They're used to A-listers at political rallies in the USA. Any politician worth his salt has at least one household name in tow.
But it’s much more rare here in the UK.
Little wonder, then, that Hughmania gripped Cannock town centre yesterday.
Hundreds of fans mobbed Four Weddings and Funeral heart-throb Hugh Grant as he hit the General Election campaign trail.
Despite it being a wet Tuesday lunchtime, a large crowd gathered around the bandstand to catch a glimpse of Hugh.
He was there to support Labour candidate Paul Dadge.
And the crowd wasn’t disappointed.
Because following a short speech, the Bridget Jones’ Diary star happily signed autographs and posed for selfies with fan and Labour supporters.
The Hollywood star and would-be MP became firm friends through their work with the Hacked Off campaign.
Both had been victims of phone hacking by the now defunct News of the World.
Former firefighter Paul is no stranger to fame, either.
He became famous after helping victims of the 7/7 bombing in London.
Now, he is battling to win the Cannock Chase seat, which has been Conservative since 2010.
The pair had earlier visited Rugeley market, Hednesford and Norton Canes on a whistle-stop tour of the constituency.
“We usually only get these crowds for Jeremy Corbyn,” Paul joked, apologising he couldn’t get Colin Firth to join them on the campaign trail.
Hugh said: “I’m not officially a Labour person. I’m not anything else. I’m not Lib Dem. I’m not a Tory.
“But in this election I do like to stroke a few of the candidates who have been really brave.”
He said Paul Dadge, like many people thrust into the public eye, had found himself hacked by the News of the World.
And he said that if he lived in Cannock Chase, then “I would definitely tick Dadge’s box!”
Voters in Cannock Chase have five candidates to choose from on Thursday: Paul Allen (UKIP), Paul Dadge (Labour), Nat Green (Liberal Democrat), Amanda Milling (Conservatives), and Paul Woodhead (Green Party).
