The monster speaks...

Bernard Manning has launched another attack on modern comedy - but declared himself a big fan of Mark Lamarr.

The veteran comic, who has been branded a racist and a misogynist, says he admires the Never Mind The Buzzcocks host for his quickfire put-downs.

"Lamarr's a nice comic, not a bad comic at all," Manning gushed. "He's quickfired, doesn't waste a long time dragging it out. That's what I like, I like the Amercian style, 'bang bang bang', but with the English humour."

But he's less impressed by man-of-the-moment Peter Kay. "He's a good pal of mine," said the 72-year old, but added: "This Phoenix Nights is OK, nothing extraordinary."

Otherwise, though, Manning said: "I can't think of anyone who's any good, who could hold an audience for an hour. They're all right for five minutes and then slowly take a nose dive."

However, elsewhere in the interview, he conceded that life is harder for stand-ups today, because TV devours their material.

"The older type comic never used to worry about television because there was no television. He used to do about 15 minutes in the theatre and that's all. They didn't do an hour and hold an audience practically all the night.

"The comic finished the second half with around 15 minutes of comedy and they did the same act for about 25 years, going around all the theatres."

Manning was speaking to promote a new BBC2 show The Entertainers, which he hopes will will banish his image as 'a monster'.

"The director who interviews me is a very nice bloke," he said. "He wasn't looking for the Bernard Manning who's been called a racist and a misogynist. That's a load of nonsense.

"The programmes will show me in a different light because I am an ordinary father and a grandfather. I had a lovely mother, she died at 95 years of age and I looked after her until the day she died.

"You'll see the truth in The Entertainers, you'll see it there."

"It should show a different side to me instead of people going around thinking about Bernard Manning the monster."

And he defended charges of racism because " I have a go at everybody, politicians, bald headed people, people with glasses on, all the lot, straight across the board".

The Entertainers marks a rare TV appearance for the comic, who maintains his absence from the small screen is not because of his unsavoury image, but because the money isn't worth him appearing.

"I could do a lot of TV but they don't pay the money that they should do, you see," he said. "It's not worth me going in my Rolls down to London for £500, which some of these shows offer you, because it costs £200 to fill my tank. "

Despite his advancing years, Manning says he has no plans to retire.

"I'm 72 and still going strong. My mind is as agile as it ever was. I love the game. I absolutely love it.

"I do about four or five gigs a week and I still get a buzz out of performing. I've been doing it for 50 years since I started in the Army.

"I'll probably do a Tommy Cooper [and collapse on stage]. That's why I always bring in a big crowd - they all think it's going to be that night."

Published: 12 Oct 2002