EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW by KAREN SHAW PHOTOGRAPHY by NAZ ALAM Love a Good Pantomime

11 November/December 2019 November/December Life Northern

he’s behind you...

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY KAREN SHAW PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAZ ALAM love a good pantomime. ‘Oh no, ‘Same Difference’ Sean Smith as you don’t!’ I hear you all cry. Aladdin, the rather gorgeous Kelsey- I ‘Oh yes, I do!’ And was Beth Crossley, (former Emmerdale therefore delighted to be invited to actress) as Princess Jasmine and last, The Muni in Colne recently to but certainly not least, Bruce Jones, discover the magic behind one of our who many of you will recognise as country’s oldest traditions. This year’s Les Battersby from his time on panto is going to be a feast for the Coronation Street. Bruce will be playing the baddie eyes with incredible dancers, Abanazar and despite performing in amazing special effects and even a many a panto, he’s rather anxious real flying carpet! It promises to be about opening this one. I wondered Colne’s most extravagant and most how treading the boards compared magical pantomime ever! X Factor’s with performing on TV. 12 13 Bruce and the cast of Aladdin

“I’m opening it, I’ve never opened a people from different rehab units. I Netflix on the Ripper, he continues, then I stay with her.” The couple panto before. You can’t stop and start. spoke about depression. I had it bad.” “when I went, I had to look at all the obviously have a lot in common, If you make a mistake you’ve got to The ‘black dog’ has stalked him pictures again, big pictures. I didn’t Sandra loves to go to the cinema, cover it, you’ve got to get yourself out most of his adult life, hardly want to see them ever again. however Bruce is no fan of Meatloaf - of it,” he smiles. surprising, when you consider that “I got in trouble off Coronation because he won’t do that! Although confident with acting, Bruce discovered The Yorkshire Street for this, because I’d been on the “I work in the thing. I know how it he’s relieved that he won’t be singing Ripper’s first ever victim. The roots of street for three years and then the all works. I watch films at home more

or dancing on his own, and by the his long-term depression are firmly Daily Mirror ran a front-page than anything else. We’ll be watching 2019 November/December rooted in the allotment in Chorlton, headline: ‘Bruce Jones has Dark a film and she’ll say, ‘That’s good isn’t

