Royal town crier is a regular -- and unofficial -- fixture at big events
CHELMSFORD, England -- You don't have to ring the bell when you go to Tony Appleton's house -- he does it for you. The self-appointed royal town crier has become a bit of a celebrity himself.
Not being shy, or quiet, is part of the job description. He's been photobombing royal events for years. Tony's a regular, uninvited, if over-dressed, fixture at royal occasions. It must be said, he's also an unofficial part of the show.
We asked him why a town crier is needed in a world with Twitter and Facebook.
"Well, I'm direct marketing," Appleton said. "I'm straight to the point. Forget about fake news. Mine is real news."
Tony's always liked making news. He's been honing in on celebrities for years, from Elizabeth Taylor to Diana Ross, Sean Connery and the Rolling Stones. Nobody's safe, not even the queen.
"I'm hoping the queen is going to appoint me to solve all this unofficial thing," Appleton said. "You know, this'd really make my day."
Tony's still hoping, and still shouting.
