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Christmas CD

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, folks! 150 150 mhamer

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, folks!

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas card features new US president Donald TrumpDear readers,

I cannot believe 2016 is coming to an end and the Christmas season is once more upon us.

This year has been a fantastic one for me personally as it all started back in January with a service led by the Bishop of Salford to formally award me with my Papal Knighthood.

During the year I have also been fortunate to have:

·         Been involved in some great shows, such as the You Must Be Joking, which toured Northern Ireland back in the spring, and the opening weekend of The Good Old Days autumn season at the world-famous City Varieties Theatre in Leeds

·         Made a couple of appearances alongside my friend Tony Crane and the iconic 60s band The Merseybeats

·         Had trips to Spain to appear in some lovely venues around the Costa Blanca region

·         Paid visits to the Warner Leisure sites at Nidd Hall in Harrogate and Bembridge on the Isle of Wight

·         Did a spring season at the Lyndene Hotel in Blackpool

·         Continued to write a monthly column in the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post

·         And managed, at long last, to launch a new Christmas CD for the Francis House Children’s Hospice – a project I’ve been wanting to get off the ground for a couple of years. As I write this, I am nearing sales of more than 1,300 from this year’s festive period.

This Christmas I am at the White Rose Theatre in Leeds featuring in a panto production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

And then when we get into 2017, I immediately fly off to Tenerife for an appearance there early in the New Year!

And there’s more…

… Other highlights for 2017 include a return to the Benidorm Palace in March alongside Gerry and the Pacemakers; another residency back at the Lyndene Hotel in Blackpool over the winter, spring and the autumn; teaming up with my pals from  show band group Clubsound for a night in Northern Ireland In April; a visit to the Wayside Cheer Hotel in Guernsey over the Easter weekend; a voyage with Cruise & Maritime Voyages around the Faroe Islands in July; and plenty more to keep me out of mischief!

If you see me advertised at any venue near you in 2017, please do come along and say ‘Hi’!

That reminds me… can I thank all those who over the last year have either seen one of my shows, or browsed this website, or bought one of my CDs or DVDs.

All that remains for me to say, dear readers, is have a happy Christmas and a great start to the New Year!

Jimmy Cricket's signature

Charity Christmas CD and Snow White panto treat 150 150 mhamer

Charity Christmas CD and Snow White panto treat

Jimmy Cricket's column in the Lancashire Evening PostJimmy Cricket has been looking back in his latest newspaper column on his recent visit to a top shopping centre – and looking ahead to the pantomime he is starring in, which starts tonight (8 December).

Jimmy’s promotion of his new charity Christmas CD continued at the Intu Trafford Centre on the outskirts of Manchester.

Jimmy Cricket’s new Christmas CD is in aid of the Francis House Children’s Hospice

The popular 71-year-old comedian was invited to perform some tracks from the CD, entitled Santa bring my wellies back to me,  on the stage area of the Orient section of the mall.

Volunteers and staff from the Francis House Children’s Hospice – the very worthy cause Jimmy’s CD is in aid of – were also present.

In his December column for the Lancashire Evening Post, Jimmy says: “I had a very enjoyable time doing my couple of numbers up on the stage and then rushing down to the stall to help our wonderful volunteers sell CDs for those who wanted to take home the experience.”

* The new charity Christmas CD is available to buy from this website through a PayPal facility or in person directly from the hospice.

‘Mouth-watering treat for all ages’

Jimmy will play the Court Jester in the classic fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the White Rose Theatre in Leeds City centre from 8 December to 1 January.

The White Rose Theatre is a new 1,400-seater arena, erected in a large marquee complex located within the premises of the Tetley contemporary arts gallery and near the city’s main train station.

This first evening performance on Friday 9 December will be a special charity preview of the show, where three local charities will stand to benefit greatly as all ticket sales will be shared out between them.

The panto also features reality TV celebrity Scotty T, who won this year’s Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5 and will play the role of Prince Charming.

Actors Louis Emerick (from Last of the Summer Wine and Brookside fame) and Tupele Dorgu (who has featured in Coronation Street and Hollyoaks) will play the roles of the Royal Tax Collector and the Wicked Queen respectively.

And there will be cameo performances from children’s TV programme Rainbow’s George and Zippy, plus a recorded sequence starring Jimmy’s very good friend and fellow comedian Ken Dodd.

In his Lancashire Evening Post column , Jimmy says:  “This year we’ll have the new heartthrob from television Scotty T as the Prince.

“Also Geoffrey and Zippy from Rainbow will be helping me to give the wicked queen her comeuppance and we’ll even have the great Ken Dodd appear on video within the magic mirror.

“Yes, a mouth-watering treat for all ages.”

* The show will run from 8 December 2016 to 1 January 2017 and tickets are now on sale –  visit www.whiterosetheatre.com or ring 0113 870 7769.

