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Jimmy appears live on television 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy appears live on television
Daybreak presenter Gethin Jones (left) with Billy Fury tribute act Colin Gold (centre) and Jimmy

Daybreak presenter Gethin Jones (left) with Billy Fury tribute act Colin Gold (centre) and JimmyCricket

Jimmy Cricket returned to the “small screen” today.

The famous Irish comedian,  who has made many television appearances over the past few decades and had his own series on Central Television in the mid-1980s called And There’s More, appeared live on ITV’s breakfast show, Daybreak.

Alongside him were fellow entertainers in Sentimental Journey, the family extravaganza running at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, East Sussex, from 1 May to 26 September.

Jimmy said: “Today the Olympic Torch journeyed through the town of Eastbourne.

“Daybreak had both weather and magazine inserts broadcast live from the resort to mark not only the torch event, but to also feature the British seaside resort as we head into the school summer holidays.”

The presenter who interviewed Jimmy was Daybreak’s Gethin Jones who was previously on the BBC’s Blue Peter. He joined the breakfast show back in May this year.

Jimmy, who told a couple of jokes live on air, was introduced by Gethin as “the legend that is Jimmy Cricket”.

Watch Jimmy with Gethin on Daybreak here.

* Performances for Sentimental Journey are at 8.15 each Tuesday and Wednesday night throughout the summer. Tickets cost £12 and £17 – go here for more information.

Jimmy Cricket on ITV's Daybreak with singers Colin Gold and Tracy Lea in Eastbourne

Jimmy Cricket on ITV's Daybreak with singers Colin Gold and Tracy Lea (Connie Francis tribute act)

Down by the Riverside! 150 150 mhamer

Down by the Riverside!
Jimmy with the Riverside resident entertainers: Sarah, Mike, Craig and Lauren

Comedian Jimmy Cricket with the Riverside's resident entertainers who are Sarah, Mike, Craig and Lauren

A holiday village in Southport was a recent port of call for top entertainer Jimmy Cricket.

The Irish comedian headlined a show at the Riverside Holiday Park at the start of July, appearing with the village’s resident company at its main cabaret venue.

The Riverside is owned and run by a family-run company called Harrison Holidays.

It owns three other holiday park locations , including another in the Southport area, plus one near Preston and one in Cumbria.

Jimmy meets campaigning grocer 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy meets campaigning grocer
Jimmy Cricket and Robin Blair with some of the plants Robin donated to Darlington Civic Theatre

Greengrocer Robin Blair shows Jimmy Cricket some of the plants he donated to Darlington Civic Theatre

Jimmy Cricket met a campaigning greengrocer on a recent visit to Darlington where he will be appearing in a stand-up show.

The famous Irish comedian had a walk around the town and chatted to local celebrity Robin Blair, who was recently awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Robin has donated plants to brighten up the Conservatory Bar plaza at the Darlington Civic Theatre and also regularly provides baskets of fruit in the dressing rooms for visiting entertainers.Jimmy and Robin have a chat during a walk around Darlington

The 67-year-old, who has been a grocer for more than 50 years, received the British Empire Medal for his services to the community of Darlington.

Over the years, he has campaigned to keep markets alive and against too many supermarkets taking away their trade.

Robin, who joined his father John Joseph’s stall officially at the age of 15 but had helped out on it since he was seven, said one of the highlights of his job was putting free fruit baskets in the dressing rooms and receiving messages of thanks – including from Ken Dodd.

Jimmy Cricket is returning to the Civic Theatre in Darlington just months after appearing on the same stage as Baron Hardup in a pantomime version of Cinderella.

This time, he will be doing his usual stand-up and is teaming up with fellow comedy legend Mick Miller.

In addition to the Darlington appearance on Wednesday 11 July, the Jimmy and Mick Show tour also includes Preston, Chester, Sheffield, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Tiniest chapel in the world? 150 150 mhamer

Tiniest chapel in the world?
Jimmy and May visited the Little Chapel

Jimmy and May visited The Little Chapel

Comedian Jimmy Cricket and his wife May visited one of the world’s smallest chapels on a visit to Guernsey.

Jimmy was appearing at the Wayside Cheer Hotel on the island in a show promoted by his good friend Ken Smith, whom he has known for some time.

