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Post by anthony40 on Mar 31, 2024 17:49:21 GMT
Anyone had any?
I mean they're human too and make mistakes, as we all do.
I guess what I'm asking is you've ever been in a situation where you accidently said, or done something in front of a celebrity; or they, in front of you?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 31, 2024 18:02:14 GMT
Many years ago Dale Winton tried to pick me up in a club in Sheffield. Least said the better but no, I didn’t!
And some years later I was stood at the bar in some dreadful dim club in Manchester, someone tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and it was bloody Jean Paul Gaultier.
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Post by bee on Mar 31, 2024 19:08:43 GMT
I literally bumped into Gordon Ramsey in WH Smiths at Glasgow Airport a few years ago.
I mean, it wasn't especially awkward, we both said "oh, sorry" simultaneously and went on our way, but it's my only real encounter with a proper celebrity so I figured I'd take the opportunity to tell folks about it on here.
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Post by alece10 on Mar 31, 2024 19:46:21 GMT
I can think of 2.
First one back in the 80s when I had to tell Kenneth Williams that he was being thrown out of his hotel in Tenerife for being rude to the staff. He was not pleased.
Then just after lockdown I went to the Tower of London to visit and saw the actor who plays Gary Windass on Corrie.
I thought I had read he was being killed off in the series. Had a nice little chat with him until I mentioned him leaving the series and he replied "that's news to me". I was so embarrassed and backed away quickly. Needless to say he is still in Corrie.
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 31, 2024 20:00:29 GMT
I held a door open for Ruby Wax when she came to the theatre I volunteer at. She didn't thank me, look at me or even acknowledge my existence 🤣
But most of the others I've had any interaction with have been fine.
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Post by david on Mar 31, 2024 20:17:36 GMT
On a train from Liverpool to London, I was sat across the table from Alison Steadman. It was one of those encounters when you recognise a celeb but can't be sure it is actually them or just a doppelganger. I ended up having a chat with her during the journey and she was a really lovely lady to talk to.
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 31, 2024 20:19:18 GMT
My celebrity encounter was with Elaine Paige.
I have no secret on this Board that I am from Australia; I am from Sydney, Australia.
For any performer, it's a great honour to perform at the Sydney Opera House. Bernadette Peters (who I also saw at that venue) claims it was a highlight of her career!
(At the time) about 1986 Tim Rice toured the album Chess. It was called Tim Rice and Friends and stared Elaine Paige and Tommy Korberg.
I would have been 16 and was with a school friend. At this time One Night in Bangkok and I Know Him So Well ha been hits on the radio.
From memory, Tommy Koberg (obviously) sang Anthem, Elaine Paige sang Nobody's Side. Together they also sung Mountain Duet and (unbelievably, in hindsight) Tim Rice sung One Night in Bangkok.
I also have a vivid memory of Tim Rice saying "you think I would have flown her all this way with getting her to sing it" - and Elaine Paige sang Memory, from Cats.
He also made a joke about he fact that he wished that he's written the lyrics to that song!
Flash forward many years, I am now happily living in London and Elaine Paige is starring in The Drowsy Chaperone.
As part of an organised event I meet her at an after show even and mentioned to her that I saw her in Sydney, Australia when she was touring Chess and Elaine Paige turned to me and said "I never toured Australia with Chess!"
#awkward! How do I respond to that? Call her a liar?
I was not starstruck! I was dumbfounded!
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Post by jojo on Apr 1, 2024 16:00:14 GMT
I met Phillip Schofield when I was ten and on a school trip, when he was at the height of his Broom Cupboard fame. I asked him where Gordon (the Gopher) was. He responded as if this was an entirely original and interesting question for him, not something he'd heard twenty times a day for the last two years. It was a cherished memory for a few years, until it gradually dawned on me that I had actually been very cringey. Nevertheless, I still commend him on being so gracious about it - and to to my entire year group pestering him for autographs. Even as we both aged and I started to find him a bit pompous etc.
To this day, I'm terrified of meeting any other celebs I like or know anything about as I'm so terrified I'll say something similarly unoriginal, that I won't be able to say anything.
In my trendy twenties I was walking through a quiet Soho back street, having a particularly Scottish sweary moan on the phone to a friend, when I was surprised by a dashing older man with piercing blue eyes coming towards me from the other direction. He raised his eyebrows and grinned sympathetically at my predicament as he walked past me. I smiled back sheepishly, realising a few seconds later that it was Hugh Lawrie - who had kept moving briskly, so at least he didn't have to endure me asking what Stephen Fry was up to.
