Katie Boyle | |
|---|---|
 Boyle appearing onAfter Dark, July 1988 | |
| Born | Caterina Irene Elena Maria Imperiali dei Principi di Francavilla (1926-05-29)29 May 1926 |
| Died | 20 March 2018(2018-03-20) (aged 91) London, England |
| Other names | Lady Saunders |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, presenter, writer |
| Known for | What's My Line? Eurovision Song Contest |
| Spouses | |
Caterina Irene Elena Maria Boyle, Lady Saunders (née Imperiali dei Principi di Francavilla; 29 May 1926 – 20 March 2018), usually known asKatie Boyle, was an Italian-born British actress, writer, radio announcer and television personality. She became best known for presenting theEurovision Song Contest on a record four occasions: in1960,1963,1968 and1974; the first three in London and the last inBrighton, England. She was also anagony aunt, answering problems that had been posted by readers of theTVTimes.
She was born on 29 May 1926 in a royal palace inFlorence,Tuscany, Italy, which had once belonged to theItalian royal family, the daughter of an Italianmarquis (the Marchese DemetrioImperiali di Francavilla) and his English wife, Dorothy Kate Ramsden.[1] She came to the United Kingdom in 1946 and started a modelling career, which included work for such publications asVogue. She also appeared in several 1950s films, the first beingOld Mother Riley Headmistress (1950) in which she was billed as Catherine Carleton,[2] followed byI'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) andIntent to Kill (1958).[3]
Boyle was an on-screen continuity announcer for theBBC in the 1950s. A decade later she became a television personality, regularly appearing on panel games and programmes such asWhat's My Line?,Juke Box Jury and the medical game showLance That Boyle, on which she appeared with comedianLance Percival.[4][5] Boyle was the presenter for the1960,1963,1968 and1974Eurovision Song Contests (all of which were hosted in the UK), making herthe person who presented the most editions of the contest.[6] She hosted the 1974 contest wearing no underwear; it had been cut off from under her satin dress moments before the broadcast began.[7] 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 forCamay soap.[8][9]
Boyle was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1982, when she was surprised byEamonn Andrews while in Rome.[citation needed] That same year she played herself in the BBC radio playThe Competition, which told the story of a fictitious international song contest being staged inBridlington. Boyle was guest of honour at the Eurovision fan club conventions staged in 1988 and 1992, and appeared at theEurovision Song Contest 1998 held inBirmingham 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 ofWeakest Link onBBC One, hosted byAnne Robinson.[10] Boyle became the first, and to date the only, contestant ever to vote herself off the programme.[11]
In 1947, she married The Hon.Richard Bentinck Boyle, a captain in theIrish Guards and heir to the 8thEarl of Shannon; the marriage was dissolved in 1955 but she kept his surname, Boyle.[12] Later that year, she married Greville Baylis, a racehorse owner, who died in 1976. In 1979, she married theatre impresario SirPeter Saunders, who died in 2003.
A book byNicholas Davies,Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused, alleged that Boyle had a long-standing relationship withPrince Philip in the 1950s.[13] Boyle toldGyles 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."[14] She was represented for most of her working life by agentBunny Lewis. A keen owner of Poodles, Pekingese and Italian Greyhounds she was a committee member ofBattersea Dogs Home for more than 25 years. She died at home in London on 20 March 2018, aged 91, from pneumonia andcerebrovascular disease.[1][15][16]
She was also credited as Catherine Boyle and Catherine Boyl.[citation needed]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Old Mother Riley Headmistress | Miss Ashton | |
| 1951 | I'll Never Forget You | Girl | Uncredited |
| 1955 | The French, They Are a Funny Race | Minor Role | |
| 1957 | The Truth About Women | Diana | |
| Not Wanted on Voyage | Julie Haines | ||
| 1958 | Intent to Kill | Margaret McLaurin | |
| 1959 | First Love | Luciana |
She also wrote four books:
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest presenter 1960 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest presenter 1963 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest presenter 1968 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest presenter 1974 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
