David "Bumble" Lloyd is one of the nation’s favourite cricket commentators. As a player he captained Lancashire and played for England (with a sideline playing semi- professional football for Accrington Stanley). Since his retirement from the game in 1983, Bumble has been behind the microphone as part of the iconic Test Match Special radio team and the SkySports cricket commentary team. His Start The Car! Tour sees him taking audiences on a fun-filled journey through his memories of four decades in the game, sharing tales of all sizes about the biggest names in world cricket from Sir Ian Botham to Sir Geoffrey Boycott.
He’ll be at Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park Theatre tomorrow – call 01323 412000 for tickets – and Worthing’s Pavilion Theatre on Wednesday – call 01903 206206 for tickets.
Is there a sportsman who made you think “I want to do that?”
My favourite sportsman is Duncan Edwards, who died in the Munich Air disaster in 1958. I wanted to be a footballer at the time and he played in the position that I wanted to – he was my hero.
Do you remember the first record you bought - what was it, and where did you buy it?
Actually, this answer is something I talk about in the tour! The record is called Tower Of Strength by Frankie Vaughan and if you want to hear more about that you’ll have to come and see me!
Tell us about any guilty pleasures lurking in your CD or film collections – something you know is a bit naff but you can’t help yourself.
I’m a massive fan of The Fall, and also Half Man Half Biscuit whose great record of course is National S**** Day. But the funniest record I’ve got of all time is called Star Turn and it’s recorded in Whitley Bay Working Man’s Club. It’s absolutely incredible. If you go onto YouTube you’ll see Whitney Houston’s I will Always Love You, but a much better version if you ask me. You’ve got to look at it and sing along to it.
Do you have a favourite film?
I absolutely love Brassed Off – it’s just a true reflection of Northern life and I love it.
Is there a TV programme you couldn’t you live without?
Actually, there’s a few. I love The Fast Show – the people who wrote it are just genius! Also, I like Early Doors, The Royal Family and Bellamy’s People [the BBC’s mock-doc]. Mr Kahn is my favourite character of all time, I think.
And what about a favourite album?
It’s very recent actually – it’s called Your Future, Our Clutter by The Fall. It’s dead simple. It’s their latest album and I just think it’s fantastic indie music.
Is there a song or individual piece of music you always come back to?
Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones. I just think it’s a great song to dance to, which I tend to do!
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m reading Parky’s People, which is Michael Parkinson’s new book.
It’s all the people he’s interviewed on his programme over the years. It’s a coffee table book that you can dip in and dip out and I’m really enjoying it.
Is there a favourite book?
I think I have to say I have two favourites; a great book by Peter Cook called Tragically I Was An Only Twin. It describes all his sketches with Dudley Moore – its a real side-splitter. I also love Keith Richard’s Life, which chronicles his life with the Stones.
Is there a sporting experience you’ve had as a spectator (or indeed a commentator) that really stays in your memory?
Without a doubt, it would be the Ashes in 2007 when Shane Warne and Glen McGrath retired and they walked off the field together – it was absolutely fabulous.
Do you have to be careful in what you’re saying – and about whom – when you’re touring theatres talking about your career?
No. I say what I think!
You’re the face of Twenty20 cricket… has it been successful in its aim of giving the game a shake-up?
Yes, it has – it’s been terrific, although they’re in danger in domestic cricket of far too much of it. It’s a great game which is sheer entertainment, so you mustn’t take it too seriously.
Football – and specifically Accrington Stanley – is your other great love of course. What are your thoughts on the way money and business seems to have become the focus of Premier League coverage?
Well, Premier League is big business as you said. It seems to involve people who would see football as a vehicle for making money and taking it away from a fanbase. If I had to print my thoughts though it would be libellous – so I’d best leave it at that.
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