Sorted Magazine

Tag: Steve Legg

  • Steve Legg: “I chose to get busy writing”

    Extract from the Prologue of The Last Laugh by Steve Legg:

    It’s the film most often voted number one in the top-ten movies of all time by viewers and critics alike. I’m talking about The Shawshank Redemption. You will almost certainly be familiar with it, so I don’t need to say any more than that it’s a story based on one of Stephen King’s tales about prisoners who leave their mark on the institutions in which they’re incarcerated. In the case of Shawshank (as it’s affectionately known), the film focuses on a man called Andy (Tim Robbins) who is wrongfully arrested, charged, sentenced, and then imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover. In prison, his life is improved by the formation of a friendship with Red (Morgan Freeman). In many ways, Shawshank is a buddy movie, and part of its appeal is its celebration of an unlikely friendship between two men – one white, the other black.

    There are so many famous quotes in Shawshank, some of which have entered our everyday vocabulary. One of the best-known and loved is the word of wisdom uttered by Andy and remembered later by his friend Red, which goes something like this: “We all have a choice. We have to get busy doing one of two things: living or dying.”

    I would also add laughing or crying here. If you’re going to busy yourself with living, then busy yourself with laughing as well. That’s the choice every inmate of Shawshank State Prison has. They can either choose to accept the situation and find ways to live rather than merely exist, to thrive rather than merely survive, or they can give in to the despair that surrounds them on every side, like the walls of their cells. Andy chooses to busy himself with living. As does Red. This book is about the two-year journey I’ve been on since I received that initial news, then that the cancer had spread to multiple locations in my body, and later that I had only five months to live. That was a kind of sentence. Some of you may think it was a death sentence. Later in this book, I’ll tell you otherwise. I chose to get busy living, not dying. I chose to get busy laughing, not crying. And I also chose to get busy writing.

    The Last Laugh by Steve Legg is available from Amazon or Eden.

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of SCM

  • Sport: Kyren Wilson wins world snooker championship

    Excitement was off the scale here at Sorted HQ as we watched Kyren Wilson win his second World Championship final against Welsh qualifier Jak Jones. BBC Sport reports Wilson beating Jones 18-14 to win the world championship. Last year I had the pleasure of getting to know Kyren a little bit better when I interviewed him for Sorted Magazine. I’m a big snooker fan so what a thrill it was to speak to one of the top guys in the world – World Number Seven, Kyren Wilson. Here’s how it went:

    Steve Legg (SL): Hi Kyren. That’s an unusual name that I’ve heard pronounced differently. What do your friends call your Ky, Kyren or nothing at all?

    Kyren Wilson (KW): Ky, Kyren or anything but never Keiron.

    SL: I’ve seen you play many times, and they mess it up sometimes, don’t they?

    KW: I know. My very first debut on TV was on Eurosport. My management company had to message the commentators saying it’s Ky as in sky and Ren as in running. That’s how they got them to pronounce it correctly. My mum and dad were actually torn between Kyle and Kieron. So they mixed the two. That is as simple as that.

    SL: So now we know. Ky, my love for snooker came from watching Pot Black, because I’m older than you. Where did it come from for you?

    KW: Just a natural obsession with it. You know, there’s a picture that my mum and dad have from when I was two or three years old. There’s like a toy baby golf set. And instead of using it the traditional way, I put the golf ball on a coffee table, turn the golf club around, and start queuing with it. You know, nobody told me what to do with it. You know, there was just a fascination. That’s the way I wanted to do it. And yeah, my dad was a very keen pool player. Yeah. And at the time, it was frowned upon for younger children to play in pubs and stuff like that. There’s an old saying of something you can’t have, you want to even more so yeah, just an obsession from a young age.

    SL: Because it’s not one of those sports like footy or tennis, you can pick up as a toddler by kicking or hitting a ball about. Snooker is an entirely different kettle of fish, though; I assume countries in the far east have some fantastic young talents. Do they have special tables for little kids?

