Tag Archives: Quiz Shows

Devon Help Us

October 24, 2020 Neil

It looks like the current way in which we are required to exist will continue for a while still yet. A return to how we would all like it to be appears a long way off. Restrictions across the United Kingdom look like they will get tighter everywhere in the coming months. It is tough and difficult at the moment but it will improve. I am trying to accept everything with good humour and trying to laugh and have a bit of fun still at every opportunity.

All anyone can do at the minute is to make the best out of every situation while looking after themselves and those around them. There has never been a time before in my lifetime where our actions can have such a big effect on those around us. We need to think and be aware of what is required of us in certain situations. I am still not going out much at all but when I do I try to make sure I follow all the rules. The NHS is in danger of being overwhelmed potentially and that must be avoided in all of our best interests.

Last weekend I went to Devon for a mini break with my girlfriend. It is nice to have a change of scenery as often as possible I find, due to the fact that my life does feel a lot like Groundhog Day currently. We had booked an apartment on a Holiday Park in Woolacombe. It was the first time that I had stayed at a camp like that since I was ten. We drove down there on Friday afternoon. We left just early enough to avoid any traffic, which was a bit of a result.

On arrival we picked up our key. They came out to the car to greet us and give us what we needed so there was minimal contact. Once we had unloaded the car we had a cup of tea and then popped out to see what the onsite pub was like. They had an app for the whole site that you could use pretty much anywhere you were including of course the pubs and bars. They had an outside area under cover at the front so we had a few welcome drinks there.

To make things easy on the first night Lynda had pre-made a lasagne that we just had to cook in the oven. So we came back from the pub to enjoy that with some garlic bread and a few glasses of wine. The accommodation was basic but perfectly fine. Everything was self- contained plus it was only a five minute walk from The Old Mill. As it had been a fairly long drive (for her) we just had a relaxing night in.

After a pretty leisurely start to the morning we had a quick walk around the Holiday Park to see what there was and what was at the time still open. The beach was a forty-five minute walk or a seven minute car ride away, so we hopped in the motor and drove down to the car park on the sea front. We went for a nice walk along the sand and even down to the sea, which I can confirm goes out a long way on that beach. It was the first time that I had been down there. The beach is huge and the views from it are very picturesque.

Then with our lungs full of sea air and our trainers full of sand we got back in the car and went back to our temporary home. The App that we used in the pub could also be used to have food delivered to your apartment, so we got some baguettes sent over. I had fish fingers in mine as basically I am still just a big kid.

The place was busy but not totally packed. It was Covid friendly with the staff and all the guests sticking to the rules. It was well organised. That evening we went and had a meal at the pub. Once again we were well looked after. Everything was safe and we had lots of space away from the other customers.

On the Sunday we just chilled and took it easy. We had another stroll round stopping for a drink outside one of the bars. Again the App did the business the drinks were delivered with minimal human contact. It is not the way I really like to do things and one of the reasons I do not venture out much.

But in these times it is the best and safest way for all parties involved. To finish the last full day we had another of our now famous Baked Camembert and Wine nights. This time we had it with Chilli Jam and Garlic Bread. Trust me it tasted amazing!

We came home on the Monday morning. You had to leave the place by ten o’clock. To make sure we were on time I set the alarm on my phone for eight, not realising the battery was very low. I woke up in the morning checked my phone for the time and it was dead.

I then ran to the kitchen to check the clock there fearing I had overslept. It was exactly eight, so that was lucky and saved us rushing around like mad things. It was another lovely relaxing weekend away. I may not be able to get abroad at the moment but I am still enjoying exploring England.

I am asthmatic therefore I have been having the Flu jab every year for over a decade now. If you qualify for it, personally I cannot see why you would not have it. I went and got this year’s shot the other Friday. I happened to book the appointment straight after my mum. We went up to the Doctors together for one of our stranger mother and son outings. We got there a bit early so we were waiting at a safe distance from the door. When we saw there was no queue we wandered over and someone came outside to check us in.

I thought we would go separately but we were invited into the nurse’s room at the same time. That was fine by the way. It just so happened that the person giving us the injections was in my year at Secondary School. It was nice to see a familiar face as she stuck the needle into my arm. Who am I kidding? I am far too squeamish to watch that taking place.

It does not hurt when they do it, it will not make you feel ill either. The only side effect is your arm might hurt for a day or so. I would say that is a small price to pay to lessen the effect of flu if you catch it. Obviously this does not cover “Covid 19” but I have my fingers crossed that our brilliant scientists will crack it and hopefully next year’s injection will. I am happy that I have had it.

Have you noticed that for various reasons now getting through a week seems like a big achievement, add to that the fact you cannot do a lot of things you enjoy at the moment. My girlfriend and I have by accident started a regular ritual to mark the official start of our Saturday night. We now always start proceedings with a bottle of Champagne.

It started randomly about six weeks ago and so far we are managing to keep it going. After another long and testing seven days there is something a little bit soothing about some bubbles. Plus it feels like you are celebrating the occasion.

Another film passed the “Neil Friendly” list recently. As I am staying in more I am watching more movies but I still need to be convinced to commit to them and give them my time. This one was sold to me as Guy Ritchie’s return to his roots and in the style of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. They are two films that I had seen and enjoyed in the past. The film in question was The Gentlemen. It was released in January. Therefore this is quite a modern and up to date movie for me to watch.

