Dara O’Briain – met him whilst waiting in the queue at a recording for HIGNFY in 2004 when he was guest host. Our friends didn’t recognise him (pre-Mock the Week fame) and thought he was queue-jumping so tried to block his way. My sister and I recognised him and had a quick chat with him – seemed very nice.

Tim Fitzhigham (comedian) – really, really nice guy. Saw him at Edinburgh a couple of years ago and MIL realised she had worked with his Dad and had quite a long chat with him about it. We bumped into him later when he was on his way to a BBC recording and he recognised us and started up another conversation with us.

Harlan Coben (author) – met him at a book signing in London about 10 years ago. I was very gushy about meeting him but he was lovely about it (much nicer than my sister who still mocks me about it!)

Richard Armitage - Shy, soft spoken and lovely, held the door open for me.

Nina Wadia (Zainnab in Eastenders) Very friendly, smiley and down to earth, chatted to her for quite a while

Oscar Pistorius Easily the nicest 'celeb' i've met. So chatty and warm.

I've noticed a few comments about Rolf Harris being a bit precious, and I emailed a friend who knows him (well, actually, she and his wife are good friends). She said that he's actually terribly shy, and the jovial act he puts on when he is on tv is just that - an act. Apparently he really hates being noticed and it takes quite a while before he feels comfortable around new people; even in a small group of people that he knows well, he's more likely than not to be the one that speaks the least. This doesn't excuse his apparently dreadful manners, but it might go some way towards explaining them.

I was wondering why such a person would cultivate a career in the media, but then it occurred to me: there are some people who always sit in the corner at parties, hate to make eye contact, and who can only be engaged in conversation with great effort. Of that group, there are some who wish they were gregarious and sociable. If someone in the latter category is offered the chance to play such a persona, it's easy to see how they might jump at the opportunity - even if they go back to being a shrinking violet as soon as the camera stops rolling.

People are funny.

I would hate to have people approaching me and asking me for autographs the whole time. I just hope I would be able to avoid it without being rude and nasty.

It goes with the job. You cannot put yourself on the public stage and wish to be anonymous.

Doctors are expected to help in an emergency when they are off duty.

Off-duty police officers cannot walk past while a crime is being committed and take no action.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned Jeremy Paxman - but he's lovely! He hosted a charity quiz night in Nettlebed a few years back. Me and three mates went (one had travelled down from Lichfield - she was mega-crazy about him beforehand.) It was a time when you could still smoke indoors (but only in the 'members only' part of the club in Nettlebed). Not being members - we went outside for a ciggie break (it was freezing - it was an October or November if I remember rightly). Next thing we knew Jeremy was outside with us asking if anyone had got a light. He'd been told he could smoke in the 'members area' as he was a special guest - but - in his words he 'chose to go outside with the naughty boys and girls'. He was very funny and very nice ... and after the quiz (we came 4th out of 25 teams) he had his picture taken with anyone who asked.

Lovely fella (and so handsome in the flesh).

I heard a story from my cousin once about him that someone he knew met him but didn't know him and he talked to them fine

What a great guy!


Assault! You could've been seriously scalded by that coffee! Ha. He was probably up himself and annoyed that you called him "Norm" rather than "Sir Norman".

I agree but can't fathom why people who have seen actors onstage for say two hours then expect them to stand signing bits of paper etc in the freezing cold maybe for another two hours until about 1am. Also, asking for autographs when people are having a meal or are with their children or crowding around yelling.That would intimidate anyone. Then there's the following and shouting when people are trying to film.What's the point of it all ? Where is the line drawn- nowhere ?

If people like someone, why not show that by not being in their face when it's not appropriate ? Many fans are clearly really considerate. Some aren't.

There are people who get in the way of doctors , police, ambulance drivers, medics, firefighters and so on. They think it's a spectator sport. Commonsense and some good manners would help.

Having said all that, I think the funniest celebs are the ones who glare at you in the supermarket when you were actually looking at a shelf and hadn't recognised them at all until you noticed some odd bod staring at you, furiously. That's happened to me about four times. I just got my stuff and walked on !

Yes, I agree it is part of the job, but people in the public eye are still, surely, entitled to be treated with respect. Some people can be enormously rude and even aggressive when asking for autographs.They seem to think it`s their right and can`t see that, sometimes, it`s actually not appropriate to ask.

"So just like all the others then?"

I think Bottom demonstrated that comedy acting and comedy writing are two completely different skills, of which very few people possess

I've met Edmondson and he behaved in a similar way. He came to present something with video clips and got all huffy and expected the world from the technical crew. He also brushed people aside and wouldn't sign any autographs.

There was an incident mentioned earlier in this thread of a Brit asking an American celeb for an autograph while they were in church. That was obviously inapproriate. However, the celeb told the person to **** off. Surely a refusal would have been better.

