MORECAMBE and Wise, Laurel and Hardy, Waldorf and Statler.
Great double acts have been synonymous with fantastic entertainment down the years on our telly screens.
Sport has also had its great duos in history; Murray Walker and James Hunt, Richie Benaud and Viv Richards, Martin Tyler and Andy Gray.
In speedway circles, the equivalent is Pearson and Tatum, Nigel and Kelvin.
The shale daredevils have never had it so good on TV.
Even in its halcyon days of the 70s and 80s, speedway had to fight for an hour slot on World of Sport although ITV did produce sensational coverage of test matches and world championship finals on special transmissions.
But Pearson and Tatum have spearheaded speedway’s charge to the best coverage in its history on Sky Sports and now BT Sport.
Speedway gets every illustrious and intoxicating Grand Prix live on a Saturday night and top flight UK league action every week during the main section of the season from May to October.
It’s move to BT Sport in 2017 has been widely-applauded as the best package the sport has ever received.
Pearson and Tatum are at the heart of all the drama unfolding. Speedway, on its day, is the most spectacular motorsport in the world.
There is simply never a dull moment when speedway’s most dashing dulcet-toned duo are in full voice.
It’s a clever combination of genuine love of the sport, fans, knowledge and experience of being on track.
Pearson is a passionate broadcaster for TalkSPORT football, Sky Sports darts and BT Sport speedway. He is the lead commentator but not afraid to get carried away like a true supporter - just as he did as a fan of the Hull Vikings and more latterly Cradley Heathens as a schoolkid.
Tatum came within a whisker of being World Speedway Champion, twice British Champion and three-times World Longtrack Champion and World Team Cup champion with England.
Between the two of them, what they don’t know about speedway you could write on a chain link.
Their colourful combination comes to the forefront in their compelling stage shows with their ‘Christmas Cracker’ next up at the Cleveland Arms, Stow Heath Lane, Wolverhampton, on November 30.
They are also joined by speedway’s new golden girl Natalie Quirk.
If Tatum and Pearson are at the heart of speedway coverage, Nat is the heart beat.
Manchester born and bred, the trained journo has been a revelation as the new anchorwoman in the pits. Like her screen colleagues, Nat is also a long-standing fan of the sport.
Throw in entertaining Wolverhampton boss Peter Adams and his legendry one liners and it’s a fascinating cocktail for a great night of insight, chat, laughs and anecdotes.
Expect plenty of Pearson and Tatum’s catchphrases; “hard-charging”, “jet-propelled”, “Woffy Woffy Woffy” and “proper speedway”.
But most of all, it’ll be a proper great night out…
*TICKETS, £10, are available now from clevelandarms.com or from the venue direct. Call 01902 451021.
*PRESS release prepared for Sportstalk Events by Phil Lanning Media.
