Gyles Brandreth Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman

'Childhood holidays. Oh, the anticipation seemed endless.

'The holiday itself - well, it was over too quickly.

'So, in this series, I'm going

'to be reliving those wonderful times

'with some much-loved famous faces.'

THEY SCREAM

'Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises

'to transport them back in time.'

Oh, look!

SHE GIGGLES It's just as I remember!

'We'll relive the fun...'

LAUGHTER

'..the games...'

BOTH: Yes!

We got them!

'..and the food of years gone by...'

Yum-my!

-Welcome to 1959.

-Total happiness.

-Yes, perfect.

'..to find out how those holidays around the UK

'helped shape the people we know so well today.'

Bruce Forsyth.

AS BRUCIE: Yes, marvellous, Len. You're still my favourite.

'So buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.'

You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you.

'On today's trip down memory lane,

'I'm heading to the south east of England,

'where I'll be collecting our mystery holiday maker

'in an original Volkswagen Beetle.'

There we go. Oh-ho, we're off on a journey. It's an adventure.

HE LAUGHS

The person we're going to meet today

has got one of the sharpest minds in the country.

And here he is as a youngster.

Oh, what a lovely, chubby chappie he was.

He was born in Germany in 1948

and moved to London when he was three years old.

Look at that cute, little face.

He grew into a flamboyant man

and absolutely multi-talented.

He dazzled us as an author and a broadcaster,

he showed off his dodgy taste in knitwear every morning.

Guessing today's guest could be a real...

conundrum.

And talk about a renaissance man!

In the '90s, he was even elected an MP.

But these days you'll probably know them for one show -

The One Show.

You must have it by now.

There's only one person fits that description.

It's good old Gyles Brandreth.

And I'm picking him up in an exact replica of the car

that he used to goon his first holidays in.

I can't wait.

Gyles is a one-of-a-kind brain-box on the telly-box.

His mum, Alice, was a renowned teacher,

specialising in helping children with dyslexia.

His dad, Charles, was a legal officer with

the Allied Commission in Germany.

After moving to England as a toddler,

he graduated from Oxford University

and found success at everything he turned his hand to -

writing, theatre and even politics.

He married his wife, Michele,

but didn't tell his parents for two years, the cheeky chappie!

He's now living in London, a dad of three, and a grandad of seven.

I'm hoping Gyles will share a bit of his wisdom with me today.

I just hope I make it on time!

Five for timekeeping.

I'm so sorry I'm late.

You are forgiven on this occasion.

This car doesn't appear to have sat nav.

It seems to have got everything else.

-I recognise this car.

-Do you recognise it?

I genuinely recognise this car.

This is an amazing treat.

-This is an original Volkswagen Beetle.

-Correct.

And this is exactly the car that my parents had in the 1950s.

And the reason I know it is

is because of this bit at the back, here.

This is where I travelled when I was a child on holiday.

-Yes, there. Where you put the luggage.

-Yeah.

And I would stand there all the way from London to where we're going.

If I wasn't standing there, I was sitting on my dad's knee.

-Literally, I drove with my dad.

-Sitting on his lap.

This could be the car, except it's in rather too good condition.

-Isn't it marvellous?

-It's wonderful.

Now, tell me, where are we going to head for?

We are going where I went with my parents on holiday.

To Broadstairs in Kent.

What year was it?

The year we are going to go is the summer of 1955.

Ah, Broadstairs, I know it well.

Your typical British seaside town.

It's in the south east of England

on the Kent coast,

in an area known as the Isle of Thanet.

Nestled between those giant resorts, Margate and Ramsgate,

little, old Broadstairs is truly a picture.

Less than two hours' drive from London

and with a population of 25,000,

it's home to seven unique sandy bays

which have been enticing visitors for two centuries.

Legend has it that the name derives

from the 11th century staircase carved into the chalk cliffs.

Gyles came here as a seven-year-old in 1955

and today I'll be taking him back on a nostalgic journey through time,

bringing him face-to-face

with some of his fondest childhood holiday memories.

That's the way to do it.

And this is where I discovered Billy Bunter.

Oh, no, I say! Oh, I say, you chaps!

-That music...

-Right.

-..he would play,

and I would be dancing crazily all over the stage.

And we'll see just how much Broadstairs influenced him

to become the man we know and love.

