Johnny Vegas is back on Channel 4, with the second series of Carry on Glamping alongside his long-suffering TV ‘wife’ Bev – but what IS their unusual relationship?
On Wednesday (January 24, 2024) the Merseyside-born comedian returns to our screens on a mission to relaunch his Field of Dreams glamping site – and make it better than last time.
In episode one, the search begins for a new location. Fans of series 1 will know that Johnny set up a campsite where the accommodation consisted of vintage vehicles. Buoyed by the unlikely success of this venture, he now wants to expand the site, with more unique vehicles to convert into pods.
Alongside him, once again, is his sidekick Beverley Dixon – but is she his wife? What is their relationship? Here’s everything you need to know!
What is Johnny Vegas famous for?
Johnny Vegas is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. Not a lot of people know that he made his television debut in 1996, as a contestant on Win, Lose or Draw under his real name of Michael.
He later gained a wider audience as a regular member of Shooting Stars. Following a successful career in stand-up, Johnny went on to appear on numerous TV comedy panel shows including QI, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Taskmaster and The Last Leg. He’s also appeared as an actor in numerous TV shows.
Johnny portrayed drug dealer Moz in the BBC comedy Ideal, Geoff Maltby aka ‘The Oracle’ in the ITV sitcom Benidorm, and Eric Agnew in the BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours.
Viewers also know him for roles in 2001’s Happiness, 2004’s The Libertine and 2005’s Bleak House. More recently, Johnny has voiced Dave Spud in The Rubbish World of Dave Spud, and played Alfie in the TV series Romantic Getaway opposite Romesh Ranganathan and Katherine Ryan. He also starred as Harry in the comedy caper Murder, They Hope, opposite Sian Gibson.
In 2014, he published his autobiography Becoming Johnny Vegas. In 2021, Johnny embarked on his most ambitious project yet – launched a glamping site. Channel 4 followed his progress in Carry on Glamping. It became an unlikely hit, and has now spawned its second series.
How old is Johnny, and where is he from?
Michael Joseph Pennington, better known as Johnny Vegas, was born on September 05 1970 in St Helens in Merseyside.
He is currently 53 years old.
Does Johnny Vegas have a wife?
Comic Johnny is currently separated from his wife Maia Dunphy, a television producer, broadcaster and writer. They are not yet thought to be divorced.
The pair wed in March 2011, in Maia’s mother’s home town of Seville, Spain. They had a son named Tom in 2015 – and Maia wrote a book about her journey into motherhood.
On 14 May 2018, Maia confirmed that she and Johnny had separated in late 2017. She said: “It is with a heavy heart that we want to let you know we separated some time ago last year.
“We are telling people now because speculation is unhelpful at best, and dangerous at worst. As we think is obvious, we continue to fully support each other, there is no acrimony, no story and no one else involved.”
They reconciled in November 2018, but separated in April 2020. At the time, Maia said: “Johnny and I are not together now. It’s difficult and heartbreaking and a source of daily sadness for me.”
Johnny was previously married to Catherine ‘Kitty’ Donnelly from 2002 to 2008. The comedian sold pictures of the wedding to Viz magazine for a pound, mocking the celebrity tradition of featuring in showbiz mags for money.
They divorced after splitting up in Christmas 2006 and share a son together, named Michael Pennington Jr after his dad.
Who is Beverley Dixon? Is she dating Johnny?
Beverley Dixon is a producer, known for working with Johnny on this stand-up gig Live at the Benidorm Palace in 2009.
She is Johnny’s PA, who appeared as Johnny’s sidekick and friend in Carry on Glamping in 2021. Bev returns in the second series in January 2024.
She describes herself as a celebrity personal assistant and “long suffering assistant to Johnny Vegas”. Bev also appeared opposite Johnny in Celebrity Gogglebox in 2020.
Very little is known about Bev’s private life, or whether she has a husband or children.
Has Johnny lost weight?
Johnny Vegas has openly talked about his five stone weight loss. Appearing on Loose Women in 2020, he said: “I have not done a diet in any way whatsoever. I have cut out things, it’s a lifestyle change.”
Johnny continued: “Then you can live with it and you don’t feel like you are denying yourself anything – apart from cheese!”
He admitted that his diet overhaul was down to losing his father to cancer in September 2019. Talking to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning, he revealed he wanted to be around for his own children.
He reportedly weighed 18 stone at his heaviest.
What is Johnny Vegas’ net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Johnny has a net worth of £10million.
This is as a result of his tours, TV appearances, and autobiography Becoming Johnny Vegas.
Does Johnny Vegas have ADHD?
Johnny Vegas was diagnosed with ADHD at the end of 2022. He was 52 years of age at the time.
Talking to BBC Breakfast at the time, he explained: “A lot of things make sense now.”
He said: “It’s that sense of disorganisation and doing basic tasks. Everybody has an element of it – it’s how strong your filter is, I think.
“When you don’t have a filter at all, very simple things become very time consuming. It’s like, [I’ll say] I’ll shift that cup, and then you have 10 other ideas and you haven’t shifted that cup. And then, three weeks later, that cup’s still there and somebody’s like, why haven’t you shifted that, and it’s become this monumental task and it’s built up.
“It’s just, I suppose, how your brain organises itself. I always knew I was disorganised… But it [the diagnosis] helps make sense of a lot of things at school. I’m just on the verge of learning about it.”
He added that, in some ways, “it’s made me who I am” and wondered whether “that chaos helped me be a better stand-up”.
Johnny Vegas: Carry on Glamping on C4 – what’s it about?
In series one of Carry on Glamping in 2021, camper van enthusiast Johnny Vegas attempted to create the country’s coolest glampsite.
He aimed to open a bespoke glamping site for five re-conditioned, chic old (static) buses. And he picked the right time, with glamping increasingly on the rise in Britain.
Johnny started by buying a vintage bus, hoping to renovate it into boutique accommodation on their site in Wales. The only problem was, the vehicle was in Malta, so he needed a plane to collect it…
In series two, the comedian is on a mission to relaunch his Field of Dreams glamping site and make it bigger and better than last time. The search begins for a new location as Johnny and Bev take to the road to scope out an old racecourse in East Sussex, and visit Jimmy Doherty’s Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk.
Read more: Cooking With The Stars: Johnny Vegas’ weight loss battle and how he lost five stone
Johnny Vegas: Carry on Glamping series 2 starts on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 10pm on Channel 4.
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