on some of his early recordings where he attempted a legs-crossingly excruciating Liverpool (my home town) accent

I'm a southerner in Manchester; I've been here 25 years now, but I know my limits. I'll put in a short A here or there (bath, not bahth) but that's it - Ee By Gum But I'm Cowd is not in my repertoire.

Funnily enough, the worst accent I ever attempted was a novelty cockernee for The Ploughboy And ditto - and that is my home area. I can see the straight faces now (-shudder-).