Much-loved Irish singer and entertainer Val Doonican has died aged 88.
His family said he died “peacefully” on Wednesday at a nursing home in Buckinghamshire. His daughter, Sarah, told the Guardian that he had not been ill. “Until 87, he was as fit as a flea. It was just old age, I’m afraid – the batteries ran out.”
Others joined the chorus of tributes to Doonican. Bruce Forsythe said “It is very sad. He was always a lovely man to work with… He was a very warm person, and number one in his field. He brought a lovely warmth with his personality and was a very popular man.”
Iconic British DJ Tony Blackburn added “So sad to hear that Val Doonican has passed away. He was a lovely man and a true professional who I worked with on several TV shows R.I.P.”
The star regularly performed on his own BBC show, aptly named The Val Doonican Show, which ran from 1965 to 1986 and also featured guest artists. He also had the homour of knocking Sgt Peppers off the top spot in the charts. In the 60s. five of his albums went into the top 10 on the UK albums chart.
He was also rarely out of the UK singles chart in the 1960s and ’70s with songs like Walk Tall, which reached number 3 in the UK charts, and his cover of Elusive Butterfly, which hit number 5.
Val was born on 3 February 1927 in Waterford, Ireland, and was the youngest of 3 children. His family was musical and, in his younger years, toured in Ireland, eventually landing him on the first television broadcast in his hometown.
In 1951, Val moved to England where he toured with The Four Ramblers. It was touring this time that Anthony Newley took him under his wing and convinced him to go solo. After an appearance in 1963 on Sunday Night at the Palladium, he was offered his own show by the BBC.
The Val Doonican Show established the entertainer’s laid back style which was compared to that of Perry Como; however Doonican, himself, said that he more modeled himself after Bing Crosby. The show was also picked up by ABC in the U.S. for a run during the summer of 1971.
The Palladium appearance also kicked off his recording career which, between 1964 and 1972, saw him in the British top twenty eight times. His highest charting hit was 1966’s What Would I Be, which peaked at number 2. The previously mentioned Walk Tall and 1967’s If the Whole World Stopped Loving topped out at number 3.
He leaves behind his wife Lynn, daughters Sarah and Fiona and grandchildren Bethany and Scott.
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