n Desmond O'Connor was raised from real East End stock in luverly-jubberly Stepney before moving up to Northampton. He made his tentative steps on the showbizness road at the age of 17. Since then the man has been the subject of at least 36 national cartoons extracting the michael from Des's entertaining skills honed in variety shows of the 60s. And despite the gags about squealing pigs stuck in lift-shafts, our Des has sold a very impressive 15 million albums of pleasant liddle MOR numbers. He smiles, he grins, he bears it.
n Des has successfully carved out a career as showbiz's Mr Nice Guy. In a world slippy with smarm and oozing ego, Des is the twinkling 11-stone self-deprecating jester in the suit. This is the celebrity interviewer who was pressing flesh and touching knees when Terry Wogan was only knee-high to Jimmy Tarbuck's talent.
n His Tonight show is an institution having lured a panoply of stars who turn liquid in front of his twinkly persona. Bette Middler, Barbra Streisand - the ladies love him. At 66 Des is a consummate professional. A rare breed among the ad-hoc wannabes who turn to jelly when the tele-prompter blows. Not Des.
n So what is the secret of your success, Mr Suave ? ''With a show like Tonight you can't let anything, or anyone, throw you,'' he told one newspaper recently. ''You have to be able to laugh at yourself and see the funny side, even when people are having a dig at you.''
n A top Des moment was recorded on February 7, 1996. Des took to the TV stage and shook it all about in a tie-rumpling fashion with Status Quo and The Beach Boys. Yes, Des the perma-tan man was in touching distance to Brian Wilson - we are not worthy, we are not worthy. Bizarre and surreal it may have been but the fresh-faced Des sweated rock'n'pop beads of sweat in his air-guitar choreographed moves while Brian mouthed and stumbled along.
Des O'Connor's World Cup Party: ITV, 8.00pm
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