July 26, 2024: A Benny Moment at the Olympics. As part of the music included in the opening ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Cerrone's disco hit Supernature, best known among Benny's fans as the music of the "Hot Gossamer" Angels dance routine, was played. Sue reports, "I laughed when Supernature was played, what was a good choice."
June 2024: All Benny, All The Time. Sue reports there's now a TV channel that shows nothing but The Benny Hill Show, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. She says she's "tickled" to see the shows again, and watching them brings back nice memories for her.
December 2023: The Great Photo Find of 2023. Early this month, Sue's husband Roger found, in their garage, a big box full of photos of Sue. She kindly sent me jpg's of ten of the best ones, which I've now added to the Photo Scans page.
November 9, 2023: Antenna TV Wishes Sue a Happy Birthday. Antenna TV, the archive-TV channel which airs The Benny Hill Show here in the US, has put a birthday greeting to Sue on their official Instagram page!
September 2023: A New "Man" in Sue's Life. Sue's recently adopted Teddy, an eight-week-old Cavapoo puppy. She humorously calls him "the new man in my life."
July 2023: Another Visit to the Holiday Camp. Talking Pictures TV will repeat Confessions From a Holiday Camp starting at 1:40 AM GMT on Sunday, July 16th.
March 2, 2023: A Very Happy Birthday With Sue. This year, as a birthday present to myself, I booked a trip to England, and Sue very graciously agreed to meet me on the day itself. As we did before, Sue and I had coffee together, followed by a long, leisurely chat over lunch, and then some shopping in the town center, before we returned to the rail station and once again went our separate ways. As always when I'm with Sue, the time flew by in an instant, a perfect example of Einstein's quote: "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."
January 2023: Return to the Holiday Camp. Confessions From a Holiday Camp was aired very early on New Year's Day, courtesy of archive channel Talking Pictures TV. Sue reports, "It was lovely to watch, brought back lots of happy memories, told some friends to watch it, they found it amusing and laughed at me looking soooo young." Talking Pictures TV will repeat the film on Thursday, January 12th, starting at 9:35 PM GMT.
January 17, 2022: Benny Returns to American TV! As of January 9th, Benny's returned to the American airwaves, courtesy of cable channel Antenna TV. Two thirty-minute edited shows are aired per week, at midnight and 12:30 AM Sundays.
November 20, 2021: Granny Sue — Three Times Over! Today, Sue sent me the news that she's become a grandmother for the third time! Becky and Richard's second child, Woody, arrived yesterday. "Little grandson Woody on Friday 19 Nov, could not make it for the 9th as would have been 2 weeks early. He is so adorable and the clone of little Willow. She met him late today and seems very impressed with him, I said now the hard work begins! I will enjoy helping out with plenty of cuddles," Sue writes.
Congratulations again to Becky, Richard, and Sue — and a big warm welcome to young Woody!
November 18, 2021: Benny's Back on the Box! For the first time since at least 1994, The Benny Hill Show is now back on the airwaves in Britain. Thirty-minute edited shows have been added to the holiday lineup of channel That's TV Gold, on Freeview channels 91 and 264, Sky channel 187, and Freesat channel 178. Perhaps this will lead to a Benny renaissance (Benaissance?).
December 13, 2020: Sue Remembers Barbara Windsor. Yesterday, Sue kindly sent a few words regarding the passing of comedy icon, Dame Barbara Windsor. She wrote: "It was such sad news that the comedy actress Barbara Windsor died 2 days ago. Benny used to love her[....] Years ago I had an agent called Aida Foster, she was [a] quite famous agent and represented Barbara years ago, when I started Benny's show she said I was just like a younger version of her, but alas I never became as well know[n] as the great Barbara Windsor, but I did work with her once, a cruise with the stars in [the] early 70's and she was lovely."
July 26, 2020: "To Infinity (Magazine) and Beyond!" Sue, along with fellow Angels Zoe Bryant, Lorraine Doyle, and Vicki Harris, plus Benny, has made the cover of the current issue of pop-culture magazine Infinity. About their article on Benny, entitled "To Hill and Back," Sue writes, "I was so pleasantly surprised at how complimentary it was towards Benny and the show itself."
Copies of the magazine, in either print or digital format, can be obtained here.
April 27, 2020: Wondergran Rides Again! To keep busy during the British government's Covid-19 lockdown, Sue fixed up her old, basket-fronted shopping bike (which is painted white with yellow flowers), and has taken to riding it to keep fit. "When I ride it," she says, "I look just like Wondergran!"
October 25, 2019: Watch, If You (Double) Dare. I've recently found out that Double Dare, the episode of the Play For Today series in which Sue had a walk-on part, is now freely available for viewing at the British Film Institute's Mediatheque, in the BFI's premises at the Southbank Centre in London.
