Have you ever been in the company of a celebrity and not even realised.

[Jenasaurus]

I was discussing scallops with a friend who couldn't understand my dislike of seafood when a memory of being forced to eat one surfaced.

My 28-year relationship had ended, and I was asked on a date by a new man, we were spending time together getting to know each other, anyway we went on a romantic break, and I arrived by train before him as he had to run a youth club that night and would join me at about 9. So, I wandered around this amazing hotel alone and found myself in the cocktail bar watching a cocktail making demonstration. This was a very trendy place, (MyHotel, Brighton) and the toilets were unisex, when I went in this man made a joke to me about it, I went in and there was a very drunk lady in there who I helped out. It turns out she was his girlfriend, he looked familiar, and I couldn't work out why, but realising I was on my own they invited me to join then, we had a few drinks and then they invited me to join them for dinner, I checked with my date, but he was running late so agreed. We went to this amazing restaurant and when we went in, all the people rushed up to greet him, this was a little odd, I was striking up a great bond with his girlfriend and they were interested in my date and how we met (thats a story for another time).
Anyway, it turned out he was a Channel 4 TV presenter from how to make your first million, I don't watch the show, but he looked familiar, then comes the scallop part...he had paid for all this food and I didnt have the heart to say I find eating a scallop like a food challenge from I'm a celeb and ate it with a fake smile on my face! I was so proud of myself for enduring that challenge that most would consider a treat.

Anyway, we got back to the hotel and my date was still not there, so I mentioned to them we had the penthouse suite and there was a fairground antique horse in the bedroom, they wanted to see it, so I showed them around (apparently snoop dog had the same suite when he stayed - I got it for £99 from Secret escapes so a good deal). They came up and noticed the bath water in the bath, I said I couldn't work out how to let it out, so he put his hand in and let it out for me...his girlfriend giggled and said "I can't believe you have just put your hand in someone Elses dirty bath water"

Later my date arrived, and I introduced them, they told him off for leaving me waiting so long, his girlfriend gave me her number and said to keep in touch, muttered she didnt like my date and they left! My date is convinced they had planned to have an evening of swinging but the girl didnt fancy him!!

What are your stories of being in the company of someone you were expected to know but totally unaware. The bar tenders said to me "how do you know martin?" I said "I dont really", apparently as well as the show 'How to make your first million' he owned a lot of the nightclubs and bars in Brighton in the 80s (probably how he made his first million)

I am dreadful for this. I walked past someone on a railway station platform who was strangely familiar and seemed to o be trying to catch my eye. I couldn't place him and walked past to the pick up point where DH asked me where my brother was as he'd been on the platform to meet me....

I sat next to a chap at a conference dinner and we had a cracking debate (agreeing to disagree) over some obscure subject from one of the presentations. Next December he did a RI Christmas Lecture on BBC2. Not only was he very well known and respected in our field but he'd also been part of the panel for my PhD viva some years previously and I still didn't realise who it was.

I hope you told him to sling his hook? 😂

FFS does it matter? It's ok not to be a complete dick to someone you know.

Please name names!!

Used to chat with a lovely man in the small town I lived in regularly once a week or so. Then I got a new boyfriend who then said how on earth did I know this celeb I was talking to in the paper shop, I said I didn’t, so bf looked him up on the internet to show me that indeed I did. 🤦‍♀️

I've never understood what this phrase means. Does it just mean he sent you a message? Or is there more to it than that?

What a waste of time, people telling their stories but very few giving out names! What’s the point of posting! I was sitting in the arts theatre in Cambridge and a very famous actor winked at me, what was his name! Why should I tell you ? 🤣🤣🙄

I had a big chat with Nick Nairn his wife and their dogs at the park about my puppy who was quite bouncy. He was lovely, they both were.

I had no idea I just thought he was a nice man and off I went, until boyfriend said to me, that was Nick Nairn. Didn’t enter my head. He’s not really a celeb but was glad I was oblivious 😊

Oh Liz, I think you’ve outed yourself.

I used to work a lot of university open days and graduations. The number of celebs accompanying their kids who went largely unnoticed by others was huge. Singers, actors, presenters, cabinet members etc. I put it down to parents being focused on their own kids rather than who was around them. It was rather lovely that they could have a normal time.

