Tag Archives: Michael McIntyre

Strictly I’m A Celebrity

November 21, 2020 Neil

Hopefully we are now over half way through the second National Lockdown in England, if it does end on the originally planned date of the second of December. Personally it has not affected me too much. I am mostly working from home as I have been lucky enough to do since the first one. I am able to exercise outside at a park near to where I live. It is nice to get out in the fresh air for a bit although I have not yet bumped into my Morgan Freeman type character.

There have been some encouraging developments with potential vaccines, which does appear to be good news. However it still may be quite a while before life returns to anything like it was before this all started sadly. It is just not going to suddenly stop and disappear and it is presenting the country with its biggest logistical challenge since the Second World War. Something I am sure we will all come through if we work together and for each other.

Luckily for me one of my favourite television shows is back on our screens nightly for around the next three weeks. I do not watch a huge amount of TV but I always closely follow “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. I am a fan of Ant & Dec this show gives them the perfect platform to do what they do best, mess around and have some fun at their own and the campmates expense.

I have met a lot of the former stars of the show many of whom actually won it! These include Christopher Biggins, Kerry Katona, Carl Fogarty, Pat Sharp, Timmy Mallet, Tony Hadley, Katie Price and Tommy Cannon.

This series is of course going to be a little bit different as due to the current global situation. They are not in the jungle in Australia but at a castle in Wales. I am particularly gutted about this as at the start of this year I went to Australia and being such a huge fan of the show I stayed at the Versace Palazzo on the Gold Coast.

That is the Five Star Hotel were the celebrities stay after they get voted out of the show. I was looking forward to posting pictures of me in the same locations that they showed the ex-campmates in. I am going have to wait until next year to do that providing of course they use all the same places when they presumably go back to the Jungle again.

They seem to have a really good and interesting selection of people taking part this year. It is a very strong line up, possibly helped by the fact a lot of their dairies would have been quite empty and that they were not required to be on a plane for twenty four hours. I liked the way they adapted the opening challenge to the new surroundings using the cliff. That was really clever and I think set the scene for what was to come nicely. It will basically be the same but different, as simple as that.

I was thinking after I had seen the new living arrangements that they might be going easy on them this year. But then I changed my mind when they covered everybody in bugs within the first five seconds of the first team trial. They are a very competitive bunch on the whole and of course include a man who has four Olympic Gold Medals, so he knows a thing or two about mind set and motivation. Plus the man is clearly a winner, not to mention a Knight. That works well with the Castle setting of course.

There is not anybody who I desperately want to win at the moment. I do prefer it when all the campmates get on well and have a good old laugh with each other rather than start arguing. But I am also aware that a big falling out does make for good television. I think this year though for the good of the world it would be nice if they were a tight unit.

It is a show that I do not think I could ever do but everybody I have spoken to who has been on it says it is a once in a lifetime amazing experience, so never say never I guess. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I think it is going to be a funny one!

Another television programme I enjoy at this time of the year is Strictly Come Dancing. Like everything in the world it is a little bit different. However the main thing about it that appeals to me is the joy and enthusiasm the celebrities get from dancing itself. Alongside the brilliant bond that forms between them and their professional partner.

Happily these two things still remain the same this year. I tried one two hour Salsa class around fifteen years ago, struggled with the basic steps and never returned. Despite that I still reckon that these amazing dancers could teach me to do a passable routine, mainly down to my work ethic and their patience I suspect. But I still feel it is achievable.

Last weekend there was said to be a shock exit but when you get two half decent people in the dance off one of them has to leave. All the judges can do is decide from the bottom two which the viewers vote for. I enjoyed Anton being a guest judge, he was supportive, positive but also I thought fair. Surely when his time as a dancer on the show comes to an end this move would be the natural progression for him.

Even though at one point there was talk of him hosting it, if I am honest I think he would make a better judge. I do not really have a favourite this year, which is good as that means I can enjoy each of the performances with no interest or concern about the outcome. It is a fun, happy and lively show perfect for Saturday night.

My girlfriend and I are trying to have as many different weekend meals as possible. In a way we are pretending that we are going to a certain style of restaurant every Saturday night. Except she always ends up doing the cooking. For the record she is fine with that! Most recently we went with a home-made burger. Believe it or not that is something I had not had for ages. I tend to avoid fast food places, which has been very easy for me during most of this year.