Everything that I've ever done in my life had its roots

here in those summer holidays in Broadstairs.

And today isn't special for Gyles alone.

My parents used to bring me to Broadstairs, too,

so it's an adventure for both of us.

Before any holiday truly begins, first you must set out on a journey.

Whether by plane, train or automobile,

we've all experienced those hours of anticipation, just waiting to

get to the promised destination you've been dreaming of all year.

For those travelling by car in 1955,

the trips could be long, not to mention hot!

So kids had to keep themselves entertained somehow.

No DVD players in Gyles's day!

Would you say you were a well-behaved passenger?

-We played games.

-Lovely.

All the way from West London.

And what I remember best... Do you know the game "Donkey"?

Basically, what you've got to do is not finish the word.

So I'll begin a word. D.

-P.

-No, no, no. There's no D-word that begins with D-P.

-Oh, I see.

-It's a spelling game.

-Oh, I understand. OK.

-We'll start again.

-Start again. Go on.

-D.

R.

I.

You could win this and force me to enter the word. D-R-I.

-B. B.

-B?

-Yes, B.

Oh, I like it. B - I know what you're thinking of.

-B.

-L.

-I.

N.

G.

-Dribbling.

-Yes.

-Already.

We haven't started the day and I'm already dribbling.

That means that I've lost.

We used to do a similar game called "Sevens" and you mustn't say seven.

-Oh, very good.

-Or 17, or multiples of seven.

What do you say instead?

-HE HONKS

-..or any noise you like.

OK, good. Do it?

-Yeah.

-BOTH: One.

-You go.

-One.

-Two.

-Three.

-Four.

-Five.

-Six.

GYLES HONKS

-Eight.

-Nine.

-10.

-11.

-12.

-13.

LEN HONKS

-15.

-16.

-17.

-Oh!

-Aargh!

'Oh, yes, we certainly knew how to have fun in those days!

'Anything to while away the hours.

'For Gyles, the 80-mile journey from West London

'would seem to take all day,

'but Broadstairs was worth the wait.'

Oh, look. We're here in Broadstairs.

We're actually arriving in Broadstairs.

This is perhaps too exciting for us. And I know this hill so well.

-And down there's the Pavilion On The Sands.

-Yes.

-And there's the Albion.

-We occasionally came here for tea

but this was really quite grand. This was the posh place.

-This is the posh place.

-Yeah.

We've only just arrived

and it's already bringing back memories for Gyles.

He came here in 1955 as a seven-year-old

and the world was a very different place back then.

Winston Churchill was still the Prime Minister, God bless him.

He resigned that year due to ill health at the grand old age of 80.

Rock 'n' roll was just about to break into the mainstream.

Bill Haley And The Comets had meteoric success with

Rock Around The Clock - an absolute classic.

MUSIC: Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley And The Comets

Not only that,

but 1955 was the year that Scrabble was launched in the UK.

It'll come as no surprise to hear that wordsmith Gyles

is a big fan of the board game.

But did you know he used to be

president of the Association of British Scrabble Players?

There's no end to this man's talent!

To begin our day in Broadstairs,

I've brought Gyles to the focal point of all holidays here,

then as now.

-Viking Bay.

-Let's have a look.

Oh. It's unbeatable, isn't it?

This is where Gyles' holiday of his lifetime begins -

a golden, horseshoe-shaped stretch of sand,

with a promenade and a small harbour.

It's barely changed in 60 years.

Gyles, why is Broadstairs so special for you?

It's not just special for me.

It was special for my whole family.

And the reason for that is

that my dad used to come here to this very bay for his holidays

and he came as a boy for his holidays

because his dad had come for his holidays in the Victorian times.

So it was a Brandreth family tradition -

the summer comes, we're going to Broadstairs.

And was it a two-week, you know, nip down and have a week here,

or was it...?

It was two weeks for my dad. It was the whole summer for me and my mum.

We would spend six weeks here and...

Staying at a guesthouse somewhere over there.

And we'd walk all the way down, all the way along there, past...

and then we'd come under this York Gate down onto this beach and

then my mother would ensconce herself on the beach for the entire day.

She'd sit there for the whole day. And I would then...

That would be my basic... You know, I'd keep coming back to her.

But you could wander about freely.

And I promise you, age six, I could go away for a couple of hours.

Broadstairs has always prided itself on providing wholesome

family entertainment to distinguish itself from other resorts.

