on one of the threads we've been talking (loosely) about hockey and it put me in mind of an incident at school. i went ot school in St Andrews and our sports pitches were right next door to the Royal and Ancient golf course.

Anyway, the open was on and we were playing hockey, until a helicopter suddenly drops from the sky and lands on our pitch! (just as my team were about to equalise i might add) and out jump Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas! who leg it to the hotel and off the chopper goes.

i also think i saw Sarah Jessica Parker in NY ut i may just have been overwhelmed with the "oh my god!" of it all.

i'm wondering about other peoples close encounters, i've heard a funny couple.

my best pals mum is as brazen as they come and when in NY herself spotted Chad Michael Murray coming out of a restraunt and cornered him for a photo. Interestingly had no idea who he was and just thought Abi and I would appreciate how pretty he is :)

but my fav...

a friend of my aunties was going away for a weeked trip to NY (again lol) and this woman was petrified that she was going to be robbed/raped/shot whatever by some mad rampaging black man (racist much?) on the hol, like seriously terrified. they had a great deal and were staying in a top hotel. anyway, she went up to her room by herself one night and got into the lift before noticing the 3 large black men behind her. so shes very nervous all the way up till one taps her on the shoulder and she goes nuts, screaming "don;t hurt me!" etc. the very startled men go "er...i just needed past! it's our floor!"...oh, er, sorry...

anyway, they go to leave the next day and are settling the bill- "i'm sorry ladies the bills already been paid"

"eh?" they say, "by who?"

"oh Mr Smith said something about an incident in the elevator and asked to settle the account"

she did not recognise Will Smith.

how sweet of him though eh?

Will Smith... jaw drop with envy!!!

Awww that's really sweet :-)  Watched him on Wossie's show recently and commented on what a sweet guy he seemed to be :)

In Cardiff I have seen (close by) Kane - the news reporter and also THE Emmanuels - the whole family, just walking down the street, like regular people - which, lets face it, they are ;)

but the best one was........................

John Barrowman (swoon)  he is soooo handsome! and so wicked :)

I was with OH and we came around a corner from one of the car parks and there were a number of VERY LARGE trucks.  The first one had a drop down back and John Barrowman was just sitting there relaxing!! in full TORCHWOOD costume and make-up, complete with gun and blood (need a gobsmacked smiley here)  Of course being extremely cool people me and OH just walked past and nodded/winked at each other and walked on down past the other HUGE trucks with BBC FILM UNIT on the front dashboards and stepping over the ginormous power lines snaking into a building.  We got about 30 yards down the street and realised 10 year old son would NEVER EVER forgive us if we didn't ask for an autograph! so we walked back (ok we legged it back :-p ) and asked if he'd mind.  He didn't mind at all and spent about 10 minutes chatting and joking with us, but we felt it would be wrong to monopolise him so thanked him and left.  Good job OH was with me or I might have got carried away! :-D    He's actually BETTER looking than he is on TV     I felt like one of the ladies out of a Jane Austin novel and could have swooned right away LOL made me feel quite giddy!  :-D :-D

Ooh and I was right behind Ben Fogle at Crufts (I was in camera )  close enough to touch him, but I don't count that really cause he just gets on my nerves bless him! - not his fault, he can't help the way he talks ;)

Lorraine Kelly was on the same plane as me on the way to Spain at Easter. She even queued with the rest of us for luggage :-D

My late mother in law and my husband's godmother were brought up in the wilds of perthshire, where her father was the gamekeeper. They used to help out at the various shoots that were held on the estate. A few years later OH's godmother had just got off a plane somewhere in Spain when they were all ushered to the side by police to let a VIP through. Next thing godmother hears someone call her name and is being hugged by King Juan Carlos of Spain who apparently used to shoot with them when he was younger ! :-o

I walked past Michael Burke in London once. Barrel? Scrape? Moi?
And last week I met Charlie Dimmocks dog, hahahahaaaa! B-E-A-U-tiful dog :-)

Does meeting HRH and her husband count?
I was lucky enough to be invited to an official function for them and met them both...........
The invitation really irked though, as ti was addressed to me using my husbands inital not mine! So not mrs.K ...hmmmph.
Karen

Me and my ex had been to see Billy Pearce at Bradford Alambra, and as we was going down the stairs at the end of the show Dean Sullivan the guy who played Jimmy Corkhill in Brookside was going up the stairs, but there was too many people for me to go get his autograph, my mum was gutted when i told her as she loved him in Brookie.