It has a great cast which includes, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell and Michelle Dockery. I must confess I really enjoyed it. It is very fast moving, there are some ace set piece moments and I found a lot of the dialogue very funny. I am not sure if I was meant to or it was just my strange sense of humour that meant I found it amusing. In a way and I am not sure if this is a compliment or not I thought it was a bit like a British version of Pulp Fiction. I think the only slight downside was that my language was very gangster for a day or so after I saw it.

I applied to be on the next series of “Beat the Chaser”. I quite fancy myself as a bit of a quizzer. Plus it seems like a bit of fun. Add to that the fact that Bradley Walsh is a good laugh I thought it would be an interesting experience. I filled out the form online and then forgot all about it until I got a call from one of the producers. They wanted an initial chat, which means I had in effect got through the first stage. We talked for a bit and then she gave me two general knowledge quizzes both of which were really hard.

Then about ten minutes later she phoned me back to invite me for an online Zoom audition. It took place last Monday. There were eight of us potential contestants on the call and three producers from the show. We played a few silly games and then had thirty seconds to talk about ourselves. I was picked to go first for everything which was fine with me. I am always happy to take centre stage. All I will say is that half a minute is nowhere near long enough for me to talk about myself and say how great I am!

They made their decision there and then about who they were going to put through to the show itself. I was not selected on this occasion. I wish everyone who made it the best of luck. I will watch the next series to see how the people from my audition do, mainly so I can just claim I would have done much better regardless of how they actually do. It was fun being involved with it and I do from time to time offer to be on various television programmes, so I am sure another opportunity will appear soon.

It could be an exciting few weeks for the Quigley Stable. One of my horse’s “Force Ten” is due to make his seasonal debut at Wincanton tomorrow. I have been down to visit him in the past at Paul Nicholls stables in Ditcheat. It will be his first season over the hurdles.

There is also a chance that another horse “Stage Star” will make his first ever racecourse appearance in the next few weeks. I am excited to see them both in action and I wish them well. Rest assured if they do race I will be watching.

I was slightly amused when I saw the headline “Quigley signs for Yeovil Town” the other day. I mean I have played at Huish Park in a Staff versus Media game once. That was several years ago now so I thought either The Glovers had been secretly scouting me since that match or it was not me that they had signed.

Obviously it was not me but a much younger and better man called Joe Quigley, who as far as I know is not a relation. Oddly we were both born on the tenth of December albeit twenty odd years apart. I hope he has an excellent season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s latest Premier League match at home to West Ham United summed up what it is like to be a Spurs fan in just ninety four minutes. We go three goals up within the first sixteen minutes with our two main goal scorers setting each other up for one each and then Harry Kane grabbing his second. It is looking good we are totally in control of the game.

Then with twenty minutes to go Gareth Bale comes on as sub for his second debut after returning from Real Madrid. This of course leads to more excitement and much delight. In the eighty second minute we concede a sloppy goal. The nerves start jangling a little bit. Then three minutes later we give away an own goal. Now we are looking shell shocked and scared.

Finally with the last kick of the game the visitors equalise with a stunning strike from outside the penalty area that flies in to the top corner. We draw the game. If you want to experience every emotion possible within just two hours I would suggest you support my team. Unbelievable! Despite the fact I was disappointed and strangely for me a bit angry at the end of the match I will be fully behind the team next time out. That is what support is, not turning against them as soon as it does not all go your way.

The clocks go back one hour overnight into Sunday tonight as the United Kingdom moves in to British Winter Time. That is just what we need at the moment for it to be darker in the mornings and the evenings.

Mind you to be fair we cannot do much or go anywhere so it may as well be dark while we are stuck in our houses. On the plus side we do get an extra hour in bed tonight. As ever I am all about the positives, which is what I look for in every situation.

You can listen to me still on Saturday afternoon between 2pm – 4pm on Radio Ninesprings https://www.radioninesprings.co.uk/

Have fun and we will catch up again soon. Stay safe! Cheers Neil.

Irish Times

March 19, 2016 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been by my standards fairly quiet really. Which has actually been quite nice. A bit of calm before the storm, as the next month or so is going to be nice and busy for me. Although short listed to be a contestant on a big new ITV show I did not in the end get chance to go on it and play the game.

The first series of it was filmed up in Manchester last week. It is a fun quiz called Alphabetical. Which is hosted by the excellent Jeff Stelling. It is really just an old school style general knowledge quiz with a couple of nice little twists to make it more original. Watch out for it on your television screens later this year. It is definitely worth a watch. It was lots of fun to play at the audition.

Neil Quigley TV Radio & Live — Neil Quigley TV, Radio & Live

A while ago now I did some recording sessions for a project a very good friend of mine Andy Holmes was working on. He has written a series of short radio plays. Which have now been produced starring an all star cast, including me. He is starting to release them on a weekly basis.

So far the first two episodes have been made available. I am personally involved in two of them. Playing a futuristic tour guide in one of the stories and then popping up and making a quick cameo guest appearance as a Radio Presenter in another of them.

It was good fun going in to the studio to record my bits for these productions. I have worked with Andy Holmes on several things over the years and we always have a good time working together. It was a little different for me getting to play characters and doing a little bit of acting.

I am of course just more used to being myself on the radio. The great thing about radio plays of course is you do not need to learn the script as you can just read your lines during the recording itself.

The first one featuring me was released last weekend. The series is called The Andy Holmes Angle and the episode I appear in, which is episode two. Is called “The Empty Space”. That is the one where I play the Tour Guide in a galactic fantasy trip set in the future. A snapshot of what holidays could be like in the feature and in many ways a suggestion that the human race learns very little from past experiences.

As I said it was great fun to record and do listen out for an uncanny Ruth Madoc impersonation from me about half way through it. So here is a link to the play, for you to enjoy at your own convenience. Just simply click on it to hear it. The Empty Space

I am still suffering from nose bleeds due to my team Tottenham Hostpur still being up in second place in the English Premier League. This is the first time ever in my life that I have felt that just may be we could actually have a slight chance of winning the league. It is an odd and strange feeling that I am totally not used to at all. But that said long may it continue, please.

It was a bit of a shame going out of the Europa Cup to Borussia Dortmund. But the main prize of winning that is a place in the Champions League. Which hopefully we should achieve from our final league position. It is going to be an exciting run in with lots of twists and turns still to come, I’m sure. I just plan to enjoy every minute of, whatever happens in the end. Come on you Spurs.

I am looking forward to going up to Liverpool for the Grand National Meeting next month. However this week it was the other big event in the jump horse racing season the Cheltenham Festival. Unfortunately I did not manage to make it along to the famous race course this time around. Although lots of my mates and even my parents enjoyed a day’s racing there this year.

I watched as many of the races as I could on television. It really is a great spectacle. It is retired former champion jockey AP McCoy’s favourite meeting. This year was the first year he had not had a ride there for twenty years. He was there still though working for Channel 4 and I found his comments and insight into the whole thing fascinating personally.

It was an exciting week’s racing and you really get to see how close nit the racing community are. They are very competitive but at the same time very supportive of each other and do seem genuinely happy when others are successful. They really do love and take great care of those horses. There were also bumper record crowds there to witness lots of great races.

I thought the television coverage was brilliant and because they are all known people within horse racing, presenting it. They get access to and so get to speak to everybody. And because they know them all personally you get some really nice and intimate interviews with the jockey’s, trainers and owners alike.

The festival this year also saw a debut appearance from the Olympic Gold Medal cyclist Victoria Pendleton. She has retired from professional cycling and has dedicated the last twelve months to horse riding. With the big aim of being certified to ride in one of the biggest racing occasions in the world. She has been taught by the best and worked with some great trainers and top jockeys along the way.

She rode a Paul Nichols trained horse “Pacha Du Polder” in the prestigious Foxhunter Chase on the famous Gold Cup Day of the championships. Over the Gold Cup course itself. So from having never ridden a horse before to going over the jumps at one of the most testing race courses in the whole world inside twelve months is quite an achievement.

I was lucky enough to meet and interview Victoria Pendleton a few years ago at a cycle event she was an ambassador for at Whipsnade Zoo. She was I have to say absolutely lovely and clearly very passionate about her sport and keen that as many people as possible should get involved with it. To enjoy the obvious health benefits and at least some of the satisfaction that she got from training and competing at the high level that she did.

She clearly had great drive and dedication. So I was not surprised that she managed to fulfil her horse racing dreams. She is a great person and I wish her all the best with her next project, whatever that may be. This lady can probably just do anything she sets her mind to, to be honest.

Neil Quigley with Olympic Gold Medal Cyclist Victoria Pendleton

Last Thursday it was of course St Patrick’s Day. Now as someone with some Irish roots (my Granddad was born in Southern Ireland) and a name like Quigley. I always like to celebrate this special occasion. In my opinion the best place to do this is at my favourite pub in London Waxy O’Connors. So I was in there during the afternoon enjoying a few pints of Guinness and listening to some brilliant live music. The atmosphere inside the place was as ever brilliant and perfect for the day.

I got in there just after midday and they had a band called Walking on Cars booked to play a short thirty minute set from around one thirty. They were brilliant and are definitely a name worth looking out for in the future. I spotted Chris Moyles’s producer the very lovely Pippa Taylor in there enjoying the music to. And the friend that I was meeting there Kayleigh Gill had an even better celebrity spot. As she saw Suggs from Madness having dinner in a restaurant on her way to the pub.

The staff and customers in there are always so nice and friendly. It really is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon. The decoration and styling of the place is also amazing. Some parts have a church feel to it, some parts are like an old fashioned country pub. And who does not like a pub that is right in the middle of Central London and has a tree running right down the middle of it. You are in the heart of the city but once you head down the stairs and in to the lower bar. You feel like you are miles away from anywhere.

The music was great and perfect for the occasion all afternoon. Then from six they had yet more live music for the evening with a traditional Irish Trio featuring of course a fiddle player. They played a host of classic Irish Songs. Which had the whole place singing along to them. It was quite a sight with the bar full of people wearing Guinness hats and waving Irish flags. It was another brilliant St Patrick’s Day celebrated in my favourite pub in London.

The latest series of Newsjack has come to an end. The topical news comedy show will return to BBC Radio 4 Extra for another run later in the year. It was as ever brilliant fun writing jokes for the show once again. It is produced and performed by a very talented team. Plus it is a great stepping stone for new comedy writers to cut their teeth and progress their careers. A lot of people credited on the show have gone on to write and produce on a more regular basis for the broadcaster. So to be just a small part of that is a lovely feeling.

