Joe Longthorne - Joe Longthorne--Sugar in the Morning: Sugar in the Morning

I t is difficult to know where to start when writing about Joe. His group of fanatical fans would describe him one way, fellow artistes would describe him another way and, of course, his faithful entourage would describe him their way.

I think the best way to describe Joe Longthorne is to use an old-fashioned expression my mother used when describing something which was far more than it looked: Theres good stuff in little parcels. I think this sums Joe up perfectly.

Offstage, talking to him or sharing a joke, he is Joe, the guy next door. Put him on a stage, under the bright lights and fronting his eight-piece band, you are watching a megastar. I use that expression because his live show is simply breathtaking.

This man, who is probably 5 6 or less, fills the stage with his amazing presence, wit and genuine love of his fans. He does, in my opinion, rank amongst the greatest performers we have ever produced in this country, and to this day I cannot understand why he is not topping the bill in Las Vegas or New York. Ive just come back from Vegas, where I saw one of the biggest names in the world, a major US star, and the artiste (who I wont mention) was just not up to the standard that Joe reaches every time I have ever seen him.

His impressions are second to none, and his little schoolboy jokes are told exactly like a naughty schoolboy with a cheeky little grin at the tagline.

I have seen Joe perform many times, and indeed Ive appeared on the same live show with him. His backstage demeanour is Mr Cool. This makes such a change from some of the prima donnas I have worked with over the years.

He appeared at Liverpool one time for a charity show on behalf of a famous Liverpudlian, Herbert the Hairdresser. Joe was on the same bill as The Real Thing and Claire Sweeney, but he stole the show, as he always does.

I recently appeared on The Alan Titchmarsh Show and Joe was at the same studio, getting ready to give yet another sparkling performance. When he knew I was in the dressing room, he stopped rehearsals and came to see me.

Joe, I said, get back and finish your rehearsal. Joe replied, Friends are more important than rehearsals. We sat in the dressing room and laughed as we swapped jokes and stories.

A short time ago, I had a four-way heart bypass and thought this would be the end of my performing career. Then I remembered the night Joe invited me to the Midland Hotel in Manchester. The Variety Club of Great Britain had arranged a gala benefit night in honour of Joe, who had recently undergone a bone-marrow transplant. I remembered the illness he had been through and how he had always bounced back. I said to myself that, compared to what Joe had been through, my operation was only like having a tooth out.

On that night, I was struck by all of the other show-business artistes who turned up to wish Joe well and show how much they loved and respected him. Needless to say, as frail as he was at the time, as he was just recovering, Joe sang and made a lovely, moving little speech in which he said the star of the evening was not him or any of the very many well-known faces from the world of entertainment in the hall. The star was, in fact, his surgeon and Joe thanked him publicly.

There is a saying about the phoenix rising from the ashes; I think this applies to Joe Longthorne in more ways than one. He has been up and down many times but never out. He, like many of us, has had money troubles; and he has let himself down on occasions by being led astray.

However, Joe always takes responsibility for his mistakes and never blames anybody else and more importantly, he always comes good. The last time I saw Joe perform live was at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton. My friend and I turned up on the night to see the House Full sign in the foyer. The manager of the theatre knew us and sat us in an area reserved for wheelchair users (it was not being used at the time) with two deckchairs to sit on. The lights dimmed, music played and on walked a slight figure in an all-white suit the audience erupted and he performed. It was electrifying. Joe sang, joked, played the piano, and it was the finest performance I had ever seen.

The story of Joes life is the stuff that novelists couldnt make up. I am so pleased that he has got round to writing it with his good friend and fellow singer as well as an excellent writer Chris Berry. This book tells his amazing story, which has had more highs and lows than anyone I know. It is the best autobiography I have ever read!

Joe fully deserves his title of The Greatest British Entertainer as I said, theres good stuff in little parcels.