September 10, 2019: Al Fresco With Sue. Today I had the pleasure of another visit with Sue. She invited me out to the city nearest to the small country village where she now lives. We had a coffee, a walk around, a chat on a park bench, and a lovely long alfresco lunch, before we walked back to the transit station and once again went our separate ways. As always, I'm amazed at how quickly time passes, whenever I have the pleasure of Sue's company.
September 8, 2019: Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong, Again. Tonight, starting at 10 PM, the documentary When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong, featuring Sue, was repeated on the UK's Channel 5. Sue reports that a friend of hers, flipping through the channels that evening, was surprised to unexpectedly see her on the telly!
June 20, 2019: Granny Sue — Times Two! Sue's sent me the news that today, Richard's partner Becky gave birth to Sue's second grandchild: a seven-pound baby girl, whom they named Willow. "She is such a pretty petite baby [...] and she will be my pride and joy next to little George," Sue writes.
Mother and baby are well and healthy, Sue reports. Congratulations to Becky, Richard, and Sue — and a hearty welcome to young Willow!
Spring 2019: Sue's Asian Adventure. Sue's recently returned from one of the longest journeys of her traveling career: a flight to Bali (with stopovers in Dubai and Singapore) followed by a cruise around Malaysia. Her report is in Sue's Travels, and some photos in Sue's Holiday Snaps.
Late September 2018: Sue's Thames Trip. Together with her work colleagues, Sue went on a jet-boat excursion on the Thames, and kindly sent this photo. She wrote: "had such a laugh but was wind swept. As one would say, a very natural pic.!!"
August 2018: Sue's Mallorcan Meander. Sue recently spent a week on the sunny island of Mallorca, a traditional vacation destination for sun-seeking Brits (and others).
Late April 2018: Eight Arms to Hold Sue? Sue's recently returned from a holiday on the island of Crete (see Sue's Travels for her remarks, and Sue's Holiday Snaps for a few pictures). While out on the ocean, a diver on her boat brought up two live octopuses, and insisted that Sue handle one of them! She didn't say what happened to them afterward, but I strongly suspect they became dinner — either Sue's, or someone else's.
February 19, 2018: When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong Goes Right. Sue was very pleased with this program, emailing me today to say, among other things, "[T]he interviewed people re Benny were so complimentary...they painted a very nice picture, and I have had a few responses saying how well and sincere I came over...I felt a bit unsure how it would pan out, but it was all good."
February 12, 2018: Sue on When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong. Today, I received official confirmation of the airdate and time of this program, featuring Sue. When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong will air on Sunday, February 18th on Channel 5 in the UK, from 9 PM to midnight. Producer Simon Withington was pleased with Sue's contribution, telling me "She was wonderful (of course)."
November 14, 2017: A New Sue Interview. Today Sue traveled into central London to tape an interview segment for a forthcoming documentary, titled When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong. In a recent phone chat with Sue, I suggested that with a title like that, she should recount the story about the "Charlene's Angels" exploding bra! Sue agreed, and said she'd made notes of some other stories of things going wrong during taping of The Benny Hill Show.
Almost immediately after Sue returned, she wrote, "The interview went very well, I just chatted away, to replies to questions, the chap Gerry seemed very pleased, it will not be screened till Feb so a little wait." As always, watch this space for the airdate and time of the forthcoming show.
November 4, 2017: Sue Makes John Cleese Laugh (By Proxy). Tonight, John Cleese did a live, in-person appearance in the city where I live. At the meet-and-greet afterwards, I told him I'd attended the opening night of Monty Python Live (Mostly) at the O2 Arena, with my friend Sue, who'd been one of Benny Hill's "Angels" for many years — and that afterward, when I asked her what she thought of the show, she praised the dancing and choreography, but said, "Benny would have never done anything so raunchy!" And at that, John Cleese, one of the great masters of humor in the English language, chuckled and said, "What a lovely story. I might use that."
October 2017: Sue's Island Intermission. Sue's recently returned from a trip to the Canary Islands. She writes, "Had a lovely hol, weather was 28 degrees, got suntan, went down in a submarine to see fish, a bit scary but enjoyed it."
May 29, 2017: Sue's Alpine Adventure, or, Sue "Alps" Herself. Last month, Sue returned from a trip to Mont Blanc, on the border between France and Italy. See Sue's Travels for her remarks, and Photo Scans for a few photos from this trip.
October 4, 2016: With Sue in Stratford. Today I had the great pleasure of seeing Sue again. We met at Westfield Stratford City, a large, multilevel shopping center in east London, about halfway between my hotel in the West End, and Sue's home in the Essex countryside. Starting first at a coffee shop, then over lunch in the food court, and finally adjourning to a lounge area, we chatted for almost four hours. As always, Sue is enchanting company, and the time flew by in her presence.
