Welcome into the back of my cab, but before looking at the list of who have sat on that very seat before you, learn some CabbieSpeak, we can talk about them later. Also check out what it’s like to be a London Cabbie.
Now here is that list of some who have sat in the back of my cab:
Al Murray – Comedian – not a barman this time
Alistair Darling – Chancellor – picked Monochrome Man up at No. 10, I put him straight
Alan Coren – Journalist – coming out of The Ivy, now sadly missed
Angela Rippon – Television Presenter – matching luggage, naturally
Barbara Winsor – Actress – just like our Babs, would know that voice anywhere
Bill Nighty – Actor – one of our great character actors has been twice in my cab
Boris Becker – Tennis Player – before cupboard assignation
Bruce Reynolds – Great Train Robber – a perfect gentleman
Carole Drinkwater – Actress – you don’t know who she is, do you?
Chris Evans – DJ – much quieter and polite than expected
Chris Moyles – DJ – tired and grumpy, well it was late at night
David Gest – Liza Minnelli ex – vanity personified
David Trimble – Politician – one of the bravest men you are likely to meet
David Walliams – Comedian – one of the cleverest comic writers of his generation
Diane Abbott – Politician – twice used my cab in 10 days using her allowances
Grayson Perry – Turner Prize winner – dressed as Miss Muffet what more can I say?
Gwyneth Dunwoody – Politician – still working and just returned from Iraq at 78
Harriet Harman – Politician – can’t refuse them, like to!
Helen McCory – Actress – sexy voice, need I say more?
Jack Jones – Singer – bigger entourage than The Pope
Janet Suzman – Actress – one of the greats of English drama
Janine Divinski – Actress – starred in The Knowledge, must be OK
Jason Donovan – Actor – pulled hat over eyes, not much of a disguise
Jeffrey Archer – Author – got that cheeky Archer smile
Jeremy Clarkson – Television Presenter – not impressed by cab
Jimmy Choo – Cobbler – gave tourists a fee lift, no free shoes for the wife, but a gent
John Sentamu – Archbishop of York – the leading light in the Anglian Church
Joely Richardson – Actress – third generation of fine English actors
Jon Snow – Journalist – we had to pick up his famous bike from Channel 4
John Hurt – Actor – no aliens near him
John McCarthy – Journalist – did not hold him hostage
Jono Coleman – Radio Presenter – wearing shorts in winter, brass monkeys came to mind
Les Dennis – Television Presenter – think wife could have been giving him stick
Linda Robson – Actress – twice now in cab, once with her mum, both charming
Lionel Blair – Entertainer – one of the greats
Lloyd Grossman – Television Presenter – told him off about crap flats (see blog)
Lord St. John of Fawsley – Politician – sartorially elegant
Mary Archer – Wife of above – don’t hold it against her
Maxwell Hutchinson – Television Presenter – tested me on my historical knowledge
Michael Portello – Television Presenter – charming and better than he looks
Nigel Planer – Actor – not hippie Neil of the “Young Ones” any more
Pamela Stevenson – Billy Connolly’s wife, now a psychologist and lately a dance contestant
Pru Leith – Restaurateur – caterer, broadcaster and cookery writer took her to the dentist
Ralph Fiennes – Actor – Don’t call me Ralph it’s Raf
Rhona Cameron – Comedian – very quiet
Richard Curtis – Scriptwriter – Notting Hill, Blackadder need I say more?
Roy Strong – Historian – big moustache, more than you could say for the tip
Sian Phillips – Actress – not a word, for an actress
Simon Sharma – Historian – don’t miss his programmes, more knowledge than me!
Steve Wright – Radio Presenter – dopey he lost his keys
Tommy Walsh – Television Presenter – wouldn’t do my decking
Tony Blair’s Head – Bronze Bust – alas not the real McCoy!
Victor Spinetti – Actor – knows the back doubles through Soho, that isn’t a euphemism
Zoe Wannamaker – Actress – great father, built The Globe
CabbieBlog 
you should get them all to sign your glass partition and then auction it for charity. 🙂
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I drove a cab from 1957 to 1995,,, Around the summer of 1968 I was hailed by Donald Zec, gossip writer of the Daily Mirror. He was taking Dianna Rigg to the Savoy hotel to interview her over lunch. When we got there Zec paid me off and Miss Rigg came over and asked me to hold on for a moment. It appeared that the fabulous tangerine trouser suit with a thigh length jacket (I was once in the schmutter trade) was not considered “proper attire” by the management. She got into the back of the cab to take off her trousers. Zec looked away but I asked if I could watch, “Of course”, she said…. What a great pair of legs. They went all the way to her arm-pits, and those tiny white knickers still haunt me. She got out of the cab with her trousers over her arm and they went off to lunch….
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What a great story about Diana Rigg you could dine out for years on that story, but there again I suppose you have!
Keep them coming Stan.
We cabbies have been whingeing since Oliver Cromwell gave us a license to ply for hire, so I suppose I’m just keeping up with that noble tradition.
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Looks great, im doing a radio feature on London cabbies, fancy giving me an interview at some point? Email me if interested.
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Wow thats a big list.
I have only had a few.
Paul Merton
Suki Webster (Pauls new wife)
Mike Mc shane.
Dermot O’leary
Janet Street Porter
and the girl who was in missfits on ITV, don’t know her name but she was stunning.
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Thanks for your interest, Janet Street Porter gave the awards at my daughter’s graduation, she was very inspirational.
Good luck with your taxi fleet, in East Sussex
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Hi! I lost touch with your ‘website’ for quite a while,, Do not know why. My short term memory is disappearing fast,, My long term memory is totally intact,,,,,,,,
About the summer of 1972 (?) I picked up David Niven,, My sister had told me the day before that she was reading his book “The Moon Is a Balloon” and she thought it a great book. As he settled into the back seat, I said “Just read your book”. He jumped forward onto the cricket seat with excitement saying “really? Did you like it?” ,, “Nah!” I said, “It was a load of rubbish!”. He fell back to the rear seat and I had to stop the cab to say that I was only kidding. I explained that my sister was ¾ of the way through it and found so good that she did not believe that he wrote it. I was going to read it when she was finished. He went on to explain that he had written it all by hand in school exercise books (so that nothing would be thrown away) and then his publisher had it typed up and then passed to a literary editor, who re-arranged it into chapters without altering any of the writing.
He gave me a handsome tip and said “Here go buy your own copy!”,, I did! Then I bought his follw-up book “Bring on the Empty Horses”. He was one of my most charming passengers. Both books are worth reading!
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Welcome back Stan, and what a great story. Yes I have read David Niven’s autobiographies, and very good they were too.
Your anecdote of Diana Rigg was mentioned on WigglyWigglers podcast, I kid you not.
Go to http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/podcasts/index.html?period=2010&-session=shopper:56B465CF02cf706354nmFED95A6A
Its on number 229
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Out of frustration (can’t find the correct contact forum anywhere??) I am leaving a comment that has nothing to do with the topic. Apologies!
At 60 I am now looking to slow things down work wise (29 years a Cabbie) and I am looking for an owner-driver who might consider renting me his cab 3 times a week, 6 hours a time, so I can go and get my beer tokens. Willing to pay top rate for the right cab.
I’m based in London TW7. If interested to find out a bit more, call Antony on 07935-823546.
All the best!
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Hi Antony
Thanks for getting in touch, for future messages you can contact me on:
https://cabbieblog.com/contact/
I’m not sure if many cabbies will read this post, how about putting it out on Twitter?
There are plenty out there who engage with the trade very frequently.
Good Luck
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Try Twitter @cabbie_club
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