Heavyweight boxer Frank Bruno was set to attend an event in the Rhondda so it was down to me and a photographer to cover it.

London born Frank, who was made an MBE in 1990, enjoyed a succesful boxing career and was renowned for his interviews with boxing commentator Harry Carpenter in which he used to coin the phrase “Know what I mean Harry?.”

So I headed for the Rhondda hills to Graig Park, the home of Penygraig Rugby Football Club where the event was being held. And I wasn’t on my own. I was joined by my daughter Fay who wanted to go along to see what all the fuss was all about.

A short while after I arrived Frank, who attended the event in his role as an ambassador with the Prince’s Trust, arrived along with his entourage. The Prince’s Trust was a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track.

So there I was coiled with pen and notebook ready to pounce for my interview but before I could get to have a written word or two with Frank I found myself at the back of a queue of people wanting his autograph. When I did manage to get face to face with Frank I think he must have thought I wanted his autograph.

After I explained I was a reporter with the local newspaper he nodded and winked and gave his famous laugh and muttered “Okay” before he started to walk off. While trying to keep up with Frank I did my best to get some sort of interview but it just wasn’t happening.

Frank was busy shaking hands and signing autographs and every question I fired at him he would say “Yeah” and give that famous laugh. While I couldn’t get a reporting word in Frank was chatting away to my daughter Fay as we walked along. There was more
chance of Fay doing the interview than her father.