0:00:02 > 0:00:05Childhood holidays? Oh, the anticipation seemed endless.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08The holiday itself? Well, it was over too quickly.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10So in this series, I'm going to be
0:00:10 > 0:00:14reliving those wonderful times with some much-loved famous faces.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17BOTH SCREAM
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises
0:00:20 > 0:00:23to transport them back in time.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Oh, look! It's just as I remember! SHE LAUGHS
0:00:26 > 0:00:29We'll relive the fun...
0:00:29 > 0:00:31BOTH LAUGH
0:00:31 > 0:00:32..the games...
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Yes! We got 'em!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37..and the food of years gone by...
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- Yummy! - Welcome to 1959!
0:00:40 > 0:00:44- Total happiness. - Yes, perfect.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..to find out how those holidays around the UK helped shape
0:00:47 > 0:00:50the people we know so well today.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- Bruce Forsyth?- Yes, marvellous, Len, you're still my favourite!
0:00:54 > 0:00:57So buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on me holidays with you.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06On today's journey through time,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09I'm picking up our mystery holiday-maker
0:01:09 > 0:01:13in a fabulous '73 Mercedes E-Class Saloon.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15They don't make 'em like this any more.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19When I think of the guest I'm going to meet today,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21I can't help but smile.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I'll tell you why, because he's always smiling.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Look at him here as a young pup.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33He was born in Wandsworth, London, in 1957.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Look at that cute little face!
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Want more clues?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Well, how's this for starters?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43His first appearance on TV was as an actor
0:01:43 > 0:01:46in that iconic programme Red Dwarf.
0:01:46 > 0:01:52Get ready, get steady, his career really started cooking on gas
0:01:52 > 0:01:57when he stared in a new food programme in 1994.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02And that show became a hit around the world.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Over the decades, he's had his fingers in many pies
0:02:07 > 0:02:12and he's won many awards, including TV Chef of the Year.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Yeah, you got it,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18it's that super friendly chef,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22the man with the biggest smile on TV, Ainsley Harriott.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24LEN LAUGHS
0:02:24 > 0:02:27And I'm going to be picking him up in a car his dad used to drive.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30I tell you what, I can't wait to see his face.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Oh-ho, Ainsley, I'm on my way!
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Len...he's always late, ain't he, eh?
0:02:36 > 0:02:38It's now 11!
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Ainsley grew up with his brother and sister
0:02:43 > 0:02:45in Wandsworth, south-west London.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47His mum, Peppy, was a nurse
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and his dad, Chester, was a renowned pianist
0:02:50 > 0:02:53who played jazz clubs up and down the country.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56His parents split up when Ainsley was eight
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and he stayed in the south with his mum and siblings.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Like his dad, he's no stranger to an audience.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05He's had small roles on stage and screen,
0:03:05 > 0:03:10including a 2010 tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13But of course, we know him for his kudos in the kitchen.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Ainsley has served up top-class tucker
0:03:16 > 0:03:19at exclusive hotels like the London Hilton,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22not to mention Lord's Cricket Ground,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and he's even cooked for royalty.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29I want Ainsley to share some of his recipe for success with me today.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34LEN WHISTLES AINSLEY LAUGHS
0:03:39 > 0:03:42You always have such style, don't you, mate?
0:03:42 > 0:03:46You really are just... Come here, let me give you a cuddle.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48BOTH LAUGH
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Fantastic! - Now, do you recognise the car?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Well, my dad had something very, very similar to this.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55This really takes me back.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57- This is just full of history for me, you know?- Yeah.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Well, where we going? - We're going to Blackpool.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- What's the year?- 1974.
0:04:03 > 0:04:061974!
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Len, I've got to say, it's a very, very special time.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12- It's the one time that I saw my dad perform.- Oh, really?
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Yeah. So I want to go back there, back to the Winter Gardens.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- I've been hundreds of times, ballroom dancing.- Have you really?
0:04:18 > 0:04:20- Let's go, then.- Come on!
0:04:20 > 0:04:22LEN LAUGHS
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- Blackpool!- This is lovely!
0:04:24 > 0:04:26- Look at it!- Thank you.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Blackpool, the nation's favourite seaside town.
0:04:32 > 0:04:3550 miles from Manchester in England's north-west
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and sitting between two fabulous old resorts,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Morecambe and Lytham St Annes,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45it's been attracting visitors since the 18th century.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50Its seven-mile sandy beach is as much a draw now as it was then,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53but there's much more to the town these days.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56It has three fabulous Victorian piers,
0:04:56 > 0:05:01a world-famous amusement park and, of course, the iconic Tower.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Blackpool has a worldwide reputation as the place for a good time
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and over ten million people come every year.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Today, I'm taking Ainsley back to relive those glorious days
0:05:16 > 0:05:20when he first took a train and headed north to see his dad,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23enjoying the thrills and spills
0:05:23 > 0:05:26of the nation's greatest seaside resort.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28BOTH SCREAM
0:05:28 > 0:05:30And I'll find out how Ainsley felt
0:05:30 > 0:05:34watching his father perform to enraptured audiences.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37'The cool man himself - Chester Harriott.'
