Bill Nighy thanks cyclist for stopping at red traffic light

A London cyclist captured the moment they were thanked for stopping at a red traffic light, the polite pedestrian none other than Bill Nighy.

CycleGaz, a familiar name to many in the cycling community who uploads videos of his cycling travels to YouTube and other social media platforms, posted the video of the interaction on Vauxhall Bridge Road near Victoria.

Bill Nighy thanks cyclist for stopping at a red traffic light. pic.twitter.com/HdSOMjpJob

— CycleGaz™ (@cyclegaz) April 15, 2024

As the cyclist came to a stop at the red traffic light, the Love Actually and Hot Fuzz actor crossed the road and waved a hand in thanks to Gaz for stopping and shouted a "thank you".

"I needed the rest," Gaz joked back before wishing Nighy a great day.

"I couldn't put a name to the face initially, but I did recognise him," Gaz told road.cc of the interaction. "The taxi driver beside me spoke to me at the next set of lights about who it was."

> Cycling celebrities — famous folk who love to ride their bikes

Despite the thousands of miles cycled through London over the years, Gaz did not recall ever having bumped into anyone else famous during his travels, not even a Jeremy Vine sighting.

"It's always lovely to see an actor you admire being the gent you always thought he was," Robert Bobby replied to Gaz's video which has nearly been viewed 100,000 times on X/Twitter since last night.

Others speculated about Nighy's destination...

On his way to tell Shaun he's got red on him. pic.twitter.com/YjZmCKANGB

— MSec (@_msec_) April 15, 2024

"Fame at last. Save this one for all the driverists who say cyclists don't stop at red lights," another reply said.

Perhaps Nighy will have a word with fellow West End actor Patricia Hodge, who last week claimed that "cyclists see themselves as the centre of the universe" and asked: "Have you ever seen a policeman pulling a cyclist over because they don't have any lights or because they've jumped the traffic lights?" 

> "Cyclists see themselves as the centre of the universe," says actress Patricia Hodge in rant questioning why police "never" stop red light-jumping cyclists

"I was crossing Portland Place in London recently, waiting on the central reservation for the lights to turn green," she said. "As I stepped off, a cyclist, a man in his 30s, went through the red lights and almost collided with me. But instead of apologising, he flicked me a rude sign. I just pointed at the green light for pedestrians and he called me the worst word in the English language. And when you get older, I think you have an obligation to speak out when things aren't right. I won't let anything go anymore. It worries me that manners are going out the window."