Best is yet to come

"It might not have happened yet," she explains.

Barbara, 54, is due to perform in Manchester in her latest hit role on stage -- one for which she received her second Olivier award.

She appears in the musical Spend, Spend, Spend, which follows the ups and downs of Viv Nicholson, who famously won the pools, only to blow the money in spectacular fashion.

The play has already enjoyed a successful run in the West End and is coming to the end of its tour.

It has, says Barbara, been a "wonderful show to do". She added: "It is extremely unusual for the London cast to remain together for a tour of the provinces, but we wanted as many people as possible to see it. Why shouldn't Manchester see just what a good show this is?"

Barbara explains she was "captivated" by the script almost as soon as she read it. She said: "I was ill in bed supposed to be rehearsing for something different. I had flu and they sent me the script for Spend, Spend, Spend which was due to take place in London. My first reaction was that I was unavailable to do it, but my agent said read it anyway and see what you think. So I did and found I was absolutely captivated.

"That hardly ever happens to me. I have not been captivated like that since I read the first episode of Band of Gold, and before that, Blood Brothers.

"I knew the story of Viv Nicholson. I recall her being famous during the 1970s and the Jack Rosenthal play about her story. There was also a show about her which opened in London at that time. This is different though. The show includes exciting songs which are truly original.

"I did not really want to tour but the power of this thing made me realise that I had to do it. It did not matter to me whether it was successful or not.

"It is a fantastic modern tale of rags to riches. And it is rare to be portraying someone who is still alive. The tour has been put together rather gently for me. I have to be coaxed and cajoled to do tours because I have three children, two still in school. We live in North Lincolnshire and I love to watch my little boys playing rugby.

"Spend, Spend, Spend was in London for nine months so during that time I was on my own in a flat thinking I would go bonkers towards the end of the run. I then had eight months off before rehearsals for the tour began. Manchester will be the last date."

Barbara began her career as a folk singer. She has since won accolades for her roles on stage, primarily Willy Russell's Blood Brothers, and on the small screen in the Kay Mellor drama Band of Gold.

She said: "I do not think there is anyone else in Britain who does what I do. I am always in the frame when rather gritty musicals come up. I think casting directors think of me as the lady in the pinny from the North.

"I was a folk singer who went into theatre by chance -- everything else happened by accident.

"I loved singing folk music and still do. I was travelling around with my guitar and a suitcase when I started out and made a lot of appearances around the North West.

"It was about that time when I met Willy Russell who was then at teacher training college. I also met a man who decided I was better than just playing upstairs at pubs and decided to become my agent. He thought I should be singing at the Albert Hall -- something which did eventually happen.

"Willy wrote John, Paul, Ringo and Bert and I was enlisted to play a part in it. Everyone who came to the show ended up scratching their heads wondering who the woman was singing at the piano. Robert Stigwood was one of the producers of the show and he signed me up to his record company.

"For 10 years I performed mainstream pop music and then decided I did not want to do it any more. I thought I had a lot more to me than a lot of other people in the charts. I was an actor, played instruments, and did not want to hang around for a hit. It was not interesting enough."

Barbara returned to the public arena in 1983 with Blood Brothers which became an instant hit. She won her first Olivier award for her performance.

She then reinvented herself as a television actor in Band of Gold. She said: "The programme just came to me. The producer thought I would make a good Anita. It may have surprised some people, but anyone who had seen Blood Brothers would not have been too shocked.

"It was a good and interesting part. I loved working with Tony Doyle, who has since sadly died, and I am still friends with Geraldine James who also starred in the programme.

"I have made friends throughout my career. I love Elaine (Paige) and have remained good friends with her ever since we performed 'I Know Him So Well'. These are things you carry forward with you."

Barbara revealed that she would love to work once again in television. She said: "But I am not invited to do a great deal. I do get interesting offers for the stage, and my friends say don't knock it. But stage means moving away from my family.

"Television is great because it is disposable. You do one bit and then dump it and move on to the next bit. Actors generally speaking are also very nice to one another. I did appear in a small cameo role in Redemption Road, a small British movie, but would like to do more films. I am not saying that I expect to play opposite Brad Pitt, but I would like to be appear in more low budget British films.

"I also plan to make another studio album next year and in May 2002 will be touring -- which will include a Manchester date. My show will include everything from country to folk as well as all the songs I am expected to sing.

"But I am not in the nostalgia business. If I was, I would have given up years ago and would today be working on a till at Sainsbury's reliving the good old days.

"I have been lucky enough to have been given interesting things to do and long may it continue. I want to still be working at 70-years-old."

Spend, Spend, Spend runs at the Opera House, Manchester from Tuesday, November 27 to Saturday, December 8. Tickets are from 0161 242 2524.

The BEN has three pairs of tickets to give away for a performance of Spend, Spend, Spend on Wednesday, November 28. To win the tickets answer the question below and send in entries to Beverly Greenberg, Barbara Dickson Competition, Editorial Dept, Bolton Evening News, Newspaper House, Churchgate, Bolton BL1 1DE.

Question: What Kay Mellor television drama did Barbara Dickson star in? STAR PERFORMER: 'No-one else in Britain does what I do" - Barbara Dickson ASK Barbara Dickson, star of stage, record and screen what the highlight of her career has been and she will not tell you.

