Gossip Hoover
We start 2016 with yet more gossip and tittle-tattle from the lives of UK Cabaret subscribers. Read on and devour meaningless morsels on show business people and their bits and bobs.
UK Cabaret subscriber Billy Pearce is, as the Gossip Hoover writes these days, still immersed in pantoland at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford. But with a summer season waiting at The Spa Theatre in Scarborough and a busy schedule of other work, you wouldn’t think that Billy and his lovely wife Kerry would have much time for play. A funny film, broadcast on the dreaded Facebook, from Billy’s home revealed what was in the comedian’s Christmas box. A trendy hover-board was being test-driven by the intrepid Mr Pearce, around his kitchen. I wonder if this great comedian is considering a new opening for his acclaimed cabaret show.
The gorgeous and extremely fragrant Erica Crompton is currently looking for a new operator for the famed Bigfoot dinosaur. Seen recently on meet and greet duty at an event in Blackpool, this creature is definitely not extinct, at least when a tall and strong operator remains in charge of all the gubbins.
Things are happily taking a turn for the better in the home of the much loved Blackpool agents Mal Ford and Jean Parkes. The Gossip Hoover is reliably informed that Mal’s Sunday sing-along sessions have found a vast audience on Facebook. Mal’s crooning at the keyboard has been cheering wife Jean up no end, after a recent fall which incapacitated her somewhat. Hopefully the lovely Jean is now on the mend.
Bonny singer Liam Kelly, represented by UK Cabaret subscribers Angle entertainments, will need a bulging diary now, as he is a daddy. Baby Coran arrived last month and much happy nappy money will be required now for the Kelly clan.
Variety stalwart Andy Eastwood has enjoyed another brush with TV fame, after appearing alongside comedian Frank Skinner on his splendid series The History of Variety. This isn’t the first time that handy Andy has aided Skinner on a small screen project. Let’s hope the wages are good.
Comedian and UK Cabaret writer Johnny Tait and his fellow comedian and UK Cabaret subscriber Stewart Masters must be making far too much money. Both funny-men have experienced the so-called rich man’s affliction of gout lately and have been limping around various stages, whilst manfully and resolutely remaining as funny as ever. Who knows, perhaps gout is not the true source of the malady. Maybe both these busy comics have dropped their wallets on their feet recently?
Yorkshire entertainer Johnny Martell put his hand deep into his pocket on New Year’s-Eve, as his lovely daughter Sammi-Jo and fiancée Michael tied the knot. Yorkshire people are notoriously tight-fisted, but I’m sure that Mr Martell will have been more than generous for his beloved and extremely glamorous offspring.
The brilliant all-round entertainer Mike Carlton has reached the milestone of 35 years since his very first public performance. I wonder if the versatile Mr Carlton is finding the UK winter a little hard-going. Mike lived and worked on the holiday Island of Tenerife for many years, where the mild winters are much kinder then here. Hopefully Mrs Carlton has been shopping for vests etc.
Finally for this month, Peller Artistes agency lynchpin Paul Beardow has seen his debut novel published recently. The book is a detective thriller and definitely worth a look. Presumably the talented Mr B has been dreaming up plotlines, in between finding great tributes acts for Peller clients.
More tittle-tattle next month from The Gossip Hoover.
