There’s No

Garston-born Les Dennis is best known for his appearances on Madhouse, The Russ Abbot Show, Coronation Street and most famously, as host of ITV’s Family Fortunes.

In recent years, Les has starred in a string of hit plays and musicals on the West End and beyond. We caught up with him to find out about his latest show, the songand-dance spectacular 42nd Street, which is toe-tapping its way to the Empire this September, and discuss his remarkable career in show business

words lawrence saunders

The UK-wide tour for 42nd Street (choreographed by Bill Deamer & directed by Jonathan Church) got underway in May. How are you enjoying it so far?

We started in Leicester and we’re now at Sadler’s Wells in London. It’s going phenomenally well. Audiences are up on their feet at the end… nothing to do with me! The dancers are incredible and the musical is just what we need right now. It’s a joyful show.

In your role as Bert Barry, co-writer and producer of Pretty Lady (the show within the show), you form one half of a comedy double-act with Maggie Jones, played by Josefina Gabrielle. What’s it like performing alongside such a talented actress? Well, Josefina and I have worked as a kind of double act before. We were Amos and Roxie Hart in Chicago more than 20 years ago! It’s an absolute joy to be back working with her because she’s so brilliant. She’s three times Olivier Award-nominated and she should have won it. She worked with Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma! on the West End. She’s incredible. It’s very easy to be on stage with her and the chemistry works really well.

Are you looking forward to bringing 42nd Street here to your hometown of Liverpool in September?

I’m so excited. I remember when I was doing Art with John Duttine and Christopher Cazenove, and we were having a great time with the tour, I kept saying to them ‘Wait until we get to Liverpool’. We played the Playhouse and had such a wonderful time. It was a highlight for John and Chris, as well as me. So I’m looking forward to coming to Liverpool. Out of the rest of the cast, Sam Womack knows Liverpool well as she starred in ITV crime drama Liverpool 1. Michael Praed maybe not so well, but he loves a pint after the show so I’ll get him into Ma Egee’s (Ma Egerton’s).

Although most people know you for your TV work, you have appeared in a great number of plays and musicals in recent years.

another great company]. I seem to touch lucky with companies and not have any trouble.

You mention the Oldham Coliseum is closing and as you may know, here in Liverpool, the Epstein Theatre is sadly going the same way. Do you have any thoughts on the situation?

The Epstein is a lovely theatre which I sadly never got to perform at. When I was at school, I was invited to do a panto at the Neptune, as it was known back then, but I couldn’t because of exams. I remember thinking ‘I want to do that theatre’, and I didn’t get to. It’s an extraordinarily beautiful building. I don’t know what the plans are [for the theatre] but I’ll certainly be backing the petition to save it.

Going back to TV for a moment. Do you have fond memories of hosting Family Fortunes? How did it feel when you got offered the job?

It was incredible. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t think I can do this’. I nearly turned it down because I’d never done a game show. And you know, Dustin [Gee] had just died and I thought ‘Where is my career going?’. I didn’t know whether I could do it or not because I’d never worked with contestants before. But they gave me the first series of about 26 shows in three weeks, and I learnt my craft. Thankfully, the early shows weren’t as good as it got!

Do you come back home to Liverpool much when you’re not working?

I’ll actually be there soon as my 15-year-old daughter is doing a week’s work experience at the Royal Court, which is, again, one of my favourite theatres. I’m a patron of the venue and have done a number of shows there including Jigsy, Down the Dock Road and The Miracle Of Great Homer Street. I still have family in Maghull and my sister is in Knotty Ash. My niece, Jody McKnee, who is from Liverpool, is doing very well in the theatre world as well, and I’m always rooting for her.