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And to see how much the holiday in Blackpool
0:05:41 > 0:05:45helped shape him into the TV personality that we know today.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Before any holiday truly begins,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54first, you must set out on a journey.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Whether by plane, train or automobile,
0:05:56 > 0:06:01we've all experienced those hours of anticipation,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04just waiting to get to the promised destination
0:06:04 > 0:06:07you've been dreaming about all year.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12And for Ainsley in 1974, it must have been especially exciting,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15as he was on his way to see his dad at work,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18performing on a Blackpool stage.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21He took the three-hour train from London to Manchester,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24where his dad met him in his fancy car.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26So when you got off the train,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28there was your dad to pick you up, was he?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Yeah, in one of these.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- And it was very posh in those days, Len.- Of course it was.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36You know, driving a Mercedes then was...
0:06:36 > 0:06:38It really was a statement.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- Just all the lovely wood and panels and everything around.- Yeah.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45- It was really lovely.- Did you stay in a hotel or in a guest house?
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Oh, no, my dad rented a house for the duration of the summer season.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51It was slightly out of town,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53because if you were a performer and in the middle of town,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55people would come and want your signature,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57- which slowed you down even more. - That's right.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59A quick picture's all right,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02but, you know, he was a big star at the time here in Blackpool.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Did you come up for a couple of weeks or a day or two?
0:07:05 > 0:07:06No, couple of days.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09People say to me, "Where did you go on holiday?"
0:07:09 > 0:07:12We actually didn't have that many holidays,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- because that's when my dad worked. - Yeah.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Most of our holidays were spent on the park,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- playing football or tennis with your mates.- Yeah.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22So it was very different, you know -
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- to have a summer holiday was something quite special.- Yeah.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27So you came up for a couple days,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30and I guess in the evenings, when your dad was performing,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32- you were sitting there watching him, eh?- Oh, yes.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36He'd open up the floor, Len. He'd say, "What do you want to hear?"
0:07:36 > 0:07:37And people would shout stuff out
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and he'd just go straight into his repertoire.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Isn't that a wonderful talent? - I felt so proud, you know.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- Even now, it's... - "That's my dad up there."
0:07:47 > 0:07:49- That's my old man.- Yeah.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Well, now, look, we're coming in now to Blackpool itself,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- Blackpool proper.- Yeah.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56You know, whenever I've visited Blackpool,
0:07:56 > 0:07:57whether it's on a train or car,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- I was always looking out for the Tower.- Yeah.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- You know, cos you know... - Look at that.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- There is over there. - There it is.- Yeah.
0:08:05 > 0:08:06Oh, wow!
0:08:06 > 0:08:09It's getting really nostalgic now.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Blackpool. Here we are, then.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15When Ainsley came to Blackpool in 1974,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18the world was a very different place.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21The nation was in turmoil, as miners went on strike
0:08:21 > 0:08:26in protest at the government imposing a three-day working week
0:08:26 > 0:08:30and then President of the United States, Richard Nixon,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34was forced to resign after the famous Watergate scandal.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36..whether or not their President's a crook.
0:08:36 > 0:08:37Well, I'm not a crook.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39MUSIC: Tiger Feet by Mud
0:08:39 > 0:08:44And the soundtrack to all this was glam rock.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Mud with the unforgettable Tiger Feet.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50# That's Right, that's right, that's right, that's right,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53# I really love your tiger light
0:08:53 > 0:08:55# That's neat, that's neat, that's neat, that's neat
0:08:55 > 0:08:58# I really love your tiger feet
0:08:58 > 0:09:01# I really love your tiger feet. #
0:09:01 > 0:09:03It was the best selling single of the year
0:09:03 > 0:09:07and sold over a million copies around the world.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18This is the start of Ainsley's Holiday Of His Lifetime,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Blackpool's famous golden shores,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23stretching from Fleetwood in the north
0:09:23 > 0:09:26to Lytham St Annes in the south,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28and overlooked by the historic Tower.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33It's absolutely breathtaking and completely unmistakable.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Coming here for the first time at the age of 17,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Ainsley must have been bursting with excitement!
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Oh, the sea air!
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It just kind of hits you, that fresh air and...
0:09:44 > 0:09:46One morning you're in south London
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- and then you're here, Blackpool! - I know.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51One side, you've got the marvellous Blackpool Tower.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Up there, you've got the Big Dipper. You couldn't wait to get there.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58- You almost quickened your step. - You didn't know where to go first. - BOTH LAUGH
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Cos that Blackpool Tower, I mean, that's iconic.- Yeah.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- People really identify, Blackpool signified holiday.- Yeah.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07And when you came here, people really were on holiday -
0:10:07 > 0:10:10the beach was packed, you got the bracing sea air.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- I just remember deckchairs, donkey rides.- Yeah, of course.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- And I do remember lots of handkerchiefs.- On the heads?- Yeah.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- With little knots in the side.- Yeah.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20Well, you know what was funny?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23People used to plop up on the beach in a deckchair,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- but very rarely would they take their shirts off.- I know.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28And they'd have their sandals on with lots of socks.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Yeah, that's right, in case they burnt. Oh, yeah.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- Love it!- I love it. You're taking me back here, now.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36You're taking me back.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Blackpool is world famous as an entertainment resort,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42but it hasn't always been that way.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46In the early 18th century, Blackpool was a small coastal hamlet
0:10:46 > 0:10:49with a population less than 1,000.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52But the expansion of Britain's railways
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and the opening of a new road in 1781,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59brought visitors in search of the fresh sea air.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02And they kept on coming.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07In the 19th century, the Victorians built the three grand piers
0:11:07 > 0:11:10that sweep into the sea from the promenade.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12The Tower soon followed.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16And in 1896, Alderman William George Bean
0:11:16 > 0:11:20founded a new attraction - the Pleasure Beach.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23The early rides brought visitors in their thousands
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and the amusement park continued to grow throughout the 20th century.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30FAIRGROUND MUSIC
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Today, it's the most popular tourist attraction in the country.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41Spanning over 40 acres, it's home to over 40 different rides,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44including ten roller coasters,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47the oldest of which is The Big Dipper.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And when Ainsley came to Blackpool in 1974,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53he couldn't wait to ride it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56I remember being genuinely excited. You did in those days.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- Of course you did. - As a kid, you'd go to the funfair
0:11:58 > 0:12:00and it was like, "Argh!"