Ken has been promoting shows for years on the island. His favourite venue is the Wayside Cheer Hotel, even to the point where he decided to purchase it as a going concern when it went up for sale a couple of years ago.

Jimmy and May stayed for a few days at the Wayside Cheer Hotel after the show and had a terrific time on the island.

Jimmy performed in the function room at the Wayside Cheer Hotel

Function room at the Wayside Cheer Hotel

During the visit Jimmy was invited out to lunch by Carol Carlile. Carol wanted to show her appreciation to him as a thank-you for him writing a sympathetic letter to her after the death of her mum, Ivy, in 2010. The letter was read out at Ivy’s funeral.

Jimmy enjoyed eating at the Wayside Cheer Hotel on Guernsey

Jimmy enjoyed eating at the Wayside Cheer Hotel

After lunch, Carol took Jimmy and May on a tour which included The Little Chapel on Guernsey.

The official website for The Little Chapel says: “A work of art and a labour of love, The Little Chapel is possibly the smallest chapel in the world.

“It was built by Brother Déodat who started work in March 1914. His plan was to create a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. Guardianship of The Little Chapel now rests with Blanchelande Girls College which is run by a Charitable Trust.

“The Little Chapel is beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china and the College has an ongoing programme of repairs and improvements.”

A torchlight procession at The Little Chapel takes place at dusk on the Feast of the Assumption and the Stations of the Cross are said on the first Monday in May each year.

Jimmy and May with Carol Carlile and her husband Mark

Jimmy and May with Carol Carlile and her husband Mark

From Cinders to stand-up 150 150 mhamer

From Cinders to stand-up

Comedy legends Mick Miller and Jimmy Cricket to team up in Darlington

Comedian Jimmy Cricket is returning to the Civic Theatre in Darlington – just months after appearing on the same stage as Baron Hardup in a pantomime version of Cinderella.

This time around, Jimmy is down to do his usual stand-up and is teaming up with fellow comedy legend Mick Miller.

Jimmy enjoyed his time in Darlington so much at Christmas that he could not wait to get back to the civic theatre. When a date was found over the summer, he did not need think twice about it.

He found the Darlington audiences very warm and receptive, and so he now wants to perform the stand-up for which he is famous.

Mick Miller received plenty of praise and plaudits after his appearance in last December’s Royal Command Variety Performance which was broadcast on ITV.

In addition to the Darlington appearance on Wednesday 11 July, the Jimmy and Mick Show tour also includes Preston, Chester, Sheffield and Manchester. It is even down to visit the world-famous Edinburgh Comedy Festival in August.

Jimmy said: “It is a great thrill to be returning to the civic theatre in Darlington after appearing in the theatre’s pantomime last Christmas.

“I am especially excited as people who came to see the panto will now get a chance to see me perform my stand-up.

“Darlington has a great theatre which is really ideal for us comedians as it has an intimate setting that creates a great atmosphere. The evening in question brings together two fine exponents of the arts of comedy and this is a comedy treat that should not be missed.”

Mick said:  “This date in Darlington kicks off mine and Jimmy’s tour together, and I know we are going to have a barrel of laughs over the different dates.

“But I cannot think of a better starting point than Darlington. If you want a giggle or two, then hop down to the civic theatre because with the two of us on stage, it is going to be madcap fun and laughter all the way.”

* Stay up-to-date with all Jimmy Cricket’s forthcoming shows here

‘Promising a night of belly laughs’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Promising a night of belly laughs’
The feature in the North Wales Daily Post by freelance journalist Samuel Evans

The North Wales Daily Post feature by journalist Samuel Evans

A “journey back across the years” awaits Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket on 8 June.

The famous funnyman is appearing at Towyn’s Morton Arms in North Wales next Friday in a show organised by local entertainment entrepreneur Darren Howells.

To mark the event, a feature has been written in the North Wales Daily Post by freelance journalist Samuel Evans.

The story begins…

Jimmy Cricket, renowned for his funny hat, his wellies on the wrong feet and of course letters from his Mammy, is packing his bags ready for a trip to North Wales this summer and a journey back across the years.

“The times might have changed since the 80s but I have embraced everything into my act,” he said. “What you get now is the Jimmy Cricket take on things, and of course I’ll have a letter from my Mammy.”

