The Sun Newspaper Online - Monday August 26, 2002

Funnyman Terry tells all

COMIC genius Terry Alderton is a right jack of all trades.

Not content with an impressive career on the comedy and television circuit - recently hosting The National Lottery's Red Alert show alongside Lulu - this year the talented Essex boy landed a role in hit ITV1 show London's Burning as Firefighter Charlie Mead.

This week he dropped into The Sun Online to answer your questions about swapping jokes for acting, his beloved Southend United and Page 3 wife Dee Ivens.

I'm 17 and I'd love to be a stand-up comic one day. I've written lots of material of my own but don't know what to do next.

What advice would you give people like me, who are trying to break into the industry?
John, Leicester

Send me your material! (Only joking)

Try and do the open spots basically. What you have to do is get in touch with your local comedy clubs and ask if you can do five minutes. Then, when you think you're ready, you'll have to come down to London mate, and work the circuit.

It's always worth working the fringes as well, but don’t follow in my footsteps and do a dodgy National Lottery TV show.

Anyway, good luck!

When did you get your big break as a comic?
Emma, London

I thought my first big break was when I did a show called "The Lads" for ITV, when I was 24 or 25. It was cheap and had quite a low budget - but it was a lot of fun.

We got to drive fast cars, play paintball and act like proper lads - and we were getting paid for it!

But my first real break, that got me recognised, was winning the Perrier Award, at Edinburgh in 1999. 
 

Having worked on the comedy circuit for many years, do you still get nervous before a show?
Paul, Chelmsford

When I first started of course I did, but in the later years it becomes just another job.

Now that I'm used to it, I love a big crowd. It’s like being a kid again in the playground in front of your classmates. The bigger the crowd - the bigger I show off.

Last year you played football with the likes of David Baddiel, Angus Deayton and Nick Hancock to raise money for Comic Relief.

What was that like and will you be joining up with the squad again?
Gemma, Birmingham

I really enjoyed it. We got to play all over the country in front of good sized crowds. It makes you feel like a real football star - but some of the lads we played against, especially in London, were amazing and really showed us up.

As for this year, I'm sure we'll be meeting up again. And if I get the chance, I’d be well up for it.
 

Burning questions ... Terry replies to your messages

The Edinburgh Festival is on at the moment. How important is that event to comics like you?
Gareth, Bournemouth
 
It's important to be in the vogue at Edinburgh. For the audiences and the people who live and visit the city, it's a great thing.

But as far as I'm concerned, as a comic, I find it very sickly and backstabby and I can’t be bothered with it.

But, I do love playing to the audiences up there.
 

What has been your worst moment on stage?
Kev, Norwich

There have been so many! One time that springs to mind was back when I was 18. I'd travelled down to Minehead to do a gig as a favour for an agent, who was lining me up for a big role in panto.

But when I got on stage I died, the dying of deathness of deaths. It was with Joe Pasquale - and he went on to be massively successful from there. I went back to stand-up.
 

Coming from Southend, and having played in goal for them, do you still get time to follow the Shrimpers?
Dan, Southend

I get down to Roots Hall all the time and usually sit in the East stand. When I first started going I used to stand behind the goal in the North Bank- back when it was the home end.

I'll be going to Oxford on Saturday to watch our first win of the season.

Up the Shrimpers!

What was it like working with Lulu on the National Lottery TV show Red Alert and why isn’t it on anymore?
Carla, London

The show was a good laugh and a good learning curve for me at that time.

But the reason it's not on anymore is because it was not seen to be very good.

As for Lulu, she's very lovely and is as great looking in real life as she is on the telly and in the papers. Unlike most modern popstars she's got a fantastic voice. 
 

Your character in London’s Burning Charlie Mead is a bit of a joker. How similar are you to him?
Mike, Swansea

I am a prat - but he's a complete t*****r.
 
Charlie likes himself and rates himself a lot more than I do. I don't dress like him and I know when to stop, while he doesn't.
 
Charlie isn't a big football fan either and he smokes - which I don’t.
 
But the main difference between the pair of us has to be that he's ugly - and I'm not! 
 

On watch ... Terry as Charlie Mead alongside George, played by Glenn Murthy

London’s Burning is in its 14th series - what makes it so successful?
Lesley, Manchester

It’s the only show on the box that’s about the Fire Brigade. At the same time it’s got quite a racey style, which I think the audience enjoys.

Having said that, I would like to see a few more fires on the programme.

And I wouldn't mind them showing a bit more about the rest of Blue Watch rather than just Frank Mooney. 
 

