IT came as a shock to me that Britain’s much-loved entertainer, Des O’Connor, used to suffer very badly from nerves. “I was petrified and would be physically sick before a performance,” he exclaims.
Des is positively brimming with wit and charm during our interview as he recounts his tales of life in showbusiness in his highly polished, personal and endearing way. But nevertheless the fear we all have about getting up in public was there for Des while he was serving his “entertaining apprenticeship”.
He adds: “Nowadays, I don’t get nervous but I can get easily bored which is why none of my stage shows are the same each night – it’s amazing what happens when you haven’t rehearsed,” he says. “I’ve had people telling me and the whole auditorium about themselves and their problems and others have come on stage to make music and play the piano – badly.”
Des can easily claim the title of the ultimate live performer, as he is a multi-million selling record artist and a brilliant comedian on stage. So, it’s not surprising he was recently awarded the CBE for his services to Entertainment and Broadcasting.
“Ultimately, it’s up to me to entertain and send people home with a smile on their face,” says Des. “I try to keep my shows relaxed and personal. I don’t shock, embarrass or bore, after all, it’s a family show – although I have been known to say the word ‘piddle’,” he adds chuckling.
“I really enjoy these one-man shows,” states Des about his forthcoming tour. “I’ve been doing it for more than 22 years and more than one-man really does turn up,” he laughs. “But seriously, there is no better feeling than standing on stage and seeing the audience smile and hearing the roar of laughter and applause.”
Since his first television series in 1963, Des has starred in or hosted his own mainstream television show every year for more than 45 years – longer than anyone anywhere in the world (the fact is recorded in the Guiness Book of Records).
Des is also one of the very few artists who can claim to have sang with Frank Sinatra, warmed-up for Buddy Holly, interviewed a sozzled Oliver Reed on live television and, of course, had the mickey taken out of his singing by the much-loved comedy duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. “I still have taxi drivers asking me not to sing when I get in their cabs,” adds Des.
And he really is a national treasure, as he is one of only a handful of British entertainers to be acclaimed internationally on stage and television. His American series, Des O’Connor Tonight, was shown in more than 40 countries and seen by 200 million people world-wide. On stage he has appeared at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, The Sydney Opera House, The O’Keefe Centre, Toronto and more than 1,000 times at the London Palladium.
“I owe it all to my parents,” exclaims Des. “My mum had a brilliant singing voice, and my dad had a great sense of humour. I guess, somewhere along the line it got into my genes.”
Not bad for a lad who was born in the East End and during the war was evacuated to Northampton, where he had a brief stint as a footballer. After National Service in the RAF he entered showbusiness with his first theatre appearances in variety, touring all over the country before his break in TV.
“Over the years I’ve learnt a lot,” says this 79 year-old. “Attitudes and the financial climate may have changed, but it’s always up to the entertainer to entertain. My motto in life is to have fun. That’s what life is all about. It’s not a rehearsal, it’s live, it’s now.”
Des O’Connor is at the Beck Theatre, this Sunday, March 27, at 7.30pm. Details: 020 8561 8371
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