In Pictures: Des O’Connor from Palladium to prime-time

By PA
·2-min read

Des O’Connor has died at the age of 88 after a decade-spanning career as an all-round entertainer.

The comedian and presenter was a regular in prime-time television slots, from the Morecambe and Wise Christmas specials to Channel 4 quiz Countdown.

He also had his own chat show and a string of singles with four top 10 hits and more than 30 albums. His stage work included hundreds of performances at the London Palladium.

Entertainment – Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show
Comedians Ernie Wise and Eric Morecambe promote their 1979 Christmas show with their guests including David Frost, Glenda Jackson and Des O’Connor (PA)
Des O’Connor death
O’Connor worked with Morecambe and Wise on several shows (PA)
Des O’Connor death
Des O’Connor with Eric Morecambe, in the Wellington Hospital, London in 1978 (PA)
Entertainment – Eric Morecambe Memorial Concert – London Palladium
Jimmy Tarbuck, Des O’Connor, Ernie Wise and Bruce Forsyth at the London Palladium, where they performed in a charity show held in memory of Eric Morecambe (PA)
BAFTAs/Morecambe & Wise widows
Des O’Connor with Doreen Wise (left) and Joan Morecambe, widows of the comedians Ernie Wise and Eric Morecambe (PA)
ITV AUTUMN LINE UP 1983
A line-up of the stars for the 1983 ITV autumn schedule, including Max Bygraves, Eric Morecambe, Jeremy Beadle, Lionel Blair, Henry Kelly and Sarah Kennedy – with a cardboard cut-out of Des O’Connor (PA)
Des O’Connor death
With his wife Gillian and children Tracy-Jane, six, and Samantha, four, at Heathrow Airport in 1968 (PA)
Des O’Connor death
Outside the London Palladium in 2011 with his family (PA)
Des O’Connor death
Receiving a CBE for services to entertainment and broadcasting from the Queen in 2008 (PA)
Des O’Connor death
The veteran entertainer with (from left) his daughters Samantha and Karen, wife Jodie, son Adam, four, and daughter Kristina, receiving his CBE at Buckingham Palace (PA)
SHOWBIZ OConnor
Des O’Connor worked with Melanie Sykes on an afternoon ITV show (ITV/PA)
Des O’Connor death
With his Special Achievement Award at the National Television Awards in 2001 (PA)
Des O’Connor death
Des O’Connor with, from left, Tommy Steele, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jimmy Tarbuck and Sir Cliff Richard revealing the Wall of Fame at the London Palladium in 2018 (PA)

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