I used to do pr for music festivals, conserved myself quite switched on...was looking for Eminem's PR girl to sort out some pics we'd arrangers, so asked this bloke outside his dressing room portacabon - he said he didn't know but she'd probably be back soon, so we chatted away merrily for ten minutes or so before it dawned on me that I was a speaking to Eminem himself. He was more boyish and softer and cuter in real life and I just hadn't made the connection- as soon as I realised I turned into a jibbering wreck and ran off 🙈😂

(Forgive all typos 😩)

DM, a year or two after DDad died, brushed shoulders with a slightly starry Surrey set - very peripherally. She went to a NYE party and was introduced to a nice chap, about her age. She says "Richard" seemed a bit familiar. She was having a lovely chat with him when the penny dropped "oh my God! You're Ringo Start"!

I saw that episode of motherland also 😂

I once did a pub quiz with Benedict Cumberbatch, apparently, but I have no memory of him being there (we were on the same team but it was before he was famous)

Yes lots of times. I'm not very good at recognising famous people or people who are purporting to be famous.

This year was a DJ from radio 1 who asked me to take a photo of him with his friend. He offered to have one with me, which I allowed to avoid appearing rude. I thought it was just someone being friendly, but our son recognised him.

I walked passed Mariella Frostup through, I don't know what they are called - a scaffolder's wood tunnel - in Piccadilly one night last week and boy did she have a sour, mean look to her face. She was with a group of other women.

It must be awful to be a recognisable celebrity.

The morning after a friend's house party I woke up early, having stayed the night, and went in search of coffee. Was hungover and had arrived late so didn't really have much of a handle on who'd been there, who'd stayed over etc. A nice man made me coffee and a bacon sandwich and we had a friendly chat about stuff, then I got my things and left for the station. Discovered the next time I spoke to my friend (in a "who was the friendly guy in the kitchen who worked in the music industry?" kind of way that it was Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim).

When my husband was working away I would visit him once a fortnight in the place he was working! One while there, I had a coffee and sandwich with my little boy and struck up conversation with a man for quite a while in a cafe in St Margaret's near Richmond! Seemed an okay person but I didn't have a clue who he was! I even mentioned to this man that Gadget Man 'from on't telly' was sat in the corner!

Anyway, after about 45 minutes my husband turned up and we left! To which he joked 'oh having a nice date with Michael Fassbender were you, sorry to interrupt!'.

No idea he was who he was!

Went out for dinner with a good friend. He asked if I minded if he brought his brother with him.

Turned out his brother was a footballer. I had no clue until I got up to go to the loo and when I returned to the table had to oust some wannabe wag from my chair.

Went to the funeral of a friend... We all went to the pub afterwards. I was stood waiting for my friend to come out of the loo.. A lady was stood near me and we were chatting about how we both knew my friend. A man walked up and stood next to the lady... He stuck his hand out and said "Hello I'm Dion" So I told him my name... I walked into the bar and heard lots of Norwich City fans talking about the fact that ex player Dion Dublin was at the funeral..

FIL spent a lovely evening with a young David and Victoria Beckham discussing (wholly one-sided) perspectives on Wagner’s later operas. They were (according to MIL) completely charming. A couple of years ago Rod Stewart gave him a lift ( they have flats nearby), and the imagine the discussion was similar then (FIL really, really likes Wagner).

Oh, and my own father travelled in the first class carriage with Ed Sheeran. He had no idea until the groupies met him at the platform. According to dad , Ed just loves a chat about historical train lines 😆

I saw Lacey Turner at our local train station a few years ago. I knew I recognised her but thought she was a friend of my neither so asked her how she was and what she was up to these days and she very sweetly replied she was there filming but not for Eastenders, at which point the penny dropped, I went bright red and excused myself

I was once stood next to Nick frost in Gatwick airport security.
When me and DH were on our way to our honeymoon.
I spotted it was him straight away but didn't say anything or draw attention as I figured he was a normal fella trying to get through airport like the rest of us.

I sat next to a Nobel prize winner once at a dinner while attending a conference. He introduced himself to me. I asked him what he did and what his interest in auction theory was. Turned out he was the key or speaker and published seminal works on auction theory 😆