Holiday-makers came in their thousands,

and I was one of them.

-Did you come to this beach as well?

-All the time.

And I'm sure that our paths must have crossed.

Broadstairs has relied on the tourist trade

since the Victorian era.

Today, holiday-makers bring more than £230 million

into the Isle of Thanet every year.

'Back in 1955, the dozen or so souvenir shops did a roaring trade.

'A bucket and spade would set you back a shilling -

'a week's pocket money.'

What do you think? Hello, sailor.

You look a little bit Germanic, actually.

You wanted a bit more jaunty. That's a bit more...

Do you know, there's a film with Cary Grant, looks very...

-There you are.

-..can I say, very like you?

-Shall we take the beach?

-I think so.

-Here we go.

-A couple of swells.

THEY LAUGH

'Don't worry, I'll pay for them later.'

Broadstairs has existed for almost 1,000 years

but it's gone through a few changes in that time.

In the 18th century, the coastal bays were used by smugglers

to hide their ill-gotten goods.

But by the mid-19th century, wealthy tourists had started to arrive

in search of the fresh sea air.

Tourism started to thrive and the town began to grow.

In its heyday, up to 5,000 sun-seekers

would cram onto this beach at the height of the summer.

Gyles would spend the whole day playing here,

while his mum, Alice, kept her eye on him

from the safety of a deckchair.

Ralph Hoult is a local historian

and what he doesn't know about Broadstairs isn't worth knowing.

Back in the 1700s, when Broadstairs was a little fishing village,

it was known as Bradstow, which is the Anglo-Saxon

and it meant "broad place".

Around about 1800, they changed the name to Broadstairs

and with the arrival of the railway

it brought thousands and thousands of visitors in Victorian times.

The great attraction was the sea water because, in those days,

they thought the sea water was a wonderful cure for any

ailments that you might get.

Probably the most famous visitor ever to come to Broadstairs

has got to be Charles Dickens.

In 1847, he actually had a famous visitor

and that was Hans Christian Andersen.

They were great friends and they actually met up here.

Two of the greatest European writers

holidaying together right here in Broadstairs -

who'd have thought it?

It was the Victorians that made Broadstairs

the holiday destination that it is today,

and the locals haven't forgotten it.

-BELL RINGS

-Welcome to beautiful Broadstairs

where the sun always shines!

I've roped in the local Charles Dickens Fellowship

to help me show Gyles

what the town would have looked like in their day.

Well, almost!

Well, I know this isn't exactly the '50s...

This is the 1850s!

This is your grandfather's...

This would be my great-grandfather, I think.

-He'd have looked more like this gentleman here.

-Peter.

'Peter Shaw is the Chairman of the local Dickens Fellowship

'and, as well as being an expert on our great 19th century author,

'he has another very special connection.'

I have the privilege of living in Dickens House Museum.

He was wined and dined in there by a lady called Mary Pearson Strong,

who became the model of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield.

And did he write one of his famous novels here in Broadstairs?

He wrote quite a few parts of various novels but the one

that's closely associated with Broadstairs is David Copperfield.

Why did he come to Broadstairs so often?

Well, because he felt that Broadstairs offered him the solitude

that he needed to recharge his batteries and write the books.

He called it "Our English Watering-Place"

and wrote a small booklet about it

because he so enjoyed the tranquillity here.

Words and literature have played a huge part in Gyles's life.

That's why I've brought him here to find out if that passion all

stems from the time he spent in this tiny town on the Kent coast.

When I was a little boy, I think I already wanted to be a writer.

And my father loved Dickens.

He would read from Dickens to us so all of this was very alive

and I felt, walking the streets of Broadstairs,

I'm walking in the footsteps of the greatest English novelist,

who's world-famous.

And, even as a little boy, that felt good to me.

I mean, in our grandfathers' day, Dickens was hugely famous.

-Indeed he was.

-So when he arrived in the Broadstairs,

people know Mr Dickens is in town.

That's right and that's one of the reasons why he stopped coming

in 1851, because he was so famous and popular

that he was never left alone on his holidays so he decided to go afar.

It's rather like travelling round Broadstairs with Len Goodman.

-Absolutely.

-Can I tell you that?

I mean, you know, I thought I'd come for a quiet day at the seaside,

reminiscing about Broadstairs,

and it's Strictly this, Strictly that,

"Oh, Mr Goodman" this, "Oh, Mr Goodman" that.

