Eyes And Teeth

Clare and I have worked some unique events together one being the Ideal Home exhibition then Wintercon where I actually met Darth Vader and I then had to enter your Marquee of free Haribo. 

With TV, Radio, Corporate presenting as well as voiceover artist Clare’s vocal range impresses me no end. We enjoy talking about here work with Puppets, Skins, pantomime and so much more.
Clare trained at Middlesex Uni and has worked at Thorpe Park, The Palladium in London as well as Productions of a Fawlty Towers Touring Show put on by John Cleese himself. Clare went on to play many more characters such as Morticia Adams in The Addams Family, Edina in Absolutely Fabulous and Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty and has played Paddy McGuinness's girlfriend

Clare talks about Mel & Sue, Paul Nicolas, Pudsey Bear, Linda Nolan and our dear mutual friend Graham Cole as well as presenting on Red Carpet events for Bafta, Virgin Media.

Hear more of Clare’s story on the 3rd edition of Eyes & Teeth Voices of Variety when I talk to Clare Sloane

Brian J. Ford FLS HonFRMS is an independent research biologist, author, and lecturer, who publishes on scientific issues for the general public. He has also been a television personality for more than 40 years.

Thanks to Brian J Ford, not only a genuinely intelligent but clever, generous, funny and kind man. 

Brian’s books are fascinating, the man himself is a wealth of Knowledge you are going to want to research so please go to www.brianjford.com or BrianJFord.science on facebook and @brianjford on twitter. His you tube video on meeting coronavirus is interesting.

Welcome to Eyes & Teeth - Voices of Variety - Brian J Ford

Charlie Hale for me was a face of comedy in the 1990’s. It was a happy face surrounded by many more funny men in the 90’s version of the TV show the Comedians

Charlie talks of his early days on the circuit in a double act to going solo and performing with puppets in golf clubs and sometimes while fights were going on, he sings with Zippy on Radio 1, he took advice on Christianity from Bobby Ball, he phoned The White House pretending to be Nelson Mandela and he made Muhammad Ali laugh.

Name a Sports personality Legend and Charlie has worked with them all, find out more in this edition of “Voices of Variety”

Dave Myers is on my list of favourite TV Chefs, I love to watch Keith Floyd specials, Ainsley Harriot makes me laugh as does Gordon Ramsey with his more adult humour in the kitchen but there’s something about Dave’s wit and puns that keeps me smiling whilst salivating over his recipes with his long time friend Simon King. The Hairy Bikers are a national treasure and are a joy to watch on a cruise, on a flight or at home when they’re TV Specials are constantly showing.

They bring that Comedy Duo aspect to a cooking series, they make you feel homely and happy and just in a matter of a few years, I was delighted to see they were both proposed into the Water Rats HQ at Kings Cross.

So on a few occasions I have been sat in a room with Dave and heard his stories and anecdotes and I have loved being in his company. Having read his Autobiography I learned of his TV experience and relationship with showbusiness and enjoyed the story of how the Hairy Bikers became one of the biggest thing in a British kitchen.

Dave talks today about those days in make-up, taking Orville the Duck to the pub, Strictly Come Dancing, providing the make up for an elephant for the Paul Daniels Magic Show and washing Les Dawson’s hair, joining the Water Rats and walking through Charlie Chaplin’s Garden with me and Scribe Rat Mike Martin in Vevey, Switzerland in 2016… 

I can’t believe he had time to fit this chat in but after we finished he was off on a holiday and then a 4 week film shoot for another series of the Hairy Bikers, so I’m happy to say welcome to Eyes & Teeth Season 8 for the final time when I chat to TV Personality Dave Myers

Today my brilliant guest joins me for a wonderful chat about his career and he has worked with them all. I’m honoured to call him a friend and during this time you will hear his genuine personality and passion for his work and colleagues from Stanley Baxter to Mr Blobby, from The famous TV Series the Bill to doctor who and playing Scrooge in the West End and decades of baddies in pantomime, this is one you want to listen to and enjoy when I welcome to Eyes & Teeth Graham Cole OBE