sounds of it, I too, am relieved. Life Although many of us know Bruce Manchester, where he found the Secret.’” I found the worst Yorkshire it?’ and I say, ‘Nah, do you know how as the irate and often irrational taxi mutilated and disembowelled body of Ripper body that he killed.” they do that?”’ Jean Jordan back in October 1977. After unearthing Jean, his life was As our chat draws to a close, there’s driver in Corrie, he’s certainly no Northern stranger to the stage and screen. “He’d really took his frustration out never to be the same again and he one burning question I have for His first break came in 1993 when he on Jean, and that day he was there.” turned to alcohol to numb the pain. him... was cast as the lead role of Bob Jean had been brutally If the genie of the lamp could Williams in the feature film ‘Raining murdered on the 1st October “I REMEMBER HIS BLACK grant him three wishes, what Stones’ directed by Ken Loach, for 1977, and her body hidden in would they be? which he received the European bushes. Peter Sutcliffe had HAIR, A BLACK BEARD AND “I’d wish for my life back, to Actors Award. Other credits include: returned fearing he had left get completely back to normal Band of Gold, The Full Monty - A part evidence behind, when he THE BLACKEST OF EYES” and two, I’d wish all my kids that he received the Stage Actors couldn’t find it, he had and grandkids were okay, and Guild Award for, the Shane Meadows continued to take his frustration out “I didn’t go out a lot, I started to three, happiness on the world,” he film Twenty-Four Seven with the on her corpse and had attempted to drink - I never drank, but I started smiles. iconic actor Bob Hoskins. It was in behead her. to,” he shrugs. And you know what, it’s lovely to 1997 that Bruce joined the cast of the “I’d gone over her five times with a But luckily Bruce was dragged out see him smile. The past few years have ITV soap Coronation Street, playing wheelbarrow. He must have seen me of the pit of despair by his second been tough for Bruce, but despite the the legendary role of Les Battersby, a uncover her. The police locked me up wife, Sandra. Married for 35 years, challenges he’s faced, in true northern firm favourite with the public for his in a cell for 10 hours, I wasn’t able to the pair have had their ups and style, he’s fighting back. NL outspoken opinions and incredible Battersby’s character in the hearts of Talk - a one man play. even contact anyone, nobody knew downs, but it’s plain to see that the Be sure not to miss out and book your storylines. However, by 2007 Bruce the nation, love him or hate him, we “It’s all about depression and it where I was or what had happened. two are very much in love, despite decided to hang up his grubby body “I saw him in the bushes, he was them living in different countries. tickets now... Aladdin runs from the Friday could all relate to him, so much so, starts with me sitting in a chair 3rd January until Sunday 19th January. warmer and tossed away his tatty that to this day some folk still insist wearing pyjamas and a dressing standing just a few feet away. I “I live in Wales and Sandra is in remember his black hair, a black Stoke. I love Wales, I could never To book you tickets go to themuni.co.uk rings in pursuit of new opportunities. on calling him Les. gown. The same chair I always sit in, or call 01282 661234. “After 10 ½ years I began thinking “I sometimes say, my name’s not Les, just staring out at the audience, not beard and the blackest of eyes. At the leave. Sandra’s up every weekend and that I’d never get out of Corrie. I it’s Bruce. Especially just someone moving. Completely quiet and still. time I didn’t take any notice of him knew I wanted to do something else, shouting it across the room, it really “As soon as I get a reaction I go into and then six months later I was at something different, but they gets on my nerves. I just ignore it. My the play, where I mention big names work and suddenly the realisation of He’s behind you! wouldn’t let me. I was asked to do a name’s not Les!” like Winston Churchill, he called his who he was hit me! play, but I wasn’t allowed. I think one He’s had many trades including depression his black dog. The “At the time I just glanced at him, I of the questions they asked me in the being a fireman but acting has and purpose of the play was to highlight was in shock and too busy looking at office is, ‘are you getting fed up?’ ‘I will continue to be his true passion. It the issues surrounding depression,” Jean. I believe one person did commit am, I really am’, I answered. was Sir William Shakespeare (along he continues, “believe it or not, from suicide after finding a body, they just It was great at the time, I had a with his school’s drama teacher) who day one even Jesus Christ was a couldn’t live with it.” beautiful house, cars and plenty of enticed him into the acting arena depressive. He was depressed with It’s plain to see that Bruce is still holidays abroad, but you can’t go which in turn led to a string of the world, depressed with the people. haunted by that day. Growing up in anywhere, wherever you go there’s impressive roles. “One guy in the audience got up on Keighley I remember my parents always someone trying to put you “I’m one of the most wanted actors the first night and left the theatre. He allowing me to only play out on the down. The newspapers write now,” he grins. I’ve just signed up to hadn’t even got to the interval, he just back street where I’d be safe. All us whatever they want about you. When 24 horror films and I’m up for a big stormed out. His wife brought him kids grew up under Peter Sutcliffe’s I left Corrie, I felt free. lead role in a big film. It never stops!” back the following night. He was shadow, I remember a young Despite leaving over a decade ago, It’s difficult to believe that it wasn’t taking drugs, drinking, in fact he was neighbour of mine, John Hamble he’s still often to referred to as Les. so long ago that he contemplated doing anything he could to get rid of chasing us around lampposts yelling, “Les’ character will never go,” he says, taking his own life. his depression. This time he managed ‘watch out, watch out the Ripper’s “I made Les the way the people “I remember years ago sitting in to watch it all the way through, and about!’. We had no concept, no real wanted to see him. I made him to my house thinking, ‘I could just put the very same evening he went grasp of the truly brutal horror of his last. If I thought the lines were that gas fire on and go to sleep. And it straight into rehab. His wife came up, deeds until we grew older. Sitting something Les wouldn’t say, I’d have would be over.’ I don’t know why or hugged me and said, ‘thank you. It there listening to Bruce sharing his my own suggestions, ask the bosses what stopped me doing it?” took me years to get him there.’ He experience is heart breaking, you can and writers and they’d say, ‘let him do Thankfully, Bruce managed to turn was in a terrible way. see the pain in his eyes and 42 years it’, that was the beauty of Les.” his depression into success when he “Due to the play, I went to the on he admits how he can ‘still see her.’ Bruce certainly established Les and a friend wrote and performed assembly in Cardiff and gave a talk to “I’ve just done a documentary for