Saturday 2nd May 2026

Woke at 0545. Managed to get back to sleep eventually. Got up around 0930 to make tea...Aidan in the kitchen preparing to journey south to watch Huddersfield Town take on Wimbledon in their final game of a mediocre season. Showered. Made a packed dinner to take to the theatre. Rather overcast morning. 

Drove down to Newcastle for brunch at the Greek Bakery...feasted on my last pork gyro. Then up the hill to the theatre for 1230 warm-up ahead of the matinee...only 150 in, our lowest audience, but loads of them were up dancing by the end. Ate my dinner in the atrium with the gang, before heading to the car with some bits and pieces. Bumped into Aki, Kath, and Roz coming from the Clayhanger Guest House where Kath and Roz had checked in. Joined them at their table in the restaurant for a quick chat...Cath has been discharged from hospital and is at home receiving palliative care...it doesn't sound as though she has long. Phil has been running round making funerary plans. Warmed up for the evening show...about 225 in, but they were raucous. One guy, who was evidently on the sauce, seemed to find Grandad absolutely hilarious, even when I was at my most serious...very odd! Standing ovation at the end...Kath, Aki and Roz all on the crowded dancefloor for the encore. Great final show! A fitting end to my professional career! Things got a bit emotional in the bar as we said our long goodbyes...Sam and Shirley, particularly, got me teared up, saying how much they'd learnt watching my performances every night...very sweet. It was raining heavily, so I gave Kath and Roz a lift down the hill to the Guest House, then drove Aki back to Bakewell Street...got to bed around midnight!