"It might not have happened yet," she explains.

Barbara, 54, is due to perform in Manchester in her latest hit role on stage -- one for which she received her second Olivier award.

She appears in the musical Spend, Spend, Spend, which follows the ups and downs of Viv Nicholson, who famously won the pools, only to blow the money in spectacular fashion.

The play has already enjoyed a successful run in the West End and is coming to the end of its tour.

It has, says Barbara, been a "wonderful show to do". She added: "It is extremely unusual for the London cast to remain together for a tour of the provinces, but we wanted as many people as possible to see it. Why shouldn't Manchester see just what a good show this is?"

Barbara explains she was "captivated" by the script almost as soon as she read it. She said: "I was ill in bed supposed to be rehearsing for something different. I had flu and they sent me the script for Spend, Spend, Spend which was due to take place in London. My first reaction was that I was unavailable to do it, but my agent said read it anyway and see what you think. So I did and found I was absolutely captivated.

"That hardly ever happens to me. I have not been captivated like that since I read the first episode of Band of Gold, and before that, Blood Brothers.

"I knew the story of Viv Nicholson. I recall her being famous during the 1970s and the Jack Rosenthal play about her story. There was also a show about her which opened in London at that time. This is different though. The show includes exciting songs which are truly original.

"I did not really want to tour but the power of this thing made me realise that I had to do it. It did not matter to me whether it was successful or not.

"It is a fantastic modern tale of rags to riches. And it is rare to be portraying someone who is still alive. The tour has been put together rather gently for me. I have to be coaxed and cajoled to do tours because I have three children, two still in school. We live in North Lincolnshire and I love to watch my little boys playing rugby.

"Spend, Spend, Spend was in London for nine months so during that time I was on my own in a flat thinking I would go bonkers towards the end of the run. I then had eight months off before rehearsals for the tour began. Manchester will be the last date."

Barbara began her career as a folk singer. She has since won accolades for her roles on stage, primarily Willy Russell's Blood Brothers, and on the small screen in the Kay Mellor drama Band of Gold.

She said: "I do not think there is anyone else in Britain who does what I do. I am always in the frame when rather gritty musicals come up. I think casting directors think of me as the lady in the pinny from the North.

"I was a folk singer who went into theatre by chance -- everything else happened by accident.

"I loved singing folk music and still do. I was travelling around with my guitar and a suitcase when I started out and made a lot of appearances around the North West.

"It was about that time when I met Willy Russell who was then at teacher training college. I also met a man who decided I was better than just playing upstairs at pubs and decided to become my agent. He thought I should be singing at the Albert Hall -- something which did eventually happen.

"Willy wrote John, Paul, Ringo and Bert and I was enlisted to play a part in it. Everyone who came to the show ended up scratching their heads wondering who the woman was singing at the piano. Robert Stigwood was one of the producers of the show and he signed me up to his record company.

"For 10 years I performed mainstream pop music and then decided I did not want to do it any more. I thought I had a lot more to me than a lot of other people in the charts. I was an actor, played instruments, and did not want to hang around for a hit. It was not interesting enough."

Barbara returned to the public arena in 1983 with Blood Brothers which became an instant hit. She won her first Olivier award for her performance.

She then reinvented herself as a television actor in Band of Gold. She said: "The programme just came to me. The producer thought I would make a good Anita. It may have surprised some people, but anyone who had seen Blood Brothers would not have been too shocked.

"It was a good and interesting part. I loved working with Tony Doyle, who has since sadly died, and I am still friends with Geraldine James who also starred in the programme.

"I have made friends throughout my career. I love Elaine (Paige) and have remained good friends with her ever since we performed 'I Know Him So Well'. These are things you carry forward with you."

Barbara revealed that she would love to work once again in television. She said: "But I am not invited to do a great deal. I do get interesting offers for the stage, and my friends say don't knock it. But stage means moving away from my family. Television is great because it is disposable. You do one bit and then dump it and move on to the next bit. Actors generally speaking are also very nice to one another. I did appear in a small cameo role in Redemption Road, a small British movie, but would like to do more films. I am not saying that I expect to play opposite Brad Pitt, but I would like to be appear in more low budget British films.

"I also plan to make another studio album next year and in May 2002 will be touring -- which will include a Manchester date. My show will include everything from country to folk as well as all the songs I am expected to sing.

"But I am not in the nostalgia business. If I was, I would have given up years ago and would today be working on a till at Sainsbury's reliving the good old days. I have been lucky enough to have been given interesting things to do and long may it continue. I want to still be working at 70-years-old." Spend, Spend, Spend runs at the Opera House, Manchester from Tuesday, November 27 to Saturday, December 8. Tickets are from 0161 242 2524.

The BEN has three pairs of tickets to give away for a performance of Spend, Spend, Spend on Wednesday, November 28. To win the tickets answer the question below and send in entries to Beverly Greenberg, Barbara Dickson Competition, Editorial Dept, Bolton Evening News, Newspaper House, Churchgate, Bolton BL1 1DE. The closing date is Monday. Question: What Kay Mellor television drama did Barbara Dickson star in?