Shelagh Brayshaw: From Paris Showgirl to Reinvention

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Life now has changed dramatically. And that was when I really had to, I, I went through like a mourning period and studied a lot of other people and then started having to try and find other things to fill that void. And that was a big change for me. And I thought, I'll never do that again, never put all my eggs really into one basket. But do you feel like in hindsight now that actually it was a a good thing that had happened? Yeah, because I've been there till I was 18 and actually I needed to take a step back, you know, I'm not getting any younger.

I think I needed to find other things and maybe spend more time at home. Hi Sheila, fantastic to have you on the on the show. Well, that's brilliant, David. I am so glad you've asked me here. Yeah, and I know you've had a very, very interesting life, you. Don't know all of. It no, not all of it and well, maybe not the viewings will go through the roof, but the reason I've had you on the show is because your life is so interesting. But I'm not going to say anything about it because as part of the show, I like people to introduce themselves and give a synopsis, you know, trailer of their life before we get into into some of the questions.

Well. It's quite varied, David, but just a really short recap. When I was very young, we came from a very working class background, never knew what I really wanted to do except be a farmer's wife. That's all I wanted to be when I was young, but then I went to dancing school from the age of three. My dancing school teacher retired and a new lady came along. She was very ambitious because I was really tall. All of a sudden, she thought Bluebell girl. Now some people won't know what a bluebell girl is.

I. Explained to her. But it's a very famous showgirl nightclub at the Lido in Paris and also in Vegas and in Reno. So Miss Bluebell founded it 1944 when the war was on. But anyway, I went to an audition when I was 15 for the Bluebell Girls and I got in. So I had to wait till I left school. So two days after I left school at 16, I was in Paris. I was on the stage at the famous Lido on the Chan's Elysee and I worked there for two years and then progress with my dancing and then I decided, you know, I want to come back.

I came back to my first boyfriend from school, but then I went into teaching exercise and then somebody spotted me to become a model. So I started modelling and then from there the modelling, I opened my own modelling school and then my fashion show company, which is called Utopia Fashion Productions. So I did big fashion, fashion shows all over the place. Then I started doing some hospitality in London, so that was fantastic because we met so many people from the theatre and then I carried on with the modelling but then got into TV so it was a shopping channel.

And so that's where I spent the next 23 years, still doing my fashion shows and things. And then after that, this is where things have gone a little bit unstable because even at the age of 63, I still want to do something. So I'm still doing my fashion shows, little bit of TV work, but it's hard to give up. Yeah. It really is. You know, I've travelled the the tour for 35 years. Whilst I'm not saying I will not, you know, go back on tour at all with, with players if the right project comes along.

But it is quite a decision to say. You know enough soon enough. Enough. Soon enough, yeah. And, and I'm going to, you know, try something else. How good are you at gardening? No, I'm terrible at gardening. That's not that's not a road I'm going. No, no, no. But as you know as as as part of the show, I would like to know the the two people that have influenced your life the the most. Well, let's say Miss Bluebell for one thing, because that's where I got absolute discipline from because you're working 2 shows a night, it's you're doing rehearsals, you're dancing all the time.

So it's really full on now. She didn't take to me because I had a lot of publicity, being from a little village, but what she did was make me work hard, and I think working hard then became my ethic and that's what she actually instilled into us. So the discipline of work came from Miss Bluebell. She wasn't an easy lady to get on with, but obviously she had this massive nightclub with all these dancers, so she had to be quite sort of treat everybody with a rod of iron really. So that's where I think I got my discipline for work in life.

Would you say that the girls who survived that were the ones who just got on with it and didn't, you know, moan too much and not, you know, complain? Because in my experience, sometimes the best people can be often the hardest people to get on with them. And it's because they have such high standards that they they expect everybody else to to have that. I think the girls that really did get on, they were already from like the Royal Ballet School, the Ballet Rhomba. I was from a little dancing school above a shop in Keighley and of course, you know, my dancing experience wasn't as great as theirs so I wouldn't say I was the best dancer in the world, but I think it was a confidence thing as well.

I didn't have great confidence, but I think the people that really got on were full of confidence from being from a dancing school at really. So having a dancing pedigree. Absolutely. Yeah, and it's interesting in tennis, if you've done very well as a junior and you've, you know, played, you know, the Grand Slams and been highly ranked as a junior, it definitely makes it easier to to believe that you, you belong to. Something is easier, yes, because obviously I was at home. I was. All I was wanting to do was the farmer's wife and I even met the boy I wanted to marry yesterday, Robert Emmett.

