Erm.. VILE! Oh. My. God.
Have you ever used your
fame to get into a VIP area
(don’t you know who I
am)?
What is your favourite
moment from your career?
Winning Eurovision, without
question, as that was always my
ambition as a child.
Eurovision is like the
Olympic Gold of pop music,
so to win that was amazing.
Personally, though, my
favourite moment was
singing Mary’s Boy Child on
stage with my sister when I
was a teenager as that was
when I decided I wanted to
be on stage.
Comparing Eurovision to
the Olympics – no wonder
you’re such a legend.
What has been your
campest moment?
No! I can’t stand that. I hate it
so much. A really good friend,
who I love dearly, bought me
tickets for My Fair Lady at the
National. She said to me we
should go to the after-party, I
said “No, I haven’t been invited.”
saw broken on Record
Breakers?
Roy Castle did the longest wingwalk. They wanted me to do it
too. I tried for about 10 minutes
but it was hell. Roy was terrified
of heights but that’s how he dealt
with his fears – by facing them.
We both did the longest rope
slide, from the top of Blackpool
Tower, although that record was
beaten shortly after by the
Marines. We were both terrified.
I raise my hat to Roy – so many
of the records were about him
facing his phobias.
Why do you think the gays
love Eurovision so much?
❝I’m
like a
gay
man❞
but she just said “They’ll let you
in; you’re Cheryl Baker!” I
Again, winning Eurovision! And, remember when I was in Co-Co
when we did Christmas Top of
in 1977, I was in a restaurant
the Pops, I was dressed as a Pixie called The White Elephant on
for The Land of Make Believe.
the River – everyone went there,
When we sang “run for the sun”, it was the place to be. Davy
I was hoisted up in the air. It was Jones from the Monkees came
pure pantomime and fabulous.
in, and he was my idol, as that
was my era. They said “I’m
Flying pixies on Christmas
terribly sorry, Mr Jones, but
TOTP – 10 out of 10!
there are no tables.” and he
actually said “Don’t you know
What’s the most outrageous who I am?” and my heart just
thing a fan has ever said /
sank. He was my idol.
sent to you?
We love a diva, but we love an
Oh, that’s easy! I get hay-fever
unassuming one even more.
really badly and, one time, this
girl asked me for my tissue. I
What was the most
said “No! It’s full of snot!” She
breathtaking record you
I don’t know but I’m so glad
they do! They love everything I
love – musical theatre, pop
music, Eurovision. I’m like a gay
man. If I was a man, I would
definitely be gay.
Never change. Ever.
What does it mean to you to
be a gay icon?
It means I have a real loyal
following that say lovely things.
They call me Dame Cheryl,
which I love, even though it
sounds a bit old! Gays are very
happy to wear their heart on
their sleeve. If they like
something that other people say
is camp or twee, they don’t care.
Gay men and women are not
afraid to come out and say they
like something, and just be
themselves.
Dame Cheryl; we salute you.
Gay Icon, Eurovision legend
and Bethnal Green’s campest
export. ∎
Cheryl Baker currently appears as Mrs
Cunningham in the UK tour of ‘Happy Days
the Musical’. Tour dates and tickets from
happydaysthemusical.com
11
THEGAYUK FEB/MARCH
just said “But it’s your snot!”
Yuk!
2014
INTERVIEW