Caterina Irene Elena Maria Boyle, Lady Saunders (néeImperiali dei Principi di Francavilla; 29 May 1926 – 20 March 2018), usually known as Katie Boyle, was an Italian-born British actress, writer, radio announcer, television personality and game-show panellist. She became best known for presenting the Eurovision Song Contest on a record four occasions: in 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1974; the first three in London and the last in Brighton, England. She was also an agony aunt, answering problems that had been posted by readers of the TVTimes.
Boyle was an on-screen continuity announcer for the BBC in the 1950s. A decade later she became a television personality, regularly appearing on panel games and programmes such as What's My Line?, Juke Box Jury and the medical game show Lance That Boyle, on which she appeared with comedian Lance Percival.[3][4] Boyle was the presenter for the 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1974Eurovision Song Contests (all of which were hosted in the UK), making her the person who presented the most editions of the contest.[5] She hosted the 1974 contest wearing no underwear; it had been cut off from under her satin dress moments before the broadcast began.[6] She also hosted the UK qualifying heat, A Song for Europe, in 1961. In the 1960s she appeared in a long-running series of television advertisements for Camay soap.[7][8]
Boyle was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1982, when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while in Rome.[citation needed] That same year she played herself in the BBC radio play The Competition, which told the story of a fictitious international song contest being staged in Bridlington. Boyle was guest of honour at the Eurovision fan club conventions staged in 1988 and 1992, and appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 held in Birmingham as a special guest of the BBC. Her other work has included theatre, television (What's Up Dog?) and radio (Katie and Friends). In 2004 Boyle was a guest on a special Eurovision-themed celebrity version of Weakest Link on BBC One, hosted by Anne Robinson.[9] Boyle became the first, and to date the only, contestant ever to vote herself off the programme.[10]
Personal lifeedit
In 1947, she married The Hon. Richard Bentinck Boyle, a captain in the Irish Guards and heir to the 8th Earl of Shannon; the marriage was dissolved in 1955 but she kept his surname, Boyle.[11] Later that year, she married Greville Baylis, a racehorse owner, who died in 1976. In 1979, she married theatre impresario Sir Peter Saunders, who died in 2003. In Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused by Nicholas Davies it is alleged that Boyle had a long-standing relationship with Prince Philip in the 1950s.[12] Boyle told Gyles Brandreth: "It's ludicrous, pure fabrication. When it appears in print, people believe it. You can't take legal action because it fans the flames, so you just have to accept people telling complete lies about you."[13] She was represented for most of her working life by agent Bunny Lewis. A keen owner of Yorkshire terriers, she was a committee member of Battersea Dogs Home for more than 25 years. She died at home on Tuesday 20 March 2018.[14][15]
Alternative creditingedit
She was also credited as Catherine Boyle and Catherine Boyl.[citation needed]
^ ab"Former Eurovision host Katie Boyle, Lady Saunders dies aged 91". Irish News. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
^Boyle, Katie, What This Katie Did: An Autobiography.Littlehampton Book Services Ltd, 1st edition (9 October 1980); ISBN978-0-297-77814-1.
^"Former Eurovision Presenter Katie Boyle Has Died, At The Age Of 91". HuffPost UK. 20 March 2018.
^"Terry Leahy's retail career in two acts". www.ft.com.
^"Katie Boyle, iconic Eurovision Song Contest host, dies at 91". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
^O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History. Carlton Books, UK. 2007; ISBN978-1-84442-994-3
^"Camay 'Letter To Katie Boyle' TV ad – 45 sec advert". www.tellyads.com. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^Archived at Ghostarchive and the : findaclip (4 August 2013). "017 Camay Katie Boyle European Soap Contest 1". Retrieved 24 September 2017 – via YouTube.
^Osborn, Michael (13 May 2009). "The A to Z of Eurovision". BBC News.
^Welsh, Daniel (20 March 2018). "Katie Boyle Dead: Eurovision Song Contest Host Lady Saunders Dies, Aged 91". HuffPost. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
^"Obituary: Katie Boyle". BBC News. 20 March 2018.
