Surprise, surprise Cilla’s lost thrillers Star’s tribute to feature unseen vids, chats and tunes
is going to be remembered in an intimate telly special – and fans can expect a lorra, lorra tears.
Hours of unseen footage and unheard audio featuring the telly icon will go out in a one-off programme for ITV.
And there will be some special moments and insights from the Blind Date star’s five decades in showbiz.
Son Robert Willis came across seven hours of footage and recordings soon after she died in 2015.
They included songs she used to sing to her three sons when they were babies.
Some of the material was captured by Liverpool-born Cilla’s hubby Bobby, who passed away in 1999.
Robert, who managed Anyone Who Had a Heart star Cilla, told of the incredible find before the family sold her home in Denham, Bucks.
“It was a poignant moment, standing in the kitchen, knowing we were selling the family home we’ve had since 1970,” he said.
“There were tons of tapes because they never threw anything away. I picked an orange one and put it in the cassette player. It was her talking in concert.
“She said, ‘I’m going to sing Liverpool Lullaby.’ This was a song she used to sing to me, Jack and Ben.
“It was incredibly emotional. I got a bit choked. I felt like it was meant to be.”
Cilla suffered a stroke following a fall and died, aged 72.
Robert, 49, found her on the balcony of her holiday home in Estepona, near Marbella in Spain.
It had been the first day of her holiday and she’d spent the day enjoying champagne and watching Jeremy Kyle on TV.
Cilla’s family has worked closely with ITV to make the tribute, which finished filming earlier this month.
It will be on screens next year.
Sources say it will make for emotional viewing. One insider added: “It will be a real tear jerker.” And a load of surprise, surprises for fans who miss her, too... and are still insisting feud claims are a load of rubbish – and it won’t spoil their turkey dinner.
Holly said: “We won’t let this ruin our Christmas.”
“No, never,” agreed Phil. A string of shocking claims about Phil and his “toxic” behaviour emerged last week, on top of reports he doesn’t get with his This Morning co-host.
“It would be impossible for us to fake our relationship, the laughs,” said Holly. “We’re two and a half hours on the telly, I’m not that good an actress! If I was I’d be doing something else.”
Phil added: “Especially when we get to the point where we think, ‘This is really unprofessional’ because neither of us can stop laughing.”
They will front Dancing On Ice Christmas special next Sunday. Let’s see if things are icy then?