Being a proud, loving, and modern grandparent, Sue carries around photos of her grandson George on her iPad, and she was happy to show me a few. George is a cute little blondie, like his mum Louise and his gran Sue, but with a mop of curly hair instead of their straight hair. Sue describes him as being "happy and good-tempered" — again, much like his Gran, I'd say!
Today was also the day after my own mother's birthday. Using my cellphone, I phoned back to her in the States; Sue was pleased to take the phone, wish her a belated happy birthday, and chat with her for a few minutes.
Finally, Sue and I made our way back to the transit station near the shopping center, and prepared to go our separate ways. Sue doesn't like to say "Goodbye" to people, thinking that word is too final. When she and George have to leave each other, she says to him, "See you later, alligator!" to which he responds, "After while, crocodile!" So we did the same thing.
The next day, I phoned my mum again to ask her how she'd liked her brief phone chat with Sue. Her response was that Sue "is a very pleasant lady." And that, she most certainly is.
June 2, 2016: Benny Biopic in the Works! Independent producer Mark Noyce, of Happy Pup Films, is working on a long-overdue, much-deserved tribute to Benny: a movie version of his life. The role of Sue hasn't yet been cast: Mr. Noyce invites any young actress with the combination of comedic talent, beauty, dancing ability, and "twinkle" needed to play Sue, to email him.
March 24, 2016: A Chat With Sue. Today, I had a brief phone chat with Sue. She's now been in her new home for almost a year; she and Roger have done some work on the house, and she's very pleased with the small country village in which they now live. Sue especially likes that everything she needs is within walking distance: various shops, a pub (which her back garden opens onto), a veterinarian, and even not one, but three dentists. "So there's no excuse for having bad teeth," Sue says.
Sue's also been in touch with her friend and fellow Angel, Louise English, and hopes to see her soon.
September 8, 2015: It's Official — Sue to Yak About Yakety Sax. I've received official confirmation from the ITV Network that Sue will indeed be featured in the upcoming documentary The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes. Presumably she won't be asked to run away from the camera at triple-speed, while discussing Benny's closing theme, Yakety Sax. The one-hour program is scheduled to air on Wednesday, September 16, at 8 PM (London time, of course).
June 19, 2015: Sue's New Interview, or, Sue Yaks About Yakety Sax. Today, Sue traveled into central London to be interviewed by Jayne Rhodes, a producer for Shiver, for an upcoming special on the 60 years of music heard on the ITV network, which included Thames Television. Sue discussed Benny's iconic closing theme Yakety Sax, and was very pleased with how the interview went. This documentary is planned to air sometime this autumn: watch this space for more information, as I receive it.
April 12, 2015: Sue's New Digs. Sue's recently let me know that, after twenty-eight years in her previous residence, she and her husband Roger have picked up stakes and moved to a new house. Their new home is farther away from central London, but nearer to daughter Louise and grandson George.
While packing up and getting ready for the move, Sue made a tremendous find: all her old Benny Hill Show scripts, "all in good order, so they are carefully tucked away" as she told me. I hope that one day she'll have them published (with the permission of Benny's estate, of course) augmented with her own photos and recollections.
October 27, 2014: Sue Becomes "Granny Sue"! In a phone conversation with Sue this morning, she shared the wonderful news that around 8:30 the previous night, Louise gave birth to Sue's first grandchild! Both mother and baby (a boy, named George) are well and healthy. Congratulations to Sue and Louise, and all best wishes to young George!
July 1, 2014: "Something Completely Different" With Sue. Today I had the great pleasure of spending another afternoon and evening with Sue. We met in the early afternoon, outside a shop facing Oxford Circus. From there, we went to a nearby restaurant for lunch and a long chat, then into the Tube to the O2 Arena, where we had drinks and walked around together before settling into our seats for the opening night of "Monty Python Live (Mostly)".
We both enjoyed the show immensely. Sue commented on how well it was put together, with the sketches, animations, and song-and-dance numbers all flowing into each other. She also praised the choreography (by ex-Hill's Angels choreographer Arlene Philips) and the ability and energy of the dancers. Although she did say, "Those dance numbers were raunchier than anything Benny would have done!"
We left a few minutes before the end of the show, to avoid the crush in the return Tube journey, and traveled three stops together before our routes diverged and we parted ways. It was a day I'll always remember, and I hope and trust Sue enjoyed herself, as well.
Sue's eagerly awaiting the arrival of her first grandchild, and is tickled that it might very possibly happen on her 60th birthday! "What's Louise [her daughter] going to do?" she asked me. "Put the baby in a box with a ribbon and a bow on it?" Sue has no preference for a boy or a girl. "As long as it's healthy," she says.
