Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been lots of fun. And very busy to with quite a few things going on. I had a nice chat with one of the producers of a brand new game show. That is currently being developed for a major terrestrial television channel. This could lead to me spending a day or two with them. To help them get the project in to a position where they can present it to the station executives. And hopefully get it made into a whole series. They already have a well known celebrity lined up to host it. If that does come off that will be a lot of fun. I am still currently waiting to hear if the last game show I worked on will make it on to our screens. It all sounded very positive the last time I spoke to them about it. If it does get commissioned you will be the first to know of course. And I will be able to tell you more about it at that point. There is still a possibility that I might be involved with it in some form, if it does get on television.

As I have mentioned before. I do come from a rather large family. Which is great because as there are so many different relations around. We tend to average at least one wedding every year. So the other week I was at a family wedding. It was a lovely occasion and great to catch up with everyone there. We hired a minibus to get to and from the venue. Have you ever been in a situation where you are being driven somewhere by a professional driver. To a place you think you know and they go a route that seems odd or at best a very long way around. But you don’t say anything because you think that they know best. Or you start doubting that you have the right place in your head. Thinking it is you who has confused the location. That is exactly what happened on the way to the wedding. Until we finally realised the minibus driver was lost. And decided it was time to start giving him directions. The important thing is we got there in the end. And that we did still arrive before the bride and groom were introduced the the room.

I have to say I really liked the buffet. It was basically a choice of bacon, sausage or egg rolls with some chips, chicken nuggets and a few crisps thrown in. A simple and yet brilliant and very tasty idea I thought. They also had a photography area where you could have your picture taken while wearing silly props like hats, glasses or wigs. Needless to say these photos got stranger as the night went on. I did have some taken but fortunately I have not seen any of these yet. I was there with my parents. So it did feel a tiny bit like being a kid again at times. Specially when I got a bag of various penny sweets at the end of the night. That they had available there in the form of a miniature sweet shop. Complete with a lady in a white coat to administer the treats. I started eating these sweets on the minibus home and despite not being that hungry. I managed to finish the whole bag. And then felt a bit sick at the end of it. Which led to me feeling like an eight year old. As I got off at my stop with my mum claiming from the back of the bus. That she had told me not to eat them all at once. Will I ever grow up? I think we all possibly know the answer to that question by now.

Last Saturday I was at another family party. This time it was the annual summer barbecue at my Uncle’s. We were lucky with the weather. In that it mostly stayed dry apart from one big shower. Which meant that we all had to pile into the small marquee he had up for half an hour. Although that did give me a nice chance to have a chat with everyone who was there at the same time. A bit of a common theme currently it would seem. But once again I do have to say the food was brilliant. Burgers, sausages, chicken, pasta dishes and great deserts to. I have a very sweet tooth and pretty much have to end every meal with a pudding of some sort. As part of proceedings we had the hugely anticipated Quigley Table Tennis Championships. Think of it as like Wimbledon for table tennis. Only a lot smaller and with hardly anyone watching. I got beaten in the final last year. So I was keen to go one better this time around. Although it would be a tough challenge. As we are a very competitive family. Last year was the first time it had happened. So this time round I knew how good the opposition were. With the exception of a friend of the host who had been invited along to join in the fun for the afternoon. I then managed to draw this mystery man in the second round. And he was unexpectedly good. We were matching each over all the way but in the end he beat me in a tie breaker. Much to my annoyance. I really hate losing. He then went on to lose to my Uncle in the final. The same one who beat me last year. This is not me being bitter at all. But if it was just family involved I would have made the final. And then still lost. As my Uncle owns the table tennis table and therefore he gets to practice when he is at home. And I only play once a year. That said I am still hoping next year it could be my time.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is still very much in full swing. I have been taking a keen interest on what has been going on up there in Scotland. Being a big comedy fan I did manage to see quite a few of the preview shows performed in the lead up to the event. And I have to say it is really good to see lots of the shows I saw and thought were very funny getting good reviews. Particularly nice to see Silky, Matt Forde and Gavin Webster doing well. I thought all three of their shows although hugely different were really entertaining. And it does seem that the crowd and critics up there are agreeing with me. The other thing I am liking is how supportive the comedians are of one another. They are all recommending each other. And trying to see as many of the other comics shows as they can while they are there, which is great. That is one thing I found when I started doing comedy. You imagine it is very cut throat and that everyone is out to try and out do each other. Just wanting themselves to get all the laughs, while everybody else struggles. But that is not the case. Most comedians on the circuit are so encouraging. They want the whole of the line up to get laughs and all to go down well. They are often very happy to offer tips and advice to. That is one of the things that really makes doing stand up fun. The people that you can find yourself working with.

Do you remember last year I made a brief cameo appearance in my mate Ben Langley’s play called Ha Ha Holmes at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury. Well Ben is back with a brand new play. Which is set to go on a huge UK wide tour very soon. It is another in the Ha Ha brand.He once again has written it. He will direct it as well as starring in it alongside comedy greats Cannon and Ball, and Su Pollard. It will also feature the very talented Andy Pickering. Who did appear in the previous play as the much picked on musician. According to Ben the rehearsals are going great and it is shaping up very nicely. Plus he also seems to be enjoying hearing some classic old show business stories from the rest of the cast. The play is called Ha Ha Hood. And yes it does have some links to a certain well known tale but tells us the story of Robin some twenty years on, from when we last saw him. So a few things in his life have altered, just a little shall we say. I had two cracking nights watching the previous show. Which was hilariously funny. So I really can’t wait to see this new one. I am still considering asking Ben if he has any cameo roles available for this year’s production that may be I could do. I had such a great time being involved the last time. I urge you to go and see this play. You will not be disappointed if you like silly old fashioned good old proper laughs. It you want to find out more about Ha Ha Hood including when it comes to your nearest theatre check out the link here http://www.hahahood.com/  

The Premier League football season gets under way this weekend. So I am hoping that my team Tottenham Hotspur get off to a good start and have a decent season. I am quite optimistic about our chances. But then again I always am at this stage of the season. After last year’s disappointment. I have not had any bets with any Everton supporting friends. On which of our teams will finish the highest this time around. Although as it turns out Everton play Tottenham at Goodison Park on the last day of the season. So I have already made plans to go to Liverpool for the weekend to catch up with my mate and watch the game. I think it could well be another wide open and interesting season.With a few different clubs in with a chance of claiming the title. Spurs kick off the season with a trip to West Ham. A team who beat us three times last season. So it would be extra nice to get a win today to make up for that. But as it is a marathon and not a sprint. I will remain level headed whatever the result. Good luck to your side this year. Hope they have a good one, except if and when they play my team of course.

Tonight I am going to the New Theatre in Oxford to see the musical Avenue Q with my sister. It is a show that I have not yet seen, but have heard very good things about. So I am really looking forward to it. When it was in London’s West End I actually interviewed one of its then stars Mark Goldthorp. It was while I was working at Ivel fm in Yeovil. Mark was from the Somerset town and was coming home to perform a charity concert. So I spoke to him about that and his musical theatre career. I remember when he was describing the show to me that it sounded like something that I would greatly enjoy. Yet it appears to have taken me over six years to actually get round to seeing it. I have heard it explained as like Sesame Street for adults with some very good and catchy original songs in it. It has got some pedigree as it won a Tony Award when it was on Broadway in America. I will let you know what I thought about it when I speak to you next.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.