Who did you meet? What were they *really* like?

[RedRider]

Paddy Ashdown. Strict with his dog.
Sits down at our table outside a pub with his wife and a friendly dog. Dog sniffs over and wags its tail. Instinctively, I reach out to rub it's ears but I'm stopped in my tracks by a loud: 'NO!'
About a dozen drinkers spill their pints at the noise and the dog slinks back to its owner's heel. That was me it told!
Paddy Ashdown, strict with his dog.

 

[RedRider]

[QUOTE 1834523, member: 1314"]Oh, yes. I snogged Janice Long. (I know).[/quote]
That's a good excuse to play one of her all time faves (apparently)...

 

[slowmotion]

I met Susannah York at a party in Spain. Absolutely delightful, open and friendly, and her eyes were beautiful. I wish I could hint at some romantic interlude....alas, we only had an animated conversation about lower back pain which somehow morphed into one about the "support" characteristics of Y Fronts and boxers as we gazed up at the stars. Quite surreal really.

 

[Belly]

Quite a few when I was a journalist, but the one who stands out is Kate Adie. I was sent to interview her at her book launch and she was - how can I put it - okay, I'll just say it. She was a complete and utter twat of the first order.

 

[vernon]

Quite a few when I was a journalist, but the one who stands out is Kate Adie. I was sent to interview her at her book launch and she was - how can I put it - okay, I'll just say it. She was a complete and utter twat of the first order.

What else could you expect from someone from Sunderland?

 

[marshmella]

This is a great thread, I'm well impressed at how many CCers mix with the rich and famous .As for me i briefly met Prince William, seemed a genuinely likeable kind of chap.

 

[vernon]

Met Bill Gates in Lisbon. I was a guest of Microsoft and he handed me a £10k cheque as a prize in the Microsoft Road Ahead competition in 1998. Limp hand shake from him. I was underwhelmed.

Drank regularly with Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves when he lived in Darlington. He was funnier then than he is now.

Brian Cox when he was a post doctoral student at a School Researcher event. Great enthuser and witty.

Baroness Greenfield - warm personality, inspirational and genuinely interested in promoting science education.

Lord Sainsbury - active promoter of maths and science. Sincere and warm.

Kim Howells - science minister way back when Labour was in power. Nice man pitched his speech perfectly for a school age audience. Witty.

 

[slowmotion]

I was in the ticket hall at Euston station about twenty years ago, queueing at one of the few windows that were open. It looked like a window next to me might open up in the next minute or so. I leaned out from the queue to judge my chances of taking the gamble. A voice behind me said "Don't worry, I'll hold your place in this line". I turned round to see the friendly face of Jack Straw. That's just human decency. Respect.

 

[lukesdad]

Ive cooked for and met loads,but the best was an afternoons fishing with the " Duke" and a couple of bottles of Bolly. Heaven.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

So pretty much as she normally appears now..

I did see Prince Phillip once in the 80's when he came to open the revamped university library in Manchester. Strangely he went in a side door and there was hardly anyone there. My main impression was that he was much smaller than I'd expected - a bit like a posh Albert Steptoe.

Well I have seen the Queen several times since, including then she did a walk about right next to where were standing (a security official came over and gave us prior warning. Seemingly we looked like a harmless bunch ) at the opening of the Scottish Parliament a few years back when I was doing my freelance photographer bit. That is when I and several others said hello and other similarly unimaginative comments to her, and she acknowledged us all. She is about the size I have always imagined her to be too.

As for Prince Phillip, well, I don't know about him being smaller than imagined, but I have also seen him several times at things. In fact, I was walking through the centre of London one evening and I saw him and Princess Anne being driven past in one of the Bentlys, complete with Police Escort of course.

I have seen most of the 'senior' Royals at one point or another, including Charles at Carlisle Station after stepping off the Royal Train hauled by The Duchess Of Sutherland (a steam loco), and he was reasonably tall and thin. Also Edward at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow (when I was a kid) and Harry various times also. In fact, the only ones of that I haven't actually seen were/are The Queen Mother, Camilla, Wils & Kate (oddly enough) and some of the other younger ones like the toilet seat hat wearing litter of Fergie's.

I was in London as a (not very successful) freelance photographer in a previous life you see, so I saw them a lot at events, especially the Queen, Philip and Princess Anne for some reason.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

I 'met' Charlie Drake in the early '80's when I was a young copper and went to his flat just off Leicester Square to deal with a domestic. The place was smashed up, furniture and glass all over the place and his girlfriend was in tears. He was a right obnoxious little twat.

Being a copper in the West End, I used to meet and see loads of celebs and famous people everyday. When 'important' people attended the Royal Opera House we'd be posted to the stage doors where they'd come out and the only one who stopped and thanked us or acknowledged our presence was Margaret Thatcher.

More recently I met Kanu after Pompey's last home game as he was going to his car (a massive Ferrari), and Paul Walsh (ex-Pompey legend) sometimes gets in my local in Belvedere.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I have also seen a few Politicians past and present, including a certain Mr Cameron and Clegg and their cronies, Blair and Brown (and their cronies too), John Major, Neil Kinnock and Paddy Ashdown skipping down the street at St Pauls with who I presume was his Grand daughter (or similar) and not just a random kid he'd abducted.
The dog wasn't anywhere to be seen though.

Oh and I was accosted by Tommy Sheridan in the middle of Glasgow once. I went to take his picture and his immediate reaction was

'Your not from the News Of The World are you?'

I wonder what would have happened if I'd said yes....

 

[Maz]

Met Sean Bean many years ago - he is an avid Blade like me. This was at an away match at Derby County. People were coming up to him to shake his hand and he just looked really embarassed by all the attention. Very down to earth fella.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Ricky Foulton used to live opposite family friends of ours and you would see him stoating about his living room when you visited. Apparently he was right moany git, and woe betide you if you accidentally kicked a football into his garden!

Not so funny in real life seemingly.

 

[slowmotion]

Ive cooked for and met loads,but the best was an afternoons fishing with the " Duke" and a couple of bottles of Bolly. Heaven.

Duke?...I'm curious. Was that Edinburgh or Wayne?