May 26, 2014: Sue To Be "Granny Sue"! Sue's recently emailed me to let me know, and given me special permission to report, that her daughter Louise is expecting a baby, sometime in early November. The new arrival will be Sue's first grandchild: as she writes, "I have some wonderful personal news — I am going to be a granny. Yes, I will be Granny Sue." Many congratulations to Sue, and sincerest best wishes to Louise!
December 2, 2013: Sue "In Bruges". Sue's just returned from a brief holiday in the medieval town of Bruges, Belgium, where she somehow withstood a lot of temptation in the chocolate shops. See Sue's Travels for her remarks.
November 11, 2013: A Chat With Sue. After Sue's birthday on Friday the 9th, I phoned her for a brief chat to catch up. Her big birthday present this year was a new puppy: a "Cavachon" (half Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, half Bichon Frise) named Rosie, of whom Sue's already become very fond.
July 2013: Sue's Shoulder on the Mend. Sue's recently emailed me this good news: "I went to hospital yesterday re my shoulder, the doctor said I was doing great, keep up the exercises and he will discharge me in a few months."
May 2013: Sue's Shoulder Fixed. Sue's just had her operation (as mentioned below) to mend a shoulder injury which has bothered her, on and off, since her Hill's Angels days. She reports: "I feel quite well apart from feeling like I've been smashed on the shoulder with a sledgehammer." Sue seems to be taking her recovery with her usual good humor: she signed off her message to me by saying, "Goodnight for now, from One Armed Sue."
February 28, 2013: Out and About with Sue. Today, as part of a trip to London I'd booked to celebrate my birthday, Sue and I arranged to meet and spend another afternoon together. We met in Oxford Street, where we had a coffee before taking the Tube south of the river, to the Cinema Museum in Kennington. There we saw some vintage films from the Museum's collection, toured the building, and marveled at the Museum's collection of artifacts pertaining to cinema and cinemagoing. Afterward, we returned to central London for a bite to eat, before saying our farewells at the Oxford Street Tube station. Sue's company was wonderful, as always, and the visit to the Museum was fascinating.
September 2012: Sue's Spanish Sojourn. Sue's recently returned from a week in Spain, where she enjoyed not only the shopping and sightseeing, but also the "all inclusive" beverages at her hotel. Her remarks can be found at Sue's Travels.
July 2012: Back from Dorset. Sue's now returned from her holiday in Dorset. The rain mac and wellies she brought saw some use, but she had a good time and took some very scenic holiday snaps.
May 2012: What's New With Sue. Sue's recently returned from a holiday on the sunny Greek island of Kos. She was kind enough to send me some photos, not just of her, but also (for the first time) pictures taken by her. "Actually no-one looks good in holiday snaps," says Sue modestly and (in her case) untruthfully.
April 2012: The Incredible Shrinking Sue, Continued. Sue reports that she's lost "one and one-half stone" (that is, 21 pounds or almost 10 kilograms) and that she's now almost back down to her Hill's Angels weight. Bravo!
February 2012: The Incredible Shrinking Sue. In Sue's latest letter, she informs me that she's lost sixteen pounds and two dress sizes, through taking Zumba dance classes, which she describes as "bloody hard work". Sue also has another trip to the Greek isles planned.
Autumn 2011: Sue Dusts Off Her Dancing Shoes. I've had the pleasure of another of Sue's handwritten-then-scanned letters. She reports that she's taken up salsa dancing "to get a bit fit again" and has lost some weight. (Go Sue!) In addition, she visited eastern Spain for a week in mid-October, and also says a trip to New York City might be in the cards!
August 2011: Benny's In Canada, Eh? I recently found out that The Benny Hill Show is currently being shown in Canada, on a channel called Vision TV. Their page for the show can be found here.
June 2011: It's Greek to Sue. Sue's recently returned from a sunny holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes. As always, her remarks can be found at Sue's Travels.
May 9, 2011: My Afternoon With Sue. Today I had the great pleasure and privilege of a visit to Sue's home. She met me at the local Tube station and drove me back to her lovely house, where we had a nice long chat, followed by a walk to her local pub for an alfresco lunch. After lunch, we went back to her place, where she showed me several large folders full of photos and other memorabilia. Lastly, we got into her car and she drove me around, to show me the suburb where she lives, before dropping me back at the Tube station at about a quarter past five. As always when I see Sue, the time flashed by in an instant. This was a golden day for me: I feel greatly honored to have been invited into Sue's home and had this closeup look at her life.
Sue reports although her trip to Greece is still on, she and her family have changed her mind about buying a second home in Florida, mainly because of the distance involved. I hope she'll find another sunny vacation villa, closer to her home.
December 2010: Sue "Walks Like an Egyptian." Sue followed the example of another great beauty, Cleopatra, by cruising down the Nile River. Her report (Sue's, that is — not Cleo's) can be found at Sue's Travels. In addition, Sue's carrying on with her penchant for visiting hot, sunny places: she informs me that she's booked a trip to the Greek island of Rhodes, to take place in a few months' time.