Newsjack is recorded in the Radio Theatre, which is part of the BBC Broadcasting House building in Central London. They record lots of top comedy radio shows there and that is where Radio 2 also do a lot of their music specials from. So if you hear that a band or singer is playing a small gig for the radio station. That would normally be coming from the theatre.

I was there though at the end of last year to watch a television show being filmed. It was called Live at the BBC. It is a new comedy show showcasing new and upcoming acts many of whom were spotted at the latest Edinburgh Festival. They are on line on BBC Three plus they have started showing some of them on BBC Two as well. They are well worth a look. I saw both James Acaster and Felicity Ward do their full latest stand up shows during the recording and they were both very funny. So do keep an eye out for it.

I do have a few exciting things coming up over the next month of so. I am going to see a recording of the television show Safe Word in London in the next couple of weeks. I will also be at one of the new Tonight Live at The Palladium shows. That is always a great theatre to visit and I do really like a bit of variety, so that will be fun. And next month I will be attending the Gadget Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham. Which I am sure will be very interesting and a good laugh.

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

The Science of Television

February 5, 2016 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been pretty busy with some interesting things going on. I have still not heard back from the new game show audition I did a fortnight ago as yet. But as it is being recorded at the end of this month I expect to find out one way or another very soon.

While I was waiting to go in for my turn with the producers at their production office I got talking to one of the other potential contestants. Around a year ago I helped to do some development work on a brand new quiz called Smart Ask.

This included me playing the game in front of some Channel 4 executives. To try and convince them to buy it.Well from speaking to the guy I met at my latest audition I found out that he was used as a contestant when they recorded the pilot episode of it in the studio.

It was nice to find out that something I had been involved in had made it to the next stage in its development. They have not commissioned a series as yet and I can’t say much more about it at this stage. But all I will say is this, the presenter who hosted the pilot episode was not the one that Channel 4 used when we ran through the quiz for them privately.

Recently I went to the BBC Elstree Studios to see an episode of a brand new ITV1 show called “It’s Not Rocket Science” being recorded. I was very well looked after and had a great seat, right in the middle on the very front row.

It is presented by Ben Miller, Rachel Riley and Romesh Ranganathan. As its title suggests it is a science and technology gadget show that features a mixture of weird and wild experiments. As well as a look at new innovations that are being introduced to try to make our lives easier.

They do some of the tests live in the studio during the filming and others have already been pre-recorded in advance but we still got to see them while we were there. The main guest on the show I saw was Eamonn Holmes. Who although he was on very briefly was very good, friendly and professional, as you would expect from a man of his calibre.

It was an extremely fun and different kind of show to watch. I can’t say why but during it I did get to hi five Romesh. If I am honest I would have much rather it had been Rachel but you can’t have it all can you? The series starts on Tuesday 16th February at 8pm. I not sure when the one I was at will be broadcast but keep an eye out for when Eamonn Holmes is the guest on it and then see if you can spot me.

For the second year running I attended the final London audition for Britain’s Got Talent. They hold them at the fabulous Dominion Theatre on the Tottenham Court Road. It really is a fantastic venue. Once again I was very well looked after. They sat me a few rows behind the judges. I had a good view of the stage and also more importantly a very good view of the judges, so I could see their reactions to what was happening in front of them.

Now if you have seen the show of course, you will know that at the auditions Ant & Dec only really interview the acts off the stage before and after they have performed. Happily before the recording starts they do come out on to the stage to say hello, explain what will be happening and they introduce the judges. During the filming you do sometimes see them popping up at the side of the stage watching the acts or more likely messing around. While the filming was taking place we did also get treated to a cameo appearance from ITV2’s “Britain’s Got More Talent” host Stephen Mulhern.

The judges all looked great and were in fine form. Joking with each other and messing about in between the acts appearing. While the stage was being reset. At one point Simon Cowell appeared to steal Amanda Holden’s phone and post something on her twitter page. They were also happy to chat to the audience during any down time.

Alesha Dixon and David Walliams were on fine form to. In fact David seemed to take control and keep things in order moving them forward more so than even Simon, which seemed slightly odd as he is technically the boss of the whole thing.

I think since the birth of his son Simon has very much mellowed a bit. Although I have to confess I do normally agree with everything he says when he is critiquing the acts. At the audition I witnessed there were the usual mixture of excellent and terrible acts. And the judges did rightly have to buzz a few of them off. There was one point when I actually wished that I had my own buzzer.

I obviously do not want to give anything away but I think I saw two acts that could well both make it to the grand final. One of them was a singer and the other a pretty unique impressionist. I look forward to seeing the show when it is shown in April. The game you can play when it is on is to try and spot me sitting behind Simon Cowell. It was a lovely evening watching one of my favourite shows being made in a great city.

Before I went to the Britain’s Got Talent auditions I stopped off for some food in a well known comedy venue pub in London called The Phoenix. It is a place where a lot of comics drink and it is also home to the Old Rope Comedy Club, which is on in their basement bar every Monday Night. It normally attracts some very well known comedians, who use it to try out new material.

The pub is holding its own comedy festival next month and I am looking forward to seeing Russell Howard perform there as part of it. Just while I was standing at the bar ordering my soft drink the other day. The Welsh comic and former flat mate of Rhod Gilbert, Lloyd Langford appeared next me. It is a cracking pub and just for the record the food in there is fantastic to.

