During two decades as a celebrity journalist, the Mirror’s Associate Showbusiness Editor Tom Bryant has met hundreds of stars – here he reveals who was the nicest away from the cameras
Associate Editor Tom Bryant has interviewed the world’s biggest stars countless times including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton during his nearly two decades at the Mirror. His stories have seen him win Arts and Entertainment Reporter of the Year at the British Journalism Awards, as well as being nominated several times at the Press Awards. He covers all things music, film and television. Got a story or tip? Get in touch [email protected]
(Image: MDM)
After 20 years of covering the showbusiness beat at the Mirror, there is one long-standing rule that generally stacks up. Namely, the bigger the star, the nicer they usually are. I’ve lost count of the amount of painful dealings I’ve had with those plucked from reality television, and their representatives.
Still, there have been some proper A-listers that have left me surprised by quite how down to earth they are. From random acts of kindness, to heartfelt gestures…here are my Top Five in no particular order.
Dolly Parton – the Queen of Country who never forgets a name
Tom Bryant is pictured with Dolly Parton in 2019 – he says she ‘never forgets a name’(Image: Collect Unknown)
The Queen of Country never forgets names. Or the names of your family members. In fact, when you meet her she always remembers some random thing from the last time you spoke. I’ve Interviewed Dolly twice on her home-turf in Nashville, as well as in London, and she is always scintillating company.
Even if one interview started at the ungodly time of 6am at her manager’s office. “Where’s my Tom,” she hollered from down the corridor, before tottering into view. On every visit to Nashville, the hospitality is off the charts. On one occasion, she invited me to her vast merchandise warehouse where – much like Supermarket Sweep – we could pile up our trolleys with as much free gear as we wanted.
Mick Jagger
Tom Bryant is pictured in 2016 with Mick Jagger in Mexico City; he says ‘I’d heard that he could be a bit aloof. But any fears were swiftly allayed after just moments in his company’(Image: MDM)
I was slightly apprehensive ahead of meeting the legendary Stones frontman, back in 2016, when I was invited to join the band on tour in Mexico City. Not only were interviews with Mick relatively rare – and I probably wouldn’t get this opportunity again – but I’d heard that he could be a bit aloof. But any fears were swiftly allayed after just moments in his company.
Self-deprecating, and with a very dry sense of humour, he was everything you could have wished for as he regaled me with stories galore. But he left a lasting impression beyond the interview. I was staying in the same hotel as the band, and Mick was adamant I didn’t make my own way to the gig.
Instead, he insisted I joined his friends and family as we piled into a private bus – complete with our own police escort which shut down vast swathes of the city to ensure we got to the Foro Sol stadium on time. The VIP treatment didn’t stop there, as Mick made sure I was watching the show with his family by the sound deck, before inviting me to the band’s aftershow bash which went into the early hours.
Olivia Newton-John
Tom is pictured with Olivia Newton-John at her Los Angeles home; he says ‘I’ll never forget her opening the door with a large glass of wine ready to go’(Image: Michelle Day)
When it came to laying on the hospitality, there was no-one quite like Olivia, who passed away in 2022. I was lucky enough to visit her beautiful Californian ranch, which was an hour’s drive north of Santa Barbara, in 2019. I’ll never forget her opening the door with a large glass of wine ready to go. She’d kindly agreed to speak to me as part of a Mirror campaign to plant more trees, as it was a cause she was passionate about.
Incredibly, she had learned to walk again after cancer had left her with a fractured back, and she took great pride in being able to take me on a personal tour of her gorgeous garden. With the interview in the bag, me and her publicist Steve stayed for hours as she opened up her wine cabinet, and we sat drinking on the veranda until late into the night. If only all celebrity interviews were like this!
Rihannathoughtful, intelligent, but, mainly, hilarious
Tom Bryant is pictured with US singer Rihanna backstage in 2007
I’ve met Rihanna twice over the years….way back in 2007 when she was in Glasgow after a UK show, and then a few years later in LA. On both occasions, she was thoughtful, intelligent, but, mainly, hilarious. She certainly needed a sense of humour given the circumstances of our first chat in Scotland. It was about 1am when I sat down to interview her after being ushered back to her dressing room after her performance.
There was no entourage, no PR handlers: it was just her, me and the smallest sofa in the world to conduct our chat on. That and the half-eaten sandwich and dozens of drink cans scattered on the floor. Our knees were practically touching as I started firing off questions….which Rihanna found hysterical. “I’m getting to know you very well here,” she laughed.
A couple of years later I was lucky enough to fly to the States for our second chat. Ostensibly, I was there to discuss some charity work. But our meeting came shortly after terrible pictures emerged of her having been beaten up by boyfriend Chris Brown. Am sure she wasn’t relishing the prospect of being asked about it. But – ever the professional – she answered my questions, before deftly moving the conversation onto happier subjects. Before long, she was cracking jokes and joking how this time around, the circumstances around the interview were a little less intimate.
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi and Tom Bryant are pictured; Tom says of Jon ‘he never fails to disappoint – you get the impression that he is just delighted to still be doing what he’s doing after all these years’(Image: Collect unknown)
I’ve met JBJ several times over the years, both in New York and London, and he never fails to disappoint. Not just from a journalistic perspective, but as an all-round nice human being too. You get the impression that he is just delighted to still be doing what he’s doing after all these years. Media duties must get a bit tiresome – especially after four decades in the business – but he is always awash with great stories, told with chutzpah.
He is also incredibly charming, and happy to peel back the layers to show the real him. I remember once he started showing a series of funny pictures on his phone of him and Paul McCartney messing about from the previous weekend. He appeared genuinely humbled that he was getting to hang out with a former Beatle. When a rock legend can still get starstruck, you know his feet are firmly on the ground.
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