In new Radio 4 play

Johnny Vegas is to play his comedy idol Les Dawson in a new Radio 4 play, which that he’s also writing.

The fictionalised drama, taking '100 per cent artistic licence' with the facts, will revolve around Dawson taking over from Terry Wogan as host of Blankety Blank in 1985.

Vegas said Dawson – whose first act on the BBC One quiz was to break Wogan’s distinctive ‘wand’ microphone in two, saying: ‘Been wanting to do that for years’ – was his comedy hero.

‘His stand-up was unlike anyone else – and the way he could hold a working men’s club in his grasp with gags that went on for ten minutes was incredible,’ he told his local paper, the St Helen’s Star.

The play is being made by Vegas’s production company, Woolyback.

Published: 10 Jun 2010