That's what he was called. I had to go to an occasion and I saw him there. I've not seen him for years. But yeah, I think it's, it's when you've come from something, a little bubble from a little village where everything's nice, everybody's kind, then all of a sudden you go into this big wide world when you're on your own, you're living on your own as well. Yeah, it's quite brutal really, you know? But exciting at the same. Time exactly, David. I mean a young girl in Paris at 16 and you got, I mean I met Tom Jones, Shirley MacLaine, Charles Aznavour.

There was everybody came to the show and one of the ladies, just a bit of a snippet. Before I went to the Bluebell Girls, my dancing teacher gave me a few private lessons with two real professionals from the Lido and they went to Vegas. One of them went out with Elvis. Oh wow, yes. That was quite. I was thinking, oh, I wouldn't know who I might meet. So brilliant. And who's the other person that? Right, that inspired me through life. It's a friend that I've known for probably 35 years. He's somebody that I still know now.

He's 80 years of age, still running businesses and opening a business soon in Tennessee now. He is a gentleman through and through and I have seen him what he's like with his work colleagues and obviously he owns businesses in the UK, businesses abroad, he has properties all over a network of properties. But he's so kind's the wrong word. But. I think people mistake kindness for being soft. As a weakness. Yeah, but I it, you know, sometimes the kindest thing to do is to tell somebody to piss off, you know?

So, yeah, I think, I think being kind is if you're being kind to yourself, you're also going to make the tough decisions that are kind to yourself. And and if you're running a business, you know, sometimes the kindest decision is to get rid of somebody because they don't quite, they're not quite up to the job. Yes. And then then they would be floundering in the job all the time. But I think some people do think kindness is a weakness or they think being nice is a weakness. And I don't. I think sometimes that's what gets the best out of people, depending what environment you're in.

But he's got a good portfolio of properties that he's got at the moment. He's thinking of buying another property in Switzerland. So it's just like, and he's so capable, you know what I mean? And he's he's got a mind full of history and anything you can ask him. He seems to have absorbed everything and kept it in his head. So I do really admire somebody that's in well, 80 now and still wanting to forge forward. I think that's a great thing. And he's not going to be gardening very soon. He's going to be carrying on with that with.

Well, I think, yeah, for me personally, and I don't know what the future holds in terms of your health and everything like that, but in, in my head, just curiosity is such a big thing. And I, I think I'd find it really difficult to, you know, fully retire and not and not feel like I wanted to get my hands stuck into anything. When you wake up in the morning, you want to have a purpose. I think that is a great thing to do. Whether it is, you know, that people have retired and they've got different hobbies.

It's still a purpose, yes. But I think getting off that gravy train of work is a very difficult step, especially if you've really enjoyed your job. Yes. Yeah, yes, I I agree with that. I think, I don't know if you've heard this, but Clint Eastwood when he was 87 was, you know, starting a new movie. And one of his friends said, you know, how do you do it? I mean, you know, where's this energy coming from your age and everything like that. And he said, when I wake up in the morning, first thing I say to myself is don't let the old man in.

And and and it's funny that that stuck with me and I. Would remember that, David. That old woman is not going to get inside here. Yeah. So, you know, I think, you know, and, and I agree, I think, you know, there, there are many retired people who have, you know, hobbies and, and, and as you say, or interest in life that, you know, they, they get out and maybe they go exploring the world or whatever, but they're getting up every day and. With purpose. Yeah. And with a curiosity as to how the day is going to be, I think it's when you, when you, you know, sit at home and just watch television all day and everything like that.

For some people that might be right, but for me? It's not enough. It's not. It's not enough, yeah. No, definitely. And there's one little snippet I will give you whether I can say this or not. Yeah, of course. Once. Once did a modelling job, Yeah. And I didn't know who the client was going to be, but it was for sort of like all the ladies lingerie as we thought. So I get to this lovely hotel and I'm waiting and there's two other girls there. And they said, oh, the client's not arrived yet. So I said, all right, fine.

Anyway, they said come and meet the client when she eventually arrived. Cynthia is in the other rooms. We didn't know Cynthia wants. But anyway, I looked at these rails and I thought, there's a little tabard and a little French maids outfit and one thing and another. Anyway, Cynthia, you may not know Cynthia David, Cynthia Payne. Now I work with Cynthia and I don't know if I dare say this, but I did say to her, I asked her one question. I said, Cynthia, with all the men that you have met, what bitter advice would you give me?

