Pam Ayres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pam Ayres
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Ayres in 2022
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| Born | Pamela Ayres 14 March 1947 Stanford in the Vale, Berkshire, England |
| Occupation | Poet, songwriter, presenter of radio and television programmes |
| Genre | Comic verse |
| Spouse |
Dudley Russell
(m. 1982) |
| Children | 2 |
Pamela Ayres MBE (born 14 March 1947) is a famous British poet, comedian, and TV presenter. She is known for her funny poems about everyday life. Her career took off after she appeared on a TV talent show in 1975. Since then, she has written many books, performed for the Queen, and appeared on lots of TV and radio shows.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Poetry
Pam Ayres was born on March 14, 1947, in a small village called Stanford in the Vale, England. She was the youngest of six children. Her dad worked for the electricity company for many years. Pam often describes her childhood as a "country childhood."
After finishing school at 15, Pam worked in an office for the government. She then joined the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF). While in the WRAF, she studied English and started her journey as an entertainer.
After leaving the WRAF, Pam had several jobs. She began performing her poems at a local folk club. In 1974, she was invited to read her poetry on BBC Radio Oxford. Her poem The Battery Hen was even played on a national radio show, which led to more opportunities. In 1976, she decided to become a full-time poet.
Pam has said she enjoys the music of Bob Dylan. She also liked writing funny versions of popular songs when she was 12 years old.
Career Highlights
In 1975, Pam Ayres became well-known after appearing on the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks. This led to many guest spots on TV and radio. She has since published several books of poems. She also tours with her own stage show and has even performed for the Queen.
Her poems are usually simple and talk about everyday things. Her poem "Oh, I Wish I'd Looked After Me Teeth" was voted one of the top 100 favourite funny poems in a BBC poll. She was also one of Britain's best-selling poets in the late 1990s.
Since 1996, Pam Ayres has been a regular on BBC Radio. She hosted a music and chat show on BBC Radio 2. Later, she presented Pam Ayres' Open Road, where she visited different parts of the UK. She interviewed people with interesting stories about their lives. She also appears on BBC Radio 4 shows like Just a Minute and her own show, Ayres on the Air.
In 2007, Pam acted in a radio comedy show called Potting On. She has also appeared on the TV game show Countdown in Dictionary Corner. In 2009, she was a guest on the popular BBC TV show QI.
Pam's autobiography, The Necessary Aptitude: A Memoir, was published in 2011. It tells the story of her life, from her childhood to her success on Opportunity Knocks. The title refers to times she was told she "did not have the necessary aptitude" for things.
In 2013, she released another book of poems called You Made me Late Again!. More recently, her TV series The Cotswolds with Pam Ayres started in 2021. In this show, she explores the beautiful Cotswolds area. The show was later expanded to The Cotswolds and Beyond with Pam Ayres. She visited other places and met famous people like Toyah Willcox and Steve Redgrave.
Pam often performs her poetry at the famous Glastonbury Festival. She was there most recently in 2024.
Influence on Other Artists
Another poet, John Cooper Clarke, has said that Pam Ayres's early success on Opportunity Knocks was very inspiring for his own career.
Personal Life
Pam Ayres is married to Dudley Russell, who works in theatre. They have two sons, William and James. They live in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and have a farm with rare breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, and guinea fowl. Pam also loves gardening and keeping bees. She supports several animal welfare charities.
Pam Ayres has been a guest on the popular BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs twice, in 1979 and 2018. On this show, guests choose eight songs, a book, and a luxury item they would take if they were stranded on a desert island.
In 2004, Pam Ayres was given an award called a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). She received this honour for her great contributions to literature and entertainment.
