Cilla Black

Profession: TV Personality
Place/Date of Birth: Liverpool, 27 May 2020

Cilla gets a 'lorra' perks - Mar 22 2007
If there's one thing Cilla Black enjoys, it's getting a "lorra" perks because she's a celebrity.

But the TV presenter isn't talking about designer gowns, limo rides and swanky jewellery - it seems it's the free cab journeys she likes best.

"There's a lorra perks being a star," says the 63-year-old. "Taxi drivers, nine times out of 10, well a bit less than that, maybe five times out of 10, I don't have to pay for a taxi. They say, 'The trip's on me, you've given us so much pleasure over these years'."

She adds: "Taxi drivers like to chat, well that's great because I like to chat too so the journey goes quicker because you're rabbitting on to each other."

And even though shows like Blind Date and Surprise Surprise haven't been on our screens for years, she says it's not just cabbies who are still fans.

"The public have really grown up with me - it still surprises me that people like me."

Cilla’s too old for TV - Sept 8, 2020
Blind Date host Cilla Black might be vanishing from our screens - because she thinks she’s too old. Flame-haired Cilla - who has guest-starred on several shows as well as hosting hits like Blind Date and Surprise Surprise - admitted she thinks television presenters should be young and youthful-looking.

And now she’s 63, she confessed she wouldn’t want to switch on her television set and see herself. "You can’t be worried about ageism on television," the star told the Daily Express. "Who wants to see old people like me on TV? I don’t! Honestly, I want to see younger people."

But Cilla - who started her showbiz career as a pop star before transforming herself into a TV presenter - admitted she’d had her time in the spotlight. "I can’t complain - I was the one who was given my own programme at 22 by the Beeb," she pointed out.

Cilla down £1m - 24/10/03
Cilla Black will not receive any compensation for the jewellery that what stolen recently from her home, which was valued to over £1 million.

Cilla was insured but her claim was rejected because she failed to fit locks on her downstairs windows, and any breach of the conditions renders her policy null and void.

Cilla was heartbroken to have such sentimental and valuable gems stolen, including gifts from her late husband Bobby and her mother’s wedding ring. Son Jack (22) was injured when the burglars attacked him with a crowbar.

Cilla defiant of burglars - 22/09/03
Cilla Black says that she will not let the burglars of her home defeat her - she even made a sign saying ’welcome’!

Cilla said ’I’m not going to let the buggers get the best of me. Absolutely not. No, because they would have scored another goal. In fact, one of the most cleansing things I did was I actually made a sign with ’welcome’ written on it. I left all the doors, all the windows open. I said, ’Welcome. You’ve taken everything. If you want the food in me freezer, it’s there, take it!’

Cilla also said on the Michael Parkinson show, to be screened on Saturday, that she could never marry again as she was still ’totally in love with Bobby’ - her late husband. She went on to say that she was not prepared to share her remote control with anybody!

Burglars attack Cilla’s son - 18/08/03
One of Cilla Black’s sons was hit over the head with a crowbar by three masked burglars at their family home.

... read more 12 3 next»

Biography

Cilla Black, the nation’s favourite aunt, was born May 27th 1943 named Priscilla Maria Veronica White, she lived with her Father [a docker], Mother [who ran a market stall] and Brothers, in one of Liverpool’s roughest residential areas. She attended St Anthony’s Junior & Secondary Schools before leaving at the age of 14 to follow in the footsteps of many girls, taking up a typing course at Anfield Commercial College.

At the age of 20, Cilla had progressed from a student to a full time Dictaphone typist. However, her sheer drive to become famous left her feeling dissatisfied, dreading the fate of being labelled as just another girl suitable for office work. She wanted more from life and could regularly be found in her lunch hour escaping to the trendy haunts of The Cavern. She’d hang coats earning five bob an hour enjoying the limelight of getting to sing on stage. At night she’d also break free from the constraints of office work to serve coffee at The Zodiac where she met her boyfriend and husband to be Bobby Willis.

As a singer she has released 14 studio albums, in addition to 2 successful Greatest Hits packages and 37 singles, many of which have charted worldwide. During the sixties she managed to sustain her place at the forefront of the British music scene, having one of the most impressive starts for a female solo artist which included 17 consecutive Top 40 triumphs!

Cilla Black made her debut on the British single charts with one of the first songs given to her by her peers John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The single Love of the Loved made a modest impression on the UK charts when it was released in September 1963 marking her debut as a professional singer. In a matter of months this was to be overshadowed by her next two ballads You’re My World and Anyone Who Had a Heart which in 1964 hit the #1 spot, each becoming million selling singles and launching her into the international pop arena.

In 1964, Cilla had switched to the big screen, making a cameo appearance in Gerry & the Pacemaker’s movie Ferry Cross the Mersey. She was even invited to add her vocals to the soundtrack, recording the song Is it love?

Brian Epstein her manager, friend and the man instrumental for moulding such a versatile artiste died after a tragic overdose accident. It was feared Cilla’s career might have suffered but with her man Bobby already being so integral in her decision-making, he seamlessly became her personal manager. On January 25th 1969 the devoted couple became husband and wife at Marylebone Registry Office in London. One more elaborate ceremony followed on the 6th of March at the Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool.

In 1970 she gave birth to her first son, Robert John Willis [born July 26 1970]. Sons, Benjamin (April 30 1974) and Jack (October 20 1980) were soon to follow. In 1983, the year of her twentieth anniversary in showbiz, EMI Music decided to launch a spectacular campaign to re-issue her biggest selling singles on The Very Best of Cilla Black.

This generated much interest in her and thus in May 1984 Surprise, Surprise was broadcast, captivating leagues of avid followers who embraced the show’s warmth and emotion. Blind Date a dating show followed, it was a massive success, making Cilla an icon of modern TV.

Sadness hit Cilla’s life when hubby Bobby was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. He had been discreetly undergoing chemotherapy in North London, eventually discharging himself and showing some positive signs of recovery. However, he was to take a turn for the worse and passed away in October 1999, aged 57.

The ’Cilla Mafia’ - Dale Winton, Paul O’Grady and long-time friend Christopher Biggins - were there for her during the aftermath of her hubby’s death, and the group have since become as likey to appear on Heat’s gossip pages as Jordan.

Since sensationally quitting Blind Date live on air in 2003 Cilla says that she may well not appear on TV again, explaining that presenters should be youthful and fun...’who wants to see people like me on TV. I don’t!’
March 2007

Star Ratings