>a friend of my aunties was going away for a weeked trip to NY (again lol) and this woman was petrified that she was going to be robbed/raped/shot whatever by some mad rampaging black man (racist much?) on the hol, like seriously terrified. they had a great deal and were staying in a top hotel. anyway, she went up to her room by herself one night and got into the lift before noticing the 3 large black men behind her. so shes very nervous all the way up till one taps her on the shoulder and she goes nuts, screaming "don;t hurt me!" etc. the very startled men go "er...i just needed past! it's our floor!"...oh, er, sorry...

>anyway, they go to leave the next day and are settling the bill- "i'm sorry ladies the bills already been paid"

>"eh?" they say, "by who?"

>"oh Mr Smith said something about an incident in the elevator and asked to settle the account"

>she did not recognise Will Smith.

>how sweet of him though eh?

Are you sure this is true?  Not doubting you at all as I'm sure you're only reporting what you were told  but I've read that story before...almost word for word except the celebrity is Eddie Murphy. Also, how did Will Smith know whose room account to settle? Snopes has a page about it and variations on the theme.

Apologies if it is true but it just sounds a bit fishy to me.

I don't know if any of you guys used to watch all those Hammer House of Horror movies ( loved them when I was a kid).  When I was working in New Zealand I met Christopher Lee who always played Dracula, he was working on the Lord of the Rings. I'm 5ft 9in and he was so tall I got a crick in my neck just talking to him, he had a very deep voice and was very nicely spoken.

Also many years ago when I worked in a heavy metal jewellers in London I met Slash from Guns and Roses, he had me try on all these things as he was choosing things for his girlfriend. I also met Debbie Harry there and made rings for Aerosmith and Lemmy from Motorhead. Sometimes they would leave tickets for us but my boss always kept them :(

I'm always on the look out for celebs, love the spotted section of Heat (yes I am that sad!).  On holiday last year we saw quite a few:
1. Gary Megson (footie manager) on transfer bus from car park to airport at Heathrow
2. Robert Carlyle (trainspotting) walking through departures lounge
3. Michael Greco (Beppe in Eastenders) playing poker in the Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas
4. Dustin Hoffman walking through the hotel lobby with his entourage in same hotel!!
We spent 4 days in LA the city of celebs & didn't see anyone! although everyone looks like a star in LA!!

That's about it, didn't even see Gordon Ramsey when he did Kitchen Nightmares in Nottingham & he was in the city square giving away curry, 5 mins walk from where I work!!!

A few years ago I was invited to a photo shoot with Pierce Brosnan at Pinewood Studios, promoting one of the Bond films. My friends dogs (one being my Lottie's Mum) were being used in the shoot and she needed someone to handle one of them. I was introduced to Pierce and shook hands with him - he was really chatty and very nice. Martine McCutcheon walked past at one point and was terrified of the dogs (Dobes)!

I see Paul Rankin ('celeb' chef) regularly, strutting around in unfeasibly tight jeans   One of his restaurants is just across from my workplace.