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Now, look, I've got to be honest, I am a brave person.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Now, I don't know if you are. You up for having one go on it?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Just the one.- One lap.- Just the one.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11You just want to see my dinner, don't ya?
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- BOTH LAUGH - Come on, let's do it!
0:12:13 > 0:12:16When the Big Dipper was built in 1923,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18the country had never seen anything like it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Thrill-seekers reached speeds of 40mph,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26and the main 50ft drop was the biggest of its kind in Europe.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Now, does this take you back to when you came as a kid?
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Oh, absolutely. It was the great ride, yeah.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35I remember coming on this one, I used to love that mouse one.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- Oh, the wild mouse or whatever. - Yeah.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- Yeah.- I used to love that, too. - Yeah.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- "Do not stand up." We can't move! - We can't!
0:12:43 > 0:12:45We're wedged in like sardines!
0:12:45 > 0:12:48- BOTH LAUGH - I can't even breathe out!
0:12:48 > 0:12:49BOTH LAUGH
0:12:49 > 0:12:51It's been lovely to have met you.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Yeah. I think we'll have a high-five there.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- BOTH LAUGH - Good luck!
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- Oh.- Oh.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Let's just admire the view.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02- It's very nice.- This will be...
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- I don't want to look down. Just calm. This is nice.- Yeah.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09I think it's all building up to this little bit now.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- I'm not looking.- What little bit?
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- No! - BOTH SCREAM
0:13:18 > 0:13:19BOTH LAUGH
0:13:21 > 0:13:23When Ainsley was here in 1974,
0:13:23 > 0:13:27the Big Dipper was the biggest and the best.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Nowadays, it's all about the Big One,
0:13:29 > 0:13:31which, at over 200ft,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34stands taller than everything apart from the Tower.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37But there's no chance of getting me on that -
0:13:37 > 0:13:40it's three times as high as this!
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I'm not doing that again! You can have another go.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45I feel like a teenager.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47BOTH LAUGH
0:13:47 > 0:13:49The way you were screaming.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- I need a Valium. - BOTH LAUGH
0:13:52 > 0:13:53Release us!
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Ainsley, I don't have to worry about yours, but how's my hair?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58BOTH LAUGH
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Oh! What are you like?!
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- How brave?- That was fantastic!
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- Thanks for that. Wonderful memories. Beautiful.- Oh!
0:14:06 > 0:14:09OK, now let's go on that really big one now. Come on, we're warmed up.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11APPLAUSE
0:14:13 > 0:14:17And the chefs today are Ainsley Harriott and Brian Turner!
0:14:17 > 0:14:21In 1994, Ainsley was catapulted into the public's consciousness
0:14:21 > 0:14:27when he first appeared on the hit BBC TV show Ready Steady Cook.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Can you smell hair burning, Fern?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I went to get the pepper and I nearly lost... Look! Singed!
0:14:32 > 0:14:34He started out as a guest chef,
0:14:34 > 0:14:39on hand to turn £5-worth of ingredients into a delicious meal,
0:14:39 > 0:14:45but in the year 2000, he took over as the host of the show himself.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to Ready Steady Cook.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Great food coming your way courtesy of our chefs.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54The programme came to an end after 16 years in 2010,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57but it's still what Ainsley is best known for today.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01OK, you've got one-and-a-half minutes to go.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Blackpool has the highest concentration
0:15:05 > 0:15:08of roller coasters and fairground rides in the UK.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13So its reputation as a noisy seaside town is well earned.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15But there's much more to discover
0:15:15 > 0:15:20and I've picked out ten attractions to ensure a good time.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Blackpool's iconic Grade-1 listed tower
0:15:22 > 0:15:25has been standing proud since 1894.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30The 69-second lift ride travels 315ft to the top,
0:15:30 > 0:15:35with views as far as North Wales and the Lake District on a clear day.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39The Tower underwent a £20 million refurbishment,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44reopening in 2011, and now boasts a Skywalk attraction
0:15:44 > 0:15:47with glass five centimetres thick,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51giving visitors a floor-to-ceiling panorama.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55From great heights to small sights -
0:15:55 > 0:15:59the Blackpool Model Village is built to perfection.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Established in 1972, this award-winning attraction
0:16:02 > 0:16:05is to be found in two and a half acres,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08making it the biggest little village in Lancashire.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11One inch is equal to one foot, which means
0:16:11 > 0:16:13if they were to build Blackpool Tower,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17it would have to stand 43ft high.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19No trip to Blackpool is complete
0:16:19 > 0:16:22without a good old-fashioned stick of rock.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26These sugary sticky sweets were sold at fairgrounds
0:16:26 > 0:16:27in the 19th century,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31but back then, it wasn't lettered or as flamboyantly coloured,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34like the seaside rock we know and love today.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Craftsmen of candy cooking are known as sugar boilers,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and local manufacturers give demonstrations to the public
0:16:41 > 0:16:42all year round.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Ainsley came to Blackpool in 1974,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56when his dad was a big star on the local entertainment circuit.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00He played in the vast Winter Gardens complex,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04which houses a ballroom, theatre and music hall.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08It's played host to the biggest names in music and entertainment
0:17:08 > 0:17:14for over a century, and in the '70s, Chester Harriott owned the stage.