“We” made the actual burgers ourselves. By that I mean that Lynda mixed up the meat with the spices and created the headline part of it if you like. Then I got to construct my own creation within the bun. If you have not had them at home for a while I would recommend it. The best bit is that you can decide on the ingredients and the ratios. None of this one Gherkin or one slice of Cheese rubbish. You can put as much of those in it as you like. I built my own perfect hamburger. Another bonus is you do not feel hungry again ten minutes after you have eaten it. I enjoyed it more than a man of my age should have.

I watched the new Michael McIntyre Netflix Special. I used to have a stand up show on DVD for Christmas every year. These do not exist anymore as the digital platform shows seem to be the replacement. I have been lucky enough to see him do a small warm up gig once and he was very funny. What I think he is really good at is finding things that we all do and can relate to and making them funny and amusing. I appreciate that sounds really easy but try it and you will find out it is not at all. It takes a lot of skill to achieve what he does.

I am not sure if he felt more freedom within this medium but he did swear a bit more than I expected although to be fair nowhere near as much as Frankie Boyle. It is a very well put together piece of comedy. Each story or anecdote builds on the previous one and then leads to the big pay off at the end. It is clever, amusing and relatable. I think that sums his stuff up nicely. It is worth a watch and easy to absorb.

During the first Lockdown I did a weekly pop quiz on my Facebook page for about sixteen weeks. People seemed to enjoy taking part and I had fun doing it. Therefore I decided to bring it back for this latest one. There have been two new episodes in series two so far with two more currently expected in this run. Each one lasts about half an hour. It consists of six rounds each containing five questions.

I have called it “Quigger’s Plays Pop” in honour of a pop quiz that I used to watch on television as a child. Using that title made it quite easy for me to create a theme tune for it. I host it on a Tuesday night at 8.30pm. If you are free and fancy having a bit of music based fun then why not join me? You can play on your own or in teams it does not matter. https://www.facebook.com/neil.quigley

A couple of horses from my small stable raced in the last fortnight. “Rock Legend” made his debut at Aintree. He was ridden by Harry Skelton and is trained by his brother Dan Skelton. He did alright for his first time on the track but was a bit weak, so will be held back for a while as he needs more time to grow into himself.

“Force Ten” had an outing at Taunton over the hurdles. He came in sixth out of seven. It was another bit of much needed racing experience for this young horse. Who is under the guidance of the great trainer Paul Nicholls. We may see him race again sometime next month.

Tottenham Hotspur for about an hour were top of the Premier League a couple of weeks ago. It did not last long but it felt good while it lasted. We have since had the International Break with the domestic season back this weekend Spurs face Manchester City today in what will be a massive game for us. It gives us a chance to put down a bit of a marker to the teams around us. I am excited and nervous about the match in equal measure.

As ever from England performances there were plusses and minuses in the results from the three games the national team played. Harry Kane passed the fifty cap mark and in doing so he becomes the most capped Tottenham player ever. If he does stay at White Hart Lane for his whole career, I can see him beating practically every record for the club and possibly for England to. Congratulations Harry he is one of our own!

You can listen to me still on Saturday afternoon’s between 2pm – 4pm on Radio Ninesprings https://www.radioninesprings.co.uk/

Have fun and we will catch up again soon. Stay safe! Cheers Neil.

Celebrate Good Times

December 12, 2015 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been busy with some fun things going on. For starters last Saturday we had an early pre-Christmas family get together at my Uncle’s. He has hosted this event in the run up to the festive season for at least the previous five years. So we now employ a tried and tested formula. That we all know works perfectly well. We arrive, have a few drinks while chatting to and catching up with everyone.

Then the food is served. This year it was a tasty chilli with rice or pizza. Just for quality control reasons I sampled both. And I can confirm they were both excellent. Then after the food the Christmas Songs come on. And it turns in to one big family sing-a-long with everyone joining in and getting involved.

It is always filmed but thankfully so far none of this footage has ever leaked outside of the family circle. And on to You Tube. It was another fun afternoon/evening. Which kick started this year’s Christmas Celebrations very nicely. It is always great seeing the family at this time of year. And finding out what everyone has been up to.

I was lucky enough to be invited along to the recording of Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show. Which will be shown on BBC One before the main evening news on Christmas Day. It was filmed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, right in the heart of London’s Theatre land.

