Millions of children were once captivated by the antics of Paul Elliott and his brother Barry on their popular show, ChuckleVision. Today, Paul Elliott continues to bring joy to faces across the nation, this time by embarking on a heartfelt journey in memory of Barry.
In a touching tribute to his late brother, Elliott, famously known as one half of the beloved Chuckle Brothers, has taken to the road on a whimsical tour. Riding a novelty bike, he is raising funds for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal, traversing the length of the UK from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Elliott was inspired to join the cause as an ambassador for the charity, which provided compassionate end-of-life care to Barry before he succumbed to bone cancer at the age of 73 in 2018. Now 78, Paul is channeling his energy into this meaningful journey, spreading cheer and raising awareness.
The ‘Daff Bike’ he rides is a playful nod to the iconic ‘Chuckmobile’ from their BBC series, evoking fond memories of their comedic escapades. Setting off on March 3, Elliott’s route took him through cities like Glasgow, Bradford, Birmingham, Penarth, Exeter, and Plymouth, culminating in Cornwall yesterday.
The 78-year-old travelled around the UK on a ‘Daff Bike’ – the charity’s take on the comedy duo’s ‘Chuckmobile’ from their BBC series.
He joined charity collections in Glasgow, Bradford, Birmingham, Penarth, Exeter and Plymouth after setting off on March 3. His tour ended in Cornwall yesterday.
Elliott, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, said: ‘Travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End has been a brilliant experience and I’ve loved meeting the Marie Curie volunteers, supporters and staff who give their time to help more people have the best possible end of life.
‘It’s been a wonderful chance for me to give back to Marie Curie after they helped care for my brother.’
Paul Elliott has returned to putting smiles on faces – by touring the country on a novelty bike in memory of his late brother, Barry
Elliott, better known as one half of the Chuckle Brothers, took part in Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal fundraiser – travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End
Matthew Reed, of the charity, said: ‘A huge thank you to Paul for taking on this mammoth tour of the UK.’
Brothers Paul and Barry began their comedy careers after they won the talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1967. They won talent show New Faces in 1974.
Their father was also an entertainer who performed in variety shows under the name Gene Patton and worked with a young Peter Sellers.
They made further TV appearances on light entertainment programme The Good Old Days, game show 3-2-1, and alongside comedian Freddie Starr in The Freddie Starr Showcase.
In 1985 their BBC mime show Chuckle Hounds was launched. The pair wore giant dog costumes for the series which was aimed at pre-school children.
Two years later, ChuckleVision began its run of 292 episodes on BBC One, between 1987 to 2009.
The show saw the Chuckle Brothers get into various surreal scrapes, often while taking on a new job.
The programme was known for its visual gags and spawned catchphrases such as ‘To me, to you’, ‘Oh dear, oh dear’ and ‘No slacking’, which was usually said by Elliott’s brother Jimmy when he was on the programme.
Barry and Paul also presented a desert island-themed CBBC game show called To Me, To You between 1996 and 1998.
Paul and Barry Elliot were best known for ChuckleVision, which began its run of 292 episodes on BBC One, between 1987 to 2009. Pictured: The brothers in 1993
In 2008 they were awarded a special Bafta award for their contribution to children’s television.
The series was named the greatest CBBC series of all time by the Radio Times in 2019. In a poll of 3,000 people, ChuckleVision came top, followed by The Story Of Tracy Beaker and Dick And Dom In Da Bungalow.
When Barry died in 2018 at the age of 73 following a long battle with bone cancer, Paul revealed at the time he had no idea about his illness until just two months before his sudden passing.
He added: ‘He wanted to work, he loves working, he loved making people laugh, and he knew if I found out and his management would have made him go and get it sorted. That is something else he never liked, he never like hospitals.’