0:17:14 > 0:17:20Local historian Barry Band knows the story of this place inside out.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23In the late '40s, some shows expanded.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26There were superstar concerts.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Names like Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Frankie Laine, Nat King Cole.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36In 1953, when Frank Sinatra made his second visit to the Opera House,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40the main supporting act was Chester Harriott
0:17:40 > 0:17:45and his name appears on several programmes in the 1950s,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48supporting big international acts.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Now I'm bringing Ainsley back to the Winter Gardens
0:17:51 > 0:17:55to relive the moment when he saw his dad on stage
0:17:55 > 0:17:58for the very first time.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Well, the Winter Gardens.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03This hasn't changed much, but this is such a wonderful building,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05- it really is. - So where was the Planet Room?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09I'm going to show you now, because it's now called the Arena.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11But that was the Planet Room,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13where your dad used to perform nightly.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- Yeah, yeah.- And you went to see him...- Seasonally.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18- And for the season.- I know.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23In the summer of 1974, Ainsley's dad was the principal performer
0:18:23 > 0:18:27in this room, playing to packed crowds night after night.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33This was Chester Harriott's empire.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- Oh, it echoes.- Yeah.- Haunting.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- Get a little tingle standing here. - Yeah.- This is unbelievable.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46I'd never seen my dad perform before. This was his job.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- Suddenly, to see him there... - Yeah. Must have been so proud.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53I tell you what, it's making me feel a bit emotional now,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56because, you know, I lost him last year
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and to think that I saw Dad up on here...
0:18:58 > 0:19:01He came out here and he commanded the room and people...
0:19:01 > 0:19:02HE CHEERS
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Chester Harriott suddenly was on stage.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08He had all the gold rings, all the chains.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10He just looked the business.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Standing there, "Hello, ladies and gentlemen."
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- And the hands would go up and down. - Giving it all that.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18- And a little one over the top. - I know, exactly.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20HE IMITATES A PIANO
0:19:20 > 0:19:22People sometimes say to me, "How come you're like this?
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- "How come you've got all this flair and everything?"- And the old...
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Exactly. That was me dad.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29And my mum was always a bit of a Nina Simone girl,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31with her big bum in the kitchen, shaking it,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33cooking and stuff like that.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34And then me dad - the combination,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36I've got the shake and the...you know.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- Yeah.- Everyone says putting salt was like my dad playing the keys.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Ainsley's dad Chester was born in Jamaica
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and came to the UK at the age of 17.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48He studied music at Trinity College,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51before embarking in a lifetime on stage
0:19:51 > 0:19:56and he met and performed with thousands over a 40-year career.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57In the 1970s,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Renee Devereaux was a singer working at the Winter Gardens.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05She performed during the evenings and matinees, earning £20 a show.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- Hello, Renee.- Nice to see you, darling. Nice to see you.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14She remembers Chester all too well.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- You used to like my dad, didn't you? - I thought he was wonderful.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- Marvellous.- Oh, dear.- I saw him...
0:20:20 > 0:20:23The first time I saw him, I was only a teenager,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and then I ended up working with him.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Renee would join Chester on the stage
0:20:29 > 0:20:31during his flamboyant shows,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34playing to a full house night after night.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I remember all the tables being here,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40people sat down and Dad was up on stage.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44And of course it was absolutely packed, thriving.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Really packed to the hilt. Not an empty seat, really.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- They all wanted to see him, didn't they?- Oh, yes, yes. Brilliant.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Well, the proof of the pudding is the fact
0:20:53 > 0:20:56that he was here for ten years and if it didn't work,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- he'd have done one season and been gone.- And off, yeah.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04I can imagine it. I know I wasn't privy to it,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07but I can imagine the tables round, the place is packed,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10people are coming back from the bar, getting drinks,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12there's your dad up there.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16- He shone on the stage. He was good. He was marvellous.- Just wonderful.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17Plenty of charisma.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I've been saying to Len about opening up the room, saying,
0:21:20 > 0:21:21"What do you want to hear?"
0:21:21 > 0:21:24And literally, people would just throw a song back at him
0:21:24 > 0:21:27and he'd just play it and sometimes songs that I'd never heard of before,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31but he just had that in his locker and he would just come out with it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33And of course the women would come up, they'd be crying,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35they wouldn't let him go.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- They'd squeeze him like this, "Oh, Chester."- Kisses, kisses.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- Can you imagine that? - He developed a very big following.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Did he really? All right, then. I'll believe you.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- Better not talk about... - Better not talk...!
