The origins of Grotbags went back to Scott’s time in a summer season in Cleethorpes on the same bill as Hull, who had been commissioned by ITV to make a new series and offered her a part. “I had this idea for a fat fairy character who kept casting spells that always went wrong,” she recalled. “Rod really liked the idea of a witch, so I said that she had to be a silly witch rather than a sinister witch. A great friend of ours … always used to call me ‘Miss Grot’, so I suggested that to Rod. He went away and came back the next day with ‘Grotbags’.
She was born in Bridgwater, Somerset, daughter of Scott Waterman, a garage owner, and his wife, Gladys (nee Rossiter and known as “Babe”), who ran a cafe. Carol learned to play the piano by ear as a child, enjoyed singing and, on leaving Bridgwater grammar school at 15, worked in a local record shop and performed in concerts and pantomimes.
She then headed for London in her white Triumph Herald and sang in a pub band by night while working in the record department of a Rumbelows electrical store by day. This was followed by 19 years of performing in Pontins holiday camps across Britain and in Scandinavia, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. During this time, she also sang rock’n’roll songs and ballads in working men’s clubs in the north of England and at London cabaret venues – up to three a night – as well as appearing in summer seasons with stars such as Max Wall, Arthur Askey, Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise.