For decades, Paul Elliott was best known for bringing family-friendly laughter to television screens as one half of the beloved Chuckle Brothers, alongside his late real-life brother Barry. However, the comedy legend has taken a surprising step away from his wholesome image with a role that could not be more different from the cuddly Paul audiences have grown up loving.
Paul Elliott's Dark New Role
The 77-year-old portrays a merciless and menacing hitman in the brand new independent crime thriller, Fall to the Top. It is one of the darkest characters he has ever played in his long showbiz career. Paul embraced the challenge with open arms and enjoyed tackling a role outside his comfort zone.
He told the Daily Star: "I really enjoyed working on the film as it was such a different character to play." The Chuckle Brothers star expressed his enjoyment of playing a villain. "I've always been a funnyman, a comic, apart from when I'm DJing - then I'm just cool," the Rotherham-born star said to BBC Radio Sheffield. "I play a killer, but I never use a weapon."
Family Reactions and Film Details
Although Paul was enthusiastic, he admitted his wife Ann was less keen on seeing him play the scary gangster until they saw the pay cheque. He laughed: "I didn't want to be, but some money came across the table!" The film is described as a gritty British crime thriller.
Director Pete Hirst said he had been watching the Chuckle star in the comedy series Benidorm while writing the film's script, and the character came to him. He spilled: "There was just a glint in his eye in one of the scenes where I thought, 'There could be something sinister there'. I was typing away and I thought, 'I have the perfect role here'."
Catchphrase Ban on Set
The creator also said there had been an "unwritten rule" during filming that nobody would utter the signature Chuckle Brothers catchphrase, "To me, to you." Pete shared: "We kept it for as long as we could, before someone broke it. And it was Paul that did it!"
The film is out now on digital platforms courtesy of Reel2Reel Films.