0:21:48 > 0:21:51In the '70s, Blackpool's entertainment industry
0:21:51 > 0:21:52was at its peak.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Tourism was the town's main source of income,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and the reputation for fun-filled evenings
0:21:58 > 0:22:01brought visitors in their droves.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04As a result, the industry was a major employer,
0:22:04 > 0:22:09as the venues put on bigger and more extravagant shows.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12The star turns needed support in the form of session musicians,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and of course dancers.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Local girl Sandy Griffiths worked the stages of Blackpool
0:22:18 > 0:22:21in the '70s, and remembers those days vividly.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24I worked in the Stardust Gardens, that was in the Winter Gardens.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26There was about...22 girls,
0:22:26 > 0:22:28there was a lot of girls, gorgeous costumes.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32We used to dance on these pasarelas and there were speciality acts
0:22:32 > 0:22:34and we used to have great audiences.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Oh, it's always been the entertainment capital of the North,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39we've had such a variety of shows here.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Something that suits everybody.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Great stars came to Blackpool, even the up-and-coming stars
0:22:45 > 0:22:48made it here and then they went on to be bigger stars.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Blackpool was buzzing. It was a place where...
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Everybody loves to feel the atmosphere of Blackpool, as they do today.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Chester Harriott left an indelible mark on Blackpool
0:22:59 > 0:23:01in his ten-season stay here.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Ann Lightbown is a local archivist,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07and has some very special memorabilia from that time.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Look, that is absolutely bang-on there. You can see...
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- Because the stage is at the top there now, isn't it?- Yes.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18But it used to be on the side. Wow. Just look at that.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19And this with all the people.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23And all of them seats were taken.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Well, there, you can see it's absolutely jam-packed.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- Is that my father there on stage? I don't know.- Let me have a look.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- You can't tell, can you? - I've got a good feeling...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- Cos there's two pianists here.- Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39And I've got a good feeling that this one facing us
0:23:39 > 0:23:42could well be your dad.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45The one thing I have got here...
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Top of the bill.- Look at that!
0:23:49 > 0:23:53- A Smile, A Song, A Piano.- I know.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58- Now, this is really interesting - he married her.- Did he really?
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Well, it's all there. - He married The Magical Claudine.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04I now have a half-sister called Donna.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06The Magical Claudine.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10She's going to be so thrilled to see that. Look at that.
0:24:10 > 0:24:11- You can see the ring on here.- Yeah.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14And look, all the lovely gold and stuff like that.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18They called him the Black Liberace there, he was very striking.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19Look at this. Oh, Dad.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Well, I've got one last little surprise for you.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25- Oh, yeah?- Well, it's not as...
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- it's not as big a surprise, but I think you will like it.- OK.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32All right, then. What's this going to be this time?
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Let's just imagine there's your dad up on the old bandstand there
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and this is what would have happened.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- RECORDING:- It is the cool man himself, Chester Harriott.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- APPLAUSE - Thank you very much.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45PIANO INTRO
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Remember this, girls?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49# Give me your smile
0:24:49 > 0:24:52# The love light in your eyes... #
0:24:52 > 0:24:55- I love it.- It's great, isn't it?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04# Give me your smile
0:25:04 > 0:25:08# The love light in your eyes
0:25:08 > 0:25:13# My world for ever The sunshine of your smile. #
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Oh, fantastic.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19# Give me your smile... #
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- Eh? Isn't it lovely? - You made me smile, Len.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- That is lovely.- Now...
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- That is so, so nice. - It's lovely, eh?
0:25:28 > 0:25:30# Oh, yeah! #
0:25:30 > 0:25:32APPLAUSE
0:25:34 > 0:25:38With 16 theatres and over 50 music venues,
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Blackpool's reputation for live entertainment is unparalleled,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46but there's much more to this tremendous town
0:25:46 > 0:25:48than the bright lights.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Away from all the razzle-dazzle of the promenade
0:25:50 > 0:25:54is the Grade-II listed and award-winning Stanley Park.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00Built in 1926, the park boasts 250 acres of wonderful gardens,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04enchanting lakes and some magnificent architecture,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06influenced by the Art Deco movement.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12The multimillion-pound regeneration of Blackpool's seafront
0:26:12 > 0:26:15has reinvigorated the town's historic attractions.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22In 2011, the 20,000 square foot Comedy Carpet was unveiled
0:26:22 > 0:26:24in front of the Tower
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and features lines from more than 1,000 comedians
0:26:27 > 0:26:29and comedy writers,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33a fantastic homage to those who have made the nation laugh.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41The North Pier was opened in 1863.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47A fishing jetty was added in 1866 and extended three years later,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51bringing the pier's length to nearly 1,500ft.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56Fantastic vistas of Blackpool unfold with a walk to the end,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and the Sun Lounge offers a perfect view
0:26:58 > 0:27:01of the sun setting over the sea.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10No holiday experience is complete without sampling the local food -
0:27:10 > 0:27:13those new tastes and textures, so different to home,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16transform our palate for ever.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19When Ainsley came to Blackpool in 1974,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22there could be only one thing at the top of the menu -
0:27:22 > 0:27:25a traditional seaside fish and chips.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28And his dad used to take him to his favourite place.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32This is the famous fish and chip shop.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Now do you think this could have been the one that your dad
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- used to bring you to? - It could have been.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40You know, I don't think it was as flashy as this outside.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Well, let's go in and see what's...
