Queen honours presenter O'Connor

Des O'Connor joked the Queen had asked him to sing

TV presenter Des O'Connor was praised by the Queen for giving the UK hours of "enjoyable entertainment" as she appointed him CBE.

O'Connor said the honour was "a very nice cherry on the cake" after more than 45 years in showbusiness.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I said I didn't enjoy it," the 76-year-old added.

O'Connor, honoured at Buckingham Palace for services to entertainment, was most recently seen on TV presenting Countdown, which he has now quit.

She said, 'thank you for many hours of enjoyable entertainment', and I'm told she watches Countdown Des O'Connor

The presenter, who is also a comedian and singer, was joined at the palace by his 39-year-old wife Jodie Brooke Wilson, their four-year-old son together, Adam, and his four daughters from previous marriages.

When asked what the Queen had said to him, O'Connor replied: "She said, 'thank you for many hours of enjoyable entertainment', and I'm told she watches Countdown."

O'Connor, famed for his crooning singing style, added: "She begged me to sing but, you know, there were other people waiting and she can buy my new album."

Des O'Connor has hosted his own shows for 45 years

He landed his first TV series in the UK in 1963.

His successful shows since then have included Des O'Connor Tonight, Take Your Pick and Today with Des and Mel.

In his singing career, he had a number of hit singles in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s.

His new co-written album, Inspired - his 36th - was released last week.

O'Connor has also said he is in talks about a West End production that is "something I've been keen to do".

He is also working on writing children's stories and poems.