Quality television never goes out of style: Interview with Jeffrey Holland (2/3)

If you missed Part 1, read it here. We asked Jeffrey Holland about his favourite scene in You Rang, M’Lord? and found out a little known fact about the show.

After 51 years of professional acting, Jeffrey says it’s a very different world now, compared to when he started. When Hi de Hi! started there were only three channels and they used to film with a live studio audience. Today, “they don’t have an audience, [they] make it without.” Jeffrey thinks, “programmes suffer from that [because the] audience at home doesn’t get any cue when to laugh.”

Not only does the at-home audience benefit from a live studio audience, but it’s also a, “great help to an actor trying to be funny. You could hear the laughter from the audience [and it] helped you know where you were.”

Jeffrey has a strong background in live theatre – where of course, even today actors bounce back off the audience. His wife Judy Buxton is also an actor, and together they’ve recently finished the play Move Over Mrs Markham, directed by Ray Cooney.

Jeffrey feels very lucky at 71 to continue, “doing something I really love doing … enjoying myself very much.” He’s still performing his one-man play … And this is my friend Mr. Laurel where he plays comic icon Stan Laurel – one of his favourite characters. Jeffrey’s, “always been a big fan of Stan Laurel, all of my life.” The play’s already had two sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh Festival, and returns in August for a third season.

Remember to check out Part 3 tomorrow. Jeffrey shares one of his most memorable moments filming Hi de Hi! and we find out about Jeffrey’s experiences visiting New Zealand.

Hi de Hi! and You Rang, M’Lord? are now showing on the JONES! channel on SKY. Watch Hi De Hi! on Wednesdays at 9.10pm and You Rang M’Lord? on Wednesdays at 9.45pm.