Have you ever had a celebrity encounter or near miss?

[BiscoffCheesecakeAndCream]

Have you ever had any celebrity encounters or near misses? There's a radio DJ who I snogged years ago and shouldn't have. He was far too principled to take it further and I really admired that, funnily enough though I was upset. He's still on the radio now and I think about it a fair bit if I hear him.

I was in a toilet queue once with Kate Moss and Sadie Frost in Islington - I actually went to the same primary school as Kate when she was there so I had an opener but left her in peace. This was just after the cocaine scandal broke.

Graham Coxon from Blur once held a door open for me in John Lewis.

I saw Alison Steadman in Boots

I also was in a pub once that Amy Winehouse was in, playing pool.

I also saw Jarvis Cocker wandering around the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in Bruton.

And finally - saw Dame Judi Dench in a garden centre in Nutfield when I was with my young son and she introduced her dog to him (dog was called Minnie).

Both {Sorry I couldnt resist)

I’ve only ever seen a handful of celebrities rather than met them (except John Hurt who I did chat to). Out and about I’ve seen the late Kenny Everett, Anneka Rice, Geoffrey from Rainbow, Dr Hilary Jones, Judith Chalmers (rip), Sid Owen, Boy George, Angelina Jolie (brief chat), Brad Pitt. There are probably others as I used to work in London, but I can’t recall.

I literally bumped into Gillian Wright (Jean - Eastenders) going into M&Co in Berhamsted! Big smiles and apologies from both of us.

Sid Owen came in looking for rental property to rent while in Panto in St Albans. Used to have his phone number just in case anything came onto the books.

I took my son into Next in Leicester to buy new clothes and while he was trying them on, a man emerged from the changing room with a suit he was going to buy. I knew I recognised him but couldn't place how or why. I worked as a Probation Officer and decided he was an ex client I had supervised, so I had better be friendly. I really could not remember anything about him so just engaged in vague conversation, asking him how he was, how his family was, had he kept out of trouble etc. He gamely answered me and asked after my family. He went and paid for his suit and left the shop. I then went to pay and the assistant said to me- "you do realise that was Jamie Vardy, don't you?". I was mortified- he was probably the most famous footballer in England but certainly Leicester that year!

🤣🤣🤣

I met King Charles! He came into my work, met us all and shook everyone’s hands ! He was so warm and genuine not what I would have expected at all.

I can sort of understand why you drew that conclusion, Jamie on an off day might give you that impression!

Absolutely tons. I worked in a fancy restaurant in Glasgow and pretty much anyone who was filming or singing there would come in. Had steps in who split the bill 6 ways (with their manager), Chris Pine, Dearmot O’leatly, Sandy Toskvig, and soo many footballer players that I couldn’t name were the ones I personally served but there was tons more

I was out around Leicester Square, piccadily circus area back in 1993. Just drunkenly ambling along the road with a friend, deciding which bar to go next. Nearly got run over by a posh car, inside was Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger leaving the grand opening of Planet Hollywood, that was a surprise. Well, when I say run over, it was only going about 5mph 🤣

Stayed in a B+B pub in Esher many years ago. Sitting at the bar after our evening meal the landlord told us that Tony Hadley would be coming in but that we must not speak to him and 'try not to look directly at him, he doesnt like that'

He came in and was so arrogant it was embarrassing to see.

In my 20s I was friends with the band Smokie (they were known as Kindness then) they had a gig where they were on the same bill as Freddie Star. What an absolute pratt he was, rude and nasty.

Oh not at all! 😂 wow really honestly I don’t know why people have to be so rude at the best of times x

Leaving the building where I worked in the West End of London to get something for lunch, Martin Clunes and Neil Morrisey were leaving at the same time and both opened the double doors for me. I was very cool, said thanks and then proceeded to walk around M&S in a daze and didn't get my lunch.

Oooohhh...Gary Davies?

(sorry, I couldn't resist that one)

Once spoke long-distance on the phone to Tom Lehrer.

One of my schoolmates was once nearly run over by Ilie Nastase.

I know someone who was once nearly run over by Bob Dylan (or to be precise, Bob Dylan's chauffeur).

enjoying the Smokie mention. underrated. i have a compilation album 🤨

I met Alice cooper as a kid in a supermarket and after chatting with my family and myself he got a note book out of his pocket and signed it and gave me the paper!.
I also talked to Daniel Beddingfield after a concert in London years ago, after signing his autograph for everyone, he walked over and asked if I had enjoyed the concert and what I was up to afterwards? At this point my boyfriend at the time realised he was talking to me! and told him to F off and talk to someone else, quite swiftly his body guards surrounded my boyfriend and told him to chill out!

Remembered the Letitia Dean story.

She was doing a personal appearance at a local event that my father organised. She was 2 hours late, amazingly rude to everyone she met and then had a major tantrum when the (1000's strong) crowd booed her out of the arena as she had strolled in and interrupted a very good stand up comedian.

I was about 13 and even I got second hand embarrassment!

ETA this would have been about 1988

I was walking along the South Bank after an afternoon in the sun reading David Nicholls’ latest book. A guy walking the other way stopped me and asked if I was enjoying the book. I said yes, and he said he’d written it. London is full of odd people like that, so I mumbled ‘great, fabulous’ and walked on. When I got home, I looked at the pic on the cover. It was David Nicholls who had stopped me.

I once served Jimmy Carr when I worked at Starbucks.

My manager had just cracked down on me for not writing names on their takeaway cups, so I had to ask Jimmy Carr what his name was for his cup with my manager breathing down my neck and we both just made awkward eye contact until he finally said "Jimmy Carr... obviously".

Once gave Spike Milligan 20 single shilling pieces as change for £1 so he could use the phone box across the road from the bank where I worked.
Sat in the same specialists clinic waiting room opposite Ringo Starr and his wife.

Sis has met most of the senior royals through work, apparently all of our family had to be security vetted, including partners, so I'm squeaky clean, clearly! Charles is apparently lovely, he always remembers her as he played the same instrument as a kid and is always interested in her outreach work as it's near one of his many houses and hits the interfaith brief.

Oh and back in 2009-2010, when I lived in Kew, the apartment I rented was in the same building as Nell McAndrew (the late 90s lads mag/glamour model) and her family. Only met her a few times in passing whilst coming in and out of the lift/entry way, but she always smiled and said hello, which is more than can be said for most people living in London!

why was it "obvious" on the part of this awful-sounding Carr? seems like a serious ego on James ('Jimmy'?) Carr. is everyone supposed to know who he is - I have never heard of him and won't be looking him up 😧👎🏾

PLEASE tell me you wrote "Jimmy Carr...obviously" on his cup so it was called out!