Paddy McGuinness on writing iconic Phoenix Nights scene during shift at leisure centre

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Paddy McGuinness is one of the country's most loved TV presenters but it was while working at a Bolton leisure centre that he got his big break in showbiz.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Phoenix Nights ending and the endlessly quotable sitcom is still as popular as ever.

Although Peter Kay was already making waves in comedy by the time the show aired, McGuinness was one of the show's break out stars and even got a spin-off series, alongside Kay, in the form of Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere.

READ MORE: The childhood of Peter Kay - including the Bolton street he grew up on

Phoenix Nights was written by Kay, as well as Neil Fitzmaurice and fellow Bolton comic Dave Spikey.

In McGuinness' autobiography 'My Lifey', he said that he was working at Horwich Leisure Centre when the show was being written but would often be invited to the writing room by his old school friend Kay.

He admitted that it was a humbling experience.

"I felt Dave and Neil didn't want me there," McGuinness remembered in My Lifey.

"Who was I? No experience, no comedy background, and turning up in my leisure centre uniform probably wasn't a good look.

"The main thing was that Pete wanted me there, and he gave me confidence and made me feel valued, always listening to my ideas and thoughts. So much so that I eventually got an 'additional material' credit in the titles."

One of the scenes that McGuinness wrote is one of the show's most memorable, with drunk, chanting Bolton Wanderers fans returning from a match and being refused entry to the Phoenix Club.

It was during a quiet night shift at the leisure centre that he sat down to write the scene.

McGuinness wrote: "The gym was practically empty in the evening so I got out a few of sheets of