Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have as ever been very busy and involved lots of fun things. I have still been doing a bit of work at Wembley Stadium recently. I was there for the latest England Football Team Press Conference. The one where the manager announced his first post World Cup Squad. For the friendly with Norway and the Euro 2016 Qualifying match away to Switzerland. I just happened to be standing in the Mixed Zone area. Which is a corridor just outside of the Press Conference Room. When the boss Mr Roy Hodgson himself came past to head in and speak to the members of the media inside. I have met him before, so fair play to him. He did give me a quick nod and a smile as our paths crossed. I also saw the England Under 21 manager Gareth Southgate. He was there naming his latest squad for his team’s next two games. The whole event was covered by Sky Sports. And I did bump in to their Chief Football Reporter Nick Collins a couple of times during the day to. There is always a nice buzz around that area when squads are announced.

He also confirmed Wayne Rooney as the next England Captain. Which personally I think is a very good choice. And I wish Wayne all the best with the new role. I feel he is easily the best man for the job. I will be very surprised if he does not go on to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s long standing record of forty-nine goals for the national team. I also think he has a good chance of beating David Beckham’s record of one hundred and fifteen caps for an outfield player, for the men’s national team. Wayne is twenty-eight years old. He currently has forty-one goals in ninety-six appearances for England. So he is closing in on both of those records.

Staying with football and the national team for just a little bit longer. I took my Dad to see England play Norway at Wembley the other week. It was nice to be able to return the favour. Because as a child I remember him taking me to see my first full England game. When we played Holland at the Old Wembley Stadium. I remember it being loads of fun and very exciting to see the top players up close and in person. So as my Dad had never been to the new place to see a match. And as he had not seen an England team play for over twenty-five years. I think he was as excited as I was, when the roles where reversed all that time ago.

It all worked out perfectly. We got an early train in, so both of us had a seat. We went to a bar I know right near the Stadium. Where there was no queue at all at the bar. So we were able to have a relaxing drink before heading in to the ground. There was no waiting at the turn style. So we went straight in and grabbed a quick bite to eat before taking our seats. In time to see the team’s warm up. Which is something we both like to do. The match was good and most importantly England won. We found a hotel bar near the station for a quick drink. So we could wait for the crowds to go and then jumped on a quiet train home. It was a perfectly fun night, watching a game at a truly great stadium. It really is a comfortable place for the fans. My dad enjoyed it so much. That he has already booked tickets to see the next home England match there against San Marino on the 9th October.

My mum celebrated a land mark birthday last weekend. So as well as spoiling her with presents and flowers. We went out for a nice family meal together at a local pub, where my parents often go. Once a month they have a steak night with a special set price on a meal for two. Which includes a bottle of wine in it. This worked out very nicely for me. As I was paired with my sister. Who does not normally drink. And who was driving all of us home that night. Which basically meant I got a whole bottle of red wine to myself. Result! I had not had a steak for ages, so I really enjoyed it. Over the last couple of years I have started getting a bit braver with them. So I now have them medium. And fair play mine was cooked to perfection.

The night got even better when they came round with the desert menu. As I managed to finish things off with Apple Crumble and Custard. Which is certainly up there in my top three favourite puddings. There was also a singing duo there performing for us during the evening. My parents actually know the people who run the pub. So with their help we proceeded to embarrass my mum by getting the band to lead the whole pub in singing her happy birthday. Just before the music finished. We did all manage to get up on the dance floor and have a little family dance. It was a really nice evening, spending time together as a family and celebrating a big occasion. Most importantly of all the birthday girl had a great time and really enjoyed it.

