The electronic gates slide open to reveal a gorgeous Portuguese villa, a swimming pool and a beansprout of a man. He appealed to all sorts. Kids, parents and grandparents united around the TV – first for Russ Abbot’s Madhouse, which ran from 1980 to 1985, then The Russ Abbot Show, from 1986 to 1991.
He was joined by the inimitable Bella Emberg and a cast of young comics, including Les Dennis, Dustin Gee and Michael Barrymore. But make no mistake, it was Abbot’s show and the 80s was his decade. At his peak, he attracted 18 million viewers an episode.
When TV commissioners tired of his brand of sketch comedy, he did stints in the sitcoms Boomers and Last of the Summer Wine and played it straight in the moving TV drama September Song. There was a run of West End musical smashes – Fagin in Oliver!, Roger de Bris in The Producers, Alfred P Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Then, in 2016, he quietly retired.
For the past seven years, he has split his time between Barbados and the Algarve, where I find him today. Abbot introduces me to his wife, Trish, who has a smart silver bob and a northern accent. How long have you two been married, I ask her.
We’re standing in a large, airy hall. On a table are figurines of Laurel and Hardy – Abbot’s heroes. Upstairs, I can make out lots of framed photos.
There are pics of him with the great entertainers of his era (Brucey, Elton, Tarby, Shaky) and the royals (Philip, Anne, Charles). We pass the silver discs from his brief period as Britain’s unlikeliest pop star (who can forget Atmosphere?). Bob Geldof.” Pride of place is a photo of him dressed as Cooperman, with Tommy Cooper.
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