Celebs where you don’t expect to see them

[Normaja]

I did a drivers awareness course today, one of the online courses where the group joins via teams or whatever it is. You only see everyone’s face and first name.
Anyway, there was one participant that after a while of thinking she was familiar, I realised she’s a TV presenter. I’m certain it was her, but if it wasn’t then this woman with the same name shares an uncanny resemblance.

I don’t spot many celebs where I live so it was quite exciting to be sharing a space with one. Even if it was that particular space. She seemed very pleasant.

Ever had any random celeb spots like that?

Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves) in Morrisons. And Sir Ian Botham in Sainsbury's.

Were his blonde luscious locks as fabulous in real life as in screen??

Robert Plant used to come into our local pub from time to time.

Alison Moyet buying toothpaste in Sainsbury's and Ewan McGregor with a woman who wasn't his (then) wife in a Brighton restaurant.

Ooh and I forgot I saw Sandy Tolksvig in a fish restaurant in Borough Market, with who I think was her wife and daughter.

Also Sandy Toksvig in a pub on a Hebridean Island where we were university students doing an archaeological dig . She was filming a travel series but chatted to us for ages as had studied same subject .

I once almost ran Jennifer Saunders over in the village square where my parents live - she and Adrian Edmonson live close by but a didn’t know that at the time . On another occasion Jennifer , Dawn French and Lenny Henry at the village show that Kirsty Allsop was also at .

Aimi Mcdonald hurried past me near the Crucible in Sheffield. Jeanette Crankie beamed a huge smile at me (I didn't realise who she was) waiting for her husband to pick her up in Dartmouth. I crossed Oxford Street next to Seb Coe. Saw Marc Almond in M&S in London, and Phil Oakey in a supermarket queue (also saw him having his haircut new-romantic style when the band had just had their 1st hit) and other members of HL at a wedding. Jay Kay glaring at me in Dartmouth because I was looking thinking 'where do I know you from?' 😄 before he got in his jeepy car and sped off. Jenny Powell in Habitat looking at kitchen stuff.

I often wonder how many others I might have been near, but never realised 🤔

"I saw Ronnie Corbett in Fortnum and Mason. He looked very cross." -
highly unsavoury character. one afternoon 21 years ago he and i passed one other on an empty street in Marylebone. he was sporting a camelhair coat and was shorter than expected 🤨 i have never experienced such a filthy look from a stranger. another time a friend was playing golf on the hole behind Corbett & associates. "he was effing and blinding the whole time. i suspect pissed. took no account of the children in our party. nasty bit of work".

Donald Trump, queuing for cinema tickets (in Palm Beach) with his kids. They looked unimpressed and I think the other young lady he was with may have been Melania.

This was back before NBC rescued him from being a bankrupt real estate developer, so I guess he had to do queuing until he was rehabilitated as a business 'success'?

Sky sports presenter at a wedding

Alison Hammond at a Christmas party (she was lovely!)

Served jasper Carrott at a coffee shop I worked at. He was rude.

I saw (and surreptitiously followed ) James McEvoy round a Budgens in Stroud Green (where we both lived I later found). I was literally obsessed with him at the time so it was quite the sighting for me!

And dh and I happened into a pub after we got engaged and we got chatting to local legend Sue Pollard, who was sitting on the next table, was absolutely lovely and insisted on buying us two glasses of champagne.

I've remembered more - I saw Michael Portillo as we both walked past Buckingham Palace - I was taking the scenic route to Victoria station, and he was walking in the opposite direction.

Years ago, I saw Ian Botham at Cannon Street station.

Back in 2002-2006, often saw pilled up celebs clubbing at Venus or North, Manchester.

Sara Cox (absolutely off her face)
Vernon Kay (medium mashed)
Dean Gaffney (just on booze)
David Beckham (likely sober)

Dean Gaffney was lovely. The others not so much.

I've also spotted these two! Jilly at Heathrow Airport and Martin at St Pancras. He's huge!!

@twinmum2007 i know!!! I was so embarrassed when I couldn't remember his name!! 🤣🤣

Stood in a queue with Bobby Charlton at Woods butchers in Knutsford. He looked familiar but just couldn't place him. Got shushed by DH. Saw his brother Jack in a restaurant in Morpeth when on holiday.

David Seaman jogged past me near Marlow, big smile and said hello. I also live near Russell Brand and my partner has chatted to him,he was walking his dog.

Also Jay Kay a few times, in super cars and doing school run in a Range Rover

What does Russell Brand smell like?

Ruby Turner (singer) in my local post office many years ago
Pato Banton (singer) outside local Maccy D's about the same time
Served Gladstone Small (cricketer) at my local supermarket when I was a student
Wayne and Colleen Rooney pre marriage on holiday in Barbados - having drinks in an almost empty Monkey Bar at Sandy Lane. Lovely couple Wayne was SO sunburned though!
Robert Plant - lives near us so often see him out and about
Charlie Dimmock used to live near relatives in the New Forest and used to see her quite a bit - lovely lady
Ron Atkinson (ex Aston Villa manager) at Birmingham airport yonks ago. I was in awe at how tiny and well presented his wife was (massive blonde bouffant immaculate make up at 6am)
Iwan Thomas (400m runner) out running a few times when we lived in Southampton for a bit.
Jack Charlton early morning on Broad St Birmingham early 2000s I was rushing to work, but he saw me recognise him and we had a mini eye contact of acknowledgement before I walked past without bothering him
Letitia Dean from EastEnders - after a panto in Birmingham took photos with my younger siblings and was lovely despite being ill / virtually no voice
John Barrowman - also after a panto. I honestly don't fancy him but for some reason went all weird and gooey as he is just so bloody handsome in real life and has that 'something'. Very very lovely too.
Amanda Barrie in a West End pub years ago - admired my handbag as I left the loo

Quite a random collection now I look back

None of these are particularly odd, but..

Liz Jones, the journalist, at Tatton Park.

Brett Anderson from Suede walking past my bus stop.

Ville Valo (lead singer with HIM) in a lift in London.

Most of the cast of Coronation Street when I worked in Manchester: Johnnie Briggs (Mike Baldwin) spoke to me about cider in a bar and Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald) almost ran me over in his convertible.

Julie Hesmondhalgh in the bar after she performed in her one-woman play. Absolutely lovely woman.

Michael Owen walked into a restaurant where I was having lunch with my family. My dad said, "Isn't he short?!!!!" really loudly.

Oh was on a train with Micheal Portillo whilst he was filming his bbc train series. Got on at Plymouth, did his piece for camera whilst crossing the bridge / Tamar and got off at Saltash.

I saw Liz Truss in M&S Food in Greenwich, smirking whilst avoiding eye contact.

Minnie Driver in Early Learning Centre in the 90s. Rob Bryden at baby swimming lessons. Davina McCall on the Central line.

Saw Alex Polizzi (The Hotel Inspector) and family including Oliver Peyton ( the food critic who is her brother-in-law) dressed in wetsuits at a beach cafe in Cornwall. Saw him first and both recognised him but couldn’t place where from. Then this tiny woman with lots of short curly hair turned around and DH recognised her. We googled her and discovered man was Oliver Peyton, who is married to her sister. Apparently, their family owns a hotel near to the beach and the cafe has a great reputation.

Why can't you? You didn't sign an NDA, presumably 🤔.