Blackpool's Showtown museum to celebrate the life of much-loved comedian Jimmy Cricket with help from his wife

Blackpool’s special homage to the glitz and glamour of showbusiness in the resort will celebrate the life and legacy of a much-loved comedian.

Showtown, Blackpool’s dedicated interactive museum, will celebrate Jimmy Cricket with a special one-off event featuring his wife, May Mulgrew, on Saturday, December 5.

My Life with Jimmy Cricket: Book Launch & In Conversation with his wife, will see May share personal memories and stories from Jimmy’s life and remarkable career, following his death in August 2026.

The event will also celebrate the launch of Jimmy’s final joke book, the last project he worked on before his death, published posthumously and bringing together more of the jokes and humour that made him a favourite with generations of audiences.

May, who was by Jimmy’s side throughout his career, will introduce the new book before joining the Showtown team for a special in-conversation event exploring the man behind the comedy. Guests can expect an afternoon filled with laughter, memories and stories, with an opportunity to hear first-hand about one of Britain’s most distinctive and much-loved entertainers.

Every £12 ticket includes a copy of Jimmy’s new book, with guests also having the opportunity to have their copy signed by May following the event.

Jimmy Cricket and Blackpool

Blackpool held a special place in Jimmy Cricket’s remarkable career, with his connection to the resort spanning more than five decades, from his early days establishing himself as a comedian to regular performances in the town in later life.

Jimmy and May’s connection with Blackpool stretches back more than 50 years. In 1973, when Jimmy was still a young comedian trying to establish himself on the Northern club circuit, he and May were both booked for a week at Blackpool’s Norbreck Hotel. May, then Jimmy’s girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, performed alongside her sister Margaret as singing duo The Tweedie Sisters. While the sisters proved a hit with audiences and completed their week, Jimmy later recalled with characteristic humour that his own Blackpool engagement lasted just one night after he failed to get enough laughs and was promptly fired by the hotel manager.

As Jimmy’s career took off nationally, Blackpool continued to feature prominently.

In 1987, he headlined a show at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre, supported by a young Brian Conley. Jimmy’s own website later described the production as a trailblazer which helped establish the trend for extending Blackpool’s theatre entertainment into the autumn Illuminations season.

He went on to star in The Laughter Show at South Pier in 1989, before returning in 1991 with The All New Jimmy Cricket Show. That same year he appeared at the Winter Gardens Opera House as part of Midnight With The Stars, on a bill featuring some of the biggest names in British variety entertainment.

For more than 10 years, he regularly entertained audiences at the Lyndene Hotel on Blackpool Promenade, becoming a much-loved part of the venue’s entertainment programme. Following his passing, the hotel described him as a “true Lyndene legend”.

Jimmy continued performing in the resort in his later career too, including returning to the Grand Theatre as part of Sunday Night at the Grand in 2023.

With a relationship with the resort stretching from the beginning of his career into his later years, Blackpool provides a fitting setting in which to bring together Jimmy’s family, fans and friends to remember his life and celebrate the laughter he shared with generations of audiences.

May Mulgrew said: “Before Jimmy passed, he had completed his third joke book, his first since 1988. It brings together 200 of his best jokes, alongside letters from his Mammy, poetry and his funny philosophical thoughts. Showtown was my first choice for the book launch, as the Showtown History Centre is now home to a number of Jimmy’s treasured stage items, including his famous wellies, bow tie, hat, glove, prop suitcase and performance props. We’d love you to join us on December 5 as we celebrate Jimmy’s life and work together.”

Celebrating the people who made Blackpool laugh

The event forms part of Showtown’s work to celebrate and share the stories of the performers and personalities who helped establish Blackpool as Britain’s entertainment capital.

As Blackpool’s award-winning museum of fun and entertainment, Showtown celebrates the resort’s rich heritage of showbusiness, circus, magic, dance and seaside culture through its galleries, collections and programme of special events.

The museum is increasingly becoming a home for intimate events which give audiences the opportunity to hear personal stories about some of entertainment’s best-loved names.

My Life with Jimmy Cricket follows another exclusive Showtown event, An Afternoon with Lady Dodd, taking place on November 15, which will see Lady Anne Dodd join Tony Nicholson for a special conversation celebrating the life and legacy of Sir Ken Dodd.

Jill Carruthers, Head of Heritage at Showtown, said: “We feel so privileged that May chose Showtown to celebrate Jimmy and launch his last joke book. He had such a long and happy relationship with Blackpool, so it feels very fitting to bring everyone together here to remember him. Capturing and sharing performers’ stories is such an important part of what we do at Showtown. Jimmy gave so much to Blackpool’s entertainment scene over the years, and we’re delighted to celebrate the part he played in its history.”

My Life with Jimmy Cricket

My Life with Jimmy Cricket: Book Launch & In Conversation with his wife, May takes place at Showtown, Blackpool, on Saturday, December 5, from 2pm-3pm.

Tickets cost £12 per person and include a copy of Jimmy’s new book.

Guests will also have the opportunity to have their copy signed by May following the event.

Places are limited for this one-off Blackpool event, and advance booking is recommended.

More information or tickets are available here.