A1 VOX NEWS

Dragline: He was smiling... That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker.

Ahhhhh – this is one of my fellas favourite films and demonstrates how some folks can keep getting back up on that horse, no matter how many times they have been whipped or ridiculed. An inspiring story, showing the strength of the human spirit.

Cool Hand Luke opened this weekend at the Aldwych Theatre London. It runs until 7^th January 2012 so I have given you plenty of warning to go see this beaut of a West end show, which has been directed by none other than our very own Mr Andrew Loudon. What a talented fellow he is!

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the tale, Cool Hand Luke is an American crime drama telling the story of Luke Jackson, a decorated World War II veteran who refuses to conform to life in a Florida prison camp and frequently tries to escape. The other inmates try to live vicariously through him. There's always one isn't there!

Starring Marc Warren (Hustle, Mad Dogs) as the charismatic rebel, Cool Hand Luke is the hard-hitting story of a true original. He'll play it real cool in the face of brutality. He'll always get back up after a beating. He'll eat fifty eggs in an hour, to win a bet. A man who won't conform no matter what it costs.

Marc is known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play, but he won't have any problem with the American accent since he was also part of the starry cast in Stephen Spielberg's Band of Brothers playing an American Marine.

As Andy has been extremely busy with the show I haven’t had a chance to touch base with him as yet, so I would just like to take this opportunity to say all the best for the run Andy – we are sure – Hands Down… it is gonna be a cool success.

A1 GUESTS

It has been a bit Corrie V’s Eastenders when it comes to our guests this week.

The bubbly and vivaciuous Sally Lindsay came bounding into the studio, like an excitable northern banshee. This Stockport lass is best known for playing Shelley Unwin in Coronation Street.

She has been bessie mates with Peter Kay since she was twenty four and they have subsequently appeared together in Phoenix Nights and the video for the comic relief single “Is this the way to Amarillo”.

If any of you read the blog last month you will have seen the piece on Mark Radcliffe, well in a weird twist of showbiz fate Sally was a regular guest, and contributor, to the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC Radio 2. Keep it Real, Keep it Northern eh.

As of this month Sally has joined the gaggle of women to become a permanent panelist on Loose Women, and she reckons she was born for the job:

‘I’m a mother, a step-mother, a sister – everything to do with being a woman, which is what Loose Women is all about’

Meanwhile Sally also reappears on our screens with another of her former Corrie buddies Angela Griffin in new series Mount Pleasant.

The show stars Sally as Mancunian lass Lisa and follows her as she navigates the highs and lows of life with her best friends and workmates. The show features an ensemble cast including Bobby Ball, Pauline Collins, Liza Tarbuck and Paula Wilcox. Sally says:

‘I’ll tell you why this show is new and different. Because you know what, it really isn’t grim up north….it seems to me the only portrayal we have ever seen is all flat caps and whippets and back-to-back terraces. I think this is a portrayal of life up North now, not for everyone, but life isn’t the same for everyone anywhere’

Hear, hear!

So it looks as though ‘our Sal’ is one busy lady at the mo, getting Loose, in a Pleasant way!

So from an Ex Corrie artist to an Ex Enders player.

Joel Beckett is probably best remembered for playing Jake Moon, Alfie Moons cousin. He ended up shooting his brother Danny dead (who was about to kill Phil and Grant), and left the series seven months later under very mysterious circumstances!

He also played Lee, Dawn’s fiancé, in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s The Office.

Jake says that one of his career highlights was hanging out with Tom Hanks while filming for HBO’s world war two series Band of Brothers (which in another spooky A1 twist ,featured Marc Warren as blogged above!):

‘Working with Tom Hanks was incredible….he was such a nice guy’

Tom wrote all the actors a personal letter after filming and Joel remembers sharing a joke with the famous actor over a cup of tea and thinking ‘I just made Tom Hanks laugh!’

Oh to mix with A-List gentry!

Next week I will be delving into the life and times of Kevin Brownlow - filmmaker, film historian, television documentary-maker, author, and Academy Award recipient!!!! Blooming Heck, now there’s a CV and a half. We will also be finding out the latest from A1 Queen of Sass - Ms Joan Walker.

Until then enjoy this reprieve of glorious September sunshine!!!!!

An Autumnal good morrow to you all.

