Chuckle Brothers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chuckle Brothers, Barry (born 24 December 1941) and Paul (born 18 October 1948), from Rotherham, are prominent figures in British children's television and comedy at large. They are brothers, and their real names are Paul and Barry Elliot.
Born into a showbiz family, they began as a comedy duo and won the television talent show New Faces in 1974. Despite this they did not find real success until the advent of their own television show for the BBC in 1985, Chucklehounds, aimed at pre-school children. They quickly moved on to their most famous show, ChuckleVision, in 1987. In 1998, ChuckleVision was nominated for a Children’s BAFTA Award in the category Best Children's Television Series. Jimmy and Brian Patton, other real-life brothers of the pair, also make regular appearances and go by the name The Patton Brothers. In 2005, recording began on the 18th straight series.
They have also presented a game show called To Me, To You, named after their catchphrase. The basic format involved 2 teams, competing each round for prizes on a trolley (albeit a bamboo looking one which fitted in with the 'treasure island' theme of the show). By rolling a dice the teams had to get the trolley to their end of the board. The 'squares' leading up to their end of the board often represented challenges. The rounds ended when this was achieved and new prizes were put on the trolley, which was reset to the centre. The show lasted for two series.
As well as regular television appearances, Paul and Barry appear on stage throughout the year all over the UK. Past shows have included The Adventures of the Chuckle Brothers, The Chuckle Brothers in - Trouble at Sea, Raiders of the Lost Bark, Barry Potty and his Smarter Brother Paul in the Chamber of Horrors, Pirates of the River Rother and Doctor What & The Return Of The Garlics. Their current tour schedule can be seen at the Chuckle Brothers Official Tour Website.
The brothers are often criticized for their use of slapstick comedy. Their supporters claim this shows a failure to understand the more subtle aspects to their humour and their effervescent and likeable personalities, which give some of their shows the potential for immense comedy and entertainment. Some of their hardcore fans believe that ChuckleVision should be moved to a prime-time slot, although the BBC have never been too enthusiastic about the pair, despite regular viewing figures of over three million.
In early 2006, rumours spread over the internet that Barry Chuckle died after suffering a heart attack in his Rotherham home. This was clearly false, as Barry was on tour at the time, and would not have even been in his home. The brothers have yet to comment.
Charlie Brooker of TVGoHome has described the Chuckles as "Britain's most wizened comedy duo".
