Posts Tagged :

The X Factor

X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, The McCoys rock band and a nostalgic return to the 1970s 150 150 mhamer

X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, The McCoys rock band and a nostalgic return to the 1970s

Such a great night, lastnight at Porthcawl's Trecco Bay Holiday Park's Golden Ticket Event, with the incredibly funny comedy legend Jimmy Cricket and the fabulous soulful vocalist and X Factor winner Steve Brookstein. Thanks to Kelly and her staff for their hospitality and to the fab crowd for packing the dancefloor!!

Jimmy Cricket had a trip down memory lane this weekend as he was taken back more than 40 years.

The popular Northern Irish comedian did a show at the Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Porthcawl, South Wales, where he first performed in 1976.

Along on the bill were sixties US rock group The McCoys, who are best known for their 1965 hit Hang on Sloopy.

The band posted on Facebook: “Such a great night, last night at Porthcawl’s Trecco Bay Holiday Park‘s Golden Ticket Event, with the incredibly funny comedy legend Jimmy Cricket and the fabulous soulful vocalist and X Factor winner Steve Brookstein.

“Thanks to Kelly and her staff for their hospitality and to the fab crowd for packing the dancefloor!!”

 

Dancing on Ice winner in Benidorm Palace show 150 150 mhamer

Dancing on Ice winner in Benidorm Palace show

Wonderful show tonight @Benidorm_palace with organiser and Compère and artist @steviespit and Company

Reality TV star Jack Quickenden also took to the stage when Jimmy Cricket made his latest appearance at the famous Benidorm Palace.

Well-known entertainer Jimmy has performed at the venue in the Alicante region of Spain several times over the past few years and his latest visit there was on Sunday 23 September.

Jimmy, 72, posted on Twitter: “Wonderful show tonight with organiser and Compère and artist and Company with the huge vocal talent of alongside the great guitarist, singer songwriter talent of

Jake, an English singer and reality television personality, later tweeted a video of him performing at the Palace with the words: “Little snippet of “afraid to be lonely” last night in Benidorm, great crowd and great gig for two amazing causes.”

He was a contestant on the ninth and 11th series of The X Factor in 2012 and 2014, before being runner-up in series 14 of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! four years ago.

Earlier this year, he won the 10th series of Dancing on Ice,  partnering professional German figure skater Vanessa Bauer.

He was a contestant on the ninth and 11th series of The X Factor in 2012 and 2014, before being runner-up in series 14 of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! four years ago. Earlier this year, he won the 10th series of Dancing on Ice,  partnering professional German figure skater Vanessa Bauer.

Johnny Vegas to also feature in film 150 150 mhamer

Johnny Vegas to also feature in film

Johnny Vegas is appearing in the Womble film

Famous actor and comedian Johnny Vegas is to appear in the Womble movie, which is being filmed on location in North Wales and also features entertainer Jimmy Cricket. 

St Helens-born Johnny is well known for his appearances in the hit ITV comedy drama Benidorm and also for popping up in adverts for tea brand PG Tips with a stuffed puppet monkey!

His addition to the cast is another major coup for the people behind Womble the movie, as it also includes top comedian Jimmy, 69, who will play himself as a talent contest judge.

The film is about a man called Aloysius Rupert Womble (played by actor and comedian Tom Spencer), who is in his 30s and living with Asperger’s Syndrome in a typical seaside resort town.

Children and adults affected by Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviours.

Aloysius’s dream is to become a stand-up comedian. The film is a week-long snapshot of his life as he goes through the trials of living with a cognitive disorder, while dealing with the injustices forced upon him by society and parts of his community.

Over the seven-day period he prepares for the biggest night of his life – a talent show in his local pub.

The film will feature songs from the Beautiful South’s former lead singer Briana Corrigan and American Pie star Thomas Nicholas, as well as a string of original songs written by songwriters especially for the movie.

My movie debut – as a dream maker 150 150 mhamer

My movie debut – as a dream maker

Jimmy Cricket's column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket says he is looking forward to his role as a talent show judge on his  forthcoming silver screen debut.

But the famous veteran entertainer insists he will not be like Simon Cowell in The X Factor, telling readers of the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post in his monthly column he will be a “dream maker, not a dream breaker”.

Womble, one of the biggest independent movies to be made in North Wales, is being shot over the summer and will be set for release in 2016.

It is about a man called Aloysius Rupert Womble (played by actor and comedian Tom Spencer) who is in his 30s and living with Asperger’s Syndrome in a typical seaside resort town.

Children and adults affected by Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviours.

Aloysius’s dream is to become a stand-up comedian. The film is a week-long snapshot of his life as he goes through the trials of living with a cognitive disorder, while dealing with the injustices forced upon him by society and parts of his community.

Over the seven-day period he prepares for the biggest night of his life – a talent show in his local pub.

Jimmy says in the Lancashire Evening Post: “Hopefully, the film will be shown in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival.”

Teaching a fellow showbiz star to juggle 150 150 mhamer

Teaching a fellow showbiz star to juggle
Jimmy Cricket has been teaching Ray Quinn how to juggle

Jimmy Cricket has been teaching Ray Quinn how to juggle

Veteran Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket has been giving juggling lessons to actor, dancer and singer Ray Quinn.

The pair appeared in the pantomime Cinderella at the Darlington Civic Theatre which finished on Sunday 15 January.

Jimmy, who played Baron Hardup, said he enjoyed working with all the cast during the six-week showing of the panto.

“We got Cinderella to the ball!” laughed Jimmy this week.

“I have found a great friend in Ray Quinn and you can see me teaching him to juggle on YouTube.”

The juggling video can also be found on the homepage here on Jimmy’s website and on Ray’s own official site.

Jimmy added: “There must have been about 65 panto shows in all as there were often two a day. It was very intensive but thoroughly enjoyable.”

Ray Quinn, who was Prince Charming in the Darlington panto, is engaged to theatre star Emma Stephens who played Cinderella.

They first met when they starred together in Grease in London’s West End several years ago.

Former Brookside actor Ray shot to fame when he finished runner-up to Leona Lewis in the 2007 series of The X Factor and two years later he won ITV’s Dancing on Ice with professional ice skater Maria Filippov.

“Ray’s a good-looking guy. He’s got a terrific voice and dances very well too. I think he could very easily become the next Michael Bublé [Canadian singer and actor]. Ray, Emma and the rest of the cast were great working colleagues,” said Jimmy.

View a musical slideshow of Jimmy and his fellow panto stars on his YouTube channel.

Jimmy and his wife May have just moved house though they still live in Rochdale.

He explained: “We have downsized but only gone around the corner to a lovely cottage overlooking Healey Dell Nature Reserve.”

“The move means we have been offline for a while and have fallen a bit behind with our email and Facebook, but I can assure everybody that they will receive replies to their queries and orders in the next few weeks.”