Why do you think they're still hanging around?

And they've come dressed in the kind of kit he really likes, you know.

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-I think they look fantastic. They really do.

'This is what the Victorians would have been wearing

'as they enjoyed their summer holidays on the beach.'

You can touch me if you want.

-Ooh!

-THEY LAUGH

ALL: # Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside

# Oh, I do like to be beside the sea

# Oh, I do like to stroll along the prom, prom, prom

# Where the brass bands play Tiddly-om-pom-pom. #

CHEERING

Well done!

Broadstairs has been attracting visitors since the 1800s

and not much has changed since then.

There's plenty to discover here and I've picked out ten attractions

to ensure a good time for any holiday-maker.

This part of Britain is renowned for its wonderful white cliffs,

and Botany Bay is one of the best examples.

These spectacular chalk towers dominate the view

and have been eroded over 100 million years.

To mark Broadstairs' connections to Charles Dickens,

the town continues to remember the man and his works.

There's a week-long celebration every June

that's been running since 1937.

The local Dickens Fellowship throw garden parties,

literature recitals and theatre productions.

The Viking Coastal Trail is a cycle route spanning 32 miles,

taking in some of Kent's most spectacular scenery.

Legend has it that the Vikings first landed in Britain 449 AD,

and the route takes in a replica of a Viking boat at nearby Pegwell Bay.

Part of the magic of any childhood holiday

is the excitement of staying somewhere new -

the sights, sounds and smells of those hotels, motels and campsites.

In 1955 Broadstairs, there were nearly 200 guest houses,

boarding houses and hotels, spreading back from the bay.

Families would rent a room for as long as they could afford,

sometimes for the whole summer.

They could expect to pay around six or seven guineas

for a standard room for a week.

That's about £150 in today's money.

And, of course, that would include

both a breakfast and an evening meal -

an absolute bargain.

Nowadays, it would set you back about £500.

It usually fell upon the landlady to do the cooking and the cleaning,

bringing in that much-needed cash during the holiday season.

And this is the kind of place where Gyles would have stayed.

I hope it brings back some wonderful memories.

Well, here we are.

Now, what do you think? Is this the sort of place?

I think this is exactly right.

When I was quite small,

I shared a room with my mum, or even with both my parents,

and they would be in the big bed

-and there'd be a little sort of divan in the corner for me.

-Right.

This, I suspect, is the bathroom.

-En... Yes.

-En suite.

We didn't have en suite in our day, we had "tout de suite" -

a chamber pot. In the bedside cabinet.

-No wandering around the corridor...

-Out there?

-..in your pyjamas.

Oh, no. Just a little chamber pot if you needed to use it.

In 1955, it was rare to have a bathroom that you weren't

sharing with other holiday-makers.

And hot and cold running water was a major selling point

for these guest houses.

What I remember most, what this room is suddenly bringing back to me,

is lying in bed, reading.

Reading is good, isn't it?

And I think I discovered that staying in guesthouses like this

when I was a little boy. Just curled up all cosy.

I was allowed three comics a week when I was on holiday.

The Dandy, the Beano and the Beezer.

And this is where I discovered Billy Bunter. Wonderful.

The exploits of Frank Richards' antihero were popular with

young boys for the first half of the 20th century.

Starting in print in comic strips, novels

and then a BBC television show,

Bunter wasn't usually what you'd expect of a lead character.

If you please, sir, it wasn't me.

-What? What was not you, Bunter?

-That cake, sir.

Stout, greedy and untruthful,

often coming under rebuke from the headmaster of Greyfriars School.

Bunter, you are a greedy and untruthful boy.

As boys in 1955, we loved it.

Oh, no, I say! Oh, I say, you chaps!

Oh, I mean, it was more, sir,

the wind that came and blew them out of the window, sir.

Bunter! Bunter, what are you up to now?

-Oh, it was only a little cake, Sir. Oh! Oh!

-Go and see Matron!

Hee-hee-hee-hee!

And Bunter had a very important connection with Broadstairs.

So I loved Billy Bunter because I saw him on television every week

and then I discovered that Frank Richards,

the man who created Billy Bunter, actually lived in Broadstairs.

And I persuaded my mum for us to find out where he lived -

Rose Lawn, Kingsgate on the edge of Broadstairs -

and we went in search of Frank Richards.

