The Innovative Steve Hewlett

david malmberg
Feb 28
10 min read

Steve Hewlett. His name is associated with Britain's Got Talent. As a finalist on that program he made his mark in the world of show business. But, there is so much more to Steve than being a contest winner. I had a chance to sit down with him recently and found a generous, sincere and authentic human being who you can't help but like.

Don't get me wrong, Steve is a pro for sure. His experience in the business is decades long. And we are soon going to be gifted with a life long work known as Ventriloquest. More about that later.

The title of this article is the Innovative Steve Hewlett. I think we used the word at least a half dozen times during the interview. Steve confided he didn't really like the word because the pronunciation of 'innovative' could be a tongue twister at times. Sort of like aluminum. So, he tries to not to use it. So I put it in the title of the article!

This interview was a real pleasure. Here is the Innovative Steve Hewlett on Vent-o-gram.

So, you performed at the Vent Haven Convention this year…

There is a moment of nerves because not only are you working in a different country (I’ve worked in America before and they are a favorite audience) but I’m also working in front of other ventriloquist’s. It can be challenging.

It can be anxious but must be doubly so for you because you now have a different culture to deal with as well.

Yes, there are language issues. It is important to use correct words and phrases. Will they translate into being funny? Having said that it all went marvelously well and frankly I don’t know what I was so nervous about! I’ve made so many friends here. Plus, I am here with the guy who taught me ventriloquism when I was twelve.

Jimmy Tamley?

Yes, plus one of my hero’s of ventriloquism walked in, Ronn Lucas. So it couldn’t be better for me.

Ronn was doing television in England for awhile. Where were you in your career at that time?

No career. I was at school. I actually started when I met Jimmy Tamley in 1987. I knocked on his door, asked him if he would teach me and he said,”yes.” He said go get books, so I picked up the Ray Alan book.

I started to learn from the book and Jimmy started to teach me. Then in 1989 Ronn Lucas came over. He came over to do a show called the Hippodrome Show. And then they brought him back to do “The Ronn Lucas Show.” Ronn became a huge overnight star. I was taken to one of the tapings when I was 14. That is when I met Ronn.

So you were twelve when you started vent. That is not an unusual story.

No, it is a magical age. Jimmy Tamley actually lived in my town and he had appeared on Television. My parents said, “We should watch him, he’s a ventriloquist.” I said, “What’s that?”

After seeing Jimmy I fell in love with the craft and it was only a few days later when I knocked on his door.

Besides Ray Alan, were there any other books that influenced you?

Yes, Valentine Vox. His book became a bible for me. I used to check it out from the library. You could have the book for three weeks. Then I would go back and recheck it out. I had the book for about 2 years. (Laughter)

Do you know Val?

I met Valentine Vox last year. He came over to London and I took him to lunch. It was so fun to talk with him about our mutual love of the craft. Plus he knows I have written a book.

The book ‘Ventriloquest’ …is it out?

No, but it is a labor of love.

What is the concept of the book?

I have interviewed people all over the world. When I was a kid, I wrote to ventriloquists. Bill Boley, Clint Detweiller, Willie Tyler, and all the British Ventriloquists. I kept all those letters. Many now have passed. I was in my teens when I started writing all of these ventriloquists. About 15 years ago, I started actually interviewing ventriloquists. I also went to families of ventriloquists who are no longer here. People like Arthur Worsley, Dennis Spicer….

What did you think of Dennis Spicer?

He was way ahead of his time. Do you know every time he did a TV shot it was a different routine? He was extremely innovative.

That routine with the Corgi was amazing.

He wrote that especially for the show.

Let me ask you this. Besides Jimmy Tamley, of the English vent world who are past vent’s you most admire?

Oh, Dennis Spicer is way out there. Keith Harris is another one. He was a great performer, producer, director, entertainer. He was really good to me. To watch him perform was amazing.

And I have to say the same about Jimmy Tamley. This convention is amazing for me because Jimmy and I are performing together. It is a massive full circle for us. He was my teacher…

Do the English still love ventriloquists?

They do. Curiously, the craft is still rare in spite of all the television coverage these days. A lot of kids are seeing you for the first time. In the UK there are only about 6 or 7 working pros. But we are out there every day.

How long have you been pro?

From the age of 22 on.

We are going to talk about Britain’s Got Talent in a bit, but what was your career like prior to that?

It has been really great. I have had lots of opportunities. But, it is a roller coaster financially. There are great times, and not so great times. When you have a family it makes it more difficult because your traveling all the time trying to provide for the family. It is important to achieve balance with all of this. For about 20 years it was cruise ships, pantomime,(a musical comedy stage production) holiday parties. You’re on a conveyor belt doing the same thing. Your only going to get a break if an opportunity arises. I had a phone call from Britain’s Got Talent. It took me further.

Let’s talk about opportunity. Someone once said, it is easy to say 'yes' to things but much more difficult to say no. How do you know which are the good opportunities?

I’ve done a lot of benefit shows and said yes to everything. It is my way of giving back. This is not a bad thing, but there needs to be balance because when you are working charity, you are actually losing time and money for your own career. My wife has made saying ‘no’ easier.

Why is that?

Because I’m taking myself away from my family. My wife, my daughters. My daughters are nine and thirteen and going away on the road loses quality time with them. One time my youngest said “Why is Daddy away all the time?” That’s was hard, so I have really made an effort to make sure there is balance there. But, as an entertainer, it is difficult.