October 24, 2010: Benny to Return (Again) To American TV! Today I received word that Antenna TV, a new digital subchannel from Tribune Broadcasting in Chicago, will include The Benny Hill Show among its lineup of movies and classic TV shows. Antenna TV is due to launch on January 1, 2011; a current list of stations to carry this channel can be found here.
October 22, 2010: A Big Update from Sue! I've just now had a very nice trans-Atlantic phone chat with Sue, and she was kind enough to give me an update on a few of the things going on with her lately.
Sue and her family are giving some thought to buying a second home in Florida, so they can have a sunny holiday whenever they want one. As I live in Florida, I think this is wonderful news, and I certainly hope they'll find a suitable villa, condo, or small house to fit their needs.
Sue reports that she's been looking on the Internet for suitable listings. When I first met Sue, she told me she was so computer-illiterate that she even had to have Roger, her husband, turn the computer on for her: and now, by contrast, she's surfing the Web for real-estate listings. So Sue's made tremendous progress since then in becoming more computer- and Internet-literate.
Sue was saddened by the recent passing of her friend and fellow comic, Sir Norman Wisdom. "He was 95, so he'd had a good innings, but it was still a sad loss for British comedy," she said.
On a happier note, Sue's continuing to indulge her love of travel: she has a cruise on the Nile River planned for the near future. "I love all the Egyptology, and I'm looking forward to seeing the tombs and the pyramids and so forth," she says. She's promised me a report after she gets back: watch Sue's Travels for that.
I've recently placed a new hit counter on the website, after getting an update on the total number of hits from my web hosting provider. Sue is "over the moon!" to hear that the site has had almost 1.5 million hits over its eight-year life so far. "Now if we could only figure a way to make some money off the site," she says.
And lastly, Sue reports that her shoulder, which had been giving her pain around the time we last met, is now feeling much better. So she's back to being completely well and healthy again.
December 2009: Sue to 'Czech Out' Prague. Sue tells me that she's planning a holiday trip to Prague, Czech Republic, to see the famous Christmas markets there.
November 19, 2009: Dinner With An Angel. Tonight, the 40th anniversary of the first telecast of The Benny Hill Show on Thames Television, Sue and I met for dinner and a long chat at the "Spaghetti House" restaurant off Oxford Street in London. As always, she was wonderful company, and the time flew by in her presence.
May 2009: Another Stamp in Sue's Passport. Sue's taken a short jaunt across the Channel, to visit friends in southwest France. As always, her remarks can be found at Sue's Travels.
November 2008: Sue's Birthday Trip. Sue celebrated her birthday this year with a trip to Saarland, in western Germany. See Sue's Travels for her remarks.
July 19, 2008: Sue, Mother of the Bride. Sue's daughter Louise was married today. "It was a fantastic day - even the weather was good, a nice sunny day. Everything went off to a 'T.' The church service even had a little humour..." as Sue wrote in a letter to me. Click here for a picture of Sue at the ceremony.
Summer 2008: Sue and Family Visit Louise English. To celebrate the birthday of Sue's older sister Lynda, Sue took her and the other ladies in her family to see Louise English performing in Hello, Dolly! "It was a really great show. Louise was superb, and she met all of my family afterwards," said Sue.
April 22, 2008: New News From Sue. Wedding bells in Sue's family: she reports that her nephew will be married on May 5th, and her daughter Louise (as reported below) on July 19th. Sue's obtained a suitable outfit and a "large posh hat" to wear at the weddings.
Sue also tells me that she and her husband are planning a driving trip through southwest France for next month ("I love the French lingo, and will enjoy trying my best to be understood," she says) and are thinking of going somewhere "hot and sunny," perhaps a cruise, later this year.
August 26, 2007: Even More of Sue's Travels. Sue reports that she's recently traveled to southern Spain, of which she says: "...an uplifting experience, makes me feel young, vibrant and rearing to go, lively atmosphere & carefree, laid-back feel."
In addition, Sue's just now returned from a trip to Germany's Black Forest region. "Took a 10-kilometer hike up a mountain, - glowing with perspiration, adrenalin flowing. Views were spectacular. ... I really love Germany, and the people, in fact everything about it, and I even lost a little weight, through all the exercise - I'll have to continue walking up mountains!"
See Sue's Travels for more of her wanderings in recent years and her comments on places she's visited.
August 26, 2007: Two New Benny Hill Megasets. The Benny Hill Show: The Complete Collection is now available for immediate delivery from Amazon.com. This comprises all six of the previous three-DVD sets released by A&E, all sold together but in the original packaging.
Also available for pre-ordering is Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated: The Complete Collection with a street date of October 30th. This also comprises all eighteen A&E DVDs, but all packaged together in one large box. As far as I know, both sets include all the features of the original disc sets, but with no new material - the only difference between them being the packaging and the price.
