Bernard Manning - Professional Career

Professional Career

On returning to England, Manning continued to sing professionally, and also worked as a compere. He was an effective singer of popular ballads and fronted many big bands in the 1950s, such as the Oscar Rabin Band. Over the years, Manning began to introduce humour into his compering. This went down well, and Manning slowly moved from being a singer/compere to a comedian. After much work in comedy clubs and northern Working Men's Clubs in the 1950s and 1960s, Manning made his television debut in 1971 on the Granada comedy show The Comedians. He compèred The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, which began in 1974.

During the 1980s, Manning fell out of favour with television companies, but his appearances on the Northern Working Men's Club circuit continued, playing to packed audiences which often included people from ethnic minorities. Manning never toned down his act, but he had a minor television career revival towards the end of his life, including Channel 4 taking him to Bombay to perform. In October 2002, Manning participated in a Great Lives programmes for Radio 4. He chose to honour the Roman Catholic nun, Mother Teresa. In 2003, Manning was initially reported to have been booked to play a British National Party rally. He denied this, telling the Daily Mirror; "It's a lot of bollocks. I don't know where I'm working. Speak to my agent. I don't know about any BNP nonsense. I would not do it anyway. Do you think I'm fucking barmy?"

In 2006, he appeared at the 40th birthday party of chef Marco Pierre White, with Madonna as one of the members of the audience. In March 2007 he was ranked 29th on the list of the 100 Greatest Stand Up comedians in a poll conducted by Channel 4.

In his later life, although he still toured Britain, he tended to appear most frequently at The Embassy, the club on the A664 Rochdale Road. Set up with his father in 1959, Manning owned the club in Harpurhey, Manchester; his son, Bernard Jnr. managed it. The club is reputed to have played host to many rising acts – Manning claimed The Beatles performed there early in their career.