Some time ago I did my most horrible people I've met in showbiz list. So it's only fair I should do the nicest. Unfortunately, they're rather thin on the ground.
Ant & Dec. What you see is what you get. Never grand, never starry, always remember you, always willing to do publicity, a sheer joy and deservedly sit at the top of the light entertainment tree. Long may it continue.
David Tennant. Always personable and pleasant, probably finds the whole famous thing a chore, but that doesn't put him off being an utter pro. Talking of which...
Barbara Windsor. Any young actor wondering how the game should be played should look no further. Gives loads without giving too much of herself, but you always walk away thinking you really know her.
Harry Hill. Mr Normal. Funny but will also laugh at your jokes too, which for a comedian is rare. They usually like to be the only funny one, but he's very generous. An eccentric but in a good way.
Al Murray. A card.
Bill Roache. Super interview. Bad image. Never 'boring'. He's stuck at what he does best.
Gordon Ramsay. Forget the TV image. The real Gordon is an absolute delight. And he'll always do you a favour for a table at one of his eateries, right GKW?
Nick Berry. Introduces himself, like you didn't know who he was already. Very funny, quietly spoken, interesting and accomodating. Where is he now?
Robson Green. Talks non-stop. Infectious laugh.
Derek Fowlds. Droll.
Cliff Richard. You've gotta love him. A bit dim, but serious about what he does and soldiering on for the fans.
Albert Finney. He linked my arm and we talked about Charlie Bubbles down the The Strand. A true showbiz legend, interesting stories and relatively untainted by his world.
John Lithgow. Once you get past the sinister voice, all is well. A true pro, American style, no fussing publicists getting the way. Relaxed.
Paul O'Grady. You'll laugh the minute you see him, and not stop for hours. Entertainment is his middle name.
Cilla. I've heard differing reports, but she's always been a doll with me. Can't remember many of her own hits, but happy to talk about anything from Dairy Milk ads from the 70s to her late husband to Marc Bolan and John Lennon. A rich vein of great stories.
Philip Glenister. Once the drinks start flowing, nothing's off limits.
Mickey Starke. Effervescent.
Simon McCorkindale. Stentorian, shorter than you might think, lots to tell.
Lou from Neighbours. That invite to the stud ranch still stands.
Greg Wise. You will feel you look like shit, not that it matters.
That'll do for now.
14 comments:
Not that short a list at all, and rather cockle-warming. I'm feeling guilty now for taking the mickey out of (a) your misanthropy and (b) Robson Green the other day.
Have to agree about Harry Hill - he's also surprisingly sexy, and we were in stitches in a conversation about stuffed animals. What more could a girl want?
I love Barb, too, having seen rather more of her than most people (she said, cryptically). My 'They make me feel like crap' star was Patricia Hodge; I wrote in the piece that 'In her tiny prescence, I felt like an enormous Victorian wardrobe lurking in the corner of the room'.
Add Dale Winton, Timothy Dalton, Clive James, Gloria Hunniford, Catherine Tate and Russell Brand to my personal 'in real life, they're lovely' list.
Who are Mickey Starke and Greg Wise?
Mickey Starke was Sinbad in Brookie, if that means anything, and is now in Corrie.
Greg Wise is Mr Emma Thompson.
Such a name dropper! Should I roll out my Equity tales .....?
Oh yeah, I've just been commenting on the size of Sinbad's belly while watching Corro.
I thought Dear Kenny Branagh was Thompson's squeeze?
Ever met Ewan McGregor? He always comes across as quite natural..
Ooh, Branagh was AAAGES ago, darling.
I interviewed McGregor a while back, seemed very nice but keen to talk about motorbikes, not my specialist subject.
No McGregor for me. The nearest I've got is Dennis Lawson, who's nice.
I like this 'infections laugh' angle!
(PS in all seriousness, great post!)
Sorry, when was the horrible people post? I must have missed it.
Nice people?
Douglas Adams was very nice to a teenage me when I worked at Forbidden Planet on Denmark St one Christmas holidays and he came in for a signing. A lovely memory.
See also: John Hegley, Vanessa Williams and (amazingly) Bob Dole.
Thank GOD Nigel Havers wasn't in there. I get such pleasure from loathing him.
Interesting stuff - confirmed a few hopes too. Can you link the nasty list please?
I've looked for it and I think I've probably deleted it in a fit of conscience.
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