Darren Day shares emotional tribute to his idol Joe Longthorne at a sold-out performance on Blackpool North Pier

The entertainer and TV personality make a flying visit to the resort, when he also popped by Mr Longthorne’s grave.

Darren had become good friends with the variety entertainer, who passed away in 2019.

Blackpool Gazette reporter, Lucinda Herbert, spoke with Darren backstage at the Joe Longthorne theatre, as he prepared to entertain a sell-out crowd.

He told the reporter that he ‘struggles to keep it together’ during the ‘emotional’ tribute to his hero.

In an interview, now available on ShotsTV, Darren said: “I sat with Joe so many times in this dressing room and he was my childhood showbiz hero. We do this very emotional thing during the show. This duet we did together, he’ll be on screen while I sing. I struggle to keep it together emotionally.”

In 2014 Darren was invited to stand-in for Joe when the singer was diagnosed with throat cancer.

It meant the world to Darren – and says that’s one of the reasons why Darren says he ‘absolutely loves Blackpool’.

He added: “When my father passed away 2003, Joe said ‘I’ll be your dad now’.

He was like a father to me.”

And after the sold out performance on Blackpool North Pier, Darren returns to the resort this November as he stars in the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Darren shot to fame when he starred in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in 1993. After performing several summer seasons at the Opera House, his name is now listed on a plaque in the Winter Gardens entrance.

Darren will star as Hugo/Loco Chanelle at the Winter Gardens Blackpool from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 November 2023 and will join Hayley Tamaddon as Miss Hedge.

The musical theatre star describes it as ‘a wonderfully uplifting show filled with great music and humour and has a beautiful message at its heart’.

Tickets for the show are available here.

Watch the full video with Darren Day on ShotsTV – Freeview channel 236.