I am currently in the middle of reading my second book of the year so far and as ever it is an autobiography. This time it is the life story of the twenty times champion jump racing jockey AP McCoy. As you would imagine it is brilliant and fascinating in equal measure giving a real insight in to his own life and the racing world in general. He is one tough and totally driven guy, the desire and will power to achieve what he did in his chosen sport is right there to see from the first chapter. The thing that really comes across is just how modest and low key he is. When you consider the levels he reached as a sportsman.

Many years ago my great friend Dez Kay and I did the Wedding Disco for the former jump jockey Gee Armytage when she married fellow jockey Mark Bradburne. At the time Gee was actually working as AP McCoy’s personal assistant. So he was there at the reception along with the great and good of the horse racing family, including John Francome and Clare Balding. It was a brilliant night and let me tell you those folks know how to party. I seem to remember we finished the disco in the end at around 4am.

But one man who doesn’t drink alcohol had left long before that and was I guess at home resting, as true greats often are. To be the best at anything you must be totally dedicated to your goal. I am of course talking about AP McCoy. For the record the biggest party animal there seemed to be Carl Llewellyn, who was also a hugely successful jockey and now is an assistant trainer with Nigel Twiston-Davis.

I would have liked to go out on a night out with him. I would imagine there would never be a dull moment. He is very close friends with AP McCoy, although it would appear from the outside their style of a social night out differs slightly. Anyway I am totally loving the book and now have even more respect and admiration for him than I did before. He seems like a ace man to be around and a great friend to have around you and in your corner.

The Jump has returned to our television screens for another series. It is a show for celebrities who do not think Dancing on Ice was dangerous enough to go on. With the events they make them compete in I am surprised that they can actually get insurance to be able to make the show. May be they go and have a private meeting with the head Meerkat or that annoying opera singer to thrash out a deal.

As ever with reality shows nowadays there are a couple of people on it who I have never heard of. But there is something quite fun about it that makes me enjoy watching it. Davina McCall is great on it linking it all together. And when they are not competing in those terrifying events, the contestants look like they are all having a good time. Enjoying all the excellent hospitality at the resort.

I am supporting Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding for the very simple reason that she lives in the same town as me. Therefore I do want her to win it. She turned on the lights at Christmas last year and I have seen her in the local supermarket and filling up with petrol in the town. I think the place would look good with a golden cow horn bought back in to it. May be she could donate it to us. Good luck to Sarah Harding. I am behind you all the way.

My self enforced alcohol ban is now officially over. I took the whole of January off the booze, so I could try to have a slightly healthier start to the year and I also upped my exercise routine a bit. But that all that could come to an end this weekend. Not decided what I am doing yet but if I fancy a drink I can now have one. Looking forward to it and I am hoping that I might try to ease myself back into things gently but I guess we will just see how it goes.

I have got a couple of busy weeks coming up. Next Wednesday I am going to see a recording of Alan Davies As Yet Untitled at the famous Hospital Club in London. It is a comedy discussion show made by the TV station Dave featuring the comedian and his guests basically just sitting around a table having a chat. Which will be a lot of fun, I’m sure. And as it is quite an intimate venue people tend to may be reveal more through their stories than they possibly should.

I am also going to two new West End shows two nights running. I am off to see Gemma Arterton star in Nell Gwynn and former Friends star Matthew Perry in a play he has written himself called The End of Longing. Both of which I am very much looking forward to. I will tell you all about them next time we speak.

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

London Beat

October 3, 2015 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been great with lots of fun things going on. We are in the middle of the Rugby Union World Cup in England currently. I cannot claim to be a massive fan of playing the sport and hated it in games lessons at school. I had to go in the scrum as a second row forward. When I would have much rather stood out of the way on the sidelines as a winger. As I could have just avoided the ball more and stayed away from the action. I am always happy to watch and support England in any competition. I made sure I caught the Opening Ceremony on television.

I thought it was really good. A twenty minute production with more than a couple of nods to the Olympic opening in 2012. Including another Royal on screen cameo. This time from Prince Harry. Who also delivered a speech from the centre of the pitch. Which I thought was very nicely done.

Also well done to the comedian, TV Warm Up Man and Buckinghamshire resident Andy Collins. Who was charged with getting the capacity crowd fired up and ready for when the eyes of the world were on them. I look forward to hopefully bumping in to him at a television studio, once again in the near future.

I had a brilliant morning at the ITV Studios on the South Bank the other week. I was there to help a production company called Chalkboard with a live run through of a brand new game show. That they are trying to get commissioned. And hopefully on our televisions soon. They are a fantastic group of people very friendly, enthusiastic and professional. We all met up in reception before heading in to the lift and up to the Thames Room. We got set up, had a cup of tea and a quick practice of the game. Before the TV executives that we were trying to impress arrived.

We were also joined by two French TV Producers. Who have already made a pilot version of the quiz, that we were show casing. I have seen a clip of it and it looks great in their studio. The executives arrived in the room. And me and my co-contestant Rob played a couple of rounds of it. So they could see the format. How it plays and all works.

It went really well and everybody left the room happy. Fingers crossed they take the show and then make it. It would be nice to see something that I have played a very small part in the development of, being successful and getting a good run on the television. If and when I get any news that I am able to tell you, rest assured I will.

