Celebrity connections!

[dezt]

Met Prince Philip when I got my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Was presented with it by Jon Culshaw.

Keith Chegwin opened a nightclub I was in many moons ago.

I once had to go in Phil Neville's house to his study to fix his computer when he played for Manchester Utd, was made to take my shoes off at the front door and walk through in my socks, glad they didn't have holes in.

[SBM_Kat]

Very tenuous connections for me but here goes

 

I once took a phone call from our old company patron Loyd Grossman and still asked "who's calling please?". He visited the office a few times.

 

My best friend from high school was in Eastenders, the original celebrity love island and small parts in a handful of Hollywood movies (recently Maleficent 2), she had a lead role in a Sky One series. I am still in touch with her and we had coffee just before the lockdown, where I tried not to fangirl. I partied a couple of times with her when we were young and met a few footballers.

 

My husband's aunt au paired for Barbra Streisand and Liberace

 

My auntie au paired for the Duke of Wellington and played tennis with Princess Diana before she married Charles

 

My friend's son was a child actor who played the lead in Water Horse

 

I am friends with an Indie Band member's mum on facebook and we chat all the time, we met at a gig.

 

The Oasis Gallagher brothers attended the school I worked in for 12 years and there was a lot of memorabilia in the archives. I never could convince them to come and visit us but Liam replied to my tweet once.

 

My friend Tracy was responsible for getting Rage Against the Machine to number one in order to block X Factor always getting the christmas record. They put on a free gig after where she was invited on to the stage and presented a massive cheque for Shelter from the proceeds.

 

I bought some second hand furniture off Annabelle Apsion who was Monica in Shameless and in now in call the midwife. She was very Luvvie (but a nice lady!)

 

My dad used to hang out with Happy Mondays, I don't want to know either!

 

My daughter sat next to Phil Foden in school and was acquaintances with Roy Keane's daughter, he was a horrible man whenever he came to hockey matches etc

 

My husband was a cab driver and he picked up a few people in his cab, mostly football folk like Sir Alex Ferguson but a couple of pop stars e.g. atomic kitten

 

So yeah, most of my links are second hand! But some good ones.

[elsiegee40]

How could I forget to mention Jilly Goulden? She volunteers at the rescue where I volunteer. I have worked alongside her many times

[sparkeh]

Walked straight into Liam Gallagher on Oxford Street, he told me to #!*% off!

 

Sat next to Richard Herring at a Pub Landlord gig. He was making notes for the TV series and had a little light clipped to a notepad. Really annoyed me.

 

Had to ask Jeremy Beadle to move his table for a book signing at WHSmith because it was blocking the stairs. He looked sad.

 

Had to get education pseudo celebrity Pie Corbin’s laptop working for a training course at a school I worked at. He was a bit of a #*!$ about it.

 

My wife’s half sister is Kate Long author of The Bad Mother’s Handbook.

 

My favourite is when my wife asked Paul Gambacinni to stop dithering in the doorway of a restaurant we were trying to get into and he was searching through his pockets.

[6Foot2]

I have recalled an encounter (that maybe I tried to forget?) Many years ago I was visiting a friend from my degree days. We went to one of his favourite pizza restaurants in Leeds, near Roundhay Park. The restaurant was laid out in two 'lobes' with a narrow strait (walkway) joining them.

 

We were being shown to our table, and we had to walk down the strait. There, in the most constricted part of the whole building was a certain J. Savile (dressed in a gold shiny track suit) sitting at a table saying things like "Don't bother me", "I just want some privacy" We walked past making sure that he knew we were ignoring him.

[mole]

My wifes' late dad punched Phil Collins in the face.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

My wifes' late dad punched Phil Collins in the face.

Which Royal presented him with the medal for that?

[SamanthaD]

Working in a receiving theatre and smaller festivals mean I've met lots of comedians, actors and public figures, some of the more pertinent ones...

 

Gave James Dyson a bollocking - I was gate guard (checking ID's) at RAF Lyneham and he hired half a hangar from us to keep his jet and helicopter in. He came up to the gate in his Range Rover and opened his window to show his pass, and a disembodied hand appeared from the rear to wave some more ID cards at me. I very curtly explained that his cars privacy glass was working very well and how the hell am I expected to check the photos match if I can't see their faces? Fortunately he was the funny side of it...

