Eastbourne event honours the late Paul O’Grady

Day By The Sea will be at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday, June 3 from 10.30am-6.30pm.

Day By The Sea organiser Geoff Bowden said: “Paul, who tragically died earlier this year, had been our president since 2020 and appeared in last year’s Day By The Sea performing a music hall song to great acclaim.

“This unique all-day event, running from 10.30am until 6.30pm, has become a popular summer attraction in the resort and returns to the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne on June 3 for its seventh annual celebration of music hall and variety with a heady mix of music, comedy, song, interviews and archive film footage.

“Joining us at Day By The Sea this year will be actress Susie Blake, who appeared in Victoria Wood’s TV series and Mrs Brown’s Boys and has just completed a tour of Agatha Christie’s play The Mirror Crack’d playing Miss Marple; zany comedian Bernie Clifton, singer and impressionist Hilary O’Neil, talented young ventriloquist Max Fulham, mind reader Matt-Daniel Baker and ukelele star Andy Eastwood.

“A special guest will be 96-year-old actress and West End leading lady Sheila Mathews, who lives in Southwick near Brighton. Sheila will be chatting about her long career in show business, ranging from appearances at the London Palladium and The Royal Variety Show, taking over leading roles in the musicals Charlie Girl and Applause from Anna Neagle and Lauren Bacall; being the first singer to have her own weekly show (Friday’s Girl) on ITV in 1955; playing principal boy in numerous pantomimes; partnering Eric Morecambe in revue; and appearances on stage and TV in straight drama. Sheila’s first professional appearance was when she was just three years of age and she was still performing professionally in her early 90s! Tickets are only £32 for the day. Your seat is reserved but you can come and go during the day as you please, although it is safe to say that 90% of the audience stay for everything!” 01323 802020 or online at https://royalhippodrome.com/