Ken Dodd talks about bringing his Happiness Show to Cheshire and Wirral

Dec 3 2009 by Will Harris, Chester Chronicle

Try asking Ken Dodd a question and see if you get a straight answer.

The legendary comedian, who is currently celebrating 55 years in showbusiness, is back in Cheshire and Wirral for the umpteenth time to have what he says is one of his favourite audiences rolling in the aisles.

When asked about his notoriety for long shows – last year’s went on until 1am – he balks at the question.

“Notorious? Me? I think much-loved is the phrase you’re after young man!”

And he has a point.

Four hours is a long time to be sat in a theatre seat, but as he says: “It shouldn’t seem like a long time. It’s just one big party.”

Dodd, now in his 80s, is gifted with the endurance of a Duracell bunny.

As far as comedic history goes, Dodd has a pedigree second to none.

He has grown up watching and working with the likes of Arthur Askey, Ted Ray, Morecambe and Wise and Tommy Cooper.

“Now they were real comedians,” he says. “Many of the comedians today aren’t comedians at all. The great heroes of comedy didn’t tell really nasty or rude stuff because they didn’t need to.

“We learned from each other and we played an audience. When they pay their hard-earned cash to see you it’s important you give them a good show.”

And it is this commitment to his audiences that has seen him chalk up a remarkable record of cancelling only one show, due to a bout of suspected pneumonia.

“I was back on stage the next night with a mustard patch on my chest,” he says. “The doctor insisted that I wore it, but all the stage hands kept rubbing their ham sandwiches on it, so it had to go!

“The show must go on. You’re act evolves over the years. I’ll be telling a lot of different jokes than last year. You have to move with the times and you can change to make your material more topical.

“Anything that gets a laugh is a good friend, and I’ll be dusting off the Christmas jokes. How about this one: Daddy I don’t want a mountain bike for Christmas after all, I’ve found one in your wardrobe!

“In the 50 years I don’t think there’s a more wonderful thrill than to hear an audience laughing at you.”

But could this burning desire to keep tickling audiences night after night become his downfall? What if he were to go the same way as his old friend Tommy Cooper?

He says: “You have to dare yourself to think about it, but while I can keep going I will. You’re health either harms you or prohibits you from working.

“I’ll keep going while I can. I want to be a 100-year-old comedian like George Burns was.”

And with him still at the top of his form, you wouldn’t bet against it.

Ken Dodd brings his Happiness Show to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, Wirral, at 7pm on Saturday. Tickets £17.50. Ring 0151 666 0000 or visit www.floralpavilion.com.

He will then take the show to Parr Hall, Palmyra Square, in Warrington at 7.30pm on Thursday, December 10. Tickets £17.50. Ring 01925 442345 or visit www.pyramidparrhall.com.