New Year Honours

He's not my cup of tea, but he is a grafter. Some friends went to see him for a solo stand up routine at a local venue, it carried on past 1am !

That's what his act is best known for. You certainly get value for money!

Ken Dodd apparently had a series on ITV - the Ken Dodd Laughter Show, made by Thames, and previously The Ken Dodd Show on the BBC. Later appearances on The Good Old Days (aired off and on on BBC Four now) and IMDB suggests a raft of largely either one-offs or guest appearances after that and some music releases in the 60s.

Dodd was certainly on TV a lot but probably wasn't as prolific as the likes of Bruce Forsyth and Bob Monkhouse, Morecambe & Wise (more collectively than separately), The Two Ronnies (collectively and separately), etc.

Ironically Channel 5 have shown An Audience With... and a documentary about Ken Dodd this teatime.

Coincidental rather than ironic, really. And in the schedules for at least the last two weeks, in case anyone was wondering.

Well ironic that we've been discussing that he is no longer a TV personality for a number of shows about him to turn up today

Ken did two 'audience' shows for itv. You know, tv crews can be very hard to please, perhaps even somewhat grim at times as, over the years, it really does become been there, seen that - lots and lots of times. Ken had his pre-show evening meal in the staff canteen sat on his own as seemed his personal preference eating something or other with chips. I wandered off somewhere or other. Later on I wandered around the various studio control rooms concerned with his show and it was mid recording. All the crew were in absolute stitches with his routine, so very funny and to the hardest audeience of all. Belly laugh after belly laugh in all the control rooms. The crews were seriously worried that he would hugely overrun although some were torn as they were having such a laugh. All the gags were on autocue though I think aide memoire style rather than word for word, he seemlessly sewed it all together. Not a fan myself, but my goodness he could make those people laugh and you have to respect that.