I obviously made a day out of it. So after stopping by the venue to pick up my ticket for the evening. I treated myself to a leisurely three course meal at an Italian restaurant in Covent Garden. The food was great and the staff were lovely and helpful, so it made for a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon.

After dinner I still had a bit of time before I had to be at the theatre. So I went and enjoyed a drink in one of my favourite bars in that area. I went and spent an hour or so in the ace Radio Rooftop Bar at the ME Hotel on The Strand. It is such a cool and trendy bar with a great chilled vibe to it. The two things I like best about it are the views over London and if I am honest also the fact that it has radio in its name.

I then left there and headed to the Theatre Royal in time for the TV recording to start. They looked after me very well and actually gave me a cracking seat right in the second row. So keep your eyes open on Christmas Day, when you are watching it go out. As you never know, you might just spot my smiling face staring back at you. The show itself as you would expect was brilliant.

Michael McIntyre was on top form from start to finish. He was very funny in the actual show and also between takes. When there were any breaks in proceedings. The whole affair felt very “Christmassy” and the start of the programme sets the tone for that very nicely, as you will see when you watch it.

The guests included comedian’s Dara O’Briain and Russell Kane. The latest winner of America’s Got Talent. Who is English and is the truly amazing
ventriloquist Paul Zerdin. He was excellent. The musical guests were the wonderful Ellie Goulding and the legend that is Sir Tom Jones. There were a few other surprise appearances on the night to but I will let you discover them for yourself when you watch it. Needless to say it was a extremely funny and enjoyable night out at the theatre.

It was also good to see Holly Willoughby there on a night out with some of her mates having some fun. The recording did go on quite late and led to me having to dash across London to make my last train home. Which I did with about a minute to spare. It was like how “the King” Elvis Presley used to disappear at the end of his gigs. As by the time the curtain was down I was already half way to the station. If you are in when it is on, it is definitely worth a watch. It will really add to the Christmas Day celebrations.

Neil Quigley and Elvis Presley hanging out in the 70's #crazydays — Neil Quigley and Elvis Presley hanging out in the 70’s #crazydays

Recently one of the Car Parks at Wembley played host to a fairly unusual event. It was an Anti-Drink Drive Campaign Race Car Demonstration Day. It was organised by Johnnie Walker as part of their “Join The Pact” promotion. Here is what happened. They turned the Car Park in to a mini race track. They got some high powered McLaren Sports Cars and had amongst others Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso and Jensen Button there to take people on laps of the circuit.

It was hosted by Chris Moyles, who interviewed all the drivers on stage before they took it in turns to jump in the cars and show off. I was lucky enough to be able to watch a little bit of the action from the VIP paddock. I saw Fernando Alsonso take several members of the public for a spin in a McLaren S650. Now I have to be honest I am not a massive fan of Formula One Motor Racing but seeing the control, speed and skill of the Spaniard in that vehicle put a big smile on my face. He was really going for it and was leaving a lot of rubber from the tyres on the tarmac.

At one point he was doing doughnuts with one hand on the steering wheel and the other out of the window waving at the crowd. Truly brilliant. While I was there both Mika Hakkinen and Jenson Button walked past me both looking very cool and relaxed. It was certainly a fun event to see and also one that does of course promote a very safety conscious and important message.

I have once again really enjoyed the latest series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Ant & Dec were on fire and so funny. The gags, the links and the set pieces they do, all so good. Plus it is such an interactive show now with Twitter. As not only can fans of the show swap views and jokes in real time, while watching. But the two Geordie’s get involved and tweet along during the show, when they can to. Which really adds to it all for me.

If I am totally honest the one camp mate I did not really enjoy all the time was Lady C. Although I will admit some of the things she did and said did make for great TV. She constantly annoyed me and I thought killed a lot of the fun and spirit in there too often. Which is a shame because at the start and in her first Bush Tucker Trial I quite liked her and thought she would be amusing and quirky.

Despite the shall we say issues he had with her I thought Tony Hadley was great in there. I have met him a couple of times. He is such a nice, generous and friendly person. Who is happy to talk to anyone and who just loves singing. As I said previously I would have liked him to win it but I thought he did very well in there. I also got the impression he was ready to go when he did and hang out in the hotel with his family.

