Something that not many people know about me is the fact I am a HUGE fan of the comedian Jasper Carrott AKA Robert Norman Davis OBE. He is my all-time favourite comedian; no other one comes close and watching/listening to his stand-up comedy sketches have seen me through some very traumatic and dark times in my life (more on this later). I grew up watching him and can even remember when he was in the UK charts with his novelty single “Funky Moped” in the 1970s.

The only other stand-up comedian who comes even close to Jasper Carrott for me is Peter Kay, but for years I couldn’t stand him. My first exposure to Peter Kay was when he did “Britain’s Got The Pop Factor” with the character of Geraldine, and at the time I just didn’t get it. Peter Kay has grown on me but it is only in the last year or so that I’ve started to like him. I particularly love his “Car Share” series, as the characters of John and Kayleigh are EAXCTLY like me and my husband Russell, but Jasper Carrott is definitely the clear winner for me in stand up comedy, and he always will be. With Peter Kay there are things he has done that I don’t like, such as his “Phoenix Nights” series. With Jasper Carrott, there is nothing at all that I don’t like.

From “Beat the Carrot”, to “Carrott’s Lib”, to “Diced Carrott”, to “American Carrott”, to “Carrott Confidential”, to “Canned Carrott”, to “Carrott-U-Like, to “24-Carrott Gold”, to “Back to the Front” and “The Jasper Carrott Trial”, I love it all. Then there is “Carrott’s Commercial Breakdown” where he talks about weird and wonderful adverts from all over the world, “The Detectives” with Robert Powell which began life as a series of shorts on “Canned Carrott”, and the sitcom “All About Me.” So when I saw he was going to be doing 3 nights at the Swan Theatre in Worcester, I snapped up a ticket before they all sold out for the opening night on Wednesday 31 July 2024.

Some of my all-time favourite Jasper Carrott sketches include “Scunthorpe Baths”, “Mother-in-law’s Driving” (he captured what my own mother is like with her driving in this sketch to a T), “Nuclear War”, “Horoscopes” (what sign are you? Piskies. I think you will find it is pronounced Pisces. No, piskies. As in OFF), “Lollipop the Cat”, “Biffer the Dog”, “Magic Roundabout”, and his legendary “Insurance Claims” sketch. I also love listening to his comedy songs like his hilarious take on “Day Trip to Blackpool” and his UK chart single “Funky Moped” from the 1970’s. I am always in fits of laughter whenever I watch or listen to anything he does, and a big part of that is his facial expressions, they are just as funny if not more so than the actual sketches.

When I shared on my social media channels that I was going to see him perform live at the Swan Theatre in Worcester I was met with some rather interesting comments and responses, such as:

Jasper Carrott? Is he still going?

God is he still alive, I thought he was great years ago enjoy!

Saw him live in the 80s. I bought Funky Moped on a 7” single!

It is true that he hasn’t been on TV for a number of years, the last thing I think I can remember him doing was hosting a quiz show on ITV called “Golden Balls”, and yes I did watch it at the time, just because Jasper was hosting it. There is, however, a reason for this which Jasper said himself during his show.

He can’t cook.

Meeting Jasper in 1997 at Chris Tarrant’s “This is Your Life” Recording

During the time that I worked at PVA Management Ltd from 1995 to 2002, which was Chris Tarrant’s management company, I briefly met Jasper at the recording of Chris Tarrant’s “This is Your Life” appearance. The few weeks prior to the recording, which took place at Teddington Studios in March 1997, were some of the most stressful two weeks of my life. Keeping “the hit” from Chris (the “hit” being the moment that Michael Aspel reveals himself to his unsuspecting victim and says, “??? ??? – this is your life”) was a nightmare, and there were a few occasions where the cat was almost let out of the bag, meaning the whole thing including “the hit” would have to be completely abandoned.

