Brian Conley & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway", and took over from Michael Ball in the musical "Hairspray" playing the role of Edna Turnblad at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. He also played the same role in the UK Tour of "Hairspray", sharing the role with Michael Ball and actor Michael Starke, at selected UK venues. He has also partaken in his own live show, "The Best of Brian Conley", which showcases 'the best' of Brian's material from his past shows, interspersed with occasional showreels of either Larry the Loafer, Dangerous Brian (depending on who Brian is about to come on stage as) or a
Dame Edna Everage becoming an Edna trademark – interaction with the theatre audience. In April 1976, Edna made an appearance in "A Poke in the Eye (with a Sharp Stick)" – the first of what became Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball series of benefit shows. Edna performed a song for the show and was featured in the film of the show. She also appeared in the 1981 Amnesty show "The Secret Policeman's Other Ball". Edna made a cameo appearance in the 1978 film "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". In 1979 she was the subject of a BBC "Arena" mockumentary: "La Dame aux