Where are they now?
With the recent news of the return of children’s favourite Crackerjack! we caught up with the much-loved former presenter and music hall star JAN HUNT
The phrase ‘Showbiz Trooper’ could have been coined with Jan Hunt in mind. While her big break came in 1973 when she successfully auditioned for popular children’s TV show Crackerjack!, London-born Jan, now 80, had been performing for most of her life.
“I had my first dancing lessons when I was just two and my first professional gig in the theatre when I was 11. I appeared in countless shows, musicals and pantos. I’d just come out of Showboat at the Adelphi Theatre, London when I auditioned for Crackerjack! The producer wanted me to start immediately so I went from the audition straight to the Crackerjack set. It was Christmas and the show was doing a version of Aladdin. “I remember one time when I was dressed up as Queen Victoria on Crackerjack! and the director wanted me to do something different so I had Her Majesty performing cartwheels. It was such a laugh both on and off set.”
During the six years Jan worked on the show, her colleagues included Don Maclean, Bernie Clifton and the late Peter Glaze. “It was enormous fun,” she recalls. “If there was a problem, we simply talked it out. We were like a big family as well as a tight, established team of performers. Bernie Clifton was a great prankster while Peter Glaze was a legend, having been in the show since 1960. He was such a professional. He could be a bit prickly at times but he gave me a very useful piece of advice. Although Crackerjack! was recorded rather than broadcast live, I would still get very worried about making a mistake – especially if the producer didn’t shout “cut” so we could go again. I’d get myself in a panic, thinking all the viewers would see it when the show went out. Peter said, ‘Whenever you think you’ve messed up but filming continues shout, ‘bum, poo’ and they’ll have to stop!’ I took the advice on a couple of occasions!”
When Jan left the show in 1979, her TV career continued with regular performances on The Good Old Days. “I’ve always loved Music Hall,” she says. “I’m steeped in it.”
So much so that when the Good Old Days ceased broadcasting on TV in the Eighties, Jan set up her own old time music hall company, The Paper Moon Theatre Company, which is still going strong. “We started our most recent tour in January,” she smiles. “I’m 81 but working as hard as I ever did. I’m in charge of the production but I still perform. I’m never happier than when I’m on stage. I’m also an associate producer at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds. I’ve had – and am still having – a fantastic career and I thank my lucky stars that I’m in good health. I still have a wishlist of things I’d like to achieve. More than anything I’d like to see my music hall show put on at the London Palladium. Retirement isn’t in my vocabulary.”
When she’s not working, Jan loves nothing more than spending time with her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.“My little grandson, who is four, has just appeared in his first commercial and so the gene has been passed on! My little granddaughter is just two. I spend as much time as I can with the children. I know they won’t be little for long and they bring such joy into my life.”
■ If you’d like to find out more about Jan’s old time musical company visit papermoontheatre.co.uk