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Thomas Bunn (born 18th November 1949) is a comedy entertainer known as Bunny Thomas and also a retired psychiatric practitioner and lecturer/educator registered with the GMC. In 2011 Bunn published his autobiography entitled Sorry Darling, It's Way Past Time, which he continues to promote. Currently, Bunn divides his time between Mid Wales and the west of France. He is a Trustee Director of Cymryd Rhan, a Welsh care charity.

Early life

Bunn was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire and adopted by Harold Bunn and Hannah Bunn (nee Swann) in 1951. He never knew his biological parents although in documents found after the law on adoption changed, his mother was stated to be Alice Mary Lawrence and his father a Mr Thomas Care.

At the age of 8 he discovered his adoptive mother Hannah dead in her bed at their home in Bolton Road, West Bromwich. Harold married his deceased wife's niece, Edith, shortly afterwards. Thus Thomas's cousin in effect became his new adoptive mother. Never knowing that he was originally adopted he only discovered the fact upon opening a certificate of adoption when he left secondary school.

Bunn attended Holy Trinity School in West Bromwich in his early years, followed by Hill Top Secondary High, also in West Bromwich.

Medical career

Bunn began training as a registered mental nurse (RMN) in 1968 at Highcroft Hospital in Erdington, qualifying in 1971. He subsequently worked in various capacities at All Saints' Hospital in Birmingham, Rubery Hill Hospital, Barnsley Hall Hospital and the Central Hospital in Hatton, Warwickshire, as well as community health centres.

In 1980, Bunn became Head of Clinical and Professional Development at the Central Hospital in Hatton having taken over the role of teaching new nurses. He achieved a master's degree in Continuing Education before retiring on the grounds of ill health in 1999, two years after having a pacemaker implant due to idiopathic atrial fibrillation.

Theatrical life

After meeting some repertory actors at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham in 1966, Bunn obtained a pass to ABPC (Associated British Pictures Corporation) at Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, where he met some of his heroes in Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee, Peter Wyngarde (who he was to later interview) and other stars of the day.

This excursion consolidated Thomas's theatrical passion and desire to go into variety, acting and comedy, believing that his experience in mental health would be a cushion in the cut-throat life of showbiz. In 1969 he met the singer Dorothy Squires who was to become a good friend, as well as Joan Turner, by which time he was a full member of Equity.

Throughout the 1970s he took on the stage name of Bunny Thomas, playing the role of a 'bunny boy', holding his trademark cabbage, playing to audiences across the UK in hotels, working men's clubs, pubs and small intimate theatres. His one-man show was known as An Evening With or Without if I Don't Turn Up. He also created a character named Edith Shagpile, a Midlands version of a reasonably respectable, middle-aged woman who liked a 'drinkie'. 'She' would chat to herself whilst wearing a fur stole referred to as her 'untouched pussy'. In 1977, he left his role as a nursing tutor and went to Alberta, Canada to undertake a cabaret tour. Returning to the UK, Bunn had several roles as a supporting artist in many BBC and ITV plays and series including Bull Week, God's Wonderful Railway and many others.

In 1979, Bill Buckley became his accompanist prior to Buckley being selected to appear on the BBC programme That's Life!. Buckley wrote an endearing piece about Bunny Thomas in the Express & Star in 1979, entitled Bunny Hopes to Hop to Stardom in Fishnet Tights. In 2008 Bunn rekindled his partnership with Buckley on Buckley's The Late Show, aired on LBC radio. During the intervening years he continued to perform, most notably at the Midland Arts Centre Hexagon in Birmingham. Bunny Thomas returned there on 6th October 2011 for a rare performance entitled Anxious, Aging and Psychiatric Tour.

Friendship with Larry Grayson

In 1973, Thomas Bunn met Larry Grayson, a popular camp comedian of the time. They became close friends and by the 1980s they saw each other regularly, including Grayson's last three Christmas Days, which were spent at the home of Bunn and his partner Dennis Docherty. Bunn and Grayson continued their friendship until Grayson's death in 1995. Bunn appeared as Zany Comedian, Friend and Admirer of Larry's at a memorial concert held for Grayson at Bedworth Civic Hall on 3rd May 1995, which was hosted by their mutual friend and Grayson's colleague, Isla St Clair.