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Exclusive: My official autobiography can be ordered now! 150 150 mhamer

Exclusive: My official autobiography can be ordered now!

The Jimmy Cricket Story is the famous comedian's official autobiography

Jimmy Cricket is proud to exclusively reveal to all his website readers that his official autobiography will be available from the end of this week!

Memoirs Of An Irish Comedian tells the heart-warming story of Jimmy’s illustrious life and career – told in his own words.

The book is officially available from Saturday 1 April and can be ordered from online retailer Amazon here.

And the famous funnyman has a special message for all his friends and fans to accompany the news of this exciting launch.

He says: “It’s here, friends. The story of how it all began.

“From my childhood growing up in Northern Ireland …

“… through the Butlin’s Redcoat days in the sixties,  when every camp  had a custom-built theatre …

“… the Pontins Bluecoat days when I met my good lady May …

” … the northern clubs in the seventies when there was a social club in practically every street corner …

” … and the eighties when the television schedules were dominated by variety shows.

“It’ll strike a chord with older readers and give younger ones an insight into a world that seemed to vanish before our very eyes.

“And there’s more.

“It also gives me a chance to thank publicly some of the people who’ve helped me through life’s journey.”

Warm memories

The page promoting Jimmy’s autobiography on Amazon says: “This book is a personally written account of Jimmy’s 50 Golden Years in showbusiness.

“From holiday camp Redcoat to Bluecoat, then on to his first big break on television, (after many struggles).

“Going on to headline for four of his own series for Central television in the 1980s with Royal Command Performances and TV Variety shows in between.

“Then his BBC Radio 2 series written by the great scriptwriter Eddie Braben in the 1990s which ran for five years called, Jimmy’s Cricket Team.

“As Jimmy says himself in the book: ‘I hope it brings back warm memories for older readers’.

“‘And gives a taste to younger readers of a form of entertainment that seemed to vanish before our very eyes.'”

A reminder that Jimmy’s book is available on Amazon here. 

The paperback book is priced at £11.99.

One pound from the sale of every book goes to Mary’s Meals.

The charitysupports feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education.

Also read: From bingo caller to 50 Golden Years in showbiz!

From bingo caller to 50 Golden Years in showbiz! 150 150 mhamer

From bingo caller to 50 Golden Years in showbiz!

Jimmy Cricket is celebrating 50 years in showbiz

Jimmy Cricket has enjoyed a golden career in showbiz – but before that, the comedian was a labourer, waiter, salesman and bingo caller!

The famous funnyman talks about his 50-year career as a high-profile entertainer in his latest newspaper column.

He says that before he became a professional comedian, he worked in the holiday camps as a Redcoat (Butlins) and Bluecoat (Pontins).

However, from each September, Jimmy says he had to have a day job for the winter.

His wife May agreed to give up her singing career so Jimmy could rehearse.

And his showbiz career started to take off when he signed with a top agent.

He also recalls in his Lancashire Post column the problems he encountered for his first gigs.

These included not having his own transport to get to venues!

Jimmy is doing what he describes as a “little five theatres tour” in March as part of the celebrations for his golden anniversary.

They are venues where he has done one-nighters & summer seasons in the past.

Here are those March dates:

Middlesbrough Theatre (Saturday 4 March) – go here for tickets.

Bridlington Spa Theatre (Sunday 12 March) – go here for tickets.

West Cliff Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea (Sunday 19 March) – go here for tickets.

Lancaster Grand Theatre (Saturday 25 March) – go here for tickets. 

Plaza Theatre, Stockport (Sunday 26 March) – go here for tickets.

Jimmy has been making people laugh as a professional comedian for 50 years – and usually raising money for worthy causes at the same time.

Instantly recognisable for wearing a funny hat and green wellies marked L and R on the wrong feet, he proudly keeps his comedy clean – increasingly rare these days –  which makes him a perfect family entertainer.

His best-known catchphrases include ‘And there’s more!’ and ‘Come closer!’

He is also famed for reading out Letters from his Mammy, which have provided the material for two published books.

Read more about Jimmy’s life and career here.

All his tour bookings and other events can be found here.

Jimmy Cricket has been in showbusiness for 50 years

A return to Pontins for former Bluecoat Jimmy 150 150 mhamer

A return to Pontins for former Bluecoat Jimmy

Had a great afternoon at @Pontins Camber Sands with Ents Manager Matey, Compère Nial and Dave on sound and lighting, alongside the resident Bluecoats, as I was the first to perform on their newly built state of the art showstage!

Jimmy Cricket enjoyed creating a little bit of history at a Pontins on the English south-east coast recently.

The famous entertainment performed a show at the holiday camp at Camber Sands in Rye, an English town near the coast in East Sussex.

He posted on social media: “Had a great afternoon at Camber Sands with Ents Manager Matey, Compère Nial and Dave on sound and lighting, alongside the resident Bluecoats, as I was the first to perform on their newly built state-of-the-art show stage!”

Jimmy is himself a former Bluecoat, having worked at the Pontins holiday camps in Southport and Morecambe in the 1970s.

Catching up on old times 150 150 mhamer

Catching up on old times

Old friends Jimmy Cricket and Jacqui Ridler meet up again

Jimmy Cricket met up with an old friend while appearing in his summer show on the south coast.

The famous comedian is currently starring in Sentimental Journey, the family extravaganza running at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, East Sussex, every Tuesday and Wednesday evening until 26 September.

Jimmy Cricket and Jacqui Ridler

And it was there he caught up with Jacqui Ridler (formerly Jacqui Munroe) whom Jimmy has known since the 1970s.

They first met when Jimmy worked the holiday park circuit in Torbay where Jacqui was a Bluecoat.

Jacqui herself is from Torquay and her mum ran a hotel in the resort for a long time. In fact, Jimmy stayed at the hotel in 1994 when he was appearing at the Festival Theatre in Paignton.

She now lives in Eastbourne with her husband and thought she should pop along and catch up with Jimmy.

Whatever happened to…? 150 150 mhamer

Whatever happened to…?

Jimmy Cricket feature in the Daily Express

Famous Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket relived his successful showbiz career in a recent article in a British national newspaper.

The feature, written by Tony Padman, appeared in the magazine section of last Saturday’s Daily Express.

Meeting a magician 150 150 mhamer

Meeting a magician
Danny Lee Grew with Jimmy and, left, Norman Jacobs, chairman of the charity which runs West Cliff Theatre

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.

Visit Danny’s website here

Video of the trick can be seen on the homepage of this website.