Comedy is just part of who I am — but there’s more to the story.

I grew up with cerebral palsy, and life has always thrown a few extra obstacles my way. From the outside, some people just see the disability. But I’ve spent my life proving that it doesn’t stop me from chasing what I love. https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/08/5th-september/

Post – 8th September

“Well, I’ve just turned 42. Looking back on the past year has been tough. I’ve made mistakes – mistakes I wouldn’t have made if I’d slowed down, read the room properly, and got all the facts.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/08/post-8th-september/

What a Week It’s Been…

Well, it’s been a busy week here, and boy — let’s break it down.

Monday was a big one. I celebrated seven years working at the farm this month. That might not seem like much to some people, but to me, it’s a huge achievement. Let me explain why.

All my life, I’ve started projects and never finished them. Even with relationships, I’ve struggled to keep them going. I don’t know why — maybe it’s just how my head works. But seven years in one job? That’s something I never thought I’d manage.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/12/bennys-thoughts-of-the-week-12th-september/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMxdhFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHmUr8UH1_hMEGyHJxLcs3_cAvbEXyf60J4_Y_iBHliVcreON1Q5JDq2M7RoT_aem_isAPYd4trHySloFuioLREQ

Welly Boots, Weddings & Picking Myself Back Up
Benny’s Thoughts – 17th September

Wow, what a weekend I’ve had.

Saturday morning, I woke up feeling low. I found myself thinking — “Have I made a mistake being single?” But then I snapped myself out of it.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/16/welly-boots-weddings-picking-myself-back-up/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM2m2ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkV1lt1ZZAR5Ka0lwo2uTeGy4ZrsgBaqYkhAeMPNCRSM94CPfxhybdWti8lp_aem_DCyeYLFBYsCShjpF1a8BQQ

Blog: Benny Shakes His Body (And His Thoughts)

– Thoughts from the Shed – 20th September

I don’t even know how to start this one.

It’s been another busy week – a Benny Shakes kind of week – where the body says one thing, the brain says another, and the world just keeps spinning.

Rebuilding the Real Ben

Well, the weekend started off great… but then I went back into the shed to finish off the birdhouses and realised — I didn’t have the tools, and none of the adaptions were in place.

Classic me.

That’s the thing: I haven’t built a birdhouse in years, so I had to train my brain and my hands all over again. And when you’ve got cerebral palsy, doing woodwork isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world. But let’s be honest — I don’t exactly make life easy for myself, do I?

https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/19/benny-shakes-his-body-and-his-thoughts/

From London Workshops to Kent Gigs (and Even a Date!)

I didn’t manage to get a blog out on Friday, and that’s because I was busy gigging in Kent and London. It’s been a full-on week, so here’s the catch-up.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/09/30/from-london-workshops-to-kent-gigs/

🌍💚 Happy Cerebral Palsy Day! 💚🌍

Well, it’s the 6th of October — I’m late, but early again doing this one. I just wanted to come on and say Happy Cerebral Palsy Day. https://benny-shakes.com/2025/10/06/%f0%9f%8c%8d%f0%9f%92%9a-happy-cerebral-palsy-day-%f0%9f%92%9a%f0%9f%8c%8d/

Respect, Hard Work, and Saying Yes
This week, Benny talks about what really matters in comedy — respect, self-promotion, and learning to say yes to new opportunities. From life on the farm to gigs, woodwork, and sold-out shows, it’s all about keeping busy, staying kind, and grabbing every chance that comes your way.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/10/17/respect-hard-work-and-saying-yes/

Be Yourself, Believe in Yourself, and Keep Going
This week’s blog is all about learning to trust your gut and keep moving forward — from comedy gigs in Derby and Leicester to building squirrel benches on TikTok. Benny shares honest thoughts on mental health, creativity,https://benny-shakes.com/2025/10/24/believe-in-yourself-because-youre-doing-better-than-you-think/

About The Real Benny Blog

Welcome to The Real Benny — my honest space to share the highs, lows, and lessons of being a disabled comedian, creator, and self-employed artist.
Here, you’ll find stories about what it’s really like chasing dreams in comedy, running community projects like Blue Badge Bunch and Disabled Cants, and learning to balance life, work, and mental health along the way.

