Firestyle Magazine: Issue 1 - Autumn 2015

Released in 2000, ‘Going off Big Time’ is a
dark comedy based on life in the Liverpool
underworld,with Neil playing the leading role.
It was nominated for 4 BIFA awards and also
takes its’ place on Film Fours’ Best of British list.
Neil then found himself in big demand and in
addition to roles in ‘The Office’,’Buried’ and
the ‘The Bill’,he was approached to star in
Channel 4s new comedy series ‘Peep Show’ as
Jeff, which in 2010 became Channel 4s longest
running comedy show.
‘Charlie Noades R.I.P’, another film written by
and featuring Neil in the lead role,was then
released on the big screen in 2007. The story
of a scrap metal dealer who found long lost
treasure,saw Neil return to his Liverpool roots.
Produced by his brother Tony,it co starred well
know actors John Henshaw (The Royal Family),
John McArdle (Brookside) and John Thomson
(Cold Feet) and even enjoyed a cameo
appearance from Ian McCulloch of Echo &
The Bunnymen fame. Neil was joined for the
premier of the film at the Cannes Film Festival,
by friend and supporter,Steven Gerrard. A year
earlier Neil had narrated the Sky TV production,
‘A Year in My Life’, which covered the former
Liverpool and England captain.
Also in 2007 we saw a very different Neil than the
one we were used to seeing. Neil played the lead
role in the ITV drama ‘Mobile’, where we witnessed
Neil’s serious acting,as an ex-telecoms worker
suffering from a terminal brain tumour.
After a spell hosting the ‘Drivetime’ show for
Liverpool’s premier radio station, Neil returned to our
screens. He played a manic Rafa Benitez in ‘Fifteen
Minutes That Shook The World’, a hilarious insight into
what really happened at half time during the 2005
Champions League final in Istanbul.
In recent times Neil featured as Lucky Kev in
Benidorm and even wrote one of the episodes. He
has also recently finished filming alongside Henry
Winkler (The Fonz),in the BBC production ‘Hank
Zipper’.
In addition,Neil is also filming a new series to be
released by Channel 4 next year called ‘Aliens’, a
dark comedy based on aliens living on Earth in the
fictitious town of Troy will see Neil playing the role of
an alcoholic Dad and he insists it is a, must watch!
However he has never forgotten where it all began
and Neil somehow finds the time to play resident
compere at the ‘Laughterhouse’ comedy club,
based at The Slaughter House pub in Liverpool.
I asked Neil how he now views comedy clubs and
the stand up circuit?
“ If i hadn’t taken the opportunity to do stand up when i did, then i would not of been able to have
enjoyed all of the wonderful times i have had. This is why i started the comedy club many years ago.....to
give other people the chance to give it a go. Comedy nights are special, there is a great atmosphere and
they are incredibly popular. To witness live stand-up and great talent is a fantastic way to spend an evening
with your friends, wife, partner or somebody elses partner!!”
Finally Neil, you and the cast of Phoenix Nights
broke a world record earlier this year?
“Yes that’s right! Peter (Kay) rang me up and told me about the idea. We wanted to break the world record
for ‘most money raised by a live comedy show’. We sold out the Manchester Arena for fifteen nights to put
on the ‘Phoenix Nights Live’ show and raised over 5 million pounds for Comic Relief. I think all 200,000 tickets
went in hours and it was great to catch up with all of the cast and crew again”
‘FireStyle’ Magazine would like to congratulate Neil for his fundraising
efforts and thank him for his help with this article. You can see Neil at the
Laughterhouse Comedy Club most Friday and Saturday nights. The Slaughter
House Pub. Fenwick Street, Liverpool.
www.laughterhousecomedyclub.com
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