Jason Manford ready to split sides at Gwyl Gobaith

Jun 17 2009

FUNNYMAN Jason Manford is gearing up to entertain the crowds at a charity comedy night.

He hopes his performance at the Comedy in the Park night at the Gwyl Gobaith – Festival Of Hope in Flintshire is more entertaining than his own stag night in Wales.

The star of C4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats said: "It was more of a hen night, really. It was in a Snowdonian cottage and we stayed in and played PlayStation games."

Rest assured, though, he did get down to some paintballing and go-karting that same weekend.

Currently, Jason, 28, is gearing up to entertain the crowds at the Comedy in the Park night back in Flintshire.

Jason, 28, is looking forward to the festival, He says: "I’m looking forward to it. I’m writing some material now. It’ll be good for the festival to have some variety along with the singers. I don’t understand the Welsh language although parts of North Wales are like south Liverpool. I used to come to Anglesey on holiday."

The comedian from Salford had entertainers in his family so his path was clear.

The Salford comedian said: "I was a bit of a smart Alec at school – always coming out with funny comments. I enjoyed performing. I had performers and people in bands in my family so it was not one of those jobs that seemed completely out of reach. But I never really thought it would turn into a job."

Jason began his career aged only 17 in 1999, while working at the Buzz Comedy Club at the Southern Hotel in Chorlton.

He was collecting glasses when a performer didn’t arrive for an evening set. Jason stepped in to fill the gap. Six gigs later he was crowned City Life North West Comedian of the Year.

The avid Manchester City fan was inspired as a nine-year-old by watching Billy Connolly. He also loves family friendly entertainers like the late Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson.

Now he’s hobnobbing with the stars. He says: "On 8 Out of 10 Cats on TV, I’ve met Jimmy Carr, Joan Rivers and three times cycling Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy. I’ve also met Jonathan Ross and met Mickey Rourke so it’s been a real eye-opener."

Apart from joshing with audiences in his stage performances, he’s also been filming for a BBC show called Walk On The Wild Side, to be broadcast at Saturday tea time next month.

"I mimick animals on it," he says. "I like pandas, elephants, tigers and bears – the big ones. I fancy myself as a 21st century Johnny Morris.

"But stage work is a bit more exciting because you’re live, in front of an audience and there’s no producer, editor or Ofcom telling you what you can say."

Ggyl Gobaith – Festival of Hope will be a three-day, open-air event at Gwysaney Hall, Mold June 26-28. Stars of comedy on Friday include Jason Manford, Silky, Milton Jones and Tudur Owen. Saturday sees Rhys Meirion joined by Shan Cothi, David Kempster and Côr Rhuthun. On Sunday Mark Evans and Only Men Aloud perform with Ysgol Glanaethwy plus Trelawnyd and Caerwys choirs. Proceeds to Hope House Children’s Hospices charity, which runs Hope House in Oswestry and T Gobaith in Conwy. Tickets cost £27.50. Ring 01745 330000 or visit www.rhylpavilion.co.uk or www.gwyl-gobaith.co.uk

Jason Manford was born May 26, 1981 in Salford, Lancashire, he is an English writer, comedian, actor, radio and television presenter of Irish descent.

He began his career in 1999, while working at the Buzz Comedy Club upstairs at the Southern Hotel in Chorlton, Manchester. Jason was collecting glasses when a performer didn't arrive for an evening set, Jason, who was 17 at the time stepped in to fill the gap, an event which marked the beginning of his comedy career. Six gigs later he was crowned The City Life North West Comedian of the Year.

Jason supports Manchester City FC and has a season ticket with his dad and three brothers. Jason cites Billy Connolly as the first comedian he saw when he was nine years old, and as the very first inspiration for him to become a comedian. He has a love for family friendly entertainers like Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. Later on comics like Jasper Carrott and Dave Allen influenced Jason, but it wasn’t until he saw Peter Kay he decided to have a go himself.

After winning several smaller awards, Jason was nominated for the Perrier Award in Edinburgh in 2005 for his show Urban Legends, a stand up show about those stories that always seem to happen to a friend of a friend. Jason did the comedy clubs of the UK, including the Comedy Store and Jongleurs and did many gigs abroad as far a field as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and China.

His first major television appearance was when he was a guest on the Channel 4 panel show, 8 out of 10 cats, presented by Jimmy Carr, he was on Dave Spikey’s team alongside Piers Morgan, and would later go on to replace Dave Spikey as Team Captain on 15th June 2007 and has since recorded 28 episodes.

Jason has performed stand up on television, including Edinburgh and Beyond and The World Stands Up on the Paramount Channel and Comedy Shuffle on BBC 3.

The most high profile of these appearances was when he did a half spot on Live at the Apollo on BBC 1 in November 2007, alongside Jack Dee and Russell Howard. A year later, 12th December 2008, he did the full show on the same show and was introduced by fellow 8 out of 10 Cats team captain, Sean Lock.

He began hosting a breakfast show on XFM Manchester from January 5th 2007 and which lasted until May 15, 2008. He recorded a dozen podcasts available on itunes.

He has also presented his own shows, the first of which was on Sky Three, Premier League Allstars Extra Time in 2007, a show that went out at 11pm after the main Premier League Allstars show had finished on Sky 1 The show was live and was an hour of chaotic slightly drunken interviews with former footballers, celebrities and fans who’d just finished playing 6-a-side football.

The other show was Tonightly, it aired every Monday to Friday during the month of August, 2008 on Channel 4 at around 11.15pm. It was a mix of topical jokes written about the days news, character sketches and guests including Ken Livingstone and Danny Wallace. The show is rumoured to be back in 2009.

His current tour, which started on 4th September 2008 and runs till 8th March 2009 includes 94 dates, and has so far sold over 42,000 tickets.

Jason also enjoys charity work and raising money for them, he has worked for many different charities including Amnesty International, Manchester Children’s Hospital, Comic Relief, Children in Need, Victim Support, Prince’s Trust and Migraine Action. Currently Jason is a patron for Save Babies UK, and is focussing all his efforts on them for the time being. If I can help out in anyway, then please get in touch on the contacts page.

Jason is available for corporate hire, and has worked for many large UK companies, entertaining as well as hosting award ceremonies, for more information get in touch on the contacts page.

GWYL GOBAITH – FESTIVAL OF HOPE

THE three- day, open- air event is held at Gwysaney Hall, Mold, on June 26-28.

Stars of comedy on Friday include Jason Manford, Silky, Milton Jones and Tudur Owen.

Saturday sees Rhys Meriion joined by Shan Cothi, David Kempster and Côr Rhuthun.

On Sunday Mark Evans and Only Men Aloud perform with Ysgol Glanaethwy, Trelawnyd and Caerwys choirs.

Proceeds to Hope House Children’s Hospices charity, which runs Hope House in Oswestry and Ty Gobaith in Conwy. Tickets cost £27.50. Ring 01745 330000 or visit rhylpavilion.co.uk or www.gwyl-gobaith.co.uk