Random Encounters

Princess Diana, Van Morrison, Peter Bowles. Diana was coming out of a hotel within a 40 minute drive from Highgrove. She was alone wearing a headscarf and sunglasses. No bodyguards. Papers at the time suggesting she was friendly with Hewitt. Van has a reputation for being grumpy but was polite when I spoke to him.The lady with him was a beautiful woman.Peter Bowles saw him in Marks and Spencers menswear department.
 
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Manure defender Vidic who was holidaying on a Greek island with his family. Story goes that when the footy mad Greeks found out, he couldn't go anywhere without being besieged.
 
Johnno said:
On holiday in Portugal with family, and just bumped into Ellie Robinson in the hotel bar. She recognised my lad who was at school with her and came over to say hello.

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When I went travelling I did a white water rafting trip down a river in Nepal. In my boat had been a Danish guy. I randomly bumped into him a year and a half later in a street in Sydney.

Another one was a guy from The Netherlands. We had once spent a night on a rooftop bar in Paraguay having a few beers. About 4 months later, we bumped into each other in Africa and ended up sharing the same overland truck.
 
I went down to Milton Keynes to my brothers surprise 40th birthday party in mid 90's, on a Saturday.
I was in a local shop beforehand to waste a bit of time and saw my brother come in, so I hid behind a display.
When I saw the coast was clear, I came face to face with Graham Berry, along with his plastic bag !!!

I think Pool were playing Watford and he must have stopped off for a mooch around
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
When I went travelling I did a white water rafting trip down a river in Nepal. In my boat had been a Danish guy. I randomly bumped into him a year and a half later in a street in Sydney.

Another one was a guy from The Netherlands. We had once spent a night on a rooftop bar in Paraguay having a few beers. About 4 months later, we bumped into each other in Africa and ended up sharing the same overland truck.
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World class stalking!!
😂
 
The Thursday before the T20 World Cup Final at Lords I was sat on a train to London and got talking to the two guys opposite.

Turned out to be the CEO of New Zealand cricket and their ICC member.

They sorted me out seven tickets for the final!!

...and a few off here benefited big time as well 👍
 
I did a post-grad course with Mat Osman - bass player from Suede and brother of Richard 'Pointless' Osman. I lent him a VHS of a good drama about Peter Cook and he never gave it back.
 
Family holiday in Majorca in the mid-80s staying in Portals Nous we went to the local bar, my parents got chatting to an elderly woman on the next table who said she was from Peel on the IOM.

My dad said his uncle lived in Peel, the woman asked his name. "Ronnie Quirk" my dad replied.

"The painter and decorator?" asked the woman.

"Yes, do you know him?"

Transpired that the woman and her family booked the holiday in Majorca as my dad's uncle was painting their house inside and out. Blew my mind as a 15 year old.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
A few years about in Puerto Banus in a shopping mall bumped into Lord Sugar and his wife.
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I actually got within a foot of bumping into Sophia Loren in PB about 15 years ago.

Problem was she was walking in the same direction but other side of the street. We crossed at the same time and would meet in the middle of the road and at this point there was quite a crowd following her. I wasn't waiting for them so went in front of her and she had to stop (bus to catch for us, she had no problem as a big f off yatch was moored up for her).
 
Muhammad Ali in Stafford Services on his way back from Manchester. As you might expect it stopped me mid stride and jaw dropped.

Bill Nighy outside West Hampstead tube station. A random girl did a double take and almost fell over.

Rod Hull in Manchester in the late 70s when I saved his life. Actually I just said “Mind that bus”. I should have added “And if you ever have trouble with your tv aerial get a repair man in”.

Barbara Windsor tottering along in high heels and tight leopard skin pants in Blackpool in the early 80s. She gave me a cheeky smile.

Various politicians around Westminster and actors around Soho.
 
I bump into Terry Allcock ( Norwich City Legend) every august in Norwich, but i suppose being my uncle helps! Once flew into Chicago with my now wife and there was 2 blokes stood waiting at arrivals who just happened to be my sunday league manager and his assistant waiting to pick someone up to take to a convention.
 
wife shampood ken dods hair early 90s in a salon in altringham .She hid at first being 16 and was bright red embarrassed but was made to do it .However apparently he noticed her shyness and put her at ease and was lovely with her
 
Johnno said:
On holiday in Portugal with family, and just bumped into Ellie Robinson in the hotel bar. She recognised my lad who was at school with her and came over to say hello.

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Bonnie Tyler always knocking about the old town in albufiera,as a big house up from the strip heading out of town
 
Jimmy White in Charnock Richards Burger King
Judith Chalmers in Boots Blackpool
Gail Platt from Corrie shopping in Manchester 🥴
 
Lala said:
Jimmy White in Charnock Richards Burger King
Judith Chalmers in Boots Blackpool
Gail Platt from Corrie shopping in Manchester 🥴
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Made me remember another one.....

Alex Higgins in the Duke of York on Dixon Road.

He would play anyone with the loser buying the pint.

He used to play with you missing the odd one until he needed another drink.

