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This is Derbyshire
BY DAMON PARKIN
GREED was good, hair was big, shoulder pads were wide and
ROMANCE: Jonathan Wilkes and Natalie Casey in The Wedding Singer.
Jonathan Wilkes was a slip of a lad.
Welcome to the 1980s, the decade that fashion forgot but an
era we relish revisiting.
Singer, actor and TV presenter Jonathan takes to the
Nottingham Theatre Royal stage this week in The Wedding Singer,
the musical comedy based on the hit film starring Adam Sandler
and Drew Barrymore.
"http://www.youtube.com/v/LrlHmZshc6k&hl=en&fs=1" type= "application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width= "425" height="344"> " menu="false" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="" src=" object width="425" height="344"> "http://www.youtube.com/v/LrlHmZshc6k&hl=en&fs=1" type= "application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width= "425" height="344"> " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="425" width="344"> The 29-year-old takes on the role of unlucky-in-love Robbie Hart in the 1980s-set show. “I've been called the Ian Botham of showbiz because I'm a good all-rounder,” laughs the Stoke-born entertainer, whose TV work has included presenting You've Been Framed and Love on a Saturday Night. “I think of myself more as Del Boy, someone who likes to turn his hand to different projects, hoping they'll be successful.” He's been a footballer, a TV star and joined best mate Robbie Williams on his 2006 world tour, performing duets with the ex-Take That singer and playing football on stage. “Football was my first love,” he recalls. “I left school without any qualifications because I was obsessed with kicking a ball around. “I was taken on as a youth player at Everton and had set my heart on becoming a pro but, at the age of 15, I was told I wasn't good enough to earn a contract. “Although there was interest from Crewe and Chester, my confidence had taken a knock and I fell out of love with the game. “And once I saw my mates earning money, chatting up girls and going to the pub I knew I didn't have the discipline to keep it up.” He'd always been the dressing room joker, had made his stage debut alongside Williams in a school play at the age of six and discovered he had a decent singing voice when he had his tonsils removed as a teenager. His passion for performing saw him win the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year Award in 1996. His own Blackpool Pleasure Beach show, TV and a Top 30 single were followed by starring roles in hit musicals Grease, The Rocky Horror Show and Tommy. Now he has said “I do” to the role of Robbie in the UK premiere of The Wedding Singer, alongside Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps actress Natalie Casey. “I saw the show on Broadway and knew that this was something I wanted to be part of,” he says. Jonathan asked his manager to contact the producer, who revealed he had already thought about him for the role of wannabe rock star Robbie, the wedding crooner who is jilted at the altar. “It's not Chekhov,” says Jonathan. “It's just a fun, feel-good show with great songs, lots of laughs and, of course, some dodgy hairstyles and costumes.” He was only 10 when the 1980s came to an end but has vivid recollections of the decade. “My outstanding memory is of Maradona tearing England apart during the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico. “I also remember my older sister wearing her Bros and Wham! T-shirts. I wasn't a particularly fashion-conscious kid: I used to wear shell-suits and didn't have my first pair of jeans until I was 14.” The Wedding Singer takes Jonathan around the country during the summer and, although he loves touring, a new wife and two-year-old son means he makes it home to Wiltshire whenever he can. “Wherever we are in the country, I always try and get back to spend a couple of hours with Nikki and Mickey after a show,” he says. He'll be back home in the Potteries this autumn to stage Stoke's Got Talent, a show designed to find a young performer to star alongside him in this year's Regent Theatre pantomime. “I've been involved with the past three pantos and it's so exciting to perform on stage in your home town,” he says. “Each year we have broken box office records so I have to keep returning to make each show bigger and better than before. “The Stoke shows have become a passion of mine and, if I wasn't in it this Christmas, I'd be jealous of those involved and would probably be picking fault with the production!” WHERE: Nottingham Theatre Royal. WHEN: July 14-19. TICKETS: £10-£28. BOX OFFICE: 0115 989 5555.
