Songs of Praise

Episode shown 4th September 2005, from Blackpool.
Cannon and Ball were appearing at the Blackpool Grand in their 2005 Summer Season.

Presented by Aled Jones, the guests were:

  • Cannon and Ball
  • Kenneth Shelton speaking on Blackpools piers
  • Barbara Thompson of Blackpool Pleasure Beach
  • Len Cunliffe from local bus project
  • Mica Paris, singing
  • Jimmy Osmond, appearing at the Grand Theatre that summer
  • Jimmy Armfield, former professional footballer.

They were briefly interviewed and asked about how long they had been coming to Blackpool, and the relationship between faith and comedy.


(Aled knocks on dressing room door)

Bobby: Come in

Tommy: Hello.

Aled: Only me.

Tommy: Hiya pal, how are you doing? How you mate?

Bobby: How are you, Tom?

Aled: I’m alright, how are you?

Bobby: How are you, Aled? Alright. Sit down, mate.

Aled: How’s the show going?

Bobby: Fantastic.

Tommy: It’s good.

Bobby: How are you, mate?

Aled: Yeah, good. How many years have you been doing summer seasons now in Blackpool?

Bobby: Well, we’ve been together 41 years. First summer season we did was 80

Tommy: 1980. So we’ve been coming back since 1980.

Aled: Would you say your act’s changed at all?

Tommy: No, I think people think it’s strange really, because they seem to think because you’re Christian lads that you suddenly have become religious. And it’s nothing to do with religion.

Bobby: We’re not religious at all.

Tommy: We’re not religious at all. It’s nothing to do with it. Religion has a lot to be blamed for what goes on in the world. So no, it’s nothing to do with that.

Bobby: And we’ve never been blue us, me and Tom

Tommy: We’ve never been blue anyway.

Bobby: We’ve always done sketches, so it’s it’s the act what we do, but it’s not changed at all in that respect now.

Aled: Do you think comedy and faith goes hand in hand?

Bobby: Well, yes, they do. It’s just the British conception that they don’t, because the British conception is to be Christian is very reverent and do good. It’s not. To be a Christian is having good fun and it’s fantastic. I go to churches, me and him go to churches where they’re having good fun, man, and they’re alive, and enjoying Christ, you know. So no, I don’t. I think comedy and Christianity do go together. I’m not talking blue comedy, but I’m talking about family fun. Question is, if you see a Christian walking along (looking miserable)  it’s telling really because if you’re a Christian, you believe in what God says within the Bible, it says we’ve got eternal life. Wow, how happy can you get?