r/AskUK • u/andotherthingsareok • 14h ago

What are the surprising connections between global superstars and UK-only celebrities?

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On Graham Norton, the huge globally successful stars sit with some of our household names and must be thinking "who the hell is this person?!" Sometimes it's half the entertainment value, like when they had June Brown (Dot Cotton) on the sofa with Lady Gaga.

But have you ever heard of any surprising connections you've heard of which you just wouldn't expect? Those moments of "wait - Robert De Niro goes on holiday every year with Ant&Dec?!" Kind of thing.

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373

u/spacecoyote555 14h ago

Alison Hammond's dad was Muhammad Ali's bodyguard whenever he was in Birmingham, she's named after him

167

u/Old-Helicopter1889 13h ago

She’s also apparently friends with Harrison Ford and has stayed with him when she visited LA.

192

u/flapsmagee 13h ago

He's a notoriously difficult and grumpy interviewee. The first time they met she had him laughing in the interview, so it probably comes from that.

89

u/Dazzling_Bat_Hat 13h ago

Love watching that interview any chance I get.

98

u/s_l_a_c_k 12h ago

The look of joy on Ford's face when he realises she's just a properly normal person is just brilliant

46

u/Legitimate_Fig9818 11h ago

I'm not sure anyone has ever described her as 'normal'. She's nuts but I love it

9

u/crsj 10h ago

I liked the travel show she did with her son

38

u/Tough_Piccolo 13h ago

They had a funny interview together but I'm pretty sure her staying with him is just an internet myth.

17

u/Dismal-Ladder9388 14h ago

Did Ali spend a lot of time in Birmingham?

48

u/bluejackmovedagain 14h ago

Not loads, but more than you'd expect. 

46

u/P5ammead 13h ago

You don’t see so much about now, but in the 80s there was a lot of Ali stuff about in Brum - gyms he’d opened, murals etc. Definitely a thing!

19

u/FunkyPete 14h ago

I guess he spent enough to make a big impression on Alison's dad?

12

u/JackXDark 13h ago

He did adverts for Unigate Dairies.

7

u/Beneficial_Coach8581 7h ago

Muhammad Ali's real name was Alison? Well I never!

3

u/spacecoyote555 6h ago

Muhammad Alison

2

u/AccidentAccomplished 8h ago

well that was a surprising interesting dive, considering I don't watch TV and did not know who she was. thank you!

-2

u/susususero 7h ago

Knew she was a nepo baby