I've had a drink with the comedian Bill Bailey.  We had been to one of his gigs and went into a local hotel bar for a drink afterwards. Turns out he was staying in the hotel and came into the bar later.  He was lovely :-)

I had a bit of banter with one of the Kaiser Chiefs by the Juice Bar in Stanstead airport.  I had no idea who he was (or any of them for that matter) and he accused me (jokingly) of trying to take his photo on my phone.  I told him to get over himself...why would I want a photo of some random in an airport?  Just as I said that, two girls walked past and I heard one of them say 'Look!  It's the Kaiser Chiefs!' He then asked if I wanted his photo now and I told him no...it would do his reputation as a rock star no good to be photgraphed drinking some sort of vile looking green health drink.  He thanked me for being so concerned about his reputation and left with the rest of the band.  I still don't know which Kaiser Chief he is :-D

Not exactly a celeb, i suppose, but Duke Special lives near me.  I have seen him a few times picking his kids up from school, wearing more eyeliner than all the Mummies put together :-D

Preston and Chantelle (when they were still married, obviously) were at the next table to My Mum and I having lunch in Selfridges in London.

Ronan Keating and his wife were in front of me in the queue in Gap.

A very good friend who I grew up with is the nephew of George Best so I met him a few times when I was young (and had no concept of who he was, other than my friend's uncle who bought us ice cream when he visited) and then he lived for a few years in the same village as my parents towards the end of his life.

A few years ago my husband took my daughter along to watch our friend's son's band.   Andy Fairweather Low was there (for the younger readers he was lead singer of Amen Corner)  He was in the group talking and my husband said to my daughter - oh meet AFW.  She looked around puzzled at the expectant faces and said Nice to meet you er should I know you??????   :-) 

Just remembered :-)

When I was 18 I met the band MUD and spent some time being chatted up :-D  They were in concert at the local Lesiure Centre and it was my turn to get the drinks in and they were at the bar.  I didn't even recognise them - or the DJ with them (Dave Lee Travis)  then they dedicated a song to me (Lean on Me)  My friends were gutted :-D

Went all the way to Los Angeles and back and who did I see??? .................................................Patrick Moore at London Airport :-(

>>John Barrowman>>

I am sooooooooooo jealous!! Next rat will be called Captain Jack in his honour do you think he would appreciate it ;)

I have met Mark Bannerman in a night club (Beppes Brother in eastenders), and Sarah parish walking her dog in a local country park.
I don't know if  i should admit this LOL.....Ben fogle at crufts last year, coming out of our hotel.

I need to get out more LOL :):)

Apparently I had five or six cast members from Eastenders come and make a fuss of George at Discover Dogs, they must have been there a good 15 minutes. I say apparently as once they had gone my OH had to explain to me who they were as I don't watch it-which she thought was hilarious!

Well George Clooney was in our village yesterday! Honest! I didnt see him but lots did. He's here for the Golf Open.

I was in a restaurant in London on the table next to Will Smith.

Oh gosh, quite a few,

My very first celeb meeting was with Diana Dors - she was soooooooo....... lovely, my parents spotted her at a circus (yes, really in the audience) and told me to go and get her autograph, I had no idea who she was, but she was so lovely to me I never forgot her and was gobsmacked when older to learn who she was.

Various celeb spotting in London in particular over the years too many to mention,

I've also been at some of the parties with people from The Bill and EastEnders, (though never spoke to them, other than a quick hello or smile) stood behind Gillian Taylford in Toys R Us once, plucked up the courage to say Hi. :-)

Most, absolute and completely embarrassing one was at a restaurant, hubby and I had been 6 months previous for our anniversary and I went again for a girlfriends Birthday meal, when I arrived I was met very welcomingly and ushered over to my table, (I thought the head waiter had a fab memory from my previous meal there) but he took me to the table and began to pull out my chair, shock horror, I was being sat at the table with the Beckhams and their friends, there was a lot of embarrassment from all of us as I was then ushered to my correct table, kind of good too though that they thought I belonged with the Beckhams. :-D

But my most recent encounter was in a queue with good old or young Jade Goody and her then boyfriend -  not exactly my claim to fame, but I guess it counts. :-D I didn't bother to say hello. :-D

I met John Wayne (okay so i'm showing my age but i was at school at the time) he was over filming Brannigan (i think that was the name of the film anyway).  Really nice, got his autograph.  I also met Christopher Lee lovely man.  Joe Longthorpe want to buy my Irish setter - i said no of course and the one who played Burnside also fell in love with my Irish.  Stood talking to Susan George and Simon McCorkindale but didn't know who there were at the time. I know there are some other (not bragging) but can't think at the moment.

