John Shuttleworth celebrates 40 years in showbiz via new tour and book
- Live show John Shuttleworth: Raise The Oof will run from February to April 2025
- The character says: "My wife Mary says I should get a proper job, but there's not time - I'm about to retire!"
- New book John Shuttleworth Takes the Biscuit: A Crumbly Selection of Songs & Stories will be out in March
Graham Fellows is to perform live as his comedy character John Shuttleworth again.
The promoters explain: "Radio 4 favourite, comedy legend, and 'the 42nd best reason to love Britain' (The Telegraph), John Shuttleworth, is back with more hilarious stories and songs performed on his trusty Yamaha organ (with built-in auto accompaniment!) In Raise The Oof John celebrates 40 years in showbiz. Yes, it was 1985 when he met TV's Clarinet Man - next door neighbour Ken Worthington who came last on New Faces in 73 (Tony Hatch crucified him!)."
"Actually, I feel rather calm" muses John, "although after forty years and still no chart success, perhaps I should be slightly anxious. My wife Mary says I should get a proper job, but there's not time - I'm about to retire! Besides, Comet - where I used to demonstrate audio equipment - no longer exists. As for the sweet factory in the Rotherham area where I worked as a security guard in the 1980s - that's now an Axe Throwing Centre. Oof!"
As well as the tour, a new John Shuttleworth book will also appear in 2025. John Shuttleworth Takes the Biscuit: A Crumbly Selection of Songs & Stories will be published in March 2025. The blurb explains: "This new book boasts many original and hilarious stories about John Shuttleworth's life in and around Sheffield. There are also lots of his song lyrics reproduced with his kind permission (although permission didn't need to be sought, he really wouldn't have minded them being included. In fact, he would have been devastated if they hadn't been!)."
A list of dates for John Shuttleworth: Raise The Oof, and a pre-order link for the book, are below.
February 2025
Saturday 8th: Demontford Hall Leicester
Tuesday 11th: Everyman Playhouse Liverpool
Wednesday 12th: Winchester Theatre Royale
Saturday 15th: Tyne Theatre Newcastle
Sunday 16th: Opera House Buxton
Wednesday 19th: Chelmsford Theatre
Thursday 20th: Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
Friday 21st: Cheltenham Town Hall
Sunday 23rd: The Lowry, Salford
Monday 24th: New Vic Newcastle Under Lyme
Wednesday 26th: Clapham Grand (Over 14s Only)
Thursday 27th: Tivoli Grand Wimborne
March 2025
Tuesday 4th: Corn Exchange Brighton Dome
Thursday 6th: Birmingham Town Hall
Friday 7th: Nottingham Playhouse
Tuesday 11th: Wolsey Theatre Ipswich
Wednesday 12th: City Varieties Leeds
Thursday 13th: City Varieties Leeds
Saturday 15th: White Rock Hastings
Sunday 16th: Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone
Tuesday 18th: Theatre Royal Lincoln
Wednesday 19th: Redgrave Theatre Bristol
Saturday 22nd: Theatre Severn Shrewsbury
Tuesday 25th: The Stables Milton Keynes
Wednesday 26th: Sheffield City Hall
April 2025
Tuesday 1st: Kings Hall Ilkley
Wednesday 2nd: Hull Truck
Friday 4th: Lancaster Grand
Saturday 5th: Queens Hall Edinburgh
Sunday 6th: Oran Moor Glasgow
Monday 7th: Oran Moor Glasgow
Tuesday 8th: Sherman Theatre Cardiff
Thursday 10th: The Forum Northallerton
Friday 11th: Scarborough Spa
Tuesday 15th: Bloomsbury Theatre London
Wednesday 16th: Bloomsbury Theatre London
Saturday 19th: Louth Riverhead
John Shuttleworth Takes the Biscuit: A Crumbly Selection of Songs & Stories
In John Shuttleworth Takes The Biscuit, English song-writer and presenter John Shuttleworth presents a crumbly selection of songs and stories.
This new book boasts many original and hilarious stories about John Shuttleworth's life in and around Sheffield. There are also lots of his song lyrics reproduced with his kind permission (although permission didn't need to be sought, he really wouldn't have minded them being included. In fact, he would have been devastated if they hadn't been!).
Colorful and eye-catching cartoons by long-time friend and collaborator Kevin Baldwin illustrate some of the songs.
There is even a short story - a cautionary tale starring sleazy salesman, Peter Cornelious, called Peeping Peter.
First published: Thursday 6th March 2025
- Publisher: Omnibus
- Pages: 240
- Catalogue: 9781915841308
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