Pauline Daniels

IT takes a gutsy woman to win in a man’s world – Pauline Daniels pulls no punches. More than 55 years ago a fiery career began for a Wirral-born award-winning performer. She went on to establish

herself as a local, then national talent – a star of stage and screen... and the UK’s tough clubs. Pauline became a household name when Johnny Hamp, the legendary producer, booked her to be the only comedienne to

smash into the male-dominated 70s TV series The Comedians alongside Bernard Manning and Frank Carson. Women loved her – men were scared. Nothing’s changed.

Yet Pauline started out as a singer and if her vocals hadn’t gone one night in Blackpool, her hilarious, outspoken stand-up routine would have been lost for ever. She started taking the mickey out of men and she hasn’t stopped.Three husbands later she has plenty of material.

But as well as comedy, there were other strings to her bow; acting in musicals such as Chicago and Gypsy – where everything came up roses. To this day she is regarded by critics as the finest Shirley Valentine on stage. On TV she showed her versatility in Brookside and Bread. She also had her own BBC radio show where this stand-up showed how she could think on her feet while sitting down.

Now, Pauline – who was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Liverpool JMU University – runs the inspiring Actor’s Studio in Liverpool encouraging new writers and stars of tomorrow. Is there anything this versatile star can’t do? Well, write a book … until now. Here, Pauline sums up a roller coaster ride in and out of the spotlight in her own, no nonsense way. She likes telling tales on stage and off...

“I’ve not done bad for a singing housewife,” she says. “When people were being politically correct and stopped doing sexist jokes – that’s when I started.” And it worked – from the tough working men’s clubs to the London Palladium – she is a winner in life’s battle of the sexes. “In 1931 I would have been a suffragette and probably imprisoned,” she laughs. “All joking aside, for all the pitfalls and the mistakes and the miserable years, would I do it all again? Oh yes...” Lads – watch out. Girls – c’mon, join me – let’s stand up and be counted!