An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics affecting life in the North-east, in this edition Pete Peverley pays tribute to one of the North's legendary comics, Bobby Thompson with a one-man showing taking place on stage at the Phoenix Theatre in Blyth, Northumberland with contributions by Bobby’s son Keith, local comedian Gavin Webster and broadcaster Frank Wappat. Title: Northern Eye. The Bobby Thompson Story A clip from the 1982 Tyne Tees Television...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics affecting life in the North-east, in this edition Pete Peverley pays tribute to one of the North's legendary comics, Bobby Thompson with a one-man showing taking place on stage at the Phoenix Theatre in Blyth, Northumberland with contributions by Bobby’s son Keith, local comedian Gavin Webster and broadcaster Frank Wappat. Title: Northern Eye. The Bobby Thompson Story A clip from the 1982 Tyne Tees Television documentary ‘The Little Waster’ featuring Bobby Thompson on stage telling a joke. Inside the Phoenix Theatre at Blyth Peter Perverley performs his one-man show on the life and career of Bobby Thompson. Another clip of the real Bobby performing on stage telling a funny story about hiding his money and not remembering where he put it, following the punchline everyone in the club begins to applaud. Bobby Thompson’s son Keith talks about his father’s stage nerves followed by another clip of Bobby on stage performing. Back inside the Phoenix Theatre an audience of mainly older people watches Peter Perverley talk about how much the region has changed since Bobby’s death twenty years previous. Comedian Gavin Webster and broadcaster Frank Wappat talk about how Bobby Thompson was able in his act to talk about debt, something most people had but something nobody talked about. Intercut with the comments more clips of Bobby on stage performing. Frank Wappat adds that Bobby was a North-east comedian and poverty was a North-east quality which he understood. A clip from the 1973 Tyne Tees documentary ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ features Bobby walking along a street in New Penshaw where he grew up and talking about his upbringing and working down a mine changes to another clip from ‘The Little Waster’ featuring him performing on stage. Back at the Phoenix Theatre Peter Perverley explains to the audience how Bobby got ready to perform cutting to Bobby himself performing on stage in ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ and a routine about meeting Neville Chamberlin and Adolf Hitler. Gavin Webster believes Bobby Thompson was years ahead of his time in both his concepts and jokes, he has seen similarities in humour between him and the likes of The Might Boosh or Harry Hill. Another scene from ‘The Bobby Thomson Story’ featuring Peter Perverley telling the story of Bobby relationship with Phyllis Coates Bobby’s first wife. Another clip from ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ in which Bobby talks about his marriage to Phyllis. Keith Thompson explains that 90% of his father’s content was written by his mother, she came from a much more educated background than Bobby. As he talks archive photographs of Bobby with Phyllis and Keith talks about his parents’ working relationship. Another clip from ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ with Bobby’s talking about the importance of the rehearsal process. Title: The Bobby Thompson Story Peter Perverley on the stage at Phoenix Theatre telling a story of Bobby auditioning for the BBC programme ‘Wot Chor Geordie’ in 1951. A photograph of bobby performing in front of a BBC microphone, in the background a sound clip from the radio programme. Another clip from ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ in which BBC producer Richard Kelly talks about Bobby’s time on the show. Gavin Webster believes Wot Chor Geordie was the first topical satire show that were using stand-up comedians to talk about issues of the day, again an example of Bobby being ahead of his time. Back at the Phoenix Theatre Peter Perverley continues with the Bobby Thompson story focusing on Bobby’s own television show on Tyne Tees Television in the early 1960s. Another clip from ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ in which Bobby talks about the programme which after being an initial hit eventually failed because the producer, they had employed to oversee the programme came from ‘down south’ and he didn’t understand Bobby. He goes onto talk about problems finding work in clubs following its failure and issues with alcohol. Peter Perverley recreates the six-years of Bobby’s deep-dark-depression by pouring himself a drink. Bobby’s son Keith remembers the days himself and the professional issues Bobby were going through. Next, Peter Perverley recreates the problems Bobby had with the taxman for non-payment of income tax. A clip from Tyne Tees variety programme ‘What Fettle’ from 1974 in which Bobby Thompson performing a routine to the audience about his tax problems. Keith explains a little of his father’s thoughts with regard tax and VAT which he considers an intrusion on an individual’s liberty. Another clip from ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ in which Bobby goes to Newcastle Racecourse, he talks about why he likes gambling. Frank Wappat talks about meeting Bobby and getting him to appear on two half-hour radio shows with him. 1966 and Peter Perverley recreating on stage the meeting of Bobby with Brian Shelley, the man who was about to turn Bobby’s fortunes around by become his agent. In the programme ‘The Little Waster Makes Good’ Brian talks about the challenges of getting Bobby work in local clubs to clear his name. From ‘The Little Waster’ Bobby Thompson appears on stage at the Mayfair Ballroom the audience clapping along to ‘The Blaydon Races’. He begins another routine talking about debt. Keith Thompson vividly remembers these Wednesday nights shows which Bobby did for 45-years that makes him very proud of his father. Bobby Thompson’s route continues. On stage again Peter Perverley focuses on Bobby now in his late 70s with his co-ordination and memory starting to fail, but his audience forgave him these failings and loved him to the end. As Bobby’s says goodnight to an audience on stage, Peter Perverley describes Bobby’s death in 1988 listening to the songs of his childhood. The programme ends with final words from Keith Thompson, Frank Wappat and Gavin Webster. Credit: Stage Show Creator Pete Peverley Production Co-ordinator Helen Burdess Archive Researcher Gillian Robinson Camera Dave Dixon, Steve Paton Sound Recordists Robbie Caruthers, Graham Smith Offline Editor John Louvre Online Editor Edmund Quigley Post Production The Edge Executive Producer Mary Wimpress Produced and Directed by Lesley Duncanson Final credit: Planet North in association with ITV1