Christopher Biggins and Joan Collins swap glitzy parties to binge-watch Dynasty
As showbiz legends go, you don’t get more legendary (or indeed more showbiz) than “Biggins”, as Christopher is affectionately known.
The man who’s famous for being an actor, a TV presenter and one of the nation’s favourite panto dames has been in the entertainment industry for more than 50 years. As well as over five decades in the spotlight, Biggins will celebrate his 75th birthday in December. When we catch up with him, he tells us this is a milestone he’s much less keen to mark.
“I can’t believe it,” he says. “It’s a shock! I used to be called sunshine and sunflower, but no longer.” At the height of his fame, there was rarely a celebrity party that Biggins wasn’t on the guestlist for, and he was regularly papped with his A-list pals, donning the most elaborate outfits.
These days the semi-retired icon says he no longer has the energy to dance the night away; now he’d rather enjoy a night in with his loved ones. “I never have a party to celebrate my birthday any more,” he explains. “The only time I’ve ever had a party was when I turned 60.”
Christopher Biggins has opened up about his friendship with Dame Joan Collins (Richard Young/REX/Shutterstock)
The telly star refuses to go out partying nowadays (Contour by Getty Images)A year after he won I’m A Celeb in 2007, Biggins threw the birthday party to end all parties when he welcomed the likes of Cilla Black, Anita Dobson, Barbara Windsor, Jason Donovan, Gloria Hunniford and Jane McDonald to a champagne-filled bash in central London. “We had a party for 400 of our closest friends,” he says of the event, which he hosted with his long-term partner Neil Sinclair. “It was a fantastic party with a sit-down dinner.”
Vanessa Feltz ignores ex's pleas to forgive him as she dances with celeb pals
Biggins says the guest who made his 60th birthday such a momentous occasion was his “extraordinary” friend Joan Collins. But these days, they’re more likely to stay in and watch TV together.
“Joan and I are no longer up for partying,” he laughs. “She’s just come back from the South of France, where we were with her and Elizabeth Hurley, so we had a very glamorous week with them. But do you know what we do on these luxurious holidays? We stay home, and every night we go up to Joan’s TV room and watch Dynasty! We’d much rather watch that.”
Biggins also lets us in on the secret to Joan’s age-defying looks. “She’s got wonderful bone structure and wonderful skin,” he gushes. “She looks after herself. She drinks, but she’s just wonderful. I mean, she’s fantastic. She likes a tipple, but [her husband] Percy [Gibson] keeps her young.” Talking of staying youthful, Biggins explains that for his 75th year, he and Neil are filming a show for the BBC.
“We are doing Escape To The Country!” he tells us. “And it’s being televised for a one-hour Christmas special. We’ll finish filming it next week.” But where are the pair – who met in 1992 and had a civil partnership at Hackney Register Office in 2006 – hoping to build their new nest, we wonder? “We are going sort of northwest,” says Biggins, adding we can expect to see a lot of banter between him and Neil on screen.
Humour is clearly a key component of their relationship and in the past, the star has spoken about what makes them tick, saying, “We still laugh a lot and have an incredible amount of fun. Neil is a very sociable, very funny Scottish guy. He’s always the last to leave a party as wherever we go people are drawn to him. We are both relaxed and I feel fortunate to have found such a wonderful partner.”
Talking about what prompted them to move to the countryside after living in the capital for so long, Biggins says, “I think we want to leave London after all these years – London is not what it was, so we’re looking forward to it. It will be a lot of fun. I think other celebrities will be on the show as well, but not on the same episode as us. I think they’ll probably do three celebrities moving to the country.”
On a totally separate note, Biggins explains why he thinks BBC presenter Carol Vorderman should step down from the broadcaster, where she is a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
He says, “It’s just that she’s being a bit stupid and a bit outspoken and you can’t – if you want to work with the BBC – be prejudiced.” He adds, “She is very anti the Conservative Party in a big way, which is fine if that’s what she wants to do. But she can’t do it on a BBC One platform.” Moving on to a lighter topic, the star tells us that he recently received some words of wisdom from former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Dame Arlene Phillips – and as a result, he won’t be joining the celebrity line-up of the show any time soon!
Biggins says Arlene, 80, told him, “It’s not as easy as people make out.” He explains, “I was sitting with Dame Arlene the other week and she told me it’s tough. And you’ve got to be really fit, and I don’t want to be dragged around the [dance] floor by somebody just to make people laugh, so I’m thrilled I’m not doing it.”
Could the Strictly curse also be a concern? “That could be a downfall!” he laughs. But the reality TV regular insists he’d never take part in any show that requires physical exertion, despite having shed16lb in 2019 after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. “Dancing On Ice is a death trap!” he exclaims. “Oh my God, no, I’d never do that. I was a judge on the Dancing On Ice tour some years ago. I saw so many people really injured and the only people I liked were the physiotherapists, who were wonderful.”
'I plan parties for celebs – why I refused Beckhams and who left me starstruck'
He’s full of laughter throughout our time together, but Biggins does admit that having been in showbiz for so long, he’s somewhat surprised – and a little disappointed – that he hasn’t received more recognition for his contribution to the industry. “I don’t know why I haven’t got an OBE by now,” he says. “I recently worked with Julian Clary and he hasn’t got one either, but he gave me a special award with a big jewel on the show we were doing, so I feel as though I got an OBE.”
When it comes to the royal family, who present such honours, Biggins reveals he still has a special place in his heart for the late Princess of Wales. The star – who has spoken of a very showbiz “date” he went on with Diana to the Royal Albert Hall – says, “I used to be friendly with Diana and people like that.” When we ask what Diana would be doing if she were still here today, he thinks she’d be trying to build bridges between her sons Princes William and Harry after their huge fallout. “I think she’d be trying to bring her family together. I think it’s sad.”
As our time draws to a close, Biggins reveals he’ll be returning to his panto roots this winter. “I’m going to be celebrating my birthday by doing two shows in Southampton of Snow White in panto,” he tells us excitedly. We think this is the most perfect way for Biggins to spend his big day!
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
