TV star and nephew's ordeals spur show's organiser

Money raised from ticket sales and a raffle will go to the Stroke Association of which star turn Duncan is an ambassador. Duncan had a major stroke in 2012 which left him paralysed on his left side. He now raises money for, and awareness of, the charity through shows and motivational speeches.
John Edwards, who had a stroke which caused numbness to the right side of his body, is liaising between the entertainers and the club. The 77-year-old entertainments promoter, who lives in Mansfield, said: “Duncan is a very inspirational guy; he struggles to walk, struggles to talk but still gets up on stage and entertains people. He has a very fast mind and a very quick wit, that grey stuff in his head is still sparking.”
“Anybody who’s been involved with anyone who’s had a stroke, whether they’re a carer or a relative, ought to see Duncan.”
Judy said: “When I knew the history of Duncan and what he’d done for the Stroke Association, I thought I’d like to raise some funds for it.”
Her nephew, Andrew Bowskill, 38, survived a stroke two years ago while on holiday in Canada. He was taking part in zorbing when he found he was unable to get upright in the globe on the water. Judy said: “That brought his stroke on.”
Computer programmer Andrew’s speech and mobility were affected. He spent six months in hospital and paid for speech therapy. Judy said: “Now he is a lot better and is going all over the place but when he gets tired he drags one of his legs.”

Judy, 62, of Ayncourt Road, North Wingfield, was inspired to book The Love & Laughter Show for the club after seeing it at Sutton-in-Ashfield four months ago. She said: “ I love comedy and Duncan was so witty.
“I am looking forward to the show a lot. I have wanted to do comedy at the club for a long while as it doesn’t interfere with the musical entertainment being put on by other clubs and pubs. I would be interested in doing further shows with other artists to raise money for charity.”

The Love & Laughter Show at the club on Williamthorpe Road, North Wingfield, on June 1 starts at 7.30pm. Tickets £10, available from the venue or call Judy on 01246 395156.

Legendary entertainer Duncan Norvelle is proof that you can’t keep a good comedian down.
The star, whose “Chase Me” catchphrase endeared him to millions of TV viewers in the Seventies and Eighties, was struck down by a major stroke in 2012 just before opening in summer season in Blackpool.
He was told he would never walk or talk again but has fought back to return to the stage where he loves making people laugh.
In his heyday Duncan appeared on show such as Blankety Blank, Celebrity Squares, Bullseye, 321 and the Des O’Connor Show. He performed at The London Palladium with Sir Bruce Forsyth and Jimmy Tarbuck.
He toured with top stars such as Dame Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Les Dawson, Tommy Cooper, Frank Carson and The Three Degrees.
A keen sportsman, he won celebrity golf tournaments, played darts all over the UK on the Legends of Darts tour which he also compered and had his own racehorse named Come on Chase Me.
Duncan carved out a career as a comedian after being persuaded by his dad to enter a talent competition which he won. He toured pubs and working man’s clubs, driven by his father. Lionel Blair spotted Duncan’s comic potential at a venue in Coventry and invited him onto a new TV show, Saturday Night Royal, where he was such a hit with viewers that he was asked back to do the next five shows.

A phone call out of the blue brought Engelbert Humperdinck tribute singer Scott Dee close to his role model.
The caller was none other than Engelbert’s son, inviting him to his dad’s birthday celebration in Las Vegas.
Recalling the incident seven years ago, John Edwards said: “Scott had a call which said ‘I’m Engelbert’s son - my father’s 75 and he’s getting a star on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles; we’d like you to sing at his birthday party at the Paris Hotel. Scott rang me and said I’m sure it’s a hoax so we did some research and found that it was Engelbert’s son, Scott Dorsey, who contacted him from Australia. He’d heard about the other Scott through various Engelbert fan clubs.
“Scott and Engelbert are now very good friends. When you see them together, the resemblance is uncanny even though there are 30 years between them. Scott has the same green eyes, is the same height, the same weight and has the same vocal range as Engelbert had at his age.”
Scott Dee is the stage name of Nigel Clarke, who lives in Sutton in Ashfield where he is an undertaker. An Equity cardholder, he has appeared on Coronation Street and for many years worked in Sherwood Forest where he took on the role of Robin Hood.

Every five minutes a person in the UK has a stroke, adding up to 100,000 strokes a year.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off,
It can be caused by a blocked artery or burst or leaking blood vessel.
Around one in eight people die within 30 days of having an attack.
However, 1.2 million people across the nation have survived a stroke.
The quicker the medical intervention the better the chances for a good recovery.
It is vital to spot the symptoms. The Stroke Association, which is the UK’s leading stroke charity, recommends the FAST test:
Face. Can the person smile? Has their face fallen on one side?
Arms. Can the person raise both arms and keep them there?
Speech. Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
Time. If you see any of those signs, it’s time to ring 999.
Other signs which you should look out for include:

• Sudden weakness or numbness in one side of the body, including legs, hands or feet;
• Difficulty finding words or speaking in clear sentences;
• Sudden blurred vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes;
• Sudden memory loss or confusion and dizziness or a sudden fall;
• Sudden severe headache.

A blood pressure test checks whether your blood pressure is too high or too low.
High blood pressure can put a strain on your arteries and organs which can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

All strokes are different. For some people the effects may be minor and not last long. Others may be left with more serious problems which make them reliant on other people.
For more information, contact the Stroke Association’s helpline on 0303 3033100.