 

Became friends with Keith Chegwin - I was working backstage on panto (doing lots of magic door openings and set moving etc) and he would wind us up every night by trying to make us miscue etc. I was only working half the run so on my last performance I opened a door for him into "Wishy Washy's Laundry" (It was Aladdin) as he walked through he grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me on stage screaming "MUM! I've got someone here who doesn't want to pay for their laundry!" Punters had no idea what was going on and the crew were in stitches! He still bought us all Christmas Dinner though, top bloke.

 

Taught James Cracknell (Olympic gold medal winner) how to embed videos in PPT. He was doing one of his motivational talks and was all over the place, so in between sessions I went over and showed him the ever so simple "Play automatically" and "Play full screen" options, it was like I had taught him a new language or something. Amazing how the simplest of things can make people happy!

[Bompalompalomp]

Anne Hathaway disapprovingly glared at my girlfriend in a restaurant in LA because she accidentally left the price tag on her new jacket... She's never been able to watch a movie with her in since.

 

Apparently she was having a rant at whoever she was eating with about having to pay for her red carpet dresses.

[paulkerton]

My junior school's new library (long time ago now!) was opened by Jeffrey Archer, and I (and others) took him on a tour of the school

I was in a queue at a service station shop waiting to be served only to hear Lisa Riley from Emmerdale who was in front of me, kicking off and using the classic "don't you know who I am?" line.

[elsiegee40]

A couple of others that come to mind.

 

A few years ago, my daughter and I got into a lift in a hotel in Copenhagen and realised the other people in it were Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniaki ... and a woman I presume was Wozniaki’s Mum. The latter gave my daughter and I dirty looks all the way down to the lobby. We clearly weren’t permitted to speak. We didn’t.

 

I nearly walked into Una Stubbs as I emerged from a toilet cubicle in a restaurant in London. She was lovely.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

A few years ago, my daughter and I got into a lift in a hotel in Copenhagen and realised the other people in it were Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniaki ... and a woman I presume was Wozniaki’s Mum. The latter gave my daughter and I dirty looks all the way down to the lobby. We clearly weren’t permitted to speak. We didn’t.

At that point you should've pretended not to know who they were and had a chat about your favourite tennis players/golfers making sure not to include either of them.

[Disease]

Met and shook hands with Princess Dianna, met the Queen mother, Prince Phillip, with the last 2 by met I mean inspected by and responded to questions while on parade so still counts

 

Sold a car to Rodney from Only Fools for his mum.

 

Met Ian Wright at Heathrow while waiting for a flight to Boston.

[FragglePete]

As a child my Mum used to take me into her office sometimes for various reason and took great joy in introducing me to a couple of blokes that used to be footballers. This was the days of when footballers retired had to have normal jobs to pay the bills, etc. So, I was introduced to Jimmy Greaves who took great delight in showing me his new fangled calculator that could play tunes (lovely chap) and then later on Geoff Hurst but didn't really talk much to him. They both used to be insurance salesmen for Abbey Life to which my Mum was the Office Manager for the branch in London.

 

Bit wasted on me really, never was interested in football as a kid and didn't really know who they were until I grew up.

 

Pete

Edited April 21, 2020 by FragglePete

[Mewdewgooboofoo]

I've had a drink with Keith Flint at Cadwell park, and @CastiiPaii told him how good the porta-loos smelt not realising who he was, ROFL

[MatthewL]

Loose track really, done work for a few MP's over the years, all nice friendly people (not into politics anyway), lots of local low level ones I suppose. Not really good with names and loose track and treat everyone the same.

 

My work and voluntary roles have brought me into contact with various people over the years, some more known in some of what I do than they would be to Joe Public, had a few likes, retweets, comments and follows on Twitter if that counts too!

[StevieM]

I've just read through the thread and there are some impressive name drops. Respect.

 

I've got a few. I guess my most high-profile one is that a band I played keyboards with in the late 80s appeared on the same TV show as Kylie Minogue and Bananarama.

 

(We've done this before, but I've checked again and there's still nothing online. )

 

More recently, an alt-rock cover band I sang with headlined a local music festival on the Saturday evening. The Sunday was headlined by The Christians.

 

(There is some (poor quality) footage of this online, but I'm not giving you lot enough info to find it. )

Edited July 6, 2021 by StevieM

[Ketlane]

As a schoolboy was taken on a visit to Parliament. We were parked in a side room, can't remember why, most of us sitting on the floor, and I was nearest the door. Prime Minister of the time came through and trod on me. I've been one of the downtrodden masses ever since.

[synaesthesia]

Won a competition to name the pit complex at Silverstone 10 years ago. At the opening, met and spoke to . Moss, Hill, Coulthard, Webber, Button, Stewart, Williams, Horner, Brawn to name a few. Sat on Hamilton's 2008 car and Senna's MP4/4.

Saw Murray Walker but despite all the above names and chats, was too starstruck to talk.

[E_G_R2]

Used to play 5 A Side with Tony McCarroll (original drummer Oasis) and even the Gallagher brothers before they became famous.

 

Sat on a train opposite Kate Ford aka Tracy Barlow from coronation street.

 

Bumped into Barbara Windsor at Glasgow airport - she was Tiny

[JJonas]

I went to school with Celebrity Photographer Andy Gotts MBE

 

https://www.andygotts.com/

[IrritableTech]

I've got a few of these. One of the perks of working in live music I guess.

I have the same type of background so...

 

I drove Alex from the artic monkeys and his girlfriend (at the time) Alexa Chung in my beat up ford focus (much to the tour managers disgust).

Had Dave Grohl pretend to recognize me three years after meeting him the first time (genuinely the nicest guy in rock).

I had breakfast with Seasick Steve.

Bowling for soup had me drink at their bar on stage.

I got in Liam Gallaghers way when he tried to exit stage (whoops).

Stood up to Papa Roach over timings.

Smashed Tom Jones' tea set (by accident).

I've also done loads of book events with writers, poets, celebrity chefs and politicians. Far too many to recall them all.

[Guest obsidianpillar]

I've met/have mutuals with a fair few (I mainly work in Commercial Music/Broadcasting these days but still frequently check up on here as there's still quite a lot of crossover between industries!) - They are very "2010+" tho - so some may not be known by some on here!

 

I used to be mentored by the presenter Sacha Brooks (Capital FM/Xtra Reloaded).

 

One of my friends is a member of the band "Real Like You" (Won X-Factor "The Bands") in 2019.

 

I've worked with social influencers such as Adam Collard (ITV2 "Love Island").

 

Ran into the likes of Jade from Little Mix at Metropolis in London whilst on different work projects. Also had a (very brief!) chat with Lewis Capaldi & Rita Ora whilst working backstage on "Hits Live" (Bauer Media) in Birmingham in 2019.

 

One of my college friends' Dad have produced for Robbie Williams (+ Take That) & another's Dad is one of the directors for Countdown/Mastermind

 

I've met a fair few of the BBC Birmingham lot over time (one of my good friends regularly directs the BBC Breakfast (Midlands) "Regional Opt" (Shefali Oza, Mary Rhodes etc). Said friend also occasionally exchanges texts with Huw Edwards from the 10.

 

 

Just a few that I've been able to type quick fire!

Edited July 6, 2021 by obsidianpillar

[Guest obsidianpillar]

When I played Sunday football, Robert Plant from Lez Zep used the run the line for us.

 

I got to know him quite well as he lived not far from the pub team I played for, went on his son's stag do and wedding which was attended by Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Lenny Kravitz. Went to few non advertised gigs that Rob played at.

 

I also met Paul McCartney once when I was doing a sound course at Abbey Road.

 

Just read this & clocked your location! My Dad's friend also knows Rob (from the football I think?). He also drinks at one of my local's here in Kiddy. He's still one to meet on my list!

Edited July 6, 2021 by obsidianpillar

[paulellam]

I have the same type of background so...

 

I drove Alex from the artic monkeys and his girlfriend (at the time) Alexa Chung in my beat up ford focus (much to the tour managers disgust).

Had Dave Grohl pretend to recognize me three years after meeting him the first time (genuinely the nicest guy in rock).

I had breakfast with Seasick Steve.

Bowling for soup had me drink at their bar on stage.

I got in Liam Gallaghers way when he tried to exit stage (whoops).

Stood up to Papa Roach over timings.

Smashed Tom Jones' tea set (by accident).

I've also done loads of book events with writers, poets, celebrity chefs and politicians. Far too many to recall them all.

 

 

Do you know Adam Morrel by any chance?