It takes one to know one

Date: 12/09/1996

Northern Ireland politician John Hume is one of a very rare breed - a Euro MP who is recognised by everyone.

Hume's tireless efforts for peace in the province have put him in the media spotlight, with the result that he is getting used to being treated like a star.

On a recent flight from Belfast to France as he headed off for a summer holiday, Hume was bemused to observe that the considerable number of fellow passengers who came up to shake him by the hand were attracting as much attention as he was.

Is the Hume brand of fame instantly transmissible? No, it turned out that his fans were the cast of Brookside, the popular UK television series, on their way to France to do some filming, although Hume - who does not list watching television soaps amongst his hobbies - did not recognise any of them.