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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Have you met a celebrity villain?

865 replies

pawsies · 13/03/2021 13:29

Someone that is controversial in the media or comes across unpleasant on TV or whatever?

What were they like in real life?

AIBU to think there might be some surprises and some of them will be a persona on TV or whatever?

OP posts:
ShinyMe · 14/03/2021 08:42

When I was about 11 I was at a school thing in Colwyn Bay, which was quite a way from where we lived. My mum was supposed to meet me but her car broke down and there was no way to contact me or public transport, so she called the police. The chief superintendent or whatever he was, of North Wales police came and personally drove me home. I don't really remember him other than that it was a really boring long drive and I felt sick in his posh car. A few years later he was arrested and found guilty of sexually abusing loads of pre pubescent children all over north Wales.

Monkeytapper · 14/03/2021 08:52

Blake Fielder-Civil ( Amy Winehouses ex) came to our local baby group with his son.
He seemed a really nice bloke.

MsAurore · 14/03/2021 08:57

I met Megan Markle when I was working in retail when she'd just moved to the UK (a couple of weeks before the engagement was announced). She was HORRENDOUS.

We were all very excited about her coming in (and used to dealing with celebrities) but from the minute she walked in she turned her nose up at everything, was incredibly rude, took items of racks and then dumped them on the floor instead of just hanging them back up and refused to engage with us. I'm not convinced she even looked at any of us in the eye! It was like we were dirt on her shoes. She also said some very unpleasant things about a younger member of staff's appearance to her friend (later revealed to be Jessica Mulroney) and everyone could hear her. The poor girl was so humiliated and upset I sent her home.

I never thought I would be on the side of Piers Morgan but I don't believe 99% of what she's said. I've had other dealings with senior royals over the years and they've always been amazingly nice - even the ones who don't have the best rep!

Always look at how people treat their staff. That will tell you the most about what they're really like.

Takenbybread · 14/03/2021 09:25

I was working at a wedding that for someone that had previously worked for the daily mail and had to direct Piers Morgan to the toilet... So hardly any interaction with him but he did call it the little boys room which made me absolutely cringe!

FlamingoQueen · 14/03/2021 09:32

Katie Hopkins and her children once came into a shop I was working in. They didn’t buy anything, but had a look around. She was lovely.

Sparklingbrook · 14/03/2021 09:33

@Lavanderrose

Alex beresford the weatherman. He was so up himself and arrogant.
Saint Alex? Halo Shock Say it isn't so!
Spidder · 14/03/2021 09:36

I met Alex Beresford when he was on ninja warrior. Had no idea who he was. He seemed nice enough. Chris Camara was lovely. Really lovely.

YouokHun · 14/03/2021 09:48

@MsAurore A good friend of mine had a very similar experience with MM but a bit later on during her engagement. It surprised me because I would have thought she would have been careful about how she was going to be perceived. I have no interest in the royal circus but I think how you treat people when the cameras are off, especially those that are “staff” is a real measure of character.

ChickenSoupForTheHmm · 14/03/2021 09:57

Not a ‘villain’ but met Shane Richie in the 90’s during the daz advert era. He was a bellend and wore way too much make up and fake tan.
Not a nice bloke.

Sparklingbrook · 14/03/2021 09:58

@ChickenSoupForTheHmm

Not a ‘villain’ but met Shane Richie in the 90’s during the daz advert era. He was a bellend and wore way too much make up and fake tan. Not a nice bloke.
I would expect nothing less. Grin Wouldn't want him knocking my door for the Daz doorstep challenge.
CrazyCatLazy · 14/03/2021 10:17

These are great. I’ve met quite a few celebs and high profiles through work, not much to write home about personality wise.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 14/03/2021 10:20

JackieTheFart, if you are UK based and read/watch the news you will know who Wagatha Christie is!

Chanjer · 14/03/2021 10:30

JackieTheFart, if you are UK based and read/watch the news you will know who Wagatha Christie is!

I am UK based and watch and read the news a lot. I was aware of the case but unfamiliar with that name

Savoury · 14/03/2021 10:31

I knew one of the EastEnders villains who was entirely normal and nice. I'm not naming him as a) he doesn't deserve to be on the thread with Saville and West and b) his acting career took a real knock after playing such a horrible character. It can actually be a career killer.
Different for Nasty Nick as he was so obviously characterised.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 14/03/2021 10:35

@Chanjer

JackieTheFart, if you are UK based and read/watch the news you will know who Wagatha Christie is!

