I met Katie Melua when she was 10 and starred in a school play with my niece. She was tiny but oh so full of personality and brimming with enthusiasm. We all knew she would go a long way. Lovely wee girl.
Well Idi Amin was in exile in Jedha Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Government flew me and booked me in for 3 days at the Meridian Hotel.
I saw him professionally at a private hospital...a HUGE man with hands as big as dinner plates. He was accompanied by two guards each about 6 ft 6inches and each had a long curved sword ..a sabre or something.
He was very polite, shook my hand and apologised for being late for his appointment. A gentle man, good mannered, appreciative and very well spoken with an excellent command of the English language. Outside in the waiting room he had brought 4 of his wives.....all very attractive.
I went to school with Kate Robbins and Jane Robbins, Jane was in my year and Kate was a few years ahead of us.
Oh and I have had tea with Cliff Hall the singer from the Spinners, he was my friends Dads best friend.
that is impressive, tambo. it'll take a Beatle story to beat it, imo. And lets face it, if someone had dated a Beatle we'd have heard about it before. (2 minutes after they joined AB) ;o)
When I was in the 6th form at school I was in charge of the school library. One of the 'junior librarians' in my charge at that time was a friendly, likeable lad by the name of Nicholas Kershaw. I understand that he went on to make a name for himself in the music business.
When I was teaching I ran the city cricket teams. Our Under-15 captain (whom I'd known from the age of 11) was a lad called Michael Vaughan. I believe that he did quite well in the game after that ;-)
I went to School with a guy who turned out to be an Actor - Daniel Casey (He was Sgt. Troy in the early series of Midsomer Murders, amongst other roles).
Amongst several, Alex Salmond, Michael Forsyth, James Wilby (actor), Roger Gifford (last Lord Mayor of London), Tom Wright (ex-Bish of Durham), Jim Radcliffe (Ineos chairman), David Pyott (Mr Botox chairman of Allergen), all students at school or my Universities.....
oh, I used to smoke in the bogs, in school, with a lad who was in the Saw Doctors(I believe he was with Bonnie Tyler, too) After he left school, obviously.