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My Basil Brush TV sketch never shown on TV! 150 150 mhamer

My Basil Brush TV sketch never shown on TV!

Hi folks! Here's the true story about the sketch I did with the wonderful Basil Brush back in the 1980s that was edited out of the show, for reasons beyond our control! That's Showbiz! #sketchshows

Jimmy Cricket did a TV sketch with Basil Brush in the 1980s – but it was never broadcast.

The popular Northern Irish comic has told readers of the Lancashire Evening Post why the comedy piece did not make it on to the small screen.

Jimmy recalled the story in his latest LEP column.

He posted on social media: “Hi folks! Here’s the true story about the sketch I did with the wonderful @realbasilbrush back in the 1980s that was edited out of the show, for reasons beyond our control!

“That’s Showbiz! #sketchshows”.

Basil Brush is a fictional red fox, best known for his appearances on daytime British children’s television since the 1960s.

In his column, Jimmy said: “One of my favourite jokes of Basil Brush is when the late, great actor Derek Fowlds as his sidekick picks up a book and says: ‘And now Basil, I’m going to read the story of ‘The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe’.

“And Basil retorts: ‘Poor ole soul!’  Then he’s straight in with his hearty laugh and memorable catch phrase, “boom! boom!”.

Excitement

“I‘d always loved Basil from the first time I saw him on TV.

“He had that rare gift of appealing to children and grown-ups alike with his posh voice and impeccable delivery.

“So, you can imagine my excitement when I’m offered my own television series in the mid-eighties and the wise-cracking Fox is to be one of my guests.

“On the first day of rehearsals, I met the man who both created and portrayed Basil – Ivan Owen.

“Ivan was a friendly, unassuming man and, when I was introduced to him, I broke the ice by saying that although Jim Henson’s Muppets had become immensely popular by that time, there was still a place in the nation’s heart for his lovable mischievous creation.

“He politely thanked me and we headed to the nearest café for a cup of tea.

“Basil’s posh upper crust accent I later found out was based on the great English comedy actor and star of the silver screen, Terry Thomas.

Razor-sharp wit

“The glove puppet was made by a top craftsman in that field called Peter Firmin.”

“After we had a run-through with the script, we both headed back to our respective hotels to brush up on our lines.

“The next day we were in the studio and that’s where Ivan really came into his own.

“Clipping the microphone to something resembling a crown and placing it snugly on his head, he climbed underneath the table, put his hand into the glove puppet and, hey presto, up popped a totally believable fox with a razor-sharp wit.

“It was at about 6pm that night when the producer Tony Wolf dropped the bombshell that the electricians would be taking industrial action.

“It would mean we wouldn’t have a studio audience for the show that night.

“He could still shoot and record the two singers, the wonderful Dana and the late great Lena Zavaroni, but would understand if myself and Ivan didn’t want to perform the sketch.

“He also asked me if I would meet the audience members in the Green Room, have a drink with them and apologise for having to send them home which I duly did.

“After chatting with Ivan in his dressing room, we both agreed to perform the sketch that night anyway to an empty studio.

“Of course, we performed like the place was full, but a comedy sketch needs laughter like a Panda needs bamboo shoots, so it was no surprise when a few days later Tony the producer said he was going to edit the sketch out of the final cut.

“So, there you have its folks, I did a sketch with Basil Brush and the only people who saw it were a technical crew in an empty studio.”

Also read: Visit from Theo the Mouse and Wendy

Dana, Ken Morley and the late Frank Carson feature in nostalgic Twitter post 150 150 mhamer

Dana, Ken Morley and the late Frank Carson feature in nostalgic Twitter post

One of the photos included Jimmy Cricket and Frank Carson

Jimmy Cricket and the late Frank Carson were among several celebrities featured in a social media post recently.

The message on Twitter included several photographs and said: “When visited Ross’s Court, Belfast, 25 yrs ago, with Frank Carson, Dana, Gerry Anderson, Mary peters and ken Morley (Reg from coronation street).”

Northern Ireland comedy legend Frank Carson passed away in early 2012.

