Biography ...

Des O’Connor is today established as one of the world’s most popular and best loved entertainers. Since landing his first television series in the UK in 1963 he has starred in his own mainstream television show every year since then – longer than anyone anywhere in the world.

He was born in the East End of London and during the war was evacuated to Northampton. After National Service in the RAF he entered show business. His first theatre appearances were in variety all over the country before his break in television.

In Des O'Connor Tonight (ITV), he's got a chat show to die for. Compared to the rest, Des is effortlessly professional, so slick it hurts."

He is one of only a handful of British entertainers to be acclaimed internationally on stage and television:when he was given an American series of his show went out to over 40 countries and was seen by 200 million people world-wide. On stage he has starred at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, the Sydney Opera House, The O’Keefe Centre, Toronto and over 1000 solo appearances at the London Palladium.

Since 1967 he has been a hugely successful recording star. He had his first hit single with Careless Hands, followed by I Pretend which went to No 1. Since then his recording career has produced 35 albums with sales of over 16 million and he has spent 117 weeks in the top ten charts. He is currently recording his 36th album for release in 2007.

In 2001 he received the Special Recognition Award at the National TV Awards and his top-selling autobiography Bananas Can’t Fly (Headline Publishing) was published the same year.

 . CBE