I saw Nicholas Cage in LA last summer - he was shooting National Treasure II in the gardens of the research library I was using.  I've also walked past John and Norma Major as they were trying to make a discrete entrance into a play at the National Theatre, and have accidentally stepped out in front of a car which was being driven by Chris Evans.  I think I was quite lucky there, as I found out shortly afterwards that he was banned from driving for exceeding 100 mph in his Ferrari...

> I was being sat at the table with the Beckhams and their friends

OMG that is amazing!!!! David Beckham is the flesh - did he look as amazing as he does on TV?!! Please tell me he does!!!

I used to work in Wilmslow which has become a haunt for celebs especially footballers. I was lucky enough to see David Beckham once in his Bentley, we were stuck in a traffic jam and he was on the opposite side of the road. He smiled at me in the car and I nearly died :-) I can vouch that he is 100% as amazing in the flesh!!! I don't usually care for his tattooed arms but they looked fab.

Also met some of the 'Hollyoaks' actors - Max the one who just died and his pal OB - I was walking a Border Terrier at the time and the dog jumped up at Max and licked his face. We then had a lovely conversation about dogs :-)

I have a long long time ago played Quesar (the laser gun game) in Picadilly with Prince William, Prince Harry and Lady Diana.

Used to live across the road from Joanna Lumley and saw Dawn French alot and around the corner from Mick Jagger.

> I have a long long time ago played Quesar (the laser gun game) in Picadilly with Prince William, Prince Harry and Lady Diana

No-one can beat that, that is amazing!

> Next rat will be called Captain Jack in his honour do you think he would appreciate it

Not sure about that!  He is a dog lover - he apparently has 2 dogs and I look out for him walking them everytime we are in The Bay.  Saw him in Borders book shop Talbot Green of all places some months ago.  I was with my daughter so didn't imagine it! 

I plucked up courage to speak to Philippa Forrester this year at Hay festival.  When I bought my dog I was told that she had had one too.  I wanted to see if it was true so went to ask her.  It wasn't from the same litter but yes it was true.  I felt a little foolish then but she chatted about her dogs and was really friendly.  She has a nice calm dog whereas I have a real livewire.   Oh dear!

OMG that is amazing!!!! David Beckham is the flesh - did he look as amazing as he does on TV?!! Please tell me he does!!!

Yes, yes, and yes, he is actually one of the only celebs that I've seen anyway who look the same, (for some reason everyone else appears smaller) he is extremely handsome, part of me wanted to sit down, **slap hand naughty** don't tell hubby. :-D

with Prince William, Prince Harry and Lady Diana


freespirit10 I am sooooo... jealous, I was in the crowd when she got married the most amazing day ever, but to get to interact like that, Wow!

i helped to serve the royal family there lunch at Royal Ascot race cousre many years ago i was so worried they could hear my heart beating as it was going so fast i thought it would bust from my chest but they were all very nice to the waiting staff evan the Queen said how nice the food was and asked us all to go in after and she spoke to us.

>Next rat will be called Captain Jack in his honour do you think he would appreciate it

Actually I think he'd have a laugh about it :-D  After all Captain Jack is a bit of a (love) Rat and he'd get the joke :-D :-D

>i helped to serve the royal family there lunch at Royal Ascot

Rather you than me - they'd have eaten out of their laps I'd have been that shaky - you're very brave :-D

well i was told the story by my aunt who i don;t think was lying about it, but as i was not there cannot be certain.

>i was told the story by my aunt who i don;t think was lying about it, but as i was not there cannot be certain.

