Life has been busy here as we move into Autumn. We’ve been to #greatswim London & the British Gas #swimBritain events & had a crazy busy couple of days on Saunton beach introducing the #Dryrobe to the beach surf lifesaving GB teams.The positive feedback from everyone continues & it makes going on the road with #dryrobe a real pleasure. It’s great when people come over just to say how much they like the products.

Just a quick story.  I was packing away the banners & flags at the #swimbritain event at Blenheim palace, I walked across the field, taking in the surroundings as the people left and the sun was low in the sky, I was thinking i was a pretty lucky bloke.I noticed a chap walking up the field towards me & I instantly recognised him as Duncan Goodhew. Now here’s the thing.

I have met lots of celebrities. In my work in the TV & film industry I have met, Ewan McGregor, Catherine-Zeta Jones,  Kylie, Robbie Williams.. ha ha I could go on but you get the point, it doesn’t phase me & I like to chat, as you know if you’ve met me, BUT its when you meet a celebrity when you don’t really expect to that can throw you out.

I think its that, is it? isn’t it? Am I being rude staring trying to double check thing. I got worse with this after a chance meeting with Damon Hill at a cash point in France. I was with my girlfriend (now my wife) who never lets me forget it.

I got there first & was sorting out my cards & looked up to see a face I recognised, but as usual couldn’t remember the name. So out came the default comment in that situation. “hello mate” nice & relaxed, but with an unintentional, slightly questioning expression. “hello” was the reply. So I carry on, but feel rude so I say “sorry but I cant remember where I know you from”, “Oh you don’t know me, you probably just recognise me” not in rude way, just casual but factual but it came across as a bit short, & lacked vital the info, like where from?  er.. “oh OK”,  so I carry on, get my money and. Now my girlfriend is dying, ha ha, I still have no idea who the dude is & don’t really mind, so I grab the money & then just need to get to the bottom of it so I say, “where do I recognise you from? Maybe we’ve worked on something together in London?” “, Er..No probably from Motor racing”, (brain still not caught up, girlfriend looking at the sky now urging as to move on). Not big on motor racing I take the easy option. “OK nice to see you, have a good holiday, see ya round.”

I thought it was quite funny, but it has made me doubt my own brains function to recognise a celebrity “in the wild”. Anyway back to Mr Goodhew. “hello” (thinking That’s Duncan Goodhew) “hello” came the reply, super smiling & was happy to have a quick chat. He dropped his first name, early into the conversation I think to reassure me & we carried on to talk about swimming in cold condition & nasty situation he got himself into with hypothermia & a 32 degree body temperature. No awkwardness just a very approachable & chatty chap. A complete legend. He has a Dryrobe Advance now & I’m looking forward to hearing how he gets on with it.

As for meeting celebs? Fame is drastically overrated in my book. I’ve never been a going wild in the crowd type of ‘fan’ of any musician or film star or anyone for that matter, I just prefer to see or hear what they do. They are only people that you have seen somewhere before.