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 live in the same town as Graham Oliver from Saxon, we see him about all the time!

We were staying at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, an event was being held, all these limos driving up to the circler entrance, photographers and tv cameras, lots of posing by dressed up people.

The security men wouldn't let me pass to go to the bar and restaurant on a lower floor, I had no idea who a single one of these stars were. A television awards ceremony was being held there, this was early nineties and we didn't have as much American tv here.

Wouldn't have a clue but honestly don't really care either. I'm happy to chat to most people and very few famous people phase me. They're just people doing a job.

Yes. I was at a party (outdoor summertime event) around 10 years ago and I said to my friend , "Why is there a big crowd of women gathered around that scruffy old man over there?". My friend laughed at me and said "That's Robert Plant".

I didn't recognise my partner when I first met him in a bar. I was a bit distracted as I was herding a crowd of people from a training event about. I thought "Oh, he looks a bit like x" but often people look a bit in real life if you see what I mean.

A friend and I walking our dogs in a local beauty spot stopped to admire and cuddle a dachshund puppy. We spent 10 minutes chatting to the owner who also admired our dogs. As we walked off my friend said "you know who that was, don't you?". I was totally oblivious. It was Billie Piper.

...we made an arrangement to meet up for a drink the next day and he left. Then I had the people I was with insisting that he was indeed X for the rest of the evening.
So pretty much the first thing I said to him was "You really look a lot like X" 😄

I’m dreadful at spotting people much to the hilarity of those around me. I’ve shared a lift in Hong Kong with a very famous tennis player, ran on a treadmill with a Tigers player one side of me and a Leicester City player the other side, had a table in a restaurant next to a famous football manager and sat opposite Colin Jackson on a train… I recognised the last one. I think there’s at least a few more stories but I can’t remember 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

At a car show in NEC a couple of years ago and was queuing at one of the food stands for a hot dog, got chatting to a guy next to me also queueing who looked familiar but took me a while to place him - was Chris Gascoyne who plays Peter Barlow in Coronation street. Seemed v friendly, a lot shorter than he looks on tv.

Had dinner at a farm shop in deepest darkest Yorkshire. Man behind my friend looked familiar but couldn't place him. Apparently it was the man who plays Cain in Emmerdale.

In the late 90s I sat talking to a woman about my age in a club because I thought I recognised her. Turned out to be a child star in a major soap. But the weird thing is that I do now actually know her - I've never mentioned that first meeting to her!

Also I run a girlguiding group. Was very confused one day to see one of the children's dad's on soccer AM. I had no idea he's the drummer in Doves.

I was asked by a man with a large group to take a photo of them all on the beach at St Ives on New Years day morning. I did and was wittering on about my ineptitude with technology to the chap. Handed the camera back and returned to DH who was grinning and said ' You don't know who that was, do you?'. It was Andrew Marr apparently. Not very famous but I should probably have recognised him.

I went to see one of Ben Elton’s plays. Had an aisle seat in the stalls. Looked up from reading the cast list and there was the man himself walking up the aisle from the stage, big friendly grin on his face ,arms open wide for a luvvie hug, I was all ready to reciprocate first and explain later when he totally bypassed me and went for Kenneth Branagh who was sitting in the seat behind me. So close, so far.

Love this story. Makes me chuckle that he was also one of the biggest tv comedians in the 80s.

@Cakewineorgin No it wasn't but also, don't know who you mean! 😂

Mooching round harrods just before Christmas (not buying anything, place is far to rich for my blood) accidentally elbowed a man. Said sorry. Had a little chat about how busy it was and walked back to my now ex. He asked me what we had talked about so I told him. Ex said nothing about football? I asked why I would talk to a complete stranger about football. Turns out it was Jamie Redknapp.

I once shared a table in an airport with Steve Redgrave the rower. We were stuck due to bad weather and he asked my dad if he could join us.

He was very friendly and I had no idea who he was until he got up to go to the toilet and my dad said "Do you realise who we've just been speaking to?"

I was once asked out by an X Factor contestant. Apparently.

(Short story: I turned down some guy who chatted me up and asked me out. My friend told me later who he was and that he'd been on the live shows a year previously. Wouldn't have changed my mind. He was a nice lad but I didn't fancy him.)

Yep. Family event at the in laws, a fair few people milling around. I came in from the garden, nearly bumping into some guy I didn't know, laughed, said sorry, that kind of thing. When I got inside DH said, oh I saw you speak to Ken. No idea who Ken was. Turns out it was Kenneth Branagh who is a friend of DH's sister in law.

@Hadalifeonce

Surely you can’t leave us hanging. A movie clue perhaps. Or if you can’t at least tell us how your cousin knew him and are they still in touch 😁

Got drunk at a wedding with a BBC weather presenter. Apparently.

Also went up to random chap at about three in the morning and asked him the time. Turns out it was Steve Strange.

I haven't personally, but my exH did at a venue in California

Fiddling with a fault on his camera he was quite pleased when a nearby chap pitched in to help, and remarked afterwards that he "seemed to know what he was doing"

Which was understandable really ... it was Steven Spielberg

At uni I used to party with a wider group of friends, think like a few groups of friends always going to the same parties/bars etc. I knew a guy in this wider group but didn't really spend any time with him, would smile etc. but not much else. He is now a major major A list star. I could kick myself for not making more of an effort, ha ha

I think that's the best one yet!

Why not tell us the hobby and the celebrity? Because without those details it's not very meaningful.