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Irish singer and TV entertainer Val Doonican has died aged 88.
His family said he died "peacefully" at a nursing home in Buckinghamshire. He had not been ill, but his daughter said his "batteries had just run out".
The performer was a regular fixture on TV with The Val Doonican show which ran on the BBC from 1965 to 1986, featuring his own performances and guest artists.
He was also rarely out of the UK charts in the 1960s and '70s with songs like Walk Tall and Elusive Butterfly.
In the album chart, he had five successive top 10 records.
In a statement, his family said: "He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by family, friends and his many fans."
Born in Waterford, Ireland, Doonican's career took off after he was booked to appear on Sunday Night at the Palladium in 1963.
It led him to be offered his own BBC show - for which he became known for his trademark rocking chair, colourful jumpers and cardigans - and kick-started his recording career.
His other hits included The Special Years, What Would I Be and If The Whole World Stopped Loving. He also sang the theme song for the film Ring of Bright Water.
Doonican stopped performing in 2009 after more than 60 years in showbusiness.
He is survived by his wife Lynn, daughters Sarah and Fiona and grandchildren Bethany and Scott.
His family said he died "peacefully" at a nursing home in Buckinghamshire. He had not been ill, but his daughter said his "batteries had just run out".
The performer was a regular fixture on TV with The Val Doonican show which ran on the BBC from 1965 to 1986, featuring his own performances and guest artists.
He was also rarely out of the UK charts in the 1960s and '70s with songs like Walk Tall and Elusive Butterfly.
In the album chart, he had five successive top 10 records.
In a statement, his family said: "He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by family, friends and his many fans."
Born in Waterford, Ireland, Doonican's career took off after he was booked to appear on Sunday Night at the Palladium in 1963.
It led him to be offered his own BBC show - for which he became known for his trademark rocking chair, colourful jumpers and cardigans - and kick-started his recording career.
His other hits included The Special Years, What Would I Be and If The Whole World Stopped Loving. He also sang the theme song for the film Ring of Bright Water.
Doonican stopped performing in 2009 after more than 60 years in showbusiness.
He is survived by his wife Lynn, daughters Sarah and Fiona and grandchildren Bethany and Scott.
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Replies: 22
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He summed up everything I hated when I was young.
I remember he was on Juke Box Jury when they played " Subterranean Homesick Blues ". He said something along the lines of he couldn't stand this protest rubbish and this guy won't last  |
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Have to agree, salmon. And those ghastly cardigans he used to wear.
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That is a GREAT story Salmon, and I only wish I'd seen it.
I guess it explains why a "Doonican Sings Dylan" cover versions album never emerged, leaving the way clear for Bryan Ferry instead. I'd have loved to have heard Val ripping into "Ballad of a Thin Man" or, better still, "Desolation Row". |
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He may have got the whole act from Perry Como.
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Sad loss. Another memory gone. For nice easy family listening Val was one of the greats.
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Any connection with racing? Was he an owner or stalwart of Sandown's Variety Club days?
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He had a string of racehorses
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...and at least one Donkey
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No, that was Delaney.
Paddy McGinty had a goat though. |
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well he was 88,not a bad run,did he keep close ties with his native land,I don't recall much about him,but never seemed associated with Ireland like bono etc
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He was the previous generation's Daniel O'Donnell. Not quite as smarmy tbf.
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TBF Val might have got it wrong about Dylan not lasting,but he is fecking awful as is that song
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I see different generation and media has changed a lot,so maybe his profile wasn't as prominent as it would have been if he was a boom baby.
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To have your own programme on TV for 20 years is some acheivement in itself, nice easy listening and seemed a genuine decent bloke, heard this am that it was his album "Val Doonican Rocks"
, that turfed The beatles Sergeant Peppar off the No 1 spot! RIP |
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Unfortunate seeing 'he wasn't ill' that he ended his days in a nursing home.
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Rocks meant his famous rocking chair. VD DID NOT ROCK. EVER.
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I thought the same mjk pretty sad really,a nursing home in my mind,equates to the departure lounge.
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If he was in a nursing home ( as opposed to a retirement home ), then he was there because he required medical care.
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I always enjoyed his TV shows
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Dave Allen was good.
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this is worth a listen for any Dave Allen fans
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03phrwn |
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I probably had the same view as Salmon at the time although nobody deserves to be compared with Daniel O'Donnell. Now I wouldn't mind seeing those shows again instead of the garbage, music or otherwise that is served up on such a regular basis.
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