-Stalking.

-We stalked him.

I didn't shake his hand but I saw him in his garden.

I mean, it was like a modern child,

a Harry Potter fan seeing JK Rowling in the flesh.

-And there she is.

-And there she is.

And there was the man, Frank Richards, who'd created my...

Oh, crikey! I say, you chaps!

I mean, I used to... In fact, I think one of the reasons...

I've often wondered why we never stayed in the same guesthouse

two years running and I think it was probably

because of my Billy Bunter impressions.

-I say, you chaps! Oh! Oh, no! Oh! Oh!

-Bunter! Put that cake down!

-Oh!

No holiday experience is complete without sampling the local food.

The memories of those tastes, smells and textures stay with us for ever.

In a 1955 Broadstairs guest house,

meals would be taken in the dining room,

which was up and running from the crack of dawn.

What would you have had for your breakfast?

We always had what is now called a full English.

-But I took that completely for granted.

-Yes, of course.

-There was...

-There was no croissants.

-What's a croissant when it's at home?

-I mean, we... Such a thing was not heard of.

-Yes.

-For me, breakfast would have been a fried egg...

-Of course.

-..some bacon...

-Lovely.

-..a bit of fried bread.

Ah, now, may I slip in the sausage?

Oh, you may slip in the sausage.

Now you mention it, I think a sausage was part of the diet.

Once breakfast was finished,

families would head out in search of adventure,

but they'd all be back at six o'clock prompt for their dinner.

I enjoyed evening meals but I was clearly quite a restless child

-and I think I was a little bit precocious.

-Yeah.

And I remember one of the guesthouses where we stayed,

the people who ran the guesthouse, two bachelors,

they very sweetly invited me to help wait a table. And they...

-What, silver service?

-Silver service. Can I show you?

-I can still...

-I'd love to. Can you do it?

I have not attempted to do it in nearly 60 years.

I wish I had a napkin.

Today, Gyles is serving the typical fare

he would have enjoyed as a boy - boiled meat, potatoes, and two veg.

So, basically, the main thing was courtesy.

And you always looked and you smiled

but you never looked as if you were hoping for a tip.

He said, "The moment they think

-"you're looking for a tip, you won't get one."

-Right.

And, of course, I knew you had to serve from the left.

You collect the plates from the right, you serve from the left

-and you say, "Mr Goodman, some carrots?"

-Yes, please.

And create a picture on the plate.

-Cabbage, yes.

-A little bit of cabbage.

-Yes.

There we are. How's that? Is that a picture?

That's truly a picture. Thank you.

And the trick was to be ingratiating but not too ingratiating.

I did find that a bit difficult, as you can imagine.

-Just one slice of beef, thank you.

-Just one slice.

-No gravy for you, sir?

-No, I like it dry, thank you.

I think I was paid half a crown a week. Two and sixpence a week.

And then I would go to the side of the room

and I would stand like this,

waiting and not listening.

You've got to make it clear you're not listening. But since there

-was always silence in the room, it didn't make much difference.

-Yes.

And then, of course, you know, if I was wanting another potato,

-would you be over?

-I'd be over. I'd anticipate your every want.

Another potato, sir? Oh, yes. Thank you so much.

In 1955, Broadstairs had established a reputation

as a place to go in search of rest and relaxation,

and thousands of holiday-makers flocked to the beaches.

Sylvia Blogg arrived in town as a teacher all those years ago,

and has stayed ever since.

Broadstairs was tranquil.

Much quieter than a lot

of the surrounding seaside resorts.

There was nothing brash about it.

It hasn't changed a great deal.

It's kept its character, more so than a lot of holiday resorts.

A lot of people come because they like the quiet atmosphere.

The relative calm of Broadstairs,

compared with its brash neighbours Margate and Ramsgate,

made it the perfect destination for families.

There was so much to do for a little boy like Gyles,

and one thing in particular caught his eye.

Punch and Judy is perhaps the best known

of all traditional seaside entertainment.

The first recorded performance took place

in London's Covent Garden in 1662.

The shows were originally intended for adults

but the Victorians changed all that in the 19th century,

moving it out of the taverns and halls

and onto the beaches at places like Broadstairs.

This is Smokey The Clown.

In 1955, he had the job of running Viking Bay's

very own Punch and Judy show.

