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The past...

I'm not one to dwell on the past if I've moved on from it, however - for the purposes of this introduction to our brand new blog (pause for squeals... combined with the furrowed brow of a woman in her forties who, despite her love for telly and theatre, wholly expected to have left this kinda career behind), I'll fill in some back story! 

First of all, I say OUR new blog (Our Entertainment Blog), as this reinvented venture has for the most part, been led by our 12 year old son, Connor. I've not been entirely unwilling and my husband, Garry, who will undoubtedly be involved again, is also not saying no. One thing's for sure, following the pandemic we haven't watched anywhere near enough live theatre and the frequent excursions from the Midlands to London (often in one day), which baby and toddler Connor was regularly dragged along on, are currently a thing of the past. In fact, rather like this blog, Connor is keen to bring those trips back! 

So, if you remember us - we used to run a blog launched in 2013 called Break A Leg Review, re-branded a few years later to Entertainment Views. We dabbled, post-pandemic, despite my reticence, however family first is what I always say and we had reached a key point in life where family demanded to be the focus of our attentions. 

☝🏻 Way back when we ran the Break A Leg Awards and the amazing Stephen Beckett won one of our coveted trophies. Stephen sent me this article which made the front page of the newspaper with the words 'darling, we've both made it!' 😉

If you don't remember us then you are joining the chaos at the start of our brand new journey and that's very exciting, we welcome you with open arms.

The future...

Connor has long been obsessed with the idea of creating content on a Youtube Channel, so collaborating with the re-launched and re-branded blog felt like the right move. Do make sure you like and subscribe to Our Entertainment Vlog Youtube Channel or he'll only give us ear ache about it! 

☝🏻 Just a handful of photos from Connor's theatre experiences. 

Connor loves 'Six', 'Sister Act The Musical', 'Shrek The Musical' and going to pantomimes amongst many other shows. Perhaps unusually for a lad of his age, he is also besotted with Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, Croft & Perry sit coms, Ken Dodd and most of the offerings on U&Gold and That's TV! He is also a huge fan of the TV series 'Not Going Out' and obsessed with 'Gavin and Stacey'. 

☝🏻 Connor has been a devoted Gavin and Stacey fan for over a year. He was beside himself to be able to meet Joanna Page in November last year.

Garry is mostly immersed in football when he's not working, a devout Aston Villa fan (and also follows Torquay United as he originally hails from South Devon), however he is also Arts Ed alumni and often proudly talks about his time there. He was taught by the late, great Myra Egan and the late great Maria Charles. Other students at college with him at the same time, although not in the same year group included Nigel Harman and Sophie-Louise Dann. Garry was pantomime dame for a local panto company for many years before hanging up the frock and boobs. He loves to review pantos and will always, ALWAYS get involved from his seat. Oh yes he will!

☝🏻 Garry was over the moon to meet up with Myra and Peter Egan back in 2011 at MCM Comic Con Birmingham. 

I grew up with a big ambition to be a playwright or TV writer. In my teens, while other classmates were blu-tacking posters of Take That, Boyzone and Gladiators (the OG Gladiators) on their bedroom walls, I had signed photos of all my favourite TV stars around me. The late great Ruth Madoc, Stephen Lewis, Kathy Staff, Ivor Roberts, Jean Fergusson, to name a few. Plus the fabulous Su Pollard, inimitable Perry Benson, wonderful Richard Hope who gave lots of advice. Then there was the amazing Robert Daws who told me I could have a very good career as a writer (and still says that *blush*), gorgeous Judy Buxton and Jeffrey Holland who are really good friends of ours and the outstanding Julia Deakin, who was an ever encouraging presence in my teens and early twenties. I went to the theatre all the time as a child, I've seen many of the above mentioned legends on stage too.

☝🏻 Another 2011 MCM Comic Con Birmingham delight! The first time I met two of my absolute heroes - Jeffrey Holland and Judy Buxton. Here's to almost 15 years of friendship and hopefully many more years to come.

If you're still with me after my epistle, then all that's left to say is that we are all really looking forward to sharing our trips, tips and ramblings with you all. 2026 will be filled with theatre, gigs and events and marks the start of a brand new era for us. Glad to have you on board 😚

Helen McWilliams 

Managing Editor