BRUSHES WITH FAME…BEXLEY LIBRARY USERS
BARE ALL!
A couple of members of a Library Reading Group here in Bexley (Let’s disguise the group’s name a bit, shall we?….Let’s call them “SouthCumberland Heath”) recently confessed to various brushes with celebrity…one had kissed an Everly Brother (Don?...Phil?...we need to know which!); another had been on a date with David Essex (swoon, swoon).
“That’s nothing!” said some of my colleagues in the Bexley Library Staff Literary Dining Club… “This hand has shaken hands with Joanna Lumley”
“Well, I can beat that!” added another…”I’ve sat on Gene Vincent’s knee!”
Wow!
Well, that set me thinking, I can assure you.…There’s some mileage in these stories, surely?...
Bexley Library staff and their brushes with fame?
…Bexley book lovers and their celebrity encounters?...
…Bexley Blog-followers kiss ‘n’ tell tales?...
Hmmm, I thought…What can I offer to this important debate? My brother, apparently, once helped park Eric Morecambe’s car…
And I`ve sat on the same lavatory seat – not at the same time, naturally - as Dame Agatha Christie and (allegedly) Hans Christian Andersen…
Oh, and I once - in a pub in Swansea – looked after Dr David Owen’s beer, while he “nipped next door”…
But I`m sure that there are more tales to tell out there…
So, do any other Bexley Blog followers have any more (printable) brushes with fame? Do tell. We love a celebrity link here, don’t we, dear readers?
Just use the comments thingummy-jig.
Must dash…things to do!
Ciao!
Mwah! Mwah!
TTFN
(PS – If any readers should wish to hear my anecdotes about Greg Dyke, Freddie Mercury, a famous cleric, and Brian Murphy of ‘George & Mildred’ fame, then I`m afraid you’ll just have to speak to me “in confidence”…)
20 comments:
I can offer 2 brushes with celebrities. When I was about 8 or 9 we travelled up to London (Paddington) on the same train as the West Ham team. The train was so packed we had to stand in the corridor. We'd already seen Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters in the bar and Bobby Moore in First Class. All of a sudden, a chap came behind my Mum and moved her gently out of the way with a 'scuse me love'. 'Who was that?' she said not amused. 'That was Jimmy Greaves' we all said completely overawed. Also my other half once shared the Gents at Hall Place with ex Kent and England wicket-keeper Alan Knott, who was giving a talk there. He was so excited (probably a lot more than Alan Knott was).
Wonderful! (I’m comforted to hear that Bobby Moore was travelling in the First Class Lounge, one would have expected nothing less).
And Alan Knott, too…ALAN KNOTTT! My boyhood hero, and an Erith man, to boot.
Splendid stuff.
Keep them coming.
More, please.
TTFN
Bobby Moore was in this fantastic dark blue pin striped suit and he was reading the Financial Times. He looked every inch the England captain.
“Exquisitely cut suit….Immaculate turnout…Financial Times”…
Sigh:… They don’t make England captains like that any more, do they?
Do they?...
My unusual claim to fame is through my cousin, John Arnold who devised both the Munch Bunch and the Andrex Puppy advert. The Munch bunch were on yoghurts many years ago and were named after members of my family. Yes, I am Billy Blackberry ! His son Alex has recently been a main character in 'Skins' on E4.
I met Brian Murphy a couple of years ago in the Swimming pool changing room of the Hilton Hotel Swindon. Brian asked for help with the locker and came across as a very nice gentleman.
Please tell us about your Brian Murphy encounter Blogbary ?
Well, “Billy Blackberry”, I salute you, Sir!
Splendid stuff – Munch Bunch yoghurts AND the Andrex puppy!
(Alas, my ‘Brian Murphy’ anecdote cannot be printed, as – I fear – it involved strong drink – on my part, I would stress, one small dry sherry too much, perhaps – and doesn’t reflect well on my sartorial reputation…)
I have stroked the real Bagpuss.Of course, Peter Firmin happened to be there too.
Dear Blogbrarian - I wonder if your readers would be interested in "Celebrity spotting in London"? It is a very useful list of locations for the well-informed celebrity spotter. Simply follow the link here -
http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Things-to-do/Sightseeing/Celebrity-spotting-in-London.htm
I have been kissed on the hand by Rolf Harris after winning an egg painting competition at Secondary School when I was 14.
When I worked for Gloucestershire County Council -Paddy Ashdown waved to me whilst he was on a visit to the Local Prison.
I met Dame Judy Dench at the races and had a chat to her and got her autograph and finally I met the 'Viking' Andy Fordham whilst I was out in Dartford one evening.
My brushes with fame are all guitar related. I once got to play guitar on the same stage as Steve Marriott of The Small Faces and Humble Pie. More recently when viewing a collection of famous guitarist's instruments, I was asked if I would like to play one of Stevie Ray Vaughans guitars which of course I did. Unfortunately I had to give it back.
I actually had an 'encounter' with Harry and Jamie Redknapp this weekend outside Loftus Road stadium following QPR's opening day defeat to Bolton (I had left the game slightly early as we were clearly not about to overturn a 4-0 deficit). Harry was happily chatting with fans, whilst Jamie seemed rather uncomfortable and marched ahead before turning around and calling 'Dad, where did you park the car?'
Also, the school I attended in West London marketed itself to us pupils by proclaiming that none other than Claire from the pop group 'Steps' used to study there, along with another giant of the celebrity world... drum roll... Neil Shipperley - the former Crystal Palace striker!!!!
More impressively, I once shook hands with Shane Warne as he left the practice nets at Lords prior to playing a one day game for Hampshire. He was very approachable and made sure that he signed every autograph and had a photograph with everyone who asked.
Dear Blogbrarian,
I've just remembered I once shared a patch of grass with Twiggy at the open air theatre in Greenwich -I'm sure a member of her family was playing Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream...
Wonderful stuff! Thank-you.
From rock-gods to Rolf Harris, from Paddy Ashdown to Crystal Palace…
I think the Bagpuss connection gets my vote so far…(no chance of a Professor Yaffle sighting, I suppose? I rather liked him…)
OK, keep ‘em coming. More, please, more!
TTFN
Ooooohh, yes! Someone has just reminded me about another one: I`ve made Rupert Everett a cup of coffee.In Bexleyheath. (No sugar)
TTFN, old chums.
Sadly, no, I don't remember Professor Yaffle being there in person - but I have shaken hands with Martin Bell and Tom Hart Dyke and Anne Perry, not all at the same time though.
Tom Baker (aka Dr Who) and Terry Waite both on the same day. Is this a record?
As a teenager Steve use to play football with the members of 'Stan's Blues Band' Now 'Nine Below Zero' on Blackheath Common.
I've met 'Sooty' in the flesh at a garden Fete.
Thank, you, thank you dear correspondents…most enlightening.
Re: Two celebs spotted in one day – well done! (If only `I Spy` Books ran a celebrity themed publication, I’m sure you could have earned bonus points).
Re: Stan’s Blues Band?....?...?....Sorry, my knowledge of popular music combos is sadly inadequate…(I’ve seen Mick Jigger’s dad once, though).
And lastly…If you’ve met Sooty “in the flesh” why wasn’t it “in the fur?”…
Or is there an element to the Sooty puppet’s private life that I`m unaware of?...
Anyway, thanks one & all…
TTFN
Years back I barged shoulders with Francis Rossi from Status quo by accident on the pavement. But this was in Croydon nit Bexley though
Status Quo, eh?
Does that strike a chord with anyone else?...
Still on 'Rock Gods'...I did once clap eyes on Freddie Mercury...tiny little fellow, he was.
Any more?...
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