| Loukas |
15-05-2014 01:18 PM |
Jim: 'Big Brother was end of year from hell for me'
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FORMER Herald Express columnist, newly-crowned Celebrity Big Brother champion and comedy royalty Jim Davidson will be back in the Bay for one night only at the Princess Theatre this summer.
Jim knows the Herald Express well, having played in Torquay many times over the years.
"You put me on the front of the paper for doing bad things," he joked, referring to magistrates' court appearance over a speeding offence in South Devon.
Aside from taking up column inches in the Bay, he loves the area and can't wait to come back.
"I try to do one gig a year in Torquay as I can bring my boat down, I love boating. I nearly risked life and limb bringing it across Lyme Bay," he said.
"I've got so many great friends there, it's home from home to me.
"I can go and see Colin Reece from the Hole in the Wall, I also bumped into Joanne Urch, who I used to go out with, and she was very helpful when I had a lot going on last year.
"The Grand Hotel is always welcoming, I adore Torquay, I really do."
Jim's life in the past year or so has been a massive rollercoaster and he's the first to admit it.
He was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences as part of the police's Operation Yewtree, which was set up after the Jimmy Savile scandal.
It all kicked off at Heathrow airport when Jim flew in to be a contestant in the Celebrity Big Brother house and was taken to a police cell.
He said went through the 'worst six months of his life' before prosecutors said they weren't taking any further action.
"I was in Torquay when I heard from my lawyer no further action was being taken, I was sitting on my little boat anchored off the Imperial Hotel," said Jim.
"Two things happened. I then got a call from Nigel Farage, who I don't know, who phoned to say congratulations.
"Then I went and sat with the wonderful Wendy Bennett at the Princess Theatre and her staff and got a couple of whiskeys in and I felt great."
He was chuffed to be able to go into the Celebrity Big Brother house a year later and be crowned the winner, receiving more than 50 per cent of the final vote.
"The public helped me through such an awful year when I was arrested through Operation Yewtree. Their belief in me kept me going.
"During Operation Yewtree my fans wrote a cheque and by me winning Celebrity Big Brother, they cashed it in.
"It was the end of the year from hell for me. I was arrested at Heathrow on the way into Big Brother in 2013 and winning it in 2014, I was chuffed, it didn't sink in for around a month.
"I was on the way to the Big Brother house when I got arrested and ended up sitting in the cell at the airport police station.
"A year later, I was in the Brother House sitting on the bed with Linda Nolan, maybe that police cell wasn't so bad after all." he joked.
It's clear from all the footage from the reality TV series that the Jim and singer Linda didn't see eye to eye.
When asked was she really that bad, he simply replied: "Yes".
He's still in touch with some of the contestants on the show and the 60 year old even went to see rapper Dappy perform a gig recently.
"He's brilliant. I'd like to see him at the Princess Theatre in Torquay. He's sensational," said Jim.
"We should have a word with Wendy at the theatre and see if she likes a bit of rap," he said in jest.
"All the fans knew all the words and joined in. What a night, I loved it."
Jim's now going back to his first love... comedy.
He's been doing live shows for almost 40 years and there's no sign of him slowing up and has signed to play a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
"I'm delighted to say I'll be spending most of 2014 on stage, telling stories and cracking jokes," he said.
"Let's face it; I've got plenty of material to work with so we won't be short a gag or two."
The former Big Break and Generation Game host says by being on Big Brother, he's got a whole new fanbase.
"I think there are moments in my career where the audience rediscovers you," he said.
"To start with, my audiences were young and the same age as I was and I was lucky to fill big venues.
"They stayed with me until they were middle aged and had other things to spend their money on like a mortgage and kids.
"Then after hosting Generation Game and Big Break, the theatres filled up again with new fans and now with Big Brother I've got a whole new lot of people who are buying tickets to see me.
"I have the 18 and 19 year olds seeing me saying they've not seen comedy like it. It's the same as the young lads are doing, but I'm just better," he said.
When asked which comedians Jim likes, he said he doesn't feel inspired by the young ones on the circuit although he 'likes' Lee Evans and thinks Frank Skinner is 'clever'.
"A lot of the comics these days come from the left wing and have been to university and are smart arses.
"They all read The Guardian. I buy The Sun and went to a secondary modern school and am a working class lad and people can identify with me.
"You don't have to be clever to be funny. I just want people to have the best night they've ever had and make them laugh their head off. There's nothing better than that."
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Source - Torquay Herald Express |
