Interview with Lionel Blair
Interview with Lionel Blair
Added 2284 days ago. 16 January 2018
In a 70 year long career, Lionel Blair has always entertained us, and has no intention of stopping any time soon!
Lionel is a legendary entertainer having danced with Sammy Davis Jr., appeared in A Hard Day’s Night, Celebrity Big Brother and The Real Marigold Hotel.
Lionel’s big adventures
In a career that has spanned 70 years, Lionel Blair has danced and entertained us, and he has no intention of stopping any time soon
Lionel says he’s been lucky, but there was a time when he thought about hanging up his dance shoes. “I got bored with being Lionel Blair the dancer,” he says. “I told my wife I was thinking about going back to acting, and she said that was fine, but the house and lifestyle would have to go too. I soon realised how fortunate I was.”
Lionel and his wife Susan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in March, and his love for her is at the heart of everything he does. “For the first week of filming The Real Marigold Hotel, I hated it as I missed Susan and wanted her to be there. It’s all about making memories together. For our golden anniversary, we gave each other a gold ring and had a big family party.”
At 88, Lionel is fit and active. “I always say if something doesn’t feel right, go and get it seen to right away,” he says. “A few years ago, we moved house and I booked into our local clinic for a health check and it revealed prostate cancer, but they caught it early enough and got it fixed, the NHS really is wonderful.
“I used to go to the gym, but now I use a machine at home and I’ve not gained much weight over the years. My wife ensures I eat well. Mindset is important too, and you’ve got to think young – I still feel like I’ve just got married!”