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Post by catcat100 on Apr 1, 2024 16:53:16 GMT
Reading Festival late 80's.
Had my trainers stolen early in the weekend so was wearing a friends 2 sizes two big sandals and wasn't exactly walking straight.
Saturday afternoon, hungover from the night before and already a couple of pints and spliffs down, was stumbling away from the bar, pint in each hand watching the band on stage. Bumped into somebody spilling said pints. Both of us apologised to each other and went our separate ways.
Walking back to group realised that I bumped into John Peel, a massive hero for my teenage self, quickly turned round to see if I could talk to him but alas he was just going through the back stage gate.
Have rued this missed meeting ever since.
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Post by aspieandy on Apr 1, 2024 19:08:46 GMT
I held a door open for Ruby Wax when she came to the theatre I volunteer at. She didn't thank me, look at me or even acknowledge my existence 🤣 I picked her up once, with her family, from Gatwick. Went back to Notting Hill. Family holiday to the Far East. Everyone tired, morning rush hour, bright sunlight so quite grim. Paid for by Vanity Fair, iirc. Only awkward because the kids were a bit fed up/listless. Drove very many when I was in that game. I used to pick up from Judi Dench's house before I knew who she was. Heh. (Michael was alive then). More recently, I've exchanged words with a number while unlocking my bike outside venues where they've just performed (and I've just watched). That's quite common. Kristin Scott Thomas, Lesley Manville, a few outside the Dorfman, etc.
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Post by Latecomer on Apr 1, 2024 19:12:09 GMT
Sat next to Ian Rickson at the play Mojo….embarrassed myself by not recognising him and telling him excitedly that he (and his companion) were going to love the play, as I had already seen it, and it was brilliant! . In the interval I raved a bit (as you do) and he confessed who he was, whereupon I instantly realised that he was sitting next to a famous actor, who was in a play at the National Theatre (I have terrible face recognition, no visual memory at all)….must have muttered something like “oh and you are the actor at the National”….they chuckled a bit as it was Rhys Iffans. I made zero coherent sense. Happy times! I wouldn’t mind but Ian Rickson was one of my heroes …..When he said who he was (and that he was glad I liked the play so much) I may have introduced myself as “I’m Mary from Oxford”…..
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 1, 2024 20:22:52 GMT
Sat next to Ian Rickson at the play Mojo….embarrassed myself by not recognising him and telling him excitedly that he (and his companion) were going to love the play, as I had already seen it, and it was brilliant! . In the interval I raved a bit (as you do) and he confessed who he was, whereupon I instantly realised that he was sitting next to a famous actor, who was in a play at the National Theatre (I have terrible face recognition, no visual memory at all)….must have muttered something like “oh and you are the actor at the National”….they chuckled a bit as it was Rhys Iffans. I made zero coherent sense. Happy times! I wouldn’t mind but Ian Rickson was one of my heroes …..When he said who he was (and that he was glad I liked the play so much) I may have introduced myself as “I’m Mary from Oxford”….. Don’t be embarrassed. When I read our “Famous People…” thread I have no idea who anyone is. I’m sure Judi Dench could serve me an ice cream and I wouldn’t clock. |
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Post by adrianics on Apr 1, 2024 20:25:29 GMT
Back in 2007, a couple of friends of mine went to see Avenue Q and realised they were sat behind someone famous but couldn't put their finger on it.
Eventually, one of them said "I think he's Neil Buchanan from Art Attack", the other disagreed but the first kept saying "he's Neil Buchanan from Art Attack".
After a couple of minutes, the man turned around and politely told them that his name was Mark Speight and that he was the presenter of SMart.
My mum was once on a teambuilding day in Stratford-Upon Avon and had to do a scavenger hunt around the town in the afternoon. One of the items was "a photo with a celebrity". She saw someone she recognised from the telly and said to him "excuse me, are you famous?" the man responded "I suppose some people think I am" and agreed to a picture. The man was Gary Waldhorn, most famous for Vicar of Dibley.
My own awkward encounter with a celebrity: In 2018, my wife and I were in Hollywood as part of our honeymoon. One night we went to Bird, a trendy mid-market restaurant next to the Uptight Citizens Brigade. There was a single unisex toilet, and when I was in there I heard an extremely loud and extremely Welsh voice bellow "I HOPE THE GUY IN THERE ISN'T HAVING A sh*t!". I opened the door and it was Matthew Ryan, who must have been on a break from filming Legends of Tomorrow as he had his unmistakable bleach-blonde Constantine hair. You couldn't miss him!
