As I have said before sometimes during an interview you hear an off the cuff remark that leads to a follow up article and this was a case in point.

I was speaking with Paul Elliott – one half of the Chuckle Brothers – about his son’s imminent return after serving in Iraq.

He caught me by surprise when he dropped the bombshell that he could have had a chance of being on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me out of here! but had refused point blank.

Having said that it did make for a lighthearted follow up and here are both stories.

Famous dad plans homecoming party for Gulf hero son

THE smile has returned to the face of one of Britain’s best known children’s entertainers, as he looks forward to his son’s return from Iraq.

Paul Elliott – one half of the Chuckle Brothers – today spoke of his relief after hearing the news that his son, Nick, would soon return.

His son is a member of the 16th Air Assault, based in Colchester, otherwise known as 3 Para.

Nick first hit the headlines by proposing to his sweetheart Caz Blanshard, live on Virgin Radio, which
was broadcast to the forces in the Gulf.

But now former Isle resident Mr Elliott is just looking forward to putting on a hero’s welcome for his 21-year-old son who normally does not like a fuss.

He said: “He’s supposed to be coming back at the end of this month. The last we heard he was on the Iran/Iraq border.
“He’s not really allowed to tell us anything. He said he’d been in a 17-hour battle, non-stop.

“He said it was a bad day. Touch wood 3 Para didn’t have any casualties at all. It’s the only positive thing.

Mr Elliott said the coalition forces were better equipped than the Iraqis. He said: “He did indicate the Iraqis were completely outgunned.

“He said they seemed to be able to attack them. The nearest they (the Paras) got to the enemy was 100 yards away.”

Mr Elliott had heard from his son recently which thought was ‘brilliant’.

He added: “He’s been going round buying phone cards from everybody else, God knows how much he’s spent.

“We really want to have big party for him, but he’s a quiet guy. He told his mum to not have a big party. We are going to have one anyway; he had his 21st out there.”

His son proposed to his fiancee on live radio, but they have not had a chance to make any plans yet. Mr Elliott said: “They’ve been talking about things over the phone.”

He thought the wedding would be a quiet ceremony. He added: “I suppose he’s always been the retiring sort.”

Mr Elliott is very proud of his son. He said: “I wouldn’t have followed Nick out to Iraq. He’s a brave lad. We are very proud of him.

“Nobody wants a war, but that’s the job he’s trained for. Really, they are laying their lives on the line. They don’t get as much money as the firemen and they can’t strike.”

Nick had told him there had been a few friendly fire incidents.

Mr Elliott said: “There were 30 odd lads injured I think. A lot of them were by friendly fire. Even Nick mentioned that on the phone.

“He said ‘I was more worried about the Americans’.”

Nick joined the army straight from school at 16, and then went to Harrogate Army College before heading to Catterick, North Yorkshire, for further training. He had always wanted to join the Paras.

Mr Elliott said: “Hopefully we’ll be going to Brize Norton when he comes home if I’m not working.”

From the Scunthorpe Telegraph on Thursday, May 15, 2003.

Joker: ‘No way’ to jaunt in jungle

Funnyman would rather see his brother on show

BEING stranded in the jungle with a host of other celebrities in front of millions of viewers holds no attraction for one TV funnyman.

Paul Elliott, who is half of comedy double act the Chuckle Brothers, said ‘No way!’ when he heard he had been put forward for the reality game show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

Millions of viewers have been glued to the antics of celebrities such as former cricketer Phil Tufnell, and Changing Rooms’ star Linda Barker.

But viewers missed out on the chance of seeing Mr Elliott raising a chuckle or two after he turned down the chance of appearing on the hit ITV show.

He thought the celebrities on the show were trying to revive their careers while the Chuckle Brothers’ shows were still regularly shown on television.

It was Paul’s wife who originally suggested the idea, but he said he would have refused point blank if offered a place.

He said: “They tried to get me on that I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! but I said ‘No way!’ Living like that, nothing to do, no papers to read.”

He added he watched the programme last year when Tony Blackburn won, and that was enough to put him off the idea.

He said: “My wife suggested it to my manager and he put me up for it. There’s no way I would have done it.”

Mr Elliott cringed as he watched what the fading celebrities were putting themselves through in the name of entertainment.

He said: “The challenges were terrible, there’s no way I’d have had a go at them. I’d have sent my brother Barry in for it – he said he’d have had a go, definitely.

“I can’t see him eating them bugs and stuff. I’m really more adventurous than he is. My one phobia is spiders.

“I am okay, with water and snakes, but I still wouldn’t have put myself forward. I hate spiders.”

Mr Elliott, now of Hatfield but formerly of Belton, said the Chuckle Brothers were not desperate for the extra publicity, as they were still regularly shown on television.

He said: “They are people who’ve sort of fallen out of the limelight. During the last 16 years we’ve been on television for 30 weeks a year.”

With repeats of Chucklevision and the game show From Me to You this has increased their TV exposure. He added: “We don’t need the publicity.”

Mr Elliott, whose paratrooper son Nick served in Iraq during the recent war, thought Phil Tufnell was a popular choice as King of the Jungle.

He said: “I watched it every night. It was only when I was working that I missed it. I think everybody picked Phil on the first day it was on.”

He said he thought he would have got on well with most of the contestants, but there were one or two who were not suited to the jungle environment.

Mr Elliott thought the tables should be turned on the shows presenters. Ant and Dec.

He said: “What I wouldn’t mind doing next year is to send Ant and Dec into the jungle and Barry and I to do their job!’

From the Scunthorpe Telegraph on Friday, May 16, 2003.