Des O'Connor

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Des O'Connor Biography

Des O Connor - Awards host and entertainer
Topics:
  • Music & Dance

DES O’CONNOR is one of the world’s most popular and best loved entertainers and is now the host on Channel 4's Countdown.  His ability to ad lib in any situation together with his charasmatic personality make him a popular choice on the corporate circuit for awards and musical cabaret.  

An All Round Entertainer

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.

Des O'Connor is an international entertainer, singer, comedian and chat show host who has made record-breaking appearances at almost every major venue in the world and performs regularly in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada, The Des O'Connor Show has been running for 40 years, and is shown in 40 countries.  Des O’Connor has been a major star since landing his first television series in 1963; he has starred in his own mainstream television show every year since then – longer than anyone anywhere in the world.

Recent TV includes Des O’Connor Tonight specials; an ITV celebration special to mark Des’ 40th year in prime time television; Des O’Connor Comedy Tonight and a series of prime-time Des O’Connor With one-to-one specials.  He presents ITV1’s daily celebrity talk show Today With Des & Mel with co-host Melanie Sykes.  The couple’s lively and spontaneous banter proved such a hit with viewers that the show more than doubled its audience and won an RTS Programme Award since it’s launch in autumn 2002.  On the other side of the camera Des runs his own TV production company.

From Humble Beginnings

Des O’Connor 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. Today he is established as one of the world's most popular and best-loved entertainers, having endeared himself to audiences everywhere with his unique style, personality and charm. 

Des O’Connor - The Singer

Since 1967 Des O’Connor has been  a hugely successful recording star.  Des had his first hit single with Careless Hands, followed by I Pretend, which went to No 1.  Since then his recording career has produced 34 albums with sales of over 15 million and he has spent 117 weeks in the top ten charts.  He has made over 1,000 performances at the London  Palladium and starred in cabaret, theatre and sell-out concerts at almost every leading venue throughout the world, including the MGM grand Hotel, Las Vegas, the Opera House, Sydney, the Concert hall, Auckland; the O'Keefe Centre, Toronto, and the Arts Centre Ottawa.     

Des O’Connor has met and worked with all the major personalities of the day, from rock and pop stars actors and TV performers, to politicians to princes, to luminaries, such as Frank Sinatra Sean Connery, Liberace, the Beatles, Barbara Streisand, Robert Redford, and more recently Hugh Grant, the Spice Girls, Robbie Williams, Mel Gibson, Pavarotti, Sir Elton John, Tony Blair, and almost every member of the Royal Family.

Des' current album is titled A Tribute To The Crooners, featuring brand new recordings of the songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Perry Como and Dean Martin. 

Awards and Autobiographies

Back in 2001 Des O’Connor received the Special Recognition Award at the National TV Awards and his top-selling autobiography Bananas Can’t Fly (Headline Publishing) was published in paperback in 2002.  His most recent album titled  'A Tribute To The Crooners' (Decca Records), featured brand new recordings of the songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Perry Como and Dean Martin.

For further information or to book Des O'Connor, call us on +44 (0) 20 8365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk

Outside of appearing and speaking at live corporate and private events Des O'Connor has a number of retail products available that can be purchased through Speakers Corner. For upcoming new book and product launches related to Des O'Connor then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 208 365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk

Des O'Connor Books


Des O'Connor DVDs


Des O'Connor Music


Des O'Connor News

A selection of relevant news related to Des O'Connor and Music & Dance stories. For more information on Des O'Connor or details as to how to book Des O'Connor for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 20 8365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk

Des O'Connor appointed CBE
5th December 2008Television host, comedian and singer, Des O’Connor, has been presented with a CBE for services to entertainment. Des has been fronting popular television shows for over 40 years but in recent years has had much success with daytime television hosting ‘Countdown’ with Carole Vorderman and prior to that ‘Today with Des & Mel’ with Melanie Sykes.
Rachel Riley's Countdown to 'the coolest maths job in the world'
24th November 2008Carol Vorderman and host Des O'Connor have been replaced by Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling and new resident maths expert, 22-year-old, Rachel Riley
O'Grady, June Brown lead celeb honours
16th June 2008Paul O'Grady, Russell T. Davies and EastEnders actress June Brown have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Chris Hollins crowned Strictly Champion
21st December 2009BBC breakfast sports presenter, Chris Hollins was named Strictly Come Dancing champion with his professional dance partner Ola Jordan on saturday night. The underdog, tipped to bow out early in the dance competition was the surprise winner, beating Holloaks actor and judges favourite Ricky Whittle to the trophy.
Britain's Got Talent comedy dancing duo, Stavros Flatley, launch a book on how to be (a little bit) Greek!
20th October 2009Demi and Lagi Demetriou, better known as the father and son comedy dancing duo, Stavros Flatley, who stormed to success earlier in the year on Britain's Got Talent, launched their book 'How to be (a little bit) Greek in a local restaurant Phong Than in Whetstone, North London. Dancers from Diversity, the winners Britain's Got Talent, and Flawless were amongst the celebrity guests at the launch
Kanya King's 2009 Mobo Awards celebrate music of black origin with a special tribute to one of the greatest singers of all time, Michael Jackson
1st October 2009Kanya King, the founder of the Mobo Awards, took the 2009 award ceremony to Glasgow. The event which celebrates urban music of black origian paid tribute to one of the greatest singers of all time, Michael Jackson. The tributes flowed from Britains Got Talent winners Shaheen Jafargholi and Diversity Dancing to a medley of his songs, but the most moving came from his siblings - La Toya and Jermaine
UK to host MTV Europe Music Awards
5th November 2008The MTV Europe Music Awards returns to the UK with R&B superstar Beyonce and Welsh soul singer Duffy among the star performers.
One of Diversity's dancers takes a fall whilst performing in Downing Street
17th September 2009Celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the Talent & Enterprise Taskforce, the young dance troupe Diversity who won Britain's Got Talent earlier in the year performed outside Number 10 yesterday. Their innovative routine was slightly marred when one of the young dancers Perri Luc Kiely fell and was consoled by other members of Diversity and Sarah, the Prime Minister's wife
Sir David Attenborough, Goldie and Rory Bremner to take perform at Last Night of the Proms
11th September 2009Sir David Attenborough is set to make his debut at the Last Night of the Proms.The natural history broadcaster will play a floor polisher in a performance of Sir Malcolm Arnold's comic work A Grand, Grand Overture on Saturday. The performance has a floor polisher, three vacuum cleaners and four rifles, as well as a full orchestra. Accompanying Sir David will be drum and bass musician Goldie on vacuum cleaner. Comedian Rory Bremner and journalist Martha Kearney take two of the rifle parts.
Beatlemania is sweeping the world again and 'The Year of Music' has been launched in schools
10th September 2009Beatlemania is sweeping the world again at the same time as 'The Year of Music' has been launched by schools minister Ed Balls. What better timing to encourage music in schools than the release of 14 digitally remastered Beatle albums and a new video game. It is 40 years since the famous four's last release.

Des O'Connor Reviews

Des O'Connor has spoken and appeared at a number of recent corporate events. Please find some client speaker testimonials and reviews for Des O'Connor for a number of these events and conferences. If you would like some additional information as to how to book Des O'Connor for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 208 365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk

"Superb - what a legend! A warm, courteous gentleman and an absolute professional. A total joy to work with - we would gladly have Des back any time. "
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News

2nd September 2010
Michael Douglas shared his struggle on The Late Show with David Letterman yesterday and keynote speakers including Lance Armstrong and Martina Navratilova have been open to sharing their own experiences and stories of hope.
1st September 2010
The BBC One controller, Jay Hunt has confirmed that Graham Norton's chat show will switch to friday nights in October to replace Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.