A new celebratory theatre tour with the nation's favourite yellow bear Sooty will mark his 75th birthday in Worcester.
Sooty marked the milestone birthday earlier this year, before embarking on a nationwide tour.
To mark the anniversary, Sooty, Sweep & Soo - and their right-hand man of 25 years Richard Cadell - will bring ‘The Sooty Show - 75th Birthday Spectacular!’ to Worcester's Swan Theatre on April 5, 2024.
Richard Cadell talks about the significance of Sooty, and why he holds such a place in so many people’s hearts in this Q&A.
What can audiences expect when they come to a show, and will they need to bring a raincoat for Sooty’s new water pistol?
Well, this tour is different as it is Sooty's 75th birthday, so we want all the audience to feel like they are guests at a big party.
There will be lots of games, audience participation, dances and prizes. We have a special guest from Blackpool Tower Circus to add some spectacular skills to the proceedings.
Also coming to the party will be some well-loved members of Sooty’s family – Butch, Ramsbottom, and little cousin Scampi. But rest assured there’ll be all the usual nonsense and Sooty will absolutely have his brand-new super soaker ready, so anybody sat anywhere near the front will definitely need a poncho!
Sooty has been on tour so many times over his 75 years - he must be a bit of a pro now. What does Sooty have in his rider? Is Sweep a nightmare on tour?
Being the silent type, he’s not too loud with his demands.
However, he does insist on a healthy portion of fish and chips before he goes on stage. This is because fish and chips have always been in Sooty’s family. Harry Corbett‘s parents owned a fish and chip shop, and Harry Corbett’s uncle was the fish and chip magnate Harry Ramsden, fact!
You’ve now been Sooty’s companion yourself for 25 years, after being handed the mantle by Matthew Corbett. How do you reflect on your 25 years as Sooty’s right hand man?
Well, it only seems five minutes ago, that’s for sure. It’s never felt like work. In fact, it’s hard to believe that for the last two and a half decades, I’ve made a living having pies put in my face and talking to myself!
Not only is Sooty the longest-running children’s TV programme in the world, but a recent SKY survey also revealed Sooty and Sweep to be the British public’s favourite childhood TV characters. What is the secret not only to the longevity of the show, but as to why people resonate so much with Sooty?
Well, firstly it’s a teddy bear and most children know and love teddy bears before they can speak. But the biggest secret is the simplicity of the whole thing. I think all of us, including the children watching, know what’s going on under the table and because of that we can enjoy it for the simple thing that it is. Everybody has had, or knows somebody that has a Sooty or Sweep puppet at home.
And everyone can pretty much do the show behind their own settee! It’s also one of the very few shows that hasn’t changed and therefore when grandparents switch the television on for their children to watch, they know and recognise the same old things and they remember and love it all the more for that.
Sooty is now 75 years old, though he doesn’t look like it! Be honest, is there some magical secret he has to looking so young?
I think him and Cliff Richard have the same secret! We’ve often said it’s good fabric conditioner!
Recently he was accused of Botox! Of course, he denied it – though thinking about it, I’ve never seen him blink...
For tickets visit: https://worcestertheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-sooty-show/about-the-show
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