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

[swee'pea99]

A post in the 'sexiest' thread about Dot Cotton proving a sour-faced old lemon-sucker in real life reminded me of when I bumped into Angela Rippon one time, professionally, and what a cast iron rhymes-with-witch she turned out to be.

Positives at least as welcome as negatives, and let's do our best to stay this side of the libel laws, eh? (That's if this thread survives at all....)

Oh, I met that Lord Lichfield once - couldn't have been nicer. Spent the best part of an hour talking to me about photography, reviewing my pics, offering advice. And me just a gormless 16 year old enthusiast...

 

[Nearly there]

Ive met Billy Connolly he was just like he is ont telly spot on

 

[asterix]

Dennis Skinner. What it says on the tin.

 

[PaulB]

Elvis Costello - excellent, and on the very same day, Liam Gallagher who was unexpectedly pleasant.
On the same days I met Dot Cotton, I met her what was in Eastenders but is now behind the bar in Corry, and she was trying to pull lads while watching World Cup matches!
Alexei Sayle - up his own
Robert Winston - took him for dinner and he has to be the world's nicest man
Had a knee-trembler with a TV star of the time who was a right goer in real life but sweet-as-pie on screen
Steven Graham - one of the lads - cracking feller
Tony Blackburn - likes anonymity
Paul Weller - sat in a pub with his girlfriend of the time just before playing the King George's Hall in Blackburn. Signed autographs and chatted pleasantly to anyone who stopped by his table.

 

[snapper_37]

I've met -
Sonia (smiley, annoying, chirpy scouser SAW warbler from the 90s) and she was luverly.
Lionel Blair - as camp as pink chiffon and a nice chap to boot.
The late Jummy Saville - nice chap.

 

[RoyPSB]

Neil Tennant - extremely nice bloke. Ok, it was back-stage at a PSB gig but he was very chatty and seemed very genuine. He even remembered me a week later when I met him again!

 

[postman]

Les Dawson i was a very young painter and decorator working at The Leeds Grand Theatre.I was on the public phone in the entrance to my girlfriend.Les snatched the phone and went into a routine.It was brilliant the girl did not believe she had been talking to Les Dawson.

 

[alans]

Josie Drew.Extremely pleasant

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Tim Burton - as bonkers as he looks but charming with it.
Helena Bonham Carter - as bonkers as her husband looks but goodness she is gorgeous and a flirt.
agnès b - imperious, scary but very, studiously, polite.
Sir Horace Cutler - arrogant and rude
Boris Johnson (pre-mayor) - charming, funny, and a good conversationalist
Gordon Brown (when chancellor) - engaging, interested, passionate.
Francis Maude - words fail me really.
Gary Numan (several times backstage at Cure gigs) - typical aspergers kind of guy.
Chris Martin (on the cusp of fame, backstage at a Cure gig) - ordinary bloke, no airs and graces then
Jo Brand - lovely, warm human being very interested in 'civilians'
Kenny Branagh (before he was Kenneth) - charismatic, talented, driven with a slightly mental spark in his eye even then.
Jonathan Pryce - happy to while away a transatlantic flight telling 'luvvie' stories.
Various England and ex-England rugby internationals - of which those who stick in my mind most are Andy Ripley and Simon Shaw.

 

[Globalti]

Had a knee-trembler with a TV star of the time who was a right goer in real life but sweet-as-pie on screen

Paul, would that have been on top of The Coppice above Accrington then?

The only remotely famous person I've met was Francois Pienaar and what a thoroughly nice bloke he was. Oh yes, and Mrs Dora Akunyili the former head of NAFDAC, an organisation that has probably done more for ordinary Nigerians than all the NGOs combined: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_Akunyili (Although she clearly thought I was a deranged white man when I walked over and congratulated her!)

 

[User169]

Matthew Pinsent (when a student) - ruddy enormous bloke, pleasant enough if not the most exciting.
Sacha Baron Cohen (when a student) - funny and friendly, but I didn't see the drive. Was surprised to see him a few years later on Channel 4.
The Boy Gedge (manning his own merchandise stall) - what can I say, a national treasure

 

[Red Light]

Robert Winston - took him for dinner and he has to be the world's nicest man

+1 He had the humility to feel the need to introduce himself to me as if nobody would knew who he was.

Had a knee-trembler with a TV star of the time who was a right goer in real life but sweet-as-pie on screen

UR Colin Clark AICMFP

 

[captain nemo1701]

Jeremy Lloyd, creator/writer of Are You Being Served & Allo Allo. Thoroughly nice chap. Long story short, it was with a group of friends in London and we had a meal in the west end. I offered to pay for our part of the meal and Jeremy politely refused my money, whipped out his credit card and paid for the whole lot (it came to about £400 for the group).

George Takei (Mr Sulu)- met several times, very nice man, funny with a very odd laugh!.

Claudia Christian (Babylon 5 TV series).Mad as a hatter and great fun to get drunk with!.

Gerry Anderson - met twice, nice quiet chap, bit frail now he's 80-something. We discussed how ITV ruined marketing his CGI show The New Captain Scarlet (get the DVD, it's brilliant). I never thought I would hear one of my childhood heroes use the F-word

 

[smutchin]

The girl I was courting in the early 90s worked for Mo Mowlam for a while, so I got to meet her. I was a bit awestruck, tbh. Her first words to me were: "I've heard a lot about you." I think my reply was a feeble whimper. Really a truly lovely person though, very funny, utterly charming and frighteningly intelligent.

+1 He had the humility to feel the need to introduce himself to me as if nobody would knew who he was.

Sir Ian McKellan did the same when the same girlfriend met him (backstage at Question Time when Mo Mowlam was a panellist).

d.

 

[tyred]

Haven't met very many famous people tbh.

Charlie Swan in a pub in Galway - very nice chap, I don't follow horse racing and had no idea who I was talking to until someone else pointed out he is a hugely successful jockey. I think he was pleased to talk to someone who didn't pester him for tips.

The late Ronnie Drew at a bus stop in Dublin - much the same as he was on stage, very funny in a slightly sarcastic way.

Dana during one of her presidential campaigns - very friendly and very normal and down to earth.