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Post by dynamiccoins on Apr 1, 2024 21:43:20 GMT
Normal one - held the bar door open for Noel Gallagher at the Shepherds Bush Empire. He said thanks (yes he was small, and no I can't remember who the band was we were there to see).
Embarrassing one - (as a Manchester lad) Anthony Wilson walked in front of me at the ICA and I pointed and sort of squealed much to the amusement of my girlfriend.
Unusual one - sat on a small plane (2 seats each side of the aisle) on the way to Newquay. The bloke in the seat across the aisle lent forward revealing a gun on his belt (pistol thing) which was a bit of a shock. Another guy saw my face and pointed to Nick Clegg sat in the seat in front of me. It was 2012 and he was on his way to some Olympic torch event. I was surrounded by his MET protection squad. Actually really nice guys so had a good chat with them about the life of a protection officer for a top politician. Told me a few stories about the nice / not so nice people they'd worked with.
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Post by sjbr1988 on Apr 3, 2024 7:38:08 GMT
Had a couple myself back when I used to be a bit of an autograph hunter.
First one was at the Press Night for Jersey Boys in the West End.
Ended up having a brief chat with Anita Dobson and she was more than happy to sign an autograph for me. Stood next to her was her husband Brian May, so I politely asked if he would sign. He looked at me and walked off without saying anything, Anita also asked him to sign it for me but again just said nothing and walked off.
On a positive note, watching Hair at the Gielgud and noticed Sheridan Smith. Went over and said hello to her and she was more than happy to chat, even to the point she offered to buy me a drink from the bar and ended up talking for the whole interval. Really down to earth and friendly but not sure what I really said as I was stupidly starstruck and taken back by her generosity.
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Post by mistressjojo on Apr 3, 2024 12:01:57 GMT
I was at a BAFTA screening of a TV show, which some of the actors also attended.
Afterwards in the ladies room Suranne Jones was chatting with someone, as she saw me approach says something like ' oh no autographs, I'm talking to a friend'.
I had to deflate her slightly by telling her I just wanted to wash my hands and she was blocking the sinks!
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Post by alece10 on Apr 3, 2024 12:26:33 GMT
I was at a BAFTA screening of a TV show, which some of the actors also attended. Afterwards in the ladies room Suranne Jones was chatting with someone, as she saw me approach says something like ' oh no autographs, I'm talking to a friend'. I had to deflate her slightly by telling her I just wanted to wash my hands and she was blocking the sinks! I like that one, would have loved to have seen the look on her face. |
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Post by anthony40 on Apr 3, 2024 20:02:53 GMT
In May last year Nell Campbell (aka Little Nell- Columbia from The Rocky Horror Picture Show) did a talk at the Trafalgar Studios on a Monday evening- a night when Jersey Boys wasn't playing.
At intermission I noticed that a few rows in front of me, sitting on the aisle was Tracey Ullman- I LOVE Tracey Ullman!
So I approached her and went all fan boy on her, professed my undying love for her
Me " I love you! You don't know me, but I love you!"
"Honestly, I'm not a nutter! Although right now I appreciate that I may actually sound like one but I'm not! Honest! I love you!"
Then I regaled her how I used to watch her TV series Tracey Takes On on late night tele in Australia.
Then she agree to take a photograph with me; damn, my eyes were closed!
Between Little Nell and Tracey Ullman, I was one of my best theatrical stagey nights of 2023!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 3, 2024 20:16:09 GMT
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Post by emsworthian on Apr 4, 2024 8:52:19 GMT
This is more of an almost awkard encounter. When I went to see Sir Ian McKellen as King Lear at the Minerva, Chichester, Sir Tom Stoppard and his wife were in the audience. As I was leaving the theatre, Sir Tom and his wife were right behind me. I heard him say: "May I introduce you to my wife Sabrina?" For a split second I thought he was talking to me and I nearly made a complete prat of myself by turning round and saying: "Hello".
