First watched : Autumn 1976
Another one requiring a memory correction. I remembered the week night correctly ( Tuesdays ) but not the channel ( ITV ) or the season ( I thought it was earlier in the year ).
The Scouse comic first appeared on TV in the series The Comedians in 1971 but didn't make a big impression and his big break came four years later with a three week winning run on Opportunity Knocks . After that the TV work came flooding in both for stand-up slots and gameshow host roles. He then got his own half-hour show mixing stand-up routines with the odd star guest.
I perceived at the time that Tom wasn't quite in the first rank of comedians but he was amusing enough and usually the best choice on a ropey night for TV. Although the show didn't last long he has managed to keep his career going right through to the present time.
In 1992 Tom blotted his copy book by being one of those celebrities who came out in favour of the Tories during the election campaign. The other two I recall were fellow talent show winner Patti Boulaye and that arch-plaigiarist Andrew Lloyd-Webber and I theorised that the genuinely talented don't vote Tory because they have the confidence that they can recoup anything lost to the taxman while the chancers who've had a lucky break are keen to hold on to what they've got in case it all goes pear-shaped.
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