Celebrity is a weird thing. You recognise it when you see it. But what makes someone a celebrity, and why are so many people desperate to become one? I've never sought fame or celebrity, although I am happy to admit that it's sometimes nice to be recognised. I am certainly not a celebrity even though I've appeared on one or two celebrity programmes like 'Pointless Celebrities'. I don't really think anyone involved in current affairs media deserves the description, with the possible exception of Piers Morgan. 

Over the last few weeks I have been creating an online (but private) photo archive and come across a lot of pictures of me with various well known people over the years. It's one of the perks of what I do that I get to meet some very famous people  - some of them heroes, some of them people maybe I wouldn't have gone out of my way to meet.

Most of them are people I would never have expected to meet. Some weren't at all what I expected. The Queen, for example, was incredibly chatty, even gossipy and far easier to talk to than her reputation might have suggested. Given I have every record he has ever made, the only celebrity I have met, who I was completely tongue-tied by was Cliff Richard. I still don't understan why to this day. At the same even I met Cilla Black and we got on like a house on fire.

Anyway, here is a rogues' gallery of fifty or so of some famous people I have met over the last twenty years. And these are the ones I can remember!

HM The Queen
Queen
Lady Thatcher

Iain Margaret Thatcher

J K Rowling

j k rowling

Cilla Black

cilla

Sir David Attenborough

David Attenborough

Sir Cliff Richard

cliff richard

Tony Blair

Tony Blair

Stephanie Powers

Stephanie Powers

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers

The Prince of WalesPrince Charles
Sir John Major

John Major

Michael Parkinson

Michael Parkinson

Cherie Blair

Cherie Blair

Justin Welby

Justin Welby

Jeffrey ArcherWith Donal Blaney & Jeffrey Archer
Christiane Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour

Boris Johnson

Boris

Piers MorganPiers Morgan Susanna Reid
Russell & Ron Mael

Sparks

David Cameron

Interviewing David Cameron

Phil Jupitus

Phil jupitas

Michael Winner

Michael Winner

Theresa May

Iain & Theresa May

Sir Robin DayRobin Day
Janet Street Porter

Janet Street Porter

Clare BaldingClare Balding
Miranda Hart

Miranda Hart

Alfie Boe

Alfie Boe

Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett

Emma Bunton

Emma Bunton James Whale

President Mary RobinsonMary Robinson
Germaine Greer

Germaine Greer

Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan

Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton John

Sir David Jason

David Jason

June Brown

June Brown

Harry Redknapp

Harry Rednapp

Paul Gascoigne

Paul Gascoigne

Pam Ayres

Pam Ayres

Katie Price

Katie Price

Anne Diamond

Anne Diamond

Michael Cashman

Michael Cashman

Joan Collins

Joan Collins

Sir David Frost

david frost

Al Murray

Al Murray

Sir Viv Richards

Viv Richards

Monty Panesar
Monty Panesar
Joan Bakewell

Joan Bakewell

Giles Wood & Mary Killen

Mary and Giles

Angela Griffin
Angela Griffin
Jarvis Cocker

 

Jarvis Cocker

Kerry Katona

Kerry Katona

Sheila Ferguson

Sheila Ferguson

Matthew BroderickMatthew Broderick
Mark Bright
Mark Bright