Then he cleared up rather quickly 😂
 
phill said:
wife shampood ken dods hair early 90s in a salon in altringham .She hid at first being 16 and was bright red embarrassed but was made to do it .However apparently he noticed her shyness and put her at ease and was lovely with her
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I guess Doddy told her not to bother with any conditioner.🤣
 
Don't know if they can be called 'Random', but I met the following:-
Dustin Hoffman, Des O'Connor, Roger Whittaker, Sultan of Brunei,
Princess Di's Father and Step Mother, King Constantine of Greece (Prince Philips Uncle).The 2 SMs.
Quite a number of Pop Groups, Rolling Stones. The Who & a few others I can't remember.
It was a long time ago.
All to do with work of course. 😉
 
In a small restaurant on hols in Corfu with the current Mrs GT. The woman on the next table stood up and inadvertently pushed her arse in my face. Imagine my surprise when it was none other than Morecambe and Wise legend and all round national treasure Angela Rippon. Still looking good 😍
 
Leo Sayer in WH Smith, big hair, small body, Michael Parkinson, on a narrow footpath in Berkshire where he lives, he stood aside and said "Good Afternoon", and Tommy Cooper in London, who tucked something into the top pocket of a beggar " and said " have a drink on me". It turned out to be a teabag.
 
I once stood in a theatre foyer with the Hoff dressed as Captain Hook and about 25 Germans who had come over to see the panto. They were all middle aged, had t-shirts with his face on and insisted on singing him a song they’d made for him. I remember thinking wtf am I witnessing here.
 
I once queued for drinks behind Brenda Blethyn in the theatre bar in Bolton. She sounded really posh, actually.
 
Went to see oasis in amsterdam heineken music hall 2009
The next day on the lash in susies saloon amsterdam liam gallagher walked in with the ex stone roses roadie
Had a big sesh with with them liam was sound as a pound
 
Stan Boardman ( off the Comedians TV show) who was with his wife in a small bar come restaurant in Majorca ( Cales de Mallorca) on our first holiday abroad together (just as the Falklands war was getting serious)
He saw us eating two huge Prawn Cocktails and asked what they were like…then ordered for the two of them and we got chatting.
Nice guy and genuinely friendly.
….oh and my Brother in Law who was Captain on our Singapore Airline A380 flight from Sydney to Singapore( November 2016) .Not entirely random but he deliberately had his schedule amended so he could surprise us and believe me when he annouced this is your Captain speaking we were “ gob smacked”.He had been worried we might actually bump into each other in Sydney as his hotel was in the same area and was even more concerned when they changed our departure gate thinking we might see him walk through as they had t wait to board themselves.
 
Bill Beaumont in a pub in Winster Valley, near Cartmel.

Gazza and Paul Stewart in the Number 3, many moons ago.
 
TheRealKingKenny said:
I once stood in a theatre foyer with the Hoff dressed as Captain Hook and about 25 Germans who had come over to see the panto. They were all middle aged, had t-shirts with his face on and insisted on singing him a song they’d made for him. I remember thinking wtf am I witnessing here.
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Are sure sure it wasn’t some kind of weird dream / fantasy. Don’t eat cheese before bedtime 😬 🧀
 
Gazboro said:
Went to see oasis in amsterdam heineken music hall 2009
The next day on the lash in susies saloon amsterdam liam gallagher walked in with the ex stone roses roadie
Had a big sesh with with them liam was sound as a pound
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‘90’s throwback - working in that there London & popped into a pub on Wardour St for a post-work pint, only to encounter Liam G & Patsy Kensit. They were happy to share a drink & a chat with fellow-drinkers.
 
Met James Nesbitt at G Best Airport who had his golf Clubs and me mine - he was playing at the Belfry and myself just returning from Golf break in NI - nicest bloke and conversation you could ever imagine
 
Lala said:
Bill Beaumont in a pub in Winster Valley, near Cartmel.

Gazza and Paul Stewart in the Number 3, many moons ago.
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BB Was a regular at evening games in the old South Paddock and a BFC fan Years ago….maybe still Is I suspect and you could happily chat with him.
 
AngelBFC said:
Stood next to Ronaldo’s missis in TK Maxx Handforth Dean last week .
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Technically it isn’t Handforth Dean (Wilmslow, East Cheshire) but Stanley Green( Stockport and still Greater Manchester)😉😉.

The difference is I can pay £10 per year to add to my National Bus Pass to use trains and the Metro Link within the Greater Manchester boundaries outside morning peak times by living in Stockport whereas if I lived in Handforth I couldn’t….one bonus for once given the council and mayoral taxes.

Guess you live not far from me🤔…the two are around 2 miles from me.
 
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Got invited to Number 10 Downing Street about 18 months ago - bumped into Boris and this posh bloke called Rishi (?) and some mad woman - then had a few pints with them.

Always liked ABBA 👍
 
Saw the Blue Peter presenters at Luton Airport around 1971 / 1972.
Stood next to Joe Strummer in the gents at Manchester apollo, exchanged a cursory 'alright mate'
Midge Ure bumped into me coming out of Abingdon Street market, Ultravox were playing at the Opera House that night. He offered me free tickets as an apology.
 
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Peter Hook at a service station on M6 after seeing New Order at NEC
Bernard Sumner mooching around Hull before a gig
All of Kraftwerk wandering round Vienna, again before a gig.
I also once served Jeremy Kerr out of A Certain Ratio a burger and cuppa on Blackpool prom during the lights.
 
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