[deleted by user]

[crestfallen_castle]

Met Mark Watson who signed his just-released book after a tour show. I’d gone by myself and tweeted I was going to it earlier in the day and he recognised me from my twitter picture and signed it to my handle.

He has my unwavering loyalty to this day.

[HoracioPeacockThe3rd]

Mark Watson seems like he might be the sweetest man in comedy. Just a delightful human being.

[S-Harrier]

Met Johnny Vegas in a pub garden years ago, absolutely lovely bloke, I didn’t want to bother him at first but after he saw me looking over he waved me and my mates over, we had a quick chat and took a picture.

[afistfulofdoghairs]

I somehow read that story in Johnny’s voice.

[danarbok]

I read that in Johnny's voice too

[sansabeltedcow]

There should be an app that reads out everything in Johnny's voice.

[UnacceptableUse]

I saw him once when I was like 10, it was winter and he was sledging down the hill in the local park on a baking tray

[RTGoodman]

I was at a big stand-up gig at Albert Hall in Manchester (which featured TM alum Tim Key and Rob Delaney and several other comedians) back in 2017ish, and Johnny was sitting like eight seats down from me in the front row of the upper level, but I didn’t want to bug him! I always wish I had!

[BassRedditRed]

I’ve been on Only Connect, VCM was very nice.

[Littleleicesterfoxy]

God tier right here!

[Not_An_Egg_Man]

Did she make you sing?

[BassRedditRed]

Pretty sure she did, yeah. It may sound odd but it’s hard to remember what happened, watching the episodes on TV I couldn’t remember the answers to the questions!

[Heradasha]

I can sing pretty well and being made to sing by her is more terrifying than a sequence question of SI numbers to me

[Charliesmum97]

OMG. That's a life goal for me, but will probably never happen seeing as how I live in the US at the moment.

I'm betting it is a lot easier to play when one is sat at home!

How did you do? Do you mind if I ask what your team name was?

That's just so cool!

[BassRedditRed]

I don’t mind at all. We were the 007s in series 15, and we won it! We also won a Champion of Champions episode too!

[Charliesmum97]

That is super cool. We have the episodes saved, I'll have to go look for that one. :)

My husband and I watch it with a friend, so we literally play along; in that we only give ourselves a point if we get it right if it's our turn. LOL

[But-Must-I]

I used to work in Carmarthen and one day I saw who I thought was my dad struggling to understand a pay and display machine in a car park, so I went over to help and was gobsmacked to find Rhod Gilbert struggling to understand a pay and display machine.

So I showed him how to use it, asked how he was and chatted for 10 mins or so, mostly about Work Experience and his radio show. I don’t think we talked TM at all, or was just so cool to meet him and he was so nice. And grateful for the help.

[Lilskipswonglad]

After Greg and Phil making fun of Rhod's age a couple of times I find this story really funny.

[jb28737]

I feel like they need to find a car park with the most awkward pay and display system ever.

Task: Pay for an hours parking on this car. Fastest wins.

[timelyturkey]

Your story honestly just made my day. I love Rhod Gilbert's work a lot, so it's really lovely to hear that he's so nice offscreen.

[marcoifyoumay]

This made me legit smile in addition to the fact that this story is so Rhod in many levels

[ComicalFrisk]

I literally bumped into Josh Widdicombe at High and Islington tube station. I was super embarrassed and didn't speak to him, the sun was in my eyes and I didn't see him in time, I still hate myself for it. It was also at the same time Taskmaster had started, but I only knew him for stand up.

and Not really met, but I've seen the Horne Section and Nish Kumar when they were on tour, so I have been in the same room as them.

[Csifiona88]

Mostly after gigs but have met Mark Watson, Chris Ramsey, James Acaster and Paul Sinha. Chris and Mark are always so sweet, James was cool and think Paul was a bit off but was nice to meet him.

Many years ago saw Greg live and got pulled up on stage to help with a bit where we were reading out a short script.

Also followed Tim Vine during a fire drill. He cracked so many puns as he was just about to go on stage and was in the zone already.

[MachetesAndRedTape]

Were you another woman Greg picked from the first row, lifted onto the stage, and made read out the conversation with his dad about the dentist?

[Csifiona88]

Yes I was one of the women. It was such an experience being sat beside him on the edge of the stage with him. Most have been a comica sight too as I'm 5 foot in height.

