An evening to remember and loads of laughs as John Bishop visits
It was certainly a night to remember when John Bishop performed at Ossett Town Hall on Wednesday.
The Scouse comedian took to the stage after a two year-long social media campaign to bring him to the town.
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Hide AdBoth performances were sell-outs and gave Mr Bishop a chance to meet many of the Ossett community who made the shows possible.
And he was even involved in a couple’s engagement live on stage.
Writing on twitter afterwards, he said: “Thank you Ossett - two shows in one night and both just as good as each other. Thank you all for coming - I know everyone in the town now!”
In a Facebook live video he also congratulated local couple Tom Newham and Rebecca Firth, who were part of the town hall’s staging and lighting team for the event.
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Hide AdHe said: “Rebecca and Tom got engaged. He came on stage and asked her to marry him. Lovely. Not a dry eye in the house.”
The event was the brainchild of resident Howard Lawton, who launched the ‘Unofficial: John Bishop at Ossett Town Hall’ Facebook page two years ago, to encourage him to perform in the town.
He and his wife Debbie secured the backing of more than a thousand members of the community who liked and shared the page.
Fans queued for up to six hours, through the early hours of the morning, to get their hand on tickets for the shows.
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Hide AdAll 1,000 of them sold out within ten minutes of going up for grabs in March.
Mr Lawton said: “It was absolutely superb. Everybody was in good spirits. It’s probably the biggest thing to have happened in Ossett for years.
“John Bishop really enjoyed it as well. He said he had been looking forward to it.
“I think it was quite a unique event for him to do two shows back to back.
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Hide Ad“He talked a bit about the Facebook page and joked around about us selling tickets through local shops, claiming we must be the only place that doesn’t use the internet!
“I think he was quite moved that people had queued so long and so early to get their hands on a place actually.
“The community came together to have a really fantastic time in Ossett and each and every one of them did.
“We are now hoping that other famous faces will follow in John’s footsteps. It’s the start of big things for Ossett.”
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Hide AdLynn Edmondson, a carer for disabled people at Ossett’s York House residential home was among those in the audience. She was first in the queue when the first tickets for the show went on sale, bagging her place at 3am.
And she queued for a second time when the second batch were released to get tickets for two disabled people and carers from her workplace, who were unable to wait in line.
Local businesses rallied round to give her a day to remember ahead of the show. She received a new outfit, hair, makeup and nails pampering sessions, flowers, food and drink.
Debbie Squires, of Squires Family Deli, helped to organise the treat.
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Hide AdShe said: “Lynn said she felt as special as she did on her wedding day. She was so emotional. She loved it and the community loved doing it for her.”
Mr Lawton thanked everyone who came together to help organise and run the event as well as John Bishop for visiting.