Jimmy Cricket, Dana and the late Frank Carson featured in the Tweet

Catching up again with iconic Irish singer Dana 150 150 mhamer

Catching up again with iconic Irish singer Dana

Dana with husband DamianJimmy Cricket teamed up again with old friend and legendary Irish singer Dana for this year’s Northern Catholic Conference at Liverpool Hope University.

The famous comedian was scheduled to contribute to the conference programme on the Saturday evening, which traditionally has been devoted to a lighter and more relaxed occasion.

What made Jimmy’s visit to Liverpool even more special this time was the fact that also taking part in the line-up was his good friend Dana, who shot to fame as a teenager by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with All Kinds of Everything for Ireland in 1970.

Jimmy Cricket performs

Dana was asked to fly over from her home in Galway to take part in the conference by Jimmy’s son, Fr Frankie Mulgrew, one of the organisers and pictured below talking to the audience.

It made the Saturday night quite a double header of light entertainment featuring Jimmy and Dana.

Jimmy said: “I enjoyed catching up with Dana and her husband, Damian [both are pictured above right], and hope it won’t be too long before I work with her again!”

Fr Frank Mulgrew

Priest with ‘show business in his blood’ 150 150 mhamer

Priest with ‘show business in his blood’

Irish World article is about Jimmy Cricket's second son, Fr Frankie Mulgrew

The Irish World newspaper has featured a special article about Jimmy Cricket’s second son, newly ordained priest Fr Frankie Mulgrew.

It appeared in the 8 March edition of the Irish World, which is one of the main newspapers serving the Irish community in the UK.

The Irish World newspaper has featured a special article about Jimmy Cricket's second son, newly ordained priest Fr Frankie Mulgrew

Fr Frankie, who was ordained to the Roman Catholic Church last summer, and his famous entertainer-dad can be seen on page 3 of the newspaper.

The article was written by Jimmy’s friend Gerry Molumby who lives in Nottingham and reports on how Jimmy is incredibly proud of his son, Frankie, becoming a priest.

Fr Frankie  – a regular entertainer before he was ordained – is described as having “more than a little show business in his blood”.

It also provides some details about where he is currently undertaking his ministry – at the Parish of Our Lady of the Valley in East Lancashire.

The ordination service took place at Salford Cathedral on the afternoon of Saturday 13 July 2013 and was presided over by the Rt Rev Bishop Terence Brain – Bishop of Salford – and in the presence of the Rt Rev Mark Davis, Bishop of Shrewsbury.

It was a joint ordination as Frankie’s friend, Nathan Horne, was also ordained to the priesthood and so the cathedral was packed with nearly 800 people in attendance.

Fr Frankie’s first Mass was at St Vincent’s RC Church in Norden, Rochdale, the following day.

Heard the one about the comic who… 150 150 mhamer

Heard the one about the comic who…

The Manchester Evening News featured the story about Frankie Mulgrew's ordinationFrankie Mulgrew’s ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood has received plenty of publicity in the media.

The 35-year-old younger son of Irish-born and Rochdale-based entertainer Jimmy Cricket became a priest this summer and among newspapers and websites to provide coverage of the special event was the Manchester Evening News which printed a news article (above).

It included quotes from Fr Frankie who says he used to drive comedian Peter Kay to shows.

Frankie, who has been a stand-up comedian in his own right, says one of his first parts in show business was “playing the back end of a cow at the Belfast Opera House”.

The newly ordained priest, whose stage name was Frankie Doodle, has compiled and edited a book called Does God LOL? (LOL is internet slang for Laugh Out Loud), which went on sale recently.

Ken Dodd, Ricky Tomlinson, Tim Vine, Jo Brand, Milton Jones and the late Frank Carson are among the famous showbiz names to have contributed to the book, which is priced at £7.99 or less (and is available at all good bookshops and websites, including Amazon).