I am a massive fan of live theatre and musicals but I very rarely watch any films. About a year ago I saw the Jersey Boys movie and absolutely loved it. Since seeing it at the cinema I decided that I really wanted to see the stage version. Which was about long before the film. Finally last week I managed to find some spare time and catch the matinee at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End. It tells the story of the group the Four Seasons, from the very early days through to the end of their careers. While giving a good feel of what the area of America they came from, was really like back then.

It is pretty real and gritty for a musical. And it is fair to say they all have issues and problems both individually and collectively along the way. But the thing that really holds it together and makes it great, is the songs. They had some very big hits and they are all sung live by the very talented cast.

It is a real life story of how money and success can alter friendships and situations. But also how certain bonds are built up with people that just cannot be broken. The music and the harmony’s are so good. It will leave you feeling happy and hyped up, like any good musical really should in my opinion. I am really glad I finally went to see it. But I already knew beforehand that I would not be disappointed by it.

I enjoyed a fun night out recently with a few of the people I work with at Wembley Stadium. A fairly low key night. We just met in pub that is part of a well known chain of Irish Bar’s in Kings Cross. Whose full name is pretty similar to my first name. We then went on to a bar around the corner. Where the fantastic Rockaoke band were playing.

Just in case you are not familiar with these guys. They are a group, who provide a slightly different take on karaoke. They play the songs totally live and supply all the words. You just hop on stage with them and sing. I met them in January at a birthday party in Oxfordshire. They were brilliant then and my mate Jeff Nolan got up and did a few numbers with them. Which was ace.

They have also played on most of the Chris Moyle’s Show Tours, at Carfest events and backstage at some pretty cool places including the V-Festival. They were once again excellent. And they do seem to attract a better class of singer than normal karaoke’s. Although I guess to get up there and sing with a full band. You at least have to have a little bit of confidence. That you know what you are doing.

That said the group are ace and would help you out were it required vocally, I believe. To save the ears of the audience if nothing else. They were very popular in the pub that night. When we arrived there all the slots to sing for the rest of the evening had already been booked up. I look forward to seeing them live again soon.

I have been lucky enough to go to the actual Munich Beer Festival, the original Oktoberfest on two previous occasions. Both times I went with friends and we stayed at a camp site about thirty minutes from Munich. It is an amazing event. They have around fifteen big Bierkellers, all of which represent the different beers and hold around four thousand people. You end up drinking, talking, then as the evening wears on singing and dancing with people from all over the world. The atmosphere is electric. Everyone is there to just have a good time. Plus the Oompah band’s play their own versions of lots of very well known party hits. All of which sound great after a few steins and may be a large pretzel.

Anyway so last Saturday I went to an Oktoberfest Night at a Bavarian Bar in the Tower Hill area of London. It was organised by Lee Bryant, who runs the Laughing Badger Comedy Club in Hemel Hempstead. He spoke to me ages ago about it and told me that he was dressing up for the occasion. So I said that I would do the same.

After much debate about how we were going to get there and where we were going to meet. He suggested I stay at his so we could travel up and back to the Capital together. As I did not really fancy moving through London on my own in an unfamiliar outfit. I took him up on his very kind offer. Specially after he guaranteed that he would cook me a big fry up the morning after.

He lives near Harpenden, so we caught the train in to London from there. Both dressed up in our Lederhosen’s. I am not going to lie to you we did get some pretty strange looks. People were either trying to completely avoid us, not get eye contact with us or engage us in a short conversion. I think the latter just wanted to make sure we were heading somewhere appropriate dressed in these strange clothes.

The tube across London was not any less of an embarrassment. With everywhere full of people and everyone accept us in more normal weekend attire. We arrived at the venue, met the other six people in our party. Only to find out that with the exception of the staff and one other group of four people we were the only ones who were dressed up in the whole place.

Do not worry this did not stop us having a great time. Everyone there was very friendly and I lost count of the number of people who wanted to have a go with my drinking hat. The waitress who looked after us Ella from Frankfurt was lovely. The beer flowed rather nicely and the three piece Oompah Band they had wandering around were a right laugh. They were happy to get involved, do requests and have us sing along with them. Plus in between the band they also played in some big party songs. So we could have a good old sing and dance.

Now many, many years ago when I started out. I used to with a group of friends of mine do disco’s for Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio. We developed a bit within our performance’s. Where we would bring in a few little props and then lead the dances to a few big floor fillers. Our main number was the YMCA complete with all the head gear required to replicate The Village People. When we did it back then it always used to go down a storm.

Well last Saturday night in that bar. Along with Lee and the staff. For one night only I joined in with a special version of that dance. I can confirm that I can still remember all the moves by the way. I am just hoping that no one was videoing it on their mobile phone. That really was not a problem when we were doing that the first time around. Nobody even had phones let alone ones that could film things.

It was an excellent evening out and I would definitely head back there again at some point. And also Lee Bryant’s breakfast promise was fulfilled and it was delicious. While I remember, if you fancy some live comedy in the Hertfordshire area. Then check out the latest Laughing Badger Comedy Night taking place on Saturday 14th November. Click here for more details Laughing Badger Comedy

So for my Mum’s slightly belated Birthday treat I took her for a day out it London. She told me that she had not really been sight seeing there for about thirty years and fancied having a look round. So I obliged. We started off in Piccaddilly Circus then headed through Leicester Square. Just as we were going past the Capital Radio entrance Amanda Holden came out of there and started walking right behind us.