    KW: Um, yeah, you know, one of the most amazing things that I ever saw in my travels with the world snooker tour in Shanghai, and in between the Shanghai Masters I went to visit one of their local schools. And half of the school was a snooker club. You had about four or five snooker tables, some smaller tables for the younger children. And one of them gave me their book. And I said, you know, what’s this? And it was like, their homework and it was different practice routines. So yeah, if I was born in China, I’d have loved school more.

    SL: I bet. So do you remember your first visit to a snooker club with your dad?

    KW: We were quite lucky in Kettering. There were lots of good clubs around. We went there quite often during the week. My dad used to have quite a few arguments with my mum about it, because my mum was very much into education and my dad wanted me to carry on practising. He could see that as a natural talent. So I was very lucky to have it from a young age.

    SL: So when did you realise you were outstanding?

    KW: It was when I was six years old. I played Peter Ebdon in a local charity pool match. And Peter broke off and he didn’t pot a ball. And I stepped up to the table, just six years old, wearing black trousers, a white shirt, and a red waistcoat and cleared the table. So he turned to my mum and dad and said, you know, get him into snooker. He’s got a real natural talent and that’s where his future lies.

    SL: That is amazing. Peter Ebdon is a good pal of yours and is in your corner these days and does a bit of coaching with you?

    KW: Yeah, we work closely together and he’s greatly influenced me over the years. And I was very lucky to have him as a solid, consistent practice partner for many years up until, unfortunately, recently, when he had to retire due to health reasons. So yeah, it’s been a significant impact on my career. So I’m very grateful for that.

    Footnote: The full interview was published in the July/August 2023 print edition of Sorted Magazine or listen to our conversation at Konnect Radio.

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kyren Wilson

  • The Last Laugh: “Warm, authentic, rich in wisdom”

    Extract from the Foreword of The Last Laugh by Steve Legg: It was one of those “Is this God speaking to me?” moments that many followers of Jesus experience. A thought surfaces, seemingly from nowhere, and its persistent luminosity makes us wonder if the Holy Spirit is broadcasting on our personal wavelength. Some believers insist their lives are punctuated with daily, even hourly, revelations. I haven’t found God to be quite so chatty. So when I do sense his nudge, I usually dash into crisis mode. Is this thought racing around my mind just my wishful thinking, is it truly the divine voice, or is it merely the aftereffects of last night’s chicken tikka masala? I wish God would speak with a louder, clearer voice, but perhaps he whispers because he wants us to draw closer, that we might hear.

    Back to my inner nudge. Halfway through a Sunday morning service, I was just about to preach when the thought surfaced again: “Take a look at my beautiful people.” So I did. I looked around at the sea of faces that was our congregation, and recalled some of their stories. Over there was John, who married after desperately longing for a soulmate for decades, only to lose his darling in a drunk driver-caused crash. Towards the back was Sally, who had poured her heart out on a lonely mission field. Not many responded to her life of kingdom service, but she stayed the course until retirement. Now she feels somewhat lost, surplus to requirements. I look her way but she is unaware, for her eyes are shut tight, her hands raised in worship. Beautiful indeed.

    And the whisper confirmed the truth that God who flings stars into being with a word, daubs drab skies with rainbows and paints deep sea fishes in stunning colours that no human eye will ever see – this God of ours finds the greatest delight when he sees hearts that trust him through mystery. In recent months, I have pondered yet another dazzling sight. Our dear friend Steve has been given a terminal cancer diagnosis. A tearful oncologist delivered the dreaded news that he had just months to live. There are hopeful possibilities with some radical treatment options, but he, Bekah and the whole family are treading a bewildering path: the remote possibility of a medical solution and their belief in a miracle-working God who can heal in a moment, all entwined with a visit to a hospice to discuss end-of-life care. But Steve and Bekah have decided. Even when life is threatened, it still goes on.

    The weekend after the dark diagnosis, Steve, a brilliant evangelist who uses comedy in his Tricks and Laughs presentations, performed at four outreach events. He is also the publisher of Sorted, an outstanding Christian magazine for men. Bekah continues to lead Restored, a non-profit dedicated to helping victims of domestic abuse. Recently, during a transatlantic phone chat, Bekah spoke of some of the good things they are celebrating, even as they pass through the valley of the shadow. “There is so much beauty to be seen, even in this horrible season,” she said. “We don’t want to miss the lovely things that God is surely doing.” That’s when we had to pause for tears because, in celebrating treasure that can be found even in darkness, Bekah and Steve have themselves become quite beautiful in their persistent faith and faithfulness. In the intense and unwelcome roller-coaster ride that suffering brings, they are clinging to God through the white-knuckle ride. They are, in short, a stunning sight.