I was told the same story by my SiL several years ago - I think she was lying too! :-D

ah well, its a good story, true or not!

Yep - I believed it too, and was dead impressed!

Geoff Capes, see him most Court days as he's a Magistrate in our local court!  I don't mean I'm up in front of him, I always seem to be going to work when he's arriving at Court, I used to go to his gym when my son was younger (much younger) and he'd carry him around as he hated being in the Creche.  His daughter did my acrylic nails too until I had them removed last year.

Most of the West Ham Team of the late 90's as son was mascot! 

Some of the Man U team of today as brother has a position which involves working with them (he's not a footballer more of a gopher).

Don't think I go on holiday to places celebs would go, think I'd need to upgrade. 

What craigles said has just reminded me of the other week at a track and field event I was officiating.
I walked past a guy who I thought looked like Geoff Capes smiled and said thanks as he moved out of my way!!! And it was only the next day someone said he ws there I realised it was LMAO.
But I will be meeting him and working with him soon, as he i coming to my club to teach throws for a day :)
My brother used to work in  petrol station in Bracknell, and served alot of celebs, the two I remeber are Dale Winton, and yes his skin is worse in real life than on TV. And Gerome Flynn (I ws very very annoyed he wouldnt let me come to work with him for a week LMAO
Lea :)

I,ve played Mr and Mrs  with my hubby many years ago at a Pontins  holiday camp and Derek Batey was the quizmaster if anyone remembers him.
Also had Russell Grant the astrologer touring the factory where I work and he came into the kitchen I manage for a look around and a bite to eat.
Oh yes and Fred the weatherman has been to our local primary school when my girls attended now that was a long time ago.

Peter Andre went to my daughters school before he became well known too forgot about that one!

I met Toyah once she was lovely and was a childhood heroine of mine so I was chuffed when I met her,

Ive also met Paul Mariner twice(played for Ipswich and England in the 80's)he was gorgeous and also very nice and I went very weak at the knees both times lol.
Ive met all the liverpool squad in the 80's too which included my favplayers Kenny Dalglish,Bruce Grobbelar(both lovely) and  Ian Rush(who I have to say was not so nice and I was very dissapointed)

Pattie Boulet was looking around the same castle as us on our school trip once  and signed autographs and had photos taken with us.

Before he was famous Kevin Whately  was in a play  we went to see with school, Henry the 8th part something or other...and he came and sat next to us while we were watching them do sword fights etc before the play. He was so nice and helped us understand what the play was going to be about..he told us about a new t.v show he was going to be in and to look out for it....It turned out to be Auf Wiedesein Pet

Ive had drinks with Kirk Brandon from Spear of Destiny and Glenn Matlock from the Sex Pistols and have spoken to Mike Peters from the Alarm and Pete Wylie from the mighty Wah.

Wayne Hussey from The Mission gave me his empty :0  bottle of Blue Nun at a concert once and wished me a Happy 20th Birthday then he dedicated my favbourite song to me.

Have also met Joolz who goes out with Slade from New Model Army and Gary Marx and Anne Marie from Ghostdance.

Ive also seen Matt Littler(Max in Hollyoaks) looking very lost in Leeds  and ive stood next to Ian Kelsey who played Dave Glover in Emmerdale in a pub in York.

I also used to be friends with Jamie Hince from The Kills who goes out with Kate Moss when we were both in bands a long time ago...he used to write to me loads too at one point.

Ive also met and had drinks with Steve Mc Fadden who plays Phil Mitchell in Eastenders....another birthday celeb for me, he gave me 4 bottle of champagne to share with my friends...one each ,nice man lol.

think thats my lot now lol
Philly

I remember years ago, Princess Diana being driven past my exmother-in-laws house (big black daimler). It was when she was going thru a very bad patch with charles and that night on tv it showed her crying when she visited a nursing home (if anyone remembers?)