I am UK based and watch and read the news a lot. I was aware of the case but unfamiliar with that name

It was all over social media and even made 6pm news, but god knows why!
StrictlyComeFlouncing · 14/03/2021 10:45

@Redannie118 - another one here for Paula Yates, worked with her a few times in the 80s and 90s, she was really very cruel to people, especially other women and was completely self-obsessed. Quick to put on the little girl voice and be charming if she wanted something or someone. My boss used to tell us not to make eye contact with her!

Simon Cowell is many things, including very generous and funny.

Met Gordon Ramsey once and he was nervous and self-deprecating, chatted to everyone and stayed much longer than he needed to.

I think there's plenty of celebrities doing the pantomime villain act with their public persona, which keeps us watching, but I think money and fame can definitely blur the lines for some of them over time.

TheBigBaboon · 14/03/2021 10:45

I met Rolf Harris at Butlins in the early 80's. He was looking at me from him car and slowed down. He got out and effectively ask me to meet him after the show he was doing.

I was 12.

Branleuse · 14/03/2021 10:51

one of my best friends had her tits complimented by Dean Gaffney. Does that count?

BirthChoice · 14/03/2021 10:59

Wagatha Christie is the accuser but the accused is the only who looks bad in the media... so I still don’t know who the airplane story is about Hmm

PizzaAndCake · 14/03/2021 11:00

I used to work at a well known charity and let me tell you, some celebs can be horribly rude. I won't say the name but we had a TV actor who made awful comments about a disabled child during an event.

It pains me to say this but Piers Morgan was actually really lovely the handful of times I've met him.

Sophie (Wessex) and Kate were also very friendly the times I've met them

Shandilarr · 14/03/2021 11:09

I had to look after Joan Collins for the day in the 5 star hotel I worked in in London in the early 90s. It wasn't long after Dynasty and she was the feared Alexis Colby.

I had to get things ready for her to do a photo shoot for the Mail on Sunday. It was a long list of props etc and she was most apologetic. Really lovely woman. When she left the hotel she broke off her conversation with the person she was talking to to personally thank me for my time and attention.

Oileoloe · 14/03/2021 11:13

Not a celebrity as such, but I met Prince Philip. I’ve never really supported the Royal Family and I’d heard so many stories I was expecting a very rude and arrogant man. I was accompanying children to meet the queen at an event, not really up for it but being polite and respectful for the kids.

The organisers were running behind so they decided to reroute the queen and avoid the school children, who had been waiting for hours. They didn’t even see her from a distance. Prince Philip though noticed them and left the group. He approached the children and spent time talking. He came across as down to earth, like a nice grandfather. He made the kids smile, feel special and showed interest in them. He then shouted to an aide that they must meet the queen as they’d waited in the sun, and went back inside to get her. He then saw her brought over (she didn’t say a word, smiled a little and watched flowers get handed to people with her). He walked down the line of people waiting and greeted many people, he made a lot of jokes and I could see how that could go wrong (he asked a guy in a mobility scooter if he’d run anyone over recently... the guy was laughing).

He made a real effort, and was bored by the official bits- talking to people instead. It seems hard to fake his down to earth manner and interest in people. He was already in his 80s and was remarkably fit and healthy, he didn’t walk or talk like someone of his age. It was quite confusing tbh after the image I had of him in my head.

Echobelly · 14/03/2021 11:19

Not me, but my mum met Mrs Thatcher at a few Conservative conference women's events in the 80s. My mum wasn't a big fan of hers politically, but said that, contrary to the 'Iron Lady' image, in person she was actually very femine and laughed a lot.

My mum also met the infamous Alan Clarke MP a few years before his death - sure enough, he chatted her up. She admits she has a thing for posh English cads and he clearly had the knack of making you feel totally the centre of his attention, but she resisted!

Longdistance · 14/03/2021 11:22

@Monkeytapper I met Blake CF when he was with Amy. He must've grown up as he was an utter twat to her. They were swigging red wine at 7am on a flight from Nice and I had Amy come ask me for a tissue as Blake decided to blow his snot on her Envy

Sobloodyexhausted · 14/03/2021 11:25

I met Margaret Thatcher once. She was much smaller than I’d imagined her to be (I’d imagined a giant of a woman with lasers for eyes). She did have massive hair though.