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When comedian Stan Boardman sat down on the couch to be interviewed by Des O’Conner on his show in the mid 80’s, little did he know, at the end of the programme, ITV would take a decision to ban Stan from the station for telling his now legendary Fokker joke. The Des O’Conner Show at that time was one of the biggest shows on ITV and it went out live at 8pm.
Stan has no regrets about it. The following 5 years saw Stan Boardman become one of the busiest comedians on the circuit.
It was at a Butlin’s Holiday Camp when Stan was persuaded by his children to enter the talent contest and tell some jokes. This was the first time he ever taken to a stage and he won first prize.
The talent contest, however, was just one of the many heats in a much larger National Competition and Stan, now gaining in confidence with every appearance, progressed through each stage to a place in the Grand Final at the London Palladium.
It was here that his distinctive style of comedy and his original material helped him walk off with the £1,000.00 first prize, a summer season engagement and the title ‘Star Act of the Year’. One leading business trade newspaper, on reviewing Stan’s act carried the headlines: “A Star Is Born.”
Next followed an appearance on television’s Opportunity Knocks where he made such an impact that he topped the poll with the studio audience. He was invited back to appear on the programme’s Gala Show – and again for the Opportunity Knocks Variety Awards Show. Such was his success on television that he was later asked to take over as host of Southern Television’s popular children’s series Runaround. He was in good company too, following the two previous hosts – Leslie Crowther and Mike Reid.
Starring appearances on Granada Television’s new The Comedians series proved to be a tremendous springboard to even greater success for Stan Boardman. In the space of a handful of months he emerged as one of the most in demand comedians in show business with appearance in summer seasons, pantomime, concert and cabaret at major venues all over Britain. On television, he completed a second series of The Comedians and starred in Granada’s Video Entertainers, before headlining his own TV special Success With Stan