It’s not always easy — but it’s real, it’s honest, and it’s me. https://benny-shakes.com/2025/10/28/another-year-of-being-self-employed-what-have-i-learnt/

Finding Balance in Mental Health – November Reflections

November is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in this post I open up about how I manage the ups and downs of living with both mental health struggles and a physical disability. It’s an honest look at trying to find balance, staying busy, and learning to accept myself — flaws and all.

I also share some brighter moments from performing Blue Badge Bunch at Nottingham City Libraries (and being on East Midlands Today!) and talk about what’s next for the shows, life, and love.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/11/03/november-mental-health-awareness-month/

Laughter, Love, and Lessons

This week’s blog is all about celebrating love, sharing laughs, and learning lessons. From Sarah and Ian’s beautiful wedding to performing Blue Badge Bunch for a group of amazing kids at Heysen Green Library, it’s been a week full of joy and reflection. I’ve also shared a few comedy tips for anyone thinking about doing a festival show — because we all start somewhere, and learning never stops.https://bennyshakes.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=580&action=edit

Another Week Gone – Hard but Fun (Summary)

A look back on a tough but rewarding week: gigging with old friends, creating new woodwork in the shed, getting re-booked for a disability festival, and reflecting on what it really means to work with an agent. From opening for George Coppin to teaching kids at the farm, this week was all about graft, growth, and making your own opportunities.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/11/19/another-week-gone-hard-but-fun/

Two quiet weeks full of graft, growth, and new skills.
I’ve been creating wooden Christmas trees, building my social media following, working hard at the farm, helping Frizzle run a Christmas gig, and pushing Blue Badge Bunch bookings for next year. A few health struggles, a lot of admin, and some big reflections — but still moving forward, one day at a time.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/12/01/two-quiet-weeks-with-a-few-big-lessons/

An Interesting Week & Finding My Feet Again

A busy and interesting week running a Blue Badge Bunch workshop at Vision Express, supporting sessions in London, and spending time restoring paths at the farm. I’ve also been growing my social media platforms and learning to navigate the world differently as a disabled creator. A small moment on TikTok reminded me how far I’ve come and how important it is to educate, not react. A week of reflection, progress, and finding my feet again.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/12/10/an-interesting-week-workshops-reflection-and-finding-my-feet-again/

A big week for Blue Badge Bunch, from unexpected Christmas orders in the shed to being nominated for a Hans Award on Channel 4’s The Last Leg. A reminder that visibility matters, social media matters, and you never know who’s watching. A short, hopeful reflection on creativity, momentum, reconnecting with friends, and getting your ducks in a row 🦆.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/12/16/wow-what-a-week/

Merry Christmas!
It’s been a huge year of graft, growth, and learning. From nearly 200 gigs to developing three shows — Blue Badge Bunch, Disabled Cants, and Slugageddon — all now rebooked for next year, it’s been busy. We were honoured to win the Hans Award from Channel 4’s The Last Leg and the Ish Comedy Award at Edinburgh Fringe, reminding me it’s not about getting rich, but about helping others and becoming a better person. Still working between Christmas and New Year — because I can’t sit still. Who knows what next year will bring? https://benny-shakes.com/2025/12/23/merry-christmas-everyone-but-im-not-stopping-yet/

A reflective end-of-year post about family, privilege, working-class life, self-employment, and what really matters. Thinking about money, friendship, disability, creativity, and choosing a quieter way to welcome the New Year — focused on making memories, not noise.https://benny-shakes.com/2025/12/30/who-is-privileged-what-does-it-mean-what-does-working-class-mean/