People's fascination with celebrity and celebrity culture continues to grow. Every week, our magazine shelves are filled with celebrity magazines such as People (US), Hello (Global), OK (UK) and VIP (Ireland). They are completely, back to back, stuffed full of gossip and news and all the latest fashion tips to model our favourite celebrity.
Many fans of celebrities want to know everything about their faves - from what they had for breakfast to what they wear to bed. And this celebrity obsession has spilled into personalised number plates.
Many celebrity fans or watchers want to know what car they drive and what their personalised plate is. If they know their plate, then the chances are they'll get a glimpse of their idol or indeed get a chance to meet them.
Some personalised plates are well-known and have been in the public domain for a long time. The one that springs to mind immediately is Lord Alan Sugar. Since doing The Apprentice series on BBC, which began back in 2005, we have seen Lord Sugar's car with the wonderful plate AMS 1. (Although he could move onto a new one with his elevation to Lord Sugar).
Other celebrities or well-known faces have chosen well in terms of their number plates. The magician Paul Daniels who dazzled the UK nation every week (practically) from 1979 to 1994 with 'The Paul Daniels Magic Show' has a plate that represents him perfectly. It is MAG 1C.
Similarly, Jimmy Tarbuck, the inimitable UK comic and quiz-master who has entertained the nation since first jumping on our screens in 1964 has a wonderful number plate - COM IC.
And it's not just comedians or magicians who use plates that represent them. Sporting stars such as Amir Khan bought the ideal number plate - BOX IIG. This young boxer is certainly one to follow - after winning silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics at the tender age of 17.
Businesses regularly use plates to promote their business, product or services. TV's Dragon Theo Paphitis of Dragon's Den fame has a number plate which promotes his stationery business - RYM 4N for Ryman, the largest British stationery retailer.
While some celebrity cars and plates are well-known, others opt for privacy. The privacy of a personalised number plate allows them to drive a car with a plate that means something to them, rather than anyone else. Number plates that have a lower number of figures or digits or letters on a plate are always more expensive as there is a limited number of them. e.g., You can only have so many combinations of JH with a single digit, JH 1, JH 2, JH3, etc.
For example, VIP 1 which was used by Pope John Paul II during his tour of Ireland in 1979 was bought by Roman Abramovich for over £250,000.
Christiano Ronaldo bought CR7 which represented his number on the Man United shirt.
What has become apparent in the past several years is that it isn't just real fans who are obsessed with meeting their fans. The rise of celebrity culture has seen a rise in the paparazzi. Unfortunately personalised plates often give away the identify of a celebrity and some are selling their cherished number plate.
And of course, celebrities change their hairstyles, their partners and their sponsors often so who knows - maybe they change their number plates often too.
The next time you see a car that you think has a celebrity personalised plate, think twice about approaching it. The owner might not be who you think it is.
