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Original poster

Anyone met a celebrity and they haven’t been how you expected?

628 replies

Everdeen80 · 18/09/2023 14:35

I guess from all the RB threads…a lot of people saying that they are appalled but not exactly surprised.

so I wondered - anybody met anyone well known and they were NOT how you expected? For good or bad?

I had a very strange and brief encounter with one of my favourite actresses a couple of years ago and it was not what I expected at all! Made me realise of course we don’t know these people at all. Any other stories?

OP posts:
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10
Elliania · 03/10/2023 18:08

I spent a weekend working with Michael York at a convention; he was very kind and personable. When the organisers came to take him off for his talk & lunch he wouldn't leave until he was sure that myself and the other person working with me had something to eat - even offered to bring us lunch!
William Shatner I thought might be a bit self important but he was incredibly kind to the young child in front of us who was dressed in a Star Trek costume.
Anthony Head is very funny.
And Andy Serkis is a really good guy. Very easy to chat to and very nice to the fans at the event.

Lionandtheunicorn · 03/10/2023 18:25

I

macshoto · 03/10/2023 18:35

Tenuous... but some years ago I was on a flight from Milan to Heathrow and was surprised to find Kylie Minogue stood next to me at the baggage carousel picking up her own bags.

She did have an entourage with her, and my two recollections were surprise at just how petite she was and that she had not got someone carrying her bags for her, but was with the rest of us collecting her own stuff.

TheEldersOfTheInternet · 03/10/2023 18:35

Startingagainandagain · 03/10/2023 17:01

The celebs I have met:

Really unpleasant:

  • Tracey Emin: rude and arrogant
  • Esther Rantzen: rude, arrogant and well known by TV crews for being difficult. Also, her charitable persona is just an act...

Friendly ones:

  • Kay Burley
  • Various cast members from Holly City
  • Julian Sands (RIP)
  • Russell Tovey.

Also met Princess Anne several times and Boris Johnson. Was very impressed by her, Johnson not so much...

Her charitable persona was also a cover, but I'll keep this thread light.

CakeInAJar · 03/10/2023 18:37

Yes Princess Anne and King Charles were lovely when I met them.

Flibbertigibbettytoes · 03/10/2023 18:42

saraclara · 03/10/2023 17:55

My friend has worked with actors and entertainers every working day for decades and very rarely mentions any names. But he recently said that Sarah Millican is the nicest person in show business. I was really pleased to hear that.

I am surprised at that - I watched that series of taskmaster recently and thought the mask slipped a few times

Odiebay · 03/10/2023 18:42

When I was younger I met:

Cat deeley: seemed stressed all the time. Constantly snapping at everyone. Maybe a bad day...

Ant and Dec: Dec was the sweetest to us (kids/teenagers) ant actually said "don't waste time with them they are only the kids!".

Tina from a club 7: sat next to her and she complimented my top and nails. Really friendly.
Melinda messenger: really friendly and sweet

Jeremy Clarkson: stood behind me in a shop. Someone had asked him for an autograph it seemed and he turned to me and said " suppose you want one too". I laughed and he got offended.

More recently:

Helen Bonham carter: had a house near me and she is so nice!. Noone bats an eye to her walking around the village. She must have had Jonny Depp stay there once as I saw him cycling in the village and I did pull a shocked face. He smiled at me and said "morning".

Rowan Atkinson: lives quite close. Saw him at a garage. Seemed quiet and didn't want to be noticed. Nice enough .

Maggie Smith: saw her shopping in Waitrose. Really sweet and totally indulged me when I asked about harry potter. So lovely.

Taylor swift: met her through my old job. Wasn't supposed to be in that day either. This was just after 1989 came out. Could not believe how normal she seemed. Really funny and asked alot of questions. Very sweet and took time to thank EVERYONE on set and learned people's names.

Limpba · 03/10/2023 18:44

Gino de campo complete W ⚓️

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 03/10/2023 18:46

I was actually watching old episodes on Challenge last night - I know it’s an act but she’s awful, commenting on how fat and unattractive the contestants are!

Apparently, she was very unpopular and difficult to work with on Countdown.

Pamela Stephenson was the nicest, very sweet and super polite.

She didn't seem especially nice when she sexually assaulted Nick Owen on live TV, on TV-AM.

ValerieDoonican · 03/10/2023 18:46

Met Sarah Montague when she was still on the today programme, and told her I was always glad when she was on (which was true). She laughed and said she wasn't!

