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Another Redcoats reunion for Jimmy 150 150 mhamer

Another Redcoats reunion for Jimmy

Jimmy with some other former Butlins Redcoats

Jimmy Cricket had his latest Butlins Redcoat reunion when he was appearing at a Pontins holiday village earlier this summer.

Jimmy Cricket with Paul Ogden, another former Butlins Redcoat

The well-known comedian worked as a Redcoat at the Butlins sites in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and Mosney near Dublin in Ireland during the late 1960s before becoming a household name on television.

He has met up with some of his old colleagues during the decades since then and this was actually the second time he had encountered this particular group of fellow former Redcoats – he also bumped into them the last time he was at Sand Bay Holiday Park in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, a couple of years ago!

The photos are courtesy of Paul Ogden, with whom Jimmy can be seen right.

Above, Jimmy has actually managed to borrow a red coat from one of the group and is pictured alongside them all sharing some comedy banter.

* Redcoat is the name given to front-line staff at Butlins holiday camps in the UK. A Redcoat has duties ranging from adult entertainer or children’s entertainer to stewarding. Read more about them here.

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.”

Butlin’s reunion from the 1960s 150 150 mhamer

Butlin’s reunion from the 1960s

Frankie Whittle and Ernie Shrimp and his wife all went to watch Jimmy’s showJimmy Cricket caught up with some old friends during his summer season in Norfolk.

The well-known comedian was headlining the Great British Seaside Special at the Princess Theatre when he visited by some of his former Redcoat colleagues from the Butlin’s holiday site in Clacton-on-Sea.

Frankie Whittle and Ernie Shrimp and his wife all went to watch Jimmy’s show in Hunstanton and chat about the old times afterwards (picture above).

Jimmy said: “Frankie, Ernie and I were all at Butlin’s together in the late 1960s, so this was a wonderful reunion and a really nice way to catch up with these long-time friends.”

‘Your radio show is global, so it is’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Your radio show is global, so it is’

Jimmy and SimonJimmy Cricket had a humorous exchange on the social media website Twitter with a showbiz colleague following a chat with his window cleaner.

Rochdale-based and Belfast-born funnyman Jimmy was talking to Simon Leach, whose business is called G Butterworth windows and who is interested in comedy.

Simon told Jimmy he often listens on his travels to different radio broadcasts and one comedian he listens to is William Caulfield whose radio show, It’s William Caulfield, So It Is, is broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster.

Jimmy said: “I am friends with William and have worked with him on a couple of occasions over the course of the past year, so I thought I would send a picture of me and Simon over to William via Twitter to prove his radio show has an international audience!”

The brief Twitter discussion went as follows:

‏@jimmy__cricket: @wecaulfield Just bumped into Simon who lives in Lancashire and who listens to your radio show over here as a podcast pic.twitter.com/x9pF3MobKS

William replied:‏ @jimmy__cricket I’m going to (go) world wide yet!

Flying visit to appear on radio show 150 150 mhamer

Flying visit to appear on radio show
William Caulfield and Jimmy Cricket share a joke

Fellow Northern Irish comics William Caulfield & Jimmy Cricket share a joke at the radio show recording

Jimmy Cricket made a flying visit to Northern Ireland to appear on a show hosted by a fellow Northern Irish entertainer.

The Rochdale-based funnyman featured on the BBC Radio Ulster programme, It’s William Caulfield, So It Is, hosted by the eponymous impressionist and comedian.

Jimmy journeyed over on the day of the recording and flew back to Manchester the next day.

He said: “It was literally a flying visit to appear on the show. I wanted to accept the invite and had a great time with William.”

The programme was broadcast on Saturday 25 April, with the entire series available as a podcast on the BBC website. Each episode is recorded in front of a live studio audience at Blackstaff House.

It’s William Caulfield, So It Is 150 150 mhamer

It’s William Caulfield, So It Is

Jimmy and Fiona in front ofl the legendary Europa Hotel Jimmy Cricket was stopped for a photograph as he walked near the legendary Europa Hotel in his birth city of Belfast.

The famous comedian, who has lived in Rochdale for many years, was on Queen Victoria  Street in Belfast when he was asked for a picture with Fiona Burt (above) who then quickly put it on Facebook.

Jimmy was in Belfast to take part in the radio show, It’s William Caulfield, So It Is, for BBC Radio Ulster which stars local North Ireland comedian William Caulfield.

The show will be broadcast in April and while Jimmy was out and about in central Belfast – not too far away from the studio – he was grabbed by Fiona for this photo.

Jimmy said: “It was a real thrill to appear on William’s programme as I have followed his career over the years.

“The show was recorded in front of a live studio audience at Blackstaff House and I wish William and the production team all the best with the remaining episodes of the series.”

More details on William can be found at http://www.williamcaulfield.co.uk

Working with Shane Richie 30 years ago 150 150 mhamer

Working with Shane Richie 30 years ago

Jimmy Cricket and the band at Pontins on the Isle of WightJimmy Cricket was recently reminded of the days when he worked at a Pontins holiday village where fellow TV star Shane Richie was the entertainments manager!

Terri Gardner, who worked with Jimmy in the early 1980s, sent the photo above via a Facebook message.

The picture features Terri and her partner, Ron, and the rest of their band alongside Jimmy at the Pontins holiday village called Little Canada on the Isle of Wight back in 1983.

Jimmy said: “Actually the band worked with me a few times that year and the really interesting fact associated with this holiday village during the same year was that the entertainments manager was none other than Shane Richie!”

Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, well-known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.