^Davies, Nicholas. Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused. Birch Lane Press; ISBN1-55972-217-7
^Brandreth, Gyles (5 September 2004). "Portrait of a marriage". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
^. The Corner Shop. 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
^Barker, Dennis (20 March 2018). "Katie Boyle obituary" – via The Guardian.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katie Boyle.
katie, boyle, caterina, irene, elena, maria, boyle, lady, saunders, née, imperiali, principi, francavilla, 1926, march, 2018, usually, known, italian, born, british, actress, writer, radio, announcer, television, personality, game, show, panellist, became, bes. Caterina Irene Elena Maria Boyle Lady Saunders nee Imperiali dei Principi di Francavilla 29 May 1926 20 March 2018 usually known as Katie Boyle was an Italian born British actress writer radio announcer television personality and game show panellist She became best known for presenting the Eurovision Song Contest on a record four occasions in 1960 1963 1968 and 1974 the first three in London and the last in Brighton England She was also an agony aunt answering problems that had been posted by readers of the TVTimes Katie BoyleBoyle appearing on After Dark July 1988BornCaterina Irene Elena Maria Imperiali dei Principi di Francavilla 1926 05 29 29 May 1926Florence Tuscany ItalyDied20 March 2018 2018 03 20 aged 91 NationalityBritishOther namesLady SaundersOccupation s Actress presenter writerKnown forWhat s My Line Eurovision Song ContestSpousesHon Richard Bentinck Boyle m 1947 div 1955 wbr Greville Baylis m 1955 died 1976 wbr Sir Peter Saunders m 1979 died 2003 wbr Contents 1 Early life modelling and film career 2 Radio and television 3 Personal life 4 Alternative crediting 5 Filmography 6 Bibliography 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksEarly life modelling and film career editShe was born in a royal palace in Florence Tuscany Italy which had once belonged to the Italian royal family the daughter of an Italian marquis the Marchese Demetrio Imperiali di Francavilla and his English wife Dorothy Kate Ramsden She came to the United Kingdom in 1946 and started a modelling career which included work for such publications as Vogue She also appeared in several 1950s films the first being Old Mother Riley Headmistress 1950 in which she was billed as Catherine Carleton 1 followed by I ll Never Forget You uncredited 1951 The Diary of Major Thompson filmed in France in 1955 Not Wanted on Voyage 1957 The Truth About Women also 1957 and Intent to Kill 1958 2 Radio and television editBoyle was an on screen continuity announcer for the BBC in the 1950s A decade later she became a television personality regularly appearing on panel games and programmes such as What s My Line Juke Box Jury and the medical game show Lance That Boyle on which she appeared with comedian Lance Percival 3 4 Boyle was the presenter for the 1960 1963 1968 and 1974 Eurovision Song Contests all of which were hosted in the UK making her the person who presented the most editions of the contest 5 She hosted the 1974 contest wearing no underwear it had been cut off from under her satin dress moments before the broadcast began 6 She also hosted the UK qualifying heat A Song for Europe in 1961 In the 1960s she appeared in a long running series of television advertisements for Camay soap 7 8 Boyle was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1982 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while in Rome citation needed That same year she played herself in the BBC radio play The Competition which told the story of a fictitious international song contest being staged in Bridlington Boyle was guest of honour at the Eurovision fan club conventions staged in 1988 and 1992 and appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 held in Birmingham as a special guest of the BBC Her other work has included theatre television What s Up Dog and radio Katie and Friends In 2004 Boyle was a guest on a special Eurovision themed celebrity version of Weakest Link on BBC One hosted by Anne Robinson 9 Boyle became the first