    Often we focus on what’s wrong with the world and with the Church. Fixated on the failures of high-profile Christian leaders, we sink into despair. Preoccupied with the picky pettiness that breaks out when someone suggests moving the pews, we wonder if there’s any future for a people so resistant to change. But all around us today, there are quiet yet glorious examples of tenacious dedication. If you’re one of them, know this: your love for Christ surely turns his head.

    In this warm, authentic book that is rich in wisdom and void of cliché, you will find hope and inspiration. As you trace Steve’s journey, you’ll peer into the shadowland of suffering and discover that the light of Jesus shines brightly there. As you read, please say a prayer for Steve and Bekah, and their lovely family. And if you’re preoccupied with ugliness – in yourself, in others, in our broken world and imperfect Church – then know this: there’s beauty to be found in the most surprising places. Go on. Turn the page, and look again.

    The Last Laugh launches on December 1st 2023 and is available for pre-order here: The Last Laugh – Son Christian Media Ltd (square.site)

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of SCM

  • The Last Laugh: Reflections of a funnyman with terminal cancer

    “How long have I got, Doc? Five days? Five weeks? Five months? Five years?”

    “Months,” the oncologist replied.

    When he heard this devastating news, Steve Legg and his wife Bekah made a bold decision – they would get busy living and get busy laughing.

    Yes, there were tears that day and in those that followed, but Steve is a funnyman and a man of faith. He was never going to give cancer the last laugh.

    In his latest book, international baffler and funny guy, Steve Legg, faces the no-joke reality of the diagnosis of a terminal illness. An engaging read throughout, the book will lead you to the most wonderful of all conclusions: that we are never, ever alone, and never, ever forsaken.

    But this is not just Steve’s story; he draws lessons that can change not only the way we view our death – but also our life.

    Hope. Heart. Humour. Humanity. This gripping story has everything.

    SCM

    Paperback: £10

    ISBN: 978-1-3999-7220-8 

    The Last Laugh by Steve Legg will launched on December 1st 2023 and is available to pre-order here: The Last Laugh – Son Christian Media Ltd (square.site)

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of SCM

  • Interview: Social media sensation and best selling author FitWaffle

    Interview: Social media sensation and best selling author FitWaffle

    It was lovely to interview the TikTok sensation, best-selling author and social media star Eloise Head who is also known as FitWaffle.

    Interview

    Steve Legg (SL): Eloise, how lovely to see you. I can’t believe how thin you are, as you make such amazing cakes.

    Eloise Head (EH): It’s all about balance and moderation. That’s my motto.

    SL: I love that. So is it Eloise? Is it FitWaffle, is it Fit is it Waffs? What do I call you?

    EH: I’ve never been called Waffs but I quite like it. My real name is Eloise, but many people call me FitWaffle. I created it about seven years ago when I first started my brand, and it has a few meanings. When I began, I was working as a personal trainer. So that’s one meaning of the ‘Fit’ part. But it also means fitting all foods into your diet. And then the ‘Waffle’ part also means waffling on because if you know me well, you know I tend to talk quite a lot. So it’s a combination of fitness and food and then fitting all sorts of foods into your diet and waffling on.

    SL: Oh, I like it. I didn’t get that at all. I thought you were really into waffles. What are your favourite waffles?

    EH: I do like waffles. I like a waffle with a bit of peanut butter on, some fruit or even just the straight-up maple syrup.

    SL: So there you go. You heard it here first. Eloise, did you start cooking at school? We used to call it Home Economics back in my day. Is that where you first got into baking?

    EH: Sorry, that’s what my mum used to call it too! I did do cooking at school. But it wasn’t very much. We did a little bit of what we called, Food Tech.

    SL: Do you prefer more savoury or sweet? Because obviously, your cakes are very sweet.

