HAVING a celebrity crush as a teen is almost inevitable, with nine in ten of us developing feelings for a star.
Oscar-winning Kate Winslet, 45, recently admitted hers – she was 11 and drooled over Guy Pearce as Mike on Neighbours.
Three decades later she is starring alongside him in Sky Atlantic show Mare Of Easttown.
Claire Dunwell asks other famous faces who their teenage pin-ups were and how they felt if they were lucky enough to cross paths with them in real life.
Rhian Sugden
EX-Page Three Girl Rhian, 34, had posters of Zac Hanson, from Nineties boyband Hanson, on her bedroom wall, which she kissed at night.
She says: "I was obsessed with him from the age of ten. I had posters of him all over my wall.
"I also had a scrapbook where I would cut his face out of magazines and glue my face next to his, like we were boyfriend and girlfriend.
"He was only 11 years old when MMMBop came out, so it wasn’t so unrealistic of me to be his actual girlfriend, or so I thought.
"I had a huge poster of him by my bed that I would kiss every night – so much so that the mouth fell out of it because it got so soggy.
"I went to watch them in concert and cried. I still think I could probably sing all the Hanson songs, word for word.
"I memorised every single lyric thinking that one day we would sing them together. Sadly, we did not.
"I must say he has become even more handsome now he’s an adult.
"It’s the long hair. Long hair on men is one of the best things ever."
Linda Lusardi
MODEL Linda, 62, had a massive crush on Donny Osmond.
She says: "From the age of 12 my bedroom wall was covered in Donny Osmond.
"I had his songs on a cassette and, if they chewed up, I would rewind them with a pencil.
"Eight years ago, Donny and his sister Marie did An Audience With on ITV and me and my husband Sam went along.
"As I was making my way to the studio, Donny was in the corridor in his dressing gown. I said, “Oh, you won’t know who I am, but I know who you are”.
"He said it was lovely to meet me. I was in such a state because I couldn’t believe it. I got into my seat and I put my hand up to ask a question.
"As I did, Donny said, “nice to see you again, Linda, I’m dressed now. I Googled you when I got to the dressing room”.
"Sometimes you meet your idol and they are disappointing but he was gorgeous.
"He still looks great, as handsome now as he was on my bedroom wall."
Laura Hamilton
A PLACE In The Sun presenter Laura, 39, had a crush on Lee Ryan from boyband Blue after the pair met at a talent show as kids.
She says: "When I was about 13, I used to sing in local talent competitions and took part in one called Search For A Star. Lee was one of the other contestants.
"Even then he had an amazing, unreal voice and he really stood out. I went back the next year and remember thinking, “Ooh, it’s Lee again”.
"He had this incredible range, it was phenomenal, and it was no surprise that he ended up in Blue.
"He also happened to be really cute, but obviously I didn’t tell him that.
"When he became famous, I was about 19. But even when I ended up working behind the scenes in TV, in artist liaison, I never told him.
"By the time I was working on CITV and Blue were guests, my crush had faded.
"But when he reads this, he’ll finally find out how I felt.
"I’m nearly 40 now and I’ve got two kids. But the next time I see him I’ll say, “You were my kid crush Lee, how do you feel?”
Trisha Goddard
PRESENTER Trisha, 63, had a crush on Addicted To Love singer Robert Palmer but says meeting him in real life was disappointing.
She says: "I was completely obsessed with Robert Palmer in my late teens, and I loved him when he was in the band Vinegar Joe.
"He was so edgy and when he went solo – Oh my God. It was his voice, that twinkle in his eye and he seemed gentle and gorgeous.
"When I got the chance to meet him in my late twenties, I was shaking like a chihuahua.
"I was working on an Australian news show and was invited to join him and the late John Denver for dinner.
"Robert was really shy and smoked non-stop so I could barely see him for the fog. Except for shooting a few cute glances, he didn’t say much.
"Meeting him killed the fantasies and dreams I had in my head.
"I am still in love with his music and when I look at his album covers, I feel a tingle of what I felt in my teenage years.
"He symbolises those days in my childhood when I would lay on the grass picking daisies while listening to his songs. How I wish I hadn’t met him."
Tamzin Outhwaite
ACTRESS Tamzin, 50, had the hots for Spandau Ballet bass player Martin Kemp in her teens and confessed her crush when they worked together on EastEnders.
She says: "When I was a teenager growing up in the Eighties, I was an absolutely massive Spandau fan.
"I had my first ever slow dance to their hit True at the Ilford Palais on a Saturday afternoon, where there was a disco for 14 to 16-year-olds.
"We used to let off steam as teenagers and I’ll never forget that first dance and that first kiss to Spandau.
"I absolutely loved them, especially Martin. So when I started playing Melanie Owen in EastEnders in 1998, I should have played it cool and kept it to myself.
"But I couldn’t hold it in and I told him everything. I was just too excited.
Inside I was thinking, “Don’t tell him, don’t tell him, don’t tell him”.
"But it just came out and I told him everything. He was the consummate professional and we went on to have a great working relationship.
"I spent a lot of time with Martin in Albert Square, and we had a great chemistry on set and of course my character Mel ended up getting romantically involved with his character, Steve Owen.
"After those teenage snogs to his music all those years before, they were real pinch yourself moments."
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