Peter Kay: Clinton Baptiste 'forever grateful' — peter kay gave Lowe the green light
Alex Lowe says he is eternally grateful to Peter Kay after the comedian allowed him to keep playing Clinton Baptiste following the end of Phoenix Nights, and peter kay's permission helped kickstart Lowe’s stand-up career. The character, first seen on Phoenix Nights, has become a sustained live act and a touring draw.
How Clinton Baptiste began
Alex Lowe found fame as psychic Clinton Baptiste on the iconic Northern comedy Phoenix Nights. The character was only in Phoenix Nights for about five minutes, but that brief appearance proved memorable: “The character was only in Phoenix Nights for about five minutes, but people loved him. ” It has now been 25 years since Phoenix Nights first aired.
Peter Kay gave Lowe the green light
Lowe says Peter Kay gave him the green light to carry the Clinton Baptiste character beyond the television show after the Channel 4 series ended. He said: “I owe Peter a lot. He was very kind to let me keep playing Clinton. He could have easily said no, but he didn’t. I’ve got a lot to thank him for. ” He also noted the pair remain friends: “We speak from time to time. I’ll always listen to anything Peter says. He knows exactly how to pitch something. All his gags work beautifully. There are only certain people I will listen to and he’s definitely one of them. ” He starred alongside Peter Kay, who continues to give him advice to this day.
Developing Clinton for stand-up
Over the past two decades, Alex has developed Clinton to make the character work for stand-up shows. “I’ve given him a history and developed him quite a bit. A lot of people have got on board with it and that’s really gratifying. I’m delighted people are still interested. ” Playing a character allows Lowe to use near-the-knuckle humour: “People can forgive you if you’re a character. Clinton is a buffoon and that gives me the chance to say the most stupid things. I can be ironic. ” Fans of Phoenix Nights will know he’s already loved doing cheeky gags.
Tour success and audience readings
Alex regularly does nationwide live shows as Clinton and they go down a storm with fans. His most recent tour has been such a success it has been extended. He told audiences it will be “old fashioned fun” and said: “I’m not reinventing the wheel. There are tonnes and tonnes of jokes in it. I’ll be doing more readings with the audience. ” For details on the tour visit clintonbaptiste. com
Lowe on nerves and return
Lowe admits he still gets nervous on stage: “I get incredibly nervous. I always hope it’ll get easier but I’m still finding my way. And the older I get, the more nervous I get. ” He also expressed hope about Phoenix Nights returning but was clear there is no certainty: "I have no idea if there will be more. Every year someone mentions something. I would love to do it. If they ever made it, I’d be gutted if I wasn’t in it. It would be lovely if it came back. ”
(Image: talkSPORT/Twitter)
Across interviews and appearances, Alex Lowe repeatedly credits Peter Kay for the chance to keep Clinton Baptiste alive beyond that original five-minute role and for ongoing guidance as the character has been transformed into a sustained stand-up phenomenon.
