Festival star spotting on Edinburgh streets - your views online

With the Edinburgh Festival in full swing, we asked readers for their memories of celebrity encounters on the streets of the Capital. We were inundated with responses.

Barry Cryer, Victoria Wood, Kenny Everett and Billy Connolly, took part in a TV comedy debate at the 1982 Television Festival during the Festival 1982

Tony McQue

Craig Charles walked up to me in the Scotsman Bar ar around 6.30am asking if I was wearing a thong.

Chris Tunnah

I remember drinking next to Russell Hunter and Billy Connolly in The Cauldron in Victoria Street. Happy days!

Lorraine Blyth

I crossed paths with the late, great Paul Daniels and his wife twice in three days. He said on our second encounter “we meet again” to which I replied same place, different day, to which he laughed. We stood chatting for about five minutes until our respective buses came at the foot of Lothian Road.

Crystal Coates

I saw George Melly walking on George Street, Margie Clark, Jenny Eclair – we discussed the merits of blonde hair – Russell Brand at the Pleasance Courtyard – that’s a great place to spot them – Annabel Giles and a very grumpy looking Richard Whiteley on Rose Street. I cannot believe how small some of them are and I am not that tall. Russell is very tall though.

Jenny Wooton

Walking along Princes Street in the ’80s Rik Mayall walked past. My flatmate’s boyfriend looked a bit like him, so I said “hi John” then realised my mistake when he gave me an odd look.

Corran Lyon

I went on a ghost tour with the Chippendales. Lovely guys. Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee stopped to pet my dog, as did Stephen K Amos. I saw the guys from Whose Line Is It Anyway in Bannermans too many to mention, but I lived at the bottom of the Pleasance for 15 years, so I met loads of celebrities.

George V Guy

I saw Clint Eastwood at a pedestrian crossing outside the Filmhouse in Lothian Road. I looked up to see who the very tall person was and he looked back down and nodded. No words required.

Peter Burrrell

Bet that made your day, punk?

Karon Davis

I saw Ross Kemp walking into the bar at the Missoni Hotel and nobody batted an eyelid, so he went out and came back in three more times until somebody recognised him.

Jim Ferguson

Pete Townsend was a passenger in my taxi. There have been loads of others but he's top of the list with JK Rowling. Townsend was with a group who were going to watch his wife perform at the Festival a few years ago. They were chatting among themselves but when they got out of the taxi he came up to the window and thanked me very much. Appreciated the gesture.

Vicky More

I cut Peter Kay’s hair 19 years ago while he was here for the Festival.

Gareth Crow

Helen Lederer sat next to me at a show, then Paul Daniels and Debbie MGee were at the restaurant my friends and I went to after. I was surprised how nice and chatty Debbie McGee is!

Alan O’Neill

I met many when I worked in the Caley Hotel and Platform 1. I refused to let Rupert Everett into the residents’ bar and he had hissy fit banging on the doors and shouting “Do you know who I am?”

David Smiles-Watt

I’ve seen Tim Vine, Roland Gift, Pat Kane, Nina Conti, Mike Rutherford, Jo Brand and a host of others. The city comes alive during the Festival.

Russ Tyrone

Reginald D Hunter gave me a hug after one of his shows at the Pleasance. What a cool guy. Great comedian too.

Donald Mclean

I got drunk with Clive Anderson and Tony Slattery.

Lelly Doubleyew

1984 in George Street I met Rik Mayall when he had a show in the Assembly Rooms. I jumped up and down in front of him like a besotted fan girl. He was lovely both in looks and in the way he gave me the time of day.

Keith Froude

I saw Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson) in Forth Street. I shouted “I don’t believe it” and he just looked at me and smiled.

David Stewart

I saw Mel Smith. He was smoking a cigar outside the Balmoral, I was on a bus, and he turned it into a funny skit.

Lisa Smith

Many years ago Lee Evans was in Tesco in Nicolson Street. We spoke to him for about ten minutes.

Willie Hall

Roy Waker was at corporate hospitality for a Hearts game during Fringe time. I thought I was seeing things. He was on his phone the whole of half time but he couldn’t hear a word for all the heckling, with roars of “Say what you see”

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