A TV antiques expert who is based in Barnard Castle said he might have been wrongly identified as the Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings.
David Harper said a few weeks ago he was coming out of his shop when someone said “morning, Dominic" to him.
This became a controversy considering the UK is currently under lockdown. So, Dominic Cummings traveling halfway across the country is not a good look. Especially since Cummings helped set the guidelines for safety during the pandemic with the most important rule being "Stay Home."
As a regular on the BBC show Bargain Hunt, Harper said he is frequently recognized by people who cannot quite place his name. And, is often confused for other celebrities.
“I was mistaken for someone called Dominic a few weeks ago, when doing work on my shop in Barnard Castle … now it makes sense," he Tweeted.
Harper told the PA news agency he could not be sure if this explains the reported sightings of Cummings in Barnard Castle.
"I have been called all sorts of names by people so someone saying 'Dominic' to me came as no surprise until this all blew up," he said.
"Whether I am the one that people thought was Dominic Cummings, I just don't know."
Cummings reportedly drove with his family to a farm in the north-east of England to isolate since he believes his wife contracted the virus. So, his similarity to Harper might not be the only reason why he was spotted so far away from London.
This was after he drove to a town 30 mins away from his family home to "test his eyesight," according to BBC.
Harper doesn't understand why people would confuse them.
Twitter was quick to chip in.
“I don't think I look like him, my wife doesn't think I do, but maybe some people do," Harper said.
“I'm a middle-aged male, white and bald. There's quite a lot of us around."
Harper is opening an antiques brokerage in the town, tours theaters talking about his specialized subject and is about to launch a new book called A Romp with the Georgians.
“Barnard Castle is a fantastic town, a lovely place to visit," he said.