I used to love London's Burning but now it seems all you do is sit around in the pub. There's never any really good fires or accidents like there used to be. The only thing you put out now are each others' ardours! What's happened?
Nicky, Stockport

I agree mate. And I think it would be more fun to see Charlie Mead, and Adam for example, doing things that proper lads do like chasing birds and driving fast cars - rather than just sitting down the boozer drinking beer.

And as a performer it would be nice to have climbed a ladder and held a hosepipe and that. Although I did get to drive a fire engine once.

But on your point, I totally agree that there should be more fires and more racey action, as well as some more kissey kissey.
 

Your character is trying to get Lisa the cook - played by Jan Anderson - into bed. Let's face it, who can blame him - she's gorgeous. Do you have any funny stories about your scenes with her?

And what's the best and worst chat-up lines you've ever used on a women?
Peter, Warrington

The problem with working with Jan is that for some reason, when you're trying to perform your lines, she starts laughing - making it so hard to get through a scene in one go.

But Jan is a smashing actress, and person, and she made it really easy to play the scenes with her.

The funniest time I can remember is when we all got bored, between scenes, and thought that we had no more speaking to do.

Anyway, we had a few drinks and had all got a little bit tipsy when the producers brought the filming forward.

We managed to do the scene and I don' think anyone noticed - whatever way, that take was eventually aired!

As for chat-up lines, I had one bad experience a while back, and since then, I've never used them. 

What’s it like being married to ex-page 3 girl Dee Ivens? The pair of you must get a lot of attention when you’re out and about? Does she mind you trying to sleep with other women on screen?
Matt, Burnley

I don't think we get recognised when we're out and about - which is quite nice. But she still draws a lot of attention from blokes because she's just so gorgeous. I find it quite a compliment when people try and chat her up, I just smile.

As for action on the telly, she shouldn't mind me trying to sleep with other women.

After all, as I often tell her, it's Charlie Mead doing the business, not me! 
 

You’ve done lots of stuff for TV - what has been your favourite show?
Leigh, London

A show I wrote called "MYFC" last year. I went back to Southend United and spent two weeks training and being one of the squad.

I followed the first team for three games of the season. I really loved doing it, as I’ve been a massive fan of the Blues since I was a kid.

I also really enjoyed filming London’s Burning. 
 

Everyone in comedy seems to have worked at a holiday camp at one time or another. How well did that prepare you for the big time?
Cassandra, Bradford

Firstly, I never was a Red Coat, a Blue Coat, or any coat. I worked as an entertainer at a privately owned centre called Potters, in Great Yarmouth.

I died every night, but what it did do was teach me how to deal with different audiences later in my career. It was well worth doing for a number of reasons: I was 18, I was single and there were plenty of single girls down there on holiday. I say no more. 
 

Are you still playing football for Harrow Borough? I’m surprised you can find the time with work. If you are, good luck for the new season.
Stuart, Kent

No, I'm not playing for them anymore. I do get to play in charity matches now and again though, but that's about it. 
 

Which current comics make you laugh?
Eric, Herts
 
Bill Bailey, Owen O'Neill, Tim Clerk, and Simon Bligh. Those four are my favourites right now. 
 

Right Charlie ... Terry on set

Did you always want to go into acting or did the part in London’s Burning just come your way by chance?
Katy, Woking

Completely by chance. I was at a party and bumped into someone from ITV who tried to cast me for the Lock Stock series on Channel 4, but I couldn't do it because of the Lottery.
 
Instead, he asked me if I'd be interested in a part in London's burning and I said alright then! 
 

What are the best and worst things about being a comedian?
Kieron, Southampton

When it's good it's good, and when it's bad...it's terrible. 
 

I’m a massive London’s Burning fan. Is it true that between shoots you’re always on the PlayStation playing footie?
Lisa, Wickford

Yes - all the time. In the end I got the producers to get us a big trailer just to play the computer in.

I got quite good, but Mickey Garner, who plays Geoff Pearce, is terrible. I once beat him 7-0 with one hand. 

I remember one particularly funny incident involving the computer actually. It involves Anthony Green, who plays Station Officer Mick Callahgan.

Every time we played footy on the PlayStation - between filming - he'd always be asking "what button is shoot?", and we'd always tell him "square."

Anyway, one day we were playing and he asked me "Terry, what one's square?"

 I turned to him and said: "the one with the bloomin square on it!"
 

In the hotseat ... Terry meets Sun Online's Dave Masters

What's your favourite biscuit?
Kitty, Wigan

If I had to choose it would be a coconut ring.