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With a little help from my friends… 150 150 mhamer

With a little help from my friends…
Jimmy Cricket with Linda, Phil, May, Gloria, Eric and Linda

Jimmy with Linda, Phil, May, Gloria, Eric and Linda

Jimmy Cricket arranged a post-Christmas get-together for friends who have helped him a lot during the past 12 months.

The famous Irish comedian and his wife May invited the trio and their wives along to a local carvery restaurant in his hometown of Rochdale.

They included Phil Collinge, who is an excellent and experienced producer for an independent radio production company called Made in Manchester. He is working currently on a documentary about the history of comedy for BBC Radio and, guess what, Jimmy has already been interviewed for the series!

Eric Devereaux, who had one of the finest reputations on the Manchester club scene for his compere skills and his crooning abilities, has been helping Jimmy with his monthly JAM nights in Rochdale, which have been a huge success.

And Tony has been the main technical support for the JAM nights, where performers could come along and test out their repertoire in front of a warm and receptive audience.

Jimmy said: “I used the meal as a gesture of my gratitude and thought the pictures have turned out really well!”

Jimmy Cricket with Phil, May, Eric, Tony, Linda and Gloria

Jimmy with Phil, May, Eric, Tony, Linda and Gloria

Celebrities tell their favourite jokes 150 150 mhamer

Celebrities tell their favourite jokes

Jimmy Cricket on Sky1's John Bishop's Only JokingJimmy Cricket was joined by a host of fellow comedians as he appeared in a new TV comedy series. 

The Irish entertainer featured in the second episode of Sky1′s John Bishop’s Only Joking which is broadcast every Friday.

Jason Manford, Mick Miller, Jason Byrne, Tiffany Stevenson and Tom O’Connor, plus television presenter Davina McCall and former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton also appeared on the show telling their favourite jokes.Jimmy Cricket on Sky1's John Bishop's Only Joking

There has been some good feedback from Jimmy’s appearance, both on his Twitter feed and on his Facebook page.

He also appears in episodes three, four, five, six, seven and nine of the series which is fronted by Liverpool funnyman John Bishop.

Watch a trailer to the show at http://sky1.sky.com/john-bishops-only-joking/john-bishops-only-joking-trailer and find out more information at http://sky1.sky.com/sky1hd-shows/john-bishops-only-joking

Related story: It’s a long way from a holiday in Turkey!!

TV comedy series starts on Friday 150 150 mhamer

TV comedy series starts on Friday

John Bishop’s new TV comedy series, which features your favourite funnyman Jimmy Cricket, begins this week.

The first episode of Sky1’s John Bishop’s Only Joking is at 8.30pm (GMT) on Friday (11 January) – but you won’t see famous Irish comedian Jimmy until the second week.

Jimmy also appears in episodes three, four, five, six, seven and nine.

John Bishop's Only Joking starts on Sky1 on FridayWatch a trailer to the show at http://sky1.sky.com/john-bishops-only-joking/john-bishops-only-joking-trailer and find out more information at http://sky1.sky.com/sky1hd-shows/john-bishops-only-joking

“I really enjoyed recording this show with John Bishop,” says Jimmy. “I especially liked the nice touch that John went to when he sent me a note of thanks and reminded me of our last meeting on a beach over in Turkey!

“This was a few years ago when John was just starting out on his comedy career and I was in the resort where he was appearing at one of the local hotels.

“John was walking along the beach with his family and he bumped into me and I wished him all the very best with his career.

“John wrote in his note to me on the day of the recording of the Sky1 show: ‘Jimmy, great to have you on the show – it’s a long way from a holiday in Turkey!! Cheers John.’”

Jimmy says he is thrilled to be part of this new and exciting comedy series which is targeted at family viewing.

He adds: “I think it is great that not only do they have a great line-up of comedians – including an attractive mix of young comedians and legends such as Jason Manford and Tom O’Connor – but there is a nice twist that other celebrities and members of the public have also been filmed telling their favourite joke.

“The show deserves nothing but success.”

Jimmy Cricket on Sky in 2013 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket on Sky in 2013

Jimmy Cricket already has an exciting 2013 lined up.

And you can see him live on stage at a nearby venue – or on television.

Highlights of the coming year include:

– Appearing in Sky1’s new comedy series called John Bishop’s Only Joking, scheduled for January and February

– A  return to the open seas as he is making an appearance on P&O’s Aurora cruise ship where he will feature in a leg of the ship’s world cruise during February between Honolulu, the southern-most major US city, and Papeete, capital of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean

Jimmy Cricket and the Good Old Days

– Featuring in a tour of Northern Ireland with the legendary comic showband, Clubsound – this show has proved so popular that the tour’s promoter has had to arrange a second leg!