    EH: I prefer sweet; I have a real sweet tooth. I prefer making sweet food as well. I find it more fun, and the outcome’s always pretty and tasty.

    SL: How do you keep fit?

    EH: I go to the gym four to five times a week; I always have done really. I’ve always been active. I’m on my feet for most of the day. And I walk regularly as well. So I’m generally very busy, but I also have a balanced diet. So I don’t eat everything on my social media, you know, I don’t devour a whole tray of brownies or an entire cheesecake every day. But you know, I will have a slice of a brownie or cake almost daily alongside what I usually eat. So you know, fruits and vegetables and all the things that get my nutrients in simultaneously. It’s just balancing my energy input with my energy output.

    SL: You describe yourself as a self-taught baker but isn’t baking very scientific and precise, right?

    EH: Yeah, there’s a lot of trial and error with baking. You have to learn the basics when it comes to baking. And you have to do a bit of research along the way. With cooking, you can experiment and it will probably turn out okay. But with baking, you do have to learn, so you have to start by following other recipes, find out why it works, you know, and do a bit of research if it goes wrong as to why it didn’t work. And then from there, you can progress, and with that knowledge, you can start creating your own creations.

    SL: Your social media stats are pretty breathtaking. Four billion views across social media in 2022. The most followed foodie female on social media with an impressive 10.3 million followers across social platforms. The only UK Food creator with 100 million views on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Everyone’s heard of you, the sixth most viewed UK video on Tiktok in 2022 and the top viewed food TikTok account in the UK. How does that happen? That doesn’t happen by mistake, does it?

    EH: I know it sounds crazy when you read it back .Yeah, that’s all correct. You know what? I don’t even know. I love creating content. And obviously, I must be quite good at it because people like watching my videos. And the more I do it, the better it gets. You know, I wasn’t always good at it. When I’ve looked back at my original pictures, they’re hilarious. And even my videos, when I started making recipe videos at the beginning of the lockdown. I cringe when I hear them back because my voiceovers are so slow, and everything’s so poorly put together. So I’ve improved over the past three years I’ve been creating videos. And it’s something I’ve been doing almost every day, editing and all of that sort of stuff, literally for the past two and a half years. So it’s knowing your audience, and it’s getting better and better every time.

    Footnote: You can listen to the rest of this conversation with Eloise on my weekly radio show The Big Lunch on Konnect Radio : Catch Up

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of Eloise Head on Twitter

  • Interview: Nick and Eva Speakman

    Interview: Nick and Eva Speakman

    Steve Legg interviews the British writers, life coaches, therapists and TV presenters Nick and Eva Speakman.

    Steve Legg (SL): I’ve watched them on the telly. I’ve loved them for years. They are a fantastic couple. I’m going to call them the dynamic duo. They’re the world’s leading life-change therapists. It’s Nick and Eva Speakman.

    Nick Speakman (SL): Thanks, Steve. That’s a great introduction. You know what? I’m a Batman fan, you know? Funnily enough, I was scrolling through Tik Tok the other day. And I saw a clip where Batman and Robin are on the Batcopter and Batman’s hanging from a ladder. And there’s a plastic shark, and it looks so bad. He’s like, ‘Robin, pass me the shark repellent,’ He just happened to have a can of shark repellent in the helicopter. But honestly, amazing. It was so tacky, but I thought it was all real. And it was terrific. So yeah, looking back, it just shows how easily you can con children.

    SL: So we’ve seen you on our TV screens on This Morning and all sorts of shows like that. But of course, the whole nation is now loving you on Celebrity Hunted.

    Eva Speakman (ES): It is probably one of our lives most unbelievable, exciting, scary adrenaline rushes. Genuinely, we expected it to be easier than it was. It feels so real. So you have to remind yourself that you’re doing this for charity. This is part of a TV show. But you totally forget; it immerses you, and you genuinely feel like you’re a fugitive on the run.

    SL: Was it really scary at times?

