Laughter is the Best Medicine

A nostalgic and deeply personal journey through the golden age of British variety entertainment — told by one of its last surviving legends. In October 1963, a young comedian named Jimmy Tarbuck made his television debut on Sunday Night at the Palladium. Stepping onto that famous stage, he brought the house down — and just two years later, he was hosting the show himself. As a football-mad boy growing up in Liverpool, Jimmy’s dream had been to play professionally for his beloved Liverpool FC. Meanwhile, his childhood friends John Lennon and Cilla Black were finding fame as part of the Merseybeat explosion. But it was Jimmy’s gift for comedy that would propel him to stardom. Hosting Britain’s biggest TV show, he introduced global icons such as Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and Rudolf Nureyev. In America, he shared the stage with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, swapped jokes with Elvis in Vegas, and chatted with Sinatra in Miami. It was a golden era for British entertainers — and Jimmy takes readers behind the scenes to the camaraderie, laughter, and mischief he shared with his old pals Eric and Ernie, Tommy Cooper, and Kenny Lynch. Through the highs, the heartaches, and the hilarity, Jimmy Tarbuck has always seen the funny side of life — and this joyful autobiography is proof that laughter truly is the best medicine.