Then suddenly a few photographers arrived on the scene trying to take pictures of her. The photographers were in front of me and my mum. While Amanda was walking behind us still, trying to use us as a bit of a shield I think. She eventually over took us and then jumped straight in to a waiting car. She must get that all the time but it did seem a bit odd with people shouting at her and all these camera flashes going off. Although secretly I may have enjoyed it a little bit. By the way for the record she looked stunning and was very friendly and polite to everyone.

From here our huge walking tour of London took us via Trafalgar Square, St James Park. Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Horse Guards Parade then to Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, South Bank and finally on to St Paul’s Cathedral. Where opposite we found a really nice Italian Restaurant for dinner.

Before continuing on to Fleet Street, Covent Garden then ending up in my favourite pub in London Waxy O’Connor’s to enjoy a well earned pint. A successful and fun day spending time with my mum. And enjoying the many delights of our Capital city. Plus the weather was great. London always looks amazing when it is sunny.

So since we spoke last Chris Moyles has returned to the airwaves. He is now back presenting The Chris Moyles Show on newly launched Global station Radio X. I am a big fan of his work, so I did listen in to his first Breakfast Show.

It is going to be interesting to see how he will manage to compete with the big hitters on what nationally is mainly just a DAB station. But I am sure he is up for the fight and will give it a good go. He has started nicely and the station have spent quite a bit on publicity for it. Which should help a bit.

I have met him twice over the years. Once through the glass of what used to be Chiltern Radio in Dunstable. As an enthusiastic teenager I went for an interview late one evening for a Technical Operator’s Job for the AM Super Gold station that broadcast from the same studio complex. I could see him through the glass doing his show and I have to confess was watching and staring at what he was doing. When he then came on the studio talk back to advise me that he wasn’t a goldfish.

The second time was at a book signing in Yeovil. When I was working at a radio station down there. I nipped out in my lunch hour to get a copy of his book signed and have a brief chat. I thought it would be amusing to give him a pen from Ivel fm. Where I was working at the time. I wonder if he still has it? He in turn asked me to give him a mention on my afternoon show. Now as much as I like him. I was certainly not going to suddenly promote another radio station. So I just gave a shout out to Chris from Leeds down in Yeovil and wished him luck with his new book. He will do a great job at Radio X.

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

Radio Ga Ga

July 25, 2015 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. Mine have been brilliant with lots of fun things going on. In fact they have flown by so quickly. Although the seasons and timings of things in England do not help with time I find, they just cause confusion. For example July is considered to be the start of the Summer. Even though we have already had the longest day and so the day’s are now getting slowly shorter again.

The children are just breaking up for their long school summer holidays (which I used to love as a kid). At the same time that we are getting ready for the start of the football season, which kicks off in August. All this while the England cricket team are battling the Australian’s for the Ashes in cricket. All the seasons just seem to blend in to one another. I think we could do with may be re-classifying them. To set out new months where the seasons start and finish throughout the year.

I headed off to the Wycombe Swan Theatre the other week to see a new touring music show called Ladies Rock. It is the brainchild of and fronted by Australian singer Nicki Gillis. Who backed by a four piece band and a backing singer takes us through a musical journey of women in music from the sixties right through to the early noughties. Or to put it another way from Connie Francis through to Pink. As she performs these amazing songs from these iconic women pictures of them are projected on to the back of the stage behind her. To add to the sense of occasion.

It is not a tribute show. So it is their interpretation of these ace numbers rather than an impression of these great singers. Nicki has a fantastic voice. Which is required to be able to perform the classic songs that the show contains. The selection of singers and songs covered is like a whose who in the world of female musical super stars. You will know and love all of the hits you will hear.

The band are also top quality and they do compliment the lead singer perfectly. The overall performance has a very relaxed and all inclusive feel to it. If you fancy a great night out reliving many great tunes. I would recommend you keep an eye out for Ladies Rock. When it comes to a venue near you.

I was back at one of my favourite places a few Thursday’s ago. When I went to the BBC Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House to see a recording of the excellent Radio 4 Topical Comedy The Now Show. I arrived a little bit early, so I went and had a cup of tea in the Coffee Shop right opposite the One Show studio. I was pretty pleased when the person serving me asked if I worked for the BBC. I believe they may get a slight discount there. I told the truth and said no. But a little part of me was quite pleased that the bloke behind the counter thought that I could have worked there.

Before I went in to theatre a managed to grab a quick cup of tea with my mate Danny Cox. Who had managed to pop downstairs briefly for a quick catch up before he had to head back to his studio for his next show. It was great to see him and have a good old natter about the world of radio and television.

On the way to BBC New Broadcasting House

The Now Show itself was as ever brilliant. Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are such good comedy writers and performers. Especially when it comes to satire and clever topical gags. Which is why this radio show is such a brilliant vehicle for them. They were of course ably assisted by the regulars Mitch Benn and Jon Holmes. Whose introduction’s diminishing his height are becoming more and more obscure. Coming to see things like this made at the radio theatre is the closest I will ever get. To being able to get a flavour of what it must have been like to see things like The Goon Show being made, I guess.

The Now Show was created by the legendary Bill Dare. Who has had a hand in so many great radio comedy formats over the years. Pick your favourite Radio 4 show and there is a good chance that he was involved in it. I do like the atmosphere during the recordings. A few of the cast have a beer on the go and seem to be enjoying just sharing all the material that they have spent the last couple of days writing and rehearsing.

