Watch My Lips - Keith Harris and Orville!

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Keith has suffered his share of vicious comments too. Following a Royal Command Performance, Keith was cruelly slated in the press: ‘I'm sure Charles and Diana would like to take a gun and blow the duck's head off.' Fortunately for Keith the total opposite was true. The following day he received a phone call from his manager. “He said to me, you've been asked to do a children's party, and I know you don't do children's parties but I'm sure you'd like to do this one. Princess Diana adores you and Orville and has asked if you will you come to Highgrove house to do Prince William's third birthday party.

I was absolutely delighted to accept. I arrived there and Charles came out and we had a Pimms [Keith does a convincing impression of Prince Charles.] Diana helped me in with the boxes, she was absolutely lovely. We were asked back to do Prince Harry's third birthday too. It was nice to be able to do it. Diana sent us a lovely letter saying: ‘The Princess hopes that Orville did not suffer from too much bruising after the rather rough patting he received from one or two of the smaller members of the audience.' I met her a lot after that because she worked for Dr. Barnardos as well.”

Considering Keith has been entertaining millions of us for half a century, I'm staggered to learn that he has never been the subject of This is your Life . "My wife said to me, you've done all these things, but nobody wants to know.” Fortunately Keith is beginning to receive the recognition he deserves, even if in a round about sort of way. In 2005 he became the winner of reality TV show The Farm . “I think they were looking for people who were instantly recognisable, people who would break the mold. Going in there was a difficult decision for me because my dad died the day before it started. But I knew he would have wanted me to do it.

They had a councillor who talked it through with me and they said I was okay to go ahead. Half-way through the programme I had to come back for the funeral. Despite many ups and downs it was a great experience, especially because I won. I wanted to prove to myself and other people that I'm not just a fella that sticks his hand up a duck's bum, I can do other things.” Since then he has been among the all-star line up on the Peter Kay and Tony Christie video for the hit Is this the way to Amarillo ? And in January 2007 he made a cameo appearance with Orville in Al Murray's Happy Hour .

Now approaching sixty, Keith still performs around the country. He also enjoys writing, directing and producing Pantomimes. In the coming year, he is looking to cut back on his work commitments although he says he has a few exciting projects in the planning stage. Perhaps ventriloquism is about to have a revival? Keith would like to think so. There is no doubt that he has inspired a new generation. Actor Tom Conti's daughter Nina is the latest to prove that the skill is far from a dying art. Ventriloquism may come from the word meaning ‘speaking from the belly' but Keith Harris always speaks from the heart.

Interview: Ruby Speechley
Photography: Stan Thompson
©2007 Regtransfers.co.uk

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