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Post by Jan on Apr 5, 2024 7:49:03 GMT
And some years later I was stood at the bar in some dreadful dim club in Manchester, someone tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and it was bloody Jean Paul Gaultier. Ha ha, very good. And here's the original. |
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Post by longinthetooth on Apr 5, 2024 13:45:42 GMT
I once sat next to Cliff Parisi, aka Minty from Eastenders and, more recently, Fred from Call The Midwife. He was very friendly and we got chatting. He offered me some crisps from a Pringle-like container. I politely took one, when he grabbed my hands and shook out a whole load of them into my palms. Unfortunately (a) the crisps were coated in some sort of flavoured powder, and (b) the curtain promptly went up for the second act. Not wanting to appear in the Bad Behaviour thread, I duly felt obliged not to crunch said crisps, but sucked them to death instead. By the time I'd finished, my hands were covered in sticky red goo from the crisp coating and I recall then having to scrabble in my bag for a tissue to clean them!
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Post by solotheatregoer on Apr 5, 2024 14:43:54 GMT
In 2019, I was on a work trip travelling back from Dubai to Heathrow and Henry Cavill was on my flight. He was wearing an England Rugby shirt so I had assumed he was on his way back from the World Cup in Japan (a look back at his Instagram after confirmed he did attend). Looked like he was with his Dad. When we landed at Heathrow I was stood in the next e-gate for passport control so we were side by side. I extended my hand and said 'nice to meet you'. He gladly returned the shake and we stood talking for a minute or so about the release date for The Witcher.
I am so annoyed at myself whenever I think back, but just as we were about to go through the e-gates I asked for a quick picture. I still cringe every time I think about this as I never ask for photos with celebrities and you should not be taking pictures at passport control either! He politely refused and said he would be swarmed in an airport if other people had recognised him, which I fully understood. Still surprised how casually he was walking through the airport with no attempt to disguise himself (he's hard to miss!).
We then passed each other again as we collected our luggage and gave each other a respectful head nod :-)
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Post by Jan on Apr 5, 2024 17:20:47 GMT
Not many entries of celebrities being in a bad light. I live in the same street as a major family-friendly TV national treasure comedian noted for his calm and agreeable manner. One time years ago I saw him when his young child had laid down on their back right in the entrance to a big busy branch of Tescos and he was standing over them red-faced and screaming "GET UP ! GET UP ! GET UP !". Parents the world over will sympathise. He's got a nice house, worth about £6m.
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Post by Rory on Apr 5, 2024 19:41:59 GMT
Not many entries of celebrities being in a bad light. I live in the same street as a major family-friendly TV national treasure comedian noted for his calm and agreeable manner. One time years ago I saw him when his young child had laid down on their back right in the entrance to a big busy branch of Tescos and he was standing over them red-faced and screaming "GET UP ! GET UP ! GET UP !". Parents the world over will sympathise. He's got a nice house, worth about £6m. MMcI? |
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Post by Jan on Apr 5, 2024 20:09:07 GMT
Not many entries of celebrities being in a bad light. I live in the same street as a major family-friendly TV national treasure comedian noted for his calm and agreeable manner. One time years ago I saw him when his young child had laid down on their back right in the entrance to a big busy branch of Tescos and he was standing over them red-faced and screaming "GET UP ! GET UP ! GET UP !". Parents the world over will sympathise. He's got a nice house, worth about £6m. MMcI? It wouldn’t really be fair to say who it was, he really is a very pleasant chap in real life and I had a lot of sympathy for his predicament but he was lucky social media hadn’t fully taken off. |
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Post by Rory on Apr 5, 2024 20:10:34 GMT
It wouldn’t really be fair to say who it was, he really is a very pleasant chap in real life and I had a lot of sympathy for his predicament but he was lucky social media hadn’t fully taken off. Say no more, Jan. 😯 |
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Post by hannechalk on Apr 6, 2024 21:35:03 GMT
Not as much of an encounter, but back in the day when Marti Pellow was Narrator in Blood Brothers, he seemed somewhat bemused I was the only woman not waiting specifically for him at stage door. I wasn't waiting for him at all, to be honest.
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Post by Jane Parfitt on Apr 6, 2024 21:36:55 GMT
He wasn't the best narrator was he....! Not as much of an encounter, but back in the day when Marti Pellow was Narrator in Blood Brothers, he seemed somewhat bemused I was the only woman not waiting specifically for him at stage door. I wasn't waiting for him at all, to be honest. |
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Post by hannechalk on Apr 6, 2024 21:40:21 GMT
He wasn't the best narrator was he....! Not as much of an encounter, but back in the day when Marti Pellow was Narrator in Blood Brothers, he seemed somewhat bemused I was the only woman not waiting specifically for him at stage door. I wasn't waiting for him at all, to be honest. I don't think I've even seen 20 Narrators yet, but he's definitely not in my Top 20. |
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