» Celebrities part II

It's great up North
I manage a gift shop and I've served quite a number of famous folk - I also have my regular ones too. I'm no starfucker and don't get starstruck and I treat them like regular people. I don't let on I even recognise them, or if they do realise I know who they are I like to think they come back again because I don't make the fuss so many do when they see someone famous.

Noreen Kershaw - Huge portfolio of work - Boys from the Blackstuff, Brookside, Albion Market, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Casualty, Blood on the Dole, Peak Practice, Heartbeat, Holby City and the funny but firm Police Constable Phyllis Dobbs in Life on Mars and loads more. A regular customer, such a very delightful lady, so unpretentious. Always pleasant and enjoys a little chit chat.

Julie Hesmondhalgh who plays Haley Cropper in Corrie, is another regular - she is genuinely 'lufly' and down to earth, always a pleasure to chat with her and her partner, actor Ian Kershaw.

Sue Devaney who played Debbie Wedster, Kevin's sister in Corrie, been in dinnerladies, Casualty and loads more TV shows is another regular - again a really nice down to earth, very chatty, friendly lady.

Dead Mans Shoes & This Is England actress Jo Hartley - intersting chat about films (Shane Meadows BRILL)- dead nice Northern lass, brilliant actress, good taste in films. Didn't recognise her initially, she really looks different out of character, a really attractive lady.

Jason Orange, now what's he famous for? I'm being obvious not facetious. An on-off regular, sits alone, quietly for a few hours, never had the pleasure to talk to him, he seems quite shy and is probably a lovely guy.

Paul Mcgann was late returning DVDs and was stunned to discover he owed a £35 fine, he claimed he had the flu and couldn't get into town, despite the fact I called him numerous times - he remained quiet, assuming I'd let him off - remember Paul I treat EVERYONE like regular people, a fines a fine no matter who you are. And yes folks I do have his phone number, and address and a few others famous phone numbers too. Still, a really nice bloke though, quite shy actually.

Bernard Hill famous for SO many films amd TV shows - Titanic, Gandhi, The Lord of the Rings, The Bounty, Shirley Valentine, loads more and of course Yosser 'Gis A Job' Hughes in Boys From The Blackstuff. Very pleasant and funny man, always good for a yarn. Popped in once to thank me for sending on some gifts. A genuinely, respectful, lovely guy and an amazing actor. Plus he's a fellow Manc!

Gina Mckee only visited once - seemed very quiet and private. She came back after her sale to query a mistake she thought I'd made - we looked at the receipt - there was no mistake, she became even quieter and left rather embarrassed. Aw, I honestly felt sorry for her, she was so embarrassed she couldn't apologise properly. I admire her work, she's a fine actress - Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill, The Forsyte Saga, Scenes of a Sexual Nature, Waking the Dead and loads more.

Brenda Blethyn, she has a massive portfolio of work - A River Runs Through It, Secrets & Lies, Little Voice, Saving Grace, Beyond the Sea, Pride & Prejudice and loads more - very private and quiet, sat anonymously for a few hours and left undetected.

Maxine Peak of Shameless fame and See No Evil:The Moors Murders, Clocking Off, dinnerladies, Early Doors and loads more. She used to be a regular but I've not seen her for quite a while now - another private quiet person.

Stuart Maconie just wants to purchase and leave quickly and quietly.

I've seen Bez a few times mooching about the streets.

Mike Leigh, writer/director - Abigail's Party, Life Is Sweet, Secrets & Lies, Career Girls, All or Nothing, Vera Drake and more - was filming outside the shop one late evening. Another fellow Manc!

And those who visited whilst I was on my days off:

Fearne Cotton, on some fashion shoot documentary thing.

Cast from Cutting It - Sarah Parish, Angela Griffin, Sian Reeves, Jason Merrells, Pearce Quigley, Annette Badland, James Midgley, Bill Thomas, Ben Daniels, Amanda Holden, Lucy Gaskell, David Leon, Rebecca Bellamy and probably a few more.

Jude Law and probably Sienna Miller, when they were shooting Alfie, the Michael Caine remake.

Sorry to all those I've just forgotten and I know there are some that I simply cannot recall who they are because they look so different out of character.

Kinda debunks 6 degrees of separation (to a celebrity) for me then!
(Sun 11th Oct 2009, 3:20, More)