Let us bat away the putrid summer and embrace roaring fires, roast dinners and nestling into the sofa for DVD afternoons. May the cosy times begin!

I made it back in one piece from Estonia…..just - and truth be told it pretty much turned into a stag do with the my posse of ladies assuming the antler pose for many a piccie whilst yelling out the obligatory AWWOOOOGGGAAA. Essex and Slough girls on tour…not a pretty sight.

So back to your favourite studio - and as the children started trickling back to school this week it felt like a new term at A1 too.

With back to back bookings nearly every day, and a few new clients to welcome into the curriculum, it certainly feels like we have hit September running.

Long may it continue.

Maybe it is the fresh new outlook that is coming together to create the re-vamped A1 VOX premises.

This is me sitting in a now newly decorated and carpeted room. There are exciting times ahead and we will keep you updated with photos and information on A1 VOX’s version of Trinny and Susannah as we undergo our stylish transformation.

This week has seen a couple of beauties pass through the doors of A1.

First up was glamorous veteran actress Cherie Lunghi.

Cheri is probably familiar to some of you for Strictly Come Dancing, Casualty, Dalziel and Pascoe, Cutting It, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and the sexy Kenco Coffee ads to name but a few.

Cherie looks incredible for her age (59) and so it came as no surprise to see her raunchy scenes in Adventures of a Call Girl, where she plays high class call girl Belle de Jour’s (Billie Piper’s) agent.

In one scene she is even tied up in military uniform for a bondage scene, but then Cherie is no stranger to peeling off for the camera. She made her name on TV throughout 1989-90 in the Manageress, which sees her character Gabriella Benson take over a top-flight football team.

Further back than that she was involved in a particularly steamy scene in John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) in which she played Guinevere. Careful where you put that sword Lancelot!

Second to grace us with her natural flawless beauty was Zoe Lister.

Zoe’s first and only professional role to date has been the role of Zoe Carpenter in Hollyoaks. Yes folks she got to keep her own name to prevent her being a “moron” – her words not mine.

Zoe had more than her fair share of racy story lines during her stint with the teen angst soap, including falling for her best mate Sarah’s dad, Mike.

This relationship ended in tears though, after Zoe slept with Sarah following a drunken night out. Crikey!

Zoe then went on to fail her degree after using Mike’s work and passing it off as her own…..still with me?... and finally ended up in the slammer after Sarah’s girlfriend framed her for her murder.

Jeez Louise!

I can happily report that the real life Zoe is doing a lot better than her alter ego and even went on to win a British Soap Award in 2010 for the category of Spectacular Scene of the Year for “The Parachute Jump” in which poor Sarah looses her life.

She has also been nominated in the category of Sexiest Female and is indeed a very fair maiden to behold. We wish her luck with her career ‘post Hollyoaks’ and are sure that her Chester antics will put her in good stead for future roles.

A1 VOX NEWS

Mr Stephen Critchlow made a very welcome visit to A1 VOX this week.

He will be resuming his role in 39 Steps in October of this year so get yourselves down to The Criterion and see ‘our Critchy’ working his theatre-land magic! It doesn’t get better than this.

Lucy Petrie-Scott has been busy looking after her three boys throughout the summer, moving house and finalising architecture plans.

How does she do it all?!....I guess hubby Al Petrie is on hand….but wait.. ..no - she really is super mum, as Al has been racking up the acting credentials like Ralph Fiennes on speed dial.

Al will be playing the character of Felix Finch in the adaptation of the book, Cloud Atlas.

Cloud Atlas is a 2004 novel, and the third book by British author David Mitchell. It won the British Book Awards, Literary Fiction Award and the Richard and Judy Book of the Year award, and was short-listed for the 2004 Booker Prize, Nebula Award and Arthur C Clarke Award, amongst many others.

Sounds like a pretty nifty read I’d say.

The novel consists of six nested stories that take the reader from the remote South Pacific in the nineteenth century to a distant, post-apocalyptic future.

In 2009 it was announced that the Waschowski Siblings had bought the rights to the novel. Warner Bros will distribute the film in North America while Focus Features will handle international sales of the screen play written by writer/director Tom Tykwer.

On April 12, 2011 it was announced that Tom Hanks was to play the lead with Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, and Ben Whishaw included as supporting cast. The movie which began production in Germany this summer, has a budget of $100 million, making it one of the most expensive German films ever.

