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In Pictures: Lionel Blair mixed with stars and royalty in seven-decade career

The Prince of Wales meets Lionel Blair (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) (PA Archive)
The Prince of Wales meets Lionel Blair (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) (PA Archive)

Tap dancer, TV presenter and actor Lionel Blair has died at the age of 92.

He enjoyed a long and successful career on stage and screen, and was best known as a team captain on charades-style TV show Give Us A Clue.

Away from the spotlight, he married wife Susan in March 1967 and once said the secret to a successful marriage is memories. The couple had three children and three grandchildren.

Lionel Blair (standing) appeared in Blackpool Night Out with Mike (left) and Bernie (far right) Winters, and guest star Tommy Cooper (centre) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair (standing) appeared in Blackpool Night Out with Mike (left) and Bernie (far right) Winters, and guest star Tommy Cooper (centre) (PA Archive)
(l-r) Sammy Davis Jr joins Lionel Blair and his wife Joyce at London Airport (PA) (PA Archive)
(l-r) Sammy Davis Jr joins Lionel Blair and his wife Joyce at London Airport (PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel with his wife Susan and best man Bernie Winters on the day of their wedding at Kensington registry office, London (PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel with his wife Susan and best man Bernie Winters on the day of their wedding at Kensington registry office, London (PA) (PA Archive)
Singer Cilla Black, with comedian Bruce Forsyth and choreographer Lionel Blair (centre) in Leeds (PA) (PA Archive)
Singer Cilla Black, with comedian Bruce Forsyth and choreographer Lionel Blair (centre) in Leeds (PA) (PA Archive)
Stars mark Cliff Richard’s 21st year in showbiz: (back row, from left) Christopher Timothy, Joan Collins, Hank Marvin, Brian Bennett, Bruce Welch and Kenny Everett. (front row from left) Anita Harris, Lionel Blair, Patti Boulaye, Elaine Paige and Cliff Richard (PA) (PA Archive)
Stars mark Cliff Richard’s 21st year in showbiz: (back row, from left) Christopher Timothy, Joan Collins, Hank Marvin, Brian Bennett, Bruce Welch and Kenny Everett. (front row from left) Anita Harris, Lionel Blair, Patti Boulaye, Elaine Paige and Cliff Richard (PA) (PA Archive)
An air of mime at a Variety Club luncheon seemingly enacted by the Duke of Edinburgh (left) and entertainer Lionel Blair (right) of Give Us A Clue TV show, with Dickie Davies (moustache) and actor Sir John Mills (partially hidden) looking on (PA) (PA Archive)
An air of mime at a Variety Club luncheon seemingly enacted by the Duke of Edinburgh (left) and entertainer Lionel Blair (right) of Give Us A Clue TV show, with Dickie Davies (moustache) and actor Sir John Mills (partially hidden) looking on (PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair and the Roly Polys teaching the Coldstream Guards how to tap dance outside the Wellington Barracks in London (Rebecca Naden/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair and the Roly Polys teaching the Coldstream Guards how to tap dance outside the Wellington Barracks in London (Rebecca Naden/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair applauds as the Prince of Wales helps veteran actress Jean Anderson as she cuts the cake to celebrate her 90th birthday (Alan Weller/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair applauds as the Prince of Wales helps veteran actress Jean Anderson as she cuts the cake to celebrate her 90th birthday (Alan Weller/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair and Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw during a fashion show in London (Toby Melville/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair and Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw during a fashion show in London (Toby Melville/PA) (PA Archive)
David Bull, Sir Roger Moore, Lady Kristina Moore and Lionel Blair at a Help The Aged event (Hugo Philpott/PA) (PA Archive)
David Bull, Sir Roger Moore, Lady Kristina Moore and Lionel Blair at a Help The Aged event (Hugo Philpott/PA) (PA Archive)
The Queen talks with with Lionel Blair and June Whitfield at the same event (Fiona Hanson/PA) (PA Archive)
The Queen talks with with Lionel Blair and June Whitfield at the same event (Fiona Hanson/PA) (PA Archive)
Ricky Gervais and Lionel Blair attend a VIP Screening of Ghost Town (Zak Hussein/PA) (PA Archive)
Ricky Gervais and Lionel Blair attend a VIP Screening of Ghost Town (Zak Hussein/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair arrives at the Dorchester in London for a celebratory lunch to honour his 60 years in showbusiness (Lewis Whyld/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair arrives at the Dorchester in London for a celebratory lunch to honour his 60 years in showbusiness (Lewis Whyld/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair is evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother House in 2014 (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair is evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother House in 2014 (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair received a coronavirus vaccine last December (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Archive)
Lionel Blair received a coronavirus vaccine last December (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Archive)

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