Luckily “the hit” went off without a hitch in the end and Chris was transported to Teddington Studios for the recording. Jasper was one of the guests who was brought on as a surprise for Chris, and he proceeded to get everyone on the stage doing the “Dying Fly” from TISWAS with their legs in the air, it was one of the most hilarious things I’d ever seen! Jasper also told a hilarious joke during the recording which was, “What is the difference between Chris Tarrant and the M1?” Answer – “You can turn off the M1.”

After the recording I briefly met Jasper at the after-show party. Although I said hello to him and introduced myself, I suddenly panicked, got very starstruck and beat a very hasty retreat from him. I so wanted to say a huge thank you to him for all the laughs he provided me with up to that point, but my younger self was petrified at doing so and worried I’d make an idiot of myself. I regretted not taking that opportunity ever since, and of course, this was back in the days before digital cameras were widely available and before smartphones were a thing, so there was no way I would have been able to capture the moment of meeting him in 1997.

Fast forward from March 1997 to July 2024. With an award-winning career in cyber security under my belt, more bullying, abuse and trauma in my life than I can shake a stick at, and having been presented with an MBE by King Charles III for services to cyber security and diversity and inclusion, I figured if I could stand in front of King Charles, talk to him and shake his hand I could definitely handle meeting and talking to Jasper without getting scared and panicking again. So I wondered if there was some way I could get to meet him and finally say the thank you to him that I wanted to say in 1997, a thank you for all the laughs, and for being my go-to comedian to get me through some of the toughest times in my life.

For example, when I lost my only son Francesco “Frankie” Enrico Ventura to stillbirth on 29 November 2013, I came home from the Worcestershire Royal Hospital with my husband and listening/watching Jasper Carrott on YouTube was my saviour. Laughing my head off to his stand-up comedy and sketches helped me to come to terms with what happened. Every time I suffered one of my 10 miscarriages, I would find myself seeking out Jasper’s brilliant material on YouTube. Every time I’ve been through something traumatic, or if I need pulling out of the doldrums, Jasper Carrott’s hilarious sketches are my go-to pick me up, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that laughter really is the best medicine. Jasper himself is quoted as saying, “I’ve always felt that laughter was the best way to deal with difficult situations. It’s a way of putting things in perspective.” It is SO true, and he has helped me to put those traumatic events in perspective more than he will ever know.

Fortune Favours The Bold and If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get

The week before the show was to take place, I sent an email to the Swan Theatre saying I had a ticket for the show, that I intended to write a review of it for my blog and I would love a very quick “meet and greet” with Jasper to get a photo of me with him for the review. I didn’t expect to hear back but 2 days before the show I got a response from his management company saying yes! Proof that fortune really does favour the bold and if you don’t ask in life, you very definitely don’t get.

On the night of 31 July, in the middle of a punishing heatwave with the most oppressive heat and humidity imaginable, I made my way to the Swan Theatre armed with my trusty neck fan/portable air con and a spray bottle of water to keep me cool (having both of these items with me was a lifesaver).

I got to the Swan Theatre with half an hour to go before the show started, and it was clear that the audience was definitely of a, ahem, certain age. At 50 years old (I have no problem at all admitting my age, I am 50 and fabulous) I seemed to be one of the youngest there.

The Main Event

The first 20 minutes of each half was kicked off by Strictly ABBA who were amazing! They covered some of the well-known ABBA classics like “Voulez Vous”, “Money Money Money”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Mamma Mia”, “Waterloo” and “Dancing Queen.” They definitely helped to take us back to the 1970’s when life was better, and ABBA ruled the world. I found myself involuntarily singing along, even though strictly speaking (no pun intended) I’m more of a heavy metal and rock chick at heart.

After we were treated to 20 minutes from Strictly ABBA, it was time for the main event which was of course Jasper Carrott doing his stand-up comedy routine. He did NOT disappoint in the least, I laughed so much my sides started to hurt! I don’t want to give away too much at this point for anyone who hasn’t seen the show, but it was brilliant that he did a mix of new material along with his tried and trusted sketches, finished off with some of his hilarious musical numbers at the end. I especially related to his sketch about getting old (it is SO true, you can’t improve as you get older, you can only maintain) and loved hearing him recall the time he met Princess Diana at a charity dinner in Birmingham – with hilarious results! I also loved hearing his sketch about the show Celebrity Mastermind, something which according to Jasper fails on both counts – he’s not wrong!