THEY CHEER

Hold him still!

Mums would give Smokey a shilling then boys and girls would sit and

watch for half an hour, enraptured by the antics of Mr Punch.

Hello, Smokey. I've come to say goodbye.

-Cheerio. Bye-bye.

-Ta-ra.

See you again next year.

He's someone both Gyles and I remember all too well.

Well, as a special treat, I know you're a big fan of Punch and Judy,

and we've set up a special showing.

It's a beautiful theatre, isn't it?

Perfect. Let's have a little look.

Ah.

-Hello!

-Hello! Hello!

PUNCH GIBBERS

I love Punch and Judy. There's something very - even though it's

-actually a European tradition - something very British about it.

-Yes.

-Did you enjoy it?

-No. I was scared.

-Cos it's quite vicious, isn't it?

-It's violent.

-He's actually got a stick and he's going around beating her.

-Yeah.

'Punch and Judy acts like this one date back over 300 years

'and they've left a lasting impression

'on British comedy to this day.'

This is the origin of slapstick.

That is a slapstick. It's a slat...

Two slats, and it makes the noise of a slap. Listen.

SLAP

-it's introducing sex and violence to four-year-olds.

-Yeah.

Whoa-ho-ho!

-I'm sorry, they didn't have this.

-No!

-I'm sorry, they did not have this in 1955!

-No.

-There was no kissing.

-No, there was bashing.

THEY SING GIBBERISH

We were quite happy with quite simple pleasures.

Do you know who I am?

Are you Simon Cowell?

No, I'm not Simon Cowell.

LAUGHTER

'A Punch and Judy performer is known as a Punchman or a professor

'or, in this case, Ben Hasker.'

-Oh!

-Oh!

-Oh!

-Oh!

Would you like a shake of the hand? There you go.

We'd love to shake the hand. That's the way to do it.

-SQUEAKY:

-That's the way to do it.

-That's a wonderful puppet. Isn't it

strange the way they actually modelled the look on Bruce Forsyth?

It's a funny idea given it was actually done in the 17th century.

I suppose he was around then.

-And have you got a swazzle in your mouth?

-It is a swazzle, yeah. Yeah.

The famous secret.

A swazzle is a tiny metal gadget

that's hidden in the roof of Ben's mouth

and works a bit like a whistle.

Punch and Judy professors like Ben are notoriously protective

of the device that gives their star his distinctive sound.

-Have you ever swallowed one?

-A few times, yes.

And I always say that if it gets stuck you'll end up talking

with a squeaky voice for ever. Yeah.

Either that or you don't really want to use it after it comes out.

Well, no, a Punch and Judy man gave me one to use once and he said,

"It's one of my favourites." He'd swallowed it several times.

He said, "At least I know where it's been."

The main reason for the use behind the swazzle was because

the Punch and Judy man would just have to stand there shouting all day

so because your swazzle projects so well, it saves your throat.

For the Mr Punch voice you have the swazzle

but for the other characters you don't.

How do you manage to shift the swazzle?

It'll just sit on top of the tongue in the roof of my mouth

so when I need to use it for Mr Punch it's just

a case of pushing my tongue up into my mouth like this...

So, off you go, Mr Punch.

-SQUEAKY:

-# Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside. #

-NORMAL:

-And then I can talk.

And that works very well cos a lot of the children say to me,

"How do you do the other voices apart from Mr Punch's?" And I say,

-"Well, it's just me putting on a stupid voice."

-Oh, well.

Mr Punch, it's been a pleasure.

Do you know, this is turning into one of the great days of my life?

I mean this. To actually come

face-to-face with a traditional Mr Punch.

-That's the way to do it. Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

Visitors to Broadstairs

can still enjoy an old-fashioned Punch and Judy show today.

But away from Viking Bay

there are plenty of other activities to savour.

In 1940, this part of Kent played a major role in defending

the nation at the Battle Of Britain.

RAF Manston is just five miles from Broadstairs

and it's from here that some of our heroic pilots took to the skies.

Now it's home to a wonderful museum which celebrates the men, women

and planes that kept the enemy at bay and Great Britain safe.

Just two miles from the centre of town lies beautiful Kingsgate Bay,

home to a 150-metre beach and some wonderful sea caves.

18th century smugglers used the caves to hide their spoils.

But the only people who use the beaches nowadays

are clever holiday-makers!

