Die Hard fan changes name to Bruce Willis (From The Northern Echo)

Die Hard fan changes name to Bruce Willis

8:10am Tuesday 17th March 2009 in News By Dani Webb, Chief Reporter (South Durham)

SHOPPERS and staff at a supermarket are in for a surprise when Bruce Willis turns in for a shift tomorrow.

But the vest-wearing toughguy from the Die Hard films has not swapped his luxurious Hollywood lifestyle for a shelf-stacking job.

This Bruce Willis is really Die Hard fan Chris Pratt, who changed his name after his employers failed to see the funny side of a workplace joke.

The student, from Stockton, landed himself in trouble after he changed his Tesco name badge to Bruce Willis as a joke.

Customers and friends are said to have loved the change, but bosses were not so amused and told him to remove it.

Not wanting to lose the argument, the 20-year-old Northumbria University student changed his name properly by deed poll.

Last night, Mr Willis said: “After everyone started calling me Bruce as a joke, I decided to change my name at work, and everyone including the staff and customers loved it and took it in the spirit it was intended.

“Unfortunately, my bosses at the supermarket didn’t find it funny and asked me to remove it from my work badge straight away.

“I am not one for losing an argument – it is ridiculous really what lengths I will go to in order to get one over on someone.

“When I logged on to The Legal Deed Service’s website, I saw how easy it was and literally five minutes after I typed in my details, my name was officially changed to Bruce Willis.”

His colleagues now refer to him as Bruce.

Mr Willis said: “I have not seen the superiors yet, who refused my name change, but I have that to look forward to on Wednesday.”

Jamie Jackson, of The Legal Deed Service Ltd, said: “It is amazing how many people change their names to that of their favourite celebrity.

Not so long ago we had a chef change his name to Gordon F Ramsay.

“We all found it so amusing when Chris rang up to change his name, especially teamed with the fact that he is taking on a major brand in a namechange war.”

A spokesman for Tesco said only first names were used on badges.

The Northern Echo was unable to contact the real Bruce Willis last night.