One of the "highlights" of the commercial radio Christmas schedules (and there aren't many at that) happens to be on the one and only KCFM in Hull where on Christmas Eve there's a "Legends Of Radio" day with veterans of the wireless taking over. Although in my opinion it's one radio legend and the rest (apart from Shaun Tilley) are radio bell ends, with the likes of "Diddy" David Hamilton, Adrian John and Adrian Juste.
Let's face it they weren't even that popular on Radio 1 and all Adrian Juste did was try to pass himself off as a comedian by playing clips of the Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.
To be fair I've been guilty of occasionally doing the same on my show with clips of Lenny Henry although in this case it's related to the music being played.
I reckon however, that I have an awful lot in common with Tony Blackburn not just with his taste in soul music, but also because he has a habit of watching an awful lot of television when he's not on the air, although I hope there not just videos of him presenting Top Of The Pops.
Seriously though he always has something to say about the X Factor and SCD each week on his shows and I tend to agree with him most of the time.
I very much doubt that he will inspire me to become a vegetarian however, unlike those who worship Morrissey.
On that subject however, Chilvers gave me a ring about the Global Radio pisstake posted last night and I'd love to find out who produced it. It turns out that his radio buddy from Norfolk Joe Rudd still has a job at what will become Milton Keynes Heart on the drivetime slot, although he will be pretty limited as the Heart format forbids presenters from having a bit of a laugh.
It's not all bad though as he still has an Sunday night show on Key 103 in Manchester with longtime partner Adam although for obvious reasons they're known as "Adam & Ruddy" and not "Adam & Joe".
He's not done too bad in his radio career and Joe also happens to be a West Ham supporter which goes down well in my books.
As for today I've been watching more of Phoenix Nights including the deleted scenes from the first series which features some stellar performances by Justin Moorhouse as "Young Kenny" who never really got to shine as much as he could. However unlike Daniel Kitson who appeared as "Spencer", Justin's a lot more likeable. There are also some alternate takes from episode 4 where Toby Foster as Les tries to chat up women with song lyrics such as "Do you wanna be in my gang" and "Underground overground wombling free" to little success.
I thought they were actually funnier than the one used in the episode which was "I'm horny, horny, horny, horny".
I'm now onto series 2 which was actually the first proper series I watched by Peter as I'd only really seen him on "The Sunday Show" on BBC 2 with Paul Tonkinson, and his guest appearances on The Royal Variety Performance 10 years ago.
Shown in August/September 2002 this was definitely the much needed highlight of the Summer schedules and I reckon that this was the series that put Peter on the map of TV comedy.
Episode 1 starts off with the club burning down and Brian being taken to court where the first witness called up in his defence is Kenny Senior. The moment where he is asked if he will tell the truth and so on is priceless.
Brian ends up getting his licence revoked and the staff go elsewhere with Les on a mobile butchers selling "B.S.E - Bit of something extra", Ray Von back operating the fairground rides, Kenny Sr working as a lollipop man, and worst of all Jerry St Clair working in ASDA as a singer along with keyboard player Alan.
The "Black Bin Bags" song to the tune of Men In Black is a stand out moment in the episode and proves that composer and arranger Toni Baker is back on top form.
Other musical highlights include his version of Elkie Brooks's "Don't Cry Out Loud" in episode 1, Jerry's "Phoenix Fun Day" song from episode 2 and the arrangement of the Phoenix Nights theme tune in the style of the Crimewatch UK theme in episode 3.
But the best musical highlight overall comes in the first episode involving bouncers Max & Paddy singing along to the now infamous "Amarillo" whilst driving a load of Asian elders to their place of worship.
Brian manages to get everyone back together in a similar style to the Blues Brothers and inspired by his friend Frank Cartwright as played by Jim Bowen, he persuades Jerry to become the clubs licensee and run the club off bottles and cans to avoid the trouble of getting a brewery.
There were minor changes to the cast this series with barwoman Marion replaced by a character called Joyce although she didn't really speak much.
And in the usual manner Brian comes out with random song lyrics at any point such as "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" which was actually recorded before Beverley Knight released a song with a similar title, "Your twisting me melon man" and "Ridicule is nothing to be scared of".
I can remember the day after the first episode aired when Peter was a guest on Patrick Kielty: Almost Live where it appeared Patrick hadn't done his research as he asked him about his "involvement with Eric Clapton" and the idea he would be guesting in the series. Peter managed to joke about it well when he explained that he just went to one of his concerts, and Patrick thought Eric asked him to "Come on back!".
To which Peter replied, "no no no, he wouldn't do that in the middle of "Layla" wud 'e? 'You got me on my knees' Come on back! 'Layylaa...'".
Episode 2 is definitely my favourite of the series where Brian organises a family fun day in his usual crooked manner by having prices as dear as possible and attractions such as mobile toilets converted into a play area, rides on old peoples scooters and face painting done with spray paints resulting in Young Kenny looking like a tiger for the rest of the series.
The episode also features Paddy's first utterance of the catchphrase "Ding Dang Doo!"
The overall highlight was a bouncy castle with a giant inflatable penis which they disguised as a snake. On the commentary they mentioned that they wanted to have giant pubes to pass off as grass but Channel 4 wouldn't allow them.
The fella who plays the man delivering the "inflatable" happens to be actor Bernard Wrigley who played the teacher in "Rita Sue and Bob Too" when they went on a trip to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth where my Dad comes from.
The third episode involves Brian trying to get free publicity and TV exposure for the club by appearing on "Crimetime" and producing a reconstruction of the night when the club burnt down trying at every opportunity to plug the club and claim that Den Perry burnt it down.
I can remember watching the episode while we were staying at a holiday house in Devon and my Dad burst out laughing at Jerry St Clair's rendition of S Club 7's "Reach".
Another of my "word for word" songs.
Stewart Maconie also makes a guest appearance in the episode as the host of Crimetime which he later reprises in the final episode of the spin off "Max And Paddy's Road To Nowhere".
I'll continue with the remaining episodes after I've enjoyed a chicken stew although I'm not sure whether to have it with spaghetti or rigatoni pasta.
I'll go with the spaghetti.
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