Celebs who do not wish to be recognised disguise themselves with the aid of sunglasses, hats, wigs, etc.

What a let down to be like that, funny thing is I've seen loads of pics and videos of Rik Mayall greeting fans with all the cheeky niceness in the world. And I always got the impression that Ade was the nicer of the 2, certainly not so now.

Another one...

Neil Kinnock - Never actually met him but I was in a theatre audience with him, and he kept braying with loud "HWARR HWARR HWARR" laughter like a Welsh klaxon at every funny line - even the ones that weren't laugh out loud funny. It all seemed like a deluded exercise in letting the audience know that he was there - and sadly for him nobody gave a toss

Indeed. A real diamond is Alice.

What I find disgusting is that these nasty 'celebs' seem to forget whose support and whose money keeps them & pays for their millionaire lifestyles. What is a few seconds of their time to just say hello or sign a scrap of paper?

Some of the people named here ought to be thoroughly ashamed of the way they treat people

Hmm, alot of autograph hunters are just collectors, and have most certainly not contributed anything to anyone`s fortune,

Double post.

I'm sorry so let me get this straight. So I have paid to see you and at the end of the night you will be the richer out of either of us. But you are complaining because I have asked you for a signature or a photo after a show, bearing in mind I may never see you again, and you expect me to miss my opportunity. all celebrities have to do is sign a few signatures and take a few pickies - there are nurses, doctors, firefighters all the above professions you mentioned have more to moan about than any celeb regardless of how long their show is.

I don't think there's an entitlement - no. To think so perhaps is to assume that there's something really, really important about getting oneself, into the picture both literally and metaphorically. Why, is it so important ?

Being part of an audience means buying a ticket, enjoying the show and hopefully getting good value for money. That's, what's been paid for. Access to actors etc shouldn't be assumed, to be part of the ticket price. If at a sports' event amongst thousandsand thousands of people...could everyone assume that they had a right, to a photo and an autograph ?

Yes, other people have more justification for 'moaning about it' if they were asked but it doesn't make it sensible to do it.

Having said that there's no excuse for celebs who are really rude.

I find this a bit one sided. I understand shows give something back to an audience i.e. you have a cracking time, but I recently went to see James corden's show because I am a fan of his work and not only this but he actually asked his fans to come down and support him with their wallets. I can't tell you how many times I've been lured to watch something because of my adoration for a perticular cast member.
As well as this you're forgetting that fans are actually willing to wait ages come rain or shine (I know I have) for a meeting with their idols. If anyone in this situation is being put out then its the poor fans who have had to wait in the rain. Autographs and photos only take a few seconds.

I don't see it as a sense of entitlement and would be embarrassed to stop a celeb while they were having dinner for an autograph or during their "downtime". However after a show that has earned you more than what I make in year - you bet I want an autograph.

Waiting in the rain ? Seems a bit pointless to me but each to his or her own ! It is voluntary, though.

Some years back was waiting for booked taxi at the National Theatre. When a taxi arrived, we'd been waiting for ages..about half an hour and the driver called out my name I answered clearly and loudly, " Yes, that's us". Neil Kinnoch and Glenys his wife who were with some friends and were all standing right next to us. They'd not long got there...just a minute or so.

With that, Glenys strode forward towards the taxi. " Come on ! ", she said to the friends. " Oi !", I said loudly. " You know, that's not your taxi !". She ignored me. Neil Kinnoch called her back. " No, Glenys. We'll call a cab or walk back ". I thanked him. I'm Welsh as well but she'd have left anyone, there !

I met her on a few other occasions and thought that she was very fond of herself indeed. He however didn't have any airs and graces.

You decide to wait in the rain- no one has told you to do it. So, if you go to a show at Wembley Stadium you think you and everyone else there is entitled to an autograph afterwards?

And still the celebs are only human, and might have something important to get to, might not be feeling well, or any perfectly good reason for not signing autographs, and wish not to reveal these reasons to the public.

I still remember one occasion when Jennifer Connelly was promoting some movie, did what she were supposed to do at the premiere/party or whatever it was, but left early. One man (I forgot who) made a huge issue out of this (maybe jokingly), and said, that he had so much wanted to see her, and ended up ripping up JC's picture (jokingly) as a sign of his disappointment. It turned out, that JC's father had recently passed away, she wasn't feeling well in general, so she left after her promo duties were done.

In the end of the day, when we go to see a movie/play we pay to see that movie/play. The actors are not required to interact with the audience if they don't want to. Some actually are not comfortable in personal encounters with people, and try and avoid these situations. That doesn't make them rude or unpleasant people.

/and end of rant.

Most celebs will, if possible, try to sign a few autographs at the Stage Door, but there is no contractual obligation for them to stand there for several hours signing autographs for everyone, nor is a meeting/autograph included in the price of your ticket for the event. All your ticket entitles you to is entry to the venue and a seat (or place in the standing area).