Purely conjecture..

but..

I think for Linda Jim is symbolic of her and her familys tough times and although he has done things personally to her in the past I think it's more what she feels he represents than the actual 'doing' on his part

Ok so what DO WE KNOW about their past?

1. Jim was a mate of Frank Carson and would've been quite present and probably vocal through the shame and probable ostracisation of Lindas Husband due to the much talked about court case and resulting prosecution

2. Jim - pissed up - once jibed The Nolans from the wings of some stage (I take it by '16 year old sister she meant Colleen who around that age joined her Sisters in the group)

Where was Jim when she was 'standing by her man' on what probably felt like a sinking ship?

He was going from strength to strength, Generation Game - Big Break - prime-time weekend tv slots

What were 'The Nolans' going through at this time?

They were a joke in the industry(sorry Nolan fans) but they came in with a Disco anthem just as Disco breathed its last breath under the foot of the harder-edged New Wave, one of The Skids was alleged to have spat on their Dressing Room door at Top Of The Pops (vehemently denied later by band member Richard Jobson) but it was what they represented at 'that time' that was at odds with the cultural shift more than them as individuals - even if rumours are correct that Linda was a bit of a pain in the arse in the trade too

But being essentially just eye-candy bubblegum Pop their time in the sun was brief and their fall from the 'heights of success' would I'm sure have been both painful and humiliating especially with the 'new' baying for 'their brand of entertainments' blood

I think Linda puts it all on Jim

When you feel 'wronged' the thought of anyone who you don't feel deserves their breaks is amplified

Jim by his own admission was a drinker and an arsehole back then, to see him doing so well would've annoyed her I'm sure, especially with his attachment to her hubbys history

Talking of her Hubby.. it's just common sense that Jim would've featured plenty in those late pillow 'pep-up' talks between he and Linda, I'm sure there were a million bonding 'I know you're not a thief's and 'f*** Jim Davidson's between them

Maybe he carried that to the grave and she can't undo it for fear of failing him?

Maybe she knows deep down it's daft but has to keep up it out of loyalty?

Maybe letting it go is too hard for her as to her it might feel like letting go of yet another part of him and the things that 'were' in their world? death is difficult

Jim had a bad rep

SHE had a bad rep too

They should both know better than to operate from rumour so if it's merely the FC dressing room thing + the pissed up jibing + the rep then surely there's room for reconciliation, I'm sure if she'd have taken 1 step to Jim he'd have taken 2 towards her, he's almost made a living out of being judged so I'm sure her digs only dumped her - for him - in a big room with a 'lot' of people and pulled the side of him out that any of us would want to keep locked giving weight to her narrative of him

Just the way she did the whole 'Don't try to be a friend' thing with Jim sounded to me like 'you'll not take the hate away, you'll not take THAT too'

So basically that's my theory, I think she sees him as the embodiment of her darkest times, the fact she didn't feel convicted enough to lay her cards on the table and tell him straight tells me she knows that her gripes of 'him specifically wouldn't carry enough weight to warrant her disdain of him

I wish her well though, she's been through an awful lot and I'm sure Jim would wholeheartedly say the same, we've all done/said something regrettable when p'd up, he's held his hands up and I hope she can too

thoughts?

Interesting post OP. You make a good case and the in whole or part theory is plausible. I guess we will never know.

Frustrating isn't it to get a glimpse behind the curtain and not ever get to unpick what lies therein?

I think you are spot on with a lot of your points OP. I suspect Jim was very involved in the process leading up to her husband being prosecuted.

It sounds like her husband must have had some behind the scenes role in showbiz. That came to an end when he was caught stealing. His reputation was ruined.

Instead of blaming the person who committed the crime she blames the people who caught him. I suspect she also privately shows a similar degree of hatred towards Frank Carson.

Yep probably everyone from Les Dennis to Dusty Bin

Thing is it's what you do isn't it? Bond over the hate of certain stuff/people when you're licking wounds

I just feel her issues are far beyond Jim, he's just by association entangled, unfortunate to be there and seemingly too perfect a target

On relating the incident with her 16 yo sister... Linda Nolan actually said that he was pissed and wouldn't even remember it. So why hold a grudge for all these years against a man who did something, probably in a drunken stupour, that he wouldn't remember anyway?

Seems a tad OTT.

It is isn't it!!

