Comedy titan and top chap Barry Cryer insists he’s enjoying being an oldie at Yuletide, but like The Big Issue’s Caring at Christmas campaign, he says we should spare a thought for those who are less lucky.

“Well I’m lucky, I’ve got a big plan,” the 78-year-old said. “The Big Issue knows about this – loneliness is the most awful thing. And I was spared, been dogged by good luck all my life. We’ve got four children and seven grandchildren, so it’s a big family.

“With the extended family – the in-laws and the outlaws – we’ve got huge group photographs. Very lucky. We’re going to be moving about quite a lot at Christmas. It’s a family thing and I’m so grateful for it.

“The build-up to Christmas gets to me a bit: the frenzy, the rushing about, people going, ‘Oh, I haven’t bought that present and blah blah blah.’ You can feel it in the air, you can smell it.

“I retreat a bit, back from the frenzy. But once it’s arrived I love it. It starts so early commercially, it seems they’re all cashing in very early on. But once it arrives and you pull up the drawbridge… if you’re lucky, as I am, to have a family and a whole gang… I love every minute of it.”

Nearly half a million British pensioners will be alone at Christmas this year and a survey by Age UK showed that 26 per cent of older people are not looking forward to the holiday this year, with many citing the heart-aching memories of those who have passed away.

However, it’s not too late to extent a simple hand of friendship, possibly towards an isolated neighbour or perhaps a local support group. Read more about how you can help this festive period.

You can read a full interview with Barry Cryer in this week’s Big Issue Christmas special, on sale now

http://www.bigissue.com/mix/news/3378/