Grand Holiday

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been fantastic and included a top week spent on holiday in Gran Canaria. I stayed in Playa Del Ingles with a mate of mine for seven days chilling and relaxing in the brilliant sunshine. That is the Canary Islands trade mark. During their last winter the lowest temperature they had was twenty degrees celsius. The trip it is fair to say, did not get off to the greatest of starts though.

Neil Quigley & Andy Holmes
Neil Quigley & Andy Holmes

We were waiting outside my friends house for the taxi to take us to the airport at around three thirty in the morning. When I got a phone call from the driver informing me that he was waiting at Luton Airport. And he was wondering where we were. He had misread his instructions and got the journey the wrong way round. Fair play to the Taxi company though. When they realised the mistake. The owner got up raced over to us and still got us to the airport in plenty of time for our flight. But it was a bit more stress than I was hoping for, right at the start of proceedings. Specially at that time in the morning.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

Thankfully the rest of the journey went very smoothly, great flight and ride from the airport to the hotel. And by one o’clock that day. We were sitting looking out at the sea having a drink. It was the second time I had been to Gran Canaria. And once again I can have no complaints about the weather. While we were there the average temperature during the day was around twenty eight degrees celsius. Which makes a rather nice change from being here at home in England. So therefore I have returned tanned and relaxed from from my time away.

Playa Del Ingles
Playa Del Ingles

Playa Del Ingles roughly translates as the English Beach. Now do not get me wrong I do love England. But it is like no beach I have ever been on in Britain. We have lots of great beaches but the weather, sea and atmosphere are never that hot back home. That said the sea there is a little lively at times. It made paddling in the sea quite a challenge with an occasional battle to stay on your feet and in your costume. Depending on if the tide was coming in or not.

Then right next door are the Maspalomas Dunes. Which are amazing. We went for a very long walk through them and it is like being stranded right out in the middle of a desert. If you do ever go there they are definitely worth a visit. But just be aware that they do actually back on to a nudist beach. So you may see some more sights that you actually bargained for.

Maspalomas Dunes
Maspalomas Dunes

There are lots of Irish Bars around. You could hardly move for them. But as a Quigley this was fine with me and I always made sure I went to at least one or two of them every night, we were there. All the people we met in the resort were really friendly and helpful. We also found this nice beach bar called Sahara. Which during the afternoon had a guy with a guitar playing and singing a variety of cover songs. He was really good. It was great to sit there listening to him.

Although I think he was Spanish and just kind of learnt the English lyrics to each one. Which did lead to a couple of shall we say interesting pronunciation’s of certain words. Our particular favourite was just one word during his version of Matthew Wilder’s Break My Stride. Each time I hear that song in the future it will remind me of this holiday. “I’ve got to keep on mooing”

Daniel the Singer
Daniel the Singer

This weekend it is the Glastonbury Festival from that world famous farm in Pilton, Somerset. While I was working in Yeovil I was lucky enough to be able to go along and experience this magical event for myself. The first time I went it was for the whole weekend from Thursday to Sunday. It was with Robbie Lane a colleague and friend of mine from the radio station. We had backstage passes and got to pitch our tent in the backstage camp site. This is behind the two main stages the Pyramid Stage and the Other Stage.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

There was a bar and cafe there. Plus a special path to get to each of the two big stages. Which meant it was possible to move between them in about ten minutes. Which if you have ever been to the Festival, you know will take normally at least forty minutes. If you are going the public access way there. I had an amazing time and saw so many great performances from lots of different acts and bands including The Waterboys, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Kaiser Chiefs, Artic Monkeys, Killer’s, Paul Weller, The Who, Shirley Bassey, Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers, Arcade Fire and Kasabian to mention but a few. Great times. Even if it did mean sleeping in a tent.

Neil at Glastonbury
Neil at Glastonbury

While we were living back stage for the weekend. As you can imagine we rubbed shoulders with quite a lot of celebrity’s who were there. Just to give a little flavour of what it was like. Here are just some of them Will Young, Mark Owen, Stephen Merchant, Kate Moss, Keith Allen, Harry Enfield, Dara O’Briain, Jo Whiley, Marc Ratcliffe, Phil Jupitus and many many more. It was awesome to be there soaking it all in. The site it is held on is huge and there is so much going on.  You are always going to miss more than you will ever get to see there. Brilliant fun, though.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

The second time I literally just popped along for the Sunday to see Mark Ronson, Neil Diamond, Scouting For Girls and The Verve. I did again have backstage access. So I did make sure I visited the bar area. So I once again got the full VIP Glastonbury experience. I am enjoying this years coverage and watching and listening to as much of it as I can.

