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The sign of a real Celebrity

Mark Swaby

Mark Swaby

Senior Member
Yesterday I attended The Big One at Farnborough and saw with my own eyes a true Celebrity (though he would probably not admit it). Jeremy Wade spent two whole days, one of them his Birthday, signing items, shaking hands, smiling for selfies, listening to their stories and talking like a mate to tens of thousands, young and old. There was a constant 100 plus in a queue on both days it never went down. You did not have to buy anything, you just had to join the queue. The stall he was on was selling large top quality posters at £5 and his book at £10, not ripping people off, and if you wanted he would sign it. Next to me a young lad asked him to sign 'I hope you can follow in my footsteps' on his poster, which said it all. The day after the First episode of River Monsters years ago now, I had a repair job in a very upmarket Hairdressing salon in central London, the sort that gave out Champagne to its clients. That morning I was amazed to hear the young female juniors raving about River monsters, I could not believe my ears. Getting non anglers to look at us as normal people has never been easy. I think River monsters has been a great crossover. If you look at River monsters Facebook page there are lots of non anglers especially women commenting.
 
I met him somewhere, may have been Hinckley can't remember? He seemed genuine :)
 
Have met him a couple of times - seems a genuinely nice guy. The programmes are necessarily sensationalist but always interesting nonetheless.
 
One of my oldest fishing mates is Mike Peters who used to be a fairly prominent angling writer / photographer.
Jeremy Wade looks so much like him it wouldn't surprise me if he was related in some way.
 
I'd like to meet him so he can sign my copy of Somewhere Down the Crazy River, got Paul Boote's, just need his.
He's a great presenter, River Monsters went a bit silly but Jungle Hooks was good and his latest, Earth's Mightiest Rivers, I really enjoyed.
 
He is going to be at The Big One, Stoneleigh Park between Coventry and Royal Lemington Spa, for two days April 13th and 14th
 
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Rhys Perry said:
I'd like to meet him so he can sign my copy of Somewhere Down the Crazy River, got Paul Boote's, just need his.
He's a great presenter, River Monsters went a bit silly but Jungle Hooks was good and his latest, Earth's Mightiest Rivers, I really enjoyed.
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Bet Mr Boote wasn't in the queue of admirers at the Big One. My head spins when I think back at some of the weird discussions he used to promote on here, he certainly knew how to paint a picture in your mind , albeit a bit abstract.
 
I bought a copy of Somewhere Down the Crazy River from Jeremy's website years ago. Think I paid £20 for a copy signed by him (wish I had bought a few more given their current value!). Just need Mr Boote's signature which might be a bit harder to get.

Steve
 
be nice to know what Paul is up to nowadays, really enjoyed his posts and learnt a lot from him....see I didn't mention Mr Boote!
 
I can't say River Monsters is my thing, but the kids love it, and the show clearly has a big following to be running for over 10 years. And anything that promotes angling to the wider public has to be applauded.

It's always nice to hear about celeb's making time for the readership/viewers/fans that make them who they are. I remember a bankside conversation with an nice old boy who was a pleasure angler. He had written to Dick Walker to back in the 60's or 70's to ask his advice on a certain technique, and he got a thoughtfully considered 2-3 page handwritten letter back within a few weeks - a real touch of class I've always thought.
 
I think the Celebrity and global appeal has taken him by surprise, he mentioned they were in Bogota filming. They stopped to do some shopping, people came from everywhere, cars stopped and created a gridlock just to greet him which took him totally by surprise. Jason, I also liked Paul's posts last heard of in the Hillingdon area of west London. With River monsters being initially put on prime time telly, 7.30pm ITV and being sold all over the world it can only do good for more angling filming. I was in the queue with some lads who had come from Hungary to see him.
 
I got my copy from he who shall not be named off here, he 'found' a box of first editions and signed them.
Glad I got his signature first, wouldn't fancy my chances of finding him now!
 
Another well known angler that was happy to reply to some queries I had many years ago was Peter Wheat.
Have about 6 beautifully hand written letters on his coloured letterhead paper that he bothered to send in response.
A Gent.
 
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