Des O'Connor, the teak-tanned entertainer who had a fearless ability to laugh at himself

Another piece of the nation’s televisual past has died with the sad news of Des O’Connor’s passing, aged 88 following a fall at his home. The teak-tanned, multi-talented entertainer was a fixture in our sitting rooms for half a century. It made him almost an honorary member of the family.

Beloved by everyone from giggling schoolchildren to swooning grandmothers, he was the ultimate entertainer, recognisable from his first name alone. A phenomenally hard worker with the knack of making it look effortless.

Ever self-deprecating, O’Connor used to say that “all I do is walk onto the stage, chat to the audience and sing a few songs”. It was a simple but highly effective formula which saw the East End boy rise from Butlin’s Red Coat to become one of Britain's best-known stars.

Almost an ever-present face on ITV when the terrestrial channels were at their peak, dapper Des held the record for more mainstream appearances on the small screen than any other performer. Indeed, he starred in primetime shows every year from 1963 until the Noughties - a feat achieved by only one other TV personality worldwide (US gameshow host Bob Barker).

O’Connor was an old-fashioned showman, the kind they simply don’t make anymore. With his craft honed at holiday camps and in RAF talent shows during his national service, he could turn his hand to anything: song, dance, stand-up comedy, impressions or presenting.

He found a home for all these abilities on his Sixties variety programme, The Des O'Connor Show, which ran from 1963 to 1971, spanning the transition from black-and-white to full colour. Introducing a stream of big-name guests while wise-cracking to the audience, it made O’Connor a firm family favourite, uniting the generations in laughter.

This was followed by chat show Des O'Connor Tonight, which eventually ended in 2002 after a phenomenal 26 years on-air. It was the Wogan or Parkinson of ITV but would outlast both of them.

It was broadcast live, which occasionally threw up hairy moments. Memorable controversies included actor Oliver Reed’s appearance while roaring drunk and Scouse comedian Stan Boardman getting banned by ITV after telling risqué gags. O’Connor handled it all with his trademark smooth unflappability. A dazzling smile and a cheeky joke with the audience and they were instantly on his side.

In parallel, O’Connor carved out a successful career as an easy-listening crooner, clocking up four Top 10 hits - including chart-topper I Pretend - and 36 albums. His global sales totalled more than 16 million records. To some, he was cheesy but his sheer charm meant nobody could resist for long.

So ubiquitous was O’Connor during his Sixties and Seventies pomp that his singing ability became a running gag on The Morecambe & Wise Show. “If you want me to be a goner, get me a record by Des O’Connor,” said Eric Morecambe, who would mock him every week.

O’Connor always took this merciless ribbing in great spirit, even cheerfully joining in. On the duo’s 1975 Christmas special, Des more than held his own as the trio ad-libbed and corpsed with laughter. He got his revenge by subjecting Eric to some of his trademark face-slaps. What many viewers didn't realise was that some of the gags were written by O'Connor himself. He’d been firm friends with Eric ’n’ Ern since their early days in showbiz.

A famous story goes that when Morecambe suffered a heart attack in 1968, Des heard the news mid-gig and stopped the show to wish his tormentor well. Morecambe was later told that O’Connor had asked his entire audience to pray for him. He was touched but reassuringly unchanged. “Those six or seven people might have made all the difference,” he deadpanned.

The old sparring partners are now reunited in showbiz heaven. It’s hard to imagine them doing anything but continuing where they left off - trading witty barbs, before walking off into the sunset with their arms draped around each other’s shoulders.

This fearless ability to laugh at himself was one of many reasons why O’Connor was so admired. Whether it was Morecambe’s ridicule or Freddie Starr smashing up his studio set, O’Connor would chuckle along like an audience member. "If you’re not enjoying it," he always said, "how do you expect them to?”

It’s all too unusual for a celebrity to be adored by punters and peers alike but O’Connor was one of those rare beasts. He was a TV giant and a true gent. In an era when showbiz was beset by scandal, O’Connor’s long career was utterly free of it. If anyone fluffed a line during filming, O’Connor would immediately puncture the tension by saying “piddle, bum and stocking tops”. Even when he was trying to be naughty, he didn’t swear.

Having intended to hang up his mic at the turn of the millennium, O’Connor was soon tempted back to the medium that he loved. He made his TV comeback alongside Melanie Sykes, co-presenting live light entertainment show Today With Des & Mel between 2002 and 2006. Pulling in high ratings for its afternoon slot, it both introduced O’Connor to a new generation and reunited him with older fans.

Having cut his teeth as a gameshow host on Nineties hit Take Your Pick, O'Connor also spent two years presiding over words-and-numbers favourite Countdown, bowing out together with sidekick Carol Vorderman in 2008. The same year, he was awarded a CBE for services to broadcasting and entertainment.

A skilled practitioner on both stage and screen, Des O'Connor was the consummate professional. A natural born performer who never lost his relish for standing in front of an audience, building a warm rapport and giving them some good old-fashioned entertainment. They loved him because he loved them back and loved his trade. ”If it ever became work, I'd pack it up," he said. "I've never done a day's work in my life.”

As his close friend and longtime agent Pat Lake-Smith said upon his death: “He loved life and considered enthusiasm almost as important as oxygen. He always said the sound of laughter was like the sound of heavenly music.” Ignore Eric Morecambe and sing on, Des.