h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

While watching Channel 5's '80s day yesterday I was reminded of my very first claim to fame. Or not, as it turned out. My friend Sarah's dad's girlfriend was Nick Kershaw's aunt!

So, have you got any tenuous or, indeed, *close* links to any famous people?

You know Nick Park, the guy who invented Wallace & Gromit? My friend Joy's best friend used to go out with him.
And, coincidentally, one of my friend's dad used to go to the same church as him.

Hmm... my grandmother has a large ancient family tree which includes Anne Boleyn.



Actually Anna, your claim to fame could be that you work for Douglas Adams' real life HHGTTG... but if you mentioned that to anybody other than us lot it might be met with blank stares

Well, where do I start?...

My little brother was in the same class at high school as Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone in Coronation Street.

I shook Martin Bell's hand back in November at a United Nations Assosciation conference

I was attacked by Rod Hull and Emu at the 1992 Ebbw Vale garden festival.

Briefly met Helen Sharman (1st British cosmonaut), at a science open day at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester.

I sat next to the neice of the drummer from the original line up of Katrina and the waves at school.

My brother got cuffed round the head by Ben from Curiosity killed the Cat for being cheeky. And on a separate occasion by Mike Gatting for singing "Who ate all the pies?"

> Actually Anna, your claim to fame could be
> that you work for Douglas Adams' real life
> HHGTTG... but if you mentioned that to
> anybody other than us lot it might be met
> with blank stares

I do that all the time anyway! So far everyone I've told has been really impressed!

My most cherished encounter with a famous person was with Sean Connery. He was sitting at Bordeaux airport reading a paper. It seems airports are good places to spot famous people: I overheard popstar Seal at the information desk of Heathrow trying to charter a plane (I wanted to know where I could buy an alarm clock).

This is a thread I've always wanted to start but for some reason thought it might infring on people's privacy (can't think why, now)

A girl in my class at school claimed to be the cousin of Andy Fairweather-Low. Who I recently saw at an Eric Clapton concert. In those days, he was merely the singer of the Amen Corner!!!

And when I was a little girl in the Junior Red Cross, I was chosen to present a bouquet to Virginia McKenna, riding on the crest of fame in those days because of "Born Free" showing in the cinemas. I was only chosen because my uniform was neatest.

I am sure, behind some of the illustrious names on H2G2 there are lots of incognito celebs. Come on - own up.

PS I'm really Madonna, but don't tell.

My best friend's little sister's godfather wrote the music for Wallace and Gromit
(I find that impressively tenuous)

And my uncle coached certain well-known South African sportsmen (and Mike Catt)

And I once saw Cate Blanchett at Edinburgh airport

Name dropping over

My sister's godmother's daughter's boyfriend's brother was Rick Astley's first manager.

Beat that!

My former best friends second cousin is the MIGHTY Daniel O' Donnell

....and my bosses brother is the guitarist for Jamiroqui (spelt wrongly, I think, anyway think of bloke in big hat dancing quite oddly)

I played guitar in a band when I was at sixth form, and I got kicked out. Then they went on to be slightly insignifcant but did release some records, but then when they eventually split one of them went on to be a figure in the drum'n'bass scene.
Is that too tenuous?

no it is perfect - now tell us who!

I went to uni with Coldplay and played football with Chris Martin and the drummer Will Champion's brother.

My sister went to school with Simon Bisley's daughter (will mean nothing to people who don't collect UK comics, especially 2000AD).

My dad was a few years above Roger Taylor of Queen at college.

I've got a few more spurious connections with the great and good (like tripping over Sarah Vandenbergh [diminutive blonde from Neighbours] and sniggering about how rotund James Dean Bradfield is in the flesh) but they probably don't count.

My Dad was at school with Michael Fish....

And my stepbrother dated Camilla al Fayed.....

My dad was a year below Lulu at the same school. My life hasn't been the same since I found out...

NQAH

Jim Corr apologised to me once for touching my hand.......



agcB

My dad was in the same golf club as the bass player from Foriegner who used to be in a band with the guitarist from Pink Floyd who is a friend of DNA.

I went to school with the white half of The Lighthouse Family. He even sent me a xmas card in junior school.

I frequently exchange e-mails with the famous H2G2 staff such as Abi and Anna

CHawke

- I was once went out with a girl whose brother's godfather is Richard Hill (England Rugby player).

- I used to live down the road from Jonathan Edward's dad (triple jumper / vicar).

- I had a friend who sister's godparents were John & Norma Major (need I say even for the Americans?).

- I walked past Michael Stich (tennis player) at Wimbledon without realising it was him, until my friend pointed it out.

- Just waiting to see if GVI will tell us about his friend who used to rent a flat off Graeme Souness's hairdresser! Can I claim this as being highly tenuous on my part? (GS is an ex-Liverpool footballer, now manager of Blackburn).

[Critical comment: I have to say that some of these are far too 'direct'. People have actually met the famous involved!]

One of my best friends was at a college with a guy who's brother plays rugby for Bath, this guy used to play for Saracens and shared a house with Kyran Bracken.

I walked past Jonty Rhodes and Paul Reiffel at Wimbledon without realising it was them (excusable really - cricket players aren't expected at tennis tournaments)

Let's see...
My boyfriend's parents' ex-lodger's brother was in the Beautiful South.
My sister's many-years-ago English teacher's daughter is Carmel (the jazz singer who had at least one well known record about 15 years ago).
Oh and I used to live next door to a member of UB40 who used to complain to the police about the noise every time we had a party! (Or is that too direct a connection for this thread?)