Touts On Tour (C4): PHIL "Slim" Cooper was pleased to find that the Sydney production of the stage musical, The Lion King, was sold out until December. "Shame, isn't it?" he said with a cheeky smile.

For he'd come halfway round the world to do a bit of sporting business only to find the market was dead. Selling theatre tickets would fill the gap. And what does Cooper do for a living that makes him feel good about people being unable to get tickets for a show? He's a ticket tout.

If there wasn't a demand for his services, he wouldn't still be making a living out of it. But the advent of the Internet means increased competition. He and Al Coulston, also featured in the documentary, don't do anything illegal. They don't have criminal records. In fact, Cooper says his mum is very proud of him as he could, like some of his contemporaries, have gone the other way - and ended up on the wrong side of the law.

Back at The Lion King, Cooper was trying to make the best of a bad deal at the Rugby World Cup. Meeting up with a small band of British ticket touts didn't give him much hope, as two others had already been deported by the authorities.

He needed to raise cash quickly and The Lion King could do that. He waited around outside buying unwanted tickets off theatregoers and then resold them. It wouldn't make his fortune, but it would keep him afloat. Alas, even England getting through to the Rugby World Cup final didn't help. The market collapsed, with too many tickets and not enough buyers. He returned home, having just about broken even.

No doubt some would be annoyed that a person like Cooper was given air time for what they'd see as shady business. Wait until they see ex-criminals planning crimes in the C4 reality show The Heist later this week. Besides, it was fascinating watching him at work, whether bartering for tickets at a sold-out Rolling Stones concert or trying to get them for the exclusive Royal Enclosure at Ascot.

Coulson runs a business called Harley Street Brokers, which doesn't actually trade for that posh London address but the name gives the right image. I liked his telephone manner when he answered a call with the words: "I am afraid the person you want to speak to is at the moment in prison."

He passed on some of the touts' language. Hooter is someone who complains ceaselessly, a Mcgarrett is 50 and whiffle means how much?. He also explained what he liked about his job: "It gets you buzzing and your ego going when you work the street."

He talked of being turned over by a Sunday tabloid for which he provided tickets and two call girls. "That wasn't hard, I got them out of a phone box," he said of the women.

"The phone has never stopped. They don't want tickets, they just want the girls."

Published: 07/12/2004