I would love for it to come out tho, even just to lift the weight off her, and Jim

I bet given the chance they'd be the best of friends, way too much in common to laugh and identify with over a couple of silly run-ins, be great if they could get to a place where they can both laugh about it

Well thought out post. I think you have a few nails on the head. Jim aside there did seem to be something bitter and sad about Linda and while she claimed she did smile she never really seemed to have a look of joy about her. Even Liz had moments of looking as though she was actually experiencing some fun and enjoying things. Linda always looked as she had french kissed a basket of lemons.

They've been surprised that Jim is so popular with the public. I think Linda fully expected the public to fall for her victim act and hate Jim. That has had the opposite effect, Jim is loved.

Now they're just trying to drag up any dirt they can think of in the hope it will tarnish his reputation. Jim's popularity is absolutely killing them.

Well typed, and very plausible, I have thought the same, think I might have posted saying that 'showbiz' competition/envy may have a lot to do with the 'rift'.

Exactly SilentWitness

Jim s no saint, he knows how to press buttons don't get me wrong but it's definitely more than just 'him'

He's admitted on numerous occasions that he'd previously been a drunk and a bit of a b*stard.. but haven't we all experienced people like that at times, but we haven't held a grudge for years over it.

I think this makes Linda look even more bitter and for fear of sounding rude stupid.

If it was worth mentioning after so many years, it was obviously 'bad' and whether or not he was to drunk to remember it should have been brought up at the time or soon after. Or is she saying because he was drunk it was not worth mentioning at the time or soon after? Or because he was drunk it was ok at the time?

I think that the main point is... if he didn't remember it then, what chance does he have of remembering it now? Absolutely pointless.

Dreadful things are said when drunk

I'd be destroyed to know I'd said something that hurts someone for years after, I'd desperately want to talk it through and apologise if it was 'on me' to

If there IS something that he's done or said that we don't know about then he deserves to know what it was even if 'we' don't, I'm sure he'd want to apologise

Even if they never spoke again, just to have 'lanced that boil' would surely be worth it

(sorry for the mental imagery)

I think my main point was, if it was that bad to be brought up on live TV, why would it matter if he was to drunk to remember it or not? and why has it taken until now on live TV to mention it?

My whole point in all my rambling is, if she knows he won't remember it (because of drink), why did she not bring it up at the time loudly to somebody who would remember it?

(I know what I mean)

Haha GO HOME FLOWER2 YOU'RE DRUNK!

I know what you mean tho

Yes, I understood you perfectly. I was agreeing with you, in my own, clumsy Jim Davidson kind of way.

Night night flower.

That's a very good and thoughtful post OP. A good read with some very valid points.

I know this is very simplistic to say though but ...........perhaps she simply doesn't like him. I don't like him - I've been challenged on it (on here) and I sometimes cannot find a way to express it. I think it's his whole mean spirited, cruel, spiteful demeanour - onstage and in interviews that I don't like. Perhaps she just doesn't like him.

*Heads up the stairs to bed trips up a few, and hears husband tsk tsk..hic!*

Night all!

Kind words Penny, thank you (bunch-of-flowers emoticon)

Aw it's a shame you see Jim like that but you won't get bashed here, you're more than entitled to your opinion

I suppose I'm a bloke and a product of his era so I can see the crap in him but can also see the fight in him against those traits too, his reputation proceeds him all too easily I think

Oh no, this runs a lot deeper than disliking someone. What we witnessed was an obsessive hatred.

She apparently said in an interview before the show that she had an issue with him because of an argument he had with her husband 20+ years ago. We assume the argument was regarding her husband stealing from a good friend of Jim's. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the issues she has with Jim goes right back to Frank Carson's dressing room.

Quote [2. Jim - pissed up - once jibed The Nolans from the wings of some stage (I take it by '16 year old sister she meant Colleen who around that age joined her Sisters in the group)]Unquote.


We only have Lindas word for this from her bitter mouth so we do not know that is true. Her comment that "Jim was drunk and won't remember" smells of a lie imo.

I sincerely hope Jim's lawyers will be on Linda's back for the accusations she is making about him

HonestLee, I think a lot of what you say is plausible. I really don't know what the history is, Jim says he hardly knows her and has only met her 3 or 4 times. Linda is psychologically stuck, not self aware, still at the stage of blaming everybody and everything for her problems and unfortunately for Jim he has become the focus for this in the house. I would imagine the minor history they might have in no way warrants the magnitude of her negative feelings towards him or the projection of all her problems on to him.

Good post OP. I think you've got far nearer the truth than those idiots on BBBOTP last night for sure !

Or maybe she's just one of those dangerous, damaged people who if you cross them, they immediately 'take agin (against) you' they make it their life's work to destroy you.

Just a theory.