I am missing not being there, but not necessarily sleeping in a tent and wading through all that mud. If you have never been and one day get the chance to go. Even if you are not sure if it is your thing or not. Just do it and trust me you will have a great time. I still plan to go to it again at some point in the future.

Ivel Fm
Ivel Fm

As ever I have got a busy week coming up with lots of fun things to do. On Monday I am once again back at the London Studios in Waterloo to see the legend that is Phillip Schofield record a new episode of Mr & Mrs. I am looking forward to it. I really like the awkwardness of that show sometimes. It will be interesting to see which couples are on. And also if there are any answers to the questions that can’t possibly be broadcast so have to be re-done to make them television friendly. I have long admired Mr Schofield, since I grew up watching him present children’s TV from the broom cupboard. So I am very excited about seeing him in action live for the first time. It should be lots of fun and a good evening out.

South Bank London
South Bank London

Being a massive fan of live comedy. I do like to get to as many gigs as possible. So I am off back to the Museum of Comedy to see the excellent James Acaster on Wednesday. He is doing a work in progress show in preparation for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Talking of great live comedy this year’s Tringe Festival kicks off tomorrow night with The Roving Comedy Night. Good luck to the latest batch of trainees. You will all be great and will really enjoy the experience to. I am sure you will all make the teacher the lovely Logan Murray very proud.

I still have such fantastic memories of being part of this myself. It is great that you on your first gig get to perform with a professional comic. Which helps so much and really adds to the excitement. To find out more about this year’s Tringe Festival, just click on the link.  Tringe Festival

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

If you remember a couple of weeks ago I did some filming for the new series of the Sky One show hosted by Lee Mack called Duck Quacks Don’t Echo. Well this coming Friday I am going to the Pinewood Studios to see an episode of the programme being recorded. They have a panel of celebrity’s who argue the case for certain myths or beliefs. Before they then show an experiment that they have carried out to try to prove or disprove the theory. And see if that person is right or not.

I have no idea currently who we be on when I am there. But I am a fan of Lee Mack, so I will be happy just seeing him. However the guest list for the first series of the show was pretty impressive, so I am expecting this one to be just the same. You never know it might be the one that features the experiment that I was involved in. Which would be brilliant and very funny.

Neil Quigley TV Presenter
Neil Quigley TV Presenter

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

General Knowledge

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good week. I know this is a quicker update than normal but I am off on my Summer holiday in a couple of days. I am having a complete break from everything.  So I will not be taking my computer or even my mobile phone with me. And I have to admit I am really looking forward to that experience. I am going to Gran Canaria to basically lie by the pool or on the beach and just to catch a little bit of sun and relax.

I have to confess that I have already looked at the long range weather forecast for where I am staying and I am pleased to say that the predicted temperatures are very acceptable. So as I am disappearing for a bit I thought I would do a brief write up now. Just to keep you in the loop of what is going on.

Neil Quigley Presenter
Neil Quigley Presenter

The other week I went to a production company based just around the corner from Marble Arch to take part in a run through of a brand new daytime quiz show idea. So what happens is the production company comes up with the idea and format of a potential new show. Then they have to pitch it to a television channel. Who they hope will buy the show, put it on television and of course pay them for the privilege.

Neil Quigley in London
Neil Quigley in London

This run through was being attended by the head of daytime programming for a major UK channel. So as you can imagine the production company felt under quite a bit of pressure to make sure everything was perfect. Unfortunately I can not give you any details about the show. As it is still at the idea stage and has not been made yet. To be involved with the project I had to sign a disclosure form stating that I could not talk about the format and the unique selling point of the quiz to anyone.

What I can say though is that it was great fun. I thought the concept and the influence of the show was very interesting. With lots of decision making and tactics required from the players to try and be successful and to ultimately become the winner. It will be very interesting to see the proper studio version if it does get picked up, as we only did it in a small room in an office block.