"http://www.youtube.com/v/LrlHmZshc6k&hl=en&fs=1" type=
"application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width=
"425" height="344"> " menu="false" allowscriptaccess="always"
quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="" src=" object
width="425" height="344"> "http://www.youtube.com/v/LrlHmZshc6k&hl=en&fs=1" type= "application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width= "425" height="344"> " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="425" width="344"> The 29-year-old takes on the role of unlucky-in-love Robbie Hart in the 1980s-set show. “I've been called the Ian Botham of showbiz because I'm a good all-rounder,” laughs the Stoke-born entertainer, whose TV work has included presenting You've Been Framed and Love on a Saturday Night. “I think of myself more as Del Boy, someone who likes to turn his hand to different projects, hoping they'll be successful.” He's been a footballer, a TV star and joined best mate Robbie Williams on his 2006 world tour, performing duets with the ex-Take That singer and playing football on stage. “Football was my first love,” he recalls. “I left school without any qualifications because I was obsessed with kicking a ball around. “I was taken on as a youth player at Everton and had set my heart on becoming a pro but, at the age of 15, I was told I wasn't good enough to earn a contract. “Although there was interest from Crewe and Chester, my confidence had taken a knock and I fell out of love with the game. “And once I saw my mates earning money, chatting up girls and going to the pub I knew I didn't have the discipline to keep it up.” He'd always been the dressing room joker, had made his stage debut alongside Williams in a school play at the age of six and discovered he had a decent singing voice when he had his tonsils removed as a teenager. His passion for performing saw him win the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year Award in 1996. His own Blackpool Pleasure Beach show, TV and a Top 30 single were followed by starring roles in hit musicals Grease, The Rocky Horror Show and Tommy. Now he has said “I do” to the role of Robbie in the UK premiere of The Wedding Singer, alongside Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps actress Natalie Casey. “I saw the show on Broadway and knew that this was something I wanted to be part of,” he says. Jonathan asked his manager to contact the producer, who revealed he had already thought about him for the role of wannabe rock star Robbie, the wedding crooner who is jilted at the altar. “It's not Chekhov,” says Jonathan. “It's just a fun, feel-good show with great songs, lots of laughs and, of course, some dodgy hairstyles and costumes.” He was only 10 when the 1980s came to an end but has vivid recollections of the decade. “My outstanding memory is of Maradona tearing England apart during the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico. “I also remember my older sister wearing her Bros and Wham! T-shirts. I wasn't a particularly fashion-conscious kid: I used to wear shell-suits and didn't have my first pair of jeans until I was 14.” The Wedding Singer takes Jonathan around the country during the summer and, although he loves touring, a new wife and two-year-old son means he makes it home to Wiltshire whenever he can. “Wherever we are in the country, I always try and get back to spend a couple of hours with Nikki and Mickey after a show,” he says. He'll be back home in the Potteries this autumn to stage Stoke's Got Talent, a show designed to find a young performer to star alongside him in this year's Regent Theatre pantomime. “I've been involved with the past three pantos and it's so exciting to perform on stage in your home town,” he says. “Each year we have broken box office records so I have to keep returning to make each show bigger and better than before. “The Stoke shows have become a passion of mine and, if I wasn't in it this Christmas, I'd be jealous of those involved and would probably be picking fault with the production!” WHERE: Nottingham Theatre Royal. WHEN: July 14-19. TICKETS: £10-£28. BOX OFFICE: 0115 989 5555.
"425" height="344"> " type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
height="425" width="344">
The 29-year-old takes on the role of unlucky-in-love Robbie
Hart in the 1980s-set show.
“I've been called the Ian Botham of showbiz because I'm a
good all-rounder,” laughs the Stoke-born entertainer, whose TV
work has included presenting You've Been Framed and Love on a
Saturday Night.
“I think of myself more as Del Boy, someone who likes to
turn his hand to different projects, hoping they'll be
successful.”
He's been a footballer, a TV star and joined best mate
Robbie Williams on his 2006 world tour, performing duets with
the ex-Take That singer and playing football on stage.
“Football was my first love,” he recalls. “I left school
without any qualifications because I was obsessed with kicking
a ball around.
“I was taken on as a youth player at Everton and had set my
heart on becoming a pro but, at the age of 15, I was told I
wasn't good enough to earn a contract.
“Although there was interest from Crewe and Chester, my
confidence had taken a knock and I fell out of love with the
game.
“And once I saw my mates earning money, chatting up girls
and going to the pub I knew I didn't have the discipline to
keep it up.”
He'd always been the dressing room joker, had made his stage
debut alongside Williams in a school play at the age of six and
discovered he had a decent singing voice when he had his
tonsils removed as a teenager.
His passion for performing saw him win the Cameron
Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year Award in 1996. His own
Blackpool Pleasure Beach show, TV and a Top 30 single were
followed by starring roles in hit musicals Grease, The Rocky
Horror Show and Tommy.
Now he has said “I do” to the role of Robbie in the UK
premiere of The Wedding Singer, alongside Two Pints of Lager
and a Packet of Crisps actress Natalie Casey.
“I saw the show on Broadway and knew that this was something
I wanted to be part of,” he says.
Jonathan asked his manager to contact the producer, who
revealed he had already thought about him for the role of
wannabe rock star Robbie, the wedding crooner who is jilted at
the altar.
“It's not Chekhov,” says Jonathan. “It's just a fun,
feel-good show with great songs, lots of laughs and, of course,
some dodgy hairstyles and costumes.”
He was only 10 when the 1980s came to an end but has vivid
recollections of the decade.
“My outstanding memory is of Maradona tearing England apart
during the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico.
“I also remember my older sister wearing her Bros and Wham!
T-shirts. I wasn't a particularly fashion-conscious kid: I used
to wear shell-suits and didn't have my first pair of jeans
until I was 14.”
The Wedding Singer takes Jonathan around the country during
the summer and, although he loves touring, a new wife and
two-year-old son means he makes it home to Wiltshire whenever
he can.
“Wherever we are in the country, I always try and get back
to spend a couple of hours with Nikki and Mickey after a show,”
he says.
He'll be back home in the Potteries this autumn to stage
Stoke's Got Talent, a show designed to find a young performer
to star alongside him in this year's Regent Theatre
pantomime.
“I've been involved with the past three pantos and it's so
exciting to perform on stage in your home town,” he says.
“Each year we have broken box office records so I have to
keep returning to make each show bigger and better than
before.
“The Stoke shows have become a passion of mine and, if I
wasn't in it this Christmas, I'd be jealous of those involved
and would probably be picking fault with the production!”
WHERE: Nottingham Theatre Royal.
WHEN: July 14-19.
TICKETS: £10-£28.
BOX OFFICE: 0115 989 5555.
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