Editing Des O'Connor (section)

==Career==
===Stage===
O'Connor appeared at the [[Glasgow Empire Theatre|Glasgow Empire]], [[MGM Grand Las Vegas|MGM Grand]], [[Las Vegas]], the [[Sydney Opera House|Opera House]], Sydney, and the [[O'Keefe Centre]], Toronto, and  made more than one thousand solo appearances at the [[London Palladium]].<ref name=bbc1/>

In late 2011, O'Connor starred in ''[[Dreamboats and Petticoats]]'' at the [[Playhouse Theatre]].{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

In May 2012, O'Connor replaced [[Russell Grant]] in the West End musical, ''[[The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', at the [[London Palladium]], as Professor Marvel, Doorman at the Emerald City, Tour Guide, and The Wizard.<ref>[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Des-OConnor-to-Make-Musical-Debut-as-The-Wizard-in-THE-WIZARD-OF-OZ-from-May-22-20120509 "Confirmed: Des O'Connor to Star as The Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ from May 22; Show to Close in September"], BroadwayWorld, 22 May 2012, accessed 21 February 2021</ref>

In October 2015, O'Connor and [[Jimmy Tarbuck]] starred in their own one-off show at the London Palladium to raise money for the new Royal Variety Charity. Due to the success of this show, they toured the country in 2016 from April to October. The venues they visited were (in chronological order), the Southampton [[Mayflower Theatre]], [[Grand Theatre, Leeds|Leeds Grand Theatre]], Southend [[Cliffs Pavilion]], [[Bristol Hippodrome]], [[Bournemouth International Centre]], and [[Milton Keynes Theatre]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

In 2017, O'Connor and Tarbuck toured the UK again from May to December. The venues they visited included [[Theatre Royal, Norwich]], [[Wolverhampton Grand Theatre]], [[Blackpool Opera House]], [[Princess Theatre, Torquay]], [[The Hexagon, Reading]], [[Theatre Royal, Newcastle]] and [[Grand Theatre, Swansea]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Until 2019, O'Connor toured theatres around the UK with his one-man show.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

===Television===
O'Connor starred in mainstream television shows in almost every year from 1963 until the 2000s, a feat that only one other television personality has achieved worldwide (U.S. game show host [[Bob Barker]], who hosted mainstream television shows from 1956 until 2007, with 1966–1972 being in syndication).
* Between 1963 and 1971 O'Connor hosted ''[[The Des O'Connor Show]]'', a British variety show, for eight series on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. This was followed by ''Des O'Connor Entertains'', a show which ran for two series between 1974 and 1976 and featured singing, dancing, and comedy sketches. In 1969, thirteen editions of the show were sold to [[NBC]] in the United States, as a summer replacement for the network's ''[[Kraft Music Hall]]''. The series was broadcast in more than forty countries.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}
* Between 1977 and 2002, O'Connor presented his own chat show series entitled ''[[Des O'Connor Tonight]]'' which lasted for seven series on [[BBC Two]] and later seventeen on ITV.
* From 1992 to 1998 O'Connor presented the game show ''[[Take Your Pick!]]'' where he met fourth wife Jodie Wilson. In 1995 and 1997 O'Connor compèred the [[Royal Variety Performance]].
* In January 2001 ITV aired ''[[An Audience with...|An Audience with Des O'Connor]]''.
* From 2002 to 2006 O'Connor co-hosted ''[[Today with Des and Mel]]'' opposite [[Melanie Sykes]]. The show was a lunchtime light entertainment programme aired on ITV. On 12 May 2006, the channel announced that the show would be one of a number to be axed in a "painful, but utterly necessary" move.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4765727.stm |title=ITV swings axe to revive channel |work=BBC News |date=12 May 2006 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref>
* In January 2007, O'Connor replaced [[Des Lynam]] as co-presenter of the [[Channel 4]] game show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' with [[Carol Vorderman]]. He left the show in 2008 to spend more time on theatre and entertainment-based projects.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm |title=Des O'Connor to leave Countdown |work=BBC News |date=23 July 2008 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> In 2009, O'Connor was replaced by sports presenter [[Jeff Stelling]].
* In April 2012, ITV aired ''[[The One and Only (TV programme)|The One and Only Des O'Connor]]'', a one-off show that celebrated O'Connor's 80th birthday, with guests including [[Katherine Kelly (actress)|Katherine Kelly]], [[Olly Murs]], [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]], and Melanie Sykes.<ref>{{cite web |title=The One and Only Des O'Connor |url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theoneandonlydesoconnor/default.html |website=ITV |access-date=15 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626201330/http://www.itv.com:80/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theoneandonlydesoconnor/default.html |archive-date=26 June 2012 |date=19 March 2012}}</ref>

