Cold Feet star James Nesbitt left 'gobsmacked' by bill in Liverpool restaurant

A beloved telly star left diners and workers gobsmacked after making an unexpected appearance at a Liverpool eatery yesterday. Staff at Papillon on Hope Street couldn't believe their eyes when James Nesbitt strolled through the doors.

The Irish actor has starred in numerous popular programmes throughout his illustrious career including Cold Feet, Bloodlands and The Missing.

He had travelled to Merseyside this week to collect a fellowship fromSir Paul McCartney at a Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) graduation ceremony on Tuesday (July 29) but managed to squeeze in a visit to the restaurant for his lunch the following day.

READ MORE: Coronation Street Daniel actor's real-life romance with co-star leaves fans floored

READ MORE: Netflix to remove 'gripping' drama from streaming and Death in Paradise fans will be gutted

James happily snapped photos with employees and fellow diners, reports the Liverpool Echo. He and two companions enjoyed a gambas pil pil, buttermilk barbecue chicken tenders and a pepperoni pizza, accompanied by two bottles of Viognier and a bottle of premium Ripasso.

The total bill reached approximately £140. Discussing what James was like during his visit, Leigh Elliott, a 33 year old from West Derby who serves as Papillon's social media manager, told the ECHO: "It was fabulous meeting him. He was lovely and super sociable with all the guests.

"He kept taking time out of his visit to speak to people who recognised him. He really loved the restaurant and said the food and wine were great. He enjoyed the vibe and commented on how affordable the prices were, even though he was buying premium wine.

"He was gobsmacked by the price of the bill in a good way. One of the chefs said he's been here before, so this might have been his second visit. We were definitely surprised to see him as he just came along as a walk-in. This wasn't a pre-booked visit."

James lauded the efforts of LIPA students on Tuesday as he received recognition alongside James Bond filmmaker Sir Sam Mendes, performer Adrian Lester and indie group The Wombats, who originated at LIPA.

During the event, held at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, James declared: "I'm so honoured to accept this award from LIPA. When I visited a few months ago to speak to a group of students I was immediately struck by just what an extraordinary seat of learning this is, home to inspirational teachers and magnificent facilities out of which clearly pours creativity, innovation, passion, authenticity, collaboration and joy.

"After my talk I was lucky enough to see a short scene from a new take on Oklahoma. It was honestly astonishing, breathtaking and, somehow, courageous."

Parents of LIPA pupils were also dining at Papillon during James's visit. Leigh continued: "We had two customers whose daughters had just graduated from LIPA. He had spoken to them before and encouraged her to keep going. When he came in, he spoke to them again. He just seemed really nice."

Papillon, a well-known establishment on one of Liverpool's most iconic streets, has seen an increase in attention over the past few months.

This surge in popularity is due to the restaurant being featured in several scenes of the hit BBC crime drama This City Is Ours, starring James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh and Hannah Onslow and Diana Williams.

Leigh, the owner of Papillon, expressed his delight: "It's brilliant. Since This City Is Ours was shown, loads have come in asking to sit where Michael and Diana sat. It's on their doorstep but they're coming here for the first time.

"We have had a lot of publicity. Pepsi came and did a collaboration with an influencer recently. We've had a lot more orders for burgers because they had one while they were here."

Among those honoured by Sir Paul on Tuesday were director Gay Linvill, known for directing episodes of The Big Bang Theory, and Go Live Theatre chief executive and arts accessibility campaigner Sita McIntosh.

LIPA, founded by Sir Paul and Mark Featherstone-Witty in 1996, is located on the site of the old Liverpool Institute – the former school of both Sir Paul and Beatles bandmate George Harrison, and the adjacent Liverpool Art College, once attended by John Lennon.

This year's graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of around 420 graduating students from more than 30 countries, including Colombia, Hong Kong and India.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Threads.