'For some members of our family, it's kind of screwed their lives up a bit...' Paul McCartney's cousin reveals what life is like as his relative
British stand-up comedian Ted Robbins has revealed what life is like for some members of Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney’s family.
Sir Paul McCartney’s fame and success has "screwed up" the lives of some members of his family, his relative Ted Robbins has revealed.
The 68-year-old British comedian is related to Paul, 81, via his late mother who was The Beatles bassist's first cousin.
Ted insists Paul has always been close with his family and attends parties and reunions, but 'The League of Gentlemen' star has claimed that his music legend status has left some family members feeling inadequate, including his younger brother Mike - who formed his own bands the Scaffold and Grimms and performed under the name Mike McGear.
Appearing on the Chatabix podcast, Ted said: "Paul and my mum are first cousins. You know, when people do that, who's the most famous person on your phone? Well, that's Paul McCartney.
“Uncle Jim, who is Paul's dad, well, my great uncle, Uncle Joe, my mum and dad, Auntie Gin, who was Paul's auntie, helped bring him up.
“You know the song, 'Someone's Knockin at the Door… Auntie Gin.' Well, Auntie Gin, when Paul's and Mike's mum Mary died in 1956, they kind of, with my mum, all the cousins and all the uncles and aunties used to look after Paul and Mike because they were 14 and 13 and they grew up. I grew up, you know, listening and the aunties say, listen, ‘Cousin Paul's on the radio,’ you know, and yeah, yeah, it's a strange thing because, people say everyone in Liverpool, my auntie used to scrub Ringo Starr’s steps and all that.
“In some ways it's a great thing, but for some members of our family, it's kind of screwed their lives up a bit. Because if you compare, you know what I mean? Paul McCartney and all that. You become a dentist, great, you know.
“I think Mike, his brother, who's the loveliest of men and talented, but his fear is on his gravestone, ‘Here lies Paul McCartney’s brother.’ He is lovely Mike.
“I see more of Mike, but I see Paul occasionally and he rings me up, ‘How you doing son?’”
Ted's famous family also includes his comedian sister Kate Robbins and TV star niece Emily Atack.
The comic also revealed that Paul penned the song 'Teddy Boy' - which features on his debut solo album 'McCartney' released in 1970 - about him.
He said: “You know he wrote a song called 'Teddy Boy', which is on his first (solo) album called 'McCartney'. And, you know, it goes, ‘this is the story of a boy named Ted’ and it was sort of inspired [by me].”