For more information and to order, see the Merchandise Page.
May 24, 2007: Lunch With An Angel #4. Today Sue and I had another lovely long lunch, this time at the Delhi Brasserie in Soho. We chatted for several hours, and I had the honor and pleasure of presenting her with a DVD copy of her film Fall Out For A Smoke, which I'd recently successfully traced to the collection of the Imperial War Museum in London. Sue presented me, in turn, with a coffee mug and a selection of photos from her personal collection. I've given these their own page, under the heading "The Sue Upton Collection."
Spring 2007: Sue's Further Travels. Sue reports that she's recently visited Stuttgart, Germany, and Strasbourg, France. She was particularly fond of Strasbourg, calling it "a fairy-tale city."
April 5, 2007: BBC America To Drop Benny! Yesterday the Telegraph reported in this article that The Benny Hill Show, along with other British TV classics including The Saint, The Avengers, and Are You Being Served? will be dropped from BBC America's programming schedule, effective later this year. The flimsy excuse given is that these classics of British TV are "dated" and "no longer reflect contemporary Britain." Emails of protest can be sent to BBC America here.
March 19, 2007: Sue's Daughter Engaged! In an email to me today, Sue reports that Louise Whatling, her daughter, was engaged in January and plans to be married in July 2008! Sue's given me special permission to report this here, and I wish Louise and her fiancé every happiness.
February 2007: Sue's Cousin Says "G'Day." Sue informs me that her cousin and his partner came all the way from Adelaide, Australia, to spend the entire month of February visiting her. "We went out for many trips, ate and drank too much, I know that when it was time to leave we both felt very sad," reports Sue.
January 30, 2007: Set 6 Now Available For Immediate Delivery - Save 26%. Today is the street date for Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated: Set 6, 1986-1989, the last in the series of A&E's Benny Hill DVDs. As of the time of writing, this set is currently available at a 26% discount through this site's Merchandise Page, or directly via this link.
December 18, 2006: Sue in The Story of Light Entertainment. Today, I found out that Sue had appeared in another documentary this year: The Story of Light Entertainment: The Comics. Narrated by Stephen Fry, this 90-minute program originally aired on August 12th - and it's due to be repeated early in the morning of December 26th (12:35 AM to 2:05 AM) on BBC-2.
December 6, 2006: Sue's Next Documentary Appearance. A new documentary, Is Benny Hill Still Funny? will air on the UK's Channel 4, on December 28th at 9 PM. Featuring Sue, Nicholas Parsons, Bella Emberg, and others, the show was made with the complete cooperation and assistance of the Benny Hill Estate, and "hopefully will provide a showcase for Benny's comedy for today's audience," according to the producers, Manchester-based Objective North.
October 15, 2006: Set 6 DVDs Now Available for Preorder - Save 25%! Only three weeks after the street date of Set 5, Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated: Set 6, The Later Years 1986-1989 is now available for preorder via Amazon.com, at a 25% discount. As always, the set is available through the Merchandise Page, or directly via this link. The street date of this set is January 30, 2007.
September 26, 2006: Set 5 DVDs Now Available For Immediate Delivery. The eagerly-awaited Benny Hill Complete And Unadulterated: The Hill's Angels Years, 1982-1985, featuring some of Sue's very best work, is now available for immediate delivery via Amazon.com. This set is currently available at a 20% discount through the Merchandise Page, or directly via this link.
July 28, 2006: Set 5 Now Available For Preorder! Amazon.com has now made Benny Hill Complete And Unadulterated: The Hill's Angels Years, 1982-1985 available for preordering. This set can be ordered at a 25% discount, through the Merchandise Page.
July 4, 2006: More Set 5 News. TV Shows on DVD reports that the Angels' interview featurette on Set 5 will be entitled "Hills' Angels: Off The Record." Click here for their Set 5 page, including the promotional blurb and box cover art.
June 5, 2006: Set 5 Release Date! According to TV Shows on DVD, Set 5 will be released on September 26th. Thanks to them also for the mention of this site!
May 14, 2006: Set 5 DVD News. Devra Prywes of New Video has recently informed me that Set 5 in the Benny Hill: Complete and Unadulterated series will be released at the end of September. The set will include another "I Was A Hill's Angel" featurette, including Sue and the other Angels interviewed for Set 4.
April 24, 2006: Sue's Festival Report. Today, Sue emailed me to say, "The Festival thingy last night was very good with hundreds of people there, a lot from Southampton, [Benny's home town - EL] and much money raised towards Benny's statue. It was nice to speak to some of Benny's fans."
