Stars pay tribute to the local lad who became a chat show sensation

SHOWBIZ stars have joined family and friends to pay tribute to Blackburn-born chat show host Russell Harty on the eve of the 10th anniversary of his death.

A 50-minute documentary called You Are, Are You Not, Russell Harty? on BBC-2 on Sunday will include touching interviews with ex-Coronation Street star Thelma Barlow, who played Mavis, Countdown host Richard Whiteley and Russell's partner at the time of his death, Jamie O'Neill.

Russell lost his fight against the killer disease Hepatitis B on June 8, 1988, a month after waking from a coma to tell fans "I'm feeling better."

Doctors at St James's Hospital, Leeds, had been stunned by his recovery but failed to save him when his condition deteriorated. A last-ditch attempt at a liver transplant failed because Russell was too ill to stand the operation.

Ten years on, the former pupil of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School is still fondly remembered as one of Blackburn's favourite sons, as well as an accomplished television presenter and interviewer who knew how to handle celebrity guests.

The son of the late Fred and Myrtle Harty, who ran a fruit and veg stall on Blackburn's three-day market, Russell took an unusual route to stardom. After reading English as an undergraduate at Oxford, he became a schoolteacher in the North Yorkshire town of Giggleswick before finding fame and fortune on the small screen.

Highlights of his career included being named Male Personality of the Year in 1973 and in 1980 being one of Eamonn Andrews' "victims" on This Is Your Life, where he was joined by showbiz friends including Diana Dors and John Conteh.

His family, including sister Saundra, brother-in-law Geoff and his four nieces, had successfully kept the secret for months before travelling to London to film the show.

But Russell was also dogged by controversy towards the end of his life when a Sunday newspaper printed allegations about his private life.

The revelations made no difference to Russell's army of fans, who flooded the hospital with flowers during his illness and following his death.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said Russell was "a man of great intelligence who celebrated and did not forget his roots."

Fellow chat-show host and rival Michael Parkinson added: "Russell was a very funny man and a damn sight nicer than anyone who wrote about him."

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