I was very fortunate to get an interview with the lovely Lorraine Doyle, but now I have also been able to get another interview with a member of the legendary Love Machine dance group, Teresa Lucas!
Love Machine Q&A
Teresa Lucas
What was it like to have known Benny Hill, one of the world's best comic genius actors that England has ever produced?
I am very honoured to have known him of course. When we first knew and worked with Benny, it was prior to his incredible talent being recognised globally to eventually become the legend he is today.
Were you always interested in working in Show Business? Did you have other areas you were interested in working?
Both my parents were in show business. Before I was born, my mother, Yvonne Lucas, amongst other shows in London performed in a Royal Command Performance with the Tiller Girls. My father, Fred Lucas, was one of the top session singers of his time. In fact he actually did some of the Benny Hill Shows himself. So yes he too knew Benny. My parents did not push me into show biz, it just seemed natural for me to go into the business and I loved it!
Which (dance) routines did you appear in? How long were you with the show?
We invited Benny to come and see "The Love Machine" perform at a venue at the time called Baileys Club in Watford, and from this he asked us to appear on his TV show. We did 3 Benny Hill shows as a group. "Think of the Boys", "The Flash" and "Dancing in the Nude" were 3 of the dance routines we performed.
Can you tell us how working on the Benny Hill show impacted your career?
Working as a group in "The Benny Hill Show" was great exposure for "The Love Machine" and on the strength of this we were invited to work as a group performing our live show in cabaret and theatre when we worked with many of the top names in the entertainment world at the time. We were also invited onto other TV Shows, which were really diverse, such as "Little and Large", "International Pop Proms" and "Wheeltappers and Shunters Club", where we performed the infamous dance routine "Walk on the Wildside"!!! We also did various live and TV shows in Europe.
Are you married or do you have any children?
I have been married for 10 years to a lovely man who works within the airline industry. My married name is Teresa Rebello. We have 2 cats who I adore: Saffron and Pepper.
What kind of work did you do after the Benny Hill Show?
Early on Love Machine kept me busy as explained earlier. Eventually I also continued working as a free lance dancer working for various choreographers for live shows and TV entertainment and commercials. I also choreographed and managed, along with Libby Roberts a 5 girl dance group called Lipstick, who did a number of TV shows in the UK. What has kept me really busy over the latter years is that I have been working as a freelance Project Manager/Logistics Manager in Live Events for various Production Companies and Conference and Incentive Companies, which has taken me to some wonderful locations all over the world.
Could you talk a little bit about how you got involved in Love Machine and the friendships you share with each other?
I was working in Dougie Squire's, Second Generation Dance Group, and was asked by the Manager of "The Love Machine", to join the group. Claire Lutter and myself have kept a very close friendship ever since and over the last 4 or 5 years, we try to arrange reunion lunches with Lorraine, Jane and Libby. It's always great to catch up with everyone, after all we experienced some crazy times together and I think there will always be a strong bond between us!
Have you been able to keep in touch with other people on the show, apart from the members of Love Machine?
No
Would you take part in a featurette for a future Benny Hill DVD?
I possibly would, for Benny and his loyal fans!
A special thanks Teresa, on behalf of all of your fans for consenting to this interview. All the best!