    NK: Oh, Steve, honestly, it was. Part of that fear is born out of the fact that we are both competitive. And you know, we wanted to evade capture as long as possible. You know, I mean, everything. We create everything, you know, our thoughts, everything that we’re doing, the world we live in, is the world that we see. But we felt so under pressure because we just literally didn’t want to get caught up.

    ES: The biggest pressure is you don’t know what anybody else is doing. And you want to avoid being caught first. And we are the more mature duo on the run. There was a principle behind that because I was like, Okay, I won’t be the first to go. And I couldn’t bear that thought. So that kept us going. And as I say, you have yet to learn how the other fugitives are doing. So you need to find out whether they are still all out there. In this case, you know that the Hunters are slightly thinner on the ground. Honestly, it was you bed down for the night wherever that might be. We slept in places that I never thought. In stranger’s gardens, at the side of roads. Like literally just wherever we landed and you get that moment of reprieve where you think I should be okay here for the night. And then the second your eyes open. You go. You need to get packed up. And it’s ‘let’s get out’. You have no clue where the hunters are.

    SL: Did you use some of your tricks of the trade? You had us on tenterhooks at the end of the first episode. I thought, oh no, they’ve caught them.

    NS: Absolutely. We did. Yeah. We tried to use a few tricks and we tried to think about what they were going to do next. And it served us quite well. Yeah, we just put ourselves into the Hunter’s shoes. That doesn’t mean that we didn’t have a few scrapes as well along the way, but we played the game. We didn’t want to just try and get to the end without being caught.

    Footnote: You can read the rest of my interview with the Speakmans in the next edition of Sorted Magazine or tune in to my weekly radio show at Konnect Radio to hear the whole conversation.

    Main photo credit: The Speakmans with American actor, Jeff Goldblum, courtesy of Nick and Eva Speakman.

  • Comment: “Let’s encourage those around us to get involved …”

    Comment: “Let’s encourage those around us to get involved …”

    Each spring brings the grand unveiling of my barbecue, as soon as it is vaguely warm enough (the weather, not the coals). To be honest, there just needs to be no snow on the ground. I’ve had so may barbies in January, my neighbours think I’m Australian.

    We invite them round and there I stand, lord of my domain, turning the sausages and frying the onions. I also make a mean minted shoulder of lamb, searing it on the coals before grilling it till it drips with juice. For dessert I grill mango and melt bananas with chocolate, a culinary delight that has to be tasted to be believed.

    And I do it all myself. It’s not that I don’t trust my wife, but it’s my job. A man’s place is by the barbecue, with a monstrous pair of tongs in one hand and a chilled can of Fosters in the other; avoiding idle chitchat with strangers, unless it’s about cuts of meat.

    This was all very well, until one weekend I promised my family a barbecue, forgetting that I had to be away doing a gig in the north of the country.

    My wife was going to have to take control of my barbecue. We both felt uncomfortable at this blurring of our territories. We had to have some swift staff training – and it was with great trepidation that she took on my mantle.

    But she did a good job. I checked, of course, asking the kids if Mum’s sausages were as good as Dad’s, to which they sang a resounding ‘Yes’. Moreover, she had got cocky and created home-made burgers, which the children were raving about. I felt a little redundant. After all, the reality is, she prepares the salads, bread, utensils, napkins and sauces, lays the table and clears up afterwards. While I clearly have the most important job; standing over the barbecue. I’d been emasculated.

    It’s not just barbecues. It happens easily, and often there’s no option, but we need to make sure that we’re not the only people who can do what we do. We get caught up in a role, imagining we’re the only one who can do it. It’s simpler to do something ourselves because it makes us important, keeps us useful and makes people need us.

    So let’s not hold on to our positions in life and get precious about who we entrust things to do. Let’s encourage those around us to get involved, share our passions with people who care, and mentor others to carry on the work.

    Next, I will see if Bekah is up for putting the bins out. I’m not precious.

    Main photo credit: Emerson Vieira via Unsplash

  • Neighbours star Alan Fletcher: “It was very, very energetic and lovable!”

    Neighbours star Alan Fletcher: “It was very, very energetic and lovable!”

    I really could not believe it when I had the opportunity to interview someone I felt I had known all my life, the one and only Mr Alan Fletcher, who starred in the much loved television soap opera Neighbours for 28 years!