I have no complaints about this year’s winner though. I thought Vicky Pattison deserved to win. From the second she entered she attacked everything full on, with good grace and a wicked sense of humour. She was probably the camp mate who made me laugh out loud the most this year.

I had never heard of her or Ferne McCann before but I thought both of them came across well and seem like really nice genuine people. Which I think deep down is what the public like and are looking for in their jungle King and Queen’s. Another great series and I am already looking forward to next year’s. Well done again to Vicky. I have a feeling we are going to be seeing a lot more of her over the next twelve months.

I did watch this year’s Royal Variety Performance when it was shown on television recently. I thought it was actually the best one I had seen for a long time. Jack Whitehall did a great job hosting it. The comedians were all good with Romesh Ranganathan just shading it for me as the best on the night. The music guests were very strong to. Any show in which Kylie Minogue appears only improves it in my opinion.

There was a nice contrast of variety acts and the whole show flowed really well. They also had some great exerts from some West End shows including a snippet of the fantastic “The Play That Goes Wrong” I saw it earlier in the year and it is arguably one of the funniest things you will ever see. I would certainly recommend it. Well done everybody who was part of it I thought you all did an excellent job.

So we are heading to the business end of the series for Strictly Come Dancing. The standard of the celebrity’s on this year have been amazing. Their performances have been so entertaining. It is hard to try and predict a winner. Tonight it is the semi-finals with the glitter ball trophy being presented next week. So far in the programme’s history none of the professional dancers have ever won the show more than once.

The only dancer this currently applies to is Aliona Vilani. So if this fact stands that would mean Jay McGuinness would miss out. It is really nice to see that Anton Du BeKe actually has a partner who can dance this year. And although possibly technically not the best dancer I think it would be great to see Katie get there for him. I do like Kellie Bright and Kevin Clifton as a pairing. They have been in the bottom two a few times along the way but I think they have been unlucky to end up there based on their dances.

I think if it goes to the best dancer Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice will win but if it goes to the most improved it should go to Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko. Whatever happens I am sure they will all put on a good display. And it will be a fitting end to the series. If I could be on one television show I think Strictly is the one I would like to do most.

It was my birthday last Thursday. I had the day off. So I just spent it relaxing at home drinking cups of tea. Someone gave me the new Steve Coogan autobiography “Easily Pleased” which I am really looking forward to reading. I did treat myself to a nice rib eye steak for dinner. Which I have to say I cooked perfectly. I then watched my Peter Kay “The Show That Doesn’t Tour, tour” DVD before heading out to my local pub for a few birthday drinks with some mates. All in all a very enjoyable birthday.

I am off to my cousin’s 40th Birthday party tonight. Me and his twin sister all share the same birthday but they are exactly one year older than me. So I have my next big landmark birthday next year. I can tell you now there will definitely be a party. The do later is slightly awkward because although they are twins. His sister did not want to have a joint party.

So it has been solely organised by him as his do, but his sister is coming along as well. So do we still sing them both happy birthday or not. I guess that I will find this out later. Whatever happens it will be a fun night and I am looking forward to it. I am not going to tell him I am just using it as a warm up for mine next year though.

Neil Quigley having a go at conducting the Orchestra

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

That’s Entertainment

November 28, 2015 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been busy and very entertaining. A fortnight ago I went along to the last ever Laughing Badger Comedy Night at the Rose and Crown in Hemel Hempstead. It was the final event run by Lee Bryant after three years of putting on shows in the Hertfordshire area.

As I said previously I actually performed at the very first one. Which was headlined by James Redmond at the Hemel Stags Rugby Club. So basically I was the third ever act to appear as part of the brand. It was a fun night and a lot of the audience had stayed loyal with them from the start right to the end. So it was a nice celebration of lots of good fun times.

The final Laughing Badger Comedy Night was hosted by Matt Hake. Who has been performing that role for the last couple of years. Like me he is also from the Tringe Festival Roving Comedy Night production line. Having been taught by the comedy guru that is Logan Murray as well. The line up for the evening included the pretty unique President Obonjo, local comedian Tom Mayhew, the Rev Henry King, the brilliantly funny Filthy Phil and the man of the moment Lee Bryant.

It was then headlined by Stu Turner, who combines comedy with some brilliant magic to very good effect. All the acts I have to say were totally brilliant. The place was packed with happy people up for a good time. It was a fun night. And a very fitting send off to an old friend, I thought.