Broadstairs is home to an historic ice cream parlour.

When Morelli's first opened on Victoria Parade in 1932,

it was the first of its kind to serve over 20 different flavours.

One place that played a central role in Gyles' holiday was

the magical Pavilion On The Sands.

Opened in 1933,

the Pavilion became the focus of live entertainment in the resort

and, in the 1950s, Cecil Barker and his orchestra were the headline act.

Cecil was a grand celebrity in a local setting -

a violinist that thrilled audiences with his virtuoso performances.

A flamboyant entertainer, he and his orchestra would perform

requests from a repertoire of over 500 songs.

He never achieved fame on a global stage

but here in Broadstairs he was a superstar.

'In 1955, Gyles and his mum would come to watch Cecil play.

'Now I've brought him back to see if this is the place that inspired him

'to become the performer we all know and love.'

Well, Gyles, does this evoke any memories?

This is at the heart of my childhood.

There was a small stage over there where Cecil Barker

and his trio performed tea music during the day

and in the evenings there were shows.

And this was his empire.

I can see him now.

He used to wear a carnation,

but not on this side, as you or I would,

but on this side because he played the fiddle

and he didn't want to crush the flower. I remember that vividly.

And sometimes, as a tribute to him, all these years later,

if I'm wearing a flower, I wear it on this lapel.

Well, I've got a little surprise for you.

Mack, press play.

'Now, in this next piece, we shall hear the violin of Cecil Barker.'

UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS

-Isn't that wonderful?

-Isn't that lovely?

-It's his own band and he conducted, and from the fiddle.

-Yes.

-Which you don't often see.

-No.

I'd never seen it before and I haven't seen it since.

Cecil Barker was the star of my childhood

and you have now heard why. Don't you agree there was something...

-Oh, there was.

-..magical? There was an energy and excitement.

-Yes.

-He would come down, right down to you.

-Oh, yes. A showman.

He could play the crowd.

And I would sit here with my mum,

three nights a week we came throughout the summer.

And we came carnival night, novelty night, children's night.

And I always took part, obviously, in children's night.

Children were invited up from the audience.

That...that music, he would play,

and I would be dancing crazily all over the stage,

aged six, seven, eight.

And by the end of the season, Cecil Barker knew me quite well.

It's a wonder he didn't give you a fee. Yeah.

I think he'd have given probably a fee to go away.

I think I must have been an absolute pain.

It was my introduction to live entertainment.

But what is lovely with that music, the energy.

It's full of energy and verve.

I'm so glad we got an opportunity to look at this place.

UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS

'Clearly the Pavilion On The Sands was a magical place in 1955.

'It played host to thousands of guests every summer,'

leaving fond memories for those

who were lucky enough to see it in all its glory.

And Gyles wasn't the only one to find inspiration

between its four walls.

Malcolm McMillan was lucky enough to play with the great Cecil Barker.

Well, I came to Broadstairs when I was about seven years old.

I used to listen to the music

that wafted from this pavilion onto the beach, because it used to carry.

I heard Cecil Barker playing his music

and I eventually wanted to do the same myself and a job came up here.

I was halfway through my last year at college

and I thought, "I'm going to apply for that."

And I got it.

I had the chance of playing along with him.

Seven evenings a week and five afternoons.

It's a great, fun job to do and I couldn't believe my luck.

I was the youngest by 30 years.

I had my 21st birthday party on this stage here.

And Cecil presented me with a card and a cake and we had a...

a nice afternoon. It was great fun and a great privilege.

There's so much to see and do in Broadstairs and the Isle of Thanet.

Three million people come every year to enjoy an area

that has treats and surprises around every corner.

The bandstand in Victoria Gardens was built in 1952

and plays hosts to musical and theatrical performances.

Overlooking Viking Bay, it has the best view in Broadstairs.

The renowned engineer Thomas Crampton

was born here in Broadstairs

and the local Crampton Museum is dedicated to his life's work.

In 1851, he installed the underground telegraph cable

between England and France,

allowing long-distance transmitting and receiving of messages.

It was the first of its kind in the world.

He also played a major role in Britain's railways.

A local legend.

Broadstairs hosts a fabulous annual folk festival every August.

Over 500 acts descend on the town

for a week-long celebration of music and poetry.

But it's not all about folk, with performances of a wide range

of genres including blues, reggae and even techno.