She said it doesn't matter what you look like love. But she doesn't have a Yorkshire accent. Obviously. Doesn't matter what you look like, love, as long as you've got enthusiasm. Yeah, I, I think. That's for anything she was talking about something a bit more risque. But. I think for anybody, if you've got any enthusiasm for life, that is infectious as well. Absolutely. You know, I, I wrote a book, Locker Room Power, and the energy source that is the most powerful is enthusiasm. Yeah, definitely.

Anger obviously is a very powerful force, but if you operate from anger, you get tired very quickly as well. Because it's such. A big Angel. Into the wrong place. Yeah. And, you know, red mist comes over and everything like that. But, you know, but enthusiasm is a very healthy energy source. Yeah. And, and I think we can all feel it when we meet people who have enthusiasm. Absolutely. And have a twinkle in their eye and yeah, you know, and it's just a zest for life. And it and it uplifts you and people have enthusiasm.

Yeah, and I can't remember, I think it was an Australian friend of mine who said this and, and, and I borrowed it. But you know that in life you have, you know, what do you call them? Actually I've just. Lost. Don't worry, David, it's something. Like energizers and drains. Well, this is some people do ZAP you, you know, And it's like I'm a fire sign. I don't know whether I believe in it all, but I'm a fire sign. So if somebody comes along and puts like, water on me just to make steam or a big puddle or whatever, I'm zapped of my energy, you know what I mean?

Yeah. Yeah. And it's like a damper. It's like putting out my fire and then I feel sort of tired, lethargic. I like people to boost me up. Yeah, it's the same thing when you meet people who complain all the time. Yeah. You know, it just starts to like, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like, OK, you know, life isn't perfect. Lots of shit happens in life. And. And, you know, the world has always been cruel in a way, you know, And if you're lucky enough not to live in that cruelty, you know, that's something to be very grateful for.

But I mean, you know, people say, oh, you know, the good old days. Well, I'm not sure Second World War, Was that a good old day or First World War Roman times or, you know, having a Ginger's Khan come into your city, probably not too pleasant either. So, you know, there's always been, you know, tough. But I think, you know, as much as possible get on with life And and you know, we all complain occasionally sometimes, but you got to really kind of I think keep a monitor on that is like it's it is draining if somebody's or you know, how you doing well, you know.

And then all the complaint. But I think people do tend to wrap themselves in cotton wool and their life gets smaller and smaller because they don't want the challenges of life anymore. And I think that is it just makes you very, very small inside your head and everything. Yeah, I think you do have to embrace new things and new challenges just to keep you going as well. Yeah, technology, a little bit of a challenge. Don't trying. To keep pushing that AI, absolutely. But reading about it and kind of understanding is very different from using it.

Yeah, but that's a struggle. I will continue with it. So what event has, you know, really helped shape your life or really had a big impact on your life a big. Downer event was when I put my heart and soul into a job where you know that I used to travel away. So a company, ATV company and I worked there for 20-3 years and I didn't go on holidays. I, I didn't even have a family because I put everything into my work and I was a puppet. When I realized because at the end of it, I went down this one particular day and the atmosphere was shocking and I went out to get some food, came back and the whole car park had got people in it.

People were in tears one thing and another and they just said get inside. Now you've got like 10 minutes to get your stuff that had gone bust. So we were just dropped like a hot potato. The people that had bought the company and it'd gone bust, they were high flying and they were doing other things because they'd set up another business. One thing and another. It wasn't the money losing the money, it was actually I'd put so much effort into it in a time of life when probably I should have had more holidays, should have concentrated more on my family and everything, and I didn't.

I was tunnel vision still in that diary. I needed that diary full. I used to look and think there's nothing there, what we're going to do, what we're going to do that needs to be full. And I was obsessed by that. And when I got dropped by a hot potato, it was like going into mourning. And I thought, what am I going to do? Life now has changed dramatically. And that was when I really had to. I went through like a mourning period and studied a lot of other people and then started having to try and find other things to fill that void.

And that was a big change for me. And I thought, I'll never do that again. Never put all my eggs really into one basket. But do you feel like in hindsight now that actually it was a good thing that had happened? Yeah, because I've been there till I was 80 and actually I needed to take a step back, you know, I'm not getting any younger and I think I needed to find other things and maybe spend more time at home. I'm still trying. I'm floundering a little bit, but I'm still trying to find that happy medium, you know, And that is hard to do.

