[Closed] Celebs you have bumped into and what were they like?

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

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.

How times have changed. They're giving Gary Wilmot away with GT85 these days.

Oh and a few of us who used to ride in the Chilterns saw Paxman a few times walking his dog. He didn't seem keen to have a chat...

Met Alec Baldwin on a chairlift and ended up skiing with him for a few runs. Nice enough fella.

I let Courtney Love use my phone - she was very sweet & polite

Just remembered a couple

- Met the guy who played the butler in the Fresh Prince of Belair - Geoffrey - when working at LBS. Turns out he's a cyclist (road). Nice guy though sounds exactly the same as on TV which I found quite disconcerting as I had always assumed it was an accent put on for the yank audience.

- Saw Princess Di a couple of days before she died, in Harrods. FWIW, she was actually quite stunning in person - much more so than I'd have ever thought from seeing her pics on TV/etc.

- Was best man at a wedding where Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket) was a very good friends of the bride's parents. Lovely lady actually. Luckily nothing like her TV character 🙂

"Sold Gary Wilmot some GT85"

Brilliant

I've introduce Barry McGuigan to Tony Hawk.

Barry was super nice, Tony was very quiet and nervous

Judy Simpson (Heptathlete or "Nightshade" as she was at the time on GLADIATOOORRRRSSS) bought a newly-redundant GCSE Maths revision book off me at a car boot sale in the early 90s.

Met Joe Strummer at a Pulp gig in Portsmouth. Shook his hand and said "Thanks". He was cool. Surprisingly small hands.

Shouted a request a John Peel at a gig. Everyone knows he was simply a wonderful man 🙂

i frequently bumped into daily mail cultural Conservative journalist Peter Hitchens, riding a very old bike around Oxford. He's into cycling as an expression of traditionalist politics it seems. Can't see him upgrading to a full suss anytime soon.

Met Johnny Vegas outside a pub in Robin Hoods Bay a couple of years ago. I had walked past him and when I caught up with the family told them who it was. My 8yr old daughter who had never heard of him dragged me back up the hill and ask for a photo. He was pleasant enough. He had a pint of guinness in his hand.

Met Jarvis Cocker at walberswick last summer. He was crabbing with his sister and her family and his bacon fell off the line so I gave him some of ours. Was too star struck to speak to him but my wife took a sneaky photo,

Also met the other significant music person from Sheffield, Phil Oakey in the showroom bar at my mate's leaving do. Said mate's missus is an old school pall of Phil's bird so he was chatting to us quite normal.

I had a wee next to Dick Strawbridge from Scrapheap, at Bristol Airport.

I know he's a bit portly, but I doubt they call him 'big dick'...

its odd the way people feel able to strike up a conversation with a celeb, but not with a normal stranger.

Cliff Richard in then GF's parent's house about 72 - came across as a nice guy
Mike Read - Radio 1 DJ, beat him at table tennis when both of us pissed - nob
Phil Read - motorcycle racing god when he was still racing. Mate and I knocked on this front door. Spent about half an hour showing us his bikes and chatting - top bloke
Jackie Stewart at a business event I was running - very professional, very sharp, very stand offish
Prince Charles at a garden party at his house (Mrs M was florist there for a year) - professional sheen of niceness
Tom Jones in the lounge at Heathrow T5 about 3 weeks ago - porkier and stiffer than seems on TV but genuine bloke

Natasha Bedingfield touched my bum at LAX :-). She has a nice smile.

(I backed into her yanking my suitcase off the luggage carousel)

Howard Donald off his face DJing in Newcastle somewhere (I too may have been, ermm, distracted). He was a bit of a knob TBH.

Wiggo at the Revolution series in Manc - lovely chap 🙂

Met Joe Strummer in the loo's at the 100 Club, seemed nice but I only said "hello, great gig, s**t it's hot in there" I was a bit gobsmacked / speechless (even though it was his gig) as he was always my favourite musician since around 1979 when I was 13 years old.
RIP Joe

Was in a cafeteria (Lord Glasgow's place) and in walked Boris Johnson.

Also Stirling Moss, Peter Duncan, Thatcher, John Major (both whilst PM), and the sister of the girls that played the Alessi twins in neighbours in my old apartment in Putney (OK that's pushing the "celeb" bit a bit far).

OK that's pushing the "celeb" bit a bit far

to push it even further, i went to uni with the cousin of the girl who played zac's love interest in saved by the bell, tiffani amber theissen.

Right...
My uncle's best man was Ian Duncan Smith's brother (they met at Borstal!!! Do the tabloids know that I wonder?)
I had a drink with Johnny Vegas after a radio show I appeared on (Genius with Dave Gorman) - very lovely bloke.
I was in the National MTB champs back in about 1991 at Scarborough and John Leslie was one of my fellow racers. They were filming it for Blue Peter. Later that day was stood behind Helen Sharman (woman astronaut) at the water bowser. I got my self on film on both occasions.

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),

LMAO! I've been trying that too, doesn't work! Maybe it's the way we are chewing them or something.

Jackie Stewart, just read his book and I thought he sounded ok when he was younger but a bit too business like and "ooo look at me I have so many famous connections and I'm the best business man in the world" nowadays. Sounds like he's like that in real life too.

Oh met Helen Sharman too. And Patrick Moore.

And bumped in to Prof. Heinz Wolff at Oxford Station once. He's a good guy.

Reminds me - Patrick Moore and Brian May used to stay with my in-laws every now and again (astronomical connections). Not met him myself, but I am assured that Patrick Moore is as mad as a bag of frogs, but perfectly pleasant company!

Judy Dench was having a meal at the next table to ours a couple of weeks ago whilst on holiday.

