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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Barbara Windsor

924 replies

Patriciathestripper1 · 14/07/2017 18:08

Apparently the whole country is waiting to celebrate her birthday (according to ITV)
Well Dh certainly isn't!
He was a big fan when he was a lad, and went to see her in a pantomime.
Waiting at the stage door after the show for an autograph with other star struck youngsters, she came out and told them all to Piss Off and clear off home Shock
He said she was the most horrible, rude person and that he never watched her in anything again.
Which celebs have you met that didn't match up to the pedestal you had them on?

OP posts:
Bobcat15 · 14/07/2017 20:51

Also worked closely with Michel Roux Jnr. I could easily have fallen in love with him.

gingergenius · 14/07/2017 20:52

WoofEoofMooWoof Hmm

winglesspegasus · 14/07/2017 20:52

diamondshine
maybe this will help

www.wikihow.com/Contact-Famous-Celebrities

minionsrule · 14/07/2017 20:55

Freddie Flintoff was down at our local cricket club a few years ago having a bit of practice with his nephew. DS and his team were playing a kids match and our coach asked Freddie if he would have his photo taken with the team.
He was lovely and stood there with them for ages whilst all the parents ran over and tried to get photos. I got there a bit late and the group was breaking up a bit so shouted 'Freddie' can you hang on a minute - bless him, he smiled and posed for a bit longer.

EarlessToothlessVagabond · 14/07/2017 20:56

Sorry but depression isn't a free pass to be unpleasant. Had it myself, know and work with plenty of people with it who aren't unpleasant. It may exacerbate underlying arsiness though.

simon50 · 14/07/2017 20:57

Shame about Gloria Hunniford (Pugfather).
About 30yrs ago I did a bit of work in her house (I was only there for a few hours) and she was charming, never forgot how she brought me in a coffee and a dinner plate heaving with biscuits, Jaffa cakes and Mini rolls etc.

CrowOnTheBroom · 14/07/2017 21:00

IHavecausedconfusionanddelay your Mark Rylance story is fantastic. I'm heavily pregnant and have watched a lot of Bing with ds this week so I can totally relate.

BabychamSocialist · 14/07/2017 21:01

Really don't like Barbara Windsor - always seemed off to me and I don't like her reverence about the Krays at all.

Other off celebs I've met:

Got bumped up to first class on a flight once (on my own) and was seated next to Cilla Black. I'll leave you to imagine the rest, but it left me with an intense dislike of her.

On the other hand, I shared a train up Mount Snowdon with Michael Palin who was lovely, funny and really kind to DS1 and DS2 (who has Asperger's and talked his ear off - MP couldn't have been more lovely about it and seemed interested in what DS2 had to say!)

Other nice celebs I've met -

Ian McKellen (hilarious with a filthy sense of humour!)
Kenneth Branagh (lovely)
Mark Rylance (lovely, very normal)
Judi Dench (lovely, hilarious and not a shoplifter like Tracey Ullman's portrayal! Grin)
Alex Turner (lovely and gorgeous - sigh!)
John Major (even though I'm a raging lefty, he couldn't have been more gracious or lovely. Very witty too!)
Damon Albarn (very sweet and intelligent)
Helena Bonham Carter (exactly as you'd expect - mad as a box of frogs but absolutely lovely)
David Tennant (nicest celeb I've ever met)

RiojaHaze · 14/07/2017 21:05

I chased Claire Balding through Crufts once to get a photo and she was lovely and patient.

Same with Mel C who is stunningly pretty.

I used to work in a job involving going into some big houses and Manolo Blahnik (shoe designer) is fabulous and flamboyant, agree with Tess Daly and Noel Edmonds being arseholes, and Kate Moss is great although all my engineers fancied her mum more than her!

uppityupupup · 14/07/2017 21:08

Re Bill Oddie - I saw him once.

It was after leaving a play - he was at the top of the stairs, staring down looking anxious, taking tiny steps back and forth.

If I were to guess, it looked like he'd left the play a bit early and was trying to muster up the courage to walk down.

We were the first out and he looked upset as the crowd started to troop past.

It was quite upsetting to see actually.

I would imagine if anyone had spoken to him then, they may have not have a 'lovely' story to tell.