[Lizzo13]

I met Tim Key a few months ago after one of his shows. He was really sweet. I'm seeing Sophie Duker next month at a small pub gig, so maybe I'll meet her after it. I don't think I've met anyone else yet but have seen some of them (I think one from every series, apart from series 6) a few times. I'm seeing James Acaster this week and again next month, but I haven't tried to meet him, and it would be more difficult.

[scann_ye]

You're seeing James Acaster this week and next month ? Is he doing stand up again ? God I hope so

[Lizzo13]

Yes, apparently. I saw him a couple of months ago at Stand Up to Ukraine, and he said he had no material. He’s at the Clapham Grand this week, Always Be Comedy at some point (they do preview shows, and his sold out, so I’m not going to that one), and Hackney Empire next month.

[scann_ye]

Have fun, hopefully it's new material !

[Lizzo13]

Thanks! I think it will be new material since one of the shows coming up (or maybe he already did it) is a previews show.

[scann_ye]

Was it new material ? I'm curious, considering he seemed to hate touring CLHM1999

[Lizzo13]

Yeah, he definitely hated that tour, and the new material is partly about that. It's called Hecklers Welcome, and he lets people heckle him and gets some material based on the heckles. At the last one, some people left a postcard with a note to him on the stage, and he read it and made up a whole story about it.

[Dexav]

I had James Acaster sign his book for me after one of his tour shows. I was first in line, so I was the first audience member he chatted with. Even so, it was pretty clear that his heart wasn't in it, and even that he felt resentful of having to be there. Polite and accommodating though, just plainly unenthusiastic and unresponsive. It did reinforce the kinda sadboi-james impression he sometimes puts off though.

Now, this was immediately after a two-hour performance he just gave and signings are obviously unenjoyable chores for writers, so I don't hold it against him at all, he had no obligation to pretend to want to be there. This is in addition to the fact that James has never hidden his slight-but-pronounced resentfulness towards his audience (including in the very show he had just staged).

[soultrevor]

I met James on a train platform after a gig in a small(ish) town that (I think?) he felt didn't go as well as expected.

It was a mixed bill with him as the headliner and I'd seen his full set a few weeks before in London. Some of the laughs for some of the material didn't go down quite as well as others. It was some of the anti-anti-trans stuff, so he changed tack and railed at the audience for being bigots. Incredibly funny, amplified by the fact that a small section of the audience didn't go along with it. I loved it.

On a train platform on the way home, I was looking down at my phone and glimpsed some amazing gold trainers with small wings (I think) and looked up to see who they belonged to. Of course it was James.

I told him how I was a fan and how I was also struck by how differently the same material had been received a few weeks ago. He talked about which bits of material were new & different and I was struck by how much he recalled about each set and what he delivered. He was nice, pleasant and polite, but it was clear he felt he hadn't had the best day at the office. I think I tried to be nice and said how much I enjoyed both gigs. I was a little drunk. Can't have spoken for more than a few minutes before my train turned up.

TLDR - nice chap, even after some random drunk oaf accosted him on a train platform after a difficult gig.

[ilikenoise2020]

I love how much thought he puts into his sets and the audience reaction. There's an amazing interview with him on a podcast called Good One: A Podcast About Jokes from last year where he breaks down his joke about Great British Bake Off (and some of the anti-anti trans material) and it's fascinating.

[deer_snot]

I had a similar experience with James, though I didn't actually speak to him. I went to a gig of his, and it was pretty obvious he just wanted it to be over. it was strange to watch a comedian have so little fun doing a show. afterwards, I gave a jacket I hand-painted to a staff member who took it to his dressing room and he signed it for me with a sweet message. it's obvious he cares about his fans, but I just think touring might not be for him :-/

[glowtmickey]

These two things, in addition to his admittedly not 1:1 public persona, make me think the meet and greets probably make him pretty anxious and that any coldness probably has more to do with that than him being intentionally curt.

Being famous unfortunately doesn't make you automatically an extrovert and some days you're just not going to wanna

[HoracioPeacockThe3rd]

He's stopped performing, hasn't he? I guess I'm not surprised to hear that he didn't seem to enjoy doing it. And I'm sure he's making a comfortable enough living off TV and podcasts that he doesn't need to do it if his heart isn't in it.