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- and see what's cooking!- What are you like? What are you like?
0:27:46 > 0:27:50- It's one a minute.- Oh, lovely.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Come on. Look.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56- Now this could have been the place. - So your mum did a bit of cooking?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Oh, she did more than a bit of cooking,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01because showbiz friends would come round, so she wanted to show off.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04And that's where I developed my skill from, because she put
0:28:04 > 0:28:07everything on it and decorate it a little bit and cut the...
0:28:07 > 0:28:10- Remember the tomatoes, you cut into a crown.- Oh, yeah.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And you'd open them, put a little bit of an olive or something
0:28:14 > 0:28:15- on top of it.- Bit of parsley.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Yeah, a bit of parsley. Do you know? Just little simple things.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20And it kind of gave us a joy,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22gave us a bit of appreciation of cooking.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Well, now, talking of cooking,
0:28:25 > 0:28:30I would imagine that you must be a dab hand at the old fish and chips.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- Oh, I don't mind.- You... - Oh, yeah.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Kim? Kim? Could Ainsley give it a go?
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Are you going to have a go at it?
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I think I am going to have a go at it, Kim, that would be lovely.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43- Do you mind?- No, not at all.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45On today's menu, fresh plaice,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48caught this morning in nearby Fleetwood.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- You don't flour it here, do you, girls?- No.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53- Just straight into the old batter. - Yeah.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55There it is, straight in there.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57That's it. Make sure it's well covered there.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Then straight in there.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07- That's it.- I guess one of the tricks must be the lovely hot fat.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Yeah, you've got to get the temperature right.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12You want it hot enough so it actually creates a crisp,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16because the idea of frying, it creates a barrier around it.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Even like chips, it doesn't soak up the oil, you don't want to suck up
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- the oil.- No.- You just want to put it in there, nice, crispy batter,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24bang, it goes in that oil there and you're going to give that
0:29:24 > 0:29:27four or five minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30But this is a bit of plaice, four or five minutes and that'll be out.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31Fabulous.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Fish and chips is the classic seaside snack.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38There are more than 10,000 different chippies in the UK,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41selling almost 400 million portions a year.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43That's about six each.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45So after Ainsley's done here,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47I'll only be allowed another five all year!
0:29:49 > 0:29:50How did you get into cooking?
0:29:50 > 0:29:53You've left school, you'd look at you, you'd think,
0:29:53 > 0:29:55"Well, he's going to be a welder."
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Or a boxer! Yeah!
0:29:58 > 0:30:01I had this love, I had this passion, my mum was always cooking,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04my sister's gone into it, my brother was the main cook at home
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and so we all just felt comfortable in the kitchen.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08And that's why I always say to people,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10"Don't force your kids out of the kitchen.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13"I know it's hot water and hot fat and everything,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16"and it's a bit dangerous, sharp knives. Encourage them."
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Now, I'm going to speak to Kim before we finish.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21I want to know what she's going to give it out of ten.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Well, I know she's going to tell me it's curled.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Kim, come forward, please.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29- Kim...- Now have a look at what he's done there. What do you reckon?
0:30:29 > 0:30:30Mark it out of ten.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34It's unravelling now, Kim, come back in five minutes and tell me.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36- Seven.- Seven!
0:30:36 > 0:30:38THEY CHEER
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Well, the taste might get a ten from Len, who knows?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43I know. Well, we're about to find out there.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48- With chips or without chips, sir? - A few chips.- There we are.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50A few officer's pips.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52I think that's adequate for me.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- How about that? Is that enough? - More than enough.- Yeah?
0:30:57 > 0:31:00'Fresh fish and chips made by my old mucker Ainsley -
0:31:00 > 0:31:02'there's nothing better.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Give it a bit of...
0:31:14 > 0:31:17I'm telling you what, this is superb!
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Absolutely gorgeous.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- It's great.- Did you hear that, darling? It's great!
0:31:23 > 0:31:27I've got a job here, so I'll keep this on. Look, "Trainee."
0:31:28 > 0:31:29I'm all yours.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35- Bye!- Bye!- Take care. Bye!- Bye-bye! Thanks for the fish and chips.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Oh, you cooked that up beautiful. I know it was curly, but I loved it.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42AINSLEY LAUGHS
0:31:47 > 0:31:51Blackpool is world famous for its 500ft Tower,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53but back in the 1860s
0:31:53 > 0:31:56the main attraction wasn't on land, but over the water.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Blackpool's three piers
0:31:58 > 0:32:01were the first major manmade tourist attraction,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05and they brought visitors in the hundreds of thousands,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08helping cement the town's reputation
0:32:08 > 0:32:10as a first-class holiday destination.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15But each pier had to carve out a reputation for itself,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17attracting a different type of customer,
0:32:17 > 0:32:21as Blackpool's brainbox Barry Band explains.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Blackpool's always had big ideas.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28For example, by having three piers, two were obviously not enough.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32The first one, the North Pier, opened in 1863.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34But it wasn't an entertainment venue -
0:32:34 > 0:32:38it was a place for people to walk over the ocean.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44The Central Pier quickly became known as the People's Pier.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Would you believe that public dancing on the pier would happen
0:32:47 > 0:32:49at seven o'clock in the morning?
0:32:49 > 0:32:50What a novelty, eh?!