    Interview with Steve Legg and Alan Fletcher

    Steve Legg (SL): Now Alan, you’re a super-talented man. Do you know what? I listened to your album today. And it’s brilliant. I’d love to talk to you a bit about that later on. Was your first love music or acting?

    Alan Fletcher (AF): Well, I’ve always said I’m an entertainer at heart. And so for me, both equally. Of late though, I’m very much enjoying the music because Americana music is storytelling. And I love the fact that I can tell stories that I’ve written. And these stories are contained within three minutes. And each story can have a different effect on the listener.

    It’s the economy of music I love I suppose. And also just the joy of performing live just can’t be beaten, whether it’s as an actor or a musician.

    SL: It’s that immediate response and rapport with the audience, isn’t it? There’s nothing like it.

    AF: Yes, you’re absolutely right. Yeah, I mean, the biggest privilege you can ever be given is as a singer or musician is when people start singing your songs back to you. I’m getting that kind of vibe happening for one of my songs How good is bed? It’s just really a fun song about staying in bed.

    SL: And I love the fact that came after my favourites. I loved Hey you. I thought that was a beautiful song.

    AF: Oh, thank you. That’s a tribute to my mom. My mom was my spiritual guide in life and she said to me that she would still be continuing to guide me after she left and I feel her presence every day. And Hey you is a heartfelt message to her and to everyone who’s lost, asking, are you still there?

    SL: I can imagine it being used for people’s funerals but I had a horrendous vision of the sound guy at the crematorium as the curtains closed, pressing the number incorrectly because How good is bed comes immediately after Hey you. And that will be embarrassing for everyone.

    AF: (laughs) Well, I suppose eternal sleep is the same thing in a way. Maybe it was intentional.

    SL: Alan, you worked with Arthur Lowe back in the day, who we know as the very pompous Captain Mainwaring from Dad’s Army.

    AF: Yes. I’m pleased that you know that. Arthur was a dream. I did a play with him which toured around the UK, New Zealand and Australia. So I had the privilege of working with him. He’s one of the greatest comedians to come out of the UK because his timing was immaculate; he could make an audience dissolve into laughter with just one look. And we loved him in Dad’s Army. We loved him in so much stuff, you know, and to work with him on stage was a joy and a great education also.

    SL: So what did he teach you most?

    AF: It was mostly about comic timing and stillness. Arthur had a way of being completely still on stage. And suddenly, he would speak his lines at exactly the right moment, after the right pause. And when you’re a young performer as I was then, you tend to be very eager and over anxious to get the line out. And you lose the stillness and timing that he as an older person had.

    I think about him all the time. Particularly when I’m doing Neighbours, because when I’m working with Jackie Woodburne (Neighbours screen wife, Susan Kennedy), we do a lot of comedy together. And she’s a master at that, too. It’s the slow-burning look that dissolves the audience into hysterics.

    SL: You’ve brought us nicely onto Neighbours and 1994 is a year you probably won’t forget. That’s when the Kennedy’s moved into Ramsay Street. I remember that hideous portrait in your house, above the fireplace of your kids, Malcolm Libby and Billy.

    AF: Yes, my memory is that Helen Daniels painted it. You’re absolutely right. And interestingly, on the very last day of filming of Neighbours, we shot the last scene in the Kennedy house. And during the speeches, I glanced around to look at the portrait, which was gone. It had been spirited away. And it was because there was a worry that someone might take it.

    SL: What do you remember about your first day on the Neighbours set?

    AF: It was just myself and Jesse Spencer who played Billy Kennedy. We were on Ramsey Street purchasing number 28, and Karl was buying the house without his wife’s say so. So you know, the parameters of Karl Kennedy was set very early as a man who did things his way. It was fabulous working with Jesse, who was 14 years old. He was confident; he was a brilliant musician who played the violin and was a very fine actor. And a week later, we turned up again with a whole family in a removal truck.

    Honestly, I couldn’t have dreamt of having a better family to work with. There was loads of ad-libbing and had an incredible vibe. It was very, very energetic and lovable.