March 20, 2006: Sue's Upcoming Charity Event. According to journalist Garry Bushell, Sue's scheduled to attend "the first Festival of England. The St George's Day gig will be a rock 'n variety night at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex." Scheduled for April 23rd, there are more than a dozen music and comedy acts on the bill. Tickets are �15, and proceeds will go toward financing the creation of a statue of Benny Hill, to stand in his native Southampton. Sue will be signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. For tickets, phone 01708-864001; for more information, see Garry's website, www.garry-bushell.co.uk.
February 25, 2006: "I Was A Hill's Angel," Revisited. Devra Prywes of New Video informs me that there will be another "I Was A Hill's Angel" featurette included in a future DVD set (presumably the forthcoming Set 5): "When we filmed the interview for Set 4, we recorded extra footage so that we could create a bonus piece for a future set from footage from the same film shoot." So we'll get to hear more recollections from Sue and the other Angels who were interviewed for Set 4.
January 20, 2006: DVD Set 4 Now Available For Preorder. Set Four of Benny Hill Complete And Unadulterated is now available for preorder through Amazon.com. This set is comprised of episodes originally aired from 1978 through 1981 - and therefore includes Sue's debut as a Hill's Angel, and several of the Angels' hottest dance numbers. Sue also appears in the bonus featurette "I Was A Hill's Angel," talking about her experiences on the show. See the Contest Page for details on how to win a free copy of the set!
November 23, 2005: Set 4 DVD Extras Announced. According to TV Shows On DVD, the extras on the forthcoming Set 4 from A&E will include a featurette entitled "I Was A Hill's Angel" and biographies of the Angels. (And as detailed below, it's known that Sue will be included in the featurette.) Also included will be the usual "Benny Hill Cheeky Challenge Trivia Quiz."
October 14, 2005: Sue's Birthday Trip. Two days ago, Sue emailed me with some news. Among other things, Sue reports, "I am going on a trip to lovely Germany around Lake Constance in November for my birthday." She also mentioned her "short but quite interesting" interview for the forthcoming DVD set, which took place at a "most lovely old hotel in Richmond overlooking the Thames."
October 11, 2005: Set 4 Release Date Set! Today, Devra Prywes of New Video emailed me with the news that Set 4 is scheduled for release on January 31, 2006. According to Devra, "quite a few former Angels" besides Sue, may be included in the interview segments.
October 8, 2005: Sue On Upcoming DVDs! I've just now heard, from an impeccable source, that this very day Sue's taping an interview to be included in Set 4 of the A&E DVDs of The Benny Hill Show. No release date is yet slated for this set, but as always, watch this space for more news!
October 7, 2005: 100,000 Hits! Today, SueUpton.net racked up hit #100,000, according to the counter on the homepage. On Sue's behalf, I sincerely thank everyone who's visited so far: I hope you've all enjoyed it, and it's my pleasure and privilege to have Sue's cooperation in bringing you this site.
May 7, 2005: Sue's DVD Debut Slated. According to the website TV Shows on DVD, the third set of A&E's "Benny Hill: Complete and Unadulterated" DVDs is scheduled to be released on July 26th. This set will include the ten shows originally aired between 1975 and 1977, and will therefore include Sue's debut as a member of Benny's troupe, in the January 26, 1977 show. Click here for further information.
February 3, 2005: Lunch With An Angel, Third Course. Today, Sue and I, with mutual friend Ian Freeman, had lunch at Bertorelli's Restaurant on Frith Street in London. Sue reports that all's well with herself and her family, and thanks all of her fans for their continuing interest in herself and the other Angels. She also mentioned her October 2004 cruise (see "Sue's Cruise News," below); said that she was thinking of taking another cruise, and a trip to the USA; and that she'd added a new Bichon Frise puppy to her "assortment of different animals." Photos of our meeting are on the Photo Scans page.
January 25, 2005: "Laughter and Controversy" on DVD. Today, the second set of A&E Video's DVDs of The Benny Hill Show was released. One of the extras in Set #2 was Benny Hill: Laughter and Controversy, the 2002 biography featuring Sue as one of the interviewees. Vidcaps, a video clip, and soundbites from this show may be found here on the Other Vidcaps, Video Clips, and Sue's Soundbites pages, respectively.
November 9, 2004: Happy Birthday, Sue! Many happy returns to Sue, on her birthday today!
October 2004: Sue's Cruise News. Sue informs me that this month, she and her family took a Mediterranean cruise holiday. The voyage was from Malta to Venice, with stops at Sicily; Corfu; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.
September 19, 2004: Sue Shortsighted No More. In a recent email to me, Sue reports, "I had laser eye surgery a few months ago, it is great not to have to wear glasses or lenses, I was very short sighted, I was so nervous at the time and was about to back out the day before, but I stuck with it." Congratulations to her!
