Interview with Penny Irving (2019)
Penny Irving is a former actress and 'Sun' newspaper page 3 model. She is best remembered for her roles in the 1970's sitcom 'Are You Being Served?' which she starred in as 'Miss Bakewell', 'Young Mr Grace's' first secretary and appeared between 1976 and 1979 in the popular long-running programme. She also appeared in the movie adaptation of 'The Likely Lads' playing the role of 'Sandy'.
As a model, she appeared on the front cover of the compilation LP 'Top of the Pops', Volume 27, which was released in the Autumn of 1972. She was also featured in 'Mayfair Magazine' in December 1972 (Volume 7, Number 12), and for a second time in May 1975 (Volume 10, Number 5). She also appeared in 'Club International' in 1980 (Volume 9, Number 10).
Her other TV credits include 'The Benny Hill Show', 'The Two Ronnies' and 'Hi-de-Hi!'. She was a hostess on the game show 'Mr & Mrs' in the 1970s. She appeared in one 'Carry On' film, 'Carry On Dick' (1974) playing a 'Bird of Paradise' opposite Joan Sims.
On an unusually warm and sunny March morning (in 2019) I had the rare and wonderful opportunity to speak with Penny all about her career, memories and what she was up to these days. After we had a lovely conversation about our mutual love of animals, the unspoiled parts of the British coast and had a good giggle we cracked on with the interview!
CP: Hi Penny, how are you?
PI: I am fine thank you. I am in the middle of selling my house and moving.
CP: What are you up to these days?
PI: I have been out of it (showbusiness) since the early 1990’s. I didn’t plan to go into showbusiness though you know? I spent a lot of time back then developing houses. I wasn’t earning any money though and so it was a tough time, especially trying to develop property. I had a bank manager though who was great and very supportive.
CP: Can you tell me about your memories and time on ‘Carry On Dick’?
PI: It was all short and sweet really but the director (Gerald Thomas) wasn’t happy with me and I upset him. The costumes on ‘Carry On Dick’ were very revealing and so you only had to walk and things started to ‘pop out’. The girls playing the ‘Birds of Paradise’ were all young girls and some were from backgrounds that were very respectful and so I thought it was important to protect their modesty. I asked the director to provide us with a body stocking but he was furious! I gave them some trouble over it and in the end they relented. It was a bit of a nightmare for me. I hated the publicity pictures from it, I looked horrible!
CP: I don’t think you did! You are in quite a few of the stills and lobby cards from the film.
PI: Yes, the one I am thinking of is where we are all together with Kenneth Williams. I can’t quite remember but the lighting was awful! It was hitting me from such an odd angle it just made me look terrible!
CP: Were you asked to do anymore?
PI: My agent at the time asked Gerald Thomas but his reply was ‘don’t mention her name to me again!’. So, I didn’t do anymore. To be honest the ‘Carry On’s’ were always such an early call I didn’t want to do anymore. I only did what I wanted to.
CP: What were the ‘Carry On’ team like to work with?
PI: Really nice! I didn’t have much interaction with them and it was short and sweet but they were really nice.
CP: I am in touch with Laraine Humphrys, your fellow ‘Bird of Paradise’, and Eva Rueber-Staier recently did a convention I believe. Do you know what happened to Linda Hooks though?
PI: I don’t. I think she got married but I don’t know what she is doing now. I didn’t see Laraine for 30 years! We lost contact but we have recently been back in contact. She is such a lovely lady and always has me in hysterics! We are still good friends.
Above: Penny with co-stars Laraine Humphrys, Eva Ruber-Staier & Linda Hooks helping Kenneth Williams with his clothing in 'Carry On Dick' (1974).
Above: Penny having her 'measurements' taken by John Inman, her co-star in 'Are You Being Served?'
CP: I have to ask you about ‘Are You Being Served?’ It is another of my favourite comedies from that era.
PI: Well, I fell into it, it wasn’t planned. As the series progressed, they tried to get a bit more risqué. In one script it had me sat in a bikini on Mr Grace’s knee. I didn’t want that and I called David Croft and told him I was drawing the line. He was livid! I was in my 30’s by then and just didn’t want to do it. He was quite horrible about it. So, I thought about it … and still didn’t do it!
CP: Good for you! I don’t blame you. I have heard similar anecdotes about that era and thankfully these days there are so many more ways actors are protected from this sort of behaviour.
CP: Of course, you then went onto ‘Hi-De-Hi’.
PI: (Groans) Oh I hated it! It just wasn’t funny at all that show. I didn’t ever aspire to be an actress. I couldn’t act! I had been modelling and that didn’t involve having to earn lines or speak so I had much more confidence with modelling.
CP: How did you start out modelling?
PI: I had a friend who had a pub in London near the Penthouse Club. An amateur photographer had come into the pub one day when I was in there and wanted to photograph me. I agreed and afterwards he had shown the pictures to another amateur photographer and he thought I had something and also wanted to photograph me. He then took the pictures to the agency that Benny Hill backed, he backed it but didn’t own it, ‘Blondes’ run by Yvonne Paul. They took me on and from there I went straight up the ladder! I have always been a bit of a rebel though and so sometimes I was late for shoots and my agent told me “The trouble with you is that because you came in and started at the top you need to learn there is only one way you can go now!”. I didn’t want to stay in ‘the biz’ though. I was always a rebel and people didn’t like that. I have always been a very private person and hated the thought of people knowing all my business.
CP: You also did theatre?
PI: Yes, I did a play for Peter Coe called ‘The Corn is Green’ by Emlyn Williams. I had done three auditions for the part for Peter. Peter was a lovely man. He really coached me and supported me. Again. Laraine was also a great support at the time. I couldn’t act and so was very nervous about the play and, without my knowledge, Laraine and her mum came to the second performance of it to see me in it. She came backstage afterwards to see me and she was crying. Not because I had been bad but because I had done so well!
Above: Penny signs my 'Carry On Dick' DVD booklet alongside the autograph of co-star and friend Laraine Humphrys.
CP: Were you originally from London?
PI: No, I was born in Scotland. My family were originally from the Paisley area in Scotland, you know the place famous for the design.
CP: Do you still have family up there?
PI: I had a brother who still lived in Scotland but sadly he passed away last year. I used to fly up to see him from time to time.
CP: Do people still ask you for your autograph and recognise you?
PI: Nooo (laughs). That is the beauty of where I live. Nobody knows who I am or of my career so that is nice!
CP: I am so pleased you are ok and you have not done too bad for yourself? I am sure that fans will be pleased to know you are still around and well!
PI: I have always been fortunate in a sense. I always have thought I have an angel watching over me.
My sincere thanks and gratitude to Penny for her time in sharing her memories with me.
We agreed to keep in touch so watch this space for more anecdotes in the future!
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