Ted Robbins

From Wikipedia:

Edward Michael Robbins (born 11 August 1955) is an English comedian, actor, broadcaster, radio DJ, television presenter and radio personality.

Career

He has performed as a warm-up artist for numerous pre-recorded comedy shows that have been filmed before live studio audiences including Granada Television’s Wood and Walters and Birds of a Feather, provided the voiceover in series 10 of Catchphrase from 1994 to 1995 and returned in Roy Walker’s penultimate series (series 12) in 1997–1998, and the BBC’s Little Britain. He also starred in Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights (2001–02) for both series as Den Perry, the main “villain”, and also the Governor in The Slammer. His most recent roles were in Benidorm in 2012 as Victor St. James as well as Hank Zipzer in episode 8 playing Bob Bing the Sausage King and Diddy TV playing Larry Weinsteinberger/Bingbongberger. In 2004, he played Don Dibley in series 13 episode 11 of Heartbeat, “Mountains and Molehills”.

He guest starred as Barry Quid in Series 10 of Birds of a Feather and also in the comedy series The League of Gentlemen as Tony Cluedo, singer of Crème Brulée.

He also narrated The Railway Series books by Christopher Awdry for audio cassette.

In 2020, Robbins appeared on the rebooted version of Crackerjack! as one of the “Crackerjack Players”. […]

Ted Robbins was one of the influences used by Paul McCartney for his song “Teddy Boy.”

My second cousin Ted is the son of my cousin Betty Danher, who was a big influence on me musically. She loved singing and introduced me to songs like ‘My Funny Valentine’ and ‘Till There Was You’, which I later performed with The Beatles. She was married to a guy called Mike Robbins. They brought their kids up surrounded by a lot of music.

Ted was their first boy, so that’s partly why I refer to him as ‘Teddy Boy’. It’s an affectionate term, as I’m just over ten years older than him. But the Teddy Boys were also the ruffians of my youth, the guys who wore long frock coats with velvet collars, drainpipe trousers and crepe-soled shoes. […]

So, Ted is the jumping-off point for the song, but as usual, it takes its own cues and puts on its own show. The ‘tales about his soldier dad’ are pure imagination. The lines ‘Teddy boy’s here / Teddy’s gonna see you through’ are what I imagined Teddy saying to his mum when he was trying to support her. […]

Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021

Paul and my mum are first cousins. You know, when people do that, who’s the most famous person on your phone? Well, that’s Paul McCartney.

Uncle Jim, who is Paul’s dad, well, my great uncle, Uncle Joe, my mum and dad, Auntie Gin, who was Paul’s auntie, helped bring him up.

You know the song, ‘Someone’s Knockin at the Door… Auntie Gin.’ Well, Auntie Gin, when Paul’s and Mike’s mum Mary died in 1956, they kind of, with my mum, all the cousins and all the uncles and aunties used to look after Paul and Mike because they were 14 and 13 and they grew up. I grew up, you know, listening and the aunties say, listen, ‘Cousin Paul’s on the radio,’ you know, and yeah, yeah, it’s a strange thing because, people say everyone in Liverpool, my auntie used to scrub Ringo Starr’s steps and all that.

In some ways it’s a great thing, but for some members of our family, it’s kind of screwed their lives up a bit. Because if you compare, you know what I mean? Paul McCartney and all that. You become a dentist, great, you know.

I think Mike, his brother, who’s the loveliest of men and talented, but his fear is on his gravestone, ‘Here lies Paul McCartney’s brother.’ He is lovely Mike.

I see more of Mike, but I see Paul occasionally and he rings me up, ‘How you doing son?’

Ted Robbins – From ‘For some members of our family, it’s kind of screwed their lives up a bit…’ Paul McCartney’s cousin reveals what life is like as his relative (yahoo.com), quoted from Chatabix podcast, April 2024

Ever the keen photographer, Mike operated the camera singlehandedly to take a fascinating photo of Paul on Filey beach with Bett Robbins and her infant son Ted. Paul is perched on Ted’s pushchair and playing the much-traveled Zenith. The photo could be the closest taken to the date he met John Lennon […].

From “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years” by Mark Lewisohn, 2013

Family tree

Bert Danher

Annie McCartney

Mike Robbins1928–2009

Bett Danher1924–2008

Kate Robbins1958

Ted Robbins1955