The former manager of comic听Michael McIntyre听has launched a听face-to-face entertainment coaching app.听
Hollywood听producer听and听director Paul Duddridge听is behind 鈥榳orld first鈥� Entertainment Coach.听
Half of all arts workers in the UK are currently on furlough. The industry is in freefall and morale is at an all-time low due to the impact of COVID-19听on the entertainment industry.听
Entertainers have been left unemployed and devastated by the pandemic.听With the closure of theatre and the halting of productions,听many performers have been forced to take on other employment听such as听delivery driving and retail work.听
Entertainment Coach is听now providing an alternative by allowing artists听to听register themselves and the talent they can share. The app connects them with individuals across the globe looking to learn that skill.听For example, an actor can register to teach acting lessons via听Zoom and听can听be contacted by customers on the app.听听
The app is free for performers to register.听The听live online classes last 30 minutes, with听coaches听able to set their own schedule and their rates.听
“The live entertainment industry faces collapse, with听theatre, comedy听and听music听all impacted.听With this in mind,听we have decided to release this app a year early听in order to听help artists earn a crust from their talents at a time when they are not able to work in the profession they love,鈥� said听Duddridge.听听
鈥淭here is a wealth of performing and creative genius which can now be used to teach the artists of tomorrow.听听
鈥淭here is nothing wrong with delivering parcels or stacking shelves, but our research shows that the vast majority of out of work actors, dancers, writers and even agents would jump at the chance of supplementing their income sharing their hard-won skills at this difficult time.鈥�听
Duddridge is also a former manager of听Rob Brydon.听He听has 30 years鈥� experience in creating projects and careers for some of the biggest names in showbiz, having听worked with Hollywood legends Susan Sarandon, Selma Blair, Christina Ricci and Sharon Stone.听听
The听UK movie听he directed听in 2018,听鈥楾ogether鈥�,听starred听Peter Bowles and Sylvia Syms听and听was the biggest cinema release for an independent British movie.听