Jimmy Cricket will star in a pantomime production of the classic fairytale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Leeds over Christmas and New Year

Christmas CD visit to Trafford Centre shines spotlight on Francis House Children’s Hospice 150 150 mhamer

Christmas CD visit to Trafford Centre shines spotlight on Francis House Children’s Hospice

Jimmy Cricket with the St Patrick's RC school choir

Jimmy Cricket’s promotion of his new charity Christmas CD continued with a recent visit to the prestigious Intu Trafford Centre on the outskirts of Manchester.

The popular 71-year-old comedian was invited to to perform some tracks from the CD, entitled Santa bring my wellies back to me,  on the stage area of the Orient section of the mall.

Brian and Maxine Warner

Jimmy Cricket outside the Intu Trafford Centre near ManchesterIt was all arranged by the Trafford Centre’s Community Development manager, Charlotte Brown, who was a tremendous help in getting Jimmy’s visit off the ground.

Accompanying Jimmy on the stage of the Trafford Centre were other singers who helped him record his Christmas CD earlier in the year.

This included members of the St Patrick’s RC Primary School Choir from Jimmy’s hometown of Rochdale. They were superbly supported by not only their choir leaders, but also their head of school and executive head, along with a large group of parents who came to cheer on their performance at the Trafford Centre.

The cast was completed by Brian and Maxine Warner (above left) – who used to be the lead singers of one of the UK’s top corporate bands called Lemon Tree – and Jimmy’s wife, May Marion.

Volunteers and staff from the Francis House Children’s Hospice – the very worthy cause Jimmy’s CD is in aid of – were also present.

Jimmy said: “I was very pleased with the visit as not only was there a steady flow of CD sales throughout, but most importantly the whole exercise granted an invaluable spotlight on the hospice and its invaluable work.”

* The new charity Christmas CD is available to buy from this website through a PayPal facility or in person directly from the hospice.

Ken Dodd, Christmas CD and those stolen wellies 150 150 mhamer

Ken Dodd, Christmas CD and those stolen wellies

Jimmy Cricket's column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket has been talking about his long-time friend and comedy legend Ken Dodd – and the concrete wellington boots stolen from his back garden four years ago.

Ken had given the wellies to Rochdale-based entertainer Jimmy as a 50th birthday present, but they vanished overnight and have not been seen since.

As well as featuring catchphrases like “come closer!” and “…and there’s more!” in his act, Northern Irishman Jimmy is also famous for wearing wellingtons marked with the letters R and L, but on the wrong feet, on stage.

In his latest column for the Lancashire Evening Post, Jimmy recalls the moment he reported the theft.

“The lady at the police station desk could hardly keep a straight face as she wrote down my description of the stolen items – a pair of grey concrete wellington boots with the inscription: ‘To Jimmy from Ken, lots of happiness.'”

Jimmy, 71, says that even though he got a replacement pair of wellies off eBay – again signed by Ken – he would still like the originals back – as illustrated in the title of his new new charity Christmas CD, Santa bring my wellies back to me.

Of his friendship with Ken, Jimmy says: “Even today Ken is enthralling audiences with his five and six-hour marathon shows.

“There’ll never be another and I’m proud to call him my friend.”

* Jimmy’s charity Christmas CD  is available to buy from this website through a PayPal facility or in person directly from the Francis House Children’s Hospice.

Trafford Centre near Manchester is venue for Christmas CD promotion 150 150 mhamer

Trafford Centre near Manchester is venue for Christmas CD promotion
Several BBC radio chats scheduled for November 150 150 mhamer

Several BBC radio chats scheduled for November
Christmas CD for charity is now officially on sale 150 150 mhamer

Christmas CD for charity is now officially on sale

Children from St Patrick's RC Primary School in Rochdale sang at the concert

Jimmy Cricket has officially launched his new charity CD for Christmas 2016.

The event earlier this month was marked by a mini-concert at the Francis House Children’s Hospice in south Manchester.

It was a fitting venue for the launch of the CD, called Santa bring my wellies back to me,  as all proceeds will be donated to the charity.

The audience was composed of Francis House volunteers and parents of some of the children who are cared for by the organisation.

The evening started with a buffet followed by the mini-concert. For this, famous entertainer Jimmy – who has just turned 71 – was joined on stage by some of the other singers who feature on the CD, namely the choir from St Patrick’s RC Primary School in Rochdale and his wife, the female vocalist May Marion.

All 10 songs from the new CD were performed and all were well-received, with a particular warm reaction granted to the signature track, which Jimmy performed alongside the choir, and also for the novelty song, No one wants Wilbur (the turkey).

There was also an opportunity for the choir (pictured top) to sing a track on their own and they chose One bright star from their Christmas repertoire.

Jimmy, pictured below performing one of the songs, said: “The choir not only sang superbly, but they behaved impeccably and their mere enthusiastic presence gave everybody at the concert a lift.”

After the event, copies of the CD were available to be bought and nearly 200 have already been sold – this without a Christmas illumination or decoration in sight!

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas CD is now officially on sale

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