    Footnote: What a legend, it was such a privilege to chat with Alan! You can read the rest of my interview with Alan Fletcher in the July/August print edition of Sorted Magazine. To listen to this interview, and others, just tune in to my weekly radio show on Konnect Radio every Saturday from 12pm until 1pm.

    Alan Fletcher and his fellow cast members will be in the UK for the Neighbours Farewell Tour, to find out more about the tour please click here.

    Alan is not only an accomplished actor, but he’s also a gifted musician, to find out more about his new album and tour dates please click here.

    Main photo credit: Alan Fletcher

  • Interview: “We would find drug dealers and rob them …”

    Interview: “We would find drug dealers and rob them …”

    Last Saturday on The Big Lunch radio show I chatted with my mate, John Lawson, a former violent criminal, bouncer and body guard. John’s worked with some famous household names such as the Rolling Stones and Neil Diamond and in this interview he opened up to me and gave an incredibly honest account of what some of those experiences were really like for him. He’s also been a significant player in the criminal underworld and I was privileged to hear first hand about John’s mindset during that dark season of his life. John went into great detail about some of the staggering exploits and risks he took. Here are a few highlights from the show:

    On emigrating from Scotland to South Africa:

    John Lawson (JL): “I was born in Glasgow, we emigrated (to South Africa) when I was three, that was a huge contrast!”

    On being abandoned by his father as a child:

    JL: “Unfortunately I was a bit of a wild child really … came to the UK … raised on one of the toughest housing estates in Europe, just developed a violent mentality. By the time I left school I got involved with my uncles who were running most of the sex industry in Soho.”

    On leaving prison and working as a bouncer:

    “I enjoyed the violent aspect of it … we were a tight team … for a bit of pocket money we would find drug dealers and rob them the night before they bought their drugs. Believing we were good guys we would flush all their drugs down the toilet, believing we were doing society a favour, but really it was nothing but pure violence.”

    On the police catching up with him:

    “The police caught up with me … they had my voice recording, they had CCTV footage, I got done for four years for attempted extortion … I was a foolish idiot … but that prison was the best place that I could ever be cos that’s where my life completely changed.”

    I asked John how it was for him to walk into prison on the first day and what his experience was like during all those years inside. I was aware that John came to faith in prison and was interested to know exactly how that came about. What followed was one of the most dramatic, inspirational and emotional stories I have ever heard. Listen to the full interview here. Read John’s autobiography in novel form here, his ministry work is here and there’s a song inspired by a poem he wrote for his wife here.

  • Gemma Hunt: “Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.”

    Gemma Hunt: “Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.”

    The Cheeky Pandas has released a pack of free resources, including a special Christmas episode, The Best Present Ever. Featuring CBeebies’ star, Gemma Hunt, there’s a special message for kids; Christmas is really about a person called Jesus, who is the best present of all.

    In The Best Present Ever Christmas preparations are falling apart for the Cheeky Pandas. Milo is sad at the lack of snow, Rory and Benji are fighting over which Christmas lights to use, and CJ’s cooking is less than perfect (pies in the kettle and turkey in the toaster!). Lulu just wants everyone to be happy. Every panda has a different idea about how Christmas should be. When the pandas get a special gift from the Pandaroo Delivery Service, will it remind them who Christmas is really about?

    The Christmas episode and song are both available on YouTube and The Cheeky Pandas website. The downloadable activity pack contains questions, prayer points, craft activity and a super-easy recipe (no ovens or mixers required). A free assembly plan will also be available for use in schools and a new Cheeky Pandas book The Best Present Ever accompanies the Christmas episode.

    CBeebies star Gemma Hunt said: “It’s an absolute joy to be a part of The Cheeky Pandas family. The fun, free Christmas resources that they are providing for children this year to remind them of the life-changing message of Jesus, the greatest gift this world has ever seen, is great! In the aftermath of the pandemic, as we face a cost-of-living crisis and a world that often feels in turmoil, children and families are more in need than ever of hope that can’t be taken away from them. Through this year’s Cheeky Pandas Christmas episode, song and bumper pack of crafts, recipes and activities, they have a timely reminder that Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.” 

    Access The Cheeky Pandas Christmas episode and song here