It is a general knowledge quiz with a few twists and turns involved. There is still a good chance I could be involved later on again in the shows development. Which will be great if that is the case. The day was made even better for me because while I was waiting in the reception area to be called in. I saw the brilliant comedian Katherine Ryan walk past on her way to the lifts.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

I did watch and really enjoyed the Channel 4 Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. It is great that so many top comedians get together and perform at the O2 Arena for such a great cause. I am very lucky to have already seen many of them perform live and in person at some point in the past. For a lover of comedy it was brilliant viewing for a Sunday evening, to set me up nicely for the week. We are so lucky to have so many great acts at the top of their games in this country at the moment.

South Bank London
South Bank London

Last Tuesday I returned to the London Studios in Waterloo to watch the final episode in the new series of the excellent QI being recorded. There was definitely an end of term feel to the proceedings. Which will possibly mean some extra editing for the production team before the show goes out. Once again the legend that is Stephen Fry was exceptional. He had his husband in the audience watching him do his thing. Once again playing the cheeky and intelligent ring master.

Joining Alan Davies on the panel were Sarah Millican, Noel Fielding and Eddy Kadi.  I do like seeing this show live, it is just like watching it at home except they talk for longer, tell more jokes and answer more questions. Then of course it is scaled down for television to meet the specific time requirements of its slot.

Neil Quigley TV Presenter
Neil Quigley TV Presenter

I have seen Sarah Millican before, she was as brilliant as ever. Noel Fielding is great to, it is the way his mind works which means he goes off in these incredible and very funny tangents. It was the first time I had seen Eddy Kadi in action and he was fantastic to.  Just to prove what a true professional Mr Fry is. At the end of television recordings they have to do what they call pick up’s. Which is basically re-doing bits that did not go well for a number of different reasons, sometimes technical and sometimes human error. But at the end of the QI recording Stephen Fry only had to do one quick piece again. Which he did first time. So that was it and we were all done. I can’t wait for the series to start later on in the year on the BBC.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

So I am now looking ahead and forward to my summer holiday. No more worries for a week of two. Just to confirm I will not be taking a bus there and it is also unlikely that The Shadows will spring out of the bushes to help me with songs while I am away. It has been a few years since I have been away I hope I can still remember how to do it.

Neil Quigley Enjoying the Sun
Neil Quigley Enjoying the Sun

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Beatle Brum

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been great with lots of fun things going on. Firstly I would like to start by saying commiserations to Wycombe Wanderers after their League Two Play Off defeat by Southend United at Wembley Stadium. I used to see them play regularly as a kid. I have seen them win twice before at the old Wembley Stadium. When they won their two FA Trophy finals there. Back in the days when they were still a non-league team.

Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium

My parents and sister went to the big game this year. But as I was away I watched it in a pub up north. It was not so much the fact that they lost but the way they lost which made me feel sorry for them. Southend United equalised with just twenty-one seconds of the game left. And then went on to win on penalties. Which was heartbreaking for the Buckinghamshire side. That said well done to the manager Gareth Ainsworth and his players for a great season. And good luck to them for next year.

Neil Quigley in Liverpool
Neil Quigley in Liverpool

I could not go to Wembley as I was up in Liverpool celebrating the end of the Premier League Season and seeing my friend Jeff Nolan for the weekend. I travelled up on the Saturday, so that I was fresh and ready for the show piece occasion of the trip. Which was a visit to Goodison Park to see Everton play my team Spurs on the Sunday. After a nice meal and catch up on the Saturday. We had a fairly early night, so that we would be fully prepared for the game day itself.

Goodison Park
Goodison Park

There was a big group of us going to the match, so we met in the pub for a few pre game drinks before heading to the ground. It was lovely to catch up with everyone. And as I was the only Tottenham fan in with so many Evertonians. It is fair to say that there was plenty of banter flying about. The match itself was a pretty typical end of season affair. With both team’s minds possibly more on their summer holidays than on the pitch. But Spurs won thanks to a great header from Harry Kane. I was sitting right behind the goal where he scored. So it was nice to be able to witness his final strike of what has been a pretty successful personal domestic season for him.

Goodison Park
Goodison Park

I think it is the first time that I have seen Spurs win there for quite a while, so that was nice. I did manage to have the traditional pint of Chang at half time with Jeff inside the ground. After the game with visited a couple of the “Everton” pubs right near the ground before heading out in the centre of Liverpool. Once in the City we visited many of our usual and favourite haunts including The Cavern Pub. Where there was of course a guitarist/singer on stage performing Beatles songs.

