The Thrill of Spotting Celebrities in London
Who doesn’t relish the excitement of a celebrity sighting? I still cherish the memory of unexpectedly running into the late Alan Rickman at the Almeida Theatre bar, where his presence was both charming and humbling. There was also that unforgettable moment when Paul Mescal jogged past me in those remarkably short Gaelic football shorts. If he’s reading this, I owe him an apology for the rather embarrassing and guttural “Oi, Paul!” that slipped out from my friend’s lips. I’ve spotted Alexa Chung sipping on a cappuccino more times than I can count, far exceeding my encounters with my own friends.
Living in London feels like having a constantly updating directory of local celebrities in my mind. The only notable figure I haven’t yet glimpsed is Bill Nighy, but that’s likely because he seems to prefer the W1 and W2 postcodes. Given this context, one might assume that I’d welcome the influx of fellow eagle-eyed star chasers. WhatsApp groups like Celeb Spot London and its offshoot, Celeb Spot London Official, represent a new wave of amateur paparazzi, relying on the public to share tips. Imagine covertly taken snapshots and excited posts about Harry Styles seen in Hampstead, Gemma Collins filming in Ikea, and even the entire Boyzone inexplicably gathering at Exmouth Market. As one group’s motto states, “No spot is too Z-list.”
These groups are not comprised of the seasoned paparazzi from the heyday of Heat magazine. In fact, one of the founders is an accountant who was inspired to create the group after spotting an Apprentice contestant driving by. Similarly, the anonymous creator of Deauxmoi describes themselves as “just a regular person off the street.” Their Instagram account, boasting over 2.1 million followers, began with crowdsourced celebrity sightings and has since spawned a podcast, Deaux U, a book titled Anon Pls, and even a line of merchandise that includes tracksuits, baseball caps, and a card game where players compete to create the most viral, scandalous news headline.
What this illustrates is the insatiable appetite we have for trivial celebrity gossip. We want to know what their coffee order is (oat milk or regular?), whether they have the humility to pick up their own dry cleaning (Nighy does, apparently), if they can parallel park under pressure, and whether they prefer cherry or watermelon-flavored vapes. We find joy in discovering if they tip their servers or if they are capable of waiting patiently in line like the rest of us. However, I believe we should reconsider our role in fueling this relentless demand for insider knowledge—at the very least, we shouldn’t be snapping photos without consent.
I admit to being just as guilty as anyone when it comes to devouring the latest gossip from Deauxmoi and other well-known platforms like Popbitch. However, there’s an unsettling feeling that arises from the idea that anyone—celebrity or not—can be photographed without their knowledge and have that image shared among a large WhatsApp group. An actor once confided in me that the continuous feeling of being watched resembles the experience of being scrutinized and whispered about in school. I also worry that the belief that every person is a potential source of online content and social capital can seep into various aspects of our lives. A particularly heartbreaking story from the nightlife scene in recent years involved Michael Peacock, a 64-year-old retiree who was filmed dancing in hotpants at London club Fabric by another patron. The body-shaming he endured was so intense that it nearly drove him away from nightlife altogether. He later reflected, “I wonder how many times people have videoed me thinking, ‘Let’s film this freak.’”
Of course, some may argue that this is simply the price celebrities pay for their fame—that they could have chosen a less glamorous career path, one that doesn’t involve the spotlight as much. There’s a certain allure in feeling like we’re the little people bringing the elite down to our level (celebrities: they struggle with their shopping bags just like us!). Yet, while we might not fully grasp what it’s like to walk a red carpet or attend the Oscars, most of us can certainly relate to the peculiar sensation of being photographed while going about our daily lives. So, the next time you spot Paul Mescal jogging in those shorts—spring is just around the corner—consider putting down your smartphone and letting the man jog on in peace.
Zing Tsjeng is a journalist, non-fiction author, and podcaster.