I think she had to work quite often with John Humphreys, who I hadn't met , but I heard him give an after-dinner speech once and found it shockingly spiteful and unpleasant. He was a really arrogant broadcaster I thought, and he just got worse as the years went by IMO. So possibly he was not a great colleague! (Or of course she might just have been referring to the 4am.starts)

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 03/10/2023 18:47

@Lionandtheunicorn - Did you think better of what you'd written and change your mind?!!

Amabilis · 03/10/2023 18:48

Noel Fielding is a complete arsehole, I’m sorry to say.

ValerieDoonican · 03/10/2023 18:50

To answer the question, I wasn't surprised that sarah montague was humourous, I was however surprised (back in the 80s) that John Humphreys was so unpleasant in public. It seemed cheapening.

CakeInAJar · 03/10/2023 18:53

Limpba · 03/10/2023 18:44

Gino de campo complete W ⚓️

Yes!! He felt me up at a cooking show!

clarepetal · 03/10/2023 18:53

WearyAuldWumman · 03/10/2023 16:37

Does this count?

I went to school with the author Ian Rankin. Almost literally bumped into him in a bookshop cafe more than 30 yrs later, when I was having a really bad day.

Had dropped my glasses. Was on all fours picking up the lens that had dropped out. Straightened up and there he was. "Oh, hello Ian!"

He looked startled, so I said "It's all right. I'm not a mad fan. We were in the same English class - WearyAuldWumman..."

"Oh, Weary! Hello."

Got my lens, sat down with my coffee. Next thing, he comes over "I'll be back in a minute - we're just getting ours."

He and his son came over and sat next to me. Ian just blethered away about old friends. At one point, he told his son "Don't have that book read all at once!"

He hadn't changed a bit. Still very down to earth.

I love Ian Rankin and would probably have lost my shit if I met him. Love your story.

itsgettingweird · 03/10/2023 18:57

Mike Redfern

He was the dad in the oxo adverts alongside Lynda Bellingham.

I thought he'd be nice. He was horrible. I was in panto with him as a teen so I couldn't even avoid him as rehearsals and show was over 5 weeks.

I was onstage with him for a few minutes alone every night. I hated it.

itsgettingweird · 03/10/2023 19:00

MrsMontyDon2020 · 03/10/2023 13:50

Worst was andrew Maxwell. Which checked out when he was on I'm a celeb. So incredibly rude!!!

I've met a lot of politicians and regardless of politics they've all been lovely. Michael Gove was a bit socially awkward, but otherwise very polite etc.

Also met a few footballers, and again all been fairly nice people.

I've met a few politicians too.

The only one I've ever not enjoyed meeting was Suella Braverman. She's worse in RL!

Through theatre I've met Jason Donovan - he's a really nice guy. Anthem Turner - also lovely but quieter than you'd imagine and Mr Motivator is who nicer than he comes across on TV if that's possible!

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 03/10/2023 19:03

I love Mr Motivator!

Suella even worse in real life? Does she actually go around the neighbourhood burning down poor people's homes for a bit of entertainment?

itsgettingweird · 03/10/2023 19:08

Nope. But only because she only visits the bits of neighbourhood she likes. So the western rich wards.

I met her professionally as well as being my MP.

Professionally I've been professional.

In RL I told her that not in a million years would I vote for someone with her values.

Medusaismyhero · 03/10/2023 19:13

Already been mentioned but Princess Anne is a legend. Charming, engaging and totally dedicated to visiting all sorts of boring community/education venues and actually seeming to care about what they do.

She's also insanely petite and beautifully dressed. Just pure class. Love her.

Queenofheart · 03/10/2023 19:35

TheFlis · 18/09/2023 14:47

For some reason I thought Vernon Kaye would be an absolute arrogant knob. I have met him a few times through work now and he could not be more friendly, down to earth, self effacing and hard working.

I’ve also worked with him, lovely guy 🙂

EternalDreamer · 03/10/2023 19:35

Jimmy Carr - he did a set after a work dinner and he was absolutely lovely and very funny.

Lesley Joseph - met her at Streatham ice rink! She was there with her kids and everyone was asking for her autograph so she got everyone to give them her name and address. A couple of weeks later a signed photo arrived in the post!

EternalDreamer · 03/10/2023 19:37

Oh! And Mark Owen...he was on my plane to the States years ago and the 14yr old came out in me. He was queuing for the loo and I ran up to him asking for his autograph. He signed my book and we chatted while we waited. Lovely man 😍

Starbeeees · 03/10/2023 19:37

I somehow thought Olly Murs would be a knob but he was lovely!