Famous Encounters

[Dagman]

Hi folks, have you ever come across a famous person by accident? I've seen Bob Mortimer in a McDonald's early one day in London, didn't want to disturb him as it seemed inappropriate. Have you spoke to them and how did they react? 

[Prudie]

I saw and spoke to Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley (pre Versace dress) at a tourist attraction. I often kick myself that I didn't make more of it because he was quite a crush back then.

[nailedit]

Not by accident but by design (it was advertised) but met and spoke to Prince (now king) Charles & Camilla.

 

Both really pleasant people ( and thats coming from a socialist)

[Clone]

Sir Sadiq Khan, this afternoon.

(told me to keep the sir bit quiet though)

[Bazile]

I met and shook hands with  Muhammad Ali 

[netherfield]

Queen Mum at Smithfield show, she was very knowledgeable about cattle, lovely person she was talking dad, but stopped down to talk to me, no idea what about now though.

Wife and daughter met Sue Pollard and  Gorden Kaye in the village one Christmas eve, they came to spend time with a local chap for quite a few Xmas's. On another occasion Kenneth Waller, Grandad in Bread and Old Mr Grace in Are you being served,  who came from the town, and his family lived in our village, along with one of the oompah loompah's(sp) who also had family in the village.

[Dagman]

Great encounters everyone. I do wonder what i'd say if contact was unavoidable. Suppose it depends on my who they are. I often ponder with Mrs D who we'd like to sit at a dinner table with. We think of Victoria Wood, Lee Evans, Paul O'grady, Spike Milligan to name a few. But they do say never meet your heroes. 

[Buenchico]

I've met plenty of famous people but not all of them really 'by accident' (as specified in your post, Dagman). 

One of the better examples I can think of though was when I was approached many years ago, in Quadrant Stationers in Sheffield, by a very large (and somewhat intoxicated) Canadian gentleman, who'd just been told that they didn't stock the snooker book that he was looking for.  He asked me for directions to an alternative bookshop, which I was happy to provide for him:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Werbeniuk

[Buenchico]

I've raced the late Ian Lavender from a train to the taxi office at Stowmarket station (hoping to get in first but only to find that he'd pre-booked his cab anyway).

[Buenchico]

Delia Smith used to be a familiar face in my local Tesco (at around the time she was promoting Waitrose on the telly).

Melvyn Hayes though seemed to prefer to shop in Asda, where I passed him in the aisles several times.

[Omg21]

The post about Sadiq Khan reminded me that I once saw him in a coffee shop.  He was with a few men who looked as if they were there for his security.

[Cloverjo]

Alan Titchmarch was filming a tv piece at a farm or something when I was young. My mum had a bit of a crush on him. She managed to overcome her shyness, and asked for his autograph. She was so thrilled.

 

[Buenchico]

^^^ Clover's reference to autographs reminds me of when I was serving in a bar in Ipswich.  Two young women were sitting at the bar, watching every move of one of our customers and, just like excited schoolgirls, trying to decide whether they could pluck up the courage to ask for his autograph or not.

Shortly later, he came up to bar to buy drinks for the group of friends that he was with.  So I simply asked him if he'd be kind enough to autograph their tickets, as they'd been driving m up the wall for ages!  He was happy to oblige 😊
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_(singer)

[naomi24]

Ian Lavender beat us to buying a house once.

[newmodarmy]

I've met quite a few but didn't really chat to any of them. 

Was introduced to Tony Blair but he didn't seem interested in talking and just had a glazed expression in his eyes and looked straight through me. Met 2 different PFA chairman at different times (Gordon Taylor and Clarke(?) Carlisle). Got an award handed to me by Amir Khan. Sat near Bobby Charlton on a train. Met a few ex professional footballers whose sons played for a team I managed ...all nice guys. As a teenager I used to collect cricketers autographs in the days when you could bowl at them in the nets before a game. Most were chatty.

I doubt any of them remember me though apart from the footballers.

I stood next to Trevor McDonald at a London rail station but didn't disturb him.

 

 

 

[newmodarmy]

Ha... just remembered I also met Jimmy Savile when I was about 8 years old and he chatted to me and my grandad ...seemed a nice funny guy.

[naomi24]

NMA, lucky grandad was with you.  

[netibiza]

Well living on Ibiza yes I've come across many andnyes they jar been fine

 Some like Denholm Elliot and terry-thomas became friends!

[Captain2]

'Have you spoke to them' "Fifth floor, please"

'how did they react?' He pressed the button in the lift at The Midland Hotel, Manchester.

Russ Abbot

[Dagman]

Great replies, wonder which famous people revel in public attention, can't be many. I know I'd be wary of people. That's a downside to fame I suppose.

[FoxLee2]

Years back my sister got off a plane and onto the coach to go into the airport.  Charlton Heston was sitting down and he got up and gave his seat to my sister.  She loved to say that Moses gave her his seat (CH played Moses in The Ten Commandments)