One of the regulars on Steve Wright’s Radio 2 show for ten years, he will be looking back over his eventful life, discussing his record collection and sensationally revealing the romantic liaison that nearly cost him his marriage in the 1960s.

 

Barry says: “Ninety-two years in the making, it’s my entire life - minus the really tedious bits – a chance to lift your heads out of your smart phones and see what living a life really means.”

 

As well as appearing on Steve Wright in the Afternoon Barry has appeared on Cheap Cheap Cheap, the C4 gameshow with Noel Edmonds, The Late Edition with Marcus Brigstocke (BBC4) and fronted the Radio 4 sitcom Barry’s Lunch Club.

 

He still co-hosts the cult podcast Angelos and Barry, running on Patreon since 2018.

 

We spoke to Barry below, with the help of his creator, actor/comedian Alex Lowe.

 

 

 

Well, I was a greengrocer for many years. I was the first person in Watford to ever see a kumquat. And I've got to keep my wife Margaret in Walnut Whips. The early bird at the Harvester ain't gonna pay for itself. I did do a version of this show in 2013 at the Edinburgh Fringe but I've updated it and to be honest it took me 13 years to remember how to turn on my word processor.

 

I'm very excited. I think people do need a bit of cheering up. There's lots of footage from the old days to show leafy old Britain with red buses and red post boxes, but it's not just some ancient bloke warbling on about wasn't it good in the old days. I like to create a nice nostalgic glow though. There will be jokes, songs and reminiscences. Nostalgia with an ironic take on it. Rivets, roller skating, Linda Lusardi.

 

 

There was more sense of community. You didn't you speak to people on Zoom, you'd meet, have a drink, a chat and a sauna together and accidentally touch bottoms. That's how close things were in the old days.

 

 

I might read out the backs of records that I've picked up from charity shops in Watford, so that you get all the lovely hits from the 1970s You wouldn't believe some of the titles, there's a Barry White single, I Want You To Touch It, No Seriously Would You Touch It? There are some great country music lyrics: 'there's a hairy fairy out on the prairie.' Songs that everyone knows and loves.

 

I might do if it'll help me sell more tickets, but I'm not going to go the full Gordon Ramsay, let's put it that way. It's a nice gentle show really. There might be a tiny bit of effing and jeffing but nothing too serious.

 

 

There are so many different types. There are people who follow the Angelos and Barry podcast, people who listened to me on Steve Wright's show, people who listened to my Radio 4 series. It's a broad cross section but the one thing they've all got is taste. And if young people can concentrate for more than 10 seconds they might get something out of it too.

 

 

People like The Rolling Stones say 'oh it's one hotel room after another ' which is true, but they make your bed you can have a fry up every morning. What's not to like?

 

 

Elton John apparently likes white orchids, I have an intravenous drip for my tea. And toffees.

 

 

I've spent quite a bit of time with him in the dressing room. He nicks my toffees. But we are very different. I like to dress casual, he looks like Torvill and Dean.

 

 

64 years ago this weekend I married my best friend. Margaret was furious! When I first met Margaret she was giving me a sexy look, though to be honest I thought she had a touch of Bell's Palsy. I'm joking, she's wonderful. I've got my son Dave who is a nutcase and my daughter Michelle.

 

 

We are like Sting and Trudi Styler. We do a bit of tantric sex that can go on for hours though I might drop off halfway and she might do a scratch card during it.

 

 

I think people like to see live entertainment and while I'm barely alive I want to go on as long as I can. There's no point sitting at home all day watching Dickinson's Real Deal. While I've still got my own teeth why not get out there give them the goods? I think there's no replacement for a human being being up onstage. Mind you, I did like the the blonde one from Abba and it's nice to see her returning to her former self as a hologram in their show.

 

 

I like to go in my shed and have a suck on a nice fatty lamb chop. I've got an allotment up my way where I hide and wait for the kids to try and break in. I do like to throw stones at other allotment holders.

 

 

I might take up, what's that game? pickleball. And I might get one of those tattoo sleeves featuring the great Watford FC players. Get Kenny Jackett on my elbow. Or maybe get a tattoo of Elton John on my bottom.