DARREN Gough was the top English bowler of his generation, but since retiring from professional cricket, Barnsley’s favourite Tory has hit even greater heights.
First he followed in the footsteps of fellow cricketing legend Ronnie Irani by joining talkSPORT, where he has won a loyal following with his bluff, no-nonsense Yorkshire attitude and his distinctive use of t‘English language. Then he developed his terpsichorean talents, and wowed the nation on Strickleh Com Dancin’.
Now he has taken it to the next level, with his extraordinary appearance on this year’s Sport Relief. But before we enjoy Goffeh’s performance, let’s consider some of his illustrious predecessors – those heroic pioneers who proved, beyond all reasonable doubt, that white men really do have rhythm…
1973: THE ALL BLACKS
It started here, with the Haka – a traditional Māori war dance that was adopted by the New Zealand rugby team to strike fear into their opponents. Brace yourselves, please, for this awesome display at Cardiff Arms Park…
1980: THE YORKSHIRE DISCO DANCING CHAMPIONSHIPS
By the turn of the decade, would-be-Travoltas were springing up everywhere. Springing up, twisting in mid-air, and occasionally falling over. Simon Bates introduces the contenders, from Romeo & Juliet’s nightclub in Doncaster…
1985: DANCING IN THE STREET
Mick Jagger copped his original moves from James Brown, but went on to develop the popular and highly original ‘idiot dance’ in the late Sixties. And by 1985, he had moved things on dramatically, as this remarkable promo video for Live Aid proves. It was all for charidee, you see…
2002: THE OFFICE
Fiction this time, but cleverly disguised as fact. Again for charity, and under pressure from his staff at the Wernham Hogg Paper Company, branch manager David Brent reluctantly premiers a ‘sort of fused Flashdance with MC Hammer shit’…
2012: WEST SIDE STORY
Back to ‘reality’ with a clever tribute to Brent, as Gough dons the middle-management business suit for this bold reinterpretation of the 1950s classic. They don’t call him ‘Dazzler’ for nothing, tha knows…
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