The Ballad of Wallis Island

Jimmy Cricket is having a break from performing until later this year.

The Northern Irish entertainer said he was taking a “ittle sabbatical for health reasons”.

He added: “I hope to catch up with you all via live performances (as I am missing the warmth of your laughter) in the autumn of 2026!”

Jimmy remembers two great comedians, Billy Dainty and Ken Goodwin, in one of his recent newspaper columns.

Here is Jimmy’s full column in the Lancashire Evening Post in April:

Recently readers, I noticed a few lumps on my head.

I didn’t like them at first, but they grew on me.

So the GP sent me to the dermatologist. Dermott sent me to a plastic surgeon.

I was a bit wary at this point because I remembered I’d lent a guy some money a while ago to have a facelift and now I can’t recognise him to get my money back.

However, this plastic surgeon was quite witty and friendly.

In fact, on the day of the operation he sent me a text: “Meet me in the theatre, Jimmy, and I’ll have you in stitches in no time!”

It was a local anaesthetic and I could hear him upstairs crunching away at my napper and I thought: “I need this like I need a hole in the head.”

Blessed

However it all turned out all right – the operation was a success – and Mrs Cricket turned up with a box of biscuits for the medical team, so they could enjoy a well-earned cuppa.

While I was recuperating, I went on to YouTube to remind myself how funny some of the great comedians of the past actually were.

I was blessed to have known some of them and what made them special was the visual element they brought to their comedy – Max Wall’s funny walk, Norman Collier’s Cchicken routine and who can forget Freddie Starr’s amazing appearance at the 1970 Royal Variety Performance when he did those hilarious impressions of 1960s pop stars?

Another comedian who conjures up warm memories when I see him on YouTube is Billy Dainty.

Billy first caught my eye when I saw him doing his eccentric dance routine on the Sunday Night at the London Palladium television show when I was growing up in Northern Ireland.

Many moons later, I actually appeared in two pantos with him when, as dame, Billy played my mother and I played his silly son!

It was near the end of the run of one of those pantomimes at The Theatre Royal Nottingham when Billy was stricken with prostate cancer which took him from us at just 59 years of age.

Funny walk

Not long before his death, I visited him at his home near Guildford in Surrey.

Ever the pro, he jumped out of his bed and shouted: “Look at this Jimmy, I can still do it!” and he did a funny walk all the way to the bathroom – a never-to-be-forgotten moment.

Another comedian who found a new lease of life on YouTube is Ken Goodwin.

Ken first broke through on The Comedians television series.

His silly gags, infectious giggle and catchphrase – settle down now! – endeared him to viewers all over the country.

I’d like to share a quick story about Ken and myself – come closer readers.

I was booked to do Wednesdays through the summer around about the mid-1990s at the idyllic coastal resort of Ilfracombe in North Devon.

The promoter excitedly told me that although Ken was living in semi-retirement in Spain, he was coming over to the UK for that summer and he was pretty sure he could nail him for our show.

Mortified

I could hardly contain my own excitement at working alongside Ken, as I headed to Ilfracombe on the morning of that first Wednesday.

However, that soon turned to shock as I saw the poster for the show outside the theatre.

Splashed along the top, it said “The Jimmy Cricket laughter Show” and at the very bottom, in tiny letters, it said: “Also starring comedian Ken Goodwin.”

I was so mortified, I waited outside the theatre for Ken to turn up so I could explain I had nothing to do with the billing.

My major concern was the fact lookalikes were on the ascendancy during this period and I was worried some audience members would think they were going to see somebody doing a tribute to Ken.

Rightful place

However, when he drove up in front of the theatre with his wife Vicky and I rushed over to apologise, he could see I was visibly upset and told me not to worry.

We both rang the promoter and Ken was given his rightful place on the poster.

Needless to say our Wednesday shows played to sell-out audiences right through the season.

I’d like to recommend a new movie which you can catch on Sky television.

It’s called The Ballad of Wallis Island and it stars Tim Key as a lottery winner who buys his own personal island and books his favourite pop group to come and do a concert for him.

Innocent, gentle fun with eye-catching scenery – what a combination!