MH is hard and manifests in different ways in different people.

#walkamileintheirshoes

BabychamSocialist · 14/07/2017 21:08

At least, I think it was Snowdon we met Michael Palin on. It was 10 years ago - but it was definitely in Wales!

Another one to add to the list was Bill Clinton. I always wondered "how could Monica Lewinsky do... that?" and then I met him. Our group had 5 minutes with him at a charity do and I think we were all ready to run away with him. Absolute babe!

LockedOutOfMN · 14/07/2017 21:12

uppityupupup Yeah Josie Long is very genuine. I've known her a long time as she's always been really clever and witty as well as sweet.

MrsDesireeCarthorse · 14/07/2017 21:13

Had it myself, know and work with plenty of people with it who aren't unpleasant.

Oh well, then. Clearly anyone who has depression differently to your personal experience is just a complete cunt Hmm

He has other MH issues (he attempted suicide), and he has apologised more than once for his behaviour in the past. He has been a very, very unwell man. This kind of 'well, everyone I know was FINE' attitude towards MH should have gone out with the ark.

LittleWitch · 14/07/2017 21:18

This will surprise no-one but Anne Robinson is an utter cow - she's exactly as you would imagine.
Sadly, and surprisingly, Victoria Wood was also horrible. Very very "luvvie" and totally uninterested in anything or anyone non-luvvie.

Pugfather · 14/07/2017 21:19

Simon 50- yes she used to on many occasions try to get into the business lounge at gatwick with a standard ticket and would say on each occasion I know I have a standard ticket but do you not know who i am (Gloria hunniford) and each time she was shown the door

MipMipMip · 14/07/2017 21:25

Not surprised to hear about Bruce Forsythe. The story I've heard (and have no way of know if it's true or not) is that when he was doing thee Generation Game he regularly made contestants cry. I do always wonder how much the gushing over him on strictly etc is real - never came across as someone I'd want to work with.

nina2b · 14/07/2017 21:26

Alex Turner lovely and gorgeous? Awwww

alldaysleeper · 14/07/2017 21:26

Lovely people include
Tony Benn (charming and very patient)
Princes Charles - very very funny and a bit mad obviously
Brian Clough - such a generous man with his time
Terry Wogan - absolute gent especially lovely to my mum.

Not so lovely
Liz Dawn, Lynne Perrie - drunken, racist behaviour in Indian restaurant
Jimmy Saville - made my flesh crawl when I met him when the Pope visited.

JonSnowsWhore · 14/07/2017 21:26

Minions I was at Disneyland at the same time as Freddie, and the same Eurostar train. I absolutely fancy the pants off of him, he's one of my favs, but because he was with his kids I didn't go & talk to him. Always regretted it even though I know it was right to leave him alone. But I loves him 😫

EarlessToothlessVagabond · 14/07/2017 21:29

Yes that's exactly what I said - anyone with depression and a different experience to mine is a cunt Hmm.

All I said was mh issues doesn't necessarily excuse bad behaviour. And it doesn't.

I have walked many a mile in those shoes, thank you

nina2b · 14/07/2017 21:30

Why spoil this feel-good thread?

OverTheHammer · 14/07/2017 21:33

Anyone met Joanna Lumley? I'm quite fascinated by her and would love to read that she lives upto my expectations in real life!

uppityupupup · 14/07/2017 21:33

EarlessToothlessVagabond - you've walked a mile in Bill Oddie's shoes? Wow, tbh, I think he had every reason to be grumpy with you, hope you returned them.

JonSnowsWhore · 14/07/2017 21:35

Ooh yes over I love her! But I want her to be just like Patsy in real life & I think she has a bit more decorum than that Grin

AliCat36 · 14/07/2017 21:36

Tom Hiddleston - DD adores him. I sent him a blank card & sae with a letter asking if he could spare a minute to sign it for her birthday. Didn't really expect a reply but thought it was worth a try.
Anyway, months later & after her birthday, the envelope came through the post. I gave it to her to open, i thought maybe a signed photo at best but no. He'd clearly read my letter, realised he'd missed her birthday & had written her a lovely message. She was so happy she cried. So did I! Lovely man.