Having failed to get motivated to write I make no apologies for the fact this post is a mish mash of three different subjects in brief if you want to scroll I start off by talking about dancing on ice before moving on to the Norwegian version of taskmaster and finally a brief discussion of my lack of motivation when it comes to writing comedy.
With the new series of Dancing on Ice beginning last Sunday I was really into minds as to whether I could face watching it and what effect doing so might have on my mental health. until now the only skating videos I have managed to watch have been Tiktoks all friends training sessions which had just left me feeling a bit cold inside and sad about how far behind I am and how getting back on the ice seems both terrifying and impossible. my accident not only has prevented me from skating but it also has taken away the joy of watching it. Not long after it hit catch-up I decided I was going to make myself at least try and watch it rather than hideaway in fear. I’m pleased to report that I didn’t really cry. I certainly felt a lot less empty than previous attempts I did enjoy it even if less than previous series.
I found Brendan’s performance really difficult to watch, although I did force myself to watch it a second time through, as about 10 seconds into the routine he did the very lunge slide that caused my dislocation and has left me unable to walk properly let alone get back on the ice, for the last seven months. However Sally Dynevor’s little pep talk to herself about what message she was giving her girls by allowing fear to win and not pushing herself encouraged me to immediately get out my wobble board and start doing my physio exercises ahead of my latest hospital appointment; the result being I bend my leg further than I’d managed in such a long time.
As for the rest, I properly love the relationship that bez and Shaun Ryder have; The way he was cheering him on in the crowd. I also really liked the fact they got around Bez’s clearly worrying ineptitude mixed with enthusiasm by styling out his need for a helmet (which nobody has ever need on a live show before) by making it look like he had the top of a watermelon on his head to go with ‘twisting my melon man’. It’s also worth saying, in fairness to Bez, the padded trousers are worn quite regularly by skaters in training session even if they don’t normally appear in competition, so it wasn’t that daft for him to have them on as a beginner. The comparison by Chris of Bez to Todd Carty was a little obvious, but while Todd was comically inept I have to give massive props to Bez for his enthusiasm. Unlike Todd, I feel like Bez genuinely really wants to learn and is desperate to get better. So I really hope he’s given the opportunity to do that and that while the routines need to cater to his current ability, they don’t just constantly play for cheap laughs and he is given the opportunity to push and do what he really wants to do – which is skate.
This week I also finally began making my way through the first series of Kongen Befaler (Norwegian Taskmaster) and while being forced to really concentrate in order to read the subtitles does give the programme is slightly different edge I have to say I’m really really enjoying it I’m glad that I decided to persist. like the New Zealand iteration it seems the Norwegian contestants have been selected from folk cut from the same cloth as their UK counterparts. unlike the Kiwi version however, many of the tasks so far have been direct copies of the UK original. for example get as many tears as you can into this egg cup and don’t blink for the longest time possible – the latter showing that they haven’t seen the British version or else would have known the easy answer is to close your eyes. The Scandinavian ‘Greg’ understand why he is there and what his role is I while I was increasingly irritated and let down by Jeremy Wells (of NZ TM) and his failure to really comment on the contestants performances rather than just award scores, Astle is fully involved. one of the highlights from the southern hemisphere was Paul Williams taking on the assistant’s role. Norway’s assistant (the Finnish actor and comedian Olli Wermskog) seems to have studied Alex Horne and has the looks to camera down without ever seeming forced. There been four series to date from Norway, and I am hoping that the rest are as strong as this opener would suggest. Having already seen every episode from the UK multiple times including the first champion of champions and the new year treats, as well as having watched them via various reaction channels on YouTube, being able to immerse myself in the Taskmaster world afresh while waiting for the second champion of champions to finally be given a broadcast date as well as the new series to commence has been a real joy.
On Monday my episode of The Chase which was filmed way back in March 2021 was finally broadcast. whilst obviously I knew the result of the quiz and was aware that I hadn’t given any particularly stupid answers or shamed myself through lack of general knowledge, I was still a bit nervous waiting for the broadcast. Bradley Walsh, I am pleased to report is as lovely off screen as on and while chatting in the studio there are numerous occasions where neither he nor I was entirely sure whether we were being recorded or not. For example there was one moment we were discussing my comedy and the fact that I work for church and he asked whether I’d ever perform in church and I said I wasn’t sure my comedy was church appropriate we both laughed and then the director shouted ‘cut’. A perfectly innocent comments but taking out of context potentially a bit embarrassing. I was left pleased that that entire segment had been removed. I was less happy to discover that as the contestants sat on the end all of the reaction shots following my fellow competitors answers were of my face. I’d like to apologise to everybody I know for the fact that I have just discovered not only do I pull incredibly weird faces I am clearly incapable of hiding what I am thinking so if you ever want to know how I feel just look at my face! I may have ADHD but clearly I am terrible at masking!
I was supposed to be doing a comedy writing workshop today and while after it a lovely day wandering round Tynemouth markets with my parents I am quite tired I wasn’t sure I would really be up to it, I am a little disappointed that it’s been cancelled. with my mobility increasing I really want to get back to performing, but have always struggled with the motivation to write without a deadline of a gig in place. I’d really rather this wasn’t the case as it’s quite a lot of pressure and I’m sure that my material would improve much more if I was able to write in time to then edit and hone even if you can never tell how funny something is without saying in front of an actual audience. I suppose in some ways if it’s not too arrogant to say pops I am a little too like Elizabeth Bennet’s description of herself and Mr Darcy; “of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room”.
