Martin 'Costin' Powers
I can’t quite believe they’re me – especially the ‘Costin Powers’ (watch it yourself below). All of these sketches were filmed in 2000-2001 as part of my ‘Deal of the Day’ piece on the then little watched, and now long defunct, Simply Money TV. I can’t blame anyone else for them, I had to research, present, write, occasionally sing and produce them on my own.
It’s strange to look back at this, simply Money was my first TV gig. The Deal of the Day programme was my big break and literally where I became the MSE (literally see my 10 years ago I became the Money Saving Expert blog). Back then my time treading the boards as an amateur stand-up comic was still a fresh memory, so I tried to mix my two passions.
The characters were cheesy and kitsch, yet I’ve always believed that my subject is boring for many people, so if I’m not excited and interested in it – I can’t expect others to be. I hope that passion comes across even now, but then my route was via the sketches. Many of the small but loyal audience used to tell me they eagerly awaited ‘what nonsense I’d do next’, and the sketches got sillier and sillier.
I suppose in honesty I miss it somewhat. Though the thought of delivering one five days a week horrifies me now. Plus I’m not sure it’d be appropriate alongside campaigning on financial education, bank charges, PPI, or mental health and debts. Yet their shadow does live on a touch in the bits of silliness I try and throw into my ITV Lorraine films each Thursday.
If you’re wondering how this was ‘unearthed’, that’s stretching it somewhat. It has always been on the site, albeit buried and in a tiny little video. I happened across it a few weeks ago, and transferred it onto YouTube. So as it’s Christmas, here goes.
I suspect many of you scrolled straight down to the video, you can watch it here or full screen via the YouTube links
The Austin Powers one is the bit that still pains me the most to watch (so no doubt it’s the one my team will use as the picture at the top when they upload this blog!)
My favourites are Laurel & Hardy, Unbeatibal, Lecture and Brief Beancounter right at the end – and not only cos I got a snog (it was pre Mrs MSE). Let me know what you think.