In the bar next door afterwards there was some Karaoke going on. Now Filthy Phil sings his own very rude parody versions of some pretty well known songs. Which are both hilarious and in parts disgusting. One of the best bits of the night for me was after the gig when Filthy Phil took over the main pub karaoke. To sing one of his versions of a song. The looks on people’s faces were priceless. As you could see them thinking I am sure these are not the right words for this but not properly registering what he was actually singing. Making it a very very different song. Congratulations to Lee Bryant for putting on such a good night. And all the best with your future projects.

A few Sunday’s ago I was at the wonderful BBC Radio Theatre at New Broadcasting House in London to see two episodes of a brand new comedy show called Live at the BBC being filmed for BBC Three. It focuses on mainly upcoming acts who have done well and been spotted at the Edinburgh Festival mixed in with a few more well known comedians. On the afternoon I was there.

I got to see a cracking five minute set from Adam Hess. The whole of Felicity Ward’s last Edinburgh Show. A totally madcap five minutes from Spencer Jones. And finally the whole of James Acaster’s current show. It was a lovely way to spend a weekend afternoon. Inside a great venue and having a good old fashioned laugh at some great new comedy. It will be shown on TV, some time early next year. So do keep an eye out for it.

I attended the England versus France Friendly Football International match at Wembley Stadium. I had my ticket before the tragic events that took place in Paris on the Friday before the game. Once the game was given the go head. I was always going to be there to show my support and respect.

It was I have to admit quite a surreal and at times eerie atmosphere outside the ground and even inside before kick off. But after the two teams walked out of the tunnel. And once the important, poignant reflection and unity was shown. The game kicked off and everything felt right and more normal again.

It was a decent game I thought with England playing some very good football at times. You could of course forgive the visitors, if their minds were not completely on it. But they did well and it made for an entertaining spectacle. The occasion and reflections were of course much more important than the sport being played.

It was nice however as a Spurs fan to see Deli Alli score his first goal for his country. Although it was a bit weird seeing it fly past Hugo Lloris. Good to see Wayne Rooney add to his tally to. A nice night spent watching the game with my Dad. Thinking about family and friends and how important they are in our lives.

I had an excellent afternoon last Friday at the Elgiva Theatre in Chesham seeing Neil Sand’s Christmas Memories. It is a brilliant two and an half hour show. That features so many classic Christmas Songs and carols. That if you do not leave at the end of it feeling very festive you have no soul or festive spirit at all.

It features a very talented cast including the sensational singers Gemma Turner and Chelsea Turnbull plus of course the man himself the great singer and all round entertainer that is Neil Sands. It is a really fast moving show. With something for everyone including a fair bit of comedy as Christmas Memories are shared with an audience very happy to reminisce about this most wonderful time of the year.

It was great to catch up with the legend that is Neil Sands after the performance. He is one of the nicest people you could meet in show business. And he really does put his heart and soul in to his productions. They always do have great singers, great songs and great costumes to. He does tour several different shows around the country every year. So do keep a look out for them at your local theatre. If one is on trust me go and see it. You will have a great time.

It was also lovely to see Gemma Turner again. I met her previously several years ago when she was on tour with Neil in Yeovil. She has an absolutely beautiful voice and is such a top performer. And it was nice to meet Chelsea Turnbull, albeit very very briefly. She is another class vocalist. Who can certainly belt out a tune. I left the venue with a nice warm glow after seeing the show and chatting to the cast.

So this is quite big. Last Wednesday I got to fulfil one of my childhood dreams and play football on the pitch at Wembley Stadium. I was invited to be part of a Football Association Charity Day raising money for Breast Cancer Care. There were several matches running through out the day. Each game lasted twenty-two minutes. I was lucky enough to play in game eight. So wearing my Tottenham Hotspur 1991 FA Cup Final replica shirt. I got to play at the biggest and best sporting ground in the country, if not the world.

It was such an amazing feeling to run out there and then get to perform or at least play a bit at the home of the England National Football Team. I was secretly hoping Roy Hodgson might be there on a scouting mission looking for new players for next summers European Championships but he wasn’t. To think of all the truly great footballers, who have appeared there over the years. And to have now done so myself it is mind blowing. It was a brilliant day and an unforgettable experience.