Considering how hot, humid and sticky it was in the theatre and considering that back in 2017 Jasper had a quadruple heart bypass operation, he did SO well. The Swan Theatre had no air conditioning; even I was struggling with the heat and humidity, and I had my trusty neck fan/air con and a spray bottle with water that kept me nice and cool. Jasper took it all in his stride and the opening gag which related to the heat was perfect.

I was over the moon to get to meet Jasper in person after the show and finally say thank you to him for all the laughs and for getting me through some very tough times over the years. We talked about meeting Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III; Jasper was presented with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, while I of course was presented with an MBE by King Charles III last December. I also told Jasper that we had met once very briefly back in 1997 at Chris Tarrant’s “This is Your Life” recording, and I got this photo with him for this review.

I enjoyed myself so much that I wished I could see the performance again. I went onto the Worcester Theatres website, and by sheer luck and chance there was just ONE ticket left for the second night on Thursday 1 August, but the night of Friday 2 August was completely sold out. I snapped it up quickly and enjoyed it even more than I enjoyed it the first night, despite the ongoing and punishing heat and humidity, but my trusty neck fan/portable air con saved the day!

There was, however, one thing that marred the second night of his performance – some VERY unwelcome hecklers.

When Jasper started to do his sketch about meeting Princess Diana, there was a woman in a wheelchair that started talking really loudly. I couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying, but it wasn’t nice or complimentary. Jasper, like the absolute pro that he is, kindly and respectfully asked her if she wouldn’t mind being quiet as she was spoiling things for the rest of the audience. Then her husband joined in with a couple of choice four letter words and it started to escalate, so I began clapping and chanting “OUT OUT OUT” and the audience then followed suit. This alerted the staff at the Swan Theatre who came in, asked the hecklers to leave and removed them, but not without some more choice words coming from them, this time aimed at the audience. At the end I stood up from my seat clapping my hands off which triggered a much deserved standing ovation for him, so I hope he knows how much I and the audience enjoyed his performance despite the hecklers.

I was beyond gutted and SO embarrassed that it had happened, and I hope it won’t deter Jasper from coming back to Worcester if he ever goes on tour again. I don’t get or understand why people pay good money for tickets to shows then cause a huge disruption; if they don’t like the show, or Jasper’s comedy wasn’t to their taste, they should have got up and left quietly.

I’m not sure if it was because they were drunk, or if it was the heat and humidity, or if they were just plain idiots, but there was no need for it and Jasper, if you read this review, I am very sorry indeed that it happened. You dealt with it brilliantly along with the staff at the Swan Theatre, and while I was waiting for my taxi home, I overheard some lovely comments from other audience members about how much they enjoyed the show, and how brilliant you were. Please focus on that rather than the nasty comments from the hecklers who were, quite rightly, removed from your show.

Final Thoughts

Aside from the incident on night two with the hecklers, I have only one negative thing to say about Jasper’s performance, and it wasn’t the punishing heat, humidity and stickiness. It was the fact that I wish he could have gone on for much longer than he did. I could have carried on watching him for hours and hours.

I hope the hecklers on night two haven’t deterred him from coming back to Worcester but if it has, I will travel further afield to see him live again, as it was an absolute treat. What is even more amazing is that all the net proceeds from his tour are being donated to charity, which just goes to show what an awesome person Jasper is. He didn’t get his OBE for services to charity for nothing.

I realised that I shared his “Nuclear War” sketch on my blog back in 2018 as one of my all-time favourite comedy sketches ever, so inspired by that, when I get a few spare minutes I’m going to do a blog on here of my top ten all time favourite Jasper Carrott sketches. I’m already looking forward to when Jasper goes on tour again and in the meantime, I think I’ll apply to appear on Mastermind. Specialist subject – Jasper Carrott and his comedic brilliance.