Showbiz
Which are your favourite stars from South East Wales? Select your favourite or use this form to nominate another.
Catatonia singer turned solo |
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First lady of song - big voice from Tiger Bay |
Rock guitarist and record producer |
One of Wales's best known actresses |
Rock duo who overcame tragedy |
Chart-busting rap crew from our newest city |
Runner up in Big Brother 2001 |
Radio 1 DJ and TV presenter |
Sergeant Craig Gilmore in The Bill |
From child star to Hollywood hero |
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Fame Academy and Eurovision hopeful |
Favourite actress of the lads' mags |
Songwriter and record producer |
Political art-rockers turned pop-rock heroes |
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TV, stage and big screen actor |
Comedy superstar and co-creator of The Fast Show |
Rock guitarist and Welsh Hero contender |
Winner of Big Brother 2008 |
Comedy actress and writer of Gavin & Stacey |
Standard bearer for good old rock'n'roll |
Pop legend still a sex bomb in his sixties |
Acclaimed actor who starred in Zulu |
Rock icons from the valleys |
New Romantic pop star and nightclub pioneer |
Larger than life entertainment superstar. |
Acclaimed Welsh rock guitarist |
Britain's funniest magician |
have your say
Which are your favourite showbiz stars from South East Wales? Do you have a story to tell about them? Have Your Say and we'll publish your contributions.
Andy Fairweather Low - rock/pop star from Hengoed
"Apart from his own recording career recently revived he has played guitar with Hendrix, Satriani, Roger Waters, Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and someone called Eric Clapton for the past 20 odd years. The guy is a great singer songwriter and guitarist." - Roger Duke, Gifford
"Amen Corner were all from south Wales and a great group in the late sixties. Andy went on to play with Eric Clapton and Blue Weaver to play with the Bee Gees." - Marilyn Smith, formerly of Penybryn, Hengoed, now in Australia
Mickey Gee - guitarist from Cardiff
"Mickey is comparable to any of the best guitarists to come out of Wales. Ask some who he has worked with. Dave Edmunds, Shakin' Stevens, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Andy Fairweather Low, Joe Cocker, Chuck Berry, the late Carl Perkins etc. A very modest nice guy - unfortunately at this moment in time, Mickey is not in the best of health." - Ray Hannah, Barry
David Alexander - singer from Blackwood
"One of Wales' most successful and versatile vocalists ... amazing talent, I could listen to him for hours on end. I love to listen and sing to David's songs, but I don't think he had the accolades he should have had. In fact I always say he was better than Tom Jones, but didn't have the sex appeal." - Mark, Anglesey
Suzanne Packer - actress from Cardiff (Tess in Casualty)
"A very talented lady who by the way is also the older sister of Colin Jackson, the athlete. Didn't they do well?" - Nell, Carmarthen
Tony Etoria - soul musician from Cardiff
"I think he's one of the very best singer, songwriter, producers that Wales have seen over the last 20 years or so. Tony is not one to shout his name out loud so here I am doing it for him. I have known Tony since our childhood even then I could see he was going to be a major voice in entertainment and not only in South Wales. Tony had a hit record some years ago with his song 'I Can Prove It'. He has also been a member of some of big recording groups over the last 25 years or so. He has produced some of the named singers and groups too many to list. It would be a sad day for music fans in and around South Wales if Tony's name wasn't in this Hall of Fame" - Phil Black
Jason Hughes - actor from Porthcawl (Warren in This Life)
"He's a natural actor, born for the stage and screen - he ceases to be Jason Hughes and becomes a very credible character, which is not something that can be said about a lot of actors these days. He's due to be DCI Barnaby's new sidekick in Midsomer Murders."
Sinead Ni Charthaigh, Dublin"This man just leaks talent! Don't you dare overlook him!"
Belinda Downs, Normanhurst, Australia
"From This Life to Midsomer Murders he has proved his talent and popularity."
Cathy, Tasmania, Australia
Micky Jones - musician from Merthyr Tydfil
"He is Wales' best rock/blues guitarist and was in The Bystanders with Owen Money. He went on to found Man, probably the greatest rock band to come out of Wales. He is currently recovering from a second brain tumour operation. It would be nice to see him recognised in his home town." - John Burtenshaw, Poole
Jon Langford (The Mekons), rock musician from Newport
"Highly respected and influential musician and songwriter."
