Chuckle Brothers
From Free net encyclopedia
The Chuckle Brothers, Paul and Barry, (Barry born 24 December 1944) from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, are prominent figures in British children's television and comedy at large. They are brothers, and their real names are Paul and Barry Elliot.
Born into a showbiz family, they began as a comedy duo and won the television talent show New Faces in 1974. Despite this they did not find real success until the advent of their own television show for the BBC in 1985, Chucklehounds, aimed at pre-school children. They quickly moved on to their most famous show, Chucklevision, in 1987. In 1998, Chucklevision was nominated for a Children’s BAFTA Award in the category Best Children's Television Series. Jimmy and Brian Patton, other real-life brothers of the pair, also make regular appearances and go by the name The Patton Brothers. In 2005, recording began on the 18th straight series. There was also a show called Chuckle Maths, which ran on day time television.
They have also presented a game show called To Me, To You, named after their catchphrase. The basic format involved 2 teams, competing each round for prizes on a trolley (albeit a bamboo looking one which fitted in beautifully with the 'treasure island' theme of the show). By rolling a dice the teams had to get the trolley to their end of the board. The 'squares' leading up to their end of the board often represented challenges. The rounds ended when this was achieved and new prizes were put on the trolley, which was reset to the centre. The show unfortunately only lasted for two series, but is sorely missed by a small hardcore of Chuckle fans who considered game-show hosting to be another aspect to which the brothers could turn their unique brand of mirth.
As well as regular television appearances, Paul and Barry appear on stage throughout the year all over the UK. Past shows have included The Adventures of the Chuckle Brothers, The Chuckle Brothers in - Trouble at Sea, Raiders of the Lost Bark, Barry Potty and his Smarter Brother Paul in the Chamber of Horrors, Pirates of the River Rother and Doctor What & The Return Of The Garlics. Their current tour schedule can be seen at the Chuckle Brothers Official Tour WebsiteTemplate:Ref.
The brothers are often criticized for their poor-quality slapstick comedy. Their supporters claim this shows a failure to understand the more subtle aspects to their humour and their effervescent and likeable personalities, which give some of their shows the potential for immense comedy and entertainment. Richard Tyrone Jones, a Chuckle expert, suggests that "the Chuckle Brothers' bungling is a manifestation of how two unskilled northern workers are unable to take pride in their work in a post-industrial society". Some of their hardcore fans believe that Chucklevision should be moved to a prime-time slot, although the BBC have never been too enthusiastic about the pair, despite regular viewing figures of over three million.
In 2005, it was alleged that Barry Chuckle was involved in a potentially career-ending and highly embarassing scandal. It was reported by The Sun that he had been having an affair with the 37 year old mother of two young fans. This was later stopped when the husband of the woman found explicit and lewd emails from Barry on their computer. It was also alleged that he was hit with a spanner in a Leicester petrol station as punishment for said affair, but this has yet to be confirmed.
In early 2006, rumours spread over the internet that Barry Chuckle died after suffering a heart attack in his native Rotherham home. Clearly false, as he was on tour and wouldn't even be in his home at the time. They have yet to comment.
Charlie Brooker of TVGoHome has described the Chuckles as "Britain's most wizened comedy duo".