Bob the Speech & Scriptwriter
Bob is frequently asked for ideas for speeches and provides this service either on his own or together with his writing partner Brian Robinson.
Bob met Brian while they were playing football for the Old Wilsonians and Old Parmiterians respectively.
It was Brian who initially wrote some of Bob's early material and they have co-operated ever since.
The high point was when Bob's old friend Seb Coe (now Lord Coe) was working with William Hague as Leader of the Opposition. Seb asked if they could help with some of William's material.
Among their contributions was an acclaimed "Lonely Hearts" item which was delivered at the Conservative Party Conference and which was re-run by the media several times the next day.
Bob the After Dinner Speaker
After a Variety Club Luncheon with Sven Goran Erikson Henry Winter awarded Bob "the Cat" Bevan with the "Daily Telegraph Best After Dinner Joke of the Year"
He’s now at the top of the tree with bookings coming in from all over the world.
But just how did he come to be regarded as Britain’s No. 1?
It all started at the Old Wilsonians’ Association Dinner. Bob had founded a weekly newsletter for the Old Wilsonians’ FC and his amusing writing led to the invitation to speak.
On the night an actor told him had good timing.
Further invitations followed until he sent a recording of his speech to the Bank of England FC to a well-known speaker agency run by Dabber Davies.
“To this day he has never got me a job” says Bob.
Bob the Awards Host & MC
Bob is an excellent host at all events. His public relations and journalistic background coupled with his humour allows him to entertain the audience yet maintain respect for the occasion and the award winners.
It would also be true to say that he works well under pressure.
Apart from those shown above and below he has recently hosted events as diverse as Birmingham City Council, the Promto Show Awards, Protocol Skills Awards and the UK Warehousing Awards.
He has actually hosted the Airline of the Year Awards over many years.
Perhaps his most memorable evening was a Jockeys Dinner at London's Hilton Hotel where the room flooded just as the evening was about to start. Apparently Channel 4's TV lights had set the sprinklers off. After a delay he carried on.
Bob the Journalist
Bob is an excellent writer on many subjects.
He started writing about shipping on the world's oldest daily newspaper, "Lloyd's List & Shipping Gazette", and became something of an expert on drive-on car ferries.
After a spell as Deputy Editor of a Travel magazine he was headhunted to launch the Townsend Thoresen brand name which he promoted successfully for 14 years.
Apart from writing he is skilled in magazine production and layout and also edited publications in careers and agriculture.
He has written on football for many of the national newspapers, especially the "Daily Telegraph" and "Daily Express" and is now a frequent contributor to the "Football League Paper" and the "Non League Paper".
Bob the Auctioneer
Bob is a highly-experienced auctioneer and has performed at many major charity events - Lord's Taverners and Variety Club to name put two - and at many fund-raising functions for a whole range of sports clubs.
He is also frequently asked to perform auctioneering duties where he is also appearing as the top of the bill comic or after-dinner speaker at corporate events where there is a charity element.
Others in show business also appreciate he is "the Guvnor"!
Bob the Poet
"It was listening to my friend Richard Stilgoe that was the catalyst" says Bob. "Richard is a genius at writing parodies among other things and I decided to have a go."
It was worth the effort. The first poem he wrote was about Gary Lineker for the Footballer of the Year Dinner in 1992. It brought the house down.
Since then he has appeared at tribute lunches and dinners and produced poems and parodies for the not so-famous and for such celebrities as Lord Coe, David Gower, Roy Hudd and Alan Simpson.
His poem about the Duke of Edinburgh, "The Duke and I", performed at a 50th anniversary dinner held by the Lord's Taverners in the Duke's honour, achieved legendary status.
Another, at a media party held for the British Airways CEO, Sir Rod Eddington, was reproduced in the Sunday Times the following week-end.
Bob the Radio Presenter & Interviewer
Bob excels in this area having followed Danny Baker on BBC Radio 5's Six-O-Six phone-in show.
With his journalistic skills he is also an excellent interviewer and has hosted many sports forums comfortably switching between humour and serious topics.
Among his many panellists/interviewees are included Sir Ian Botham, Sir Alex Ferguson, the late Sir Bobby Robson, Mark Ramprakash, Alec Stewart and many more.
Bob is also a frequent guest on radio and television ranging from a serious Radio 4 production on oratory to BBC political and news programmes to Talksport's "Hawksby & Jacobs" and other national and local shows.
Bob the Comic
After hitting the top on the sports dinner circuit Bob developed as a more general comic appearing on stage and in cabaret.
Ronnie Corbett invited him to appear at a charity event on the same bill as JASPER CARROT, BRUCE FORSYTH, JIMMY TARBUCK and, of course, Ronnie himself.
He then appeared on BBC-1 on “JIM DAVIDSON PRESENTS” from London’s Cambridge Theatre. On the same bill were BRYAN FERRY, RONAN KEATING, STATUS QUO and JETHRO.
He became a regular on Channel 4’s “Countdown” and on BBC TV’s “Aunties Bloomers” with Sir Terry Wogan.
Bob the Author
Bob's best-selling book is entitled "Nearly Famous". He was approached to write it by Virgin Books.
Sub=titled "The Adventures of an After Dinner Speaker" it traces Bob's attempts to become a professional entertainer and the highs and lows he encountered along the way.
After two re-prints in hardback it is now in paperback and copies can be obtained direct from Bob or on Amazon and other popular websites.
Bob was also invited to write the foreward of "F is for Football" and is currently considering several other book-writing options.