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1987

Events that helped make Jimmy famous 150 150 mhamer

Events that helped make Jimmy famous

jimmy_cricket_lookinPhotos and postings published on social media websites have revealed some of the events that made Jimmy Cricket a household name.

The Northern Irish entertainer’s supporters and friends have created a kind of nostalgia corner with their entries on Facebook and Twitter.

Right is a picture of the front cover of the Look in annual dating back to 1988. Look in was a popular weekly magazine aimed at the teenage markets during the 1980s.

Jimmy features primarily because he had a popular television series on ITV at the time and the magazine decided to run a comic strip which featured Jimmy’s character getting into different scrapes!jimmy_cricket_nostalgia

A big thanks to Amy Elizabeth Phillips for posting this on her website at www.varietyemporium.co.uk where it features on its dedicated Facebook page.

Back in 1987, Jimmy headlined a show at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool which was a trailblazer at the time as it started a trend of extending theatre-based entertainment attractions into the autumnal illuminations season (poster left, is also from the Variety Emporium website).

Supporting Jimmy on the show was none other than Brian Conley,  the English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor who at the peak of his television career was believed to be the highest-paid male television personality in the UK.

Alongside both Jimmy and Brian was a double act called Trevillion & Nine – the female half of which was Sadie Nice who is now a successful broadcaster on BBC Essex.

The other member of the double act, Paul Trevillion, went on to use his artistic talents to the full, producing cartoons for a range of sporting occasions and sporting publications.

Jimmy impersonator won Butlin’s award 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy impersonator won Butlin’s award

Philip Lewis is on the right of the talent show line-up

Philip Lewis is on the right of the talent show line-up

Pictures of a young Jimmy Cricket impersonator from the 1980s have been sent to the well-known Northern Irish entertainer.

They were posted to Jimmy at his home in Rochdale just before Christmas and were taken back in 1987 during a Butlin’s holiday talent show hosted at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough.

Philip won an award for his Jimmy Cricket impersonation

Philip won an award for his impersonation

The focus of the photos are a young man named Philip Lewis who, as a 10-year-old, entered the competition complete with hat and wellies!

It was at a time when Jimmy had several television series on ITV and Philip was dressed up in attire for which Jimmy had become famous.

And Philip did such a great job of impersonating Jimmy that he won an award for it!

Jimmy said: “It was a nice surprise when I opened the letter containing these pictures and a bit of nostalgia crept in as well.”