– Headlining a national Music Hall Tour, which will visit places such as Nottingham, Cardiff, Ipswich and Tunbridge Wells to name just a few

– Appearing at Dave’s Comedy Festival in Leicester during February

–  Headlining the summer season show at the Princess Theatre in Hunstanton, Norfolk, over the main six-week holiday period

– Continuing to tour with his Value for a Tenner show, with dates at Bathgate, New Brighton, Whitley Bay and Bungay already lined up for next year

2012 – we look back at the highlights 150 150 mhamer

2012 – we look back at the highlights
Jimmy Cricket played Baron Hardup in panto with Dancing on Ice star Ray Quinn as Prince Charming

Jimmy was Baron Hardup in panto with Dancing on Ice’s Ray Quinn Prince Charming

Jimmy has had another busy year and as usual he has travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet his touring commitments throughout 2012.

Some of the highlights of the past 12 months include:

– At the start of the year appearing as Baron Hardup in a pantomime version of Cinderella at the Civic Theatre in Darlington

– Headlining the summer show at the Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne, which ran for five months and was presented every Tuesday and Wednesday evening from the first week of May through to the end of September

– Featuring in a northern comedy tour alongside the inimitable Mick Miller

– Appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Sheffield Comedy festival and the new Belly Laughs Belfast comedy festival

– Travelling to venues in Guernsey, Cromer, Torquay, Bridlington, Carlisle, Towyn and Glasgow – to name just a few of the different places visited

– Appearing in BBC 3’s Comedy Marathon which was recorded at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival

– Participating in a recording of the new Sky TV comedy series called John Bishop’s Only Joking

Jimmy said: “I would like to thank all those who came to one of my shows this year or who have bought one of my merchandise items.

“Also thanks to anyone who has followed me on Twitter, decided to be a friend on Facebook or who has viewed one of my clips on YouTube.

“Thanks you all for your continuing support and I hope to see you in 2013!”

Summertime still a YouTube favourite 150 150 mhamer

Summertime still a YouTube favourite

A YouTube video featuring Jimmy Cricket has been viewed almost 20,000 times and been watched for more than 50,000 minutes during 2012 alone.

Jimmy Cricket's Summertime clip on YouTube

The most popular clip on the well-known Irish comedian’s YouTube channel is his stand-up from ITV’s Summertime Special programme, which was filmed in Bournemouth.

It was uploaded to YouTube in 2007 and has been watched nearly 55,000 times, but is still clearly popular as more than a third of those viewings have been in the past 12 months.

Classic Jimmy Cricket on the BBC TV show called the Main Attraction

The second most popular clip of 2012 on Jimmy’s YouTube channel is a classic bit of footage from Jimmy’s appearance on the BBC TV show called the Main Attraction.

This show was produced by John Fisher, who is a doyen of comedy TV production. The clip has had almost 21,000 viewings – and nearly 68,000 in total -and has been watched for nearly 27,000 minutes.

Jimmy Cricket reading A Letter from Mammy

Third in the hit parade of 2012 is a piece of footage which is inextricably linked with Jimmy’s style and repertoire – A Letter from Mammy.

This particular clip on his YouTube channel was taken from his ITV television series from the 1980s and has had almost 5,000 viewings over 6,000 minutes.

Jimmy said: “It will be interesting to see what proves popular in my 2013 YouTube chart!”

Rocking around the clock (on the beach) 150 150 mhamer

Rocking around the clock (on the beach)
Famous funnyman Jimmy Cricket met professional organist Chris Mannion in Eastbourne

Jimmy Cricket met professional organist Chris Mannion in Eastbourne

Jimmy Cricket had them rocking around the clock on the beach this summer!

The famous Irish comedian has recalled the occasion he met professional organist Chris Mannion.

It was on the day that Jimmy appeared live on ITV’s breakfast show, Daybreak, in Eastbourne on the south coast.

“Chris was playing his keyboard as part of the outside broadcast when I arrived on the scene and got the assembled crowd to sing Rock Around The Clock,” laughs Jimmy.

“Chris is a professional organist and is very accomplished. He not only plays at various concerts in Eastbourne, where he lives, but he is much in demand across the country and this extends to playing engagements on cruise ships.

“He is not just a talented person, but a really lovely guy as well.”

Find out more about Chris at http://www.chris-mannion.co.uk.

Jimmy was in Eastbourne two days a week during the summer, starring in Sentimental Journey, which ran at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in the East Sussex town until 26 September.