Famous Faces, Fast Boats: The Stars Who Rocked With Us in 2026

The Stars Who Rocked With Us in 2026

From Hollywood's Corbin Bleu to some of Britain's best-known television personalities, 2026 has brought a rather impressive guest list to the River Thames. And naturally, we've got the photographs to prove it.

You never quite know who's going to turn up at London Eye Pier. Most days, we're welcoming families, London explorers, birthday groups and visitors ready to experience the capital at full throttle. But every now and then, someone arrives who looks particularly familiar. The sort of familiar that makes you do a discreet double take before remembering you're supposed to be working.

Over the years, Thames Rockets has welcomed musicians, actors, presenters and reality television stars aboard our boats. And 2026 has been another brilliant year for celebrity visitors, with famous faces joining our crew for a little sightseeing, a little speed and the occasional photograph beside our unmistakable red Rockets.

So, who's been rocking with us this year? Let's take a look.

From High School Musical to High-Speed London

If you grew up watching High School Musical, you'll probably recognise Corbin Bleu immediately. The actor and performer, best known for playing Chad Danforth in the Disney films, was among the famous faces welcomed aboard Thames Rockets in 2026.

And we have to say, there's something rather satisfying about seeing a Hollywood star standing in front of Rocket Rebel with our crew. It's not quite East High's basketball court, but we think the River Thames makes a pretty impressive alternative.

Corbin's visit is a brilliant example of what makes a London speedboat experience such an appealing activity for visitors to the capital. There's no need to choose between seeing the sights and doing something exciting. You can enjoy London's famous landmarks from the water before discovering the faster side of the city.

And while we can't confirm whether anyone broke into a spontaneous rendition of We're All in This Together, we'd like to think our crew would have been ready.

British TV Royalty Takes to the River

Of course, Hollywood wasn't the only place sending familiar faces our way. Some of Britain's best-known television personalities also joined us in 2026, and the crew photographs have given us a rather lovely collection of memories from the year.

Denise van Outen is no stranger to the spotlight. From The Big Breakfast and West End performances to presenting, acting and DJing, she's been a familiar face on British television for decades. This year, she added Thames Rockets to her London adventures, posing for photographs with members of our crew. We particularly love the pictures of Denise aboard Rocket Rebel, proving that a life jacket can work with just about any outfit.

We also welcomed Dawn O'Porter, the bestselling author and television presenter known for her distinctive humour and wonderfully outspoken take on life. Her visit brought another familiar face to the Thames Rockets photo collection, and it's always a pleasure to see the people we usually recognise from television or books enjoying a day out in London.

Then there's Kate Lawler, whose career has taken her from winning the third series of Big Brother to becoming a well-known radio and television presenter. Kate joined us in May, adding another name to our growing list of celebrities who've visited Thames Rockets.

Three very different careers, three recognisable personalities and one thing in common: a visit to London's famous river aboard a Thames Rockets speedboat.

Reality TV Gets a Taste of the Thames

British reality television has introduced us to plenty of memorable personalities over the years, and 2026 brought a couple of familiar faces from Love Island to our boats.

Demi Jones, who appeared on the show's winter series in 2020 and later returned for Love Island: All Stars, joined us for a Thames Rockets visit in May. Our photograph captures Demi at the pier, ready for a rather different kind of London outing.

We also welcomed Frankie Foster, another former Love Island contestant, whose visit gave us another opportunity to add a familiar face to the Thames Rockets guest gallery.

For anyone following their favourite reality stars and wondering what to do in the capital, we'd argue that speedboat sightseeing in London deserves a place on the itinerary. There's the scenery, the atmosphere and, of course, the chance to swap scrolling through someone else's adventures for having one of your own.

No recoupling ceremony required.

A Guest List That Goes Back Years

As impressive as our 2026 line-up has been, celebrity visitors are hardly a new development for Thames Rockets. In fact, our history with famous faces goes back to some of the biggest names in music.

The Rolling Stones travelled with us to The O2 for soundchecks ahead of their performances, while our past VIP passenger list also includes P!nk, Led Zeppelin, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Jon Bon Jovi. We've even transported Ozzy Osbourne, with an archived Thames Rockets account recalling a particularly memorable journey to one of his performances at The O2.

That's quite a collection of musical legends to have travelled along the Thames.

Our history with the entertainment industry extends beyond celebrity journeys, too. We've worked with productions including Top Gear, The Graham Norton Show and The Apprentice, as well as providing vessels involved in the Thames scenes of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

We've already explored those stories in From Hollywood to Prime-Time TV: Behind the Scenes With Thames Rockets, so we'll leave the film crews and television cameras to that article.

But it's fair to say our little corner of the Thames has seen its share of famous faces.

The Best Part? You Don't Need to Be Famous

We love a celebrity visit. Of course we do. It's exciting for the team, makes for a brilliant photograph and gives us another story to add to the Thames Rockets archives.

But here's the thing: you don't need a television credit, a platinum-selling album or a million Instagram followers to enjoy a brilliant day on the river.

The same London skyline, entertaining guides and high-speed adventures are waiting for everyone who joins us. From families visiting London for the first time to couples celebrating an anniversary or friends looking for something different to do, every trip is an opportunity to make a memory worth keeping.

Our Ultimate London Adventure combines famous landmarks, live commentary and an exhilarating speed section, while our wider range of Thames Rockets experiences offers plenty of ways to discover the capital from the water.

And if you're lucky, you might even find yourself standing in exactly the same spot as one of your favourite stars.

Here's to More Famous Faces and Fantastic Adventures

With Corbin Bleu, Denise van Outen, Dawn O'Porter, Kate Lawler, Demi Jones and Frankie Foster among our 2026 visitors, it's been a rather exciting year for celebrity spotting at Thames Rockets.

We've loved welcoming these familiar faces aboard, and an even bigger thank you goes to our crew, who make every visit happen and somehow still find time for a photograph.

As for who might turn up next? Your guess is as good as ours. But one thing's certain: the red Rockets will be ready.

Famous faces are always welcome. Fantastic adventures are for everyone.

Ready to experience London like a star? Book your Thames Rockets adventure and join us on the river.