and to date the only contestant ever to vote herself off the programme 10 Personal life editIn 1947 she married The Hon Richard Bentinck Boyle a captain in the Irish Guards and heir to the 8th Earl of Shannon the marriage was dissolved in 1955 but she kept his surname Boyle 11 Later that year she married Greville Baylis a racehorse owner who died in 1976 In 1979 she married theatre impresario Sir Peter Saunders who died in 2003 In Queen Elizabeth II A Woman Who Is Not Amused by Nicholas Davies it is alleged that Boyle had a long standing relationship with Prince Philip in the 1950s 12 Boyle told Gyles Brandreth It s ludicrous pure fabrication When it appears in print people believe it You can t take legal action because it fans the flames so you just have to accept people telling complete lies about you 13 She was represented for most of her working life by agent Bunny Lewis A keen owner of Yorkshire terriers she was a committee member of Battersea Dogs Home for more than 25 years She died at home on Tuesday 20 March 2018 14 15 Alternative crediting editShe was also credited as Catherine Boyle and Catherine Boyl citation needed Filmography edit nbsp Appearing in 1988 together with her dogs and others including Miriam Rothschild and Frank Evans on After DarkYear Title Role Notes1950 Old Mother Riley Headmistress Miss Ashton1951 I ll Never Forget You Girl Uncredited1955 The French They Are a Funny Race Minor Role1957 The Truth About Women DianaNot Wanted on Voyage Julie Haines1958 Intent to Kill Margaret McLaurin1959 First Love LucianaBibliography editShe also wrote four books Dear Katie tips from her days as agony aunt for TV Times 1975 ISBN 978 0552990783 What This Katie Did autobiography 1980 ISBN 978 0297778141 Boyle s Law household tips 1982 ISBN 978 0297781486 Battersea Tales stories of rescues from the Battersea Dogs Home 1997 1 See also editList of Eurovision Song Contest presentersReferences edit a b Former Eurovision host Katie Boyle Lady Saunders dies aged 91 Irish News 20 March 2018 Retrieved 20 March 2018 Boyle Katie What This Katie Did An Autobiography Littlehampton Book Services Ltd 1st edition 9 October 1980 ISBN 978 0 297 77814 1 Former Eurovision Presenter Katie Boyle Has Died At The Age Of 91 HuffPost UK 20 March 2018 Terry Leahy s retail career in two acts www ft com Katie Boyle iconic Eurovision Song Contest host dies at 91 Eurovision tv EBU 21 March 2018 Retrieved 7 July 2023 O Connor John Kennedy The Eurovision Song Contest The Official History Carlton Books UK 2007 ISBN 978 1 84442 994 3 Camay Letter To Katie Boyle TV ad 45 sec advert www tellyads com Retrieved 24 September 2017 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine findaclip 4 August 2013 017 Camay Katie Boyle European Soap Contest 1 Retrieved 24 September 2017 via YouTube Osborn Michael 13 May 2009 The A to Z of Eurovision BBC News Welsh Daniel 20 March 2018 Katie Boyle Dead Eurovision Song Contest Host Lady Saunders Dies Aged 91 HuffPost Retrieved 22 March 2018 Obituary Katie Boyle BBC News 20 March 2018 Davies Nicholas Queen Elizabeth II A Woman Who Is Not Amused Birch Lane Press ISBN 1 55972 217 7 Brandreth Gyles 5 September 2004 Portrait of a marriage The Sunday Telegraph Retrieved 6 July 2015 Press statement Katie Boyle Lady Saunders dies peacefully at home The Corner Shop 20 March 2018 Archived from the original on 17 March 2020 Retrieved 20 March 2018 Barker Dennis 20 March 2018 Katie Boyle obituary via The Guardian External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katie Boyle Katie Boyle at the British Film Institute Katie Boyle at IMDbPreceded by nbsp Jacqueline Joubert Eurovision Song Contest presenter1960 Succeeded by nbsp Jacqueline JoubertPreceded by nbsp Mireille Delannoy Eurovision Song Contest presenter1963 Succeeded by nbsp Lotte WaeverPreceded by nbsp Erica Vaal Eurovision Song Contest presenter1968 Succeeded by nbsp Laurita ValenzuelaPreceded by nbsp Helga Guitton Eurovision Song Contest presenter1974 Succeeded by nbsp Karin Falck Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Katie Boyle amp oldid 1217558699, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
