Richard Digance
| Richard Digance | |
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Richard Digance at the 2010 Cropredy Festival
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| Born |
24 February 1949 Plaistow, Essex |
| Occupation | Comedian, folk-singer, media executive |
| Website | www.richarddigance.com |
Richard Digance (pronounced: DYE-jance) is a comedian and folk singer.
Richard was born in Plaistow, Essex on 24 February 1949. A move to East Ham had him schooled first at Vicarage Lane Primary School and then Thomas Lethaby Secondary Modern. After gaining 2 A level passes in English Literature and Modern British History he moved to Glasgow where he studied Mechanical Engineering at Reid Kerr College Paisley, during which time he was inspired by Billy Connolly and Mike Harding.
In the 1970s he toured the United States. Though failing to make much of a name, he ended up a support act for Steve Martin. He supported Tom Jones in 87 concerts.
In 1971, he recorded an LP whilst with the group Pisces for the Trailer label. It features the moorland ballad "Jack O'Legs" about a 14-foot-tall highwayman.
Richard Digance began his TV career on Sound of The City for Thames TV, produced by Richard Newman, in the early 1970s. This debut appearance was followed by The Old Grey Whistle Test and then the Today programme. The Whistle Test was his only BBC TV appearance except for appearing on The Ronnie Corbett Show years later and then link-man for BBC2 coverage of The Cambridge Folk Festival. He then became a regular contributor on The 6 o'clock Show with Michael Aspel. He had to wait over a decade to be given his own show.
His first own TV Special was in 1985 for Thames TV, A Dabble With Digance, and featured newsreader Carol Barnes. After the success of this special he was signed to TVS in Southampton after being a studio warm-up act there for Matthew Kelly and this first series of six programmes screened on Thursday nights. He also filmed a pilot The Three Busketeers featuring himself, Chris Barrie who went on to star in Red Dwarf, and Adrian Hedley. At this time he still continued as a studio warm-up act for The Des O'Connor Show. He was also appearing regularly on late night shows for Tyne Tees Television with Gillian Reynolds.
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