The Big Issue - UK (2020-03-02)

02-08 MARCH 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 19

I wasactuallyquiteasensitivekid.Youdon’tstartwritingpoetryifyou

haven’tgotsomesortofsensibilityandsomethingyouwanttosay.I was

oneoftheregularradicalpoetsinthefirstdaysofSaturdayLivewith

BenElton,StephenFryandHughLaurie.I wasdoingallthepoems

aboutthepoliceandThatcherandSouthAfrica,whichcameacrossas

fairlyhardhitting.Ididenjoybeingrecognised.Atfirst.ButifIcould

talktomyyoungerselfI’dsay,goformoney,notforfame.I’dratherbe

richandanonymousthanhaveeveryoneknowwhoI am.Theshine

wearsoff.Mykidwon’tgoshoppingwithme,theytellmejusttostay

athome.Butyoudoenjoyitatfirstcauseit’skindofvalidatingyour

decisions,theearlyrisksyoutook.

Myyoungerselfwouldbeamazedhe’dstillberelevantat55.Alot

ofpeopleI startedoutwith,they’vedisappearedfromourscreens.

Who’dhavethought 32 yearslaterwe’dstillbedoingRedDwarf? That

andRobotWarswerebighitsforme.AndCoronationStreet! I havequite

awidedemographic.Myradioshowon 6 Musichasjusthaditshighest

ratingsandithasthehighestaudienceshareontheentirenetworkbya

sizeableamount.WhenI wasabout 19 myagentsaid,wecaneitherjust

ripthisnow,andyoucanhavea shortcareerandmakea wholeheapof

money,orwecanbuilda career.AndI knewI wantedtobuilda career.

Beingadad...I’mnotgonnawritethewholereview,you’dhaveto

askthem.ButI loveit.I’vegottwodaughtersandtheydrivemecrazy.

BecauseI’mfromallbrothers,nosisters.Andmymumdiedreallyyoung

aswell,whenI was24.AndnowI liveina housefullofwomen;mywife,

twodaughtersandquiteoftenmywife’ssisterandhertwodaughters

arearoundhereaswell.I’mtheonlybloke.Myremotecontrolisnotmy

own,putitthatway.I knowfartoomuchabouttheKardashians.I need

a goodtalkingto.

IfI couldhaveonelastconversationwithanyoneitwouldbemy

brotherDean.HetriedtogetholdofmejustbeforeI wentintothe

jungle[todoITV’sI’ma Celebrityin2014].We’dnotspokenfora few

years– therewasa familyfallingout.AndI justthought,youknow

what,I’llleaveit,goanddothejunglethingandI’llcomeoutand

we’llallbetogetherforChristmas.AndhediedwhileI wasoverthere.

Theproductionteamcametomeandaskedmetogoandseethe

psychiatristandI justthoughtitwasa healthcheck,youknow,tosee

howyou’recoping.Butthedoctorsaid,“I’vegotsometerriblenewsto

tellyou,Craig.YourbrotherDeanhaspassedaway.”SoI hadtogetona

planestraightaway.Hewassofaraway.Andittooksolongtogetback.

I’dhavelovedtohavehada conversationwithhim.I’dhavelovedto

havemadeup.

I’mveryhappywhereI amnow.I’vemadebaddecisionsandI’vemade

gooddecisionsandI’vebeenunfortunateandI’vebeenlucky.Butnow

I’matpeacewithwhoI amandwhatI’vegot.I lovemywifeandkids.I

lovemyhouse.I lovemyjob.I’mjustreallyhappy.I foundgrowingup

quitestressfulinmanyways.I couldn’twaittogrowup.IfI couldI’dgo

backtomyyoungerselfandI’dtellhimtoslowdown.ButI couldn’twait

tobebig.

1980

THE YEAR CRAIG

TURNS 16

• Led Zeppelin drummer
  John Bonham is found
  dead aged 32


• Israel and Egypt
  establish diplomatic
  relations

•    CNN,   the first   24-hour 

news channel, is

launched

The     BBC Radio   6    Music  Festival    takes   place   March   6-8.    Listen  on  

6 Music and BBC Sounds. Watch on BBC iPlayer, with highlights

on BBC Four. The Craig Charles House Party is on BBC Radio 2 on

Saturdays,  10pm-midnight.      The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show

on  is  on  BBC 6    Music  on  Saturdays,  6-9pm

Interview: Jane Graham @Janeannie

For     more    interviews  see bigissue.com/letter-to-my-younger-self

Photo:

BBC/Dean Chalkley