British Comedy Guide

Barry Cryer receives British Music Hall Society award

Thursday 27th September 2018, 3:03pm

Jo Brand's Great Wall Of Comedy. Barry Cryer. Copyright: STV Productions
  • Barry Cryer has been awarded the British Music Hall Society Lifetime Achievement Award 2018
  • Cryer says: "I am deeply honoured to have been recognised by this society"

Comedy writer and comedian Barry Cryer has been awarded the British Music Hall Society 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award.

The I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue star was presented with the award at the annual lunch organised by Roy Hudd, the British Music Hall Society's president.

Image shows from L to R: Adam Borzone, Barry Cryer

The engraved chairman's gavel and block was presented by current chairman Adam Borzone at the event, held at Brick Lane Music Hall.

Barry Cryer says: "I was con-tricked by Roy Hudd in attending his Annual Lunch for the British Music Hall Society under the ruse of paying tribute to West End and Film actress Julia Sutton. After I had spoken, Roy said he wanted to honour someone who has contributed greatly to our profession and I looked around the room, trying to guess who it might be.

"I was delighted and surprised when he named me. The afternoon and room was full of friendship, laughter and nostalgia and I am deeply honoured to have been recognised by this society."

Adam Borzone told British Comedy Guide: "Barry Cryer is a British comedy legend. It is often easy to celebrate the performers that deliver the funny line, and the writer is unrecognised. For over 60 years Barry has done both, and has worked alongside and written for greats such as Dave Allen, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Bruce Forsyth, Richard Pryor, Spike Milligan, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe & Wise. The British Music Hall Society was delighted in presenting him this award in recognition of this work."

2018 sees The British Music Hall Society celebrating their 55th birthday. The organisation is for everyone who is a fan of Music Hall and Variety. Comic actor and 'music hall encyclopaedia' Roy Hudd has been their president for 25 years and patrons include Des O'Connor; Lady Dodd - widow of Sir Ken Dodd, who was last year's recipient of the society's Lifetime Achievement Award; and ex-Prime Minister Sir John Major, whose father Tom Major was a music hall artist. To find out about music hall and the society's calendar of talks, shows, celebrity lunches and more visit britishmusichallsociety.com

Barry Cryer's next comedy-related project is Comedy Legends, a TV series for Sky Arts in which he pays tribute to the heroes of comedy he has worked with over his many years in the business. The first episode, celebrating Tommy Cooper, will be broadcast on Wednesday 10th October.

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