Morrissey shunned Vic & Bob's Big Night Out on Dr Felch's orders
He was famously immortalised in puppet form as Morrissey, The Consumer Monkey, but it turns out that The Smiths' frontman was actually supposed to be part of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's Big Night Out.
Jonathan Ross, whose production company Channel X made the original anarchic Channel 4 series, has revealed that the singer and Vic & Bob were mutual admirers of each other.
"Morrissey agreed to do Big Night Out. And this was before he became problematic to some, when he was this elusive but much admired indie god basically," Ross told Quite A Boast, the Reeves & Mortimer fan podcast.
"He was a huge fan of Vic & Bob. And they were thrilled of course because they loved The Smiths," Ross disclosed podcast hosts Matt Price and Paula Wiseman.
Explaining that Morrissey had been booked for a guest appearance during What's On The End Of Your Stick, Vic? or one of the other regular features, the television presenter has retained his memorabilia from the show, including the singer's excuse for pulling out on the day of recording.
"Morrissey sent a fax to the studio saying he was sorry he couldn't come. It was supposedly a fax from his doctor, 'Dr Felch'.
"The story was he was having a bit of the old 'arse trouble'".
Watch a clip of Morrissey, The Consumer Monkey here:
The Original Vic Reeves Big Night Out
This DVD contains both series of the show which launched the careers of Britain's most surreal double act - Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.
The series features all the regular characters, including Les, The Man With The Stick, Graham Lister, Judge Nutmeg, and Wavy Davy.
First released: Monday 12th September 2005
DVD- Distributor: 4DVD
- Region: 2
- Discs: 2
- Catalogue: C4DVD10006
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