Al has two non speaking parts, and two speaking parts, with non other than Tom Hanks and Halle Berry!!!!!!. The lucky cad.

I guess this means Lucy will have to shake something spectacular out of her closet come red carpet time. OOO the little minx - and here was me starting to feel sorry for her being left home alone!

And that, (as they say), is a wrap.

Welcome back intrepid A1 followers.

This week we have been somewhat taken over by Manchester City fans!

A1 Voxtraining mentor, Philippa Starns, came into the studio to carry out an interview with English broadcaster to the BBC, and one of Britain’s most recognised DJ’s, Mr Mark Radcliffe.

Mark has worked with the BBC since the 80’s and is an avid Manchester City Fan.

Although Chis Evans is held as the Man who saved Radio 1 he certainly owes a lot to Radcliffe. In the late 70’s when Radcliffe worked for worked for Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio Chris was also working there as a junior. Despite being very enthusiastic 'The Ginger One' managed to delete the tape containing an exclusive interview with Bob Geldof & he would have been sacked if Radcliffe hadn’t persuaded his boss to give Chris another chance. What a good chap.

Ironic then that in later years The White Room, which Mark presented, was dropped due to the success of Chris’ TFI Friday. In another twist of the Mark and Chris showbiz tale Mark became the person who filled in for Chris on the Radio 1 breakfast show when he was away. Hmmmmm – wonder if Mark wishes he had kept his mouth shut all those years ago!

Mark joined BBC Radio 1 in 1991, presenting the one-hour Monday evening show Out on Blue Six. In 1993 Mark presented Skyman, an odd show which he presented in character as a visiting alien, and all the records he played were space-related. Certainly different and though Mark may have come across as mad as a box of biscuits it seemed to work quite well. Go Figure!

His most famous work however was as part of the act Mark and Lard on Radio 1. (Lard is also a Man City supporter!).

In the late 70’s Mark Radcliffe moved to Radio 1 where he produced the sessions for the John Peel Show. As legend tells it was at one of these sessions that Mark Radcliffe and Lard first met.

Radcliffe eventually took Lard on as his sidekick and so the most important partnership since Lennon and McCartney was formed – though some people may disagree with me on that one, A1’s Chris certainly wouldn’t, as he admitted to me last week that for once in his capacity as studio manager he was a little bit star struck.

It seems young Chris grew up listening to the now infamous 10pm – midnight show, (otherwise known as The Graveyard Shift), that the duo began in 1993, and developed a bit of a DJ crush on the pair.

And why wouldn’t he!? – The show was unique for Radio 1 because it was based around non-playlist music and featured live music sessions, poetry readings and comedy. These sessions featured bizarre quizzes such as ‘Fish or Fowl’, and a play list that rivalled John Peel in terms of eclecticism.

The show also held some of the best sessions from up and coming and alternative bands of the time, including Throwing Muses, Moloko, Nick Cave, Pulp, Baby Bird, The Divine Comedy and Mice.

Some other stars weren’t so lucky however and were constantly ribbed by the terrible twosome – Arse Kelly, Manic Street Sweepers, and Alanis Nicorette to name but a few!

Radcliffe’s unique blend of great music, humour, quality items, and of course Lard, quickly built up a cult following. In the words of Mark and Lard their show was the ducks nuts!

Radcliffe left Radio 1 in March 2004 and moved to an evening slot on BBC Radio 2 in June of the same year, with Riley moving to BBC 6 Music.

In 2007 Radcliffe joined forces with Stuart Maconie to present a new show on BBC Radio 2 to much critical acclaim, including winning the prestigious Sony award for the best Radio show of 2009.

Just goes to show that it isn't just Madonna who can keep re-inventing herself and maintaining that all important finger on the consumer pulse, Mr Radcliffe has managed to keep a hold on the airwaves for decades and continues to do so.

And so to the third and final Man City FC supporter of the week – English writer, comedian, actor, radio and television presenter – Jason Manford.

Jason began his career in 1999, while working at the Buzz Comedy Club upstairs at the Southern Hotel in Chorlton, Manchester. Jason was collecting glasses when a performer didn’t arrive for an evening set, Jason, who was 17 at the time stepped in to fill the gap, an event which marked the beginning of his comedy career. Six gigs later he was crowned The City Life North West Comedian of the Year. Why did I never get the chance to showcase my comedic talents when working down the pig and whistle? Some guys have all the luck!

