WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE NAMESAKE OF A STAR?
WHAT’S in a name? Well, quite a lot it would seem – especially when you share yours with a celebrity or famous figure.
Take poor John Lewis for example. The long-suffering Twitter user who is bombarded with misdirected tweets every year.
Mr Lewis, from Blacksburg, Virginia, who shares the same name as the department store, responds to scores of confused users whenever the retailer reveals its new Christmas advert.
Elsewhere, Will Smith – who’s currently promoting his upcoming Netflix film Bright – also shared a video this week, asking all of the Will Smiths of the world to come forward and help him out.
“It’s too much stuff. It’s interviews; it’s long days. So, I came up with an idea,” he said, adding: “I can’t do it all myself. I need y’all to help me out. All Will Smiths, please stand up!”
Hundreds of people called Will Smith came forward.
Here are some of the people in Wales who share their name with someone famous.
GARETH BALE
Welsh actor Gareth John Bale shares his name with Cardiff export and Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale.
But how often does he get mistaken for the footballer?
Speaking to Wales Online, Gareth John Bale – who has appeared in a number of stage productions, including Black Rat Productions’ most recent One Man, Two Guvnors – previously said: “It does happen pretty frequently.
“It once happened when I turned up at a golf club and they were a little put out because in their words, ‘They were expecting someone else’.”
In another interview, the actor said: “The closest I’ve got is watching him play for Wales from the stands. I do get some random followers on Twitter now and again. I think they quickly unfollow when they see tweets about plays and not Real Madrid.
“I think people are sometimes a bit disappointed when I turn up at a restaurant or golf course and they’re expecting the “real” Gareth Bale! It could be worse, though – he’s a proud Welshman and handles himself very well.”
KATHERINE JENKINS
Hairdresser Katherine Jenkins often gets mistaken for the Welsh mezzo-soprano singer, who recently announced that she’s expecting her second baby.
Katherine, 50, from Ferndale in the Rhondda, said: “I worked in an insurance office for years and got it on a daily basis. I always got asked over the phone if I was “the” Katherine Jenkins.
“I think it was mainly because of my accent. I always replied with: ‘what do you think?’ and ‘would she really be ringing you about insurance?’
“I now co-own a salon and I still get this on the phone. If I had £1 for every time I’ve been asked the question, I think I’d be able to retire.”
SHARON OSBOURNE
Originally from Kent, 49-year-old businesswoman Sharon Osbourne has been living in Carmarthenshire for the past four years.
She admits she’s often mistaken for The X Factor’s judge.
“I always get the quips about Ozzy and people on the telephone,” Sharon said.
“I once rang Currys to check on the stock of a fridge. After they asked for my name – they went quiet and I could hear them in the background saying: ‘Sharon Osborne is on the phone’. I was killing myself with laughter.
“They then said: ‘Can I just check your name again?’, so I told them and asked if this was going to take long. There was silence and then they said: ‘It’s definitely is her – she has the approach’.
“Anyway they eventually did ask if I was the real Sharon Osborne and were a bit deflated when I said no.”
RICKY WRIGHT
Imagine waking up and seeing a number of “Rest In Peace” messages on your Facebook page.
Well that’s exactly what happened to Ricky Wright – twice!
The 29-year-old MC and ring announcer said: “I share my name with the keyboard player from Pink Floyd and the former Cardiff City owner.
“They’re both dead now. On two occasions I’ve logged onto Facebook to see RIP Ricky Wright.
“Friends of mine who aren’t familiar with either man feared that it was me who died on both occasions. As far as I am aware, I’m the only famous Ricky Wright left now.”
KATY PERRY
It may seem like a “Teenage Dream”, but for this 25-year-old hearing jokes about her namesake’s chart-topping success can get quite repetitive.
Katie, a nurse from Cardiff, said: “I’ve not been mistaken for her, but people look at my ID and are always like ‘oh your name is Katie Perry – sing us a song’ or ‘I bet you get asked to sing all the time’.
“It gets very repetitive almost a decade.”
SAM SMITH
One is an English singer-songwriter who shot to fame with chart hits like Money on My Mind and Writing’s on The Wall, which was the theme song to James Bond film Spectre.
The other Sam Smith is a 43-yearold woman from the Rhondda. But that doesn’t stop people from mixing them up.
Sam said: “It really annoys me as I was called Sam before him.”
RACHEL STEVENS
after Customer service agent and singer Rachel Stephens says she often gets mistaken for singer and former S Club 7 band member Rachel Stevens.
The 24-year-old from Treherbert recalls: “The biggest thing was when I did a set in Ponty’s Big Weekend a few years ago. I was backstage and sat in the tent that had my name on it... Groups of girls were gathering outside and I could hear them talking about S Club 7!
“When I came out on stage, I had to apologise to a crowd of over 1,500 because I wasn’t the Rachel from S Club.”