22/03/2024
Properly pleased that I was able to confirm this and it's probably not a huge surprise but I'm honestly not only chuffed to announce this but it would have maybe been a bit of an odd feeling for me where she not there.
But yeah, Sammy Dobson is my support act* at the Tyne Theatre on 20th April!
So, Sammy has been there for me so much in the decade or so I've known her and I hope I have for her.
I've seen her grow from a talented but unsure new act to an absolute onstage killer who was finally getting the attention she deserved before getting an incredible acting job last year that has mostly kept her offstage and absolutely made me assume she wouldn't be available.
Now, seems maybe a bit odd, I don't want you to buy a ticket cos Sammy is on (Although I do want you to buy a ticket!), I don't want to try and trade off her talent. I want her to be a nice bonus for you.
I think that one day she'll hopefully do her own theatre show (Disclosure, I was trying to talk her into it before the BBC came knocking) so you must come to that if she does and also DO buy tickets to see her host Tyne To Stand Up 3 in July.
I also want her there because, and I don't think she really knows this, her belief in me, while often unfounded, has helped me take risks I may not have taken. We've often done them together.
She supported me at my very first solo show in 2013, and on two tours I did a few years ago (Mad decisions! A 30+ date tour with absolutely no fan base?! Was a mixed bag..), we did about 170 episodes of Which Is The Best? podcast together where we got to know each others madnesses at a level that surprised even us!
We did two amazing alternative pantos at The Stand with Sammy and Hal which might be the best things I've ever been involved with and, a couple of years ago, had a family Christmas show booked in that I was simply to ill to rehearse or perform and she was selfless enough to take the decision out of my hands and cancel the show.
And that's just work stuff. There's been myriad occasions where she has been there for me and I'll never forget that.
Basically, I wouldn't be doing this without her.
She is family to me.
Also, Shay R***r is doing a short guest spot due to winning Felt Nowt New Act Of The Year, here's a lovely, genuine weirdo with funny bones and I'd love you to see him play a theatre for the first time.
* caveat, it's very unlikely but not impossible she might have to cancel at short notice for filming, if this happens, forget all this, she's a bitch.
