Take it from here, June Whitfield

13/07/2010

 It seems as though June Whitfeld has been making us laugh for all our lives. And for most of us, that’s entirely true. She actually started her career working alongside Wilfred Pickles on radio in the 1940s, and had her first break on TV in 1951 in ‘The Passing Show’.

 

But of course the role that set her firmly on the path to fame was as Eth, the long-standing fiancé of the gormless Ron Glum in the magnificent ‘Take It From Here’. Typical of the wonderful lines were those such as Eth saying: “Oh really, Ron, do you expect me to just sit here, like a lemon?” To which Ron lugubriously responds, “No thanks Eth, I’ve just had a banana.” You get the drift.

 

And now, she is making us laugh all over again as shows like ‘Take It  From Here’ get long overdue reruns on BBC Radio 7. “Are they still funny?” she asks me. “Some of the references are a bit lost, but of course,” I reply. “This is classic humour.”

 

“I suppose the Glums were the first dysfunctional family on radio,” 

she says. “Frank Muir and Dennis Norden were a bit bored with all the other ‘normal’ families on the radio and decided to make the Glums a bit different. I still love all that quirky wordplay.”

 

June was soon to prove she had a face for television as well as a voice for radio, and I remind her of the great part she played in Hancock: as the nurse in ‘The Blood Donor’, arguing with ‘the lad himself’ about the supposed superiority of British blood. Did she realise it was going to be such a classic programme? “We all realised that it was funny – but you never know at the time do you?

 

“It was the same with ‘Absolutely Fabulous’. Jennifer Saunders wrote the script imagining that a few people in the fashion industry might find it funny – but it really took off. She gave me a few lines in the pilot and told me that she would write me in if she was asked to do any more shows. Thirty episodes later… ”

 

And what a part that was. As we agree, Saunders’ part of Eddie might be scarily unhinged – but her awful and equally batty mother was probably to blame for her undoing. “I did have some wonderful lines,” 

she says.

 

Just like TIFH, ‘Ab Fab’ is also a huge favourite on the repeat channels. Not so the role that probably defined June for almost two decades – as the long-suffering wife of Terry Scott. As Terry boyishly took up new hobbies or followed some outlandish new fad or fashion, June was the one who had to bring him back down to earth with a bump. Sadly, while the programmes are available on DVD, the BBC, in its infinite wisdom has decided not to repeat them. “I suppose it’s all too ‘middle of the road’ for them,” says June. “I’m quite sure there would be an audience for the programmes now, but the BBC is full of young people…”

 

So is the work still coming in? “I’m not as busy these days,” she says, “but I still get asked to do some nice parts. I got to pinch Doctor Who’s bottom recently – and yes, that was scripted! - and I’ve got a lovely part in Coronation Street. And last year I published a pictorial autobiography called ‘At a Glance’ - with 300 pictures from over the years, starting with me at dance school.”

 

The last time June and I met, she was playing pantomime in Cardiff – but she is glad to have given that up. “Twelve performances a week? I don’t think so now!” she says. “But I did enjoy it.”

 

Most recently, she has been doing her part to help raise funds for Age UK, launching their latest concept in charity shops. As well as racks of stylish clothes at bargain prices, together with books and houseware, the new stores will be able to offer advice and information, goods and services for older people.

 

The Kentish Town concept shop that June opened is one of nearly 500 Age UK retail outlets across the country, all of them raising money to support people in later life. “I thought the store was wonderful,”  says June. Did she buy anything? “No but I did try a few things on!”

 

And here our conversation ends. But where next for June’s unrivalled ability to extract every last drop of comedy from a line – ably assisted by an arch look or wry smile? Surely our TV writers can find at least one more great role for June Whitfield, the uncrowned Queen of British Comedy.