Gipsy roots of the pop star poet

Essex deliberately failed his 11-plus so he could go to a football-playing secondary school.

He became a patron of the Gipsy Council to counter prejudice against travellers, saying: ‘My grandfather was a travelling tinker man from Cork.’

He has had 19 top 40 UK singles, including two No 1s, and 16 top 40 albums. At the height of his fame, he owned 12 houses and 100 motorbikes.

After appearing in Evita, he went to Argentina for Amnesty International to speak to families of those who disappeared under the military junta.

Last year Essex released a book of 75 poems, Travelling Tinker Man And Other Rhymes.