September 3, 2004: More DVD News. I've been in touch with Devra Prywes, marketing manager for New Video, distributor of the new A&E DVDs. She assures me that more DVDs are indeed forthcoming - and that they're very interested in having as many of the Angels involved as possible, for interviews, special features, etc. on future discs. If any of the Angels (or anyone who might know any of them) should read this, please contact Ms. Prywes or myself; see the "Calling All Angels!" page for contact details.
August 10, 2004: Benny's Return! FremantleMedia, the global conglomerate which now owns the rights to The Benny Hill Show, has announced that the show will be aired in the USA on cable channel BBC America, beginning in October. As the show's been off the air in the States for about five years, this will expose Sue and the Angels (pun intended) to an entirely new group of fans.
Also: in a separate deal with Fremantle, A&E Home Video now has DVDs of The Benny Hill Show available for purchase. This is of special interest because these DVDs comprise the show in its original fifty-minute format, as Benny intended them to be seen - not the chopped-up half hours familiar to US viewers. The first set, now available, comprises the first eleven Thames episodes, originally aired between 1969 and 1971. Therefore this set is "pre-Angels," but it seems very likely that future sets, including the Angels' years, will be released. Watch this space for more news!
Click here for Fremantle's press release, with information about both the cable airings, and the DVDs.
Late March/Early April 2004: Sue visits friends in Spain.
Early November 2003: "The Hills are Alive..." To celebrate Sue's birthday on November 9th, she and her family take a vacation trip to Salzburg, Austria. Sue reports: "It is a really wonderful place. I went on a day tour of The Sound of Music. It was fantastic, I wanted to run down a hill singing The Hills are Alive, and I bloody well did. My husband and friends said they thought I was mad, I told them, yes you are right."
July 18, 2003: "The Boys and Mrs B" Found! The British Film Institute notified me today that a copy of Sue's 1977 pilot, The Boys and Mrs B, is held in their archives and is available for viewing there.
February 2003: Sue and her family take a holiday trip to Thailand.
December 17, 2002: Sue and SueUpton.net webmaster Erik Larsen meet for the second time. Sue answers questions sent in from her fans all over the world; her answers can be found on the Sue's Q & A page.
October 2, 2002: Benny Hill: Laughter and Controversy, featuring Sue, is broadcast for the second time on American TV, on the A&E cable channel.
August 13, 2002: Sue appears in Who Got Benny's Millions? - a documentary concerning the controversy surrounding the disposition of Benny Hill's multimillion-pound estate. Sue later disavowed her participation in the program, saying, "I was completely unaware of what this program was going to be about. If I had have known, I would never have taken part. ...I'm very sad to have been part of such a horrible program about Benny."
Late May 2002: Sue's interviewed in the Romford Recorder Online, refuting allegations about Benny made by Mark Lewisohn in his book Funny Peculiar: The True Story of Benny Hill.
January 24, 2002: Sue films her appearance in a new, forthcoming documentary about Benny Hill, involving the Heritage Foundation. (Note: Ian Freeman, friend of Sue's and a director of the Heritage Foundation, has since notified me that this project seems to have fallen through.)
Late December 2001: Sue and her family go on a safari holiday in Kenya, Africa, between Christmas and New Year's.
December 14, 2001: The Unforgettable Benny Hill, featuring Sue, is broadcast in the UK.
December 13, 2001: Sue and future SueUpton.net webmaster Erik Larsen meet for the first time. See Lunch With an Angel for the full report.
More Sue-news? Email Erik Larsen.
Sue's recently returned from a boating and fishing holiday in the Norfolk Broads, an area with picturesque scenery and many interlocking lakes and canals, which she found very relaxing. And earlier this year, in May, she and her cousin Carol went on another hot-weather girls' getaway, this time to the sunny island of Crete.
Sue's in good health and spirits, although her shoulder is still giving her pain. She's planning to have an operation which will hopefully set it right, once and for all. She also has two of her favorite hot-weather holidays planned: one with her family, and another "girls' getaway" with her cousin Carol.
Sue reports also that her daughter Louise will take part in a London-to-Paris bike ride this month for charity, and that her (Sue's) mother will celebrate her 88th birthday at the beginning of next month. So: bonne chance to Louise, and happy birthday to Mrs. Upton!
Sue enjoyed watching the coverage of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. "Many people now have square eyes [from watching too much TV coverage – E.], but it was all absolutely fantastic. The whole coverage was superb, and it made so many people so emotional." Sue's also looking forward to watching this year's tennis championships from Wimbledon.
Unfortunately, Sue's shoulder is once again giving her trouble, but she reports that she's seeing a "very handsome young Asian doctor" for treatment of her wonky wing.
Sue and her family have another holiday forthcoming, this one a week at a rented cottage in Dorset, near the south coast. Sue's taking all the necessary precautions: "I'm taking rain mac & wellies," she says.
This page last updated September 30, 2019.
