IN NUMBERS: Des O’connor

To coincide with the tribute show Des O’connor: The Ultimate Entertainer (9pm, ITV), we look at some numbers relating to the popular star, who died last month at the age of 88…

1932

The year Desmond

Bernard O’connor was born – on January 12 – in

Stepney, east London. Mum

Maude was a cleaner, while dad Harry was a dustman. Des was raised in the Jewish faith.

£100

The amount he earned per week while working as the compere for US singing sensation Buddy

Holly’s shows when Holly toured the UK in 1958.

The number of series of The Des O’connor

Show, an ITV variety show that ran from

1963-71. This was followed by Des O’connor

Entertains (1974-76) and Des O’connor

Tonight, a music, comedy and chat show that was on our screens between 1977 and 1999, with specials in 2000, 2001 and 2002. 36

The number of albums he recorded as a singer, five of which reached the top 40 of the UK chart. He also recorded four top ten singles, including I Pretend, which hit number one in the UK in 1968. He sold more than 16 million records worldwide. His singing was famously parodied on The Morecambe & Wise Show, with Des – who counted the duo as friends – taking part in the sketches. The number of times he was married. He is survived by wife Jodie and his five children.

6.35pm Taskmaster Bleeped

7.35 The Great Christmas Bake Off

9.00 8 Out of 10 Cats Panellists include Ed

Gamble, Ranj Singh and Sara Barron. 10.00 Taskmaster: Champion of Champions 11.00 Gogglebox TV review.

7.25pm Come Dine with Me

8.00 Grand Designs An ambitious

state-of-the-art wooden home. 9.00 999: What’s Your Emergency? 11.05 24 Hours in A&E

5.10pm The Pink Panther Strikes Again

Crime comedy sequel, with Peter Sellers.

7.15 Max Steel Family fantasy adventure.

9.00 Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Action

thriller sequel, starring Tom Cruise.

11.20 X-men Origins: Wolverine Superhero

adventure prequel, with Hugh Jackman.