I do not think I have stopped smiling since. We raised over two-thousand pounds for the the charity. Which is of course the important thing. Although the team I was playing in won three-nil. Which does mean I have an one hundred percent win rate at Wembley Stadium. Which is better than a lot of professional footballers. It was a fantastic honour to do it and I am so thankful for the opportunity to take part. I still have not cleaned my boots yet so they still have some Wembley turf on them.

I have of course still been watching and enjoying the excellent Strictly Come Dancing. It is such a good entertainment programme with a generally positive feel to it. Filled with people trying hard to learn a brand new skill with varying degrees of success. And with extremely close relationships and bonds being formed between the dancers and their celebrity partners. Then there is the genius of those professional dancers. In the way they teach the contestants each different dance so well. And create the choreography and overall spectacle for each performance.

Neil Quigley TV Radio & Live — Neil Quigley TV, Radio & Live

Last weekend the couple I was supporting Jamelia and Tristan left the competition. I have always really liked her and think she is very interesting and entertaining. If I am honest I chose her before the series started. And being a pop star I thought she might already be quite a natural mover. However this did not necessarily prove to be the case. But you can’t fault her for effort and commitment to the whole thing. I do not want this to sound like sour grapes because my girl has gone. But personally in the dance off last Sunday. I thought her and Tristan’s one off dance was better than Peter Andre’s and Janette’s.

Don’t get me wrong. I really like him. He is a top bloke. A better all round dancer than Jamelia and the two of them do make a great couple. But just looking solely at both dance off performances only. I really did think Jamelia and Tristan should have stayed. The only slight consolation was that the head judge Len Goodman did at least agree with me. I will still be watching the show. It is brilliant fun and all the celebrity’s still in, are fantastic. The competition is so tough this year. I am not going to pick a new favourite pairing. I am just going to support them all equally, that way I can’t lose. Keep Dancing.

I am again loving I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of here. It is my favourite television show. Ant and Dec are as ever on top form conducting the madness and having a good laugh at everyone’s expense including their own. I have met two of this year’s camp mates. Firstly Susannah Constantine who I met at a radio station in Somerset. While she and her fashion colleague Trinny Woodall were being interviewed by a colleague of mine.

The other person is the brilliant Tony Hadley. I first met him when he was promoting his autobiography and he came on my radio show in Yeovil. I have since bumped in to him at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury and at my local fish and chip shop. The last two meetings occurred because he now lives near to where I do. He is such a nice fun, friendly and positive man.Which I personally think is coming across in the jungle in quite trying circumstances on occasions.

It is a really good and interesting cast this year. Full of very interesting characters. I am still very much supporting Tony Hadley and I hope that he can win it. I have to confess that I have never watched Geordie Shore. So I had no idea who Vicky Pattison was when she went in with the other reality TV stars. But I have to confess I really like her. She is smart, funny and a little bit feisty. Plus I can’t explain it but I have always found the accent in a lady shall we say intriguing . So I wouldn’t mind her staying till right at the end. She is not a drama queen and seems to have a great sense of humour.

So I guess what I am saying is that I want Tony and Vicky to be the final two left in there. The other thing I really love about this show is being on Twitter, while it is on. So I get to interact with people all over the country about the show. Which really adds to my enjoyment of it. Specially as hardly any of my friends seem to see it.

Next Sunday I am heading along to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane to see Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show being filmed. I am pretty sure the guest list for this will be good. So I am looking forward to a great evening spent in the West End in the company of a top comedian. I will let you know what it was like, next time we speak.

My Birthday is approaching so I am making plans and looking forward to celebrating that. It is on Thursday 10th December this year. Just in case you want to send me any cards or presents. I am not sure what I am doing just yet but I will say now that next year’s plans will definitely be much bigger as it is a landmark age then.

I have had some wonderful birthdays over the years. I try not to work on them but occasionally this can not be helped. One year I found myself working with the Drifters on the night of my special day. They were singing as the cabaret and I was djing at a Christmas Dinner and Dance. Which was absolutely the right way round of doing things. Happily I love them and their songs. So it was a great evening.

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

Having A Laugh

July 11, 2015 Neil

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. They have mostly, as ever it seems nowadays revolved around television and comedy. Which is always fine with me. My holiday now just seems like a distant memory. It is weird how soon you just settle back in to your normal routine and normal life after a nice break away. Luckily the weather here has been pretty good. So that has made the transition from being away in a hot country to being back at home in England a lot easier to deal with.