Special thanks at Fr Frankie’s first Mass 150 150 mhamer

Special thanks at Fr Frankie’s first Mass

Fr Frankie hugs his dad Jimmy Cricket after dedicating his book, Does God LOL?, to himFather Frankie Mulgrew had a special present for his dad Jimmy Cricket, the famous entertainer, when he celebrated his first Mass as a Roman Catholic priest.

Fr Frankie Mulgrew celebrates his first Mass

Having been ordained at Salford Cathedral the previous day, Fr Frankie said his first Mass at St Vincent’s RC Church in Norden, Rochdale, where has been based for several years.

During the Mass, Fr Frankie – hugging his dad and thanking him for all he has done for him (picture above) – presented him with a special gift as a token of his gratitude… a copy of the book entitled Does God LOL?

Liz Dawn (who played Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street) talks to Frankie's friend Liz Creagh after the service. Liz was at both the ordination and the First Mass and Frankie was really thrilled she came to both eventsFrankie has compiled the book, which develops a theme around whether God has a sense of humour with the help of well-known contributors including Tim Vine, Ricky Tomlinson and Jo Brand.

He dedicated it to his father who said he had no idea this was going to happen.

Among the hundreds of people who attended the packed service at St Vincent’s was Liz Dawn, Lord David Alton, who has been a great guiding light for Frankie Mulgrew, reads the first reading at the Masswho played Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street.

Above, she is pictured talking to another of Frankie’s friends, Liz Creagh, after the service.

Liz Dawn was at both the ordination and the first Mass, and Frankie said he was really thrilled she had attended both events.

Lord David AltonFr Frankie Mulgrew leaves church after saying his first Mass as a Catholic priest, who has been a great guiding light for Frankie, read the first reading at the Mass (above).

A buffet was held after Fr Frankie’s first Mass at St Vincent’s Parish Centre, which is just yards from the church.

The ordination service, on Saturday 13 July, was presided over by the Rt Rev Bishop Terence Brain – Bishop of Salford – and in the presence of the Rt Rev Mark Davis, Bishop of Shrewsbury.

It was a joint ordination as Frankie’s friend, Nathan Horne, was also ordained to the priesthood and so the cathedral was packed with nearly 800 people in attendance.

* All photos courtesy of Graham Sivills from Norden Studio

View more photos from this special occasion here

Fr Frankie Mulgrew celebrates his first Mass

Father Frankie makes mum & dad very proud 150 150 mhamer

Father Frankie makes mum & dad very proud
Jimmy Cricket and his wife, May, were invited to robe their son, Frankie, for his ministry as a priest in the Catholic Church

Jimmy Cricket and his wife, May, were invited to robe their son, Frankie, for his ministry as a priest in the Catholic Church

Jimmy Cricket had a very proud paternal moment when his second son, Frankie, was ordained a Catholic priest in an ordination service at Salford Cathedral.

The service on the afternoon of Saturday 13 July was presided over by the Rt Rev Bishop Terence Brain – Bishop of Salford – and in the presence of the Rt Rev Mark Davis, Bishop of Shrewsbury.

It was a joint ordination as Frankie’s friend, Nathan Horne, was also ordained to the priesthood and so the cathedral was packed with nearly 800 people in attendance.

Frankie's sisters, Jamie and Katie, sang a reflection during the ordination service

Frankie’s sisters, Jamie and Katie, sang a reflection during the ordination

The service was a very memorable one for many reasons, including the fact that the music and singing were provided by both a cathedral choir and a brass band.

Jimmy and his wife, May, helped to robe their younger son for his ministry as a priest.

And their two daughters, Jamie and Katie, sang a reflection during the service.

View more photos from this special occasion here

Apart from family and friends, there were guests present from the world of entertainment: the actress Suranne Jones (ex-Coronation Street) read the first reading and the singer Dana, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970 – sang the Psalm.

Also present was Don Maclean, Liz Dawn (who played Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street), Tim Vine, Lord David Alton, Mick Ferry, Alfie Joey, actor Malcolm Dixon and Stu Francis.

* All photos courtesy of Graham Sivills from Norden Studio

Fr Frankie at the end of the service as a member of the clergy

Fr Frankie at the end of the service as a member of the clergy

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