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Dancing at seven o'clock in the morning.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55The South Pier had a wonderful orchestra
0:32:55 > 0:32:59and two lovely halls on that pier.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02It became a place that people went to
0:33:02 > 0:33:05for classical and quaint entertainment.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16The individual reputations of the piers remain intact today,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19and many of the delights on offer haven't changed much
0:33:19 > 0:33:22since Ainsley visited all those years ago.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I've got to get a stick of rock. I'll treat you.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32I don't know why, I always go for the pink ones. That's pineapple.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34I'm going to have a stripy one.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38One of them, a big one, and a thin one.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40You've got to go on the pier if you come to Blackpool.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Well, I haven't done this for 30-odd years.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47The Central Pier has always been the liveliest of the three
0:33:47 > 0:33:51and it's here you'll find classic fairground rides.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55THEY WHOOP
0:33:55 > 0:33:56I'm coming to get you.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Where are you?!
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Dodgems have been going for nearly 100 years.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08The first ones were built in America in 1919,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12and Blackpool brought them to the UK two years later.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Don't worry, though, they're a lot safer these days,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18no matter how bad Ainsley's driving is!
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- That Len Goodman. - I'm 70 years old, you know?
0:34:31 > 0:34:35There's so much to see and do in brilliant Blackpool,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38but it's not all about thrills and spills.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41The town has a thriving arts scene to discover,
0:34:41 > 0:34:46and the Grundy Art Gallery has been at the heart of it since 1911 -
0:34:46 > 0:34:49cutting-edge work by Gilbert and George, Martin Creed
0:34:49 > 0:34:52and other provocateurs of recent British art
0:34:52 > 0:34:56are just as likely to be found here as the more traditional works.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00It's art for everyone and it's free to all.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Blackpool Circus first opened to the public in 1894
0:35:06 > 0:35:09and has never missed a season.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Positioned at the base of Blackpool Tower,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15the circus is considered to be the best in the country
0:35:15 > 0:35:19and features acts from all around the world.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23The seafront is famous for the fantastic illuminations
0:35:23 > 0:35:26that run from August to November.
0:35:26 > 0:35:31Over one million bulbs are used to deliver this spectacular sight,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35which has grown from its humble beginnings in 1879,
0:35:35 > 0:35:37when just eight lamps were used.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Over 3.5 million visitors
0:35:39 > 0:35:43flock to enjoy the illuminations every year.
0:35:43 > 0:35:48And there's only one place that can be at the top of my Ten From Len.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Think sequins and sparkle, think glitz and glamour -
0:35:52 > 0:35:54yes, it's the Tower Ballroom.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56It opened back in 1894,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59when dancing was forbidden on a Sunday!
0:35:59 > 0:36:03But over 120 years, the rules have been relaxed a little.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07The Ballroom has over 120ft of wooden floor,
0:36:07 > 0:36:11so there's plenty of room to trip the light fantastic.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16And with each magnificent chandelier containing over 80 bulbs,
0:36:16 > 0:36:20you can always remain in the spotlight
0:36:20 > 0:36:25as the 1935 Wurlitzer brings music to your ears.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Ainsley Harriott has had a wonderful career -
0:36:28 > 0:36:31as a chef in exclusive London restaurants
0:36:31 > 0:36:34and as a popular television personality.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38But I want to know how Ainsley's time here in Blackpool
0:36:38 > 0:36:41helped transform that wide-eyed 17-year-old
0:36:41 > 0:36:44into the nation's favourite TV chef.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Prior to making it, if you like,
0:36:49 > 0:36:54there must be a lot of hard work - working in kitchens, grumpy chefs.
0:36:54 > 0:37:00Grumpy chefs, not much money, you know? Started on £15 a week.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05My mates were earning double bubble, 30-odd quid a week and...yeah,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07it was, it was tough, it was hard.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10The reward was when someone turned round and said,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- "Fantastic food, chef."- Yeah, that...- I mean, it's like you.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Even if you're making beans on toast for your missus and you put it down
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- and she says, "Oh, I really enjoyed that."- And it makes you feel good.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21It makes you feel good.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Ainsley's hard graft as a young chef paid off -
0:37:24 > 0:37:28he went on to cook in some of the nation's most prestigious kitchens,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31including London's Dorchester Hotel.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36But his first big break on the small screen came in 1993.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39He wasn't cooking up a storm in the kitchen, though -
0:37:39 > 0:37:43he on spaceship three million years in the future,
0:37:43 > 0:37:47playing a character called the Chief GELF.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Now, as I understand it,
0:37:49 > 0:37:55- the first time you were on TV was as actor on Red Dwarf.- Oh, wow.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57That is fantastic, isn't it?
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I loved doing Red Dwarf, because the great thing about it, Len,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04is that when you arrive on a programme that is established,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07all the actors are established, they know their part so well,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09you just fit in, and again, it was great,
0:38:09 > 0:38:11it was one of those sci-fi programmes that...
0:38:11 > 0:38:15I still get stuff now and I still get invited to the sci-fi conventions.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17- Oh, do you?- Yeah!- Oh, lovely.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19They want to see me as the Chief GELF.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21- Course they do!- Yeah.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26Once Ainsley had tasted the glamour of TV, he wanted more.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28I think we all go through a period in our life,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30when you're in your 20s, when you're juggling,
0:38:30 > 0:38:32you don't quite know where you're going to land,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34what you're going to be doing.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Food was always a passion, I'd always had that in me,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and then the opportunity, Len, to be able to do it on TV,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42to share all the skills that I've trained to do -
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I went to Westminster Catering College and all that -
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- to share it with people in a fun way.- Yeah.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50You know, add a little bit of Percy Pepper and Susie Salt,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54this was what, you know, propelled me into their life.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56People say, "Ains, why are you all a bit...?"