Some of the funniest parts of this process are during the re-takes at the end. This is mainly due to the cast making fun of the ones who have to re-do stuff. While still it is fair to say remaining professional and getting the job done. As quickly as possible. It is always a good fun night out.

I was once again delighted to be asked to take part in another Quiz Show run through last week. They are always great fun and it is quite exciting when you get to try out new games and formats. That have not yet made it on to our television screens. It meant another visit to the ITV London Studios on the South Bank. I was watching This Morning doing a segment of their show from outside by the Thames the other week. When live on air they saw the Prime Minister go past them on a training fitness run. This annoyed me quite a bit, as I can’t stand people who try to run round that area. Surely they must know that it will be jammed full of people and that they will spend more time walking than running. Can’t they just find a nice field or park somewhere to run around. Anyway sorry, back to the quiz run through.

It took place in a room on the 14th floor, that I am guessing may also be used as the Saturday Night Takeaway production office. As it had lots of great pictures on the walls from the show. Including a brilliant one of Ant & Dec with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The run through was in front of some executives from ITV. Who will hopefully be interested in making the programme and putting it on the television.

Obviously I can’t give anything away due to the confidentiality agreement that I had to sign. But I think I can say that it was a fun and exciting game to play. And that it is a very clever and completely new concept for a game show. A French television company have already filmed a pilot episode of it. Which we got to see a few little clips of. It looked great. If it does ever make it on to the television. I will then be able to tell you more about my input and the game itself. It is a really good laugh doing these test runs. So hopefully I can squeeze in another one soon.

The great thing about Radio 4 is that it is always on the look out for new comedy programmes by new or established writers. Last week I went along to The Shaw Theatre in London to see two episodes of a brand new radio sitcom called “Shush” being recorded. Set in a library. It is written by and stars two actors that I am sure you will recognise. They are Morwenna Banks and Rebecca Front. They play two librarian’s from very different backgrounds and with very different outlooks on life.

It is very cleverly written with lots of great quick fire jokes. It does get slightly surreal in parts but it is radio and therefore theatre of the mind, so just go along with it and you will enjoy it. The cast is completed by Horrible Histories’ Ben Willmond and velvet voiced actor Michael Fenton Stevens. The writing is brilliant and it is a fun and feel good comedy in a fairly traditional way with a nice modern edge to it. The cast are so talented and performed it brilliantly. Do listen out for it when it airs sometime later this year.

It was great to be back in the Mix 96 Studios for a couple of days the other week. I was there helping to produce a small part of the very successful Mix 96 Summer Tour. It was good to see some old friends and familiar faces, while I was at the Friars Square Studios. I actually felt very at home being sat back in the hot seat there. It was nice to work with Wes Venn and Chris Gilvear for the first time to. The good news is that everything came back to me pretty quickly and it was fantastic to be involved with some live radio again.

I am always looking for new opportunities in this area. I still remember doing my work experience when I was at Aylesbury College for a week at Mix 96. And I also was at the Mix 96 First Birthday Party at Stoke Mandeville Stadium with the now Managing Director of the radio station Max Hailey. I really do enjoy it, when I do get to do a bit from time to time. Great fun.

I have yet again been spending quite a bit of time working at Wembley Stadium recently. I have to say congratulations to Ed Sheeran for playing three sold out shows at the venue the other weekend. The reviews for them were off the scale. As it is pretty much just him and his guitar up there. The fact he keeps the crowd so engaged is a huge tribute to the man’s talents. Two hundred and forty thousand people saw him play those three London gigs. Well done sir!

I have to admit I do not envy the groundsman at the minute. The pitch being covered for concerts does not exactly do it much good. So now it has to be ready and in perfect Wembley condition for Saturday 1st August for the Women’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Notts County. And for the day after for the official curtain raiser to the new Premier League Season the Community Shield between Chelsea and Arsenal. I am looking forward to monitoring its progress over the next couple of weeks. It is mazing how quickly they can get in back to top class condition. I am enjoying showing lots of people around our national stadium. It does look great in the sunshine.

Women's FA Cup Final — Women’s FA Cup Final

Had a really fun night at a friend’s fortieth Birthday Party last weekend. It was held at a lovely little venue in Thame. A back room to a pub that I have not been to for about five years. Nice to catch up with a few old school friends and have a good giggle and a bit of a dance. Then the day after I was at a leaving do for a couple I know who are moving to France. So again that was a decent laugh seeing friends that I had not seen for a while. I do like to be busy but it is also good to find time to chill out and relax with people you like.

So just for a laugh I have entered the BBC New Comedy Award for 2015. Which if nothing else seems to me like a good reason to get involved with it. If you look at its title. I had some jokes lying around and the means to record them in my home studio. So in my head it made sense to give it a go. I remember listening to the final of last year’s competition live on the Steve Wright Show on Radio 2.

It came live from The Comedy Store in London and was hosted by the great Patrick Kielty. The comedians in the final were all great and the standard was clearly very high. But at the end of the day you have got to be in it to win it. And you never know funnier things have happened. Last week Mr Kielty favourited a joke of mine on Twitter, which I am hoping might be an omen. Fingers crossed.

This is actually the 99th edition of my blog. So therefore the next one will be the landmark 100th edition. So make sure you do not miss out on that one! Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Neil Quigley Presenter