Craig Y Nos Castle

Joe Longthorne was first launched onto the British television viewing public as a singer-impressionist in 1981. Within a year he received the Variety Club's coveted award for Most Promising Artiste and has been fulfilling that promise ever since.

 

His breakthrough to success on television though came later in 1987 when he was featured as Special Guest Star for the entire series of BBC TV's 'Les Dennis' Laughter Show', which became the platform for his first TV special for Thames Television - 'The Joe Longthorne Show' which was reprieved in 1989, 1990 and again in 1991. With each TV appearance, Joe was acclaimed for his performances, starring in all the major domestic television shows, including 'Live From The Palladium' and 'Des O'Connor Tonight'. He also produced three best-selling, Platinum Disc winning albums for Telstar, 'The Joe Longthorne Songbook', 'Especially For You' and 'The Joe Longthorne Christmas Album'.

 

The undoubted star of the 1989 Royal Variety Show and at the pinnacle of his career, it was around this time that life was to throw Joe the biggest challenge of all when he was diagnosed with Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer that very nearly proved fatal.

 

"Cancer, is not a word you expect to hear when things are going so well. I felt invincible and suddenly out of the blue I felt helpless. I had two choices; to give in or fight. I chose the later. I got up, dusted myself off and got on with life."

 

After responding well to treatment he embarked on a tour of Australia and created a piece of show business history when he appeared on the 'Mike Walsh Show', Australia's premier daytime programme. His performance prompted the largest ever call-in from viewers and he was brought back to perform again the following day.

 

Although constantly battling his illness, he continued to soar up the show business ladder in the early 90's with sell-out performances in such venues as at The Royal Albert Hall, The Sydney Opera House and The London Palladium. Dubbed 'The hardest working showman in the business' he embarked on massive tours performing on average over one hundred shows a year.

 

Although television companies were reluctant to invest in Joe given his illness, he continued to dazzle audiences in live performance, breaking box office records up and down the country. He also had great success with video releases throughout this period; "Live in Concert", entered the video chart at No.1 in 1994 and "A Man And His Music" remained in the charts for 47 weeks throughout 1996.

 

In the early part of the new millennium, Joe continued on a gruelling host of national tours and always managed to steal the show whenever he appeared on television. But his illness was now approaching a final phase and had degenerated into leukaemia. In a last ditch attempt to save his life in 2005, Joe underwent a bone marrow transplant that very nearly killed him. "I am not quite sure how he managed to pull through",his surgeon remarked. "It was somewhat of a miracle. Perhaps it was to do with the hundreds of fans outside the hospital with their candle lit vigil".

 

Joe edged his way back to recovery returning to the stage with a sell-out show at the London Palladium in 2006. Finally, cured of his seventeen year illness he now had a new lease on life and in 2007 the Variety Club's Most Promising Artiste of '83 was awarded their most coveted of accolades; the Lifetime Achievement Award which placed him amongst a galaxy of past recipients like Sinatra, Garland and Fitzgerald.

 

"I haven't felt this good for decades" he said on the podium.’ "It's like I have gone back 20 years". A new chapter in Joe’s life has begun, come and applaud his courage but most especially his Talent.

 This Event is being Hosted by Ben Owen For Tickets Contact 01639 730725 or email b.owen39@btinternet.com

 

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