Casino News

Wigan Casino regulars receive TV show invite

2008-10-15 12:16:04

Russ Winstanley and Sandy Holt, two regulars at the old Wigan Casino, were invited to take part in Channel 4's The Paul O'Grady Show yesterday, it has been reported.

According to the Wigan Evening Post, O'Grady had attended the venue many times during his youth and invited the DJ and dancer on to his show respectively to teach him how to dance to northern soul music.

Mr Winstanley explained that he was looking forward to the experience.

"It's going to be a lot of fun," he remarked. "Me and Sandy are really looking forward to getting Paul on his feet and shaking his stuff."

Wigan Casino operated between 1973 and 1981 and achieved legendary status in the eyes of many northern soul fans.

Mr Winstanley wrote a book about the venue in 1996 with Dave Nowell entitled Soul Survivors, The Wigan Casino Story.

A stage play about the venue called Once upon a time in Wigan has toured the UK since 2003.