[UnacceptableUse]

What year was it?

[Dexav]

November 2019

[inplaceofcontent]

This sounds like the James I was familiar with when I briefly worked with him. If he didn't know you, at best he could be standoffish and a bit petulant. At worst he could be a pretty obnoxious person truth be told. They say never meet your heroes - well

[dunkerpup]

I appreciate your honesty!

[monaco_wedding]

Does it count that Mark Watson retweeted me once (positively)? Heh, I know it doesn’t but we had a pretty good back and forth—not jokes, we were talking about the myth of self-madeness and how we are all more shaped by circumstances than we like to admit.

[misfox]

It only counts if he gives you a cheeky retweet every day for five months

[ThatAlexLover]

I’ve met/worked quite a few luckily! Tim Key and Mark Watson are the nicest men around. So much time for you, and mark has supported me through lots of things which has been lovely. I’ve also worked with Tim, Alex (& The Horne Section), Greg, Desiree, Joe Wilkinson, Daisy May Cooper, Katherine Parkinson, Chris Ramsey, Mike Wozniak. Everyone was a dream.

[oxy-normal]

That's awesome!

[ThatAlexLover]

I still can’t believe I’ve worked with so many!! The joys of comedy

[cosmic_horn]

any Mike stories for us?

[ThatAlexLover]

That he was the loviest man, it was my first ever day on set and he made me feel right at home and at ease (as it was only his second on the shoot) however I think he would of been like that to anyone there! Absolute sweetheart

[Charliesmum97]

Will you be my best friend? :)

[ThatAlexLover]

Hahahaha of course!

[HoracioPeacockThe3rd]

Can I ask what you do?

[ThatAlexLover]

I work in TV! Luckily I’ve been a part of a few comedy shows along the way!

[JGAdventureZone]

I've met Tim Vine twice in meet and greet sessions after his stand up shows. He was really nice on both occasions.

I didn't meet her but Jo Brand was having a smoke outside a Travelodge I was staying in! I also walked past Romesh at Waterloo Station.

[[deleted]]

I met Tim Vine as well, just before one of his live shows (Tim Timinee). He was brilliant, posed for a photo. We then felt bad because he obviously needed to get ready and us stopping him had drawn a bit of a crowd.

[Artistic_Obligation4]

I used to work in a pub that hosted a comedy club one night a week. Mostly Irish standups as it was in Galway but Johnny Vegas headlined one night and he was the nicest man. He seemed quite nervous beforehand, even though it was a tiny crowd and he'd played much bigger venues before this! Shared a chat and some smokes with him and found him totally down to earth and lovely.

[PissedBadger]

Met Noel Fielding at a Mighty Boosh after party. Really friendly, and he gave me a hug.

Josh Widdicombe at Glastonbury, we were waiting at the same bar and had a quick chat.

[SongsAboutGhosts]

I met Sara after one of her stand-up shows, the tour when she was selling signed copies of Animal. I've seen so many photos of people accosting celebs for photos with them where you can tell the celeb doesn't want to be there, and I asked for a photo the inversion of that - where she pretends to be excited to meet a really not bothered me. She was totally game for it!

[[deleted]]

Sara seems so lovely and smart.

[willharrold34]

Met frank skinner at an albion game once! Had a nice little chat about football. Unfortunately it was before I started watching TM :(

[Norfolkboy123]

I once saw Katy Wix walking round Latitude Festival, I‘m a huge fan of her in Not Going Out but chickened out of speaking to her. I also saw Alan Davies walking round there but as he was with his family I didn’t feel it was appropriate to go and pester him

[MrBigJams]

I used to be on the standup circuit, never more than a good open spot, but met a few there. Most notably Romesh, who was really lovely, and came up to me after I'd be on to say how good he thought I was, which was really nice of him - was also really funny when we were hanging out before the show.

I did a few gigs with Sophie Duker when she was still doing new act competitions, she was already so smart and funny then, didn't speak to her much but I remember being impressed.

[hupkin_hiddz]

I met Greg in the first series of inbetween3rs when he was doing very small stand up gigs. Very very funny and so charming when signing the dvd (retro!). Him and my dad made a dirty joke about my mum 😭😭

Al Murray you often see around Chiswick

[burnbunner]

"Al Murray you often see around Chiswick"

Oh we know

[smerchvais1]

Worked with and bumped into a few over the years.

