On My Mind

Catching a little of ITV's Lorraine show as I rushed to work who should pop up on screen but my teen idol David Essex.

A trailer of the twinkly blue-eyed, tousle-haired David Essex of my youth singing Hold Me Close into a TV camera reminded us of the 70's heart-throb who first stole our hearts.

Of course I, like millions of others, have followed his career since and I watched his show at the Mayflower last year when he declared it would be his last ever major solo tour so I've never actually considered him a nostalgia act for he has never stopped working.

But as Lorraine Kelly sat down to interview the tanned and smiling Silver Fox that is David Essex of today I almost choked on my toast...for he said he is about to celebrate his 70th birthday! Just how did that happen?

And then when he joked about struggling to get up from his arm chair now he is long past 50 my jaw dropped further still!

Now a dad of five ( from three marriages) the Rock On singer admits he only feels 23 in his mind and with a three year old son , called Sonny, who he waved at on screen, he is still young at heart.

Now, despite admitting he isn't that fond of nostalgia, he has joined the nostalgia circuit and will tour with 70's legends Suzi Quatro, The Osmonds and Hot Chocolate this summer.

We don't have that coming to an arena near us but we do at least have our own fabulous feast of 80's nostalgia coming to us on Southampton Common tomorrow in the form of Let's Rock!

I simply cannot wait to join in the fun again. It is the ultimate party experience in my mind. We can expect a really fun but relatively chilled atmosphere on the common as the site becomes a mass of neon and brightly coloured fancy dress. It is a sight to behold and a fantastic family atmosphere.

And as for the music, this year is going to be top class. I've seen the two headliners - The Human League and Tony Hadley, perform quite recently and they were incredible.

Thankfully, as the organisers said to me this week, most of these acts that we remember so fondly from younger days sound even better today and I can vouch for that. ..now where did I put those Lycra leggings!

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