Neil Quigley in Liverpool
Neil Quigley in Liverpool

We ended up in The Tube. Which is a really great eighties bar. That I have easily been visiting for around the last ten years. In fact I sill have a key ring somewhere from the first time I went there. So I basically ended the night dancing very badly to some big disco and classic party hits from the decade that gave us the Rubiks Cube. It was a great day out filled with football, fun and music. A perfect day as far as I am concerned.

Liverpool
Liverpool

Before I left Liverpool I did pay a very quick visit to the banks of the Mersey. The reason being, that while I was there Cunard, the cruise ship company were celebrating their 175th Anniversary by sailing the three biggest ships in their fleet up Liverpool’s most famous river. Led by the Queen Mary Two. Which is an absolute beast of a boat. It is like an actual floating city. It was totally heaving with people as the ships arrived in to view. I managed to get a very quick look at them before I had to dash off and get my train home.

Queen Mary 2
Queen Mary 2

The other week I fulfilled one of my lifetime ambitions and got to see one of the actual Beatles perform a full live show. It was always a dream of mine to see Paul McCartney play live, which I briefly achieved when I saw him perform two songs with Bruce Springsteen during the “Boss’s” encore at a gig in Hyde Park a few years ago. But I always really wanted to see one of his own solo shows. So when I heard that Sir Paul was bringing his “Out There” tour to the United Kingdom. I decided that I just had to see it.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

I was thinking of getting tickets to see him in London at the O2 but then I spoke to my mate Jeff Nolan and found out he had a ticket to see him at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham. So I decided that if I could get a ticket I would join him there. I managed to get hold of one, so we decided to make a night of it. We booked a room at the Ibis Budget Hotel. Which to be fair did exactly what it said on the tin. It was cheap and cheerful but it did fulfill our needs. And the staff were really nice and friendly. They even let us order Pizza to our room in the early hours of the morning.

Neil Quigley & Jeff Nolan
Neil Quigley & Jeff Nolan

Now because Jeff and I had been getting so excited about the gig, pretty much since we had booked the tickets. We were keeping a close eye on the set list that he was performing on each night of the tour. So even before we arrived at the venue we knew we were going to be in for a real treat with all the big songs from pretty much every single stage of the singers career, likely to feature. As soon as we arrived at the arena the atmosphere was fantastic and you could feel the energy and the anticipation from the people there.

Barclaycard Arena
Barclaycard Arena

It was the first time I had been there and I was very impressed with the view I had when I took my seat. He had a DJ who came on and did about a twenty minute warm up set on stage. Then before the man of the moment came on. They played in a video with accompanying soundtrack from the man himself charting his whole life and career. Then the lights went out ,the tension built and when they came back on the band was in place and out walked Sir Paul McCartney to launch into an amazing version of Eight Days Of Week. Then followed around three hours of hit after hit performed so perfectly by Paul and his own excellent hand picked band.

Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney

He did change his guitars a lot, at one point joking that “the reason that he was changing them so often was that he had so many and wanted to show them off” before pointing out that the one he had just picked up was the actual one he played on the recording of Paper Back Writer before launching straight into that song. The whole show was out of this world but just some of the highlights for me included the pyrotechnics during “Live and Let Die”, the huge sing-a-long that was “Hey Jude”, the stripped down guitar only version of “Yesterday” and a fabulous version of “Band On The Run”

Paul himself is just so chilled, relaxed and at ease on the stage moving effortlessly between playing lead guitar, bass guitar and the keyboards. He sounded great and did not miss a single note all night. Finally for a gentlemen who is now seventy-two years old, he looks great and seemed to have the energy of a teenager. I am so pleased I went. It was a memorable gig and night. Everybody leaving the Barclaycard Arena that night did so with a large smile on their face. Thank you very much Sir Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul McCartney
Sir Paul McCartney

I returned to the Museum Of Comedy a couple of weeks ago to see the brilliant Josh Widdicombe perform a work in progress gig in preparation for his new UK Tour which starts in September. It is a lovely little venue, where a lot of very well-known performers do like to try out new material in front of audiences of around fifty people. I sat in the front row, having seen Josh before I did not recall him talking to the audience, so I figured I would be safe and get a great view of him in action.