As you have become more successful have you been able to control that more?

Yes. Yes. You’re able to say ‘no’ to things. If you don’t learn how to say no, you will end up exhausted. You need to look after yourself and your family.

You mentioned giving back. As opposed to being a self-centered entertainer. Tell me about that.

I love what I do. My Mum is a very giving person and I think I received that from her. When I was twelve I started learning vent and did a lot of charity shows. And then, what little money I made I would give to a charity. I am a member of The Grand Order of Water Rats. (Authors note: 'Rats' spells star backward) It is a charity that raises funds for different organizations around the country. Laurel and Hardy and Chaplin were Water Rats. It was formed by entertainers in 1889 and still exists.

I became a Water Rat about 10 years ago. That is when you get to give back. So, I do shows through them. My way of giving back. Plus, you make a lot of friends and contacts in the business. So many ventriloquists helped me along the way. My membership in Water Rats is kind of my way of paying it forward.

How influential were Laurel and Hardy and Chaplin in your act?

I love slapstick comedy. Chaplin fascinates me. It is legacy for me to be in a charity that these acts were once a part of. Interestingly, they always had ventriloquists on their live shows. So had I been working in the 50’s I might have been on a Laurel and Hardy show! I always say I was born too late. I missed those days. But it is nice to be associated with Water Rats. Personally, they helped me out during covid so I am now happy to give back.

In America, many ventriloquists have died broke, is this true in the UK?

If I die now, yes! (laughter) But, my book (Ventriloquest) is a way to create legacy. I’m not creating the book for money. I don’t want these ventriloquists that have gone before to be forgotten about. I love the art with a passion.

So legacy is important to you?

Only because I would like to leave something that answers the question, “What did Steve Hewlett do?” The book is kind of my connection to the past. Plus, I want to help out the up and coming vents. I saw Nikolas Bushi work at the convention in 2019 and he reminded me of me when I was younger.

So I sent him a puppet. That’s me giving back you know. And he called him Chris because he got him on Christmas day. And now, Chris is his main character. That is really gratifying.

How did Britain’s Got Talent change your life?

It opened doors.

Did they approach you?

Yes, every year. (laughter) I turned them down because I was always working. At first I didn’t really want to do it. When they approached me I had already been a pro for 15 years. I turned them down for six years. When they called the last time they said there is a spot for you at the London Palladium. I thought, hmmm that changes the dynamic. (laughter) When I was 20 I was an usher at the palladium. I loved that theater.

So I said yes and auditioned. When it went live they edited my 12 minutes to 20 seconds. I thought, well that’s it. That’s my big break. But I made it to the live show and I made up a Simon Cowell puppet made by Verna Finley. It was my wife’s idea. I had the Finley refurbished to look like Simon. So I did the rehearsal for the show but I kept the Simon puppet a secret. So when I went out I brought the puppet out. Well, the reaction you see on youtube says it all. The place went crazy. I made it to the finals.

Simon Cowell with 'Simon Cowell' and Steve

Did opportunities arise?

Yes, I toured with the Osmonds, worked Branson, MO, toured with Kenny G. So yes. It opened a lot of doors. I still get calls for bookings from that Youtube clip. Curiously, back then, you could pretty much do your own material. I think things have changed a lot in the interim.

Do you write your own material?

Yes. I write a lot of my own material. My ideas…I have had so many ideas over the years. Interestingly, when you do your material at the convention, it is kind of like paying it forward because people have long memories if you know what I mean. (laughter)

How do you feel about that?

Oh I have had ventriloquist’s lift my material and routines. My wife always says to me, “Just make your routine better.” You know make it stronger. So when someone is doing your routine, it is no longer your routine because you have improved upon it. Besides, many of us come up with the same ideas. There is only so much you can do with the craft you know.

Steve Martin said, “Be so good that they can’t ignore you.” You think that is true?

Yes. Definitely. If your different, original and stand out, you will be noticed. And you will go further.

The thing about the convention is that everyone knows all of the stock lines. So what will work with a general audience could be death at a convention.

(laughter) Yes. If there are 14 ventriloquist’s during the convention there is bound to be some repetition. (laughter) But I really like watching the younger vents.

Did you go to the junior competition?

Yes. I was there once. I love seeing how confident the kids are. And how different they are. Some stand out. Some very original.

How important is originality in this day and age?

Well, you go along and you think everything has been done. And then you see something new and you think, “I wish I had thought of that.” Originality is very important. But here is the thing, you can do something that was done years ago, for instance in the music halls in the UK. Your audience won’t know that and it will come across as being very original. It looks new. I have seen ventriloquists do something that was done a hundred years ago. But it comes across as new.

Then there is Jeff Dunham.

Yes. Jeff blows my mind. Not only as an idea man, but as a business man as well. I don’t think anyone is going to surpass what Jeff has done. You know, with the arena shows.

You know, Valentine Vox has republished his book and I asked him why he felt the need to do that. He said with Jeff, something dramatically changed in ventriloquism. Which is this: For the first time in history Ventriloquism became an arena act.

Yes. That is incredible to think about it. I write about this in my book as well. Jeff got it right. He is so character intensive. So very important. It took me many years to find the right character.

Moving forward. What are your hopes and aspirations.

I have loads of ideas. Plus, I want to get my book published. As a ventriloquist my desire is to continue being innovative and to spread the art of ventriloquism throughout the world.