0:38:56 > 0:38:59That was my dad. That's what I grew up with.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- Even though he wasn't there, it's in the genes.- Yeah.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05You can't replace that, you know? If it's there, it's there.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Did your dad get an opportunity to see you make it?
0:39:07 > 0:39:10- Get on TV? Ready Steady Cook? - He certainly did.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- Say, "That's my boy." - He certainly did
0:39:12 > 0:39:15and he came onto Ready Steady Cook with Brian Turner's dad.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Both of them have gone now, God bless their souls.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21But it kind of re-sparked it for him.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23He's my boy.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27'People would suddenly be in contact with him,'
0:39:27 > 0:39:29saying, "Is that your boy, Chester?"
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Do you know? It kind of really...
0:39:32 > 0:39:37kind of gave him a little bit of a buzz. And he loved that.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38Even when he went into a shop,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42I'd go up there and we'd go into a supermarket to get a box of tissues.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44It would take us two bleeding hours to walk around!
0:39:44 > 0:39:47"Oh, yes, hello!" He'd raise his voice.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- I'd be there.- "Do you know my son?" - Yeah!
0:39:50 > 0:39:52My dad says, "Embrace everything in life."
0:39:52 > 0:39:55So I embraced entertainment, I embraced cooking,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58- a bit of acting work - weren't very good at it, it doesn't matter.- No.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01When you work with the pros, they make you feel good, you know?
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- They just heighten your ability. Loved it.- Yeah.
0:40:04 > 0:40:05So, leaving that aside,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09I want to now talk about your experience coming to Blackpool.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Did it bring back all those memories of...- I think it was...
0:40:12 > 0:40:16- ..a teenager? - Yeah, it was nostalgic.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19You've made me kind of reconnect with my dad
0:40:19 > 0:40:22and how wonderful he was as a performer.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Going back to the Winter Gardens and just looking...
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Especially at that ceiling, that original ceiling
0:40:29 > 0:40:31and looking down and thinking, "You know what,
0:40:31 > 0:40:35"my dad performed here, he filled this room.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37"He made people feel really special."
0:40:37 > 0:40:40He gave them something that, you know,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44they carried through their lives and there's that lovely...
0:40:44 > 0:40:46There's that lovely saying that, you know,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50people forget what you did, people forget what you said,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54but people never forget the way you made them feel.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- Yeah.- You know? And I think my dad made them feel really special.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00When they left his show, you know...
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Yeah, there might have been one or two songs you might be humming
0:41:03 > 0:41:06or there might have been a funny gesture that he might have said,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08but they went away feeling good,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11they went away thinking, "I want to come back some more."
0:41:11 > 0:41:15It's been a privilege to relive such personal family memories
0:41:15 > 0:41:17with Ainsley here in Blackpool.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20HE LAUGHS
0:41:20 > 0:41:22His driving may not be up to much...
0:41:24 > 0:41:26..and he may not be as brave as he looks...
0:41:26 > 0:41:27THEY SCREAM
0:41:27 > 0:41:29Shut up!
0:41:29 > 0:41:33..but it's clear how much he cherishes the memories
0:41:33 > 0:41:37of watching his father perform on stage for the very first time.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40# Give me your smile
0:41:40 > 0:41:43# The love light in your eyes... #
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Isn't it lovely?- You've made me smile, Len. That's lovely, mate.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51After spending the day with Ainsley,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54it's easy to see just how much Blackpool means to him.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59Listen, it's been such a joy and I want you to remember this
0:41:59 > 0:42:02and so I've got a little keepsake for you.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05This is Holiday Of My Lifetime,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09a little scrapbook of different things that we've done
0:42:09 > 0:42:11during the course of the day.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Oh, thank you very much. Thank you. That's lovely.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17A picture book of memories
0:42:17 > 0:42:19from Ainsley's time in Blackpool.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22And keeping in mind how much this place
0:42:22 > 0:42:24harbours memories of his dad,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I've got an extra-special surprise for him.
0:42:27 > 0:42:32This is your dad's contract from Harold Fielding Ltd,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34from August 1965.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Oh, this is just brilliant.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38"Two concerts at the Opera House, Blackpool, on Sunday..."
0:42:38 > 0:42:42Oh, that's just great. That is great.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46That is fantastic, you know?
0:42:46 > 0:42:47He's gone now.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49This means so much. This is just brilliant.
0:42:49 > 0:42:54- This proves that he was on the top of his game.- Yeah.- Oh, thank you, man.
0:42:54 > 0:42:55Thank you so much.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Let me tell you, I've had so much fun.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00- Thank you, Len, thank you. Eh?- Eh?
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Thank you. I'm happy.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Thank you, Blackpool!
0:43:04 > 0:43:06THEY CHUCKLE
0:43:06 > 0:43:10So, farewell to the queen of all our seaside towns.
0:43:10 > 0:43:11For Ainsley Harriott,
0:43:11 > 0:43:16Blackpool will always be the home of some very special memories.