Description
Life’s a gag for comic Dudley Doolittle “If they forget the act, they’ll not forget the name”, jokes the jovial jester from the land of cowboys. Rochdale, Lancs that is.
While dotty Dud’s zany recipe of real life comedy hasn’t always been in vogue, he’s now snowed under with work from admiring audiences all over the country.
“My gags come from what’s happening around me. When I first started cracking jokes in the late ‘70’s everyone was doing one-liners, like the T.V. show The Comedians”, explains Dud, real name plain Stephen Pickering.
1970 – 1978
The early 1970s saw Steve join Marti Wilde’s group – Weather – before he formed a great duo with Jim Hopwood called The Pickwicks.
While a decade of chart success – a couple of singles and several albums – and being constantly on the road, had some obvious advantages, relatively soon it was time for a change.
1978
It was around this time that it dawned on the natural born entertainer, he could make people laugh – except perhaps his ex-wife – and get paid for it.
Having worked with Dudley for many years, agent and lifelong friend, Stuart Littlewood (Cannon & Ball and Hale & Pace) came up with the stage name that subsequently stuck – and this time signed him up as comedian, Dudley Doolittle. The rest is pretty much history.
’80s, ’90s and Noughties
His wonderful Lancashire lilt and hilarious observations of life and those around him, soon made him a firm favourite, and he continued to make his unforgettable name, even more unforgettable with audiences all over the UK: working with everyone from Sir Tom Jones to Peter Kay. And of course, the lovely Carol Vorderman.
2009
As one of Britain’s top TV warm up artists, Dudley is busier than ever and can be seen regularly by TV audiences up and down the country, as well as on the local comedy circuit.
He’s also a keen Rochdale fan, so you’ll also probably hear him at Spotland every other Saturday. Politely cheering on the ref, of course. You’ll be lucky to catch him on a Sunday though. Unless you’re also into motorbikes.
TV warm up shows include:
Countdown
Through the Keyhole
Question of Sport
Stars in Their Eyes
You’ve Been Framed
