Its all over now

Well I've been back a week now and have had time to reflect on how great the Panto was. IT WAS GREAT. In every aspect. Cast, crew, audiences, band ......everyone. We broke all the targets set by the theatre and by Qdos (the producers) We played to 92,000 people. We banked £1.5 gross and,on the whole, received great reviews. When I say on the whole as usual the usual complaints came from the usual critics.....the story is not the one we expected.... not enough "he's behind you" moments. When will they realise we don't do it like that. Paul and I make a point of not doing the old stuff. Lo and behold Tom (I don't like Allan Stewart) Dibden was very complimentary. Anyway the bottom line is in the reaction from the audience and on some nights it was like a Hampden football crowd. The new kids in the show couldn't believe it.

So I arrived home and was very healthy and full of energy....not what I expected. We had no illness at all during the run. Susan Boyle came to see the show but we couldn't think of a way of bringing her up on stage. The last time it fitted in perfectly but not this time. Still its lovely that she comes to see us every year. I wish her all the luck with her musical. Andy is in the show so I will be going up to see it when it opens.

I'm doing a Gala show (as Jolson) in Newcastle Royal Theatre on the 19th of Feb. then a couple of corporates, then off to LA for a break before I launch back into a very busy season with Cunard, my favourite cruise line. Couldn't believe the terrible Costa accident. However I'm not in the least worried about cruising that was...I'm sure, a one off.

David will have a new album released in the spring and it will be a free download. It has some incredible features on it. Some of the countries top stars have joined forces with him. Cant say too much just now.

Ok that's about it. Thanks again for supporting one of the top grossing pantos in the country.... and that includes England. Oh by the way lets not be silly out there..... lets all stay part of the United Kingdom.

a long time

Hi,

Its been a long time since I have written. Mainly because I have been so busy with the panto. We opened and it took a few shows to tighten it all up and get it into a state that I was happy with. I am happy to say we are storming the packed houses now. Its amazing. Every night its rammed to the top of the Gods. we are about to pass the target figure and we still have 3 weeks to go. And,........ a good review from the Man....yes Dibden. I cant believe it. We have had the usual crits about the story not being the same as the original but we never do that. You would think that they would have accepted that by now. Anyway the audiences say it all and the emails and tweets confirm the roars of approval.

Had a great Christmas. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without M and S.....it would be Chrita.....get it. We stayed at my favourite Hotel, Prestonfield with the family and then the kids went back to London for new year. Jane and her mum stayed up and we had a wonderful Hogmanay dinner with my sister and brother in law and Andy Gray and his lovely lady Claire. We didn't stop laughing. Andy is great company and completely mad.

So its the run down now. Cant believe how quickly it all goes by. Then its a break..... a holiday .... and then back to Cunard.

I have booked the Kings next year for the premier of my new play 'Aunty May's big day'. That is if Andy is available. Its a play about May and her Husband Hughie both secretly going in for Britain's Got Talent.... and their every day life leading up to the the actual audition. So lets hope it all comes together. Its been languishing in my computer for a long time now.

Ok

Bye for now

In pantoland

Yes I'm in Pantoland. That wonderful place of laughter and fun.....and we get paid. We all arrived and got stuck right into rehearsals. It's a great cast. No one seems to be a twat..... so it must be me. We had few technical problems but all sorted out before opening night. We had a sensational opening matinee, and then as usual a great Saturday night. So.....again as usual we all went out and got pissed. Sunday was a bit harder, or maybe it was us. Paul Elliott was very pleased and so was our big boss Nick Thomas. We have a few bits still to iron out but we will get there. The second half is very strong on comedy and this year you really believe in the romance between Cinders and the Prince.....girls wait till you see his body. We have had our usual laughs at each others expense. But once again loving it. Business is well up on last year so in a recession we are very lucky.

Went through to Glasgow on Monday to see David at the O2 Academy with Example. Everything has moved up a gear to the next level. It was great.

So now its down to hard work. I haven't seen my lovely Jane and baby Kate for ages. Going down, hopefully, weather permitting, next Sunday.

ok

Bye

Nearly there again

Well just finished my last cruise of the year. Pantoland here I come. I'm like a coiled sponge. The boys will be back in town a week on Monday.....Its not right that grown men should get excited about running around on stage in frocks. Everything is ready script wise and the cast are all getting digs sorted and building up to the hardest work of the year.

We are all fine and just booked Christmas eve and Christmas day at the Prestonfield Hotel. We haven't done that before so I cant think of a more beautiful place to spend the holiday with the family. I hope it snows on Christmas eve and then the Hotel will look even more like a film set. David arrives back from his autumn tour with Example and will come straight up.

Ok thats it for the moment will let you know how it is all going as we get into it.

Bye

hello

Hi, well on the run up to Panto again. We had the press day last week and we saw Grant as an ugly sister for the first time......Amazing. He's about 7 foot tall with his heels and wig and as suspected the photographers only wanted his photo. Actually I was laughing ......but I wasn't happy.....when one of the photographers said.....and I quote. 'Grant can we have you up here.....and the other two looking through the railings down here......the other two ....the fucking other two..... that was Andy and I. To tell you the truth we did find it funny and I can assure you the photographer got pelters for it. Andy and I knew what the photo op was and Grant is fantastic and will kill the audience this year with his character. He'll 'put it down' as Kelly on the x factor would say. However Andy and I have a few surprises up our sleeves as well. Really looking forward to it again this year.

Everything else is great. A couple more trips on the high seas and then up to Edinburgh. I've really enjoyed my cruising this year as I've been working on the best ships afloat.....the Cunard fleet. Love the theatres and bands on there and even better the food is wonderful. Need the panto to loose the weight. David is in LA at the moment on holiday and Kate goes off on her third holiday of the year to Cuba......what a life she has. Jane on top form ....started pilaties....cant spell it....yesterday and is predicting a toned body in six months. Ok speak to you when the show opens.

Bye for now. xxx

Its been a long time.

Well its been a wonderful summer. Three weeks in LA. One of them down in an amazing Malibu beach house. Just as you dream it would be like. The waves crashing onto the beach as you sleep. Its always been Jane's dream to have a house like this and a good friend gave us his house. Then back up to Ross and Brianna's for the last 10 days. So chilled its scary. So back home and off to the Queen Victoria for a quick show. Still Cunard for the rest of the year and then Panto. Paul has the final script ready for me to see when I get back home. I enjoyed the 'Harry Lauder' cameo in the 'Happy Lands' movie. So we'll see what it looks like when it comes out next year. It was a great team to work with.

David touring and Kate has been to Ibiza and Israel and in October goes to Cuba. She lives life like a superstar. Very proud of her 6 GCSE's. She really worked hard for them, so well done my baby.

Ok that's it sorry didn't write for a while.

bye

hello

So, Example did go to number one for two weeks and did a great Graham Norton show. Its funny when I mention to people.....as you do when you're a proud father.....that your son is in the top ten, they just say oh that's good. When you say they are at no.1 their reaction is totally different. They are really impressed. See nobody care about being second.

One more contract then I go to Milan to see Take That....again. They were magnificent at Wembley, Oh and Robbie was world class..... a mega star. He is well and truly back. Then I'm going down to Leche in the South of Italy for a week at my mates house. Couple more shows, then in August I'm doing a cameo part in a Scottish film about the 1926 miners strike. Then its off to LA for 3 weeks.

Life is pretty good just now....what the hell its always good...I'm a very lucky man.