====Guest appearances====
* O'Connor appeared as a guest on ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968–1977)|The Morecambe and Wise Show]]'' a number of times. He was the butt of many a joke by Eric Morecambe, being referred to as "Des – short for 'desperate", and "Death O'Connor".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/des-oconnor-half-the-things-you-worry-about-arent-going-to-happen-30802904.html|title=Des O'Connor – Half the things you worry about aren't going to happen|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|date=5 December 2014|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> One line, sung to the tune of "Crazy Words – Crazy Tune" was, "Roses are red, violets are blue, Des can't sing, we know that's true!". (O'Connor was actually an old friend of the duo, and even participated in writing many of the "put-downs".)
* In May 2012, O'Connor took part in the TV game show ''[[Would I Lie to You? (British game show)|Would I Lie to You?]]''.
* In December 2012, O'Connor was invited to celebrate 100 years of the [[Royal Variety Performance]] with [[Bruce Forsyth]], [[Ronnie Corbett]],  and [[Jimmy Tarbuck]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/2012--london-royal-albert-hall|title=2012 – London Royal Albert Hall|work=Royal Variety Charity|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>
* In December 2012, O'Connor partnered [[Lee Mack]] in a celebrity edition of ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]''.
* In December 2013, O'Connor appeared in a celebrity edition of ''[[The Chase (British game show)|The Chase]]''.
* In October 2014, O'Connor was a panellist on an episode of ''[[Through the Keyhole]]''.
* In April 2017, O'Connor was on the panel of ''[[Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule]]''.

===Singing===
O'Connor had a successful career as a singer, recording 36 albums,<ref>{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm | work=BBC News | title=Des O'Connor to leave Countdown | date=23 July 2008 | access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref> five of which reached the [[top 40]] of the [[UK Albums Chart]]. O'Connor appeared with Morecambe and Wise on several of their Christmas shows.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/still-bringing-us-sunshine-eric-ernies-best-moments/ |title=Still Bringing Us Sunshine: Eric and Ernie's best moments |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location= London |date=23 December 2016
|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> He worked with many pop stars, including [[Adam Faith]], [[Shirley Bassey]], [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Cilla Black]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} He toured with [[Buddy Holly]] (during Holly's 1958 stay in the UK)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/whats-on/music/des-i-will-always-remember-buddy-83770 |title=How Des O'Connor will never forget Buddy Holly |first=Graham |last=Young |date=1 February 2009 |website= BirminghamLive}}{{dead link |date=November 2020}}</ref> and [[Jason Donovan]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

He recorded four top 10 singles,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Des O'Connor's prolific career in music |date=15 November 2020 |work=The Irish News |location= Belfast |url= https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2020/11/15/news/des-o-connor-s-prolific-career-in-music-2130383/}}</ref> including "[[I Pretend]]", which topped the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1968, and "[[The Skye Boat Song]]", a 1986 duet with [[Roger Whittaker]].

His singing ability was often parodied on ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series)|The Morecambe & Wise Show]]'', with O'Connor taking part in the sketches.<ref name="Ultimate entertainer">{{cite news |title='Ultimate entertainer' Des O'Connor dies aged 88 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54950051 |date=15 November 2020 |work=BBC News}}</ref>