His first major television appearance was as a guest on the Channel 4 panel show 8 out of 10 cats presented by Jimmy Carr. He would eventually go on to become a team captain.

Jason has performed on many stand up on television progammes with his most high profile appearance being a full show on Live at the Apollo in 2008.

He began hosting a breakfast show on XFM Manchester and also presented his own shows on television. The first lone presenting job was in Premier League Allstars Extra Time which was a live show of slightly chaotic drunken interviews with former footballers, celebrities and fans who had just finished playing 6-a-side football. Interesting and potential car crash TV!

In 2010 Jason was announced as the new presenter of The One Show. He resigned in November 2010, following allegations surrounding his private life.

Jason is currently on his second National tour which runs until the end of 2011.

A1 VOX NEWS

Though I have seen some gorgeous photos from Mark and Willows wedding I haven’t managed to get one on line as yet. However, we were lucky enough to taste the gorgeous cakes that were made for their ‘wedding party in the park’…………

Aren’t they beautiful – they tasted bloody good too, though I am not taking anything away from our Cake Fairy or Eleanor Howell, (who made some exceptional banana bread for everyone at A1 this week). All this cake does not bode well for my dress fittings – naughty people!

This week we started the second phase of the big A1 make over. As I write this blog the builders are slaving away on a new floor and pristine walls in what was the old office. Good on them for giving up their bank holiday to get our studio looking ship shape - Bravo boys!

I am off to Estonia for my hen do this week. If I make it out of Tallinn in one piece I will fill you in on all the crazy antics in the following weeks blog.

Till then toodle pip everyone and Bon Voy-hen-do-age!

Nessa: ' What’s Occurring?'

A1 Sarah: This week’s blog Nessa.

Nessa: ‘Oh.. Tidy’

A1 Sarah: It’s gonna be a real belter.

Nessa: ‘I know..…I feels it’

Yes… we have all been re-living those Gavin and Stacey days here at A1 VOX this week.

The gorgeous Joanna Page paid us a visit and the likeness between her and Stacey is uncanny. At points I had to stop myself from asking how Nessa, Gav and Smithy were doing.

Gavin:(On the phone) Babe, where are you. You just walked off?


Stacey: I know, but there was this woman next to me in a veil, fiddling with her shoe and I thought "oh my god" terrorist.


Gavin: Oh right so your just gonna leave me here to get bombed?


Stacey: I know and I do feel bad but I was going to text you.

I’m sure Joanna wouldn’t do this to real life hubby and actor James Thornton of Emmerdale fame, so we will just say, that like her on-screen persona, Joanna is refreshingly childlike in her enthusiasm. We even got the occasional high-pitched giggle out of her.

Joanna graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 1998. She appeared in From Hell, Mine All Mine, Love Actually and Miss Julie as well as several productions at the Royal National Theatre. She even starred as Mark Owen’s love interest in his music video for “Making Out”. Take That!

But it was playing the role of ditzy, yet lovable, Welsh Stacey, that propelled her into the limelight.

“I’ve always been in work but I’ve never been famous. I’ve just carried on doing my job. So, you know, suddenly to reach this age and be famous, I can’t take it seriously”

Bless her little Welsh cottons.

Joanna’s next project is for Sky1 HD in a brand new six part comedy titled Gates. It aims to explore the funnier side of school life for parents and kids alike.

Keeping Joanna company are Sue Johnston (The Royale Family) and Tom Ellis (Miranda).

Gates casts an eye on how relationships with parents formed during fifteen minutes of a school drop off and pick up can so easily take over your life. Let’s face it those gates can be an unforgiving, socially exposed, and political minefield. Sign me up to the firing squad over that any day of the week!

Joanna says:

“I’m so excited to begin filming with such a fantastic cast on Gates. As soon as I read the scripts I could completely identify with my character Helen, and I’m looking forward to the world of the school run and the games and mayhem that go with it. Tom Ellis is a hunk of a husband to be working opposite and my maternal instincts are being brought out working with my adorable daughter”

Do we hear the tiny pitter patter of feet…..could life be imitating art??? If so I hope she doesn’t invite Nessa over to help bathe the bouncing baby:

Nessa (in bath): Oh Stace, will you do my back?

