Cilla Black

Thought what with Cilla being the iconic character she is for many generations, she deserved her own thread.

Interesing and divisive character. She will be remembered for being the Queen of British television, even though she herself always wanted to be remembered for her singing. No chance. A huge case of right time, right place. Her shows were on the air in an age of fewer channels and no internet. Saturday and Sunday night TV used to be something of an institution. Blind Date used to run Saturdays. Surprise Surprise ran Sundays.

Some found her grating, but millions tuned into her shows every week, and there is no doubt that she elevated both shows with the warmth and authority she managed to command on-screen. I can remember people pissing tears around at my nanā€™s gaff when sheā€™d organised a particularly nice Surprise Surprise.

Off-screen, there have been other reports. Some of the newspapers that are printing glowing tributes today have gone after her in the past, implying she was somewhat of a fiend when the cameras werenā€™t looking. Her Liverpool rep isnā€™t that great either. She has been supportive of the Tories, is the archetypal professional scouser, despite pronouncing words in ways that I have never heard uttered in this city. I know plenty of people from her generation and a handful of Cavern Club devotees that knew her personally, ms papā€™s pop amongst them. Thereā€™s not been a lorra ā€œlorraā€ (none, as it goes), and to this day, Iā€™ve never heard anyone say ā€œfairā€ the way she did.

She possibly picked the wrong battles post-television. She tried to stoke up a ā€œscouser contestā€ with Ricky Tomlinson, claiming she was the more authentic Liverpudlian because heā€™d been evacuated to Blackpool for the war, and she was born in the city. The fact that she obviously thought she could win is perhaps an indication of the degree of her estrangement with her home city. Tomlinson has a long history of activism, even getting locked up for it, and only moved off the densely packed County Road (anyone that has been to Goodison will know it) after several years of fame and reportedly, a lot of nagging from Ms Tomlinson. He still lives in the city. Heā€™s got a modest apartment in the city centre. Cilla went to London, never looked back, and from a local perspective, made her career from a Chicken Tikka version of Liverpool that became annoyingly dominant.

A complex character who got to the top of a game that, by her own words, she was never that interested in playing. Tributes and comments please.

Apparently she was a big fan of Maggie Thatcher so that must make her a complete cunt as far as all you lefties are concerned, right? :wink:

You entirely happy with the above, guv?

Originally posted by @pap

Thought what with Cilla being the iconic character she is for many generations, she deserved her own thread.

Interesing and divisive character. She will be remembered for being the Queen of British television, even though she herself always wanted to be remembered for her singing. No chance. A huge case of right time, right place. Her shows were on the air in an age of fewer channels and no internet. Saturday and Sunday night TV used to be something of an institution. Blind Date used to run Saturdays. Surprise Surprise ran Sundays.

Some found her grating, but millions tuned into her shows every week, and there is no doubt that she elevated both shows with the warmth and authority she managed to command on-screen. I can remember people pissing tears around at my nanā€™s gaff when sheā€™d organised a particularly nice Surprise Surprise.

Off-screen, there have been other reports. Some of the newspapers that are printing glowing tributes today have gone after her in the past, implying she was somewhat of a fiend when the cameras werenā€™t looking. Her Liverpool rep isnā€™t that great either. She has been supportive of the Tories, is the archetypal professional scouser, despite pronouncing words in ways that I have never heard uttered in this city. I know plenty of people from her generation and a handful of Cavern Club devotees that knew her personally, ms papā€™s pop amongst them. Thereā€™s not been a lorra ā€œlorraā€ (none, as it goes), and to this day, Iā€™ve never heard anyone say ā€œfairā€ the way she did.

She possibly picked the wrong battles post-television. She tried to stoke up a ā€œscouser contestā€ with Ricky Tomlinson, claiming she was the more authentic Liverpudlian because heā€™d been evacuated to Blackpool for the war, and she was born in the city. The fact that she obviously thought she could win is perhaps an indication of the degree of her estrangement with her home city. Tomlinson has a long history of activism, even getting locked up for it, and only moved off the densely packed County Road (anyone that has been to Goodison will know it) after several years of fame and reportedly, a lot of nagging from Ms Tomlinson. He still lives in the city. Heā€™s got a modest apartment in the city centre. Cilla went to London, never looked back, and from a local perspective, made her career from a Chicken Tikka version of Liverpool that became annoyingly dominant.

A complex character who got to the top of a game that, by her own words, she was never that interested in playing. Tributes and comments please.

See him driving around Aigbuth in a flat bed Ford Tranny, fucking legend of a man.

And RIP Cilla but she was a professional Scouser and a tory.

Always remember her going on and on in a television interview about the terrible poverty she suffered whilst growing up in ā€˜Scottyā€™ Road.

Hmm.

She probably did have hardship but as soon as she had the money she left, thatā€™s fine but she like Tarbuck and Bishop to a certain extent make their money from the City, people and humour.

Not a fan at all, sure my grandad enjoyed the TV shows. Thought the story of her life with Sheridan Smith didnā€™t really make her look very nice.

Originally posted by @Barry-Sanchez

She probably did have hardship but as soon as she had the money she left, thatā€™s fine but she like Tarbuck and Bishop to a certain extent make their money from the City, people and humour.

Sounds like your turning Scouse and growing a chip on your shoulder.

Iā€™ve always had a chip on my shoulder Nobby regardless of location.

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Did Shankly buy her from us?

While I am no fan of Saturday night drivel, she wasnā€™t fiddling with kids so as far as 70s light entertainment goes she was pretty inoffensive.

I guess you need to be driven to succeed in that game so not many people get to the top through being nice to people.

Unless she was shooting giraffes in the face as a hobby on the quiet, I think she was alright.

But we now await the articles slagging her off - give it ten days.

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