Gayle’s World – Nostalgia Central

1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 7 (UK)
7 x 30 minute episodes

Comedienne Brenda Gilhooly first invented the giggly ‘topless model and rising media star’ Gayle Tuesday when she was at Swansea University by putting on a blonde wig and transforming herself into a one-time ‘stunna’ from page three of The Sun, now branching out into other forms of showbiz.

Years later, she received her own ITV show, which aired on 11 June 1996. A six-part series followed in June and July 1997.

Tuesday now had an image consultancy business, was an agony aunt (“You’re suffering from clinical depression? Ooh, that’s nice!”), was a psychic, had her own ‘House Of Tuesday’ fashion line, released records (the appalling charity single Save The Donkeys, followed by Big Up Top) and chatted on her TV show with celebrity guests about “key contemporary issues” like “Can you beat chocolate addiction?” and “What are your man’s favourite hobbies?”

With her high, squealing south London voice and low-cut dresses, Gayle Tuesday was a splendid spoof of the brainless bimbos that seemed to populate the low end of the modelling business. (“I don’t just do topless, there’s a lot of bum work as well,” she remarked, proudly.)

Her boyfriend/manager, Grant (Ken Andrew) – who was also a second-hand car salesman – was a psychopathic monster. (“He’s so lovely – very, very sensitive. Obviously, there are the violent mood swings, but nobody’s perfect!”)

Despite the richness of the Gayle Tuesday character, and the expert manner in which she was conveyed, Gilhooly evidently guessed – rightly so – that viewers might tire of watching her, unadulterated, for six half-hours, so the 1997 series included other characters, like the newly crowned Miss Tannoy 1997, alias the stridently voiced Doreen, who worked for the appalling south London mini-cab company Common Cabs, and Ivor Tiddler, a Carry On style character complete with braces and a handkerchief on his head who suffered from an almost terminal case of innuendo-itis.

Especially good were the exposés of the world of privileged socialite ‘It’ Girls Jemima Hore (her friends called her Jammy), played by Gilhooly, and Lucinda Beanie-Toffingham (known as Liggy Bingy-Toffingham), played by Charlotte Coleman (pictured below).

But with her winning grin, exposed cleavage and truly inane chatter, Gayle Tuesday stole the show.

Gilhooly later reprised the role for a 2010 mockumentary on Sky Living titled Gayle Tuesday: The Comeback.

Gayle Tuesday/Jemima Hore (Jammy)
Brenda Gilhooly
Lucinda Beanie-Toffingham (Liggy)
Charlotte Coleman
General Vicki
Vicki Michelle
Grant
Ken Andrew

Video