Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball have been hailed as Britain's Kings of Comedy. Its easy to see why.

Bobby Ball

Welshpool Town Hall

Saturday 2nd November 2002
8.00pm

(doors open 7.30pm)

In 35 years they have achieved remarkable success in Television, Films and Stage. On TV they have had 11 years of their own series, but it is as undisputed kings of live entertainment that they have set records that may never be equalled. In 1981 they played a six week run at London's Dominion Theatre when every seat was sold before opening night! Their Pantomime at the world famous London Palladium broke all previous box office records, with the largest amount taken in one week in British theatre history.

However, the glitz and glamour of life in showbusiness is not always what is seems. Even being the UK's highest paid double act could not bring real happiness as Bobby himself admits. "At the height of our career, I could have anything I wanted, but it was never enough. Eventually, I was drinking a bottle of whisky a day, seeing as many women as I could and getting into fights as often as possible. I was not a nice man to be with, in fact I felt dirty and knew I needed forgiveness."

He contacted a theatre chaplain who had once visited him in his dressing room, and asked for help. "He explained all about Jesus, and how his death on the cross could not only enable me to be forgiven but actually start again. I knew it was for me. " Bobby accepted Jesus into his life that day. Two months later his wife became a Christian and shortly after that his daughter made a commitment too.

Tommy noticed a change in his buddy almost immediately: "I could not believe it when he stopped getting drunk, and started talking about his family. There was incredible tension between us and we had even stopped talking to each other off stage by that time, but Bobby started to take an interest in me too. It was either one of Bobby's passing phases, or a miracle: Eight years later as Tommy accepted Christ into his own life he realised that God was indeed at work.

Their career continues to go from strength to strength. Each year they put time aside to appear in their own Gospel Show. "It's an opportunity to show people that Christianity is not boring, and that God is really alive and cares for every person," explains Bobby." Tommy and I now know that God is real, and our Christian faith is the most important thing in our lives."