SQUARE EYES ON THE GOGGLE BOX
Mark Ritchie reports on a forthcoming show he is working on-stage in, alongside one of the very few comedy entertainers from the mainstream who have found success on the small screen, Crissie Rock. Mark writes:
Mainstream comedians are not generally invited on to the myriad of TV panel shows and comedy quizzes which exist these days. Being invited into a TV format which allow mainstream comedians to perform stand-up is almost unheard of. Aside from the odd few talented interlopers, such as the wonderful Micky Flanagan, the list of non-university types breaking into telly is a very short one, wit opportunities, aside from the dreadfully exploitative Simon Cowell talent vehicles, being virtually nil.
Female comedy stars coming from the mainstream are an even more rare commodity. There are some out there, such as Jo Little and Kelly Rogan, but comedy performers such as these tend to rake in the cash on the cruise ships.
Crissie Rock is a comic who sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. Ms Rock struck gold as part of the hit ITV sit-com Benidorm and she simply has not looked back since. Crissie has long been a favourite on the cabaret scene and her big break endowed her with more than a mere splash of celebrity status. This fine and funny lady was working on-stage in Benidorm long before she hit the jackpot by being cast and featured in the ITV sit-com of the same name, penned by Darren Litton.
Also popping on the Costa and in and out of the cast over the years have been the likes of National treasures such as Matthew Kelly, Sheridan Smith and Nigel Havers.
Other regular cast members have included the late great Yorkshire comedian Bobby Knutt, Geordie actor Tim Healy and some big-hitters from the acting and musical theatre world, such as the divinely perfect Hannah Waddingham and the brilliant Steve Pemberton.
While on business in Spain back in 2019, I was informed that more than the occasional cast booze-up whilst filming had been known. Yorkshire comedian Gary George has been based on the Costa Blanca for years and he owns and run The Carousel Bar, which is just around the corner from the Morgan Tavern, where the interior live entertainment scenes were filmed. Gary himself told me that members of the cast made his venue their own ‘local’.
There is a large-scale event going on in Cheshire next month and for some reason, I have been invited to perform on it. I am the only one on the bill I have never heard of! Included in the line-up is the afore mentioned Crissie Rock and as I have never either met or worked with her, I am sure this will be a night to remember.
The agent promotor and charity fundraiser Barbara Brown is an old friend of mine and she has been the driving force behind this evening, the details of which can be found online on the UK Cabaret website at www.ukcabaret.com
UK Cabaret subscriber and tribute artiste Dani Graham is also included in the starry line-up on the night.
I hope to secure an interview with Ms Rock, which we will bring to these pages in a future issue, so watch this space!
If you would like to contribute an article for this page expressing views on UK-TV, please e-mail the editor at
mark.ritchie@ukcabaret.com