Last Sunday night I did manage to get along to the Wycombe Swan to see my friend Ben Langley’s new show Ha Ha Hood. After making a brief appearance the last time one of his show’s was in Buckinghamshire.This visit was spent completely in the comfort of the auditorium watching with the rest of the audience. As normal with the Ha Ha brand Ben takes a well known story and re-writes it for comedy effect. While keeping with the variety and madness of the Ha Ha style. This latest play sees us catching up with the icon that is Robin Hood. Ten years on from the last we heard of him. A lot has happened. There have been many things that have changed. And then some things in his life that have seemingly remained the same. Ben plays Robin Hood. He is joined in the cast for this show by the fantastic Su Pollard. Who plays Maid Marion. And the comedy legends Cannon and Ball. Who both have duel hero and villain roles in the show. Which in itself leads to plenty of confusion and fun on stage. They are joined lastly by Andy Pickering. Who as well as supplying the musical accompaniment. Does pop up from time to time with some classic comedy moments of his own.

If you like good old fashioned laugh out loud fun. You must go and see this show. It has jokes, songs, pathos, lots of silliness. All with the added bonus that you are never totally sure what exactly is going to happen next. I was lucky enough to have a very quick catch up with Ben Langley before the show. He is a top bloke and really deserves all the success that he is having with the Ha Ha series. I did also manage to say hello to and shake the hands of Bobby Ball and Tommy Cannon. Who are both excellent in the show. It reminded me of when I used to watch them on television, when I was a kid growing up. They have lost none of the old magic. Nor has Su Pollard who proves yet again what a wonderful all round performer she is. And she does also get the opportunity to showcase her great singing voice. I had forgotten that she has released a few records over the years. I totally enjoyed the show. It was entertaining, funny and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. I will be going to see it again later on in the tour for sure. So if you can, do go and see it. Find out more here www.hahahood.com

It is fair to say I do have very limited options when it comes to what I can do with my hair nowadays. At the moment I normally visit the hairdressers around every three weeks. And have my head shaved with a grade one cut all over with the clippers. Now I always go to the same place. Which is a family run barbers near where I live. So I have one of the three relations in there cut my hair. I went in as usual the other week. I had to wait a little bit for my turn. Which is quite unusual. As I normally time it right, so I can just walk straight in and sit down in the the main chair. But this time I had to wait for a while. I then got called up to go to the chair. I was wearing my glasses. So as I sat in the chair for the haircut. I took them off. Meaning of course that I could not see.

Normally they do ask and check what I want before they start. But this time they didn’t. However as I have been having the same thing done there for the last two years. I thought nothing of it and just let them get on with it. We were chatting away as normal. At which point I started to feel that something was not quite right. Then at the end of the haircut. When I put my glasses back on and looked in the mirror. I instantly noticed my hair looked a lot shorter than normal. Instead of a grade one cut. I think they had done an half grade or even a grade zero. Which doesn’t sound much of a difference, when you say it quickly like that. But believe me it looked a lot shorter than I had ever seen it before. And it took me a few seconds to actually recognise myself in the mirror. Too shocked I didn’t say anything afterwards I just paid as normal and walked out. On the plus side. As it will have a lot more growing to do. I will probably not need to go back for at least a month now. And I will definitely confirm with the hairdresser exactly what we are doing before we get started next time. I will not make the same mistake twice.

Good news if you remember the new potential television quiz show. That I went to do some work on. To help them develop it a couple of months ago. It has now been taken up by a major TV channel. I am afraid I still can’t say which one yet at this stage. But it looks like they are going to make the first series of it early next year. They are starting to look for potential contestants for it at the moment. It is a very different concept and format to the more normal and conventional game shows. So I do think when it launches there will be a lot of publicity surrounding it. There is a very good chance that I may well still be involved with it in some way, before it hits our screens in 2015.

The new series of the brilliant Radio 4 Extra comedy show Newsjack starts on the station on Thursday 25th September. I know this as I am going to watch it being recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre in London the night before. I will once again be writing some jokes for the programme. So the ideal situation would be that I get to see and hear some of my work being performed, that night while I am there. I am looking forward to catching up with the very talented cast and seeing them in action again. It is always a good fun night out. I am actually back there at the BBC Theatre the night after to watch the excellent The Now Show with the amazing Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis being recorded. I have seen both of them live in the theatre before. And they are just fantastic. So I have a couple of decent nights of comedy lined up to enjoy there.

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