While watching the Men’s Singles Final from Wimbledon this afternoon, and spotting the likes of Ronnie Wood and Sir Trevor McDonald in the Royal Box, I started wondering how they decide who gets to sit in those comfy-looking green wicker chairs with their matching cushions. Obviously, if I turned up at SW19, strawberries and (dairy-free) cream in one sweaty hand, ticket in the other, they wouldn’t let me into the VIP paddock; if David Beckham did, they would. But where on the immense scale of fame that lies between us falls the cut-off point? I remember the fab TMWRNJ featuring a weekly fame-o-meter, with Corin Redgrave occupying the lowest level and William Hague hovering right above him like some hard-drinking, baseball hat-bedecked nemesis. Do the seating planners at Wimbledon use something similar, monitoring fluctuations in notability throughout the year to ensure that only top-trending faces get the best seats during Wimbledon fortnight?
And given that there are more celebs in the world than there are comfy chairs at the All England Club, who does the choosing? Is it all down to the guy/girl on the door? If he/she recognizes you, you’re in; if not, you suffer the ignominy of slumming it down on the hard seats among the anonymous mob. Would any celebs (who are all reading this, of course) care to own up to being turned away?
Or do the stars request a VIP seat when they book their ticket? Is there a check box on the form — “Tick if you are famous”? Or a self-rating scale, from 1 (Hollywood) to 5 (Hollyoaks)?
Or, since this is the Royal Box, perhaps the Queen decides who sits there? She could be Ronnie Wood’s biggest fan.
Whatever the answer might be, I have to know!
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