Full of his favourite material, Jimmy is promising a night of belly laughs when he takes the mic at Towyn’s Morton Arms in June.

Read the full article here

Irish comedian in the headlines… 150 150 mhamer

Irish comedian in the headlines…

Jimmy Cricket in Eastbourne

Jimmy Cricket’s appearance in a family entertainment extravaganza at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, East Sussex, this summer has hit the headlines.

The loveable Irish comedian features in two big stories about the show.

One is on the Eastbourne Herald website and here is an excerpt from the article:

Over the last few years Eastbourne has begun to finally shake free of its historic tag as a pensioner’s paradise but this summer one corner of the Sunshine Coast will be proudly plonking itself well and truly inside a time warp.

Having opened way back in 1883, the Royal Hippodrome Theatre has played host to stars of the stage as diverse as Peter Sellers, Ken Dodd, Vera Lynn and even escape artists extraordinaire Harry Houdini.

But despite surviving an unfair roasting from Sir Bruce Forsyth, who publicly laid into the venue’s facilities during an interview – he was starring at the Hippodrome when he was called up to compere at the London Palladium – the much-loved theatre has fallen on hard times.

Where once it staged regular shows, attracting sell-out crowds of more than 1,000 all year round, now the bill is limited to the summer months and played out in front of audiences which are often far more modest.

This summer though, the powers that be are hoping for a return to the halcyon days of yesteryear as the venue once again gears up for its summer variety show – the longest running of its type anywhere in the UK.

A Sentimental Journey kicks off on May 1 and runs all the way up until the end of September and boasts an array of acts ready to tread the boards in what promises to be a fun-filled and nostalgia twinged trip back to the 1950s and 60s – a time when variety ruled the world and places like the Hippodrome attracted the biggest stars in the businesses.

The line-up includes a Billy Fury tribute act who blossomed after an appearance on hit TV show Stars in Their Eyes and a team of show time dancers who will no doubt high kick their way through some of the popular numbers from yesteryear.

Comperes Barry Moon and Mike Lee will keep things ticking over with their mix of conversation and comedy while Tracey Lea appears as the much-loved Connie Francis.

Top of the bill and very much the main attraction though is a man perhaps best known for his letters from his mammy and an inability to tell his left from his right.

Jimmy Cricket in Eastbourne

Jimmy Cricket has been charming crowds since first stepping onto a Butlins stage as a 18-year-old red coat back in 1966. England may have been winning the World Cup, but over the sea in the small Irish town of Mosney a young comic was developing a winning formula which would carry him through the next four decades and see him leave an indelible print on the comedy consciousness of all who saw him.

Read the full story here

And Jimmy is also mentioned prominently in a feature on Whatsonstage.com, which says it is “Britain’s biggest and best theatre and performing arts website”.

The story is about Eastbourne’s Royal Hippodrome opening its doors again May with a five-month run of a new summer season show called Sentimental Journey – in which Jimmy will be starring.

Here is a section from the story:

The summer show, which is being produced to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, is a family variety show appropriately called Sentimental Journey. This will take you on a journey back to the time of the coronation (1953) with Stars in Their Eyes contestants Colin Gold as Billy Fury and Tracy Lea, as Connie Francis. The show will also have its own Show Time Dancers and alternating compères Barry Moon and Mike Lee. Headlining is a man who has been described as “one of the greatest front of tabs comedians” and family favourite, Jimmy Cricket.

I had an opportunity to talk to Jimmy about the show and the theatre in which it plays.

“This is the Cinderella theatre in Eastbourne and the fact that it could have closed makes me weep. I’ve gone out on a limb sometimes, when I see other theatres closing, and I have had irate letters back from some councillors asking why I am butting in, but I can’t just stand by and watch them go under.

“I was here three or four years ago. I stood in for Syd Little for a few nights in the summer when he had other commitments, and when I had the greasepaint on and I got the smell of the theatre in my nostrils I knew I wanted to come back. It’s wonderful to be here for a real summer season, with a time-honoured and classic variety show.”

Read the full story here

Photos on this page supplied by Peter Gurr

Jimmy and the rest of the Eastbourne show entertainers

Jimmy and the rest of the Eastbourne show entertainers