My brush with BBC Radio 5 Live as a Michael Buerk expert

Michael BuerkIt was slightly surreal but extremely pleasing to be contacted by the BBC over the weekend requesting my services as a Michael Buerk “expert”. As you may be aware, I once co-wrote a musical about him and played him on stage, and Ol’ Buerky is now in the jungle, taking part in the reality television show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, winning over a whole host of new fans. After all, the stalwart BBC legend has traded his comfort zone of high brow broadcasting (and narrating Pinapple Dance Studios…) for his usual rivals: populist ITV programming.

Whats On Stage Buerk! Preview

Another preview of the show on Whats On Stage.

Full text here:

Comedy musical Buerk! The Newsical, a fictional look back to the 80s reimagining Michael Buerk’s career at the BBC, is coming to London’s Network Theatre from 2-4 May 2013.

Here the company give us five reasons to go…

1. Overdue concept
Astonishingly, Buerk! The Newsical is the first musical to be produced about TV news legend Michael Buerk. Kenny Rogers had the idea in 1993 but his unreleased magnum opus “Mikey B & His Moral Flippin’ Maze” ultimately came to naught. Buerk! The Newsical takes us back to the 1980s when he first met the beautiful Moira Stuart and befriended feckless weatherman Ian McCaskill. We’ve even thrown in Bob Geldof for good measure.

IndieLondon Buerk! interview in full

Here’s one in which both Tom and I took part. The interview is by Shanna Schreuder.

THE comedy musical Buerk! makes its London debut at the Waterloo’s Network Theatre on Thursday, May 2, 2013. Running for three nights, this tongue-in-cheek show about the newsreader Michael Buerk is set to be a hoot.

To find out more about what the show has in store, we caught up with its creators Greg Jameson and Tom Bailey to ask them some hard-hitting questions.

Bromley News Shopper Buerk! interview in full

Here’s the piece about me and my show Buerk! The Newsical which appeared in the Bromley News Shopper. It’s a great feature by Sarah Trotter and originally appeared 15th April:

A SWANLEY writer is playing actor, producer and co-scriptwriter for an irreverent but “affectionate” musical charting the alternative life of veteran journalist Michael Buerk.

Buerk! The Newsical is the brainchild of Greg Jameson and Tom Bailey and was co-birthed under alcohol, “fevered imaginations”, and a deep-rooted nostalgia for the 1980s.

The pair re-imagine the BBC’s 80s news icon embroiled in a love-triangle with fellow broadcaster Moira Stewart and the fictionally-scheming weather forecaster Ian McCaskill.

Great coverage for “Buerk! The Newsical”

Thanks to IndieLondon and the Bromley News Shopper for plugging my show!

I’m really pleased with these interviews.

Tickets for Buerk! The Newsical are still available for the Friday and Saturday evening – 3rd and 4th May (the bank holiday weekend). Only £10 a pop! What are you waiting for?

http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/buerkthenewsical/

Come and Buerk! it with us!

Buerk! The Newsical

Tickets are on sale now for “Buerk! The Newsical”, a little number I’ve co-written and am also co-starring in at Network Theatre – a stone’s throw from the Old Vic!

Only £10 a pop, “Buerk! The Newsical” is a comedy musical about the career of TV newsreader Michael Buerk. Well, sort of… It’s a bit rude, very daft and good harmless fun! Tickets are available from Ticketsource.

The above photo, from our Leeds run in 2011, is to “whet” your proverbial “whistle”, as it were. To find out what in god’s green arse is going on, come and see the show.

Tickets For ‘Buerk! The Newsical’ On Sale Now!!

I’m delighted to announce that my co-written musical Buerk! The Newsical, a comedy look at the 1980s loosely based on the broadcasting career of Michael Buerk, is returning to the stage in London!

It will be playing at the Network Theatre (immediately next door to Waterloo Station) between 2nd and 4th May.

You can buy tickets here: http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/buerkthenewsical/

Find out more about the show at: http://buerkthenewsical.com/

Like our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/buerkthenewsical

Or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates! https://twitter.com/BuerkNewsical

I’ll be posting a blog to keep you updated just as soon as rehearsals get underfoot in the New Year!

Buerk! Will Return…

…but not just yet. It’s like the hiatus between Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. Except not as long or high budget.

Yes, Buerk! The Newsical has been on hold whilst our director and my co-writer Tom Bailey made a baby and reared it. I’m sure he won’t mind me mentioning that. It’s all “above board”.

Since then we have been putting plans afoot to remount the show in London so that the capital can enjoy our take on the BBC career of newsreader Michael Buerk and his saucy love triangle with Moira Stuart and Ian McCaskill.