Now for my personal favourite Broadstairs attraction -

the Palace Cinema.

A veritable hidden treasure, this 50-year-old

picture house has been restored to its former glory by owner

Colin Jay, complete with a traditional cinema organ.

Colin regularly treats crowds to the music of films gone by.

Oh, magic.

'Gyles Brandreth has had a most varied and prolific career.

'A modern day Renaissance man.

'We've seen how Broadstairs played a role in influencing Charles Dickens,

'but I want to know just how much it inspired Gyles

'to become the personality we know so well.'

Did the experiences like the Pavilion give you

the drive to become an entertainer?

I think, to be honest,

everything that I've ever done in my life probably began or

had its roots here in those summer holidays in Broadstairs.

I mean, I've spent my life as a sort of entertainer, as a writer

and as a politician, and all those things, in a way, began here.

I mean, I loved Cecil Barker, the Pavilion On The Sands,

I also went to the Bohemia Theatre here in Broadstairs,

and dressed up to take part in the fancy dress parade

over at the bandstand over there. You know?

-And do you remember my woolly jumpers?

-Of course I do, yeah.

From Countdown.

Well, clearly, I've obviously liked dressing up over the years.

So, yes, my love of show business, entertainment, began here.

What, actually, made you want to become a politician?

I think, to be serious, it had always been an ambition of mine.

My wife said to me,

"You can't go into politics until our children are teenagers

"because politics and family life don't mix." So eventually I

became an MP in 1992 and I was an MP until the people spoke.

I went into it with the best intentions.

I wanted to make the world better place.

We haven't really touched on another string to your bow.

Your writing.

My love of writing adverts began here, reading Billy Bunter,

reading, more seriously, Dickens.

And then eventually I became a writer.

And I've written novels. I'm now writing murder mysteries.

I've actually written one murder mystery partly set in Broadstairs.

So, whatever the theme is, I can tie it into Broadstairs.

It's my kind of place.

The book I've just finished is about genuine happiness

and coming back here today has reminded me that happiness,

it's actually just feeling that all's right with the world.

-Things are as they should be.

-Yeah.

And, in Broadstairs, things are always as they should be.

You know, one of my feelings about happiness,

it's sometimes something you realise in retrospect.

The next day, you say, "Oh, that was such a great day."

And I think it's so important that you are aware that you're happy

while you are happy.

What's pleased me is that I thought maybe it was just nostalgia,

that I remembered through rose-tinted spectacles

that it was as good as it was

and, coming back here, I realise I did have a happy childhood.

-This is a magical, little place.

-It is, isn't it?

And, you know, we've been beside the seaside

-and thank goodness we haven't got our feet wet.

-Perfect.

-That's the way to do it!

-Yes, that's the way to do it!

It's been great reminiscing with Gyles

about his favourite childhood holiday...

Argh!

..reliving the sights and the sounds of those wonderful days gone by.

Viking Bay. It's unbeatable, isn't it?

-That's the way to do it.

-That's the way to do it.

Oh, no, I say! Oh, I say, you chaps!

It's clear to see that, for Gyles,

Broadstairs carries a very special resonance 60 years later.

Cecil Barker was the star of my childhood

and you have now heard why.

Well, Giles, as a little memento of your time spent here in Broadstairs,

I would like to give you your Holiday Of My Lifetime scrapbook.

A picture book of memories

from Gyles's time spent right here in Broadstairs.

And, bearing in mind how fondly he remembers the great

Cecil Barker, I've got an extra special surprise for him, too.

-What year are we in?

-1955.

And here is an original programme

from 1955

-of Cecil Barker.

-Oh!

-Is this for me?

-That is for you.

Oh! Oh, how lovely.

This is really, really lovely.

This really is very special indeed.

-And I was here.

-You were there. Yeah.

Look at it! There is the great man.

Oh, this is wonderful. I'm thrilled with this.

Thank you very much. What a...

This is a very, very special present.

I shall treasure this.

I shall really treasure this.

How wonderful.

May I just say it's been a real pleasure to have met you

and to have had this little trip with you?

-Well, it's been more than a trip down memory lane.

-Yes.

It's been a very special day for me.

So, farewell to Broadstairs, a small town with a mighty presence.

Bringing Gyles back on the holiday of his lifetime has been

a very special day for both of us.