Jimmy Cricket

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Will the ‘real Jimmy Cricket’ please do stand-up! 150 150 mhamer

Will the ‘real Jimmy Cricket’ please do stand-up!

Jimmy CricketJimmy Cricket sign outside Henighans in Bolton

The people of Bolton certainly got the “real Jimmy Cricket” when they watched the Northern Irish entertainer perform this summer.

When funnyman Jimmy arrived before his show at Henighans in the Greater Manchester town, he was amused to see an advertisement board outside the comedy venue saying: ‘The real Jimmy Cricket’!

Jimmy Cricket posterAnd it was undoubtedly the famous comedian himself who delivered his popular and timeless brand of stand-up to an appreciative audience.

The photographs with this story were taken by Jimmy’s friend Trefyln Jones, who popped over to see him before the show.

Trefyln runs a media company in Warrington called
Green Screen Express.

Watch TV programme from 1986! 150 150 mhamer

Watch TV programme from 1986!

Jimmy Cricket on And There's More

Fans of famous entertainer Jimmy Cricket are in for a real treat – an airing of the first episode of his TV series from the 1980s.

And There’s More was filmed for Central Television at their studios in Lenton Lane, Nottingham – sadly no longer there – and transmitted in June 1986.

Now, nearly 30 years later, the programme is being broadcast on Jimmy’s YouTube channel and also on the homepage of this website.

But you will have to be quick as the video will be taken down tomorrow at 5pm (Friday).

Jimmy said: “It showed what great comedy actors and impressionists Rory Bremner and Jessica Martin were; what a good stand-up comedian my friend Adrian Walsh was; and what a good sport Chinese actor Hi Ching was. The show’s special guest was actress and winger-songwriter Hazel O’Connor.”

The series was produced and directed by Tony Wolf and the associate producer was Paula Burden – whose father was the famous music hall comedian Albert Burden.

* Because of technological problems, we were unable to upload the video as hoped yesterday. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Fun run to mark Jimmy’s 70th birthday 150 150 mhamer

Fun run to mark Jimmy’s 70th birthday

Jimmy Cricket's fun run will take place in October 2015Legendary comedian Jimmy Cricket will celebrate his 70th birthday next year with a special fun run in his adopted hometown of Rochdale.

The Belfast-born entertainer was approached by Rochdale-based fundraiser Andy O’Sullivan about the prospect of a birthday race. Andy has been organising charity runs with the local Rochdale Harriers athletics club for many years.

Jimmy will turn 70 on 17 October 2015 and his birthday race will take place the following day.

The location of the start on Sunday, 18 October will be the Cock & Magpie pub in Whitworth, near Jimmy’s beloved Healey Dell Nature Reserve where he is often spotted walking and taking in the beautiful surroundings.

He will be there in person to start the race off at 11.30am, with the route planned to take in two laps of Cowm Reservoir, ensuring the race will be a true 5K.

After the race Jimmy will also be on hand to present the prizes and perhaps offer a slice of birthday cake too!

All proceeds from the fun run will be donated to one of Jimmy’s favourite charities which is the Francis House Children’s Hospice in Manchester.

Race organiser Andy O’Sullivan said: “I recently bumped into Jimmy in Healey Dell and we got chatting about what he is up to. When he mentioned that next year was his 70th birthday, I thought ‘why not mark this with a specially arranged birthday race?'”

“The idea of the race came to me as Jimmy is such a well-known person and has contributed so much to local Rochdale life over the years.”

Jimmy said: “I am honoured this race is going to be organised for my 70th birthday. I was wondering how I could celebrate the arrival of this milestone in some way and this race will be a wonderful occasion.

“It will be quite a spectacular route for all who want to participate. But I am also hoping my many Rochdale friends will come along and spectate to enable the event to raise as much money as possible for such a worthy cause as Francis House.”

The entry fee to join Jimmy on this fun race is £4 to club runners and £6 to all others. An additional £1 will be charged to entrants who turn up on the day. Prizes will be awarded to all race finishers.

For more information and for a copy of the entry form, please contact Andy O’Sullivan at info@andemsrunners.co.uk

Panto gets perfect lift-off 150 150 mhamer

Panto gets perfect lift-off

Jimmy Cricket gets front page coverage ahead of his latest pantomime at the Charter Theatre in PrestonJimmy Cricket’s latest pantomime received great coverage at its recent media launch.

The famous Northern Irish entertainer will be appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre in Preston – where he made his panto debut in 1981 – over the Christmas and New Year period.

Back then, the Rochdale-based funnyman figured in a version of a contemporary pantomime called Robinson Crusoe in Outer Space when he was described as “Britain’s fastest rising TV comedian”.

Ahead of his 27th pantomime season, Jimmy had top billing (above right) on the front page of the 2 September edition of the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post.

