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lurker

Le dullard de la commune
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In another marathon post someone mentions what a obnoxious individual Michael grove is in real life. This I can well believe.

I once spent a good hour propping up a hotel bar with Ken Livingstone, I remember what a nice bloke he was/is.
This was way before he was mayor of that place down south.
Nothing like the oily git you see on the telly.

What about your encounters?
 
Neil Adams - Olympic Silver Medallist in Judo.

What an absolute gent he is. He still coaches at the age of 57 and although his fingers look like they've been run over by a truck, he's pretty nifty around the mat, still.

Coincidentally, met him again today - his daughter is in the England Pre-cadet squad with my daughter. He always has a smile on his face, (unless he's crushing the breath out of you on the floor) and has time to stop and chat with everyone and anyone - no glory-buy celeb bull**t.
 
All the people I have met who are well know have been thoroughly nice people.
Much as I suspect most footballers are decent, however this does not sell papers.
 
I was an extra in Rambo 3...shot many years ago in Southern Israel when I was backpacking. Stallone was the biggest John Thomas I've ever met in my life....and that's saying summat!
 
In the nineties I was a policemen working in the west end (Vine Street Nick) just off Piccadilly. and during the course of my time in the West End I came across numerous famous faces especially patrolling Soho

The Police Station backed onto Le Meridian Hotel which had a branch of Champneys in the basement

The social club had bought two corporate memberships for officers to use, Champneys opened at 6.30am

Off of night duty one day with a colleague we was due at Bow Street Mag at 10am and instead of going home off we trotted to Champneys for a swim/sauna prior to court and freshen up.

Who should be in the Sauna but Dave Allen the Irish comedian and we all got chatting (especially when he found out who and what we were). There is nothing so surreal as sitting naked in a sauna with a brilliant comic coming out with story after story (most of them not suitable for TV audiences) I cannot recall ever laughing so much (Oh for a selfie)

Needless to say I was late for court and got a ticking off from the stipe (We blamed being off of nights)
 
I think I was the one to mention Michael Gove. As I recall he likes to use phrases like "What is your function?" rather than just asking what someone does for a living. I met quite a few politicians and I didn't like many of them, but just as bad are the wannabe politicians a level or two below them who spend their lives shamelessly kissing arse and trying to gain an invitation to the weekend golf game.
 
Keith Emerson (of Emerson Lake & Palmer - a 70s super-group, kids...) was a terrific guy, very down to earth. He came to my studio (by bike, no entourage) for a photo-shoot 'back in the day' and entertained the cast & crew during downtime with tales of what it was like to live 'round here' (Notting Hill Gate) when he was in a band called The Nice. He was a very accomplished musician, and played beautifully throughout the session (for a keyboard manufacturer) - wish I'd had the foresight to tape it, I'd love to listen to it again.

And Honor Blackmanan - an absolute delight. Was very taken with my 'lovely little boxes' (systainers) bless her.
 
All the professional sports people I have had the fortune to meet have all been polite, friendly and happy to have a beer (at least off the pitch). Whereas Noel Edmunds was a complete tw@t
 
I once had dinner with Ronald Ray-gun, after he was President but before he forgot he was once President.
I say "Had dinner with him", we were in the same restaurant at the same time. Does that count?
This was at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and they delayed the show for half an hour because he wasn't ready to attend. Eejit.

Peter Purves was charming though (but we were all teenagers and Blue Peter fans anyway).
 
Allan johnson was a good friend of my dads and he is a very nice guy. Last saw him a few weeks before the scandal about his wife hit the press.

Had a *** with mark from take that before christmas again nice guy.

Was sticking claire baldings scripts down to fancy cards with her practicing behind me she was a bit blunt but probably down to stress.

Adidat
 
George Clooney. Got an upgrade to 1st on flight to the USA. Spotted Elvis Costello sitting nearby so managed to get a photo with him. Failed to recognise George sitting a few rows back, despite the aircrew getting his autograph. In the arrivals hall George came up to me and said 'Elvis Costello, wow, imagine that !'
I didn't realise who it was until later.

James Hunt. Was doing some work for Team Lotus at the Silverstone GP, James used to hang around with the team a lot apparently, I got the impression he was tolerated. Had lunch with him, can't remember what the conversation was about but he seemed nice enough. This was after he'd sorted his drinking out. Met a few other drivers too but he stood out as he was a bit of childhood hero. He also stood out because he was so tall compared to any other driver.
 
While I was training to be a croupier (and ended up working at Charlie Chesters Casino in Archer Street Soho 89-92 so we might have crossed paths Katellwood) I worked in a pub called the John Snow (also well known in it's own right for a different reason and which had a weird half door 'tween the 2 seating areas that saw many a nose - only the bottom half opened about mid chest height; odd the small details you remember), which was close to Carnaby Street and some recording studios nearby, so I met quite a few well known faces, but apart from greeting them by (Mr) name if I recognised them, taking their orders and serving, I never bothered them with any other fan type stuff, because most of the time it was obvious all they wanted was a quiet drink - being an off the main streets pub it was always quieter during the day than many others. Sometimes I'd ask them if they minded signing the guest book, sometimes not.

About the only thing of note I remember was Craig Charlies (Red dwarf, Corrie) who was alone, had 2 pints of bitter in one of those bitter mugs with a handle, which seemed important as he asked if we had any, and as he left he said "thanks a lot, mate" and left a £5 tip on the bar.

Oh and Toby Stephens of recent Black Sails fame, we went to school together. Had no idea he was Dame Maggie Smiths son, none of us did as I recall but he did attend a reunion after his James Bond badguy gig and was suitably english and humble regarding his newfound "fame".

Oh and another - Honeysuckle Weeks, from Foyles war, she's the daughter of my english teacher at the same school, she was a mere child at the time, but after seeing her name in the credits, knowing there can't be that many of that name around, I had to check and contacted the school who confirmed it, and yes she really does talk mostly like that, as her father did as well and was quite a luvvie running the dramatic society. Bit of a bowie lookalike he was too now I think about it.
 
Met David Jason at Crystal Palace dive show many moons ago, found him a nice chap. For all of you oldies I also met Hanns and Lotte Hass again at another diving show, very nice couple with lots of stories to tell. Robert Ballard of Titanic fame is another really nice guy to talk to too. Martha Holmes who did the series around the coast of the UK in a bubble helmet. Nice lady but was a bit busy when I met her.
 
Guys

Hate to admit it , but I was a school with Richard Branson though he was two years ahead of me. Always came over as a rebel but WITH a cause. For those wood turners, I once shared a table on the way down to London on the train with Ray Key. Now there's is real gent.

Phil
 
Met Bob Smith from down the street, hadn"t seen him for ages, he"s had a bunion seen to, bought me a pint and told me all about it, as usual a really nice bloke !!
 
I forgot...I also met Fred Dibnah at Heathrow. He was on his way to South Africa to install an enormous weather vane he had made himself as a commission for some posh client. He was lost and trying to find his check in desk. In fact lost was an understatement, he was totally and utterly confused about airport protocol generally. I guided him in the right direction and he ended up clinging to me all the way to the departure lounge where we had a lovely natter and a coffee until we went on separate flights. He was EXACTLY like you saw him on the tele which is to say completely himself, obsessed with steam and all things metal and just a lovely bloke, totally unaffected in any way.
 
I once had tea at Arthur Scargill's house. I'm pretty sure he was living alone at the time, but I remember being struck by how clean, tidy and pretty the house was. Dainty cups and saucers, lace mats, china ornaments.
 
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