I was back at the ITV London Studios on the South Bank the other Monday to watch an episode of the new series of Mr & Mrs being filmed there. I am a big fan of the show. As it always makes me laugh and because sometimes you are more likely to find out a lot more about certain celebrities than you would on a chat show. Specially if their partners reveal something that may be they shouldn’t. Which does seem to happen quite a lot, I have noticed. I was delighted to finally get to see Phillip Schofield in person, working his magic in the studio. He is such a hugely talented presenter.

During the whole recording he did not stumble or trip over any words, while reading off the auto cue, the question cards or even just when talking to the contestants. At one point an old lady in the audience dropped her walking stick, while he was talking. He just paused, politely asked if she was all right. Then repeated the line perfectly just as he had the first time around. He is the ultimate professional and so good at what he does. He makes it look so easy and so effortless. And let us not forget that by this point in the day. He had already done two and an half hours of live TV on This Morning and also recorded another episode of Mr & Mrs earlier in the afternoon. The man is a legend.

The celebrities on the show I was watching were Carl Fogarty, Alex Brooker and Vernie Bennett from the band Eternal. I was supporting Carl Fogarty and his wife. As I have met him and interviewed him before and because he is a top bloke. Plus I know he is hugely competitive, so I figured he would be very keen to do well. I obviously can’t tell you what happened. You will have to wait until the show has been on television to find who won and how all the couples got on.

I will say it was very entertaining and you will certainly learn things about all of them. I guarantee that you will not have known before. It was all good fun and it was of course played in very good spirits. And remember that all the couples are playing for money for their respected charities. So we can enjoy watching it, while knowing some worthwhile causes are benefiting from our entertainment.

A couple of Sunday’s ago I went to the Family Fun Day at Windsor Race Course with my friends and their children. Before the day’s racing got started we went and visited the fairground area, so the kids could play on some of the rides and have a bit of fun. Although one of my mate’s, three year old son was actually a lot more interested in the racing itself rather than any of the rides or amusements on offer. I think he may take after his dad a little bit there. I just hope he grows up to be a better gambler.

It was a very enjoyable afternoon not least because I did manage to pick a couple of winners. In fact all of our party had at least one winner each. So we all came away happy. I am looking forward to going back there for the Irish Music Night on Monday 27th July. It is a lovely little course and always a good day or evening out.

The other Wednesday I was back at the Museum of Comedy seeing a couple of top shows. The first one was a preview of the brilliant James Acaster’s new Edinburgh Festival Show, which will also be the same one he will be touring later this year. He has been short listed for the best comedy show at the Fringe for his previous shows in 2012 and 2013. And having seen this year’s offering. I think he has to be in with a shout of achieving that status again this year.

It is very funny, very clever and extremely well put together. He is still at the stage where he is putting the finishing touches to it. So he was still trying out some new bits and playing with some of the material to see if he could get any more out of it at certain parts. He was great. And we are, I reckon going to continue to see more of him on our television screens over the next couple of years.

The Museum of Comedy has a small performance room called the Tommy Cooper Room. Which holds round about sixty people. A lot of comedians use it as a place to do quite low key gigs to try out new jokes or hone material for tours. In front of a fairly small and cosy audience. The second show that I saw I only found out about the day before. It was quite a last minute thing. And I was delighted to be able to get in and see it. In this small room. I got to witness the comedy giant that is Michael McIntyre do an hour’s work in progress gig. He is getting ready for the massive arena tour that he will be doing later in the year.

But there are still jokes that he has written. That he thinks might still be good enough to include in the tour. He has some new stuff he has written that he might want to add in. And also parts of the existing show, that he might like to expand by adding some more funny bits or lines to them. This was the aim of the show that I was watching.

If this was sixty minutes of the material that he was not totally sure about. The actual Arena shows will be amazing. As I do not think I stopped laughing the whole time that he was on stage. He was very honest and upfront about what he was doing. He was not wearing his now trademark very smart suit and bright shirt. In fact he was even wearing his glasses. Which made for a really relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the room.