Jimmy Cricket and fellow cast members ahead of his latest pantomime at the Charter Theatre in Preston, featured in the Lancashire Evening Post

Inside the newspaper was a two-page spread (left) featuring photographs of all the cast who had assembled for the media launch.

On his arrival in Preston, he will be reunited with the creative team who produced last Christmas’s record -breaking version of Snow White at the Forum Theatre in Billingham, with some of the cast having also been retained.

Jimmy said: “With the nights drawing in and the leaves starting to turn golden, it won’t be long before it is panto time again.

“So it was great to see the local Preston media receive so well the announcement of Snow White at the Charter Theatre. This has got the show off to a great start and I’m looking forward to my return trip to Preston later in the year when the pantomime season starts fully!”

* Jimmy is writing a monthly column for the Lancashire Evening Post in the lead-up to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre in Preston.

Jimmy to have monthly newspaper column 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy to have monthly newspaper column

Jimmy Cricket gets front page coverage ahead of his latest pantomime at the Charter Theatre in PrestonJimmy Cricket is to write a monthly newspaper column in the lead-up to his latest pantomime season.

The Lancashire Evening Post has commissioned the articles to coincide with the well-known comedian headlining Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Charter Theatre in Preston – where he made his panto debut in 1981 – over the Christmas and New Year period.

When the Lancashire Evening Post contacted Jimmy through his website editor Martin Hamer – former digital editor at the LEP – about the idea, he thought it was a “very flattering request”.

Jimmy said: “As a result, I did not hesitate to respond positively and am thrilled that my first monthly article is due to be published in the paper’s edition on Monday (22 September).”

He intends to use the article to describe some of the many stories he has collected from more than 30 years of performing in pantomimes.

This includes appearing in many of the major cities and towns across the UK and has also included working with a variety of celebrities from stage and screen.

Added Jimmy: “Hopefully the monthly articles will set the scene for my forthcoming appearance in Snow White at the Charter Theatre at the end of the year.”

Returning to 2012 summer season venue 150 150 mhamer

Returning to 2012 summer season venue

Eastbourne Herald article featuring Jimmy Cricket's return to the Royal Hippodrome TheatreJimmy Cricket is returning to the scene of his 2012 summer season to do his stand-up comedy show at the weekend.

The famous Irish entertainer will perform at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne on Saturday (20 September), two years after his last appearance there.

He was featured earlier this month in the Eastbourne Herald (article clipping above), which read: “This entertainer never stops updating and creating new material.”

The newspaper mentions that Jimmy has just released a song, I was bit by Luis Suarez, which is based on the former Liverpool striker who was banned for four months during this summer’s World Cup for biting an opponent.

Jimmy said: “I am looking forward to seeing the many friends I made during that summer season.

“In fact, these friends have gone on to form a community interest company to manage the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, as the local council were looking for someone to take on this role for them.”

They include Jerome and Carole who own and run the Marine Parade Hotel and Darren Weir who owns the Mowbray Hotel.

Another friend Jimmy will be seeing again is Mike Lee, who is also a partner in the management consortium.

Jimmy said: “Mike is a superb singer who performs a tribute to the great Matt Munroe. I have invited him to appear on my show and am delighted he has agreed!”

To watch the video of I was bit by Luis Suarez, go to the homepage of this website or visit Jimmy’s video channel at YouTube.

And you can pre-order I was bit by Luis Suarez at iTunes.

For all the latest updates on the song and on Jimmy’s schedule and thoughts, go to his Twitter page.

Oh I do like to sing along the prom, prom, prom 150 150 mhamer

Oh I do like to sing along the prom, prom, prom

Jimmy Cricket in Bridlington

Jimmy Cricket did an unscheduled performance on the promenade in Bridlington this summer.

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the famous entertainer brought his stand-up comedy show to the Spa Bridlington theatre at the East Yorkshire resort.

As Jimmy was about to release his new comedy, I was bit by Luis Suarez, he decided to do some promotion of the song during the afternoon before his show began later that day.

So the Spa management arranged for him to have a pitch on the promenade outside their complex where Jimmy could belt out his new novelty song for those in the vicinity.

Many passers-by were intrigued by what was going on. John – pictured above with Jimmy – was one of those people and his friend, Richard, posted the photo above on Twitter, saying John could not stop mentioning it at work the next day!

The outdoor performance went well for Jimmy and later that day he also had a good crowd turning up to see his comedy show at the theatre – some who maybe came after their Sunday afternoon peaceful stroll along Bridlington Prom had been interrupted by a well-known Northern Irishman!

I was bit by Luis Suarez is based on the Uruguay and former Liverpool striker who was banned for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

To watch the video of the song, visit Jimmy’s video channel at YouTube here.

And you can pre-order  I was bit by Luis Suarez at iTunes.

For all the latest updates on the song from Jimmy, go to his Twitter page.