Also was on a trip to Dublin in mid-90's and was in a great restaurant when in walked the Sinn Fein party having retired from their conference! Jerry, Martyn, Ken, etc.....

first honeymoon in '92 - same small hotel in Tunisia as Johnny Ball - had a few drinks poolside with him and his family most days (unfortunately no Zoe there though 😥 ) nice guy, very entertaining after a few beers

last yr - rode for a couple of hrs round my home patch of lochwinnoch and Howwood with Lance when he did his Paisley ride - top guy, spoke with everyone, very genuine

oh, another one, not me but my Dad - him and my mum and a few friends were having a quiet dinner in a posh restauarant in Howth about 20 yrs ago - bunch of rowdy yanks at the next table who were getting all the waitress attention. My dad eventually got up and told the ringleader to calm down, stop his singing as he was disturbing the place. he recounted the story to me and the GF later that night (we were on holiday with them and had opted to go to the chippy instead) - me 'any idea who it was ' Dad ? 'can't remember, Bruce something... Springburn or somat.....'

yes, it was actually Springsteen and my old man told him to stop singing 😛

John Craven, once in the Peaks filming, once i interviewed him (twice)
Kate Humble - interviewed
Peter Duncan - on a cliff in devon on hoiday
Kris Akabusi (awesome bloke) - interviewed
Ashley the vicar from Emmerdale
Phil Oakey shopping in Crookes, Sheffield
Jarvis Cocker drinking in Sheffield
Drove a remote controlled car into John Leslie's foot
Jonathan Ross twice, once in St Pancras, once in Alton Towers
Lily Cole in St Pancras

erm, i'm sure there's more. I'll have a think.

edit: birthday party in Dublin where the Dubliners were playing
Tim Minchin after a gig. Lovely fella

I once was in a pub in Oxford with friends and noticed that the Levellers were sat on the table behind us. I didn't say anything (despite them being my fave band at the time), cos they were just out for a pint of course - but someone we were with did. They were nice and friendly, but left soon after. Don't blame them tbh.

Also, Pete Postlethwaite sat down opposite me on a train - with a friend. They talked non-stop, and didn't say anything to me apart from asking what stop was next or what time it was or some such.

Also saw Ray Mears filming a piece on the Beacons once whilst out for a walk. Chatted to his producer.

Craig Charles drank in my sister's then local - turned up on Sunday Lunchtime in his roller, had a pint and an orange juice, read his paper and left.

My Dad used to work with Max Boyce.

My mum beat Mary Peters in the All England 110yd hurldes in 1963 or something.

daughter had photo taken with Brad Wiggibns in Manchester, seemed like a top bloke

I have a mate that did quite a bit of freelance work for BBC Scotland and I used to help him out occasionally so I met quite a few scottish celebs and sports people.

Most were pretty cool. Ally McCoist made me a cup of tea while we were filming some stuff at Rugby Park and Dougie Vipond is just one of the nicest blokes you could hope to meet.

Ford Keirnan (the short fat one off Chewin the Fat and Still Game) however is a ****t

I got really drunk with Bruce Dickinson (of Iron Maiden) once. Just he and I in a pub in Chiswick. He was ok.

Got drunk with David Gray once - top chap.

Liam Gallagher at a hotel in London. Good bloke. He was wearing skinny jeans.

I saw Russell Brand go past me yesterday in a taxi. I was very excited as I am aware he and Katy are buying a house in Danbury Common where we ride our bikes... Imagine that Katy Perry walking her poodles in her West Ham kit as I ride past; a bead of my sweat vaporising on to her immaculate lips.

erm. Tony Ben - I saw him Camden High Street. I shook his hand. I think he initially thought I was going attack him.

DJ Shadow - backstage at Brixton. Had a long chat with him. Could not have been nicer.

My mum made curtains for Bruce Forsyth when I was a kid. Bruce waived at me whilst I waited in the car. I think he quite fancied my mum.

I see that bloke from Peep Show constantly (Jez. Not David Mitchel). He lives near my office in London. Once, suffering from a kind of torrets, I shouted that 'he was a Mac' to him from accross the street, in reference to the adverts plastered all over London at the time; he smiled weekly. I then saw him at the cash point a week later. I suggested that he must have 'millions in the bank'; he denied this. He now literally crosses the road when he sees me coming. I will try and take a photo next time this happens and put it on here.

tobyho - You didn't know Jill Dando did you? 😯

badnewz - Member
its odd the way people feel able to strike up a conversation with a celeb, but not with a normal stranger

No its not.

Many people have met me on STW rides and at the BigBikeBash. 😀

I don't do autographs.

And just like the majority of today's "celebrities" you have absolutely no talent 😉

Bumped into literally Oliver Reid, long time ago obviously, a few of us were on leave and staying a the Union Jack club near Waterloo, he insisted on buying us a pint which turned into quite a few.

Met many of the Royals when i was in the mob, Diana was a stunner close up for sure, Princess Anne the dogs gonads, no airs and graces and even had a cup of tea out of a plastic cup with us. Charles is straight down the line, no humour or sense of reality. Queen mum was laugh, very knowledgable even in the last few years.

One of the Geo guys in the office here was at college in California, he went to a thanksgiving meal at his then girlfriends house, knock on the door in walks Cameron Diaz and Justin Trousersnake, Camerons mum lived next door and Cameron grew up with his girlfriend, she forgot to tell him, apparently they were down to earth and were driving a Toyota car.

I also was in a pub in West London once and Jason Donavon came in, he knew the girl i was with and sat down for a chat, actually came across as a decent fella.

Julia Bradbury was in the Cairngorms doing a bit on avalanche forecasting, I was one of the [s]pervs[/s] safety team, lovely lady to follow up a steep hill, nice personality too....