Two British comedy legends have spoken about how they came together to help one another through their personal struggles after losing their long-term on screen friends.

Tommy Cannon, 86 and Syd Little, 81, were the much-loved straight men to the late Bobby Ball and Eddie Large in the comedy duos Cannon and Ball / Little and Large.

During their heyday, the comedy double acts attracted over 40 million television viewers between them with their hugely popular Saturday night prime time shows.

Tommy's new tour ‘Rock On Tommy’ which is set to tour the UK in October and November 2024.  He stops off at the Blackburn Empire Theatre on Wednesday 30 October.
 
The two stars are still coming to terms with losing their long-time friends and comedy partners Bobby Ball who died aged aged 76 in October 2020 and Eddie Large who passed away in April of the same year. 

Tommy said: “We met last at Bobby Ball’s funeral and as it was only briefly and in such devastating circumstances, but we agreed to catch up at some point. 

"I was messaging Syd an invite to one of my shows on the up-and-coming tour and it was at that point that I made the journey over to see him in Fleetwood from my home just outside of York.

“It was hugely emotional to meet up as we have both had such very similar lives – both starting out in the social clubs across the country as unknowns working in comedy duos, myself with Bobby and Syd with Eddie. 

"We could never have dreamed that we would both have taken it to the level of 20 million viewers each week – us on ITV and Syd and Eddie on BBC 1."

Syd Little with comedy partner Eddie Large (left) who died in 2020 (Image BBC)

Tommy said: “People tagged us as rivals through all those years, but we were all really great friends, and we fully understood the parallel life journeys we had all travelled. 

"Working class lads packing theatres, cabaret venues, seaside venues and pulling in 20 million TV viewers each week.”

Syd said “We never forgot that we were working class lads despite the high levels we all consistently achieved. I miss Eddie so much as we were mates from the early days and that never changed.

“Tommy going out on his very first solo theatre tour at the age of 86 is truly remarkable and I know that Bobby would be urging him to keep their fantastic legacy alive across the country – I so wish him well.”

Tommy added: “It’s almost four years for Bobby and it was four years in April of this year for Eddie. We talked through the various coping mechanisms we have in place and we chatted through the struggles we have faced through the interim years.

“Syd was urging me to keep going and to keep the name alive. I was really touched that he took the time and gave me so much encouragement. When you travel much the same route in life with someone like Syd, they kind of second guess your thoughts and that is exactly what happened.
 
 “Only Syd and I know the road we travelled, triumph and eventual heartbreak that we have faced and truly understand. 

"We both felt the hours spent together was special – talking and listening really does help. I really would encourage others that are finding loss a struggle to chat it through. It will be Bobby’s 4th anniversary in October since his passing and it’s still to this day really painful.

“It will be great to finally now move forward and relive so much of it on the tour and I have also included a selection of my favourite acts to be with me on stage through the tour – I can’t wait to get started.
 
Tommy Cannon will kick-off his solo show “Rock On Tommy’ this October and November – he will chat through his memories of working at the very top of his profession featuring many classic clips. 

The evening will include support from some of his very favourite acts.

Rock on Tommy comes to the Empire Theatre on Wednesday 30 October 2024 at 7:30 pm 
 
Tickets are available here via this link