JOHN HANNAM
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Benny was in his element. He instantly said yes to my interview
request and was surrounded by a table full of local lovelies.
When I approached the Southampton Echo a few days later to ask if
they were interested in a feature on Benny Hill, they jumped at my
offer. He would not do an interview for them. It seemed uncanny
that two of Britain’s most successful comedy stars, Benny Hill and
Frankie Howerd, should die over the same Easter weekend in 1992.
I have been a lifelong admirer of Matt Monro and feel so privileged
to have been considered a friend of his. I still see his family and
have had his widow, son and daughter on my radio show. Matt was a
British singer to rival and surpass many of his American
contemporaries. The very last time I saw him was at the Savoy
Holiday Centre, at Yarmouth, for a special charity show for the
R.N.L.I. Just a month or two later his illness was made public. That
was the night I almost pushed a mindless and arrogant yuppie into
the urinals, after a rude comment about Matt. I still regret not doing
it.
I took a picture of Matt, in his dressing room, which never came
out, and recorded an interview with him, which I have never been
able to find. Quite remarkable.
I met a couple of my idols in unexpected places. The legendary
Bobby Moore came for a public appearance at Buywise, Newport, and
proved such a perfect ambassador for British sport and nothing was
too much t