Famous London Taxi Passengers: Part 2 ‘M – Z’
I’ve been driving a taxi around London for over twenty years. I completed the world-renowned ‘Knowledge of London’ in 2000, entitling me to become an ‘All London Green Badge’ licensed taxi driver. The first ten years were a mix of taxi work combined with building up a parallel career as a tour guide. Since then I’ve been a full time tour guide and have done very little taxi work. During those first ten years I often had someone famous or well known (to me at least) sitting in the back of the cab. 
They came from the arts, music, politics, sport, academia and the media – and occasionally ‘other’. I never let on that I recognized them and I never initiated conversation or intruded. If they were alone some of them did fancy a chat and some didn’t.
My list of over 100 famous passengers has been sitting in my documents file for over 10 years. Before I lose it I figured I should put it on record, as a kind of unique and personal documentation of who gets London taxis. I should really say ‘who got London taxis’ because most of the names below street-hailed me (a few booked in advance). I’m not sure if nowadays, in this age of social media and intrusion, a lot of the names below would just wander around London going about their daily lives with such openness.
Famous Taxi Passengers: Part 2 ‘M – Z’.
Lord John MacGregor: Conservative MP, minister 1980-90s.
Tom Mangold: Journalist, TV reporter.
Lawrence Marks: Screenwriter – Birds of a Feather, The New Statesman.
Tim Martin: Businessman, pub owner – Wetherspoons.
Theresa May: Prime Minister 2016 – 2019.
Rick Mayall: Actor, comedian – The Young Ones, Bottom.
James McCartney: Musician, son of Paul McCartney.
Natascha McElhone: Actor.
Ian McEwan: Writer – Atonement, On Chesil Beach.
Samantha Morton: Actor – Sweet and Lowdown, The Walking Dead.
Sir Andrew Motion: Poet laureate 1999 – 2009.
Lord Colin Moynihan: Conservative MP, minister 1990s.
Sam Neill: Actor – Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders.
Phoebe Nicholls: Actor – Women in Love, Downton Abbey.
Terry O’Neill: Photographer.
Michael Palin: Actor, writer – Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Ripping Yarns.
Anita Pallenberg: Model, actor, Rolling Stones paramour.
Wolfgang Porsche: Business executive – Porsche.
Mary Portas: Retail guru, TV presenter.
Michael Portillo: Conservative MP, minister 1990s, TV presenter.
Dave Prentis: Trade union leader – UNISON.
Lord David Putnam: Film producer – The Duellists, Chariots of Fire.
Andrew Rawnsley: Journalist.
Andrew Ridgeley: Pop star – Wham.
Diana Rigg DBE: Actor – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Game of Thrones.
Guy Ritchie: Film Director – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Nick Robinson: Journalist, radio presenter.
Rico Rodriguez: Reggae star – The Specials.
Lord Richard Rogers: Architect – Lloyds of London.
Ruth Rogers: Chef, restaurateur.
Sean Ryder: Pop star – Happy Mondays, Black Grape.
Charles Saatchi: Advertising guru, art collector.
Kerry Sandomirsky: Actor – USA ‘The Killing’.
June Sarpong: TV presenter.
Andy Serkis: Actor – Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes.
Nigel Slater: Food writer.
Wayne Sleep: Dancer.
Lord Snowdon: Photographer, royal family.
Lady Mary Soames: writer, daughter of Winston Churchill.
Nicholas Soames: Conservative MP, grandson of Winston Churchill.
Earl Charles Spencer: Historian, brother of Princess Diana.
Mark Stephens: Lawyer.
Sir Tom Stoppard: Playwright – Travesties, Shakespeare in Love, Leopoldstadt.
Janet Street Porter: Journalist, TV presenter.
Ray Stubbs: TV sports presenter.
Laurie Taylor: Sociologist, radio presenter.
Rachel de Thame: Gardner, TV presenter.
Louis Theroux: Documentary director – When Louis Met, Weird Weekends.
Johnny Vaughan: TV and radio presenter.
Ursula Vaughan Williams: Poet, wife of Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Carol Vorderman: TV presenter.
Steven Waddington: Actor – The Last of the Mohicans.
Martyn Ware: Pop star – Human League, Heaven 17.
Ben Watt: Pop star – Everything But The Girl.
Bryn Williams: Chef, restaurateur.
Quentin Willson: Journalist, TV presenter.
AN Wilson: Writer, biographer.
Richard Wilson: Actor – One Foot in the Grave.
Rachel Whiteread DBE: Artist – House, Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial.
Rick Wright: Pop star – Pink Floyd.
Michael York: Actor – Cabaret, Logan’s Run.