I saw Barry’s ghost as I prepared to appear in panto says surviving Chuckle Brother Paul

CHUCKLE Brother Paul says he had a vision of late sibling Barry’s ghost as he prepared to appear in panto.

He reckoned seeing his comedy partner “nodding and winking” gave him the confidence to walk on stage solo for the first time.

Paul, 74, told how Barry, who died of lung cancer aged 73 in 2018, appeared as their ChuckleVision theme played.

He recalled: “I did pantomime somewhere that year on my own for the first time. I’d never been on stage on my own, ever — except for DJing.

“I remember standing in the wings, waiting for my entrance and the music playing.

“Barry would be on the other side, where he would come on and he wasn’t there.

“But I swear I could see him to the side of the stage, and he’s nodding and winking at me.

“It gave me confidence to walk on stage and the audience lifted me beautifully. That was lovely.

“He was my brother, my work partner, my best mate . . . everything.”

Yorkshireman Paul, real name Paul Elliott, told comedian Richard Herring’s RHLSTP podcast: “When Barry was ill he said, ‘you must carry on the business. Don’t pack it in’.

“I said, ‘yeah, but you were half of me, you know? I’ll only be half what I was without you’.

“And he says ‘you’ll find something, just keep going. Just keep doing something’.”

The Chuckle Brothers famed for their “to me, to you” catchphrase won talent show Opportunity Knocks as The Harman Brothers in 1967.

Their kids’ TV show ChuckleVision started in 1987 and ran for 22 years.

Rex Features

Paul, 74, told how Barry, who died of lung cancer aged 73 in 2018, appeared as their ChuckleVision theme played[/caption]

PA:Press Association

The Brothers’ TV show ChuckleVision started in 1987 and ran for 22 years[/caption]