Katie Boyle, a vibrant compere of the Eurovision Song context in years gone by and a UK television favourite for three decades, has died.
She was born 29 May 1926 to an English mother and a mad Italian aristo father, who took custody of her aged five when the marriage split. She was expelled from various schools and eventually consigned to a mental asylum after she had an affair with an Italian secret policeman aged 18. As the war finished she was despatched back to her mother in England, took up modelling, married Viscount Boyle, an Irish aristo, divorced him seven years later and married a Lloyds Underwriter. He was the love of her life and after he died she went on to marry a theatre impresario.
She wrote on fashion and beauty as well as presenting, became an agony aunt for years; and had a strong interest in dogs, always regretting not having been asked to present Animal Hospital. A life lived to the full.
She was a Sun Gemini with a sparky Mars and Uranus in Pisces, and a determined, resourceful Mars trine Pluto. Her Venus in upfront Aries was trine Neptune and sextile Jupiter which fits her bubbly and sophisticated image. Her enduring qualities came from a Fixed Grand Cross of Neptune opposition Jupiter in Aquarius square Saturn in Scorpio opposition Mercury.
A lovely lady from a bygone era.
She’s a record holder for hosting ESC, 4 times from 1960 to 1974. That was a bit before my time, but when UK wan after a 14 year break in 1997, she was a guest in 1998 event. I think the only other person who can aspire to this is Petra Mede from Sweden, who hosted 2013 and co-hosted 2016. Although, Sweden is doing everything they can to arrive anywhere from the 3rd to the 6th place nowadays, and not to win. This thing can potentially bankrupt a TV company nowadays.
She was a lovely lady and spoke several languages because of her background. I knew her back in London days. She used to feed foxes in her Hampstead back garden and when I said they had mange and might infect her dogs, she said she fed them scotch-eggs laced with anti-mange medication.
Her second husband Greville was always in her mind. She said if she couldn’t find a parking space, she’d think of him and one would appear. Gloriously eccentric and always beautifully turned out.