Bradley Walsh, 60, earned national fame with a number of ITV game shows including ‘The Chase’, alongside acting roles on ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Doctor Who’. But now it’s been reported that the TV star may jump to the BBC to front a revival of the Eighties show ‘Blankety Blank’, according to The Sun. The hit was first hosted by Terry Wogan before Les Dawson took over and then Paul O’Grady, as Lily Savage, when it headed to ITV. The comedian and singer, who has also reached the top 15 in the UK albums chart twice, has often professed his fears about working too much. But behind his success lies a sad truth, which the star acknowledged in an unearthed interview.
Walsh attributed his fame to his wife of 23 years Donna Derby, the mother of his second child Barney – who also found fame through their father-son adventure show ‘Breaking Dad’.
He revealed that it was his other-half who spurred him onto tryout for ‘Corrie’ when he was claimed to have been “dithering over auditioning”.
Despite knowing that taking on a soap role would mean that her husband would be forced to spend large periods of time away from home when Barney was just nine years old.
He felt her decision to put her career as a choreographer on-hold was a sacrifice that allowed him to ascend the showbiz ladder, while she essentially served as a “single mother”.
Walsh told the Daily Mirror in 2006: “She’s the one who recognised what it could do for me even though it would mean being apart.”
Walsh told the Belfast Telegraph in 2017: “That job gets my absolute focus and everything else goes to the side, then [when] that job is finished I’ll concentrate on the next job.”
The presenter revealed his hope to mirror the success of legendary variety performer Bruce Forsyth but felt it was a hard act to follow.
Walsh continued: “Talk about triple-threat, you’ve got to go some to beat the great Bruce.
“Probably had about nine strings to his bow, he could do it all. He was the most amazing talent.”
In a quip about his busy work schedule he added: “On my tombstone it will say ‘At last, a day off.’”