Steve McFadden was a regular visitor to our town too, to see him cousin or nephew sorry can't remember but I worked with his cousin/nephews wife and sadly cousin/nephew and his wife were both killed in a car accident at a young age, a few years back on Christmas Day so we don't see him around this area anymore, but always appeared to be very pleasant not that I ever spoke to him. 

Paul Mariner, never met him but I do remember having a soft spot for him.

Amanda Mealing (Connie-Holby City) lives up the road from me too, her two lads go to same junior school as my daughter went to.  The eldest was there when she was and all I can say is phwoar to her husband.  She was really nice and down to earth, joined in the church activities and sports days etc.,  She goes to same beautician as me.

Not met any celebs myself, but my Uncle who is head gamekeeper for Lord Derbyshire in Knowsley, regularly takes the likes of Elton John, David Beckham, royalty and other rich and famous on shoots.
Jane

> Paul Mariner, never met him but I do remember having a soft spot for him.
>

craigles...I have to tell you up close he was absolutely gorgeous and such a nice friendly bloke,even my mum who was with us at the time and was sick of hearing me go on about him said he was much better looking in real lifethan on his photos . The first time i met him it was my 16th birthday present from Uncle Frank ..hed arranged for me to meet him at Sunderland match when Ipswich came to play them.
He was standin in the players entrance waiting for me and I can tell you I went to pieces lol.He asked me how to spell my name about 3 times and I just looked at him and sorta slavered everywhere I couldnt get my words out lol.
When he had his picture taken with me ,y knees were shaking  cos he put his arms around me for it and then when he went to get changed he gave me a peck on the cheek...that was it my need went andI met him I was much more together and he remebered me so I guess I left some sort of impression on him  lol ;)

I was once an extra in a television play with Ben Fogles mum, she's called Julia Foster.

Met Ben Fogle during the "Lady & Tramp" thingy at Crufts a couple of years ago, met Peter Purves when he was filming a programme about pre-crufts preparation, and he did a segment on preparing Dexter for the show, and then again when he did an interview with Mike for a magazine he had brought out (don't think the mag. lasted long).  Then met another 2 TV presenters when Dexter and I were on an early morning versions of Crime Watch about stolen animals, but I have completely forgotten who they were!  (Don't know if I should blame being blonde or my age!!)  Dexter met Richard and Judy, but I didn't as Mike was with him alone at the time (Richard dropped his lead and he got chased by a Weimaraner across the studio, almost bringing down some lights and a camera).  Saw Victoria Beckham in Bond St. (with at least 3 minders but no DB, sadly.

>he first one had a drop down back and John Barrowman was just sitting there relaxing!! in full TORCHWOOD costume and make-up, complete with gun and blood

That's it, we are moving to Cardiff :) :) :)

I met the Queen Mother when she was visiting horses at the village stud.  Just as she was leaving she stopped to talk to us and her 'man' opened the car door as my friends sister was too small to see in the window!!  She was very nice and told us about the horses she'd been to see.

We were at The TriBeCa Grill in NY which is/was owned by Robert DeNiro and there were several people of the 'I'm sure I know that person' kind.  As we left, Michael J Fox held the door open for me - he really is quite short.

When we lived in Wilmslow we often saw MU footballers in traffic jams but the most common ones were David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand as they lived in Alderley Edge and didn't have many routes to choose from!  I was once followed all the way from Knutsford by a car with Morrissey in the passenger seat.  I also used to see that Corrie bloke - Ken Barlow (can't remember his real name) quite often in Sainsburys, he passed me some milk once.  Perhaps he had an evening job!!  Wilmslow was that sort of a place - a bit like Stella Street...

> That's it, we are moving to Cardiff  Yeh Mel that's it!  We took the land train over from Cardiff Bay to the barrage - through the docks (you can now walk back for the first time) The commentator said that David Tennant has got a flat by St David's hotel.  We told him afterwards that it is JB not Dr Who - oh he said David Tennant has got one too!