Stacey: Yes

Nessa: The razor's by the sink.

So from a popular female comedy icon to one of the male variety. Enter Mr Dean Lennox Kelly of Shameless fame, (Kev Ball the Gallaghers’ barman neighbour).

Dean has been mentioned on the blog before but we have never been able to grab a piccie of him as he is always flitting here, there and everywhere. This visit he actually took offense that we didn’t have a picture of him on our wall of fame, and hadn’t asked him for one before. Tsk…actors!

So here it is. A ‘do I look devastatingly handsome in this moustache’ shot. Answer – Yes, oh be still my beating heart!

The ‘tache’ is for his latest role, in which he has to age up to 20 years.

‘My paunch sag will help – I’ll slowly release my stomach muscles during the play to show the ageing process’ quips Dean.

Dean plays warm-hearted patriarch Frank Gibbons in a Peter Hall Company revival of Noel Coward’s This Happy Breed, a portrait of the playwright’s lower-class suburban origins between the wars.

Dean feels this is his most challenging role yet, since it was originally played by none other than Noel Coward himself, both on stage and screen. A daunting prospect I would proffer!

Dean says of the play:

“It’s like the original soap – it’s a slice of life. It’s moving and witty with real depth because everything has been influenced by the First World War”

Apart from his dramatics, Dean says that family is everything to him, but he’s done so many love scenes over the years that there have been plenty of opportunities for other women to inspect the chest rug that Eugenie (his wife) nicknames ‘the Forest of Dean’.

“Since having kids, I’m a bit more concerned about taking my clothes off and being crude”.

AHHH God damn it!!!!!

A1 VOX NEWS

Andy Stanson has run off to his second home in Crete for the school summer holidays - the lucky bugger. I received an e-mail from Andy last week telling me how much he was enjoying his extended holiday, which is often accompanied by an ice cold Mythos beer (Grrrrrrr).

However it isn’t all R and R for Mr Stanson as he has also been doing some volunteering with Archelon, a Greek conservation charity which is dedicated to preserving the endangered Loggerhead turtle.

He has been monitoring nests along the local beaches and even took part in a nest excavation one evening to help some baby turtles out to the sea which he says was fascinating and exceptionally moving. Esme, Andy’s daughter, absolutely loved it and gave them all names as they made their way down the beach. A memory she will never forget I am sure.

Charles has been gracing the airwaves on BBC Radio Oxford for the last week or so. You can catch him there until this Wednesday morning, though you will have to be an early bird to listen in as he starts at 5am and finishes at 7am! This along with A1 VOX and Radio 2 duties plus running the bus company mean Mr Nove is in somewhat of a weird funk right now. In his words:

“The bounce is definitely out of my bungee!”

He is a trooper and a first class broadcasting pro – we salute you Charles.

Lastly we would like to say a big Congrats to our very own Mark Straker and his gorgeous new wife Willow who after a successful wedding in Vienna spent this weekend with their nearest and dearest by having a party in the park. I am sure the champers was flowing and that kiddies and adults alike had a fab time – WELL DONE GUYS!

LONDON NEWS

Visit Sweden is transforming Soho Square into a little piece of Swedish heaven from 24^th August - 26^th August.

The three-day event will feature a picnic and pop up parlour serving Fika, the Swedish equivalent to high tea. However, instead of Earl Grey, special blend Lila coffee is served accompanied by 7 different flavoured cookies.

These will be served by world-famous chocolatier and pastry chef Jan Hedh, who will be aided by a team of traditionally dressed old ladies!

All sounds pretty bonkers to me but that is the beauty of Soho – Anything Goes!

So that pretty much wraps up another week at your favourite sunny studio. Join us next week for more fun and frolics as we all look forward to the final bank holiday of the year!

Riots, looting, fire and brimstone – and that was just Charles before his morning cup of tea!

After all the drama that was unfolding outside the A1 VOX walls it was nice to be able to escape the madness and delve into the surreal world of voice over.

We had two very special guests at VOX Towers this week.

I will give you a clue to the first guest…

I'm hard yet soft, I am coloured yet clear, I am fruity and sweet, I am jelly... what am I?

Yes, the man behind the Scottish Guy character in Little Britain, Mr David Walliams, or should I say, ‘Williams’.