Apart from that though he was everything you would expect him to be. Firstly very very funny. He just has that instant rapport with the audience. And was giving us, kind of directors notes as he was writing things down and telling us what he was doing and even what he was adding. I found watching this process totally fascinating. Seeing how a true professional does this and how hard he works to make sure everything is perfect and the best it can possibly be. If you have tickets to see his tour, trust me you are in for a brilliant time.

It is clear he is doing pretty well for himself though. I have seen a lot of comedians play at the Museum of Comedy. You normally see them come in the front door on the way in and leave the same way as the audience to get the tube on the way out. Michael McIntyre used the stage door behind the stage to get in and out. And he even had his own chauffeur driven car with blacked out back and side passenger windows waiting outside to take him home.

Another reason I really like him is because he like me is a Tottenham Hotspur fan. So I wish him all the best with the upcoming tour. Although he will not need it. It is going to be hilarious. He is just a machine for coming up with new and very clever day to day observational comedy.

While we are talking about comedy. The Tringe Festival is still on at the moment. With lots of brilliant performers coming down to Hertfordshire to play The Court Theatre in Tring. Most of these gigs will be previews for upcoming Edinburgh Festival or future Tour shows. But they will all be good fun and if you have never been to one of these shows. Do go along. The organisers and audiences are all great. Comedian’s who will be playing before the Tringe ends on Saturday 25th July include Josh Widdicome, Ed Byrne, Arthur Smith, Sara Pascoe and Patrick Kielty.

To find out more about this year’s gigs click the link here Tringe Festival. I made my comedy debut at the Roving Comedy Night at the Tringe three years ago. If you want to see my very first set recorded live at the Black Horse in Tring. You will find it on the videos page on here.

I went to the Pinewood Studios for the first time the other week. Not to appear in a new Star Wars film or to play a spy in a James Bond movie but to a recording of the Sky One programme Duck Quacks Don’t Echo. I have done some filming as part of an experiment for this series but it was not one of the ones used at the show I was at. So I still have not seen what that looks like yet. Lee Mack is the host and he was great, very funny and entertaining. Just as I had expected and hoped he would be. As I am a big fan of his work.

The panel for this episode included John Humphrys and Ed Byrne. Both were very amusing in their own ways. John seems to have an unexpected relationship with and view on animals. While Ed is just funny with his jokes and his observations. It was good fun. And while I was there I learned a few facts that I didn’t know. And also confirmed some that I did.

One thing I did find out through a test that they did in the studio. Is that I have the hearing range of a twenty four year old. Which as someone who has spent a lot of time wearing headphones usually with the volume up quite high. I was pretty surprised about, to be honest. The series should go out sometime in the autumn. So keep an eye out for it and of course for my small cameo appearance in it.

I did manage to get outside and enjoy the weather and enjoy a bit of sunshine last Thursday. Normally around this time of year I am working with the great team at Regatta Radio to bring the Henley Royal Regatta to the airwaves for the race goers and people unable to get to the riverbank to enjoy it. But this year the station has taken a year off.

It is fully expected to return next year and hopefully I will once again be involved with it. I am generally based in the studio, so do not get to see any of the action. But as I was not working this year when I attended Henley. I did for the very first time get to see some of the racing. I met up with some of the Regatta Radio team there.

Firstly for a couple drinks at one of the many bar areas along the side of the course. In doing this I managed to support a local brewery. One who I am shall we say familiar with their work. So I enjoyed a couple of pints of beer supplied by the Rebellion Brewery from Marlow. Then the evening got even better. As we then had a nice boat ride for about two hours up and down the side of the famous Thames rowing course.

So we got to see all the rowing action from the last session of the day from on the river. The sun was out, the sky was blue, Henley looked lovely and we were enjoying a picnic while watching the racing. I have certainly had worse ends to the day. It was really nice to catch up with everyone. I look forward to hopefully working with them again next year. I am so lucky sometimes with the things I get to do and enjoy.

Last Saturday at the ITV Studios in London I had an audition to be a contestant on a brand new ITV Game Show. That is going to be recorded shortly. I do not know if I will be selected to be on the show or not at the moment. Also I can’t say any more about it at this stage. What I can say is that I had a fun afternoon and it was nice meeting some of the producers behind it. I think I might be able to let you know if I do get on the show but even if I do I will not be able to say anything else about it until it has been shown on the television. But I will tell you when it will be on, I promise.

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

Neil Quigley Presenter