Chrissie Wilson, California
Jimmy Johnston, actor from Newport
"He has been twice nominated for a Olivier best actor award and has been in more West End shows than I care to mention. The only actor in THE WORLD to play every lesd role in Cats." - Dawn Phillips
Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers, rock'n'roll band from Newport
"Still recording and performing after 40 years together as a standard bearing Rock n Roll band. Teddy boy Rock and roll at its best."
- Dai Rowland, Rogiet - see www.crazycavan.com
Jonnie Hawkins from Mountain Ash
"Jonnie is a 24 year old dynamic, colourful and unique entertainer with a truly wonderful Welsh voice. Gigging every weekend around the Midlands, London and South East entertaining young and old with his own songs and covering some of the best rock tunes of the last few decades. Jonnie has his own recording studio 'at the bottom of the garden' of his home in Oxford where he is busy writing and recording his own material working hard at chasing 'the elusive big break'. Check out his website on www.jonniehawkins.co.uk." - Richard, Oxford
Howard Marks, writer and celebrity from Kenfig Hill
"AKA Mr Nice - Britain's most famous drugs smuggler - now an author and ranconteur." - Stephen Townsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Gene Loves Jezebel - 80s rock band from North Cornelly
"With over 3 million sales worldwide and performances all over this beautiful planet I think we deserve a mention, particularly as we were around at a time when it wasn't so cool to be Welsh."
Michael Aston, Los Angeles, USA (band member)"Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel is the 'real' Jezebel and 'Desire' of the jezephile." - Nina, California
Noel Sullivan - pop star from Cardiff
"Noel was one of the winners of the ITV show Popstars. He went on to sell over one million copies of his debut single and album with the winning band Hear'Say." - Laura, Pontypool
Matthew Rhys - actor from Cardiff
"Having seen him in 'The Graduate' in London, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in Stratford-upon- avon, among many other film and theatre productions, he deserves a well earned piece of recognition." - Jan Gray, Cardiff
Funeral For A Friend
"Matt and the band have brought great music to loads of people. He really is a local hero of Bridgend." - Kaye, Newport
Paul Latham 'Charitie Case'
"Born in Pontypool and bought up in Monmouth. Wales best known drag artiste has performed internationally and deserves recognition. She never fails to mention Wales as her homeland in her shows." - Wayne, Monmouth
The Rimshots
"Local rockabilly band done good!!" - Joe, Penarth
Dennis Bryon - rock musician from Cardiff
"Dennis was also in Amen Corner and joined the Bee Gees before Blue Weaver. Dennis suggested to the Gibb brothers that Blue was a great keyboard player so he joined the band. They were a major part of the Saturday Night Fever era being with the Bee Gees from 1974 till 1981." - Terry Morgan, Hengoed
Best Shot - rap group from Cardiff
"Although no longer together, they were one of the first bands to make it big out of Cardiff - before the Stereophonics and Manics. They Won a BBC2 DEF II competition in 1993, Signed to Warner Music, released 2 chart singles and played at Wembley arena on the Smash Hits Poll Winners' party. They then supported East 17 around the UK in 1994. Not many rap groups from the UK have done as much, and these five guys are all Welsh!" - Terry Cooper, Cardiff
Grafton Radcliffe - actor and writer from Blaengarw
"Grafton has mingled and co-starred with some of the biggest legends of the screen and stage - most recently appearing in Very Annie Mary. He is highly regarded by many famous names as a great screen actor and thespian. He has done a lot to promote Wales in America as an active member of the St David's Welsh American Society of Washington DC." - Lenny Bridgeman
Wyn Calvin - entertainer from Cardiff
"I remember Wyn, the Clown Prince of Wales, from my Sunday school days at Cathedral Road Presbyterian Church. There were a lot of activities, and one was a tramps picnic in the church hall. Wyn used his stage makeup and talents to make himself a totally nasty looking gentleman of the road and proceeded to walk up to the church for the picnic, shuffling along the road a thoroughly convincing derelict, so much so that a couple of elderly ladies crossed the street to avoid him." - Dave Robinson, Ridgeville, South Caroline, USA
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