The funnyman had to change his name on discovering that there was already an actor of the same name in the trade union, Equity!

David is almost as well known for his incredible cross-Channel swim, which raised £1 million, as he is for co-creating and starring in Little Britain.

It was for his strong connection with Sport Relief that David found himself at A1 VOX recording an alternative speaking clock for BT, (who are one of the longest standing partners of Sport Relief).

Last year they were also the headline sponsor of The BT Sport Relief Million Pound Bike Ride.

David and the rest of his celeb fest team (Jimmy Carr, Fearne Cotton, Miranda Hart, Patrick Kielty, Davina Maccall and Russell Howard) all took part in a gruelling non-stop, four-day cycle relay from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

They raised over £1 million for Sport Relief which would see the money help transform the everyday existence of those living tough lives across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

David says of the excruciating but worthwhile ordeal:

“It wasn’t as much as fun as I’d imagined….I had this vision of us cycling around the country, stopping off for cream teas, but that didn’t happen. We’d cycle about 30 miles at a time and I fell off three times going up Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District – I just keeled over. I’ve been in incredible pain. My tendons are sore and I’m walking a bit funny. There was a lot of chafing!!!!”

Now a star of screens both big and small, as well as a published children’s author and recipient of a Sports Personality of the Year award – it seems there’s nothing David can’t turn his hand to.

Even the ‘is he… isn’t he’ rumour mill has been quashed with his marriage to Dutch model Lara Stone last year at London’s Claridge’s hotel.

As David arrived at A1 I think we had the most people ever to grace the studio. A film crew, photographer, numerous clients and David’s personal cameraman, all clamoured to get their piece of the Walliams pie.

David was professional and polite and not at all fazed by all the comings and goings around him, even though his infamous character Andy would have seen it as ‘a bit of a kerfuffle’.

‘Computer says no’…..but luckily David said ‘yes’ and we got not one, but two, cracking photos for the A1 archives.

Britain, Britain, Britain. We've had running water for over ten years, we have a tunnel connecting us to Peru, and we invented the cat. Yeah, but No, but Yeah????

So from the character Scottish Guy to an actual Scottish guy – please step forward Mr Gregor Fisher.

Gregor is one of television’s most recognizable actors. His television career has seen him appearing in 8 series of Rab C Nesbitt, Scotch and Wry, five series of BBC 2’s Naked Video, as well as dramas such as Blood Red Roses and The Tales of Para Handy.

He is still fondly remembered as ‘The Baldy Man’ in the photo booth, having a bad hair day in the hugely successful TV advert for Hamlet cigars in the late 80’s.

Myself, Charles and Jane had a quick squizz at The Baldy Man after Gregor’s visit and the bit where the photo booth chair collapses just as the bulb goes is comic genius – so simple, and let’s face it, all of us have had some sort of nightmare in those ruddy things!

His numerous theatre credits include As You Like It, The Cherry Orchard, Juno and The Paycock and The Homecoming.

His film credits include Another Time, Another Place, 1984 (brilliant, brilliant acting!), White Mischief, Richard Curtis’s Love Actually, Merchant of Venice and most recently the long heralded remake of Lassie for Charles Sturridge.

Rab C Nesbitt however remains the main jewel in Gregor’s crown.

The string-vested Glaswegian philosopher, is the most memorable comedy character Scotland has ever produced. His countrymen celebrated him as a shambling, boozy antihero. Fisher was constantly recognized in public, although, he says drily, one of the good things about playing Rab was that a lot of people were too shy to approach him ‘in case I gave them a Glasgow kiss’.

When I told Gregor that he was the second comedy actor we had, had in that week he talked about today’s comedy and Little Britain:

“I’d better say first, in bold capital letters, that I still liked the show, but the sketches with the old woman who’s always wetting herself….that was a bit raw!”

A1 NEWS

One of A1 Vox’s longest associates, Dian Perry, was headed for her homeland, the good ole U S of A, this week when low and behold who should be there soothing any flight phobias and calming the senses?????? This is what Dian posted whilst crossing the Atlantic…Over to you Dian:

“ Listening to the 'reassuring Scottish lilt' of Charles Nove on my British Airways flight while looking at his sweet little mugshot on my screen. I particularly appreciated his back announcement of Paper Airplane by Alison Krauss - 'Don't worry, we've got you a real one'. So good!”

