ACTOR and comedian Ricky Tomlinson has set his sights on bagging the Christmas number one – helped by a Cheshire man who made the Crazy Frog a musical star.
The Royale Family star has teamed up with Maurice Cheetham from Duddon to write the catchy Calm Down, recorded at Maurice’s studio.
Maurice, the man responsible for the first Crazy Frog single, has written and produced thousands of TV and radio theme tunes and jingles as well as being a renowned orchestral musician, composer and conductor.
Calm Down was co-written with Ricky and Patrick Aherne, brother of fellow Royale Family star Caroline Aherne.
Scouse comic Ricky, 70, who has a home in Farndon, shot the video for the song in Liverpool with the help of the public, young aspiring child singers and dancers and Lewis’s department store which houses the oldest grotto in the world.
Ricky, who famously played TV’s Jim Royle, joked: “I have also been approached to record a duets album next with Susan Boyle entitled Royle and Boyle!”
In 2001 he enjoyed a number 15 hit with Are You Lookin’ At Me?
Ricky also stars in the hit Christmas film The Nativity and the Christmas Special of the Royle Family. Maurice and Patrick have both produced music for the upcoming one-off comedy drama, written by Jeff Pope and Caroline Aherne, entitled The Fattest Man in Britain starring Timothy Spall to be broadcast on ITV1 this Sunday at 9pm.
Follow Ricky’s progress in his bid to top charts by watching the weekly video updates on YouTube, Facebook and Tincan.tv.
The track is available through iTunes and other download websites.
