TV legend Paul Chuckle on his new dance single, post-lockdown barbecues and being overlooked by Radio 1

WHAT started out as an accidental TV catchphrase has now inspired not one, but two dance music singles...

The Only Way (To Me, To You) is Chuckle Brother Paul Elliott’s second crack at the charts, following on from 2014’s To Me, To You (Bruv) with late brother Barry and rapper Tinchy Stryder.

Rotherham TV legend Paul has carved himself out something of a niche in recent years with his club night appearances — which struck a chord with fellow DJ Clint Hills.

The pair met through Clint’s partner — a neighbour of Paul’s — as lockdown eased and two years on, they have a new track to promote, complete with a suitably glamorous video featuring flash cars, posh houses and a packed nightclub.

Of the enduring appeal of “To Me, To You”, Paul recently confirmed during a podcast chat with comedian Richard Herring that the phrase had never been intended to be the Chuckles’ calling card.

“It was just something me and Barry said when we were moving furniture,” he explained.

“After we said it on TV, people picked up on it and it's just gone on ever since.”

He added: “Clint and I met around lockdown, when we were all allowed to go into the garden with our neighbours.

“He told me he was a DJ and he knew I was DJing so we said it’d be great to do a single and it just went from there. It has been a couple of years in the making.”

One new phrase referenced in the lyrics is “Chuckle Hour”.

Paul explained: “We’d call it Chuckle Hour when we would go out in the garden in the afternoon to have a drink and a barbecue. It would get to about three or four o’clock and we were saying ‘Is it  ‘Chuckle Hour’?”

The new single has already made a few waves, Paul said, but he has higher hopes for it.

“We have had a lot of good feedback,” he added.

“We just need the radio airplay. I’ve been struggling to get hold of Radio One for them to do it!

“I know that they are classing it as a me as a comedian and it as a comedy record but I think it is more of a house record

“People are saying they really like it as it is really catchy, and it’s just 99p a download, so everybody can afford it.”

The video co-stars a couple of fancy motors — “nothing to do with me”, insisted Paul — complete with fitting “2 Me 2 You” number plates.

“They were Clint’s idea,” the veteran comic said.

“He said he was going to make up some number plates, so that’s his souvenir, he’s got them in the studio on the wall now.”

The pair plan to keep working together, and a second single is already in the can.

“We said if it went well, we would do an album,” Paul added.

“Maybe we can get it on to Ministry of Sound.”

In the mean time, more club and TV appearances await.

“I was in Belfast last week at Filthy McNasties nightclub — great name — and I’m doing Pontins next week and Butlin’s the week after,” said Paul.

“I'll be off to Malta to do Madame Blanc Mysteries in the summer.

“It’s a softer character, just nice to play.

“There’s quite a few bits and pieces coming up.”