I couldn’t agree more Dian – Pure Radio Genius.

Many more of you on long haul BA flights should check out Charles’ monthly show – BA Easy Listening.

It’s a 90 minute A1 VOX production of music and gentle quips to ease you on your way. Groovy!

So there end’ith another A1 round up of funny men and men that soothe the soul. Next week sees the turn of the comedy female – none other than girl from the valley, Joanna Page.

Till then.. Toodle Pip all.

Albatross, birdie, bogey………..

No… this blog has nothing to do with a nasally impaired bird, but everything to do with golf!

We do like to stretch our horizons here at A1 VOX and this week saw Mr Nove out on the fairway, sharing a cuppa with none other than footballing legend, Mr Jimmy Greaves.

Jimmy Greaves is considered to be one of the finest goalscorers of his generation.

In fact he is England’s third highest international goalscorer, the highest goalscorer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur football club and more recently a successful television pundit.

They certainly don’t make em like they used to, and I doubt people will be flocking to the theatre to watch Wayne Rooney in ‘an audience with’ 30 odd years after his football career is over!!

Many of you that aren’t football fans will still probably remember Jimmy’s partnership with Ian St. John. Together they hosted a popular Saturday lunchtime football show called Saint and Greavsie from 1985 – 1992.

Greaves worked frequently for TV-am as a TV critic as well as co-hosting the popular Saturday morning kids programme, The Saturday Show. He briefly had his own talk show and has been a columnist for The Sun newspaper for many years.

In 2002 Greaves was made an Inaugural Inductee to The English Football Hall of Fame. He released his autobiography, Greavsie in 2003 and is in demand as an after-dinner speaker.

For the past twelve years Jimmy has taken part in The Jimmy Greaves Theatre Show giving the punters an insight into football drama’s both on and off the pitch. It seems, from my sources, that Jimmy is a very funny man and sends his audiences into peals of laughter proving that the guy really is in a league of his own.

Charles left A1 early doors on Tuesday morning to ensure he arrived at The Notleys Golf Club, Cressing, Essex, in plenty of time.

In what has gone down as one of the wettest weeks in July the sun shone brightly for the entrity of Charles’ visit. He even messaged me at his astonishment in the change of weather from London, and I assured him that it is always sunny in good old Essex county.

We thought Charles was to meet Jimmy at the golf course so he could record his lines for The Daily Mirror and then get on with the serious business of 'clubbing and putting' the day away. Well as it turns out not only does he play at Notleys Golf Club….he bloody well owns it!

Ah the perks of a footballers wage.

So Charles was thoroughly spoilt the whole time he was there. He said that Jimmy was incredibly nice and jovial, and that everyone at the golf club, far from being all toffee nosed and in a club clique, (as he had half expected), were very down to earth and made Charles feel at home.

In fact the only time that our Mr Nove felt threatened on his whole magical mystery tour of Essex, was when a bloke in a grey hoodie and tracksuit bottoms got on the train at Braintree, looking decidedly shifty and up to no good. Cliché much Charles?

Charles was worried for a split second as he had his laptop and recording equipment on him but the Essex guardian angels must have been looking down on him for he didn’t get mugged, no profanities came his way, and he wasn’t even spat it. A successful trip I’d say!

So the recording over Charles decided to make the most of the lovely sunshine and walk across the fields to Cressing Station. Jimmy was having none of it.

With one click of his fingers, and a nod of the head, Charles found himself on a golf buggy crusading across the green towards said station.

Now that I would have love to have seen and to quote Jimmy in his trademark catchphrase – “It’s a funny old game”

(You can catch Jimmy in his new upcoming tour with none other than Paul Gascoigne from June to November 2011. To book tickets go to www.GazzaShow.com or for VIP tickets http://www.a1sportingmemorabilia.co.uk/)

OTHER A1 NEWS

It has been a busy one and with Chris now on holiday we have the lovely Mr Ross Burman on hand to keep things ticking over in the studio.

Ross is so tall that he is officially categorised as a giant! No Joke! So if you are coming in to the studio this week make sure you go and say hello to a man that definitely knows if it's raining before anyone else does.

Until then make sure that you don't slip beneath par, and always strive to hit a hole in one.

That is me tee'ing off until next week folks.