Welcome to the milestone and 100th Episode of Eyes & Teeth. Since my first recorded conversation with the wonderful Jimmy Cricket back in June 2020, I have recorded over 150 conversations with incredible performers from showbusiness, they are my heroes, friends, entertainers I admire and respect and I have spent over 930 hours researching, recording, editing and posting these wonderful podcasts. I’m not going to thank the Pandemic because it has destroyed lives, careers and businesses but I would not of had the time to even start a podcast constantly on the road so I want to thank my wife Nina and my daughters Lola & Larissa for putting up with the DO Not Disturb sign on the door whilst I record these chats, and for kicking them out of rooms whilst we all lockdown for 18 months.

I wanted today’s edition to be extra special and when I received a reply from Jimmy Tarbuck on my voicemail saying he would love to be on my anniversary show, I was delighted to have it in the can only a few days later. He called me on the morning of February 6th 2021 on his 81st Birthday whilst he was trying to get his golf club opened for his birthday, but in the meantime he had half an hour spare and we talked about those moments with Tommy Cooper, Sir Ken Dodd, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Dennis Spicer, Arthur Worsley and of course his first steps on the stage at the London Palladium.

 Welcome to eyes and teeth edition 100 JIMMY TARBUCK OBE

Ben Simmons is a talented man, not only does he have his own Radio Show "This is the show that goes like this" on Phoenix FM but he also writes and performs in pantomime and variety shows with his father Keith Simmons. He is an incredibly nice fella with so many anecdotes he has been collecting since he was literally 18 months old. His first job was for a famous TV commercial as a 10 year old which I want him to tell you about as it was something I never knew about him and he grew up with Variety and showbusiness in his bloodline. 

Ben is always great to catch up with and I’m proud to know him and his family, they are an important family in the history of Entertainment so welcome to Eyes & Teeth the water rats Ben Simmons

Wyn Calvin, The Welsh Prince of Laughter, Past Prince Rat of the Grand Order of Water Rats, Vice President of The Max Miller Appreciation Society, Pantomime Performer and historian and Dame of Dames, Radio, TV & Stage Legend and later in 2021 The British Music Hall Society will be celebrating during a lunch at Wyn Calvin's 75th year in Showbusiness. This is an incredible career in success and longevity and I was lucky to catch Wyn at home later in 2020 age 95 as we spoke of his time in Variety working with names you won’t believe, I have to now keep quiet and sit back myself and listen to the extraordinary and wonderful voice of Wyn Calvin MBE

Andy Eastwood is a huge name in the world of variety and he’s still a young man. He made an impact in the World of Ukulele and Banjo playing and more. With over 300 tours dates with the late and great Sir Ken Dodd and hundreds more with Duggie Chapman, they knew they were on to a great talent with Andy and knew their audiences were guaranteed entertaining.

Andy is not only a brother water rat but we have been on the same bills for over 15 years. He is a great personality, a fabulous performer and great theatre Producer of his own variety tours too.

Andy tells me of his backstage conversations with Sir Ken Dodd who graced him with advice in his early years and shaped his act and comedy within it so you can imagine how polished he is. When The Scientist of Comedy gives you advice on comedy you take it in and use it. 

Frank Skinner is a great player of the Uke thanks to Andy Eastwood, he is a great teacher too and we will learn a lot of variety today when I talk on eyes and teeth the water rats to Andy Eastwood.

Welcome to another Water Rat, a record breaker and very funny man who has performed at Covent garden to the Royal Variety Show and on the biggest and best Cruise Liners in the World. Steve Rawlings is Baby Rat, that means when you are proposed into our order then you are Baby Rat until the next member is brought in and initiated.

Steve & I talk of his early days and his European work which led him to learn languages to suit his audiences and still for me this is one of the most dedicated and wonderful stories I’ve seen in an entertainer. He cares that much about his audiences and his show that of course he will put the time in, like we all should, at the end of the day its us that will make the impact for going that extra mile… Steve has gone 1000 miles and that’s with a trolley on his head, I’ll let him tell you the rest when I chat to the Magnificent Steve Rawlings