Des O’Connor – his amiability hid a dark childhood

Des O’Connor, the singer, comedian and presenter, known as the quintessence of niceness, has died aged 88. No one had a bad word to say about him. Fellow comic Jimmy Tarbuck said: “He was a joy to work with, the most easy-going and charming guy. The laidback smoothie you saw on stage was exactly the same in the dressing room – never flustered, always upbeat. What made him unique was his generosity with the laughs. Whether he delivered a gag or left the punchline to me, it made