Christopher Neil

Christopher Neil is a British actor, record producer, songwriter, and singer. He has produced records for Rod Stewart, Cher, Bonnie Tyler, Céline Dion, a-ha, Amazulu, Dollar, Edyta Górniak, Gerry Rafferty, Jennifer Rush, José Carreras, Leo Sayer, Marillion, Mike + The Mechanics, Morten Harket, Paul Carrack, Paul Young, Shakin' Stevens, Sheena Easton, The Moody Blues, and Toyah Willcox. In 1973, his song 'Help It Along' performed by Cliff Richard, finished third in the BBC's annual A Song for Europe contest. The track was a hit single later in the year for Cliff and the title of his 1974 live album. Neil started in the mid-sixties as a singer with Manchester group The Chuckles. In 1972 he released a solo album 'Where I Belong'. Neil worked as an actor during the 1970s playing Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Ginger in Leaping Ginger at the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester before working full-time as a record producer. His film roles included Sex Thief (1973), Eskimo Nell (1975), and Three for All (1975), and in 1976 he starred in the British TV series Rock Follies (1976). In 1977 and 1978 he starred in two of the three 'Adventures of...' British comedy films: Adventures of a Private Eye (1977) and the final film in the trilogy, Adventures of a Plumber's Mate (1978). In addition to taking the lead role, he wrote and sang the theme songs to the two films. From 1976, Neil was the host of the BBC's children's programme You and Me (1974).