognised, Stephen Fry round the back of carnaby street (years ago), Peter Green is the uncle of a friend of mine, Wilko Johnson lives just round the corner from where Im sitting at work see him shopping...
all nice guys just trying to get on with the day...
Oh and bumped into Daniel Powter and band in Lyon Airport a few years back - gave us tickets to his concert in Islington...
Met Tommy Docherty on the way to a Villa away match, on the train to London. He actually spent about 10 mins with us chatting about football etc. Thoroughly nice man.
At the Motor show one year I sneaked outside through one of them big doors to eat my packed lunch. I remember thinking the two blokes sat next to me on the wall sounded a lot like Jeremy Clarkson & Quentin Wilson. Clarkson sounded like a knob but Quentin Wilson was a nice chap, & said hello.
But the best of all...
Meeting Andy Ruffell at the BMX Euro's at B'ham Wheels in about 1984. What a thoroughly ace bloke. In fact Tim March was a nice guy also. There was a US freestyler there, something Patterson if I remember, he was a big-headed arse.
On Pitchill, saw a guy who looked like Eric Clapton - shouted to riding group I was with - check out how much that bloke looks like Eric Clapton (the person himself heard) later learn't he lives on/around Pitch hill area.
Chris Tarrant - (when still married) - I was working in their home, his ex-wife couldn't have been friendlier/nicer, he was not very nice.
Jill Dando (RIP), really lovely person, got her out the shower (by accident) and met her for first time wrapped in a towel.
Sean Emmet - motorcycle racer - helped him pick a new Nanny off a selection of photos on his coffee table where we just choose purely on looks alone! quality character!
Oasis brothers - coks.
Simon Lebon - stoner(all the time) but very friendly - into motorbikes in a big way.
Got unreasonably leathered with Ed Byrne at Glasters a couple of years ago.
Top man.
Served David Ike about 10 years back, what a miserable grumpy ****er.
Mark King (bassist Level 42) opened the new warehouse / store where I was snubbed by the Son of God.
Clarkson sounded like a knob
Ive also met the big C, he chain smokes whilst rattling on trying to be funny. he can be funny when he sits down and writes something, but he is not a spontaneous comic, big let down
Oh yeah and Chris Evans, saw him getting wasted on his lonesome in a pub just off oxford street. couldnt have come across as more different to his on air bubbliness, he looked seriously unhappy
In 1993 I talked with Ben Mitchell (Cameron Hudson in Neighbours) in WH Smith in Gateshead's Metrocentre. He was buying Living Color's 'Stain' album and we agreed that the red jewel case was cool. Although we parted on good terms, we haven't spoken since.
Floella Benjamin.
Timmy Mallet.
I win.
Oh, another one, Alan Ball, the whiney-voiced world cup winner and then manager of Man City, was a regular at the pub in Alderley Edge that I worked in. He was a nice chap and drank Carling top, and occasionally had a Famous Grouse.
martin clunes at the bridport farmers market... my mother can sense a puppy from about 5miles off and all of a sudden disappeared, found her playing with a puppy in the arms of MC, chatting away she didnt even look up to see who it was until about 15 minutes in haha, he was really chilled and happy to chat away, always says hi whenever we see him now 🙂
Oh, oh, and I have taken Natalie Imbruglia's dog for a walk.
Unfortunately, that's not a euphemism, I really just took her dog for a walk 🙁
I had a close encounter with Evan Dando at Glastonbury about 15 years ago. He fell off the roof of a BBC OB Landrover and landed in a big heap about 6ft away from me.
My dad once had a wee next to Kenny Rogers.
[edit] In a toilet. [/edit]
Danced with Chris Evans and Melanie Sykes in the Theatre Arts Bar, quite a long time ago, his mate Will from TGI Friday was seriously wasted and kept telling me he love me. Evans was is a pretty good mood too.
also a few years back saw huey from fun loving criminals buying a tesco value cheese toaster in borehamwood
paul young lives around the corner from me, nice bloke
once saw sol campbell getting served at local shop, the owner is a cheeky spurs fan and said, 'there you are son' as handing over his change, to which he replied, 'dont call me son' with a hint of menace.
(also aging me)
Ran into David Lange, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, going into a liquor store on Tinakori Road in Wellington. We were underage at the time. He said "Good Evening ladies" as my pal Tess pretty much walked right into him. He was also supposedly teetotal but had a cardboard cask of wine under his arm, I guess it could have been for a friend.
Saw Lionel Richie on a plane once, waiting at the entrance while they sorted out a ticket/seating mess-up. I said "hiya" in that way you do without thinking as you recognise somebody and think you must know them, he said "hiya" back and smiled, then disappeared into First Class.
I see Scruff's "Floella Benjamin and Timmy Mallet" and raise him a Lionel Blair (nice bloke), Les Dennis (meh), Vicky Michelle (ok) and Su Pollard (****), all at the same end-of-the-pier after show drinkies.