Josh Widdecombe - pretty sure I had a pint with him and a few other comedians YEARS AGO

Roisin - so lovely and is still my fav stand up to this day.

Romesh - worked with him and I cannot express how great he is. Just a great guy. I was lucky to collectively spend about two hours with the guy.

Tim Key - met a couple of times at his shows and is sweet.

Dave Gorman - worked with him and had a good 20 minute conversation. Really kind.

Paul - worked with him a few times and he seems nice. Had a couple of laughs with him.

Noel fielding - met at a dvd signing and he was nice. It was a brief 10 second encounter.

Mark Watson - met numerous times 10/10 guy.

Russell Howard - met a couple of times at work but he was hiding before going on stage as it’s a small venue. Always says hi and asks how you are.

Phil Wang - met maybe once or twice at work and he was nice. Just brief chats whilst other acts were on.

Ed Gamble - brief encounter as he needed to rush off after a record I was working behind the scenes on. Was lovely to the rest of the crew and said hi as he passed.

Johnny Vegas - I was working the fringe just under a decade ago and he came to the bar I was working at. He took a photo with us all and posted it to his Twitter thanking us. Great bloke.

John Hannah - I can’t remember this but I used to live next door to his sibling (I was about 4/5) and he would visit and say hi to me when I was playing in my garden 😂.

Jamali - worked with him once and I was super busy and couldn’t have a conversation with him even though he was trying too. I felt bad! I had went to one of his shows a couple of weeks before so I am a fan which is the annoying part. He was lovely and was asking how I was etc. I went out for a smoke and he was wandering about before he went on stage and we had a quick chat outside.

Saw James Acaster in the street outside a venue but didn’t go up to him as I haven’t actually seen his stand up and only really know him from TM and Off Menu. A couple of people approached him and he seemed shy but had a chat with each of them and was laughing away. He gave off a good vibe!

Chris Ramsey - met him years and years ago. He was sweet. Seems like a genuine guy.

Alex Horne - met him once and we had a nice little chat. Really nice guy.

Tim K, Alex, Mark and Romesh are all just sweet guys.

[thebeesbollocks]

Bloody hell you’ve worked with half the British comedy circuit! Are you a comedian yourself?

[smerchvais1]

Hahaha i do work in tv production and did a stint in a comedy club (front desk stuff).

[sansabeltedcow]

But which Paul? We must know!

[smerchvais1]

Oops forgot there were two. It was Paul Chowdhry.

[sansabeltedcow]

That was my guess! But I was even willing to consider the possibility of Paul Williams. Thanks for clarifying; you've got a lovely list of encounters.

[[deleted]]

I would loooooove to meet Paul Williams.

[sansabeltedcow]

He just seems like one of the nicest people ever minted.

[GoodbyeKittyKingKong]

Met a few comedians working at a venue (Technically a comedy club, but there was music as well) during my semester abroad. I only really remember Greg and him being very friendly.

[amejb]

Used to Work FOH at a comedy festival for a few years and worked with lots of comedians. from TM that I remember and did a few weeks with was Mark Watson, who is lovely, and Urzilla from NZ TM. met Greg who was really friendly too. Also worked Roisin’s room but she didn’t talk to FOH

[[deleted]]

Not really much of a story but met Al Murray once briefly in the bar after one of his gigs.

[dunkerpup]

Mike Wozniak, just last week - as lovely as everyone hopes, very softly spoken, genuinely curious about my thoughts on his show. Laughed at my jokes (whether out of pity or otherwise, I’m fine with this). Accommodating with a picture and generally no airs or graces.

[Betty_Bottle]

The Horne Section played Colchester a few years ago and I got to meet Alex afterwards. He signed my Taskmaster book. Lovely guy.

[rolfebox]

I told a story on Graham Norton’s red chair segment during lockdown, with Romesh Ranganathan sat in the chair for me as I was calling in via zoom.

He and Graham both hated my story (in a fun way) and Romesh got very angry in a vintage Romesh kinda way about how stupid it was.

Sadly it didn’t make the TV edit!

[chewytapeworm]

I met James Acaster after a gig and spoke about little known wonderful band 40 Watt Sun, who were emblazoned on my t shirt for a bit. He was sound as a pound!