Bernie Clifton has confirmed his true emotions in the direction of the ostrich that made him well-known. The 89-year-old, who jokingly refers to himself as an “ostrich jockey”, was suggested by Les Dawson to turn into a prop comedian to face out from the gang, and it was when he was build up his “field of methods” that the ostrich got here to thoughts.

“Any individual despatched me a sketch, a drawing. They’d seen somebody on the road doing the ostrich in a carnival, and I despatched the concept to a prop maker referred to as Peter Poland, who made all of Keith Harris’ props and Rod Hull’s emu. He rang me and stated, ‘I’ve achieved this hen factor’. To me it was simply one other prop,” he completely informed Categorical.co.uk.

Bernie defined: “I went alongside to Coventry and jumped on this hen factor, and I run out on this hen, alongside the principle avenue, and introduced the entire metropolis centre to a halt. Everyone was getting out of their vehicles saying, ‘What’s that?’”

Whereas comparable stars like Rod Hull admitted he got here to “resent” emu, the puppet that made him well-known, Bernie thinks that’s a powerful phrase.

He stated: “I’m undecided I might use the phrase resent, as a result of there’s a lot to be pleased about. I knew Rod as nicely and I suppose… I suppose resentment is the suitable phrase. It’s if you realise you need to share the invoice with this puppet and the way do you cease the general public figuring out you with it? I don’t suppose you may.

“In the event you conceive one thing and provides delivery to it, after which watch it develop and develop… how do you not have an affection for it, or a realisation that that is the factor that simply might have made the distinction?

“However on the identical time, I all the time thought as a result of I used to be a singer, that there was extra to me than being an ostrich jockey. 

“I all the time thought it was an amazing prop, however take a look at me – I can sing, I can do different issues. Would I alter issues, although? I don’t suppose so.” 

Bernie stated: “Les Dawson and I have been strolling alongside Blackpool’s South Pier throughout the Illuminations, with hundreds of individuals. And he stated to me, ‘They resolve.’ Which means the mass public. They resolve who you’re and what you’re going to be.”