My Story: Clare Ashford - Lionel

The most compelling My Story tales will be told on BBC One in 2010

The BBC's My Story competition hopes to unearth the UK's most inspiring real life tales. The best stories will be broadcast on BBC One in 2010 and the winners will see their experiences published as paperback books.

The competition closes on 16 December. To take part, visit the website. You can enter online, or print off a postal form.

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Lionel

By Clare Ashford
BBC Shropshire

Clare Ashford broadcasts on BBC Radio Shropshire 2-4pm weekdays

Back in the early 90s I presented the overnight show for Capital Radio in London, and I loved it. This meant I was on air 1-5am.

It was the days when Chris Tarrant presented the breakfast show and sometimes I stuck around to say hello. Chris was full of fun, and would regularly pick me up and place me upside down in the large bin in the studio.

Because of the time of the show I had to sleep during the day. I would normally sleep from around 7am to about 2pm. However, one day I was asked by one of the record companies if I fancied going on one of those team building days - which meant no sleep.

Naturally I said yes, and spent most of the day in a lake building things and having a go on a jet ski. I can't exactly remember why, but I popped into Capital Radio after I had done all this and Neil 'Doctor' Fox was on air. I went in to the studio to say hi and fully intended going home for a couple of hours sleep before coming back to work.

Instead Neil persuaded me to stay as Lionel Richie was coming in to do an interview and "wouldn't I like to meet him?" So, I thought yeah what the heck and stayed.

There was a long low couch in the studio and a few people were sat on that, I was kneeling behind the couch watching what was going on.

Lionel came in and did his interview and I was introduced to him. For some reason I decided to stay on my knees and for a laugh I bowed down to him, saying "All hail Lionel Richie". Fortunately he found this funny. Anyway, I got him to sign an album for me and thought no more about it.

Finding fame with The Commodores, Richie has enjoyed success as a soloist

That was until just after 5am the next morning! I had just finished on air and Richard Allinson had taken over. I was still in the studio with Richard when a phone call was put through from reception from a lady from Lionel's record company wanting to speak to me.

I clearly remember sitting under the desk in the studio taking the call and trying to be quiet while Richard did his show.

I was asked if I would like to meet Lionel for lunch at his hotel that day before he flew back to America. I deliberated for a few minutes and then thought 'I've got to go, how many times in your life does something like this happen?' So I said yes.

I was sooo nervous, I can remember walking into the hotel and thinking 'what am I doing?' So finally there I am standing in his suite and he says hi and gives me this big smile and says "would you like some lunch?"

I hate tomato soup, but he ordered tomato soup so I ordered it too. I couldn't tell you for the life of me what we talked about but I do know I regret a decision I made that day.

Lionel was travelling by Concorde later that afternoon to New York and asked if I would go with him and he would buy me dinner.

At the time my boss was a little fearsome and stupidly I didn't ask if I could go. In hindsight I know he would have said yes. So I turned Lionel down and that one fabulous opportunity to travel on Concorde - believe me I have kicked myself enough for that.

When he visited the UK we used to go out for dinner. I would drive to his hotel and meet him there and we would go out to a nice restaurant. We would sit together and his security guy would sit on a separate table and eat alone. I always felt sorry for him, but I guess that was his job.

Lionel is a wonderfully charming, funny, and entertaining man and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him. When I went to the hotel I would have to ask for him using a secret word, a password, sometimes a silly name. You didn't get through if you didn't have the secret name and it changed every time!

Another time we went to a restaurant and we walked in and Bruce Willis was eating with some friends. Lionel walked over to him and said hi and introduced me - he shook my hand. He also introduced me to Celine Dion who is just as gorgeous in real life - I remember asking her about her golf. Stunning woman.

As time passed, we spoke less and less, and now we aren't in touch. But we did bump into each other again.

I once visited a friend of mine in LA. I got off the plane and there he was sitting in a black limo - so I knocked on the window. His face was a picture! He got out of the car and gave me a big hug, we had a quick catch up and off I went.