Michael Ball describes moment his uncle helped to ‘dig out’ bodies in Aberfan disaster
MICHAEL Ball described how his uncle helped to try and dig out bodies during the tragedy of the Aberfan disaster in a heartfelt interview with TV show host Lorraine Kelly.
The star of stage and screen appeared on Lorraine to talk about his new show, Wonderful Wales with Michael Ball, which sees the performer travelling around Wales and taking in some of the best things the country has to offer.
The sweeping scenery boasted by the show is a lovely contrast to Michael’s personal story, and also his journey to Aberfan, where he speaks to a survivor of the 1966 disaster.
As his mother is Welsh, Michael was keen to look more into his Welsh routes, and he talked about this openly with Lorraine while discussing his journey.
She talked of how the show emphasizes just how beautiful Wales is, but also said Michael takes time to teach viewers more about Wales’ history. As part of this he talks of the Aberfan disaster - something that Lorraine said she can remember “vividly” from her youth.
Appearing on Lorraine on Monday, July 12, he told the TV host: “It was important for me to go there because this was a story that, like yourself, I had grown up knowing about but I had never put it into context.
“My Uncle Don had been one of the people who lived in the village just over in Mountain Ash, and he was one of those to drop everything and go there and try and help in any way he can to dig out, basically bodies,
It was important for me to go there because this was a story that I had grown up knowing about but I had never put it into context Michael Ball
from the disaster.
“From that day he would never speak about it. The only person he ever talked to about it was my gran, because that’s who she was, everyone would go to her with their troubles and their worries.”
Michael spoke fondly of his grandmother, who he said went on to play a key role in inspiring his career in showbiz. He said his grandmother “properly” inspired him with his love of performing, as she loved “getting up and doing a turn herself”. “She had a beautiful singing voice,” he added.
“She was always galvanising us all to dress up and do funny sketches, and sing songs and so on.
“She passed away just before I sort of made it, before she was due to come and see me do Pirates in Penzance. It broke my heart. She was an extraordinary lady, and to this day they are still talking about her.”
■ For more on Michael’s journey around Wales, tune into Wonderful Wales with Michael Ball on Channel 5.