Growing up in wartime St. Helens (where a bomb missed his head by a few yards), Bernie began his career as a teenage singer with a local dance band. This was the first step on the long and winding road that took him to a Royal Variety Show where he reduced our late Queen to tears of laughter and then, after many years of touring, to a standing ovation in Las Vegas.

Bernie takes us along on his hilarious journey, explaining how he failed as a plumber but made it to Beijing as a trombonist. We read about his exploits piloting his 'Flying Ostrich' microlight (without a licence) and keeping fit with the odd London marathon... on the back of an ostrich! We also learn of his penchant for practical jokes which helped him keep sane. Having reached 87, he is still performing but doubts he'll write a sequel, quoting Barry Cryer on the subject of age: "I don't think that far ahead, I'm not even buying green bananas!"

First published: Monday 27th November 2023