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‘Fantastic night supporting the wonderful @jimmy__cricket’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Fantastic night supporting the wonderful @jimmy__cricket’

Blue D13SEL supported Jimmy Cricket at the Hebburn show

Jimmy Cricket was supported by a six-piece rock band when he performed in the North East of England recently.

Blue D13SEL played on the same show as the famous Northern Irish comedian at St Aloysius Catholic Church Hall in Hebburn, which is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England.

The band tweeted: “Fantastic Night last Saturday supporting the wonderful St Aloysius Church Hall in Hebburn.”

Hebburn is also the subject of an eponymous BBC television comedy series set in the town. The six-part series commenced broadcasting on BBC Two on 18 October 2012 starring Kimberley Nixon and Chris Ramsey.

 

Sir Ken Dodd: Jimmy Cricket pays tribute at funeral in Liverpool 150 150 mhamer

Sir Ken Dodd: Jimmy Cricket pays tribute at funeral in Liverpool

Jimmy Cricket was among those to pay a special tribute to the late Sir Ken Dodd at the legendary comedian’s funeral.

The Northern Irish entertainer joined other stars like actors Ricky Tomlinson, Stephanie Cole and Miriam Margolyes, and fellow comics Jimmy Tarbuck and Stan Boardman at the service at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on Wednesday.

Sir Ken died at the age of 90 earlier this month.

Jimmy said he was “one of the most original, innovative and gifted comedians we’ll ever see”.

“Comedians like Ken only come once in a lifetime – we thank God today that he came in ours,” he told a packed congregation.

“He had time for everybody. He said we were all walking miracles, every one of us and we all had stories to tell.”

Fellow comedian Jimmy Cricket has been paying tribute to Sir Ken Dodd at his funeral.

BBC News

Members of the public lined the route taken by Sir Ken’s funeral cortege from his Knotty Ash home to the cathedral in his home city. Some of them sang his 1964 song Happiness as the horse-drawn hearse passed.

Tickling sticks were also placed around Liverpool in tribute to the famous entertainer who was loved by millions and whose shows would nearly always overrun, sometimes by hours.

The BBC called Sir Ken Dodd a comedy legend

The BBC called Sir Ken Dodd a comedy legend when it reported his death

Watch: Jimmy Cricket on TV’s This Is Your Life 150 150 mhamer

Watch: Jimmy Cricket on TV’s This Is Your Life

It’s more than 30 years since Jimmy Cricket was the given the red book treatment on This Is Your Life.

It was on 29 September 1987 when the famous Northern Irish comedian was surprised by presenter Eamonn Andrews on a central London building site.

In the show, the host popped in unexpectedly on a special guest, before going to a studio to take them through their life with the assistance of the ‘big red book’ and the help of friends and family.

The programme was originally broadcast live and alternated between on the BBC and  on ITV over the years.

The surprise element was a very important part of the show; if the guest heard about the plans beforehand, it would be immediately abandoned.

And Jimmy’s show was almost jeopardised by a one-in-a-million chance meeting the day before the surprise. Find out why and watch the whole episode below.

The show was broadcast on Wednesday 4 November, the eve of Eamonn Andrews’ death.

Katie Mulgrew features on BBC Radio 4 Extra 150 150 mhamer

Katie Mulgrew features on BBC Radio 4 Extra

 

 

The best in contemporary comedy. Tom Wrigglesworth chats to Katie Mulgrew on BBC Radio 4 Extra

Jimmy Cricket’s comedian daughter Katie Mulgrew featured on BBC Radio 4 Extra’s The Comedy Club Interviews series recently.

Katie (pictured below right), who has performed three solo stand-up shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, was interviewed by BBC presenter Tom Wrigglesworth.

The interview can be heard here.

Her famous dad posted on Twitter saying it was a “lovely funny interview”.Katie Mulgrew

She won the inaugural 2015 Liverpool Hope play-writing prize with her play Omnibus.

It was staged at the Unity Theatre in June 2017 in a co-production with the Liverpool Royal Court to rave reviews.

Find out more about Katie here.

 

Jimmy Cricket: What I want for Christmas and Strictly Come Dancing 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket: What I want for Christmas and Strictly Come Dancing

Jimmy Cricket appeared in the 50th edition of Rochdale Style

Jimmy Cricket was the subject of a special feature in the 50th edition of Rochdale Style.

The article about the Rochdale-based, Belfast-born comedian, 72, was in a question-and-answer format.

Among the questions were what does the Northern Irish entertainer want for Christmas.

His reply? “Peace or the box set of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers! I just watch Fred on YouTube and think he’s incredible. He’s a big inspiration to me.”

And when asked if he would appear on BBC’s popular Strictly Come Dancing, Jimmy said: “Oh Yes? Tomorrow!”

The Rochdale Style magazine is edited by actor Colin Meredith, a good friend of Jimmy.

Jimmy is currently playing Professor Fitzwarren in pantomime Dick Whittington, which is running at Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre until New Year’s Eve.

The panto also features The Chase’s Mark Labbett (also known as The Beast), who plays King Rat.

Dick Whittington panto details

 

LEP column: Here’s to the king of comedy writers 150 150 mhamer

LEP column: Here’s to the king of comedy writers

Jimmy Cricket's Lancashire Evening Post columnJimmy Cricket remembers legendary comedy writer and close friend, the late Eddie Braben, in one of his recent newspaper columns.

Edwin ‘Eddie’ Charles Braben was best known for providing material for Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. He also worked for David Frost, Ronnie Corbett and Ken Dodd.

He was credited with changing the profile of Morecambe and Wise, helping to turn them into one of the most popular and enduring comedy acts in the history of British entertainment.

Belfast-born entertainer Jimmy, who has lived in Rochdale for many years, recalls in the Lancashire Post how Eddie started out as a market trader, selling fruit and veg from a stall in Liverpool’s St John precinct. In his spare time, he made up jokes.

Jimmy says how nervous he was when he first met Eddie, adding: “That was the start of a beautiful friendship that spanned two TV series, five radio series and even a book of letters from my Mammy.”

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy developed a lasting friendship with Eddie who sadly died aged 82 in May 2013. Below is a newspaper article in which Jimmy paid tribute to his old pal at the time.

Jimmy Cricket pays tribute to Eddie Braben in the Rochdale Observer

Jimmy Cricket’s nostalgic return to west Belfast 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket’s nostalgic return to west Belfast

Jimmy Cricket and Owen O'NeillA recent nostalgic trip down Memory Lane for Jimmy Cricket was the subject of a BBC radio programme.

The famous Northern Irish entertainer returned to west Belfast, where he was born nearly 71 years ago, to tell fellow comedian and BBC Radio Ulster presenter Owen O’Neill all about his childhood.

In his radio series, Owen spends the day with a well-known local face as they show him around a place that they hold in affection, uncovering stories about their home territory.

And last month Rochdale-based Jimmy took Owen to his childhood home off the Andersonstown Road, which included playing the saxophone on the street corner where he used to perform with his mates.

They also went to the former family-run bar where much-loved funnyman Jimmy cut his teeth telling jokes to the customers.

BBC Radio Ulster posted the following tweet about Jimmy’s return home.

BBC Radio Ulster (@bbcradioulster)
In a new series Owen O’Neill spends the day with @jimmy__cricket on home turf in West Belfast. Saturday at 10:30am bbc.in/2uLCFd9 pic.twitter.com/0qWvmSJOM1