Chris Evans in a kebab house in Camden back in '95 ish. Early hours of the morning, he jumped out of a car and ordered a doner while we were collecting ours. He pinched some chips off one of the lads, "EEEEEYYYYY" I drunkenly cried in my best Vic and Bob impression. To my (pleasant) surprise he "EEEEYYYYY"'d me back, spent a few minutes chatting after that, thoroughly decent bloke. Wouldn't take us to the party he was on his way too though. Git.
Waiting to collect baggage at Heathrow a couple of years ago another flight was on the same carousel as us, bloke walked past that I half recognised. I asked the missus (a little too loudly) if that was Howard from Take That, she said no, it's Mark. He didn't say hello.
I used to fly to Brussels every week and was often on the same 'plane as The Rev Ian Paisley (I think he was an MEP at the time). They always gave him seat A1, and never put anyone next to him. Scary looking man, and huuuuge, I didn't go and say hello.
Ryan Giggs in Barbados in a shonky local bar! Top bloke, a very down to earth and easy going guy.
Gave Noel Gallagher directions in the middle of the Cotsworlds, who was house hunting at the time.
Stella Mccartney (very nice) stopped her car and asked if I needed any help, while fixing a flat at the side of the road, had no idea who she was untill my mate told me afterwards 😉
Used to bump into Brian Blessed regularly whilst walking the dog. He is my facebook friend now.
My Ex-Mrs' mum used to teach Bono's Kids at School..
I met him a couple of times, and he bought me a pint when I was in the Pub in Dalkey he drinks in.
John Sargeant - In Petworth house 2 weeks ago. He was like he is on the telly.
Some D lister who does Louis Theroux sytle interviews, who's name I can't even remember - In Ikea with his son a month ago. Like any other shopper.
Clive James - On the Tube. Like any other commuter.
Over the years i've seen loads of others, including royals, but who gives a hoot?
Celebrities have to be somewhere, so seeing them is inevitable. I even know one or two, but again, who gives a hoot?
Some people get in the media glare, but they are no different from the rest of us.
Why are we so obsessed with fame?
Our former works service manager once landed a punch on Jacques Cousteau in an airport after the French Underwaterist pushed in at the front of the check in queue. I recall that he also blobbed Rudolph Nureyev under similar circumstances.
seeing them is inevitable
esp in london, i had a period when i would average a celeb sighting every day.
A looong time ago I used to play Bb cornet in a brass band. One gig was at a party given by Robert Maxwell (charming, in an unctuous, not entirely trustworthy sort of way) and Diana Dors - still glamorous and a huge presence.
The food they provided for us was out of this world. A massive step up from the usual stale cucumber sandwiches. But obviously we didn't play well enough as we were never invited back for another gig.
Best [s]bit of bull[/s] I ever heard though:
One of my x bosses claimed to have nailed Celine Dion 😯
I sat next to Posh Spice on a Manchester to London flight. She was already very famous and married to golden balls. It was the 6 something flight, so a nice early start, she was really nice (I'm a Liverpool fan and bit old for the spice girls), she said hello and wasn't a bit "look at me". Half the people on the plane must have asked her for an autograph and she asked everyone who it was for before signing. Very suprised.
Use to get that flight a lot and also run into Chris Evans (he gets about a bit), he had sold his company that day for a zillion pounds and was taking about 30 people away. George Best (and his cute wife) he was pissed, but nice enough and Chris Bonnington, there's a proper celeb, nice guy.
Lance Armstrong in a spar shop in Tenerife, with Sheryl Crow buying coffee and choclate digestives (i have eaten a packet every day since but still not got faster), so gobsmacked at seeing him manged to mumble something about what was he doing, "training" but got his autograph and wished him good luck for the tour. Nice bloke spoke to others in the shop when he was obviously not expecting to be recognised. Totally ignored Sheryl, not so cute in the flesh!!
Lot's of casualty cast members, looking to buy bikes and stuff.
Sold Gary Wilmot some GT85...
Nearly knocked of my bike by Princess Diana when she came flying out of Althorp years ago. Also met Adrian Edmondson and Jennifer Saunders.
[i]Sold Gary Wilmot some GT85[/i]
We have a winner! 🙂
Saw Neil Morrissey on Cannock Chase about 9:30 Sunday morning a few weeks ago. He looked like he'd just finished a bit of filming. I said hello and he was cheery enough.
Actually bumped into Gavin Rossdale who was walking with Gwen Stefani around Bond Street. He apologised.
Got flipped off by Tim Rice on the M4 sliproad near Heathrow once too after I "expressed my dissatisfaction" at him cutting me up.
Steve Peat in the bogs at the Bike Show 2001. That doesn't sound great does it? Anyway, afterwards he signed my programme and had a chat. Top Man.
Michael Portillo on a flight back from somewhere after he'd been an MP. Sat next to him and ending up talking about this programme he was making about Guantanamo bay. Assumed he was a pompus knob, but ended up liking the fella.
Jimmy White at Singapore airport. Man he looked rough and this was a few years ago.
Had a splff with Wet Wet Wet's drummer near NEC in Brum. Big trade show we were doing, back at hotel Marty Pello was collecting room keys off every girl in the bar it seemed.
