Thoughts, updates and news from Jimmy Cricket
Jimmy Cricket performed last month in the aptly named Joker’s Workingmen’s Club in Selston, Nottinghamshire.
The Irish comedian appeared on 10 March in a pre-St Patrick’s Day celebration where he “had a wonderful time”.
Gerry Molumby, one of the organisers, is well-known within the Irish community and is hosting a celebratory event in tribute to film star Maureen O’Hara at the Irish Embassy in London in June.
Jimmy Cricket and Tim Vaughan were special guests at the celebration evening
An Irish comedian and a horse racing trainer were, fittingly, the special guests at a sportsman’s dinner in Liverpool during Grand National week.
Funnyman Jimmy Cricket and Tim Vaughan, a National Hunt trainer, appeared at the annual fundraising event hosted by the City of Liverpool Lions Club.
This year the dinner was staged at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool.
Jimmy says: “The organiser was Dave Scott and it was a very professionally run event which raised bundles of money for the Lions’ charitable causes they support.
“During the dinner Tim, an up-and-coming trainer on the National Hunt scene, mentioned that he was aiming for his 100th winner of the season.
“He did provide a tip to the assembled guests at the dinner. This referred to one of the horses which he trains. The tip was for the first race the next day at Newton Abbot and although the horse, Wicklewood, started as one of the favourites, unfortunately it trailed in sixth!”
However, there was a happy ending for Vaughan whose Pant Wilkin stables are based in Aberthin, Cowbridge, South Wales – Saint Are won at Aintree’s Grand National meeting for the second year in a row to give him his 100th winner.
The City of Liverpool Lions Club, which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee during the 2011-2012 year, organise a series of fundraising projects each year which enables its members to make welcome donations to various charities and other worthwhile causes.
The family variety summer show will take the audience on a nostalgic trip
Jimmy Cricket is starring in a “royal” variety show this summer to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.
The family entertainment extravaganza, Sentimental Journey, is at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, East Sussex, from 1 May to 26 September.
And it will take the audience on a nostalgic trip back to the 1960s and beyond.
Jimmy will be joined by fellow comedians Barry Moon and Mike Lee, world-renowned tribute acts Colin Gold and Tracy Lea – who perform as Billy Fury and Connie Francis respectively – and the Show Time Dancers.
Colin, who starred on ITV’s Stars in Their Eyes, has gone on to become one of the most experienced and acclaimed Billy Fury acts in the world. Halfway to Paradise was one of Fury’s best-known songs.
Stars in Their Eyes was a British television talent show that was screened on Saturday nights from 21 July 1990 to 23 December 2006 and in which contestants impersonated showbiz stars.
Connie Francis’ greatest hits included Who’s Sorry Now, Lipstick on Your Collar and Stupid Cupid.
Performances are at 8.15 each night. Tickets cost £12 and £17 – go here for more information.
Happy days... From left: Con, Ricky, Lauren, Maria and Jimmy
Jimmy Cricket appeared at The Greenroom in Liverpool city centre as part of a St Patrick’s Day extravaganza on eve of the big day itself (16 March).
Ricky, Lauren and Jimmy
Also featured on this Irish-themed night of fun and frivolity was Con Cluskey from The Bachelors.
The Greenroom club on Duke Street is partly owned by famous comedian and actor Ricky Tomlinson.
Along with Jimmy, Ricky and Con on these pictures is Maria and her daughter Lauren – Maria and Jimmy share a good friend in John McArthy who was also at The Greenroom with his wife, Betty and daughter Erika.
Maria’s husband, Phil, is a DJ who goes around raising money for the local Liverpool Flame group which John McArthy helps to organise. The Flame Group sends disabled people over to Lourdes for Easter week from the Merseyside region.
Ricky, Maria and Jimmy
Lauren and Jimmy
Ricky with Lauren and Jimmy
Jimmy Cricket with birthday girl Sandrea
Jimmy Cricket had this photograph taken with a lady called Sandrea at The Royal Toby restaurant in Rochdale when he was last there with the Wooden Hut Club – his showbiz fraternity luncheon club.
Sandrea goes to a local Rochdale gym and it was her birthday, so to celebrate she and some friends decided to have lunch at the Royal Toby.
Famous comedian Jimmy – being his usual gregarious self! – not only went over to have a chat, but managed to get this snap of him and the birthday girl.
Jimmy cuts the ribbons to open the new theatre charity shop
Jimmy Cricket has had the honour of officially opening a theatre’s new charity shop.
The Irish funnyman is a patron of the West Cliff Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, along with fellow comedian Roy Hudd.
Jimmy has a soft spot for the venue, having done a couple of summer seasons there in the last five years, and so put on a show there recently as a fundraiser.
The newspaper article about Jimmy Cricket
The theatre has lately had its council grant withdrawn, but benefited by approximately £1,000 from Jimmy’s show.
Jimmy said: “This was not the end of the story though.
“West Cliff Theatre decided to open a second-hand charity shop as part of its fundraising drive, along the lines of the usual ones associated with British Heart Foundation, Scope et al – there are a fair few of these in Rochdale.
“So I marked my latest visit to the town with a double strike: not just the show, but I was invited to officially open the theatre’s new charity shop. I duly performed the honours during the lunch hour and then performed at the theatre in the evening!
“Hopefully, my contribution to the two events will have helped in some small way to keeping the theatre going.”
Jimmy added: “I would like to pay tribute to the outgoing theatre manager, Mike Bareham, for all his hard work over the years. His commitment and dedication to the theatre have been magnificent.
Jimmy with Jennifer who posted the newspaper article on Facebook
“The new theatre manager is Andy Jeffrey who I have known for quite some time.
Jimmy with fans Erika and Anna in Clacton-on-Sea
“This is because Andy worked at the Weston-super-Mare Playhouse when I did their pantomime a few years ago. Andy is about to take over the reins very shortly and this is an exciting new chapter for the theatre.
“He is steeped in theatrical know-how and already has some fresh ideas and new thinking as the theatre enters a phase where it will have to be more self-reliant in the future.”
Danny Lee Grew with Jimmy and, left, Norman Jacobs, chairman of the charity which runs West Cliff Theatre
Jimmy Cricket was treated to a magic trick by a fellow entertainer at an Essex theatre.
Danny Lee Grew, a London-based magician, performed a piece of magic involving a sponge to the delight of famous Irish comedian Jimmy and Norman Jacobs, chairman of the charity which runs the West Cliff Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea.
Danny was one of the first performers to entertain at the new Olympic Stadium in Stratford, East London. He entertained a 5,000-strong crowd with his close-up magic and also performed for many celebrities throughout the day.
He is the resident magician for Marvin’s Magic at Hamleys toy store and Harrods of Knightsbridge, and was a Bluecoat entertainer at Pontin’s Holiday Park in Prestatyn, North Wales.
Celebrities other than Jimmy who have seen Danny’s magic include musician Peter Andre, pop band Madness, Duncan Bannatyne of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and players from West Ham United Football Club.
Video of the trick can be seen on the homepage of this website.