UK’s first Eurovision singer Patricia Bredin dies aged 88

The UK’s first Eurovision singer, Patricia Bredin, has died aged 88.

The Hull-born actress and singer was just 22 years old when she performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957.

She was picked after being discovered at the Savoy in London. She also acted in a number of films, appearing alongside Ian Carmichael and Sid James.

Ms Bredin, who married Canadian millionaire Charles MacCulloch and moved to Nova Scotia, passed away on Sunday, her family confirmed.

Speaking in 2016, she told the BBC: “Singing in the final in Frankfurt, Germany, it was wonderful, because they had about a 60-piece orchestra and it was like being on clouds.”

Her singing career began as a member of the Hull Operatic Society, performing in shows at the City Hall and other venues.

She landed the Eurovision chance following a short meeting with BBC executives, who asked her, “Would you like to be on TV?”.

At the time, only 10 countries entered the contest and the unknown Ms Bredin ended up in seventh place with her love song called All.

The song was less than two minutes long and despite her performance being broadcast on TV, the public did not have an opportunity to send it into the charts as it was never recorded.

Reflecting on her Eurovision appearance in a BBC interview, she said: “Two songs had been chosen and each one had to be sung by two different performers, but they had a problem because nobody wanted to sing that terrible little song called All.”

Patricia Bredin was a regular performer on stage and screen. Here she is pictured singing alongside Welsh singer and actor Ivor Emmanuel, whom she married in the 1960s

Despite the setback, Ms Bredin went on to have a long career on stage and screen before retiring to a farm in Canada.

She played the lead role in Left Right and Centre, with Ian Carmichael and Alastair Sim, and starred alongside Sid James in the film Desert Mice.

Ms Bredin became a regular in musicals in the West End and on Broadway, once taking over a role from Julie Andrews.

She was previously married to Welsh singer and actor Ivor Emmanuel, whom she later divorced.

And, while singing on the QE2 liner, she met Mr MacCulloch. The pair married and moved to a farm in Nova Scotia.

She was widowed soon after the wedding and remained in Canada raising cattle.

Analysis by David Reeves, BBC Radio Humberside

Meeting Patricia was a real treat but quite nerve wracking.

I’d researched her life and career endlessly in the days before we met at her home in Nova Scotia eight years ago.

I shouldn’t have worried. Patricia’s warmth and charm was instant and within five minutes of walking through the door, the bubbly was being poured.

A big bright personality, Patricia shared stories of a career spanning decades.

She had worked with Roger Moore on Ivanhoe in the late 1950s, and visited Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton for lunch in London, all after representing the UK for the very first time at Eurovision.

And behind that incredible voice was her generosity. She raised funds for her community via charity screenings of her old films.

In her words: “I had a wonderful career and enjoyed it and you go on to something else.”