Josh Widdicombe
Josh Widdicombe

My genius plan was then slightly ruined when he asked a question, I responded which led to a little light hearted interaction between us and me being the but of a few of his jokes. Which was perfectly fine. I like to give it out so therefore it is only fair and right that I can take it to. And it is only comedy it is just for laughs and not malicious. To be fair when he did refer back to me with another joke later in the show, he was almost apologising as he said it. He was as ever really funny and very clever with his jokes. And in the way he is beginning to knit the show together. So when it goes out on tour it will flow brilliantly ending with a big finish, which will tie up the whole performance.

Museum of Comedy
Museum of Comedy

I always like looking behind the showbiz of a celebrity and the fact that it is not always as glamorous and exciting as people think. Josh arrived at the place by himself, introduced himself on to the stage. Then at the end of the evening I saw him leave by himself. Then nip into the local newsagents to grab a water before heading off to his next gig alone. It is not always rock and roll. If you have got tickets to see his show later this year. You are in for in treat, it is going to be great.

Neil Quigley in Car
Neil Quigley in Car

The last act I saw at the Museum of Comedy was Trevor Noah. I have since worked out why he popped in to do a secret set. He was testing jokes and just running his performance through ready for his appearance on the new John Bishop Show. Which I am guessing was filmed that week. And which was on television just last Saturday Night. He was as ever brilliant on that to. Such a funny and clever bloke. In a couple of years time he could well be one of the biggest stars in the world.

Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah

I have to confess that I did watch the final of Britain’s Got Talent. If you remember I did actually go and see one of the audition shows being filmed at the Dominion Theatre in London. None of the many acts I witnessed on that day had made it through to the final though. For me the best thing about that show is still Ant & Dec. I think they are brilliant and they are what makes it for me. To be fair I do go along with the opinion that the standard in this year’s final was pretty high and that there were some good and entertaining acts.

BGT Dominion Theatre
BGT Dominion Theatre

Statistically though it would seem that you either need to be a singer, a dancer or a dog to be in with a chance of winning. Personally I wanted the magician to win. I thought his tricks were good, he was amusing and he seemed like a nice bloke. Who had served his showbiz apprenticeship. Plus it would have been the first time a non singing or dancing person or animal had won the title. I didn’t dislike the dog act and thought it was clever and well done. But that is the second time in three years a dog has won the competition. Which surely must make some people who are possibly thinking about auditioning think, why bother, as if there is a talented pet there. You will have no chance.

Neil Quigley
Neil Quigley

And for all the people moaning about a stunt double dog being used.  It was a dog that had already featured in the semi final appearance, so we had already seen it before and in effect we voted for it as well to get to the final.  And it still did the trick with the ladder itself. Lastly on the subject nobody complains when actors do not perform their own stunts in films. The dog of course deserved to win simply because that was the act that had the most votes. One thing is for sure if you are a comedian or an impressionist there is no way you will ever win that competition, it would seem. I notice that they are already looking for people to apply for next year’s show. So we can be totally sure it will be back next Spring. As long as the two Geordie’s are fronting it, I will still be watching it.

Ant & Dec
Ant & Dec

I spent another lovely evening at Windsor Races last Monday. I went with my parents as part of my Dad’s birthday celebrations. He is almost getting as bad as me for organising lots of different events. The weather was not very summery with rain and quite strong winds but that did not spoil any of the enjoyment. After doing so well when I was there previously. This time round I only managed to select one winner. But the feeling you get during that one quick moment where your chosen horse crosses the finish line first, is worth the trip alone. Whenever I am cheering a horse home in a tight finish. I always seem to turn in to Julia Roberts in the scene from Pretty Woman, when she is at the Polo. So we are talking lots of screaming and fist pumping.

Windsor Races
Windsor Races

I do really like horse racing and I would love to own my own race horse one day. Former Radio One DJ Fearne Cotton was there doing a set after the evenings racing had ended. Fair play to her and her audience for braving the weather and having a dance. Much respect to you all there. My mum had quite a successful evening picking a few winners. I am now hoping this does not lead to her developing a big gambling problem. It was a fun night with the family. Which is something you can never have enough of in my opinion.

Neil Quigley Presenter
Neil Quigley Presenter

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.