It’s a real pleasure to welcome Rick Wakeman and Sanjeev Bhaskar as patrons of Slapstick Festival!
Sanjeev Bhaskar
With the surging popularity of hit ITV-drama Unforgotten, it was great to have Sanjeev alongside Meera Syal and Anil Gupta for a Goodness Gracious Me reunion at this year’s festival!
Considering the event was also his Slapstick debut, we feel privileged to be welcoming Sanjeev as a patron, and look forward to collaborating again soon.
Rick Wakeman CBE
The legendary keyboardist/composer and Grumpy Old Man star has provided live accompanying music for several Slapstick events, most recently for Laurel & Hardy’s Angora Love at our 20th anniversary Silent Comedy Gala!
Also at this year’s festival, Rick paid tribute to his dear friend Ian Lavender, now following in the Dad’s Army star’s footsteps by joining us as a patron.
Rick says: “I’m a great lover of silent movie stars and the genius of all silent movies – I lived just up the road from Charlie Chaplin in Switzerland in the 1970’s and had the honour of being invited to afternoon tea with him and the family on a few occasions.
I was introduced to Slapstick Festival by my best friend, the late Ian Lavender, and have had the honour of meeting several great stars who’d also attended over the years as well as accompanying two Laurel & Hardy short films live at the piano.
To be asked to become a patron was not a difficult decision to make. Very easy in fact, and I hoped that I will be able to support the great work of the festival for many years to come…I only wish that Bristol wasn’t such a bloody long way away from where I live!”