It's very difficult, especially when you're happy. Medium was actually mostly work. And it's a bit like, I suppose, a professional sports person, a tennis player having a really bad injury and then that's it. Yes. And, and and, you know, they talk about it in the same way that it's it's like a morning, like a brief. Yeah, because you literally are, you know? Yeah. Effectively a Korea has died and and you need to find the the next thing. So I mean, I definitely get it. I mean, when I, when I stopped playing tennis, I mean, I kind of gradually stopped, but when I made the decision not to play any, any tour.

Tennis at all, anything to do with your ranking and just play effectively for money. It was a it was a big decision because you're saying, I'm saying I can't, you know, make the top 100 in the world. I can't do that or not can't I? I don't believe I'm going to. And once you don't believe you're not going to and and took a different decision, but it is it takes it does take time to adjust. To adjust, and I think it is that adjustment, but you don't give up, you just keep trying to find different ways I think.

So that's my little journey at the moment. But one piece of advice as well, that it was mainly came from my mum and also the career as a dancer. The show must go on. You know, whatever it is, the show must go on. Yeah, and I think you realize, you know, even a huge character like him, Muhammad Ali, you know, once he's gone, you know, time, the the world is the show that goes on and, and people aren't, you know, totally forgotten, but their relevance declines over time. And, and, and you just have to accept, you know, the, the, the big show of the world rolls on regardless of who, who, who's in it.

I mean, you see pop stars going to Glastonbury, don't you, are in their 80s and you think they're still enjoying that. But it can't last forever, Can No. You know, absolutely not. I'm going to ask you one extra question, which I, I haven't prepared you for. Don't. Worry, but. In your interesting, you know, you know, dancing in Paris and varied life and everything like that, is there one story that that that stands out? I know you've told us, you know, a couple of stories. Yeah. Yeah. But is there is there another story that really, you know, stands out and maybe has a Yeah.

I mean, just a situation that stands out that you look back and go, wow, that actually was a bit of a Seminole moment. I mean, it's a real difficult one because there was so many good moments and then so many sort of a little bit negative. I'm going to. Segue here and say, what was it like? So you've come from a small town in Keighley and you're in Paris for the first time. You've done the training, everything like your first opening night, David walking out there. Right. The the first opening night you, you put into like 3 routines just to get you into the show.

And we did a Japanese number with a big kabuki sort of like wig on and everything. And there was a big staircase. We had a waterfall out a brolly and what have you know I was thinking I'm doing. I've been to a lighter actually it is well, so it's quite something. It is. It's a lovely experience. So I'm twiddling my rolling, I'm going down the stairs and I'm going like this. The elastication of my wig. I've got it stuck on the flats at the back, so I couldn't get my wig out. So everybody else is trying to get past me as I'm stuck with my wig on the back of the flat.

So somebody had to sort of like tweak it and then I could go running down the stairs. But that was my first night. I mean, we had such fun on stage as well because things did go wrong or somebody had changed position or whatever. So it was, you know, I mean it was quite grueling was the fact that you were doing 2 shows a night. But it was, it was a great experience. And then I went off dancing to different countries, you know, Japan and Spain and Tangiers. And I mean, I remember going to Tangiers and used to go out with all the diplomats and everything we chaperoned because you were in countries where, you know, we were all tall and showgirls and one thing and another.

So you did meet some really interesting people. Yes, and I mean we could talk all day about the stories and and we have spoken a number of times as I said at the start, but it's really been a fantastic pleasure to. Have you? Sheila Brayshaw Just a well, you are a a light in the world, you know, and I think you know, people that will come across on camera and, you know, you're, you've had a fascinating life so far and I know there's a lot more to come and. Can't. Wait to hear about. It so David, let's hope.

Well, we all hope so for sure. But I think it's your enthusiasm shines through and that's really a big message that I would like, you know, people to take from us is that enthusiasm is a fantastic energy source. And and. It, you know, it makes the I think the built world a better place and have your place and yeah, there's enough misery out there without adding to it. Absolutely. So brilliant. And of course, next week is your turn to. 80s Davids. Just and you've not given me. I'm not going to. Give you any questions?

No. Brilliant. Thank you very much. Thanks, David. It's. Been an absolute pleasure, cheers. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.

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