Biography

He was originally a teacher after graduating from Durham University, and he spent much of his career working in France and Leeds. He spoke French fluently and with only a barely-detectable English accent, which helped him become a good friend of French singer Georges Brassens whose style of singing greatly influenced his own. He became a well known face to the general public after a number of guest spots on UK television shows - in particular The David Frost Show (1969), On the Braden Beat (1962) with Bernard Braden, and That's Life! (1973) with Esther Rantzen. He had three sons with his wife Sheila: Bill, Sam and Tom. He was declared bankrupt in 2000.

When he retired, he and his wife Sheila moved to Monmouth, Wales, where Sheila had grown up.

[on his retiring from showbusiness] I'd never liked the stage much and I was turning into a performing man, a real bloody Archie Rice, so I cancelled gigs and pulled out for a bit.