HE’S played Dodgy Eric in Phoenix Nights and a dodgy internet priest on Corrie, but there’s nothing scandalous about Bernard Wrigley’s long-standing career.

The singer-songwriter-comedian-actor, known affectionately as The Bolton Bullfrog, has been in the entertainment business since the ‘60s with numerous appearances on TV and Radio over the years — but he always comes back to his first love of playing folk music.

After years of doing the rounds on the Bolton and Bury club circuit, his first major performance was at the newly opened Octagon Theatre — of where he is now patron — acting and playing music for debut documentary Crompton’s Mule, along with Dave Brooks.

From then on the producing theatre has always had a place in his heart — leading to his support for the campaign to save it from becoming just a receiving house in 1999 along with fellow Boltonian Peter Kay.

Once again Bernard, who has released 18 albums in his career, is returning to his old stomping ground on November 9 along with The Oldham Tinkers for a night of folk music, but says the business is very different from when he first started out.

He said: “There used to be hundreds of clubs around to gig but it’s very different now. It was all blown open then by the likes of Bob Dylan and The Beatles — The whole of the ‘60s was like that.

“But the standard wasn’t actually that good — it’s much better now. When the Octagon opened there would never have been a play where actors sang — they acted. But now they are expected to act, sing and dance.

“One good thing about today is that there are a lot more organisations that help young musicians, such as FolkUs. In the old days you pretty much had to do it yourself.”

Bernard enjoyed his childhood — but the death of his father Tom when he was 12 hit him hard.

Bernard said: “I loved growing up in Halliwell. It was just so laid back and enjoyable. My parents were great. All was great apart from when my dad died when I was 12.

“He was 65 when I was born but I didn’t notice that he was an old dad at all. It was completely normal to me. So it hit hard when he died.”

Bernard attended St Joseph’s RC Primary School, where he had his first stab at acting. His love of guitar came a few years later aged 15.

He said: “I used to enjoy English and acted in a school play. I was a drunken porter in Macbeth which was fantastic because I could get away with belching on stage.

“I got interested in guitar in high school. A friend of mine at school, Dave Brooks, was also interested so we taught each other.

“As time went on we went to folk clubs to find out more and fell in love with traditional folk music. We unlocked the lid of the treasure chest.

“We became residents at the Bury Folk Club, imaginatively named Dave and Bernard.

“Theatre work started at the Octagon within the first year they opened. Dave and I did the music for a documentary called Crompton’s Muel.

“We’d not long left school and had day jobs too, so we didn’t have a lot of time to practice. It was done on the fly really.”

From then Bernard has enjoyed keeping his fingers in all the entertainment pies.

He said: “I’ve written music for a silent film and I have released 18 commercial albums. I love being in adverts too, strangely. I have been in a Guinness advert and a Webster’s Bitter ad playing a bloke with a ferret in his pants.

“I have always loved radio drama too and have recorded a number of shows myself for BBC Radio Lancashire and some for Radio 4.

“I’ve also done various parts in Corrie, Emmerdale and Last of the Summer Wine.

“Phoenix Nights was great fun to be involved in. As was Coogan’s Run and Dinnerladies. Peter Kay wasn’t a household name back then but he managed to get the series onto the TV which was great.

“People always ask if Phoenix Nights will come back for a third series but I don’t think it will. I don’t think that Peter and Dave [Spikey] will do it because it wouldn’t be the same. They were hungry back when they wrote it.

“Plus all good shows have two series — Faulty Towers, Dinnerladies. Apart from Last of the Summer Wine, of course.”

Talking of hitting retirement age, he added: “I’m 65 and still going. You don’t need to retire in this business. You just stop being as energetic.”

Bernard is playing with The Oldham Tinkers at The Octagon Theatre on November 9. Call 01204 520661 to book tickets.