Currently, Jim Whitley is touring as a singer with Crooners alongside Phil Barley and Roman Marek, with dates at Majestic Theatre in Retford (Saturday 7th March), Mercury Theatre in Colchester (Saturday 14th March) and City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds (Friday 20th March). Jim has toured for a number of years as Sammy Davis Jr. in Rat Pack – Swingin’ at the Sands, including appearing at West End’s Adelphi Theatre for A Swingin’ Christmas at the Sands, and he has travelled the world as a singer and supported the likes of Billy Ocean and Girls Aloud. Having previously been a professional footballer with clubs including Manchester City, Norwich City and Wrexham, and also played for Northern Ireland internationally, Jim has booked his first screen acting role as Coach Byrne in Jamie Johnson FC, with Series 3 having released in October last year on CBBC. We chatted to Jim about touring with Crooners and Rat Pack – Swingin’ at the Sands, being a professional football player and playing Coach Byrne in CBBC’s Jamie Johnson FC.
As a singer, you are currently touring with Crooners, what are you enjoying most about performing with the production and what is Crooners like to be part of?
Crooners is a wonderful production that has been touring for some years now with a nine-piece band and three singers. We all know each other really well and the show is never the same twice!!
How is it telling the story of Crooners and was there anything that originally drew you to the show?
Crooners isn’t really about telling the story of the crooners. The word “crooners” gives us scope to sing the genre of that music. We are essentially the last three remaining crooners on earth, and we are at the venue of choice to find a mate to keep the crooning line going. What happens in between is bedlam!!
Who do you think Crooners will appeal to and why would you recommend booking tickets?
What a lot of people don’t expect is the amount of comedy that is injected in between the songs. Audience members leave with a very big smile on their faces. Ordinarily, you would think of a slightly older crowd for Crooners, however, we’ve seen a much bigger influx of younger members coming to watch because of some of the slapstick and stupidity that happens on stage, which even kids seem to laugh at!
How was it taking on the role of Sammy Davis Jr. in Rat Pack – Swingin’ at the Sands and what were the musical numbers like to perform?
Well, the most asked for – and arguably my favourite – is Mr. Bojangles. It’s a wonderful storytelling song and always goes down well with the audience. Sammy Davis Jr., as a talent, is almost impossible to follow. I try and give an essence of his energy and dancing skills, with a mix of camaraderie with my other partners in crime – namely Frank (Sinatra) and Dean (Martin). The latter being possibly the best thing that keeps people coming back to watch the Rat Pack.
How did you find the experience touring for a number of years with Rat Pack and what was it like performing A Swingin’ Christmas at the Sands at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End?
Playing in the West End – or singing, rather – was something I heard a lot from singers. My early gigs were always with West End singers, and I learned a lot from them, especially when things go wrong. So when it was my turn to perform in the West End, it gave me a sense of professionalism, which is never rubber-stamped when you are a singer. People always react differently when they know you’ve been in the West End, and I’m glad I did it after so many years of gigging.
We understand you have travelled the world as a singer and have supported artists such as Billy Ocean and Girls Aloud; do you have any stand-out highlights from your music career that you can share?
There are so many little things that have happened along the way – like singing at Theo Walcott’s birthday bash, as well as Coleen Rooney’s (then getting kicked out). However, there is one thing that does stand out.
In our early days, our production values weren’t big. We toured with a four-piece band and three singers (the Rat Pack), and we went to Glasgow Concert Hall with 2400 people in there. We were threadbare on stage, but by the end, the whole place stood up for a standing ovation.
It was the first time I felt all my hairs stand at the back of my head. We all looked at each other and knew it was just one of those moments that only us experienced and may never happen again.
What is Coach Byrne like to play in Jamie Johnson FC and what has it been like developing the character across the three series released so far?
Playing Coach Byrne has been an absolute honour. I had so much to do in the first series that my brain was fried learning all the scripts!!! For me, once you read all the script, you can fully start to piece together the character. This, and also the direction from the directors, have helped shaped Coach Byrne!
With Series 3 of Jamie Johnson FC released in October last year, can you say about the show for those who haven’t seen it, and how would you describe Coach Byrne?
It’s a show that encapsulates the lives of kids going through academy football and the ups and downs of the demands that football has. This can be watched by adults as well as young teenagers, as the filming is done to such high standards!
What is it like working with CBBC on your first screen acting role and how has it been seeing the fan response to the show?
Working with CBBC and Strike Global (formerly Shirt Form Film) is like working with one big family. Having no screen experience, I’ve been welcomed with open arms and been shown the ropes. It’s been wonderful. I’ve started to get recognised from kids and the odd adult. I’m a bit of a hit in my daughter’s school, as they all watch it!
Have you had a favourite episode/storyline to work on in the first three series and how is it reading the new scripts for the first time?
I’ve enjoyed every bit of my screen time and football choreography with Jamie Johnson. Every time the camera rolls and trying to make it real is a wonderful experience. Learning scripts is not the easiest thing at my age! The kids keep you on your toes! It’s still one big learning experience, and I love it.
For many years, you were a professional footballer for clubs including Manchester City, Norwich City and Wrexham and internationally with Northern Ireland, what are some of your favourite memories from your time playing as midfielder before retiring from the sport in 2006 due to injury?
There are so many things I could talk about with regards to football – from World Cup winners I’ve played against to big stars I’ve shared the pitch with. However, in the most simple terms, my most favourite moment is my debut for Manchester City and Northern Ireland. They are moments that a lot of kids dream about, and it’s etched in my memory so clear it can’t be forgotten.
How have you stayed involved with sports over the years and what is it like bringing football to screens on CBBC with Jamie Johnson FC?
I fell out of love with football when we weren’t getting paid at Wrexham FC. I started getting back into it as my son grew older and then got into one-on-one coaching. I did my UEFA B Licence, and then Jamie Johnson appeared! My sister wrote for them and got me to audition. The rest is history, as they say.
How did you originally get into music, acting and football and how different do you find each?
When I moved over 10 years old to Wrexham, I joined the choir and sang until I was about 15. I stopped because football had taken over, as that’s all we did on the streets as a 10 year old growing up. I ended up going down the football route until I was about 30, when music started to come back into my life. That was the avenue I took. I suppose my time on stage helped get me my acting job on Jamie Johnson FC. All of the above are very similar: you get to become someone else on each of the stages – football, theatre and screen.
Do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch and sports to follow?
I have far too many favourite films to start to get into. I have these discussions with so many people and can’t narrow them down! I still follow football and a bit of golf, but football is the one that consumes most of my time.
You also work as an artist, can you tell us about this side of your career?
The artwork is something I’ve always done as a child growing up. Once I did my A-levels, I found I had a talent for portraiture. I managed to sell a portrait of a coach called Tony Book at Manchester City, and I continued to sell portraits alongside my football. It’s a lonely job, but it’s something I get a lot of pleasure from when you see them coming to life.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend my free time trying not to work! I’m only kidding – most of my time is doing all of the above. I like to be busy; it keeps the mind ticking over.
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