COMEDIAN Jimmy Cricket will be continuing his special relationship with Bury when he showcases his new play, No More Fiffing and Faffing, at the Met later this month.

Set at the end of the pier, it’s the tale of a comedy double act who prepare for their final performance after many years on the road together.

As the final show looms, long-held resentments come to the fore.

Jimmy was inspired to write the show, in which he also stars, after seeing the success of fellow comedian Bobby Ball’s first steps into writing for the stage.

“The show is part drama and part variety,” he said. “We see the duo doing their act on stage but also see what’s happening off stage in the dressing room. It’s nice being able to strike that balance so for an audience there are some classic comedy routines to enjoy but also the relationship between the two comedians.”

Too Much Fiffing and Faffing was premiered at the Empire Theatre, Blackburn, last year and Jimmy is delighted to be bringing it to Bury.

“Mrs Cricket and I have a strong connection to Bury,” he said revealing that he and his wife May had their first home in the town on Wash Street less than a mile from the Met.

The couple were married in Bury in 1974 having met at Pontins when Jimmy was a Bluecoat and May was a waitress in the restaurant.

“In the evening she and two other waitresses would come on and sing a few songs,” said Jimmy.

The couple were married at the Catholic Church on Peter Street and then had their reception at the Royal Hotel on Silver Street.

“We had both our families over from Northern Ireland,” he said. “I remember the photographer falling asleep during the speeches.

“We had our evening reception at the Fusiliers Club on Bolton Road, and we gave our car to a family member to drop some guests back to their hotels.”

Unfortunately the relative didn’t bring the car back to the reception forcing Jimmy and May to walk home with May still in her bridal gown.

“We were told later that a drunk had come out of a pub around 1am, and saw my wife in her wedding dress and he thought he’d seen a ghost!” laughed Jimmy.

The couple didn’t even have a honeymoon as Jimmy had to travel to Stoke the following day to perform at the Olympus Club.

Jimmy’s career soon took off and he was a regular on the TV show The Comedians before getting a series of his own making him one of the most popular Irish comedians of them all. But he has always had a soft spot for Bury, returning to the town in the Nineties to switch on the Christmas lights at the Millgate Shopping Centre

Jimmy said: “Although I have been fortunate enough to have my own television series in the Eighties and the radio series in the nineties, I’m just as excited to have an original play put on at the Bury Met. I have fond memories of living in Bury when I started off in showbusiness, and here I am 44 years on. I hope that people leaving the theatre after seeing my play will have fond memories as well.”

No More Fiffing and Faffing, Bury Met, Saturday, February 23. Details from 0161 761 2216 or www.themet.org.uk