Jody McKenna, Keith Hagger, the Secret Millionaire and an Unforgettable Weekend (1/2) By Michelle Dee

(1/2), (2/2),

Anyone who watched Secret Millionaire on Channel 4 Sunday 26th April will have seen Hull musicians Jody McKenna and Keith Hagger receiving that magical cheque for £20,000. I caught up with them the day after the show was broadcast, in order find out how they were feeling about the show and their surprise trip to see Bob Dylan at the O2 Arena with the charitable Secret Millionaire Martin Stamp.

We saw on the show that Martin invited you to London to go see Bob Dylan, You got back on Sunday evening, so how's your weekend been? Keith: It was spot on. He was on form. There were loads of people there. I kept thinking; there's that guy who first inspired me to write.

Jody: I was in awe watching him play. He did songs from a new album Modern Times and a mad, unrecognisable version of Blowin' in the Wind. He did some of the songs that I've covered at my gigs too. The whole weekend has been brilliant. Marta and Zac from Channel 4 met us at the station on Friday and took us to a great party in Camden with live music and poetry. Then we stayed at Martin's on the Saturday. We were a bit nervous but he and his family were so welcoming it was fine. We really respect and appreciate that they got to where they are through a lot of hard work. His wife is a famous writer; Francesca Simon, she did the Horrid Henry books.

Keith: While we were in Camden we saw an open-top bus coming towards us with a band playing live. Jody said to us, 'Look there's a Madness tribute band,' but when it got nearer we realised it actually was the real Madness. They were playing It must be love and there were loads of cameras and people filming. To be honest I haven't come down from all the excitement. We saw people going to do the London Marathon, but it felt like we'd run a marathon while we were there.

Where did you watch last night's Secret Millionaire show? Jody: Initially I wanted to watch it on my own. I was worried about seeing myself on TV but I'm glad I ended up watching it with Keith and my friends and family around me. How did it feel seeing yourself on TV? Jody: It was nerve wracking. It seemed to go on for ages, the hour long show felt more like two hours.

Keith: Yeah it felt like the longest episode of Secret Millionaire ever, but I thought Channel 4 did a spot on job. Do you feel Hull was represented fairly in the show? Jody: They could have included some of the better parts of Hull to show that the city is not all like the area where Martin was. At times Orchard Park felt like the hood from a gangster film.

People are asking whether the money went to the right place? Jody: I think it did. The Warren is all about helping young people to get a better standard of life. Keith: It helps them see that they don't have to follow in their parents' footsteps. That they can do something different, it's going to give lots of people the chance to do something creative.

Continued....Next Page (2/2),

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