Billericay Dickie

Enjoyed appearing on the Ben Fryer show on Radio Essex last week to add my opinion on supermodel and entrepreneur David Gandy telling the Daily Telegraph that he wanted to take his birthplace of Billericay off his passport. The show played segments of Ian Dury's Billericay Dickie and Gavin and Stacey of course to emphasise the town's place in modern culture. 

Does David not realise that Billericay now has a Waitrose? I mentioned the bluebells of Norsey Woods, the Peasants' Revolt, Billericay Brewing, Lake Meadows and the Chequers pub among other Billericay contributions to the world. And also that Adrian Chiles' thought having a regional Brummie accent was an advantage as people underestimated him and were surprised by anything vaguely clever he said — the same surely applies to Essex. Gandy is not a bleeding thickie and he's doing very well, for which he should be thankful.