Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Famous people you never really hear of anymore.

649 replies

Soubriquet · 18/03/2023 12:47

What people can you remember being really popular at one point, and then seemed to drop out of existence?

Ill start with

Danielle Panabaker
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Julia Styles

OP posts:
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/03/2023 18:38

The wonderful Floella was a stand-in Countdown host a few months ago – she did a brilliant job, just as you’d expect of her. She even threw in a few Playschool jokes for those of us of a certain age!

Vorderman was last sighted going round and round and round on Michael Mcintyre's The Wheel the other week.

Did you see that bit where the arrow landed on her for her ‘expert’ category – aviation – and how phenomenally smug and patronising she was towards the contestant? I was cringeing for her.

Yes, Elaine Paige is still active on Radio 2 every Sunday – but I think PP was asking about Julie Covington and contrasting her disappearance from the public eye with Elaine and Barbara Dickson, who are still very much in it.

I really shouldn’t be ageist as I am no spring chicken but I was imagining him as Shaky Stevens.

He’s 75 now, but interestingly on that same subject, he was the youngest of 11 children. His oldest sibling was born in the 1920s and by the time he (Shaky/Mike) was born, some of his siblings were already married with kids!

I’m sure I also remember reading that, when he first became famous, he didn’t speak any English at all and presumably learned the lyrics phonetically – English-language pop music obviously having a far bigger market than Welsh..

I would also add:

Duffy

Gok Wan

Dave Spikey (Peter Kay and {Paddy McGuinness are still very much around, but I think Dave probably enjoyed the experience – and money, I’m sure – of fame, but was always naturally introverted and didn’t need to ‘feed of it’ in the same way}

I agree that many of these celebs that some of us remember from our childhoods will be elderly now and, even where still physically and mentally active, are probably happy to be seeing out their remaining years and enjoying their money in private. They’ve aged, just like the rest of us have! I’m reminded of that scene in Still Game where Jack and Victor go to Central Station for the first time in decades and Jack ponders where the auld fella who used to be there all the time (busking iirc) in the 1970s might be and what he might be up to now!!

SecretVictoria · 18/03/2023 18:39

Lyndsey Dawn McKenzie - page 3 model who had an affair with a footballer (forgot which one).

Tracy Shaw - Maxine in Corrie. Very popular with tabloids and lads mags, released a couple of singles. Not seen/heard of her in years.

Davinia Taylor/Murphy and a lot of other former Hollyoaks cast. About 20-25 years ago, a few of them went to a college round here. Ricky Whittle & Carley Stenson lived just up the road from me.

Lots of ex-kids TV show actors. The only ones from Byker Grove to still be around are Ant & Dec and Jill Halfpenny.

Same with Grange Hill; the Buckfield twins were each in ‘2.4 Children’ and ‘Hollyoaks’ but can’t think of anyone else who did much afterwards.

Itsnotfairhuff · 18/03/2023 18:41

Duffy

she was horrifically kidnapped drugged and raped. I doubt she will ever come back into the limelight. Her voice is incredible though, it's such a shame.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/03/2023 18:48

Oh, no, that's horrific. I remember hearing something about her retreating from the public eye vaguely in the news, but I didn't realise the reason why. How devastating for her Sad

Mavericksaviators · 18/03/2023 18:51

Lisa stansfield

KillingMeDeftly · 18/03/2023 18:52

Mavericksaviators · 18/03/2023 18:51

Lisa stansfield

Is she still going around the world looking for her baby?

Flump9 · 18/03/2023 18:53

Florenz · 18/03/2023 15:04

Rustie Lee
Timmy Mallett
Mr Motivator
Floella Benjamin
Tasmin Archer
Tamzin Outhwaite
Michael Greco
Antoine De Caunes
Gordon Burns
Andrew O' Connor

Michael Greco did Panto last year.

JaneJeffer · 18/03/2023 19:02

Lowri Turner

Mavericksaviators · 18/03/2023 19:07

KillingMeDeftly · 18/03/2023 18:52

Is she still going around the world looking for her baby?

I think she must be stuck in a dessert somewhere still looking 😂

JaneJeffer · 18/03/2023 19:15

Anyfeckinusername · 18/03/2023 13:50

Danni Behr - she was everywhere for a while.

She's an estate agent in LA now

midsomermurderess · 18/03/2023 19:16

Mavericksaviators · 18/03/2023 19:07

I think she must be stuck in a dessert somewhere still looking 😂

Marooned on an île flottante perhaps?

Tupperwarelid · 18/03/2023 19:17

Max Beasley lives in LA now. Does the odd bit of acting and has supposedly been releasing some kind of jazz album for the last couple of years.

Mavericksaviators · 18/03/2023 19:21

midsomermurderess · 18/03/2023 19:16

Marooned on an île flottante perhaps?

She’s enjoying that big old macaroon far too much 🤣

the80sweregreat · 18/03/2023 19:25

I loved Max Beasley in that programme with Tamsin Outhwaite. Hotel something?
I really did fancy him back him ! It's not often I have a crush on someone I'll never meet ( and so out of my league !)
(Him and Ade Edmondson. I have odd taste )

Tanfastic · 18/03/2023 19:27

Carol Smilie. She was never off the tv at one point.

Tanfastic · 18/03/2023 19:31

Itsnotfairhuff · 18/03/2023 15:18

Russ Abbott - I used to find him hilarious as a child

Is he not deceased?

the80sweregreat · 18/03/2023 19:35

According to wiki , Russ Abbott is still alive !
His 'madhouse' show was funny

Spudina · 18/03/2023 19:46

Michael French was just in a play that’s touring I believe.

minou123 · 18/03/2023 19:52

I've just thought of another one; Johnny Vaughan.

Him from Big Breakfast. He was the "Dermot O'Leary" of his day.

I presume he's doing some radio presenting somewhere

stationroads · 18/03/2023 19:53

Liza Tarbuck

Merula · 18/03/2023 19:56

Johnny Vaughan presents on radio X.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 18/03/2023 19:57

Melinda Messenger

minou123 · 18/03/2023 20:01

Merula · 18/03/2023 19:56

Johnny Vaughan presents on radio X.

Thought so.

I'm starting to see a pattern here. Many 90s/00s tv presenters are now radio presenters 😁

Jellykat · 18/03/2023 20:12

stationroads · 18/03/2023 19:53

Liza Tarbuck

She does a hilarious show on radio 2 every Saturday, love her!

Soubriquet · 18/03/2023 20:18

Sandra Bullock! She was in everything and then seemed to have dropped out of existence

OP posts: